No 2 | August/September 2014
P. 1 | Mountain Bike for Her
COVER PHOTO: COLIN WILSON
4 • EDITOR’S NOTE 7 • MEET KATE RAU 12 • STARTING AT THE ROOTS: FEMALE ROLE MODELS 16 • IT’S DIRTY WORK— BUT SOMEONE’S GOTTA DO IT 22 • MOUNTAIN BIKING IS TO YOGA AS YANG IS TO YIN 28 • OF CRASHED CARS AND SWEET TRAILS 36 • THE SUGAR SHOWDOWN 44 • THE SWEET PEAS OF SUGAR SHOWDOWN 48 • THE LADIES OF SUGAR SHOWDOWN Mountain Bike for Her | P. 2
Photo: Colin Wilson
CONTENT
Photo: Charles Seaborn
CONTRIBUTORS
Ash Kelly has been riding since 2006. She moved from Edmonton to Vancouver in 2007 to spend some time on the North Shore trails. When not on one of her four bikes, Ash can be found trail building, backcountry skiing, sledding, cooking or reading a book.
Jennifer Charrette is the creator of pedaladventures.com. She lives under the San Juan mountains of Colorado with her husband and two sons. Her family is also dedicated to getting young kids interested in biking and health through their nonprofit, axelproject.com
Joh Rathbun is an Action Sports Writer and Shine MTB Coach & Ride Guide. To stay up to date on West Coast events, or ride with her, like her Facebook page, or contact her at johrathbun.wix. com/freelancewriter
Michelle Lambert is a cycling obsessed resident of the San Francisco Bay area. She loves being outside, training and exploring new trails. Michelle has been racing cross country mountain bikes off and on and 5 years ago she took up cyclocross as well.
Veda Gerasimek, most commonly known as Darth Veda, is a 15-year-old competitive mountain biker currently racing for the Whole Athlete / Specialized Team. She loves to write about her adventures in the sport and hopes to inspire more young girls to get involved. Visit theycallmedarthveda. weebly.com to follow her “offroad” to success!
Teresa Edgar is based in the Comox Valley in British Columbia, Canada. She can usually be found on one of her bikes, in a kayak, on her skis, or hiking in the backcountry. Teresa has been mountain biking since the ‘90s and founded Mountain Bike for Her in 2012.
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EDITOR’S NOTE There are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that we never hear about. It could be as simple as the story behind the name of a trail, to the people who are making the mountain bike scene what it is today. In this issue, we lift the curtain to give you a glimpse. We also chat with the participants of Seattle’s Sugar Showdown to find out what motivated them to participate and/or race. If you’re sitting on the fence about whether to give downhill a try, this might be your motivation... And for those of us who are finding that the hours on the bike are starting to catch up with our bodies, Dave McInnes from Bicycle Hub shares some of his favourite yoga moves to keep us limber! Teresa Edgar Publisher
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Photo: Leslie Farnsworth-Lee
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Advocacy
MEET KATE RAU Founder of the Colorado Mountain Bike League and advocate for getting teenagers on bikes.
By Jen Charrette
In 2009, Kate Rau merged her love of mountain biking and working with kids and founded the Colorado High School Cycling League, which brings together teenage mountain bikers from across the state to ride and race several times a year as they represent their schools. The Colorado league is the first league outside California and has sparked a movement with 10 other states joining together to make up the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). Kate’s job as the Director of the Colorado League is an example of crafting your life around your passion. In 2008, Kate met Gary Fisher and they had a brief discussion about starting a league in Colorado. He told her, “Oh, that’s easy,” and sent her a documentary about the Northern California League. From there, Rau took the initiative and made high school racing in Colorado a reality just one year later.
In her own words, Kate tells us about her dream job and how mountain bike racing can help young girls find confidence and passion. Tell me about how you came to start the Colorado Mountain Bike League. Many paths led me to starting the Colorado League. My primary motivation is to provide positive opportunities for youth to shine. My background is varied from environmental consulting to youth intervention programs to outdoor education as a ski/snowboard and mountain bike coach. I have a Masters in Education and believe that high school can be a very challenging time. We encounter so much physical, intellectual, and emotional changes from age 14 to 18 it seems like four decades of development crammed into four short years that are instrumental in establishing our behaviours and lifestyle choices. P. 7 | Mountain Bike for Her
Photo: Leslie Farnsworth-Lee
Adolescence is a fascinating time period where you change so much and many kids get lost or derailed. The more opportunities we have for youth to develop passion, become self-sufficient, set goals, create a strong sense of affiliation and belonging, while maintaining and expanding their unique individuality the better - whether it is playing the saxophone, building robots, gardening, photography, etc. Immediately prior to starting the Colorado League, I was the training coordinator at Eldora Mountain Resort and program manager of the Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA), a junior mountain bike program that is celebrating 21 years! I worked there for 15 years. My experience in the mental health arena guiding teens, young adults, and families in various stages of transition provided me with a lot of insight. I believe that being in Mountain Bike for Her | P. 8
nature while engaged in positive healthy activities surrounded by great role models (coaches and peers) where your parents may choose to get involved is a fantastic method to build a strong foundation during a tumultuous time period. One of the most rewarding comments I heard was from a parent who said, “The Colorado League series guarantees that I will spend 4 weekends in the fall camping and riding with my teenage son.� What is the percentage of boys/girls? 80/20 and changing toward more parity
. I saw in a recent press release that NICA has grown 30 percent since last year. Is participation by girls growing? Participation from girls is steadily increasing. In 2013, we hit a solid 20
percent with 120 girls racing. Obviously, I want to see this increase and more teams are actively recruiting girls. The team scoring formula requires that both genders are represented, if not you forfeit points. For example, if you are a Division 2 team of 15 or less riders and you do not have any girls, your team only earns points for three of the possible four riders who can score. How can mountain biking help high school students?
Many student athletes and parents state how being involved in the Colorado League helped them with a variety of issues from losing weight, being more focused, becoming more self-confident, finding a welcoming community of friends, to overcoming depression. What is the family dynamic for training and races? Is it similar to soccer or different? How?
