Monday Musing (#40) – In The Spirit Of Ride From Somewhere.
If, at some point, you start thinking that this week’s musings are about as interesting as reading someone’s grocery list, well, sometimes housekeeping has to happen. You know, generally, when you notice one too many spiders in the bathroom.
I have a smatter of tatteredly-typed pitter-patter, but with no solid follow-up to last week’s Grouse Keeping, I’m cruising through this week’s Monday Musing. Heck, I even had a couple of photos in mind to throw in here, and despite spending a decent amount of my day on Fromme, I didn’t manage to snap either of them. Sorry.
Anywho, almost seven years ago, this month, I wrote a short piece for NSMB.com that I reference regularly both here at MEATengines and in my real life. It’s called If You Can’t Ride From Home, Ride From Somewhere. The idea is that even folks who aren’t privileged to live within regular pedaling distance of the trails they frequent can still grab the fitness, warm-up, and societal benefits of parking away from the trailhead and riding to it.
And, starting with this week’s Wednesday Night Lights, we’re putting it into action with a Bike Bus. It’s basically the same idea as awesome programs that encourage kids to responsibly ride to school, except this is encouraging adults to pedal to the forest to play mountain bicycles well after dark.
{Above Photo: Niels van Kampenhout}
The Bike Bus leaves my place in Central Lonsdale at 8:30pm and pedals pavement {bring a blinky light} over the highway, where we’ll pick up our friend BEE at around 8:42-8:45pm. Then it’s an ascent on gravel to where we’ll pick up anyone else coming along sometime around 9:00-9:05pm at the trail head.
Living along the route, or have a preferred Bike Bus Stop from where you want to park-and-ride? You know how to reach out.
Come prepared for night and weather, know your limit – ride within it*, and keep in mind it’s a no-drop ride. I’d recommend a couple of trail-worthy lights and good battery management. Some kind of backup flashlight that’s not also your communications device. An emotional support jacket on top of whatever layers you know you’ll need. And snacks are always a good idea.
*{North Shore riding at night; walking features/sections is always a totally valid option.}
AQ, the MEATengines-sized version of FAQ.
- Yes, bring your sag-wagon or multi-speed hardtail. There will be single-speeds, and sometimes there will be double-hardtails.
- As regularly noted, I’m a gatekeeping, elitist, snob, asshole {GEShole}. I’m not telling folks what to do in the forest, but this is intended to be a human-powered mountain bicycle ride. That said, we’re all individuals living individual lives, so if you want to talk about you, I’m happy to listen; fire me a note.
- Trails are TBD based on who shows up. But this is absolutely a friendly ride. No one is going to be dragged down Bookwus or Pipeline for their first time in the dark. Unless they want to be.
[WAIVER GOES HERE]
You’re a grown person of majority age riding f*cking bicycles in the f*cking forest on steep pitches, greasy rocks, gnarly roots, and elevated structures. At some point, you and/or someone you know has been properly hurt mountain bicycling. Day or night, simply by choosing to mountain bike, you’re assuming personal responsibility and liability for the stupid choices you have made, are making, and will make in the future.
[/WAIVER]
Lastly, a few folks mentioned they were keen to ride, but I didn’t have your e-mail addresses to include you on the BCC invite. If you didn’t receive an invite for this Wednesday, check the junk in your inbox/trunk or fire me an e-mail.
Couple more pieces, that aren’t housekeeping, later this week.
Cheerios,
Welcome to MEATengines, I hope you enjoyed this piece. If you did, please consider buying me a coffee. Any questions, concerns, or comments; feel encouraged to drop me an e-mail, or join us at r/MEATengines.