Giving Hanks

Count your many blessings...

Yesterday I headed out to the Backyard Trails. I rode over there alone, and as soon as I got on the trail it was obvious that the misty rain from the day before was still having a negative effect on the surface of the dirt ribbon. I decided against a full-on ride, and went over to the small step-up jump to get my balls up, so hopefully they would get bigger before I got here:

My projected landing zone

A seven to eight foot gap I jumped once while riding with Stabby, but since then haven't had the balls to repeat. After multiple roll-ups at speed, it is safe to say I still haven't done it since.

It's the last thing I was thinking about when I went to bed last night. Shit like this haunts me.

Defeated, I headed over to where we've been working the past few weeks. There was a line to a drop I was eyeballing that had a small ditch that needed some rock work in order for the rider to keep speed on the approach. After I finished with the rock bridge, I decided to try to take the lip off the chunk of cement that formed the "natural" drop. Armed with my simple BFR tool, I took a few two handed swings at the offending appendage, and I was making progress. I knew it was a dumb idea, and eventually what I thought would happen happened. I slipped and smashed my hand between the cement clump and the Big Fucking Rock I was swinging.

My "trail work" was done for the day. I hopped on my bike and headed to the Common Market to spend my emergency $5 bill on some medicine.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all the typical stuff most folks take for granted, health (my finger is not broken), family (my family is not broken), and the internet.

I am also thankful for the little things.

I am thankful that I have friends like these people.

I am thankful that I was able to file my SSWC08 bottle opener back into some useable form.

I am thankful that there always seems to be some kind of IPA on sale less than a mile from my house.

I am thankful that I have "friends" who would rather make fun of me than have sympathy for me (sympathy is for losers).

I am thankful that Steve Stickel finished another frame, which means mine has moved up the queue one notch.

I am thankful that I will get to spend the holidays with Poodle Doodle while she recovers from some severe neglect.

I am thankful for old riding gloves that will keep the camouflaged dog shit off my hands when I bag leaves for the next four days.

So much to be thankful for, you know?

Have a nice break from the action this weekend (unless you work in retail).