Group Riding

[fatbottomedgurl]

Last week I rode with DirtChix. Today I rode with North Ranch Mountain bikers. I found both groups on line.
We had guys and girls. Rode a combination of road/ fireroad/ singletrack, a little technical, stream crossings....fun and hot but not unbearable. This was a "no drop" ride. Good thing, I would be out there lost. Some guys would peel off and join us periodically. I was afraid I wouldn't keep up, but I did! One girl ran over a snake. Poor thing (her, not the snake). At one point almost everyone dismounted for a mystery stream crossing (couldn't see the bottom). I rode right through and earned my badge.
The hard part for me was getting out there and meeting new people, not knowing what I was capable of. But it was great. If you ever come to Thousand Oaks, CA, this is a great group!

Oh, and for you Cruisin' the Conejo riders, we park on ... Portrero Road.

[rocknrollgirl]

I rode yesterday with my husband and two other guys that we ride with. It was hot, humid, and the ride was fast, fast, fast.....zzzzoooommmm!
I kept up fine, but had to ride my hardest to do so. But thatis ok, I like to push and they are all really nice and really funny.

I am trying to learn to just let it rip down the steep technical stuff, but I have new dics on my brakes and they are screachy, so if I brake they can hear me.
At one point one of the guys was yelling.."Good God woman, get your fingers off those brakes...." No where to hide.
My husband says I will get it, I am just missing the "testicle factor....."

Can I order those from Bike Nashbar???? Do they come in a set ????

It was a great, hot, tiring ride......

[crazycanuck]

Hey girls,

I like to ride with others off road but i hate being slow...Do you ever ride on your own or do you just keep at it? I dunno how they do it but they're just so fast...

I have taken to riding on my own off road as i don't want to hold the group up...Ian hates it & worries about me...

I'm not too concerned when i ride in our group sessions on the road...I want to be fast off road...I think i'll have to "grow some b****"as the boys say and just go....

c

[DirtDiva]

I ride by myself quite a lot, or with just one or two others (which makes it relatively easy to stop and regroup). I have very little experience with riding in bigger groups.

Probably the most helpful thing I've ever been told about approaching obstacles and other scary bits was to think like a kid: kids don't try that drop-off (or whatever) once and consider it a success as long as they don't crash and burn; kids will go back and do it 40 more times until they've nailed it, then do it 40 more times just for fun, then proceed to ride circles around you because they've had all that extra practice. I may have taken this advice too literally though - yesterday one of my ride buddies accused me of being a 13 year-old boy on the inside.

[rocknrollgirl]

At some point if you want to ride faster on the trail, you have to ride with someone that really pushes you. My husband is really fast. So I ride with him. It is not social, we do not chat, he rides, I chase, and chase and chase.....

BUT,
I have gotten a lot faster.....

[fatbottomedgurl]

I do ride alone sometimes but the reason I quit a few years ago was doing an endo all by myself-- scared me knowing I was alone out there. That is why when I started riding again I decided to find people to ride with.

As far as pushing, I don't go beyond my comfort level. I am 43, not 13, and know that my skills will grow as I get more experienced. The last thing I need is a broken anything. Right now my legs are scratched and bruised. I can handle that. But yesterday when I chose to walk over a certain technical spot, one of the guys told me about a lady who ate it there, got a compound fracture of the wrist, and had to be airlifted out.

[bcipam]

Oh, and for you Cruisin' the Conejo riders, we park on ... Portrero Road.

Is that the road we normally go down in the ride that is very steep - I mean scary steep????

Do you ride road at all? Would you mind organizing an easy-paced ride up your way for us So Cal TE gals? Cruising the Conejo is one of my favorite rides and the scenary is wonderful. Wouldn't mind exploring the area alittle more. Plus alot of the folks that came down to OC for Monday's ride are from up in your area.

[rocknrollgirl]

I know what you mean about not breaking any bits. I like to ride hard, but I always try to stay in control. That is why the guys are busting me about my downhill speed. I just can't seem to let it rip. I am 44, and if I take a big fall, it will take to long to heal. I took a slow fall a few weeks back on really rocky terrain, and it took two weeks for the deep bruises to heal up.
I am getting better though, riding faster downhill without being out of control.

[bouncybouncy]

he rides, I chase, and chase and chase.....

haha...that is our relationship too!!!

[fatbottomedgurl]

Yes that is the steep one. Oh I'm sorry I don't have a road bike! (I REALLY am sorry, maybe some day.) Here is a link to the local club's routes. If I had a road bike I would certainly be game.

http://www.cvcbike.org/routes/routelist.html

[kerrybelle]

At some point if you want to ride faster on the trail, you have to ride with someone that really pushes you. My husband is really fast. So I ride with him. It is not social, we do not chat, he rides, I chase, and chase and chase.....

BUT,
I have gotten a lot faster.....

I have gotten a lot faster, too, by routinely chasing rocknrollgirl. She is a great riding/training partner. Riding with better/faster riders is one of the best ways to improve your own riding.

[Barb]

I am right at the breaking point. I ride alone A LOT. The group rides around here seem too fast for me. The slower ones say 16 to 18 mph for 30-35 miles. I can do 16-18 for a while, but not for long!!! Should I jsut show up for a ride and let them know that I may not be able to hang? I am such a chicken!

[Kitsune06]

I pretty much ride alone. My ex was 100% gung-ho about singletrack, etc... but my current has told me "I hate bikes! The mere mention of them annoys the h*ll out of me!" She likes *riding* but I end up going off on how excited I was about doing this-that-or the other thing, and she'll interrupt and say 'It's a money pit." blah...

So needless to say, if I get her to go out riding with me, even though I tuned her bike, she won't ride with a helmet (dunno if she has one, even) and won't borrow my gloves "I don't need those things! I won't crash!") ... so I singletrack alone.

I carry a cell phone on me "just in case" and leave a note @ home so at least within 8 hours, if something happens that I can't call, she'll know where I went...

On a related note- anyone know if there's a wrist-protector of sorts available? I'd hate to disconnect my wrists out there... I'm pretty young and limber etc, so I think I have my shins/ankles/knees covered... wear gloves... helmet (of course!) but... wrists are important, too.