’tis the season for charging up the lights, catching the last few rays of the day and listening for coyotes and owls.

That’s right! With the reduced daylight, I’m super grateful that high lumen lights are affordable enough to keep me mountain biking outside (as opposed to inside on a trainer… boring!)

Bunnies hop along the trail avoiding me, owls hoot as they hunt for the field mice and snakes slither away after a day of sunbathing.

It’s amazing to me how an easy trail can immediately get technical when the moon is out and the lights play funny shadows on rocks and dips.  Don’t get me wrong – I have the typical fears of “what if some strange dude is waiting around the bend and there’s no one in the canyon to save me?”… or more practical “what happens if I fall and get really injured… no one is going to come by until morning?”

… but I shove those thoughts out of my mind and instead turn my attention to the cooler air and enjoying being the only one of the trail…  (well except for the guy pictured below)