cameron park...the place where a "moutain" biker finds him/herself
Waco is an icebox today! Right now I am sitting in my bed, trying to stary warm because we won't turn our heater on, and reading. Then, it occurred to me that I should write a little something. Cold weather upsets me. Don't get me wrong, I like the cold because it gives you an excuse to relax, but I am so active all the time that I get anxious after consecutive cold days where I don't do much.
As many people know, I love mountain biking. However, cold days are not conducive to mountain biking. On cold days, you can't just go out for a ride because you will freeze, even when properly dressed. Isn't the phrase moutain biking a bit humorous? I live in Texas. Where are the mountains? In Texas, moutain biking should be called cross country biking because, as you may have figured out, Texas doesn't exactly have mountains. Waco, however, has "the Cameron."
I started mountain biking about three years ago with my friend Troy Sharp. Before we moved to Waco and found the Cameron, we would go biking in Amarillo, our hometown, at Palo Duro Canyon. We thought we were decent riders, until we came to Waco. When we moved to Waco and met the Cameron, we would leave it after every ride completely worn out. Slowly, after many many rides and many crashes, we began to conquer the infamous Cameron. Although Troy doesn't live in Waco for this semester, I think of him everytime I ride.
I rode yesterday for the first time in about two weeks. Due to rain and sickness, I haven't spent anytime with the Cameron. It has been rough without it in my life. For those of you who run, I think you know exactly how I feel. However, the Cameron is back. I don't know what it is, but when I ride, I feel fully alive. I had a great friend once encourage some of us to live life to the fullest. When I am biking, I feel like I am living life more to the fullest. Something great happens when going down a hill as fast as I can (the term used here would be "bombing") or climbing hill when my body tells me to rest. A hopeless abandon. I become completely vulnerable to the Cameron when bombing a hill. If I were to hit a rock or take a turn too fast, I would find myself flying through the air or sliding on my side. However, when it comes to climbing up a hill, even when I don't think I can make it because of exhaustion, I can't allow the Cameron to own me. I have to show it who is really in control. I have to show it, consitently, that I own it. Of course, I can't win everytime. The Cameron wins...on occasion. But I can always put it in its place the next ride. Call me crazy, but that breathes life into me.
Cameron park: a place to lose and gain control all in the same moment. If you bike, then pedal hard. And if you crash, then crash well. After all, isn't that what life is about? peace
As many people know, I love mountain biking. However, cold days are not conducive to mountain biking. On cold days, you can't just go out for a ride because you will freeze, even when properly dressed. Isn't the phrase moutain biking a bit humorous? I live in Texas. Where are the mountains? In Texas, moutain biking should be called cross country biking because, as you may have figured out, Texas doesn't exactly have mountains. Waco, however, has "the Cameron."
I started mountain biking about three years ago with my friend Troy Sharp. Before we moved to Waco and found the Cameron, we would go biking in Amarillo, our hometown, at Palo Duro Canyon. We thought we were decent riders, until we came to Waco. When we moved to Waco and met the Cameron, we would leave it after every ride completely worn out. Slowly, after many many rides and many crashes, we began to conquer the infamous Cameron. Although Troy doesn't live in Waco for this semester, I think of him everytime I ride.
I rode yesterday for the first time in about two weeks. Due to rain and sickness, I haven't spent anytime with the Cameron. It has been rough without it in my life. For those of you who run, I think you know exactly how I feel. However, the Cameron is back. I don't know what it is, but when I ride, I feel fully alive. I had a great friend once encourage some of us to live life to the fullest. When I am biking, I feel like I am living life more to the fullest. Something great happens when going down a hill as fast as I can (the term used here would be "bombing") or climbing hill when my body tells me to rest. A hopeless abandon. I become completely vulnerable to the Cameron when bombing a hill. If I were to hit a rock or take a turn too fast, I would find myself flying through the air or sliding on my side. However, when it comes to climbing up a hill, even when I don't think I can make it because of exhaustion, I can't allow the Cameron to own me. I have to show it who is really in control. I have to show it, consitently, that I own it. Of course, I can't win everytime. The Cameron wins...on occasion. But I can always put it in its place the next ride. Call me crazy, but that breathes life into me.
Cameron park: a place to lose and gain control all in the same moment. If you bike, then pedal hard. And if you crash, then crash well. After all, isn't that what life is about? peace
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