Eat My Dust

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I've loved mountain biking for years, but I haven't exactly done a ton of it. I'm looking for someone who lives nearby who's into it, since I'm not comfortable going by myself. However, this week while in Utah, I've been able to do a few great trails with a couple of Jolayne's brothers. They go a couple times a week. Makes me jealous. Mitch helped me adjust the derailleur to stop skipping finally (apparently the $100 I paid for a tune up to the Longmont bike shop last summer was so they could look at it really hard without actually doing anything useful) and it's now finally a fun bike to ride. That's good, cuz I was ready to throw the thing out and get something else, so now I can save some money for a couple more years.

There are tons of great trails within a 30 minute drive of Jo's brother Brad's house. How nice that would be.

Tonight, just before sunset, we went up American Fork canyon (very nice shots here) and did a nice 4 mile ride at about 8,000 feet. It was so lush and green. Nice and cool. Very steep in places. Very dusty in others. Nice downhill single track ride on the way back down. Pure heaven. If you've never done this kind of thing and you like to get out, you owe it to yourself to try it. It's not really dangerous if you keep under control, and I'm living proof that you don't have to be an Olympian to be able to hack it. You might want to invest in a pair of "biking diapers," as Jolayne refers to them, however. The padding on bike shorts is well worth it and makes all the difference. Only looks goofy from an entirely goofy angle, anyway! :-) Riding is just such a rush, and a massive stress reliever.



Any ride where I don't crash is a great ride.

Today was thus a great ride! (Because crashing after you've stopped doesn't count!)
I like to share what I learn, and I like to learn from others.

Comments

Becky said…
Im glad you had a good ride. Kyle has been itching to get out and mt bike more. Too bad you arent closer.

PS, I gave you an award on my blog
*kisses!*
August 14, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Lori said…
I totally miss mitch and I'm a bit jealous you got to hang out with him.

That really does sound like a great ride. I'm getting all down on myself for not taking advantage of living in such a beautiful area.

Gross, becky kissed you. Just because she's technically only your half-sister doesnt mean you're obligated to kiss her back.
August 14, 2008 at 1:10 AM
kevandcan said…
Our mountain biking in Utah 2-3 years back is one of my favorite vacation memories. Of course, all I do here in Houston is mountain biking because we have such a huge amount of mountains near-by...
August 14, 2008 at 6:58 AM
Ryan said…
I don't know if anyone should be allowed to ride a mountain bike that cannot adjust their own derailleurs!
August 14, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Jenn said…
That looks like so much fun. Good ol Mitch. I miss him.
Kenny would love to mountain bike, but as Kevin pointed out, Houston is hardly the place.
By the way, your blog always pops up twitter password dialog box, even though I don't use twitter. It's odd. Lori sees it too.
August 14, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Linda said…
oh it sounds so fun! glad you had time and opportunity.
August 14, 2008 at 7:35 PM
TJ said…
I'll take your one, and up you by two!

I hiked on foot in Malibu, all 17 feet elevation of it.

http://www.onetj.com/photos/malibu_hike/

I even saw the M*A*S*H site!

Beat that! grrrrhmmmpf!
August 14, 2008 at 10:03 PM
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