Growing up in Illinois every single kid in town had a bicycle. If you walked, you were a loser. And the bike racks at school were always full. Around small-town New Mexico few kids have bikes at all, most don't take care of them, and there aren't any bike paths or trails. Seriously, if you see an adult on a bicycle here, they're either too poor to buy a car or they've lost their license.
The riding style I enjoyed the most was road riding in rural Illinois on a Huffy Aerowind. I'd take off after school each day, ride 5-10 miles to a nearby town, have a soda, and ride home again. And I rode everywhere in college - too poor for a car - on an old Schwinn that I rebuilt.
A few years ago I was a mountain bike instructor at Philmont Scout Ranch, leading short 'tours' in the Carson National Forest. No bike-specific trails, so we'd use the cow paths, historic railroad grades, and old two-track roads.
Never owned a mountain bike though until last year, and with so many years in-between it feels like I've never ridden before.
Thanks for the welcome!
-Bob
OT:
Gimme a G, gimme an A, gimme a Y, what's that spell? Lexus!!!
My wife has a Lexus RX300. I call it the "Estrogen Wagon." No man would ever buy one...
And since it's such an uncommon bike, here's a photo of the Monument Buckhorn:
