Dawn Patrol beckons

It's about that time of year. The days become too short to get a proper trail ride in after work (without lighting anyways), and the weather makes an abrupt shift toward the cooler side of the pillow. While many bemoan this change I find it a great time of year to venture into the woods during the work week for a momentary respite from the BS filled world we inhabit. Early moning riding presents a unique opportunity to observe the familiar in a new light. Coupled with cool, and downright cold, weather an early morning ride offers a chance to find some peace prior to stumbling into the rest of my daily routine. This process is sort of a reversal of the post work stress reliever. Getting through the day is made somehow easier having seen the sun rise while flowing through one of the few larger tracts of remaining woods. Gone are the bugs, humidity, parking lot fashion shows and bad hippie music one usually encounters with the post work riding crowd. Riders are scarce at 6:00 AM. The occasional dog walker aside, the woods are mostly devoid of others until well after sunrise. By that time I'm back at the car getting ready to head to work. A little tired maybe, but far better prepared than on those days I roll out of bed and arrive at work ensconded in the same fog I woke up with.