I imagine this might be someplace to chill and read a story... I put today's foray up first, since it's current. I'm going to add some more too, if the MasterLlama will allow... He may very well get sick of me and either grant me my own category or tell me to go home...
Winter rides. You either love them, or hate them. If there is a spectrum, I would venture to say that my rides have all been on the positive side. Those who hate winter riding... well... they just don’t do it. A ride is a ride, right? It certainly beats sitting in an office looking at a computer screen...
Tuesday was bitterly cold, and although I had an enormous window, I decided to bag the riding thing. I went out Wednesday late, but it still was before the sun had set. The air was still frigid, and the ground was frozen, but I needed the saddle time. I wanted to follow up on the long weekend ride...
The ground really was firm. I like that it takes on a different texture. Loose dirt, sand, and small pebbles combine into a frozen track that actually grips your tires as much as they grip it. It’s like riding on a cheese grater. Cornering with confidence on a non-slip surface. I was rocketing through sections where I usually use the brake. That is really cool stuff if you ask me. I’ve been riding lower tire pressure of late too, and the handling is off the chart. The front shock I’m riding handles everything thrown at it too, so even on a hard tail, I’m loving every minute. Ripping and gripping...
Today tossed a curve. I had heard the weather report, and I started really thinking about the late afternoon ride I had planned. I decided to put it in my back pocket for later, and instead venture out earlier to see “what was up”. Well... 7:45am was dry as can be. By 8:30am, after a nice long hot shower, I was completely mesmerized to see a good half inch of snow on the ground that was just recently dry! WTF is right! I couldn’t believe it. But as that old saying says, “Strike while the iron is hot!” Or in this case, when it’s cold as ice. Can you say snow ride? Of course you can. I did. I think I got to the trail head faster this morning than I have in a month...
It really is pretty as a picture to see a natural setting covered with snow. The wet snow that was falling was clinging to the leaves and branches, and weighing them down. A dryer snow would blow around, but this snow was coating everything around, including myself. I would say it was a ten out of ten on the fun meter. The trail was eminently rideable, with no more than an inch or two on the trail bed. If I was singing to myself and you heard me? You just might think I’m crazy. Perhaps a bit eccentric too. I call it sheer genius, because 99.5% of the population here on LI, on this given day, do not witness what I did today. The other .5% are you freaking knuckleheads, and the skiers and hikers too...
So it’s the end of 2009. How was your year? Mine was awesome! In fact, everyday I wake and put my feet on the floor is a good day. We all go through trials and tribulations, and lord knows, I’ve wrestled with my share of late. I’ll take this time right now to wish you all a Happy New Year! Can we turn the page? I guess we can. In fact, we have to. A year older, a year wiser? Perhaps. If you’ve read this far, I would like to think that you enjoyed your stay here on this thread too. I keep thinking back to Collins, from IMBA. He said you should celebrate mountain biking. In fact, every chance you get, you should talk about it and write about it.
