i've been bored lately (don't know how....been in five states in seven days, but anyway) and got to thinking: have you ever had one of those 'hair stand up on the back of your neck for no particular reason' feeling while riding? like something creepy was happening around you? i have a couple, both at the same place: splitrock. i used to ride that place alone constantly, but after the second time, i was done.
the first time was around dusk. i stopped by a stream about 1/2 through the ride to rest. nothing new. then i heard a couple of twigs snap. i spent tons of time in the woods so i knew what critters sounded like as they walked through the woods...and this didn't sound like any critter. it was just plain eerie. i stood there for a few minutes trying to get a fix on it (not easy being deaf in one ear) and realized that the woods were completely silent. they're never completely silent. then i the hairs stood up and i had a feeling like i was being watched...and from a couple places, not just from where i thought the sound came from. i suddenly knew i HAD to boogie...i don't know why to this day, but i knew. i don't think i ever pedaled so hard in my life.
the second time, also around dusk. i was riding along and heard a weird throbbing sound not too far off in the distance. i thought it was a plane or motor (folks were always fishing illegally there) and didn't think too much of it, but the more i rode, the more i realized it hadn't changed in pitch, just cadence. i sounded like...drums. so i stopped and listened. it sure as hell sounded like drums, and off a distance to my left on the back side of the lake. it was weird, but even wierder when the suddenly stopped. the woods again got completely silent took on that ominous feeling. i had always heard the stories about the satanists and pagans conducting all kinds of rituals up there b/c it was so desolate and remote (and still is to this day for the most part) but never saw anything. then the hairs went crazy and again, i felt like i had to get the hell out of there. this time i KNOW i never pedaled so hard in my life.
that pretty much ended my solo career in splitrock. anyone else have experiences like that?
the first time was around dusk. i stopped by a stream about 1/2 through the ride to rest. nothing new. then i heard a couple of twigs snap. i spent tons of time in the woods so i knew what critters sounded like as they walked through the woods...and this didn't sound like any critter. it was just plain eerie. i stood there for a few minutes trying to get a fix on it (not easy being deaf in one ear) and realized that the woods were completely silent. they're never completely silent. then i the hairs stood up and i had a feeling like i was being watched...and from a couple places, not just from where i thought the sound came from. i suddenly knew i HAD to boogie...i don't know why to this day, but i knew. i don't think i ever pedaled so hard in my life.
the second time, also around dusk. i was riding along and heard a weird throbbing sound not too far off in the distance. i thought it was a plane or motor (folks were always fishing illegally there) and didn't think too much of it, but the more i rode, the more i realized it hadn't changed in pitch, just cadence. i sounded like...drums. so i stopped and listened. it sure as hell sounded like drums, and off a distance to my left on the back side of the lake. it was weird, but even wierder when the suddenly stopped. the woods again got completely silent took on that ominous feeling. i had always heard the stories about the satanists and pagans conducting all kinds of rituals up there b/c it was so desolate and remote (and still is to this day for the most part) but never saw anything. then the hairs went crazy and again, i felt like i had to get the hell out of there. this time i KNOW i never pedaled so hard in my life.
that pretty much ended my solo career in splitrock. anyone else have experiences like that?