Early Sunday morning, I drove in complete darkness towards the trails, wondering what the hell would make me do such a thing.
Then I remembered; I’m an idiot.
In addition to my well-known idiocy, I had a multitude of other reasons:
REASON ONE:
I only needed 2.80 miles to hit my self-imposed 25-mile goal for the week, and after falling short last week and being miserable all weekend, I thought this would help. Spoiler Alert! It would not. Despite a quick 3.38-mile loop that started in near complete darkness and ended as the sun was just rising above the trees, I was/am still a gelatinous ball of anxious hate that is ready to snap like fucking twig at any moment and will remain so for the next 4 weeks to four years.
REASON TWO:
I also wanted to get out and home before the 9 AM (U.S. Time) Premiere League kickoffs because, as previously discussed, I am an idiot. I also don’t have much going on in my life, so there’s that too.
Note to self, clean grass stains off shoes.
REASON THREE:
Getting the lumber in and home early would also prevent me from having to see any humans who would no doubt be flocking to the woods for weekend leaf peeping even though most of the actual color is on the ground or not even close to turning yet. I successfully avoided all but one human, a friendly trail runner I see often, and that was right at the end.
REASON FOUR:
I’m not going to lie; I forgot what #4 was because betweenst writing 3 and 4, I had to get ready and report Jury Duty Orientation with 120 other irritated people excited to do their civic duty, only to not make the cut and told to go home and call again on Friday. With that, my lumber time was gone, but at least I have the rest of the week to get my miles in.
In any event, I got my 25+ miles in for the week and should be able to do the same this week.
Wait, I remembered!!! Reason #4 was to see how I liked my new Black Diamond Storm 500-R Headlamp. I dug it, and its 500 lumens are hella-bright. I only needed it for one early section of the wooded trail, but as short days and longer nights set in, for the next 6 months, I’m sure I’ll have more chances to use it.
Later.
THE SOILD SOUNDS TRACK OF THE POST
For the past week, I’ve been nugs deep into listening to pretty much everything ever made by the band Zip-Tie Handcuffs.
The Zip-Ties are a wonderful combination of stoner rock, garage punk, shoe-gaze, and melodic indie psych-rock. It’s as if RIDE, The Pixies, Red Fang, American Sharks, Teen Mortgage, Yo La Tengo, and early Teenage Fan Club had a bastard love child.
They have so many tracks that dig, and I’m anxious to make a compilation of faves, but for now, enjoy the track Small Mind and try to sit still; it can’t be done!!