Go! Explore!

I recently found myself walking up a slot canyon, mouth agape, trying to take in all of this amazing hidden gem. To call it “off the beaten path” is a bit of an understatement. I’ve been sworn to secrecy regarding its exact location, but it is so special, it is under consideration to be designated a Wilderness Area. Grubby Guy knew about it from a previous trip, and wanted to show it to me and look around for some elk sheds. This hike turned out to be an “ah-ha moment” for me. It was nothing short of a revelation! I could look at the rocks all around and feel the history of the area. I found myself wondering who else had walked that canyon…Native Americans, explorers, mountain men, hikers, hunters... I wondered what it looked like for them, what they saw. I found myself wondering what kind of animals lived in the area and what they thought about it. I saw mountain lion tracks, deer tracks, elk tracks, raccoon tracks, beautiful little blue birds, hawks…and two little butterflies that followed me down the canyon. I thought about the amazing forces of nature needed to create the slot canyon. I wondered about the rocks and how they were created, and where they started from and how they ended up in the canyon. I found myself wishing I had paid more attention to my Geology class...My imagination was ignited. My sense of wonder was exploding. For those things alone, this little jaunt was rewarding beyond measure.

So, this is my challenge for you…explore the untrodden places. Go for a walk in a place that doesn’t have an established trail. Drive down a road you’ve never driven down before. Stop at a little pull-out and get out and walk for a bit. Take an entirely new route through your city or town. Pick a place on the map and find your way there. Go somewhere new and different and unexplored by you. You never know what you will discover. I recently read about an archaeologist in South Africa who decided to explore the caves nearby, figuring they held untold treasures. He was meandering around in an area he knew had lots of unmarked caves, and found the skull of a 9 year-old boy who was 2 million years old! It turns out to be a whole new species of man – the first link between the apes and us. And, all of that because he wandered someplace not marked on a map. You may not find a new species, but you never know what you could discover about your environment and yourself!

As Calvin said to Hobbes in the last frame of the last comic strip… “Let’s go exploring!”

Getting Started - Buying a Bike

While you can ride a bike virtually year-round (just one of the many reasons riding a bike makes people happy), most people dust their bikes off in the spring and get the wheels spinning. Not only is bike riding excellent exercise, it’s also a great way to explore the world around you. One of my all-time favorite things to do is ride my bike on summer evenings after supper. I try out new routes through the neighborhood, explore neighborhoods I’ve never seen, ride around the park and watch all the families playing…it is hard not to smile and feel like everything is right in the world. In fact, when I am out on my bike, it’s pretty hard to wipe the smile off my face in general.

If it’s been years since you’ve been on a bike, never fear, it really is as easy as riding a bike! You don't have to be like Lance to have fun!

First things first…you need a bike. Maybe you have one stored in the garage or storage locker. Maybe you don’t have a bike at all, but have decided this is the year you get back in the saddle. If you are thinking of buying new wheels this year, there are a couple of things to keep in mind while you shop:
1) The kind of riding you will be doing – do you want to ride mostly on bike paths and streets? A road bike or cruiser would do you just fine for either of those purposes. If you want to take your bike off-road on trails and jeep roads, you will need a bike with a little more meat like a mountain bike or a cyclo-cross bike. And if you are looking for a couple-friendly ride, you may want to consider a tandem bicycle.
2) How far you want to ride – if a couple of miles will do you, you may want to stick with a cruiser bike, which typically has anywhere from one to three gears. If you want to ride longer distances (10+ miles), you will want a bike with more gears. It will make the pedaling easier and reduce the strain you put on your body. Mountain bikes, road bikes and cyclo-cross bikes are all suitable for longer distances.
3) What you’re willing to spend – you can get a lot of bike for a relatively small investment – and you can get a lot of bike for a really huge investment. Plan on spending at least $700 on a good starter bike (less if you are purchasing a basic cruiser, which you can run $250-$500). The nice thing about bikes is that you can upgrade components as your skill and interest increases. You don’t have to buy top-of-the-line right off the bat…Upgrade as your budget allows. As long as your frame is solid, the rest is pretty interchangeable. You can add clipless pedals, different handlebars, different wheels, a lighter gear set, fancier breaks, a new saddle (seat) seat post, a computer to track your mileage and speed, etc.
4) Your frame – as in your body type. Many bicycle manufacturers make women-specific bikes that are adjusted to fit a woman’s body a little better (narrower handlebars for our narrower shoulders, a slightly shorter top tube because we tend to have longer legs and shorter torsos, etc.) There are also bicycles build for heavier-set people, bikes for people who cannot lean over for long, bikes for unusually tall people. Talk with someone at your bike shop.

Here’s a little information about the different types of bikes.

A quick note about buying a new bike…there are some bike shops that will allow you to demo different bikes on a “rent to own” basis. That is, each time you rent a bike, a portion of the rental fee will eventually go towards the purchase of a new bike. Also, if you keep your eyes peeled, in the Spring and Summer, many bike companies offer “Demo Days,” where they bring a bunch of bikes to an event, park or trail, and let people try the bikes out. Ask about upcoming demo days at your local bike shop. I would strongly recommend you ride as many different bikes from as many different manufacturers that you can. Even the same sized frame will feel slightly different from different manufacturers. Ride lots of ‘em and find the one that feels best for you. Even then, you would be wise to invest in a custom fit session at your local bike shop. They will look at your body on your bike and make adjustments to help you be more comfortable and injury-free! A fraction of an inch can make a HUGE difference.

Even if you already have a bike, it is a good idea to double check the fit of your bike every year or so.

Here are some bike fit tips from the experts.

And another link.


Next time, we’ll talk about getting started, what kind of events you can enter to stay motivates and other cycle-friendly tips!