What Can I Expect from a Mountain Bike Trail?
If you are looking to go mountain biking and are a bit of a novice, here is one perspective on what you can expect from a mountain trail and how to be prepared for your adventure.
Beauty
The unfiltered, except perhaps by a tint in your glasses, beauty of nature is the first thing you can experience on a mountain bike trail. Most mountain bikers agree that they have seen and heard more creatures while biking than any other time in their lives. Why? Camping is relatively sedentary, not much to see beyond the campsite. And hiking is a close second, however, humans traversing mountain ranges tend to move fairly slowly, so limited ground can be covered. The sound of a vehicle is like an alarm going off to most animals, so any form of off road driving limits a person's ability to truly experience nature, not to mention the sound of an motor drowning out subtle noises of nature. Clearly, a mountain bike trail offers the ideal way to experience all that nature has to offer.
Exercise
When you hop onto a mountain bike and ride off into the desert, hills, or mountains you will face varying degrees of physical exertion. Like most other sports or activities, plan to develop your physical strength and momentum over time. If you're already in good shape you're well on your way, but keep in mind that the terrain you are going to be riding on will most likely be pretty rugged, at least at times, and that can take its toll on the body in a unique way. However, mountain biking hasn't steadily gained popularity in recent decades for no reason. There are some magnificent advancements in mountain bikes that provide better handling on the paths and a lot more comfort for the rider. Terrific shock absorbers, better tires, and more comfortable seats are among the highlights of these advancements. While costs of mountain bikes and equipment vary greatly, keep in mind your passion for the beauty of the outdoors as you make decisions about the quality of the equipment you invest in. There is no debate that you will see gorgeous scenery and get a fantastic workout.
Safety
The saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry, and that is certainly true for mountain biking. Consider finding a group, or an individual, with experience riding in a location that is new to you. There is safety in numbers, so unless someone else knows exactly where you're going and when you should be back, it is advisable to take a trail with another person. Don't worry about having the exact same pace, you can agree to meet up when it makes sense for both riders. Water, proper clothing, and safety gear like a helmet, knee and elbow pads should be absolute minimum requirements before hitting any trail. Take time to research and understand how the gear should properly fit; be above just putting some gear on and hoping it is right. The same could be said for clothing, while you are riding and physically active your body will probably have no problem staying warm. It is during breaks, or if you are planning an overnight stay on your trip, that cool deserts to bitter cold mountain temperatures, even during the summer, can become an issue. A magnificent enhancement to any mountain biker's repertoire would be completing first aid training, or an outdoor survival course. Yes, an outdoor survival course is probably over-kill but knowledge is never wasted, and as an outdoor enthusiast you would probably enjoy it anyhow.
Be properly prepared for the physical sides of mountain biking to ensure you can completely enjoy the full beauty one can expect of every mountain bike trail.
