after a night of beer and cookies (and wine and other stuff) i woke up this morning slightly less energetic than i needed to be. no matter, bacon and eggs fix a lot of things.
i had planned on getting on the trail by 7:30 am. i had planned on 35 miles, about six hours of riding. everyone knows about "the best laid plans of mice and men." there wasn't any grief, but there was a bit of pain. also, i was a superhero to three people. i saved lives today.
on the trail by 8:45. the first bit, which usually takes me about three hours, only took me about two, two and a half. i started wondering if this is what being fit feels like. you can ride, and you aren't tired at the spots you usually are. you have strength and energy, and it wasn't a lot of effort. perhaps i was just too hungover to notice. the weather was cooperating fully with me. it was cool, almost cold, it started to get windy, but the wind was just there to cool me down,it wasn't nature's bully there to push me around and hinder forward momentum. at one point i was wondering if it was a dream, i was riding so well. the "worst climb in the universe" wasn't all that bad, and the descent to the halfway point was excellent. i was feeling great.
here's the thing. throughout the day, i had these....moments of zen. i tried to, at least. i wasn't thinking, there was no "me" and no "bike" and no "trail." there was mebiketrail. i cannot say it was exciting, or happy, or anything. it just....was. in retrospect, it was cool and awesome, but at the time, in the moment, it just.....was.
at the halfway point i refilled my water, drank some coconut water, and had a bit or two, not a whole thing, of Cliff Bar.
then came the most difficult trail on the list. it is arduous, onerous, strenuous, and almost prohibitive. i've done it a few times, more than a few times really, but i usually start with it, or just do it alone. i have never ridden it after about two and a half hours of already riding somewhat technical trail.
i have to say, it was a pleasant hike with my bicycle. the problem is, my legs started to cramp. this got me thinking, i'm usually ok, and then, following the "eat before you are hungry" rule, i eat something, and then i start to bonk. what the ever living fuck is that about??? i was pissed at myself for eating two goddamn bites of a Cliff Bar. i didn't want it, but i ate it, and then my legs started getting weird.
the weather was still in full cooperation, i pedaled, walked, pedaled, walked, pedaled until i was done with the trail, i decided to cut the ride short and skip at least one, maybe both of the final two trails that would complete the whole ride. i just had to ride a few more miles back to the car. my legs felt like they were about done.
i pedaled easy and argued with myself if i should do the last trail or just go to my car. about 100 yards before the final decision to ride trail or head back to the car (both actually being about the same distance) i met an older couple. they were walking some moderately techy parts. they were on hardtails. they told me they were going to go back on the trail i had just done. i told them no, that was not for them, and suggested the final trail that i was going to do. they don't know it, but i saved their life.
had they taken the trail they wanted, they would have finished, at best, with a huge fight and possible divorce, and at worst, it would have been a survival/rescue mission. they were in no way equipped, either with gear, skills, or fitness, to do what they had planned. they were cool about it too and i hope they had a great time. two people rescued.
then at the decision point, i met a lady with a flat, we tried to fix it, no dice. i told her my car was just over yonder, i would take her to her truck at the main parking lot. since i would have had to wait for her, i just rode the last trail, it was great, i was super proud of myself. i got to the car and helped the lady she was my third rescue of the day.
at the end of the day, i rode (and walked) about 25 miles, in about four and a half hours. the really neat thing about it all was, if i hadn't decided to cut it short when i did and head back, there would be two possibly dead people on the top of a mountain, and a lady would have had a shitty walk back to her car.
it all worked out, and i had a kick ass day.
then i came home, took a shower, and collapsed into a pleasant coma. great day overall.
i love bicycles. they make great things happen.
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