Mountain Biking 101 in Jefferson City

Members of the informal Easy Riders mountain biking group meet Tuesday afternoons year round for recreational biking on trails at Binder Park. A trail across from the boat ramp offers a 3.5-mile loop ideal for beginners.

The members welcome experienced riders as well as anyone new to mountain biking. They remember when they, too, were beginners and appreciated suggestions on how to handle obstacles, bridges and anything else they might encounter on the trail.

Although Terri Zumalt has ridden bicycles all of her life, she began mountain biking at Binder just three years ago. Thanks to advice from other riders, she hasn't wrecked on the mountain bike trails - “I don't want to break anything,” she said - and her skills have improved steadily. She feels more confident.

“I can ride over things that were really difficult to ride over at one time,” she said. “Some of the stuff looks really scary when you first see it, but once you have practice riding down it or attempting to ride down it, it gets easier.”

According to Jefferson City's Parks and Recreation guide, Binder Park offers 12 miles of trails suitable for mountain bikes. A map at the park's tackle shop outlines the trails, and a map of the park appears online at www.JeffCityMO.org. A trail off Edgewood Drive adjacent to the Greenway offers another 2.3 miles for experienced riders.