Today I got back on my mountain bike for the first time since last season and it felt good. Starting out I was a bit worried that I would choke on some of the more difficult bits of the trail, but surprisingly I cruised through some stuff that would have had me cursing and swearing not to long ago. It helped to avoid the little stunt that last year pulled me in and then tossed me like a salad.
I've gotten some strange looks when I've mentioned this to some folks, but I really find that mountain biking is a zen activity. A lot like yoga. Skiing is the same way, and I suspect surfing is too. You've got to have balance and focus: you've got to be relaxed yet attentive, and it helps to breathe (still working on that last one with swimming too.) And you're in a nature setting, so there's that nice feeling of connection with the earth. However, my zen theory goes all to crap because as Dave points out, anger is also a pretty good motivator: get mad at the log, charge at it like a bull and you'll probably roll over it. Or use his other technique, which is to make engine revving sounds while pedaling like mad. Vrrooom, vrroooomm.....