Where to start and how to go about it were beyond me, but determined not to be put off, I went in search of information. Having talked to a couple of friends who had previously biked (and survived!) helped a lot, but I still needed reassurance that only a seasoned mountain biker could provide.
So it seemed wise to research the subject a wee bit, and being a bit of a dab hand on the old internet, a search quickly led me to www.northernmunkies.co.uk. A paean to all things mountain biking, it's an extremely useful site. It has an informative home page that is not cluttered with too much technical jargon, and it's extremely user-friendly. It gives you a break down of the different types of mountain bikes that the munkies ride, and what (if any) modifications they have. The blog is a great read – extremely funny, it gives you a diary of recent rides and the highs and lows of each. This is great if you're planning a mountain bike trek into the unknown, and it's a route that they have done. The maps page was also really helpful, and it even gives you directions on how to get to that particular mountain bike trail!
I'm sure that there are other mountain bike sites out there on the internet, but if you are looking for a fun, friendly and informative site, you really can't go wrong here. The enthusiasm for mountain biking shines through here and the site is designed in that highly professional way that makes it look clean and simple but really means it has had plenty of thought and effort put into it. It certainly helped me plan my first foray on a mountain bike and live to tell the tale!
For more details visit www.northernmunkies.co.uk