Reasons I Like Mountain Biking

The real reason is simple; it is a chance to be 12 years old one more time. There are other reasons also. It is a chance to explore worlds unknown. A chance to gain and hone skills I don't have. A chance to explore myself and extend my limits. A chance to get my body in good physical condition. Have fun doing it and keep it there. A chance to enjoy the great outdoors that God created for man to enjoy. And mostly I guess it is just plain fun.

There are some things which set mountain biking apart from many of the other sports in the South East. It is first of all not a spectator sport. It is a get-out-and-do-it sport. Mountain Biking is a sport that demands to be participated in. I have never been much of a spectator. Mountain Biking is not a spectator sport. The sports fan who has been reduced to only a spectator is to me a sad end. If you are or want to be a hands on person, mountain biking may be for you. It is a family sport which can be enjoyed by any one in good health with a desire to get out side and do something. It is fun for children eight or ten years old and adults who are over-the-hill. I am over fifty enjoy riding a mountain bike as much as I ever did. Mountain bike riding is not for everyone. Mountain biking is a strenuous sport and any one who is lazy or not willing to get in shape will probably not find it too much fun. It does require an investment in a quality bicycle. It does not cost as much as Golf for the equipment and there are no greens fees.

Riding a bicycle makes me feel so alive. I can ride hard if my body is tuned up or ride easy if it isn't. I can explore, discover, and challenge my limits. Extend my physical limits if I want. I can ride at and extend my skill if I want. Or I can put Credence Clearwater Revival, James Taylor, or Steven Curtis Chapman in my walkman and forget the everyday cares and concerns. Just ride. Ride some familiar trail that I know the lines on. Know the rocks, roots, and ruts on. And escape. Escape to the outdoor world of bike and rider. The world where bike and rider blend, unite and move as one.

 

Written by: Aaron Bruce
May not be reproduced without permission