whitehorse



A bevy of Divas and bobs were biking in Whitehorse this last week.  Here's a postcard from Lori:

Hi there, just a quick note from the great white north. We are having a great time here in Whitehorse. Our campground is great and I loved my hot shower after today's ride. $1 for 5 minutes, splendid! We are all grouped together but have plenty of space. The downside we did not expect was finding out you can't drive your car back to the campsite. It was not very fun schlepping everything back by hand after a fifteen hour drive but we managed and got moving right at the crack of 10 this morning.

Our first ride divided into two groups. Maggi, Susan, Gloria and I took off down the shwalka lake trail and back to the local ski trails. These ended up being fun, flowy singletrack that took us back to another lake and along a beautiful ridge. The lupine is up and it was so fun and relaxing to just meander our way around. We actually followed the map pretty well! The other group consisted of Wendy, Kevin, two of their friends and susan's son caleb and his friend. They started on "Heartbreak Hill" and I heard it just got better from there.

The trails here are in such abundant supply! We could ride for weeks and never do the same trail twice. Maggi says to tell you we are doing lots of "Diva cross-training" which means walking up hills! Susan says the Dirt Divas are ripping it up!

We have been exploring downtown Whitehorse and biking around there. There is lots to see!
More rides tomorrow, wish we had everybody here to join us, it's great!

the antidote

I found the antidote to endless emails, long conference calls, short deadlines, and in general, too much sitting.  Even the cloudy cool summer day seemed to disappear.  If any of these sound like problems in your life, you probably need to ride with the Divas.



Thanks to Gloria for leading a fun DRY ride and to Bev, waving way in the back, for sweeping my out-of-shape shape around the Campbell Tract trails

what rain?

Katherine's report from the ride:

I am passing this photo along to you from last night's ride.  Six of us ventured up the Hillside trails and made it to the top.  (Where was everyone else?)  It turned out to be a nice evening for biking and also nice seeing Jo-Ann back to biking form. 

too busy (or injured) to blog

An observant Diva who's out of town and yearning for biking in Alaska was visiting the blog and noticed that we're a little behind.  Way behind!  The usual contributors to the blog - now known as the Shoulder Sisters - haven't been riding, so we don't have photos to post unless an able-armed Diva sends them to us.

So here are some highlights of Diva events in the last two months.  Thanks to Lori for the nudge and the photos of Trails Day.  Divas -- send some photos for us to post!

SPRING FORMAL

This annual event had all the usual pomp-and-circumstance-and-pagentry.

Lori, last year's Queen, complete with wings

Kristin, this year's queen, also with wings.

Katherine was crowned Princess, by last year's court, Kari and Lori

Michelle received the Sweetest Ride award for her bike decorations.

BEAR AWARE CLINIC

For the 2nd year, Yvette Gilles from USGS taught us how to be safe with bears and how to use bear spray.

Linda won the best-dressed category for bear spray application.  In the background, Kristin demonstrates the active stance.

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

Several Divas helped on the new singletrack trails at Kincaid Park.

Lori, Gloria, and Bonnie

Lori, Gloria, and Katherine at the junk car

Maggi and Lori

it is spring, after all

Another winter is about to end, though with several feet of snow on the ground it may not feel that way. Maybe that's why I keep forgetting to update this site! But April is here and tomorrow (!) is our first Diva gathering of the season. That's right. It's the annual meeting and Meet & Greet.

Join us on Wednesday, April 4, at 7:15 p.m. at Paramount Cycles. The shop is at 1320 Huffman Park Drive, in South Anchorage. If you've been wondering what the Divas are all about, this is a fun way to found out.

We'll talk about the upcoming riding season, have a ride-leader sign-up sheet and have a little something for all members to take home. We will also have membership forms for those who haven't yet renewed or for new members.

Bring your bike helmet so we can check the fit. We'll also have a helmet-decorating station where you can add some flair to your lid. There are sure to be tea and cookies, and I've heard rumors of prizes.

And just in case you're wondering, our new ride schedule is complete, just look under the main heading of this site for the "Fabulous Pages." Then start marking your calendar. See you Wednesday!

Snow Divas

Snow Divas at the Ski for Women: Jo-Ann, Bev, Stacey, Karen, Maggi, Anne, Patti, and Linda

Patti and Stacey - sisters from different mothers?

Bev and Stacey - the first time they don't match?

Thanks to Stacey for the photos from the Ski for Women and the VaMoose!

who is that masked woman?

Gloria in Willow