One of my first posts was Why I Love Backcountry Skiing, and since I have been doing a fair amount of riding recently I thought it would be fitting to share why I love mountain biking.
1) Mix of skill and fitness
Mountain biking is a mixture of both technical skills and fitness. In order to be fast on the trails you have to be able to pick the best line and correctly maneuver the bike, but also able to pedal up climbs and over roots. I enjoy this because it means that there are two avenues to improve your abilities. You may be able to improve your times by working on your cornering and carrying your momentum through turns, or by building stronger legs and powering up the climbs. Right now my technical skills are weaker than my fitness, and I sometimes compensate for slow turns and maneuvers by just pedalling harder. This is something I am working on.
2) Focus and Adrenaline
Fast descents on single track provide an adrenaline rush. On these descents, a lot of focus is required to avoid hitting a tree or sliding off the edge of the trail. This forces one to not think about anything else, and become absorbed in the current activity. The sole focus is on avoiding the root ahead or braking in time to make the next turn. I enjoy this feeling of being completely in the moment and serves as a break from everything else going on.
3) Exploring Trails
There are tons of awesome mountain bike trails hidden away. The entrances to these trails are often a just a small dirt path into the trees that appear to lead nowhere. The majority of these trails are designed and built by other enthusiastic mountain bikers. Each trail has its own unique set of features and ride style that is blend of the natural terrain and the trail builders hard work. It is fun to explore new trails and try out different features. It is almost akin to going to an art gallery and admiring (or critiquing) the works of artists. Except that its way more fun and you get to ride the trails rather than just look at them!
Been lucky to get lots of rides in recently, looking forward to more!
– Mitch
Quote of the Week
It never gets easier, you just get faster – Greg LeMond (professional cyclist)
Favourite Things of The Week
Australian Reggae Playlist - Spotify
Not sure how much of this music is actually Australian Reggae but I have been enjoying it. Some good summer tunes.