No Ride Group? No Problem that Cannot be Surmounted!

A small group of riders at the start of their route in July. A Fun, Social, Beginner-Friendly ride.

This story first appeared in the March 2025 issue of Silent Sports Magazine, reprinted with permission.

Perhaps you may wonder why you should invest time into creating a group ride when you can ride on your own. Many discover that they start to ride faster after being a part of a group ride. The experiences and expertise of group ride members can also help you learn new line choices and other tips that make you a better rider. If you are already one of those better riders, you may pass along those hard-earned tips, tricks, and wisdom to others, which in turn tends to strengthen/reinforce your existing abilities. Most of us enjoy the camaraderie of group rides and they can also strengthen your community and introduce others to the sport. 

However …

Not all of us are lucky enough to ride where groups are already established. If your area does not already have a group ride, starting one is not a piece of cake, but it’s not difficult either.

Investigate, Question & Then Do It

If you are not aware of a group ride in your area, first ask around. Perhaps the local bike club or bike shop is already hosting one but is just not publicizing it well enough. Do the same with any area local cross-country ski or running club as many of these groups enjoy more than one silent sports discipline. And you may find that, even if these businesses or groups may not have an existing, organized group ride, they may be considering starting one and you can become part of a team effort. 

To start the process of starting a regular group ride, pick a day for the ride and a frequency. Did your trail system used to have group rides? My local trail system, Palos, used to have large Wednesday group rides; so, I picked that day. 

Are there other nearby trail systems that have group rides on a different day? If so, you will likely want to avoid those to allow both rides to grow. For the Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, there are already group rides on Mondays at Saw Wee Kee, Tuesdays at Raceway Woods, and Thursdays at Paul Douglas.

Weekly rides do make it easier for people to know when your rides are; and, of course, there are other benefits to regularly scheduled rides. "Weekly group rides make it easy for me to ride consistently,” said Linda Chandler, of Oak Park, IL, “which has helped me build skills and gain confidence on the trails." 

However, there are other options such as every other week or once a month, with it being either the first Monday of the month or the last Thursday of the month as examples.

One of the most difficult parts of starting a group ride may be picking the time for the ride. People tend to get off work or otherwise may be able to get to the trail system at different times ― finding the time that works for the majority of people can be challenging.

You can consider having a poll on social media, asking around, or even trying a couple of different times. If your mountain bike staging area has a short loop leading from it, you can also have a start time, ride the loop, and then pick up any newcomers on the way through staging again.

Spread the News

Once you have a day, time, and location, you will want to begin promoting the ride. Social media can be an excellent way to do this. Posts with the details, updates/reminders (particularly when it comes to trail conditions), and photos/videos from past rides can all help generate interest. 

I chose to publicize them as “fun, social, beginner-friendly” rides. We had all different levels come out but listing it that way encouraged many to try a group ride for the first time. Other options to promote the rides are seeing if the local mountain bike club or other silent sports discipline club will include the ride in their email blasts, on their website, or via creating a Meetup event.

You may also want to post reminders of the ride. I noticed that I would receive multiple messages and notifications if I neglected to post a reminder for the ride. While your cycling community may not feel a need for reminders, still, there are times when you will want to consider reminders if the trail conditions are questionable, perhaps due to a recent storm/treefall or expected rain as examples.

Rules Rule

I would suggest requiring helmets and making sure everyone brings water with them. You may want to speak briefly before the start of a ride if you have any ground rules. For me, I make it clear that I wanted people to let me know if they were dropping off so we did not spend all night looking for them. I also make it clear that I was happy to stop for us to catch our breath but also if there was a log or other feature that they wanted to try.

If people are new or are just not familiar with mountain bike etiquette, consider passing on information such as how to check for trail conditions, trail etiquette tips, and practices such as only riding sanctioned trails and only during permitted times to keep a good relationship with the landowner. The more of us who ride responsibly, the easier it will be to start working with municipalities, businesses, and others to help with the construction of a new trail or hosting a race.

Group rides will run smoother if you are able to have one person lead the group and a sweep, at the end. I was lucky to have an experienced rider, Chuck Gentile of  Hickory Hills, IL, be my sweep for nearly all of my rides. “This year will be my 50th year riding the area's trail systems,” Gentile said. “As a sweep rider, most of the time it is satisfying to encourage other riders to join up on group rides, ensure them that they are welcome, give them the confidence they need to ride with others, and improve their fitness and skills to enjoy the trails for years to come.”

