I'm Stoked!

[mtnkitty]

Nothing major for most of you power mtbers, but I just wanted to share some excitement I felt today.. and my first real taste of mtbing addiction!

I've only been out on a mtb 4 or 5 times and today I finally tried Cholla, which has been freaking me out psychologically. I made it up, although I had to stop a couple of times when I lost momentum on a few spots, but I made it up without having to walk any more than a few steps!

Initially I was super disappointed because I wanted to make it up all the way without stopping, but now I'm happy I did it. I feel super pumped and stoked to go riding again soon! Now it's my goal to try to make it up Cholla without stopping!



Now I feel a little embarrassed!

[KeepsWhatHappens]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. That's an awesome achievement. Just keep working at it and before you know it you'll be breezing up Cholla non-stop!

Now that the mountain biking bug has bitten, you can see why we all love to ride so much!

[Danimal]

Good going!
I think it must have taken 6 or 7 try's until I made it w/o walkin a good piece of it.

A geared bike has 28 speeds, 27 gears, and walking.....

[BAD_S197]

I've never been to this trail you speak of but congrats.

I've tried stopping less and less each time just on the trail I've been to .

Either the hill is getting smaller or I'm starting to get a little into shape.

[kdog4130]

I know the feeling....Cholla is a soul crusher for me! I have to stop, so my heart doesn't pop, but when you get to the top, it is a great feeling!

[JoeTruth]

Good for you, keep chipping away and keep raising the bar. Rome wasn't built in one day. Congratulations!

Happy belated birthday, BTW.

[mfoga]

Nice I have only rode there a few times but I have never been able to get up cholla with out walking.

Just wondering whats with the name Cholla? Is this climb some female Mexican gangster?

[herzalot]

Congrats. Every milestone is great. To hear the stoke in your post is what it's all about. I'm sure there are a few out there who ride up that hill on a single speed or in the middle chainring (a huge accomplishment) and are pissed off because they didn't make it up in 4 minutes - or whatever. Stoke matters! It's like catching your first wave. Keep smiling and keep riding - that's what matters.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by 29Inches

"for most of you power mtbers"

Most are posers.

Hey, I resemble that remark!!

[richie_rich]

mtnkitty - Great job to you too on the accomplishment. It is these strides that makes you want to ride more and push your limits, for me that is what keeps me riding!

Originally Posted by mfoga

Just wondering whats with the name Cholla? Is this climb some female Mexican gangster?

Wikipedia:

Cholla can refer to the following things:

Cylindropuntia, a cactus genus. Formerly included with prickly pears in Opuntia.

[foofighter]

definitely nothing to be embarrassed about! it took me forever to get to the point i was clearing it...after that you want to see how fast you want to go up it never ends such as this addiction!

[mfoga]

Originally Posted by richie_rich

Wikipedia:

Cholla can refer to the following things:

Cylindropuntia, a cactus genus. Formerly included with prickly pears in Opuntia.

I figured it had good reason but in socal the first thought for most people wouldn't be cacti

[herzalot]

Originally Posted by mfoga

I figured it had good reason but in socal the first thought for most people wouldn't be cacti

And it's a really nasty cactus at that. It jumps on you and sticks like burrs, but way worse. I've never seen any cholla on Cholla.

[richie_rich]

Originally Posted by mfoga

I figured it had good reason but in socal the first thought for most people wouldn't be cacti

I'm from Vermont...there's still a lot I don't know, but I think in that case it is only one "l" Chola...

[OMR]

and the next thing you know, you'll be riding up in front of the pack... we all started out this way: riding up a hill until we couldn't go any farher then walking... falling over in the parking lot cliped into your peddals... with people watching... feeling like you are going to die while riding up a hill while one of your friends keeps talking to you... expecting answers!!! Hey, we've all been there and yet we keep coming back for more... just like you will.

the ride awaits....

[mtnkitty]

Originally Posted by JoeTruth

Good for you, keep chipping away and keep raising the bar. Rome wasn't built in one day. Congratulations!

Happy belated birthday, BTW.

Thank you for the birthday wishes! It was a good birthday this year around, Cholla included.

Rome definitely wasn't built in a day, and neither is mountain biking for me. Whatever advances I've made pretty much disintegrate at any sign of a downhill slope. I went down Lynx today and walked a good part of it.

Downhill kinda freaks me out..

[abuck55]

Very cool! Good job!!

[mtnkitty]

Originally Posted by OMR

falling over in the parking lot cliped into your peddals... with people watching... feeling like you are going to die while riding up a hill while one of your friends keeps talking to you... expecting answers!!! Hey, we've all been there and yet we keep coming back for more... just like you will.

the ride awaits....

I don't even use clip-ins, and I was falling all over the place before going up Cholla. There were a bunch of people and I think they were laughing silently at my biking kookiness. I thought it was going to be a pretty good indication of what was to come..

And ROFL at the friends talking to you while you feel like dying.. I know that feeling all too well!

[dutch]

not only will you soon be breezing up cholla, but you'll be bombing down all the DHs with one finger on each brake, trying to figure out spots where you can pedal to carry more speed. its a pretty rad feeling, congrats