The youth ride Tuesday was at Munson and it was just as dry as it was the last time we were there. It rains everywhere but on my yard and on this trail. We had a new father son team with us. The father I have known for years though distantly. He's now an expert level MTB racer and is trying to introduce his 8 year old son to the sport with all the fun and frustration that entails.
We made a short slow loop with Rupe and CF leading and it seemed the 8 year old had had enough when we got back to the benches so they peeled off and we then went on the CF chosen path which was the regular TT route. Both Rupe and I are getting a little burnt on this particular loop but CF hammered it harder than I've ever seen him hammer and we all finished up panting and sweaty. It poured rain as we loaded up.
Wednesday I had trouble deciding where to ride as showers had hit most of the trails sometime during the day and I just couldn't face Munson again. It was Rupe's first day of school and he wanted to get out and ride so we just did the default ride at FM even though it was wetter than a frog's back. Giant and another father/son duo were the only other participants so we headed out onto Red Bug for a short wet section then down to the Lake Loop.
We dropped the duo (not on purpose) and they went back by a different trail so just Giant, Rupe, and I went across to the McClay side and did Silk then around the lake. Giant and I weren't hitting it very hard but we were still dropping Rupe off the back and I turned around to see him as we passed the dock by the lake. After we climbed the hill I turned around and rode back down to see how far back he was. I couldn't find him. Any one who has been a parent knows that feeling when you can't find your kid, even if he is 14 and 5"8" and has ridden this trail 50 times.
It was getting dark so I doubled back all the way to the dock, hollered his name then turned around and climbed up the hill to the only place he could have turned off and headed down that trail. I ran into a couple walking and they said they had seen him behind us earlier but not since. That meant he was still on the bike and I had missed him. Another jogger said he had passed him a good ways back and he was headed up the hill. I pounded back up to the trail head at FM and found him talking to another couple apparently asking them if they had seen me.
After I vented my fear and frustration in front of everybody we rode back to the truck. Rupe had not really done anything wrong except scare the crap out of me. That is the first time I've ever lost him while riding. I could tell it scared him too and he had a funny look on his face on the ride home.
Oh well alls well that ends well. We will take a couple of nights off and see what next week brings.
Man Norman, I didn't realize you had this page up and running. I thoroughly enjoy reading of your exploits with your son. Sometimes, when you've ridden these trails as long as I have, you lose some of your stoke. Reading the tales of newer folks, and their excitement for this sport I love, fans my fire. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we need to meet up out at Tom Brown sometime, so we can show you some of those lines through the rooty sections. If you're planning on doing the race, we gotta be sure you've got all the tools you need, to keep those out of towners at bay! Drop me a line at apebike@gmail.com, and we'll set something up.