Trail Riding

As many people do, I enjoy the great outdoors. With the coming of summer a number of outside activities become readily available such as swimming, camping, fishing, and hiking. I participate and love all of these, but my favorite and true passion is trail riding or mountain biking as it is often referred.



Trail riding is a sport anyone can participate in. It can be a good family experience to plan an outing around or is something which can be enjoyed alone. My family and I usually go out a couple times throughout the summer as we have a great State Park near our home which offers a number of smaller trails. I also try and take several trips on my own to the larger trails throughout the surrounding area.



I live in Illinois and am lucky enough to have a number of great trails all within a reasonable driving distance. A couple of personal favorites are the Jubilee College Stat Park and Pimiteoui Trail. There is also the Kickapoo State Park and the Lincoln Prairie Trail. Anyone of these will provide a day of biking fun. For a full list of Illinois bike trails visit Illinois Bike Paths and Maps .



As with any hobby the cost involved will depend on the level of interest. What is nice about trail riding is the trails and bike paths themselves are free. The cost associated with biking is usually wrapped up in the equipment. A good trail or mountain bike can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a several thousand. This is really up to the person involved in how much they want to invest.



I am someone who rides frequently. I use a Diamondback Outlook which I purchased new a few years back for around $350. This bike has served me well and has really stood the test of time. I would have no problem recommending it to anyone starting out in trail riding or for someone who is looking to upgrade. Diamondback bikes are popular and can generally be found at all bike shops and sporting good stores. I recommend researching any bike before purchasing in an effort to find the perfect fit. For those interested the Diamond back website is www.diamondback.com.



I also spend roughly $30-$50 dollars a year on a tune-up for my bike. I get this done at the local bike shop and is something every biker should do at the start of the biking year. There are of course special shoes, helmets, pads, clothing, and various other items which can be purchased. These items can add up quickly however and to be honest are more for the really serious biker enthusiasts and competitors. I use my Nike running shoes and the cheap equipment I picked at my local sporting good store. I have at most maybe $100 invested in equipment, and have no complaints.



The great thing about trail riding is the sense of freedom. Being on beautiful scenic paths can be breathtaking and is an added bonus. Naturally there is the exercise component to condiser as biking is a great way to burn some calories. For the more adventurous sort there are some exhilarating trails filled with inclines, jumps, waterways, and various other obstacles. Or, for the more leisurely biker the flat and winding trails are just as much fun. Trail riding really does offer something for everyone.



My goal this summer is to bike the entire Rock Island Trail over the 4^th of July holiday weekend. The Rock Island Trail is a 29 mile path from Toulon, Illinois to North Peoria, Illinois. It follows an old railroad righ-of-way which runs through several woodlands as well as the towns and communities of Toulon, Wyoming, Dunlap, Princeville, Alta, and Peoria.