Night Mountain Biking for Beginners

Whether you are completely a nutter or simply want to feel the extra adrenaline rush that your 10 cups of coffee a day cannot give, hopping on the bike and become the modern-day night rider will certainly do the trick. So call your friend, wait until dark and put on your best costume because it will going to be one hell of a ride.

Go over your costume while you wait for the right time. Bright-colored shirt is good – similar to the ones of your favorite cartoon character. If you do not have a television when you were a child or you do not watch any cartoons, I suggest that you choose yellow, red or orange shirt. If you have a reflector vest similar to the ones worn by your local traffic enforcer, then put that on top of your tops. Wear layers of shirt, long sleeve and jacket if necessary. Open your drawer and look for a thick pair of pajamas or leggings. Get a good pair of socks and wear your usual bike shoes. The last thing you need is to be fashionable so you can wear anything as long as you can bear the cold night (unless you want to catch the attention of female insects and small animals which are busy searching for food).

Go to your garage and get the duct tape, a pair of scissors, your flashlight and your helmet. You know the drill, right? Find your gloves, preferably newly washed. Sunblock not required.

After dinner, callback your friend and remind him or her that it is time. Do not invite your Cinderella friend if you don't want to spoil the fun. Your best buddy who is as crazy as you will come in handy. Bring your backpack filled with tools kit and tire repair kit in case your bike breaks down along the way. Bring extra money and identification. Bring snack and liquid so that you keep your energy high and you can still go home.

Tell someone in your house where you are going. Don't say you will go spelunking, no one will believe you – besides, Batman wears black, you wear the colors of the traffic light. 

I am not encouraging you to forget all the safety rules you have learned from your expert friend. All I am saying is that if you really want fun, then let loose and go out at night. Ride on the most familiar trail – the one you always ride during the day – so that you know every bend, curve and dip. Oh, make sure that it is nearest from your home just in case you forget the batteries of your flashlight.

Speaking of light, watch out for flat light. They are a bit hard to understand and may cause confusion in your brain. Also watch out for the gates. They are hard to spot and they spring out of nowhere. Cows can cause body pain. They are pretty big but just like gates, they are hard to spot and can spring out of nowhere.

There may be some "ohh", "ahh", "whow", "ooops" and "ouch" along the way. But these are all part of the fun. After all, mountain biking at night is better than thinking how much fun you are missing while watching television.