My mountain bike now has two and a half seasons of wear on it. My body experienced that in the first year I owned the bike. But my riding ability and endurance have improved gradually, and roots, rocks, and mud do not hold the terror they once did. Observing and learning from more experienced riders, I can now ride through water and mud, cross small logs, and navigate various obstructions.
Since falling seems to be part of mountain biking, I rarely carry a large camera that could badly bruise ribs. But I almost always have a small LX3 hanging at my side. It works great for quick photos when we stop, with a self timer for group photos, and even for action photos while riding along. Virtually all of the photos I take with this camera are at ISO 100 since the small sensors of all compact cameras are noisy at high signal amplification (ISO). But its fast f/2 lens helps with action shots. Below are some of my favorite images from 2010 taken while out riding a mountain bike. You can see more if you click HERE.
