Pack Rides: Word From the Wabash Pack is ... "I could do with some company."

It's a tease referring to the one- lone-rider as The Wabash Pack. I continue to do it because I make it a habit to be positive, and not claim the negative. I have high hopes that soon the Wabash Pack will consist of more than one dedicated cyclist!

Though she's been going it alone on the trails in Southern Indiana, Nee (Alicia), has been faithful to make as many outings on her Schwinn Sidewinder as possible. She's also been keeping me updated on how her rides are going, and taking some great photos while she's out. I'm unsure if she's being consistent with sending me the photos because I've asked her too, or if it's an attempt to make the Trinity River Pack jealous. If it's the latter, it's nearly working.

Several of us in the Trinity River Pack, here in Fort Worth, Texas, would love to have the opportunity to ride the trails Nee's been riding. We've got Gateway Park close at hand, but she's got Harmonie State Park, in Posey County, Indiana, and it truly out-does our local Gateway Park in regards to trail mileage and scenery. The Trinity River is beautiful in spots, but it just can't compete with the Wabash, and doesn't come close to offering the off-road cycle opportunities Harmonie does.

If you like to bike, and haven't ridden Harmonie, you've missed out on a great place to ride single-tracks in some awesome surroundings. I've not had my chance to take my bike on their trails, but I've roller-bladed in the park many times in years past. It's beautiful, and I'm beyond excited that they've put in mountain bike trails since I moved away from the area. My next visit, I'll be there at my first opportunity. I'll even wear my helmet!

Nee's been making an attempt to get her Sidewinder in the dirt at least three times a week, weather permitting. So far this season, she's beating me by a large measure in ride time.

I admire her tenacity in cycling by herself in the woods.  I don't recommend it, but I've done the same thing when I had no one to ride with, at least for a short time, in Virginia.

It's fun riding alone, but it's even more fun if you have good company along, and there's safety in numbers. If someone takes a spill and gets injured, it's good to have help getting back to the trail-head.

I advise taking a mobile phone, and/or a walkie-talkie, to anyone riding alone, or in a group. It just makes sense to increase your ability to communicate quickly if an emergency situation should arise.

Thankfully, I now have several enthusiastic and dependable packmates who've been great to ride with the last two years.  They give me just the right amount of friendly challenge.

We encourage one another and look out for one another.  Most of my packmates enjoy off-road cycling as much as I do. I love it when the wonder of the landscape, and the thrill of passing a previous limit isn't lost on my compadres. I wish my sister had a few of the same sort of folks to ride with in her area.

Cycling is such a great sport to enjoy with friends. It can be inexpensive, or expensive, depending on what sort of cycle and gear you want to invest in. It's not so hard to find used bicycles that are still in good shape and worth investing in, if not owning a bike is what's keeping someone who wants to ride off of the trails. If you need a bike, check the want ads and second-hand shops. Many cyclists will sell their bike when they upgrade to a new one. Those bikes can often be purchased at an easily affordable price, and will need little to no work done on them. That's how Lukas came by his first mountain bike, and he's loved riding it for over a year. He recently upgraded to a stunning new set of wheels, but I'll give you an update on that in the next blog.

The Wabash River markes the end of the trail in this spot.

Beyond the thrill of challenging yourself to maneuver along single-track trails, the scenery that goes along with off-road cycling can be awesome. That's why I always have a camera in my center-bar pack. I take photos every time we ride, and it's been worth it. I've gotten some very cool emails from some folks who were inspired to ride because of the content and photos provided in our blog. That alone is inspiration to keep going and we're always thrilled to hear that someone's started cycling because we encouraged them to.

A little over a week ago, I received an email from Jared Southwick. Jared is the author of the Marysvale Series, which are excellent books, and I encourage you toc check them out, if you haven't already. (Click the link for more information on the books.)

My thanks to the Lethal Leprechaun for giving me the heads-up on Jared Southwick's work. He was right. I love reading this guy's novels.

Jared included in the email that once upon a time, he was an avid off-road cyclist. He stopped riding after sustaining a knee injury that left him wounded and 11 miles from the trail-head. I admit, that would be the sort of thing that would probably keep me off the trails for a good while too. But, Jared was kind enough to let me know that he'd perused our pack blog and is considering to begin riding again.

See there? This blog IS doing some good! (Grin!)

An old bat-house, in need of some work, along the trailside.

I asked Jared to please email us a pic of him and his wheels as soon as he's back in the saddle, so we can include it in the Pack Rides Guest Gallery. He's promised he will, so we're looking forward to hearing the news that he's out rock-hopping and dodging the timber again soon.

