Alaska Dirt Divas

who is that masked woman?

2012-02-01T20:05:00.004-09:00

Gloria in Willow

VaMoose!

2012-01-31T21:50:00.000-09:00

20 BELOW in Willow didn't deter Susan, Stacey, Bonnie, Bev, Gloria, and Lori from riding the VaMoose tour at the Willow Winter Carnival. Here is Bonnie's report:

"It was pretty cold! Gloria, Bev and I drove out together and we saw minus 20 I think. I don't think it got any warmer than minus 10 out there while riding! When we finished around 4:00 they said it was minus 17! We had fun though, but didn't ride as far as planned just because of the cold. We were out riding for over 3 hours though. Stacey, Lori, and Susan on the other hand rode the whole 20 mile course I think. They're experienced winter bikers:) "

Lori looking warm and ready to take either fork

Stacey and Susan still smiling

The sun was high enough to cast real shadows!

Susan and Lori cooling off
<>

They don't even look cold!

always time to ride

2012-01-23T19:54:00.004-09:00

Some people have retreated to warmer climes and beaches ... but those of us left behind know that it's always time to ride. The warmer temperatures these last two days just make it even more enjoyable!

If your swimsuit is still buried in a drawer, I hope you're out enjoying all of this great snow on your bike, your skiis, or your feet!

breakin' in the New Year Diva-style

2012-01-01T16:28:00.003-09:00

I checked email at 11:00 this morning, thinking that surely someone would call off the ride because it was 10 below at my house and within 5 degrees of that across town. All I saw were 'see you there' messages from last night. So I bundled up and headed to the Abbott Loop trailhead. Margaret, Susan, Lori, and Jo-Ann were there as promised at noon (only one person bailed and I'm not sure that was because of the weather). Later on, we saw several more Divas who were renting bikes as part of a 'meet-up' event. We rode all the usual fun stuff - Baseball Boogie, Speedway, Rover's, Blue Dot, Lynx, and Birch Meadow. I stayed plenty warm trying to keep up with Margaret, Lori, and Susan.

Jo-Ann, Margaret, Susan, and Lori on Speedway.

Rose's mukluk on Speedway. I hope it wasn't too disappointed in my wimpy legs.

Was my visor at that rakish angle during the entire ride? I'm calling it the new fashion statement for Divas in 2012.

Winter clinic scheduled

2011-11-04T11:44:00.002-08:00

The cold & snow have finally arrived in Anchorage and with more Divas taking up winter biking it's high time for a winter clinic!

Bring your questions and share what you've learned:
Monday, November 14, at 7:00 pm at Paramount Cycles - 1320 Huffman Park Drive.

We'll talk about:
- studded tires, SnowCat rims and snow bikes
- lighting systems
- clothing - how to keep warm while not overheating
- where to ride
- food and hydration tips
- group ride tips

We'll also discuss organizing winter group rides in town
so that eventually we can experience adventures like this:

Knik Glacier on fatties.

Or this:

Placer River overflow on studs.

Winter opens up so many possibilities. See you there!

october in utah

2011-10-28T17:51:00.002-08:00

As fall was again upon us, 10 Divas and two lucky husbands headed to Utah for a five-day biking trip. Katherine has published her reflections on her blog. I'm looking forward to seeing how the landscape will inspire her art. I've published a few photos on my blog as well.

It's hard to put a trip like this into words and feel I'm doing justice to it. A trip to a land so expansive. A landscape unique with its terrain, the color of the sky and the rock. How I perceive and react to it will be different from everyone else in the group. Each reaction shaped by our own previous experiences. But what we take home from a trip to the desert and canyon country will remain with us.

Nothing like waking in the tent in canyon country.

Morning reveals: the chairs were pulled closer as the evening got cooler.

The full moon rising over a canyon wall. Turning off our headlamps to stargaze into the evening. Sitting around a fire, bundled from the evening chill. A stain of wine in the bottom of my mug when it was time for the morning coffee. Visiting cabin ruins and wondering how the pioneers and prospectors survived.

Camp chairs facing miles of canyon. Laughter. Story telling. Getting to know each other a little better. Silence when the plates are full of food. A cold beer or soda after a hot day on the trail. Hair washing from the water tank. Being laughed at for worrying about heat stroke at 75 degrees.

Hikers: we'll go to that point.
Ben, Anne, Julie, Karen.

Divas at the Hans Flat Ranger Station - yes, it's Diva Shirt Day!

Tomorrow: We'll descend into the canyon on
the Flint Trail. Did somebody say 'switchbacks?'
Gloria, Anne, Brin, Terry, Kevin.

Hope your brake pads are ready!
Katherine, Patti, Terry.

Descending rocky switchbacks then watching the van cover the same route. An impromptu hike after lunch while the guides tidy up. Finding a spot of shade for a snack. Watching the colors change on the canyon walls as the day turns to night.

Find the van on the Flint switchbacks!

Ah, just a mellow descent.
Julie & Bev.

He's catching up!
Gloria & Patti.

Then the final evening, our tent city sprawled among rocks and juniper under the clear sky. We gathered around the campfire, made our plans for morning. I lingered into the night watching the embers fade, noting that the moon provided almost enough light to write by; a few tents were lit by headlamps. I heard voices, some snoring and the faint hum of a jet overhead. We had over twenty miles ahead of us the next day. I knew that in the end, I would take my time.

'No worry; no hurry'
Patti, Bev, Julie.

Gloria and desert flowers.

Reviewing the map at the end of the trail.

We have so many more photos and you can view the album here.

happiness = singletrack + great shirts

2011-09-12T21:43:00.002-08:00

Wendy is happy because she just led a great ride through Kincaid, including some fun singletrack, AND she's got her new Divas shirt in that pretty purple bag. Lori is modeling the new tech tee short sleeve with a stylish pair of arm warmers and a colorful hat to ward off the autumn chill.

logo on shirts!

2011-09-02T12:34:00.003-08:00

The shirts are in!

Thanks to Linda for picking the shirts up yesterday and bringing them to Judge Chung's* installation celebration. Lori will bring them to next week's ride for distribution. If you can't pick up yours then, watch for information about distribution.

Here are the long-sleeve versions - both fronts above and the back of the tech tee below.

* We'll brief you on proper etiquette - we're not sure yet if she'll prefer to be called Your Honor, Judge Jo-Ann, or Judicious Diva.

logo on purple!

2011-08-31T16:16:00.007-08:00

Our Diva shirts are being printed this week! Here is a test print Lori and I reviewed yesterday. We also saw the design printed on the light purple cotton shirt; also very nice. We'll be wearing them soon!

powering up powerline

2011-08-29T22:06:00.003-08:00

Divas are like the postal service - a little wind, clouds, and sprinkles didn't keep us from our appointed duty to ride up Powerline Trail last Wednesday.

diggin' in the dirt

2011-08-25T19:39:00.006-08:00

Most of the Monday night gang!

This past Monday evening, a group of Divas headed out to Kincaid to do some finish work on the new singletrack that's being built this summer. With nine new miles of trail going in, there's lots to do and we were happy to be joined by a few partners and other mountain bikers from around the community.

The trail takes shape!

Crew chief Brian (far left in the top pic) was kept busy showing us how to make banked turns and how to make sure the water sheets off the trail instead of running down it during rain showers.

Michele, Kass, Bonnie & Gloria in motion.

Lori at the banked corner with Ryan and Brian (Michele's man).

After walking part of the route and doing a couple hours of trail work, I think everyone's excited about adding these trails to our list of places we love to ride. And we will! Thanks, Divas, for the great turnout and the hard work.

muddy fun on the hillside

2011-08-15T21:45:00.002-08:00

Patti crosses the Black Bear bridge in sunrays

Marcy leads the pack up the Ridge Loop to descend Black Bear

muddy legs and bikes were the norm after days of rain

logo time

2011-08-14T19:20:00.001-08:00

How exciting is this? We have our new logo design! Through the merging of ideas & creative input, plus a graphic designer to make it come to life, the design is in its final stage: getting the colors right. And this fall we'll have tech tee shirts and a long-sleeve cotton tee that people can order and wear before the snow flies (in town that is).

Here's the black & white design:Chainring: check. Pearls: check. Girl climbing a mountain: check.

It will be sublimated onto royal purple tech tees and onto a lilac long-sleeve cotton tee. We chose white and magenta as the design colors so it'll really stand out and look quite classy against the purple.

Thanks to everyone who helped out and kept it going when you probably would have rather been biking, especially: Katherine, Lori, Anne, Carey (graphic designer). We'll post some pics when we have the shirts!

Moose Hill

2011-07-28T20:06:00.006-08:00

Yesterday was a beautiful evening for a ride in Kincaid. With showers in the mountains on the east side of Anchorage, the Divas delighted in the warmth and sunshine on the west side. Bev volunteered to lead, with Rose* and Bonnie helping out (plus, other Divas stepped in to do a little route finding after we missed a turn).

Mama with two of this year's calves.

In case there was any question regarding how the trail got it's name, we surprised three moose who were minding their own business, resting near Moose Hill, part of the Jodhpur Trail. After a few kind words directed toward them, they allowed us to pass, no questions asked.

*Rose here. In my defense, I've only biked at Kincaid once this year! Besides, taking wrong turns is the best way to really learn the trails.

Another wonderful evening on a bike

2011-07-07T21:03:00.009-08:00

The emails this morning after riding Powerline had the subject line "Another wonderful day on a bike." I agree that the ride last evening was great. But Powerline is my favorite Divas ride each summer so I may not be an objective reviewer. The weather and scenery were so beautiful that I didn't even make it to the lake. I won't sign up to lead this ride again because I stop too much to take photographs. Thanks to Wendy for leading the 2nd group; I like to think that I was leading the sightseers at the back of the pack.

This was the first Powerline ride where the majority - the vast majority - of Divas descended down to Prospect, Hillside, or other points to the north. Thanks to Bonnie for waiting to see if Jo-Ann and I were going to make it back to the parking lot. We'd like to institute a new rule that there have to be tea and cookies at the end for the leader and sweep (wait - how did the co-leader end up back with the sweep?).

Anyway, here are a few of my photos:

love from hillside

2011-06-25T21:16:00.002-08:00

Lori sent this great postcard with some of her photos from the ride that she led last week. Susan also led a group around the Hillside and Campbell Tract trails (Black Bear, Rover's, Ridge, Viewpoint, Moose Meadow, P38, Birch Meadow, and whatever else is required to connect all of those together).

The food afterward was so delicious that I thought it warranted a second photo, larger than the one in Lori's postcard. Notice how few of those homemade white chocolate-nutty cookies are left.

As a good leader, Lori was constantly looking for any tricky spots on the trail. Here's one she found on Birch Meadow, thus saving the rest of us from catching a pedal on that stump. Thanks, Lori! Great ride!

skills? we've got 'em!

2011-06-08T13:22:00.011-08:00

cone slalom: turn your head and the rest will follow

It's not how fast you go, it's how much control you have.

This thought should resonate with each of the more than 20 Divas who showed up ready to learn at Monday evening's Singletrack Skills clinic. Guest coach, Janice Tower, shared with us her expertise as riders navigated the cone slalom, practiced their wheel lofts, imitated a grasshopper and slowly descended a skinny thread of trail. My, how two hours can fly!

A few things covered reinforced what we've been teaching for years: when coasting, ride with the pedals in the level position - what Janice calls "moto." This position allows you to be active and ready for anything on the bike. Ready to slide off the back of the saddle for a descent, approach an obstacle to power over it or lean into a banked corner. Moto is a ready position and much easier for us to yell than "pedals level!"

How far back can you go? Janice holds me as I demo positions for
descending and climbing. Something everyone can practice at
trailheads or while regrouping along the trail.

