After all, it is undeniable that they are looking for some thrill.
Once the camp site is set up, we will get ready to go to the course. This time we will be riding on a populated trail course called "Forest Bike" near the campground.
I usually visit nature trails and trails like this. Riding a bike off-road is a lot of fun. Paved roads are smooth and pleasant, but when I ride on uneven ground made of dirt, trees, and stones, I can feel the heartbeat of the earth.
As Kitazawa-san mentioned, the course, which is designed to meander down through the mountain forest, is full of tree roots, uneven stones, and sharp curves, and it is hard to imagine riding a bicycle there at all. Even on such a course, Mr. Kitazawa pedaled at full speed and steered his mountain bike with a strong grip on the handlebars. The word "dynamic" fits him perfectly, and it is needless to say that his riding is very powerful when seen up close.
I can't deny that I am looking for a thrill somewhere (laughs). (Laughs.) However, I try to control myself within the limits of my past experience and skills, and I am conscious of not pushing myself too hard. Even so, injuries are bound to occur, but I still enjoy riding.
There are apparently many such courses scattered throughout Japan, but not many yet. The term "mountain biking" is a familiar one, but when you think about it as a scene, Kitazawa says it is still in the process of development.
These trails are designed for mountain biking, but they are much more sensitive when riding on natural trails in the mountains because they are also traversed by climbers and hikers. But when you are riding on natural trails in the mountains, it is more sensitive, because these trails are also used by climbers and hikers. While these activities are popular and culturally mature, mountain biking is still a minor activity. So it may seem dangerous or unacceptable to them or to the owners of the mountains.
Mr. Kitazawa takes these issues seriously and is working to solve them by moving his own feet to make it easier for mountain bikers to ride on natural trails in the future.
When I meet climbers and hikers in the mountains, I get off my bike and greet them favorably, and I am very thorough about that. My friends do the same, so today's bikers are very polite. We clean up hiking trails, build drainage to prevent rain from chipping away at the trails, and hold mountain biking classes for children. We continue to work to make mountain biking more accepted in society, even if only a little.
