# Hey Ladies....Why did you start riding??



## xltbaby (Sep 20, 2005)

*Why did you start riding??*

Why did you start riding? Can you remember that first time you realized this was the thing for you?

I've read a few posts with questions like: How can I get my BF/GF/SO to ride....well, how did we all get started?

For me, I'm one of those people who HATES to go to the gym or endure another routine workout class. And I definitely don't like how I feel around all those hard bodies. Too many disctractions to really enjoy myself. So, mountain biking for me has been great because it's like playtime!!! I'm out there in shorts and a t-shirt (or on a hot day, baggies and a loose jersey) and just laughing and playing. I can take my kids or friends and have fun no matter the pace or the location.

But, I didn't really get into riding that much until this year. 2 things got me going:

1. I ended up being unemployed for a few months. (not sure I would've ventured into riding this much if I didn't have this time to work at it and understand the "True Joy" of riding.)

2. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure this summer. My dr said to lose weight and exercise (of course) if I were ever to get off medication. I took him seriously.

I wasn't really sure how to go about losing weight. Diets, exercise....I've never lost weight before...only gained it. So, this was something I had to figure out. Wasn't really sure where to start. I've seen all the ads and infomercials, read all the articles and listened to all the hype. But, I love to cook and to eat. So, dieting was a difficult pill to swallow. And finding time to exercise....well, it was always too easy to find other things to do.

Going back in time a bit...almost 2 years ago, my BF picked up a new bike for me (he's an avid rider - road and mtn) but, I always had excuses not to ride....too much to do with the kids, work, etc...blah blah blah. Since I was newly unemployed and looking for ways to get more exercise (especially with this hi BP scare), he encouraged me by taking me riding as much as possible and helping me build my endurance. He never told me that's what he was up to...he'd just dragged me along at every opportunity and it happened over time.

I've always been a pretty good downhill rider with decent handling skills, but with a walk to the top. So this was a challenge for me. The first few rides were rough. I struggled and fought the whole way....for a mere 2-4 miles I was HURTIN.' Even had a few spells of passing out for overdoing it. With the new medication and things changing, I had to relearn my limits. But, hey, at least I didn't give up! I would chant to myself that this was my life and if I wanted "it" I had to work for "it!"

The chanting got quieter over a few weeks.....
My endurance climbed quickly.....
My body knew what to do. It just needed a chance to try.

I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I feel so much better and am changing my lifestyle FOREVER! Naturally, I don't eat as much. My appetite and cravings are so different now. I still slow a group down a bit riding with others, but my goal is always to have fun and get exercise.

The best part of my whole story is how I discovered the "TRUE JOY" of riding that all runners/athletes/avid mtn bikers know.....

what it feels like to *"Clear the Mechanism!"* (quote from Kevin Costner in "For the Love of the Game").

You know what I'm talking about....that amazing moment (for me about 25 minutes into my ride) when you're body equalizes, your mind clears, your breathing steadies....everything FLOWS......like smooth butter.....or something like it! :yesnod:

For me, it took a few months of committing to getting on my bike and riding at every opportunity. Now, with a new job on the horizon, I'm already planning ride time, joining riding groups, looking to see how I can schedule work and other obligations around what's most important...ME! 

And for the record, my BF loves to climb......I still don't like to climb (bleck), but now, I really enjoy the accomplishment of each hill I make up without getting off my bike or putting my foot down to rest. And I can clean 12 miles and still want more!!!

Thanks hunny!!! I love you!

RIDE ON LADIES!!!!


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## dHarriet (Sep 26, 2005)

my two great loves as a kid were playing in dirt, and riding my bike.

dirt: we used to play mud soccer...after it rained, we'd go out into a muddy field (the area i grew up in was very undeveloped at the time...think edge of suburbia) and play soccer...we would get so dirty that you couldn't even tell what color our clothes were. i would get hosed down in the back yard befor i was allowed to come into the house. aaahhh...those were the days...

bikes: the first bike i got, a b-day present, stayed in my room with me for a week before my mom insisted that the bedroom is just not appropriate storage for the bike, and i would have to spend nights away from it... it was green, and had training wheels. about 3 months later i got sick of training wheels and decided to get them taken off. i went home and insisted that my training wheels are removed. unfortunately my dad went away for work the next day and was gone for the rest of the week, and my mom had to watch my sister, so there was no one to take me out to teach me how to ride my sans-training wheel bike. so i went out, found a downhill (dirt road, but smooth, not rocky) and rolled down that thing until i learned how to ride my bike. needless to say, i fell...a lot...in the process... i got home all dirty and bloody. mom: 'honey, what the heck happened to you?', me: 'i know how to ride a bike'. from then on, i lived on my bike as a kid.

i didn't start mountain biking until college...a friend of mine was really into it, and always had great stories to tell...and it just seemed like the sport for me. so i dropped some cash on a bike, and have been loving it ever since!

when i ride, it's playtime again...


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## Pugdawg1 (Aug 28, 2005)

I went to a LBS because I was shopping for an RC plane for my dad for some holiday or birthday, and was under the wrong impression that they were a hobby type store as well as a bike shop. I happened to have my mom with me, she saw one of those electrice three wheeled bikes, loved it and bought it. It was something she could ride even with a terrible back, bad knees and her athritis. She wanted company to ride with, so I put a mtn bike in layaway, came back 20 minutes later and bought it. And so for a time I did really slow, short rides around town with her.


Then a switch flipped and in January I kicked it up a notch or two or ten, because I decided I wanted to drop weight, and have a healthier lifestyle. And so I rode, and rode, and rode.. lots of short rides. A mile would make me winded and my butt her, but I kept at it. And I dropped weight, and the more weight I dropped, the more eager I was to ride. And I continue to ride, both because I love it, and it keeps me in decent shape. I do both mtn and road. Love the singletrack, and also love doing a 50, 60, 80 or more mile road ride as well. 

Between January and July I dropped 56 pounds, am at an ideal weight, and I am currently maintaining without a problem. So that in itself keeps me riding, though it's become such a love of mine that I can't imagine not doing it.


