Some things are just good for the soul…
Like the BBQ ribs I cooked on the grill Sunday night. Oh boy, falling off the bone. The corn on the cobb, pasta salad, and s’mores just topped it all off! All food, in my humble opinion, should please the palate and fill the stomach. Sometimes good food and great company becomes an experience that truly enriches you. That’s why they call it “Soul Food.”
Ah, but this isn’t a blog about food is it? It’s about cycling, and tonight I had a ride that was food for my soul. Want the recipe? Ok, here you go.
A recipe for a ride that feeds your soul.
Start with 1 Respected Friend
Eric Smith is a great combination of wisdom, humility and laughter. I always walk away from time with Eric encouraged and enriched.
It helps that he has a great house in the country and, rumor has it, a pool that is open for swimming to those with VIP passes… or cute children. Thank God for cute children eh?
Add 1 Unridden path
To be perfectly honest I’ve grown a little bored with my cycling in recent days. So I’ve stepped off my well-beaten paths into some new territory North and West. Unfortunately that means crossing a four lane highway. Fortunately Eric lives on the other side of the tracks (literally, he really does), so he can be my guide.
Tonights track took us north, into unexplored territory for me. Now my curiosity is piqued. I want to ride all the way to Michigan! We’ll see if I can do it. I know this, it will be a beautiful ride. That, and I better invest in some dog spray. There are some MAMMOTH dogs out there!
Gently fold in 15 Easy Miles
The road conditions weren’t always the best (can’t believe I was wishing for chip & seal at times), but the hills were rolling, traffic was light, and the view was spectacular!
The rains have everything very green and suddenly we live in a world of 75F (23C) days and 50F (10C) nights! I’m not sure I broke a sweat today. That makes laundry a little easier. (You… probably didn’t want to know that did you?)
Add 2 Fascinated Burros
These guys were hilarious! Our ride was a basic Out-and-Back endeavor so we passed them twice. On the way out they watched us pass, curiosity on their faces. On the way back I stopped to get their picture because they turned to face us in obvious fascination. When they saw us stop they began to posture, snort, run around and stop to make sure we were looking at their machismo. I must say it was comical if not impressive.
I never did get their names. Please…post possible (and acceptable) names in the response section below! (This should be good)
Mix well…
Put all these together in a bowl of rolling farm land, 10′ tall corn and 4′ tall beans, sprawling horse farms, fishing ponds and… GOATS and you’ve got a ride that nourishes the soul.
Ah yes, don’t forget the icing on the cake…
A dog that happily welcomes you back with his pull toy in his mouth, a wagging tail, and the light of pure joy in his eyes. Yes my friends, it was a great ride, thoroughly enjoyed. And Eric’s parting statement to me was, “Call me anytime.” Oh yeah, no problem there, I’ll always call, so long as I can…
Enjoy the Ride.
Just Enjoy the Ride 