Cris Flint, left, of Jackson and Dave Carlton from Pioneer recently formed the Foothill Trail Hounds, a group for mountain bikers of all ages and levels centered in Amador and Calaveras counties. Photo by: Bethany A. Monk

It's the thrill that draws them to it.

The art of mountain biking is a different experience than that of other cycling sports, according to Dave Carlton of Pioneer, co-founder of the new Foothill Trail Hounds.

Foothill Trail Hounds is a new group for mountain bikers of all ages and levels. Carlton and fellow co-founder, Cris Flint of Jackson, formed the group last month. They held their first bike ride Sunday at New Melones Lake in Angels Camp. They plan to have at least one bike ride per month. Everyone's welcome, and there's no fee to join.

The impetus for the club's formation is two-fold; one, it's excellent exercise and it's fun. Two, it's the starting point for both cyclists to meet others who share their goal to eventually, along with support from local agencies, create trails at Lake Pardee and Lake Camanche in Ione. Right now, the closest trail system for Amadorians is at New Melones Lake, about a 45 minute drive. The Folsom Lake trail system, about an hour away, is pretty popular as well, Carlton said.

Since posting their Web site, www.FoothillTrailHounds.com/index.html, Flint and Carlton have had about 12 local cyclists show interest in joining the group. Sunday's group was small, but it was nearly 100 degrees outside, something both said probably deterred many from participating in the ride, about a 5-mile trek through the hills.

Flint said he started mountain biking in college and then took up road racing for several years following his college years.

"In the last six months or so, I decided to get back on the bike," said Flint, who works from a home office for a financial company in Orange County. "It kind of rekindled the love of riding."

It's also helped him lose weight, which was the reason he decided to get back on the bike in the first place, he added. He and his wife had purchased an elliptical machine, but "I hated it," he said. That got him back outside on the trails.

Those who join the group can be at any level from beginner to professional, said Carlton, who's been a mountain biker for several years. "There's terrain out here for everybody."

"You have to watch where you're going," he added. With mountain biking, "more undulated terrain, more body English. ... It's an adrenaline rush."

In addition to bringing a bike and a helmet, participants should bring eyewear, water or a waterpack, and may want to consider purchasing cycling gloves and shoes, Flint said. For new cyclists, he recommends getting comfortable on the bike by riding in the neighborhood or on other flat terrain.

Both Carlton and Flint like to ride in Amador County in between trips to New Melones. Good places to ride, they said, are near Silver Lake, Tragedy Springs and Bear River Reservoir, which are all located in Amador County.

Once the group gains momentum, the two would like to "sell the idea to the public" regarding the need for trail systems, for hiking and off-road riding within Amador County. "There are potential economic benefits," Carlton said. "It could make Amador a destination for biking."

Foothill Trail Hounds encourages and promotes responsible and safe trail usage, according to International Mountain Biking Association standards.

Rules of the Trail, according to IMBA, are important to "promote responsible and courteous conduct on shared-use trails" around the world. These guidelines include: Ride on open trails only, leave no trace, control your bicycle, yield to others, never scare animals and plan ahead/ know your equipment. For a full description of these rules, visit, http://www.imba.com/about/trail_rules.html.

For more information about the Foothill Trail Hounds, including the group's upcoming mountain biking excursions, visit www.FoothillTrailHounds.com/index.html, or e-mail Flint at cf@foothilltrailhounds.com