Well, part of my father's day was a "free" 3 hours to go out and kill myself
on some new (to me) trails at a place near here called McKeldin State Park.
It's part of the Patapsco State Park system here in Maryland. There is a
popular area that is maintained and is multi-use where hikers and horsey
people are literally all over the place. If the weather is warm enough you
can cross over to the lesser maintained quarry side of the park. You need to
ford a branch of the Patapsco River which is usually about knee deep but is
actually rideable from time to time. I've crossed when it was FRIGID and
thigh deep (bike on shoulder of course!).
This day I knew from the time I left my house with my bike on the CJ-7
that I was crossing and going to hit the lesser traveled trails. I got to
the park and was unloading my bike when this older gent (about 60-ish) rides
up on a single speed. He'd just finished an 8 mile trip on the dry side (he
didn't cross) and told me that there were LOTS of people out there and to be
careful. He has a FS but has his SS today because he was coming off some rib
injuries and figured that the SS was easier to handle. I probably had a WTF
look on my face but I didn't ask what he meant.
Anyway, I load up and ride down to the river. I passed a man and two younger
kids on bikes and had a momentary twinge that I should have brought my boys
but it passed (insert small grin here). At the crossing I see these two
young studs standing there pondering the crossing. These guys have spandex
and some skin tight shirts with lots of logos and a couple of really shiney
looking rides. Now this crossing is about 40 yards across and fast but you
can see it's not deep (actually a ranger came through while we were talking
and rode her horse over. It was about 8 inches or so). The other side has a
nice patch of mud but rises to the forest on the other side. My few minutes
with them was spent telling them it was worth it and that they honestly
would not melt (said with a grin of course, I'm not a TOTAL ass). Now you
have to understand that I rode up in baggy shorts, and a sleveless white
cotten Nike teeshirt and a well worn camelbak Bottomline is that I took off
and made it half way before I dabbed and walked the rest of the way. They
never came over.
The ride was through nice forest and hills with nary a soul to be seen.
One and a half hours later and covered with sweat, mud, and a little blood
where a branch caught my arm I stagger back to the Jeep and there they are
nice and clean at their cars STILL talking about Lord knows what. They were
quiet for a second and I looked at them and said "You guys should have
crossed over".
I think I had a better time! Happy Father's Day!
Marty