The Journey
It was a cool fall morning and the sky was clear. Dave took the day off from work. He hadn't taken a day off from work in months and then it was to take care of some work around the house, which he had been avoiding for too long. He certainly hadn't taken off from work to go mountain biking in a very long time. In the past, it wasn't unusual for Dave to take off on a Friday to go on a three-day mountain bike trip. It was even more commonplace for Dave to take off on a Tuesday or Thursday if the stress of work became too much. A high stress event would normally take place at least once a week, but in recent months the number of projects that required Dave's personal attention had grown, and while the number of stress events had doubled, the amount of time that Dave could take off had dwindled to nil.
That's why this day was so special. A big project had just come to completion and it was time for some R&R, which was too long in coming.
As I said, it was a cool fall morning and the sky was clear. Dave just arrived at one of his favorite mountain bike parks and was unpacking the car. The parking lot was empty except for two other cars parked at the far end of the lot. Just as Dave was locking up the car, two riders popped of the trailhead at the opposite side of the parking lot. Dave saddled up and rode towards them.
Dave: Good Morning! Rider1: Good Morning. Rider2: Morning.
Dave: How were the trails?
Rider2: Great, they were very fast today. That brief shower last night was just enough. The day before it was so dry that I couldn't hold a line. Now the trail is packed and fast.
Dave: That's just what I wanted to hear. Thanks.
Rider1: Watch out, the bottom of the Blue blaze, it's a real mud hole.
Dave: Thanks.
Dave turned away and headed for the White blaze trailhead. Off in the distance the other riders shouted, "have a good ride", Dave raised his hand and nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Off the asphalt and in to the woods, Dave's journey begins, up and over, down and around, a quick left and then a slight right. The trails were almost completely covered with a carpet of fallen leaves. Dave hammers through the trail, making turns almost on instinct. He makes it to the top of the second climb and knows that he's been pushing too hard, because he needs a short break to catch his breath. He dismounts his bike and stands bent half over with his hands on his knees to support his upper body. As his breathing slows and his vision becomes clear, he sees a small amulet on the ground. He reaches down and lifts it out of the dirt, because it was still half buried in the soil. The hard but brief rainstorm from the night before must have washed it free, from under the dirt and rocks. Dave rubbed the dirt from its face to reveal its true shape and form. It was gold in color except for a silver band that encircled a stone that was mounted in its center. The stone was of a blue hue. After a few moments of reflection, Dave slipped it in to his pack and prepared to continue his ride.
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