needing inspiration...

[marly]

Hey! Well, I am playing hooky from work today and discovered this forum.

Heres my dillema. I began mtbkng several years ago and fell in love with it. Boyfriend and I have done alot of traveling out west(U.S.) and spent some time northwest Canada biking. If I were Canadian I would live in BC.

Anyways....My significant other has recently been reunited with some old school riding chums. They are all a little nuts, but really great. I'm used to riding with a bunch of guys, but now I'm really intimidated. So, I hardly ever go now...And I'm bummed about it.

I would ride by myself, but I have the internal radar of a house plant. Will somebody please kick me in the arse, here? Thanks for your words of wisdom, Marly.

[han-grrl]

i mtb with a bunch of guyzzzz
who never ever wait, and i am always huffing and puffing to catch up. but i refuse to give up. last year i mtb 3 times a week and did a 24 hour mtb race. this year i have been cross country skiing, and i feel my cardio is up for the challenge. i INTEND to kick some boy butt! so don't feel intimidated. Sometimes riding with guys isn't bad because they often have good tips.
and there are the few gentlemen who do wait too...

Han-grrl

[MountainGirl]

Hi,

I hope you have been able to get yourself out there to ride. I too have a team of guys I ride with. Some don't wait, but most do. I actually find it modivating to ride with them. I find I push myself harder and am constantly trying to beat my previous uphill time and usually beat most of them down on the downhill. I have found that when I ride with women who aren't up to speed, I don't push myself nearly enough. I think I earned respect from my guys after I spent months in the gym powering up and showing I can ride with the best of them...oh and that 90 second rear tire flat change. THAT was impressive, to me and them alike.

So...get out, enjoy and you might find an inner strength you never you knew you had.

Happy riding!

__________________________________________

"Ride hard or stay in the car!" SK

[pennys]

I just keep putting the word out that I'm looking for gals to ride with, have a regular weekday group that varies from racers to beginners. Hang in there. Keep talking to people, and nothing wrong with beginners, if you are willing to teach them a thing or two so they don't feel vblown away. This doens't mean weenies and whiners are ok tho!!

penny s

[gapgoil]

Hi! I too ride with regularly with a group of guys. Sometimes a couple of thier girls' come with us, but there's always a couple that will wait up for me. I tend to use these rides to be challenged...or to not be the last one to finish the ride. I tend to push myself more when I ride with groups too, when it's just my BF and I, he tends to coach and ends up annoying me. When we group ride, I dont' see him until the end.
Point? Use the guys as a challenge, perhaps to beat them, or show them that everyone needs to be waited for at some point in a ride. good luck!!

[DoubleLori]

re: "I would ride by myself, but I have the internal radar of a house plant."

I have a GPS (global positioning system) that I can use on my mountain bike. It is excellent for avoiding getting lost in the backcountry where every trail junction can look alike. It will even tell you exactly where you are in the dark. The one I have is a Garmin eTrex, which weighs about 4 ounces. I got a handlebar mount for it from www.cycoactive.com which is way better (much more shock-absorbing) than the handlebar mount that Garmin sells.

If you are trying to get from point A to point B, especially on a trail or logging road that you have never been on before, you can set up your route in advance on the unit and you will be able to tell if you are staying on-course. Or, if you are just out exploring new trails, you can back-track your track log and easily return to your starting point. I use my GPS several times a week either hiking or biking. Much less worry with it.