Something to NOT do when you're out of shape...

Mountain biking sounds like fun! I have been road biking many times, but I had never tried the mountain variety. I actually haven't set bum on a bike since high school. So of course I agreed to go mountain biking with a fellow installer, who is a seasoned biker and who promised we wouldn't be doing anything challenging so I'd be ok.

The trails we were on were in the area of Vancouver where UBC is. Overall its a much more residential and calmer Vancouver. I really liked the vibe I got from the neighborhood and saw many families out together which was nice. Quite the change from downtown. We went on a trail through beautiful pine trees that smelled like everything wonderful in this world. (Kat, it had the same smell as Paradise, CA.) It started downhill, but very challenging because of the short corners caused by all the beautiful trees. Then we started going uphill. And kept climbing. And kept climbing. My quads were on fire. My guides graciously waited for me at the top of the hill. When I finally arrived, panting, they assured me it was easier from then on. Ok. I believed them. It was pretty smooth for a while, a bit up, a bit down. Then a lot down. Oh and it kept going down. And faster. Watch out for trees, pedestrians, babies, dogs, etc. I was FLYING. Literally. Catching air as they would say? Freaking out, really. Once alive at the bottom, we continued to the beach (see above picture) which was totally worth the effort to get to. After breaking and guzzling some water, I am told we're going up the hill of death to get back. This is for sure what I looked like when I heard that:

After biking for just a bit after that, I knew I was toast. So we ended up taking the road back...still killer hill, but less of a death trap and less steep for sure. It was a wonderful experience, and while I got my butt kicked by mountain biking, it might still be something I try to get into in the future. I just wish I would've gotten in shape first...