Mountain Biking - Going Off the Trail

I've been a road biker for years. But I've just bought a Rockhopper, and have been exploring desert trails where I live (The high desert, near Mojave, CA). Sometimes the trails get so sandy I have to go around them in order to keep riding--and that's with Fat, IRC Trail Bear tires at low pressure. I'm not interested in making new trails or going wildly off into the desert. But I do feel a little guilty when I leave the trail for a few minutes.

I could see how tearing up the desert with high impact, off road vehicles could be harmful, but what about bicycles. Also, I weigh 143 lbs. What do you think?

I'm the wrong person to ask; since I was one of those motorsickle-racing desert rats for a number of years. 500 riders and a smoke bomb 5 miles off and a LOT of lines ended up willy-nilly in the desert.
And any piece of sagebrush was fair game as long as it wasn't hiding a rock :eek:

as long as it's not a maintained trail like in a state park or something I just ride where I please.

I've been a road biker for years. But I've just bought a Rockhopper, and have been exploring desert trails where I live (The high desert, near Mojave, CA). Sometimes the trails get so sandy I have to go around them in order to keep riding--and that's with Fat, IRC Trail Bear tires at low pressure. I'm not interested in making new trails or going wildly off into the desert. But I do feel a little guilty when I leave the trail for a few minutes.

I could see how tearing up the desert with high impact, off road vehicles could be harmful, but what about bicycles. Also, I weigh 143 lbs. What do you think?

I think you should have a few steaks and a couple of beers

I think you should have a few steaks and a couple of beers

and a bunch of taters with gravy