I’ve been talking a lot about our local trail Poplar Tent
over the last few weeks. You may be
tired of it, but I don’t give a shit. We
lost a great trail that’s been around here for many years, and I still can’t
believe it’s gone. Since I was racing on
Sunday, my last ride there was Friday after work. I met up with my pal Hop and his friend Dave,
and we took to the trail one final time.
We tried to ride everything out there, and we were making
pretty good time. I spent a lot of the
ride just looking around at everything, most of the time is disbelief that it
would be the last time I ever saw it.
The ride was awesome as usual, until we got to Gravity Cavity. That’s when the rain started.
Poplar was one of the few (well, only) all weather trail
around these parts, and riding itin the rain isn’t such a big deal (especially
since it was about to close.) There was
a lot of lightning in the sky though, so we cut out a few of the last loops to
make it back to the parking lot safely.
The rain kept falling while we rode, and I found it fitting that I said
goodbye to it in the rain in less than ideal conditions. That’s what that place was all about: not so perfect trail that was a blast to
ride. Nothing around here even comes
close to it.
After everyone left the parking lot, I was all alone there
in the dark. I sat at the picnic table
for a while and thought about how great that place was to me over the
years. It was hard to get up from that
table to leave, but eventually I did. If
I was an emotional type, I would’ve shed a tear. Instead I pet Minnie one last time, knowing
that she probably would miss all the people that visited there and hung out
with her.
The next day was another ride, but I didn’t want to wear out
my legs for a race the next day (stupid me.)
Plenty of people were out there though, including Little Miss
Sunshine. She met up with the MadSS and
his Mrs., and they had a single speed farewell ride in the mud and rain. When she came back from the ride, she brought
a little of the trail home with her.
I got a little sad again as we washed off her bike and
watched the last bit of that trail flow down my driveway.
At least we gave our old friend a proper goodbye.
