cat like...

...hmmm. This concept of riding "cat-like" off road has intrigued this little, very inexperienced dirt-rider. Recently, Mike and I have spent Sundays together mountain biking at Camden. When the wind blows as hard as it has been, the sheltering trees are a cyclists only reprieve from getting blown over.

The first mile, I don't love riding off road. (That's how I felt about running.) I really have to get past that first mile before I can get a rhythm going, (as opposed to riding on the road, where you get rolling along almost instantly). Of course, the routes I ride include a steep climb about 100 meters in and so that might have something to do with it...perhaps a little warm-up might make things easier on me, huh?

Now that I am familiar with more of the park's trail system, Mike leaves me be and I just ride my own slow pace as I practice picking my lines up and down the rocky, old railroad-tied ascents and descents. Once alone in the trees, I roll along listening to the leaves crunching under my wheels, keeping my eyes out for pheasants, and trying to avoid riding over the many garter snakes that seem to enjoy sunbathing in my path. That's the cool, zen-part.

And yeah, I'm getting a little more "cat-like". Sorta like Garfield (the cat). If you can get a picture in your mind of how that comic-strip cat might take to mountain biking, you'd have a pretty good picture of me! But what the heck. I'm having fun with it, and Mike thinks it's great when I go mountain biking with him... To be honest, when I look at some of those climbs that I manage to get up and down, I think I'm superwoman. Until some 12 year old comes ripping up the trails past me, making sure my ego stays in tact. sigh...

Anyway, I guess the wind blew in the stormy weather, as I woke up to thunder and lightening and rain for my only day off this week. Oh well, as long as the wind subsides, it's fine with me. Happy Monday.