It all started on the first downhill. "What am I forgetting?" I just *knew* I was forgetting
something. Maybe it was because it happens so frequently this early in the season. I blazed down the
entry road, thinking about how I could go faster on a bike than in a vehicle since I can just
bunny-hop over the ruts.
Then I reached the trailhead - big puddle at pass-thru. Sloshed thick mud all over my left leg. Hit
some more mudholes - more mud splattered on the left leg, but somehow the right leg remained clean
and lilly-white (as is typical of Western Oregon). It was beginning to get comical - should I get a
picture of this? Do I *really* want to post a picture of my legs?
Hit some long dry runs - fantastic. Maybe the big climb will be dry. Its such a pain trying to get
up steep sections when they're covered with wet mossy gravel. It'll be nice to get up that part
without having to stop (its only about a 300' climb, over 1/2 mile or so).
Then it hit me - I was analyzing this way too much. Travis quickly came to mind, and how he tends to
over-think ever aspect of riding. One of the joys of mountain biking is how you can let your
instincts take over, and at the very least take it one section at a time.
I hit the climb with a new attitude. I ground my way up familiar turns, and held back as needed to
power up the steeps. OK, I did stop once - I have nothing to prove to anyone (its not like there's
anyone ELSE out climbing this)! The hill seemed to go by very quickly this time.
Then it was a breezy fireroad cruise. This affords a lot of opportunities to just look around and
enjoy the lush greenery. Soon was at the bottom of the next climb. This tends to be the "tough
climb" for most riders, as they avoid the part of the park with the really steep stuff.
The local MTB group (Portland United Mountain Peddlers - PUMP) arrived en masse at the same time, so
I stopped waited for them to start their chug up the long hill. It was quite a gaggle, but not MY
gaggle. Guess I'm more of an independent - a Portland Independent Mountain Peddler. After a quick
giggle about that acronym, I was off.
Vowing to just maintain a good spin and not try to analyze ever section, I caught up to and passed
about 1/4 of the group. At least let me know I'm not totally out of shape. I breezed past the rest
of the group catching their breath at the top. Its hard to resist the temptation to hammer around
other riders. Just competitive spirit, I guess. I really just prefer to ride for fun.
And as it turned out, I hadn't forgetten anything.
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-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)