Mountain Biking: Fun (and Healthy!) for the Family
Do you ever wonder what happened to "Family Time"? Do you have trouble getting everyone together besides to sit in front of the television? A great way to climb out of this slump is by riding a mountain bike.
Mountain bikes are relatively inexpensive-- a brand new bike can be purchased for less than the price of the latest video game console. Start looking at Wal-Mart. They are likely the cheapest mountain bike retailer, just make sure that the bike is up to your standards as far as quality is concerned. If there aren't any bikes for you at Wal-Mart, ask the person showing you the bikes about another place to look.
Once you have your bikes, you're ready to go-- just make sure everyone has a safety helmet as well. There are parks and places to ride literally everywhere.
Start riding on a local bike path. These paths are generally paved and easy to ride on, so it's a good way to begin getting in shape. Pick one day a week when everyone can get together, and simply ride and take it easy for the first few outings. If you try to climb a mountain on your first family outing, your family will probably think mountain-biking is a terrible strain and they aren't going to want to do it anymore. So build up your endurance together, set goals together.
After a few weeks, everyone will have improved their stamina and be ready to take things to the next level. Look up parks or public land sites that allow mountain bikers, and hit the dirt! Mountain bikes are made for rough terrain, it's up to you to figure out what type of terrain YOU are made for. Take things step by step, don't ride on any terrain that you don't feel comfortable on. The point is to have fun with your family and get exercise while doing it.
You and your family will feel much better after the exercise and enjoy the time spent together. The rewards of true family time are priceless and character building. Something this simple can have lasting beneficial effects.