Last Updated on December 6, 2010 by James Dziezynski
Here’s a little snippet from my blog over at Elevation Outdoors that I kind of like:
An unexpected aspect of long road rides is the time you get to yourself in your head. Once the pack disperses, I stop worrying about my cadence or impressing the foxy gal who is leaving me in her fragrant dust; I start to wrap my head about other things. Stare at the mountain tops piercing the sharp blue sky long enough and your mind reverts back to its native language, not one of words but of emotion. This spiritual aside combines with the sensations of speed or the throbbing ache of tough climbs, bringing one to an incredible simulation of enlightenment.
A good mountain high lingers into the real world, temporarily rendering the stressful trappings of the front country to mere weak whispers of doubt. On the last few cranks to the summit of Loveland Pass, my riding partner Kyle and I stood on our pedals and cried out in primal exuberance as we went all out to reach mile 101 at 11,990 ft. Though my throat felt like a balloon knot and my lungs were shrunken and sticky, it was delightful. The sights, sounds and sensations of the day were etched internally, written in that unspoken native language of the heart.
Another 100 miles I’ve traveled across the Earth.
Ute Pass Colorado - Blue River Century 2010.
