In late October, the college, Embry-Riddle, which has been on my mind, was doing an open-house event. Of course, while we were down in the Daytona area, we had to check for good mountain bike trails — and if you know anything about Florida mountain biking, it is one of the best places in Florida to bike! Introducing Chuck Lennon Park: while it doesn’t have a bunch of trails, the Park does have long trails, plus most split up throughout the current one that you're on. My bike was enduring, taking hits and surviving, but my dad’s bike, on the other hand, had some drivetrain issues. So, putting my bike mechanic skills to the test, I had to manage his GX Eagle Transmission because of a faulty AXS control pod. I basically was able to learn how to shift his bike's gears without any type of remote. This ties into the steps I have planned throughout my life, like pursuing a career in engineering. Even the little things like fixing a bike trailside show growth and development in skill. Like life, when something breaks or goes wrong, I must teach myself to pull over, grab my multitool, and fix it.
On the road home, my dad and I stopped an hour into the trip and exited into Ocala, where the bike park Santos lies. Santos Trailhead is one of the best mountain bike parks in the state, with over 60 miles of trails, with a fine portion being blacks, and black diamond. When we first entered, we thought we were going to be sticking with blue trails; little did I know that this park would change my mountain biking journey forever. The reason is, I had finally built up the confidence to do the black diamond, Vortex. To this day, I truly love the trail’s name because it is somewhat like what my mind is like when I’m off my meds. I say this because my ADHD is the vortex, sucking in my concentration. Mountain biking can limit that vortex and supply the need for a stimulant. On the trail, all my energy had only one place to go: focusing on the different difficulties of the terrain. In life, I'm realizing I can channel my energy into one place so it doesn’t end up in a vortex!
