Biking Down the Arizona Mountains

Biking is a wonderful way to stay fit, but that wasn't my goal today. I am basically a pretty fit guy, only 6 percent body fat, 160 pounds, and almost 6 feet tall.

However, I don't usually bike, more of a runner. So when my good buddy asked me if I wanted to go biking, I of course didn't hesitate.

I don't know if you have been out there to the Arizona strip, but it is one very long road, and near the entrance to Utah territory there are some pretty beastly mountains. That was what we were going to ride on.

We had basic mountain bikes, except mine didn't have any breaks. Not a good idea, to ride a bike with no breaks, especially if you are riding down steep trails.

I figured though I would just ride it out till I stopped, it wasn't like I was going to have to dodge out of the way to avoid hitting anybody. So if I may make a suggestion to those of you who would like to start biking, get some breaks, you don't have to use them, but just get some.

So it was a hot day, I'm talking like stifling hot, like mirage type hot day where you can see squiggles off in the distance because the earth is boiling with heat. And we are trekking up to the top of this huge hill with our bikes in our hands.

We get to the top, and looked out at the vast desert. I remember thinking that, if for some reason one of us was to become impaled with handlebars threw our chest, it would be very hard to drag his bleeding body all the way back to the car, and probably once the moisture within the body was exposed to the dry desert climate it would evaporate pretty quick.

So then we were off, heading down the hill at speeds that are definitely unsafe. I judge danger and speed by measuring the damage ground will do against skin if they were both to make contact.

Yes, this was an unsafe speed. I gripped the handle bars and lowered my head to get better aerodynamics.

I figured if I couldn't break I might as well speed up. Luckily for me the shocks on this bike were pretty good.

Out on the desert hills near the Arizona strip the terrain is a bit bumpy. Pretty much jagged rocks pop up every now and then, these are best avoided.

Every second of the ride I was terrified something was going to catch me off guard and send me flying head first into one of those aforementioned rocks. There is an instinctive adrenaline rush that raises awareness and heightens physical ability, and it is a good thing too because I probably would have died several times without it.