The days of thundering into the unknown have long gone for me now, however I do venture in that dark night without reservation, albeit just a little bit slower, more cautiously and with a doorstep sandwich or two and a bag full of apples to keep my core content.
As I get older, I tend to get excited by what others might regard as mundane but also have a greater appreciation for the simple things in life. Frank Sinatra once claimed in his later life, that he loved nothing more than a small plate of olives, cheese and salami to keep him company when the sun went down…and so too do I find simple pleasure in everyday places too.
Off road riding tends to put off a lot of road riders or inexperienced ones as it is the unchartered path when things can go wrong or the remote locations away from cell phone coverage that would make any executive break out in a cold sweat. However just as with most things in life, all that is required is a bit of a ‘can do’ attitude with a small amount of planning…and anyone can achieve amazing things that would never seem possible before.
The key to any off road riding is never to lunge beyond your own capability but rather take incremental steps to grow into this discipline and always focus on the enjoyment factor. If it becomes too much of a challenge along a particular route, then simply stop and turn back…there is no shame in ceasing before you really do get yourself in a pickle.
Some riders may thrive on the challenge, as I do…but I cannot always say that these challenges are always filled with enjoyment either. It is a fine balance between challenging yourself but still having fun etc and going too far and ruining your experience. At some point you will have to make your own choices but keeping yourself in check will probably be the best way to ensure you rise to challenges but still maintain that level of enjoyment.
So, when I pick a route for the first time…I try to include the fun factor at the heart of every decision. Do I want a technical ride that will test me and the bike or do I want a scenic ride in which I’ll see lots of interesting places and things. For the most part I do tend to choose the latter, and I’m constantly scouring ordnance survey maps to try to find places that I can ride to and discover for the first time but which will also include some decent off road routes too.
Occasionally you will come across a track or byway that is a rutted mess and which can be difficult to ride along for some, if not most riders. The challenge is great and the enjoyment starts to spiral downwards especially if you fall off numerous times or heaven forbid you get injured too. This is not how you thought your day off would turn out…busted bike, busted leg and bruised ego…and off roading dreams shattered at the same time.
However, the overwhelming amount of tracks are relatively flat in most areas and especially so in the summer months when they have dried out too. They become a lot easier to ride along and much more enjoyable especially if the weather is favourable too. But, there will always be at least some amount of trial to overcome at some stage…so the key is to approach with caution and slow to a snail’s pace if necessary. There is nothing worse that being flung off the bike because your front wheel got flipped in a wet or dry rut, or long grass which obscures a pot hole or deep rut.
So the next time you fancy getting out on the bike but you’re lacking in confidence, then try to ask around other riders in your area to seek out any local knowledge. If it’s your first time off road, then try to pick the drier periods and a popular route too. Let people know where you’re going and what time you should be back, if able…try to have a riding buddy with you too. But in the end…you just need to get on your bike and follow the route you’ve planned, with a few contingencies in place too.
Take it easy and merely ride up to your own limits, certainly in the first few outings, but most importantly make sure you keep on enjoying what you’re doing…otherwise there’s really no point continuing on with it. Get out on the back roads and trails, see the countryside, enjoy the scenery and interesting places…go explore the area…you’ll be surprised what you’ll find, and you don’t even need to travel hundreds of miles to do it either. Whilst we may all be piglets and the back roads can be the big bad wolf that would huff and puff until we fall off our rides…all you need is some gumption and caution…and you can keep the wolves at bay and thrive on a dirty road.