Guest Post: The Winding Path

"Oh, you can't get out backwards. You've gotta go forwards to go back. Better press on."
- Willard Wilbur Wonka

Where does the line between interest and hobby lie? What about between fascination and obsession? Generally speaking it is tough to define, but in this particular case it would be roughly around the Vermont border. After entirely too much time flipping between a dozen map tabs and even Andy's atlas, I'm confident enough that the "roads" I've found connect, and so all that's left is the hour's drive and many more hours' ride to see if perception matches reality.

It's been a long road to get here, after being so hobbled by an overuse injury last season that any ride longer than half an hour was an accomplishment. But the feeling of rolling along pavement, gravel, dirt, or whatever the surface was at Sky Parlor is just too good to give up on. So after a year of pain, rehab, patience, more pain, lack of patience, more rehab, pre-season prep, post-ride stretching, etc, here we are, just a little over a week out from the next edition of The Sugarbench, with a new route finally at the ready.

There's something about creating a new route that has me hooked. It's a bit of a game, seeing where the pieces fit, whether it's possible to check out a new road, a new bakery, or maybe just new bar tape, pushing further from home while also not being away any longer. How many hours are in a day? A quick search suggests twenty four, but maybe there's some wiggle room if you get creative. Maybe with enough determination you can get back to where you started, pedaling to a new place, a new view of the world.

Adam Giannini