Me and my mountain bike

This article first appeared in the Fall 1996 edition of the Bicycle Habitat newsletter.

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A mountain bike: Now a necessity!
by Charlie McCorkel

I think I've finally become a bi-bicyclist,. A road bike has always been my "wheels" of choice for commuting or recreation. The bent-over position just seems natural; the quickness and responsiveness was always a thrill. Lately, the mountain bike has been calling me and the lure of dirt has become an itch that needs scratching.

Mountain biking started with a few rides in Prospect Park, prompted by my dog's need for exercise. I began looking for rocks to hit and curbs to jump. There was definitely some illicit excitement here. My relationship to mountain biking is evolving and just coming into focus.

In July I took two rides that I believe should have cured me of offroad riding.

First, I was with Heather and Matt in Prospect Park. After the usual shenanigans, we were on the Bridle Path in deep "mud." I fell over, not unusual for mountain biking, and was half covered in mud. The worst part was that the "mud" was from water, dirt, and horseshit--I stunk (and, no, I'm not referring to my bike handling abilities).

The second ride was at Mount Snow, Vermont. I took the chair lift to the top with my bide behind me and opted for the longest single track route to the bottom. Six falls later, that left me with scrapes, cuts and the vision of birds circling my head, I was half-way down. I wondered when the fun would begin. Two and a half hours after climbing into the chairlift, I was down. My adrenaline was over the top and I couldn't wait for more.

After 350 miles on the road and a few trips on the dirt, July has been a very good cycling month.

Hopefully, mountain or road, I'll see you out there soon.