I don’t know about you, but when I commit to a mountain bike ride I consider it a sacred trust. If I can crawl out of bed, I am going to be at the trailhead, and usually on time. In my 31 years of mountain biking I have had a few biking buddies that also lived by this code of commitment. However, I also have had a slew of riding partners who are commitment challenged.
If you have been biking for any length of time I am sure that you have had someone bail on a ride. If not, consider yourself lucky. Some of my friends are so reliably unreliable that I am sure they have created their own excuse Rolodex like Jerry Seinfeld.
Of course, we have all heard the litany of excuses. It could be the elements: too hot, too cold, too wet. Maybe it is the trail conditions: too dusty, too muddy, too much snow. Maybe it is their condition: too tired, too hungover, too sore, boils, diarrhea, constipation, headache. Maybe they will blame someone else: “My spousal pass was revoked,” or “my girlfriend needs for me to go to the farmer’s market.” Sometimes they will blame their bike: “I have a flat tire and I haven’t had a chance to fix it.” Or they might blame a household appliance: “I didn’t hear the alarm.”
Blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada, the list goes on. Now and again, the excuses might have some validity, but more often than not they are weak.
Through three decades of riding I have had three riding buddies that have joined me for hundreds of rides with a perfect 100% attendance record. Never once have they let me down. I like to call them “Team No Excuses.” Team no excuses is made up of my current pups Poki and Tula and the late, great Simon the wonder dog. As the saying goes, dogs are man’s best friend, but I should add that dogs are also man’s and woman’s most reliable biking buddies.
My pups love to join me for a ride, and it brings me great joy to have them along. I especially enjoy seeing the excitement on their faces when they realize that they are invited to go along for a ride. This is pure, unbridled enthusiasm! Simon used to get out of control as soon as he saw me getting together any outdoor gear. To calm him down I would often put him in my truck even if it was an hour or more before I was to head out. Just knowing that he was going to be included in the ride made him calm down.
Poki and Tula are more subdued as I gear up. The big question on their minds as they watch me prepare for a ride is whether or not they will be invited along. They will follow me around the house with all eyes watching my every move. Once they get the signal that they are “in,” all is forgiven. Poki is all business as border collies are wont to do. She beelines right out the door. Tula hangs back while I lock the door and then pogoes three feet off the ground all the way to the truck.
I have to say that once we are at the trailhead I am somewhat embarrassed by their behavior. I don’t unleash the hounds until I am totally ready to go, but once they are released all hell breaks loose for the first 100 yards of the trail. Poki is yelping while running in front of my bike, spinning donuts over and over. Tula is by my side, also barking while doing her pogo routine. While this has me grinning from ear to ear, I look forward to hitting the point on the trail where we move from this over-excitement to trail focus.
Moving along on the trail is really a hoot. If you have never experienced riding at high speeds right on the heels of your pup, you are really missing out on an exhilarating experience! I also enjoy chill’n’ by the side of the trail while sharing snacks and enjoying the view with my best friends. While our trailside conversations tend to be one sided, my pups are great listeners.
While I thoroughly enjoy riding with my human friends, it is nice that I can totally rely on Team No Excuses. Come rain, sleet, or snow they are a go. Maybe the only downside to biking with pups is that they never chip in for gas. But when I think about it, my friends rarely do, either.
30 Comments
Jun 3, 2018
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I love seeing pics of you and your dogs in MBAction mag!
I started my heeler/husky mix riding with me- and it's one of the best things I've ever done for both of us!
I mostly ride alone- and the companionship and enjoyment he shares with me on the trail is irreplaceable!
As soon as he sees my bike out- he's ready to rip!
To those claiming that unleashed dogs are uncontrolled-
Unleashed does not equal uncontrolled.
My trail dog is a highly intelligent, highly trainable mix of breeds.
He is in far more control out on the trail than anywhere- he is working and focused.
He is trained to remain behind my rear wheel at all times, to stop when I stop, to ignore others on the trail unless i give him permission to greet them, and he does not chase wildlife, because he is focused on working with me.
When we are out and see people ahead of us, i make him stop and stay and i ask how they feel about dogs. i always carry a leash in my pack and will happily put him on it when we pass if it makes others comfortable. At this point I've never had to though.
That's not to say that there aren't people out there letting dogs run loose that they shouldn't. They are out there- giving those of us acting responsibly a bad name.
But please don't assume that we or our dogs are bad or out of control just because the leash is in the pack- take it on a case by case basis.
Chili and I hope to see you out there to show you what a _good_ trail dog really is.
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Thanks for sharing your story. I get it.
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Currently we have 4 dogs. One is a 3 year old female boarder collie. She is a real sweetheart but runs wild if let loose outside of our invisible fence. She is obviously not a trail biking pup due to this. The point is, it really depends on the individual dogs physical prowess and personality traits as to their fitness as riding buddies.
Jun 2, 2016
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Unleashed and uncontrolled dogs on the trails are a menace. They are unsafe to other riders and can potentially chase and harm wildlife. Your posting displays such unleashed animals. Pet ownership has its responsibilities. Those responsibilities do not stop when you are riding. There have been many a times when an uncontrolled dog has crossed my riding. Either of us could have been injured and a bike wrecked. Most trails I have ridden have leash laws that are often disobeyed by irresponsible pet owners.
Jun 5, 2016
Jun 2, 2016
The wildlife issue does seem like a valid concern.
I once had a dog who wasn't super friendly so we always walked him a on leash. Sometimes unleashed dogs would trot over to "say hello" and invariably, the owner would say, "Don't worry, he's friendly!" My reply: My dog isn't, so get your dog away from mine! Unleashed dogs can be hazards to themselves too.