Sep 14 2008
Birthday Tribute to Downhill Mountain Biking: Feel the Rush
My birthday was yesterday, and I thought it only appropriate to post on my favorite sport: mountain biking. For those who have enjoyed the rush of a downhill course or felt the tires slip on a loose mountain trail, you know that adrenaline is the drive behind the thrill. Not only is it an amazing addiction, it’s pretty healthy for you, too. That is, if you don’t crash.
I’ve been a mountain biker for the past ten years, starting with a Walmart mountain bike, before finally pushing past Schwinn to Trek, where I now dream of a Specialized downhill bike. Yes, mountain biking is a thrill that only adrenaline seekers appear to appreciate. Downhill mountain biking is our version of flying, I like to say. Trails that normally turn a person’s blood cold are our most welcome friends. If you like sauntering down a trail, you can have that. There are many different ways to bike, but downhill is by far the most extreme. Downhill matches speed with skill, in twisting trails that often make your ride down a fight for your well being. Whether that’s launching off a 7 foot drop only to find another 15 feet below you, or pulling the berms at over 20 mph, the need for survival and conquering keep you going.
When I got serious about downhill about a year and a half ago, it took me to a whole new world of skill and technique. Riding small trails was no longer fun. I wanted vertical, and I wanted it extreme. My most extreme vertical riding experience was at Crystal Mountain, WA, where I dropped 3000 feet in just under 30 minutes–breaks included. The drops were so steep at times, front and rear lockup was necessary to decelerate in order to make the turns on cliffs that plummeted 30 feet below you. The most insane terrain I’ve conquered is Tiger Mountain, an advanced smorgasbord of trails, with drops ranging from 6″ to well over 6′ depending on the route and skill. Yes, the need for speed, the need for survival. It’s all in downhill mountain biking. Go ahead…feel the rush.
