BikeMomma's first mountain bike ride!

[BikeMomma]

Started to post this in the "New Years Day rides" thread, but felt it fit better here....

Did my first mountain bike ride today....this is our traditional New Year's Day mtb-only ride, but I've never done it until today. Have never done ANYTHING mtb until today.

This was a pretty brutal ride to do on your first time out (leave it to me to choose this one!). I was also on a borrowed bike, so not only did I face different terrain than this roadie's used to, but I had a strange bike to ride. Heck, I was just glad to be there at all.

There was absolutely no warm up -- went uphill steeply right off the bat, and didn't stop for a loooonnng while. I had to stop first to strip off my jacket (overheated fast), then stopped for the leg-warmers, then stopped to take off my gloves (even those were hot!). After that, I was fairly comfy just in a base layer, ls jersey, and shorts. In addition, Me-With-No-Mtb-Skills had to stop a few more times to walk the bike over the ruts that I was sure to end up on the ground from. Problem is, since I would stop on a steep incline, I then had to push the bike further up the hill to the next switchback to get back on. Yep, it was hysterically comical, like I knew it would be. I laughed at myself alot more than once.

Once I got up that hill, it was brutal rollers with a short fast descent and then a very steep hill on the other side -- three or four of those. Chickened out on the ones with ruts, but took the others. Fun!!

From there, it was all downhill, back the way we came. With Charlotte's help (she's my roadie racing buddie -- Vino here, but rarely posts) giving pointers, I negotiated my way back down the rocky, muddy, sandy, gravelly, you-name-it hill. WAY way way way way (think I liked it???) WAY fun!! It helped that the bike I borrowed was a softtail and took the ruts and jars like a champ. Also, since I had gotten fairly used to the bike by then, I was totally comfy at the nearly-out-of-control-but-still-IN-control descent. Good, as I was nervous about that part.

One of the best parts about the ride was the view from the hilltops. The area where we were riding is in the Sierra Nevada mountains, close to Yosemite National Park (on the way to, in fact). At one particular hill, we were treated to a view of Half Dome and El Capitan from across the way, maybe 4 miles away. Snowcapped and very awesome.

Anyhooo....that was my ride for 2day! I'm hooked, I believe. I'll be looking for a mountain bike sometime within year....
~BikeMomma

[SadieKate]

Ha! Somehow I knew this was going to end with that last sentence.

[BikeMomma]

heehee! Oh, Sarah -- you know me so well already...ha!
~B

[rocknrollgirl]

Once you get dirty...you never go back. Welcome to the dark and dirty side!

[Veronica]

That sounds like an awesome ride.

V.

[Tri Girl]

Yay- another "dirty biker." I, too, just started riding a couple months ago and I'm hooked! It's so different than road riding- so much more adventerous and dangerous- I like that part.
Congrats on your first VERY hilly and challenging ride! Sounds like an amazing ride and you handled it like a champ. And don't worry about walking some parts. We all do it sometimes. I walked down a 20 ft drop yesterday that was all washed out and had major ruts. Sometimes it's better to walk than to risk really hurting yourself!
When you get a new bike, we better be seeing it!!!!

[DirtDiva]

Glad you had such a great time.

[Brandi]

Right on!

[bambu101]

I have been re-thinking my goals for this year, and have been doing a lot of research on buying a mountain bike (instead of a road bike). I have Terry hybrid now.
We live in the midst of 12,000 acres of watershed property with tons of logging trails, reservoirs, hills, and mud. I'm thinking that it would be a shame not to take advantage of the fact that this is all right outside our door (no driving necessary).
It is posts like this that are definitely pushing me towards the "dark" side. Keep twisting my arm!

[bcipam]

I'm proof positive you can go both ways on bikes - road and MTB but as the years roll on and I get more technical, I'm beginning to look much more forward to mountain biking than getting on the road. There's is just something in rollng through trees, smashing leaves, finding a sweet little singletrack and finally conquering obstructacles that previously caused fear.

Have fun - either way - road or MTB - great sports!

[emily_in_nc]

I was a roadie for years who just got a mountain bike this year and love it! I am terrible at it (still learning very basic skills), fall frequently (no serious injuries, thankfully), shamelessly get off and walk (or put a foot down) whenever I feel uncomfortable, but it's loads of fun, and I highly recommend it. I'm one who doesn't really care if I ever get highly technical. If I never learn to bunny hop or do anything fancy, I'll be perfectly content -- I just want to be able to handle a little "easy" singletrack, because riding in the woods is such fun and a totally "zen" experience. You simply have to be in the moment, because a moment of distraction can lead to disaster. And for me, the line between fun and terror is a fine one indeed, but that just gets the adrenaline flowing and results in that wonderful post-ride euphoria! No cars or dogs to worry about either. I haven't been riding this winter since I've been busy with projects, and it's often been wet (no good for trails), and it's too dark to ride after work. Excuses excuses, eh... But once daylight savings time starts, I'll be out there again, grinning all the way. Can't wait!

Emily

[fatbottomedgurl]

Hook, line, and sinker!!!
One of the things I love about mtbing is getting away from the noise, the traffic, the business, the whole rat race part of life and listening to my own breathing, and the birds, and the breeze through the grass. And laughing with my friends and sharing stories and challenging each other on technical spots, recovering from an almost-crash with a hoot and a holler, and having a grand old time.
You got to ride in Yosemite?!!! What a dream!

[TrekJeni]

Way to go BikeMomma!
This MTB thing is addicting, isn't it? I thought I loved the road, until I hopped on a MTB. Now all I can think about is the next time I'm hitting the trails!

Jeni

[Steph]

It's the coolest thing isn't it?

There was absolutely no warm up -- went uphill steeply right off the bat, and didn't stop for a loooonnng while. I had to stop first to strip off my jacket (overheated fast), then stopped for the leg-warmers, then stopped to take off my gloves (even those were hot!). After that, I was fairly comfy just in a base layer, ls jersey, and shorts

That sounds very familiar! There's nothing like taking a steep switchback that once terrified you. I dream about bikes and trails all the time. What did I ever do before this?