Kincaid - August 5

          Beautiful weather brought out a large group of Divas, anxious to ride at Kincaid!

Nancy's group had a fantastic time riding Middle Earth!

Kersten rides over the boards onto Northwest Passage, a super fun descent all the way down to the Coastal Trail.

Gess glides over the boards.

Nancy also rode the boards into the fun that is Northwest Passage!

Michele and Krista take a selfie with a large black bear in the distance!

The bear was hanging out where Boling Alley meets Mighty Bikes. (photo by Michele)

Several moose were also spotted by Divas on a fun-filled ride! (photo by Michele)

Powerline - August 8

Cloudy skies and cooler temperatures didn't deter these Divas who rode Powerline to the lakes and back.

A happy group at the lake.

Kristine stops to check out the scenery.

These divas are HAPPY!!! Yippee!

Kersten cruises by for a photo.

Kincaid-July 25

Rain, rain, go away, but it didn't! And 5 water-resistant Divas showed up to ride! Nancy led the way over to a soggy Boling Alley. We splashed through puddle after puddle after puddle, and ran into a moose with a calf. She was stubborn, so we retreated, hit Sandbox to Kitchen Sink to Tower Power and back to Boling Alley. But the moose and baby found us there, too! So, we wound our way back on the ski trails.

By the end of the ride, we were soaked and muddy, but what a fun ride!

Mirror Lake - July 18

More perfect weather greeted us at Mirror Lake where the trails were in perfect condition for a fabulous ride. Two loops make up 3 miles of ups and downs - at times very challenging! We did several loops, both directions, and had a great workout!

We found one of the Alaska Dirt Diva markers on the yellow loop! We donated money to help build the trails, and we have 2 markers out there - pretty cool!

Maggi let out a whoop whoop as she rounds a corner.

 JoAnn concentrated on making a curve after a steep climb.

Gloria was enjoying the ride!

Gloria and JoAnn show off their Diva shirts next to the matching Diva logo on the post.

Rose and Nancy took a moment to point out the post!

Kincaid - June 27

YA-HOOOOoooo!! A very enthusiastic group of Divas takes a photo break during a ride at Kincaid.

Hillside STAs - June 20

It was a warm and beautiful night for a ride on the Hillside STA single-track trails. We divided into a couple of groups and headed out.

After climbing Drone and Queen Bee, we stopped for a photo opportunity before heading on. Fun night, fun ride!

Kincaid Singletrack

Nancy's group was all about having fun, and the smiles prove it! And, we did some skill building along the way. YIPPEE!

Happy, happy group!

Bev's smile pretty much sums up our ride as she zips around the final Toilet Bowl curve.

Judy rocked the rocks on Tower Power.

Shelley ventured out on her FIRST-EVER mountain bike ride and she was awesome! She's a true Diva now!

Krista smoothly navigates a curve on Toilet Bowl.

Rae confidently climbs up Stairway to Heaven.

Diane also kicked Stairway's butt!

Bonnie, who was our sweep, glides around a curve on Toilet Bowl.

Spring Fling!

There was a wild assortment of costumes and colors in this year's Spring Fling. We gathered at Elderberry Park, headed out on the coastal trail, biked to Point Woronzof, and managed to avoid the rain.

Divas boasted rainbow colors and sparkly sneakers, and a lot of smiles!

Denise grabbed first place with her hilarious cowgirl costume, complete with a stick horse!

Kersten, who won 2nd place for her Where The Wild Things Are costume, helps keep Kaity - dressed in a sleeveless prom dress - warm.

Diana won first place for best bike, and Danielle won 2nd.

Shelley, Michele and Krista are ready to ride!

JoAnn wore her best dress for the occasion!

Julie and Katherine were very colorful Divas!

Kersten (2nd place, costume) even gave her bike a wild look!

Patti was an awesome hula girl!

Trailside Repair Clinic

Rose taught a trailside repair clinic at the Susitna Bicycle Institute (www.school.bike) - a great place to take all sorts of bike-related classes. We are so lucky to have Rose - she knows all kinds of stuff!!

