Is you kid a mountain biker at heart?

November 10, 2006 on 4:42 pm | In Mountain, Family | No Comments

Glory days are here indeed. When our daughter turned 7, we asked her if she thought she might want to give mountain biking a try. She replied with a resounding ‘yes’. Being the owners of a bike shop and avid riders to boot, that was certainly music to our ears. We promptly brought her home a new Jamis fester so she would be properly outfitted for the task. The Fester is a great bike for young beginners, with its hand brakes and 6 gears; it really helps prepare a child for more serious riding. (We sell some of the best kids mountain bikes that exist.)Our first venture was out to Bent Creek where we rode the very family friendly homestead trail. She had a blast and blew us away with her natural ability and confidence. She really wanted this and you could see the determination all over her face.Our next adventure was in the North Mills area where we found some incredibly kid friendly trail. The fall colors were in peak. There was plenty of flat trail for fast fun and some beginner technical material for a challenge. Watching the look on your child’s face when they are out on the trail and feeling really good about their accomplishments is priceless.

There will always be moments when your child falls, or is unsuccessful at an obstacle, but when handled with a positive outlook and a little humility, it’s easy enough to turn that frown upside down. Just tell them you just learned how to get over logs like that last year. And there’s nothing wrong with falling or walking your bike, you’ll be doing that no matter how good you get.

This is a fantastic opportunity for family bonding. What better way to spend time together than out in these beautiful mountains, sharing one of life’s greatest joys—the bicycle.

enjoy the pics from our old website.