Q: How did you get started?
A: I had done a lot of road biking and touring, but no mountain biking. So I started once I got the opportunity to write a guide book. I learned to ride as I researched the state.

Q: What type of trails would recommend to a beginner?
A: Just taking your mountain bike out on a dirt road gets you used to the bumps and the inconsistencies. It gets you used to riding loosely, to anticipating and looking ahead. That's really all you need to do, just get used to the feel of the bike over varied and uneven terrain. If you start out on trails that are too advanced or technically difficult, it'll be frustrating. Recreational or multi-use trails provide very even surfaces with not too steep a grade. Practice on those, and from there you can move on.

Maine has a lot of abandoned rail beds; those are good places to start. Also, places like Bradbury Mountain State Park offer trails for beginners and trails for more advance riders. It's nice to go somewhere where you can start on easy trails and work your way up.

Q: What are some other places in Maine that you'd recommend?
A: Mount Blue State Park has trails for mountain bikers. [check this list of Maine's state parks].

The carriage roads at Acadia National Park offer breathtaking views and are technically very easy trails (though they can be challenging on some of the ascents; it is hilly terrain).

Any of the converted rail beds are great. There are a lot of railroad riding opportunities up in Aroostook County. Both the Androscoggin and Kennebec river trails are nice, and there are excellent trails at Mt Agamenticus in York County.

One of my favorite spots is up near Cobscook, at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. It is just riddled with old roads. I've never been there without seeing wildlife — I've seen moose, black bears, beavers, eagles — so that's a fun place to go.

Q: Some of those are multi-use trails. Is there tension between bikers, hikers and horseback riders?
A: There can be tension. You need to be mindful of the kind of experience you're looking for. When you meet a hiker or you meet a horse on the trail, you know that your role is to step back and let them pass through.

Some riders don't want to give anyone else the right of way; they want to be pedaling as fast as they can whether they're racing or making time. If that's you, you need to find your way to a trail that is specifically for mountain bikers.

Another aspect to the trail use issue is recognizing the impact that your passing along a trail has on the environment. Every time you pass through a trail, you are impacting the environment. Try and leave as little evidence of your having been there as possible.

Q: Do you need instruction or a guide to learn to mountain bike?
A: I don't think you need any more instruction than the tips you get on the trail from other riders and just by trying it out.

Be like a sponge, absorb any tips you can from other riders. The great thing about riding with cyclists who are better than you is that you see and watch what can be done and how it can be done.

Q: So you'd recommend going on a group ride?
A: Yes. If it's a large group very often it splits into two, and the ones who want to go quickly go on ahead. The less experienced riders or ones who don't want to go that fast stay behind . That's a good way to go; I never felt pressured to keep up with the fastest rider.

With mountain biking, even if you're riding as a group, you're not riding together in a pack as you would on the road. You're usually single file unless you're on a rail trail or dirt road. It allows you to ride at your own pace and to meet up at various check-in or stopping points.

It's a great way of learning a new ride or a new trail, to have somebody to follow. You're less likely to get lost. Also you have the support of other people, if something does happen, if you fall or get a flat. And you're going to learn from those riders, too.

Q: What if you have some fear about difficult trails or getting injured?
A: Being relatively fit is a great asset because you know you're strong enough to handle your bike and you are more resistant to injury.

I did encounter several trails with a degree of trepidation especially in the midst of a crowd of people who were riding much better than I was, so I learned to take things at my own pace. I learned that there are as many different styles of mountain biking as there are mountain bikers. I never felt uncomfortable about getting off and trying again. You can always dismount.

Q: Can mountain biking be dangerous?
A: There is the perception that mountain biking is dangerous; it has been placed up there as one of the "extreme" sports. If you ride in an extreme manner and you're not technically proficient or fit enough then you probably could encounter some extreme injuries. But you don't have to be an extreme mountain biker.

Q: So you don't always have to go at top speed?
A: It depends on what you're looking for. Some people want to get into the outdoors and see the views, find places their bike can take them that they couldn't otherwise get to. Other people are really into the adrenaline rush, the speed and the fun of the competition. You can start out being a mountain bike tourist, heading out into woods, and if you like, you can find your way into the race circuit.

