Leisurely Roll Through Edwardsville(Solo)

So thursday of last week, was a pretty nice day! I had a 5 hour break between Lecture and Lab, don't you just miss the hell out of ASP?!?! So in the most leisurely attitude I decide to enjoy this day to it's fullest and take advantage of this beautiful weather by of course going on a bike ride. I had noticed another route along the one I usually ride and always wondered where it went... but I've always seen this on a map and never could figure out where it was on the route. Well my urge for adventure now unable to be withstood, I head out in search of this rougue trailhead.

As I got closer to where I suspected this cloaked concrete to be, I slowed slightly crouched ready to spring in any direction at the slightest sight of this man made thoroughfare. Once I spotted the trailhead, I tucked and tilted and hit that corner like a pro sport bike racer. Soon thereafter there was another set of 90 degree snakes. Now my blood was pumpin, adrenaline flowin, senses on the edge. I cross over a small parking lot, and heading down a slight slope, when I see the image above.... then I start to notice the road I am about to merge onto is quite substantially more narrow than the one I am currently navigating. A normal person would have slowed to roughly 5-10 mph, cautiously changing vector. However, this is not the case of an adrenaline junkie that decides 15-20mph is a safe speed as long as he tucks and tilts at a steep enough angle... that is until I got close enough to notice that the surface is, how should I put this, not as securely bonded to itself as it could be. Once again if taken at a slow enough rate of speed you could correct and avert a catastophe. I'm in such a good mood from the begining of this newfound trailhead that, I've started narrating my own ride to myself. As I come careening down this trecherous trailhead, I'm complimenting myself on how "He's pulled off this daring jump for 1st, by tuckin' it in low of this corner".

I hit a loose patch of the new road, as seen in the second picture, in this tucked and tilted possition, and immediately go to stand the bike up hit the brakes and readjust vectoring. But there was just no way.........

Now you're probably thinking, why didn't he just jump the ditch ahead and jump back onto the road once stabablized... So I digress... See I did have that exact thought, only I misread the density of the dirt on the near side of the ditch, and it was to the consistancy of quick sand, and as soon and I pushed downward on my handlebars to jump the ditch, the front tire decided it was tired and stopped right there. I of course wasn't done yet, and felt like I'd like to take flight and try it for a change. Thankfully my parents were gracious to enroll me into gymnastics and karate at a young age, so the "Tuck and Roll B*tch" move saved my ass when I was unable to sustain flight for as long as I had hoped.

Thankfully God foresaw my stupidity and softened my landing pad before hand. I only wish He would have put some Frebreeze in there, because the mudd facial/bath I took didn't leave me with that summer breeze freshness if you know what I mean. Needless to say I am now a hankerchief, t-shirt, and wrist band less than I was at the beginning of that day.

The next ~15mi. back to my car was rather chilly, but on the upside I was able to lift quite a few spirits of those I passed by.