Ride Leader Code

 Alaska Dirt Divas: Ride Leader Code

Thank you for volunteering to lead! Following is some guidance for successful ride leading.

 

Leading is not about being the first to the top; it’s about bringing everyone along with you.

 

Being a ride leader is about providing a fun, appropriate ride for your group. A good leader challenges riders and is willing to change the ride based on the group’s needs and/or skill level.

 

Before signing up to lead a ride:

o   Think about trails you enjoy riding and sign up to lead on those trails.

o   Check your schedule to make sure you can be on time and be at the ride for the full time allotted. If your schedule changes, find someone else to lead the ride.

 

Planning the ride:

o   Plan the route (with a friend if you can). If you’re not familiar with the route, practice riding your route for difficulty and time considerations. Remember a group will always take longer.

o   Notice places where you can take a break and check in with the group without blocking the trail.

o   Notice where it may be easy to take a wrong turn.

 

Immediately before the ride:

o   Describe the route/s offered so riders can decide which group is right for them.

o   Be sure to balance how many people are in each group – this may mean changing the ride based on the skill levels of the majority of those in attendance.

o   Conduct group introductions, welcoming riders.

o   Assign or ask for a volunteer to be the sweep (this should be an experienced rider).

o   Discuss trail etiquette, and reminders to be bear aware.

o   Remind people to wait at intersections if the rider behind them is not within sight: No Diva left behind!

 

After the start of the ride:

o   Stop a few times to gauge how the group is doing with pacing or skill level.

o   Pace yourself to not be too far ahead of the group and to not leave the slower riders in the group too far behind.

o   Communicate with everyone and alter the route or pace to meet the needs of the group.

o   Remember: No Diva left behind!

 

After the ride:

o   Check in with everyone, listening to their feedback.

o   Thank them for joining the ride.

o   Invite them to the next event!

o   Enjoy snacks!

 

Ride follow-up:

o   Turn in the sign-in sheet to Gloria.

o   Post photos on MeetUp

o   If a BLM ride, make note of ride route for reporting purposes.

Tubeless tire takeaways

It's time to get our mountain bikes ready for the trails, and if you're like many of us who have tubeless tires, you may wonder if you need to do anything with the tires as part of your preseason preparations. The answer is: yes.

A week ago Monday ten Divas attended a tubeless tire clinic at Paramount Cycles where their lead mechanic, Kurt, demonstrated how to install a tubeless tire onto a rim and to add sealant. He talked about methods for adding sealant and tools you need in your garage and in your repair kit. Here are a few tips and a link to get you started.

Refresh or Replace: adding more sealant

You should refresh (add more) sealant to your tires at the beginning of the riding season. This is because sealant begins to dry out over time and will no longer fill the tiny punctures it is designed to plug. If you know you have refreshed previously, you may want to remove the old and replace with all fresh sealant as there can be water mixed in with the sealant. Plus, more sealant adds more weight.

Before you begin, you should have access to a compressor or another way to blast air into the tire to quickly inflate it. I'm a fan of the Liv Cycling technical guides. For a list of what you need to set up or refresh your tubeless, check out this guide. 

It is possible to get a flat that sealant won't seal, such as a slice from shale or riding though a puddle of glass. It is also possible when riding with very low pressure that you hit an obstacle that causes the seal holding the tire to the rim to burst open causing an immediate flat! What do you do!?

Repair kit: spare tube or valve core remover, 2-ounce bottle of sealant, tire plug tool, and plugs, CO2.

You should always carry a spare inner tube for the situations mentioned above. If the flat is caused by glass or other object, make sure all of it is removed from the tire before installing the tube, then remove the valve stem from the rim and install the tube just as you would for a standard rim and tire. Re-seat the tire and inflate with a pump. (Put the valve stem in a safe place so you can re-install it when you replace the tire.)

If you want to repair the tire without using a tube, you'll need the other repair kit supplies so that you can remove the valve core and add more sealant. For a large puncture, you would use the tire plug (similar to what is used on car tires). The CO2 gives the quick burst of air needed to inflate the tire and re-seat the tire bead.

