arches, accomplished

I---for some reason---don't care for the term bucket list.  possibly because I'm a word snob, possibly because I don't like cliches (I intend to eventually die, not kick the bucket), probably because I think we could all just be more creative if we tried.
so I don't have a bucket list.
actually, I don't even have much of a wish list.
I tend to take what comes my way instead of searching things out.  (I am not saying this is a good way to be:  I would probably have more adventures if I started dreaming up things I'd really like to do.  I'm just stating the fact that I am not a things-to-do-before-I-die list maker.)

however . . . for the past 6 years I've thought about riding my bike in arches national park.
and this past monday I finally did it.
whee!  and grunt, groan, grind.  another whee, more groaning and grinding . . .
here's an idea of the elevation gain and loss on the way in:

and then what you need to understand is that after you reach the turn-around point (the tip of that last blue peak) you have to turn around and come back out . . . going back down (whee!) and up (groan) and down (whee!) and up (grunt) and down (whew!).

it was one heck of a gorgeous ride with--truly--never a dull moment.  it wasn't an easy ride, but my new bike performed beautifully, and during the moments when I wasn't freezing or shaking with the cooling-off-sweaty-chills, I couldn't have been in a better place.

I mentioned in my prior post from moab that the landscape here sends me inward, to introspective and contemplative places.  I had long stretches of solitary miles, me, the red rocks, the blue sky, the wind . . . all so good for the soul. 

I'm glad I finally rode it.

I'm still not ready to make a list of things to do before I die, but there is one more ride I've been thinking about . . .

more on that---and an answer to what bike I'm riding these days---soon!

hope you find some whee! somewhere, somehow, today.