I’ve often wondered: are documentaries and shred films like the Collective series the only way to get mountain biking on screen? I mean, sure mountain biking makes a cameo in regular movies from time to time but it’s never been a central part of the backdrop in an on-screen drama. Until now.

The Potential Inside is an independent film about a mountain bike racer named Chris Carmik who experiences a tragedy in his personal life and works to piece things back together while (reluctantly) agreeing to coach a mountain biking prodigy named Jake. In a way it’s sort of a classic sports movie plotline but because it’s centered around mountain biking the story has a fresh feel to it.

Director/producer/writer/lead actor Scotty Curlee is a mountain biker himself and he took real pains to keep the mountain biking action authentic in this film. Curlee even enlisted pro riders like Jeremiah Bishop to appear and act as technical consultants on the project while sponsors like Giant, Shimano, and Champion Systems provided props for even more realism. In one scene Chris pulls up in a Ferrari at which point I chuckled to myself: pro mountain bikers don’t make enough money to drive Ferraris. But sure enough, during the commentary Curlee says the Ferrari belongs to pro-rider Hunter Allen who appears in the film. Nice. Of course that realism can go a little too far – isn’t the name Chris Carmik pretty similar to another cycling coach who uses cutting-edge techniques to train elite athletes?

Much of the racing action takes place on mountain bike trails in and around Lynchburg, VA and the visuals are amazing thanks to the RED camera the crew used for filming. Some may recognize the technical side trails at Black Water Creek and the steep Candler’s Mountain trails at Liberty University making cameos in the film.

Beyond the rich visuals and exciting mountain bike racing scenes, the plot centers around the idea of individuals reaching the full potential that exists inside them. The message is explicitly Christian which might make some viewers feel uncomfortable but more broadly the theme is about dealing with tragedy and pushing oneself to his/her maximum potential. This message can be seen throughout the film; early on in Jake’s training there’s a scene where the rookie rider takes a VO2 max test and his coach explains how everyone is born with a certain VO2 max but they have to exercise to unlock that potential. It’s a cool concept I hadn’t thought about before and it’s a great parallel that mountain bikers and other athletes can easily understand.

If you’re tired of the same old MTB documentaries and shred films or are looking for a movie to share with your non-biking family members and friends, The Potential Inside is an entertaining flick. While it’s not exactly a big budget movie, the visuals are great, the action is believable, and the story is definitely uplifting.

The Potential Inside releases on DVD April 19, 2011 and you can pre-order it at Amazon.com today. Thanks to Scotty Curlee for providing an advance copy for review.

It’s officially spring and while there may still be snow on the ground in some spots, it’s time to start planning an epic mountain bike trip for the summer! Depending on your budget and the level of adventure you’re seeking, here are three types of bike trips to consider.

Guided & Supported MTB Trips

If you’re planning an epic mountain bike trip, the itinerary should be primarily focused on riding. While getting in a ride or two during the family vacation is certainly a valid strategy, it’s not the type of trip we’re talking about here. This article is about putting together a full-on mountain bike trail assault!

With that in mind, one of the easiest ways to put together an MTB-centric vacation is to book a trip through a company like Sacred Rides or Western Spirit. The guide company will typically book accommodations, provide meals, plan routes, and even shuttle and guide you during the ride each day. Most companies will also help you get a bike rental if you need one so really the only thing you have to do is get yourself to the start (and back home at the end).

Sacred Rides: mountain biking in Peru

Guided trips are great for exploring unfamiliar areas and even foreign countries where logistics can be difficult. Of course all this hand-holding comes at a price – trips can cost as much as several hundred dollars per day per person. Trip itineraries can also be more rigid since you’ll be traveling with a group of customers. For solo travelers, being with a group is certainly a selling point, though it’s a bit of a gamble. Our advice? Bring at least one friend along. Popular dates and destinations often fill up quickly so now is the time to book for summer.

Logistically Supported MTB Trips

Been dreaming of riding Kokopelli’s Trail but don’t know how you’re going to carry all your gear? Tired of asking your significant other to sag you as you tackle that multi-day epic? Many companies offer supported trips where some (but not all) the logistics are handled for you. Shuttle services fall into this category as do hut-to-hut and sag service providers.

Last summer I rode from Durango to Moab with three friends through San Juan Hut Systems and it was a great trip. The company provided a series of rustic huts stocked with food and bunks in the National Forest separated by about a day’s ride. At the start of the ride we got a map, a key, and some instructions – and that’s about it. This type of trip allowed us to ride at our own pace and take any alternate trails along the way with no set start or arrival times each day.

