Gravel Road Haiku

 Oh surface of dirt
I long for your dark ribbon
You entice me so

Oh how I wish for a gravel road!  Really and truly, I do. I take back all the complaints I've made in the past about "only" having gravel roads to ride, and no trail.  At this point, I would weep for joy at having gravel roads to ride.  The only surface I have to ride on is asphalt.  I have miles, and miles, and miles of asphalt, on relatively quiet back roads.  I'm just not that excited about riding for miles, and miles, and miles on asphalt.  I think a little bit of paved surface is fine, and in fact controlled concussion is often used in conditioning of sport horses to build up tendon, ligament, and bone strength.  It's 8 weeks until our first endurance ride for 2015, and I am riding on the asphalt because I have to.  Rhio and I haven't completed a ride since May of 2013. (I had to call it quits halfway through our one ride of 2014, as the heat and humidity really got to me.)  We have work to do to get ready for our season (oh how I hope to have a season of rides this year!) and I feel quite conflicted about riding the roads here.  Rhio is already bored with it, I am bored with it, and I don't like the thought of all that extra concussion. 

Should I also write a paragraph about hills?  Naw, why just increase my depression?  Have I mentioned it's pretty much flat here? And windy? 

Okay, really, I am trying to be grateful that I am riding, anywhere and anytime.  Can I help it that I just want more?  And that I've been pretty darn spoiled in the past?

Rhio was napping when I arrived.

Riding out with our Thoroughbred buddy Jay.  Asphalt as far as the eye can see.

Yep, more asphalt.

Oh, hey!  Something interesting here - kids playing hockey.

Drying out after 7 miles - we are now officially conditioning!