strange transition ( long)

[fatbottomedgurl]

My pleasure. Now don't get eaten by a bear. Okay?

[chickwhorips]

i'll try not to.

[emily_in_nc]

I can relate to this - been road riding for years (best year, 2004, was 4300 miles total, four full centuries, numerous metrics, and a 565-mile loaded tour). This year I took up mountain biking, and I find my speed is about 1/2 what it would be on the road, so for a given period of time, I only rack up half the miles. <shrug> Who cares - I'm working hard and having fun!

And actually, I am having more fun now than when I was single-mindedly road riding. That was all I did for fitness (plus some lifting), and I rode ~5 days a week, most weeks. At some point it becomes more of an obsession (gotta get the miles in) than fun. After taking a long break from road riding, I am now mixing it up: some mountain, some road (many, many fewer miles than in previous years), some running, some hiking, plenty of walking, some lifting, occasional kayaking. I'm in better shape than ever, can eat anything I want, and feel great! Counting miles just doesn't matter much to me any more....

Emily