All you have to fear is fear itself

Its really funny to me. I get back on the mountain bike and ride, not single-track, mind you, but forest service roads, then descending Unicoi on pavement. Not nervous. Not at all. Weird since that's how I got injured.

So I get on my road bike and feel jangly on the turns. Really worried on the descents. Why oh why?? I have never had a wreck on it (looking for some wood to knock on now), why am I scared?

For years I have ridden on the road, YEARS. Have graduated way up the food chain, starting out with the used purple Barney bike that didn't fit right, the maroon Cannondale that was a great bike until I undid the fork mount on the roof and the wind blew it over. Oops. The yellow Cannondale, factory close out frame made in the USA. Should have kept it since those bastards are shutting down production in PA and moving it overseas. The Trek Y-Foil. Now relegated to the trainer. And the forever bike, the IF Factory Lightweight. That bike is one sexy beast! And its handmade in the USA. Like I said, the FOREVER bike.

I have ridden in a lot of places in our state, Valdosta, Savannah, Perry, Atlanta, Silver Comet Trail, Claxton. Down in Florida. In Michigan. In Washington state. Its not like I haven't been some places and ridden some unknown roads.

Cycling, like life, is an inherently dangerous sport. But, I don't intend to sit either one out.

So looking back to my mountain bike camp I took in March, I re-read some of the materials and figured it out. The way to combat fear is to visualize my perfect ride.

The past two nights have found us on 2 different routes leaving from the house. While I am still breathing heavy on the climbs (to be expected after a break!), I am loosening up on the bar, relaxing my shoulders, smiling and singing the Flintstones song (thanks to Gene for that!) http://www.betterride.net/mentaltrainingformountainbiking.html