Moon Light and Chain Links

I experienced something new last night.



Mountain biking at twilight.

We started off at 8pm, at the Sycamore Canyon trail head and headed into Point Mugu State Park. The moon was still quite low, so the shadows were pretty dark. Once in the open though, the moon was bright enough to light up the trails and the surrounding foot-hills.

I joined my friend David, his wife Michelle, Andy, Larry and Phil.

Of course, no ride at night would be complete with out a visit from the good Dr. Murphy and one of his many famous laws. Down the initial descent and onto the flats, Larry had a serious case of chain suck. He chewed up a link (not the sausage kind, much to Andy's disappointment), and was required to perform cycle-surgery in the middle of the bush. Good thing 2 of us brought lights along.

Moments later, we were back on our way. We hit the 5-mile turn around and headed back. A short sweat up the last climb, me desperately trying to hang on to David's rear-wheel (his only comment at the top, "Why are you breathing so hard?"), and by 10:30 I was back in my car, headed back to the "Bright Lights, Big City".

If you've never riden, skied or hike by moon light, I highly reccomend it.

Pick a favorite trail,(lost lake in Whistler comes to mind?), pick a calendar full-moon night, gather a small group of friends and head out. You don't have to go far, since that's not the point. The wilderness does take on a whole different experience at 10pm though.