Look Ma! I’m grinding!

The title is a complete lie, I cannot grind. I do have pegs on my bike which might communicate to other riders that I grind, but they’re a lie as well. To be fair to myself, I put them on the bike so I’d be forced to learn, and I’ve been riding around my city trying to find a nice low ledge to learn on, but alas, such things seem in short supply. I did find one spot with a nice low ledge that is obviously a popular grind spot, but I’ve yet to try it.

Last night I was encouraged to attempt a feeble grind on a ~20" ledge at the skate park. Try as I might, I simply could not get my front wheel on top, and my rear peg on the ledge. Repeatedly, I’d get the front wheel up and then just dig the peg into the side of the box. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but my mind can handle getting the front up, but it forgets completely about pulling the rear end up. I’m told the problem is simply over-thinking.

Which is probably true now that I over-think it. I’m a research kind of guy, the internet has cultured me into someone who puts massive time and energy into researching and dwelling on whatever my current interest is. Last year I was so intent on my research of a particular hobby, that it actually gave me the first migraine headache I’ve ever had. I can only assume that while I’m pedaling toward an object, my brain is putting so much thought into the process of the bunny hop, that I just flub the entire thing up.

My new project.. stop thinking about it. I know how to bunny hop, I know what I have to do to get onto the ledge, I just need to forget about that part and focus on spotting my landing.

I should build a grind box and annoy my neighbors with hours of grinding.