Another concept we worked on was tight cornering. The tips were helpful to riders of all levels. We probably all know that if we look at something, we tend to move that direction. At previous clinics we've practiced riding tight circles and looking over our shoulder to help us make that circle tighter. While riding the slalom of cones on Monday, Janice kept a close eye on everyone and encouraged us to exaggerate these motions so that everyone was turning their head to look at the next obstacle and letting their arms and bodies follow. We worked on looking ahead to the next obstacle even as we emerged around the previous one.

Preparing for a slow, singletrack descent.

Oftentimes we only look a short distance ahead of us. By looking ahead, we were able to prepare for the next corner. This will come in especially handy this evening as we ride the STA trails and tackle some of the tightest switchbacks in town. Are you ready?

For those who weren't able to be at the skills clinic, I have a few extra handouts which describe some of what we did. Plus, there are about 22 Divas who will be happy to pass along what they learned!

I'd like to extend a big thanks to Janice for volunteering to coach us on skills! And thanks to Jean for once again documenting the event.

pedalphobia

2011-06-07T13:10:00.003-08:00

At the ride leader clinic in late May, I noticed how many Divas are still reluctant to adopt clipless pedals on their mountain bikes. Why? The most common reason is: I'm afraid I won't be able to get out and will fall over. Some people have tried them only to return to flat pedals or clips & straps. Some have witnessed others fall or heard their tales. I'm not going to tell you that you won't fall. You will fall! But you're outdoors women and I know fear of falling has not prevented you from taking up skiing or other active sports. Well...

There are so many benefits to using clipless pedals instead of a flat pedal or toeclips. I'd like to share a few:

You will climb better. Really. Because you're clipped into the pedal, you're not just pushing down on your pedals; you're also pulling up. You can put power to the pedals for the entire rotation of the cranks so you'll have a smoother spin up the hills. This is in contrast to the pulsing action of the pedals when you're just using the downstroke to pedal. Think about it: more even power.

You'll have more control. When riding over rougher trails that have exposed rocks and roots, your feet will stay firmly in place on the pedals instead of sliding around or bouncing off. This will make it easier for you to ride over the rougher trails and descend faster. You will be one with the bike which gives you more control, and in turn, more confidence.

You'll ride farther. When you only pedal using the downstroke, only one muscle group is working. When you add the upstroke and spin more, you bring more muscles in to share the work. Sharing the work lets you ride longer before the muscles get tired.

Just a few thoughts on toe clips (the plastic cups that are attached to the pedals to keep your foot in place): If you snug down the straps, they're harder to get out of than the clipless pedals, but that's the only way to get the most efficiency out of the pedal. For mountain biking, you want ease of entry & exit. I've occasionally seen people ride with the toeclip hanging down below the pedal. This is a good way to catch the pedal on a trail obstacle, such as a root or rock. Don't do it!

Finally, I'd like to share my own experience with clipless pedals. There's a very steep hill on the Horseshoe Loop at Kincaid Park. When I first began mountain biking I didn't have clipless pedals. I would try, but could never make it up that hill. Finally, I rode with the pedals I'd just gotten a week or so earlier. Sure enough, I was able to power my way up that hill. I hadn't suddenly transformed into a stronger rider, I'd just adopted the tool that would make it easier to climb the hill. I've been a convert ever since.

I'm happy to offer advice on which pedals might work best for you. If people would like a pedal clinic, we can do that. I can even schedule an after-hours equipment talk at Paramount Cycles. It's your club; what would you like to do?

bear aware 2: bike-mounted bear spray

2011-05-31T12:53:00.003-08:00

After the terrible bear attacks on bikers and runners a few years ago, I started carrying bear spray in my bottle cage. The method that works for me is placing a spray bottle and holster in the cage and strapping the holster to the tube. A beer koozy might also work to hold a spray can, especially one in a holster, in the cage without a strap.

Wendy uses a water bottle to hold her bear spray. We'll try to get photos of that option, too.

Ride with confidence on the trails this summer! And be smart about where you ride.

let's hit the dirt!

2011-05-28T22:55:00.005-08:00

Thirty Divas turned out on a beautiful evening for our first taste of the dirt trails this season. Maggi, Lori, and Wendy offered to lead three different rides to cover everyone's wants and spring fitness level. Maggi planned to take a slower pace with some hills, and Wendy wanted to check out Speedway and some "experimental singletrack." I decided to follow Lori, who planned a route with hills and singletrack.

From Smokejumper trailhead we rode Moose Track and Salmon Run to the Tour trail. We soon turned off onto Rover's Run; we didn't see a bear the entire length but I kept ringing my bell and checking that my bear spray was tight in the bottle cage. Lori stopped at the end of Rover's by the creek to cover some hill climbing technique.

We found our way to the Ridge Loop and turned off it at Black Bear. Then left on Moose Meadow and another left on Viewpoint Trail, up the radio tower hill, and down the long hill to Coyote. At that intersection we found a guy biker with a flat but no tools or tubes. Divas came through and loaned him everything he needed to get back to his car. We chatted while he changed his tire.

We are off to a great season! I hope the weather continues to make it so easy.

are you bear aware?

2011-05-19T12:04:00.003-08:00

Yvette explains removing the safety
and other fine points of bear spray use.*

Last night over a dozen Divas showed up at the Elim Cafe to learn how to be safe in bear country. All of Anchorage is bear country, Yvette Gillies (who works for USGS), reminded us, so avoiding certain trails - such as those along salmon streams - is just part of being safe. Traveling in groups and making noise helps. Watching our speed on twisty trails or those with blind corners can prevent us from surprising a bear. Bears don't like to be surprised.

because who doesn't like a sick jump?*

If we do surprise a bear, we learned what to do. Rule number one is to stop and hold your ground; don't run. When with a group, get close together to look bigger in the hopes that the bear will run away. I mentioned that during one encounter years ago, I got off my bike and held it between me and the bear until the bear (actually a mom with a couple cubs) turned around. Tom Griffin (one of the presenters) confirmed that this was a good tactic. Tom manages McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, so he knows a thing or two about bears.

The best part of the presentation was when we had the opportunity to practice using bear spray (filled with inert ingredients, of course). Yvette showed us how to easily remove the safety from the can and how to aim low enough to get the spray to the bear's face. It's one thing to have bear spray with us, entirely another to feel confident using it. After a little practice, I think we all felt we could react pretty quickly if the need arose.

Karen takes aim, fires.*

An interesting side note about using bear spray: Tom pointed out that taking a confident stance when using the spray on a charging bear may contribute to the bear stopping its charge. I don't know how confidently I'd be standing if I was about to pee in my bike shorts, but his observation makes sense, nonetheless.

If you weren't able to attend last night, watch the paper for announcements listing other clinics. There's definitely information we can all use about staying safe in Anchorage and points beyond.

If you can't make a clinic, you might want to view the video. The title of the video we viewed is: Staying Safe in Bear Country - A Behavioral-Based Approach to Reducing Risk. There are 2 versions - one is 48 minutes and the other is 20 minutes (we viewed the short version). According to Yvette, you can purchase them at REI, Alaska Geographic or the USGS Map Store for $ 20.00. It's also available for free at the public library.

You can get more information on bear (and moose) behavior from the state website. Be safe out there. Now let's start mountain biking!

*Photos by Jean Moran.

Ride on May 11

2011-05-06T22:38:00.003-08:00

We've had a slight change. The ride listed for this coming Wednesday, May 11 won't be a pre-ride of the Gold Nugget Triathlon course. The race is being held on the military base and we do not have access this year. So...

The ride will be on the Glenn Highway trail with two options: (1) ride out and back along the trail and onto Arctic Valley Road or (2) ride out and back on the trail to the Hiland Road exit in Eagle River. The ride starts at Bartlett HS at 6:30 p.m.

We recommend a road bike or a mountain bike with slick tires. If you don't have slicks, just ride with your knobby tires. Dress for wind and visibility. Our apologies to those who were hoping to ride the race course. See you Wednesday!

Spring Formal - the evidence

2011-05-05T21:37:00.005-08:00

Eighteen Divas and princesses packed their rain jackets and ignored the day's weather to ride the Coastal Trail in our annual rite of spring. We were rewarded with sun and the usual appreciative smiles along the trail.

We elected a Diva of the Day and Princess in Training for the first time.

Lori came dressed to win, and she did with those "boots with the fur"

(everyone was looking at her)

Rose was quite stylish and matched her bike ...

which won the "Sweetest Ride" award

We only lost one Diva at Point Woronzof.

First Spring Ride

2011-05-05T21:32:00.002-08:00

Wendy and Lori co-led the first ride on April 20th - an interesting tour of Lakes Hood and Spenard, the Spenard and Turnagain neighborhoods, and the Coastal Trail

Lori was enthusiastic in the pre-ride briefing!

The lineup at Earthquake Park

Spring Formal, 2011

2011-05-03T16:52:00.004-08:00

My goodness it's a busy time of year! And hard to believe it's time for the annual Spring Formal. I spent part of today cleaning my commuter bike of the spring break-up crud, lubing the chain and making sure I still have a little floral decoration for the handlebars. Isn't that the best way to celebrate spring, by sprucing up the bike?

Besides preparing the bike, I gathered my faux pearls and made a few repairs so they won't break off during the ride tomorrow (Wednesday, the 4th). It's possible this is our tenth year for the Formal. Our group was originally founding in 2000 and we began the Formal the next spring (I think) as a way to kick off May in festive style, making use of some frilly, shiny or otherwise dressy outfits that had lingered in the backs of our closets or been found at Value Village.

I've seen satin and lace, baubles and boas, shiny tights and tiaras - all parading along the Coastal Trail on the first Wednesday in May. Of course, everyone is being safe by wearing a helmet and making sure nothing catches in the chain (wedding trains not recommended).

The ride starts at 6pm, then we head to Snow Goose for refreshments. Rumor has it there will be prizes. I'll keep my fingers crossed for no rain. Meanwhile, I wonder what I could wear over my rain jacket?

rookie errors

2011-04-12T03:11:00.002-08:00

I remember the first time I changed out my own mountain bike tires. It was springtime and I'd taken off my studs and installed some semi-slick tires (it was the mid-90s and semi-slicks were all the rage). Then I showed up for a ride w/some people I worked with and learned I'd put the back tire on the front wheel and the front tire on the back. What an embarrassing move for a gal who worked in a bike shop!

I'd like to share with you a few rookie errors to avoid this biking season. If you have more you'd like to share, please post them in "comments." We can all learn from other people's mistakes!

1) About those tires. Many mountain bike tires have specific rolling directions. They perform best when installed in the direction recommended by the manufacturer. Check the sidewall of each tire for an arrow showing which way the tire should roll. Note that some tires suggest a different direction for wet vs. dry conditions or if the tire is installed on the front or rear wheel. Always check before installing or prepare for the do-over!

2) Your seat bag. Quick! What inner tube is in your seat bag? Did you remember that you had a flat last fall and put the punctured tube back into your seat bag? This is just one tube mistake you can make. Another? Do you switch the seat bag back and forth between your road bike and mountain bike? Be sure you have a mountain tube in there! Did you get a new bike that has presta valve stems instead of the schraeder stem of your old bike? If you do, that tube will not fit your new rim. Better change it out, pronto!

3) Linked up. Peak into your seat bag again. Do you still have your Missing Link for repairing your bike's chain or did you loan it out to somebody who didn't have one? Time to replace it. Maybe you are the lucky girl with a new bike. If you went from an 8-speed cassette (the rear gears) to a 9-speed, you now have a narrower chain and will need a different link. Be sure to label the old one and keep it with the old bike or offer it to a friend who's on an 8-speed (aka 24 gears).

