Night Ride

Tonight I had one of those rare nights. This time of year brings shortened daylight hours which of course means, if you want to ride, you do it in the dark. I love it!

As I left the parking lot and hit the trail, the evening darkness enveloped me like a blanket. The only things piercing the darkness were the setting crescent moon, rising Jupiter, starlight, and my helmet and handlebar lights.The evening took on a somewhat surreal mood. As I rode through the night my lights cut through the darkness and cast eerie shadows, which did their bazaar dance through the forest. Suddenly eyes glowing in the light of my headlamp and a brown bolt across the trail... A frightened deer and spooked rider.

I rode on, feeling good, motivated by the music playing in my ear and my desire and joy of riding. I continued riding alone through the dark and was feeling good. Everything, if even for this brief moment in time, was right. I rode on through the darkness as the moon dipped below the western horizon.