Besides learning what tools we should carry with us, we learned about tires. tubes, fixing flats, dealing with tubeless tires, fixing a chain, chain rings and gear combinations, and preventative maintenance, including cleaning and lubing our chain.

We even learned that all the thingys (bike parts) actually have names! Haha.

Thanks to Susitna Bicycle Institute and to Rose for this helpful clinic.

Chester Creek/Campbell Creek

Noticeably warmer temperatures greeted us as we split into 2 groups to ride the Chester Creek and Campbell Creek trails.

Clouds hovered, but we didn't get rained on!

We paused at Westchester Lagoon for a group photo.

Julie was the leader of the Chester Creek riders.

Michele and Shelly take a selfie at Westchester.

Diva Season Begins!

The chilly, wintery weather didn't deter about a dozen Dirt Divas who kicked off the 2018 season with a Glenn Highway ride.  A hailstorm swept through before the ride, but it passed, and it was a successful, fun first ride.

Katherine led the ride, and took this photo of the happy group.

Safety check before each ride

Earlier this spring, I attended a Liv repair clinic at Paramount. At the clinic, the Liv representative gave us tips on caring for our bikes; shared pointers for fixing a flat; and demonstrated removing and reinstalling a wheel.

As we gear up for the riding season, I'm sharing that information here. Remember, each one of us should make sure we have all of the tools we need to handle any issue we have when on the trails. Numbers one and two on my list are making sure I have the right spare inner tube and the correct master link for repairing a broken chain. Please share your must-haves!

I hope this information is helpful! See you on the trails!

posted by rose

Meet and Greet!

This Wednesday, April 18 is our annual Meet & Greet. New members may wonder what this event is all about and whether they should attend. YES, you should definitely attend if you are a new member or curious about this group, and not just because there are snacks and prizes!

The Meet & Greet lets you meet other female mountain bikers and the group organizers. We talk about the mission of the group, philanthropy. and community involvement.

On the agenda are:
- the new MeetUp site
- the ride schedule
- ride leading
- rider safety (including helmet fit)
- out-of-town trips
- Diva gear

The event begins at 7:15 pm.
Thanks to our host, Paramount Cycles, for once again letting us take over the shop for our gathering.

Paramount Cycles is located at 1320 Huffman Park Drive (same building as Southside Bistro, in South Anchorage)

See you there!

April already? Get ready for summer!

The winter riding season is winding down, so it's time to start thinking about the summer riding season ahead. Here's a short checklist to get you ready for riding.

First, if you did not get your mountain bike tuned up at the end of the season last year, now is a good time to take it to your favorite shop for a tune. If the bike needs more extensive work like a fork overhaul or brake upgrade, the earlier you get it into the shop the earlier it will be ready for the dirt trails. Don't put off maintenance until the night before the first ride of the season or you may be sitting out a ride if parts must be ordered!

Next, take stock of your repair kit. Be sure you have the correct replacement inner-tube in your kit and that it does not have any holes (patch if needed). Be sure that you have all of the tools you need: multi-tool, chain tool, master link for the chain, tire levers, patches, a pump you know how to work, and all of the extras you like to carry.

Third, inspect your hydration pack. Was it leaking at the end of the season? You may need a new reservoir (aka bladder). Bring the old one with you when you go shopping so you get the correct size. You may need to replace all the pieces of the water system, right down to the bite valve, but better to know well ahead of the first ride. If you use water bottles, check the lids to make sure they don't leak when you tip them back for a drink. Now is a good time to replace old bottles.

Fourth, take a look at your helmet. Is it more than four or five years old? Has it already protected your head as you hit the ground? Has it never fit quite right? Now is the perfect time to invest in a new helmet. Most shops have staff who will help you find one that fits you and will help you adjust the straps.

These are just a few things to check before the spring and summer riding season begins. Be sure to mark your calendars for the Meet and Greet and all of the rides we have planned for 2018!