Ashley's First Mountain Bike Ride
I can't believe I've been working with Road Runner Bags for nearly 5 years, and it has taken me this long to hop on a mountain bike - you'd think that these adventure junkies would have gotten me out on a trail a long time ago. All I have to say is that my first time definitely won't be my last!
Brad and Ester met me out at the Fullerton Loop on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. It really was the perfect day and perfect ride (approximately 11 miles) for a beginner such as myself. This ride has plenty of manageable inclines and friendly drops. . . for the most part! I only took one stumble at the end of an incline that I didn't see coming.
Brad lent me this super fun Surly MTB that I really don't know anything about except that it made the ride very comfortable. . . I'm officially inspired to set up my own bike after taking a spin on those 26" wheels! As you can see, Ester adorned my handy dandy Auto Pilot with her signature floral decor. I consume a lot of water during any active day in the sun so having a handlebar bag that easily fits my 32 oz Nalgene is key.
Days like this remind me of the things that are so special about Southern California - a little bit of a drive can get you to some amazing trails leading to incredible 360 views of the city. In the early month of March, you should never take for granted how awesome it is to have a warm day like this to share some priceless times with friends.
My advice to anyone interested in giving mountain biking a try is to just get out and do it! I have long been intimidated by this avenue of cycling and instead opted to observe my friends and family having a blast from the outside. It turns out that trails are a lot less scary than I initially thought and having the right gear makes the journey a breeze. I'm very excited for some new adventures away from cars and deep in the mountains!
*Brad demonstrating a typical bRad technique
A snippet about the author:
Ash Cam: "I've been working with Road Runner Bags since 2014 and have had my hands on just about every piece that has left this shop since then. I'm a FIDM grad and when I'm not at the shop, I enjoy long walks on the beach (with my dog!), crafting, and watching videos of sloths eating!"
