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Wabasso Lake |
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Wake up to the pitter patter
of my 2 year old on the cold cabin floor....” that was a short 8
hours ”.....O ya today is my annual “Mountain” excursion
with Eddie ...Rock n roll down the trails.. Must call Eddie...So what
is the itinerary??? [ initial plan ...an 8 hour “Tekerra trail ride,
turned into an 6 hour Old Fort Point hike... back into riding the Valley
of the 5 lakes...so much to do!! First breakfast, followed by a quick outing with the kids, and for good measure ....throw in the “are you sure you’re going to be all right with the kids while I’m gone honey?” line ...its 11 am. I decide to warmup by riding from our cabin @ Patricia lake into town to meet up with Eddie...Hell its downhill, and after all I’m a runner..energy to burn. As I get to my destination, Eddie is waiting with his new yellow “squishy “ Santa Cruz....Nice to see Eddie finally have new ride after a some 15 years of lugging around ole Betsy..
After a warm cup of Joe, and nice ride in the emissions nightmare of a Ford monster truck...we are finally off. From the asphalt tarmac into
dirt single track...”ahh finally...its has been too long. All that
running has made me forget what two wheeled fun the outdoors can really
be. Man I feel good..Go hard...go fast...Zig...Zag ...the old Andy is
back folks ..and....oops...end of the trail? Have to turn around and back
track....down a minor embankment, some rocks, some more rocks, negotiate
and........what the he.. I’m wiping out !?...I am actually going
over the bars....I’ve never done this...and on such a simple part
of the trail....better roll when I hit the ground...ya just like I learned
in Judo some 28 years ago...hey this is going to wor. OUCH....limp leg
hitting solid tree....instant
After putting the heroics and testosterone aside, I finally find myself in the zone...the true goodness of epic mountain biking ....seeing the back country up close and all its majestic beauty...a beauty only some 2% of the tourists see...
Off course no ride is complete with its share of photo ops....and make sure to over emphasise hill steepness and difficulty factors...pose and shoot...pose and shoot. After a short trail snack I am back on my steed...a steed that is beginning to show its age.
Hey are you OK?? Pick up Betsy...and ride off...with
thoughts of hot tubs, strong alcohol, and herb flowing through my sore
head...”Ahh an uphill...great” Pull, push..... oh oh is that
a Bonk I feel coming on.....better take a pull off the ole Camel....Shit....no
more fluids...Head becoming light, shakes to follow..”Eddie...hold
on...wait” Must find sweets...and drink...Dig deep into Back in the saddle after a shaky consumption of sweet and drink...More downhill...and I don’t care what line I take...go man go...”what’s that whistling noise??” Flat!!!! Eddie...I think your tire just blew out...No....its mine!!!! Lucky for me [ or shall I say Eddie ] I happen to have a spare tube....Are we almost done????
As with all mountain rides,
you are bound to walk away learning something new...My journey this day,an
end of a ride where age, family obligations and yes old technology took
its toll....but an renewed fire for riding the trails and ...possibly
a new attitude..of taking the time out to look around...and take it all
in..and be in awe.. Story by: Andy Lucardie |
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Its
8:13am
As
I am changing my drenched bandana, and tooling the gears on my own ole
Betsy , Eddie obviously notices the pain transpiring in front of him...and
“graciously” offers the suggestion “what do you think of
grabbing a ride with the raft crew, up the road to the river...and from
there....Valley of the five lakes...” I quickly agree...but first....coffee.
Hey
are you OK... “Sure” [ no I am not OK....but I won’t show
you the full extend of the pain I’m experiencing] . Whatever confidence
and ego I had mustered...is diminishing quickly...and we are just starting!!
Down
hills!!!...OK that’s more like it...my specialty...lets go hard....turn,
slice, bank, crank hard.....what the hell?! Eddie is right behind me on
his “squishy “ ...can’t be...this is not suppose to be...keep
focused...”So Eddie...been riding much...or is it the new wheels??”
Another rolling drop...with a tree branch, high enough for me to duck
und.. oh my God...helmet is caught...head and neck being puuuuulled back
“ this is not good......gotta let go of the bike ooouuuch!!!! Again...on
my ass..gonna feel that tonight....
Finally,
steep, steep downhill...the mark of the end of a trail...we are done folks...but
wait the final insult to injury....Eddie’s roomy meets us at the
end of the trail...walks over to what used to be the envy of the biking
community circa 92 .... gives it the one’s over and says..”Man....your
handlebars...very retro like .....straight from the Don Johnson days eh”.
