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Spent part of my day off yesterday at Alum Creek State Park with some really good friends.  I’ve been mountain biking six times now, and I’m starting to learn a few things.

1.  PERSPECTIVE.  The week’s stress goes away when you’re barreling down a rooty path, dodging trees, crossing skinny bridges, and generally performing a little better than you did last time.  Life is messy, busy, and work can get stressful.  I’ve been trying a two-fold approach; giving it to God and sweating it out.

2.  OUTSIDE.  God’s creativity is found all over, but often it takes me getting into the woods to remember it.  It could be less being in the woods and more being out-of-town though.  I’m not sure, but I love being out there.

3.  COMPETITION.  I’ve been competitive before; but it’s not really a driving thing for me.  But when I’m competing against myself, my fears, and my general clumsiness, I get a lot more satisfaction.  Mtn Biking is like that (also, snowboarding).  I get to face some fear, some difficult fitness, and some lack of technique, and I feel a little better at it each time I go.

Just a few thoughts.  We had an awesome time.  Jonathan took a pretty big spill off of a little launch and into a tree, but he’s OK.  Chris’ bike was giving him some trouble though – the front wheel was coming off (no big deal right?).  The skewer on his front wheel was stripping out somehow.  Luckily Tony and Cole were there and they Macgyver’d the wheel back on with some cord.  Chris had to ride slowly the rest of the way but it was better than walking all of it.  We stopped at Hoggy’s for some wings and a foot-tall burger for Tony.

Good times with good friends.