My favorite trail is the 50 Year Trail in Catalina, Arizona. In this picture I am about to go down "The Chutes", a fast and fun roller coaster of desert trail that takes only about four minutes to complete. It is a short section of this beautiful 6 mile trail. I haven't put any serious trail time in since about Summer of 2005, when I became pregnant with my son, Marshall. We suspect I became pregnant during a biking trip to Moab. My husband and I biked "Slickrock" trail that trip. We ran out of water and energy because it was a hot day and we had started too late. Trails are much harder when you don't know them well. Knowing a trail helps you know how to spread out your energy and ration your water. I was exhausted by the end; I couldn't lift my leg over the bar to straddle my bike - an important skill if you would like to pedal. I could hardly even push my bike up the last long hill.
One of my mantras has become, "Nothing is as bad as Slickrock!" I used it while in labor with Marshall.
I have gladly put biking on hold to focus on being a mother. Soon we are expecting our second child, and hitting the trails will have to wait a few more months. Before labor starts, I will remind myself that nothing is as bad as Slickrock, and nothing is as good as being a mom.
