Fall is in the air here in Colorado. The trees have been changing colors for the past month. Snow is starting to fall at high altitude. It’s a sign that snowboarding time is near! For me, it was also a sign that I was running out of time. You see, I had a mission this summer – to try downhill mountain biking. I went on the last weekend that Winter Park was open.
It wasn’t what I expected. I was actually scared for my life at times. Never have I felt that a helmet was justified until that day. I truly wanted full body armor. However, I somehow managed to survive.
My favorite part was the banked switchbacks. The sensation of leaning over so far and feeling the compression as you go through the turn is very unique. The jumps were fun, but they still spook me. I bruised a spleen not long ago on a failed jump. It doesn’t help that the trails were loose gravel.
It looks as though I may get another cool mountain biking opportunity in before the end of the summer. I’m working on a trip to Moab. I hear the ground is very “sticky” for bike tires. This will be interesting. At the least, it might keep me occupied until snowboarding season arrives.