Mountain biking was one of those activities that was sitting on my life list and I didn’t even know where to start. At first it was just a passing thought, that would be rad to try at some point. And then as I started road biking everywhere, it became the next fun way to bike. And now I am obsessed for a few reasons.

For starters it’s a really awesome workout you don’t know you are getting until you’re back at the car packing away your bike. All the ups and downs come so quick you barely realize you are breathing and working really hard to get up the hill because you are so excited about the downhill part.

It’s like hiking, you get to climb to high points, be immersed in nature, and see some really beautiful places, but it’s way faster than hiking! Sometimes it’s really nice to slow down and hike quietly through the woods, other times it feels amazing to just blaze on through, see it all, and get an adrenaline rush while you’re at it.

You get to explore to many new places. Since I decided to spend my summer in Arkansas with my boyfriend, we have ended up exploring some really amazing camping spots, cool little towns, and jumping in a lot of rivers and lakes, because we have gone on mountain biking trips. This photo is from Leatherwood Lake Park, outside Eureka Springs, AR. It is by far the rowdiest place I have been so far. Considering I have only been mountain biking a handful of times now, this place showed me where I can go with the sport, when I get more comfortable.

We did the Beacham Loop that went around the entire lake (I think it was only about 5 miles), but there are a lot of sections we had to walk up because there were massive drops, rocks, and tree roots in the way. Going down it would have been easier, fun, and a little scary. This place, as a beginner, definitely got me out of my comfort zone, but it was still beautiful and a ton of fun.

One section of the ride, crosses over a dam with a waterfall, and then it rises onto a pretty easy logging road for the last .5 mile back. Overall, it was fun, but a very rowdy ride.