Yep, it’s that time of year again and, although I’m not really a resolution kind of guy, I thought up some ways to make myself a better mountain biker in 2009. Sometimes it’s tough to distinguish resolutions from goals but here’s what I came up with so far:
Become more involved in local trail work
I think I may have made this resolution last year but unfortunately I’ve yet to pick up a shovel to help out. In my own defense I’ve been checking the local MTB club’s website for details on upcoming work days but you know how that goes. I’ll continue to check on upcoming trail work opportunities but keep me accountable!
Challenge my skills and endurance
Like a lot of mountain bikers I’ve become sorta complacent riding the same trails week after week. This year I want to challenge myself to at least one moderate to difficult endurance ride each month while working on my skills progression. To keep this resolution (at least through the first half of the year) I’ve set a goal of finishing my first 100 mile mountain bike race in May. How’s that for endurance?
Take better care of my mountain bike equipment
Don’t laugh – this will be a major challenge for me this year. I’ve been riding the same mountain bike since 1999 (!) and despite abusing the thing it still gets me up and down the mountain. I’m looking to get some new wheels this year and I want to keep my bike looking and feeling new for years to come. That means washing all the dirt and mud off my bike as soon as I get home from a ride and paying attention to stuff like lube and cable tension. It also means drying my Camelbak, cleaning my shoes, fixing stuff that’s broken, and learning all I can about mountain bike repair and maintenance all year long. This will probably be my most difficult resolution to keep in 2009.
Continue to support IMBA
I may not get out to work on the trails as often as I’d like but in 2008 I did manage to support IMBA both financially and through various petitions at the local and national level. For 2009 I’m resolving to step up and look for more opportunities to advocate on behalf of mountain bikers everywhere though IMBA. I’ll also continue to use this blog and the forums for mountain bike advocacy.
Now that I look at this list it seems a little overwhelming but getting my MTB resolutions written up should certainly help keep me on track. What will you resolve to do in 2009?
