Rock Garden

-noun
1. stretches of rock in a dirt path, laid there naturally by mother nature thousands of years ago, or recently by human hands
2. mountain bikers technical challenge
3. rusty mountain bikers crash magnet

one of several man made rock gardens at Brown County:










So, yesterday I hit the trails on my mountain bike, for the first ride in 3 months. The technical skills were a little rusty, but the fitness was good. Even on the hills, yes, we have hills in Indiana!


Here's the profile (2400ft of climbing, green line is elevation profile):









But back to the rock garden. You see, no trail riding for a few months, leaves you feeling like a novice again, rusty and anxious. The first rock garden I hit is one that for some reason last year I kept dabbing all fall(one foot down for a second for balance), even though I cleared it many times all summer. Yesterday I told myself just ride it, don't over think it, look forward, and pedal strong. And what do you know, I didn't dab! Woohoo. But worse, when I would have dabbed, my foot was still firmly in the pedal, and next thing I know my back left side ribs are crashing onto a big flat rock, and the feet are still in the pedals! STUPID!!!!!!!!! First thought: breathe. Second thought: ouch, I wonder if that could have broken a rib? Third thought: get off the trail, there will be people coming upon you soon. So, I untangle myself and bike, and flopped the bike down into the brush next to the trail, past the rocks, and bent over, hand on knees, breathing, assessing the ribs. Deep breathing hurt. A lot. Normal breathing was ok. Slightly tender to the touch, but not terrible. Conclusion: Couldn't be broken rib, probably just bruised. ok, keep riding! Oddly enough, the next difficult rock garden, which I screw up and dab (or stop) at least 50% of the time, I cleared! Go figure. And then on the next intermediate (I call it advanced intermediate) trail section, I dabbed twice, and never fell or stopped! so, the skills improved as I rode. But let me tell you. If you have never ridden a mountain bike, its a whole 'nother ballgame from a tribike and a road bike. On a tribike, its a lazy mans upper body ride (I should not generalize, it is for me! compared to how I use my upper body on the mtb). The tribike is all leg and lungs (and neck). Your skeleton supports your upper body, and your arm muscles get nothing. Road bike is slightly more upper body work, but not that much (case in point, check ou the Tour riders, puny arms!). But get on a mountain bike, and ride for a few hours, and you will feel it in your legs, your arms, your back, everything will tell you that you just put out some serious muscular effort. And I love that achey tired feeling. And there are minutes that you are scared and on edge, and you love those minutes even more! It's good to be back on the trails!

When I got home, Todd had punctured his lower leg with a stick as he was cutting up branches that had been piled up in the yard from the winter and spring storms, and a few days ago he broke his toe. We are an offocial mess today.

Mess or not, painful rib or not, I had another trail adventure for this morning. Running this time. And my Miss Daisy (no, not Jen H.), was going with me. Daisy has only been on 50minute runs all winter, so this was going to be pushing her limit. 90 minutes and hills. Fortunately, the rains have filled the streams, and I knew on this trail we'd cross a stream every 10 minutes, plus run by the lake,plenty of water for her.


The goal of the run was to stay in zones 1-3, a good challenge on these hills. This trail is at the Paynetown recreation area. I have no idea why they call it Paynetown. 'Pain'-town is much more appropriate.








Well, we made it! No falls, no twisted ankles, and I didn't have to fireman carry Daisy out (thank goodness, because with the rib, I could not have done it).

Here is how Daisy will spend the day (sorry for the blurry pic, and I'm too lazy to go take another).









Likewise, Junior. This is him after pulling an all nighter outside. He's being banished inside for a while, as he has killed 2 tiny baby bunnies in the last few days. BAD KITTY!

If I could learn to bottle his relaxation techniques, and put them to use on the mountain bike, I would be rocking the trails!

get it, 'rock'in the trails!