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## Ms Mustard (Jul 28, 2006)

*the hubby (thanks hun)*

The husband and I moved to Philly from Australia (him over 3 years ago, I joined him 4 months later). He befriended another Aussie at work who had already been Mtbing for years so started riding in Wissahickon Valley (10 miles out of Center city - great warm up when you don't have a car, but I digress...). Next thing I know I get these emails with pics of them riding around in what he aptly described as Blair Witch country 

For the first 2.5 years being here, I watched him pack his gear every Sat and/or Sun mornings for his epic rides. I was never disgruntled at him, but a little jealous, saying things like "it's so nice for you that you have something you love to do and is exercise as well" while thinking I'm so bored and lonely!!! I mean, spinning classes just aint the same.

The hubby built his own SS, and finished it by his 30th birthday in May. The Aussie friend forwarded me REIs Mtb class schedule for women that a colleague of his was also interested in. So we hit it together; thank goodness for spinning class. 
My huge grin and endless chatter about the day meant one thing: 
I got a bike for my 30th last month!

I haven't been riding long, I'm still slow, but I can already feel I'm getting better. I love it! Just in the last 3 weekends I can feel the improvement (thanks also to JARs beginners skills clinic), and am looking forward to getting out and doing more (even with my bruises post spectacular falls, circus flips and olympic gymnast inspired dismounts)

A big thank-you though to the husband, who despite my wild hormonal driven mood swings on Sunday , kept riding with me (and all the patient guys we rode with)

And thanks to all the women here for sharing all of your inspirational stories, pictures, and dreams (I hope that's not too soppy)


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## jewel (Aug 23, 2006)

Pretty much a friend of his mentioned it offhand so we ended up getting bikes. I did bike around as a kid but nothing like this so of course already he's way above my level. We have some friends that turned out to own bikes as well so its something besides the usual "going out" - we'll do a trail and then hit a local winery or something

My progress (haha - or lack thereof  ) what's keeping me going - I'm active and don't like "failure" so I'm determined to get past the beginner's level. It's fun but I could use a little more confidence / speed on the bike. And it is a good alternative to gym classes and at least unlike tennis / other outdoor sports - can be done in winter months. I'll have to see if the gym classes become a lot easier after a few months of biking / climbing.


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## TheotherH (Jan 21, 2004)

*My hubby got me riding.*

I used to ride a bike everywhere as a kid/teen and spent lots of time outdoors fishing and hunting with my dad (he wanted a son but got me and two other daughters instead). Stopped riding when I moved to the big city. One of my first dates 9 years ago with my now husband was a bike ride on a 22km paved trail. I had a "100 pound" Canadian Tire bike and no helmet. He helped me buy a helmet and my first hard tail. From there we moved onto off-road bike touring and then into technical/single-track riding and some downhill action.

I now have three bikes and have ridden thousands of miles of great trails in many different places. I love mountain biking: great places, great people and best of all, lots of fun!!

Nowaday, it seems I prod him to go riding more often than he prods me....to go riding.


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## Spifficus (Jul 24, 2006)

As a kid, I was too afraid of falling, so I only learned to ride a bike *at all* in college. I commuted to work for a couple years on a crappy dept. store bike, then moved too far away to commute so I had been off the bike for about 10 years. A few years ago my SO and his friend started mtbing on trails in a local park, and he would come home from rides muddy, exhausted, often bloody, and obviously having loved every minute. I was jealous, so he let me use his old bike a few times and took me to some easy trails, and I had a great time.

This summer has been my first for mtbing fairly regularly. I haven't lost any weight (would like to lose about 70 pounds eventually), but compared to May my endurance, skills, and confidence have increased. I guess they had to... they were pretty much nonexistent then!


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

I bought a mountain bike when I lived in Germany. I think I rode it twice, on pavement. It was a piece of crap and didn't fit right. 

Then I met my husband and we were both really into skiing, and he was into biking. So he invited me to go riding with him near his house in Italy with some other friends and I went along. Had a pretty good time despite the bike not fitting at all.

Then I moved back to the states and demoed everything within a 3 state radius, found a girl I worked with who rode, and we were both intent on becoming good riders while stationed on a different continent from our S.O.'s. My husband flew over and we did an XC race in Georgia. I actually did fine, but hated climbing. I mean REALLY REALLY despised climbing. It was a debate every ride if the descent would be fun enough to make the climbing worthwhile.

Then we moved out to Utah, and shortly after moving here, we heard there was lift served riding at Sundance, so we went. YAY! Followed by lift served at Park City and Deer Valley and then my husband decided he wanted to try DH racing. I still only had an XC bike and he had a bigger trail bike, and I wanted to try it too, so I found a cheap DH bike on ebay and got it and raced in Brianhead. 

That's when I got addicted. The feeling of accomplishment after you'd go out to a new racecourse, look at it and think... NO WAY. I cannot ride this. But take it piece by piece and push myself and by the end of the weekend, I'd have ridden and raced the whole thing. That's what got me addicted. 

And then before you know it, I found that I couldn't spend all of my time doing lift served, and was having so much fun that doing a little more climbing wouldn't be so bad, and finally made a conscious decision to change my attitude about climbing and now I pretty much like it all. (Though even now, the climbing has to be technical or it bores me to death...)

Anyway, that's my story. I've been riding for about 6 years now.


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## energetix (Feb 4, 2006)

Don't know how old I was, but I taught myself to ride on my mothers big bike - used to sit on it just above the crank & push myself along, then one day stood up on the pedals. No going back after that! I remember my parents then brought me a bike of my own - it was red! I must have been about 7 or 8.

After we moved to Australia I've always had a bike (usually a wallmart type mens mountainbike). I used to ride to get out of the house (away from smoke & drink mainly). The streets would get boring pretty quickly so I started exploring any dirt trails around the local mountains I could find that weren't too far from home.

Really I've been hooked on dirt ever since. Got my first real bike after I met my husband to be - we got one each. But he never really got into riding, so now it's just me, and loving it more than ever with my recent Trance purchase.

