Four things I have learned while Mountain Biking

I started mountain biking as a part of my job.  Last summer, my sergeant called me one day to tell me that I they needed more people in the police biking class in order to hold the class.  I was not reluctantly to agree to be one of the students.  The class was perfect.  I stretched my body so much that at the end I had basketball sized bruise on my stomach.  My love of mountain biking was cemented in my psyche.  As the riding season draws to a close, I am reflecting on what I have learned.  I love to push my body as part of both physical and spiritual wellness.  I wanted to share some of the little things that I think I have overlooked previously.

1.  Enjoy the ride don't focus on what others have.  As a man I am not immune to gear lust.  I was blessed with my bike, and I worked hard to earn it.  So it stands to reason that as soon as I get it on the trail and see someone coming down with a more expensive bike I become dissatisfied with my own bike.  I have had this same problem with other pass times.  I have made a commitment to myself that I will not buy bike magazines to save myself gear lust and gear envy.

2.  Riding alone gives me a chance to find out who I really am.   I ride alone because most of the time I cannot find a riding partner.  I enjoy riding alone as a way to recharge my batteries.  As I stated earlier I love to push myself, but recently I have also discovered I can give up pretty easy.  Why?  There's no one to push me further.  I also think it's because my body is still getting used to this new activity.

3.  Riding with friends is extremely enjoyable.  I like to ride with others because they push me to keep going.  I also enjoy going out afterward to wind down with a meal.  I don't think there's anything more enjoyable then a mountain bike adventure with friends.

4.  Passing my love of biking on to a new generation strengthens my relationship with my kids.  My enthusiasm for biking helped me teach two of my children how to ride a bike without training wheels in little over 24 hours.  Since that time my children have enjoyed riding with me and with their friends.  They could not have those experiences without my help teaching them to ride.