We So Crazy!

So what do you do just hours after a Mountain 1/2 Marathon? Sleep? Rest? Ice bath? Stretch? Nah!!!!!
You haul your mountain bikes up the ski lifts and attempt to ride down on the trails!!! Right?

Sometimes even I think I have problems. However, I knew within hours the muscle pain would be so intense I wouldn't be able to try mountain biking, so I ate lunch and headed back out.

Silly little Kansas girl, what are you doing?

Kenton and I rode the gondola up to the fun park and then got on the lifts to take us and our bikes to the top of the peak. We really didn't know what all we were getting into, but that's not our style to analyze things too much. (Like, checking into the details of a mountain race you sign up for to learn it's going to take you up 12,500 feet...) Besides, we'd probably never do much if we knew all the details!

Don't get too attached to those shorts!

So we got up to the top, put on our helmets and followed the signs, how hard could it be, right?

After the first switchback, I was scared! I have pad breaks and I guess disc brakes are really what you need up there. I got real friendly with pumping my brakes as to not lock them and skid out of control.

It didn't seem so hard to Kenton...yet

Kenton was more comfortable than I was, even though he had to stop me once to see if I "meant to do that?" There were plenty of runs that I just held on and hoped it would level out before the turn.
I watched one rider wipe out, jump up, dust off, and take off again. That didn't help me get more comfortable.

Not enough O2 to grow up there

We stopped for a minute so I could, uh, you know 'find a tree.' And then Kenton took the lead. He took it alright. Right around a turn too fast and laid the bike down really hard. He jumped up to reveal new scrapes and shredded pants. (Later we realized it went all the way through to the skin and he earn quite a nice wound on his tail...awesome, "we paid for this?")

We switched trails and made it down with no more incidences. I was happy to not have increased the scrapes on my legs and that we didn't get seriously hurt.

Shredded through 2 layers, pic doesn't do justice!

I'm pretty fearless when it comes to "sacrificing my body" in the name of recreation, however, I'm not so sure I'll be adding mountain biking to my list of "interest." Kenton wasn't soured by his experience, he just wants to wear longer pants and thicker underwear next time. :)

I don't know what the big deal was...*I* didn't get hurt :)