Ah yes, mountain or off-road bikes on the road. Bought my first back in '81, road single track and on bike paths alongside the river or the streets around town ... and then joined the Sacramento bike club for some road riding with others ... was the ONLY mountain bike in the group and while not looks of disdain from the "true" road bike riders ... many, of course, having the latest and greatest in super-bikes and gear ... I did get looks of curiosity.

I rode all of them ... the Sunday morning 30-or-so round trip down to Old Town for latte and biscuit, the more strenuous Saturday 50 milers and the 100-miler up through the foothills of the Sierras for the "Fall Apple Country Tour", another 100 miler out through the Napa Valley wine country, etc, etc etc. All the while keeping pace with the others ... not an easy task, mind you!

And even, after moving to Southern California. commuting in LA traffic ... at times a harrowing venture ... up to Burbank ... in less time than it took to drive. But that's a story for another time ...

Since then it's more road riding that off-road though much of that has been barely improved country dirt roads, the state and national park trails, old logging roads, etc though no jumping, near vertical drops and such as that ... simply riding for the enjoyment of being out there.

And then for several years down in Florida ... yet another story for some other time ...

And after entering the post-retirement age group ... physically, not financially ... I still favor my newest mountain bike ... heavier that the norm, more rugged than the norm ... and I can get off the pavement if I need to avoid traffic without fear of breaking something ... other than myself, of course ... as well as take in my saddle bags, my daily rations, lots of water, and occasionally a book in case I decide to take a rest 'long side a brook or mountain lake or simply in a quiet park off the bike path ...

And I can STILL keep pace with the road bikers ...

Thus, as you can see, while not staunch mountain biker, I at least enjoy all that on- and off-road biking can bring ...