Photo: Leslie Farnsworth-Lee
I am biased, of course, and I think there are infinite ways interscholastic mountain biking positively impacts youth. First and foremost you are outside having fun! Oxygenating your brain is critical to healthy functioning. Three books that strongly influenced my path are: “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman, “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey, and “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. The theories and observations demonstrated by these authors reflect the importance of establishing a strong sense of self, exercising, and being outside for healthy human development.
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I cannot speak for soccer because that is an arena I know little about. What I do know is many parents are coaches or ride leaders for mountain bike training. At races the parents are often instrumental in getting the team organized with food, lodging/camping, travel, and providing mechanical support. Parents are critical volunteers during the races and we use over 100 volunteers every race. They are course marshals, help with staging, assist at the finish line, timing tent, course marking, registration, and venue set up and tear down. The parents are very involved and take ownership in the event running smoothly, that all riders are safe, and they cheer for everyone not only their team or individual racer. The camaraderie and mutual support that develops, regardless of your skill, is special. Also, NICA recommends a ratio of 6:1 athletes to coaches or ride leaders. This engages many community members, often parents, with local high school students. Adults and teens engage in a positive, healthy, outdoor activity. I strongly believe in the benefits of mentoring and the League team format fosters that environment on several levels: between adults and teenagers, seniors and freshman, and experienced and novice riders. 

 What do you love the most? This is a tough one and seeing teenagers and their parents outside having a blast creating incredible memories is probably the best! It brings me so much joy to witness this at races because often teenagers and parents or adults can be at odds. I am a huge believer in the power Mountain Bike for Her | P. 10
of mentoring. Observing the interactions between adults, teenagers, and the older more experienced athletes guide and support the younger novice riders is so heartening. When a rider has a bad day and their entire team surrounds them and meets them at the finish - regardless of their placement - it is so heartwarming. They are acknowledged and validated for their extreme effort not the points they earned. Every race there is a story of a rider or team digging deep, overcoming a challenge, or learning from lack of preparation, and getting back on the bike. I think every situation is a teachable moment and the culture of the community allows that to occur in a safe environment. There is no shaming or criticism of competitors or rival teams. I also love supporting the development of teams throughout the region, and meeting so many incredible people who are committed to trails. Looking for race venues and the Coach Summit are extremely rewarding. Dedicated coaches and welcoming land managers are integral to providing this amazing opportunity for all involved. Can you comment on how NICA is different than other team sports? Example: Does everyone participate, how do you handle super competitive and talented riders with novice riders? No one sits on the bench when you are on a high school mountain bike team. Everyone earns individual points even when you come in last. The only time you do not earn points is if you have a DNF. The more competitive riders typically race in the varsity category similar to cross-country running. The race crew and
coaches make every effort to instill a sense of courteous competition as this is not a World Cup race after all. The more experienced riders know how to pass and the less experienced riders typically allow them to without much friction. Are they any girl specific camps or training or is everyone mixed together? At the Coach Summit, we guide coaches on how to make team practices welcoming to girls by suggesting some girls-only fun rides and/or skill sessions where the girls may be less selfconscious. We make efforts at recruiting female coaches as well. Typically, after a few weeks of practice the girls and boys are mixed. Every team is different based on the individual make up. Most teams divide the practice according to skill and endurance versus gender. Can you give me an example of a girl’s life that was positively impacted by joining NICA? There are many of these! After the first season a female rider’s mom wrote me and expressed how her daughter never viewed herself as an athlete until joining the mountain bike team. She lost 20 pounds over the season and ended up going out for the Nordic team. Another female rider was struggling with adjusting to high school, and her participation on the mountain bike team became a lifeline and she blossomed.
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Mentorship
STARTING AT THE ROOTS: FEMALE ROLE MODELS Everything begins with inspiration. By Veda Gerasimek Female mountain bikers are a small population and role models are few and far between. Sure, there are many professional cyclists who have outstanding achievements in the sport, but how many do you consider to be role models? Not many. I would like to share the “roots” of my cycling journey and how female role models inspired me. I remember my 10-year-old self watching Emily Batty (Canadian Olympian) at a race. I was fascinated by the sport and excited to watch a young female do something so adventurous. When the race was over, Emily came over to me, we talked, and she gave me a big hug. Ever since then, I have been one of her biggest fans. Just from this simple acknowledgement, I was inspired. When I saw Emily for a second time, she gave me a pair of gloves. I cannot even tell you how much I worshipped those gloves! It is amazing how something that simple can make someone feel so special. The next year, I attended a women’sonly skills clinic with Georgia Gould Mountain Bike for Her | P. 12
(American Olympic Bronze Medallist) and I gravitated towards her humorous and approachable personality. I love how Georgia, a world-class racer, encourages her fans to “heckle” her during races. People adore her no matter what place she gets and that is a true testament to what a role model should be like. Not all inspiration comes from famous professionals, though. In my third year of racing, I moved out of the junior category and started racing with the Cat 3 women. Many of the local women were supportive of my bold decision to race with the “big dogs” and not the little kids. Just a few words of encouragement from these women boosted my confidence and I became a more mature racer. But when I became a real contender, I encountered some bullying from other adults. As a 12-year-old, I was distraught and unable to comprehend why I was receiving disapproving looks and unkind words from what I thought was my community. Looking back, I realize that some of the women were
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not fond of the healthy competition that I, as a young racer, established. I was discouraged and never felt like I could celebrate my improvement as a racer. In all honesty, I considered hanging my bikes up and finding something else to do. My passion for bike racing was still there, but my inspiration was not. I decided to change my race schedule to be around different people and, fortunately, my new competitors were welcoming and positive. If you ever encounter a young racer looking to improve themselves, please take one minute to encourage them and make them feel supported and accepted. I personally know how much of an impact that can have. I have been racing ever since and things are beginning to come full circle. I saw two little girls at one of my races and they were uneasy about riding over the rocks. Since Mountain Bike for Her | P. 14
the kids’ race was before mine, I decided to “ghost” them so they would feel safe. They kept exclaiming, “Veda! Look how far I rode through the rocks!” and “This is so fun!” Following the race, their mom pulled me aside and told me that the girls really looked up to me. It felt amazing to be the source of inspiration for those little girls just like Emily and Georgia were for me. I want to continue their legacy and be an ambassador for mountain biking. I aspire to become a professional, but above all things, I want people to think of me as a thoughtful and good-natured person. In life, that will always grant you more opportunities than results alone. I will never forget why I started mountain biking and I am passionate about establishing the same “roots” for other little girls.
