Mountain Biking

[shudder]

somethin' for me to do with this kid..

[ezzyride]

As many of you said it's good for the brain. It's something positive and healthy add fun to that.

As a kid I played alot with my lil brother and his freinds. We made our own ramps with bricks underneath. At that time we didn't own helmets or elbow pads, knee pads. My brother and his friends would say higher - higher and I would just jump higher. I don't ever remember worrying about falling. Of course I would never let my girls jump without the right gear now.

An ex-co worker began talking about mountain biking. He was so passionate about it. I'd figured what the heck let me try this. I got hooked and then Julia (12) got hooked. Now I am hooked because Julia is so hooked.

It's been very positive for me and Julia - it's true out on the trail you forget about everything.

Also all the cool people you meet and good freinds are the best part of mtbing. It's a fact I can't keep up with Julia it's nice to have people I can trust ride with her. Like Mtnbikerfred, Dino, Gene and all the other STR riders. I know they won't drop her.

Also I am extremely shy and it's helped to show up to rides and say hi. It's really cool with STR because there's always someone that will come up and talk to you. Plus being last on every single ride makes you alot of good freinds.

Maybe I'll take one more jump on that bike sometime.

[TrojanInsomniac]

Good thread, everybody! As I sit here slaving away at these financial models, I look out my window with a clear view of the Santa Monicas and San Gabriels.........just that view chills the hell out of me.
Mountain biking, to me, serves as a way to 'detox' myself of all the negatives that go on in our world and the pressures from work. After a nice ride, I always have a new prospective on things. The eye candy on Westridge on the weekends is just an added bonus!

Damn, back to reality now!

[slowSSer]

mountain biking, as said above, is a little bit of therapy, a little zen, and a little spiritual. there's nothing quite like the sound of tires hitting dirt for the first time in a week or the freedom that is cycling. if you want to go that way, turn the bars, push the pedals, and you're there before you know it. much faster than walking, and much more satisfying than driving.

another incredible moment is an early ride thru a park you know after bad weather and being able to throw down "first tracks" of the day on the trails or having a pack of coyotes flank you as you go up the canyon. and don't forget being able to creep up so quietly on some critters that they don't even move and just watch you go by.

the satisfying pain/strain that you get from a long ride- knowing what fun you had getting your body to feel it just a little.

we all shouldnt forget that a bike was likely one of our first experiences with true freedom as a kid- the neighborhood was amazingly smaller when two wheels replaced two feet. it was also our first dose of reality- falling off your feet doesnt result in the same damage as falling off of two wheels. on these lines, the adrenaline rush the first time a dog chased you and you were able to pedal away.

as a singlespeeder, the joy of getting back on a bike that you don't screw with- go up a hill? stand up and mash. down? gravity's your friend. flat? go as fast as spinout/gear provides or just cruise.

I'll shut up now...

[bighit8]

Well I must say the reason I ride is the exercise and being in nature. Plus I love that feeling of a crazy drop or tuff section, butterflies build and you just get up on the pedals and go. You make it, the fear subsides and you take a deep breath.Other times you make the call and eat $%^& and wait to heal so you can give it another go.Plus the friends you meet and the after ride talking about how the ride went and the part where you almost ate it or cleared a trouble section. I could go on and on, so I will stop now.