Words by Kimatni D. Rawlins / Vision by Henri Fisher

It was an amazing weekend with the Fit Fathers crew as we hit Schaeffer Farms Mountain Bike Park on hardtails in Gaithersburg, MD. Typically when a group of dudes get together to catch up it’s at a sports bar, club or a live game. Nothing is wrong with either if that’s your cup of tea. For me, I am happy to have broken free from habits that I no longer care for. In comparison to my old self I’d rather bike or hike within the natural mystic of life with my brothers and sisters while eating nuts and berries opposed to clubbing with baby ballers. Thus, it’s amazing how quickly enlightenment is ascertained when the path to purity is chosen. There are never any excuses for energizing your body incessantly.

We call them “Social Workouts” whereas a group of dads, moms, kids or friends of the family get together for an exercise-focused activity in an environment conducive for life enhancing socializing. Prior examples include running and hiking meet-ups at national parks and local high school tracks. This past Saturday seven Fit Fathers went out on what is to be the first of a cadre of planned mountain bike outings.  And for those who didn’t own a cycle we made a call to Race Pace in Columbia, MD and reserved a few of their rentals for $45 a day. Again, “no excuses” is our daily mantra. “This experience provided a great alternative to the regular routine of weekly gym workouts. Both physically and mentally challenging, the scenic path allowed us to truly appreciate both the power and beauty of nature,’ said Shawn Ciers. “Enjoying this time with fellow brothers that wanted to spend a Saturday morning greeting mother nature opposed to snoring in bed or playing video games made this outing and the conversations magnificent!” [Read more…]