How Karen got hooked on Mountain Biking

April 20, 2003 on 2:21 pm | In Racing |

I am going to attempt to describe to you how my blissful relationship started with the “fellas” at BioWheels and biking. After breaking my shoulder last spring, in another sport, I couldn’t find anything that compared to whitewater kayaking. One afternoon I was asked to try a road ride with my supervisor (who happens to be a bad-ass cyclist) She took me on the West Asheville, Hookers Gap ride. The intensity of the pain that I felt over my whole body showed me that this could be a long process.

I liked the thrill of the miles I could cover and continued to meet friends through riding with Robin (my boss). She had me pulling up the Parkway, riding the Ox Creek Plunge, and pressing around the Two Toe River Ride in Burnsville. Robin was riding for the “fellas” at Bio Wheels and I took frequent side trips to the shop and started meeting others to ride with. Eric Krause took me on an amazing ride in Saluda, NC that finished with a 22-mile uphill “death march” through the Watershed and various other rides. I had completed a few century rides and couldn’t decide if I was doing this to fill a void, ride behind men with nice butts or for the scenery. Then I went Mtn Biking and everything became clear.

This is where the real relationship began. The thrill of going downhill was like no other. Although slower on an Mtn Bike, especially on the uphill, I realized that there would most always be a downhill after the uphill and that was where I felt alive. So, like most of us do, I dove in head- first and purchased my first full suspension Mountain Bike. I couldn’t get enough. I was riding with various people with varying skills who really made me realize that you have to ride to get better so that is what I did. I rode as much a possible with encouragement from family and friends.I rode right in to the fall with hopes of jumping back on my bike this spring and feeling like I did the previous season. That was creative reality and a false perception of what truly lied ahead.

My shoulder got better so I started back kayaking. Pulling back from these wonderful people who had encouraged me to ride and who had been supportive. Although my winter travels took me across Central America where the whitewater kayaking through the jungles and the surf were breathtaking, I was missing something. The all over body buzz from a hard afternoon ride, the Friday night hack sessions over local brewed beers at the shop. The conversations with Amber and Matt, into the late night hours of the night, on any subject we could think of to talk about that infected our world. I realized that I had made bonds with good people and made memories that had become embroidered in my mind. I have this same feeling with my circle of whitewater friends, the biggest difference was I was using my lungs (gaining endurance) and strengthening my legs.

So I approached Matt (my kindred spirited friend) and I relayed to him that after reading his wife’s articles on the website, that I wanted my “fellas” back and I wanted to get back on my bike. He arranged for Amber and I to go on our first road ride of the season. Pushing a 45- mile marker, we giggled, and realized that maybe the winter didn’t totally ruin us. We decided to make our weekly rides more intense and more frequent. Riding for 1 hour, then two. You see it was happening again, the comradery, the very essence that had previously attracted me to this particular sport. “I have a hurt shoulder!” ” I am over 30!” “I have severe asthma and I hate up-hills!” I could make up a hundred reasons why I shouldn’t be Mtn Biking but then it all comes back to the single fact that the people I ride with are healthy, happy and successful individuals.

I was having such a grand time riding that I decided to plan my summer vacation around my bike. The question now was which bike. Would I Mtn Bike out west or road ride the east coast? I played with all my options and still in deliberation I decided to summer tour across Alaska. I mentioned this to Matt, one Friday night at the shop, and he talked to me for hours about touring and set me in the direction for my planning process. Little did I realize that somehow, that process had me joining the Bio Wheels racing team. A bit skeptical, I went to the Bio Wheels Team meeting at the Asheville Pizza Company. I listened to why people were there and it was all the same reasons that I wanted to get back with this group of riders. I voiced to Matt that “support” to the team was my main interest because I had done “support” the year before. (taking photos, carrying water and beers for the riders) Well, for those of you who know Matt, understand that “no” really isn’t in his vocabulary and he could possibly talk the bark off a tree. Secretly enjoying the support he gave me and accepting the challenge, I made arrangements to go on weekly rides with Amber and Kristi. (Bio Wheels riders)

The first few rides were probably the most entertaining. Laughing, taking frequent breaks and getting to know each other, I really felt like I was becoming a part of something meaningful. We started running together in the evenings, and riding together on a routine like schedule.

