Good day on the bike

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Today was one of those days where you looked out the window and just wanted to crawl back into bed. There were heavy, low hanging clouds draped over the mountains and a hint of snow on the trees up high. Luckly, I didn't have the option to hide in the house all day. I was meeting Coach Jane from CTS and we were planning on hitting the trails in Red Rocks for a few hours. The tempurature was about 38 (and this is the middle of May!?!) so I dragged out the winter clothes and my Osprey backpack. Nick got me the pack so we could go bike-packing later this year (and he was getting tired of carrying all my stuff). It's a great pack - fits comfortably and holds a lot of gear. I packed a few extra layers and bundled up. It was a perfect day to try out the new rain jacket Nick bought me a few weeks ago. There was a defiinate chill to the air as I left the house, but I was comfortable. I choose a flatter route to CTS - through Stratton and down around Bear Creek Park. As I rode through Stratton, the mist solidifed into light snowflakes. But the trails were in perfect condition. Tacky, smooth and fast.

Jane and I decided to avoid the mud in Red Rocks and rode up Buckhorn. The roots were a little damp, making some sections tricky, but otherwise the trail was awesome. It was so quiet, just under the cloud layer with all of the trees dusted in a light snow. When we got onto Captain Jacks, it was the best day I'd had on the trails. Fast, flowing and tacky, with no one else on the trail. I actually felt relaxed and confident coming down Jacks, instead of worried about sliding out in the gravel. Despite the cold (I changed jackets at the top) riding turned out to be the best part of the day. Although spring would be nice - today reminded us of a February ride, not May, sometimes getting out and braving the cold brings more rewards then just a great ride.

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