INDLELA YOKUFUPHISA IBHAYIQILI: UMBIKO WOKUQALA (EBUSIKA, AKUNGANCANE!)

Umbhali udonsa amehlo (lawo masondo!) futhi uthola amathiphu okuthi ungakhuluphalisa kanjani ibhayisikili ebusika, ekujuleni kweMaine Woods.

Amabhayisikili anamafutha adonsela ukunaka.Ikhohliswe ngamathayi ayi-bulbous anesilinganiso esingu-3, ​​4, noma amayintshi angu-5 ububanzi, ayinqola yendunduma kakhulu kunebhayisikili lezintaba.Futhi nakuba lawo mathayi evumela abagibeli bamabhayisikili ukuba bagingqike cishe kunoma iyiphi indawo, aphinde afune ukuphawula kwababukele.Okusho ukuthi nginokuzinyeza kancane njengoba ngilungisa isihlalo ku-Trek Farley yami engiqashile (ububanzi bamathayela: amayintshi angu-4.5) endaweni yokupaka yama-AMC.I-Medawisla Lodge & CabinseMaine Woods.Ngihlanganiswe ngezandlalelo zasebusika kanye namabhuzu eqhwa axegayo, ngibona ithuba elihle lokuphoxeka ezinyaweni ezineqhwa ezingu-50 phakathi kwami ​​ne-trailhead.

“Lawa ngamasondo amakhulu kunawo wonke ake akhona!”omunye wesifazane uyababaza njengoba echofoza engidlula egqoke amabhuzu e-ski enqamula izwe.Omunye umshwibi uyahamba ezobukisisa futhi uthi usanda kuzama ibhayisikili ekhuluphele okokuqala ngqa ngesonto eledlule.

Isethi yesihlalo nesigqoko sokuzivikela siboshiwe, angisakwazi ukulibala.Ngishwiba umlenze phezu kwebhayisikili, ngihlale esihlalweni, bese ngiqala ukuginqika.Kuneqiniso emazwini ambalwa wokuthi awukhohlwa ukugibela ibhayisikili, kodwa lokho kucwebezela iqiniso lokuthi ibhayisikili ngalinye lizizwa lihlukile.Leli bhayisikili elinamafutha alicishe lifane nebhayisikili lami lomgwaqo.Ngeke ngiqophe amajika aqinile kuleli tanki, kodwa liyaduma endaweni eneqhwa ngaphandle kokushelela.Nginyathela emzileni bese ngiphakamisa isivinini kancane.Umshushuluzi uyama ukuze angibuke ngidlula.“Heyi, lokho kubukeka kumnandi!”uthi.Yebo.Yebo kunjalo.

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Incazelo eyodwa yokwanda okukhulu kokuhamba ngamabhayisikili okunamafutha ukuthi lokhu kugibela okunamasondo opopayi kugcwalisa isidingo sabagibeli bamabhayisikili abashisekayo.Ngizwile ngaphezu kwabagibeli abambalwa bekhuluma “emgodleni” wabo wamabhayisikili, njengokungathi bangabacibisheli abahlome ngemicibisholo eminingi, ngayinye inesisindo futhi inezimpaphe ngezimo ezithile.Ibhayisikili lomgwaqo lokuhamba ngezinyawo, ibhayisikili lentaba lemizila, isivinini esisodwa sedolobha.Amabhayisikili okuthenga, ukuvakasha, amatshe amatshe, nokuhamba ngomkhumbi.Umgibeli webhayisikili omatasatasa angaba nohambo oluthile lwesizini ngayinye, indawo, nokusetshenziswa.Kodwa kuze kube yilapho ibhayisikili lokuqala lamafutha lihlanganiswa ndawonye, ​​kwakungekho inketho eklanyelwe ngokukhethekile iqhwa noma isihlabathi.

Enye incazelo yokuthandwa kwamabhayisikili anamafutha?Ave kumnandi ukugibelanoma yikuphiphezulu.

