Back Yard Mountain Biking

We only have 5 acres of land, but we try to get the most from it.  Since it is woods on hard pan there is not much agriculture that can get done.  The lawn can hardly get a foot hold.  Donna had me build some raised beds and with those and the front yeard flower trough, we raise some potatoes and veggies.  No, the thing we can do with the land is make really great mountain bike trails.  Yes, we do spill over into the neighbors' property, but we do have their permission.  My frist attempts resulted in nearly trial-difficult paths.  But over time I have gotten them at a difficult, but not too difficult level.  With the legs in recovery, however, I have been reluctant to really have a go at them.  And, coupled with the wet weather making them extra hard from the slippery rocks and roots, I have yet to ride them this year.  Tonight that sad streak came to an end!  Yes, they were slippery.  Yes, they put a strain on my quad tendon and patella tendon.  But I was ready.  It was great to get in the short but anaerobic workout that doing the home trails provides.  Over the summer Donna got into doing some trail building herself so she could walk with Harry over to the neighbor's mowed yard that is not used for anything else without taking him on the dirt road which bothers his sore foot.  I made a winding, narrow, edge-hanging trail off of her main trail and was anxious to try it.  All went well and I did a ride around our block to just cool off and enjoy the sunset at the end.  I like this riding because it takes little preparation and you stay close to home while getting a great workout for the mind, legs and lungs.