Why do people mountain bike? What are they after?
Flow. A sublime state of being that combines levitation with swinging. The closest thing you can get to flying. (Or skiing. Or swimming).
Adrenaline. From the physical effort and technical precision required to do a steep, rowdy climb. Or from the 100% concentration needed to solve the continuous stream of problems a natural trail throws at you.
Gnarl. That tingling sensation you get in front of a sketchy section of a trail, when you see the line, you kind of know you are able to make it, but the dire consequences of a wrong move aren’t looking very encouraging.
Banter. Having a lough at yourself or at your mountain biking friends.
The cold drink and the meal after.
And there is the view. The majestic landscape you can feast your eyes upon, at the end of that long climb, and before that long descent.
The view is an essential part of my tours, and for sure it is at least as important as all the above reasons I go for mountain biking. It’s about the beauty of the mountains, but also about how small and insignificant we all are. It is about putting everything in perspective, seeing things in their true dimensions.
Mountain biking with a view. Mountain biking for a view.
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