Reason #428 Why I Love Summers In Bozeman: Mountain Biking

I'm not much of a mountain biker but a friend of mine has really been getting into it this summer and convinced me to dust off my old bike and join him for a ride yesterday. We biked Leverich Canyon Trail and I had no idea what I committed to until I began that ascent.

Leverich Canyon is a beautiful, narrow canyon south of Bozeman between Sourdough Canyon and Hyalite Canyon. Getting to the top on a bike takes a lot of work. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape (as I said I'm not much of a biker but I'm very active and I push myself when I work out) but this was a challenge. Let's just say there were loud groans of pain echoing in that canyon. It was dead smack in the middle of a HOT summer day and....alright it was just tough. I said it. If you've done it before and consider me a little soft, so be it.

It amazed me how all that pain and suffering is so quickly forgotten though on the way down. It was also amazing how quickly that trip was over, when it seemed liked an eternity on the way up. I felt like a kid again. My teeth became a bug guard on the way down because I couldn't stop smiling. I only flew off my bike once too (yeah completely over the handlebars when I hit a switchback a little too aggressively). So worth it!

I don't know if I have any time to dedicate to a new summer hobby but I can not wait to fly down Leverich Canyon again on the ol' bike. Anyone have any suggestions for other epic rides in and around Bozeman? Who knows, maybe I'll have to spring for a better bike next year.