Q: How would a beginner choose the right trails to ride on?
A: Guide books are a great way to start out. You'll get a lot more information up front. You'll want to consider the distances, and evaluate your own personal level of fitness. Most guide books will rate trails according to their aerobic and technical difficulty. A 20-mile loop at Acadia probably anyone could do, whereas a 20-mile ride on technical race track terrain would be a real challenge.

Most guide books will give you a broad overview of a trail. That should clue you in to whether or not it's a trail you'd be interested in, and what the possible hazards and highlights of the trail might be.

Make sure the book either has a detailed map or suggests one. Accurate trail descriptions written by authors are invaluable but the terrain can change. So don't just rely on a trail description; having a current map as backup is really important.

Q: Can you choose a trail just by looking at a map?
A: If you're an outdoor adventurer, the Gazetteer and some topographic maps are a great way to plan a ride. Maine is filled with old roads that still have public right of way and those can be good places to ride. But you often run into realities that don't exist on the map. I've encountered beaver dams that had flooded the road, and roads that appeared on the map but were damaged. Also, the map will not tell you how difficult a ride may become.

It can be helpful, if you're in a place you're not familiar with, to have a guide book that provides you with information about the area — like where to seek medical help if you should need it — and the resources available to you on the trail. You want to know if the trail is signposted or not, if there are water facilities or if you need to bring your own water, if there are places to stop and buy food, how isolated you will be. Any information like that can better equip you for the ride, and a map won't tell you things like that.

Q: How many miles should a beginner plan for on a ride?
A: I'd say less than ten miles, keeping in mind the difficulty of the terrain. That would take a couple of hours for a novice, with stops for snacks. Start out conservatively and build up as you become more familiar with your own abilities.

Q: What is a single track trail ?
A: Single track is a narrow trail wide enough to accommodate one rider and one bike, almost like a footpath. That's compared to a double track, which is usually part of an old road, so it's wider. Single track riding requires a little more agility.

Everyone's looking for single track trails because the experience of being in the woods on your bike is intense and exhilarating when it's just you on this little trail. It also really challenges the rider and allows you to make the most of your mountain bike and what it's designed for.

Single track trails are the hardest thing to find; that's why it's important for people to work with bike and snowmobile clubs to promote good trail use and maintenance.

Q: What qualifies as a "technical" trail, or a ride that is "technically" difficult?
A: Rocky, steep terrain, roots or rocks or outcroppings, dropoffs, small stream beds — obstacles of any kind. That can be fallen limbs or fallen trees, or trails that are very narrow. It can be trails that are off-camber so they're sloping, or trails that are tight, where you've got to maneuver quickly around bends or small openings. Technical trails are those that require you to be the most agile on your bike; these are the ones that are the most difficult.

Q: Are there techniques specific to mountain biking that you can learn?
A: There are a lot of techniques — balancing techniques, ways to control your bike, ways to go uphill, to maintain tension, to prevent skidding as you go down an incline, to keep your balance on an off camber trail.

One thing that tripped me up is pedal rotation. If your pedal goes down and there's an obstacle, like a log, in the way, then your pedal will hit it. You have to gauge your rotation so the pedal will be up when there's an obstacle. Likewise, if you are trying to climb up and over an obstacle, you want to make sure you can give a strong downward stroke on your pedal right beforehand to carry you and your bike over that log or branch.

There are also techniques to riding down steep inclines. You want to use your rear brakes more than your forward brakes, and you want to pump the brakes instead of holding them down.

Q: Are there some common mistakes beginners make when it comes to technique?
A: A beginner who's approaching a trail with some trepidation tends to use their brakes too much. You need to pedal through things as opposed to stopping at them. Momentum is extremely important; so is looking ahead, anticipating where you're going to ride, picking your trail so you know several pedal rotations ahead of time where you're going and what you might need to do.

If you see a log and think "yikes, a log" and tense up and use your brakes, you're not going to go over it. It's important to almost visualize yourself going over it. I think that's one of the most important things to get used to and to practice, just continuing and keeping your momentum up.

