Its Saturday, September 30th, 2017. Temperatures are in the low 80s though and the leaves are still green. The humidity of summer is gone, but the tinge of chill of autumn hasn't arrived yet. The smell of fireplaces and firepits hasn't really hit the air, but you can tell it is Autumn in the parking lot by the slant of the sunlight. The sun is a lot further south than it is in the summer. I hop on the bike and ride into the forest and everything changes. I haven't left the real world behind, not really, but for a little while its just me and the trail, my thoughts, my memories, and the bike.
There are a lot obstacles. Roots, hills, trees, rocks, but also squirrels, box turtles, black rat snakes, and deer. It isn't easy, but the challenge is rewarding. Occasionally I leave blood on the trail. I'm learning day by day how to read the trail and how to use the bike to better overcome those obstacles. A few months ago, what I thought was impossible is now a slight bump. Each new trail teaches me something new. For a short while I'm the little boy riding his bike through the forests at the top of hills in Monterey, or through the swamps of South Carolina. Gliding sometimes and bouncing sometimes because the trail can be rough, I slide in and out of shadows and memories.
The effort is exhilarating and exhausting. I'm drenched with sweat from it, but I just don't want it to end. However, the day is done, the sun will soon drop below the horizon and I have to finish the ride. Tomorrow, I'll start again, with new goals and new memories. I can't wait.
So...I've got this mountain biking addiction... :-)
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