Girl Pushups

One big mountain, lift assisted, riding day is the equivalent of doing fifty thousand girl push-ups at the gym. Well, that’s my opinion. Take it or leave it. After my first day. After not being able to digest the whole situation as it was happening and one quick briefing as to how the hill is somewhat laid out. My buddy telling me that I ‘should be able to roll most of the features’ on this black diamond. I was off to the races because if I let off the brakes I would be the fastest man alive. And what the hell did ‘roll most of the...’ mean exactly?

An authentic first big mountain run is always memorable. Mine happened to be with a previously sponsored local and his just as experienced, at flying mach-shitmypants, friend.

They took me down the ‘Steamshovel’. Rated from the order of the black. No warmup whatsoever. I was thankful that I’d rode this semi-alpine gem on my snowboard a few times. I kind of, sort of, knew what I was in for. About 600 vertical meters of various steep inclinations.

It really is a treat to watch talented people do their trade. Even if you’re the slow rider that only catches glimpses once in awhile. These guys are fast! (As I alluded to with my new mach style classification.) I was pushed to my limit with in about one hundred of feet of starting the trail. Also, I looked up and found that the fellas had long left me behind.

That I’m writing this, is firm confirmation that I’m alive. A little bruised up, though. I rolled a few features on my head, but most with my wheels on the ground. As I write this, I can feel strain in the joints of my fingers, tendons that were stretched and muscles that ache. I learned to trust my bike more and how to navigate steep, rough trail. In short, I progressed a little bit in this sport. I met some interesting people and enjoyed the easygoing vibe that surrounded the Sun Peaks village. Thanks for a good first day.