Little reasons that riding makes me happy

**Conundrum** · 05-08-2007, 11:51 AM

Soon Ross, I've been hearing things are close.

**Bozoskier** · 05-08-2007, 12:50 PM

Early season's fourth or fifth ride where you suddenly notice that your ass doesn't get sore anymore.

-Jake

**Andy_B** · 05-11-2007, 04:34 AM

Getting back in the grove of drafting down the straights and drifting through the corners in the ST with your friends.

Oh, and the water bottle smell test. You know what I'm talking about.

**yentna** · 05-11-2007, 09:03 AM

Climbing to the top of a hill that usually kicks your ass, and realizing you didn't stop once.

(This morning's experience....yay!)

**brettf** · 05-11-2007, 09:15 AM

the crazy prairie chicken mating dance I saw last night on the trail.

**Particle** · 05-11-2007, 09:55 AM

Sitting in the dirt in the parking lot drinking a cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale post-ride.

**Particle** · 05-12-2007, 06:53 PM

When after almost a year of living part-time in Columbus, I discover a well-hidden dirt jump haven literally four blocks from my house.

**lph** · 05-12-2007, 07:06 PM

Reaching the top, a huge meadow, with a creek meandering through it. Snow covered peaks surrounding you. And having all that for yourself and your two dogs.

Wish I had brought a friggin camera today.

**Mountainsurf** · 05-12-2007, 08:19 PM

Large owl's swooping overhead as you peel around in the woods of your favorite ride. Beetles having sex trailside. The absence of the hack that always acompanies the first few rides. The complement of tele-skiing and mountain biking. Silence, not silence. Cleaning that troublesome spot. Sanity on wheels. Bike costs about the same as a couple of months of therapy and your ass is way smaller after riding...bigger after too many months on the shrinks couch...anti-depressants or adrenaline, I'll take some adrenaline, please. Oh, and a large Americano, room for cream and sugar. Performance enhancing drugs.

www.womensmountainbikecamp.com

**uncle crud** · 05-12-2007, 08:36 PM

Here's my great new experience for this season --

I've been trying to improve my cornering traction and speed since about mid-season last year. One of the things I started working on was counter steer, which was something I knew about and thought I was doing, but found out last season that I could be more aggressive with it.

Earlier this year I was noticing that on tight switchbacks, I could make the right hand turns just fine, but the left hand turns were weird, I'd drift out wider than I intended.

So I started paying closer attention to my hand pressure and found that on left hand turns, I was mainly pressuring the right side of the handlebar, and wasn't counter-steering at all. The pressure on the right side made the front tire's right edge hunt for traction and turn, and that's why I'd drift wide right.

So now my left hand tight switchback turns are using firm counter-steer on the left side of the handlebar, and it's a whole new world of cornering.

**Rontele** · 05-13-2007, 07:37 AM

Riding this Tuesday, cause I haven't been on my bike in a week!

**Conundrum** · 05-17-2007, 06:36 PM

Snake biting 6 miles from home. That's right bitches, no spare tubes and by myself. Oh, what's that? Remembering that I taped a little patch kit in my helmet in case I forgot a tube. Oh, there's only two patches left, perfect.

I honestly forgot and walked about half a mile. Now it's time for dollar beers at the Gooose.

Soooooooooo amped right now!

**rideit** · 05-17-2007, 06:44 PM

Both tires drifting into a corner, barely hanging on with just a modicum of control...then, body language kicks in, counter-steer is accomplished, and you RAIL out of the turn...just as your usually faster buddy behind you explodes in a cloud of dust and vitriol...good times!

**filthyfrenchbum** · 05-17-2007, 07:04 PM

I've been living and Vancouver for almost 5 years, and only discovered real mountain biking 2 years ago in the Whistler bike park, but because of the costs hadn't owned a bike in almost 4 years. Bought a cheap all mtn bike that I took to the shore with a friend today, my second time ever up there, hit up pipeline, took 5 or 6 good bails, fell over the handlebar, but most of all had a friggin blast!
I know what I'm doing this summer...

Cardboard tucked in rugby socks were my shinpads for the day, and it shows on my legs

**Bozoskier** · 05-17-2007, 08:04 PM

Converted to single speed so the commute is longer, trails are all different and new again, and I am f'in slow(er). Still better than driving and sitting in traffic.

-Jake

**Arty50** · 05-17-2007, 09:25 PM

I wasn't very smooth out there today and when I hit the bottom of the trail I was bummed for a second. But only a second, because I realized how much better I've gotten. Not that long ago, a shitty ride meant coming off the trail covered in dirt with torn clothing and a bum shoulder or something. Now it just means getting a flat and running into a small sapling.

But like lph said above, there's nothing like getting to the top when the top is a high mountain meadow surrounded by snow covered peaks. And below you...some of the best singletrack in the world.

**Particle** · 05-18-2007, 06:37 PM

Three massive high-speed endos from three different riders on the same ride, and everyone comes out more or less in one piece. It's like watching one of those stupid crash reel shows but in real life, and fun b/c no one is in the hospital.

**Rontele** · 05-18-2007, 07:00 PM

Dialing in cornering skills after getting good advice from this board

**Particle** · 05-25-2007, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Particle

When after almost a year of living part-time in Columbus, I discover a well-hidden dirt jump haven literally four blocks from my house.

Something I don't like about biking: finally got the chance to ride down to the jumps this afternoon and they'd all been bulldozed. I've never seen a jump site destroyed like that before. The snapped trees, bulldozer tracks, flattened earth...oh the humanity!

That made me all paranoid about my little one-hitter so I went and checked it out...she was all safe and sound. I tested the in-run finally, the step-down is smooth and it is really really fast. I thought I'd left a lot of room after the step-down to set up for the jump but it comes up REALLY fast. I think the speed is right...it's gonna be interesting...scary...

**Particle** · 05-27-2007, 09:02 PM

Riding a sweet new trail with my wife and watching her get more comfortable with mountain biking and having so much fun she can't wait to do it again

**watersnowdirt** · 05-27-2007, 09:06 PM

The "recovery drink" thread reminded me of another one:

Post ride beers and burgers with friends, swapping (and possibly exaggerated) tales from the trails.

**Rideski** · 05-29-2007, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by watersnowdirt

Post ride beers and burgers with friends, swapping (and possibly exaggerated) tales from the trails.

RonTele totally like hit a 30 footer today. It was sic.

--

So the reasons I dig biking are pretty simple.

I want that excruciating climb up where I know I am working my body to its limit.

And then the huge adrenaline rush on the trip down.

**Conundrum** · 07-31-2008, 10:10 AM

Sticky new shoes, new shin guards that don't move, 16 mile DH shuttle with a lady who drops me at the top, no climbs, a rebuilt fork, new brakes, new playlist, and steaks and beer at home 1.5 hours later. YEAH!

**bagtagley** · 07-31-2008, 10:29 AM

What shoes and guards you rockin' now? Fork feeling good?

What cut was that steak, and how was it cooked?

**Particle** · 07-31-2008, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Conundrum

Sticky new shoes, new shin guards that don't move, 16 mile DH shuttle with a lady who drops me at the top, no climbs, a rebuilt fork, new brakes, new playlist, and steaks and beer at home 1.5 hours later. YEAH!

I wanna come play.