i'm working on getting out of my rut. i feel like my riding progress has not been very strong in the past year. some of that is due to the nature of the trails in LA/SoCal. there is no gravity/shuttle stuff and no berm corner stuff (for the most part) so i don't get many chances to ride fast. there are lots of hikers on the multi-use trails, and i don't feel like running them down. the jumps and hucks i have found have been either small enough for me to feel comfortable on and are starting to feel too small, but the bigger ones i know of seem too gnar. i'm still spooked by doubles. i still find myself checking my brakes in the corners (not before them, like i should). i still find myself too far over the front and standing too tall, raising my center of gravity. it is time to change the way i think.
2007 goals -
1 - remember that a rolling wheel has more traction and stop braking in the corners.
2 - lean in the turns. the pictures show i never lean as much as i think i do. my tires have yet to wash on me. i must trust my gear.
3 - weight back. again, i keep looking at pictures and i am never as far back as i think i am.
4 - don't brake check so much. it is ok to ride with a finger on the lever, but think about when it is a good idea to squeeze it. don't just grab it because it is there. hang on the bars and enjoy the ride. speed if fun.
5 - get low. a lower center of gravity is better.
6 - get high. sack up and get it in the air. i see kids on bmx bikes boosting tables that i am afraid to hit on my fully. i am ashamed.
7 - try to manual more on the trail. it is fun and it looks cool.
how am i gonna do all this? i've got to think more and think less. i have looked at the dirt with the same set of eyes for too long. i need to see it fresh and new. time to visualize how i would like to hit a line, instead of thinking of all that can go wrong with the line that i am likely to end up on.
this all came to me as i rode my unicycle tonight. i am just starting out and it is all new to me. i was afraid to go to metal pedals with pins, so i had been working on learning with plastic pedals. i decided to switch over to DMR V8's tonight. i was afraid the pins were going to tear up my legs (i put the pads on). instead, i found the extra traction made things better. i had more control. it dawned on me that my fear of getting hurt was blocking my view of how to have fun. with my new found control, i was able to roll around the block on my uni. it was liberating and fun, like the first time i rode a bike. maybe if i can get over the fear on the uni and have some fun with it, i can get over the fear on the bike and have fun with it.
rant off.
2007 goals -
1 - remember that a rolling wheel has more traction and stop braking in the corners.
2 - lean in the turns. the pictures show i never lean as much as i think i do. my tires have yet to wash on me. i must trust my gear.
3 - weight back. again, i keep looking at pictures and i am never as far back as i think i am.
4 - don't brake check so much. it is ok to ride with a finger on the lever, but think about when it is a good idea to squeeze it. don't just grab it because it is there. hang on the bars and enjoy the ride. speed if fun.
5 - get low. a lower center of gravity is better.
6 - get high. sack up and get it in the air. i see kids on bmx bikes boosting tables that i am afraid to hit on my fully. i am ashamed.
7 - try to manual more on the trail. it is fun and it looks cool.
how am i gonna do all this? i've got to think more and think less. i have looked at the dirt with the same set of eyes for too long. i need to see it fresh and new. time to visualize how i would like to hit a line, instead of thinking of all that can go wrong with the line that i am likely to end up on.
this all came to me as i rode my unicycle tonight. i am just starting out and it is all new to me. i was afraid to go to metal pedals with pins, so i had been working on learning with plastic pedals. i decided to switch over to DMR V8's tonight. i was afraid the pins were going to tear up my legs (i put the pads on). instead, i found the extra traction made things better. i had more control. it dawned on me that my fear of getting hurt was blocking my view of how to have fun. with my new found control, i was able to roll around the block on my uni. it was liberating and fun, like the first time i rode a bike. maybe if i can get over the fear on the uni and have some fun with it, i can get over the fear on the bike and have fun with it.
rant off.
damn $#!tmano. time for $r@m.