This is just a start, but now that you know... if you'd like to work on your own bike but you're not sure if you can do it on your own, reach out to another Diva with tubeless and team up to prepare your tires for another summer of riding. If you are working on your bike and you get stuck, contact your mechanic and ask for a hand. Even they run into tires that can be difficult!

 

Kicking things off!

Hopeful.

The snow is melting so we'll soon be on the paved trails and roads for our first scheduled rides of the season as we prepare for the dirt trails to dry. This is a great time to rebuild your miles if you've been off the bike for a while, or to maintain your fitness between the snow and dirt seasons.

Before we talk about the rides, for those who couldn't make it, last week 15 women showed up for the annual Meet & Greet and it was fun to connect or reconnect with everyone. At the gathering, we announced our sponsorship of the Singletrack Advocates (STA) annual fundraiser to complete the Service Singletrack trails. As a sponsor, we had event tickets that we gave away to five lucky winners who were in attendance: Kyung, Jennifer, Michele, Kirsten, and Diann! Congrats to all the winners and we look forward to seeing you and other Divas at the fundraiser on Friday, May 3. For more information, visit STA. 

We have also made donations to GRIT: Girls Riding Into Tomorrow which mentors middle-school age girls interested in bicycling. And we are a sponsor of the Mountain Bike for Women Festival to be held this June at Hilltop. As a sponsor, we will have an information table with swag for sale and members of the Dirt Divas will receive a discount on their registration for the event (see the MeetUp page for event details). We're excited to be a bigger part of this event that teaches skills to other women in a supportive environment, an ethic that aligns with the mission of the Alaska Dirt Divas.

Now, on to the rides!

Our first ride is the Bike for Women course pre-ride in Chugiak. This is a paved route on somewhat busy roads that follows the race course. You'll find the course map linked from the site. It's a hilly route that will get the lungs working and will help those participating plan their race strategy. Be sure to sign up for the ride and watch for other events on the MeetUp page.

Check the schedule for other upcoming events. And remember, if you are a member looking for women to ride with on a day and time not on our schedule, post up! It's a great way to meet more people who have a similar schedule and want to ride where you want to ride. Reach out and make a new friend!

2024 Ride and Event Schedule

 The 2024 schedule is here!

 New for this year: 

• Summer rides will begin at 6:30 pm (instead of 7).
• We've added some new clinics.
• We are a sponsor of the Mountain Bike for Women Festival and have a discount code for members to attend! (This is on our MeetUp event page and accessible only to paid members.)
• We have a camping trip scheduled for the Kenai in early August.

The schedule is subject to change.  Rides may be canceled or moved if trail conditions warrant it.
Such changes will be posted on the MeetUp page.

Mon, April 22	7:15 pm	Meet & greet @ Paramount Cycles (includes a ride leader orientation, snacks, prizes!)
Mon, April 29	7:15 pm	Clinic: Get to know tubeless wheels & tires @ Paramount Cycles
Wed, May 1	6:30 pm	Chugiak High – Bike for Women pre-ride
Mon, May 6	6-8 pm	Basic maintenance @ Off the Chain – limited to 6/sign up required; donation suggested.
Wed, May 8	6:30 pm	Westchester Lagoon – pavement ride
Wed, May 15	6:30 pm	Spring fling, Delaney Park Strip, 10th & P Street Southwestern-most corner. Paved, share snacks afterward.
Wed, May 22	6:30 pm	Chuck Albrecht fields: paved or dirt, TBA
Wed, May 29	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park – Jodhpur Trailhead
Wed, June 5	6:30 pm	Abbott Loop Community Park
Wed, June 12	6:30 pm	Hillside – Drone Lane
Sat, June 15	6:30 pm	Mountain Bike for Women Festival Hilltop (Diva-sponsored event)
Wed, June 19	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park – Jodhpur Trailhead
Wed, June 26	6:30 pm	Hillside – Drone Lane
Wed, July 3	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park - Jodhpur Trailhead
Thurs, July 4	TBA	Independence Day Ride and social
Wed, July 10	6:30 pm	Hillside – Drone Lane
Wed, July 17	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park - Jodhpur Trailhead
Wed, July 24	6:30 pm	Chugach State Park – Prospect Heights: South Fork Rim to Hemlock Burn
Wed, July 31	6:30 pm	Abbott Loop Community Park
Fri-Sun Aug 2-4	TBA	Cooper Creek camping trip
Wed, Aug 7	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park – Johdpur Trailhead
Wed, Aug 14	6:30 pm	Abbott Loop Community Park
Wed, Aug 21	6:30 pm	Hemlock Burn downhill (shuttle) from Glen Alps
Wed, Aug 28	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park - Jodhpur Trailhead
Wed, Sept 4	6:30 pm	Abbott Loop Community Park
Wed, Sept 11	6:30 pm	Kincaid Park - Jodhpur Trailhead
Wed, Sept 18	6:00 pm	Abbott Loop Community Park
Wed, Sept 25	6:00 pm	Kincaid Park - Jodhpur Trailhead
TBA		End of Season get-together

