I never thought I’d like riding a bike. Bikers or cyclists just looked like children with too many toys–brightly colored jerseys, arched sunglasses, and camelback water systems. They also traveled in obnoxiously large pods, teaming past my home yelling at one another to be heard. But I’m starting to come around. The first weekend in August some co-workers and friends set out to Waddell Creek, several miles north of Santa Cruz, near Davenport. The journey was an awesome, mud-soaked 6 mile ride, followed by a 3 mile hike rewarded with views of four waterfalls. Although I was initially put off by the dirt, the more splattered I got with each puddle, the wider my smile grew. If you had asked me a year ago if I liked mountain biking, or even just a simple bike ride, I would have said no. But with this whole new wheeled world open to me, I now see previously hidden adventures awaiting. My office mate Nikkie and I (pictured along side me) have posted a local cycling map in our office where we’re plotting our future destinations. Those toys (especially the padded spandex shorts) don’t sound so silly anymore.
