It's the Weekend: Skidmark Returns, and the Red Dirt Road

It's been quite a while since last I saw ol' Skidmark up ta the Wilderness Park or, maybe more correctly speakin', the evidence of the passin' that he leaves behind. This afternoon, though, there was his mark, headin' in ta each an' every one o' them turns. Last nights little bit o' moisture brought all the color up ta the surface, so when ol' Skidmark come a roarin' in ta them turns, the knobbies on his wheels clawin' at the dirt left unmistakable sign.

The afternoon up in the hills was changin' minute by minute; climbin' up Burbank Canyon was sunny and warm, enough so that I had ta stop and unzip. After that, though, the clouds came right on in an' throwed a blanket over it and it suddenly go durned cold. That windbreaker got zipped right back up. One other good thing come from last nights little bit o' moisture - the air, it was nice an' clear. Heck you could see all the way over ta them snowy mountains by the Big Bear, an' the other ones like San Gorgornio and San Jacinto. Not that its unusual ta see them, mind ya, but it is unusual ta see 'em so clearly.

Cold as it was, I was really likin' my ride down through the Cobal Canyon; there weren't too many people and I could let my wheels have their little bit 'o freedom. Eventually I was a gettin' down ta where I knowed the seep was goin' ta be a seepin' across the road makin' all kinds o' muddy fun. Well I come around the last turn an' spot four folks movin' through the water an' I thought, "dagnabit, I'm a goin' ta hafta slow it on down," so's I don't git mud all over them too." Then I thought, "perhaps I'll jus' stop an' wait instead." Them folks didn't say thanks or anything, but stoppin' an' waitin'  allowed me ta go though that seepin' water an' mud at, nearly, full speed. Whoo-eeee, there ain't nothin' like gittin' that mud splatter all over yer face, arms, legs and backside. Other folks further on down the road sure saw a big ol' grin on my face after that.

Have a great weekend y'all, maybe i'll see some o' ya out there.

l took a little detour down along ta Coyote Howl Point on that red dirt road, thinkin' all the while on that ditty by Emmylou Harris:

"...He told her 'Little sister, gonna ride the wind

Up around the moon and back again...

Somewhere out there is a great big world

That's where I'm bound

And the stars might fall on Alabama

But one of these days I'm gonna swing

My hammer down

Away from this red dirt town

I'm gonna make a joyful sound..."

there's a rider there (only other one I saw the whole ride)

best seat in the house