I had an afternoon of touching that feeling you have when you are a kid. The 'moment', the pure enjoyment.... What triggered it? Leading a mountain biking trail ride with a pack of pre-teen kids. I admit, when I arrived on site I was a little concerned I would be too tame for these kids, as they tricked out and did jumps. But when I hit the trail I remembered why I love this kind of biking. It is a thinking and focused endeavor. You have to use eyes to see roots and rocks, and still be planning your course ahead. When you get straightaways you muscle it and feel the burn. On inclines to crouch low into your bike and feel the texture of the ground through the vibrations of your bike. Delicious. "Going the Distance" was playing in my head as I lead the pack of boys.... eager to show me up.
They deftly manouver and muscle for rank,
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank,
Wreckless and wild they pour thru the turns,
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
Yet, it was not I asking for a break at the end of trail one. Score one for the old lady..... YEAH! When we reached the final trail and were winding through switchbacks I actually yelled aloud from the sheer enjoyment of it. Damn, it was that good. Have to figure out ways to get that sensation more often. When we got back to site the kids guzzled drinks, and I stretched. I took out two more runs of kids and by the end of the day felt tired, exhilarated and good-- I still got it. Baby.
