Gravel It

I could have stayed home. It was cold enough this morning to have convinced me to turn on the heat - there are a certain number of days each winter when that is allowed - and so it was warm inside, where the coffee was, and the paper waited, unread. I could have stayed home. There were football games coming on and, though the only one that really mattered was played the previous day, I would have been comfortable sitting and watching. I could have stayed home. I could have taken an easy spin on the Ibis, a Cross Town Loop with breakfast in the Village; I would not have been tired out after that, and carving time out of the afternoon for a recovery nap would have been unnecessary.  Quantity versus quality? Irrelevant.

I could have stayed home. But...

something about the words I picked out of the announcement - Gravel Ride, Route 66 Trailhead, 8:30, Psycho-lists, Dirty Chain Gang - convinced me that saying at home, and easy ride, lazy breakfast, warm, would just not be satisfying, that I would willingly accept the afternoon recovery nap for the potential that was wrapped around those more challenging words. 

Dumb move, right? You might be saying "dude, you're fifty-six, what the hell do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be sitting on the couch now, living off memories of glory days. Beer rides should be your speed."

Well, b.s. I say. Settling? No! You can challenge yourself no matter what age. I would have missed the sun, the clouds beginning to stream in ahead of the next storm, the brisk morning air, the big views, the camaraderie, the snowy peaks, Tamara's azz-kicking loop, the thrill, even the two flats (which have finally convinced me to go tubeless). Yes, I could have stayed home, but I'm glad I didn't. What was your excuse?