I had been mountain biking for a few years in Southern California in the late 90's when my wife bought an old road bike at a swap meet for $5 and I proceeded to rebuild it.

Where we lived was part of a big Canyon in the boonies ( Pipe's Canyon by Yucca Valley ) and I rode that bike down the canyon 6 miles to the highway and then got brave & climbed up out of the canyon with it. When I got up there to the top, I realized "holy crap, I could go wherever I want to! "

Haven't stopped much since.