Nurture of Nature, part 1

Last night, I was out with my Monday group ride, and I heard an interesting bird I couldn't readily identify. If I'd been riding by myself, I'd have stopped until I could see what it was.  But I was temporarily leading the group, and I couldn't. And that felt so wrong.

Maybe I'm an adult in a twenty-something sport, I don't know, but that event sums up a feeling that's been growing in me for awhile now, and I'd like to delve into it for just a moment, if you'll indulge me.

First, a bit of background about me. As a child, my mom subscribed me to Ranger Rick magazine. It's still put out by the WWF (the World Wildlife Foundation) and is a conservation magazine for young kids. I loved it and I also enjoyed walking the trail from my house into the woods and down to the meadow with a stream that ran through it. Hickory Creek (pronoounced "crick" where I came from). I built birdhouses. Etc. I remember as a pretty small kid wanting to build brush piles so small animals would have a place to live.

A little later, at age 11, I got into BMX.

Put those two together after about ten years, and a detour into road cycling (which let's face it, is still quite an outdoor sport, it just has to stay on the little paved paths) and you've got a passionate mountain biker who's out in the woods for something more than to do rad jumps and tear it up, man.

But why am I alone in that? I mean, I'm sure I'm not totally alone, but why is mountain biking worlds away from bird watching? Or the kind of people who like to watch deer in the evening?

In fact, it seems that many riders are almost annoyed by nature. Why has this tree fallen onto our trail? What do you mean, we can't ride here because it's conservation land? (implied: what do we care about rare animals?)

As usual, I'm reading too much into this. I'm overreacting (also, had a venti Starbucks, so maybe that's part of it). But the point is sound, I think. Why are we more interested in the performance of our suspension than in the nature we're riding through?

Is it because we're a younger sport? Surfing seems to understand that it takes place in a natural area. And it seems to cherish it. (and also doesn't SEEM to be obsessed with tech, but I could be wrong and looking from the outside.) As mtb matures, will we as a group grow up a little bit?