What is your favorite part about mountainbiking?

[moochy]

!!

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

anyone can downhill, climbing is what separates the men from the boys

[CalEpic]

A,B,D

Come on man - Arby's?

Carne Asada tacos and cerveza - I'm down with that.

[moochy]

hehe ya...you know what i mean though....just eatin a lot.

One time i ate 2 bushels of grapes after a ride. My mom was like "what happened to all the grapes i was gunna take to 'so-and-sos' house"...."I dunno, maybe odie (my dog) ate 'em"

[LBmtb]

I like it all. I also like to just stop for a minute or two to take in the surroundings.

[ECOdork]

I'd have to agree with LBmtb on liking it all.

It may sound cheezy--and may be a result of all this rain making me introspective--but for me it's a combination of the physical, mental, and spiritual bonding with/appreciation of nature that draws me back to the trail. Each ride emphasizes different levels of each.

...plus, there are few things that provide for me the same level of catharsis afforded by MTBing when life/work/school/research/all the above is busting the ballz!

...and something about a hard ride makes the post-ride brew and grub so exceptionally tasty!

One of my fav riding spots back in Texas (Bluff Creek Ranch in Warda, TX) offers Longhorn burgers from the owner's own grass-fed cattle that he raises on the ranch and grills up right in his kitchen!
And if you are camping there, you can get any cut of meat and do the grilling yourself! Hmmmmm, longhorn burgers.....

[Evel Knievel]

I like being alone in the wilderness. No grafitti ,no gang bangers , no litter , no smog spewing vehicles , no noise , no views of civilization.

I like the sounds of birds. I like to see birds and wildlife in natural habitat. I like the blooms that come out for a very short time . I like the escape from the the daily hustle. *I like making my own decisions on when , where , how fast , how far to go. I love that I have to WORK for my pleasure. No sitting lazily being waited on or instant gratification.

Mostly I like flying my bike.

Evel

[LBmtb]

Originally Posted by Evel Knievel

I love that I have to WORK for my pleasure. No sitting lazily being waited on or instant gratification.

Exactly. The sweetest rewards are the ones you earn!

[PacMan]

Just being out there having a good time with my buds. No worries and no hurries. Lucky for me, I have a wife who is very understanding and I ride as much as I want with no grief. Some of my buds aren't as fortunate, and practically have to beg [-o<

You all have mentioned bits and pieces of my favorite parts about riding. For me, one of the best feelings is cleaning climbs that used to kick my butt when I first started. Also cleaning technical downhill sections that I used to have to walk rates pretty high too. After every ride I feel like I have improved my riding skills a little bit.

Some trails offer you much more solitude than others. I like when you hang that right turn after climbing the portion after the LUGE and not being able to see any homes or highways. I like the sights and sounds of the creek at Holy Jim, I like looking back at the trailhead and all the switchbacks when CLIMBING San Juan and thinking to myself, "dang, we started this ride waaaaaay down there". More reasons include the sounds of the birds chirping, the uneasiness I feel when I hear the bushes "rustling" and the scent of the sage and other plant life are another reason why I like riding so much. I could go on and on, but probably the best part of riding to me is the feeling of accomplishment. Earning your downhill, passing by recreational hikers who say " i can barely walk this, how do you guys ride your bikes up this", and knowing that you are doing this all by yourself makes mt. biking one of the best activities I have ever partaken in.

Like PacMan, my g/f (practically my wife) is very cool about me riding every Sunday and never gives me grief over it. Indeed we are lucky!

[RC]

Bdee.i feel you about the wife thing, i'm as lucky. and i feel you about everything alse as well. in my few words. riding is just awesome! and i would not rather do anything else with my free time. later.

[project_d]

Although I voted for DH (which I absolutely prefer), I don enjoy an XC ride once a week or so.

[Big Guy]

Even though I am totally not built for it (250lb on a 35 lb bike) I really enjoy the long climbs like SJT. But it would not be as fun if there wasn't a downhill afterward. But the best is to clip on the pedals and forget everything.

[project_d]

Originally Posted by Big Guy

But the best is to clip on the pedals and forget everything.

Ain't that the truth! Except for the "clip" part; I still use flats.

[MtnBikerBamBam]

right now the down hill is nice but soon i hope to get a lighter bike and get in better shape so i can enjoy/handle the climbs as well

[EBasil]

I like being outside, moving through beautiful country and shaking the cobwebs out of my head. And now, after reading this poll, I have a hunger for Arbys food for the first time in at least 2 years.

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by Evel Knievel

I like being alone in the wilderness. No grafitti ,no gang bangers , no litter , no smog spewing vehicles , no noise , no views of civilization.

I like the sounds of birds. I like to see birds and wildlife in natural habitat. I like the blooms that come out for a very short time . I like the escape from the the daily hustle. *I like making my own decisions on when , where , how fast , how far to go. I love that I have to WORK for my pleasure. No sitting lazily being waited on or instant gratification. *

Mostly I like flying my bike.

Evel

Yeah! What he said!
I love it all... I love the feeling of my heart beating as I grind out that long steep climb. I love the silence of floating over things when your tires leave the ground. I love the green. I love flying. I love 45.6mph.

It's been great reading everyones posts. Makes me want to go ride.

[ocmtb]

the best part is going downhill nothing like going fast with the wind in your face

[ocrider]

I like it all except for shopping.