Group fitness endeavors abound in North Idaho, but this week we’ll head off-road, to the beaten path.

After purchasing a new mountain bike recently, I’ve been spending a great deal of time not only riding the bike, but absorbing all the opportunities, trails and group rides that are available to mountain bikers within a couple hours of Coeur d’Alene.

Riding here and there over the course of 10 days, I’d acquired the skill of keeping the bike upright and tackling hills without having to stop and push the bike to the top.

While my road cycling aided in my learning curve, many fundamentals in mountain biking are unique, and require some time to master. Still, even as you’re working on these, you can have fun just climbing over and around things. As such, the smile rarely leaves my face when I’m on my knobby-tired mountain mauler.

On a recent Thursday, I tagged along on Vertical Earth’s weekly “casual” group ride on Canfield Mountain.

The ride meets at the Vertical Earth shop on Sherman Avenue at 6 p.m., and rides together up to the Canfield parking lot at the end of Nettleton Gulch Road. Others meet up with the group at that parking lot at 6:30.

Vertical Earth owner Mike Gaertner usually leads the ride, and this evening he took the group up the forest service road (1562). The road is perfect for getting a group of riders to the top of the mountain, allowing two- and three-wide riding. Mike said the ride has been going on as long as the shop has been open (more than 15 years).

If your legs (and heart rate) aren’t yet warmed up, the trek to the top will cure that. Usually the group will stop near the midpoint and take a short break before continuing on. This night, Mike took the group up Trail 6, which narrows to single track in sections, and leads up the intersection called “The Island.” Here, trails 6,7 D and the road (1562) meet, and the wide spot provides another opportunity to regroup, catch your breath and enjoy some liquid refreshment and maybe meet somebody new.

As with most everyone on the ride, I was able to converse with many of the riders, and Cully Todd, a bike mechanic at Bicycle Sales and Service for the past seven years, understood my newfound enthusiasm and thirst for off-road riding.

“It’s a sport that you can enjoy regardless of how much time you have to devote to it,” he said. “Just work on the fundamentals, and you’ll gain the skills and experience to take you where you want to go.”

Todd rode up to the Nettleton parking lot with friend Jim Heberer, also of Coeur d’Alene. The two have been riding together on local trails for years.

Jenni Malloy Gaertner, Mike’s wife and co-owner of Vertical Earth, had this analogy relating to her mountain biking experiences.

“I love that mountain biking gets me places to see things I wouldn’t otherwise,” she said. “And depending on the challenge of the trail, it can be a bit like meditation: there’s no room for stressful thoughts when I’m focused on driving my bike and responding to the terrain.”

Soon enough we were back on the move, heading east on 1562 to Trail 9 (also called the Jump Trail). We wound down the trail to another intersection at Penn Station, where we quickly turned onto Trail 4 (also known as the Cave Trail, due to a cave formed from mining excavation near the bottom of the trail.

Since I’m not adept at going downhill at speed just yet, I tended to bring up the rear on the descents. This was fine with me, since I didn’t want to slow anyone more experienced down, or force myself into making a mistake and winding up in the bushes, or worse yet, losing control and introducing various parts of my body to the trail.

The group waits at designated spots to bunch back up, then heads off to the next downhill section, so the anxiety of getting lost during one of these rides doesn’t enter into play. Besides, concentrating on the trail is often all I could think about, just trying to stay upright and not kiss a tree.

Knowing your limitations and riding cautiously will aid in self-preservation. The Forest Service advises trail users be especially cautious on blind curves and trail junctions.

Left to my own devices, I was able to meander down the Cave Trail, which provides a fairly easy drop in elevation as it winds back and forth down the canyon.

Just like any other trail, the Cave Trail has areas with some loose rocks, which novices like me need to tiptoe through, but there are many more sections that you can ease off the brakes and enjoy the ride.

After fast sections that turn both directions while descending at various pitches, the trail has two hairpin turns near the bottom which will grab your attention. They are easily traversed, granted you don’t carry much speed into them.

After the hairpins, only a few small whoop-de-doos separate you from the end of the trail.

I popped out into the parking lot, where the group of riders was hanging out. I’m not sure if they had any bets going on when — or if — I’d make it down the trail, and I guess I’ll never know.

We all exchange pleasantries, some vowing to meet up at a local watering hole for a post-ride beverage, others either heading home or back up the road for another run.

During my short drive back into town, I tried to retrace our route, with the plan to ride it — or something close to it — as soon as I can make time to get back in the area.

Canfield has many marked trails, but even more that are on no map, so mastery of the mountain will take a good amount of time, moving from familiar trails into new territory and back. You can access a trail map at http://bit.ly/29uZOpO

As with any other endeavor, you’ll get faster — and more consistent — with experience. I’m just enjoying what I’m capable of doing now, and at the same time trying to work on the skills that will allow me to take on the more challenging trails on the mountain.

I look forward to getting to know Canfield better in the coming years, especially since it’s so close to town.

Another access point is available on Fernan Lake Road, where the Forest Service provides another parking lot across the road from the Fernan shooting range.

From this lot, riders can go up Trail 10, which intersects with Trail A. A runs mainly east and west, with the trail ending at Penn Station on the western side.

Once I gain a lot more skill, I may try to tag along on the shop’s Tuesday night ride, which is at a more spirited, competitive pace.

Then again, maybe I won’t.

Because like so many things in life, to each his own.

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Jerry Hitchcock can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2017, via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com, or follow him on Twitter at HitchTheWriter.