Moments of grace, times of chaos

Just as in skiing, no mountain-bike ride is ever the same. Sometimes it can feel like floating on a cloud (preferably #9) but some other times, it can seem just like organized chaos or a disjointed chain of event that makes the outing pure hell.

It doesn't take much: A hidden obstacle sticking out just a tiny bit too much, a temporary lack of balance that exacerbate a tricky situation which in turn, etc. You get the picture. I've written it many times, mountain-biking is fraught with danger, you never know what might happen as you get out on a ride.

So, as a rule, “hope for the best, plan for the worst,” but I might be repeating myself...