The weekly lessons continue... Last Wednesday's Sand Creek Series #3 left me limping and bloodied to a 2nd place finish....
Following the surge of pain, me and the Mrs. bolted up to Mountain Command faster then a tank-top to a Slayer concert....
........I was out minding my own bidness, preriding next weekend's race course when I turned up a dirt road I'd not yet traveled...
Not long after, up rides what could only be described as the "Over The Hill Gang" - a gaggle of denture-wearing 60-somethings decked out in some of the best mountain bikes money can buy.
One of them, we'll call him "Bill"was particularly eager to divulge himself of his "locals-only" trail knowledge and proceded to spout off a half-dozen locations of his personally hand-cut trails. You see, local trail knowledge, much like the ski season's local's-only powder stashes are often well-kept secrets. A kind of "wink-wink, nudge-nudge" attitude takes over...
I stood, bug eyed and jaw gaping. Wishing I had a tape recorder I tried desperately to let the local trail tips seep into my spongy brain.
His directions were vague - something like, "down this dirt road look for a big tree stump next to a rock off to the right." Well, that key was enough and would soon unlock a secret door to a twisty, flowy trail no wider than a ruler............
It flowed through seemingly forgotten forests carpeted with knee-deep wildflowers. I was smitten....
I followed his vague instructions to another trail, then another. These trails weren't built for mountain bikers, they were built for mountain biker - singular - to be experienced in the pristineness and solitude of being alone - held gently by this emerald forest and guided through each gentle arc of a turn.....
Prior to departing "Bill" I told him his tips would be "our little secret."
No no, he urged, saying he didn't care if word gets out. Again I was shaken by his stance. Some people are just too generous, I guess.
I was just lucky enough to be riding up a dirt road and came across some guy who knew some stuff. So thanks, "Bill," but still, I'll consider this our little secret...
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