Clutz

11 miles
45 degrees

I went back to Riverfront Park today during lunch and found some trails I've never been on before. I probably took them a little to fast for comfort since I wasn't familiar with them.  I ended up nailing several limbs with my face and even more with my arms.  One of the trails was so tight that I was constantly dodging limbs while ducking down below the canopy.  It was a pretty cool trail though and I had a good time riding through the new terrain.

When I decided to head back, I found a trail that I knew and took it back.  Somewhere along the trail, in some dense shrubs and trees, I started to feel needle-like sensations poking me all the way down my right arm.  As I rode into the clearing I looked down and saw that my right shoulder, arm and glove were completely covered with huge cockle burrs.  I stopped and started picking them off.  I was surprised to find that they would even stick to my bare fingers.  They were everywhere and for awhile it seemed like I was just spreading them rather than picking them off.  I was also surprised to find that they would break apart as I pulled them off leaving a dusting of grainy material all over my clothes and in the air around me.  I can still feel the stuff in my throat.  Yuck!

I finally rid myself of all of the burrs and got back on the bike to head back.  Just as I started, a woman with a golden retriever came around the corner.  She held the dog back as I tried to pass.  The path was narrow and I was hardly moving and still not really situated on my bike.  Just as I was passing I hit a root with my front tire that threw me forward enough to raise my rear wheel several feet in the air while my feet are flailing to find the ground.  I recovered and rode off embarrassed.  Its bad enough when I do stupid stuff like that by myself.  Not a real graceful day in my book.