Nginamabhayisikili amabili azacile: ibhayisikili lomgwaqo kanye nebhayisikili lokuya emsebenzini.Lapho likhithika elikhulu lokuqala, bangena endaweni yokubeka kuvulandi bese belenga, benganakwa, izinyanga.Ngakho lapho ngiba nethuba lokuchitha impelasonto ka-February ngigibele i-Maine Woods, ngadonsa ama-tight ami ebhayisikili ngemuva kwe-dresser drawer, ngapakisha izikhwama zami, ngase ngibiza u-Erik daSilva, umxhumanisi wohlelo lwezemfundo.Bicycle Coalition of Maine.Ihhovisi le-AMC laseMaine Woods belilokhu likhuluma no-daSilva ngokwenza izinhlelo ezithile zokufundisa amabhayisikili kanye nezokuphepha kubasebenzi base-lodge, futhi ukuvakasha kwami ​​kwaba izaba ezikahle zokuthi akhuphuke ngemoto esuka ekhaya lakhe e-Orono, eMaine, usuku lokugibela ebusika.

Umgodla ka-DaSilva uphethe amabhayisikili ayisishiyagalolunye, okuhlanganisa i-retro-speed three-speed, i-recumbent, kanye ne-tandem.Lapho ehamba ngebhasi, u-daSilva uvame ukugxumeka ibhayisikili endaweni yemithwalo ukuze akwazi ukunyathela endaweni yakhe yokugcina esuka esikhumulweni sezindiza.“Enye yezinto engizikholelwayo wukuthi noma yiliphi ithuba esilitholayo lokuphuma emotweni sigibele ibhayisikili, ngizolibamba,” usho kanje ocingweni.Kuye, ukuhamba ngebhayisikili akuwona nje umsebenzi wosuku.

Nakuba u-daSilva ubelokhu ehamba ngebhayisikili impilo yakhe yonke, ibhayisikili lakhe ekhuluphele lasheshe laqaqa ezinye izinto ayezigibele ngemva kokulithenga eminyakeni emihlanu edlule.Uthi: “Akukona nje kuphela ibhayisikili lami elithembeke kakhulu kodwa futhi ibhayisikili esengizitholele imali eningi ngalo,” usho kanje.Uyisebenzisela ukuthutha izinto zokukhempa ehlathini elikude izinsuku eziningi;uhamba ngomkhumbi emizileni yangakubo yamabhayisikili ezintabeni;futhi, yebo, uwugibela ubusika bonke.Uchaza umzila wakamuva onqamula amapaki nezindawo ezingomakhelwane, udlula izindlu zabangane endleleni.Isithombe esisekhanda lami akusona esabantu abadala ohambweni olude kodwa iphakethe lezinganeIzinto Ezingaziwa, bedwengula idolobha labo elincane, bejabulela ukuzimela ababekuphiwe ngamabhayisikili.

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Umhlaba we-AMC's Maine Woods-amahektha angama-75,000, izindawo zokulala ezintathu, amamayela ayi-140 wendlela, konke ngaphakathi kwesifunda sombuso.I-100-Mile Wildernessi-conservation corridor—ibe iyindawo ephambili yokuqwala izintaba, ukugwedla, ukudoba izimpukane, kanye nendawo yokushushuluza eqhweni unqamula izwe iminyaka engaphezu kweshumi.Kodwa abagibeli bamabhayisikili bathola injabulo yendawo muva nje, lapho i-AMC ivula amamayela angu-80 emizila yebhayisikili yezintaba enethrekhi eyodwa eNtabeni i-Trout, cishe amamayela angu-3 eningizimu-mpumalanga yendawo yayo yokulala entsha, i-Medawisla.Engeza lokho kumamayela angu-90-odd we-AMC wezindlela zokushushuluza ezilungisiwe, futhi kwenza enye yamanethiwekhi amakhulu e-Maine avulekele ukuhamba ngamabhayisikili ebusika.Olunye uhambo lapha usuku lokugibela.Abanye babhukha indawo yokuhlala kanye ne-pedal lodge-to-lodge.

Noma kunjalo, endlini yokudlela eMedawisla, ngimuningi kunabanye.Abashwibi bapakisha amatafula.Bephezu kwenqwaba yewundlu nezingilazi zewayini, balandisa ngezigigaba zosuku futhi baxoxe ngenjabulo ngesiphepho seqhwa esibikezela ukuthi sizokwehla ngolunye unyawo.Ngokuvamile ngangihlanganyela injabulo yabo, kodwa ngaphambi kwalolu hambo, ngangitshelwe kaningi ukuthi izimo ezinhle zokugibela ibhayisikili ziyizimo ezimbi zokushushuluza eqhweni futhi okuphambene nalokho.Ngakho-ke lapho umphathi weloji ebuyekeza isibikezelo sibe amayintshi angu-1 ukuya kwangu-2 futhi abashushuluzi beveza ukububula okuhlangene, ngiyaphuma etafuleni bese ngidubula i-imeyili eya ku-daSilva.Uphendula ngokushesha: “Kunini futhi lapho esingajabula kangaka ngeqhwa elibi?”

