12 Years Old

The other night I was riding on the trails near my house. I ride there often and it feels like I know every root, rock, turn and climb. They aren't technical trails, but they are close by, enabling me to ride off road as easily as I can ride on the road.

In the winter I'm usually on my 'cross bike. When I want to get a good work out, I lean towards riding my road bike. When I want to have fun, though--to play if you will--I ride my moutain bike.

So, getting back to the other night...

We rode up a gravel road to a ridge and then came down Water Bar trail. We then hit the trail pictured at the right.

I was having an inordinate amount of fun. I found myself launching off of any and every bump in the trail (launching = 1 to 3 inches of air), swooping in the corners, and very nearly laughing out loud and the joy of being on my mountain bike. Does this happen to anyone else? I seriously felt like I was 12 years old without a care in the world. I was on my bike and that was all that mattered at that point. I was jumping and grinning ear from ear.

That's why mountain biking is better than road biking. I never, ever feel 12 on my road bike. Dont' get me wrong, I have fun on my road bike, and I enjoy riding it, but it never feels like playing. Nearly every time I'm on my mountain bike, though, at some point in the ride, I get to jump. I get to wheelie. I get to do the things I did on my bmx bike as a kid.

Tonight there is another night ride scheduled. I'll be riding on some singletrack that is new to me. And it's local. I'm going to have fun... I'm going to play and I'm going to be 12 years old again.