All things GREAT and small

Imagine staying out WAY too late on Saturday night (oohhh say 4:30 AM arriving home?) and sleeping until 11:45 AM (yes! I got almost 8 hours) to waken with a rush and realize...

I AM CO-HARE for a BIKE HASH! God...where is the coffee?!?
=)
It was a blast to lay a trail with Antje. It was nice just having someone to ride along with again and just visit with. I have missed spending time with Antje like this. I remember staying over at her home in Arlington (The Sanatorium) and just hanging out, cooking, and riding on the trails.
Always laughter and companionship have been there with her. I have made several friends over the last 5 years. I actually met Antje through a co-worker and friend, Jeff Carmichael. The wonderful thing about Antje is her heart. It is huge and wants to express happiness and fun to whoever she is around. It is a growing space for us both in this friendship.
I love listening to her speaking German. It is an interesting language and one I cannot mimic well... so that is intriguing to me.
Oh yeah...the Bike Hash...
BEGINING TO MARK THE TRAIL:
Antje exploded in the parking lot.
We started riding out and then the flour and bag went into her spokes! POOF!! this huge cloud of white powder! I am trying hard not to fall over while laughing like crazy! Antje managed to not wreck and then tried dusting off with a floured hand over a floured body. The actual trail was supposed to start off at Bob Woodruff Park. So off we go to the Trail Head.
I actually have gotten into such a routine of riding that I didn't pay attention and ended up going on the trail I ride...instead of to the parking lot where everyone was meeting us at. :) Safety factor: always wear a helmet! :) Got to the start and slowly people are trickling in. My friends Rob and Serena actually caught up with us at the beginning to ride the trail too!

What led up to the decision of the trails we marked? First thing is go uphill. Not a huge hill ...but not short either.
A BJ marked by me and then True Trail led on up the street by Antje. Now remember...If I am marking false trails or BJ's ...I have to ride out then catch back up with Antje...sometimes I know the short cuts...and sometimes it is BEST to go back and follow her trail.
Not to hard considering we had discussed the trail to begin with...but there are always adaptions. the fun part was hoping that the hounds (Hash riders trying to follow our trail) would spend a long time on the Check Points. ( Means a trail can go ANY direction. ) The first check point was a BJ ( means that the markings were a trick or a Blow Job). PLEASE REMEMBER that the hash is known for sexual references. The second check point was hard for the hounds to find for some reason. It actually took you through a kinda nice residential area that had another park in it that I had not ridden in before. Only ONE spot of PI (Poison Ivy)
that was on a trail drop off and was a perfect BJ marking spot. Antje graciously went in to mark the area...and never touched a single leaf of PI!
Then onto the rest of the trail markings. There was a winding and nicely paved path at the Park and it was relaxing.
Antje did find a place that ended up getting a non-traditional marking....and they both lead to the same place! On we go to finding the beer check point!
This is about half way through with the hares or a beermeister showing up with beverages to drink. I even put a bottle of water in for 'in case' needs. This beer check was at a farm near the Plano East Senior High School. We also discovered religion while on this trail. The farm was nice with cows and Canadian geese and gooslings running around. Then we turned our heads and see cattycorner from us a home with a HUGE sign of the 10 commandments in the bushes next to the home. We never saw this when we were scouting out a stopping point! *sigh* I remember the 10 commandments...every one. Guess some people need to remember them by seeing them everyday.
So then we call 'on trail' and get the riders off onto the road again.
One girl RAN the whole thing...not a lot of miles (9 total) but when you have to do the check points all by yourself...it can get twice as long.
She had already run 20 miles that day too! Amazing woman.
Anyway...the trail went through the high school grounds and looped around the running track.....hehehe I thought Antje was quite fun with this idea! then back out with a check in 360 degrees in a big parking lot of the school.
Oh yeah...we did set trail to go THROUGH the school...there is an open air center with a pond. :) Hopefully the cops weren't caled in to check the flour. ;)
Then the group had to go across the street to a little path that ran across the back of this huge church. Interesting signs and moments all around us....
Literally
"Points to Ponder" and in Plexiglas and metal cases..these were bible verses that were spread out every so often for the casually strolling meditation. We also got to pass on the back side of some homes with acerages and horses. Saw 2 miniature ponies that were as tall as teh base of my hip bones at the top of their heads....and they had a Pony as a companion horse. Very cute these 3 were!
The next area of the trail led you through a ranch estate area with land and animals. there were sheep too! At the end of this little quiet road...was another check...and then the leading trail was to another park. We entered on the northeast side and went across the field. MORE horses and goats on the far back of the field!
I then took Antje to the trail head...and the park has been maintained for the last couple of years and there usually is no PI on the trails.
We rode around and did a Circle Jerk (a trial that forms a loop and puts you back at the beginning) in the nature walk preserve area. Then we did a True Trail that went along the creek...and still no PI! Whew!
The trail came out at near the Grocery store across the street from my home. and the True Trail arrow was at the entrance to my condominum complex.
I had laid dollops of flour leading to the pool and was waiting for all to show up.
It was fun! I am a little sunburned because I forgot to use sunscreen agian...but the weather was perfect!
We all gathered after all riders and runner were in and talked and chatted and sang some really silly songs. Then those who wanted to cook stayed longer and we talked of diving and running and telling the new boots (first time to a hash) interesting information.
I look forward to Rob and Serena joining in on more rides. They had a blast! We had a few visitor hashers from other places and they joined in at the beginning after Antje and I had left. They did a good job catching up from the the train station to the hash start!
After the hashers left for home Antje, Kassy, and I were talking in the computer room at my home.
Next, Jason and I got ready and headed down to Absinthe so he could see the tables I have been working on and visit with his sister

All in all Sunday was a GREAT day. Small moments of thought....Greater enjoyment of being around friends and the Best was feeling peaceful again in my heart.

THAT was the greatest gift of the day.... and it was a gift I gave to myself.

I do love to ride my bike with friends =)
I really wish my family could join in, too.