A Saturday spent already; not sure where it went but it's been nice day overall. Dealt with the sick throwing up son (wife did the most as usual) this morning, graded a couple of papers and read some email while listening for heaves, went to the library to pick up some books for a lecture I'm giving in my ch lit class picked, then picked up dancing daughter from her class. Lastly, instead of doing what I should do, I went on a mt bike ride. Now I'm tired, sweaty, stinky, and unmotivated to do the things I really should have done this morning: written a rough draft for a retention study I'm doing with a colleague, grade 30 ch lit book reviews on the symbolism in MC Higgins the Great, prepped for my Tuesday classes, increase our garden size by tilling a few swaths of grass, wrapping our apples in newspaper for storage.... See that's the problem. When I got up this morning I probably could have done one or two of those (I did pick the tomatoes I will have you know), but there were just too many things to choose from so I was like the indecisive deer in the headlights and once I regained my wits, I just figure ah to hell with it I will go on a mt bike ride.
And what a mt bike ride it was, primarily a lesson in humility (note to self: only ride with riders who will inflate imaginary sense of my riding abilities). The humility started in strong doses as my friend, one of the top three expert class riders in Utah, took it out "gently," a nice conversational pace FOR HIM!!, as we rode the pavement from Mueller Park in Bountiful to North Canyon. Once we turned off the pavement, the dirt road ascends steeply for 4 miles. Climbing I was rudely transported back to 100 degree August days, sweating out my jersey immediately and profusely, watching my friend speed out of sight. Back cramped, had to stop and stretch twice; I survived. It does improve at mile 4 with a much more sane switchbacked single track--before I knew it we were on top of Rudy flats and ready for some of the best downhill in the state and a solid 5 miles of it to boot.
Finally I'm used to my "new" bike I got about three years ago--a full suspension Specialized Stumpjumper for anyone that cares. If you want to know more about my bike, look it up--I only know it can go fast and has brakes which stop it. What I do know is that finally I feel comfortable handling the bike. Before I'd ridden a suspensionless Bridgestone MB5, quite a bike in its day, for about a decade. But now, sweet jesus, it's a beautiful ride. It's amazing what one can do on a bike, going over rocks, roots, washouts. I guess I didn't think this kind of fairly dangerous activity would attract me when I was approaching 40--in some ways I enjoy it more than I did as a kid. Anything else I say here will sound corny and cliched but, alas, I can't resist. It feels like the bike is an extension of me and somehow that's so beautiful because I could never run 20+ mph down this trail, could never descend the 5 miles in 30 minutes, could never jump over an obstacle floating for 15 feet....and somehow all that just tickles me silly.
It's approaching 7pm and all that stuff I should have done is safely out of reach, jusifiably undoable as it were. Relieved of duties, I will settle down to some reading, maybe a movie, some time with the kids--there's always tomorrow.
Bonus: video of guy riding Mueller with funny little dog
3 comments:
Ron,
You did not tell me about your bike ride. You know, those are the things that make living more special so you can endure the rest of it. Love, Mom
In other words, don't feel guilty!
Sounds awesome, even if a bit scary. Not much of that risk-taking male hormone is left in me, I'm afraid.
It sucks that the vast majority of us spend our lives doing obligatory things we hate (i.e. working) rather than having great adventures like the one you've described here. Cheers for blowing off the work responsibilities. Another cheers for realizing that our teaching jobs aren't nearly as important as the institution tells us they are (I think you said that in another post or email or something. I'm agreeing). And a final cheers to mom for being supportive. Hi Cathy.
Here's to even better adventures this coming weekend!
Meant to comment sooner! I have this happen all the time, having so many things to do that most of the "must do's" don't get done, and instead the thing that presents itself as most attractive happens. It's shocking to me how much actually does get done, given how much I put things off. Sounds like you had a nice Saturday, though, and there's nothing like getting up close and personal with your bike!
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