The previous week wasn't the greatest. Our house was a bit tense, then sorrowful as we came to the realization that my beloved Corgi, Scooter, was being rejected and therefore targeted by the other dogs. Spats turned to vicious fights, with the poor little guy being on the receiving end far too often. We concluded that the best solution was to find him a home where he could shine as the solo dog. Thankfully, our excellent network of friends and dog lovers came through with the perfect home. He is now responsible for filling three little girl's childhoods with lifelong memories of growing up with a great dog. Much love and thanks to the Boyle family- I hope he brings you as much happiness as he has to me! I'm thankful to say that we've received several messages that his first weekend at the new home has been full of love and joy. Thank you guys so much.
Farewells aren't the easiest. Be a good boy.
After holding back grown man tears over my little Scooter bud, I knew the only way to keep from slipping into a funk would be to stay busy. Thankfully, Terra Firma Promo was there to help with their highly anticipated Bluebonnet Adventure Fest at Reveille Peak Ranch, a destination I've longed to visit since they opened. With truck loaded and the final confirmation that it was just me and the wife for the weekend, it was time to hit the road. After a far too heavy dose of Dallas traffic, we passed through West, TX, in the wake of tragedy. Such a huge event will forever rewrite the lives in a small town such as West. Many prayers to all those affected.
Upon arrival and with burritos secured, we set up camp and found the registration table under a beautiful pavilion on the water. This Ranch is more of a resort in my opinion, such a great getaway. I was already committed to the Adventure Race, and Candice's eyes lit up when the Xterra 5k was mentioned. We secured an entry for her and made our way back to camp where we propped up at the neighbor's fire and proceeded to make friends with a great crew out of San Antonio.
Race morning is one of my all time favorite moments in life. I love the mix of preparation, panic, and adrenaline. And it was an even more enjoyable experience when shared with my wife. It was even better when they announced that her 5k was the running portion of my race, so we would get to run together.
Chilly morning Race Face
Ready to Rock
She did great, especially considering the terrain we ran. I had to hustle pretty hard, but caught her in the last half mile to finish together before I took off on the bike leg of my race. Congrats baby, I'm proud of you, and looking forward to doing some more! Despite the frustration I still experience with running, I kept my mind well and put in a great ride. I absolutely love technical, rocky, singletrack trails- and there was plenty to love. The first 2/3 were flowing single and wide track, but the last 1/3 of the ride was just awesome. I counted 18 passes and infinite grins as I focused through all the rocks on some beautiful trail. Jeep road brought us in to camp (where I was easily passed by an older lady- props to you on a great ride and race!), and we ran to the kayak portion. Here's where it got interesting: Terra Firma keeps the field even here by requiring that everyone use their inflatable boats, oars, and pfd's. I'd severely underestimated just how difficult it would be to paddle that thing across the lake. Several curse words flew, and I found myself just laying back as a reminder of how nice the day was. I was immensely relieved when I hit shore again, only to find that we weren't quite finished yet. After a crab walk through the sand and crossing a cove on telephone poles, I finally crossed the finish line with a 2:04. 10th place in Solo Male (and there were more than 10 in the class).
Don't fall off, don't fall off, don't fall off...
Handsome bald guy finishing strong...ish.
They had great keg beer, she was a happy girl. Post race happy face.
Post race pain face. Easily cured by said great keg beer.
One does not simply go to Reveille Peak Ranch and sit back for the rest of the weekend. It's a beautiful property absolutely riddled with great trails and views. After a few hours of visiting and recovering, I felt it was time to at least go check out the flow trail. I'd spent a lot of time looking forward to riding this line full of berms, jumps, and other fun features, and today was the day despite my protesting legs. I had a great solo session on the jumps and managed to piece the entire line together with the exception of one booter that required a little more commitment than I was willing to give alone. Whoever built that trail, kudos and thank you! Was so nice getting to step up the speed and air for the first time in over a year! Afterwards I returned to camp, longing for another trail ride but unsure of my body's willingness. Noticing some mechanical issues with the Remedy, I parked it and cruised the hardtail to see if the keg was emptied yet as I abandoned the idea of any more miles.
After a perfect beer on the dock, I threw my leg over the bike and subtly opted to go left towards the trails instead of back to camp. What followed was a three hour ride I'll never forget. With map in hand, I took every bit of singletrack I could until I found myself miles from camp. I then pieced together a loop that delivered so many smiles, I'll never forget it. True singletrack with flowing sections, technical rocks, and amazing views. I knew I was living well when I caught myself chasing lizards and running my hand along the quarts veins in the rock slabs. As much as part of me wanted to just get lost and stay all night, I found my way back to camp just in time for sunset and some much needed dinner. Much love to the friendly faces around the campfire that night, it was great meeting you, and I hope we cross paths again!
In all, the weekend was amazing. More great memories made, some quality time with the lady, more friendly faces, and a wave of peace that Scooter is not only happy, but bringing joy to his new family. Life is good, let's live more of it!
Break time
Selfie to remember youth when I'm old and gray
Fastest lizards I've ever seen. Thanks for posing!
No comments:
Post a Comment