I was impressed by Chip's ride through NTF last week. My preference off road is trails that are ridable in both directions. NTF is littered with one-way drops and rocky carries. It's not big, but I always get lost and always have to carry the bike when the trail goes hiker. It messes with my flow. So it's good to know I'm not alone.
But that's not what made the impression. Riding with someone who shares their expertise and enthusiasm impressed me. I'm buoyed by the number of talented cyclists who shepherd someone. I had an awesome season of cross primarily because someone took the time to invite me along to races, let me shadow them warming up, shared the little tricks that made me a better rider, entertained my dumb questions and challenged me to use all the those advantages to race better. It was a private cyclocross graduate seminar.
There are riders that always have a good word and share what they know. That's very cool. I keep a mental list of those folks and do my best to be them. But circling back to break down how to clear a ledge, step by step, is another level. That's the Guardian Angel; the Counselor who makes sure you get your Log Riding merit badge; the Big Brother who shows you how to get backstage. They might get something out of it, a partner in crime or a platform to preen, but it's no where near what they give. And from what I've seen, what they get is the satisfaction of sharing something good and seeing it make a difference.
Chip and I have been anointed. It's nobody's fault but our own if we're not rocking ledges, logs and barriers, soft fleshy parts not withstanding. Long term, the trick won't be Macaskillian mastery. It will be identifying the next guy who's ready to be anointed and taking the time to see that it happens.
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