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It?s 95 degrees out at noon and I?m driving a borrowed black S-10. No ac. I?m sweating, drinking water, and hoping I?ve got enough. There?s a rental bike tossed in the bed, best one they had at the shop. I keep glancing at it nervously in the rear view mirror. It?s still there, and I?m still more than a little scared about it. I?m halfway across the country. It takes some trial and error to find the trailhead, but I finally get there. It?s getting more humid. At home, we have dirt and pine needles. Here it?s ferns and greenery and bugs. The heat is downright thick.
I start up the trail, and it?s tough. It?s not as steep as home, and I?m struggling. Once in a while I?ve got to get off and push. It?s a little sandy and loose low, but as I climb, the trail gradually turns to dirt, becomes narrower, winds up switchbacks. Sitting and standing, steering and pedaling, all become more natural. My quads start singing to me and my back is starting to join in the chorus. I?m starting to find my groove.
My time is running out, and I reach my turn-around time. Down I go, corkscrewing through the turns, blasting between the lush greenery. It?s a rough ride. I?m loving this ride, this bike, the heat, the vegetation, everything. By the time I?m back at the truck, I?m soaked with sweat and grinning from ear to ear. The ride took so much effort, it?s all a blur. I look down at the bike and begin to think about the bikes I have at home, and how I couldn?t give up my playbike ? a 5 x 5 Enduro. But this rental?
To be honest, I didn?t want it for a rental, but it was the best bike in my size at the shop. So it doesn?t have suspension. It was still fun. But what really got me was the lack of gears. And that it was still fun. Sure there?s a bunch of folks riding bikes this way, I just never thought I would want to join the ranks.
I want to join the ranks.
I start up the trail, and it?s tough. It?s not as steep as home, and I?m struggling. Once in a while I?ve got to get off and push. It?s a little sandy and loose low, but as I climb, the trail gradually turns to dirt, becomes narrower, winds up switchbacks. Sitting and standing, steering and pedaling, all become more natural. My quads start singing to me and my back is starting to join in the chorus. I?m starting to find my groove.
My time is running out, and I reach my turn-around time. Down I go, corkscrewing through the turns, blasting between the lush greenery. It?s a rough ride. I?m loving this ride, this bike, the heat, the vegetation, everything. By the time I?m back at the truck, I?m soaked with sweat and grinning from ear to ear. The ride took so much effort, it?s all a blur. I look down at the bike and begin to think about the bikes I have at home, and how I couldn?t give up my playbike ? a 5 x 5 Enduro. But this rental?
To be honest, I didn?t want it for a rental, but it was the best bike in my size at the shop. So it doesn?t have suspension. It was still fun. But what really got me was the lack of gears. And that it was still fun. Sure there?s a bunch of folks riding bikes this way, I just never thought I would want to join the ranks.
I want to join the ranks.
