What’s so funny? April 19, 2008
I don’t know if I have enough material for this post, honestly, but it’s best to capitalize on those rare mornings of good humor before the mosquitos start breeding and the sun makes it impossible to sleep in the truck past 6 am. As I prepped my morning yerba in Moab, I overheard the little girl who was camping next door as she left the restroom ‘facilities’ stating to the world in a sing-song voice, ”I’m-no longer-occupied!” I empathized, reaching back to the mornings after my first cup of coffee when I too feel possessed. Then there was the exchange between she and her little brother, Jake:
Jake: “Katie, come up here already!”
Katie: “Hold on, what are you doing?”
Jake: “I’m waiting!”
Of course you are. A few days ago while riding bikes in Santa Fe at the Dale Ball Trail System I asked a descending rider how the ride up was. He looked at me for a long second, caught his breath, wiped the sweat from his brow and replied, deadpan, “There’s a lot of rocks and stuff up there.” I guess it wouldn’t be mountain biking if there weren’t…
The day before, I had met an older couple who recognized me for a transient fun-seeker (was it the sleeping bag hanging out of the side window like a slug slowly seeking shelter from the sun, or the agave-nectar covered Coleman stove blazing away on the tailgate that gave me away?). A passing compliment regarding their red heeler Matilda resulted in the full carnival program, with “Air Tilly” performing ten tricks on cue for my amusement. “She’s almost ten years old,” her enthusiastic owner stated. I bet Tilly wishes there were animal labor laws at this point in her tenured career. At least give her a percentage…
In other news:
Phil’s World in Cortez was as good as it gets; 1 or 2 riders, the “Ribcage” totally roostable, and jumps ranging from 3-6 on the “Sick-ter” scale.
Sand Canyon lined up nicely that same afternoon, and aside from my friend Kerry’s headset coming loose on THE steepest descent of the ride (Hey Kerry, was that a burrito?), conditions were perfect! An added bonus on the ride are the ruins neatly tucked away in the sandstone cliffsides along the trail.
The temps are perfect for desert southwest rides, so get out there!
This one had me laughing, rushie. Nice. “I’m not occupied anymore!” Truer words never spoken.
rushie, your storys tempt me to go “McCandless” and meet you somewhere out in the desert. Who knows, keep on the lookout, maybe you’ll spot me on the interstate. I’ll be the guy with the green army coat, bed roll, and a queensland heeler.