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Travel
IT’S DIRTY WORK— BUT SOMEONE’S GOTTA DO IT Legalizing mountain biking in Santa Cruz County By Joh Rathbun Like British Columbia, Santa Cruz County is a mountain biking destination. But, while British Columbia recognizes mountain biking as a valid form of recreational tourism, Santa Cruz County falls short. Santa Cruz County has a history of unmet legitimate trails and bike parks usage, with the result being a network of illegal trails on the backside of the University of Santa Cruz, California (UCSC) and Henry Cowell, as well as mountain bikers poaching hikingonly trails in Wilder Ranch State Park, The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, (Nisene Marks), The Land of Medicine Buddha, Santa Cruz City’s Pogonip Park, and Delaveaga Park.
rules of no night-riding and quiet time consistently enough to ban all mountain bikers there forever.
PARKS WITH LEGAL SINGLETRACK
Santa Cruz City’s Pogonip Park has a history of being a hot-bed of heroin dens, with the resulting illegal fires, toxic hazards left as trash, crime, and the city’s resources spent, The Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MboSc), a non-profit that focuses on multi-use trail advocacy, rallied to get both Cal Fire and the City of Santa Cruz on board in developing a multi-use
The Land of Medicine Buddha is a monastery, and therefore privately owned. Up until three years ago, mountain bikers were allowed to ride through, as their property is adjacent to Nisene Marks. Unfortunately, a handful of mountain bikers disregarded the Mountain Bike for Her | P. 16
Nisene Marks’ lower trails are bikefriendly, but the higher ones like Hoffman’s, Water Tower and West Ridge are illegal. On the other side of the Santa Rosalita Ridge, though, is the Soquel Demonstration Forest which is one of the few legal places in the Bay Area that offer technical yet legal singletrack. Map of Nisene Marks Recommended Ride: The lower trails like Aptos Creek trail are legal for mountain biking.
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trail through the part of the park known as “Heroin Hill.” The resulting Emma McCrary Trail (EMT) is a testament to club, as well as to the outdoor enthusiasts willing to work with others to rid the park of such nefarious activities. This is the first trail built in Santa Cruz County since the University Connector Trail (U-Conn) went in 10 years ago. One can access that trail via Rin Conn in Pogonip, or via highway 9, but be aware that any trail on UCSC’s property, and the adjacent Henry Cowell State Park is illegal—and is degrading sensitive habitat. Map of EMT at Pogonip Park Recommended Ride: The Emma McCrary Trail to the U-Conn Trail to Chinquapin Road through Twin Gates into Wilder State Park. The rerouted Old Boar is some of the only, yet quality singletrack in that park. Mountain Bike for Her | P. 18
Santa Cruz City’s Delaveaga Park has about three different trails of singletrack that one can string together to access the top of the park--’The Top of the World’-a world-famous disc golf course’s vista of the Pacific Ocean. Since one must cross the golf course to loop the run, one is encouraged to do an ‘out and back’ ride. Map of Delaveaga Park Recommended Ride: Redwood Lower Loop to Branciforte Creek Trail to the Corona Trail, which takes you to the Top of the World, and down the Corona Trail to the Enchanted Trail to the Delaveaga Upper Loop. Soquel Demonstration Forest is considered a working forest—it’s used recreationally as well as harvested for lumber—and is the only one with any
Photo by Clayton Ryon elevation gain (2200’). With a network of technical terrain crawling down the Santa Rosalita ridge towards San Jose, “Demo” is where the Santa Cruz Super Enduro holds its race and is used all year by Bay Area riders.
the Coastal Redwoods, five different micro-climates, and obscenely gorgeous beaches is the lifestyle that any outdoor enthusiast craves. Because of these factors, many big-named bike companies call Santa Cruz home. The list entails:
Map of Demo Recommended ride: Up Highland Way, right at Buzzard’s Lagoon. Follow the fire road up approximately 2 miles to access the Ridge Trail head. Follow Ridge trail to Saw Pit, and then back out and up Hihn’s Mill Road to Demo’s parking lot.
• • • • • • •
PUMP TRACKS With Santa Cruz being just over the hill from the South Bay/Bay Area—and a booming population—our sleepy town is a destination spot for the Valley. Including
Santa Cruz Bicycles X-Fusion Ibis Fox Racing Shox Easton/Bell Sports Specialized (Morgan Hill) Kali Protectives (San Jose)
Boutiques: • Caletti Calfee • Rock Lobster • The dude near the pumptrack With MboSC riding their momentum, and from the support of these bike companies, P. 19 | Mountain Bike for Her
Photo by Colin Wilson
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over 20 years worth of effort are finally culminating in the first legal MUT built in 10 years—the EMT. In addition to that success, the past few years have seen an explosion of pump tracks in Santa Cruz County. Aptos Pump track—behind Epicenter Cycling—at 8035 Soquel Drive in Aptos. The bike shop worked with MboSC. Capitola Pump track—Ozzie Dog Park Inc is leading the charge for the track on MacGregor Drive in Capitola. It has not broken ground yet. Chanticleer Pump track—Chanticleer Park Neighbors worked with Scott Veach to build the track at 1975 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz. Felton—Velocity Bike Park—the first of its kind in the area—it will include a pump track, dirt jumps, an air bag, and a flow trail. Planned on the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center at 37 Conference Drive in Mt. Hermon, funds have already been allocated for the project and they are in the permit phase of developing the park. Santa Cruz County Polo Grounds Park (Polo Grounds)—dug and maintained by locals like the A Team—it’s located at 2255 Huntington Drive, Aptos. West Side Pump Track—Another Bike Shop and Santa Cruz Bicycles worked together to manifest this track on Ow Property. Conveniently across from Santa Cruz Bicycles is at 100 Western Drive in Santa Cruz.
