When you hear that phrase you think of singing the song “Spinning Wheels” by Blood, Sweat, and Tears, but I’m talking about my mountain bike ride that I had on Galbraith Mountain in Bellingham, Washington. As my brother Nick said as we were riding up the mountain, “You earn the pleasure of riding down the mountain by experiencing the pain going up the mountain.”
The ride started bright and early in the morning with Nick, Andi (Nick’s wife), and I getting the bikes on the car, loading up all the gear, and getting Charlotte (Nick and Andi’s Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier ) in the car. It was a cool Washington morning with the temperature in the mid-40s; Nick and Andi were in short sleeves and shorts with me, being from Texas, in long sleeve undershirt, cycling jersey, bike shorts, regular shorts, and leg warmers. I knew from the last time I was in Washington and on this mountain that I would get warm, but I was not sure how warm I would get. On the short car ride to the trail head, Nick and Andi’s house has a perfect view of Galbraith while sitting on their couch; we talked about the ride and the plans for the rest of the day. Shortly after starting the car trip Nick pointed out the passenger window, Andi and I both looked. On the calm blue lake surrounded by tall trees was a fog floating just inches off the surface of the water. The song “Smoke on the Water” instantly came to mind. We pulled into the makeshift parking lot and I saw just a handful of other cars. Nick pulled into the only spot that had the sun beaming down on it. I was happy for that because it felt like there was at least a 5 degree temperature difference between the sun and the shade. We unloaded the bike from the roof top rack, let Charlotte go potty, and started “gearing up” for the ride. Now “gearing up” for the ride involves getting your helmet on, strapping your leg armor to you water pack, putting your full fingered gloves on, and stiffing up the shocks on the bike. Once everyone was all set we headed out, across the main road, up a small road and to a gated coarse gravel road. We stopped there shortly to take Charlotte’s leash off and that’s where it all started……
We all jumped back onto our bikes and started the long assent up the mountain. We had only gone about 50 feet when the memory of the last time I was on that very road came back to me. I had been doing the same thing about 3 years ago. But unlike before, the road was being used for logging and was packed down more. So up we went, and up we went, and up we went….. The longer that we were on this climb the more my legs started to scream back at me. I kept pedaling and slowly making my way up. I think the slugs that I saw on the ground were moving faster than I was, but I was still on the bike. Nick and Andi were just pedaling along like they were out for a Sunday ride around town, Charlotte was running up the trail, back down to us, back up the trail, and occasionally falling back to see if I was dead yet. I would try to talk with them. At one time Nick told me that I should save my energy of my labored breathing by concentrating on breathing than talking and breathing. I responded, “That’s the good thing about being a RPM instructor, I can be breathless and still be able to talk.” while gasping for air with every other word. Finally I had to do it; my legs had talked me into it….. I got off the bike and started walking the bike up. I knew that I had gotten farther this time than I had gotten 3 years ago. I did not mind walking; it gave my legs a break. We got to the start of a trail named Mullet and Nick said that we were almost at the top. The question that he had for me was, start with this trail or go up to the top and see the view. By this time I was burning up and sweat was pouring from my body. How could I resist the option of the view? On we went, Nick and Andi riding, me walking. We finally got to the top and I knew that I had made the right choice, the view was indescribable. I could see the lake, the city, the bay, and thousands of pine tree tops. I asked Nick if he knew the elevation and he said we were at about 1,400 feet, I just rode/walked up from sea level to 1,400 feet. As I was taking in the view Nick started getting the bike ready for the descendent. This involved lowering the air pressure in the tires, lowering the seat, and setting up the shocks on the bike. I had to get out of these warm clothes that I was wearing so off came the undershirt and the leg warmers. Before my legs had time to cool off in the cool air I was strapping my leg armor on. Charlotte was ready to get going down the trail and kept looking at us as if to say, “What is taking you all so long?”
We were off, Charlotte in the lead followed closely by Nick, Andi a short distance behind him. It was my turn to start the trail. One pedal stroke, two pedal strokes, on the third one I looked at the trail and my heart raced…. “What I get myself into?” I thought and ended up not feeling comfortable with the first part and walked the bike a short distance. I knew I needed a little time to get comfortable with what I was doing. Back on the bike my confidence level was rising each second that I was whisking in and out of the trees. I nailed a tree with my shoulder but did not have time to see if I was hurt because a big turn was just up a head. Before I knew it, I was back on the gravel road. First short trail done. We had to ride a little uphill to get to the start of Mullet again. We got to the start and Charlotte took the lead once again. This trail had more obstacles than the last. I knew that if I kept watching Andi I knew what was coming. We had bridges, turns, drops, and jumps. I even did a few things that I did not want to do because I was following Andi and did not have time to take the alternate route. That trail once again spit us out onto the gravel road. A short trip down that gravel road and we were at the start of the last trail. Off we go again weaving in and out of trees, making turns, and trying not to hit any more trees. Once again I was doing obstacles that on my own I would just pass on by. At the end of this trail there was a 2x4 that made a small bridge and I accomplished that like I had done it a thousand times before. We were now in a clearing with a small dirt trail and we started heading back to the car. Nick and Andi were singing my praises and telling me how great of a job that I had done. As we were riding past lush green brush and over muddy puddles I looked over to see steam coming off the plants. The morning sun was heating up the water and the air was cold enough to see the evaporation of the dew. It was a fitting end to a great ride in the woods. Just like the drive started with the smoke on the water the ride ended with smoke on the plants.
