Distracted by Water, and Eternal Sleep

 

I gotta tell you, I was tempted, especially when I saw it was still there on my return later in the morning. That pelt would have made a nice addition to my mountain man ensemble. Would a dude riding a mountain bike back through town while grasping a dead fox on his handlebars have raised any eyebrows, resulted in any quick calls to the local PD? If not, there would still be the problem of skinning the former creature; it would have given my old Green River something to do, but realistically, what the heck do I know about skinning a fox? Perhaps I pack it in ice and send it up to my cousin? 

Then again maybe it wasn't really dead at all, I mean it was facing one direction the first time I rode past, and then facing the other way when I came back. Hmmm...

Anyway, it was a brilliant morning out there, and I wasn't the only one to realize that - the gravel gang was out, a couple back packers with their moose calf (or was that a dog?) up top of the dam, and a whole passel o' trail runners and walkers, more of those than I've ever seen out there where no one is really supposed to be.

This was one of those mornings that I wasn't quite sure what I set out to do - San Antonio Canyon? Cucamonga Canyon? the full Heights / PET Loop? 

little bit 'o lake

normally dry crossing

front side of water

back side of water

And then I went over the dam, and there was water, and I got distracted. I rode back and forth several times through that one water crossing, just for the splashing - I mean, really, how often do we get to splash through water around here? Then I thought, hmmm, if there's water here, maybe there's water in the big steam too, and that question required it's own detour. No flow there, but then I had to ride to the head of the stream that did have water, and that was another detour. Before I knew it the time allocated to riding was used up, the rear wheel was getting uncomfortably flat, and... well, a short ride is better than no ride, or so they say.

"... Free fall flow, river flow

On and on it goes

Breathe under water 'til the end

Free fall flow, river flow

On and on it goes

Breathe under water 'til the end

Yes, the river knows..."

(Morrison, Densmore, Manzarek, Krieger)