A beginner’s perspective: This is a contagious sport

After years of chasing snowflakes and wind, I decided to learn what this mountain bike hype was all about.

My ski/board friends kept telling me that mountain biking in Stowe was as wild and adventurous as skiing the famed Mansfield backcountry on an epic powder day. I found that hard to believe, as I had spent most of my winters skiing backcountry and most summers offshore racing sailboats.

The only bike I owned was a beach cruiser used to get libations after spending long days on the ocean.

My perception of cycling has completely changed. I moved back to Stowe and decided to jump into this new world of active fun. I purchased my mountain bike and was surprised to find it didn’t have any pedals!

So I just transferred the ones over from my old beach cruiser. How hard can this be? Any 2-year-old can ride a bike, right?

I rode to the highly acclaimed Cady Hill Forest. My friend Dave met me there and LOL’d when I showed up looking like a first-time skier with 150cm parabolics and rear-entry boots on the wrong feet on a powder day.

Seriously, I had beach cruiser pedals, Vans skate shoes, a Bern Snowboard helmet and my biggest mistake — unpadded shorts!

“OK,” he says, “follow me and keep up.” As I rounded the first few corners, I soon realized how out of cycling shape I was. I’m a nonsmoker, but I was gasping for air as if I had been chain-smoking for 20 years. Everyone, including grandma and her short-legged, overweight dog, passed me.

After several panting stops of sweat and tears, I finally reached the top of the Cady Hill climb. I was both stunned at the view, and at the fact that I actually made it there.

OK, now it was time for the F-U-N everyone talks about — the trail Florence or, if you are fortunate enough to meet the amazing Sue (BTW, don’t blink; she’s kinda fast), Sue says, “Let’s go to Flo!”

Right then, I quickly realized what the hype was all about. Flo is a cross between an Olympic luge and skiing Hell Brook (amazing Stowe backcountry). Insane! Ripping through the woods and around perfectly tailored banked corners, I knew right then I was hooked. I also knew why padded shorts are worth every penny.

Well, that was my Day One. Sue was there to greet me at the bottom and congratulate me with an invite to a local gathering for a local rock-star cyclist. I showed up, for what in my opinion completed a three-part recipe for any great sport: one part sport, one part nature, one part people!.

Sue’s après-ride party was like a scene out of the Hobbit — every kind of cycling creature came out of the forest: giants, elves and woolen-clad wizards. All had that “great day of adventure” grin on their faces.

Sue opened her fridge, packed with every beer that people wait in lines for. I had a Heady Topper in one hand and a Sip of Sunshine in the other. What else could possibly go right? I had found my new home.

That was the story of Day One. By Day Three, I could ride without gasping for air, and now, at Week Three, I am pleased to say I can almost keep up with my new “forest” of Stowe MTB friends.

I honestly wake up every day and think, “I can’t wait to ride.” Mountain biking truly is a contagious sport.