Chill

I'm riding with my new winter gloves because it is, in fact, winter. And here in the desert it gets cold. And windy. Besides being very warm, the gloves are also fuzzy inside and slightly bulky. My connection to the bike isn't what it should be. Steering has a little mush. Reaching for the brake levers is just a little bit harder. The dulling feeling they give me mimmicks all too closely the feeling I, myself, am already exuding. Too many drinks last night. And the night before. Good times beckon, especially here in sinful city. Great friends all around, and the beer flows like wine. And the hope of making new friends. More liquor. Last Call? What's that? Strip Club? Right next door to the bar. Live music? Six blocks from home.

My nose aches from the elbow I took in the scraggly mosh pit last night. My neck is stiff and doesn't want to look down the trail far enough. Do I still taste the lime from that last Corona? No, not possible. But the muddled feeling remains nonetheless. Loose rocks slide underneath the tires. Swithbacks come up too fast. But it's not the bike that's moving quickly, it's the brain that's moving slowly. Up now. My lungs sting from the chilly air, in that bad but good way. I know the fresh winter air is trying to bite through and push out the smokey bar exhaust and fuel the muscles that are riggored from too many days not riding. Climb. Climb. It's the only way to purge it all out. Then more rocks. Hard and cold and solid. One dab. Two dabs. After five I stop counting. I just want to keep the momentum going and these damn rocks keep taunting me. Any other day and they would have no power over me. Now they relish in their chance to even the score. I fight on. Now loose ones, again. The rear tire spins and I teeter toward the downhill side of the trail. Toward my bad knee. My eyes suddenly become eagle-sharp as I focus on the rocks, the weeds, the dirt, and find one spot where I can plant my toe spikes and avoid injury. There it is, that's it. But as I continue to hurtle downward I still wonder if it's enough. I fold into the hillside with my body as much as I can and take the bike down with me. And it's over. I'm fine. Get up. Back on the bike. Keep climbing. Keep purging. Once at the top again I have what I wanted. What I needed.

The sun is gone and only the fading twilight left. No time to lose. Seat in the downright position. Move. Calf muscles twinge and fingers ache. Don't slow down, though. The branches are getting harder to see. The deviations in the trail are blending together. One small climb and then the final stretch of down. Floating over and around. And it's over.

For now.

Muscles relax and the brain lilts on its natural high. Breathe.


Get out and ride.

Monsoon II: Rocky Peak

I'm blogging, sheesh! I'm sorry it's been like a month!

Chris's Blog was woefully void of pics, so I figured I had to step up to the plate. What a fricken ride!!! Although I had to ditch my glasses AGAIN (this pic was minutes before they had to go bye bye) the Rocky Peak ride was MUCH better than Monsoon I: Rim Nordic #3. I had Jay and Fuzzy and Jim to follow down the trail which made it much easier without my glasses. And I had my brand-new 5" travel DAWG to soak up all the bumps (cuz I was busy soaking up the water along with everyone else). Dawn with her Inoperative Intense and Betsy on the hardtail both slugged it out, too.

It was a wacky wet time. Thanks for rolling out the Old Year with a bang, guys. Can't wait for the New One to fulfill all our riding desires.

BC

This would be Boulder City (home of Boulder Dam) on who's trails you can see: The Strip from the other side, Lake Mead from atop a mountain of volcanic rock, and if you're quick with the camera, a bighorn sheep's ass!
Ride On.

I did a bad bad thing.

Xmas bonuses and Thanksgiving sales should not happen at the same time. Well, maybe they should! 5 inches of fully suspended shiny new aluminum muscle is now mine! Going DOWN...

I got your Strip right here, BABY!

Yes, that's the Las Vegas strip from the lookout at Cottonwood an hour into my four hour ride on Sunday.

I met a guy from Texas and a guy from Florida and we started a grand ride. From the north lot we went under the highway at the first tunnel and up thru Badger Pass, up Red Valley, and out to the Water Tower lookout. Then back down Red Valley(sweeet!), under the middle tunnel and down a superfast singletrack paralleling the highway back to the lot. Then we hooked up with a couple locals and headed back up next to the highway and out to the Norba Loop. The Texan's Long Island Iced Teas from the night before finally got the best of him and he headed back to his car. My back was reeling from riding my spare Hardtail (aluminum, ouch) but I pushed on. We counter-clocked the loop and halfway out I was completely out of gas. I struggled on and there was a sweet twisty section that got me grinnin again, following the other three on their Fullies. Florida and I cut out (mucho poopedo) as the other two headed for The Elevator, but we still had to go up a loose (and painful) jeep trial to get back to the downhill leading to the lot. A jeep actually appeared below and chased us up the road, but I was able to hold him off (barely). "You sure got more energy than me!" the driver drawled as he dusted off down the other side. We hooked a left and started down Red Valley for the second time (which went MUCH more slowly, but was still fun) and back thru Badger to the lot.

What a day. It's Tuesday (actually Wednesday now) and I'm still jazzed.

And that's the way I like it.

picture picture picture

I'm blogging!!!

Here is my first frickin post on my new blog. Aren't I cool???