Kusukela e-Medawisla, abashibiliki bamabhayisikili nabashushuluzi ngokufanayo bangaxhuma phakathi komugqa wamakhabethe baye e-Lakeside Trail.Ukusuka lapho, khetha owakho uhambo.Iya kwesokunxele ukuze uhlole umkhathi oqandisiwe we-Second Roach Pond.Hlala uqonde ukuze ube nomoya ogwini oluseningizimu yechibi.Noma jikela kwesokudla bese uqonda emagqumeni nasezintabeni, ngale kwalokho ungakwazi ukufinyelela kwezinye izindawo zokulala ze-AMC, i-Little Lyford ne-Gorman Chairback.Lapho u-daSilva efika e-Medawisla ngakusasa ekuseni, sibheka ngokushesha imephu bese sikhetha inketho yesithathu.

Sibheke empumalanga, kude nendawo yokulala naphakathi kwamakamelo.Kuwumuzwa oyinqaba, ukugibela ibhayisikili ekhuluphele.Amathayi amakhulu, acishe agcwale umoya, agxuma kancane njengoba nginyathela, elungisa amaqhuqhuva kumzila.Ukuthamba kweqhwa, kuyancipha umfutho womoya ofiselekayo, ngakho-ke ngigibela cishe amaphawundi angu-5 iyintshi yesikwele (psi).Uma kuqhathaniswa, ngimpompa amathayi ebhayisikili lami lomgwaqo afika ku-120 psi futhi ngikwazi ukuzwa wonke amatshana kanye nokuqhekeka ku-pavement.

Mina noDaSilva sigibela eceleni, sixoxa ngezizinda zethu zamabhayisikili.Kulula ukuhamba ekuqaleni, lapho umkhondo ukhuphuka futhi wehla kancane.Bese sifika ejikeni lethu ku-Shaw Mountain Cutoff bese singena kwesokudla emagqumeni.Umzila uqala ukukhuphuka.Ngokushesha ngiqala ukuzwa ukusha okufiphele, okungehli kahle ku-quads yami.Lokhu kugibela sekuzoba nzima.

Ngiyama ukuze ngiphefumule, futhi u-daSilva ngomusa akhiphe umoya omncane emathayeni ami ukuze angashoni kude eqhweni.Siyahamba, u-daSilva usekhuluma kakhulu manje.Ungitshela ngezinsuku zakhe zokugijima emgwaqweni, lapho ekhipha amazinyo akhe angaphambili engozini.Isiphithiphithi esisheshayo sokuhamba ngebhayisikili emgwaqeni sibukeka njengesihlobo esikude nomsebenzi wethu wamanje.Ngihamba ngokucasuka kodwa ngihamba cishe amamayela angu-5 ngehora.

Emuva endaweni yokulala, i-Shaw Mountain yayibukeke njengesigxivizo seminwe kumephu, inama-whorls ezindawo ezihlanganiswe ngokuqinile eduze neziqongo ezimbili zengqungquthela (amafidi angu-2,499 kanye namafidi angu-2,641).Sijikela kwesokunxele emfolokoni elandelayo, futhi i-Skyline Trail iqala ukunqamula ihlombe elisenyakatho yentaba.Kuzomele ngime ukuze ngiphefumule futhi.Ukubuyisela umfutho wami akuwona umoya, nokho.Ngimpompa amaphedali ngokufutheka bese ngigezela phambili njengengane encane egibele amasondo amabili, ngibalekela isandla somzali esizinzile okokuqala ngqa.

Iphethini iphinda futhi kaningi.Manje uDaSilva useyichashaza elimnyama kude.Ekugcineni ngiyayeka futhi ngihamba ngebhayisikili ngikhuphukela ezindaweni eziphakeme kakhulu.Ngithola induduzo emcabangweni wokuthi kufana nokushushuluza eqhweni: ngithola ithuba lami.Leyo nzuzo engamafidi angu-600 okuphakama ngaphezu kwemayela lokugcina?Wonke lo msebenzi uzokhokha uma ngindiza ngibuyela phansi.Kodwa okokuqala sifuna ukuthinta isiqongo.U-DaSilva ulinde ukuthi ngibambe bese engincenga ukuthi ngibuyele esihlalweni.

