I awoke a little too soon after I'd gone to bed, to the sound of Dunk banging on the windows of the Subaru to ask Evan where the water was to make coffee. I extracted my arm from the warm down of my sleeping bag to reach for my phone and check the time. 7 …
It's been a little while since I've had a really great long mountain bike ride. The kind of ride that beats you up but makes you giddy with laughter, the kind that makes your legs burn but your body and soul feel alive, the kind that leaves you feeling exhausted yet truly satisfied and happy. Today …
Continue reading "One of those really great mountain bike rides."
I recently read an article about the Danish concept of “hygge,” a word with no exact English translation, but which means something like “coziness” or “togetherness.” The article focused on how this concept is used in Danish culture as a way to get through the dark, cold days of winter with high spirits. Last Sunday, …
I woke up this morning with a sore throat that felt like it was on fire, the sickness I'd be fighting for the past couple days still hanging on despite my attempts at curbing it with various tea concoctions. Going out into the cold and riding a bike wasn't exactly the most appealing thing at …
It's the wheels that make the bicycle. They're what keeps you rolling, what takes the brunt of the impact through that rock garden or off that drop. A bad pair of wheels quickly ruins a great bike. So, needless to say, they're important. And so, for this reason, hand-building a bicycle wheel is an incredibly …
Lately, the world of mountain biking for those of us living in the vicinity of Raystown Lake has changed a bit. This fall, the Army Corps of Engineers is drawing down the level of the lake more than twice the usual seasonal 2-3 feet in order to perform shoreline maintenance. For those of us with …
Continue reading "A fat-tire’d, mud-slingin’, rock-skippin’ Sunday."
Outside the cabin, a motley crew of people gather. Some have been strangers until now, some are friends reunited after too long, some know each other all too well. Some ride every day, some a couple times a week, but for a few, this will be their first ride in months. Our ages range from …
The weather was perfect. One of those days that still carries the warmth of summer but hints at the crisp coolness of fall. The sun shone through the leaves, illuminating the hues of red and yellow that were just beginning to color the forest with the sure signs of an impending autumn. We pulled off …
I woke up with a smile, still basking in the happiness of my college graduation the night before, and excitedly anticipating what the weekend would bring. My first bike touring trip. After a breakfast of salmon and cheese on rolls and chocolate chip muffins, and the gathering and packing of gear, we were off. The …
I guess I had asked for it. I said a storm might be nice. Really, all I wanted was some rain to cool me off a little. It was one of the first warmer days of the spring, and my body was rebelling against the drastic change in temperature as I sweated my way up …
helena kotala 