Here's something I wrote a couple months ago, but just got around to posting it:
Mountain biking is an amazing sport. It’s freedom, good times, and great exercise. It’s being out in nature no matter the weather. The only downfall of biking is the risk of injury. It’s not a deterrent to the sport, or something you think much about, but it’s there. Personally, I have just suffered a concussion. It sucks. No biking for a month and no dirt for 2-3 months. I know; I should be happy that I’m blessed enough to have not been injured more… but it really sucks! I have to ride only road for 2 months! No offense to you roadies, but it gets boring after a while. Road riding is fun in the winter when the trails are slop, but when the trails are in prime shape and all your friends are riding, it’s a bummer. An injury is the thorn in the flesh of a mountain biker. Say you’re on a bike trip that you have been planning for a year. On the second day of the trip, you hit a rock, go OTB and break your wrist. There goes you trip and riding for a couple months! You’re then stuck not riding for the rest of the trip, sitting in your hotel, while your buddies are shredding some primo trails. One thing, though, can come out of an injury: desire. Napoleon Hill once said, “Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” That is very true with an injury. Once you get back on the bike, you’re overjoyed. I was stoked to take a spin around the block on my dad’s CX bike. Something usually unthinkable, boring, and even shameful, became absolutely amazing! It makes you think more about the ride itself, rather than the tech, the bike, or the equipment. Injuries suck, and don’t get me wrong. But, there is something about an injury. There’s something about the newfound passion you have once you get back on the bike. It’s like the first time you discovered Mountain biking all-over again. Every second on your bike is a second not wasted. It makes you truly love the ride.
Happy Trails, Jevin
