Biken in PHX

Oak Creek Canyon, July 4th 2007

Biken biken biken. I enjoy doing it, reading about it, thinking about it. It's a new obsession, but luckily I have some friends who also seem to be reaching this conclusion so we get to go together to practice. And practice it is. Because we are anything but good. Beginner mountain biking in the Phoenix vicinity is great since there are so many trails on so many mountains all in the metro area. One minute you are at Target the next you are at the start of a 25 mile mountain trail. Trails are all singletrack with a lot of obstacles in the form of rocks, cactus, loose gravel, loose dirt, very steep hills created by water run off, etc. And this is just in the form of the 'beginner/intermediate' trails since this is all I have seen. I am sure there are crazy things I can't even imagine on the 'hard/expert/rideatyourownrisk' trails. Maybe even mountain lions or cactus that actually move to reach out and grab you. Who knows? Someday I may.

But in the meantime I am just happy to ride. Last night I rode about 11ish miles through the Phoenix Mts this time blindly following a PM expert who rides there 3 nights a week. I wiped out 1.5 times, once due to stopping at the top of a hill and thinking about it too much and the other due to a 90 degree turn directly into a rock. I only got 3.5 bruises due to this so truly not that bad although I will say that it is good I am not a guy if you know what I mean.

Tonight's workout is going to be very intense and mentally difficult for me. It involves getting my wedding dress altered at the bridal shop. Yes you read that correctly. I am getting married and not in a rugby uniform (as my family jokes). Bridal shops frankly scare me as the women in there are all in at least one of my nightmares. Hopefully this means that my current size will remain the same until the Sept wedding. Hmm I guess this means I will need to continue working out at a high level. Yippee. More biking!