As a self proclaimed gear junkie, terminal UGI diagnosed rider, I find great pleasure in obsessing over bikes and parts as I create a build or hit the trail. It is part of the sport and I enjoy the hell out of it. The community that surrounds mountain biking and the rides we take during the weeks can be just as addictive. We end up surrounding ourselves with those that understand our obsession with pedal powered forward motion on some of the world’s greatest landscapes or our backyard trail system. We remember great rides of old through countless, unforgettable trail experiences and look with excitement towards our next battle with the trail. It is part of the culture and once you are hooked…you are hooked for life.
Riding For The Release: The Epic Escape
However, for some…there are those rides that are about more than just your riding buddies, the next part you are going to buy or the bike you are on. Mountain biking during those hard times in our lives can be the release that keeps our head on straight. By hitting the trail and releasing stresses, we can return home and to our regular lives refreshed. It doesn’t matter how good the ride was or who was there…sometimes it is better if we are even alone. The quiet peace that comes with the controlled chaos as we rip into every berm and attack the climb gets the demons in our heads out and lets clean thoughts in. The clean air…the epic battle between man, machine and nature…it all adds up to a sensation that calms the nerves. It is about getting in that release.
This release through mountain biking even reaches past the dirt to riders who are off the bike for awhile. Have you ever had a friend that wrecked and after 2 weeks off the bike he wants to buy every new part or frame? Is he routing out new trails to ride when he is able to get back on the horse? The promise of meeting rubber tread against dirt in the near future will get even the most stubborn, injured mountain biker through a troubled time off the bike.
Mountain biking is more than just friends, parts and bikes. Mountain biking is ingrained into our lives as a method of social interaction as much as it is therapy for our souls. Lately…in my life…riding a bike has become more than just riding…it has become my mechanism to cope and accept things in life that we have zero control over. It keeps my sanity and prepares me for the road ahead. Mountain biking allows me to deal with the harder aspects of life without making things worse through over reactions and rash decisions.
Riding…for me…is my way of collecting thoughts and preparing for the future. It is my release and my way of coping with life’s unexpected. It is more than just a sport that I participate on weekends…it is a way of life and my epic escape.
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