Kicked by a Burro: A Reappreciation

I finally got around to watching Bohemian Rhapsody last night. Actually it was a while ago, I am just now getting around to finishing a "last night I did..." post three weeks after the fact.

Anyway...

I grew up in the era during which Queen hit their stride and reached their peak. There were, or are, some great songs in their discography, yet during that time I never really considered them among my favorite musical groups. Whether due to the writing, or the acting, their "story", or maybe just nostalgia, I finished up watching with a new appreciation for Queen and their music. Well, excepting that foray into disco diarrhea.

Anyway...

This winter I have spun more of my dirt miles in the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, everything between Johnson's Pasture and Potato Mountain, and have gained a kind of reawakening, a renewed appreciation for it. Even on the higher up trails, Bonelli Park is a mud bath; those hills over there retain their water like, I don't know, like Imelda Marcos retained every pair of shoes she ever laid eyes upon. Not so the Wilderness Park. It is well documented how I pretty much gave up on the Park after the declaration and dedication of its official status caused an inundation of hoofers, and strollers, and dogs off leash. Several years on things seem to have settled down, at least on Friday afternoons, and you can actually pick up some speed without fear of coming around a turn to see a group walking abreast all across the road, or plunging full speed through the stream crossing (or the seep a little further up canyon) knowing you will only soak yourself, and not also some poor pedestrian attempting to hop across from rock to rock.

There is always time to discover something new, or to rediscover something old. Time. Time can provide us with the experience to re-appreciate something we may have overlooked before.

Someone left a ziploc bag with some paper and a pen for people to leave their impressions; I wonder about the inspiration for this drawing

 

product placement

feels, and looks, like I am transported to Ireland this time of year - so green!

look at that peak poking through the clouds over there. you can see the trail I was following beginning to peter out...

still pretty distinct here though

Claremont, or the Twelve Bens of Connemara?

Have a great weekend ya'll. I fear it is going to be a soaker around here; the RAP probably rained out, the Strada Rossa VI a wet, muddy mess (all the more to challenge you), the Rosena Ranch Circuit Race already cancelled once this winter apparently not cancelled, but not going to be a draw for me; fingers crossed the worst passes through before Sunday so CicLAvia will only be damp and, closer to home, the USC race over by Brackett Field will give me the next race photo op.