Progress :)

[Catrin]

I think I would have tried the ride the bits I walked yesterday if I hadn't forgotten my shin guards - they help protect me if I fall over. I am glad to report that outside of some very, very light scratches from the pins on my BMX pedals that really weren't apparently until this morning, I only have one actual wound from them - and that was from walking my bike 4 steps to get it on my bike rack

I think Tzvia nailed the difference, I was much more relaxed and the bike responded to that. I also didn't realize until I checked what gear my rear cassette was in this morning that I was riding a harder gear than I realized. My rear cassette is 11-36 and I think that some of my earlier problems were from being in too easy a gear, though I still needed to do that. For now I am staying in the small chain, but that still gives me a lot of room to play in the back.

Planning a repeat engagement next Saturday, weather and trail conditions permitting!

Oh yes, I also realized another benefit to riding in the woods, wind protection I hate the wind...

That clinic was quite helpful, but my group was just too large. It was a great beginning and it really helped me a great deal to have a private session with a great instructor about a month later & we went through all of the same drills from the clinic and then built some on that.