Holes in the Road

Dreamily watching the rain and relishing in the fact my tires hit dirt for two hours last night. The nights are getting longer and the faint pheromones of Spring are in the air. Racing is underway in the warmer climes of the country and is around the corner everywhere else. Cyclists everywhere are stepping on scales, thinking about the winter consumption of pizza and beer and beginning to spin those legs to avoid embarrassment at the start of the season. The friction on the trail is perfect as my tires lock up around every turn. Turkey looks slightly different as the snow has left a few alterations to the lines that we know so well. The unfortunate sight of holes on the trail has led to the bleak realization that people are still attempting to alter the landscape in the wrong way. Education, education, education. Preservation and conservation are in my heart and I wish the people doing this damage would realize the impact of their hands and feet on the soil. One cannot ignore the progression of ability on the trails by merely making them easier. They will soon disappear because the snows and rains will make those easy, rockless trails completely unrideable due to erosion. Respect the trail and the trail will respect you. The culture of taking back from the world without thinking or giving back is over. There must be accountability for actions and a thought provoking dialogue started to address this inherent evil within human beings. Many do not even know what they are doing because it is programmed deep within our genetic code to search out the easiest way to get things done. Easiest is not always the smartest if we can look into the ever nearer future and see the lasting impacts that our actions in the present make. If you love the feeling of tires on dirt, of flying through the trees and playing in the leaves then please come work at the Trail Work days, please think before you act and please introduce someone to the joys of riding and conserving.