I love mountain biking but regrettably, my bike has been quite neglected this summer. Last time I rode my bike in early July, I broke my brake lever completely off and sadly, my bike has been sitting broken in my garage since. 

But this weekend, for some reason, I had a sudden and intense desire to hit the trails on two wheels. So, I asked my husband if I could borrow one of his bikes so we could go on a ride together. My husband should be training for an upcoming mountain bike race anyway, so it was easy to convince him to go out with me. 

We decided to ride in the Sawtooth Ridge area. Our plan was to get to the trailhead early in the morning so we could beat the heat but the Sunday lazies got the best of us. We slept past our alarms, spent too long enjoying our coffee, cuddling with our cats and playing with our dogs. By the time we got to the trail, it was 11 a.m., well into the heat of the day. 

Because it was hot, we shifted our plan so instead of doing a long, intense ride, we’d just have fun on the shorter loops close to the parking lot. We did hot laps on the skills loops before heading up to take a lap on the Happy Face trail, which is one of my favorite easy trails in the area. 

It wasn’t one of the most exciting days on a bike. I didn’t push my comfort level on any huge drops or big features. I didn’t suffer through any grueling climbs that made me question why I do this sport. But I did have a lot of fun. Nothing beats a day in the woods on my bike with my husband. 

The day also made me even more appreciative for the Truckee trail system. There is truly something for everyone, from those looking to get after it on a long, technical trail to people like my husband and I who just wanted a chill pedal. 

Now that I’ve caught the mountain biking bug again you’re sure to see my out on the trails the rest of the summer into the fall.