Hilarious photos from my first ever mountain bike race!

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You are smiling in all (but the last) photos! That's a sure indication of a good time!

I was having a good time...even when I was terrified. My friends all think it's hilarious that just a year or two ago I said I would never mountain bike...and now I have a 2013 Salsa El Mariachi 3 on order...

[Owlie]

You look like you're having fun! And those are pretty awesome pictures.

Now I want a mountain bike.

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You look like you're having fun! And those are pretty awesome pictures.

Now I want a mountain bike.

The photographer is a great guy. He is at nearly every cycling event on this side of the state. He has such a knack for getting good photos.

Once I have this bike my N+1 will be a Ti Salsa Mukluk fat bike (since I have a carbon road, alum. CX, and steel mtn...a Ti fatbike would complete my "set").

[Owlie]

The photographer is a great guy. He is at nearly every cycling event on this side of the state. He has such a knack for getting good photos.

Once I have this bike my N+1 will be a Ti Salsa Mukluk fat bike (since I have a carbon road, alum. CX, and steel mtn...a Ti fatbike would complete my "set").

"Complete." Uh huh.

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"Complete." Uh huh.

Heh.

[Catrin]

I was having a good time...even when I was terrified. My friends all think it's hilarious that just a year or two ago I said I would never mountain bike...and now I have a 2013 Salsa El Mariachi 3 on order...

You are that new to mountain biking?? This is seriously cool, there is hope for me yet Congratulations, again, on the new bike, and I love your race pictures!

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You are that new to mountain biking?? This is seriously cool, there is hope for me yet Congratulations, again, on the new bike, and I love your race pictures!

Yeah...I've really only been on a mountain bike a handful of times. I have a couple of friends who took to it like they were born on knobby tires, though. Crazy how natural it seemed for them. I doubt I will ever stop falling on a regular basis.

[Catrin]

Yeah...I've really only been on a mountain bike a handful of times. I have a couple of friends who took to it like they were born on knobby tires, though. Crazy how natural it seemed for them. I doubt I will ever stop falling on a regular basis.

You don't know how encouraging it was for me to read this! I've been going through a confidence "slump" on the trails after my little run of falls and injuries, but I think I am starting to climb out of it finally.

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You don't know how encouraging it was for me to read this! I've been going through a confidence "slump" on the trails after my little run of falls and injuries, but I think I am starting to climb out of it finally.

Sometimes I feel totally "on," then there are other days when I think I am not cut out to be riding off-road. I think my good days will start to outweigh the bad when I am on a bike that fits better and a little less of a tank. I am so scrunched and upright on my current bike and it has me feeling sorta top-heavy.