Logistically supported trips do carry some risks including mechanical/medical emergencies, getting lost, and a lack of alternatives for bad weather days. You’ll have to cook for yourself at the end of a long day of riding and oftentimes your menu will be limited to the non-perishables stocked in your hut (or drop site). You’ll also need to carry personal gear (clothes, sleeping bag, spare parts, etc.) which for a long trip, can start to add up. Expect costs to be around $100 per person per day. As with guided tours, book early to ensure a spot on the trip of your choice.

Self-Supported MTB Trips

Ah, freedom! The sky is the limit when you plan your own mountain bike vacation – you can ride where you want, when you want, at whatever pace you want. You can camp out, stay at a fancy resort with lifts, or sleep in your car along the way. Budgets can range from ultra-frugal to money-is-no-object. Trips never fill up so you can go whenever you like.

We ended up riding this (scenic) gravel road because the trail we had planned to ride was closed due to prescribed burning. If we had had a local contact we might have avoided this situation.

It seems like most riders tend to go this route but frankly there are some drawbacks you might want to consider. If you’re like me, planning and preparing are the worst parts of any trip and there’s way more to it than you might think: where to stay, what to eat, how to get from trail to trail, how to transport bikes, etc. For local or “road trips” logistics are only slightly less complicated. If you’re flying to the ride, the details can quickly become overwhelming.

When you plan your own trip there’s also the risk you’ll miss out on great trails simply because you don’t know about them. Many years ago mudhunny and I planned a biking trip to the northeast including a couple days in Vermont. Somehow, despite buying books and doing online research, we missed the Kingdom Trails, arguably one of the most popular trail systems in the northeast. Hooking up with a local expert is the best way to find great trails but it’s not always an option when you go it alone.

Sneaking in a ride or two during a family vacation is one thing but planning your trip around mountain biking is another thing entirely. Decide which type of trip is best for you and do your homework because the ultimate goal is to get on the trail and let the details fade away!

So you want to work in the bike industry? Well, realize one thing first: I lied in the title of this post. You’ll have to try pretty darn hard or get lucky (like four leaf clover double rainbow lucky*) to score a gig in the bike business. In addition, it’s very likely that you’ll have to start at the bottom, put in your time and work your way up. Still interested? OK, here we go.

First things first: grow that little hair thing under your lower lip. Soul patch, nutduster, call it what you will but a lot of people in the bike business have them. Extra credit for switching it up and going for an Edmundo instead. In all seriousness, one great part of the bike industry is its lax attitude when it comes to sport coats, ties or razors. But how do you get there? That’s what I’m here to tell you. Read on…

Work in a bike shop

It’s always good to know the product. But more than that, you’ll want to know the customers, the suppliers and the meathook realities of the business of keeping those doors open. The best way to see it all, the good, the bad and the greasy is to get a job wrenching at your LBS. This means starting young or in some cases doing it part time while you are still working for that soul-sucking corporation collating TPS reports.

“Why does it say paper jam when there is no paper jam?”

So networking is that word everyone throws around, that magical incantation that career counselors get all glassy eyed when they talk of it. It’s true to the core: talking to actual humans will give you a better chance at landing a great job than scanning classified listings on some website. Don’t know any actual humans in the bike business you say? Meet some. Ask the people you ride with if they know anyone in the industry. Ask the owner of the LBS for the names of their sales reps from your favorite companies. Ask your grandma, it can’t hurt and she’s always glad to hear from you. Once you’ve got some names you’ll need the internet.

First stop: LinkedIn. Sign up, look up employees at your favorite bike company, ask to connect with them. You may send ten messages to the tune of “I’m a bassoonist in an alt country/punk/swing band but my real passion is high end carbon doodads, are you hiring?” and only get a single response, but that could be the start of your network. See – there’s that word again. You’re building a web of people who know you, you’re very plainly telling them what you want, and if you bang at it long enough one of those people will tell you “My company is looking for someone just like you.” That’s all it takes.

There are great online references out there as well. Outdoorindustryjobs.com is at the top of the list. Many of the groups that you can join on LinkedIn will also give you a good idea of what opportunities are out there, what the qualifications are for those opportunities, and who is hiring. Also check into industry-specific recruiting agencies. It’s usually free to talk to them, and they can tell you if you’re barking up the wrong tree and maybe give you some pointers on how to make yourself like sweet sweet honey to the bike industry Pooh bears.