being built this year with the help of the city of Scotts Valley, Cycle Sports and MboSC on Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley. With only a handful of legitimate singletrack for Santa Cruz County and the South Bay — and with millions of outdoorloving enthusiasts—MboSC has organized and began meeting that unmet need. While MboSC has been around for over 10 years, it’s only been in the past five years that they’ve gained the momentum to create a mountain-bike friendly culture in Santa Cruz County with the success of the EMT, the Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival, and it’s off-shoot, the Santa Cruz Super Enduro. Mark Davidson, President of MboSC, said about the potential pump track in Scotts Valley,“it has always been a legal/insurance issue that needed to be resolved and that should happen very soon. We have to wait when PT contractor is in town and free, rent the equipment, and buy the dirt to get this done. Bell Sports and Fox Racing Shox have contributed financially to this project—thank you— but we are still raising funds. Scotts Valley Cycle Sport is hosting a drawing for a bike for donations to the pump track project. You can donate online or in person at Scotts Valley Cycle sport.” So, while we’ve created some momentum, we must continue getting traction through fundraisers, goodwill among different trail users, and sweat equity. And just like British Columbia, we won’t stop, because it don’t stop.
Scotts Valley Pump track at Sky Park— P. 21 | Mountain Bike for Her
Wellness
MOUNTAIN BIKING IS TO YOGA AS YANG IS TO YIN Dave Mcinnes shares his favourite yoga poses to help keep you nimble on the trails!
Words & Photos By Ash Kelly
If what you love about mountain biking is the adrenaline, speed, or inherent risk, it stands to reason that yoga may not be high on your list of things to do. A growing number of testimonials suggest yoga and mountain biking are less oil and water than one might assume. Professional rider, coach, and certified yoga teacher, Lorraine Blancher says practicing yoga daily brings balance to her outdoor lifestyle. “I think of yoga as body maintenance; maintaining full range of motion of your joints. If you can maintain full range of motion of your joints, add a strong core so you have structural alignment. If you maintain, develop, and increase that, it’s going to make your riding better,” says Blancher. Mountain Bike for Her | P. 22
Yoga classes generally cost $15 to $20 to drop in, and up to $150 a month for a membership, which means they just aren’t accessible to everyone. Blancher says it can be helpful to go to a few classes to learn the basics and make sure your posture and alignment are correct, but after that she says working on your personal practice at home is a great way to increase strength and flexibility. “You don’t need to go to an organized class just like you don’t go mountain biking in group rides all the time. It’s cool to go when you want to go, but sometimes just going for that solo ride or with one or two friends is what you want,” says Blancher. After four years of doing yoga, North Vancouver rider, BC Cup downhill racer and owner of Bicycle Hub service only
Headstand A seemingly lofty goal for most beginners, the headstand works on core and stabilizer muscles. Those who know Dave best would likely have never guessed he’d be demonstrating headstands in the future. P. 23 | Mountain Bike for Her
bike shop, Dave McInnes says yoga has and faster healing times. had a massive impact on his riding. While the benefits are becoming more “Yoga has helped me strengthen my widely accepted in the outdoor community, core and fine motor control muscles, has the word yoga can still invoke a level of improved my flexibility, and given me skepticism in some circles. valuable mental tools like meditation and focus, which have all helped my racing “Yoga - the word kind of gets used like and riding. Physically, I have noticed a the word organic, but like organic it’s huge difference in my riding position and nothing. It became trendy and people strength, especially over longer courses like to trash on it, but organic is nothing or tracks. Cornering and pedalling benefit new . . . it’s kind of been skewed. That’s directly from the strength yoga has given how I feel Yoga is. Take the word Yoga and me,” says McInnes. make it whatever you want. Just think of it as body maintenance; maintain range of Blancher says upper body and core motion in your two main joints: your hips strength are major factors in preventing and shoulders and then getting your core crashes from happening in the first place. strong.” says Blancher. Having the ability to be strong on the bike and recover from mistakes keeps the rider Lululemon ambassador Ryan Leech gave upright and away from major accidents. yoga a try at the behest of his friends When a crash does happen, having good who suggested it would help him with his flexibility can mean less severe injuries injuries. In his video From the Mountains to the Mat Leech explains how yoga has improved his health and his cycling. Riding constantly can create muscle imbalances, such as over developed hamstrings, tight calves or lower backs, which can make the first few yoga classes difficult and intimidating. To get you started, Dave McInnes takes us through a few poses he found beneficial early in his practice. Disclaimer: Consulting a certified yoga instructor can be an important first step to ensure the prevention of injury, especially at the beginning of your practice. If you feel any pain, stop immediately.
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Cat Cow Cat Cow is a great beginner pose that works the spine and stretches the core. It also helps with the movement of breath which is an essential part of any practice.
CAT
To start, kneel with knees hip-width apart, hands under the shoulders. Fingers should be spread apart and pressing evenly into the mat. Breathe in to cow pose while lifting the head high and into a back bend. Breathe out into cat pose while working the back into an arch one vertebrae at a time. Bring the chin to chest at the same time. Repeat this cycle several times.
COW
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Plank Plank pose is an accessible core strengthener that works fingers, arms, shoulders and legs. It combats the causes of arm pump and core fatigue while on the bike. A strong core means more control while on the bike. To start place hands directly under shoulders, lift knees, bum, and shoulders into a straight line. Keep back straight throughout the pose. Avoid lowering chin to chest, instead lkeeping neck in line with spine.
Dolphin Plank Similar to plank pose, but slightly easier. If you begin to tire in plank pose try moving into dolphin by placing elbows on the ground.
