Rocks, Roots, and Cliff Drops..Oh My!

It is no secret that I have been on a Mojo Quest in terms of Mt. Biking for over a year now. I don't know what it is about my personality, but I'm one of those who walks on the safe side of the street. Nerves of steel will NEVER be my nickname. Sure, I'd like to think that somewhere deep inside this 5'4" frame is a crazy dare devil who would surely emerge to reign victorious.

So this past week we loaded up the car with two shiny new bike racks and all the various paraphernalia necessary for a week in Sun Valley. Billed as the Mt. Biking "Nirvana" if you will, I was excited to try out my legs and reclaim some sort of pride on my two wheel steed.

The first clue that this wasn't going to be as easy as I'd hoped came on the first day on our bikes. Sure, I knew that Sun Valley was a base elevation of around 6000 feet, but what the heck. No big deal. However the first ride out of the condo parking lot let me know that this was not the case. No amount of inhaler puffs would make up for the thin air here. As we peddled around town, each increase in gear angered the elephant sitting on my chest. Seriously, I think I was passed by more elderly people on cruisers on this trip than any other. Keeping my pride in check, my resolve was still intact as I planned out a ride I would try the next morning.

The first off road ride was a former gun club, turned into a golf course/mt. bike trail. It meandered up some rolling hills with a lovely single track. While the air was still thinner than I'd like, the course was nearly perfect. There was one point where I came around a corner to see over the edge to the road out of town below me. My strategy was to just look forward, not down. It worked and we finished a great ride.



Still basking in the glory of early success, I agreed to try another more difficult trail. We consulted our recently purchased trail guide book. Ah, yes, here we go.This one was called "Fox Creek." We had initially scoped it out on foot the day before. It went right over the Big Wood River and looked lovely. I should have listened to that little voice in my head when I saw the rating of "moderate". However, the technical rating was just over 1. Well, ok then. I'm not moderate, I'm easy. (well, you know what I mean) but I figured that was just my cop out, chicken self and I decided I'd be fine. Besides, if it doesn't challenge me, how can I ever improve.

Challenge me this trail did. It was way too technically difficult for me and I pretty much was on the verge of tears the entire time. There were roots, loose rock and a single track that climbed at a very steep angle while skirting the edge of a cliff dropping into a river. Now I can handle roots, rocks and single track independently just fine. But the trifecta was enough to nearly send me into the fetal position right in the middle of the trail. Sure there were moments of greatness, followed by sheer panic. Any mojo I found on the previous ride and then some was left in the dirt on this one. After I finish typing out this story, this trail ride shall become the trail ride that is not mentioned. It got ugly, and I'm not talking about the scenery. See, when I get this far out of my comfort zone, I become someone I'm not proud of at all and let's just say someone who by the middle of the ride, Sean was no longer speaking to. Not good when you are 600 miles away from home on a romantic vacation for two. It took several hours, one jack & coke and a martini before we were laughing together again.

The next day I raised the white flag and said "enough." I sent Sean out to ride the gondola not to 7000 feet like our previous ride, but rather all the way to the top of Mt. Baldy at 9000+ feet where he rode all over hell and gone with no bitching, terrified wife anywhere to be found. Instead I stayed in the condo reading a lovely book. It was fantastic!

However, by Friday I was feeling guilty again. After all, this was my opportunity to regain my biking confidence and yet it was now worse than ever. I couldn't let it end like that. So I picked up the much misleading trail guide book and found two that were marked "easy". I convinced Sean that it was worth his time to take this psycho wife of his back out again. Sure enough, there were some less than "easy" climbs and more rocks, roots and cliff edges. But this time there were no tears. There was no terror and dare I say it, there were some smiles.



By the end of the week I had over 30 biking miles under my belt. Most of them were happy. It is my intention to keep it that way. My bike may currently be covered with bugs and dust from the ride home on the top of the car, but it is my solemn intent that she won't be covered again with spider webs from my own garage. No, it took much too long to get this mojo back and I'll be damned if I'm going to let it slip away again. Although, I have a sneaking suspicion that it was here all the time. Just under the surface. Waiting for me to realize like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I had the power the whole time. I just needed to go away for a little while to realize what was right here all the time.