Summer Sports Tips
Mountain biking, hiking, fishing etc. can all be great things to do in the mountains. Mountain weather can change greatly in a matter of minutes. Being prepared and expecting change can make all the difference on your experience.
What you need:
There are several things that we as “locals” have in our quiver of goods. These are items that we use on a regular basis and are on our list of things that everyone must have.
Things to remember:
- Let someone know where you are going and when you are planning to return.
- Cell phones can be helpful, but in the mountains there are many areas they will not work. Know the area, get directions and have a map.
- Nights are cool, days are warm and the sun can be intense. Rain here is cold, snow can happen any day of the year at the higher elevations and the air is very dry. Always take a shell with you. Scattered rain showers are common. It may be raining on you and not a mile away.
Things to bring:
- Sunscreen and sunglasses: you can sunburn here very quickly. Higher elevations mean more ultra violet light.
- Water and Food: take plenty of water and food along – always more than you think you need.
- Wear a helmet: your head is worth more than the opinion of how cool you look without it. Lets put it this way…the most skilled of bikers rarely fall and always wear a helmet. Those with lesser skills are the ones without helmets and most likely to be injured. The easiest way to identify a lower level rider is the person without the helmet.
- Tools to fix your bike: Remember to bring the necessary tools to maintain your bike on the trail, fix a flat and do simple repairs. Carry a pump and an extra tube. If you don’t it can be a very long walk out of the woods. Teach yourself how to do the basic trail-side repairs, so you can spend more time riding and less time fixing a flat.
This list is by no means complete, but will hopefully make your experience a better one!