by Bettina Freese

Nearly every outdoors enthusiast dreams of making a living while having fun, but can’t find the resources, partners, motivation or ability to make the appropriate sacrifices for that to happen.

Allison and Timm Muth figured out how to do it by starting Dirt Addictions Mountain Bike Tours in Dillsboro, NC.

The two met while working at a wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary in the Triangle area. As soon as Timm brought Allison out riding, she fell in love with both him and mountain biking. That’s where their touring company began.

The Muths began taking groups on rides and mini tours of the Triangle area. It wasn’t long before they headed west for bigger climbs, with steeper and more technical trails. Once they acknowledged Western North Carolina for the mountain biking mecca that it is, they left the Triangle behind. You might recognize Timm’s name as the author of the Falcon Guide to Mountain Biking North Carolina.

They tour Tsali, Fontana, Black Mountain, Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Park, and Panthertown. They know all about spectacular scenery and how to get the most forest porn in the smallest amount of time: waterfalls and panoramic views.

On their weekends away from tourists, the Muths scout the woods looking for new loops, trips and picnic spots for every level rider. They have half-day, full-day and multi-day trips that cater to all skill levels. Nobody gets left behind or made to feel as though they are out of shape or uncoordinated. They are extremely positive, enthusiastic and encouraging. They are great coaches, and they know how to help everyone have an enjoyable ride. They are strong riders and love to laugh at themselves.

I joined the lovebirds for an afternoon in Panthertown where we ventured through trails marked on the map as faint footpaths-just to see where they looped up. Timm was very comfortable being ripped from his bike and racked on a gnarly rhododendron root while Allison cackled from behind saying, “I told you so…” He calls her Pie – a nickname that stuck after a long-ago wreck she had sailing over her handlebars and submerging herself in a mud trough.

They want everyone to love bikes and nature from a healthy, non-competitive, and fun perspective. But with every sport there is a competitive streak. Theirs lies within their four children-all of whom ride well. Their 16-year-old daughter will help them guide this summer, their three-year-old just shed his training wheels, and the two remaining boys, 14 and 20, torture their friends by sending them on scary, gnarly rides, with unfair implications, saying, “Oh, yeah, my mom does that ride-you oughta be okay.” They are a close, loving and supportive family.

Dirt Addictions is a great way to learn new trails from a safe and supported vantage point. They’ve got a great fleet of bikes, including full-suspension. It’s even a great way to ride with your significant other. Do you hate the way your S.O. flies through the woods leaving you behind to bleed and suffer? Are you the one who’s always in trouble after a day in the woods because you didn’t stick with your honey or take the time to teach a few skills? A tour is the best way for everyone to enjoy the day and then share stories around the campfire at night. Nobody gets left behind.

For a great book of trails, read Mountain Biking North Carolina (A Falcon Guide), to learn more about Dirt Addictions, go to www.NCBiking.com. To check out the Dillsboro storefront near the Tuckaseegee River, get off the first Dillsboro exit onto 441 South. It’s within the first half-mile on the right.

And let Timm know if you want to sell your old mountain bike!

Bettina Freese can be reached at befree01@charter.net.