The tradition

While the elk in Missoula “winter” on Mount Jumbo *I* winter at Pipestone. Why? Because I need to see, feel, and fall in dirt. Cheesy yes! Whatever. Pipestone is diverse and when I return from a successful mountain bike trip I cant help but think I have been in Arizona, Utah, and Idaho all in one ride. But by now I usually migrate with a friend to Boise to take part in the Barking Spider race.

Instead we hit my favorite wintering spot up for a ride. It was unusually cold for some reason and it caught me off guard. All I went with was bike shorts and short sleeve jersey.  Brrr. But thankfully for us *my* loop starts out with some brutal climbing.  I mean what do you expect when you sign up for a ride with Bill martin?  Right? Anyway I was feeling bad I talked my buddy out of a race that traditionally included a sun burn and warmer weather.

Topping out on the first of many climbs I reflected on the weekend and why we were here. With all my fatigue lately and my depression surrounding a certain hole in my normal routine (don’t ask) I announced last week that I was staying home.  I needed rest. So when my friend finally topped out and nearly passed out gasping so hard he nearly sucked up a rock I felt a bit better. Not that he was suffering, in some way I know that is why we do these climbs right? I knew that even though we didn’t go to the race we were getting the benefits of some lung stretches.

And we were missing nothing. Reports have come in that the Barking Spider was a total muddy quagmire.  So we actually benefited from a home-stay. The sounds of Pipestone were the same as the Boise atv area … rapping loud motorcycles ripping up and down the trails. Idaho terrain that was identical in many ways; even down to the wash-out toboggan run (you must know the Barking Spider). We got totally waisted and enjoyed a few “awesome downhill dude totally bitchen guy hug” moments. Best of all we spent another spring mountain ride together. The tradition continues.