Yes, the full moon was censored...how rude! the only night it can shine the earth gets in its way--covering up its sheer nakedtivity. I'm sorry Moon, for the Earth is embarressed by your nakedtivity. [the term "nakedtivity" has it origins with a fem named Mary--no not that Mary, the mother of Him--but a Mary of the Monroes dated somewhere in the early 21st century.] Anyway, this full moon we chose to ride singles--like all full moons here in Boulder. But this full moon was in January and it had not snowed in over a month! Tis a strange winter here in Boulder...only snows once a month nowadays!! So we rode...only a handful of the Intergalactic space pilots showed up: the Maveric Intergalactic pilot himself, along with Tighty whitey of the Danimals Dan Vardimas, Jon Alegranti, Frank, Elias, and myself. We met at the Intergalactic Mountain Bike Association's (also known as "IMBA") headquarters on the hill in Boulder where there twas Guinness being drunk and a disco ball spinning to the funktified tunes of the 70's. Yes, twas a good start. The moon was slated to disappear at about 8:30 and it was 7:30...we had to go. So the parade lap around the hill was safe enough..or so we thought...as soon as we got onto the bike path and passed Cheif Niwot who said "you shall have a good ride, so be it!" Frank gets a rear flat. But in the dark, we couldn't see it, but Frank's rear wheel dismembered itself! Yes, the rim's sidewall just pulled right off! Strangest thing I've ever seen! Six man enter...five man leave. one down five to go. another one bites the dust. We leave Frank, a casualty of the Intergalactic war against the Single Speeds. This war against simplicity and frugalism has long been waged...especially in America: the land of plenty. Why get more gears? "yeah, lets go for 8, no...let's do 9 speeds, wait...now I want 10! yes, I want more gears! yes, it helps me go faster! I must need more gears! I can't wait until that 14 speed comes out! COOL!" ....Whatever, dude. So anyway, we ride on. The Pilot himself leading the way and all of us in V-formation ready for any of those gearheads to attack.... "FLANK ATTACK! GO FOR HIS DERAILLEUR! TIGHTEN HIS BARRELL ADJUSTER!...HE WON'T BE ABLE TO RIDE IF WE SCREW WITH THAT DERAILLEUR!" Up we go the Tunnel trail to another trail that The Pilot probably named something sexual...like always. We must ride faster! the moon's disappearing! the pace picks up and we stop at the top of the Betasso loop. We all break out our respective beverages: The Pilot has a flask of Schnapps (left over from the hut trip we did a couple of weeks ago) and a Negra Modelo, I have a Sierra Nevada Porter. We sit for awhile and watch the moon disappear behind the veil of the earth. Visualizing the sun directly behind us, and the moon directly in front of us...whoa. After spacing out for a bit, we realize it is best to continue the mission again--being mountain lion prey and all up here. The Pilot takes the lead and I'm covering him... Whoa...icy spots on corners, some snow to boot...just looks like trail to us until we're on top of it. The adrenaline created by the dark and a beer makes us love this trail more when we ride it in the dark. (DISCLAIMER: I am NOT saying beer makes rides more fun...we were NOT buzzed...just more relaxed after a long day at work--or grad school.) So anyway, it's totally dark--it went from a full moon night to a no moon night within a half hour period. Pretty cool, eh? Heading down the trail and then up, and then down again to the tunnel trail--The Pilot takes a shot in the leg. IF I had been more on it, I could've saved The Pilot from this amazing bail. The Pilot went over the bars on a root section SO SLOWLY that I could've reached over and grabbed his rear wheel and saved my co-pilot from a pretty harsh charlie-horse. Oh well, didn't happen, obladibladah, life goes on. Heading home on the road we make our legs imitate a two-stroke engine spin away the RPM's. Yes, and spin away the cares, stress, whatever. The intergalactic fleet lives another day to spread the word of Singleatude, increasing the earth's energy and entropy of the galaxy by spinning and cranking so singly. Won't you join us? PLUG: http://www.carsrcoffins.com/ check it out!