Oh & almost forgot when I was around 15 or so, I discovered Australian Mountain Bike Magazine, and I guess that helped alot in regards to knowledge of what it was all about and knowledge of bikes beyond wallmart (or in our case KMart)


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

This sounds so familiar! For me, it was wanting to find "my own thing" to participate in. I love being outdoors and like challenging myself. My bf plays softball and football and although I enjoy watching him play, and the guys are cool about letting me practice with them, I wanted to find an activity that would benefit me physically without having to go to the gym (double bleck!). I kind of psyche myself out by not looking at mountain biking as actually exercise - more like a great excuse to get outdoors and get dirty! I've always been a tomboy and never thought gender should keep you from doing anything you want to do. So this summer, after talking about doing it for a couple of years now, I bought my first mountain bike. Nothing too fancy, but with some front suspension and the thought that I could go out there and hit some trails and go from there. Well, I bought the bike while on vacation in NC and hit a local trail with my sister the next day. I was going on this trail, never having done this kind of thing EVER before and thought WOW!! THIS IS INCREDIBLE!! The awesome feeling of freedom and accomplishment and fun was undeniable! It was 100 degrees that day AND I DIDN'T CARE!! I rode every day after that while down there. When I got back to NY one of the first things I did was look into taking a mountain biking class at the local college. I wanted to learn some skills and hopefully meet some people and become familiar with local trails. I haven't regretted it for a minute!
Last weekend our class rode and it actually started snowing. The trees were decked out in their fall foliage, the air crisp, and I was loving every minute of it. Now, I look forward to being able to do more, to challenge myself and do some things a couple of months ago that I only hoped I would learn how to do. FINALLY I found the sport for me  .


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## aword4you (Jul 25, 2005)

Hubby and I started working out early in 2005. Just trying to get fit and get some exercise. We were pretty involved in racing r/c (radio controlled) cars. I was doing some work for one of the mag's and we had gone to National races and travelled to different states to race. I kind of got fed up with the whole thing and was tired of being involved in a hobby where someone else could (and usually did) ruin your race because they either couldn't race clean or didn't care. Wanted to find something where your day wasn't determined by others. We tried karate for a few months and enjoyed that, but hubby really likes being outdoors, so that wasn't cutting it. We turned on and watched almost every stage of last year's Tour de France and I decided I wanted to get a bike. 

Naturally I wanted a road bike (it's gotta be safer, right? No rocks or dirt.). He refused to get a road bike because he had been hit by too many cars when he mountain biked ten years before. Finally I agreed to look at mountain bikes and we each got one last August. 

I hated going downhill because it scared me. I walked down almost everything but had no problems climbing (I was slow and had to stop a lot, but it was still easier!). Of course, that's changed a lot. The only reason I climb is to go downhill now. My climbing has improved in that I can climb longer without stopping, but I'm still pretty slow. I descend a lot faster and had a blast riding in Mammoth this summer. 

We ride basically every Saturday and Sunday, and try to ride once or twice during the week. We got lights this summer, but we have to drive to trails to night ride. 

Riding has been a blast and we've met some really great people through it. Not to mention the places we've traveled and sites we've seen. The Porcupine Rim overlook, the Gooseberry Mesa Point, Crested Butte's mountains in summer... it's an amazing sport and hobby. Can't wait for next year, and I don't even know where I'll be going to ride yet


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

I was always a tomboy, and as a teenager preferred a sturdy 3-speed Schwinn cruiser to the prissy 10-speeds that seemed so damn precious. 

Right about when I went to college, mtb's were becoming more mainstream. A guy in my dorm was already into it, and was more than happy to share his knowledge, even though all of what he told me went over my head. Besides, he was more of a BMX/DH/trials kinda guy, and I thought that the only other type of riding involved poaching hiking trails.

Got the HardRock Sport and began finding dirt paths in the woods around campus and at home. Dropped the 40lbs I had gained right after high school b/c I'd go riding until the sun started going down and I was forced to go home.

Started dating a guy specifically b/c he said he owned a mtb and I was hoping he'd teach me. Turns out he just owned one and wasn't really interested in the sport as such. So when we broke up, I was determined to learn on my own, and began driving to places like VT, New Paltz, NY and Jim Thorpe, PA just to explore trails. 

Soon, I found books that listed local trails and started riding regularly. Then, discovered a local website and began to actually make some real progress very quickly with the locals who are now my riding buddies.

Anyway, mtb *speaks* to my rough-and-tumble nature. I dabbled in rugby in college; enjoyed hiking and running already; loved my Schwinn; like an adrenaline fix; needed to exercise; appreciate the outdoors.... so this wasn't really a stretch. I've managed to keep those extra pounds off and can still fit into my jeans from high school.


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## Scubee (Apr 11, 2004)

Wow! This turned out to be really long, but now that I've written it down, here it is.

I like a challenge and I especially like doing things that "girls don't do". I'm 45 now. Got my motorcycle license when I was 20 and rode my own motorcycles after that. What can I say - I like to drive. Almost NO women around here rode their own street motorcycle in 1980. In '83 we got married and honeymooned on two motorcycles to Daytona. In '85 I bought a brand spankin' new HD 883 Sportster. The local shop still talks about selling that woman that motorcycle. I crashed it a month later :eekster: Soon after (late '86)kids started coming along and the time and will to ride street dwindled. (You don't feel quite so immortal when you start having babies.)

Fast forward to 6 years ago. My husband turned 40 and was looking for a new activity/sport for exercise. We had these nice C'dale hybrids and tried a little road riding on them to see if we liked it.....boring, butt hurt...cars....etc. After years of street motorcycle riding, I/we were well aware of how seriously cars can endanger a two-wheeler's life. Not fun on the county roads around here. Some people like it but I don't.

We live near a county park with a lake and he knew there were some trails around there. In April of 2000 he bought a cheap used Trek hardtail that was trail worthy. A day or two after bringing it home, he headed out to the local trails 10 minutes drive from our house. I was at work and asked him to call me when he got back from his adventure. Well, two or three hours had passed and he hadn't called so I called home. Our then 11 year old son answered the phone. The conversation went.....

"Is Dad home yet?", "Yes, he's in the shower.", "OK, have him call me when he gets out.", "Ok....he crashed." 

Oh yeah - OTB on the first ride.....the first 100 yards into the trail even...and he was hooked!!! He went out for about a month exploring the trails and was loving it when he asked me to come out with him. We loaded up my hybrid and went out. I made it about 3/4 of a mile (slightly downhill on grassy dirt fire road trail) and was huffing and puffing. Those skinny tires, you know  Anyway, we kept going and got into the singletrack. It was hard but I enjoyed it from the start! 

One month later he is upgrading to a nice C'Dale hardtail (F2000). We were on vacation at my Dad's in Colorado and went on a guided "mountain bike" ride. I use quotes because we were on real mountain bikes but we were riding down a mountain on gravel roads. My husband and I in baggies with some ladies in tennis outfits and a couple from England. Hubby and I were bombing down with the guide and waiting for the others to catch up. I wouldn't really consider it a mountain bike ride now (gotta have some singletrack) but, it was REALLY easy and also REALLY fun! 

