This is one of the stories that speaks to the essence of mountain
biking, even though it doesn't involve any "epic" pictures or "gnarly"
video. No, just a testament to how rad mountain biking is as a lifestyle
and community.
I've enjoyed going to book stores and
reading magazines for years and years. From snowboarding to music to
biking, the topics have changed but the pleasure I take in a few minutes
perusing mags amidst the smell of fresh books is one of my favorite
things.
This past Mother's Day weekend, I accepted the
fact that I can't choose gifts for my wife and dropped her off at one
of her favorite shops with a bit of cash while I headed for Barnes and
Noble with the kids. With the addition of children to the family, by
bookstore routine has only been interrupted slightly: I still grab a
couple magazines, but instead of heading for a cushy chair, we march
back to the kids section where I sit at the little kiddy table, soaking
in the latest while keeping a semi-watchful eye on the little ones.
Our
arrival at children's section was quickly followed by a mandatory
bathroom trip, so I stashed my copies of Decline and Dirt on a shelf and
we made the voyage. When we came back, what did I find to my surprise
(much like Goldilocks) but a guy sitting at the kiddy table with two
bike mags. At first I thought he had found my stash, but no, there they
were where I left them. I grabbed them off the shelf, sat down across
the way and said, "I'm glad I'm not the only one" as I held my
magazines up.
The conversation caught and then snowballed. We talked
trails, shops, injuries, adjustable seatposts, 29ers...about an hour
later I had a new friend and I had no idea where my daughter was. (Don't
worry. I found her.) I've been involved in a number of hobbies and
pursuits, but none of them seem to elicit the instant kinship that
mountain biking does. I love that.
Totally agree. I met a new guy at church on Sunday. He is a spine surgeon and has 4 kids so we are super different, however after I found out he bikes we spent an hour talking about bikes and then became friends. We are going to go riding together now.
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