So said Alana, on her gnarest hike to date, trotting across flows of shale and river rock that i don’t even particularly enjoy biking upon. I have hardly walked her out in the desert, but like most things she seems to have figured them out with little classroom assistance. She didn’t even fall as the rocks wobbled under her, didn’t need much instruction to go around all the twisted patches of deadfall and desert weeds, didn’t hardly care when i told her to be careful careful careful, didn’t show much angst when dealing with a pricker in her sock and waiting for me to pull it out.

The progress is not exactly surprising, predictable even, except i’ve no idea where it all came from since it certainly wasn’t from any focused efforts on my part. No arrogance, no fear, just quiet concentration. Little kids getting tossed in with the bigger ones.

At least we are of the same mind. I did a big underground race in the McDs the day before, a comparable sufferfest to the Quad Bypass. Other than limiting myself to half a glass of wine the night before and getting almost 6 hrs of sleep, I made no special efforts or variations to my normal training. Literally rolled out my front door and into the 7 hr ride. Amazingly I finished roughly mid-pack. Hardly spectacular, but along with The Flight, rather rewarding to handle such rides in stride. No arrogance, no fear, just quiet concentration. Little kids getting tossed in with the bigger ones.

almost 50 people launched from the Bashas, about half completed the course. Fun to have my moments descending all the tight switchbacks, that many of the strong fast racers walked down (after smoking me to the top)