4) A little air! Do you use C02 cartridges (mostly for racing)? Make sure that the ones in your bag are still new. If they've been used, you'll see the puncture. Pick up some new cartridges and take the old ones to the metals recycler. Better yet, if you're not racing, get yourself a good portable pump and keep that on the bike or in your pack. Mother Earth thanks you.

5) Oh, was that a tailwind? This is for you early-season road riders who may be heading to Turnagain Arm to build your miles. If you think you're feeling really strong and you're amazed that you're already at Bird Point and thinking: why not just go all the way to Girdwood, think again. Fuel up with that energy bar or gel from your pack, turn around and prepare to downshift as you ride back home into the headwind.

That's it for now. Any you'd like to share? I'm going to go inspect my seat bag for the Wednesday clinic!

posted by rose

Planning the Annual Meeting

2011-03-13T21:58:00.005-08:00

The Triumvarate is taking the job of planning the Annual Meeting* very seriously. We met this evening to review the 2011 schedule and to develop an agenda. But to prepare for this difficult task, we decided we should ride a little first to be in the right frame of mind.

Jo-Ann is back in the saddle and promises "No surgeries" in 2011.

Rose showing us the way around the Moose Ridge Trail.

Rose working on her assets

We even tried to recruit a future Diva to help with making the Annual Meeting more fun but she wanted to keep riding with dad

* The Annual Meeting is on April 6th at 7:00 at Paramount Cycles. All current, former, and future Divas are encouraged to attend to find out more about the 2011 season.

we're planning a fun 2011 season

2011-02-26T18:30:00.009-09:00

A bevy of Divas met this afternoon to talk about the 2011 season. Thanks to Karen for hosting! We talked about who's going to publicize rides, count the money, apply for trail permits, track membership and riders, and handle the various internet connections. We tossed around some ideas of skills clinics and backcountry rides on weekends. Stay tuned for details about the 2011 calendar, which hopefully we'll post in the next few weeks. We'll also be announcing the Annual Meeting to officially kick off the season - most likely April 6th. And thanks to Lori and Katherine for working on a Divas logo!

After the meeting, most of us headed to the trails for a ride in the warm sun.

Lori, the ever-stylish Diva, has crafted some fantastic pogies* for winter riding.
The Triumvirate** - Jo-Ann, Corinne, and Rose

* These were the only monkeys that we saw on the trails.

** Wikipedia has an interesting definition of triumvirate: "a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir. The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case." This was originally a Roman structure, and the Chinese used it. They called the three Excellencies. I think Excellent Diva might work for us; maybe Most Excellent Diva for Rose.

White Rim Photopalooza!

2010-11-16T14:42:00.003-09:00

So many photos, so little time! The Divas who went on the White Rim adventure in late October are home and still sorting through our photos, finding grains (or clumps) of red sand on our gear and wondering what the next trip will be. Because, I think everyone agrees, it was awesome.

Yes, even when the wind blew and clouds rolled by, even when the temperatures dropped or we were pushing our bikes up an impossibly steep climb. I would do it again in a second.

We plan to offer a slide show sometime this winter so we can share our stories and talk about where to go next. Meanwhile, Corinne put together a Picasa site and so far three people have loaded their best photos. Be sure to visit it a few times because I'm sure more pics will be loaded soon. Enjoy!

posted by Rose

5 days, 4 nights: a white rim teaser

2010-11-09T16:40:00.002-09:00

How to pack for the White Rim: expect Alaska weather. A little rain, some wind & hail (yes, hail). Sunny days and cold nights that dip below freezing. Like I said, pack like you're here in Anchorage in September. But without the bears. And mostly without the mud. Mostly. And without the clear-running streams or the pushki overgrowing the trail.

The White Rim was all about layers. Layers of clothes added and removed at different times of the day. Layers of rock of red or white forming canyon walls that rose above us; dropped off below us. Layers of stars that emerged at sunset only to be washed from view by the moonlight. In the campsite circle on the final evening, we all took turns donning Maggi's magical flashing glasses to see what wisdom would be revealed. Two words came to me: challenging & joyous. That about sums it up.

We'll have a bunch of photos posted as soon as everyone has time to sort through the hundreds of pictures they took, but here are a few (I'd like to take credit for them; instead I'll take credit for bringing Jon who took all but the campsite pic):

home, sweet dome.

sunrise on day three.

Divas conquer the White Rim

2010-11-04T21:49:00.002-08:00

Divas Gloria, Bonnie, Maggi, Anne, Karen, Diane, Bev, Rose, Corinne, and Lori; Dean (auxiliary, left), and fabulous guides Brin and Ben (right)

at the end of the White Rim trail

eklutna in september

2010-10-06T18:53:00.009-08:00

September weekend
Serenity Cabin
A dozen mile bike ride
A dozen women
at any given time

Coffee
Wine, food
hike, stretch
sunshine
breathing
tai chi
lunges

Wood stove
campfire
full moon
clear nights

Dusted mountains
River
Rocks
earthquake
snow falling
bikers riding

Until next time...

Red Mountain Adventure

2010-07-27T16:16:00.014-08:00

Let the adventure begin!

For the Divas to go on a camping trip, all you need is one instigator. The rest, as they say, are just details. In the middle of the winter, Stacey proposed the bike-camping trip to Red Mountain.

View Larger Map

Getting there involves a road trip to the coastal town of Homer, followed by a water-taxi adventure across Kachemak Bay to the Seldovia area. Then, it's time for the bike ride.

Fully-loaded trailers and panniers

Crossing the water - even a few guys joined the fun.
It was a rough ride out to Jakolof Bay.

Were the waves really 9 feet high on the way out?!
The return trip was much calmer.

Adventurous spirits! Just how many Divas & guys
can fit under one Alaskan tarp?

Never mind the rain...
Check out that fire ring.

Just part of the camp.

The rocks are very different here.

"Hey! We found a snow patch!"

There was mining here in earlier days.

Day-hiking Divas ham it up in the rain.

There's a saying in Alaska: There's no bad weather, only bad gear. Add to that: good friends to make light of the situation when it seems your tent is about to be blown away with you still in it!

No rain on the 18-mile bike ride to Seldovia with its stilt homes...

...to catch the return taxi back to Homer.

Thanks to Mary V. and Gloria M. for use of the photos and for providing an account of the trip. Next year, I'm there!

posted by rose

mud, bugs and bears*

2010-07-24T16:45:00.005-08:00

After a rainy Tuesday, the Wednesday ride was bound to be muddy.

The large gang of Divas divided into two smaller groups. I rode with Lori's group which took up a steady, brisk pace to keep us warm as we made a loop around the Campbell Tract, then to Hillside and the rooty, muddy descent which is Black Bear Trail. We fended off the mid-summer mosquitoes where ever we took breaks, but we didn't take many breaks...

the photo taken a week ago on Rover's Run.

Early on, a couple people suggested that we not ride Rover's Run (aka Mellen's Way). Hadn't we heard about the photo? Uh, no... While our group opted to not take that particular trail, the second group, led by Katherine, rode the lower portion of the trail. Guess they didn't worry about (or even see) the photo and story that had appeared that day in the online version of the Daily News that said people should avoid the trail. (The publicity may explain the guy at the trailhead with a pistol on his hip.)

Well, a group of 8 or so women whooping it up as they splash through the mud puddles will probably cause any sensible bear to make a hasty get-away, leading her cubs along to safety. Is it any surprise that no bears were spotted? Diva legs, arms and faces, however, were spotted, streaked and splashed with mud! I guess it really is late July.

Lori's group at the intersection of Black Bear & Moose Meadow trails.
No bears here!.

*This story has a small revision because I don't want to imply that people saw the story in the online version of the newspaper and carelessly rode the trail anyway. Most of us (including the poster) had not seen the story until after the ride.

posted by Rose

Powerline all to ourselves

2010-07-08T22:15:00.007-08:00

The weather forecast predicted a blustery evening on the Powerline Pass trail, but Divas are not deterred by such pessimism. We're Alaskans, after all! Quite a few other people were also in the parking lot -- bikers, hikers, tourists, families -- but no one seemed to be venturing out to the Powerline. We had the trail to ourselves. And only a few sprinkles and winds as we neared the pass!

Happy bikers at the lake below the pass

Buzzing

2010-06-25T17:56:00.004-08:00

Wednesday evening was beautiful, almost hot (!), and a large group gathered at Abbott Loop Community Park to ride. We broke into two groups - one to tour the lowlands, one to tour the Singletrack Advocate trails.

Beware of letting the person who just completed a 200+ mile tour lead an evening ride - she's smiling becuase it's cake to climb those STA hills

More fun ahead ....

everybody's a leader

2010-05-26T22:17:00.004-08:00

Divas who wanted to become more comfortable with leading rides and brush up on their singletrack skills gathered at Service High on a beautiful spring (summer?) evening.

There were some naturals at track stand.

Wendy practiced her front wheel loft on the goal frame.

Rose demonstrated the technique for the rear wheel loft.

Elizabeth was empowered by the skid.

We forgot to cover how to manuever around this obstacle that I encountered on my way home.

magical sighting

2010-05-21T21:47:00.006-08:00

Sometimes it’s the ride you least expect.

On Wednesday, the ride began as the weather turned from warm to a chill wind. Clouds gathered and spit cold drops. Yet a group of 13 Divas met and took off from the Abbott Loop Community Park, bolstered by a tailwind and camaraderie, along paths and streets, into the wooded parks.

Detours made the route more interesting as sprinkles kept falling. We took turns leading.
After deciding at the turnaround point what our return trip would be, we headed south through Russian Jack Springs Park.

At a corner, a movement off the trail caught my eye. Though we’d passed through this section not 15 minutes before, we hadn’t seen the wildlife standing, feeding and resting in a wetland.

Two sandhill cranes.

And a ride that was already better than expected turned magically rewarding. I've never seen cranes in this park. They were just across the street and trail from some apartments. Imagine waking in the morning to their calls...

I'm reminded to keep my eyes open. To slow down. To look around. To make sure I ride with my friends because you don't always know where the trail will lead or what sights you may see.

posted by Rose

Gold Nugget route pre-ride

2010-04-20T12:43:00.005-08:00

This year, the Gold Nugget Triathlon (GNT) returns to Elmendorf AFB for the bike portion of the race. Tight base security can make it a challenge for women who want to train by pre-riding the course but don't have ties to the local military bases. I spoke with Lisa Keller, one of the organizers of the event, and she told me the options: 1) if you know someone on base, they can host you as you ride the course; 2) the Tri Club is organizing a pre-ride, so you can check their site to find out more about joining them; or 3) we will be offering a pre-ride the Wednesday before the race.

The important details:
Bonnie has volunteered to coordinate this ride because she has base access (huge thank-you, Bonnie!). However, she needs to provide a list of rider names to the people at the gate one week before the ride. If your name is not on the list, you cannot ride on base. We plan to have a second ride leader available to accommodate those who show up whose names aren't on the list with an alternate route on the Glen Highway Trail and Arctic Valley Road.

If you're doing the pre-ride, be sure to bring your identification so you can show it at the gate if asked. Please email us by the end of the day on May 4 with the following info: name as it appears on your driver's license; license number; email address; and phone number. Bonnie will contact you with instructions before the day of the ride. Space is limited, so send your information to: alaskadirtdivas at sign yahoo dot com

Alright, you may now install your aerobars!

posted by rose

*this post was updated to provide more detailed information about base access. - rose

Diva ride ratings

2010-04-16T11:43:00.008-08:00

In an attempt to describe the challenge levels of the rides this year, I've put together a list of features you might anticipate on each ride. If you have comments or suggestions to improve the descriptions, please let me know by posting a comment at the end of this post. Here goes:

Damsel (Easy) - relatively flat terrain with some hills; smooth, wide trail with few obstacles. Easy rides are mostly limited to paved rides and a few early dirt rides unless otherwise noted on the schedule.
Cardio challenge: mild to moderate.

