prhey404

Mountain biking is so much more of a gift than I expected... It is even more mental than physical for me. I have to overcome obstacles, trust myself, gain confidence that I can do it, and when I do, feels so good to literally get over that hurdle. Also, I fall. And guess what I do? Get right back up and keep going. And when I see an obstacle and I second guess myself, guess what? I fall, or I almost fall. It's so damn mental I can't help it. And I go through the same trails over and over. The mountains get smaller and smaller every time I go through them. What seemed impossible at first, I am getting through with more ease the more I do it. Crazy right? I feel it's just right for me. A battle within myself, and confidence builder. On a bike! I focus on the trail, nothing else. I also have to listen to my body. If I know I have expended a lot of energy, have to refuel with gatorade, or take a few bites of my energy bar so I have enough in my muscles to keep me going. I push it too. Sometimes I go through one trail after the other, sometimes I say "Just one more" and push myself, thinking "Why the hell am I doing this? I can't wait for it to be over!!!" But my tiredness is replaced by determination to finish. I love it! It rained earlier today, so when I hit the trails, everything was different, more slippery than I was used to. The normal things I was getting better at, the normal trails I would get through with ease, found myself stopping, even falling a few times. BUT, got right up and kept going. For a minute, I was thinking, "Am I falling off the mental track?" But no, its the same thing but a new situation, slippery trails I have to adapt to. I can apply that to life. Might be the same thing I have been through before, but life throws you twists and turns that make the same path different, throws you off. But you just have to adapt to it. I also found that it was fun to get muddy and dirty. Didn't want to get dirty at first, but then got into it and rode through puddles like nothing. I can relate that to things in life I don't like to face, but instead of avoiding it, I can ride through it, have those problems on me but I don't let them make me self concious like before. I wore that mud with pride. Like, "Hell yeah, I just got dirty and I loved it!" Or relating to life, "I just went through some ish, but it doesn't affect me anymore, I can wear my insecurities with pride cause I don't care what people say anymore! Those insecurities become literally like the dirt beneath my shoe.

I love how I am getting better every time I dedicate time to it. I still have my insecurities and consciousness make me insecure about actually getting over some of those hills, but when I really let that go and charge toward that tree stump, and say, "F it, I'm jumping it!" and then I DO, I don't care who might hear, I say "Yes, I did it!!!" Accomplishment is so rewarding.

Cheeto

YEA! Just ride, don't think LOL

cryptid01

Glad to hear you found your stoke.

prhey404

I am!!! Get's better with each ride...

Oleanshoebox

bike ride fun

Cheeto

Well, get out there and ride.
Don't sit around posting here all day..

... Oh wow.. I feel like a hypocrite..

dminor 

Way to go. Progressing - - clearing something/accomplishing something that seemed intimidating a week ago . . . and maybe insane a year ago - - is what it is all about.

croscoe

That for true.

born2bahick

Glad to hear you see it for all it can be!

junkyard

Funny, mountain biking has given me a bunch of scrapes, cuts, bruises and on occastion a sore gooch. To each his own.

pinkrobe

Mmmm. Scar tissue. One of my co-workers saw me in shorts the other day.
He said, "What's wrong with your legs?"
I responded by saying that I had a light bone structure, which made my legs look skinnier, and furthermore, yo Mama...
"No, no" he interupted. "What are all those weird marks? Is something wrong?"
I looked at him, then at my shins and knees, then back at him. "Scars from mountain biking, for the most part".
"Whoa...".

Mountain biking has taught me a lot over the years. Mud tastes diffferent in a cow pasture. Sometimes people are happy that you get a flat. It's okay to ride at the back of the pack. Dry dirt will help stop the bleeding. A good stiff bristle brush is great for removing dried blood. There is always someone faster than I am. Don't clean your bike, it's just going to get dirty again.

highrevs

This dude knows. Progress!!! It's all about progress!

To the OP, Congrats to feeling good about what you're doing!!

prhey404

Oh, TRUST me, my legs are all black and blue too I have a gash on my elbow from falling and I wouldn't want to wear shorts right now! Also soreness and especially my entire right side from a bad fall.

Kyle385

That paragraph hurt my eyes.

My mountain biking experiences can generally be summed up in two words...

Richard Burrrrrrnnns

snowy

Glad your enjoying it. It should be all about having fun. I share the same kind of love riding. I love my mountain bike, I love riding and I happen to live in one of the best states for it!!! I'm so spoiled!

born2bahick

I trained with a gal in 06 that wanted to do the Flint hills death ride. When she fell, or went over the bars I would ask if she wanted a minute or two to get her composure back. She always jumped back on the bike and said "no, let's get going again before it starts hurting". Once she cut herself an had blood clear down to her sock. the next morning her DR put 8 stitches in it. When I grow up I hope I'm half the man she is!

Ka_Jun

I got burned on a climb on my local trails by a female rider on a Schwinn. My first thought was, "Damn, I want to be able to climb like she does." Nothing motivates self-improvement like seeing someone perform at a level you aspire to.

santiago

Paragraphs suck.

mtnbiker66

Well said my good man.....well said.

dminor 

That was a paragraph. So is this.

Cheeto

Eh, I though a paragraph was 5+ sentences relating to the same topic, which is usually said in the first couple sentences.
IDK, maybe my lit teacher is just wack.

xcracer13

Really, were all crazy. Normal people don't get up at 6a.m on a weekend to go race a bike when it's cold and wet outside.

Ted Danson

thats when its the best. ^ cuz when people see you in their nice warm cars u know they are thinking, wow what a real bad as*. n if you meet someone else on the trail your instantly like, hey whats up brotha! wanna ride?

dminor 

You need to read more literature. And your teacher would be making a living at writing instead of coasting through college for an Ed degree to babysit snot-nosed kids if he/she knew what he/she was talking about.

junkyard

I prefer a pair of graphs. Being a math person, and all.