POS and YHC decided to try mountain biking and met at Mountain Creek Park, located on the northwest end of the lake in Catawba County, which is about a 30-minute drive away.

We began our ride quite well, although it’s fair to say that POS is an experienced mountain biker, far surpassing YHC’s skills. Our goal was to exercise and enjoy ourselves, which we did for the first 30 minutes.

Then, disaster struck: my bike’s chain broke. With no tools or spare parts, we were stuck. Fortunately, mountain bikers are a supportive community, and a couple of riders stopped to assist us. Despite their help and a half-hour of effort, we couldn’t fix the chain. So, with the broken chain in my pocket, we began the trek back to the cars, walking uphill and coasting downhill when possible. To complicate matters, we got lost following some inaccurate advice on the quickest route back.

Eventually, we reached the parking lot, loaded our bikes, hydrated, and changed shirts, relieved to have made it back. That relief was short-lived when YHC realized his phone was missing.

We retraced our steps, me on foot and POS on his bike, and thankfully, we found the phone. We returned to the parking lot once more, sweaty and greasy from handling the chain.

Despite the challenges, we enjoyed the adventure, the workout, and most importantly the fellowship.

Next time, however, we might opt for golfing instead.