Princess (Moderate) - mix of level, rolling terrain and some steep hills; some roots and other obstacles (rocks, sand, wooden structures) on the trail; some technical sections; frequent regroupings after technical sections or at major intersections. Includes a mix of wider trails and some singletrack. Many dirt trail rides will fit this category.
Cardio challenge: moderate to strenuous.

Diva (Difficult) - steep hills; roots and other obstacles on the trail, including rocks, sand, wooden structures; steep descents; Includes lots of singletrack; faster pace; and more mileage.
Cardio challenge: strenuous to moderate.

When looking at the early season road rides, note that I would consider the Bike For Women preride to be a Damsel ride because, despite the hills, it's on pavement. Yet it would have a moderate cardio challenge due to those hills.

Soon, all the rides listed on this site and on the members-only Yahoo site will have a rating applied to their descriptions. I hope this will help experienced and new riders decide which rides are best for you. I appreciate any feedback you have.

posted by rose

Divas in the morning

2010-04-09T07:55:00.008-08:00

Seven of us rolled out of bed very early this morning to volunteer at the KSKA fund drive this morning. We didn't get any air time, but the people in the studio, including the infamous Bede Trantina, did mention us several times as the "Dirt Divas, mountain bike enthusiasts." We were mostly clean this morning but we did tell one of the on-air fundraisers that sometimes we live up to our club's name and come home muddy after a ride. One Diva said that her husband hoses her off in the driveway before letting her into the house. The rest of us weren't sure if that's because she gets dirty or fiesty. Guess who?

We answered calls from 28 generous people who support public radio. They pledged over $4700 in the time we were there. Answering the calls was fun, whether it was a former governor, someone we knew, or just a stranger who agrees that KSKA makes their life better. Maybe Jamie can talk a few of us into getting up early, some of us on our day off, to answer phones when the fall pledge drive comes around.

Yippee ... it's Friday!

getting ready

2010-04-01T19:33:00.001-08:00

It's April First. Is your bike ready for the season?

I ask because in the fall, you don't always know when a ride will be the last of the year. Just the other day when I went for a spin on the snow bike, I wasn't thinking at the time it would be my last snow ride, but now that another four days of melting have passed, I think it was. Kind of sad in a way because it'll be a long time until the next ride where I can't hear or see a car. I'll miss riding in the woods, but it's something to look forward to in June (sigh).

Dear Bicycle,
Sorry about the crust of dried mud
on your downtube. I promise to clean
you before I take you out this spring.
Affectionately, Muddy Girl.

As I ponder these upcoming dirt trail rides, I'm reminded of all the things I need to do so my mountain bike will be ready for dirt. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I'll need to brush off the crust from last fall, find the seat bag and check its contents to make sure I have all the tools I need, plus make sure the spare tube is good and that I have some patches. I'll have to repeat the process on the road bike. (By the way, how many Divas are racing in the Bike for Women?) A little bit of preparation out in the garage on these sloppy days will mean a bit less stress when I'm getting ready for that first Divas ride in a few weeks.

Ready for any emergency?

If your bike needs to be tuned up, hurry down to your favorite shop so you can have it back in time for the first ride. Things have really been picking up, which is why if you stop in at Paramount this weekend, you might just see me working. Yes, it's so busy that I agreed to lend a hand. It should be fun seeing customers I haven't seen in months.

One more encouraging note, I went for a ride with Lynn C. the other day. We rode around the south side of Lake Hood and out past Point Woronzof. The route was mostly dry and some of the road shoulders had been swept. We had a great ride in the sunshine. In a few weeks, we'll all be out there for the first official ride. In the mean time, I'd encourage you to check it out. It feels great to start the season with a few miles already on your legs!

See you on the 7th at the Annual Meeting.

posted by Rose

winter biking

2010-03-07T21:18:00.011-09:00

In the old days, to bike during an Alaska winter you probably went to a warm place like Hawaii. I did that this winter. It was fun, especially the soaking in hot springs half way through the ride.

But with today's technology -- studded tires, fat tires, hand and feet warmers -- the riding can be good all year long on our Anchorage trails. Several Divas ride several times a week. Some of us ride when the conditions are marginal for skiing. Or when our friends want to ride instead of ski and we want to go on a group outing. The fat bikes do a great job compacting the snow for those of us using our summer mountain bikes.

Rose, Jo-Ann, Wendy, and I biked around Far North Bicentennial Park on Saturday and here are some photos from our ride:

Jo-Ann, with excellent head protection, as we finish up Baseball Boogie

Wendy on her fat bike crossing Campbell Creek on Blue Dot trail.

Rose avoiding trees and ice on Campbell Creek

Jo-Ann gliding down Baseball Boogie
(Thanks to Tim for the photo!)

Karen would be proud of my downhill technique AND I missed the tree!

(Thanks to Tim for this photo, too)

Unfortunately, later in the day I didn't miss the trees.
My handlebars ricocheted from tree to tree on Speedway.
Did I mention how soft the landings are when you crash in the winter?

If you haven't biked yet this winter, you've got to try it. Look at how happy Rose and Jo-Ann were when we reached the bridge!

White Rim enticement

2010-01-17T10:58:00.008-09:00

Last year, a few of the Divas ventured south to bike the White Rim Trail in Utah's canyon country. After viewing the slideshow at Maggi's place last week, several of us were fired up about going on the trip in late October. Can you resist?

Canyon country

Always in fashion!

Maggi's self-portrait.

Bev on the edge!

Sunny days...

Rainy days...

Balanced days... Anne, our trip instigator!

We have all season to prepare for this, but space is limited. Diva members, check your email for details so you can sign up asap. See you on the trails!

posted by rose

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T00:43:00.004-09:00

Happy New Year!

Thanks to Bev for sharing a New Year's Eve moment.
That's the full moon in the center of the fireworks!

May your year be filled with happy surprises.

posted by rose

holiday season

2009-12-22T16:09:00.004-09:00

Happy Longer Days to all you Divas!

somewhere in Bicentennial Park

It won't be long before we're pedaling on pavement and our wonderful dirt trails.
But for now, it's time to pull out the skis, snowshoes, snowboards, ice skates and snow bikes. What a great way to beat the darkness and embrace the cold!

Here's wishing you and your loved ones a safe and active 2010. Cheers!

posted by Rose

Blustery Hiking

2009-11-14T14:12:00.006-09:00

Blizzard on the East Side.

What do the Divas do in the off-season? Some of us continue to bike, but sometimes it's fun to leave the bike at home and get the boots onto the ground for a little hiking. Maybe snow-hiking. Maybe blizzard-condition hiking.

Gloria, Bev, Rose

Early Wednesday afternoon Gloria, Bev and I headed to the state park trailhead that's about 2-1/2 miles up Campbell Airstrip Road to do a little hike along the north side of the Campbell Creek gorge, connecting to the Wolverine Bowl Trail.

The wind was blowing sideways with a Chinook that increased the temperature to 39 degrees by the time we began to hike. The soft snow packed down under our feet giving good traction. Blowing snow flew into our faces and it sometimes felt like being jabbed with 100 pine needles all at one time. Luckily, I had my gaitor. Luckily, it wasn't always gusting at 70 miles per hour. Sometimes it was just windy.

And luckily none of us wanted to change plans, because despite the winds, or maybe because of the winds, it was a beautiful day to hike. The creek is starting to freeze over. The trees bent under the winds that howled through the spruce. Ravens played on the currents. Golden grass swayed alongside the trail.

Overflow on the Campbell Creek.

berries & thorns

On the return trip to the trailhead, not even two hours after we started, our tracks had been covered with blown snow. Later in the day, the sun began peaking through the clouds leaving a golden light in the southwestern sky. Winter in Alaska.

posted by Rose

more eklutna photos

2009-10-05T21:58:00.003-08:00

good-bye to september

2009-10-01T10:17:00.012-08:00

We started pedaling a little after six
the light low in the sky
Among the golden leaves
kicked up by tires
aromatic.
Would anyone think it strange
if I hopped off and lay on the carpet
of grass, leaves and soil,
breathed in the scent of fall?

Someone says, "no moose."
Shhh, don't say anything.
Another says, "can't believe we haven't seen any."
Hush, don't say that
afraid that if they hear their names
they will emerge en masse
trot like dogs to a master
onto, blocking the trail
sending us skidding, double-back
u-turn on the wide trail

Birch and cottonwood
spruce and alders
berry bushes and devil's club
all surround us as we race along
Warming on the climbs
cooling our faces, hands and toes
as we descend.

Soon, snow will arrive
we see it across town on the mountains
but now we merge into the scenery
Ten riders become part of the park
We become the moose
Block the trail
swing our heads from side to side
Snort our noses
exhales of steam.

I start down another hill
upshift
let out a whoop
hang my butt back
follow the leader into the chill.

posted by rose

still life with divas

2009-09-21T21:35:00.003-08:00

Divas enjoying a warm fall day on the trail to the elusive Telchina Falls

p.s. more photos and stories soon from our great trip to Eklutna

may it always be fall

2009-09-17T22:07:00.004-08:00

Earlier this summer I professed Powerline to be my favorite Divas ride of the summer. Now I must profess that fall may be my favorite time to ride in the parks of our fair city. Last September the woods seemed to glow. Maybe it just seemed that way after the gloomy summer we had, but I think the up-side to all that rain were very healthy, happy trees that were ready to end the season with a golden bang.

I don't know if the colors are as vibrant this year and it's hard to tell with a bright, sunny, glorious evening like we enjoyed on the STA trails on Wednesday evening. Ten of us pedaled 'backwards' up the Queen Bee and the Hive (okay -- there is no specified direction but we've always gone the other way). Four of us descended on the red trails. For the second time this summer, I've heard this singletrack network referred to as Disneyworld for mountain bikers. Amen!

Gloria, always smiling, especially on some lovely singletrack

A line of Divas pedaling up to Prospect Heights

daylight goes

2009-09-12T22:17:00.004-08:00

With the dwindling daylight, 10 divas left the Airstrip Trailhead parking lot last week for a little adventure in Far North Bicentennial Park. Though rain threatened, we made it through the ride without feeling any sprinkles. I don't recall many dry September rides; we certainly didn't have any last year, did we?

Since it was dry, we charted a course that included rooty singletracks just north of Campbell Airstrip Road, some wider trails, a little jaunt up & down the STA trails and finished by racing the sunset down Black Bear Trail, to Moose Track and the Tour trail. Whew!

No mud holes to slip through (much); no puddles muddying our backsides. The fall colors are turning and the park smells wonderfully rich right now.

The tough part about our rides this time of year is that there's very little time for chit-chat on the trail. It's down to the fun of riding or get caught in the dark. (Also, you'll notice, no stops for photo taking). I guess that's why Jo-Ann has requested that we change the ride location for next week to the Hillside Trailhead. I think she wants to lead everyone back up the STA trails. Can't blame her - they are addicting.

Okay, well, I had a great time leading last week - thanks for following and thanks Karen for the tips on that one corner... I think I need to use a higher gear... carry on!

posted by Rose

Singletrack Diva

2009-08-27T18:15:00.002-08:00

We may have to dub Lori the Singletrack Diva. Two weeks in a row she volunteered to lead a singletrack ride on the Hillside. Last night's ride was not as long or as adventurous or as calamitous as the previous Wednesday ride. No one's bike broke, no body parts broke, no accessories broke as we pedaled around the STA trails again. The rain did start falling in the latter half of the ride.

