What's less fun and less safe than listening to music?

DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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Good to hear it's only minor!

I've been a mt biker for 15 years, have owned a few downhill bikes, like big jumps and drops, done a few races including 2 of the Big Mountain Enduro series last year, etc... I've paid the price. About 6 weeks ago I managed to dislocate my right shoulder, it was a "routine" crash from losing traction around a corner, probably did it 1000 times, but this time my arm hit something just the right way...

I'd rather fall of my mt bike and hurt myself than fall off my couch, I actually read about a woman who broke her neck falling off her couch a few years ago. It's all relative... ;)
 

cjfrbw

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Apr 20, 2010
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I remember Nelson Pass complaining that he threw out his back trying to lift one of his medium range amplifiers. He probably wished he went mountain biking, instead.
 
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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
First off not only haven’t I ridden a bike for many decades, I have never been on a mountain bike and I have a fear of heights especially when you’re up over 10,000 feet and done if those trails were so narrow that I thought I was going to fall off the edge. It was a 14 mile bike ride descending 4000 feet to the valley floor. It was a demon I had to conquer. I had a few minor wipe outs but the big one was when my pedal snagged a boulder and I went down landing on my face but bracing the fall with my right forearm. Thankfully no teeth or nose broken. Only a superficial abrasion.

The hardest part of the entire ride was when we had to walk our bikes up the trail but up was like a 60 degree slope. I thought it was the hardest thing I’ve done in many moons. The altitude and the steepness of that walk which probably was only 200 feet but I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.

Kudos to Marty who was excellent and made it to the bottom before any of us

Back at our rooms we decompressed in the hot tub until we felt human again.

I’m glad I did it as it helped me with some of my phobias but the lesson learned for me is that as much as I enjoyed it, mountain biking is not for me. :)

We leave tomorrow morning. I have some photos of the Telluride Blues and Brews festival which we attended in the closing night as well as some spectacular shots of the beauty around us.
 

Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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Wow, Steve! That sounds like quite an adventure!

I’m glad you all are basically okay!
 
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Folsom

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I prefer going up... which probably isn't what you'd think looking at me. Steep downhill stuff doesn't work for me. I'm not one of those people that needs to express adrenaline to have a good time.

But I like some slightly technical trail/single track. The technical trail is best though. I've even done that on a fixie for fun a few times :)
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Answer: Mountain biking at 10,000 ft. and falling off your bike.
Greetings from the 3 Amigos in Telluride with some minor wounds and bruised egos.

Were the egos bruised during this trip or the audio journey
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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I thought the toughest and scariest thing ever was Ked committing to a system. This pales in comparison.
 
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Bobvin

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Steve, just to be sure there are a lot of ways to enjoy being on a bike in the mountains that do not involve technical skills or sphincter clenching descents. And more comfortable bikes too than the forward biased position of most mountain or road bikes.

Great photo, big smiles all around. Telluride is a wonderful place.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thanks Bob

It was truly an experience I will never forget. I know you are an ardent bicyclist . I work out daily and walk 4-6 miles every day and even though I thought I had acclimated to the altitude I was dyspneic, tachypneic and had tachycardia.Getting to the bottom for me was like winning the lottery
 
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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
We are leaving for the airport soon but stay tuned for my thread on the next edition of The Tres Amigos Ride Again

I have a lot of photos of Telluride, the scenery and of the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival
 

bonzo75

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Thanks Bob

It was truly an experience I will never forget know you are an ardent bicyclist . I work out daily and walk 4-6 miles every day and even though I thought I had acclimated to the altitude I was dyspneic, tachypneic and had tachycardia.Getting to the bottom for me was like winning the lottery

Wow impressed that's very good regular workout
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Wow impressed that's very good regular workout
I do it every day Ked
Plus I live at the base of the mountains on a golf course and the trails into the hills makes for a very good walk .
 
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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I have to say that up until yesterday the scariest thing I have ever done was zip lining through the rain forest in Costa Rica where we were over 500 feet in the air above the tree canopy but yesterday might have easily matched or bettered that experience as we were over 10,000 up
 

DaveC

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Mountain biking is one of the most difficult sports around, it takes very high levels of strength, endurance, coordination and mental toughness. Generally, it's not a sport you can just pick up and do occasionally, for most people it's way too difficult and scary. I've seen people have mental breakdowns on the trail.

For an occasional mt biker not acclimated to altitude to make it down a 4000 ft descent in the Rocky Mountains is no small feat at any age, congrats for making it down without being rescued or needing a hospital afterwards. :)
 

Bobvin

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Mountain biking is one of the most difficult sports around, it takes very high levels of strength, endurance, coordination and mental toughness. Generally, it's not a sport you can just pick up and do occasionally, for most people it's way too difficult and scary. I've seen people have mental breakdowns on the trail.

For an occasional mt biker not acclimated to altitude to make it down a 4000 ft descent in the Rocky Mountains is no small feat at any age, congrats for making it down without being rescued or needing a hospital afterwards. :)

Dave, my only beef with your comment is that it may discourage some folks from going for a bike ride in the mountains. Perhaps it is a matter of definition, but "mountain biking" has subclasses of activity, and not all require the advanced skills of the hard-core downhill adrenaline junkies who enjoy jumps and technical riding. There are lots of mountain trails that can be enjoyed without advanced skills. Not all mountain biking involves elevated risks of broken limbs.

As to Steve's accomplishment... indeed a hearty congratulations is in order. That kind of riding does indeed include elevated levels of broken limbs, and the altitude takes a lot more than a day or two of acclimatization. Gasping and wheezing all around, even if it were three 20-somethings up on the hill.
 
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Folsom

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Indeed, good job making it alive!

There are easy trails, but they are the sorts that you can walk on easily.
 

DaveC

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Dave, my only beef with your comment is that it may discourage some folks from going for a bike ride in the mountains. Perhaps it is a matter of definition, but "mountain biking" has subclasses of activity, and not all require the advanced skills of the hard-core downhill adrenaline junkies who enjoy jumps and technical riding. There are lots of mountain trails that can be enjoyed without advanced skills. Not all mountain biking involves elevated risks of broken limbs.

As to Steve's accomplishment... indeed a hearty congratulations is in order. That kind of riding does indeed include elevated levels of broken limbs, and the altitude takes a lot more than a day or two of acclimatization. Gasping and wheezing all around, even if it were three 20-somethings up on the hill.


Yes, there are easy beginner trails around, especially now that mt biking is a more mature sport. In general though, I'll stick to what I said as I've had plenty of experience with people in over their heads, not understanding exactly what they're getting into.

As mt biking matures there are a lot of guide services popping up, I think it's a great idea for a beginner to hire a guide who can make sure your bike, gear and physical abilities match the trip you'll be going on.
 

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