RIP...

The old girl is tired. My old friend of six years is really starting to show her age, and this last go around was a dusey. Last week when preparing the old steed for one last battle, I almost shed a tear of nostalgia in remembrance of the good times and bad, pain and joy, success and failure we'd shared. Counting them on the way home from AR, I named 11 different states where we've shredded trail together. With the birth of a new bike eminent this week (SRAM order may finally get here), its about time to put the S-Works out to pasture. From here forth, she'll be relegated to the dirty work, when conditions are tuff, and the terrain unspeakable. An unfortunate fate for something who's given such fateful service. RIP old friend...

On another note...

Spend 10-15 hours a week riding around the roads and trails of Mid Mo and beyond for half your life and you'll witness some beautiful, peculiar, and even comical things. From cosmic sunsets, to deers at full gallop. From unbelievable star filled skies on sub freezing night rides, to two turtles mating on the centerline. From ridge-line views of Lake Tahoe, to the mighty Missouri at flood stage. Unfortunately tonight, I added one more thing. A fatality. On my recovery spin down Rangeline tonight a came across a string of emergency vehicles parked along the airport road new Englewood. Between the ditch and vacant corn field rest an obviously rolled 4 door sedan, and the unmistakable lump of a body bag. A quick conversation with the closet Patrol confirmed the driver had ran off the road and been ejected, before the car came to rest on top her.

Enjoy those long rides, and keep the seat-belt fastened. You never know when your time is up!