Q: What types of things would you advise against?
A: Don't tackle something you don't feel reasonably comfortable with. That's not to say that you shouldn't challenge yourself, but just recognize the difficulty involved in some maneuvers. Also, for a beginner, I'd advise against riding at night, riding in bad weather or in winter, and riding alone. I'd also advise against riding during mud season.

Q: What is the best season for mountain biking?
A: You can bike all year round. Summer and fall are great. I discourage people from going out in the woods during spring thaw and mud season because it causes so much damage to trails. When spring comes, we're all really anxious to get out, but for the longevity of the trail, it's better to stay clear of trails that have lots of water, and trails that are prone to flooding or have bad drainage.

Q: What is the most important thing you need to enjoy mountain biking?
A: I'd say having a positive attitude, a can-do attitude. If you don't make it up this hill today, you may make it up another day. That's part of the fun of riding a trail over and over again. As you become familiar with the terrain, there are fewer surprises. You can concentrate more on specific technical challenges.

It's a really rewarding experience — trying over and over again and one day going back to a trail and being able to ride it clean, no stops, no falls.

— Interview by Melissa Kim, MaineToday.com
April, 2002

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Essential Gear Bike: "The lighter the bike, the better the components, the more enjoyable your experience will be. I'd encourage people to purchase the most bike they can afford. Look wisely at the features you choose. For me, a light bike with good components are the first two things, then I'd look at suspension options." Helmet "It has to fit properly." Gloves "These help absorb the impact on your hands. I have my favorite super absorbent cushioned gloves." Tools "Carry a bike repair kit, extra tubes and a patch kit. There's no AAA in the woods. At the minimum, you need to know how to change a flat. Depending on length of your ride and isolation involved, you should know how to repair a broken chain and broken spokes. Making sure your bike is in good working order before any ride can insure that you spend less time coping with fixing things. Clean your bike after rides, keep the chain lubed, make sure nothing is damaged. The more you know about your bike the better." Pump "It's worth having a good pump, so that if you do get a flat it's not the worst thing that happens to you." Water "Water bottles are fine. Some riders prefer a hydration system that you wear on your back. I always carry water and food or a snack of some kind. " Recommended Gear Clipless pedals There are two basic ways to keep your feet attached to your pedals. One method is called a toe clip, made from metal or plastic clips and leather or nylon straps. No special shoes are required; the toe of the shoe slides into the clip. The other method uses clipless pedals. This requires both special shoes and pedals. The shoe has a cleat mounted either on the sole or recessed into the sole. This cleat snaps into a corresponding clip or cleat on the pedal. Sarah says, "Of all of the things you can get, these are extremely helpful. They give you more control. You can feel your bike through your feet and hands and you're connected to your bike in a way that allows you to hop or jump or control your momentum more easily, especially pulling uphill. It's also a safety issue — once you learn how, it's easier to unclip from clipless pedals than to pull a foot out of a pedal with toeclips. If you feel as though you are getting into it for the long term, these are the first thing I'd recommend." Padded shorts "Some kind of padding is good. Spandex close fitting shorts and jerseys are good just because they aren't baggy and loose and don't offer loose parts to catch on anything. But if you're riding at Acadia on a carriage road, you can ride in anything. The clothing isn't a must but it is really nice." Rain gear "Pack a lightweight rain jacket, rolled up in your bag." Saddlebag "I carry extras in either a saddlebag that fits under the saddle, or in a fannypack around my waist. It's good to keep items in close, so they are less likely to get caught or snagged and less likely to upset your balance." Recommended Accessories Car rack "Having a good way to transport your bike helps, so you don't have to put your muddy bike in the car. I like having it on the roof. It picks up less dirt from the road, and you don't have to take the rack off to get into the trunk. I prefer the roof racks where you take the front wheel off." Resources You can purchase the book "Mountain Bike: Maine" at many bookstores in Maine, from the publisher Menasha Ridge Press, or from Amazon.com. Sarah will be taking part in "Break Out Your Bikes" day at the L.L. Bean Store on Saturday, May 11. Get more details in the bike events calendar. To top of page