In the spring, when I do my morning rides there is just a peaceful tranquility in the woods that I can't find anywhere. With the sun coming through the trees and creating shadows and light with colors of orange and gold, with wisps of fog in the trees and that dewey smell that comes from wet vegetation and decomposing leaves and pine needles everything is just so quiet and calm that sometimes I'll just stop in the trail for a bit and look around. Everything looks and smell so fresh that you just want to take it all in. There's nothing like a hard ride in the woods to bring you some peace of mind and a sense of well being. If you've been riding mountain bikes for any length of time you know the scene I'm trying to describe and if you haven't seen it yet just keep riding. You will.

I feel good about most of my road rides too. Maybe I reached a goal I set for myself. Maybe I was faster or stronger than some of the other riders. I feel good about my road rides but I don't get the same sense of tranquilty that I get in the woods, whether it's the cars or smells. Whatever it is, it takes away from the experience somewhat and I kind of file the ride away in my mind. I can remember specific mountain bike rides for years though and remember what the weather was like, what the trail was like, and how much fun I had that particular day.