My days of running for pleasure and exercise ended when I moved to the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. I had been living in the relatively flat Willamette River Valley where there were miles of level bark running trails. Now in the Gorge, I encountered rocky, steep trails that were torture to my hips and knees. It was time to find a replacement for running.

The Gorge of the Columbia River is a recreation mecca that's especially attractive to mountain bike riders and windsurfers. Swimming doesn't appeal to me, so I decided to check out mountain biking. In the end, that was among the best decisions I've made, but I began with caution. For one thing, I didn't know if my interest would last. That's why I started by getting a low-end bike (that had some serious weight problems) It was a clunker, looking back on it now. I also held back on investing in some of the biking 'gear'. It's not that I'm cheap - it's just that much of it seemed to be for hip-ness instead of usefulness.

However, after using a few of the items, I understood that while the gear might make you look 'cool', it also really does help you function better. Here are 7 of my favorite pieces that I didn't think I'd care about (back in my post- runner/pre-biker days) and now I wouldn't dream of being without.

1. Padded shorts. If you mountain bike, road bike, or both, make the investment in having these. Purely and simply, your ride will be more comfortable.

2. Well-vented helmet. You've got to buy a helmet anyway, right? If you don't wear one you're crazy. Spend the extra bucks to get one made of the super-strong material that affords lots of vents to help keep you from over- heating. And in the case of helmets, you get what you pay for: the higher-end helmets are easier to adjust for a better fit.

3. Pedals and shoes with cleats (clipless). After a bit of a learning curve on how to release quickly and be able to lock-in going up hill, clipless becomes as automatic as shifting gears. You especially notice the benefits when you're road-biking; you're gaining on the entire stroke instead of only the downward push.

4. Hydration pack (a backpack with a water-bladder - Camelbak brand is an example). My first one was a gift, or I might never have tried one. Now I love having 100 ounces of water easily available, instead of that goofy move where you have to reach down and get the water bottle out of the rack, lift your head to drink - losing sight of the trail, and then fumbling the water bottle back into the rack. No wonder I hardly ever drank enough during rides and ended up slightly dehydrated every time. I also appreciate that the pack holds my keys, cell phone, energy bar, and rain jacket.

A suggestion: You'll still want to keep a full water bottle on your bike. It's good defense against dogs that chase you. Get good at your aim and you can land a squirt without missing a stroke. It's very satisfying, and the dog will run away.

5. Safety goggles - yellow. Of course, you should have protection for your eyes, but I wondered about the necessity of yellow or orange lenses. Seemed like poser- gear when I began to see them around. Then I used a pair. What difference in visibility! The yellow lenses really do brighten up shady trails and they help you a lot during overcast or lower-light times of day.

6. Half-finger gloves. The palms are padded, so that feels nice on long rides. The best part is what they do for you on wipe-outs, which are bound to happen. I've gotten lots of scraped knees, but my hands always come out feeling fine.

7. The Bike. Once I realized that biking was not only a great alternative to running for the sake of my joints, but it was more fun in general, I gave the clunker away. Then I invested in a good bike - lightweight frame and components, with suspension. It's a pure delight to ride on a well-made machine.