We were treated to that phenomena that so many of us on the east side are familiar with - rain drops falling as the sun breaks through under the clouds from the west. We made it back to the parking lot in a down pour at 9:00.

singletrack & bad derailleurs on the hillside (w/ pix)

2009-08-21T08:25:00.004-08:00

see the derailleur at the bottom of the wheel,

instead of the center?

Lori and Gloria had an aggressive singletrack route mapped out for our Wednesday ride. From Campbell Airstrip trailhead, they led us up Black Bear. Lori claimed this was the shortest route (other than the closed Rover's Run) to reach the STA trails by Hilltop. The first derailleur literally bit the dust on the lower portion of Black Bear when Bev's popped off. We helped her loop her chain around her pump to hold everything up for the long walk back to the trailhead. (Thanks, Anne and Wendy, for assisting her out).

Bev is still smiling, even though we've wrapped her chain

around her pump to keep the deraileur from dragging

as she walks back to the trailhead.

Maggi already knew that her derailleur had been bent but hoped to make it through the ride. Somewhere on the Queen Bee Loop, with a slipping seat and grinding gears, she realized the bike wasn't going to make it easy. The rest of us pushed on; and that did mean pushing the bike up and over some rooty and/or steep sections on the climb toward Prospect Heights.

With the various delays, the evening was getting late and the sun low. Lori and Gloria conceded a little bit of their plan and when we reached the Gasline, we headed down the Red trail instead of continuing up and around on the Blue. Jo-Ann said she did all the rock obstacles (but not the half log bridge). We reached the Hilltop parking lot at 9:30. Jo-Ann and I headed home on the street and the other five Divas pedaled back to Black Bear to descend to Campbell Airstrip.

Thanks, Lori and Gloria, for a challenging and fun ride!

will climb for brownies

2009-08-13T21:51:00.003-08:00

Maggi serves Wendy's special brownies to Junior Diva Graylin

If the ride starts at Jodhpur trailhead, you have to expect to ride some hills. And we did. Without touching the Lekisch trails, we hit all the Kincaid Hills* on the Wednesday ride. The only thing that kept some of us going were two plates of fudgy brownies that Wendy made that were sitting back in my car. The siren call of those brownies, however, tempted us to drop Horseshoe Loop as a cool down and we finished off the Jodhpur Loop and hit the tailgate.

A few pedaled all the way to the top of Stairway to Heaven - here's Maggi doing it

and Bonnie worked it out, too

Katherine on the Hairpin

Thanks for the brownies, Wendy!

* so dubbed in Mountain Bike Anchorage, the best bike guide to the big city

shout out to Singletrack Advocates

2009-08-08T21:22:00.003-08:00

Another happy face on the STA singletrack trails on Hillside.

Every time I ride the trails that Singletrack Advocates (STA) built near Hilltop, I can't believe I'm riding such quality singletrack less than 2 miles from my house.

A few Divas met on Friday morning to ride the STA trails. Lori said "Wow, was that ever a fun ride! Thanks Glo and Bev for showing Dawn and me the way. What a treasure to have this group of trails right in our own backyard, I feel so proud that we were able to contribute to it being built!"

I rode the trails with my husband today. He said it was like being on a ride at Disneyland, with the banked switchbacks and the short steep downhills that provide almost enough momentum to get up the next little hill.

If you haven't ridden the STA trails yet, what are you waiting for? Divas' next Wednesday ride will be there on August 26th, and watch the email list for other pick-up rides there. But don't wait -- go ride them and see for yourself what great singletrack is.

If you want more singletrack like these trails, there are 3 ways to get it:

1. Pay your Divas dues so we can make a club contribution to STA. Alaska Dirt Divas did contribute to STA to help build these great trails last year.

2. Join Singletrack Advocates .

3. Go to a Parks and Rec Commission meeting this Thursday, August 13th, at 6:00 at the Spenard Rec Center (2020 W. 48th Avenue) to say that you support the construction of more singletrack trails on the Hillside. These trails are not only great fun for biking but also for hiking and snowshoeing.

Powerline Nirvana

2009-07-28T19:33:00.005-08:00

One of my favorite rides in the Anchorage area is Powerline Pass, so I was excited that a few Divas wanted to ride it the Friday before our scheduled Wednesday night Divas ride.

Six of us met at Glen Alps on Friday morning. The wind was sharper here than at our homes down below. We pulled on bright wind breakers and pedaled out of the parking lot before a dozen cars had shown up.

Stacey & Wendy take a break on the way up the pass.

Lori provides some color to a grayish day.

We paused for photos at the lake.

Lori conquers the big rock.

On Wednesday, eighteen Divas pedaled up the trail. A few rode all the way back down to Hillside at the end.

on the trail by the lake

Another group photo at the lake.

Another man wants to be photographed with Divas!

Jamie on the rock with the most fabulous lighting

fun and rooty

2009-07-03T22:15:00.004-08:00

Veronica descends through the birch on Speedway

Lori and Jo-Ann co-led the first ride of July and decided to split the large group into two and to lead very different rides. In the introduction to the ride, Lori described the ride she was going to lead as fun and the one that Jo-Ann would lead as rooty. I think that both rides lived up to the adjectives, and I'd say that some of us even thought that Jo-Ann's course was rooty and fun.

When Jo-Ann outlined the route she was intending to take -- the dog mushing trails between the Campbell Airstrip and the road -- she happened to mention Speedway. A couple of us were curious and asked her to take us on that first. She warned us of the extreme rootiness of it, but we said we could always walk if it was that bad. Yeah, we did some walking. But the riding parts were great fun and the dog-mushing trails didn't seem very rooty after Speedway.

a train of Divas at the firebreak on Speedway

riding out of town

2009-06-19T08:43:00.004-08:00

Bev on Resurrection Trail, August 2007

Divas escaped the big city this last week and pedaled beyond the city proper ...

Six of us started the week with a ride on Crescent Lake trail on the Kenai. Despite a few sprinkles here in Anchorage and over Turnagain Pass, we were dry on the trail. A little wipe with mosquito dope kept the bugs at bay as we pedaled through forests, along a canyon, and through mountain meadows.

Jo-Ann suggested a few years ago that Russian Lakes is the easiest of the Kenai rides, but I'd vote for Crescent Lake trail. For those wanting to get some backcountry singletrack on their odometers, I'd recommend this trail. It's only 6.5 miles to the end and it's an out-and-back, so it can be scaled to individual rider's ability and comfort level. Most of the trail is a smooth riding surface of dirt and spruce needles at a steady, manageable grade. Short portions are rooty and rocky and/or steep, and the canyon section can seem precipitous to those of us fearing heights. But overall, this is as easy as riding the Hillside singletrack trails. Our total riding time was just over 2 hours for 13 miles.

Despite the short distance and time, this ride was a good reminder to have tools and first aid along on any ride (cue Jamie to jump in now with some commentary!). Bonnie's chain broke about 4 miles up the trail. She and Jena installed a QuickLinks and she was able to finish the ride. Terrie isn't sure what happened, but near the end of the ride she did an end-oh over a large rock buried in the trail. Gloria had baby wipes for clean up and antibiotic cream for immediate healing. Terrie reports no major damage and she's done a great job covering up her black eye with makeup. She will be buying a new helmet ASAP, right, Terrie?

On Wednesday, 23 of us met in Chugiak/Birchwood to ride the Beach Lake Trails. Thanks to Terrie and Mary for taking two groups around the various loops (all hilly!). A little rain hardened all those sandy, loamy spots that usually suck the power out of a hill climb. As Terrie said, the "bugs were hungry" on the trails but almost absent from the parking lot where we enjoyed hot & cold tea, homemade cereal bars, cookies, and strawberries after the ride.

If anyone has pictures from either of these rides, please send to me and/or upload to the yahoo site so I can put a current photo with this post. Thanks!

on singletrack and delicate subjects

2009-06-11T11:57:00.006-08:00

We've just had our third dirt ride of the season. Now's the time we discover what is or isn't working for us. Last night Lori took half the riders on a tour of the hilly Hillside trail system while I led the other half up the new STA trails. Everyone tackled the blue (intermediate) loop with power and positive energy. Probably fueled by the sunshiny upper-70-degree temperatures.

Things got broke & Gina had to bail - bummer because she had just been telling me how much she had been looking forward to riding these wonderful new trails. Come back next time, Gina! Brakes were challenged as were butts, not to mention quads & calves. (After a season of climbing, won't our legs be gorgeous!?)

I was talking with another rider about saddles and butts and would like to share a few things about that subject. Choose your saddle well. Saddles come in many shapes and sizes and should be selected based on the width of one's sit bones. For mountain biking, I like the Terry Butterfly

my butterfly

because it's wide enough, but not so wide that I can't slide off the back of it on a steep descent. Each one of us is built differently, so find a saddle that fits you. If you're having a shop install the saddle, ask if you can take a spin around the parking lot to make sure it's the right shape and positioned at the correct angle. It might take a few tries to get the angle just right, but patience will pay off in more miles of riding happiness.

another kind of butterfly

Now, what goes with the saddle? The cycling shorts or pants. If you didn't already know this, the secret is: the pants have padding in them - that's why they make the riding much more comfortable. Be sure to wear them with nothing underneath (no panties). Cycling shorts and pants are designed to eliminate chafing and hotspots and their fabric is thick enough to not be too revealing... if this seems weird, imagine wearing panties under your swimwear. Get the picture? They should fit snugly, but not be so tight that you feel you can't breathe or swallow a gulp of water!

When you're comfortable in the saddle, there's one less thing on your mind so you can focus on the trail and enjoy the experience more fully. Your bike will feel like an extension of your body. That's when you will make leaps in becoming a better rider.

(Corinne was taking photos last night but said she wouldn't post anything until it rains. I'd like to see those pictures, on the other hand...)

posted by rose

From corinne:
Today was cloudy and cool, and I was curious about those photos, too, so here are a few from the singletrack riders.

Gloria with her new bike frame - can she crack this one on the first ride?

Are they going to make it up that hill before the mosquitos carry us away?

Terry escapes the Hive .. or was that the Jive?

The Dusty Boys Bike Club met the Alaska Dirt Divas at the Gasline.

They came from Anchorage, Mexico, Philipines, and Dominican Republic.

June? Really?

2009-06-02T22:59:00.002-08:00

Today someone told me the June schedule wasn't here on the blog... oops. Sorry about that! I know we've all been looking forward to summer and the dirt trail riding, but with everything we try to fit into the days - work, planting gardens and being out on the bike, somehow updating the schedule just slipped our minds. S0...

June is now posted and maybe we'll get July and August up there more promptly. Just let me know when the next rainy day comes along...

Besides riding on the dirt trails, we have an opportunity to give back to the trails we love --and will ride this summer -- by volunteering on June 6th to do a little finish work on the Singletrack Advocates (STA) trails. I rode one of the loops this evening after work with my husband. Just a short ride on the outermost loop. After catching my breath at the top of the climb, we enjoyed the twisting, rolling descent. This is one of those perma-grin trails you'll love riding. If you can lend a hand on Saturday, you'll appreciate the trails even more. I hope lots of Divas & friends can make it. Thanks.

posted by Rose

Spring Formal

2009-05-18T21:33:00.002-08:00

Wednesday May 6th may have been the only rainy day in the first two weeks of May, but you wouldn't know it from the bright festive outfits that Divas wore to the annual Spring Formal. We gathered at Elderberry Park in a light drizzle and rain, took pictures, and then pedaled down the Coastal Trail. As happens every year, we turned a few heads and caused a few smiles. Most of the group begged to continue past Earthquake Park but we had to turn around to fulfill dinner plans.

Elizabeth hosted us again at Cafe 817 for an after hours potluck (Thanks, Mark!). We got cozy with lots of delicious food. The only thing missing was chocolate! Terrie's grape wonder dessert almost made us forget about it.

