Mustang Sally

Some choice graffiti on a log in Kettle Moraine

Yesterday at my daughter's soccer game I was chatting with one of the parents about our favored outdoor activities. He's a climber -- loves to climb, indoors and out. I was particularly struck by something he said about climbing: "I love chaos and there's just so much chaos on a good climb!"

To some extent, I get it. My constitution is primarily pitta -- lots of fire -- so I like to be challenged -- and I'm not afraid to take risks. But I don't love chaos.

Mountain biking is perfect for me in that it is challenging and you have to be willing to take risks, but you're also following a trail. You might have to choose which logs to go over or how to go over a bunch of big rocks on the path, but there's a trail and you follow it, always trying to be ready for what's next even while you focus on what you're doing in the present moment.

While riding this afternoon -- on a gorgeous fall day -- I saw the message on the log pictured above.

And from that point on, The Commitments had joined my ride:

Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
You been running all over the town now
Oh! I guess I'll have to put your flat feet on the ground

All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride

One of these early mornings, oh, you gonna be wiping your weeping eyes
I bought you a brand new mustang 'bout nineteen sixty five
Now you come around signifying a woman, you don't want to let me ride
Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
You been running all over the town now
Oh! I guess I'll have to put your flat feet on the ground

All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride

Ride I did, and BTW, I felt about a hundred times better both during and afterward doing this particular ride (on a long and challenging trail) than I did a month or two ago, before I was on the Whole 30. I'm thinking some of these dietary changes are gonna need to be permanent!