sisterhood of the pedaling pants

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