I mentioned telling “your people” what you want in a clear and direct way. How do you know what that is? What goes on in bike companies anyway? If you don’t know those things, go find out. Be bold: go to your favorite bike brand’s website and find an email address. Find them on Facebook and “Like” the company. Send messages to them, tell them who you are and ask what kind of jobs they have that would be a good fit. Be persistent but have the discretion to know when to try someone else. More often than not you’ll find someone who was in your shoes not too long ago and wants to pass on the good karma.

Oh the fun you’ll have in the bike industry

*True story: I was an electrical engineer designing airfield lighting and navigation systems and ready to take a $9/hr job at the local shop selling hybrids when a friend mentioned the world HQ of a Major Bicycle Company was located in our fair city. With equal parts hubris and desperation I sent my resume and a cover letter that essentially said “I’m an engineer who loves bikes. I hear you make those. Can I have a job?” I got a call a week later for an interview. When I went in the company’s president told me they were embarking on an electric bike program but no one there knew an amp from a tramp stamp. After much back and forth, 5 interviews in 6 months, and two proposals from me I finally wore them down and got the job.

Your mileage may vary, but I include this story to illustrate the mix of determination, persistence and dumb luck that sometimes can pay off with a dream job in the bike industry. Now go out there and pound the pavement!

A view from above: a small section of the action

Things I learned during my visit to Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

1. The amount of rad that can be purchased for $25 approaches infinity.

2. There is an entire generation of riders (maybe two generations) that look way cooler than me.

3. Riders half my age get two times the air.

4. Riders a third of my age have about three times the skillz.

The girl nailing the double teeter totters couldn’t have been older than 10.

5. There were a ton of riders at the park that were a third my age. Kinda sad, also pretty rad.

6. Moms can shred too, and they were doing so.

7. Never underestimate the beginner section: serious fun and skill-building can be had there.

Beginner section to build skills, warm up, or get it on trials-style.

8. There exists a surprising number of dudes who are secure enough in their masculinity to rock rented pink helmets (see above).

9. The guy on the rented bike with his iPod earphones in is probably more concerned with the perfect track to shred to than the safety of the guy behind him. Take heed…

10. That being said, no one had a bad attitude during my 5 hour visit. All was patience and positivity for the beginners all the way through the pros.

11. Regarding gears in this setting: you only need one. I was on a Trek GFC Rig (single speed hardtail 29er) and I was never wanting for a different ratio.

12. Things that are inspiring: little groms.

13. Mountain bike bar ends are a catastrophe waiting to happen. Please leave them in the 90s where they belong

14. He/she with the most Matchy-Matcherson kit will spend the most time posing and fiddling with their purple knee pads and the least time actually riding bikes.

15. You will never ride lighter than a day at the park: no need to carry water, tools, tubes and it’s indoor so shorts and short sleeve shirt are all you need. Makes for maximum shredding capability and highest air.

16. The amount of makeup you wore to ride the park is inversely proportional to the likelihood of you cleaning the teeter totter. This goes for both sexes, I’m serious. Kids these days…

17. The ride to the park is all anticipation and getting amped with the right tunes. The ride home is full of stiffness and thoughts of what plans you may be canceling tomorrow. At least for old guys like me.

Getting close. Cue the perfect 5 tracks to get pumped.

18. I need new gloves; my hands got shredded from shredding.

19. I want to meet the guy who was dressed in the flying squirrel costume killing it on the big jump section. I couldn’t snag a photo of him, he moved too quickly. If anyone knows this dude let me know, he was awesome.

20. All the details are on the website or in the photo below. If you’re within driving distance of Milwaukee or Ray’s original location in Cleveland you owe it to yourself to get there during what’s left of the winter. It was such a treat to grab handfuls of gnar while the snow fell outside.

That about sums up Ray’s. Get there, build skills and fitness, be ready to dominate the spring!

Yesterday was the best day of the year.

Yes, it’s true – at least it’s true if you are a mountain biker or some other sort of outdoors enthusiast.

Yesterday was the beginning of daylight savings time, and we all got to tack on an extra hour of daylight to the end of our day. Every year, this day signals the death of winter as temperatures start to warm, snow starts to melt, and plants begin to grow.

But most importantly, that extra hour of daylight signals the beginning of long after-work rides.

• No longer do we have to return home from the office or the classroom in the grip of darkness.
• No longer do we have to strap on head lamps and brave the frigid night air.
• No longer do we have to limit our real rides to the weekends and whenever we can squeeze them into our busy weekly schedules.

No longer.

It is time to mountain bike!

