Riding alone...

Recently a topic was started on the MMBA forum about riding alone. I wasn't surprised to read that others, like myself, ride alone a good portion of the time. I was, however, surprised to see one member comment that women should "beware" of riding alone and should take with them a male partner just in case. No, not surprised. More like "shocked and offended."

Now, I tend to think that when I ride alone on a mountain bike trail, my biggest risk is severely injuring myself and having to hike/stumble/crawl/lurch my way back to the trailhead, not that there's some molester there lying in wait to get me. And why should I?

Honestly, what kind of rapist sits around mountain bike trailheads waiting for women alone on bikes to show up? Not a very good one, that's what. And that's because the vast majority of the people mountain biking are dudes. It's just not an efficient place to scope out victims! Not like, say, a college campus.

Which brings me to my next point: if I was worried about being accosted by a rapist around every dark corner, well, I never would have managed to get home from my 6-9pm drawing classes at MSU. Now, I don't have a complete disregard for safety. On my bike I stick to daylight hours (though honestly, that's more due to the fact that I haven't yet invested in a nice set of lights) and keep my wits about me. I carry tools in case of a mechanical, and I know how to use them. I wasn't raised to be scared of what's in the dark*, and I'll be damned if I need a man to protect me from what lurks in it (and a scrawny man at that, since all of my male riding friends are anorexic roadies).

Of course, I'm also the kind of girl who goes on solo hikes, and solo camping trips, and solo adventures in general. Wow, that kind of makes me sound like a hermit. I'm not, I swear! But really, riding alone is great. There's nothing like spinning your legs, zoning out, and taking in a bit of nature with nobody there to interrupt. It's my zen.

*Save for that one time the power went out, and I freaked out and called two of my best guy friends at 1 in the morning shaking in a ball. That doesn't count though, not in this situation.

Well, that's going to leave a bruise...

Just the other night, I was discussing clipless pedals at a bar with a friend (I just re-read that sentence, and w-o-w, I have no life...) and stated that while I have my fair share of spills on my mountain bike, it's never been because I couldn't clip out in time.

I should've knocked on wood.

I rode Addison again today, and on one of the climbs I wasn't paying enough attention and my gearing was too high. As my pedaling slowed down I couldn't keep upright...and my feet locked up. And so I tipped over, and then slid down a hillside a little bit...when I stopped moving I was about eight feet away from the trail, and my face was inches away from the underside of my rear wheel. What the heck? How did that even HAPPEN?

Replaying the fall in my head, I still don't know how I ended up that way. I'm only a little scratched up, but my knee is already starting to swell. I'm going to have to check out my pedals (I use Crank Bro Candies); they've always been very easy to pop out of, but today I noticed a couple of times that they felt sticky and not as quick to disengage. It was probably a warning sign.

In other news, I recently made a trip to REI to pick up some gels (you can't beat the 20% discount...) and I found some new ride snacks to try out! There were some interesting ones, including some that look like malted milk balls, and hazlenut butter, and even some tasty-looking flavored honey things. So, over the next couple weeks, expect to find my reviews here.

First up: Power Bar Energy Gel Blasts.

There were two flavors at REI: Raspberry and Strawberry Banana. I went with the Strawberry Banana option because they contained caffeine. I was expecting them to have the consistency of Gushers, but they were more of a really tough gummy. They were actually pretty hard to chew, so I don't really think I'd recommend them for an on-the-bike snack. I think I'll be sticking with Gu for that. But they're nice if you're like me and stop between laps to enjoy a nice picnic. (Yes, that's grape juice and a PBJ sandwich in the background.)

Addison Oaks...well, that was fun, what's next?

I've finished moving back to my parents', which means I'm now a lot closer to a lot more trails. Today I explored Addison Oaks and had a good time. It was a fun, fast trail. That's how I like them—fast and sweepy, not too technical. Had some decent climbs, but not as many as I was expecting, given the hilly nature of the Oakland County dirt roads that surround the park. I'd get a better hill workout just by riding to the park, but that's a fair trade-off for having a trail like this so close.

Oh, and I think it's worth noting given my track record on new trails—I didn't wipe once, not even close! I'm getting better at this mountain biking thing, I think.

I loved how fast and sweepy this trail was!

The first of several caution signs...that means fun, right?

Right!

Could've done with less of these between the fast sweepies, though...

Actually, it would've been a lot more fun if the rock gardens were more spread out and less in number. I liked having two big rock gardens on Burchfield's main loop that I could bypass if I wished (or tackle if I was feeling spry!), but I didn't have that liberty at Addison Oaks, and there were a lot more of them...I wasn't counting, but seemed like eight or nine at least.

Post-ride picnic to end the day.

All in all, I had a good time today. I think next time I'll throw in a ride to Bald Mountain, too, because Addison Oaks (while fun, and quick) was not very challenging. I do need to bone up on my technical skills a bit, so I'm making that a goal for this year. I am also considering taking part in the Becoming an Outdoors Woman Mountain Bike Symposium this June at Stoney Creek. Does it sound worth it?

Oh, and in case you were looking for my pictures from Yankee Springs, click here to view them on Picasa.

Pretty, pretty pictures

Not of me though, sorry guys. Just a few photos I took at the training crit in Waterford last weekend.

My friend Nate leading the B pack through one of the twists on the track.

A racers. The turns on the course looked fun, and made me wish I'd brought my bike.

Unfortunately, I chose the wrong time to take a potty break and missed a great crash, arguably the most interesting part of the race! Now those would've been some fun pictures. That's what I get for keeping hydrated. Also, the firing range next door to this race was kind of annoying. I regretted not bringing my earplugs.

Next round of bike race pictures will be coming up shortly. On Sunday the 18th I'll be at Yankee Springs with my SLR in hand. :) See you there?

Oh, hello.

It's officially spring in Michigan, which means I've emerged from my annual winter hibernation.

I'm somewhat ashamed of myself, I really slacked off with my winter training. (As it turns out, hibernation and training don't exactly go hand in hand.) I was hoping to be prepared to ride at least a couple of training crits and maybe even Yankee Springs, but I'm still at the same condition I was 4 months ago. I've kept busy these past few months though. Met some great new friends, quit my job, did some freelance design work, and am now in the process of moving.

Yes, you read that right: I quit my job. You may remember that I hated it. A lot. Well, I'm feeling a lot better having left. I had an interview at a library last week, and I should hear back soon whether I got the job or not.

Also, I broke my helmet. I'm not sure what happened, I pulled it out of my bag and realized the restraint system pulled out of the side of the helmet. Probably just the culmination of a hard season's riding and some bad falls. I know you should replace a helmet after every crash, but until I master technical mountain biking skills, that's just not reality for me.

Spent. New Giro already on deck.

I'm really excited about an upcoming trip to Oregon (and hopefully Northern California) this July. Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring a bike with me, but I will be doing some awesome hiking trips. I'm keeping myself busy with planning and researching hikes and routes, with hopefully a few pit stops at some microbreweries! Rogue in Newport is on my list, and I'm searching for others.

In the mean time, I'm excited about the mountain biking trails that are (reasonably) close to my new locale. Addison and Bald Mountain are within riding distance, and a lot more are just a short drive away.