Though Mr. Singer doesn't like racing much, he enjoys riding, taking mountain bikers out on trails who stay at his lodge and anyone else who asks. The races give him butterflies and the cost and location often keep him out of the arena. He feels that Idyllwild is a little-known paradise for mountain biking. Fellow mountain bikers have discovered many beautiful trails to ride. We've come up on bucks and birds that don't hear us until we're right up on them.
Rattlesnakes are never a problem for area bikers because they're as startled as the rider.
Going over your handlebars is called an endo and happens frequently. Mr. Singer's getting so experienced at endos that most of the time he lands on his feet. Since his shoes are clipped to his bike, he automatically slides his ankles away from the bike unclip-ping his shoes, before the crash. Mountain biking is completely different than off-road motorcycling. The motorcycle rides more than the rider.