don't ride alone

in the mountain bike community there's a suggestion that you never ride alone.  i understand why this is said. its a safety issue. but if i followed this advice, what little time i have for riding would diminish substantially.  there are times when i simply must ride alone.  today was one of those days.  stormy weather on the horizon for the rest of the week.  if i didn't ride today it would be awhile before i could ride again.

my ride did not start out well.  the first 2.7 miles were spent getting off and on my bike as my seat kept falling to BMX height every 20-50 feet.  this was most unpleasant.  how do those effin BMXers ride like that?  luckily liam was able to find me and help me fix it.  love my ability to text in these moments.  he had to get back to his studies so i bid him farewell and continued my journey. 

my ride was going splendidly.  it was beautiful. cool and misty.

the moss was brilliant and the ferns were dancing with delight from the recent rain.  my riding was feeling good and strong.  but then i hit this little spot in the trail, not a big deal-i cruised over it just fine.  but earlier i was having trouble with my bike wanting to veer to the left side of the trail.  the steep side.  not sure why this happens but sometimes i ride right on that edge and my bike won't steer away.  some kind of weird physics phenomenon.  i was teetering on the edge several times remembering not to panic when seeing the steep downhill to my left but to shift my weight and point the opposite knee in the direction i wanted to go instead.

i'm not sure what happened.  i just know that after clearing this log my bike went left when i wanted to veer straight up the trail.  i knew i was going to crash and i would not be able to stop it. 

luckily my crash was in slow motion. seeing the approaching logs i would soon be laying upon, i had a stern discussion with my upper left arm and shoulder.  i just told them that they would NOT be breaking.  i hit the logs gracefully with my bike landing on top of me.  i just sort of laid there stunned for awhile.  once i realized i was fine i was trying to figure out how i was going to crawl out of this hole.  i was kinda stuck with my bike on top of me.....with no one to help me up.  i managed a few photos from my vantage point.

i somehow managed to climb out and pull my bike out too.  i consider myself really lucky.

  

sore and shaky i continued on only to come upon this fallen tree right in the middle of the trail.  many a swear word spewed from my lips as my feet got entangled whilst dragging my bike threw this mess.

i was pretty ragged by the time i got to "Dark Day"  and was thankful that my text to hubby made it as he was waiting there with the truck to drive me home.   understanding fully the meaning of "don't ride alone"  but knowing fully i would ride alone tomorrow if the opportunity arose!