“Isn’t it scary?”
“Why do you have to do that?”
Pick mountain biking as a sport, and you’re likely to hear some of these questions. But here’s a question you hear only if you’re a girl who picks an extreme sport: “Aren’t you going to get scars? And won’t that ruin your looks?”
Society tends to discourage extreme sports for women, either directly or indirectly. But there is risk everywhere in life. And fear should not limit our desire to explore. We are all explorers longing for the moment when we feel most alive. I took up mountain biking during my time at Verde Valley School, an international boarding school in Sedona, Arizona, where the rugged outdoors are both teacher and classroom. If it has taught me one thing, it’s about taking a chance and confronting risk in order to really feel the moment.
You cannot fly if you are afraid to fall.
I grew up in Nepal where I was never encouraged to explore extreme sports. I was advised to be careful and cautious, to not explore danger. In the soccer field and basketball court you will notice boys playing. Girls are traditionally taught to help out in the house with cleaning, cooking and taking care of the younger ones. I was always trying to play sports with the boys.
When I came to Verde Valley School in Arizona as a junior, I became curious to see what it would feel like to do what most of the boys were doing.
I know friends and relatives meant well when they warned me the sport would leave marks on my body. But I discovered that the joy of mountain biking is about how it makes you feel on the inside. Not what it does to your outside.
And yes, there are times when you fall.
There was one time, when I practiced some tricks on gravel and ended up in the emergency room. I came home with ten stitches and a determination to get back on the bike as soon as I could.
Mountain biking brings me closer to nature and helps me find peace with myself at the end of the day. It’s a moment when you are fully alive without knowing what can happen the other second. For me it turned out to be a drug-free anti-depressant.
Sports play a vital role in the physical, emotional, and mental development of a teenager. Especially for young women, they boost self-esteem. I grew up in a culture where being quiet, shy, and not making eye contact was considered respectful. On the red-dusted trails of Arizona, I found I could be what I wished to be, which turned out to be: an adrenaline junkie.
I think most people are secretly jealous of scars, especially when there’s a cool story of how you got them. Sometimes my wife gets upset when get banged up, but she loves telling people I’m a “crazy mountain biker”. Do what you love, the people who get you will see past, respect, or embrace the scars.
Thanks for writing such a great article and being such a great example for other women out there who love doing extreme sports but get self conscious when others question why they do it. Stoke should not be limited to one gender or race, but should be enjoyed by all. I hope I get to meet you one day and compare scars.
You don’t need to be a Red Bull Rampage caliber rider to enjoy the sport.
somebody buy her some kneepads
Welcome to being a real person! Scars are the very best of all tattoos…
People scar themselves intentionally with tattoos and body piercing and women do allot of that so a scar from mountain biking maybe a representation like a tattoo of who you are . I got quite a few since I started . I am actually surprised how many have taken up the sport . It’s quite dangerous . I crashed my last 2 rides on hitting a rock . the last was maybe a softball size loose rock that my front tire hit at speed and down I went . I new what was coming and I curled up into a ball . No major injuries where before I could break a rib or a collar bone but I did get scraped up pretty good . I guess practice makes perfect . It just surprises me that all these new people to the sport have the courage and determination to do this from where they come from hanging out mostly indoors. We shall see how much staying power this fad will be and if it is permanent . We may get that information in the used bike market
Glad you found the courage. What I like best discovering awesome trails and destinations. Some of my favorites; Gooseberry Mesa, Little Creek and Zen near St George, Utah, K-Trail by Gold Canyon, AZ, McKenzie River Trail, Oregon, Monarch Crest, Colorado, Tucson Mountains, AZ and many more. Explore!