The Joys (and Perils) of Mountain Biking

Ever since I got a new road bike this January, I have been biking any day that I can. If the sun is shining (and I don’t have too much homework to get done), I can most likely be found on my bike. Most places are accessible on a bike and riding one brings a feeling of carefree, childish glee.

However, despite the freedom and accessibility that cycling offers, there was still a location that remained out of reach to me. Students at Union are familiar with the Union woods and its many walking and biking trails. I had enjoyed the woods before, but never on a bike. My simple road bike is not built for the steep dips and inclines of a mountain bike trail. I was excited to find out then that Union rents out mountain bikes to its students.

Now, I’ve enjoyed cycling for a while now, but up to this point, I had never even ridden a mountain bike, much less attempted any mountain bike trails.

My adventure began one Saturday morning, after a heavy rain the day before. My two friends and I rented the bike and marched towards the woods. Like any intelligent cyclist would do, I researched extensively what model and accessories would be necessary for this excursion. And by ‘researched extensively’ I mean maybe two seconds of deliberation and then a declaration of, “This one looks good.” The bike had two wheels, brakes (that I would soon put to good use), and unlike my own bike, a springy suspension system. As far as I was concerned, that was all I needed.

I gave the bike a good test run through campus to the woods, getting the feel for this new, foreign ride. My anticipation for the trails continued to grow. When we made it to the outskirts of the woods, I couldn’t have been more ready to attempt this new adventure.

One of my friends there with me had some prior experience with mountain biking in the Union woods and acted as a helpful advisor as I tackled this new endeavor. We decided on a trail and got to it.

My love for biking coupled with my lack of experience warped together to create a wonderful combination of fun and fear. I was aware of the slick mud beneath my tires, and the trees and shrubs on either side of me, waiting to take me out. But I was also aware of the smile on my face and the sun shining through the trees.

It’s hard to describe the first moments of doing anything new. I know I was concentrated very much on what I was doing, because, frankly, at any moment I expected myself to fall. And I think that was my biggest take away from the day: Trying something new always includes the possibility of falling. Attempting something different is always going to include the potential for failure. But as I zipped through the narrow passages of the Union trails, it was obvious the reward was worth the risk.

I’ll wrap up by saying that the potential to fail is real. In fact, not too far into the day, I wiped out pretty hard and split open the palm of my hand and scraped up my arm and side (check out the YouTube video that comes out Friday to watch me do just that.) So, I don’t want to breeze over the fact that failure is real, and it does hurt. But the fun of trying something new usually outweighs the potential hurt it might cause. And it’s so worth it when it does.

For some tips on how to avoid wiping out like I did here’s some websites to check out:

SEVEN KEYS TO A GREAT MTB BODY POSITION

9 Beginner Mountain Biking Tips You Should Know