It's so hard to tell from this picture, but it is quite rocky and steep coming back on the trail. Going across one side I had mastered, but it was the return trip that always stopped me mid-hill! I FINALLY made it! It only took me 100 times (well, maybe I am exaggerating a bit).
Mountain biking is like golf in many ways. No, I'm not crazy. Hear me out. In golf you can have a really bad day and on the 18th hole hit the most beautiful drive ever. They say it happens that way to bring you back yet again another day to play. Well, my biking excursion on Tuesday was a little like that. Here's the scoop...
Dynamo and I were so excited to get to ride on a 74 degree overcast day. It's been so brutally hot that we were bound and determined to take advantage of such beautiful cool weather. It was actually a little chilly when we started out. We were afraid that it was going to rain on us, but we didn't care because we had trails to conquer.
The ride started out lovely! Spot was doing great. I was feeling good. So good, in fact, that I decided I would venture into unchartered territory. You see...at Pocohontas they have all trails labeled very nicely. Normally we follow all of the blue arrows on Lakeview. There are several more difficult spinoffs on the trail to challenge you a little more...should you want to take the risk. These are the ones labeled with red diamonds. I decided that I wanted to check out some of the red sections to see what it really is all about. You can't improve if you don't try right? The first one wasn't too terribly bad. It was a downhill rock garden (sorry, no pics). I rode a little ways and then decided to walk down it to inspect things more closely before chancing it. I felt confident that I could ride that one if given another opportunity. We did see the largest mushrooms ever in this section. Here is a pic...
Cool huh? I was waiting to see a frog underneath them. We have seen some pretty cool things on the trails... snakes included (I hate those things).
So, onto the next section of trail. We again decided to venture off into a red section. Well, things didn't go so well this time. It was a real rocky rock garden. Things would have been fine if I hadn't decided to stop in the middle because I had lost my line. You see, you have to have some speed when crossing rocky sections and logs. Speed is your friend! When I stopped I didn't quite get my footing right so I toppled over to the left side, which of course, didn't have any ground to fall on...just rocks and a small ledge. It was a pretty big thump with some scrapes and blood involved (sorry, no pics). I jumped up because the only thing I was thinking about was what creatures would be hiding there. I didn't want to be laying on rocks (typical home for snakes...did I mention I don't like those things?). I can only imagine falling right on top of one of those things. Argh!!! I got up...fussed, cried, and bled a bit before continuing on with the ride. Poor Dynamo...he just doesn't know what to do with me when I get in "crisis mode." There's really nothing to do but spectate. I did hear him say as I was falling, "Oh, hun!" It's so frustrating to fall. And...I've fallen quite a bit over the course of this last year. Not all have been so bloody, but they still hurt really bad. The older you get the harder the falls are it seems.
After all of this drama I finally made it across the creek. So, that's why biking is like golf. You may have a bad ride, but then something fabulous happens and you forget that you're battered and bruised stating, "I can't wait for the next ride." I felt like I had won a million dollars!!!
Of course, when I called my Dad to report in after the ride (I always do because he worries so much) I told him first about finally crossing the creek and then told him about the fall. He said "Why can't y'all get a decent sport?" I just ignore those comments. I know it's just him worrying about us. Don't they say that life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all? Well, I've overcome lots of fears since riding (still working on the snake thing, though).
Finally, here's a mushroom forest that we saw near the end of the ride.
Dynamo's pictures aren't so fuzzy! I think I need to let him take all the pics from now on!
Thanks, Dynamo, for being patient and allowing me to have my "crisis." I LOVE YOU!!!
2 comments:
Congratualtions on crossing over! You did do it and I know what you mean...............have a great day and those mushrooms are incredible!
Congrats on conquering the creek! I know how that is, to work your way up to getting over an obstacle, and then finally! you did it! I have worked hard to get over what now seem smallish obstacles. There is this one log at Poor Farm, right at the bottom of a downhill, at the beginning of a small "bridge". After a year and a half of riding, one day I just followed Jim right over it and didn't really give it a second thought. It wasn't until after I went over the log that I realized that it was the obstacle I always stopped for! Those are the best moments. But as far as being cautious goes, my motto is still "Live to ride another day." I might have bruises, but I make sure to return home in one piece, and I know you do too! Congrats again, it sounds like you are having lots of fun!
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