Mountain Biking 101

Dev took me on a gnarly biking trail last night up Hobble Creek Canyon. It's an 8-ish mile ride. For 4 miles it climbs up over the mountain ridge with breathtaking views. I am new to the whole mountain biking scene and I am loving it. Like rock climbing, your brain is constantly focused in on your whole surroundings and you have to be hyper concious and aware of the terrain, obstacles, and the best way to approach the challenge in front of you. Deep crevases, big rocks, logs, dips, not to mention the insanity of the downhill where you experience what Devon refers to as controlled "out of control." I didn't know the meaning of that until I braved the dirty decline for myself. The whole time my back tire is fishtailing behind me while my hands are cramping up from holding so tight on the handle bars you'd think my life was on the line, which I definately felt it was a couple times... trying to convince myself that gripping harder will somehow help me restrain the gravitational pull of the monster slope englufing me with it's power. Then just as the ground beneath my tires begins to level out enough for me to catch my breath Devon calls back to me "it's not over yet!" The next drop is somehow even more intense then the one before. It comes faster than my mind has time to capture what's going on but I take it on like I'm an old hardcore mountain bike pro which I know I definately am not, but for a couple minutes I convince myself I am. Then the funniest part of all, after I've conquered the beast, tamed the fury of the mountain, fought to the death and overcome my fears and am within 50 feet on our destination (a.k.a. the jeep parked in the dirt at the bottom of the hill) the bike takes me on and just as I'm basking in my pride of what I've just accomplished, my face is suddenly basking in the dirt and rocks of the slope that felt the need to remind me of my vunerability. I remember that I can't ever really master the greatness and nobility of a mountain for I am only a visitor here. The grandeur of the high peaks overshadow me, whispering beauty and honor. They are to be respected, not dominated or ruled. As humans and creatures, we are born, live and decay as the mountains live on. People can try to claim them, own them, overtake them, degreade or break them. But our journey here is just that, a journey, a visit to this beautiful land we live in. One with a beginning and with a physical end. Our spirits will live on and I believe it is then that we will begin to comprehend the majesty and holiness of all the amazing creations we were surrounded by here on earth. So bottomline, don't mess with the mountains or the mountains might just mess with you!