Bush swaps election trail for bike trails

RUNNING hurt his knees. Swimming cramped his style. So US President George W Bush took up mountain biking, a sport that gets him outdoors, pumps up his heart rate and, every so often, sends him crashing to the ground.

He offered a glimpse of his new pastime on Monday, roaming the dirt roads and far-flung pastures of his 1,600-acre ranch. About halfway through, he sailed over the handlebars during a dangerous descent, but dusted himself off, picked up his bike and kept riding.

Mr Bush escaped injury other than a small cut on his knee. But he conceded he was a little shaken up, riding tentatively as he descended the rest of the downhill stretch.