MY "ahh haa" moment...

[Reesha]

I did a lot of technical stuff yesterday that I've never been comfortable with... and I found myself making little squeaky noises the whole way! I was with my friend Joe who was helping me overcome some of my MTB phobias so to speak and he kept laughing at my noises and facial expressions.

It's really fun to go to a grassy field and set up cones or rocks and slalom around them on the bike. Great practice. Singletrack gets a heck of a lot easier after that!

My conclusions are a lot to do with shifting. I'm shifting constantly on my mountain bike so that the pressure on my feet is just right. When I get to steep uphills, I get into a high gear leading up to it and as soon as I hit it and feel the pressure, I start thumbing my right rapid fire shifters and use as many gears as it takes. The risk of going up in a higher gear is losing momentum completely and ultimately splatting because I'm clipped in. Hahaha... that's happened once or twice before!

[Tri Girl]

You nailed it, sister!! All those things are soooo true. It's such a different sport and so much more difficult (for me- because I can't concentrate all that hard). I FINALLY learned to hang my butt off the back of the seat when descending- what a diff. And boobs to the tube, eh? I'll remember that one.
And how nice to get such a HUGE compliment from Tony! Awwww

I just can't mtn bike in the summer here because it's so spidery/ticky/overgrown, but I really can't wait for winter when I can get out there again and kill the trails. I've been really missing my mtn bike lately, and your post made me want to ride her again so badly!

And RNR- I know what you mean about people scoffing at the Xterra distances. I've not done one, but my very good friend is ranked nationally in the series and some of the stories she tells me just make my jaw drop! A mile long (probably close to) 15% grade hill.... wicked crazy descents.... the inherent dangers of the unpredictable trails. Yikes! She says they are tough races (and she was a pro mtn biker when she was younger). You have all my respect for racing Xterras- I'm far too chicken for the challenge. Hats off to you!