This week’s schedule was a little out-of-whack; due to Mikes’ availability and parent-teacher conferences, we ended up riding Wednesday instead of Thursday. It had been a while since we’d ridden at Parker Memorial Park. Not only that, but I don’t think I’ve even seen Mike since the Bentonville Bike Fest this past May! Fortunately we were able to coordinate schedules. As a bonus, a new local rider named Jose was able to show up as well. Previously we’d only corresponded via email, so I was glad to finally be able to meet him in person.
After an extended warmup on the low-consequence rocks (and Mike’s quick flat tire fix), we moved on to some bigger obstacles not far from the parking lot before venturing into the wooded area and finally to the rocky area near the water’s edge, though Mike had to leave before Jose and I headed to the final spot.
Contrast
A number of things stood out for me during this ride. When thinking of a title for this week’s video, the word “contrast” immediately came to mind for several reasons. The most obvious is the stark contrast in skills across the three of us. With nearly three decades of experience riding trials, Mike makes extremely technical and challenging lines look like second nature; conversely, Jose and I struggle with seemingly simple moves and lines. That is not inherently good or bad, nor is it unexpected.
Related to this, it was interesting to note the different roles each of us played: I was asking Mike for some tips, while Jose was asking me for guidance. While I enjoy passing along the trials “wisdom” that I have learned, I’m not used to being the one serving that role – in our local crew, I’m actually one of the least experienced riders.
Tangentially related, while we were warming up on the rocks at the edge of the parking area, a car pulled up to us. The driver rolled down his window to chat with us for a bit. He explained that he had been riding BMX for about 10 years, and thought trials was really cool, but that it was like “next level” in difficulty. He saw us riding and wanted to say hello, which I thought was really cool.
There were also contrasts in the types of obstacles we rode, the effects of lighting due to the low sun angle and overcast skies, and the variety of fall foliage colors displayed by the surrounding trees. In some cases, the effect was almost surreal.
Some Coaching
As I mentioned above, it was interesting having the opportunity to provide some coaching to Jose, since I’m usually the one asking for trials guidance, not giving it. This experience allowed some reflection to several years ago when I was just getting started myself. Having the local crew has been a great experience in itself, but it also provides a forum for asking questions and learning. I truly enjoyed being able to spend some time with Jose as we worked on a handful of different lines and techniques. By no means am I a trials expert, but I certainly have more knowledge and experience than when I first started. And I love being able to “pay it forward” by offering what I can to others who are getting started!
Two things in particular during the ride seemed like great opportunities to share as separate “coaching” videos, which will be posted separate from the group ride highlights video. In one case, Jose asked the perfect question, which was essentially, “what do I focus on first as I’m learning trials?” I thought that was a great question, so I wanted to share the answer with everyone.
The second thing that seemed like it would be a good stand-alone video was highlights from a session where Jose and I were trying to ride up a set of stone stairs. I was able to provide some coaching (which hopefully helped), and Jose threw himself at the line a bunch of times until he finally got it. As I mentioned above, this reminded me of all the times that my local crew supported me (they still do) in trying to figure out how to do certain lines and moves.
A Random Observation
One thing I love doing while filming is to put the camera in interesting places, particularly if the result is really close-up shots. I like to ride close to the camera, and so does Mike, which can lead to some really interesting clips. I set the GoPro atop the stack of concrete blocks to get several different lines. On one occasion, Mike hopped right up towards the camera, and then lunged up and past it. As he balanced his front wheel on a higher block preparing to make the lunge, he balanced himself by moving his feet and his body instead of just hopping in place. While I also try to do that when I can (it saves energy, if nothing else), I’m nowhere as proficient as Mike is. When you watch the video, watch closely how Mike moves his feet on the pedals.
0 Comments