this weekend was spent on a visit with old college friends, playing in the foothills (mountains to me) outside of fort collins, colorado. luke, mark, and julie took me out for my first real run of mountain single track. 1800 feet of vertical climb and and a straight drop the first day, then a great cross country run on sunday. we finished the second ride on the front edge of a thunderstorm, the lightning framing the sky and the thunder driving us to move quickly.

it was a great ride. i had time to listen to the thunderstorm build, to feel the change in the air as it breached the mountains on the opposite side of the valley. there was no noise to interrupt it’s story as it spoke out over the plains.

it may have been the last storm i am able to experience for some time. i drank it in.

some pictures from the first day: I started out, trying to look tough. We took old logging roads up, for the most part, then hung out in the trees while mark goofed around with his helmet. From there, it was down the mountain, over the river, and through the woods.

tomorrow starts structural fire fighting class. i’ll be learning how well i deal with open flame and full protective gear (nomex, oxygen tanks, etc.). pictures and stories to follow…