We hit the LBS's in CO. and I tried some nice entry level bikes in my size (they didn't have any at home). One shop owner offered me a heck of a deal on a new year-old Gary Fisher. One bike, one trunk rack and $750 later I had my first mountain bike.

We came home and started hitting the local trail as often as we could which ended up being 3 times a week or so. We both quickly became addicted to singletrack! We enjoyed and still love the challenges and learning the skills and techniques to conquer them. 

We immediately started taking the bikes on road trips. We have family scattered all over the country so we are happy to say that we've explored trails in 11 states so far. We've hit some destination trails (Fruita, Womble, Tsali) and also ridden a lot of lesser known trails. We've had a blast on all of them. This site is a great place to figure out where to ride no matter where you are or where you're going! Being from Illinois with some really fun trails around I've learned to never underestimate the riding potential of a particular area. It may not be a "mecca" but if there's singletrack it just might be a lot of fun!

There were never any other solo women on our trails when I first started riding. Mountain biking felt a lot like being the only girl in the city on her own motorcycle. That's changed in the last few years though. The sport has been growing in the midwest. My husband and I are founding members of our local club and do monthly trail work, maintenance and building. We've made a whole slew of new riding friends and gotten involved with several clubs in the region. 

I'm riding with several women now that I met on the trails in the past few years. We started the Central Illinois Mud Maids yahoo group this year. We decided to start a yahoo group because we wanted to organize some women's group rides but not all the women were comfortable with announcing their ride plans on a public MTB forum and emails weren't an efficient way to notify all the women and make plans. We hope to really grow the group. We have about 20 members now and potential for many more. It's exciting to see. Some of the women in the group got into riding with their SO's but almost an equal number came to the sport or stayed in it on their own. 

I'm always looking forward to and planning when the next ride will be. I try not to miss an opportunity - especially this time of year. The big fall group rides (Halloween night ride and the "Turkey Burn" ride) and night riding are upon us.

There's nothing quite like a crisp, clear autumn ride with friends. Except maybe a warm, damp spring ride. Or maybe a height of summer ride when it's still very warm and daylight at 9:00 pm. Or lately, the chilly-autumn, after-work, solo-ride and having the entire trail system all to myself.....sigh....they're ALL good! Let's go riding!


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## energetix (Feb 4, 2006)

Oh yeah I forgot about the fitness aspect - it's the only real exercise I like doing - and like most of you I guess I wouldn't really consider it exercise, just plain fun, fitness being a very big benefit!


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## irieness (Feb 22, 2004)

we started riding to get into shape for a month long backpacking trip four years ago...needless to say, we don't do much backpacking anymore... 

although I do miss it...


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## Lucky (Jan 12, 2004)

*There have always been bikes in my life.*

I grew up on my bike. I don't know why, but bikes and I clicked from the beginning. All the kids in the neighborhood had bikes, and we went everywhere on them. Mtbikes hadn't been invented yet, but that didn't stop me from riding my 3-spd skinny-tired "English Racer" on the dirt trails through the abandoned airport behind the neighborhood. I learned my wrenching skills repairing other kids' bikes with parts from the "bone pile" of mangled and rusting bikes in the corner of the next-door neighbor's yard.

In my awkward teens, biking became an escape from a very disfunctional home. I swear it saved my life. Better to be addicted to bikes than to alcohol or prescription drugs, like my parents. On my bike I was fast and strong and beautiful, not the pudgy, clumsy, pesky little sister I was at home.

When I got to college, there was an active road bike club there (there were no mtb's or mtb clubs quite yet), and I experimented with racing (a failure for the most part - I've never been really fast, no matter how much I ride), and overnight touring.

After graduation, I introduced the now-ex to long distance touring, and bikes have taken me from the mean streets of NYC to the quiet New Zealand countryside. My most recent adventure is BMX racing. I'll quit riding when I am too old and decrepit to ride even one of those big 3-wheelers, probably when I am 105 or so.

Kathy :^D


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## TheotherH (Jan 21, 2004)

Ya, I admit I had one of those "prissy" 10-speeds.  Thinking back, I treated it more like a mountain bike than a road bike. Don't know how I didin't break it riding all those pot-holed filled country back roads.



Christine said:


> ... and as a teenager preferred a sturdy 3-speed Schwinn cruiser to the prissy 10-speeds that seemed so damn precious.


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## Bluebug32 (Jan 13, 2006)

Can I just say...these stories are wonderful.

For me I've always had a bike. I was an active kid who preferred to play with the neighborhood boys rather than dress up Barbies and wear skirts.

When I was 9 my dad died and I started suffering from frequent headaches and depression and wasn't very active. Still suffering from headaches, I turned to music in high school. I knew the power exercise had to lift me out of anything and, eventually, after years of forced trips to the gym and attempts at running and team sports, my roomate in college asked if I wanted to start riding with her. I didn't even have a bike that fit me so I picked up a cheap mountain bike and started riding through the countryside after class. Those rides made me come alive again and with the wind blowing through my hair, my headaches slowly subsided.

When I graduated, I moved to the Hudson Valley (NY) and pushed myself to give singletrack a try. It was a way to work out the stress that led to headaches and to challenge my fears. It has also become the glue in my relationship with my boyfriend, who I introduced to mountain biking two years ago. It's incredible to share such a wonderful passion and to see how far I've come.


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## swheelie (Mar 18, 2006)

This has been my first season riding and I have loved every second of it.

I had been mentioning to my husband that I thought it sounded like so much fun. He had mountain biked as a young teenager and would tell me stories. I guess I mentioned it enough because after trying to guess for weeks what my anniversary present was, he just kept telling me it was coming in the mail. I had no idea. So on our second anniversary, on our way out of town, we made a suprise stop at the lbs. He had special ordered a wsd Trek for me!!!! That was in January, we waited for every dry day to come around so we could get out on the trails. Now we are planing a three month road trip around the states next spring to visit all the awesome mountain bikeing areas. Its been soooo much fun.

Best gift ever!