 

2024 Season countdown!

Hello Alaska Dirt Divas and friends. It has been another snowy winter here in Southcentral. But the longer days mean we're getting closer to our dirt riding season and the Planning Divas have been preparing to make this a fantastic season!

We'll have the complete schedule posted soon, but first up is: the annual Meet & Greet! This is a great way to meet other women who love to mountain bike, catch up with friends, and find out many of the details of the upcoming season. See the details below! 

Already a member? Don't forget to rsvp to the event on Meetup!

 

Change of Plans; updated

The season is off to a good start with two pavement rides - including the Spring Fling this past week where there were as many tutus as there were sandhill cranes! Though cool outdoors, it's been good to get out on the bikes with friends.

We were in the process of changing the location for next week's dirt ride when Singletrack Advocates opened the Kincaid trails that are south of Raspberry Road. So, see us there on May 24 and thank the wind for drying things out!

Also next week, if you'd like to give the trails a little TLC, you can join Singletrack Advocates in a work party or two. Here's a message from STA:

The trails are starting to dry out, and it's time to get them ready to ride!
Here are the first two volunteer opportunities of the season:

• Tuesday, May 23rd, Jodhpur Parking Lot at 6:30pm 
• Thursday, May 25th, Raspberry Parking Lot at 6:30pm 

Details:
A new waiver must be signed for every volunteer every year.
Please sign a waiver before you arrive:https://app.waiversign.com/e/5ec6a0d0275df10018e1cde3/doc/5ec6a250b3c8af0017c68cb5?event=none

Appropriate Gear and Clothing:

• Bring work gloves
• Bring water
• Wear long pants
• Wear work boots if possible

STA will provide tools and helmets (you may wear your bike helmet if you want). Expect to do some walking to get to the work site.

Here's information about participating in work crews. 

See you on the (paved) trails!

posted by Rose

Springish

Russian Jack bridge.

The calendar and the migrating birds say it's spring but we're still waiting for snow to clear from sections of the paved trails in town. Last weekend, the Ship Creek Trail was clear except for an icy tunnel, while the Coastal Trail and Chester Creek still had areas of snow. It is melting fast, but it sure doesn't seem that way.

We're hoping that our first ride of the season on Wednesday, May 10, will give us clear trails! Be sure to sign up so we know you're coming.

Meanwhile, we've already had two events. The Meet & Greet in late April was a chance to see familiar faces (without helmets!) and meet some new riding friends. It was great to be back in-person indoors for the first time since 2019 and I think Paramount Cycles was glad to have us back.

On Monday, May 1, we had our first Bear Aware clinic in several years. Many thanks to Kristine for arranging for us to be at the Hilltop chalet. The event was open to the public and we had guests from the BikeMe Anchorage group and other people from the wider community. Our presenter, wildlife biologist Marian Snively, showed us tips for effectively using bear spray and offered pointers for other ways we can stay safe while biking, hiking, and just living in bear country! We were able to practice with inert canisters, so it was a worthwhile refresher before we hit the trails.

Marian gives Patience some pointers.

Kristine nails it!

 

Here's a link with resources including videos to help you prepare for the season. Remember, while you're getting your bike and other gear ready, be sure to check your bear spray canisters to make sure they are not expired.

See you on the trails!

posted by rose