Get Off My Trail
Where there is cow pucky there are cows. It took the Ripmo and I three laps dodging cow pies but the giant critters finally showed their faces. Most of it was dry and we escaped the truly nasty experience of coming home covered in manure based compost. At one point, in an attempt to clear the sweat from my face I instead poked myself in
The organic perfume of a thirsty forest drenched by summer thunderstorms through the night filled my nose. In the high desert this is a rare scent. I drank deeply from the clear mountain air. The Ripmo clung to the moist dirt and in turn the dirt clung to the Ripmo. The wet rock provided precious little grip to the rear end and we’d frequently spin
As the Western United States burns to the ground and smoke fills the sky with an apocalyptic orange I impatiently wait for the mornings when the mountains are visible from my home. This morning was just such a moment. The Ripmo, weary of sitting in the garage tore through the ruble and moon dust. Like a pair of newly escaped convicts we crashed through Providence
Unable to endure another day on Zwift, the air be damned I set out to ride Providence Canyon. Then I totally forgot I had meetings 20 minutes after I left. I also forgot about the cows I had encountered on my Tuesday night down hill cheat day. In spite of all my negativity and inability to output very watts the ride turned out way better
Never have I ever … shuttled a mountain bike ride. At least not to get to the top just to let gravity do all the work. Tonight that changed. My son’s youth group wanted to ride Providence Canyon and so I agreed. Besides the air is toxic and I had already spent two hours on Zwift earlier in the day. this was also the shortest
Nice surprise this morning. I went to bed with gloom and smokey skies and a terrible day forecast and then the air was clear. At least 2 of the air sensor around here said it was. One still said the air would kill me but after a week on Zwift we ignore that kind of pessimism. Glad I did. The sun was high and the
Didn’t think my legs would hold up to much this morning but I miss the mountains so I and the Ripmo set off into Providence Canyon. The air was clear. The sun was high. I was slow. I and the Ripmo were mostly alone. That’s good because it was hot and I was sweaty. No body wants to be around a sweaty guy covered in
I woke up bright and early to clear skies. It was the perfect morning for the perfect ride. Then I went back to bed and woke up an hour later. I stumbled around the house unable to find all my gear and generally wasting time. When I finally did start riding I felt like I was forgetting something and sure enough my helmet was not
On any given Friday when the weather is warm regardless of the time of day there will be hikers and bikers in Providence Canyon. Frequently there will also be shooters, ATVs and vehicles of various types but I don’t meet them on the trail. Today it was just me. OK, so there were two guys leaving when I started the climb into the canyon and
The sky once again filled with smoke the morning sunlight streamed through the trees lighting the forest in orange and fooling the mind that Autumn was upon us. Whether it was the smoke and haze, a the restless night or the mysterious soreness in my quads and hamstrings I failed to find any depth or power in my pedal strokes. As I climbed my legs