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*because i wanted to*

i thought mountain biking looked like a cool thing to do so i bought a mtb. i got hooked on my first trail ride which was maybe 2 weeks after i bought my bike. it became an obsession shortly thereafter and i spent my first summer with my bike driving 80 miles (each way) every weekend to ride in the mountains near where i was living at the time.

that was 8 years ago and i love it no less now than i did then. 

rt


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## screampint (Dec 10, 2001)

*About 14 years ago...*

Jordan was the reason I quit climbing and also the reason I was able to get my first mountainbike. Now he is starting the sport of climbing, given that he has been on 5.12's, albeit in utero, it's no surprise.
<o></o>
I was a climber. Period. Yeah, I ran, and with passion, but the climbing overshadowed all. So much so that when I graduated from college Troy and I went on the road to climb. We packed everything we owned into an old Subaru Brat and headed south for the winter (I graduated in December). We were newly married and were excited to start all sorts of new adventures together. We hit White Rock NM, Hueco Tanks TX, Mt. Lemon outside of Tucson AZ, Red Rocks near Las Vegas NV, Joshua Tree CA, Kern River Gorge CA, San Diego CA, and then Tahoe CA as it got warmer. Along the way Jordan came to be and we knew we had to figure out a plan quickly. 
<o></o>
Troy's history before I met him was bikes. He had raced Cat 2 in Colorado, managed a pro team, ran a bike shop, worked for Shimano, coached cycling and rode nomadically throughout the Southwest for a while. It stands to reason that the easiest and first job was managing a bike shop in the suburbs of Denver.
 <o></o>
By the time we "settled" for the soon to arrive child I was as big as a house and climbing was out of the question, so was biking for that matter. So I sat and waited for Jordan to arrive. During that time I spent time in the bike shop where Troy worked. My previous passion for bikes started to creep into my soul. I had bought my first real road bike when I was in high school ($500 full campy bike), and had always wanted to attempt the mountainbike. I started eyeballing the Mongooses and Diamondbacks with a gleam.
<o></o>
It wasn't too long before Jordan was born. He was a c-section baby and I had to recover from major surgery, but I was eagerly waiting to get on a bike and active again. I wanted to climb, too, but I knew that it took up far too much time. By the time you drive, hike in, climb, clean the route, and hike out it was too long to leave a nursing child. I had to give up the climbing.
<o></o>
A month after he was born I received my first mountainbike. It was a Mongoose Rockadile with an Exage drive train. No shocks, it was before shocks came standard on bikes. My first ride was tedious, with lots of hiking, and looking back on it I realize Dakota Ridge was a silly trail on which to take a beginner. Oh well, it got me started and I've been riding ever since.
<o></o>
If it hadn't been for the fact that Jordan came to be, Troy might have never taken another job in the bike industry, thus I would not have started mountainbiking.
<o></o>


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## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

*because my then-bf (now husband) did it!*

We met as xc-ski racers, and that's still our winter passion, but he doesn't really like to run and that's what I did during the summer. I had always ridden bikes, mostly for commuting and some bike-path exercise, so it seemed like a good next step to spend more time together during the off season.

There was a lot of kicking and screaming (well, not really, but plenty of tears) in the first couple of years, and I wondered if we'd have to stop riding together completely, but I came to my senses, realized I was putting way too much pressure on myself to do things he could do because he'd been riding a decade, and started just enjoying the time out there. When I stopped stressing, something clicked. Then I bought a Racer-X and now I look forward to riding season almost as much as ski season.


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## xltbaby (Sep 20, 2005)

*Thank You For Sharing!*

It's been wonderful reading all these stories. I smile with each new one.....sharing the inspiration and bit of happiness we each find with this sport.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!!!

...and keep them rolling....

:thumbsup:


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## Betty Cannondale (Jun 18, 2006)

*My mountain biking start*

I have guy friends that ride. I always meant to try it. I finally did this April and I was head over heels!! Sounds corny, I know. But now I can't get enough of it.

The harder it is, the more challenging, the more rewarding it is for me. I went out and bought a Cannondale Jekyll and I ride about 2-3 times per week.

I go as often as I can with or without others. I'm always up for meeting new people to ride with too... Are any of you gals here in Jersey? Where do you ride mostly? I ride mostly at Chimney Rock and Six Mile Run.


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## spinnergirl (Sep 22, 2006)

I started because my bf's knees are so bad he can't backpack with me. Mtn biking is as great a high (he heh) as flying was for me. As much of an adrenaline rush for sure. Loved all the tales!


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## gabrielle (Jan 2, 2005)

I started riding back in '89 with my college buddies, because it was a fun thing to do on the weekends. I didn't really take it seriously until about 3 years ago. You can thank Formica that I'm here, it was mostly her doing. 

I bike now mainly to check out the hot mt biking dudes in the parking lot. (There was quite the scenery at the Falls Creek trailhead this weekend. :ihih

gabrielle


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Gab, first bike camp was 02 I think... remember showing up on that rigid Stumpy?


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## gabrielle (Jan 2, 2005)

'02? That long? You know the memory is the second thing to go.

It was a Rockhopper...1989.


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## caligurl (Aug 8, 2005)

bikes overall: i dropped a wine bottle on my toe and couldn't do my mormal aerbic workouts..... i could ride a bike, though.... so we got me a road bike....

fast forward to the TONS of rain we had in 2005.... in the desert the sand and rocks wash on to the streets.... and you can't ride skinny tires..... so we went out and bought mountain bikes..... i originally had no intentions of riding them off the road though (insert rolls eyes here!) but soon discovered i hated riding the mtb on the road.... so onto the dirt i went! it's fun!


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## sarahalyse (Mar 7, 2006)

I was never into biking when I was little. I would much rather ride on the back of the banana seat with my dad then learn how to ride a bike...fast forward almost 20 years...after graduating from college I moved from Texas to Florida without knowing anyone. After a few months here I met a guy who loved, I mean LOVED biking. He's owned over 10 bikes at one time, I mean really loves biking. So long story short, he takes me biking in north Florida. Sure I took a few tumbles being that I've never _really _ridden a bike before. Pedaling down the street is much different than through switch backs, taking climbs and drops. But I continued to get back up thirsty for more. Man it was amazing. I immediately was hooked being that I love the outdoors, love sports and love to be around him...I feel in love with him and biking. He built me my first bike (Jamis Dakar) a year ago. Wanting to take bigger drops and go more extreme I'll be getting my new demo 8 tomorrow.

Biking brought us together.

The best part of it all...we are getting married! How wonderful is that?


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## gatorchick (Nov 5, 2006)

It wasn't intentional. 