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Hip Opener This low-lunge like pose is great for opening the hip flexors. If you have tight hips as many riders do, there are several complimentary poses such as pigeon and butterfly that can work the hips open. Having full range of motion in this area allows riders to maintain better position while cornering and avoid fatigue and groin injuries. To start, move into high lunge position with forward knee above ankle, rear knee can be on the ground for an easier stretch, or lifted for a more advanced position. The same arm as the forward leg moves under the knee and rests outside the foot. Ensure the knee stays above the ankle, a common mistake is to allow it to open to the outside which can cause injury.
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Exploration
OF CRASHED CARS AND SWEET TRAILS Do you know the historical background of your trails?
Words By Michelle Lambert
When you are flying down your favourite trail, do you know the history of the area within which you are mountain biking? Maybe the trail is only 10-years-old, or perhaps it could be 300 hundred years old? Maybe it was used by pioneer settlers or possibly an historical event may have occurred in that very spot? Is today’s kick ass singletrack trail yesterday’s method of livelihood for someone, or even perhaps the front-line of a war battle? As mountain bikers, we often fly through the trails by the seat of our pants, sometimes not noticing what is going on around us. I have ridden some trails hundreds of times without ever noticing that there was a possible piece of history lying just off the trail - that is until I had to stop to fix a flat and happened to notice it. Researching the history of your local riding spot can reveal many undiscovered Mountain Bike for Her | P. 28
things. See an old abandoned house? Find an old, rusted car? Or wreckage from an airplane crash? By just doing a little investigating you might be surprised at what you find! MORE THAN JUST A STEEP HILL I’ve been spending a lot of time climbing Montara Mountain, which is just north of my house. Located in Northern California near the city of Pacifica, it is an area long steeped in history. Montara Mountain, along with San Pedro Mountain, forms the northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountains which is the long narrow range of peaks which separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. Its highest point rises to 1,898 feet (579m) above sea level. The ride starts near the sea with a gradually climbing, partly paved road that quickly escalates into
Photo by Rick Lambert
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A CRASHED CAR IS VISIBLE ON THE HILLSIDE AS MICHELLE CLIMBS OLD SAN PEDRO MOUNTAIN ROAD ABOVE.
Photo: Clayton Ryon
a tough fire road climb that winds its way through scrubby chaparral terrain. The the last part of the climb is a legblowing 18 percent average grade with peak grades of 24 percent. As I proceed up the climb, coyote brush, sagebrush, and monkey-flower line the trail and the colourful blooms dance around me as a gentle breeze waves them to and fro. Hummingbirds buzz my bright helmet as I try to ignore the pain in my legs and continue to plow my way to the top. There is no candy coating this climb - it’s tough! Off to the side of the trail and partway down the ravine, I notice what appears to be the remnants of a rusted, old car, ripped apart and smashed flat against the soil. Seeing this car sparks my curiosity. How did it crash and why would anyone in their right mind drive a car up a narrow Mountain Bike for Her | P. 30
loose fire road with cliffs on both sides? As I continue up the trail, I notice several more cars littering the hillside below. Why are there so many wrecked cars? I could not help but to wonder if the people driving these cars survived the crashes. I focus on the trail itself and notice it’s covered with a sparkly, tan-coloured, granite gravel which makes for a slippery surface. Through the lactic acid pain, I manage to think that all those sparkles look cool especially on a bright sunny day like this!. I continue my relentless march to the top - the view is insane: the distant monolith of Mount Diablo, grass-covered Sweeney Ridge, mountainbike-legend Mount Tamalpais, the city of San Francisco, and Monterey Bay all presenting themselves on this sunny day. This beautiful view just about makes up
Photo by Rick Lambert
for all the suffering I’m doing to make myself a better climber. I pass two more wrecked cars - almost there. I don’t think I’m going to beat the fog, though, which is rolling in fast and by the time I reach very top the view is obscured by thick fog. I take a quick break to catch my breath and zip up my vest to head back down for one of the coolest downhills around. It takes concentration because all that cool, sparkly, granite makes for a sketchy descent. With a very steep cliff on both sides, I don’t want to end up lying on the side of the trail like one of the cars that litters the landscape from a time gone past. After a few rides up Montara, I decided to research the area to learn more about what the trail was originally created for. I was also very curious to find out what the deal was with all the old cars littering the hillsides. After researching online, I soon discover that the main trail was actually a road in the early 1900’s. Originally called Coastside Highway, Old San Pedro Mountain Road served as the main road between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay.
I can’t imagine navigating a large, oldfashioned automobile with a weak engine, skinny tires, and poor brakes up and over Montara Mountain via this slippery, granite-covered mountain road. The drop-offs on both sides of the trail are enough to make me slightly nervous about bombing down Old San Pedro Mountain Road on my agile modern mountain bike, so I definitely would not want to experience these mountain trails by car! In 1937, an easier route was built and motorists started using the new route instead. After World War II, Old San Pedro Mountain Road was closed to automobile traffic. MICHELLE RIDING A SECTION OF SINGLETRACK DIRECTLY INSIDE THE IMPACT POINT OF A PLANE CRASH.
I found several quotes from the time period, including one from Motoring Magazine, which ominously warned that “Pedro Mountain Road is in such poor condition that anyone going this way is simply inviting disaster.” In 1915, when people started motoring over Old San Pedro Mountain Road it was a narrow, steep, winding road which was never in good condition. The steepest sections of this route were virtually impassible to automobiles, with a grade of 24 percent. According to historians, large visible signs were placed at the beginning of Old San Pedro Mountain Road which warned motorist about the dangers of the road. P. 31 | Mountain Bike for Her
THE VIEW FROM NEAR THE TOP OF MONTARA MOUNTAIN, LOOKING TOWARDS THE TOWN OF PACIFICA AND SAN FRANCISCO BEYOND.
