Today, my wife and I decided to wander down to a place called Bee Rock to immerse
ourselves into the forest for a while.
She decided to sit on a rock by the river and read while I took the mountain bike on a trail that I have been growing fond of.
I had been on the main section of this trail several times either hiking or mountain biking, but Friday, I decided to try another section on foot. It was a delight as I looked forward to barreling down this new found section on the bike. As I walked it for the first time, I descended into a ravine with rock walls standing high to my left. As I walked, I came across a rock formation that made me scratch my head. It was a large boulder topped with trees sitting on top of a smaller rock formation. How did this happen? The road ran beside it, but I could not see how someone would have cut rock out and left this. Either way, it was very pleasing to my eyes to see.

So the day came for me to "test" the new section out. After attending Mass in which we were honored to have our Bishop preside over, we ate a little at a reception, loaded the bike in the truck and headed west.

I was a mess, to say the least. I had eaten a piece of cake after Mass and that was wreaking havoc on my energy levels and decision making. Within the first 100 yards of the trail I had fallen several times on small spots that I easily rolled over in the past. About half way around the loop I was riding my course veered left and went up a gravel road...entirely up. However, this worked the sugar out of my system and I began to function "normally". Then came what I was looking forward to: the downhill. It started gradually and I turned onto the new found #529. At first, I was raked by pines and holly branches with the occasional brier, but that's all part of the fun. The trail snaked left and right as it presented water diversions, an occasional log, and a small rock bridge before coming to a small wooden bridge that emptied onto a wider forest road and making a hard left to continue downhill.

As I proceeded to maneuver the trail, I came upon two other mountain bikers climbing the hill so I pulled off to the side as they apologized for being in the way. I said "no problem" but was thinking that I was the one zipping down the hill while they were struggling up it. They have no reason to apologize! After they passed, I continued my zip until about 200 yards past that spot I ran into an eroded trench, but was traveling too quickly to pull out before seeing my bike seem to reverse direction and finding myself airborne as I watched the earth grow larger and larger before me. The earth was hard and cold upon my impact and I felt the bike behind me falling down upon my back. After I gained my senses I got up and felt a dull ache in the right side of my chest. Apparently, I collided with something protruding from the ground. But again, it's all part of the fun...right?

The good part about my fall is that it reminded me to take a picture of the boulder "mushroom" as it happened just a little ways from it. After a couple of quick snapshots, I was off again. Mounds, rocks, logs, and steps all found me using them for an opportunity to become detached form the earth and defy gravity if only for a matter of seconds.

Upon returning to the parking lot where I was supposed to meet my wife, I noticed I still had 4s minutes to meet her and that was about the time it took me to ride the trail. So after venturing a little ways down the trail to unsuccessfully search for my wife on her rock I decided to make the loop again...but this time I had processed the debilitating sugar, had been charged by the rush of a downhill, and was being "hopped up" by the adrenaline pumping into my body as a result of the increasing pain of my impact...I just couldn't stop now! And with every brier slap on my arms the adrenaline increased. Needless to say the ride went much faster, especially the 20+ MPH downhill that had previously left me sprawled on the ground realizing I should not have taken that path.

Once I returned to the parking lot for the second time, I realized my wife was still not there even though I had arrived almost on the minute that we agreed upon...but that was ok. She was near the river in the order of Creation and that was what mattered. My only qualm was that I didn't know if I had the time for a third round.

Adrenaline...what is it that makes it so addicting? It seems that the closer I and so many others come in contact with danger or being hurt or even dying, the more the rush makes us long for more. The irony is that even though there is not the factor of speed or danger, stillness at times produces the same effect. To be in a shrub or against a tree while an animal or person wanders close by unaware of any other presence leaves the same longing for more. And to go even further, to sit in the darkness of night after a long fast with a small fire listening for the Still, Small voice whispering the will that brings about order in our lives creates a longing that leaves one almost frantically seeking more. What is it? Why does intensity produce such feelings?

I'll write that one down with the rest of my questions I want to ask the Creator.