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It’s safe to say taking two wheels into the dirt is a different animal altogether than street riding. Getting ready for an all-day ride out on the trails requires a certain amount of preparedness — not too dissimilar from camping. You might find yourself in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire, broken chain or snapped lever, so proactively learning a few skills and packing the right tools and spares beforehand can go a long way.
Short of attending a school like the Pine Barrens Adventure Camp (which you should), jotting these few words of wisdom from PBAC lead instructor Mike Bradway isn’t a bad idea. He’s a 2007 East Coast Enduro Champion, 2000-2007 East Coast Enduro Association Top AA rider and veteran of the 400 mile-plus dual sport ride from LA to Barstow to Vegas, so trust that he knows what he’s talking about.
Exercise your balance. It helps a lot of newer riders and riders who are a little rusty and haven’t ridden in a while. Before you even get on your bike you can practice balancing by standing on one foot on a plank of wood with your eyes closed. That sounds silly but will get you in touch with your inner ear. On your bike, with the kickstand up and in the stand-up adventure riding position, see how long you can keep the bike vertical without putting a foot down. It all comes into play out on the trail, especially when you’re maneuvering through tight single track trails crowded by trees.
Learn to read the trail. You want to be paying attention to what’s further down the trail. It’s a rookie mistake to be looking right at the ground in front of you. You want to keep looking ahead and adjust for what’s coming and if there’s anything unfamiliar, you’ll want to slow down before it, rather than correct when you’re right on top of it. People tend to crash more when they make a sudden and unexpected line change.
If it comes down to stopping and scoping out an obstacle, make sure you take the time to do so. Think that murky mud puddle would be great to ride through at speed? There’s a good chance a couple of Jeeps mad some fender-deep tracks in there and their drivers dropped logs or rocks in to gain traction. In other words, it’s always safer to spot it early and go around if you can, or stop and do a depth check with a long branch.
