Sometimes it seems as if everything that could possibly go wrong happens all at once. I know you all know what I mean.

Here’s a hypothetical but representational situation: that dude/chick you’ve been seeing/living with turns out to be a freakish stranger. Your dependable car of many years suddenly starts to drop pieces and make disturbing noises. Offensive noises that stop when someone else tries to hear them. Your “purpose” suddenly seems unfulfilling and questionable. It rains when its not supposed to. Your beloved animal ignores you. You smell funny. Your mom is pissed at you. You constantly lose stuff. Sometimes you’re lucky and it comes back. But still.

Which brings it all back to you; what’s wrong? What is life all about? What is truly important? What brings happiness? What do I want? Oh crap. Yeah, I’m talking about me. But I know you all know what I’m talking about, as I said above.

And I swear to whatever deity or high spirit you might ascribe or subscribe to, when this stuff (yah, “stuff” was the first word that came to my mind) hits, I do have a place I go that soothes my soul.

Outside. And please, this isn’t some trite lead in to pump up cycling or mountain biking in general, but let me have it. Sure, it may be an effort to actually get the gear on and my ass out (as opposed to throwing on some shoes and going running, which is fast and easy, but as my friend once said when she saw a runner, “Aw. They must not have a bike!), but once I’m out there in the woods…

I put my Ipod on and turn it up. It gets caught a lot as I twist and turn, and those stupid little pods just don’t jive with sweaty ears. I have to bandanna them keep them in. But, whatev.

All that negative karmic crap I mentioned above? It seems to melt away, if just for a time. And I find that goofy-ass singletrack grin plastered across my face.