I had just gotten a new MTB (Specialized Hard Rock) to ride around campus. My boyfriend at the time and his roommate were both in to MTBing and asked me to go "for a ride" with them one time. I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. They took me out to our easiest trails ... they're not at all technical (but VERY fun) ... I was shaking the whole time I was so scared ... but I was also COMPLETELY hooked. Went to the shop the next day and bought a camelbak, gloves, etc ... and never looked back.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Okay, I'll post. I really enjoyed reading everyone's stories. But erm, sorry for the novella. I guess I like writing??


I never rode bikes as a kid. I mean, I did here and there, but I could never get into it. I was always too small so I always felt so clumsy and stupid with the bike. As time went on, I did a lot of other athletic things that didn't involve other people or scary situations, like irish dancing, highland dancing, resistance training and running. But for most of my youth, I was a musician and made it my point to learn as many instruments as I could. I never finished getting my driver's license either because I was such a nervous driver (I did the in-car course, that was it). Fast and dangerous things were just not for me. But I did enjoy the outdoors and definitely wasn't afraid of getting dirty - heck, I just finished a degree in archaeology. And in my last year, for some reason, I got into this new phase of just wanting to learn new things. I don't know why - I think I was just getting bored of my life being so academic-driven for so many years...a field I've recently gotten out of, much to the suprise of even myself. I haven't, I'm ashamed to say, even touched any of my instruments in 4 years. It became a ...been there, done that, sort of thing. I wanted to try new things I was always scared of. I wanted to live! It started with soccer.

It was my first summer home from university (I stayed in the city for the first 2 summers) and I was really bored. I didn't have my friends around and since we lived in the country, I had nothing to do. Heck, I was working for my dad so I pretty much went no where. But luckily I had some friends from way-back who I kept in touch with who were also back for the summer. They told me that they had signed up for the women's soccer club in the area and tried to convince me to do the same. At first I said no. It was years since I played in house-league soccer. I did a few summers between the ages of 8-10 before I quit forever. Everyone, I was sure, had been playing for years. I'd just feel stupid. I didn't know how to play anymore. But the truth was, I wished I knew how to play. And I was sick of feeling like that. I'm not sure what made me do it, but I signed up. And I never regretted it. The girls were so supportive and fun and the coach was always out there showing me things, giving me tips as the game was on. I was told by everyone that I was pretty good! Especially for just starting again! That gave me some confidence. And I just felt so alive out there. The next year, I decided that I wanted to learn to skate, which I couldn't do,..and hockey. I still don't even remember where THAT came from....maybe I had started watching the NHL more on the tv, I'm not sure. But I was determined to do it. I just wanted to DO these things while I was still young! 

So it all fell into place one night, at the end of January, when my friends dragged me to the pub. It was a big, 4-story, sort of fancy pub packed so thick with people you could barely move. One of my friend's dragged me over to meet some guy, away from my nice cozy spot in our booth (that we were lucky to snag). By the time I got back to our booth, there were 2 new guys sitting there with our other friends. And one of them was in my spot. I managed to fit myself next to him, irritated that he was in my spot, and proceeded to return to my drink. Then he introduced himself to me and I was sort of forced into conversation with him. We hit it off right away. I was so impressed with this said-fellow. Then the drinks kept rolling and I started talking a lot. At one point, I flat out told him I wanted to learn how to play hockey. He told me he could teach me that, starting with skating. Then he started telling me about mountain biking and how that was his passion. I had no idea what he was talking about but he sounded really excited about it. And I liked that, so I flat out told him I wanted to learn that too. He probably thought I was so silly but we decided to go out on a date. And guess what we did? He took me skating on the harborfront skating rink and taught me to skate. It was a good thing we went out for dinner too because I don't think I was paying a whole lot of notice to him, owing to my absolute resolution that I was going to learn how to skate in that one session. And more or less, I did. By the time that spring rolled around, I was in the arena with my hockey skates working on everything he'd teach me and had just completed a beginner hockey school. Then came the bike season. He never forgot that I said I wanted to learn. And I guess I never relented on asking about it, because it was his thing. He XC raced and it was his life in the summer. Half of his condo consisted of bikes. I think most of the season I just enjoyed being at all of his races and outdoors where I was happy, being supportive, and becoming friends with the team. It was a lot of good memories. But if there's one thing about me, it's that there's this little demon inside of me that refuses to stand by and watch something I can't do and it drives me to want to learn it too. And be better than whoever's doing it. So naturally, I wanted to race. badly. (Simmer down now, Little Inner-Racer Demon!). It's probably why I avoided doing/watching a lot of sports and things, since I couldn't do them. haha.

But learning was a huge obstacle for me, I soon discovered. The tears and frustration were unlike anything I was used to in learning other things. We also struggled with finding a bike that fit me, because I'm small (5'0) and I have shorter legs. He built up a little 13" Jamis Durango with so much effort, even putting on the SID fork for me. And I kept trying. The bike was a foreign thing to me. I couldn't feel it and I had no idea what I was doing. Even if I was told what to do, I had no instinctual grasp of how to go about it because I just didn't understand. And that sort of really decreased my confidence. There was always a lot of fighting and problems with me learning and it was mostly the lack of time to take me out. But the times I did get to go on the trail, I usually had a really good time - even though it scared the dickens out of me. And the more I went to the races, the more I wanted to get involved! And the support and enthusiasm from my bf and team really pushed me. So now, one summer gone, I went from not even knowing what a bike was, to being an okay mountain bike rider! I just purchased my first race-ready xc bike, the Giant XTC and have started training for the next season. And I'm gonna be trained up properly next year with much more riding time and it just excites me so much. I think it's the challenge - it's the biggest one I've yet to overcome: The fear, the technical learning, the speed, the amount of work and time it takes to be good at this sport...and it's just plain exciting. And I'm obsessed with bikes now haha. And on the other side, it's just great to have something to share with the bf and I look forward to the day when I can ride a trail with him and keep up. And it's a great satisfying feeling to feel like I'm finally "clicking" with the bike and overcoming these challenges and fears. It does a lot for me as a whole! It really changed my life.


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## CycleMainiac (Jan 12, 2004)

Like a few others here, I have always been a tom-boy. I played outside with my brother and his friends, any sport, any time. 

My first really good bike was a 5 speed Schwin road bike I got for my 12th birthday. I rode that bike everywhere. My family didn't have a car, so my bike was how I escaped my troubled home too. 