Looking over these old photos of Montara Mountain, I see the basic trails have not changed much since 1915. Only the wrecked cars on the sides of the trails are there to remind current and future trail users of an era gone by. DEEP WOODS AND A PLANE CRASH Majestic old growth Redwoods, lush green ferns, and more, reigns supreme in a place called El Corte De Madera (ECDM). Fourteen miles southeast of Montara, and also located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, ECDM is stunning place to ride with giant redwood trees surrounding some superb singletrack and awesome kamikaze downhills. Sharply defined from the exposed chaparral of Montara, this is lush forest, which in the past has been subject to heavy logging of its rich population of old-growth redwood trees. As you Mountain Bike for Her | P. 32
navigate your bike through this place it’s so overgrown with big leafy ferns, waterfalls, and healthy green Pacific rainforest plants - you would swear a velociraptor is lurking around the next corner! We have never actually seen a dinosaur, but we have seen tons of other cool creatures while riding here including deer, wood rats, banana slugs, and the rough-skinned newt. The ultimate place for mountain biking in the area, local riders know this place simply as “Skeggs”, named after Skeggs Point, which is a vista point and the parking lot used for trail access. Trails vary from fire roads so steep they’ll make you want to cry to well marked shady singletrack. With roots, rocks, sharp drops, fast berms, brutal climbs, wicked downhills, and creek crossings this place has everything you could possibly throw at a mountain biker. I have been riding
Photo by Rick Lambert Skeggs for many years and wondered about its past. This place just seems to be steeped in mystery and history. I heard from other mountain bikers that Skeggs has some really cool history. After one of my rides in the park I decided to find out more information about one of my favourite riding places. With a little digging, I discovered that a DC-6 airplane had crashed deep in the woods of ECDM in October 1953. The plane was called the “Resolution” and it met its unfortunate demise against the rugged mountainside one foggy morning. The aircraft was flying the last leg of a Sydney-San Francisco flight when it crashed in Skegg’s mountainous terrain on approach to the San Francisco Airport. There was a thick blanket of fog covering the mountainside and the aircraft - carrying 11 passengers and
eight crew members - crashed directly into the side of the mountain. There were no survivors. The crash caused a subsequent forest fire and many of the scorched trees are still black today from the intense heat of the fire. Singletrack now runs directly through the spot where the aircraft crashed. Appropriately, the trail is named “Resolution” after the plane and it’s a very cool, rocky, singletrack trail along a ledge that winds its way up to the top of the park. While riding on the Resolution trail, you will notice the ecosystem changing from forest to chaparral as you enter the old fire zone. If you stop about halfway through, you can still see the debris from the plane that is still there today. Looking around that area, you can actually see the crater-like scar in the hillside that the plane created when it slammed against the mountain. P. 33 | Mountain Bike for Her
A PIECE OF WRECKAGE LIES JUST SEVERAL FEET OFF THE SINGLETRACK
A monument dedicated to the plane and passengers was erected in 2009 at a vista point near the top of the trail. Flags and flowers are still placed around the monument by well-wishers in tribute to those who died that day. I also discovered that Skeggs was a motorcycle park in 1970s, which was used by a local off-road club who created the basis for today’s extensive network of mindbogglingly, kick-ass trails that are perfect for thrashing you to a pulp. The extensive logging in the area occurred up until 1988, when the 35 miles of trails were acquired by the Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserve District who turned it into a park for everyone to enjoy. Mountain Bike for Her | P. 34
Photo by Rick Lambert
a piece of wreckage lies just several feet off the singletrack
THE MONUMENT ERECTED FOR THE PLANE CRASH VICTIMS
INVESTIGATE YOUR TRAILS Next time you come back from a ride, take a little time to find out a few interesting facts or trivia about your favourite park. While you are there, take a closer look around and look for the details. As trail users and mountain bikers, it is important for us to be aware of the history and events that may have occurred in places we love to ride. Informing yourself with local history and knowledge will make your ride that much more awesome when you swoop down a singletrack or bust your ass up a climb and know that these incredible trails you are enjoying have a colourful past. ď Ž
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Discovery
THE SUGAR SHOWDOWN It isn’t your Mama’s mountain biking camp, but you should sign her up anyway. Words & Photos By Ash Kelly The seventh Sugar Showdown -- an allfemale freeride and slopestyle mountain bike event -- took place on July 5 and 6 in Issaquah, Washington with over 45 registered female shredders. Like previous Showdowns, the first day of coaching was followed by a freestyle competition on Sunday. Besides the obvious focus on developing females in the sport of freeride, there was no clear demographic which defined the group. Riders ranged in age from 6 to 53. They came from as far as Prince George, British Columbia and Oakland, California. They came alone, in pairs, and as families. This year the Sweet Peas (6 to 9-year-olds) and Sugar Cubes (10 to 14-year-olds) sat with Kat Sweet to watch the pro competition. “Hearing them cheer at the top of their lungs, especially when 13-year-old Kaytlin Melvin sent the 20’ Rooster Booster into the five-foot drop bridge, that’s when I realized the impact of what we are doing for women in our sport,” said Sweet. Mountain Bike for Her | P. 36
In all aspects of its operation, the Showdown embraces progression as its driving force. Participants from previous years - like Lisa Mason of the Women’s Freeride Movement - have become coaches while other coaches have moved on to help run the event and competition like coach and event emcee Angie Weston. “The coaches working with me are amazing women, professionally trained and certified coaches, and super into jumping bikes. I have a base crew of women working with me then I bring in different guest coaches at each event. I also have assistant coaches, some are certified or interested in getting trained,” said Sweet. For returning riders, the unanimous consensus was that the quality of coaching brought them back to Duthie Hill. Tyler Griffen’s mom, Trish, said the biggest thing the Sugar Showdown had given her was confidence.
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“I trust that they won’t let me progress to something that I’m not ready for,” said Griffen. “My goal for today is to have a little more style.” The advanced group, coached by Stephanie Nychka and Lisa Tharp, spent their afternoon session on “Semper Dirticus,” a trail that starts with a pair of intermediate jumps followed by a large step-down with a case pad, a seven-foot-drop, a series of gap jumps, and a large wall-ride. Sessioning the features one by one, they worked as a team to pinpoint exactly what was required to succeed and look good doing it. By the end of the day, the entire group was hitting most of the line and was well prepared for Sunday’s competition. Some of the advanced riders - like Vancouver’s Lalena Desautels - moved into the pro category for Sunday. At the Sugar Showdown, learning and progressing are guaranteed outcomes for participants that come with an open mind and a willingness to push their boundaries. The sponsors, the dedicated coaches, the generous volunteers, and the tried and tested structured progression are all a part of what makes the Showdown a success again and again. But it’s the ladies, the riders, who make it a unique event where the growth of women’s freeride is fostered year after year.