Ngemva kwamamayela angu-4 okugibela, sishiya amabhayisikili ethu futhi sigibele ikota yokugcina yemayela ukuya esicongweni.Bese kuyisikhathi sokwehla.I-DaSilva ithatha umzila oqonde kakhudlwana, idubula umugqa omncane wethrekhi eyodwa.Ngibuyela kabili kumzila obanzi wokushushuluza ebesisanda kuwukhuphuka futhi ngijabulela umoya ebusweni bami njengoba ngiphakamisa isivinini.Ngizwa ukumemeza kudlula ezihlahleni—“WOOOO-HOOOOOO!”—kulandelwa amabhuleki.Ngiyajabula ukuthi ngishiye ukugibela kobuchwepheshe ku-daSilva.Ngibamba izibambo zami bese ngihlikihla ngomzila, ngishaya amabhuleki ukuze ngifinyelele umsila ejikeni ngalinye.Akulula futhi kuyajabulisa.

Ngisanda kuqalisa ukunyathela futhi lapho u-daSilva ehlahlela umkhondo ukuze angihlangabeze.Uyaganga.“Engisanda kukwenza kwaba umzila webhayisikili elinamafutha eqhwa ongcono kakhulu engake ngaba kuwo!”uthena.“Ibushelelezi, iyashesha, iyashelela kancane: Yayinazo zonke izakhi.”

Ngomdlandla wakhe kanye nokujaha kokwehla kwami, umqansa oshisa amathanga ulibele.Ukupompa i-Adrenaline, sibuyela endaweni yokulala ukuze sithole ukudla okushisayo.

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Abashwibi bamabhayisikili nabashushuluza emizileni ababelana ngayo bekuyobonakala kungenangqondo esikhathini esidlule.Kwaze kwaba ngama-1980s lapho abanye abashayeli bamabhayisikili abaphambili babuyisela ukugibela kwabo ngenxa yezimo zeqhwa nezihlabathi.Njengoba nje ibhodi leqhwa lokuqala lenziwa ngokuhlanganisa ama-skis amabili ndawonye, ​​laba basiki bengqephu bashisela amasondo endabuko ukuze abe nobubanzi bamasondo aphindwe kabili.Ngokulungisa okujwayelekile, badale inguqulo entsha yezemidlalo.

Ukuhamba ngebhayisikili okukhuluphele kuvele esixukwini sokwenza ngokwakho ukuze uthole izethameli ezivamile cishe eminyakeni eyishumi edlule.Ngo-2005 Surly, umkhiqizi osekelwe eMinnesota, wethula ibhayisikili lokuqala lamafutha omthengi, i-Pugsley ebomvu ekhanyayo.Ukuthengisa kuqhume phakathi neminyaka embalwa.I-Quality Bicycle Parts, ephethe i-Surly kanye nomunye umkhiqizi, i-Salsa, yakhula ngamaphesenti angu-187 ngo-2010 yalandelwa ukukhula ngamaphesenti angu-246 ngo-2011.Umthengisi Webhayisikili Nezindaba Zemboni, ukuthengiswa kwamabhayisikili amafutha kweqe ngamaphesenti angu-44 ngonyaka owodwa, kuya kumabhayisikili acishe abe ngu-37,000, ngo-2014.

Ukuthengisa sekwehlile, kodwa ngamashumi ezinkulungwane zamabhayisikili anamafutha asetshenziswayo manje, awaseyona inoveli kangako.Abagibeli bamabhayisikili bawagibela unyaka wonke, kuyo yonke indawo—hhayi esihlabathini naseqhweni kuphela kodwa nasezindleleni ezivamile zamabhayisikili asezintabeni nasemigwaqweni esimweni sezulu esibi.Ungathenga eyodwa kwa-Wal-Mart ngo-$219 noma wehlise u-$7,000 ohlwini oluphezulu Olukhethekile olwenziwe cishe ngokuphelele ngekhabhoni.