If you haven’t yet, I’m sure you will soon be looking over your rig to make sure that it is ready to go for the warm-weather riding season just around the corner. Now is the time to get all of that maintenance done, so as the warm dry days become more numerous, you’ll just be able to grab your bike and get out and ride!

I recently put on a new pair of tires, courtesy of Singletracks and WTB, and also replaced my chain and cassette. The rest of my rig is in pretty decent condition, and I am pumped for what 2011 holds in store!

• There are new trails to be explored, and old trails to be ridden again.
• There are new people to meet and old friends to chase
• There are goals to achieve and boundaries to push.
• There are new bikes to ride and familiar ones to love.
• There are new components to put through the grinder, and old ones to repair.
• There are photos to take and videos to edit.
• …and undoubtedly there are endless blog posts to write!

It is amazing how much of a difference an hour of sunlight can make!

Congratulations to the February Forum contest winners, Dorado and kvnrbrts. Dorado’s post, “urban riding??” received 59 replies during the month of February, earning him the sweet Giro XAR helmet and matching DJ gloves. kvnrbrts’ post, “Random trail sightings…” received 42 replies which means he snagged the Crankskins 12 mil frame protection kit.

Thanks to Giro and Crankskins for sponsoring the contest – we saw a big increase in the quality and quantity of forum conversations during February and are stoked to see things continue into the spring and summer!

Stay tuned for a BIG trail contest announcement later this month…

Just wanted to let everyone know about a few recent updates here on singletracks:

Trail Check-in Points

Singletracks members will now receive 2 points for each trail check-in via m.singletracks.com. As more and more members use this feature we’ll recognize the “trail marshall” (kinda like the mayor) of each trail based on the number of check-ins.

For those who haven’t used trail check-ins before, the feature is only available on the mobile website (not the iPhone app yet – we know, that thing needs an update – in the meantime we’re using the mobile site ourselves). Just login and click the “check in” link on the appropriate trail page; we’ll record your location when you check in and we’ll show you a list of others who have checked in to the trail within the last 24 hours.

On a related note, we re-organized member profile pages a bit with new tabs for trail lists, photos, custom bikes, and other stuff.

Stickers and Singletracks Merch

We just updated the singletracks merch pages with new offers including a singletracks sticker 4-pack for just a buck. Yeah, shipping is still $3 but it doesn’t matter how much you order so throw in a t-shirt and some printed maps to maximize your order!

Mountain Bike Tour Finder

We recently partnered with SWAE Sports to offer info on booking guided mountain bike tours and trips around the world. Browse trips, get more info, and even book through singletracks – it’s super simple to do. Singletracks receives a small commission from each trip booked through the site so it’s a great way to show your support. Now is the time to start planning amazing MTB trips for the summer and fall!

Giro and Crankskins are sponsoring a February contest to help “Pump up the Forums” here on singletracks. Since this contest involves posting to the forum, we won’t give you the details here – head to the forums to get the deets. Talk to ya soon.

Scouting, locating, riding, and logging 29 mountain bike trails in 29 days has meant spending a lot of time on singletracks.com for me (even more than usual – shocking!). Before I talk about trail #29 (spoiler alert: I rode it yesterday) I want to highlight some of the tools I used to plan my 29 trail adventure.

Singletracks Trailhead Map

Before the 29 day challenge began, I started with the trailhead map on singletracks and centered my search on Atlanta (as shown in the screenshot above). I tried to pick a good mix of new and old trails, close and far trails, and short and long trails. After viewing photos and reading ratings and descriptions, I narrowed my list down to about 40 potential trails. I also checked my trail wishlist to see which ones I could add to the list.

Singletracks Mobile Website

Since I was on the road a good bit during the challenge, I found myself using singletracks mobile A TON. The “nearby trails” function helped me navigate quickly to the trail pages I needed where I could then check-in at the trailhead and update trail conditions. In the past I’ve been bad about updating trail statuses on the main website because I’d usually forget by the time I got home, but having the ability to do it at the trailhead was super convenient. At this time of year, current trail statuses are super helpful to everyone worried about rain/snow on the trail – so be sure to update whenever you can!

I also used the mobile website to get driving directions to many of the trailheads along the way. Although I printed out directions before leaving home most days, I found it much easier to navigate using my phone. Normally I’d use the GPS in my car but many trailheads don’t have a proper street address to input. On my iPhone I just clicked the “map” link on the trail listing, then selected “Current Location” for my starting point and Google Maps did the rest.

