Photo By Staff Sgt. Chanceler Nardone | (From left) U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dylan Beck, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron...... read more read more
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SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – The hill-ridden Eifel region surrounding Spangdahlem Air Base provides Airmen with breathtaking views, unique outdoor activities, seemingly endless travel possibilities and potentially new friendships and hobbies to be discovered.
A band of mountain bikers can be found just outside of the nearby town of Mehring, Germany, where they are creating new bonds and soaring along elevated dirt trails near the Mosel River.
“All of my best friends that I’ve met here I’ve met through mountain biking,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Baker, 52nd FW Airman Leadership School instructor. “We have a really close-knit group of guys from both Spangdahlem and Ramstein Air Base as well as previously some guys from Baumholder. The people that pick up this hobby are just chill, laid-back people that are always chasing the thrill and adrenaline that comes with an action sport like this.”
Senior Airman Dylan Beck, 52nd Civil Engineering Squadron explosive ordnance disposal team member, said though these bikers create friendships, chase views and carve trails, they still leave room for a little competition among each other.
“There are those times when you want to see who has the fastest speed on a trial section, the deepest jump or who is feeling big and bad enough that day to hit a new feature,” Beck said. “Although competitive, it’s great seeing your friends successfully hit a feature they have been afraid of for days or weeks of riding the same trials.”
Competitive nature is a foundation for all sports, but a higher risk for injury is prevalent when participating in a sport like this, making good judgment and proper safety equipment imperative.
“Injuries are almost bound to happen in this sport eventually,” Beck said. “The most important thing is trying to be a smart and “in-tune” rider that understands their capabilities and the skill level of the trail they are riding. The group of people I choose to ride with won’t push people beyond what they are comfortable with. However we will always be there to help, guide and support our friends while they progress as a rider.”
While injury is possible, Beck said it’s part of the journey in becoming a more confident rider.
“If you do end up crashing, you can only heal as fast as your body allows, but mentally you have to be easy on yourself,” Beck said. “It may not always be the first day back but eventually your confidence will come back.”
Regardless of whether injuries occur, there can still be challenges riders face through their journey of becoming more confident in their abilities.
“The reward for pushing through fear in this sport is that as you continue to progress as a rider, you can get faster, hit bigger jumps and throw more style into your riding,” Baker said. “All of this means more fun and more laps to complete with friends.”
Through these challenges, physical and mental, it all comes back to the people they’re surrounded by for this biking community.
“My favorite part of the sport is just getting out in nature with my best friends, shredding laps down some of the most beautiful hills and mountains in the world and then laughing about it all over a beer at the end of the day,” said Baker.
All in all, Beck and Baker suggest that biking could be for anyone who is serious about giving it a try.
“I would like to say for anyone who is serious about getting into it and has possibly been deterred by the expensive price tags on mountain bikes, there is a reason why we are willing to pay as much as we do for our bikes,” said Beck. “I highly encourage people to get into the sport. With how much I care for the sport and the community I must say the community is open and welcomes new riders. As a new rider, though, you should be willing to learn from others, follow park rules, respect the trials and most importantly have fun!”
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2021 07:32 |
| Story ID: | 402403 |
| Location: | MEHRING, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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