- Joined
- Jul 1, 2001
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My recent reintroduction to MTBing is pretty well documented here and not all that exciting. My first experience on a mountain bike was sometime around 1993, I guess. My buddy won a day of lift-serviced mountain biking at Mount Snow on the radio so he invited me. Imagine that - first time back on a bicycle as an adult and riding down the perilous slopes of Mount Snow. :-o It didn't go very well. A wet rainy day and I struggled with the toe clips. Still had fun though.
Another college buddy then convinced me to buy a mountain bike a few years later. He was pretty into it and I had fun trying to keep up with him. After graduation, I did a few solo rides since my parent's house (where I lived for a few years following college) bordered a state forest. Looking back, I wish I took advantage of that more as I would love to now have a reasonable MTB option right out the door. Anyway, I then did a few rides with a guy I worked with which was cool. I last rode that bike in any serious MTB capacity around 1998 when the guy I normally rode with got a new job.
My wife bought me a new mountain bike in 2005 and it sat idle pretty much until this spring. With the new house and two small kids, I just didn't have a lot of free time. I take a fair amount of time in the winter to ski so I didn't mind taking the off-(ski) season to hang back at the homestead a bit.
Things around the house are pretty much in order now and the kids being a bit older are much easier than the infant stage so this spring, I was determined to get back on the bike. First few rides went okay, and then I took a ride with a few fellow AZers so I got officially hooked. So much so in fact that I haven't really even entered into the typical early summer ski depression. Not one bit. In fact, I haven't really thought about skiing anywhere near as much as I have this time of year in the past. I feel that's probably a healthy thing. The only problem is now I'm fixated on when the next ride is, acquiring new gear, etc. Nevertheless, I'm psyched I have something to keep me content in the off season. Plus I should head into next ski season with some better leg strength and cardio.
What's your story?
Another college buddy then convinced me to buy a mountain bike a few years later. He was pretty into it and I had fun trying to keep up with him. After graduation, I did a few solo rides since my parent's house (where I lived for a few years following college) bordered a state forest. Looking back, I wish I took advantage of that more as I would love to now have a reasonable MTB option right out the door. Anyway, I then did a few rides with a guy I worked with which was cool. I last rode that bike in any serious MTB capacity around 1998 when the guy I normally rode with got a new job.
My wife bought me a new mountain bike in 2005 and it sat idle pretty much until this spring. With the new house and two small kids, I just didn't have a lot of free time. I take a fair amount of time in the winter to ski so I didn't mind taking the off-(ski) season to hang back at the homestead a bit.
Things around the house are pretty much in order now and the kids being a bit older are much easier than the infant stage so this spring, I was determined to get back on the bike. First few rides went okay, and then I took a ride with a few fellow AZers so I got officially hooked. So much so in fact that I haven't really even entered into the typical early summer ski depression. Not one bit. In fact, I haven't really thought about skiing anywhere near as much as I have this time of year in the past. I feel that's probably a healthy thing. The only problem is now I'm fixated on when the next ride is, acquiring new gear, etc. Nevertheless, I'm psyched I have something to keep me content in the off season. Plus I should head into next ski season with some better leg strength and cardio.
What's your story?