See Ryan O’Bryan Try BMX at Burdette Park [VIDEO]

I have lived in Evansville for my entire life (40 years and counting), and while I've driven by the Burdette Park BMX track countless times over the years, I had never seen it up close and personal — until recently.

The crew in charge of the track were nice enough to invite me out to give it a try. While I've been riding a bike since I was a kid, I've always preferred my tires stay on the ground as much as possible, the complete opposite of the intention of the BMX track where riders do their best to catch some air on the tracks many hills while also trying to navigate the hairpin turns.

To say I took it slow is a bit of an understatement. Fear of wiping out and breaking bones kept me from building up too much speed. With that said, I did build up enough speed in places to get my heart racing.

As I learned, you don't have to be a competitive racer to enjoy the track. Anybody can do what I did and grab a loaner bike and helmet and try it for free. If you discover it's something you'd like to do on a regular basis, memberships are available for purchase. As my legs could attest to after my ride, even if you have no intention of ever racing other people, a trip or two around the track is great exercise.

For more info on the track, including how to try it yourself, check them out online, on Facebook, or call 812-422-9125. You can also e-mail your questions to burdetteparkbmx@hotmail.com.