 |
| Darren's Bike |
Up until this fall, I had an old Scott mountain bike just slighter newer than this...
 |
| This might be a few years older than my 1993, but it felt like I was riding this bike. |
It was more suited to jaunts around town than climbing up and down trails so I donated it to Cousin Max who desperately needed a set of wheels for college, and since then, I have been whining about "needing" a mountain bike for months. It was just hard to pull the trigger and spend the money.
Luckily or unluckily for me I did not read the fine print in my employee handbook and was astonished to get an extra paycheck in December and note a decrease in vacation time. I had been saving those vacay hours for a honeymoon and any other little trips this year but since I got paid out I decided to be irresponsible and BUY something cool instead of saving, or applying it to student loan debt. Those were VACATION days! What better way to spend hard-earned work time than having some hard play time?! So, with my new Specialized 29" hard tail, I am back in the mountain biking business.
 |
| Here it is after the inaugural ride, before the bath |
Did I pick the bright blue color? No. It was the only color offered for that particular model. However, the bike is so much fun, I am over it. The first (and only so far) ride was a thrill, but quite different than my old bike. I nearly threw myself over the handle bars the first time I had to stop suddenly. I've never had disk brakes before and they are quite effective at their job. It was easy to get used to and I enjoyed being able to go down steep pitches at my comfortable snail's pace without a hand cramp. The other feature I've not had for 10 years or so is SHOCKS (that work)... what a unique experience to absorb a little energy while diving over rocks! I also enjoyed the more efficient climb UPHILL! Especially now in my sad state of unhealthiness.
Darren got me interested in a "29er" (as opposed the the more typical 26" wheels) with how much he loved riding his new bike. The 29" wheels make me feel like I sit higher than before. In fact, I cannot touch the ground with even a toe while on the seat... so there is the fear factor while going down steep pitches that I have to work on. Sitting higher = farther to fall. I worked on this fear the other day by hopping off my bike and walking halfway down one particularly steep section. It didn't help that the conditions were such that Darren described much of the down hill as a "controlled slide". I have yet to master the "control" part of the slide, so much of the "ride" tested my ability to control my fears of being out of control! Probably a good life lesson somewhere in there.
Next I hope to be sharing my experiences on a pair of new or used skis! The only downside to living in a mecca for outdoor activity is you "have" to acquire the equipment to enjoy it.
