“Get on your fattie, Tracy,” my friend Patti Giancola said to me. At first, I thought she was referencing my tush but soon looked down at the tires on the mountain bike to see they were especially fat tires. Fatties are slang for flat tire bikes used for mountain biking, and they are much larger than my regular bicycle.
I had seen these fat-tired bikes before but typically in February when I’m still riding my regular bike in Central New York being extra careful not to slide off the trails. I thought fat-tired bikes were simply winter tires that bicyclists put on in the winter to ride, similar to snow tires. I was wrong. What I also learned quickly was how bouncy they were, like riding in a car whose shocks were worn out. The bounce made the ride really interesting and extra fun.
As we set out under and over the crunchy, blaze orange-leafed trees in Green Lakes State Park since it was mid-October in Upstate New York, the surroundings were stunning. I soon noticed riding on a mountain bike meant easily being able to ride from dirt trail over stones, sideways up onto grass or over weeds, on more small stone gravel, and in fields, all without feeling the change or being nervous about falling making the terrain changes. Cool.
Although we were on mountain bikes, we weren’t in the mountains biking, but on dedicated mountain bike trails in Green Lakes State Park winding in and out of trees and up and down hills. After trying motor cross this year, I likened fat-tire biking to more of the thrill of motor cross plus the access to natural beauty like cross country skiing in the winter between trees in all of nature’s beauty. Mountain biking allows one to bike in nature, not just on a paved pathway in or around nature. It was different and really enjoyable since I’m a nature lover.
Another benefit of biking with an old client is getting a chance to catch up with them. Patti now loves the freedom of running her own Cabi business instead of her previous career in fundraising, where I first met her. Tucked in her warm house are seasonal lines of clothing to try on. So, if you want to have a party with her or go to one of her open houses, click here for more information. Who says women can’t network while biking, like men network while golfing?
I was lucky to be using Patti’s husband’s bike, since mountain bikes are much more expensive than regular bikes, but I could see why. The bikes fit in the back of big SUVs or on regular bike racks. In fact, Patti owns different bikes for different occasions so if you like regular bike riding, see if you can rent a mountain bike and give it a whirl. I think you’ll fall in love with the fattie and your own tush won’t mind the ride either.