February 1, 2021
As the tire-on-gravel crunching comes to a halt and the van doors burst open, the inviting fresh, cool breeze hits Graham’s face. He inhales the familiar smell of pine, as memories of past adventures reinvigorate his excitement. Even as the youth spill out of the van, it feels quiet. They are suddenly too focused on adventure prep to chitchat. Bikes get unloaded and checked. Elbow pads, knee pads, goggles, helmet — checked. A couple of snacks are stuffed into an empty pocket. The perfect entanglement of eager anticipation, nervousness and delight reverberates through...
