Riding into the Twilight

 

Using that extra hour

Ending daylight savings means two things; having an extra hour of sleep and earlier darkness.  So, I used my extra hour of "sleep" to get out early and ride into the light.  Darn cold, like 27°, so I dressed for the occasion - headlight and all. That image above makes it look much lighter than it really was.  That little dot is the moon dropping behind the Black Mountain and to the north of Willard Peak. 

The snow from last week is still around in a few places.  This image above is from Tuesday night.  This is the north descent, right off the top heading for the tight switchbacks. Spots of ice are a problem with these types of conditions and can easily catch you off guard. Kind of weird that you ride from ice to dust within only a few feet, but that's what it's been like this year. It has been very good riding despite the unusual conditions. 

Early morning shopping...

I take a lot of picts during my rides, more so in the offseason than during the busy time. A morning like today was unique, as the morning light is totally different than that of dusk. I regularly send picts to buddies "spanning the globe", as kind of a "whish you were here" type thing.  Maybe, it's more like, "don't you wish you were here?" type thing. Either way, I regularly share for various reasons, some more annoying than others. This morning was really a trip to find the picture of an appropriate sunrise, for one of the gang. Using my phone makes things easy, but it also has limitations.  So...riding along, looking for "that shot" became a bit consuming this morning, but at exactly the right time, things came together. That pic is a gift, and is a "one-off" thing.  Otherwise, it wouldn't be unique. It won't be posted, or let out anywhere else. As I've looked through all the pictures this past season, I often stop to think of each occasion. There are well over 140 pictures from this season alone, many have made it to a post.  Most will never go anywhere. The one from this morning will go one place and then be deleted. Some memories are better kept in ones mind than in print.  We tend to remember them they way we really want to remember them in the end.

Time alone

Heading out in the twilight with thermal gloves, fishing jacket and headlamp is not many people's idea of fun. To me, it's about being alone. For most of my life, I've found the time out in the field, either alone, or with my dog, the absolute best. Sure, I miss riding a ski lift with my friends, or sharing a road, or trail with buddies, but the times alone and away from others is priceless. I haven't had a dog for better than 20 years.  My last dog was a Yellow Lab.  A good nose and even temperament. The miles and hours with her were many. Back then, mountain bikes were nothing like today.  I took her on a couple rides with me, something I wouldn't do these days.  Riding the bike allows me to put a lot of distance down in a short period of time. Unless I intentionally stop and look around, I miss a lot of the view - which was never a problem with my dog. One of the last ventures I took with my lab was not a hunting trip, but rather an impromptu walk. One morning I needed to just get away, so I took the dog and my coyote rifle and headed up the backside to Ben Lomond peak. I think it was the middle of the week, but back then it didn't much matter as there was seldom anyone else up that way. On the way back down, I stopped at "the saddle" and sat in the tall grass; listening to the breeze while looking across the vast expanse of the Wasatch. I must have sat there for over an hour with not another person around. I don't think I ever chambered a round in the rifle that day, but rather used my long range scope to look at things a long ways away. I never needed an excuse to take that gun out for a long walk. Now days, I simply ride a bike and carry my cell phone. It still serves the same purpose. It's not what most people would consider fun. It's a good fit for me...

We'll see what this week brings, but local rides have to start before 4:00, or risk getting caught in the dark.  They should be closing the park tomorrow, making it more limited for most riders. Clients are starting to request projects and work, put-off earlier due to Covid - meaning less chance of getting home early enough for evening rides. Once the real snow hits, I'll be riding the Shoreline Trail on the other side of the mountain. That may be the case even before snow flies, as there is easily an extra 90 minutes of daylight down there, versus up here.

We'll see how this week pans-out.....

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Ride HARD!