After talking about some upcoming races the three of us decided to enter the beginners’ race at Knobscorcher April 12th. This brings us to recent history. Friday April 11th rolled around and I decide to go up like I was going to race. (still not sure) Kristi, Kirt, Amber, Hyla and myself drove up to a beautiful setting at our cabin. Matt and Scott had already started a fire (weather was still cold from the snow storm the day before) we entered the cabin and the fun began. We all started creating rap songs about racing and being 30 years old and pulling out our best break-dancing moves. Then Matt showed up and showed us that he could have been the Cincinnati Street Break Dancing Olympic Hopeful back in his day. (nice moves!) The ladies then took off on a run (what turned into an accidental 1-½ hour run which was not recommended the day before a race) as other teammates arrived we watched the sun set, drank an Amber Lager (French Broad River Brewing Beers) and hacked until we couldn’t see the ball any longer. The question of the night buzzing around my cabin was, “Are you racing?” We wrapped up the night with a group yoga session and set off to get some sleep. My eyes were bugging out of my head, (it could have been all the beers I had consumed), but whatever the reason I was nervous and excited about the mornings events.

Race morning arrived and I awoke to the beautiful sunrise and smiling faces. Wolfing down coffee and bacon on my way out the door to the registration post, my stomach was rumbling fierce fully. (After making numerous trips to the porta- potty (mental note to self; don’t drink a six- pack before a race)) we approached the starting line giggling to each other as officials were asking us questions about logistics revolving around the race. I, myself, had never riding Tsali so I was completely oblivious to what was taking place. I spoke to Erica, the lady to my right, and heard words of nervousness at the starting line. I made the comment aloud, “Ladies, lets ride like it’s an afternoon ride.” And we were off.
All my memories from playing tennis and swimming as a child came racing back to me as the crowd clapped and cheered us up the first climb. I climbed away and zigzagged off into single track. I held first place for a good while and proceed to misjudge a mud pit at the base of a climb. I fell. I fell into the mud (my first endo) and could hear folks yelling for me to get up and out of the way. (Note to self: always pay attention to how many people pass you and what color jerseys you now have to catch up with) I jumped back on my bike, knowing I had fallen on my bad shoulder and continued to catch up with the ladies who had passed me. It was exciting, thrilling, and scary all at once. (I stopped at the bails of hay, (which wasn’t the finish line)) I had to start again and complete the race. This was a task because my bike had been stuck in 3rd gear for a while because my chain came off twice (I realized then that I had a lot to learn about riding bikes). Nonetheless, the race was over and Christy, Amber and I had finished our first race. We were smiling from ear to ear. Our teammates seemed more than satisfied with the results. There were 18 racers there from Bio Wheels and the most important part of this team was the support from Chris Wode, Justin’s dad, Ben’s wife and many others. They took time getting us fired up and making everything delightful. We were a presence at this place and it showed. I had found “that feeling” again. This was a place of acceptance. I liked these people, the ladies around me in the race, the judges, and spectators. It was a good feeling and I felt proud. Today is another day. I will go out to Bent Creek and run my 30- minute run and ride my hour ride. I will continue to plan my trek across Alaska. And I will continue to drink beers and hack at Bio Wheels in the evenings. I will grow as an individual and share what I have experienced and learned along my way. I plan on sending journals for you to read while I am venturing across this Grizzly terrain in Alaska. I will look back and remind myself what these “fellas” and “ladies” have done for me in a time of major self- transitioning. Thanks to those “ladies” and thanks to those “fellas” for keeping it real and making riding a fun thing to do.

Here is a great picture from the archive.