By Travis Fehr
Nothing compares to the joy of riding a bicycle! Powering a two wheeled conveyance engenders a sense of freedom and independence that cannot be beaten.
It is healthy exercise, green transportation and an endless source of fun for families and individuals alike. All hail the mighty bike!
As a self-proclaimed bike geek, that is the stereotype I must adhere to. The reality, as in everything, can be less idyllic.
There are crashes, hills to climb, dropped chains, flat tires, and a unique sense of frustration that comes from riding a bike when it just doesn’t feel right.
Variations of these annoyances are common to world class athletes, casual riders or those in between.
So why bother? Why forsake the ease of a comfy heated automobile seat on a chilly November morning for the frigid stiffness of a bicycle saddle, mounted on a conveyance noticeably lacking a windshield?
Starting out as a young bike geek, I viewed cycling as a readily available and social transportation alternative.
It was faster than walking, and if my friends were riding I needed to keep up or miss out.
I can easily recall times when the struggle of the ride outweighed the joy, and the urge to throw the bike down, kick it into the ditch and vow to stick to sneaker-to-pavement travel was compelling.
There were also moments when the feeling of riding was beyond compare.
Since then, my riding frequency has taken many ups and downs.
The first downturn came with the attainment of that other common symbol of personal freedom: a driver’s licence.
Looking back, the joy of driving rivalled that of cycling, even surpassing it, for a while. Eventually, the novelty wore off, and I was lured back to the neglected 12 speed gathering dust in the garage.
Road biking kept me pedalling through city streets and pathways until moving to Banff in 1991, where I discovered a myriad of rocky, rooty and fire road-y rides, and a love of mountain biking was born.
In 2002, a move to the Lower Mainland got me riding a hybrid on the streets and greenways.
Now, in Merritt, mountain biking is once again the order of the day — and what a day!
Merritt offers a multitude of just plain awesome trails for the mountain biker! The long and flowy single-track trails of the Coutlee Plateau, Too Much Info, and Scenic riding areas are a treat for the intermediate rider like me.
In addition to the Nordic ski trails of the Kane Valley, Lundbom Lakes provide ample trails for the beginner to intermediate rider to explore.
Iron Mountain offers a downhill experience that I have yet to enjoy, and as the years continue to sheepishly follow one another, that likelihood seems further out of reach.
Having said that, recounted experiences of locals and visitors make the rewards sound inviting.
Occasionally there are still times when the ride just doesn’t feel right, when the gears need tweaking, my energy level is low, or some other interference gets in the way.
Still, in every city, town and national park where I’ve had the good fortune to ride, my sense of fun, adventure and joy has done nothing but grow.
Cycling joy comes not from the act of pedaling, but from the resulting experience of discovering a new trail, taking in beautiful surroundings, and the surge of adrenaline and accompanying feel-good chemicals, naturally provided by the human body when it finds the balance of energy output to payback.
It is those moments that keep me pushing the pedals, motivated to help others find their next moment of cycling joy.
Travis Fehr is a lifelong cyclist and the owner of Breathe Bikes on Coutlee Avenue in Merritt.