It's hard to believe that another Spring Formal has come and gone ... must mean that the trails will be opening soon for some mountain biking!

Bike for Women

2009-05-03T22:12:00.003-08:00

What a beautiful weekend! I'm sure many of you got out on the paved trails or roads. Several Divas raced in the Bike for Women today.

a few Divas & Jr. Divas

The road was in great condition. Of course we were talking about the upcoming Spring Formal and hoping the weather holds. There was a little bit of talk about what to wear... I still don't know! No matter what you wear, we're looking forward to Wednesday!

posted by Rose

spring sunshine

2009-04-30T21:10:00.001-08:00

A group of happy riders climbs the final hill.

Twenty riders gathered for last night's ride on the Bike For Women course in Chugiak. The shoulder was recently swept, making for a ride that was fun, safe and flat-free! Thanks, Bonnie for leading the ride and to everyone who brought treats & tea for after the ride. It was good to feel the warmth of the sun. Even the wind was warm. Good luck at Sunday's event!

Gloria and Bonnie on the final hill.

Now, about that ride next week we call the "Spring Formal." The first ride in May is always a party ride. (Please make note of the 6:00 start time.) I'll try to answer your questions about the Spring Formal, AKA Prom:

What do I wear? Whatever you like! If that means you visit your favorite thrift shop to find a used prom dress or pull a bridesmaid dress from the back of your closet, go for it! Something shiny, sequins, feather boas? We've seen these too. There is no such thing as overdressed for the Formal. But if you feel too self-conscious or it's a little chilly, a pretty sweater and pearls with capris are always in style. Some people even dress up their bikes with flowers. You can't be too over-the-top for us. A word of caution: be sure your outfit is bike friendly (wouldn't want anything frilly tangled in your chain). And, of course, don't forget your helmet!

The ride: Meet at Elderberry Park, downtown, to ride the Coastal Trail to Earthquake Park and back. This ride looks like a parade to other trail users. Expect smiles and waves as you ride by in your finery. (Be sure to air up your tires and lube that squeaky chain before the ride.)

The potluck: You can drop things off before the ride between 5:30 and 5:45 at Muffin Man Cafe 817. Elizabeth, our gracious host, will meet you at the front door. Or, just show up there after the ride with your potluck dish. What should you bring? That's up to you. A favorite dish you like to share... Your pick.

Leave a comment here if I'm leaving anything out or if you have questions. We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the formal!

posted by Rose

sisterhood of the pedaling pants

2009-04-10T17:29:00.008-08:00

What a great turnout this Wednesday for the Meet & Greet! It's nice to get together with all you Divas after what felt like a very long winter. I'm excited that more of you are interested in joining our weekly rides and getting in touch with your inner dirt-loving selves.

For those who didn't make it, we talked about helmet fit, about some rules of the trail & riding etiquette and gave a little information about the history of the group. People also shared their personal stories of how they came to join the Divas.

I didn't realize how many of our current members had thought about joining us but were nervous because they didn't think they could handle our rides. Some admitted they had even thought about it for a year before finally getting up the courage to join us on an outing. But they rode, they learned, they challenged themselves, they even suffered. Then, when the ride was done, they celebrated with cookies & tea. The next week, they came back for more.

For me, there's nothing like the sisterhood that develops when mountain biking with a group of positive women. We've all helped make each other better riders. Over the years, I've seen people tackle climbs they didn't know they could make, ride over roots that scared them and I've certainly become a much more confident descender, because of the members of this group. So thanks for your commitment, your support and encouragement. You've made a difference!

This is what dry singletrack looks like... remember?

Next week's ride will be on the road since the Coastal Trail (as of Wednesday) is still slushy and soft. You can still use your mountain bike, or you can use a road bike. Be sure to inflate your tires and please wear something that is high visibility. Show up early so that the ride can start on time (ahem, you know, relatively). Remember to not leave anything of value in your car at the trailhead. And, as always, don't forget your helmet!

posted by rose austin

Welcome to April

2009-04-03T10:26:00.007-08:00

Here we are Divas and aspiring Divas, early April and still lots of snow on the ground and ice in the streets, mixed in with a little ash for traction, I suppose. For all you procrastinators who have yet to get your bikes tuned up for spring, may I suggest: take it in now before things really get melting. OK, you've been warned. For those whose bikes are tuned and you're wondering what to do before the season kicks off, here is a checklist. (This first one is a good one for before you take your bike in to a shop.)

Clean your bike!
If you put away your bike when it was still covered with mud (tsk, tsk!) use a dry cloth to slough off the dirt, then give your bike a wipe down with a wet cloth. Next, take a look at your chain. What color is it? Black, silver, orange? Use a repair stand or lean the bike so you can spin the cranks (where the pedals attach) all the way around. Now, take a cloth and grasp the chain, applying pressure with the rag as you pedal backward wiping off the black gunk. If the chain is orange, first drip some bike chain lubricant (fig#1) on the entire length of the chain and let it sit. Then run your chain through a cloth to wipe off the rust before applying a tiny bit more lube to the chain.

fig #1: choose your weapon!

Inflation isn't always bad!
Your tires have been losing air all winter. Before the first ride, pump them up to the recommended inflation - it's shown on the sidewall of your tires, as seen in fig#2. Use the higher number for pavement, so you'll go faster; and the lower number for off-road so you'll have more control and a less-jarring ride.
Road bikes have a much higher recommended inflation, up to 120 psi! Always check your pressure *with a gauge* before you show up for a ride. It will save lots of time as we prepare to ride and you'll be much happier to not be working too hard!

fig #2: 40-60 psi, but your results may vary...

It's in the bag!
Do an inventory of your repair kit. Do you remember how your pump works? Is it set up for the correct valve stem? Test it out to be sure. How about your spare inner tube... did you have a flat at the end of last season and leave the punctured tube tucked away in your seat bag all winter? Now is the time to make sure the tube is still good or to put on a patch so you can reuse it. Also be sure you have your folding multi-tool, tire levers, rag and patches in your repair kit: fig #3.

fig #3: what's missing from my repair kit?
We'll have a random drawing for a special
prize if you post the answer(s) here!

Saddle up!
Now think back to last summer. Was everything comfortable on your bike? Were you suffering with a bad saddle? Were your grips getting shredded from all the shifting and climbing and general fun you were having? Now's a good time to get those replaced so you can have a more comfortable riding season.

Use your head!
How old is your helmet? More than four years? Did you crash on it and not replace it? Helmets can take one impact. After that, the foam has been compacted and it doesn't offer the same protection as it did the moment before impact. Replace it and be sure to throw it away. It is not a good loaner for when you have company. Period.

What else?
Remember your gloves? Your snot-and-mud-covered gloves? If you forgot all about them after August, find them. Put them in a lingerie bag (assuming they have velcro closures) and wash them with your next load of laundry. You will be so happy you did the first time the cold nips your nose and you reach up to wipe!

Phew! So, who's coming to the Meet & Greet on the 8th @ Paramount? Bring your helmet so we can make sure it fits properly, bring a mug/cup for beverages, and bring a friend who is wondering what this Diva mountain biking group is all about.

posted by rose

Biking by the numbers

2009-02-15T13:16:00.003-09:00

August ride on the Hillside

The 2009 ride calendar has been posted and we've got over 24 rides plus clinics set for the spring, summer, and fall. As the Tally Diva, I record who comes to rides and try to summarize it for the end-of-season potluck. Last year we averaged 11 riders per event, which means a few on the rainy evenings and a veritable bevy on sunny days. Over 85 women rode with us from April to September; only 28 came just once.

The award for most rides went to Bonnie Wanat. She embraced her inner Diva on 23 evenings! Other Divas often seen were Karen Lee (21), Rose Austin (20), Kass Friend (18), Katherine Coons (18), and Sandy Nichols (18).

It's time to start thinking about a spring tune-up for your bike and locking in your Wednesday evenings for Diva rides.

tally ho!

Inaugural Gala

2009-01-26T20:32:00.002-09:00

About 50 patriotic Divas, significant others, and friends gathered at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum to celebrate President Obama's inauguration. A fabulous potluck brought the usual delicious treats. Despite the last minute panic that no one had signed up to bring a main dish, we had more than we could eat or drink, and more celebrating than could be crammed into a Tuesday evening.

Special thanks to Jamie, the Etiquette Diva, for donating the time at the museum. And big thanks to her husband Tom for figuring out how to record the inaugural festivities in Washington and broadcast them at the museum.

We may have a new regular event for the Diva calendar ...

Trail grooming

2008-12-07T11:28:00.002-09:00

Rose packs down the new trails that Singletrack Advocates built on the Hillside

Giving thanks

2008-11-27T09:58:00.005-09:00

remember this mid-April ride?
we'll miss you Jessica!

Thanks for another great year.

When a week is turning upside-down
A Wednesday ride brings me back to earth
To dirt
To wooded trails
To wonderful friends.

I sometimes remind myself that when I least feel like going for a ride, that's when I need it most. But it's more than just the biking. It's each one of you Divas who make every ride unique, inspiring and validating.

So, thanks. By joining a ride you are giving to your sisters-in-dirt. And I hope you are also receiving the wonderful, positive vibe that you've provided me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

posted by Rose

Snowy trails ...

2008-11-24T21:52:00.002-09:00

A happy bike is one that's not sitting in the garage ...
A happy Diva is one who's not stuck in the house!

If the temperatures stay cold and the snow continues to hold off, the trails at Hillside and Campbell Tract are fine for riding without studs or snowcat tires. The narrow trails, like Rover's Run and Lynx, are especially nicely packed. The wider trails, like Viewpoint, have more loose snow because skiers, walkers, and riders have more trail width to choose from.

If you're feeling adventurous, try one of the new singletrack loops or Birch Meadow along Campbell Creek.

The riding is still good!

2008-10-19T11:56:00.003-08:00

The riding at Hillside is still good with just a little snow on the trails. Where/when the temperature gets above freezing, some places can be a little muddy. Ride early to avoid the mud.

Rover's Run is officially open again, but up to 3 dozen trees fell across it in the windstorm last week. The upper half only has half a dozen or so, but we heard the lower half takes some time to navigate. The ski club has been active clearing the trails that it grooms, so most trails are very open.

We did see some bear tracks out on Old Rondy so don't forget your bells, bear spray, and/or friend.

Eklutna fall colors

2008-09-29T23:00:00.002-08:00

At the start of the trip.

Friday afternoon five divas pedaled to the Serenity Hut at Eklutna Lake. Gloria, Jo-Ann, Corinne, Bev and I took in the sunshine and views of the fall leaves and glacier-fed lake. Corinne's husband, Paul, joined us for the day trip. He graciously took group photos with at least three cameras - here's one of them:We took our time... and took lots of photos, marveling at our good fortune after a summer enduring countless rain showers during group rides.

Gloria

Jo-Ann, on her Trice recumbent, who is responsible for rescheduling this trip. Thanks!

This is me pulling my BOB - I'm pretty darn happy!

We shared the cabin with a couple bemused hunters that night. They kept their distance, being outnumbered as they were...

Next day we went for a day hike up the valley to get closer to the glacier.

Corinne, Bev, Gloria, Jo-Ann

Alas, the trail disappeared into steep, loose rock before we could see the moving mass of ice. After a snack and a bit of hiking upward to get some better views, we headed back to the cabin where we met the newly-arrived Saturday gang: Karen, Ann, Terrie and Katherine. Lori and Stacey and friends joined as day-trippers.

One view of the Serenity Hut.

We shared snacks and hot beverages in the sun on the back deck of the cabin before waving so-long to our guests and settling in for another evening. Dinner, a hike. Star-gazing. We hit the forbidden subjects: politics, religion, puberty and shoes.

