Let's be honest, mountain bikers are a unique bunch. Often I'll come back from a ride sweaty, bleeding, and covered in mud and my wife will look at my grin and ask, "So... This is fun for you?"

But my wife's wisecracks aside, I get where she's coming from. When people hear us (mountain bikers) talk about what happens on the trail - well not every thing - they tend to look at us like we're crazy. We spend hours and hours playing in the woods on bikes. We get a little crazy. We get a little weird.

A good day on a mountain bike involves 5 key elements.

1. Friends - While solo rides can be a great way to decompress, nothing beats hot laps with your comrades.
    
2. A trail - 'Cause, ya know... Duh.
    
3. A bike - Since if you didn't have one it would just be hiking.
    
4. Nutrition - This may come as a surprise but mountain bikers are people, too, and they need nourishment.
    
5. Drink - Sometimes water, sometimes beer, always satisfying. 

Now that you know the 5 key elements to a great ride, you're probably wondering about specifics. Well, I won't play favorites with #1, but I can shed light on #2-5. My favorite trail is All In over in the Hardy Road Trails. It's a long, constant climb up 800' of singletrack. Then after you've huffed and puffed your way to the top - and enjoyed a little of #4 and #5 - lower the seat and blast down the trail again. My bike of choice is a Yeti 575. For most rides I like to throw some Gu Chews and Mini Clif Bars in my bag to keep me from bonking. When it comes to drink, I'm easy to please, plain water does me just fine.

But I'm far from an expert, so I decided to ask the local riders what they like.

 

Justin (& Blu)

Favorite trail: All In (Hardy Road)
Favorite bike: Trek Remedy 8
Favorite trail food: Doritos
Favorite trail drink: PBR

 

Matt

Favorite bike: Whichever isn't broken
Favorite trail: The next one to be built
Favorite trail food: Little Super Market Breakfast Sandwich
Favorite trail drink: Hardy Road spring water

 

Josh

Favorite bike: Santa Cruz 5010
Favorite trail: Ridge Trail (The Flume)
Favorite trail food: Swedish Fish and Keebler's Cheese-on-Cheese Crackers
Favorite trail drink: Founders All Day IPA (for longer rides he prefers Coor's Banquet Beer)

 

Mike

Favorite bike: Yeti 303
Favorite trail: Freedom Trail (Whiteface Mountain)
Favorite trail food: PB sandwiches
Favorite trail drink: Water

 

Mr. Bill

Favorite bike: Specialized Stumpjumper FSR
Favorite trail: All In (Hardy Road)
Favorite trail food: Swedish Fish
Favorite trail drink: Founders All Day IPA

 

Kellee

Favorite bike: Yeti 575
Favorite trail: Hardy Road
Favorite trail food: Gummy Worms (with a trip to R. F. McDougalls after riding)
Favorite trail drink: PBR

 

Shane

Favorite bike: Specialized Enduro 29er
Favorite trail: Good Luck (Hardy Road) and the Wilmington Dirt Jumps
Favorite trail food: Swedish Fish
Favorite trail drink: Firestone Walker Easy Jack

 

Mike

Favorite bike: Giant Glory 0
Favorite trail: Cliffs of Insanity (Whiteface Mountain)
Favorite trail food: Stoke
Favorite trail drink: Strong coffee (pre-ride) and water

 

So there you have it. The long and short of it is this: the riding in the Whiteface Region has never been better and apparently Swedish Fish may be some form currency.

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