The Joy and Challenge of Mountain Biking [B1]

Mountain biking has become one of my favourite outdoor hobbies in the past year. It is quite different from riding ordinary bikes on city streets. Mountain bikes are built to deal with rough, uneven trails covered with rocks, mud and tree roots. Last month, I joined a small group ride on a forest trail. Our guide told us some basic rules before we started. We must keep a safe distance from each other and never overtake others on blind corners. Many parts of the trail were physically demanding. My legs burned and my breath became heavy on long climbs. There were moments when I wanted to stop, but I kept reminding myself to relax my body and keep a steady rhythm. When we reached the top of the ridge, we stopped to rest and enjoyed a wide view of the forest below. The downhill sections brought great excitement. You have to stay focused and read the trail ahead to avoid falls. Mountain biking does not only train our bodies. It also teaches us judgement, patience and respect for the natural environment.