Bicycling and Skiing Mixed Extreme Sports

Skiing has been a traditional sport and apart of the extreme sport genre. Mountain biking has also been apart of extreme sports and is very popular in the Rockies of the United States. Have you ever thought about combining the two extreme sports? 

In Vail, Colorado, skiers who are bummed out about the warm summer months have found a way to have fun while waiting for the snows to blow.

They have combined both sports and have given some off work ski lift operators some summer employment. If you love biking and you love skiing, this combination of extreme sports is for you.

The skiers got the local ski resort to open up the ski lifts, and for a nominal fee, carry them up to the top of the mountain with their mountain bikes. The skiers ride the lift carrying their bikes with them. When the get to the top, they jump off the lifts landing on their bike's pedals with their feet and they are off.

They can pick from a number of down hill slopes to ride down at break neck speeds. The only problem is that a ski slope with the snow gone is covered with rocks and tree trunks. These obstacles as well as the steep grade make this sport dangerous and exciting.

If you have never tried this or any other extreme sports, you should ride with an expert the first few times. Protective gear is necessary which includes a helmet and pads. You are on a bike and not skis. The bike itself can injure you if you have a wipe out against some rocks. The handle bars can leave nasty gashes on you and also be a convincer to wear a protective cup. Knee pads are advisable as well as thick gloves.

When you fall of your bike going upward to thirty miles an hour, you will slide quite a ways on loose rock and rubble. Remember that the snow is gone and you are traveling downward across rock and solid earth.

You can follow the traditional routes on the slopes gauging the amount of difficulty and grade by the standard green, blue, black, and double black diamond. It is not advisable to go off course because the orange barrier net that marks the course in the winter will probably be gone. Extreme sports enthusiasts will find that going down ski slopes on a bike is harder than it sounds. You have to be maneuverable enough to shift your tires from one side to the other to get around obstacles and to make tight turns to avoid a collision.

Slope mountain biking can be found at Vail, Colorado and other ski towns along the I-70 corridor. Call ahead and make sure that they allow the bikes on the lifts and how much the lift tickets are. A lot of ski resorts are open for summer guests and they will have the lifts running for tourists who wish to ride just for the view.

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Author: Peter Charalambos


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