And so begins our mountain biking journey…

If you asked me a year ago if I thought I’d be mountain biking, I would have said, “Probably not.” But hey, I had just quit my job to move into a van, so maybe I really would have said, “Anything’s possible.” And so it is. I have a bike. Colin has a bike too but this isn’t about him. So, back to me.

Live look at me on a bike.

Growing up, my sister, Christina, and I didn’t regularly ride bikes. We had training wheels until, at an unmentionable age, a preschooler basically shamed us into taking them off. Thank goodness he did or who knows where we’d be today. We didn’t see bikes as a means of freedom or adventure, they were just there. As a result, we didn’t ride them regularly and we sure as hell weren’t riding them on anything more than a flat street.

twin bikes
So much style. Not sure how it can all be contained in one picture.

Fast forward to 2018. Colin’s been talking about getting a mountain bike for awhile and I’m all for it. If Colin goes mountain biking, he can expel his extra energy while I lounge in the van, relaxed and immobile. More rest days for me. YES.

Well, a funny thing happens when you’re surrounded by all things mountain biking. The enthusiasm is infectious. Eventually, my mind opened up to the idea of buying a bike and before I knew it, I was asking bike experts what I should look for in a bike. I learned all about hardtails, fat tires, tubeless tires, and dropper posts. Then I learned of the 2019 Roscoe Trek 7 and I was thrilled. Boxes: checked. Bike: bought!

mountain biking
First ride and you’re not gonna NOT match your new bike.

After Colin got his mountain bike, we completely rearranged the garage so our bikes could fit. We didn’t want a bike rack on the outside of the van for security purposes. A few long days, a trip to the Container Store, and we were good to go.

promaster van build mountain biking
We both worked really hard.

So, we started riding! Did I take to it like a champ? Sure didn’t. Am I a champ now? Still no. However, I did name my bike Bruce so badass name = badass… rider? THAT’D BE GREAT.  

Colin, on the other hand, grew up riding bikes, loving them, and BMX’ing. He’s a natural at mountain biking. This makes him an excellent teacher FOR ME. I’m not sure he’s getting the best end of the deal, but I’m just happy I have a private tutor. I’m currently working on building up my skills and slowly but surely, someday I’ll be tearing up all dem mountains. 🙂

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