three, the hard way

long ass day.

morning started when the clock struck midnight and insomnia and alcohol and ipod could not calm my energy to a level where sleep could find me. kitted up the xo with a light and took to the streets. meteor shower up in this area, so rolled through town with the nightclubs in full swing, alcoholic howlings coming from interludes pending by stumbling couples. disengaged high jump pits at high school tracks with pelvic indention's in the mats. bats diving at my light beam. off the streets onto the gravel for the road the climbs above eugene to the backside of the butte. the street lights are hidden and the night sky bright. half moon or so, but clear for now. find a rock. lay back and the show begins. hour before the heart rate and shivery yawning starts followed by watery eyes. depart on single track letting speed help me skip down the water bars tucked behind my aluminum moustache. muddy stripe up my back and under my down tube. hit the pavement and the muddy clots throw shadows and sounds as they fly off the tires. downhill through town. past the all night mexican place. street level and through the door. chin scratch for a purring tee tee. thin layer of sweat. sweet, deep, sleep.

vibrations and noise. the phone. the reporter known as food dude. the trail is ridgeline. the route is out and back. smile when i arrive and recognize a muddy tire print on the pavement. only hours ago. deer don't care to even look at us. we pass so close we could touch them. contemplate just running up and trying a cyclocross remount on the backs of one of those things to see what happens. solid witness standing by. choose tranquility and keep the hilarity of the thought within and the action pointed towards this trail run. blackberries lining sections of the trail. early breakfast. steady pick up on the return is unspoken and done with good rhythm. music of my drive over thumping in my head and the body flows with the trail. clouds tumbling like legos out of a cardboard box. they seem to roll and build up. shadows and temperature pockets fluctuate as the single track ends. place a muddy footprint next to the tire track. smile again. throw lew some dap and then off to breakfast.

shower. nap. yoga class. "lets go outside today. please bring your mats." riverside space chosen. hummingbirds buzzing the blooms and the willamette rolls past. watch the grass bend in the breeze and that is my visual for the 25 poses twice repeated. bending with the flow of the breathe. lengthen. relax and release. instructor sounds like charlie browns parents in my ear but my body responds without consciousness of the command. the breathe. the wind. the music and cadence of last nights night ride. the meteor shower. the tension and relaxation of a deer's haunches. the sliding balancing act of a muddy curve. the sweat running behind my neck while descending and opening my hips up to keep the speed from being restrained. the muddy evidence of exercise, meteor showers and choice. finally. the grass bending. the curve of liquid yanging the ying of a river rock. shivasina. namaste.