I took a trip to Idyllwild CA. The trails were wild, spent some time blazing in the forest.

I spent a few days with the family exploring Joshua Tree national park, cactus groves, rock formations, hikes, and other fun things there.

I’ve never really been a fan of doing the tourist thing. Before I moved to LA I lived in NYC for 15 years and never visited the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building. But, there are trails in the Hollywood hills, so I got it in my head to visit the sign. Of course, I had to do it my way.

This was a magical moment caught as the morning fog was flowing through the low point on the ridge between two mountains.

I probably should have prepped more on these early rides. I researched the routes well enough to get myself in just the right amount of trouble, but I didn’t bring much more than my water.

Instead of hitting the snooze on my off days, I would pedal out the trails and get lost for a while before I had to land back at my desk for work at 9am.

Climbing up to the mountains and exploring the trails became my outlet. A whole new world opened up.