Fat, skinny, whatever....

Its official....I don't discriminate in my love for bikes.  I adore them all.  Skinny tires, fat tires....doesn't matter.  I just love biking.

After a long "week" (my weeks are slightly different from the average office-dweller these days) I rewarded myself with a little mountain bike ride.   I started on a paved trail, heading toward a trail I knew to be pretty mellow about three miles from my house.  A few things happened along the way:

1)  The seat-post on my rented bike kept slipping down.  I didn't realize at first.  I just kept stopping, thinking no...a little higher.  Just a little bit higher.  So annoying.  Finally got it fixed though before I hit the dirt.

2)  It started raining.  Kind-of.  But it was kind-of awesome.  I had my waterproof ski shell on so it didn't phase me much.  (Its cold here -- snow on the mountain tops this morning!)

3)  I used my new Osprey Raptor hydration pack.  Totally awesome.  Most impressive was the water reservoir.  Not only is the thing easy to fill (they put a handle on it, genius), but the way it sits in the pack keeps constant pressure on the water.  Why is this important?  When you're sucking wind you don't have to suck for your water too.  The first drink I took caught me so off-guard I had to spit it out because I nearly choked.  The water quite literally flew into my mouth.

4)  I didn't find the trail I was looking for, but I think I found one much cooler.

5)  I realized that I really like mountain biking.  It does freak me out a bit at times, but I'm excited enough about it to want to get out and there and get better at it.  There's NO TRAFFIC.  The scenery is amazing.  And sometimes I have to stop and just take it all in.  Quiet little bubbling brooks.  Rolling rivers.  The wind in the trees.  The mountains.  The waterfalls.  The whole scene can be pretty spectacular.

6)  I was reminded how much I LOVE living someplace where I can hike, bike, and ski right out my front door.  NO CARS INVOLVED.  I don't even drive to work.  I have driven my car once in the past 5 weeks.  Once.  Take that BP.

7)  I was also reminded that I live at the top of a VERY BIG HILL.  The hardest part of my workout is always the last three blocks, but this is just something I'm going to have to deal with, I guess.  Because living on a hill does have its perks.  (exhibit A: The view from my deck.)

Other activities of interest (or not really, probably but I'll tell you anyway).....

I had Indian Food for dinner.  It was, delicious.  It made me realize I miss Indian food.  This little mountain town has no Indian restaurant.  Bummer.

Also, I have become mildly addicted to mochas in the morning.  This is a very slippery slope I am headed down.  But they're so good.  And I usually only have them on mornings I work (4).  Green smoothies the other day.  That's almost balanced, right?