bruises + sore bum = mountain biking

Today for outdoor pursuits Sally told us we would be going mountain biking. We were all really surprised and didn't expect to mountain bike this week, but were all really excited about the adventure. I know I was terrified just thinking about going down paths at insanely fast speeds and not to mention bumps and turns that could throw you off your bike. But I kept an open mind, I really have always wanted to try mountain biking, so here was my chance. We got to the Conway Centre, collected our supplies and got to know our bikes a little better by riding them around the area. The United Kingdom bikes are slightly different than the bikes in America with the brakes being switched around. The right hand brake controlled the front wheel brake, while the left hand brake controlled the back wheel brake. It didn't take long to get the hang of this change, we just had to remember to always use both brakes at the same time to avoid flying off our bikes. Before packing up and leaving we practiced using our gears, the right and left gear. We kept the left gear in 2 most of the day and consistently changed the right gear from 1-8 depending on if we were going up or down a hill. We switched to the lower gears to go up a hill, making the pedals spin more, and switched to the higher gears to go down a hill, making the wheels cover more ground with less pedaling. When we were all ready we hopped into the bus, accompanied by Steve, Sally's husband, who would be helping to guide the group also, with our trailer of bikes attached to the bike and headed to Gwydyr Forest in Conwy Valley to bike on the Marin track.

When we first got there we all practiced biking by riding in single file lines following Sally along the main roads. We stopped and practiced good techniques for going down a path. We learned it is best to stand up on your feet on the pedals, with the pedals parallel positioned in the middle, leaning back and arms straight to optimize control. We each practiced this before riding down our first bike path. Upon reaching the bottom we practiced our balance on our bike, when the bike was stationary. It was difficult, but we just had to remember to focus on the front wheel and move with the bike. This skill helped us when we had to maneuver around tight sections and as the day went on it got easier to control our bike. The final skill Sally taught us was to always look ahead of ourselves, about five bike lengths, at the obstacles that will be coming up so that we may have some time to plan our action. I tended to look down at the path directly in front of me, and it was difficult at first. Once we had all put the techniques together mountain biking became much easier to control and gave us many more advantages to maneuver on the paths. I have never had the feeling of being scared but thrilled at the same time, and when I went down the paths I forgot about all the dangers that could happen and focused on what I was doing. I've never been one to ride down hills fast, even on sidewalk, so for me to go fast down mountain trails was a big step for my confidence level.

We stopped again to practice another skill, this time jumping our bikes over a stick. We started small, just lifting our front wheel over the stick, then practiced just lifting our back wheel over the stick until we were ready to practice jumping completely over the stick with both wheels in the air. I had the most difficulty on the back wheel and putting both the skills together. This technique is helpful if we wanted to wheelie over a large rock or avoid a possible dangerous obstacle. We had a small competition with each other, pedaling down a hill for momentum and seeing how far we could get up a hill without pedaling. It tested our ability to bike fast down a hill and minimize our wind resistance. We rode onwards to a lake to stop and eat lunch. We were able to eat our lunch right next to the lake, it was so peaceful and quite.

After lunch we got our gear together again and got ready to ride uphill. After sitting on the bike for the first time after lunch, I could feel soreness on my bottom and in my legs already. We switched our left gear to 1 as we rode up the gradual steep hill and switched to the lowest gear on the right side. It took a lot of energy and mental motivation to make it up the hill without stopping, but I felt really accomplished when I finally made it to the top. Steve led us to a spot with an amazing view of the mountains and the trails we had rode below. Then we headed down a bike path, single file, running into many more obstacles than the previous paths. At some point during the ride there was a large drop in the path, but I kept riding, using the techniques I had learned and finally made it to the bottom in one piece. I couldn't help but smile knowing I had just accomplished riding down a huge mountain side without wiping out, and actually not being scared for once. A couple of the girls had trouble with this path, having some major wipe outs, but everyone was fine, just a few bruises and scratches. Sally took a select few that were willing with her to some more advanced paths. As we each rode down the path, I found myself getting into a zone, where I was only focused on my techniques and movement, rather than the fear of riding fast down a mountain. At the very bottom of the trail my back wheel fishtailed causing me to slide a bit, but I got my bike repositioned and rode on. One of our last trails was by far the trickiest and most dangerous for us that day. There were many sharp corners and large drops, causing a number of us to wipe out. Half way down the path there were larger bumps that were a lot of fun to go over and made you feel like you were flying. The last trail of the day was much faster and only a few of us were daring enough to try it. We were in and out of the forest in no time it felt, and more confident in our ability to handle any kind of trail thrown at us.

We all rode back up the main road to a small car park, where we had a little extra time to practice our front and back wheelies. I finally accomplished the full bike lift, just barely lifting off the ground, but never the less, proud I didn't give up trying. We loaded our bikes onto the trailer and headed back to the Conway Centre after a strenuous day of mountain biking. I could feel my body tightening up and it was difficult to sit down without being slightly uncomfortable. Even though I left the mountain with multiple bruises on my knees and shins, I also left with a huge confidence boost. Mountain biking was the activity I was most scared for, but I was also most looking forward to it because I knew it was a chance to get over my fear of riding fast down hills. Today was a successful day and I can honestly say that I can't wait to go mountain biking again soon!