Skills Day

On Monday of this week utahmountainbiking.com had a skills evening for members, family and friends. My husband Royce and I went together. Ryan and Jared took the time to show us how to pedal wheelie over obstacles, lift our back tire and jump off a ramp. After that we used these skills to go over an obstacle course.

Royce clears all of the obstacles....wish I had done that.

Cholla Race

This race was Saturday April 12th, I didn't write about it quickly, but here is a quick update. Mandy did great at the race. She took 3rd out of the girls and 12th overall. The route for the 12 and under was somewhat difficult. They started out riding down the road, and then they have a steep drop down a hill that has a big rut in the middle of the road. Mandy got off her bike and walked this hill, which was probably good, since she had not pre-ridden before the race. After that it was taking off around on the dirt road. Mandy did great and passed quit a few riders here. As she headed towards the end she got off her bike and walked up an enormously steep hill and then jumped back on to finish the last few feet of the ride. Way to go Mandy!!!

Mandy riding the course.

Mandy pushing her bike up the steep hill towards the finish line.

I wish the race had gone half as good for me as for Mandy. I changed divisions and joined the 35+ division. This division has a lot of great riders. I moved up so I would become a better rider by following and learning from them, and of course with hopes that eventually I would get good enough to beat some of them. My race started out exactly as I hoped. I stayed to the back, because I new I had different lines than most on the slick rock and I was going to use this to get me ahead of others, and it worked. I passed 3 women right at the first using my lines on the slick rock, as I was preparing to continue on I all of the sudden had mechanical problems that stopped me dead in my tracks. I jumped off my bike and inspected it to see what was the problem, and found out my front brake cable had gotten caught between my tire and front fork. Okay, this is not so bad. I pulled it out and took off. Unfortunately the time it took for me to find and fix the problem I was passed by one girl. Which meant I now had to take off and go full steam ahead. Which I did. I did fine for about 2 miles before eventually slowing down due to asthma and lack of oxygen. I was passed by Meri Bruin from the same team as me (she is in womens beginngin division and rocks at riding) about this time. She rode my tail for quit a while unknownling to me it was a teammate. Which is funny because when she passed me I was so happy it was her, I thought she could take over and catch the others. I kept going until the hike a bike hill. I didn't do too well getting my bike up the hill, and got passed by another rider. But was not worried, and rode right on her tail until the dirt road, where just as was getting ready to pass her, started to have front cable issues again. This time it got worse and worse and the cable pulled in if I bumped a rock or turned sharply. At the time I did not know why, but after the race I figured out it was due to the nobs on my tire pulling the cable in. Eventually the cable pulled in to my fork caused so much trouble I ended up walking about 2 miles of the race. This was discouraging and at some points because I got passed by a lot of people, including 3 I had passed from my division! The worst part was towards the end when some started making comments that I did not have much further to go. At that point my frustration took hold and I shouted to about 5 riders that my bike had mechanical problems, not that I couldn't ride the route. Anyway, I was able to get on my bike the last mile--probably because it was flat and straight. I ended up 7th out of 9th which was surprising, because I thought for sure I had been passed by most in my division. I have gotten my biked fixed, and I can't wait for the next race.

Going up the slick rock with a big smile on my face having just passed 3 riders!

Fear Factor

Today I rode the Provo Canyon Race Loop Trail. This trail is a single track with up and down rolling hills and a gravely downhill drop. For those who do not know, downhill can be a little scary for me. Some downhill no problem, Bobsled I did not have any problems, I went down it without stopping and loved every minute of it. Downhills near edges and with gravel frighten me. More often than not I will walk down the hill. This is what happened today. I came rolling up to this hill began to go down, began to skid and then got off my bike and walked. I went around and again the same thing, except this time I looked back and looked for the line that would be safest for me to go down. I picked it, and then decided I would do one final loop and give it another shot. I went around, and had a nice pace as I came to the hill. This time I hung on, went light on the brakes and went for it, and I did it!!! I went down the hill and took the turn without any problems. I was so excited about it I let out a big "I did it!" and a "wohoo". The feeling was great, so great that I had to do the loop one more time. I did the loop again, and again I hit the hill without any problems. I had the biggest smile on my face that lasted all the ride home, and for quite a while at home.
Downhill view of the hill I conquered.

Time Flies

Camp was awesome. I was sooooo busy riding all day I did not have the time I thought to blog about the experience. Camp started every morning at 9:45 and ended anywhere from 4 to 6, and then we were out riding the trails, until about 8. That gave me enough time to go back to my room shower, go out to eat, and get back to sleep.





I learned a ton at Gene Hamilton's BetterRide Camp, and since going to his camp I can know get over obstacles I could not get over, ride slick rock with out any problems, and my turning on corners and switchbacks is a piece cake. I descend better on downhill, but still have a ways to go, before I feel completely comfortable. Another cool thing I learned to do was jumps, and I have done some. Who would have thought! I never would have attempted a jump before this camp, now I am trying and working on my form.





The camp has also helped me with my xc racing. I can now hang with the rest of the pack.




This is the gropu at the trail, reviewing what we learned and going application of what we learned.