Moisture

#followcamfriday exploring a moist Mountain Lion with James Weingarten

The first time I rode this trail was in the snow. It was way below freezing and I was wearing a down coat on the climb. I could barely feel my hands, barely see the trail, but still had fun on my bicycle. Perhaps I am doomed to never ride this one in normal conditions. If conditions were normal, it would be too crowded to enjoy, so I guess I will keep trying to find the worst of days to ride this one. 

I remember commenting to James on the climb how un-burned in the lines were. Chunder everywhere. It looked as though it hadn't been ridden much this year. Well, that was because it hadn't been. I am sure that this is all melted now, but last week there were still a few piles of snow to remind us who the boss is. Sometimes you ride into the pile of snow and go over the bars. Snow is softer than the ground, may as well send it. Penguins don't hold back, why would James. 

Mountain Lion is located in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, enabling a 10ish mile loop with some solid climbing and tech. I am a man who can appreciate some old-school tech. If I am being honest, riding mtb specific, bench-cut groomers is low on my list of priorities. Long live the jank. The more eroded and technical, the better. This one gets a ton of hiking traffic, making for plenty of exposed roots and rocks to keep us honest. Making flow from jank always makes me smile. It's like when you are about to lose a game of chess, and you make one move that changes everything. Success tastes better when death is narrowly avoided. 

It's been a long time since I have been rained on during a bike ride. As this is my job, I guess I have the luxury of picking when I ride and usually can avoid this sort of thing. Well, you win some, and you lose some. I still didn't have to put my jacket on, but I came close. Fortunately the decomposing granite surface that this trail is mostly comprised of does remarkably well with the moisture. Kitty litter has amazing grip in the wet. No mud to be found, just slippery rocks and roots and wooden bridges. 

Riding in the rain is actually quite refreshing. As long as you aren't damaging the trail, I don't see any reason not to. We get way too many sunny days on Colorado, so why not make the most of the change in the norm. The best time to ride is when there are no other users on the trail. I purposely time these things to avoid people anymore and rain ticks that box nicely. Sure, there is water all over my lens and the footage is barely usable, but I do enjoy the feels and lack of people. 

There is just something special about the dark, dank woods that never ceases to amaze. Just the pitter patter of tires on the ground and the occasional squeal of wet brakes to bring you back to reality. This isn't typical in Colorado, so make the most of it while you can. Moisture is life.