Mountain biking isn't just like riding a bike. And it's not always easy to find someone to teach you how to push through sand, cut a corner or climb over that rock in your path.

"As far as mountain biking goes, you don't have a lot of resources for learning skills in town," said Martha Lemen, a cyclist who works at Sabino Cycles and occasionally teaches a free two-hour basic skills course.

But now you do, for a cost.

Sol Journeys, a new adventure travel company, offers all-day mountain-bike-skill courses for beginners and more advanced riders.

Jill Hewins, a mountain biker and longtime roadie, leads the class with four other seasoned riders. They split up the group by experience and run through drills, eat lunch, go for a 90-minute ride and then do yoga and chair massages. The day costs $125, but if you're not going to sign up for the class (Jan. 20 and March 4), Hewins has some drills and techniques to practice.

"It's always better to watch someone and learn," she said.

Here's the next-best thing.

The No. 1 rule is to keep your weight back. It will get you through washes and sand and keep you from going over the handlebars.

The only rule that rivals the first rule is basic: Look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go.

It sounds simple, but looking ahead (not to your side at the scenery) keeps you from ending up in the cactus to your left.

● Braking: The key, Hewins says, is to find a balance on the bike so your rear tire doesn't skid. If it does, you need to put your weight back on the bike, by moving your rear end off the back of the seat.

You'll want to experiment with how much back brake versus front brake you want to use to stop, she said, for balance and to prevent skidding out.

● Balance drill: Set water bottles on boxes, or the ground, and ride by and pick them up, from the left and the right. "This skill overemphasizes weight shifting, but it makes sense later," Hewins said.

● Cornering: Head farther out around an object with your front wheel and notice how the rear wheel cuts closer.

Drill: Place an object on the ground. Bring your front wheel around the outside of the object, and keep the rear wheel to the inside of the object.

● Sand: Shift to a lower gear and shift your weight way back by moving your rear end back on the seat and sit up high. Keep spinning. Use a very light grip on the handle bars and let your bike track off a bit. It will track back, Hewins said.

• The next mountain bike race in the Tucson area is 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo on Feb. 17.

• It's a 24-hour race with a roughly 15-mile loop that teams (or brave solo riders) circle for 24 hours.

• Check it out at www.epicrides.com

Sol Journeys

soljourneys.com.

An all-day class, including lunch, yoga and a chair massage.

• Cost: $125.

• Phone: 795-0035.

Mountain Biking 101 with Martha Lemen

Two-hour course for basic skills.

• Cost: Free.

• Contact: mllemen@earth link.net or call 400-9095.