As this semester comes to a close, so does this column. I’m sad writing this column will be absent from my upcoming weeks. While it has been challenging, it has also been one of the more rewarding things I have done in my life so far.

I couldn’t have picked a better week to have written my last “Life in the Bike Lane” column than the week the Amgen Tour of California rode through Sacramento. International cyclist superstars from all around the world rode over a hundred miles at an average of 26 mph. Michael Cavedish won the first stage of the men’s race, whizzing past the finish line with arms in the air.

A thousand thoughts ran through my head seeing those athletes fly by me standing on the sidelines. None of them started out as masters in their craft. Just like no student coming into Sacramento State came in an expert in their major. It took time, dedication, blood and tears for those cyclists to make it to the Peleton. Just like it takes students at Sac State great sacrifices to get their degrees.

The sacrifices between cyclist and student are most definitely different. While a student might sacrifice a semester of spending time with friends and family, a cyclist might sacrifice time with their family for weeks or months at a time.

No matter how different the sacrifice may be, the dedication behind the sacrifice is still the same. The drive to accomplish something bigger than yourself, to overcome criticism and persevere for something greater is found both in the classroom and on the road.

I hope with this column, I have clearly written about this parallel. That you, the reader, have shown great dedication on the road that that has spilled into the classroom, and all your dedication this semester to become a better and more sustainable cyclist has made you, in turn, a better student.

So, cheers to all of you for reading. I hope you ride on, and have wonderful fulfilling lives on the road.

Be seen, be zen, and ride on.