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Emuva ekufudumaleni kwendawo yokulala, ngehlisela phansi izitsha ezimbili zesobho likatamatisi bese ngijaha ngamasemishi kashizi othosiwe ukuze ngilahlekelwe ukubalwa.Ngiphelelwe amandla.Kodwa imikhondo iyakhanga, futhi ngokushesha siphindela emuva esikalini.

Kulokhu sijikela kwesokunxele ku-Lakeside Trail bese siqonda e-Second Roach Pond.U-DaSilva uqhulula isondo futhi ezama ukupedalitha ithayi elilodwa.Lapho ehluleka ukuzinza futhi ephenduphenduka emhlane wakhe, akhale ngokuhleka, esaliqhuba ibhayisikili manje alibambe emoyeni ngaphezu kwakhe.

Ngokushesha sehla intaba futhi siye echibini elineqhwa, lapho umkhwenyana ebeke khona indlela eya ngaphesheya kogu.I-DaSilva ibona iqoqo lamadwala avela eqhweni futhi liyashesha.Unyathela ebheke etsheni eliseduze futhi, elisebenzisa njengerempu, aphumele emoyeni.Uyachezuka agxume asuke kokulandelayo aze awazame wonke.

Lapho ekugcineni sibhekisa amabombo ogwini olusenyakatho, asiyinaki nhlobo indlela, sagudla phakathi kwamabala eqhwa apheshulwa umoya futhi siqhuma phakathi neqhwa.Sigibela ngokuhambisana ne-peninsula kuze kube yilapho u-daSilva ebona ukuvulwa.Ugawula osebeni lweqhwa futhi athathe intambo egcwele iculo elilodwa eliholela ezihlahleni.Uma sesiphumile eqhweni elivuleke kakhulu, kufanele sigxile ekugibeleni umugqa oqondile.Impushana ejulile isongela ukusishwabadela njengesihlabathi esimanzi uma siphenduka amayintshi ambalwa kwesokudla noma kwesokunxele.Sidada ngaphansi kwamagatsha alenga kancane, siye phansi singene egiyeni elilula, bese sigingqa amadwala nezimpande eziphuma eqhweni.

Nazo ke.Lena injabulo yokuhamba ngebhayisikili okunamafutha.Ukunqamula iqhwa bese ngigingqika ngiyongena ehlathini.Ibhayisikili lamaphupho ami asebuntwaneni: iloli lenunu enamasondo amabili elingagingqika cishe noma yini esendleleni yalo.Cabanga nje kabili ngaphambi kokuba uzame ukukhuphuka intaba.

FUNDA OKWENGEZIWE: AKUKHO ngcindezelo

Ukugibela ibhayisikili elinamafutha kanye nokunakekelwa kufana nalokhu kwamabhayisikili asezintabeni endabuko, okuhlukile okubili okuvelele kakhulu: lawo mathayi amakhulu, adinga umfutho womoya ophansi kunokuvamile.UDan Meyer, umbhali wezisebenzi zeUmgibeli wamabhayisikili,ugibela ibhayisikili lakhe elinamafutha unyaka wonke ezindleleni eduze kwase-Missoula, e-Mont., futhi unikeza imihlahlandlela elandelayo yokukhuphuka nokunciphisa umoya:

I-Pavement: 8 kuya ku-10 amakhilogremu nge-intshi yesikwele (psi)
Ukungcola okupakishiwe: 5 kuya ku-8 psi
Iqhwa nesihlabathi: 2 kuya ku-3 psi

Izimo zeqhwa ziyahlukahluka kakhulu, kuye ngezinga lokushisa nokuzilungisa, futhi kungase kudingeke ulungise impukane.Qaphela lapho usondela emaphethelweni aphezulu naphansi esikali sika-Meyer, noma kunjalo.Uma ucindezela phansi, ingozi enkulu yokulimaza amarimu uma ushaya into eqinile.Ngakolunye uhlangothi lobubanzi, ukucindezela okuphezulu kulawo mathayi amakhulu kubeka amandla amakhulu kumarimu, okungadala umonakalo.

Akukho ukulungisa okungavikela imizila ethile emathayeni akho.“Uma usendleleni esetshenziswa abantu abaningi, kufudumele, futhi izimo zithambile, uzokwenza umonakalo,” kusho uMeyer.Uma uzithola ucwila eqhweni futhi ulwela ukudonsa, cishe kufudumele kakhulu ukuthi ungagibela.

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