Can you see it?

Here's my Mountain Bike Monday post...on a Wednesday! Sorry for the delay this week!

So, can you see it?

How about now?

"What?" you ask. The trail! It's completely covered in leaves.

It's a good thing that we were familiar with the trail because there were times on Saturday's ride where I wasn't so sure I made the right turn. Us being gone for a couple of weeks was just enough time for the leaves to fall and everything to change in the woods.

Things look so different in the Fall and Winter in the woods. I actually like to see the changes in the landscape. Those turns and hills look so much more different. For one thing you can see them coming up a lot easier. Many of the sections of trail were tight and gave you a closed in feeling with all of the ferns and grass, but now it's wide open! One thing is for sure, though. The holly is still there and prickly as ever! I hate that stuff!

Riding in the Fall and Winter present different challenges. The leaves were very crunchy in lots of places. At times it was so loud that I couldn't even hear Dynamo talking to me. The leaves hide lots of the roots and bumps and holes that are so visible other times of the year. As a rider you must change your thinking. You have to be more prepared for the hidden roots and bumps that you normally can avoid. Also, the leaves and roots become much more slippery. You have to be sure to cross roots square on versus on angles as your back tire is more apt to slip this time of the year.

Our ride was good! It wasn't spectacular...at least for me! You could definitely tell I had been out of the saddle for a couple of weeks. No more desserts! But, it was nice to come home from Florida to beautiful Virginia Fall weather. I had missed our rides. The temperature is getting to be perfect for riding now! So, we've got lots of riding ahead of us! Time in the saddle will make me a better rider! So, onward and upward. Hopefully they'll be lots of "Good ride, hun!" days ahead!

Happy Wednesday!