Yesterday was the weekly Alliance ride. We moved it up to 6, or right after the shop closes, to enable certain light-lacking riders to come along. Apparently it didn’t help much. I say much because it did bring along one new rider to add to the usual suspects, Danny. He’s one of the Team Red Rock riders. It should go without saying that he kicked our asses, and he was on a geared bike. Pratt and myself rounded out the crowd of three.

Bryce and I left from the shop at 6:22. Danny met us at the Church rocks trailhead around 7. For some unknown reason, Danny and I thought lights were optional on a two hour ride that started one hour before dark. Go figure. We headed up the trail. Danny quickly took the lead. Bryce and I struggled to stay on his wheel, but stay we did. Of course, Pratt, being the unrelenting light smith that he is, made us stop ever so often to snap a few shots. Supposedly, he has a couple really cool ones of me side hopping off the steps. Maybe if he posts them we can all see otherwise, he can go stuff it.

Back to the story, by the time we had made it up to the ridge darkness had begun to set in. It was that type of twilight where you can see but you lose all depth perception. I stuck to Danny’s wheel and hoped like hell he didn’t stop suddenly. When we arrived back at the Prospector section of the loop, it was all dark. Luckily the sand is lighter where the trail is and we were able to do a night ride with no lights. Fun but not recomended.

Bryce and I both came home with some slight carnage.

I hope to see you all next week.