Flagstaff Arizona where the Javelina Rome

You likely already know that I moved, but in case you missed the memo, I now live in Flagstaff, Arizona with my lovely girlfriend Juanita. Keeping up with blogging has been hard in the past few months with graduation, heavy racing and the move, but I finally feel settled and may be able to put some time into this. Well at least after my nursing board exam that is. The NCLEX as it is called is currently dwelling on my shoulders and controlling my mind. When I begin to study for it, however, my mind focuses on cycling and I forget the importance of it. Why is this? I began studying after dinner tonight and just couldn't stop thinking about riding (I needed another hour of riding to complete the day's time) so I jumped on the mountain bike and went for a spin in a canyon nearby.

A new buddy from work introduced me to the trail on Sunday. We were subject to ospreys perched in the pines and we were swarmed by gnats in a small cave we explored. I was taken aback by the beauty of the place as I noticed trees growing sideways out of the canyon's wall. Brad told me that he had collectively spent over a year in this canyon as a child; at that point in his life he preferred nature to the BS of his school-aged compatriots.

Trying to recreate the experience this evening, I ended up missing the turn in the trail and riding through the ponderosa pines to find small boulders, rocks and tree stumps covering the forest's floor. Jumping off the bike after almost endo-ing over a tree stump and the rock that succeeded it, I decided to head towards where I thought the trail continued. I saw it and ended up riding the rest smoothly. My ride ended with the sun setting over the mountains and I was reminded why I wanted to move out here again--beauty and peace of mind.