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RESULTS: PRO COMP – $540 CASH PURSE
AMATEUR
1st ($200 + Fox Fork) – Lauren Heitzman - Tribe Sports, Mojo Wheels, Dirty Jane, Honey Stinger
2nd – Trish Griffen
2nd ($150)- Stephanie Nychka 3rd ($100) – Lisa Tharp - Black Market 4th ($50) – Lalena Desautels – Dirty Jane, Sweetlines 5th ($40) – Carolyn Kavanaugh Movement)
– (Women’s Freeride
6th – Alycia Maggard – Bikes Plus 7th – Lynne Armstrong – (Air Maiden) Evolution Bike Shop 8th – Wendy Palmer
– (Moab Mountain Bike Instruction)
Shredly, Chile Pepper Bike Shop
9th – Lisa Mason
RaceFace, Summit Sport
– (Women’s Freeride Movement) Bell,
10th – Kaytlin Melvin AllSport Dynamics
1st – Amanda Bishop
- Evil Bikes, Burlington Bike Park,
11th – Cortney Knudson
- (Truckee Bike Park / Little Big Ridestyle Event) POC, Electric Eyewear
3rd – Melissa Gonzalez – Shine Riders Co 4th – Courtney Henderson – Luna Chix 5th – Melissa Hill 6th – Katelyn Praly – Fox, Sweetlines
AM MASTERETTES 1st – Terry Seeberg – SuperCo 2nd – Cheryl Parker 3rd – Marne Fox-Barrow 4th – Ivy Lui 5th – Kathy Rogers – Subterranean Cycles 6th – DaVonne Zentner
12th – Meg Valliant
– (The Sisterhood of Shred movie) RideSFO, X-Fusion, Honey Stinger, Sweetlines
SEMI-PRO COMP 1st – Caryn Cantu – Sweetlines 2nd – Hailey Star 3rd – Tanya Bastian 4th – Heather Newton – Matt and the Shred Sisters! 5th – Pam Reid – Race Face, Five Ten
SUGAR CUBES – AGES 10-14 1st – Sydney Haberman 2nd – Bailey Goldstone 3rd – Katie Sinfield – North Shore Composites Gnarwhals 4th – Ciara MacDonald – Rad Racing 5th – Talulla Amsbry
NOVICE 1st – Kari Lio 2nd – Jessica Tsao 3rd – Amanda Workman 4th - Kirsten Maser – Evergreen East, Biking Betties 5th – Kristine Leise
NOVICE MASTERETTES 1st – Sol Diaz Jirash – Ryan Fisher Pro Photographer 2nd – Camilla Chalmers 3rd – Tana Blair 4th – Deanna Fay 5th – Karen Omodt 6th – Wendy Carter 7th – Melody Soucy – Muddbunnies 8th – Lori Williams 9th – Penny Schwyn Betties
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– Bike Hub, Evergreen East, Biking
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THE SWEET PEAS OF SUGAR SHOWDOWN CINDER VALLIANT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 6 Why do you like mountain biking? “It’s super fun, but sometimes you crash. That’s okay, you just get up and start going again.” What do you want to learn today? “I want to learn about bike parts. About the handlebars, the wheels and the brakes.” What do you like about riding with girls? “I like riding with girls because girls are better than boys on their bikes. Some girls get hurt, and others don’t.”
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Photo by Woodenville Bicycles
When you grow up what kind of mountain biker do you want to be? “I’m going to be a mountain biker who can go faster than any biker.”
RILEY AMSBRY, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 9 What’s your favourite thing about mountain biking? “I like the Luna jump line a lot. It’s just really fun.” What kind of mountain biker do you want to be when you grow up? “A good one.” Goal: “I think I want to get really good at ‘Bootcamp’ half of it is a pedal and the other part is downhill.” What do you think you need to do to get good at “Bootcamp”? “Keep on standing, stand as much as you can, and when you’re not pedalling have level pedals.” What’s the hardest thing about mountain biking? “It’s hard standing up at some parts because I keep on forgetting.”
RILEY HUDSON SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 6 What do you like about mountain biking? “You get to learn how to do more things that you would have never thought you could do.” What’s your favourite thing to do on a bike? “I like to just ride it around and learn things. I like jumping, you just have to learn how to do it, and once you get the confidence you can do it without even thinking about it.” Did it scare you at first? “Yeah.” How did you get over that fear? “My sister and my dad told me to put all my weight down and up. They would make sure I didn’t fall as long as I tried.” Goal: “I want to learn how to do a bunny hop.”
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THE LADIES OF SUGAR SHOWDOWN LALENA DESAUTELS VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA Where did you learn to jump? “Two years ago, I started with skate parks. I was living in Calgary and I didn’t know what to do in the winter so I bought a dirt jumper and a shovel and shovelled the snow off the skate park and rode there.” Goal: “I wanted to learn tricks, but I injured myself so now I’m trying to get the fundamentals more dialled. I know I’m too aggressive sometimes, so I’m trying to make it more flowy. Every time I take a clinic I take something away from it. When someone tells me to do something, I can fix the body mechanics.” What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned today? “To slow down, not literally, but just to relax more. I’ve always been told I have two speeds; on and off. I’m trying to find the middle speed and just relax my body a little bit and let the bike do more work.” “A big shout out to Kat for having faith that women’s riding can progress.” Mountain Bike for Her | P. 48
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Melissa Hill Nanaimo, British Columbia, 37
Karen Omolt Seattle, Washington, 54
Why mountain biking? “It’s the learning process more than anything, and being in the forest, in God’s creation is amazing.”
