Mountain biking zeal. Pass it on.

[scorpionwoman]

If for any reason you feel a little ho-hum about riding your mountain bike, try hooking up with a beginner. It's all so wonderful and new to them, and their learning curve means that almost every ride they will accomplish at least one thing they've never done before.

I've posted a couple of pics of Carla in the past. Here's a few shots from a hill-repeat training ride at Walnut Creek in Austin, Tx. (Oh, and check out her new steed. She's loving it.)

1) Making that ledgy climb that always poses a big challenge.
2) Taking a less-steep and less-technical climb with some speed.
3) Hunkering down for that last push over the crest.
4) The divided highway that leads to the exit. All done!

[These were taken with Carla's little pocket digital. Sorry if the quality isn't great.]

[CdaleRush5z]

Thanks for all the nice pics and topics you bring so often.

I was brought into the sport a couple of years ago by some incredibly generous and knowledgable people. They have been invaluable to me and my enjoying mountain biking to the degree that I do.

[Idriver]

I just started riding with a beginer and it is kind of neat to stand back and watch them. I remember it started with the phone calls and emails about this and that bike. Then there was the first trail ride and the excitement after clearing a section that he couldnt clear before.

The important thing to realize is that when you come up on someone on the trail that is a beginner just remember you used to be one to!

congrats on the new ride

[antonio]

Great pics! Carla has pretty nice gear for a beginner. Carla, if you're reading this, that's an awesome Kona!

Ant

[chumbox]

Great story... its great to be able to help someone else enjoy what we already know is an awesome sport. Need more of that...

[poff]

Spin classes sometimes help more with climbing than actual climbs.

[scorpionwoman]

Thanks, all. Fun stuff, isn't it?

[Poff, Carla loves playing outside. She does trainer workouts occasionally, but an essential part of her character is to be in the great outdoors. (She's also a kayak instructor.)]

She's loving the new ride, but I must admit that my (and others') ardor for big wheels has her contemplating a 29er.

In any case, she's having a blast and improving by leaps and bounds. Go, Carla!

[xenon]

Congratulations! You have succeeded where I failed miserably. I tried hard to tempt my wife into mountain biking. Eventually, she squeezed from me a yearly pass to our local health club instead. Even worse, she goes to spinning classes there, which is nothing short of being unfaithful!