When mountain biking beats me up...

Each time I go out mountain biking in company of my wife, it's a breeze. I get the sense that I'm (almost) on top of my game. I feel strong, agile, and somehow talented! Yesterday, I went on my own to ride between Deer Valley's Silver Lake area and Canyons' Red Pine Lodge. Picture the 16.2 mile trek like a mid-mountain trip overlooking Park City, starting at 8,115 feet elevation to end up 8,039 feet, with tons of ups and downs in between (1,698 feet elevation gain.)

This is hard work and lots of it. I stopped every time my heart was beating a bit too hard and after riding 2 hour and 22 minute, I reached my destination, out of juice, dusty and badly beat up. I was not feeling nearly as composed and smug as when I ride with my spouse, but there's little room for hiding or pretending when you're riding with your own self and feeling the full brunt of the effort.

My goal this season it to ride farther on that trail, but it may take me the whole summer to achieve it, stage by stage as I try to learn the intricacies of the terrain, one revolution of pedal at a time!