Pete Seeger
Sunday morning I went to church for a little bit of spiritual renewal. It wasn’t enclosed and there weren’t any other parishioners, save for Riley, who I met at the trailhead. I was going to church in the forest and instead of my Sunday best I was sporting my thermal bib kit. After a week of running I was happy to be out on my mountain bike heading toward Phil’s Trail.
Years ago I gave up trying to find spiritual growth inside a building on a Sunday morn – turned off by the politics and the hypocracy of organized religion. I found my spiritual solace and affirmation in forays to the river to fish or to the trails where I could enjoy nature on my mountain bike as I rode through the forest. The sights and sounds of nature served to re-confirm my belief in a higher authority without the baggage.
The air was brisk with a hint of moisture. The unusual high winds from the previous day were long gone. A faint blanket of new snow graced the foothills above. The trails would be tacky – not too muddy, but enough moisture that the tires would hold through the turns. It was an absolutely perfect day to go out on the mountain bike for a fun and easy ride.
Jaime had emphasized that my rides needed to be easy. I followed the course and resolved that I would just enjoy the ride, not press things, and have a good time. Riley and I briefly discussed where we’d ride and then we set off into the sunlight. I could feel a slight drizzle hit me. Oregon is the only place I know where the sun can be shining, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and yet you’re still getting rained upon. Weaving through the trails brought a sense of appreciation and a chance to reflect. We chatted a bit in areas where the trail opened up onto an old logging road, but for the most part we simply rode. Every so often I would catch a glimpse of a beautiful vista and would make a little mental thank you note for that visual opportunity. Up and down the hills we went, passing very few people. There were a couple of challenging traverses up rocky passages and also a few thrilling descents with technical drops but mostly it was just choice single-track weaving through Manzanita and Ponderosa Pine.
I ended my ride as I always try and do when I go to Phil’s with a ride through the rolling hills of Tetherow. The forest opens up into a rolling meadow, that offer vistas to the east of the Paulinas as well as Powell Butte, the Ochocos, and the Oregon Outback. It’s a nice transition from the trails of the forest, where you can easily get turned around, to the wide-open vistas just before you come back into town. Riley had a longer ride so we fist bumped, parted company, and I headed home.
Even though it was an easy ride I flew home on my Niner, energized from a chance to be outside and enjoy the beauty of the world around me. I knew that I’d have a week full of runs but for the here and now I was thankful for the opportunity to get out in the forest, renew my spirit on the mountain bike, and appreciate the time I had enjoying life.
Sunday morning I went to church for a little bit of spiritual renewal. It wasn’t enclosed and there weren’t any other parishioners, save for Riley, who I met at the trailhead. I was going to church in the forest and instead of my Sunday best I was sporting my thermal bib kit. After a week of running I was happy to be out on my mountain bike heading toward Phil’s Trail.
Years ago I gave up trying to find spiritual growth inside a building on a Sunday morn – turned off by the politics and the hypocracy of organized religion. I found my spiritual solace and affirmation in forays to the river to fish or to the trails where I could enjoy nature on my mountain bike as I rode through the forest. The sights and sounds of nature served to re-confirm my belief in a higher authority without the baggage.
The air was brisk with a hint of moisture. The unusual high winds from the previous day were long gone. A faint blanket of new snow graced the foothills above. The trails would be tacky – not too muddy, but enough moisture that the tires would hold through the turns. It was an absolutely perfect day to go out on the mountain bike for a fun and easy ride.
Jaime had emphasized that my rides needed to be easy. I followed the course and resolved that I would just enjoy the ride, not press things, and have a good time. Riley and I briefly discussed where we’d ride and then we set off into the sunlight. I could feel a slight drizzle hit me. Oregon is the only place I know where the sun can be shining, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and yet you’re still getting rained upon. Weaving through the trails brought a sense of appreciation and a chance to reflect. We chatted a bit in areas where the trail opened up onto an old logging road, but for the most part we simply rode. Every so often I would catch a glimpse of a beautiful vista and would make a little mental thank you note for that visual opportunity. Up and down the hills we went, passing very few people. There were a couple of challenging traverses up rocky passages and also a few thrilling descents with technical drops but mostly it was just choice single-track weaving through Manzanita and Ponderosa Pine.
I ended my ride as I always try and do when I go to Phil’s with a ride through the rolling hills of Tetherow. The forest opens up into a rolling meadow, that offer vistas to the east of the Paulinas as well as Powell Butte, the Ochocos, and the Oregon Outback. It’s a nice transition from the trails of the forest, where you can easily get turned around, to the wide-open vistas just before you come back into town. Riley had a longer ride so we fist bumped, parted company, and I headed home.
Even though it was an easy ride I flew home on my Niner, energized from a chance to be outside and enjoy the beauty of the world around me. I knew that I’d have a week full of runs but for the here and now I was thankful for the opportunity to get out in the forest, renew my spirit on the mountain bike, and appreciate the time I had enjoying life.
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