I rode my bike to summer band and later to school. Not so smart at the time, I would ride againt the traffic, caring a coke and donut eating and drinking, with my drumsticks sticking out of my back pocket. no helmet. That bike got stolen off our porch on a rainy day and I used my christmass money, $100, to replace it. Exact same bike; ungly brown Schwinn 5 speed. I kept this bike until college age and then it met a sad death by read end collission. Luckly for me, the other party's insurance insisted on an estimate to repair the bike. The estimate came to something like $700 for this almost 10 yo bike. I took the money and bought a Red Univega 10speed and fell in love all over again.

Fast forward past marriage, a baby, divorce, and I sold that red bike in a garage sale to make my house payment. About the same time, I was reintroduced to a friend of a friend who was also recently divorced. He mountain biked. I had been lifting, basketball in college and some legue play after, but at almost 30 with a bad knee, I was getting my a$$ handed to me on the court. Then I broke my wrist roller skating with my daughter. After the cast came off I finally joined my friend for a mtb ride. I was hooked even though I sucked.

The freedom, wind in your hair, speed, danger, finesse, woods, trees, snakes, creeks, sweat, dirt. I was almost immediatly addicted. The house I sold my bike to help make a payment on was on a greenbelt. Woods, a creek, and trails were right past my back gate. Who cold ask for more?

I rode mostlly by myself at first juggling a full time job, college, and my daughter. To ride I had to leave my daughter with my mom or I traded time with another mom. Then when my daughter was around 8 I started taking her with me. Please ride for 10 minutes with out whining and then we will play in the creek for 10 minutes. That same year I discovered the local mtb club and started attending some rides and meeting. I still drug my kid along and she was becoming quite a good rider. 

At age 9, she won her first race, and Iron Kids race for 12 and under's. She won the event beating all the older boys. Then I tried a race. Holy ****! I won my first race! I never won a race again, but the hook was sunk deep. We raced the state mtb circuit for many years, I became very involved in the club leading rides, etc. I became a race director and was on the board of the racing association.

In 1999, when Karma was 12 or 13. we went to Replay by the Bay. We flew across the country to meet up with strangers to camp and ride bikes. It was wonderful. I think I have been on this site since 1998 when chat was the new thing. Back then this was the ONLY mtb site.

I quit racing a few years ago. I have been doing Ride Like a Girl for about 10 years now. My main focus now is riding vacations. I've been to Moab twice, Fruita twice, a little riding near Salida Co, and this year to Arkansas twice. 

Last year I lucked into a sweet sweet gig where I get paid to ride my bike. I teach a couple of informal classes at UT. 

Big Bend area is next up for this holiday season. I have missed the last two years of that trip. I hate the race, but love riding and playing out there. More time in Colorado is also very high on my destinations. Durango area and/or anywhere else. East is also on my list. The Carolinas specifically. 

Truth is I'll go almost anywhere to ride, just invite me.


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## Tass Over Teakettle (Jul 11, 2006)

The first time I rode a bike as an adult was in 2003.

I had torn my ACL the previous year, and the city/county had just completed about 60 miles worth of Rail Trail that I wanted to explore.

Bought a used Schwinn Mesa for my 40th birthday, and hit the RailTrails. LOVED it. I LOVED that there was a "sport" that I could do by myself - it made me feel like I was athletic even if I wasn't. It made me feel good about myself.

Joined a site called Team Estrogen to get advice and learn, and then bought a Specialized roadbike. ( Before joining a bike site I didn't understand the concept of a "stable" - LOL - why would anyone need more than one bike?) 
Advanced to clipless on the roadie, then started to get bored.

Talked to some folks about Mountainbiking b/c I wanted to expand my horizons a bit.Joined MTBR and bought a new Gary Fisher this summer. Now I'm trying to pick up some skills and experience as well as find people who are willing to take me out and teach me/ride with me without being impatient. Unlike the RailTrails this isn't yet something that I'm comfortable doing by myself, so I'm a bit at the mercy of others for it right now.


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## Thomi (Jul 5, 2006)

*Freedom*

I started riding when I was little on one of those huffy bikes. I could pedal around for hours! As a teen, it was the only way to get away and have some freedom. I stopped for awhile and am recently picking it up again. I still feel free when I'm riding!


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## alisacherie (Sep 19, 2006)

*I'm a tomboy at heart...*

As a kid I used to frustrate my mother by tearing off my leotards after ballet to join my brother and his friends crushing rocks and doing wheelies off of dirt hills at the park. Grew up mountain biking and since I grew up in Colorado- it's EVERYWHERE when everyone's not on the slopes during the winter.

Mountain biking took a back seat after getting into college on a gymnastics scholarship (barely time to breathe when I wasn't training- ick), discovering college boys, becoming the rebellious young adult I'd always wanted to be (boy, I was wild one!) and eventually being a grown up (sometimes...)

Recently decided to buy a bike... kinda feels like a home coming of sorts!


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## RBJ (Aug 7, 2005)

Constantly rode all my crappy bikes as a kid. Then my boyfirend (now husband) got me into riding. I was cheesy and sucked. Then I kept at it and finally made some progress and realized I liked it. Still don't have the guts, skills or natural ability for downhill, but I continue to focus on climbing and endurance as my strengths.


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## venus1 (Aug 4, 2006)

*Body Building - Riding Outside not Inside*

Body building was my reason to start. I used biking to lean out for competitions as it helped me drop that last 5 pounds of fat. Everyone complemented me on my legs after I started cycling so I guess it helped tone my quads too. Then there was the challenge of riding road & developing the techniques to improve endurance. So I did that. I'm a fierce competitor at heart & hate to lose. I also love the mechanical works of a bike & delight in customizing as I do obsessively w/ my sports cars.


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## ziegi (Aug 1, 2006)

I rode a bike as a kid, course i did but then somehow lost my way and became a runner. After countless half marathoins, too many 10ks and 5 marathons i started to feel the old body creaking. Oh, maybe that was it, my age, not the body as such. Oh well, i bought an old clunker and began to pedal on the road a bit then one day the road was closed off due to an accident with some farm machinery so i turned down a rutted dirt road and....a mountain biker was born ! Now i don't run, at all, but ride 5 days a week, all off road, i find road riding just too boring now. I totally love finding new trails, thinking " I wonder what's down here ?" Sometimes a dream trail sometimes a dud but always good fun.

