In my experience, people who find their lives easy often seek tocomplicate them because they need the challenge. When it's toast-burning hot out,and the hills are filled with insects, and my Achilles tendon is starting toswell again, I go ride my bike. One of the allures is pain. There are somany flavors of pain. There's the black tunnel-vision of long climbs, soout of body that the hands go numb half way up the arms. Other days it's thefight-or-flight where pursuit of respiratory overload gains a momentumof its own that makes stopping seem impossible. Yet further, on the vergeof vomiting there's a struggle to control a whole range of emotions thatnon-athletes don't enjoy. Can you dig this? Depends on which side youidentify with.

Jamaica's Blue Mountains Costa Rican Quest L.A.'s San Gabriels GORP Biking

All of this is why I mountain bike, plus the view, of course. This experience is for everyone, including a one-legged guy I know who gets along off-road just fine. Everyone can experience this pain, bliss, community, sharing and of course fear. As often as I can arrange it, I do.

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