the season

I've been more off the bike than on.   as of late.
today, went back a bit and just worked on skills, starts, dismount remount, off camber, and cornering.
Did a bit of running, slow.   Then went off into the woods.  To find an old overgrown trail.

I won my first ever race at Belmont.  At the last mtb race that took place there.   I won, and all the friends I rode with, they also raced that day, and cheered me as I went to collect my prize.  An x-large purple helmet.  


I passed Meach at one of the numerous log crossing, "yo, Meach" I said,  "go get 'em Dave" he replied.

The brush is thick fast. and many things have thorns, and numerous slaps and pokes as I trapesed on.

The trail use to follow the fence,  but on up the trail, down by the creek a big tree fell.   That closed the trail.  Quick grew the plants along the fence, and, it was impassable, and forgotten.

The trail followed an old trolley line, it was off to the right.  I didn't notice the old line, that rose up and away, to an abrupt drop, where the bridge that was once there, spanned the little creek valley gap.  

It was a pretty big thing to miss, that old line decaying in the woods.   Easy to miss cause the trail on the left of it,  had a nice bump, and was a fast place.  To a bit of a trick crossing, then hard pedaling to just keep at racing speed. 

 

Meach hitting the bump, on the old trail,  racing,  a few years before I started riding.

Patrick our cat, we had his leg amputated.  He just went running by, on the wood floor.  I looked over at the new pattern of sound of paw steps.   He's doing well.

In a way, despite the early dark, and quickness of cold.  I feel potential, work on the skills, keep the thoughts hard in the mind,  its a new season now.    Its now cyclocross season, for real.

Cheers, d.