I can now say I have tasted the delicious delights of one of the trail systems Bentonville, Arkansas has to offer. Yesterday morning, I ventured to Bentonville, not sure what to expect but tingling with anticipation.

Tingling probably isn’t an accurate description. However, I am sure you get the drift. This ride is a bucket list ride, after all. As I approached the exit to Walton boulevard off of I-49, I caught a glimpse of ‘the Hub’ in the woods, a much talked about wooden feature that serves as the trail head for several downhill trails. It looked as awesome as I expected, enough to create a bit of trepidation in me. After all, I am 62 and probably an intermediate level rider on Illinois trails. I was going to have to up my game! Not only was I going to have to endure longer, rockier, a bit more technical climbs than I am used to, but I would have to overcome the tricks my mind would play on me when I arrived at the Hub. A large part of mountain biking is dealing with what my mind tells me I can or can not do. Muscles are necessary to be able to accomplish some of the more difficult trail challenges, but the largest muscle on a mountain bike (on any bike) is the brain.

I found the Bark park lot, the most central parking location if I wanted to ride Slaughter Pen. The singletrack trails in Bentonville all break out from a greenway that spans the city, with all the singletrack contained along the paved greenway trail and interwoven into the city. It’s an impressive concept that has turned Bentonville into a cycling destination, with a lot of housing communities focused on cycling. There are a lot of rental options, very nice, along the trails for mountain bikers to stay. Before parking, I drove around the city a bit, impressed at what a great place for biking it is.

I parked, donned my FiveTen bike shoes, helmet and gloves, filled my water bottle, then pulled my Salsa mountain bike off the back of my Subaru. The greenway was adjacent to the parking lot, with a trail guide sign that showed me where all the trail systems were located, including the Slaughter Pen trails. My friends were right about the Bark park being the best place to park. I was 800 yards from the entrance to the trails.

By the way, it was over ninety degrees at 9 AM. I was going to need more than one water bottle. Thank goodness there were ample opportunities to refresh my water bottle. During my ride, I stopped at a jump park, rode the jumps (what a hoot!!!), and had to take a break due to my head starting to swim! I remembered that feeling from many of the hot road rides I endured years ago. My experience helped me, as the only physical ailment I had after the ride was a sour stomach from the sugar in the Chick-Fil-A chocolate shake and sweet tea I downed shortly after I finished my ride. I knew better than to down that much sugar when my body was still in absorb mode, but it tasted soooooo good.

I followed a large family along the paved greenway on my way to the Slaughter Pen trailhead, kids excitedly chattering to their parents while they rode. When we got to the entrance, the whole family stopped in front of me, then immediately jumped on one of the easy green trails, so numerous along the whole trail system. I jumped on a green trail into the Slaughter Pen, then took one of the blue intermediate trails that announced it would lead me to the top of the downhill trail hub. The climbing was tough, especially in the heat, but I forged ahead with anticipation of what was to come. There were plenty of flat and downhill sections even on the way to the top, with features such as banked wood corners, skinny rocks to negotiate, little jumps, rocks and roots to climb over. The surface of the trails was hard red clay, with lot of scrabble (rocks). That was all part of the magic of the ride, as I am used to more dirt with sand mixed in at the trails I ride near home. I enjoyed getting used to riding the clay.

I made it to the top, forced myself up to the top of the Hub, stopped to take a water break. It also was a chance to get my mind ready for another type of riding that would be somewhat new to me — downhill trail riding. I clicked back into my pedals, dropped off the Hub, and began my descent. In my mind, I was going to fight the temptation to ride the brakes. The reward was catching air, a rush that is hard to describe. Think about what it’s like to ride a roller coaster, except you’re riding a roller coaster you are in control of. I made it to the bottom, exhausted, but exhilarated. A part of me wanted to go back up for another shot, but the sensible part of me told me that this old man probably would be better off taking it easy for a while. There were plenty more trails to explore, so many that I wouldn’t be able to get to many of them in the two days I am riding in Bentonville.

There were plenty of highlights to simply see, touristy stuff in a cycling sort of way. There were artwork and statues all over the place. My favorite was a statue made out of old bicycle chains and crank arms. I also came upon a marker in the woods that upped my admiration for Dubya (yes, I am a conservative). George W had challenged the group he was riding with to climb a very steep, treacherous, and long climb, then proceeded to climb it without stopping. I attempted it, made it halfway before my rear wheel washed out on the loose rock. At the top of the climb was a rhino statue. I thought it was an ironic tribute to the president who followed Bill Clinton, in the state and area where Clinton was from.

All in all, I was out on the trails for a little over three hours. I was pleasantly tired, anticipating more riding with a group of locals that evening. That ride didn’t happen, as a thunderstorm rolled in a hour or so after I finished my ride. I am supposed to ride with my son-in-law this afternoon, and I am hoping the trails won’t be too wet. After toweling off, I found a Chick-Fil-A, refueled and downed that large dose of stomach churning sugar, drove back to my Airbnb for a shower and nap. Later in the evening, I visited one of the quieter little craft breweries in downtown Fayetteville, watch the Cardinals win while I had a nice stout and slice of pizza. Some of the locals sat with me at the bar, talked my arm off, a welcome break from the alone time I have had the last few days. It was nice, especially since I am missing my wife, something I knew would happen. She is having fun at Disney, her gift to me a chance to get out and do what I enjoy, but having her next to me is a priceless gift.

More adventures to come. More riding today, as well as some time with my daughter and son-in-law. I am having dinner with his family tonight. They are from Fayetteville and have been here on furlough this past year. It’s a good opportunity for me to get to know my daughter’s inlaws a bit better.