Zen Mountain Biking - San Diego County

1. Make a Reservation: Either book your reservation by calling our office at (858) 309-2703 or through the Ride and Event Calendar, accessible from virutally any page of the site. You will be required to submit a signed consent form/liability waiver via fax or you may bring print it out and bring it with you to the trailhead. You may also pay online through Paypal. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with the ride details and driving directions once your payment has been submitted. We will also get details on your height and approximate weight so we can fit you to the right bike.

2. Meet at the Trails: Meet at the designated trailhead at the confirmed time. Mapquesting or GPS can be helpful. We can also e-mail you driving directions if needed. It is a great idea to give yourself a little extra time to get to the trailhead and/or parking lot, especially if you are from out-of-town or unfamiliar with the area. Some of the locations we ride from can be remote and they may be miles from the nearest gas station. You may want to make sure you have a full tank of gas. We may be able to pick-up and drop-off at select locations within a set radius if you do not have transportation for an additional charge.

3. Prep For The Ride: Review the site for tips on how to best prepare your body and mind for your ride. Hydration and sunscreen are key. (Hydration packs are better than water bottles; if you have one, bring it!) Before we ride out, we will take a spin in the parking lot and make sure the bike fits the rider and the rider understands basic trail ettiquette since we often share the trails with equestrians and hikers. If we are riding a more technical trail and you have access to body armour, you may want to bring it with you.

4. During The Ride: You set the pace, depending on your skill and fitness level. Those in uncertain health may want to check with a doctor if not used to strenuous physical activity. We can take periiodic rest breaks, if desired. If the ride lasts more than two hours, we may stop for a longer break or a snack, depending on the whims and fitness of the particular group. Your guide will point our interesting spots or viewpoints along the way. If you want to work on a particular skill and ask questions in order to improve your riding, now is the time! You are also welcome to bring your camera along, just make sure you have it placed somewhere it won't shatter if you take the unfortunate spill.

5. Following the Ride: You will hopefully be tired from the exertion, yet invigorated! We'll load up the bikes and you will be on your merry way. If we're all hungry and feel like we earned it, we can stop on the way back to town for some chow. For some reason, riding really stimulates the apetite for my personal favorite, Mexican! You can get on my site and I will post photos from the ride (if you wanted to slow down enough to take them!). You will also be able to access a Garmin link so you can see an arial view of our ride and show your friends!

Here are a list of the things we supply:

• Experienced guide (Guide carries a Garmin Edge 305 GPS to record our stats!)
• Bikes with water bottle carrier and full water bottle
• Powdered sports drink
• An energy bar
  
• Seat bags stocked with tire irons, band-aid, disinfectant ointment, spare tube
  
• Adjustable universal-sized helmets
• Optional transportation to and from the trailhead
  

For maximum enjoyment, you may want to bring the following from home