I’d been looking forward to this private mountain bike clinic/birthday party since Todd gave it to me as a gift in 2010. Weeks of delays turned into months as rain and conflicting schedules kept us from the perfect day for riding together with the true Mountain Biking Chick, Tonya Bray, former pro racer and the ultimate instructor.
Once I was well into pregnancy #4, I decided to postpone the party until my birthday in 2011 which also got rained out. Surprisingly, a week later, plans were not foiled and a years worth of expectations were finally fulfilled and surpassed. Seven of my mountain biking girlfriends joined me for a morning of skills training, food eating and a fun little ride through Bonelli Park. I wish I could recreate the feeling of toughness, strength, confidence and friendship every day. There was some serious girl power going on.
The highlights of the day: learning to do super awesome wheelies and bunny hops, talking of brazilian bikini waxes (don’t get that at just any mountain biking clinic & not sure I ride quite enough to make that kind of commitment quite yet), and practicing how to look cool while walking your bike through a parking lot (hold it only by the seat). Of course there were lots of other biking skills learned and perfected too, because at the end of the day, I was riding 100% better (and with more confidence) than at the beginning of the day. Best birthday party ever. Now I’m thinking we need to talk all the husbands into pitching in for a Mother’s Day Mountain Bike clinic.
If you’re interested in picking up a mountain biking hobby (which I highly recommend), my friend Kelly has some great tips HERE (especially if mountain biking scares you out of your mind)
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I’m not sure I’d try mountain biking again after my first (and probably last) fiasco. A few years ago, my friends took me on a short “test run,” and I accidentally sped up ahead, a bit out of control on the narrow, bumpy mountain trail. A few seconds later, they heard a “thump, thump, crash!” Then, “Owww.” I was wrapped around a tree, and the bike was sprawled on the trail ahead, wheel spinning. Needless to say, I walked the bike down the rest of the trail (both hands on the handlebars, not on the seat, since I was already totally uncool). I epitomize the term “tree hugger.”
This is Carrie Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Thy sounds like Kelly’s first ride. We took her out and she ate it bad. I think that’s why she hates mountain biking so much. But, she still keeps on going!
Awesome! I am so super psyched to see another mtn biker-lady get excited about a wheelie! My hubby convinced me to take private lessons from Lilias Ide last year and my whole reason for wanting it was to learn to do a wheelie and bunny hop (which he thought was hilarious)! Well, I didn’t necessarily get it right away, but I loved trying and I learned so much that day and had such a blast (from the lady who always chickens out of doing anything with other women!) I’d love to do it again sometime!!
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