WA Youth Department Mountain Bike Riding Day
My wife Catherine organised a bike ride for the young people, and on the Sunday 1st of November, a group of youth from Guildford Church rose up early and headed off to the Perth hills for a mountain bike trail adventure. Some were so excited they couldn’t sleep properly the night before.
The weather was perfect, and we had an excellent group of young, fit and youngish semi-fit individuals eager to test the trail. Attendees were Nosi Tshado (the only girl brave enough to come!), Damian Malvina, Correy Stamenkovic, Daniel Lobo, Isaac Payet, Johnny Thiel, Luke Kneebone and Gerson Robles. After realising at the starting point that most of us paid $40 for our bikes, – except for Luke, he was sporting a nifty dual suspension bike he found on gumtree for about $80 – we then prayed together briefly and commenced our ride. Let me give you some advice. If you ever go on a mountain bike ride, do not carry a camping bag filled with dried figs, toasted almonds, muesli bars, hot dog rolls, sausages, jar of sauerkraut, tomato sauce bottle, mayonnaise bottle, bottles of water and a massive first aid kit around on your back. Firstly, you will probably eat when you get back to base; secondly, once others see you’re the only one with a big bag, they will give you all their jumpers; and thirdly, you will probably have to hop off your bike and walk at every slight incline. Especially if you are not accustomed to mountain bike riding, or just running or walking long distance in general. My legs were burning, and we had only travelled 100 metres. The kids were doing loops around me on the first trail. It did feel a lot like I was in Pilgrim’s Progress – just longing for some relief. Thankfully, Johnny offered to take my burden off me on the way back.
I’m glad to report we only had to use the first aid kit once, and it was only, an alcohol swab. We did have a couple of near ‘faceplants’ when two of our group took to flying over their handle bars. But thankfully no injuries. Perth hills have some excellent riding trails to suit all difficulty levels. For those of us who have sedentary employment, it will be a kick-start to a more active and healthy approach to life. We enjoyed it so much; we all definitely want to do it again. Highly recommend it.
Watch a video of us here: https://youtu.be/tDjr4SPF0pg
~ Reported by Gerson Robles
“More people die for want of exercise than through overfatigue; very many more rust out than wear out. Those who accustom themselves to proper exercise in the open air, will generally have a good and vigorous circulation. We are more dependent upon the air we breathe than upon the food we eat. Men and women, young and old, who desire health, and who would enjoy active life should remember that they cannot have these without a good circulation. Whatever their business and inclinations, they should make up their minds to exercise in the open air as much as they can. They should feel it a religious duty to overcome the conditions of health which have kept them confined indoors, deprived of exercise in the open air.” Counsels on Health p. 173.