Sunday morning made three in a row with more sun and cool temperatures. Coffee. Pancakes with blueberries. Clean-up, then the ride out. I don't know if anyone really wanted to leave.

Thanks everyone for organizing and pitching in to make this a fantastic weekend. Special shout-out to Mother Nature: "Thanks, sister; it was great!"

posted & updated by rose

A Diva-licious weekend at Eklutna

2008-09-29T21:47:00.004-08:00

If you were in southcentral Alaska this weekend, you know it was the best one of the 'summer.' More reports of the Diva weekend at Serenity Falls Cabin will be coming. Here's a glimpse of the weekend -- Bev pedaling along the shore of Eklutna Lake, pulling a Bob trailer filled with good things to eat and drink.

Last Scheduled Ride ... who told the moose?

2008-09-29T21:37:00.002-08:00

We were treated to a beautiful fall evening in Kincaid for our last scheduled ride of the fall.

Several moose turned out to wish us a happy winter (even though some of them will still be turning us around on trails while we're skiing). This mama and calf even had their own gate to prevent us from descending to their grazing spot.

This bull eventually wandered into the woods so we could continue on. We'd already changed course twice.

the end

Racing sunset and the rain

2008-09-18T21:27:00.002-08:00

Divas gather at the top of a hill

Sometimes it's hard to believe that any place on earth is more beautiful than our little corner of Alaska. That's what I kept thinking last night as we biked through the spectacular fall colors of the Campbell Tract and Bicentennial Park -- extensive red carpets of dogwood, brilliant yellow aspen leaves, deep golds of the birch trees, and the constant verdant green of our spruce.

The rain did not dampen my appreciation of this place and it didn't seem to dampen anybody else's enthusiasm to hit the 10 mile mark.

And we did that. We started pedalling up Viewpoint and up up Homestead to the Hillside Loops. Then we looped around the Abbott Multi-Use, Besh, Lighted, and Service Loops back to Homestead. Back on the Campbell Tract, we gave up hills for the windy narrow paths of Lynx, Moose Track, and Salmon Run. We returned to the parking lot right at sunset (8:16 pm).

Thanks, Divas, for a great ride!

Photos by Rose:snow creeping lower

for gloria

At play in the fall colors

2008-09-11T21:38:00.009-08:00

Seven Divas unafraid of a little rain and mud departed from the Campbell Airstrip Trailhead. I got a little dizzy with all the loops we rode, totaling 9.66 miles. Somehow we managed to ride Old Rondy and make a loop of it with the new MLK Jr swath and still end up at the beaver pond. Here we enjoyed the colors of fall, the various props, and the swampy patriotism of other park users.

We instituted a new tradition of cookies half way through the ride (thanks, Gloria!). Then somehow we did P-38 Lightening both ways, and Birch Knob, Moose Track, Lynx, and Coyote, before arriving at the parking lot for more cookies and ginger tea by Kass. Somewhere along the way we forgot about the rain, rode Salmon Run both ways, and had a great time.

American Gothic, Divas style

Rose takes time to stop and smell the dogwood

Gloria, Terrie, and Kass pose in the outdoor portrait studio

Our photographer, Corinne.

Rainy at Kincaid

2008-09-04T19:51:00.007-08:00

Twelve of us started from the Raspberry Trailhead in a light sprinkle. Lori and Michelle co-led us on a wonderful tour, including Roller Coaster, Mize Loop, and Margaux's Loop. The rain never stopped, though it did get stronger at times. The trails looked slick but no one wiped out, not even on Little Niagara.

I was lucky to be wearing my fabulous harlot shorts. They shed water and were completely dry at the end of the ride! Lori made an erroneous comparison of these very stylish shorts to a postal uniform. Here I present a side-by-side comparison for your review (stylish harlots on left; utilitarian uniform on right):

Neither rain, nor hail, nor sleet, or snow, can keep a Diva off the trails!

Trails planning in Bicentennial Park

2008-08-31T11:31:00.004-08:00

Hey Divas -

If you want to know what's going on in the parks, come to this public meeting:

It's the Far North Bicentennial Park trail users meeting on Monday, September 8, 2008. The meeting was moved to the 2nd Monday due to the Labor Day Holiday (normally on the first Monday of each month). It will be conducted at our traditional time of 6:20pm at the BLM Science Center at the BLM Campbell Tract, 68th and Abbott Loop Road.

Here's the flier (click to make it bigger):

Hope to see you there - please let others know about this.

posted by Rose

mmm mud!

2008-08-21T20:15:00.005-08:00

Guess I should have looked at my own post from earlier in the week about not forgetting my fenders. It would have helped at last night's ride.

Didn't really need it early in the ride as we zipped around on some singletracks and some wider trails. Then... we rode down Black Bear Trail. After the first big wheel-sucking puddle most of us stopped worrying about how muddy and splashed we were getting. Normally, I'd avoid the muddy trails, but it's not like any of us were going to turn around and climb back up that hill.

So, mud it was until after Moose Meadow when we joined the Tour trail and finished our ride.

Thanks everyone for showing up. Thanks for the cookies and muffins & thanks for following our twisty, turny ride through Bicentennial Park. Group photo to follow...

Also, for the record book - Sweep of the Year title goes to Bonnie for finding the seat bag left on the trail after Gloria crashed her bike in the slippery mud. Good eyes, Bonnie!

All trail signs were obeyed, despite the day's news of the suspect sow being shot at Stuckagain.

posted timely by rose; photo additions by corinne

rainbow

2008-08-16T22:51:00.004-08:00

Ten riders tackled the hilly trails in Kincaid Park on Wednesday. We had beautiful conditions as we rode the maze of trails. We split into two groups - one group met a few moose, the other group found just one trail section blocked by construction.

After sharing tea, cookies and some fresh cherries in the parking lot, the sprinkles began. On my drive home, the rainbow revealed itself over the mountains.This Wednesday's ride is on the east side of town where we've had lots of rain. Hopefully not too much, but put on your fenders just in case.

posted by rose

Rover's Run closure

2008-08-13T09:47:00.002-08:00

In case you haven't heard, the mayor officially closed the Rover's Run trail (also named Mellen's Way) yesterday. Barriers have been put in place to try to keep people out while bears remain in the area. This doesn't mean bears are only on this one trail so it's a good idea to use caution and travel together in groups when you're in Bicentennial Park.

I like that Lt. Paul Honeman of the APD is quoted as recommending: "carry bear spray and to wear 'dinner bells' to avoid surprising a bear." Kind of reminds me of the photo Diana posted on her site. You have to read the last paragraph to appreciate it.

posted by rose

Bear-free on Spencer Loop

2008-08-01T13:58:00.003-08:00

Now there are two kinds of bear sign ~ piles of half-digested berries and dayglow warnings from Rick Sinnott!

Despite these various signs, Karen was determined to ride Spencer Loop .. essentially doing a tour of every place the mama bear with cubs has tried to attack some hapless runner or biker. Diana and I took pictures along the way to help the authorities trace our route in case anything should happen to all 9 divas on the ride.

A report of the bears down by the creek did cause a detour early on. We watched the creek banks as we started the loop but were soon too busy huffing and puffing up Wall Street to be concerned about bears. We did the main loops first and then hit Double Bubble to add some distance.

Bonnie asked, "Is that all of Spencer Loop? I've never done all of it."

"Well, no, there is the big hill at the very beginning that we skipped so we could go down to the creek"

"Let's do it."

So one more hill, then back to the parking lot for 2 kinds of iced tea and one kind of iced cookie. Thanks Bonnie, Katherine, and Rae.

Katherine, Rae, Anne, and Bonnie after their first full tour of Spencer Loop.

Diana in the bear-free zone on top of Wall Street.

Karen shows off her Diva freckles and polka dots.

pedaling or trail work?

2008-07-28T20:54:00.004-08:00

Let's just say you don't feel like biking on Wednesday. What you really want is an upper-body workout instead. Or, maybe your sweetie is all bummed because you're going riding & he really wants to do something constructive and meet cool people. Well girls, do I have an answer for you!

It's a trail work party on the new singletrack! Be a part of the finish work crew to make our new trail a reality.

pssst, I hiked it today. It's going to be fabulous. It's in a beautiful location, professionally designed and built. ***Singletrack Advocates reminds us to not ride it until it's announced that it's open. But here's a sneak peak at what I saw on my hike:

The STA site will tell you all you need to know. Please also remember that we still need some funds to assure the trail will be completed as planned. If you can contribute - and if your workplace makes contributions - please consider helping out. To paraphrase the NSAA: singletrack doesn't fall from the sky.

This youngster said she'd stay out of the way.

posted by rose

Warmer at Hillside

2008-07-24T22:08:00.001-08:00

Wow, what a great ride!

A BIG thank you to Corinne for going to the flattop trail head to turn unsuspecting Divas around!

Katherine led us on a terrific, 10+ mile tour of FNBP. The 12 hardy divas who showed for the ride were not disappointed! The trails were wet and we were muddy and happy as we rode the horse rutted trails of Hillside down to Homestead, Coyote, up Viewpoint and then back up Homestead and around Service. Whew! The group voted for a big finish with the big hills on the Hillside Lit Loop but a mama moose and her calf had other ideas! She looked like she was not messing around! No worries, back to Coaches' Cutoff and to the trail head where we decided to have our after-ride festivities at Jo-Ann's despite the lateness of the hour. She and Adam(Thanks!) welcomed our mud-speckled faces and we chowed down on Truffles, banana cake and watermelon, sharing a bottle of wine between all of us.

What fun!

Lori

Change of venue July 23

2008-07-23T16:23:00.003-08:00

Due to the cold and rainy conditions, we're changing the ride location from Glen Alps - Powerline Trail to Hillside Trailhead in Bicentennial Park.

Same meeting time - 7pm, lower elevation. Bring a rain jacket and a towel.

posted by rose

skills part II

2008-07-21T23:09:00.004-08:00

Six of us gathered at the Hilltop parking lot on Monday evening for the second part of the skills clinic. We had some light sprinkles early on then went over skills like: trackstanding, getting over obstacles, riding in wet conditions and other tips. Then a short trail ride that included some rooty singletrack and some fun hills.

We made lots of noise as we pedaled through the trails which we had all to ourselves. With so few people out there, we wanted to be sure the bears heard us and knew we were heading their way. We didn't see any bears.

By the time we were riding on Ridge Loop, rain was coming down and we were still whooping and hollering... it sounded more like a cattle round-up than a bike ride. One rider pointed out that we aren't normally encouraged to be noisy. It feels good to just let it out sometimes. Yeeeha!

Rae set her bike on the ground before it started sprinkling. Here's the stencil it left.

posted by rose

windy night at kincaid

2008-07-17T09:12:00.003-08:00

Despite rain on the east side, thirteen riders gathered at Kincaid Park on Wednesday evening for a ride that took us into the woods, onto a few bits of singletrack and over to the Sisson Loop. We encountered strong winds, tall grass, a covey of ptarmagin and a young moose more stubborn than us.

After a few of us skidded to a stop and started backing up the hill, Hannah, Darlene & Mary Kay

Bullwinkle looked at us, crossed the trail and decided he really just wanted to relax on the side of the trail. We backtracked away from him and did manage to finish the Mize Loop and the rest of the ride with no other wildlife encounters.

Thanks, gang, for bringing cookies, trail mix and tea. Thanks also to Hannah's dad, Tim, for taking the post-ride group shot. You can see by Lori's skirt just how windy it was!

posted by rose

skills & pedals

2008-07-14T21:37:00.004-08:00

Kudos to the fine group of women who attended this evening's skill-building clinic. After covering shifting and braking, we went over climbing and descending tips, then tackled the climb from the Hilltop chalet up to the first switchback, and back down. I was impressed with how everyone took on each challenge, from overcoming their descending fears to learning to do a front wheel loft.

