Do you love your bicycle? Would you want to try mountain biking or trail biking?
At first glance, you may be intimidated if, like me, you did not grow up mountain biking, but there are many different types of bikes and many different types of routes and rides out there to experience. My love for biking has only grown more as I've aged, but I have to confess that my most recent addition of mountain biking, real mountain biking, was really scary and I'm guessing it isn't as easy at age 45 as I imagine it is in your teens and twenties.
Now before you bail from this story, thinking you'll "never" mountain bike, know that as I have already mentioned, there are many different many places you can ride a mountain bike that don't require you to be a daredevil. You get to see so much when you head out on a bicycle - so much beauty in the world. It is my hope that in reading this, you learn that you can take bikes over so much cool terrain and some you may not know exists. You already know about road biking (think Tour de France) and you've probably seen time trialing and folks cycling on triathlon bikes, but did you know there are also bikes for gravel roads and even for snow?
There are a ton of places to access either only by bicycle or it's made so much better by bike and it might not have crossed your mind before - especially if you didn't try it when you were younger and feeling more bulletproof. But I encourage you to broaden your thinking a bit and check out an example of trails I believe you'd love in a YouTube Video on my channel. It's a snapshot of a recent adventure on my mountain bike in an area of western Colorado and it was gorgeous!
It's moments like these when I'm out there pedaling on my bike, under the warm sun, looking at all of the different dessert sights, the beautiful tall, orange canyon walls, and everything else that I lose all track of time. My brain totally turns off of work or any other life-hassles and I feel so blessed, so lucky to be able to get out and experience this. I feel rejuvenated and alive, and the smile never leaves my face.
The trails can be wide dirt roads or singletrack (what's shown in the video), they can be flat or rolling or make you go up a hill. They can be as "technical" as you want (= more rocky or more terrain changes) and you can go as slow or as fast and as long as you'd like. Take water, snacks and maybe even stop for lunch for a mid-ride break (you've seen spandexed bikers at the café before:)
Most places to ride a mountain bike has different trails for different abilities and different interests for riders, so it's a matter of doing a bit of research and finding the right one(s) that fit what you enjoy. You don't even have to own a bike but instead get hooked up with the right company, the right equipment and the right trails.
Special shout out to the Wendy Faves that were a part of making this riding in Fruita so awesome - I encourage you to check them out:
*Giro MIPS Mountain Cycling Helmets (be sure to get a helmet with MIPS!)
*Subaru Outback
*Transition Mountain Bikes
I encourage you to join our community to get more of the scoop on how to get started planning your next bike ride, whether it's on a mountain bike on the trails in the desert or one of the many other rides we'll recommend. It's a great workout and exploring different geographies (versus an indoor bike class) is so much better for your soul and mental health. Join us and get out here and give it a try!
#inspiringyournext #destinationu #goforaride #lifeinspired #mountainbiker #outdoorgal #adventure #garmin #giro #gopro #oakley #nathansports #subaru #transitionbikes