Dirt Church

Dirt Church has always been my house of worship. As long as I can remember the outside has been my salvation. Whether it was just woods, the ocean, mountains or a river. Outside is where I feel ok. We all have our demons and crosses to bear. Cyclists (bikers in my lexicon) are a funny group. We are social creatures but need our solitude. We seem to struggle more than your average civilian for some reason. My circle of friends certainly struggles. Whether we were drawn to cycling and the outdoors as a way to cope with our demons or to find escape from them isn't clear. For me the outside has been integral to my mental health. I am a better person if I have been outside. The woods of late are my altar and my therapist. And as much as I love riding with friends and groups I need to ride solo. Solo soul rides just make me feel alive. 

Dirt Church right now is crowded! This global pandemic and shut down of schools, gyms, spin studios, yoga classes and playgrounds has sent a horde of people into the woods. At first I was like oh this is a nice side effect of this pandemic. I hoped and hope that as people discover the power of the outside they will respect it more. And maybe value it more. As bikers we have always been oddball patrons of the outside. Perhaps as the red-headed step child of the outdoors we have always had to work harder. In lots of parts of the country cyclists aren't really welcome on trails. We have had to fight for access for a long time. Because of that I think we in general are always more respectful of other trail users and the trails themselves. I mean think of how many dog poop bags you see at every trailhead. Can you imagine if cyclists did something like that?

But I am getting off track. I guess my point is it is hard to attend Dirt Church right now. The trails are packed. People are acting like this pandemic is a snow day. At least in my neck of the woods they are. It is hard to socially distance yourself on a Singletrack when swarms of people are walking by. It is great that people are going to the woods and trails to unwind and get a break from all the horrible news and anxiety. Again, we as cyclists have been doing this for years. And as much as it annoys me to see all these people when I am seeking solitude I get it. And as much as I fear them being in such large groups and possibly exposing themselves to a virus I do get why they are doing what they are doing. I am trying to be kind and understanding. When I see a big group I either go on another trail or stop and pull off the trail and ask them to come through. More than one person has responded warmly to this kindness.

It is weird being on a bike out there right now. The drivers seem more aggressive even though there are so many less cars on the road right now. What does that tell us about traffic? It tells us so much of this traffic and congestion is not necessary. We have become some complacent on this success habitrail. We are like rats in a cage. Not to sound like Bodi but it is true. We work 90 hours a week to afford a life we can barely afford and barely enjoy. This generation is more stressed and more unhappy than any before it. And there a myriad of reasons for it. But what Dirt Church can teach us is if you slow down and just take time to be in the woods you can choose kindness over fear. I won't lie I have a lot of fear. This pandemic is no joke. Denying it won't save us. Being smart will. I know we will survive this and come out better people. I am trying every day to find more hope than fear. And to choose love over fear. So many of us have found each other through Dirt Church and the bike. I played a fun game with 3 of my closest friends the other day. We tried to remember where and when we first met. In all three cases it was some crazy bad idea ride. I for one can't wait to be able to do a bad idea ride with my good friends. It will be like that first Ronde de Rosey. And we will end at a dive bar and have the best burger in our lives....be safe my friends.