TALES: On top of the world

Great ride this weekend with Lance, Garry, Clint and Chris (making his debut after returning from Iraq). It was a little wet so we hit Spider's outer loop, which tends to be a little less slick than the inner portion. Luckily, the rain hit just as we finished the ride.

On top of the world is the best way to describe the view from atop La Luge. The view is even more breath-TAKING after climbing the 150-plus steps to the top with your bike on your back!

I'd been taking a shortcut that dumps onto the trail since November 2003, so I'd forgotten the view -- and the great drop onto the trail from the top. Unfortunately, it's still a bit wet to negotiate the steep, rutted, slick descent (imagine five guys, bikes sideways, each with one foot clipped in and the other extended as an outrigger fighting gravity's pull down the hill).

I won't embarrass the other riders, but I set a personal best of six endos in one ride!

Can't wait 'till this portion dries out. In the meantime, it's always worth a little pain to experience the beauty of Okinawa from a bird's perspective!