When I was younger, I was all about the new and unexplored. It still exists within me, but these days I seem to get the most enjoyment out of the known. Those pair of trees that are perfect for my hammock, that bit of road that gives just the right amount of speed to hear the perfect crackle of decomposing granite under my tires. Those familiar stopping points with perfect sitting rocks and views where I can catch my breath and look at the valley below.
My last five rides were all to the same exact place. A relatively close ride that delivers me to a spot in the trees I consider mine. But this past weekend, I wanted something new — well, I guess “new” with my new definition of the word, which means something I haven’t ridden in over a year. I returned to Anza Borrego, rode up a nicely inclined road that doesn’t make too big if a fuss as you’re going, but by the end, you realize you’ve done some work. It ends with some wild palm trees, some valley to explore, and a fantastic ride back down, which requires pedaling only when you want to send some rocks flying.
