Gravity, and sports associated with a fundamental force.

I think the name for the sports I like should be called gravity sports. Things like mountain biking, long boarding, and snow sports (not into these yet, but can see the appeal) take an innate understanding of physics and the way gravity works. In biking, this is apparent in planning out your route and finding which hills and obsticals you can make it over vs which times you should excersise caution and walk. There is something amazing about powering up a hill you didn't think you could make it up or racing through a downhill that is technical and challenging. When you adjust your course slightly to ramp off that perfect rock, and go hurtling through the air, your mind is already racing, judging speeds, angles, landing points. It's like solving a physics problem in real life, in milliseconds! So that when you stick that landing, you get a sense of triumph, a... Success over the forces of nature. I always like thinking, "yeah, take that gravity. Try and bring me down, but I know what you're up to and I won't allow it."

Either it really is like this for other people, or I just think I'm invincible...

These thoughts came to me while sitting atop the side of walnut canyon. I ended up biking back out there yesterday, and I took a different path to reach Fischer point. The ride to the summit was INCREDIBLY difficult. I ended up walking the majority of the way, getting passed by 3 other bikers. Lugging my bike up there was totally worth it though. The view was amazing, and after I found a nice rock near the edge, I took my shoes off and actually meditated! I've never done that for real, but I had a really interesting time alone with my thoughts. I'll have to make it a more regular thing...

Anyways, back to gravity.

The ride down was both challenging and exhilarating and I had a few moments of sheer terror with some of the bigger drops, but thanks to my innate understanding of a fundamental force, I was able to avoid incident.

I can't wait for winter to roll around so that I can give other "gravity sports" a try. I'm thinking skiing or snowboarding would be rewarding in the same way that biking is... Only with a ski lift.

Be well everyone!