A Few Misadventures

Meet Marcy ... my fellow trail blazer ... and new mountain biker ...

And this is me ....

We've been riding together now for about 3 weeks with a few misadventures along the way ... a comedy of errors and 3 Stooges rolled into 2 ... the day isn't complete without a few crashes and a lot of laughs along the way. We are sort of like the blind leading the blind ... although I've been riding about 2 years ... I'm slow, I walk the bigger hills, I hate narrow twisty single tracks and narrow bridges and I crash a lot trying to get over the bigger logs across the trail ... but I'm persistent and I love riding despite my many limitations. Marcy has been riding about 5 weeks and I must give credit where credit is due ... she's just about game to try anything even if it means a few bruises or finding herself sprawled flat out on her stomach across the off ramp of a little bridge ....

I never saw anyone miss the ramp off this bridge before ... well, that is until the other day. Well, I never actually saw anything but after crossing the bridge, I heard Marcy's bike hit the bridge then seconds later a loud crash ... turned around and ooops, Marcy was sprawled out across the end of the bridge with her bike next to her. I guess she was thinking about something else ... and as you can see by the photo of her tire tracks riding off the edge ... she just missed the ramp ... and of course I had to get a photo ... can't let her live this one down ... we've had a few laughs over this bridge every time we cross since that mishap ...

And speaking of bridges .... my favorite (NOT) ....

I rode across it once .... by accident ... last winter on one of our night rides ... I was in the middle of a group and didn't realize it was there until I was already on it and half way across ... in excitement, fear and shock I yelled out ... then I heard a splash! Everyone of course thought it was me, but no, my friend, in his shock and excitement with me finally riding over the bridge went off the side into the water behind me. Thank goodness it wasn't me - that mud and water REALLY smells bad and I don't want it all over my bike!! I haven't ridden across it again this year but it's on my "to do" list when the weather warms up ... just in case I get wet.

On our "easy ride" days, Marcy and I have been doing a little exploring off our beaten path, but it never fails that each new trail takes us on a new adventure, which never turns out to be easy ... after following a new trail the other day ... we came upon a mountain ... well it sure looked one ... with a steep almost vertical climb in soft dirt. I said "let's do it" and she looked at me like I was crazy ... but up we went ...

The photos don't do the hill justice ...

but it was a steep climb ... and my friend was not all that happy with my choice ... but we made it to the top ... and off on our adventure we went ...

Back on our regular trail ... a slightly twisting but easy downhill, I look back and Marcy is no where to be seen ... I get off my bike and walk back up the trail ... all of a sudden I see a rustling of small pine trees and a hand waving in the air and hear "I'm okay!"