Whether an easy spin around the neighborhood on a Panama Jack retro-cruiser (cool looking bikes, by the way) is your style, or if you're like my packmates and I, who prefer dirt under our knobby-tires, or (longggg sigh ....) if high-speed over paved paths on a skinny-tire cycle is your thing (gak!), the important thing is to just get out there and do it. Face it. If you can ride a bike, and aren't spending any time riding a bike, you're missing out on something special!

It's not a miracle cure for weight problems. It won't take decades off of your face. But, what it will do is increase your metabolism, and give your muscles a good workout, that will hopefully be so much fun, you'll forget that you're actually exercising.

Not that I'm biased or anything, (cough, cough), but I'd like to let you know that a mountain bike can be ridden anywhere a cruiser or a speed cycle can be ridden. It's true, they're slower, but you can still get enough speed out of them to ensure you're hair is thoroughly wind-blown before you're finished. And, off-road cycles will take a rider through some truly stunning scenery that skinny-tire cycles and cruisers can't access.

There. That didn't sound terribly prejudiced, did it? (Wink!)

There's just something special in the thrill of breaching a wood line, and being suddenly on a goat trail, surrounded by a forest, or navigating a shore line with a river rumbling below you, or maneuvering across a rocky creek-bed with water spinning through your spokes. It's exhilirating!

And at the end of the trail, you'll encounter that luxurious feeling of smug satisfaction that you did it, and maybe did it better than ever before!

You know the saying, "I came, and I conquered!"

Are you feeling stoked enough to give it a try yet? I hope so! I'm working hard to get you motivated! :)

Nee's Schwinn Sidewinder - it's been a great investment!

Before I close this out and get the rest of Nee's photos posted (all of which were taken in the last two weeks during her outings on the Harmonie Park trails), I thought I'd pass you some final and important information.

Alicia has pushed through some serious health issues, and cycling is one of the things she does to combat the pain and effects of rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. At one time she needed help just to get herself out of bed and dressed in the mornings. To be around her now, it's hard to imagine just how far she's come to be able to do what she does with her horses and on a bicycle.

Her accomplishments have come about through prayer, a change in diet, and making sure that when she's able to get out and be active, that she siezes the opportunity and goes for it. I'm proud of her for fighting through the pain and discomfort that took over her life for a while, to get to where she is now. She's been a fighter since she was born, and some things never change.

My point is, if you're needing some encouragement to do something that might make a huge-whopping difference in your life, for the better, hit her up to ride with you. She's good company, and she can give you some great information and tips on off-road riding. If you're slow and out of shape, she's patient, and will stick with you on the trails. See there? You've got nothing to loose, and a whole lot to gain, if you'll give it a chance.

Another plus to hooking up with the Wabash Pack is, if you're nice, you might get lucky and Nee will take you squatching! In event you're wondering, no ... I've not been on a squatch outing with her yet. So far, I haven't been able to convince the U.S. military to loan me a tank to safely observe squatches from. I'm not sure if they're concern is that I might run over something with it, or shoot something with it. I've told them I only need the tank, and ammunition isn't necessary, but apparently it wasn't an impressive enough rebuttal because they're still saying, "No!"

Ah, well. I can't win 'em all.

Winding it up, I'd like to ask a favor of those of you who pray. Lady J., as in Joyce McCool, wife of Bishop Spencer K. McCool Sr., is scheduled to receive her first round of chemotherapy today.

The Bishop and Lady J. live near Detroit, Michigan and attend Greater Life Ministries in Utica, Michigan.

Yes. He's the resident bishop of the church and his son, Spencer McCool Jr., is the pastor.

When the word inspiration comes to mind, I frequently associate it with the Bishop and Lady J. They're wonderfully encouraging people whose friendship and ministry have been a blessing to countless individuals.

Lady J. was diagnosed with breast cancer not long ago, and subsequently endured a mastectomy. She's recovering well, and has continued to be in good spirits, maintaining a positive attitude and a concrete firmness in her faith in God through the ordeal, which I admire more than I can say.

The side-effects of chemotherapy can't be something anyone would look forward to, and I'm sure any prayers offered in her behalf will be greatly appreciated.

The Bishop and Lady J.

I have every intention of making a trip to Michigan, with high hopes of turning on my powers of persuasion to convince the Bishop and Lady J. to join me on a cycle outing. I have it on the best authority that Lady J. is tenacious and has an adventurous spirit, so I'm thinking the odds are in my favor to get her to go on a ride with me. It will definitely mark a golden moment in Pack Rides history, and I'll be sure to take pics.

Pentecostal pastors' wives have more grit than most folks give them credit for, and Lady J. is no exception.

I hope you've enjoyed Nee's photos, and if you have a chance to ride with her, I'd love to hear all about it.

I'm posting the rest of her shots at the bottom of the blog rather than putting them in the gallery.

God bless, thank you for the read, and please don't forget to say "thanks" to a veteran at your next opportunity!

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