The lure of mountain biking

In a previous post, I was talking about addiction to mountain biking. It’s a hard but quite complete activity and if you want to give it all, this sport certainly extends you a long rope to hang yourself; when the slope gets steep, it will suck all the energy out of you and then some. Without question, it “separates the men from the boys,” demands an excellent physical condition, and regular practice will definitely make you much better at it. At the beginning of the season, little hills are daunting; a few weeks later they lose their sting and almost become a walk in the park! Mountain biking finds a way to pummel and exercise the entire body, from shoulders to feet… Compared to golfing or skiing, you don’t need to spend a day on your bike; a good hour of riding can drain the most aggressive and getting to sleep that night is absolutely guaranteed and instant. Downhill of course is the reward for all the grinding work that climbing demands. It’s both exhilarating and dangerous. Riding single track requires your utmost attention, full participation and your ability to anticipate. There’s absolutely no reason or need to chat or listen to music. Unlike snow sports, where falling may occasionally happen, you don’t want to do that when riding your mountain bike and must pay constant and serious attention to your trajectory, your surroundings and your technique. In the course of any session, miracles never stop to happen as you dodge obstacles, improvise more often than not and seem to forever get lucky. Few other sports are as fun!