Getting my life back on (single) track

It's the photo that some people thought would never happen. Initially there were hints, some strangely familiar jaunty grips pictured in unfamiliar circumstances

Next a shambolic figure was seen retreating into the bush after struggling with the self timer of his camera

 Could it be true - could Mike be back on dirt? Damn right he is

It's been a long time - over 6 months. My achilles still hurts from last weekends idiocy but I had to drop some stuff off at the office and Daisy Hill isn't much further away. So I thought I'd just see what it was like to get back out there, even if I only lasted for half an hour.

Turned out that is was wonderful. The weather was perfect Brisbane winter weather - clear blue skies, 'cool' temperatures at around 24 degrees and a strong breeze to help dry the sweat off after a hard climb. The sun was dappling the trails through the trees

and because of the rain that has fallen recently the bush was green and lush, with each grass strand tip catching the light and dancing in the wind

My 'possibly 30 minute ride' turned into a couple of hours of ear-to-ear grin riding. My achilles is pretty sore after that, but that can be fixed by ibuprofen. My heart & soul needs singletrack.

It has made me wonder why it took so long to get back out there. I think that it was partly because Daisy Hill is close to the office, so a drive out to the trails feels like a drive to work. That means I'm more likely to just do a local road-ride instead, and road rides just don't do the same thing for me so it's easy to find reasons not to go. Then as I spend less time on the trails my skills suffer, my confidence suffers and that spirals. The guys I ride with are very experienced mountain bikers who ride 3 to 4 times a week and in reality I'm not a very good rider, so it's hard for my fragile male ego to cope with the deterioration of my skills. At every corner I see the others disappear off in front of me or (worse still) hear the panicked locking up of brakes behind me as I faff around on a corner and impede their flow. And on every climb I know that I will be last to the top and forcing the others to wait. I think in some ways that was why I started trail running - it was something I don't identify with it so it really doesn't matter how bad I am!

Anyway - it doesn't matter. The guys I ride with are good mates and if I am slowing them down they know me well enough to let me know. It's tempting to follow one of the regular courses of action when you're not riding well - buy new bits or buy a new bike - but in reality I know that the only way I can ride better is to ride more. And after an afternoon like I've just had, riding more can only be a good thing. Although I'll be unable to ride with a back-pack on between mid July and mid-August, which kinda sucks but for very cool reasons.....

Anyway - just to wrap up, I rode dirt and it was good. I even had the time to take a Miff shot (no, I said 'Miff'.....)

and how can you not have a good time when this is inviting you ever onwards?

Incidentally, apologies to my regular riding mates for not letting you know I was heading out. I needed some time to reconnect with the bush, and I wasn't expecting to spend that long out there anyway!