Dawn on Patrol

There are few moments as reassuring as sunrise. In mountain bike events that start sometime in the night, like the Kokopelli Trail Race or the Vapor Trail 125, dawn brings new life and energy after the long and lonesome dark. There is a natural quiet and calm to this time of day. Like a long, deep breath before the chaos of the daily routine. And there is no better place to be than in the mountains. Especially in the winter, when the quiet and calm is exacerbated by the muffled snows and dormant life.

To claim that a sunrise from a snowy ridge line is rewarding is an understatement. It goes beyond the view and into the realms of life itself. That is, it reaffirms our own humanity, and gives a glimpse of understanding into that constant voice of doubt and question lurking in the depths of our own psyche.

The first dawn patrol of 09-10 is done. And while the snow cover was thin, and the slope mellow, it felt good to hike through the trees and the night and into the sunrise. As the light crept over the mountain it revealed a gray, sleepy morning stretching over the top of the wide expanse of the central Wasatch. My home. My mountains.

I love it here.

Weekly Weigh-in: 174