Knocking Myself Out On My First Mtn Biking Trip

Ignore peer pressure. Keep your overflowing can-do attitude at home. Put on a full set of gears. And most importantly, don't go down to a black diamond downhill run in your first time ever.

My first week in Colorado ended with concussion, two badly sprained wrists, and scars all over my body.

It was an exciting morning, as my new colleagues invited me to mountain bike at Winter Park. It was my first mountain biking trip, ever.

The ticket, gears and bike were not cheap. It cost me $175 for all these. But, for reason above, I was glad that I didn't skimp on any of the protective gears or else I would have had too much cash left by my coffin.

After a morning of green and blue runs, my confidence grew. After lunch, my friend Chad said, Zi, do you want to come down to Bootcamp with me? Black Diamond, but you will be fine.

Sure, why not. I am good.

As my bike going downhill, my speed picked up. The first A-Frame was coming up, and I slowed down to go over it without much thrill. The second was coming up, and I let go of my brakes. I wanted to have some fun.

I was airborne by the time I knew it. I was screaming in my head "How do I land, shit!"

The next time I knew was a stranger waking me up at the middle of the trail, asking me to get off the trail before anyone run over me.

Sitting on a big rock, I couldn't remember a thing about what happened. I couldn't remember who I was with, what I was doing, and why I was hurt. After a minute or two, I remembered that I needed to go down to the base to meet my friends, whoever they were. With sprained wrists, I forced through it, on a green trail of course.

I didn't see a doctor afterward. Because I had not started my job and the insurance had not kicked in yet!I went to Walgreens to buy myself wrist guards and stayed as a useless human being for one week after.

Lessons learned: Don't go mountain biking without an insurance and don't go down to Black Diamond the first time.

Did I ever go mountain biking ever since, you ask? Now I have a Trek Fuel Mountain Bike and I am loving it!