follow the rabbit

A counter clockwise circumambulation of the Tungsten Hills outside of Bishop, California, Eastern Sierra Nevada, The Range of Light. Never does one sleep well before an event like this. Not really an event. A pilgrimage. A spiritual return to the land, the sacred. A repetitive perfect foot placement on the earth meditation. A circular prayer. Hands touch together at the heart in awe of mountains. Making up mantras along the way: follow the rabbit, balance and glide, follow the rabbit… Always does one sleep well after an event like this. 

keep your feet under you

Or, stay above your feet. It sounds like obvious knowledge for runners and walkers and ambulators of all kinds but although it's basic it needs repeated practice. And the more I think about foot placement while I'm running the more I come back to this same beginning. Whether it's running in conventional running shoes, fluorescent minimalist trend-setters, barefoot, or dress shoes… it's all the same starting point. Feet under and equal - if they're way out in front then way out in back but better yet just short and quick turn over without over trying - the feet, the legs the body knows what to do if you just get out of its way. The perfect stride lies somewhere between practice and instinct, effort and glide, one foot and the other, one foot and the other… A decade of running practice and I'm still practicing the first lesson… always practicing the first lesson. 

one less rain ride

I had a chance to get in one last rain ride for the season last night. I passed. I got in the car and rode home with "the ladies." It was a bit of a downpour. Unexpected. I could have just waited about several minutes and it would have mostly passed, leaving me to glide through scattered drops between bisected rosy and turbulent dusk skies. Might have been nice. A memory I'll never have but probably dream about. So today I'll run up and retrieve the Mule from one of its very rare nights away from the shed (she spent the night in luxury - dry and warm and safe) and ride back down the hill.