This is a great thread, fantastic tales on here.

ziegi


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## dirty_girl (Jun 1, 2006)

I've always loved being outside and getting dirty. What better way to do it than on a mountain bike. I've always loved biking since I learned how to ride my first bike (which had a really dorky banana seat and prissy purple streamers on the handlebars). I took my bike through the woods for the first time when I was 10 (of course, I've upgraded on my bike since then  ). We weren't going through actual trails though, we were just riding around through the woods. It was fun. I've always enjoyed being on my bike dispite all of the mishaps. The first time I got the wind knocked out of me, I was 11. I fell from my bike in such a way that a handlebar popped me in the chest really hard. When I was 12 I fell on a gravel road and ended up picking little bits of rock that embedded themselves in the palms of my hands. That never stopped me from riding. Besides, I've done worse things as a kid. I fell on my butt so hard that I had a hard time sitting/standing for a week because I fell from a tree. I also broke a collar bone getting tackled while horsing around. (I happened to land on the cement.) 

I didn't discover the joys of mountain biking until I was in college. Eventually, my joy became an addiction as I went from a rigid to a hardtail. Then my addiction became an obsession as I went from a hardtail to a dualie. (Gee... I came a long ways since I rode a banana seater.) Even as an adult I still like to beat the crap out of myself and track dirt in the house. I love the thrill of weaving through the trees and letting my bike roll down a drop and catching some air over a hump. I love the adventure of getting lost and the sense of comradery I have with those I go riding with. And for some reason, beer tastes especially good after a hard ride. I love it.

I ride to spoil the part of me that refuses to grow up.


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## xltbaby (Sep 20, 2005)

dirty_girl said:


> I ride to spoil the part of me that refuses to grow up.


I absotively posolutely agree!

And it is nice to see this thread still growing. These stories are wonderful!

:thumbsup:


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## heatherct (Feb 26, 2007)

I know this is an old thread, but it was fun reading everyone elses stories so I thought I'd add to it.

My brother started mountain biking back in about 92. I was just out of college and he wondered if I wanted to buy a mountain bike. I said sure, thinking mtb = rail trails. So I buy a bike and I go with him and his friend to a park in Philadelphia called Wissahickon. We start off riding on a flat dirt road and I'm puttering along enjoying the scenery. We ride about a half mile or so on this road, and just as I'm getting used to my new bike we turn and ride up into the woods. Then I get it: wow, my bike can go over rocks!?! Cool!

After going out a few times, I got my then boyfriend (now husband) into riding. We had to drive about an hour north of NYC to Fahnestock to ride, so we we got out maybe 5-6X per year. And he also got me back into running, which I still do.

I stopped riding about 7 years later while having kids, and now I'm getting back into it again. I go out a lot by myself while my husband watches the kids, but I can ride from my door which is great. And the bikes sure have changed in 8 years, LOVE this suspension thing!


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## Shelley (May 9, 2007)

*I started riding to impress a guy!*

I was set up on a blind date with a guy who rode a lot. I had a heavy, clunky Cosco bike at the time but I was taking spinning classes 4 times a week and joked that I would "smoke" him on our first date. Hahahaha! The first uphill found me walking and I screamed down most other hills! I never rode that bike up there again. In fact, I don't think I ever rode it again. Period. My dad loves it though!

Fast forward 2 months. He and I bought new mountain bikes (both Specialized FSR Comps). It was 1998. I got better and better at those hills (both up and down) but I had never gotten all the way to the top of the mountain. We were getting more and more serious in our relationship also.

It was the fourth of July in 1999 when he told me that the next day I was "going to make it to the top and that was that!" All the way up those steep hills I kept staring at his back and feeling like something was going on. After about 45 minutes of climbing I made the top and he dropped down on his knee and proposed! Then we had a (plastic) glass of champagne and I almost went over my handlebars on the way back down!

Right after we got married, in 2000, I got pregnant and sort of gave up my riding while I raised my son and then my daughter soon after. I watched in disbelief as he parted out my bike after he wrecked his. Now my kids are 6 and 3 and I've decided to pick it back up. There's no reason why I should have to give up my sense of adventure just because I have kids! I kick myself for stopping as long as I did.

I bought a Giant Trance last weekend and went up some of those same hills last night.

I am soooooo back for good.


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## spinnergirl (Sep 22, 2006)

I love this thread!!!! 

One thing I see a lot of women saying is "my boyfriend"... or husband etc.... started me on this... true for me as well. What surprises and pleases me these days though is that I ride more alone than I do with him. I have more trail (and road now, also) miles in any given week than he does. And if it ends up that we don't stick together, well, I know the Turner isn't going anywhere but back on the trails with me!!!!

p.s. wouldn't it be funny to pass an ex? hee hee


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

I always liked riding my bike and never grew out of it. Then when I was in Uruguay for a year as an exchange student I got this crazy notion of getting one of them new-fangled mountain bikes when I got back to the US.

So I did. And I found places to ride on my own. And I still have a dent in my shin from taking that ol' Diamondback Topanga around a BMX track, foot slipped off one pedal while standing, which kinda bloodied up the other leg...

Boyfriend came later. With a bike.


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## Cog Wild (Oct 10, 2006)

I grew up around riding my bike to friends, etc. i also grew up loving food and eating - I would be the only girl eating "lunch" with the football team before a game - I was always invited since it entertained them to see me eat as much as them. Growing up I was a lazy kid who took dance, but somewhere along the way my thinking started to change. I was always skinny and I think I started to think at some point I would turn into a huge blob if I kept on the same path.
I joined a gym, my boyfriend convinced me to get a mountain bike and I also stopped hanging out with my looser partying friends from school. The one mountain bike ride I went on with my boyfriend was a disaster. It was after a huge rainstorm and the mud was thick. I was clueless on how to mountain bike and intimidated by the mud. He was an ass and I never rode with him again... (which is strange when you think about it since I went with other friends all the time - probably part of the reason we broke up!!) 
I noticed that I loved the high I would get from riding my bike and it was a great way to balance out my eating. So I started riding my mountain bike everywhere - on the trail and on the road. Long distance rides as well. I began to love my bike! I chose my college on the trails (US Santa Cruz) and began to commute by bike.
The story continues for 10 more years, today I own a mountain bike tour company, ride all the time, have a trailer for my dog and love everything bike related - except serious gear talks! I have brought my bike to Asia with me by myself and have had amazing experiences with my bike.


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

*Not a lady but,...*

thought you ladies might get a kick outa this. I had ridden for years. (BMX and touring) It was my ex-wife that got me into mountian biking. The marridge didn't last (one year) the MTBing did!:thumbsup:


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