Montana Mountain Bike Journey

bright bandana tied, helmet snapped, shoes clipped in

shift down, push off

first switchbacks steep and rocky

legs pumping pistons of a steam engine

gulping lungfuls of air, oxygen thin

i'm no fish! i need air, my lungs crave air!

stop

gulp down cold water in-between the vortex whooshing into my chest

push the bike an insanely steep section and jump back on

up, up, up

heart pounding, legs hitting lactic limits

switchback: up, up, up

finally on even grade, upshift, push harder

even breathing, steady pace

break into the open for a fresh breeze running up the mountain

back into the woods: pungent pine aroma overwhelms and stimulates

the summit!

See the whole flathead valley

lakes, farms, forest, light haze trapped by peaks

take a rest and soak in the sunshine and view

time to go down

shift up, pedal down

faster, faster

bumps, rocks and twisty turns

push it to the limit

try to yelp from the sheer excitement but the rush of air rams it back down

touch steep stretch, stay with it, i'm flying now

catching serious air of a bump

brake hard at the last second hitting a switchback

full speed again

body shaking, vision blurred, adrenaline pumped

hold on for the last roller coaster hill

back to the starting point

what a rush!