Everything contained in these pages is liable to be a work of fiction. Swing out.
Having been granted a special purpose, I woke up and made use of it. Seeing that in print, I realize it could be better worded. No matter. In keeping with the spirit of the episode, we continue our forward momentum. What I meant: I rode the youngest to school, parting ways at 8:20 AM, and then continued out into the morning, bright and temperate. Alight with the flame of exploration; a small twig fire that I've nursed along for several years(!) now. Perhaps we have spoken of the potential adventure. I have been breaking off small bits in my mind to use as kindling this whole time. Keeping that guttering flicker alight, smoking the while with what ifs, occasionally flaring with hard knots of it must bes, yet banked with cover of doubts and liabilities.
This particular morning, I was really feeling hot. I have been laying down the wood in this direction for some weeks now, and the basic structure was all in place waiting for that spark to set it alight. My hesitancy has been based on the certainty that, once lit up, there is no telling what might follow. Fire has ever been servant and master that way. A blaze can burn away with Terrible Consequences or a Glorious Light, and while they are equally entertaining neither is certain. Which is to say, I've been hesitant to commit. If you require more in this vein, I nod to Phil Ligget- that master of double speak, Lies, and bicycle related bullshit- and pull from my Suitcase of Courage the Matchbook of Hard Effort in which are limited and precious contents. I would use them to grope my way along the floor of a very deep and dark Pain Cave.
In my mind I had plans. These were the little things of cautious optimism married to realistic consideration of unknowns. They were to be discarded one by one, as my Good Feeling and my bicycle carried me beyond their small reaches. I was carried away. I was caught in the updraft from all these informed (but let's be honest- lucky) choices and happy circumstances. Gates and possible turn arounds were met and dispatched. I had thought I would approach this in series; bite off morsels, turn for home and worry them into a knowledge of the route as a whole. The map can only show so much. To this end, I packed light- as in not at all. I keep a bag on that bike, and it has the basics: tools, patch kit, spare tube, a couple-3 ginger candies and a Honey Stinger gel (those are good and clean, even if Lance is wrapped up in the ownership). I figured that would be enough to get me through my planned small, exploratory push. And it was. Enough.
So much climbing. So much descending, knowing there was to be that much climbing and more. High highs, surprising lows. There is still plenty more to be had. With 10 hours of out and back(!) I had still not reached what I have been assuming might be the end of that bit (though really, literally, the beginning of another) and there were multiple possible offshoots along the way. All I can say here is that I spent 10 hours on the bike, with never more than a 15 minute stop, and came home cooked.
This requires further consideration. Thank you for your time.
P.S. this would make a fantastic full moon adventure.
Having been granted a special purpose, I woke up and made use of it. Seeing that in print, I realize it could be better worded. No matter. In keeping with the spirit of the episode, we continue our forward momentum. What I meant: I rode the youngest to school, parting ways at 8:20 AM, and then continued out into the morning, bright and temperate. Alight with the flame of exploration; a small twig fire that I've nursed along for several years(!) now. Perhaps we have spoken of the potential adventure. I have been breaking off small bits in my mind to use as kindling this whole time. Keeping that guttering flicker alight, smoking the while with what ifs, occasionally flaring with hard knots of it must bes, yet banked with cover of doubts and liabilities.
This particular morning, I was really feeling hot. I have been laying down the wood in this direction for some weeks now, and the basic structure was all in place waiting for that spark to set it alight. My hesitancy has been based on the certainty that, once lit up, there is no telling what might follow. Fire has ever been servant and master that way. A blaze can burn away with Terrible Consequences or a Glorious Light, and while they are equally entertaining neither is certain. Which is to say, I've been hesitant to commit. If you require more in this vein, I nod to Phil Ligget- that master of double speak, Lies, and bicycle related bullshit- and pull from my Suitcase of Courage the Matchbook of Hard Effort in which are limited and precious contents. I would use them to grope my way along the floor of a very deep and dark Pain Cave.
In my mind I had plans. These were the little things of cautious optimism married to realistic consideration of unknowns. They were to be discarded one by one, as my Good Feeling and my bicycle carried me beyond their small reaches. I was carried away. I was caught in the updraft from all these informed (but let's be honest- lucky) choices and happy circumstances. Gates and possible turn arounds were met and dispatched. I had thought I would approach this in series; bite off morsels, turn for home and worry them into a knowledge of the route as a whole. The map can only show so much. To this end, I packed light- as in not at all. I keep a bag on that bike, and it has the basics: tools, patch kit, spare tube, a couple-3 ginger candies and a Honey Stinger gel (those are good and clean, even if Lance is wrapped up in the ownership). I figured that would be enough to get me through my planned small, exploratory push. And it was. Enough.
So much climbing. So much descending, knowing there was to be that much climbing and more. High highs, surprising lows. There is still plenty more to be had. With 10 hours of out and back(!) I had still not reached what I have been assuming might be the end of that bit (though really, literally, the beginning of another) and there were multiple possible offshoots along the way. All I can say here is that I spent 10 hours on the bike, with never more than a 15 minute stop, and came home cooked.
This requires further consideration. Thank you for your time.
P.S. this would make a fantastic full moon adventure.
3 comments:
Nice words, great music.....sounds like a great roll. This moon fixation deal is a bit freaky .....not sure if I would want to be out in the dark with you. I'd bring my crucifix, silver bullet and some garlic just in case.
:-)
Thank you.
My wife, my most loving and accurate critic, says she had no idea what the hell I was talking about for the 1st 1/2, then realized only because with her I can name names and already had given her the straight report called it "artfully written" and claims she meant it as a compliment.
Buzz, if you don't know about this moon fixation you better axe somebody.
I may be alone in this, but if something piques my interest I follow the lineage back to see what kind of (other) interesting influences come to light. I refer you, and indeed anyone else who may find it not self-evident, to my back pages. Searching under the label MOONlit ridiing (sic)will turn up some gems and turds.
For the sake of brevity and clarity and laziness: riding under the light of the full moon changes the mundane into the fucking magical. Try it. No, but REALLY try it. Make the commitment to turn off your lights and keep them off, suffer through the initial discomfort and it will be revealed. Totally worth it.
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