Monks of Big River

So we had Dirt Church this morning. 

On the way over it popped in my head. We're the Monks of Big River. Sometimes traveling to other places to ride, Arcadia, Burlingame, Woody Hill, we'll go other places but we'll usually gather to ride alone. 

And well, it is just a bunch of old weirdos. Social misfits, aka Mt Bikers. Monks of Big River seemed to have a nice ring. Better than Big River Monks... I think. Don't you?

A few extras tagged along, we kept out distance, but I did have to point out, if you can smell the other person, you can get the virus from them. Aerosols are pretty freaking tiny drops, and the high affinity that the covid has, well, doesn't take much to get the infection.

And to clear it up - just because you are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms doesn't mean the exact same virus won't flatten and kill someone else in a few days. And yeah the O blood type is lucky, I don't think that's mine because my mother is AB so that means I kind of can't be O. I understand virology better than blood typing heredity, I don't know my dad's or i could narrow it down some more, or i could just get tested. Or fuck it doesn't much matter.

The riding out there was good. A week off wasn't great for my trail skillz. I'm too new to this to take much of a break. Also we hit the swoopy hilly stuff this week. We did hit dead people and I tombstoned myself and jammed the stem into my pelvic area above the junk. It fucking hurt. Yes, I just checked by poking around to find where I hit and it STILL hurts when I push on it. Gonna work on not doing that again.  At least I missed the junk.

Tire pressure could have been lower. Went 12.5 up front and 13 in the rear. Will try 11.5 and 12 next time.

Assuming we're allowed out in a week or less. Def thinking I will go out alone, try to get a better sense of where the fuck I am and how to get around out there. There are so many trails. We do things in so many different combinations that it is tough to follow. Things are familiar, but still not quite sure how they connect. I am starting to recognize the pieces but still not totally sure how they fit together. 

The bike is heavy, I am slow, hills... oof. I was also not feeling perfect, but a few others weren't and the pressure to hang with the fastest wasn't there, just hang out in the middle, survive. Have fun.

I had fun. Tank bike and all.

Bill Bragg has a good little song up now. It is very much the same thing as Colin's blog post but in song form. I'll be honest, it kind of hit me in the feels a bit.

If you like it - share it, maybe it will keep someone inside and away from everyone else.

I saw that G-ride aka Closethedoor aka the grumpy vermont guy commented that the only people making it out of this mess are the introverts. IT IS ABOUT TIME. Or something. 

Holy shit though my legs are shredded. 

Ouch. They are hurty. The not flat stuff and that bike means A LOT OF WORK. Really actually kind of wondering what a legit go fast bike would be like. 

Took a break there - between something and holy.

Syl actually really liked the idea and immediately thought of jersey designs - i think we need to make it happen. Can't wait to see what he comes up with.

Finding a work space of my own is going to be difficult. Basement might be the best option. There is the sweet kick ass rocking chair (bent wood amish thing - so comfy) can use laptop on that. Also kind of want to get battery for the Pentax Ashai, and some black and white film, and some chemicals, and the enlarger set up. Black out that window, could be kind of freaking awesome. Save that project for the following week. 

Also the big guitar is down there. Maybe I need to figure out how to play chords and shit. 

Kid is making food. Smells freaking delicious. Some "Sweet Greens" inspired food bowl full of stuff, there's some tofu marinating in shoyu, fresh ginger, fish sauce and garlic, i heard something about some wild rice mix (the bobs red mill stuff I got) maybe some harissa chickpeas or other roasty yummy. Double bonus of not having to cook tonight. Very under fueled for the day. This food thing, that's gonna be the most interesting. How do we deal/cope with this whole four people working in the same tiny little house. 

I mean don't get me wrong, i love this little house, but I'm also someone who really kind of needs alone time away from others, even my family. And maybe I found that clip there just a tiny bit too funny. 

Such is life, those that make it to the other side of this invisible storm, well, we'll all be stronger for it. Hopefully we'll be better, more compassionate and perhaps the country will find some empathy as well.

I should read more than I am writing. Just can't settle enough to read. Too many books over the last year? Something's different right now, I wonder what it might be.

Hmm...

Well. 

Y'all be well, stay healthy, stay away from other people. Seriously, flatten the fucking curve. Or at least stay out off the curve's way. 

Amor Fati Motherfuckers

Heddwch

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