Why mountain biking? “I’ve always been active in my life, this is kind of a new thing. I love the outdoors and I love being in the woods and off the roads.”
Goal: “Confidence.”
Goal: “Be comfortable having my wheels off the ground”
Amanda Workman Lynnwood, Washington, 28 Why Sugar Showdown? “I’ve been mountain biking for a couple years. I’ve been taking some classes with Kat (Sweet) and wanted to keep improving and growing as a rider.” Goal: “Get some mad skillz! I’m trying to get more control in the air.” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “I find that women tend to need similar things as far as instruction . . . My husband’s favourite thing is to tell me to go faster and it doesn’t work like that. It’s really nice because it’s supportive and it’s Bike for Her | P. 50 okay Mountain to ask questions and analyze things.”
Cheryl Parker, Prince George, British Columbia, 50 What do you love about mountain biking? “I’ve been riding since ’83, before suspension. I love being out in the woods, I love testing myself and being able to do stuff I didn’t think I could.” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “Yeah, you see someone doing stuff and you think yeah, I can do that. Also how we help each other. We talk and we all have similar experiences. You think it’s just me, because you ride with guys and you think, I kind of suck. Then you’re with a group of women and we’re all at different levels and some people are better than you while some people can use your help.” What brought you back to Sugar Showdown? “The coaching is really awesome and Duthie Park is an amazing compact facility with lots of progression, it’s pretty special.”
Wendy Carter Bremerton, Washington, 50 Why mountain biking? “I like being outside, it’s one more activity I can do out in the woods. Goal: Overcome fear of rolling over obstacles and improve jumping, fear of heights and fear of getting hurt.” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “It’s nice to be with a bunch of women because there isn’t that, that . . .yeah.”
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ALYCIA MAGGARD HITS THE SECOND JUMP ON BEAUTIFUL “SEMPER D” P. 53 | Mountain Bike for Her
Kristine Leise Latvia & Whistler, British Columbia, 31 Why the Sugar Showdown? “I want to conquer my fear of jumps and drops.” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “It’s the power, the encouragement. You know what they say; if she can do it, I can do it. You look at the guys and maybe it’s because he’s a guy.”
Kitima Boonvisudhi Eugene, Oregon, 46 Why mountain biking? “I always wanted to learn how to jump.” What inspired that? “I was at a mountain bike park in New Hampshire on a beautiful jump line and it was totally wasted on me.” Have you jumped yet? “Not intentionally.” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “To feel like you’re not alone. I’m okay with being with a bunch of guys, there’s no problem with that, but it’s nice to be around women.” What’ you long-term mountain biking goal? “I’d Mountain like to beBike doing this I’m 80.” for Her | P.when 54
Renata Mittelbach Seattle, Washington, 47 Why mountain biking? “It’s exciting, it takes skill and you’re outdoors.” Goal: “I took this class so I could get better at my jumps, drops and cornering. But I’ve already learned, I’m so happy bunny hopping! It was explained so well and it just totally clicked.”
KAYTLIN MELVIN HITS THE FIRST TRUE GAP JUMP ON “SEMPER D” AFTER MASTERING THE DROP ABOVE IT REQUIRED TO COME INTO THE JUMP WITH ENOUGH SPEED.
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Davonne Portland, Oregon, 45 Why Sugar Showdown? “This is my third time here.” How have you progressed since starting to come to Sugar Showdown? “I used to be deathly afraid of drops and I’m not as bad at them. (Pointing at drops) I’m excited about this part. Before, this was terrifying to me. When I would hit jumps I would maybe get my front tire off and not the back, but now I’m getting both off and landing safely.” Goal: “I want to get more air when I jump higher, and I want to be faster so I can get higher on the wall-ride.” Is there something special about being in an allfemale environment? “Yeah! I don’t know if I can say what it is, but it’s awesome being around all women . . . Being here with all these women it’s so inspiring to see people that are so much better than me and people at the spot where I was last year. It’s neat to see people progress.”
Rachel Bishop Issaquah, Washington, 36 Why mountain biking? “I used to do triathlon... my wife rides, we do trails and stuff like that. I thought it would be great to so a Dirt Series up at Whistler last year, and then I did a half day at the park and it was mind blowing. I’ve been a road rider for a long time, and I still love it, but my garage is significantly more full of mountain bikes than it is road gear.” Goal: “I’d like to be able to much bigger drops, I want to be able to clear the jumps on ‘Voodoo’, I want to be able to do the roll down at the end of ‘Ryan’s’.” Is there something special about being in an allfemale environment? “Learning with women is so different than learning with men. They’re so supportive and there’s a slight competition but it’s so subtle. It’s just enough to push you to say she did that, I can do it, too.”
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Trish Griffen Bellingham, Washington, 38 Why Sugar Showdown? Sugar Showdown.”
“This is my second
What brought you back? “Excellent coaching.” What’s the biggest barrier you’ve overcome? “I would say confidence; rolling over things that usually scare me.” What is it about the coaching style that gives you confidence? “I trust that they won’t let me progress to something that I’m not ready for. My goal for today is to have a little more style” Is there something special about being in an all-female environment? “These are people I only get to see once or twice a year so it’s awesome to reconnect with my bike friends that live all over the place. It’s really cool to see a friend that I haven’t seen in a year, to see them progress and hit something they haven’t before. It’s really neat to see girlfriend riders do awesome stuff.”
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Behind the Scenes PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Teresa Edgar teresa@mtb4her.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jen Charrette Veda Gerasimek Ash Kelly Michelle Lambert Joh Rathbun CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ash Kelly Rick Lambert Colin Wilson ADVERTISING
Pete Roggeman pete@mtb4her.com Sieneke Toering sieneke@mtb4her.com
Copyright Š 2014 by Mountain Bike for Her. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publisher. Mountain Bike for Her is published bi-monthly as a free digital magazine. and is available online through mtb4her.com and as a subscription through issuu.com. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author and may not respresent the views of the publisher, advertisers, or sponsors.