The Way Out Is Through

Last week, I watched a five-year-old fall off her bike on the trails. Her knee was scraped raw, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her dad rushed over, but instead of immediately covering the wound, he knelt down and said, "I see it hurts. Let's look at it together."

As someone who regularly rides singletrack trails, I'm no stranger to scrapes and falls. Every mountain biker knows that crashes are not a matter of if, but when. The wounds themselves are just the beginning. It's the healing that holds the real magic.

When you get a fresh cut on the trail, the protocol is simple but crucial. You acknowledge the pain. You clean the wound. And maybe you cover it temporarily. But any experienced rider knows that once you're home, that wound needs air to heal properly. Keep it covered too long, and you're just creating a perfect environment for infection.