When the phrase “bike ride” is mentioned one may have the thought of peacefully strolling through the neighborhood and enjoying the day. For sophomore Alexis Bobbitt, she needs a little more excitement and adventure in her life, she has a different image in her mind when it comes to bike riding. Bobbitt’s idea of a bike ride is racing down the mountain trails in California.

Skipping her training wheels at age three when learning how to ride her very first bicycle was a large hint to her parents that biking would become a large passion for Bobbit in her future.

“Since the day I learned how to balance on my bike, I would spend everyday after school bike riding and riding all day on the weekends,” Bobbitt said. “The energy and the rush that you can get when you’re on the mountain biking is an indescribable feeling.”

A big part of her Bobbitt’s passion for mountain biking would be her father’s influence.

“I tell everyone that biking is in our genes,” Bobbitt’s father Jeff Bobbitt said. “I have been biking since I was as young as Alexis and had the same enthusiasm about riding when I was Alexis’s age too.”

Being involved in such an intense sport involves the rider to be prepared to take on some dangerous experiences, for Bobbitt that’s the main thrill of the whole sport.

“I had a couple of crashes during a race, but I always end up finishing the race,” Bobbitt said. “When I was racing in California last summer I was going really fast because I needed to catch up to first place to win and I didn’t realize how big one of the drops were and by the time I realized it I was already on the ground and scared that I wasn’t going to be able to get back up. But I did and ended up finishing my race. I was really happy that I was still able to manage to cross the finish line.”

Other than Bobbitt experiencing the intense rides on mountains, she is creating fun memories with her family.

“I find it really cool that my whole family is involved in a really unique activity,” Bobbitt said. “The thrill and the excitement I get from mountain biking wouldn’t be half as fun if my family wasn’t doing it with me.”

Mountain biking can get difficult when out in the heat, but Bobbitt’s determination and passion about racing always pushes her to the finish line.

“It can be scary when you see the big upward slope on the distance and you know the energy you are going to have to push yourself to have,” Bobbitt said. “My proudest moment would have to be last year when I was racing in varsity my freshman year and it was the last long stretch to the finish and the drive to win made me get up and sprint with my last bit of effort to get around first place and take the win.”

I was so proud of myself that I could push through the mental game that I was playing and finish strong.”