Mistakes are often born of overconfidence. Most people that have ridden with me have heard me say that if you do not fall at least once you are not trying hard enough. Saturday I tried plenty hard.
The trails at Harris lake are my current favorite. Most of the trails have only minimal changes in elevation and you can stay in your seat and pedal hard for extended periods. Most of the trails are wide enough you do not have to be as concerned about clipping your handlebars on trees. There are logs to cross, roots to navigate and some switchbacks to keep you paying attention. The only negatives with Harris Lake are the distance (35 minutes) and the fact they are closed if the trails are wet. The highlight to me is the section furthest from the entrance with a series of “whoop-de-doos” that test your ability to pick a line, let gravity take over, then climb out without giving in to the temptation to put a foot down. Balance plays a key role, as does technique. You have to keep your weight forward enough to keep from going over backwards but still keep weight on the back tire. Steady pedaling helps keep the back tire from spinning, and using arms gives the extra horsepower for the short climbs. A couple sections add the complication of navigating through multiple ditches with turns in between. I have ridden them several times now so I forget how intimidating they were the first couple times.
Getting back to the overconfidence comment earlier, I took an unconventional, and with hindsight ill-advised entry into one section of the trail and found that turning on a 60 degree downslope was not in my skill range. I did recognize it soon enough to glance ahead for a landing area and then give in to gravity. I appreciated my helmet and goggles, plus the couple layers I was wearing due to the cold, and no harm was done. I used to have to check the bike to see what damage I did to the deraillier after a fall but not with the single speed. I did put on a good show for a couple other riders close enough to see. That lowered the chances of anyone following me into the hardest section of trail but probably just as well, because while I have to deal with my own mistakes, I hate to be responsible for setting up others for a hard fall.
