Red Eye Saturday

Had a rough night of no sleep so when 4:30 came around I still planned on going for that morning ride I was thinking about. I headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon to get a taste of some high altitude riding before the snow comes. Heading up the canyon I realized just how early it was as I only passed one car. As I got higher I was really hoping someone might be at the trailhead unloading. When I arrived there were just two cars and I figured I had come all this way I must rough it be brave. Well as I was unloading the bike there were howling coyotes all over the Canyon sending me into a spook. I took a minute and decided it was not worth it to feel like something was constantly stalking me this ride so I headed back down in the car defeated. I passed a few cars and could not locate bikes on them but I decided on a whim to turn around and see if they would be going my way. Turns out they were unloading on the bend but they were hunters......screw it I took back out the bike and started climbing into the darkness. It was frosty up high but not very cold, but cold enough for ice crystals to have formed on the trail. The climb was not a tough one with gears and once I hit scotts bypass I dropped down into Park City Resort. I took a really crap way down to shadow lake that was dull but did get me there. The it was a service road until I hit mid mountain where the trail became a pleasure. Still in complete darns I was spooked, it was all my own doing but when I saw lights coming up the canyon I felt much relief. I think there was a running event going on cause there were at least 50+ lights coming up the trail. I would have felt more relief if they weren't heading the other direction of where I was going but it would not be long tip light. Riding I saw a gray creature that had me thinking coyote but turned out it was a porcupine, my first real close up encounter. He wobbled down the trail and then made his way off and we were on our way. Hitting Pine Cone I was relieved to start the climb up. Was a nice crank up the aspens and thought I would check the phone and see how far I had to go, was shocked to see I had a lot of trail left to get back. The trail got more tough as it went, and light began to make it's way on the horizon. Soon I was hitting a little snow and still the trail got more steep until I sidelined the mountain and got view of the saddle and was massively relieved. Took a few and missed the sunrise by minutes but had to be on my way.