Shit riding

Two short quotes about adversity to start our little session this week:

"There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night."

"I don't need your bullshit perspective right now, I need barbecue."

Now, if you can pick which one was said by the great existential French philosopher Albert Camus and which one was sworn at me under her breath by my then-extremely pregnant wife while stuck in traffic, you get a prize: total enlightenment.

You see, here's the thing about adversity and perspective, it's sometimes just impossible.  FACT: No one can talk you into the positive nature of the situation sometimes.  

Times like those, I find it helpful to simply put all attempts at perspective aside, and ride anyway.  Even if that means:

1) intervals in the rain on 3 hours of sleep.

2) snow riding so thick you make it about a mile in an hour.

3) neighborhood cruising like its ET, except instead of ET you have Toph, and it's about 7 degrees, and the surface is 90% ice.

4) gasp - running!- with Keenan at night in the mud. 

5) trail work in the sleet with a head cold.

In the past two weeks, I've done all of those.  And let me tell you, the first 5 minutes or so always sucks.  Still, shit riding is better than not riding at all, and I count myself lucky to have a crew that, like it or not, is willing to go anyway.

Times like these, I find it's helpful to focus on the anyway.  Let the rest work itself out.  

For the most part, it will.  

Eventually.

Melt you big bastard.

Up, up, up.