Decide if the ride will be no-drop – meaning no riders are left behind. If no-drop is your choice, an effective way to make this happen successfully is to stop at intersections to make sure no riders have gotten lost, fallen too far behind, are having mechanical problems, or need to rest or even leave. While these group rides are slower, with more stops, they do ensure no one gets lost and tend to make the ride more enjoyable for all.

Last August, Gina Kenny had the largest group for the summer with more than 30 people attending the Fun, Social, Beginner-Friendly ride. People, then, broke off into three separate groups depending on what speed they wanted to ride that day.

Après Group Ride

Consider posting photos and videos after each ride. (Of course, make sure to take these images during the ride!) These posts will help promote the rides. And people also are usually thrilled to have a video of them riding a low skinny for the first time. I found the start of the ride to also be the best time to get a photo, before we broke into groups or someone needed to leave early.

After seeing videos of our group playing on large log piles and skinnies, the ride began to attract even more as well as a more diverse group of riders. More riders and more types of riders are, ultimately, a great thing. Problems can arise from having one large group of riders on the trail at the same time. A large group, for example, is harder to manage. Also, and perhaps more importantly, a large group of riders can cause issues for other people using the trail – whether that be riding, running, hiking, walking, or riding horses. Being courteous, respectful, and even deferential to other, multi-use trail folks can help your riding group achieve the reputation needed to accomplish ride-related projects.

Divide & Conquer

If your rides gain traction, you will likely have to begin to decide when to split up your group. While there is not necessarily an ideal number of riders per group, as you notice a group becoming too large to manage, or if the increased number seems to be detrimentally affecting the ride’s quality, enjoyment, and/or impact on other trail users, it’s likely time split it up.

To do so, you can choose to have a faster group and a slower group, or perhaps a more advanced and more beginner group, or split the group based on routes with different trails. 

Having some of the regular riders offer to lead and sweep one of the groups is recommended. 

The Palos rides went from only four riders for the first one to a high of more than 30, with the group consistently having at least a dozen riders by the end of the season. I led the slower group while encouraging our merry band to ask questions. As a result, I would occasionally give some basic tips such as having level pedals, and encourage them to try things they may not have even noticed before, such as optional lines over log piles or skinnies. Optional features should always remain optional, of course, as you do not want to encourage people to ride something beyond their abilities that could result in discouragement or injury. For the skinny at Palos, it was relatively low-consequence in that the skinny was short enough so that people could roll off and we had enough people in the group to assist.

Group Riding with the Flow

As summer ends and fall progresses, you will likely have to start bumping up your start time. For the Palos rides, once daylight savings time started, we put the ride on hiatus until spring. It also helps to have several regulars who are willing to host a ride if you are out of town or ill.

While starting your own group ride can seem like some work, the results are usually rewarding. I ride nearly every day and consider myself a pretty skilled rider. These group rides ended up being the highlight of my week. I enjoyed the social aspect and encouraging more people to ride. As a volunteer trail worker, I found it wonderful to be able to explain trail conditions and trail etiquette to riders as well as talk about upcoming trail days and events. My favorite aspect of group rides, however, may have been realizing that there were now quite a few more people who were seeking out the optional lines to go over logs, rocks, and roots.

Give yourself a chance, start a group ride, and discover what among the many benefits is your favorite. Check out Group Ride videos: veganbiker.blogspot.com.

In October, at one of the markers at Palos for where the first nuclear reactor was rebuilt during a break at one of the last Fun, Social, Beginner-Friendly rides for the season.

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Videos from the Palos Fun, Social, Beginner-Friendly Group Rides

 July 24, 2024

(Video credit: Vanessa Romero)

August 7, 2024

August 28, 2024

(Video credit: Vanessa Romero)

September 25, 2024

(Video credit: Linda Chandler)

October 9, 2024

(Video credit: Linda Chandler)

Tips for Learning How to Ride a Bicycle

 

We have all heard the old adage “It is as easy as riding a bike,” but learning to ride a bicycle is usually not easy. The following is a list of tips and tricks, compiled over the years from teaching more than 500 children and adults how to ride bikes.

1. Make sure that the person actually wants to learn to ride a bike. 

This seems obvious. But, if it is the parent that wants the child to learn how to ride, and the child has no interest in riding, the chances of success are pretty low.