Singletracks Ride Log

I used the singletracks ride log to document each of my rides and input as much data as I could (temperature, climbing, etc.) about each one. The ride log gave me a good picture of my progress and even calculated summary stats for the challenge (almost 32 hours in the saddle, 8.05 miles per trail, and 7.4mph average speed). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to space out my workouts as I would have liked so I’m not sure how beneficial my “training” really was – guess I’ll see at tomorrow’s Snake Creek Gap Time Trial…

One added benefit to using the ride log is that everyone’s times and distances for each trail are averaged to give others an idea of the trail difficulty. You can find the average speed and time for each trail in the “Trail Stats” box on the main website.

Other Stuff

Of course I also reviewed each trail I rode and added photos and maps where appropriate. For those who are new to the site, we put together a tutorial on all the trail functions available on singletracks so you can get the most out of the website.

I suppose I could have gotten most of the trail info I needed for the challenge using other sites on the web but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have gone as smoothly and would have involved multiple searches. At the end of the day, that’s why we built singletracks – to make it easy for you to find the best mountain bike trails!

After riding at the 1996 Olympic MTB course in Conyers, I kept going east and hit the Turner Lake Complex Trails in Covington. The trails are located right off I-20 just behind the first shopping center you see on the south side of the highway but feel like they’re hundreds of miles away.

Beware of venomous snakes – they’re the most dangerous thing you’ll find on this trail.

I was interested to ride at Turner Lake because all the singletracks reviewers seemed to agree that these are great “beginner” bike trails. Since it’s been a while since I was a beginner myself, I wanted to get a feel for the type of trail new mountain bikers like to ride.

At the park I was in a hurry to get going and I ended up parking in the wrong spot (at the administrative offices). I rode around the park a bit and jumped onto the first unpaved road I saw – which quickly turned into a utility easement that went nowhere. Backtracking, I made my way to the paved path and sniffed out the (signed) nature trail leading into the woods.

The nature “trail” is a wide, leaf and pine needle covered path that is mostly flat and fairly nondescript. Signage was good – which beginning riders will appreciate – but to me it was missing any level of excitement that might make newbs want to come back for more. I was the only one on the trails on a beautiful Friday afternoon, save for a woman with a young child. If you happen to live in the area, check the trails out for the scenery but don’t plan on getting too many miles in.

Heritage Park

Another favorite on the MTB race/trail running circuit, Heritage Park in Oconee County is always a fun ride. I got to the trail at around 5pm and I was worried it was too late to be hitting the trail. Fortunately I saw another couple just getting started so I hopped on my bike and booked it into the woods.

Mudhunny and I rode these trails for the first time about 2 years ago and I was surprised to find that not much had changed. There are a few re-routes but for the most part, everything is still in place, though with much better flow and signage. After completing the majority of the red loop I wanted to ride a little more so at a familiar intersection I set out in a different direction. After riding for about 10 minutes I got a sinking feeling as I rode further and further from the car while the sun sank lower and lower behind the trees.

After a couple miles I decided to call it quits and bombed down a doubletrack trail back toward the trailhead. Back on the singletrack, I was surprised to see a man hacking at a root on the trail with an axe. He said I was going the wrong direction and I apologized; he said it was ok, just local tradition I guess. I thanked him for his work and as I rode away I think he said “I’m getting paid!” I guess he was a park employee, hard at work, late on a Friday afternoon.

The ride back up to the trailhead seemed longer than usual and I cranked up the tempo even more, fearing my car might somehow get locked inside the gate at dusk. Fortunately I made it back at 6:15pm while the couple I started with were still out on the trail. From Heritage Park I drove to Athens to meet up with my brother for piles of BBQ at the Butt Hutt, happy to be off the trail for a few hours.

We’re stoked to announce four new additions to the singletracks blog team for 2011!

dgaddis (Dustin) – North Augusta, SC

Dustin has been active on singletracks for a while now and we love the single speed perspective he brings to the team. Living in the Augusta area, Dustin has access to hundreds of miles of singletrack and the IMBA Epic FATS trail system which sorta makes us jealous. In addition to competing in races like the Snake Creek Gap Time Trial and the Fools Gold 50, Dustin is active in SORBA and helps organize local MTB races. Check out his recent article titled “My Arch Nemesis: The Ellusive Thurmond Epic.”

