Sometimes I have to suffer through watching some sort of sporting event on television. However, I can never enjoy it. I am always more distracted by thinking about the week’s wage the fans had to pay to get into the arena. I get distracted by the announcers talking about how a player is holding out for more money or wondering if a player will make it to the game after his court appearance. I think about the owners of these teams stacking their rosters with a bunch of high paid players and then turning around and passing those costs on to the fans. And speaking of the fans, they seem to be a sick joke themselves in many cases. I’ve seen fans break out in fights just because they are cheering for different teams. I’ve seen grown men curse and hurl their beer cans at each other, while children all around them look on in disbelief. At the same time, many of the players are so stuck up and full of pride, that they think they are somehow better than their own fans. I just cannot watch athletes who are involved in a sport they don’t truly love, but simply participate for the money they don’t deserve and respect they haven’t earned.

I, in turn, am always in awe of the stark contrast between what I see in these commercialized sporting events and what I see at a mountain bike race. I have never paid to watch a race. I stand on the edge of the track with the rest of the fans and yell and cheer for the riders. And you know, it doesn’t matter who they are. It doesn’t matter who they ride for. We cheer them on. You never hear people yelling insults and throwing things at each other because they are cheering for a different racer. I have even witnessed the winners of races get off their bikes and walk back to the track to cheer on the rest of the racers. I’ve seen some of the best riders in the world stand around and talk to whoever comes up to them. Everyone is just there together to enjoy the race and camaraderie.

So here I sit whispering a small prayer that mountain biking will never change. I always want to be able to enjoy a good race without spending a fortune. One day, when I have children of my own, I want to take them to the trail and have them enjoy a day of racing without me worrying what kind of filth they may see or hear. So keep on riding and taking the road trips to your favorite races. Respect the sport and the people who are a part of it, and always keep the love first.