Riding with the increasing light

A few of us rode both sides of Campbell Creek today to enjoy the extra day light!  Thanks to a passing rider for offering to take a picture for us.

Autumn ride

September 24: With autumn's arrival, a short ride on the singletrack. Let's not call it the last ride of the season. Pull on another layer and keep pedaling.

Until next time...

wonderful light and ride at Kincaid

"there was wonderful light and it was a beautiful ride on the trails tonight!" Katherine

Power of Divas on Powerline

Almost 20 of us motored up to Glen Alps trail head, where we found clouds instead of the sunny skies of Anchorage.  But the wind wasn't blowing and it was warm, so it was one of the best evenings that we've ever pedaled the Powerline Pass trail.

Bonnie and Linda take a break for the camera.

pedaling through the first puddle

The entire group at Summit Lake

Bonnie was always nearby when I needed a good model in the photo!

The downhill crew before they descended to Hillside parking lot.

A big hello to Diva Linda ~ we're thinking about ya and sending tons of well wishes and good thoughts to you and your family!

What rain?

Over a dozen Divas showed up to ride the Kincaid singletrack trails.
A few of them even remembered their fenders! - photo by Katherine.

Hillside Singletrack on a fine June evening

The clouds rolled in and the winds kept the mosquitos at bay -- a fine evening to climb (and descend!) the hills of the Hillside Singletrack.

Volunteer this Saturday for National Trails Day!

It's time to gather friends and family and do some trail work!

Please join Singletrack Advocates for National Trails Day
Saturday, June 7th
8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Two Locations to Choose From:
Hillside STA Trails: Hilltop Ski Area South Parking Lot, Bottom of Drone Lane
Kincaid STA Trails:  Raspberry Trailhead

Goals for the Day:
Remove protruding sticks and stumps in the fall zone
Repair tread damage and ruts
Clear obstacles from corners to improve sight lines

Please bring:
Work Gloves
Water and a snack
Bug Dope
Loppers
Hand Saws
Work Helmet (or old bike helmet)
Eye Protection

McLeods, Pulaskis and a limited number of loppers are provided.

June 2nd Singletrack Skills Clinic Postponed

We regret that we've had to postpone this Monday night's singletrack skills clinic due to wet slippery trail conditions and forecasts for continued rain plus wind on Monday.  We may be able to reschedule later in the season.

Sigh ... last week so dry the Kenai was burning and now in two days too wet for fast corners.  Ride safe and don't make ruts in the trails!

Spring Formal: 2014

What a beautiful evening for a bike ride! The Coastal Trail was filled with riders, runners, walkers, skateboarders, inline skaters. You name it, they were out tonight, as were the Divas on our annual parade of frilly, shiny, feathery, anything-goes outfits!

Starting at Elderberry Park.

Rebecca in her finery. Oops! Chain ring mark!

Checking out the view at Point Woronzof.

Maggi, Jo-Ann and Bonnie. Winners of the best outfits & bike awards.

Post-ride dinner at Snow Goose, where the staff took great care of us!
Thanks, Snow Goose!

First Ride of 2014

Twenty-one Divas out on a fine April evening to pedal the Glenn Highway bike path

 

We had two opportunities to practice trailside repair skills.  Here Rose assists Lisa in changing a tire on her single-speed.

Guess which one of these lovely Divas chose to spend her birthday with us?

Thanks to Michele (the first with one 'l') for sharing her photos and BIG THANKS to Michele (the second with one 'l') for bringing birthday cupcakes even though she couldn't ride.  I think there should be a new prize for that!

Ready to Ride?

What makes you feel more confident? For me, when it comes to biking, it's knowing how to make necessary repairs on my bike - such as fixing a flat or repairing a chain - so I can get back on the trail. Last night's Trailside Repair Clinic went over these repair skills in a hands-on session where Divas could learn how to fix a flat. Now that the riding season is upon us, it's time to make sure you have everything you need for your repair kit.

Just a few things from my seat bag & backpack. (Looks like I need
to restock the duct tape that gets wrapped around my pump.)

Here are a few things you should carry with you:

- spare tube - be sure it is the correct size and has the right valve stem
- patch kit
- tire levers
- pump
- chain tool
- master link for the chain- chains come in different widths based on the number of gears on the bike.
   count the number of gears on the cassette (on the rear wheel) to find out which link you need.
- multi-tool with allen wrenches and screwdriver
- rag
- duct tape
- energy bar
- wind jacket
- water or energy drink
- helmet - technically, you're not carrying it, but I don't want to leave it off the list!

I carry most of the repair items in a seat bag that hangs under my bike saddle. The pump goes in my backpack as do my lightweight wind jacket, a few snack bars and energy gels.

Tires
Before riding, make sure you have inflated your tires for the surface you'll be biking. For pavement rides, pump tires to near the highest recommended inflation listed on the sidewall of the tire. This will give you the most efficiency by giving the tires less rolling resistance. For dirt trail rides, lower the pressure to get a softer ride that offers more control.

Chain
Before riding, check your chain. Is it clumped with oil and dirt? Is it dry and dusty? A little squeaky? Wipe the dirt and grime off your chain by putting it in a workstand or leaning it against something in such a way that you can turn the cranks (pedals) of the bike backward freely. Wipe the chain with a cloth rag then apply some lightweight bicycle chain lube. Let the lube penetrate the dirt, then turn the pedals backward again while wiping the grime off. It should feel much easier to pedal after doing this.

Frame
Before riding, give your bike a light wipe down with a soft cloth. You can wipe dirt off the frame without getting it wet first, but if you want to get dust off and you have a spray bottle, you can spritz the frame then use a cloth to wipe down the frame. This is a good time to inspect the frame for damage. If anything seems cracked, take it to a shop to have it evaluated.

The first ride of the season is tomorrow, April 16. See you at Bartlett!

posted by Rose

Annual Meeting Time!

Our 2014 riding season is about to begin, but before we hit the trails, we have a couple events to help kick things off:

Wednesday, April 9, is our Annual Meeting. Not only will you find out what's going on with our group this year, but you will also meet new members, get to sign up to lead rides and have a chance to see other Divas without their helmets!

The meeting starts at 7:15 p.m. at Paramount Cycles, 1320 Huffman Park Drive (same building as Southside Bistro).

The following Monday, the 14th, is the Trailside Repair Clinic. This clinic is open to members only, so be sure you renew/join here so you can be in the loop on this skill clinic. It's hands-on, so bring a wheel and your tool kit.

How can one couple own this many tire levers and chain tools?

2014 Diva Calendar!

Though we have a foot of new snow on the ground, the summer riding season is just around the corner! The schedule has now been posted, so be sure to mark your calendar for all the rides and events, starting with the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 9. Please share the link far and wide with friends who would like to learn (or share) some mountain biking skills and meet a group of fun women to bike with.

New this year is our online membership form. It's quick and easy:
1) Fill out the form.
2) Choose your payment type.
3) Use the Paypal button to finish paying or mail a check.

Be sure to renew soon so you don't miss out on any of the fun. See you on April 9!

Ski for Women 2014

Divas at the starting line for the Party Wave. 
Linda had already raced and won an earlier event!



Maggi and Bev headed to the finish line.



Karen and Jo-Ann nearing the finish.



Karen and Maggi



Patti channeled her inner-Kikkan