In the brush

8 Miles

Sarah let me go for a bike ride this evening after work so I decided to bust out the mountain bike and make the best of the limited remaining light at Riverfront Park.  I donned my new mountain bike shorts that I picked up at the bike swap for a screaming deal.  I made it over to Riverfront with just an hour of daylight left.  My ride was fun but rather uneventful with the exception of brushing up a few deer.  The sun started setting and I was at the river bank near the entrance to the park.  Now, I should have just taken the main trail to the gate and gone home with plenty of time to bet home before dark.  I should have, but I didn't.  Instead I determined that I had enough time to work my way out of the park through the single track trails.  I took a trail along the bank that I'm fairly familiar with but haven't taken it since last year.  The flooding last summer has washed out part of the trail and new trail has been cut further inland.  Unfortunately, the trail has already been overgrown with dense, thorny brush.  I had to push the bike through in places, constantly getting caught up on the thorns and branches.  I should have turned around but the trail was pretty clear ahead of me.  I made it about 50 feet before the brush closed back in on me but I kept  going.  After doing this a couple times, I was determined to go forward rather than back track through the brush.  Finally, I came upon some fallen trees that I'd have to scramble over and then push through the brush, but this time there was no clearing ahead of me.  I decided I'd have to turn around if I had any chance of getting out before dark.  So back through the brush again.  Ugh!  I finally made it out of the brush and picked up another trail to get me out of the park.  I rolled into my backyard, scratched and bleeding, with only minutes to spare before dark.  Another good ride!