In deep

I was poking around in iPhoto a couple of days ago and found this shot of my Epic from last fall. I had altered the image a bit and then left it unused. Finding a shot like this on your laptop when the weather forecast has bright-red, all-caps "SNOW ADVISORY" warnings can be a bittersweet thing. It dredges up happy memories but serves as an ugly reminder that we're in the depths of winter and sweet singletrack rides are a long way off, at least for those of us who don't have plane tickets to someplace warm this winter.

I miss the feeling of knobs on dirt. I miss rocks bouncing off my shins. I miss tan lines on my quads and white feet below dirt-stained legs before I get in the shower. Riding on ice is OK but it's just filler. Sure, it's mosquito-free filler, but it's still just something to keep us all sane until the dirt is once again warm and dry.

I just wanna ride my bike and not be hassled by The Man. Maybe I should take a winter trip Down Under for the Body Art Ride (maybe NSFW). On second thought, maybe not. I don't want to risk all-over road rash even if it is for charity.

Dang, Feb. 12 is shaping up to be a busy day. It's not only the day of the Body Art Ride, it's Darwin Day. And remember, Darwin has a posse. Print yerself some stickers and spread the word.

Hmm. For some reason, even though I never eat the stuff, I'm suddenly craving yogurt.

I've added a new link to my list of bike blogs. I recently learned about Chain Driven, written by a fellow Alaskan who likes bikes and cocktails. Can't argue with that. She's also setting up a new Santa Cruz Juliana. Sweet.