The ground rushed away from me as I launched my bike off a 5-foot table top jump, landing gracefully yet rather unprepared for the upcoming obstacles. This was my first true time riding a downhill mountain bike down an actual mountain bike course.

 I was at Burke Bike Park, just an hour and 15 minutes from campus with nine of my friends and within minutes of being there I was having the time of my life. The whole biking trip was SHAPE facility Director Wendy Velander’s idea, and it was all set up by her. She drove us up in her van, and she got us a massive discount on bike rentals and passes. Day passes and a bike rental would normally cost over $100 a day but we got the whole deal for only $15.

 We were equipped with Norco Aurum bikes which cost around $2000. These babies are basically pro mountain bikes that have the capability of hitting massive jumps (jumps most people would be way too scared to hit) and shredding trails; basically if you held on tight enough, the bike could get you down the mountain in one piece. We were also given full face helmets and shin guards if we wanted. I felt reassured as I sat down on the chair lift and enjoyed a beautiful fall view of the Northeast Kingdom, with Mount Pisgah and Lake Willoughby in the background.

 At the top of the lift we wasted no time and took the Rolly Grail trail. Air and dirt hit my face as I banked into a downhill corner and picked up speed. I come to a little bump in the road, pushed my weight down then up and bunny hopped over a small patch of grass. “Woo hoo!” I shouted, hearing encouraging shouts back from my friends.

 The Rolly Grail, as its name implies, is both a flowing, easy downhill trail and a beautiful ride in the woods. I could not think of a better way to spend my Sunday.

 The next trail we hit was Jester, Awarded the Black Diamond of Excellence award of the “Best Mountain Biking Trail” in Vermont by Vermont sports magazine readers. Still considered a beginners trail in terms of width and flow, we made it more exciting by riding faster and hitting small jumps. We rode Jester every few runs. Other trails included Enchanted Forest, Black Forest, and Drawbridge, all fun featuring their own unique challenges.

 Feeling hungry after a few runs I went inside to find something to eat. I ended up ordering a full plate of fries for only $3, not bad, but sandwiches cost nearly $10, basically the same price as food at a ski resort, which, considering the location, makes sense.

 After eating we decided to try out the harder trails, the most difficult being Knightslayer which sported big jumps, big step ups, and a 20×40-foot wall ride. The first jump set the tone with a long downhill landing into a tight turn that I was unaware of and came into it with too much speed and proceeded to overshoot the landing.

As I blew over the jump, I caught too much air and was afraid that I was going to land right on the tight turn and blow over off the trail. I knew that if I didn’t land it perfectly I would hit a tree, so I jumped off my bike, landing hard on the ground but missing the tree.

 A little bit wiser, I continued more cautiously, rolling over most of the features. This was definitely above my level but it was thrilling nonetheless. After Knightslayer I was almost completely covered head to toe in dirt, and a little blood here and there.

 Sadly it was almost time to head back, so everyone gathered at the top of the lift for a group picture. Then we gathered back at the van for the last run of the day, only this time we drove to the top of the mountain for an exciting in-your-face all-mountain run.

 The trail Upper J-bar into Lower J-bar is, according to my biking app, a 3.1 mile technical downhill adventure, the whole trail being rated as a double black diamond. We began the very steep and technical decent that featured rock gardens, small drops, technical switchback turns, large root systems, and towards the bottom, a flowing singletrack trail.

 My arms heaved as I pulled my bike over large rocks. More than once I was forced to carry my bike down parts of sections that I either couldn’t or wouldn’t ride down. The lower we got on the trail the more rolling it became and soon I found myself drifting away from my friends and riding in silence in the woods.

 My lungs burned and my legs were on fire, but I felt at peace riding at my own pace. I came around a bend and to my right the trail sharply turned into a gully and I could see a small stream trickling down. Sun shone through the multi-colored foliage , and leaves littered the trail allowing small drifts in and out of corners.

 I rolled back to the bike rental place and waited for the rest of the group to show up. I felt elated. I checked my app. The last run took over 30 minutes, and we descended a total of 2031 ft, averaging 5.4 mph, topping out at 19.8 mph. We really flew down that course.

 Mountain biking is to road biking as trail running is to road running. When biking through the woods there is a sense of tranquility that cannot be found biking on a road or around town. The trails beckon you onward with relentless intensity and force you to remain calm, which sounds like a contradiction. But this peaceful thrill, you will find, is what it is all about.