Now each of you have something to practice before next week! We'll build off what you learned and actually include a trail ride.

On another topic:
This evening, someone brought up clipless pedals. Sometimes these words put fear into cyclists' hearts as they imagine themselves tumbling over in a struggle to release themselves from the contraptions. Of course, those are the stories everyone remembers. But for mountain biking, after learning them, I think they're a great way to go. Why?

1 - you've got the power - the power to climb - because you have not just the downstroke on the pedals, but also the upstroke. If you use clipless, you will make more hills.
2 - you've got control - because your feet are attached to the pedal, they won't easily slip off on a rocky descent or rooty singletrack.
3 - you've got no hang-ups - this is in contrast to toe clips - the clips & straps that people often have on their pedals, but which they sometimes don't clip their feet into. When not clipped in, the clip can drag and get caught on roots on the trail.
4 - you'll use bike shoes - and bike shoes give your feet more support because they're stiffer. Less fatigue results.

If you've got an opinion about clipless pedals, feel free to post it here.

posted by Rose

9 July 2008 Biking near to Near Point

2008-07-10T21:16:00.004-08:00

Ten of us pedaled out of the Prospect Heights trailhead on the trail to Near Point. Somewhere along the way Dawn caught up with us. We talked quite a bit about bears but saw none. Very few other people were out on what Bonnie called a "nice evening." Ah, some of us would only say "nice" by this summer's standards ... but some of us were comfortable in shorts (until the bugs found us) and even Karen shed her jacket. In the end, it was just great to be outside and spinning the gears.

Mary Kay, Katherine, and Jennifer at the turn-around

diva short film

2008-06-30T00:01:00.003-08:00

Katherine has put together a short film from the Spring Formal.

Seeing everyone in their outfits, on their bikes or around the tables makes me feel happy to know each of you. Many thanks, Katherine, for putting this together.

posted by rose

brown bear takes it

2008-06-27T09:27:00.003-08:00

We started out with 10. Ready to tackle some singletrack including notorious Brown Bear Trail. We all made it... but Mary Kay's derailleur hanger didn't. So she single-speeded her bike to ride back to the trailhead... and this was just after she wanted to do the trail again! You go, girl!
The rest of the ride was a mix of more singletrack connected by some wider trails. Thanks everyone for not mutinying while we were hiking through the squishy ground on Moose Bone... not a place you want to get lost because every Alaskans' fave insects were out in full force.

I must tell you that after some changes on Brown Bear earlier this season, the trail is in great condition with improved flow and fewer places where you have to dismount the bike... so, if you haven't been on it lately, go check it out again. It's worth it.Thanks Mary for taking this group shot where the Bears meet.

posted by rose

fab ride

2008-06-12T22:23:00.003-08:00

What a great evening for a ride in Bicentennial Park! A small group gathered at Hillside for a climb up Spencer Loop. It actually felt a bit like summer as we made our way up all the climbs. We enjoyed the views on the descent, then headed over to the Ridge trail. Beautiful conditions. Black Bear had no puddles, and Rover's Run, aka Mellen's Way, was also in great shape.

Thanks for joining in on this fun ride. Here's part of our merry band after finishing Rover's.

I hear Wednesday's ride in Chugiak was also a great time. See you next week!

posted by rose

thanks trail workers!

2008-06-08T23:23:00.006-08:00

In a collaboration Singletrack Advocates & other mountain bikers, fourteen people showed up on Saturday to help on a trail clean-up project in Far North Bicentennial Park. Divas Elizabeth, Bonnie, Mary V. and her daughter Laura and I joined other people for a morning project.

We were hauling out wood that was used to build illegal structures in the park and filling in some holes. Work started the night before when two volunteers cut some wood into manageable chunks we could haul out easily with the bike trailers.

People removed nails, carried lumber by hand and used three trailers to get everything out to the road. We filled post holes and a hole that was created when the renagade trail builders were building a jump. We also tidied up a piece of trail that had a slightly banked turn built on it.

The project went pretty smoothly, and we were especially happy to have new volunteers with young, strong backs to haul and do lots of shoveling! Plus, having the trailers was a great help.

So, thanks go out to the volunteers listed above, plus our wood cutters, Greg & Tim K., and the rest of our Saturday crew: Oscar, Jeff, Ted, Kyle, Nik, Debbie, Carol, Brian and Jon. Well done!

Here are the "after" pics and comments from Mary: "Just a note - I had a great time at the trail clean-up today! I rode one of the bikes with a bob trailer, and got experience in shuttling lumber down the trail. We had a resident moose and everything! We broke one bike chain, but otherwise a group of over 10 people from a variety of groups successfully hauled out wood and filled in holes that damaged the trail. Yippee! We quickly went to work and made a difference. Thanks, Rose, for organizing this. Having 3 bob trailers was great, too. We went to town."

4 June 2008 A Tale of Two Rides

2008-06-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

From Jamie, the leader ~

The Little Lost Fairy has been following us the past two rides, I'm afraid. She has been waving her magic wand over the back of the group!

We waited and waited (24 minutes) then decided to hightail it back to the parking lot to see if you were there. It was 7:59PM and we had only ridden 1.71 miles, and I nearly had a tantrum when someone suggested that perhaps we were through for the night. We should have initially gone the way that Bev (a.k.a. "Don't Look at Me to Be a Ride Leader, I Don't Know My Way Around") said to go on our usual ride route. Unfortunately, *I* (a.k.a. "I Don't Really Know My Way Around, But I Can Fake It") was appointed the leader. Too bad for everyone!! I decided to take a path I've never been on that went down to Little Campbell Lake, and across a long wooden bridge. At the end of the bridge and top of the hill, I went LEFT at the fork in the path. The Divas behind me went LEFT. Somewhere, somehow, somebody didn't wait.

Unfortunately, the Little Lost Fairy waited at the fork, picked it up, and jabbed a moose with it. That Fairy is EVIL!! I heard her cackling behind some trees! Because it happened two more times!! We got separated another TWO times!!!

We also went down Roller Coaster, pedaled a little Mize, then hit the Stadium (I was in my granny gear trying to get across that area in the 82 knot headwind), did part of the Daisy Chain and Little Niagara. While we were fighting the wind in the Stadium, someone said, "Hey, why don't we just take the pavement right back to the Raspberry Parking Lot?" I didn't see who said that, because I was trying to keep my bike upright against the hurricane, but I told them we were the DIRT Divas, not the PAVEMENT Divas. Plus, I wanted to see the new biathlon range. The wind was completely INSANE! What the ^*>#@+ is the deal with this weather?! Thank goodness we got back to the cars for yummy Chai, homemade ginger cookies, muffins, and watermelon! YIPPEE! That was the best part of the entire ride! Of course, there also wasn't a mosquito within sixty miles of us either....

Hope to see everyone next week! I'd like to brainstorm something to keep this from happening the for the third time. Any suggestions? Besides Little Lost Fairy Exterminator Spray?

from Karen, the other leader ~

Yes, a bunch of us got lost. Me, Bev, Gloria, Marcia and I forget the other lady's name (sorry). We were waylaid by a moose so all hope of catching up with the larger group was lost. We were ok tho as we stuck together and had a good, albeit cold and windy, ride anyway. Did roller coaster and half of the Mize loop. Hightailed it back to the Raspberry parking lot via the paved trail. We were back to the parking lot by 8:30 and went home, too cold to stick around. The young ladies brought muffins, bless their hearts. Got your note Jamie. We'll see y'all next week. Hopefully it'll be warmer.

29 May 2008 We hit the dirt

2008-05-29T07:00:00.003-08:00

Thank you, Rose, for leading us on a fun, dry ride around the Campbell Tract last night. OK, you made us ride the same long hill twice (penance for getting separated, right?) but I'm sure my thighs will thank you when we ride Spencer Loop in a couple of weeks.

The dirt trails are open! Remember that some may still be too wet to ride (e.g. Rover's Run, Moose Meadow) but there are plenty of others ready to take you into the woods.

elmore, saddle sore

2008-05-25T23:09:00.002-08:00

Hey Divas -
I hope people had fun on last week's ride which took us from Elmore Road across Russian Jack Springs park & back. Pavement, some dirt, a guy smoking a pipe as he biked! One moose. Three varieties of tea and snacks at the end of the ride. Twenty-five divas; only one little crash.

Afterward, in the parking lot a few people started talking about saddles and how they can made riding not so fun. From minor breaking-in after not cycling for a few months to can't ride for a few days "issues," this can be serious stuff. Any time your bike equipment keeps you from enjoying riding, it's time to check it out. Your saddle can cause you to suffer terribly or to forget it's there.

So, a few pointers:

Do get the right women's saddle, one that fits your body (see your local bike shop). Most women's saddles are wider in the back than men's models. They support your sit bones better and most offer a pressure relief channel - you know, for soft tissue. Not sure what to get? Try one out to determine which shape is for you. Don't keep it if it doesn't work.

Inspect your women's saddle on your bike to make sure it's level or as close to level as possible. Nose up = ouch! Nose down = pitches you forward, putting more weight on your wrists. Also make sure it's the correct height - slight bend in the knee when the pedal is in the lowest position.

Veer away from: too wide a saddle - tough to maneuver on when mountain biking; gel covers - can shift around and are usually merely a bandage placed over a saddle that's not the right shape for you; your husband's old saddle that he says worked just great for him - honey, we're just not built the same!

Always wear padded cycling shorts or pants with nothing underneath them. The pad should be against your skin (think swimwear) and fit "comfortably snug." Too loose and they'll shift under you & cause chafing; too tight = more suffering. Wash after each use without fabric softeners.

See me, or another female bike salesperson with whom you feel comfortable talking about the "saddle issue." Don't be afraid. We've heard it all before... some of it we've even experienced so we can relate to what you're talking about. It's worth it to figure it out early in the riding season - we've got hundreds of miles lined up for you. Don't let your saddle stop you.

Go DIVAS!

posted by Rose

creatures

2008-05-21T14:00:00.002-08:00

Last Wednesday's ride featured sightings of at least two porcupines and one black bear (though I only saw one of the porcupines). That's a lot of wildlife for a pavement ride. I don't think anyone took pictures, but it's clear that now is the season to see much of the furry "big wild life" (and not so big) that make Anchorage what it is.

As we ride this evening along the bridges that span the Campbell Creek and on the greenbelts, I know I'll be keeping my eyes open for bears, moose, coyotes and other animals. I'll try to do so without running into anyone else.

Heads up!

posted by rose

Divas ~ A Many Splendored Thing

2008-05-08T06:50:00.004-08:00

Another beautiful spring evening for a Divas ride ... and not just any ride ... our first Spring Formal as Divas. Twenty-four Divas, four junior Divas, and one Diva dad pedaled from Elderberry Park beyond Earthquake Park and back. Most of us went to Snow Goose afterwards for food and 'socialables.'

A kitten has lost her mittens!

2008-04-30T21:44:00.003-08:00

Another beautiful spring evening to cap a day that started with snow! What's up with these April snow showers? I'm looking forward to some May flowers that should be bursting from all this extra moisture.

I'm dubbing Bonnie the Uber-leader Diva. Once again, she stepped in when the regularly-scheduled leader couldn't make it. She set a blistering pace on the pre-ride of the Bike for Women course so we all got a good workout. Thanks, Bonnie!

And thanks to Kass for tea and Bev for cookies! (it is all about the food afterward, right?)

Someone left a pair of knitted fingerless mittens in the parking lot behind Bonnie's red SUV this evening. I'll bring them to the ride next week.

SPRING FORMAL NEXT WEEK! Can someone post some photos from past spring formals to give new divas an idea of appropriate attire?