Recently, I invited 2 bicycle enthusiasts to accompany me on a questionable bike camping trip. 1 of these fellows declined, wisely and politely saying "My mommy just got into town, sorry I can't go, plus it sounds totally sucky." The other of these remains incommunicado, which I took and take to mean that he also knew the idea to be a bad one. I said as much in the invite. I said, "it's prolly a bad idea, but..." and those are the words that started the Church of the Sweet Ride, and they are the words by which I try to live.
Well, HA! Only Day 2 totally sucked. Day 1 was so great! So much downhill in such nice conditions...zero bugs! snow, in the high country! no people at all! Y'all really blew the 1st day. Plus it would have been nice to have some help around for when I highside pedal strike the super off-camber and nearly pitch out into the abyss. I had to take a moment after that one. I will say, the awareness of being at the business end of things all alone and far out colors one's experience. It makes for some cautious type rallying. It is a vein worth mining, solo back-country riding. I asked myself: could you be transported to that place? And I answered myself: No. It is part and parcel, the Suffering involved to reach it. It sanctifies it. It is fucking exalted.
Let's not speak of Day 2, save to say 1) it was waaaaay better than last year (which, yes, I said I would never do again), and B) I got so frustrated and hateful I chucked my loaded bike over a hundredth deadfall and ended up bending the hanger pretty badly miles from nowhere. It was fixable. With the feet and hands, proper leverage and brute force, it was fixable, but it sucked anyhow. Over all, the trip was not worth doing. Though I have a high threshold for suck, once it is crossed there is no returning.
But, if we could work out just the Day 1 route...we'd be on to something.
Well, HA! Only Day 2 totally sucked. Day 1 was so great! So much downhill in such nice conditions...zero bugs! snow, in the high country! no people at all! Y'all really blew the 1st day. Plus it would have been nice to have some help around for when I highside pedal strike the super off-camber and nearly pitch out into the abyss. I had to take a moment after that one. I will say, the awareness of being at the business end of things all alone and far out colors one's experience. It makes for some cautious type rallying. It is a vein worth mining, solo back-country riding. I asked myself: could you be transported to that place? And I answered myself: No. It is part and parcel, the Suffering involved to reach it. It sanctifies it. It is fucking exalted.
Let's not speak of Day 2, save to say 1) it was waaaaay better than last year (which, yes, I said I would never do again), and B) I got so frustrated and hateful I chucked my loaded bike over a hundredth deadfall and ended up bending the hanger pretty badly miles from nowhere. It was fixable. With the feet and hands, proper leverage and brute force, it was fixable, but it sucked anyhow. Over all, the trip was not worth doing. Though I have a high threshold for suck, once it is crossed there is no returning.
But, if we could work out just the Day 1 route...we'd be on to something.
4 comments:
Buy the ticket, take the ride. Wish we were neighbors.
rev,
check your spam settings, bro.
i have feelings that my love letters, and my replies to yours, are not making it out of there sometimes.
i have documented evidence of my declining your invitation twice. somewhat because i had stuff to do, but mostly because you mentioned last time you tried that route you were reduced to tears.
coe shakedown-breakdown on monday tuesday?
Rev wrote; " I will say, the awareness of being at the business end of things all alone and far out colors one's experience."
No shit sherlock! Come to that conclusion 1000 miles out into the middle of the ocean while your pals are smoking a bowl in the wheelhouse.
MANY have come *this* way before you Rev.... Many.
Jiminy Christmas,man, the ONLY sensible thing to do 1,00 miles out in the ocean is to smoke bowls in the wheelhouse! No ocean sports for me, thanks.
Todd, my spam shows no replies. Maybe your computer is so sensible it deletes all correspondence with moi? And I didn't cry, I only wanted to. This time conditions were perfect...Yes on the Coe! I talked to my boss.
Fxdwhl- good to hear form you! I'm down for us to be neighbors and do ill-advised shit, but only if y'all were to move out West. I can't handle the East.
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