Some of you may remember me as an irritant/fellow rider/bloody Chocolate-footer/etc who used to frequent these parts. Well a few years back I had a fairly serious back injury, which led to me having to curtail my mtbing, until about three years back I tried to get back into it. Well the ‘bug’ didn’t really bite again and I ended up selling all but one of my bikes. I had fallen out of love with MTBing.
Fast forward to now, with a few things going on in my life and a need to get out on my own and have some time to myself, my wife says “why don’t you go out on your bike?” That one remaining bike, sat in the shed, cared for and kept clean but not ridden in over three years.. “I’ll give it a go”, I reply.
So today I headed out to Sherwood Pines, somewhere I’d previously spent hours and hours cycling around. Well I headed out then had to make my way back, forgot my cycling shoes! So off I set again.
Arrive at the Pines and the car park is relatively deserted, a few riders milling about post-ride but otherwise quiet. I head out on the Kitchener Trail, wobbling along at first, as if I’d just had my training wheels taken off. I was sure any minute I’d have an off and end up dragging myself back to the car park in a huff, but I persevered.
I got about a third of the way around and it seems my muscles are starting to remember what to do. I’m picking up the pace and before I know it I’m looking further down the trail rather than just beyond my front wheel and I’m positioning myself to hit the berms, rather than pick around the corners like I’m wearing L-plates.
Before I know it I’m at the ‘DH’ area, “shall I skirt around and play it safe for today?” Nope, my body seems to want to go faster! I’m hitting every little lip and bump as fast as I can, urging the bike skywards as often as I can. And then there it is, that feeling that I used to love so much. Bike, rider, trail. “Damn I’ve missed this”.
I ease back a little, pootle back to the cafe and enjoy what I feel was a well-earned piece of cake and a cup of tea.
Sometimes our wives really do know what is best for us!
