It’s not always a bad thing.
Sooner or later you’re going to ride a trail that is really difficult, as in way over your skill level. For whatever reason, it just kicks your ass and “riding” it may end up not being fun, comfortable, and in some situations, downright dangerous. Read on for some nuggets of wisdom when confronting these trail demons.
Learn about the area you are going to ride. Check maps. Gather intel from other riders. Read comments. Know where the tough trails are and how to get to them, or get around them. Usually there are ride-arounds for sections that are difficult. Check ride reports if they are available. Things change out there in nature. Folks skid the hell out of the tougher parts of trails, wood features weather and rot, storms that leave some trails tacky can wash out the steeper tracks. Good dirt is seasonal and situational.
Before you go, and when you get to that menace of a line, plan to give yourself some grace. Know going in that there may be a time that you will have to pull your ego into the slow lane and get off your bike and walk down or around a problem. It’s okay. It will be there when you come back to it, and you can set your sights on it for a later ride. Yeah, that ego of yours might sting for a while, but not nearly as badly as your body will if you use your chest as a sled and your chin as a brake. Breathe, and get over it. You got out there in the first place, take that as a win and move on. There were probably other challenges on that trail you did ride. Pat yourself on the back for that! Remember: discretion is the better part of valor. Bonus: your riding buddies will thank you for not having to perform first aid and practice evacuation strategies.
On the other side of the equation is the give it a try option. Check yourself. How is your riding today? Feel good? Things clicking? Then nut up and give that tricky section a shot! It does help to have a strategy. A well coached 12 year old I was riding with one day came to a techy rock roll he had never seen but wanted to give it a shot. He got off his bike, walked the section down from the top, then back up. He talked his way through his thinking to himself, and the other folks he was riding with gathered all the intel and helped him process it. He picked a line he thought he could manage, scoped the run in, and walked that part one more time. He went back up the trail, took a deep breath, followed his plan and rocked it. Smiles all around. Walk it, talk it, pick a line and rock it.
Taking this idea a step further, coaching is a beneficial step you may choose to take. Excellent videos can be found at Fluid Ride Mountain Bike Instruction, who conveniently also has a YouTube channel. There are many other options as well; consult the Oracle that is Google. No doubt there are instructors in your area too, reach out and bring up your skills if you are inclined.
There are trails out there that challenge even the best riders. Understanding that concept can be humbling and also exhilarating, and give you something to aim for in the future.
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