Died and Gone To Heaven Country...

On the heels (or should I say "wheels") of the previous day's long ass pedal through beautiful BLM lands surrounding Virgin Town, a knock came on Goldie's door just after sunrise. The Boonster was ready to remount and ride again. Giddyup! You are going to love the Hurricane Rim Singletrack—Almighty Zion's pillars to the east, Pine Mountain's red blaze of canyons to the west, and the Virgin River Gorge off the fringe of our singletrack trail—sometimes a little too close. Have I mentioned lately how good it feels to be alive? To turn back the clock and do things that brought pure and simple joy to my youth? To escape city madness and break a cleansing sweat, and "feel the burn" in lungs, legs, and soul? Well, I'm telling you NOW!

And as if the above isn't good news enough, the Hurricane Rim Trail is not some ball-busting fling with the Grim Reaper, one that only young males with a death wish can ride. Nope, it's intermediate...ups and downs that can be ridden by a couple of Geezers like us. I would estimate that we rode 75 to 80 percent of the trail—and this on our first "blind" go-around...which always requires a modicum of timidity in case the route has a Jekyll/Hyde personality disorder. 

Well, it doesn't. Oh sure, there are some "endo" OTB opportunities, ledges where one might want to use discretion/common sense, dismount and walk their bikes down. But all in all the Hurricane Rim Trail is a lonely, narrow, rideable path with visual and adrenal sensory rewards. 

I sit here this morning, tired, but with collarbones intact. Last night Jim and Gayle, along with Debbie and her motley crew, arrived to spend the month here at the Virgin River RV Resort...and wouldn't you know, practically the first thing out of Jim's mouth, "Where we hiking tomorrow." Giddyup, it's good to be alive!