Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to get through this thing called Life. Electric word life it means forever and that is a mighty long time. But I am here to tell you there is something else. If you don't like the world you are living in take a look around you at least you got friends.—Prince.
Yes my friends you have friends. We have this crazy ass bike community. For richer or poorer. In sickness and in health. We made a blood oath the second we hopped aboard a bike. Any bike. All are welcome at our Church. Come in all sizes. Colors. Creeds. 29ers. 650b. FS. HT. Drop bar enduro. We are all but humble servants of the Dirt Church.
This post was supposed to be the last post of 2018. Whelp. I had a pretty epic vaca. Not in the epic ride bro but in the epic I lived and loved it to the max. My family is my whole world. Only second to my friends. And if you are reading this you know we are friends. I love you with all my heart. I am sure we have suffered and wandered upon the same path. This post I have been saving for a special moment. And the moment is now. I live a blessed life. It is not without suffering and hardship. This year has been hard. But I refuse to call it a "bad year" I know lots of you have had hard years. I see it. And I am here for you. 100%. Not sure why 2019 feels so hopeful. But it does. I read a quote from a coach recently. I am a lacrosse coach. Girls U14. It is a hotmess. But he said it is not about winning or losing it is about winning and LEARNING. Yes. That nails it. This past year was hard. But I learned a lot. In that suffering came great knowledge. I fucked up. A lot. I was a bastard at times. Pain can do that to you. You lash out. You don't mean it but it happens. You sweat the small stuff. It adds up. And maybe you lose focus on what matters. Luckily I have the best friends in the world.
So about this post. I have never been surprised. Literally. I know lots of people have elaborate bday surprises. Not me. Ok maybe that one time my dad gave me the keys to the Datsun. But it really wasn't a surprise it was more like "shit we don't have a present for you how about this rusted out car..." That car was cool don't get me wrong. So 2018 was hard. I know it was for you too. But in one of my more darker moments a reset of sorts was hit. I mean I did not see it coming. But one of my true friends and the love of my life got me good. 2018 I was a bit elusive. Not sure what that was about. Maybe I was depressed. Duh. And sort of retracted into myself. Sorry. My friends would ask to go on rides and I would be like nah I am busy. I mean I was but still. I missed my friends. I am a pack animal. Always have been. I love the idea of a tribal culture. I am part of a wolf pack. Even if at times I may go off on my own. You ever stay awake at night listening to Coyotes howl? They howl because one of the pack has been separated from the group.
I love my crew. It is a tight crew of 3 that morphs out to 6 that expands to infinity. But my wolfpack tends to be the Zank crew. I love my HUPmates and a bunch of others. But the Zank crew. Wow. We have so much history. We are all dads and of a certain age. We are warriors. Sure we may seem like boring old white guys but trust me. Love them to death do us part. So when Matt called me, texted me and guilted me via our WhatsApp thread I relented. I fidgeted. I cajoled. I tried to deflect and parlay a gravel ride. But Matt was insistent. No he did not say "Chip, you little bitch we are riding mtn bikes." But he basically said that. So it was on. We were riding Russell Mill. I joked about how Michele left me for dead on this ride last time and how much I HATE mtn bikes. But actually it was a great route. And Michele found some sick flow stuff in Billerica. Myette even lied that he had ridden it. Yeah I am gullible. I trust people. It is bizarre I never have been surprised before.
So I have one of the worst weeks of my life. Why bother with the details. A legion of moms go through the same shit on the daily. My gender bender lifestyle is nothing special. But I kind of suck at it. I have tried my best. Done my best but that is all you can do. So in the worst space and week of my life I am like sure dude let's do this. Matt rolls ups amidst some bizarre backstory of where he is and what he is up to. Pam, my beloved, is acting super fucking weird. But I am so fucking blown out the dog could have been chewing on a zombie hand I would not even bat an eye. There is a lot of crazeeee happening that am. I am like what fucking ever. I do the dad shuttle and get the kids to school. I get home. Pam is weird. Both of them seem amped. I just settle into ok let's go ride bikes and fuck this bullshit of a week.
Matt may be a serial killer. We engage in senseless banter. Blah, blah, blah. Do not get me wrong. I love Matt. Straight up. Brother from another a mother. So we are cruising along in the Honda Pilot. And then we blow by the exit to Russell Mill. I am like "Bro, I know you aren't from around these parts and it is early but yeah...exit. Blown...." Myette gets all serious and says we are going to KT. I almost jump out of the car. Full fight or flight. My brain goes into hyper drive thinking about what bullshit I have scheduled and what bullshit I have to cover. Matt sees the look on my face and says open the glove box. Pam has it covered. I open the glove box and there are two cards. One from Pam and one from the kids. Both make me cry. Damn I needed this. No strings. No obligations. Just heading to VT and KT. KT kids is Valhalla. The poor Vikings had to endure a lot of horror for the mythos of Valhalla. It actually exists my dear friend. In VT. In Burke to be exact.
I have always been on a teeter totter of the physical and the spiritual. It is where I feel most comfortable. I do think you can find the path of enlightenment through the palace of excess via the physical. Whether it was hockey as a kid, martial arts, surfing and then cycling. It is how I feel most at home. KT reminds me of Maui in the '80s. Somehow I convinced my then girlfriend now wife to go to Maui with me to windsurf. My GF did NOT windsurf. She chose to suntan on the beach and get absolutely annihilated by the sun. But Maui opened my eyes. It was perfect. It was the first place I had ever visited where I felt at home to be myself. KT feels that same way. It is built around cycling. You roll into town and you sense cyclists are welcome. The whole community thrives off cycling. So the whole drive up I am like ok KT the Valhalla of mtn biking. I am soooo riding my 29er. Matt planned everything. Rented me a party bike. Got the BNB dialed. I am pretty hesitant to give up my 29er. The bike shop that rents the bikes is so chill. I am NOT chill. Guy is like hop on it. I am like wow. Ok see ya.
It is the perfect bike. I love hardtails. Will always love hardtails but damn I love a party bike. I barely rode a mile and I was sold. The Santa Cruz 5010 is an amazing bike. I mean literally I hopped on it and it was green light GO! time. We headed up to the trail head and then just shredded for two hours. Epiphany number 1. I do not hate mtn biking I just hate mtn biking on my shitty local trails. God damnit are the trails in KT amazing. It is like when you go to ski in Vail or Beaver Creek for the first time. You feel like a super hero. Full send. Full shred mode. My hesitation around renting a bike was totally unfounded. Do yourself a favor. Rent a bike. It was an eye opener.
Day one we do about two hours of super fun trails. We climb up onto the Chapel. I won't lie I am a religious person. It is hard these days in this country and climate. But I can transcend that. The chapel in KT is what has always drawn me to christianity. It is the same vibe I get in the woods or on the ocean. It is on a spiritual level. Not political at all. We bump into a super cool group of ladies. Again, how often do you bump into 10 women on mtn bikes? All together. No dudes. They were so rad. I went into the Chapel as it has always been a life dream of mine to see it. In person was beyond what I had imagined. We roll out and hit more of the most amazing trails I have ever seen and then ride back into town to the BNB. The BNB is incredible. How it is so affordable is beyond me.
That night we walk five minutes down the hill to the Tikki Bar and a fun event going on. We make tie dye shirts. The next day we shred for another two hours of hero riding. I reluctantly hand the 5010 over. I seriously consider just leaving it on the rack and giving them my cc # for it. It is that great of a bike. I am a believer. I bend a knee at the altar of KT and Santa Cruz. 2019 I plan on getting up to VT more than I have in the past. This trip was the highlight of 2018. The greatest gift two friends have ever given me.