Luke_E (Luke) – Waterloo, WI

Luke is new to singletracks (he just signed up for an account after joining the team!) but he brings a wealth of MTB experience to his writing. We’ll let him explain:

Luke is a reformed engineer who realized the bike industry offered everything he wanted in life: lower paychecks, longer hours and plenty of time to immerse himself in anything and everything having to do with human-powered fun. He worked at Advanced Sports Inc. for over two years as a product manager for transportation and utility bikes, and had the unique opportunity to collaborate with Joe Breeze in bringing back Breezer mountain bikes for the first time since the 90s. Much of this involved trips to Europe and Asia allowing for rides in exotic locales like the hills of Taipei, the mountains outside of Zurich or the indescribable trails around Park City.

Last week we shared Luke’s article, Nothing but Time to Ride.

maddslacker (Corey) – Denver, CO

Corey is another top contributor here on singletracks and living in the Denver area allows him to stay connected to the Colorado MTB scene. Just five years ago Corey bought his first real mountain bike – a used Specialized Rockhopper – for $150 and has been hooked on riding ever since. These days he spends “as much time as (his) wife will allow” on the trail, riding all over Colorado and Moab, UT.

Goo (Greg) – Dahlonega, GA

Greg has been a singletracks member since 2008 and he was the first (and still only) member to receive “World Champ” designation with more than 5,000 contribution points. Living in North Georgia, Greg has access to some of the most challenging and scenic trails in the southeast and regularly scouts new MTB trails to share on singletracks. Greg is a member of the Airborne Bikes Flight Crew and also has his own blog at GregRidesTrails.com. Check out Greg’s 2010 guest posts about the Jackrabbit Trails in western NC.

Guest Contributors

In addition to our regular contributors, we’re also gearing up to share more guest posts from mountain bikers across the country. We’re stoked to share these new MTB perspectives with you in 2011 so please help us welcome our newest team members!

Sometimes it’s not about the bike at all. Sometimes, through circumstances outside of your control, you’re taking a ride outside your comfort zone. But regardless of the gear, the weather, or the crew we still love the ride and all the variables that shape it.

At one time I had my pick from a manufacturer’s demo fleet most only dream about. Prototypes, carbon fiber World Cup models, skunk works wheels, forks and brakes. Vendors begged me to ride their new hotness. I was “in the biz” and had all the perks that came with the long hours and low paychecks. My only regret was not being greedy; I could have bought one of these with my employee discount. When you’ve got access to the newest and best rigs out there, why choose one? You’re likely to pay for it with your hard earned dollars only to let it gather dust in the garage while sampling the cornucopia of exciting new gear that’s endlessly streaming though the office.

Unfortunately, 2010 brought with it an economy straight out of a 1930′s newsreel. Sales of bikes, especially the feature-rich trail weapons we all get hot and bothered for, dropped like a lead balloon. The company I worked for took the route of tightening belts and downsizing departments and suddenly I was out of a job. That meant sweatpants, internet job hunting, and a severe lack of my own bike – I had sold my mountain bike when I realized I had my pick of the best in the demo fleet. All that was left in my stable was a 1980s road bike with graphics straight out of Miami Vice, a single speed town bike for beer runs, and the tandem cruiser my wife and I rode at our wedding.

My good friend Jim was generous enough to lend me a bike in my time of need. With nothing but time on my hands this was the perfect opportunity to get in those day-long odysseys I used to dream of from my desk at the office. Jim’s bike had seen better days since he upgraded, so I took a day to install new cables and housings, made some adjustments and gave everything a clean and lube. It was a lesson in the timeline of technology: I had spent the last two years exclusively riding the newest, lightest, and best the bike industry had to offer. Now I was “making due” with a slightly porky rig that was top of the line in its day but would be considered outdated by current standards.

I packed up my borrowed bike, my gear, and a lunch and headed south to Newark, Delaware. My favorite trails of late were in White Clay Creek State Park. It has fast, flowy singletrack with an incredible network of looping, interlocking routes to choose from. There was even a BC-style board track skills course. Jim and I had been stringing together short- and medium-length rides whenever we could get a free weekend afternoon, but today was my day to put it all together.

What transpired that day was nothing short of transcendental. Freed from the clock, spinning at my own pace on a borrowed ride that was just right, I was able to leave behind concerns about my job search, what the traffic would be like on the way home, what’s in the fridge, what’s in the bank. I stopped when I saw a perfect spot for a picture; I doubled back on particularly tasty sections to try a different line; and I rode for the simple pleasure of being singularly focused on the immediate moment. It was a day without time. My own power, the help of a friend, and miles of great trails showed me that the race for the Next Big Thing can sometimes be shoved aside for that simple joy of a ride in the woods.

It’s time to ride.