Today my friend Heather and I rode from our trails and to Grizzly Camp and back, a distance of approximately six miles. It was a relatively fast trip. While on our adventure, Raudi, Rio, and I had an interesting conversation. It was a good way to pass time.

Alys: Raudi, how are you feeling?
Raudi: I’m s-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o tired.
A: Did you miss out on sleep last night?
R: No. Yesterday I worked really hard.
A: And?
R: My legs feel heavy, like I’m wearing ankle weights.
A: I’m wearing them now.
R: That explains it. How come we alternate wearing them?
A: Because this brings sensory awareness to our respective lower limbs.
R: Oh.

View of Arcose ridge from Bench trail

A: You understand?
R: Sure, I understand. How come neither Heather nor Rio are wearing ankle weights?
A: Because Heather doesn’t see a need for them.
R: Hey Rogue, you want to wear some ankle weights?
Rio: No.
R: Why not?
Rio: Because I don’t see a need for them.
Raudi: This will bring sensory awareness to your respective lower limbs.
Rio: Oh.
A: I have this odd feeling that I’m being made fun of.
R: Me? Make fun of you?
A: Happens all the time.
R: Hey Rogue, take a left and a right going through that mud patch and you will be just fine.
Rio: Hmm, looks dangerous to me.
R: It’s fine.
Rio: I’m going to make this a quick one. (Rio blasts through the mud bog, nearly unseating Heather.
R: No Rogue, you do it like this. (Raudi walks through the bog cautiously).
Rio: You out on this trail often?
R: All the time.
Rio: Don’t you get bored with it?
R: Not really. I rather like the routine nature of doing the same trails.
Rio: You ever go elsewhere?
R: Once in a while.
Rio: I get ridden a lot through the area Heather calls my neighborhood. Lots of activity there.
R: Yeah, we did a long trip down in Colorado – I’ve now pretty much seen it all.
A: Tell him about the San Louis Valley.
R: A snake crossed my path. It had rattles on it.
Rio: Never seen a snake.
R: And most likely you never will, that is unless you get a chance to do a long trip outside of Alaska.
Rio: I can’t imagine what that would be like.
R: I didn’t want that first trip to end.
Rio: That’s right, you did two trips.
R: Yeah, I was ready to return home at the end of the second trip.
Rio: I hear that you might go on another trip next year.
A: That’s right.
R: Rogue, let’s take the climb Grizzly Camp slow today.
Rio: Would you please stop calling me Rogue?
R: What would you rather be called?
Rio: I’d rather be called Tex.
R: Why is that?
Rio: Because this is a map of Texas on my forehead.
R: Tex, I like it. It’s very fitting.
A: I agree.
Tex: And maybe someday Heather will take me to Texas.
R: And there you can herd cows.
Tex: Yes, I would like this. I am part Quarter horse you know.
A: Which quarter?
Rio: Front left side.
A: Well, here we are at the Grizzly Camp trail. Onward and upward.
R: Yes, onward and upward. Grazing stop at the top.
A: Raudi, is all you think about is eating?
R: What else is there?
A: There is nothing else, not really.

Next: 180. 6/29/18: Rounding Corners