Monkeys Don't Fly

#followcamfriday back from ski vacation, straight into the thick of it. Flying Monkey with James Weingarten.  Monkeys don't fly, they swing. 

I went skiing for a bit. Sorry, not sorry. Thanks for understanding, I feel much better now. I am actually wanting to touch my bike again.... My plan worked. Discipline is important. All of the gym selfies and indoor trainer photos posted by "pro" mountain bikers didn't crack me either. Outside is my area. 

I rode for the first time in a month this week. If I am being honest, I am more than okay with taking a little break from the bike, in fact, I really needed it. This last month represents the longest time off of a bicycle in the last 6ish years. Guess I was due. 

I did my best to eat everything in sight and put on some weight, while sitting on the couch for the last month. Unfortunately, ski touring every day has had the opposite effect that I was looking for. Now I am skinny. And cold. And I need more down coats. Pete is pictured above for reference. He is licking his lips, begging for bacon. Dear Pete, you can't have my bacon, I need it. I'm cold. 

What were we talking about again? Right. Bikes. So I rode with James the other day. James is my summer friend, so I have been missing his presence for the last month. I was relieved to learn that James is still a ninja, nothing has changed. I felt like a complete passenger, but James was dialed. It is remarkable how strange my bike felt after sitting in the garage for a month. She must have been mad at me, jealous of my skis, sitting just feet away and getting all of the attention.  I even lubed her twice before riding her, but she was still mad. 

This sort of thing should be mandatory at the start of every trail worth riding. If you can't ride the first feature, just turn back. This one may not be for you. Squirrel catchers are a beautiful thing. Not everything should be easy. I am looking in your general direction, "flow trail". Not everything needs to stroke people's egos and reward mediocrity. It's okay to suck at times. It builds character. There are plenty of things that I am scared of. Everyone should be challenged. Mountain biking is supposed to be hard. End rant. 

If you didn't jump the qualifier fence, surely you can't stomach this exposure... One mistake and you are falling a very long way off of a very big cliff. That three-foot tall fence jump doesn't seem so bad now, does it? Poachers are warned. This beast doesn't get easier. Quite the opposite actually. 

So I guess that everything is going to be okay in the world. I like bikes again, and am feeling fresher physically and mentally than ever. James crawled out of this rock to manual this entire trail. Pete the dog is fit as fuck #faf ,from xc skiing every day. All is right in the world. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yay bikes.