2. Make sure they have a suitable bike to learn on. 

Bikes that are their size, and actually slightly too small, work much better for learning how to ride. A bike with flat bars and wider tires will likely make it easier to learn as well. Hand brakes and gears make learning to ride much easier, but plenty of kids (and some adults) have learned on single geared bikes with coaster brakes.

3. Teach the person how to get on and off of a bike. 

For those of us that ride every day, this is a step we may not think of. Have them stand to the right side of the bike, with hands on each of the handlebar grips, and lean the bike slightly towards them. Have them practice swinging their left leg over and, then, have them practice doing the reverse (hold each handlebar grip, lean the bike and swing left leg over bike) to get off of the bike.

4. Teach the child or adult how to balance. 

There are balance bikes out there, which are a wonderful thing for a child to practice on. However, you can use any bike by removing the pedals and lowering the seat on the bike. While the person is sitting on the bike seat, they should be able to reach the ground with both feet at the same time – flat footed and a slight bend in the knee. 

Initially, just have the person “walk” with the bike, while sitting on the bike seat, to get used to it. Then, have the person try to get some speed and pick up his/her feet briefly. The goal is to have the person be able to keep their feet off of the ground for ten seconds.

Sometimes people will need reminders that they have to be sitting on the seat in order to pick their feet off of the ground. If they are seeming to have a hard time with this, have the person push off the ground with both feet at the same time (similar to a hop).

5. Teach the person how to brake.

With hand brakes, have the person walk alongside the bike at first to get a feel for braking. Then, have the person use the brakes while gliding. 

If the bike has coaster brakes, you can stand in front of the bike and hold the handlebars. Have the person put their feet on the pedals and pedal backwards to brake. Once they understand the motion, begin to let go of the handlebars, as soon as they brake, to have the person get used to having to put their feet down immediately after they brake.

Note: Depending on the person, you may want to teach braking before balancing.

6. Work on a good first pedal stroke. 

Have them sit on the bike, with one foot on the pedal and the other foot on the ground. The pedal (with the foot on it) should be at approximately the one o’clock to two o’clock position. The foot on the ground should be slightly away from the bike frame. Have the person push down hard on the pedal while also pushing off with their foot on the ground.

7. Teach the person how to find the pedals. 

Once the person is able to complete a good first pedal stroke, have them work on being able to put their foot on the second pedal – without staring at their feet, of course.

8. Have them attempt two pedal strokes. Then, three pedal strokes, etc. until they can pedal.

Congratulate them on riding! After they are pedaling consistently, they will want to work on things such as pedaling in a straight line, turning, etc.

Need help teaching someone (or yourself) how to ride? You can request a Learn to Ride lesson, from a League Certified Instructor, at Learn to Ride a Bicycle at Any Age.

This article is an updated version of information provided for this How to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike post.

Bikeshare for All

 This article was originally published by the League of American Bicyclists in the Fall 2016 issue of Bicycle Friendly America.

Bikeshare programs are intended to encourage more people to ride, a goal all of us would likely agree with. As bikeshare programs gain more traction, there is increasing talk on how to make them more inclusive. Discussions of increasing diversity in bikeshare have focused on race, gender and socio-economic background. But, so far, there has been very little discussion on making bikeshare programs more accessible to those with physical disabilities.

The vast majority of bicycles used in bikeshare programs are two-wheeled cruiser bikes, such as those used by Citi Bike, Divvy and others. Recently, bikeshare programs are originating with alternative and adaptive bikes as part of their fleets.

The largest, and perhaps most well-known, bikeshare program with adaptive bikes is at Ohio State University, which started their bikeshare last fall. “Adaptive bikes have been part of the bicycle fleet since the bikeshare program began,” said Nicole Holman, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at OSU. “We felt that everyone should have the opportunity to use the bikeshare program on campus.”

OSU’s program has 115 bikes, with a total of 15 alternative bikes, including trikes, handcycles, and side-by-side bikes. The most popular of the alternative bikes are the side-by-side bikes, which could be “used by a blind or visually impaired rider who wants to go for a bike ride with a friend or by riders who wish to cycle next to each other on the same bike,” Holman says. “There have been over 600 rides on these five side-by-side bicycles, or about 125 rides per bike, since the program began.”

OSU was not the first to decide to have bikes besides the typical two-wheeled cruisers in a bikeshare program. Carmel, IN launched a bikeshare program in April 2015, with regular cruiser bikes but also trikes. “When we started our discussions of bike share, we wanted to include tricycles with those first two stations so people of all abilities could enjoy our program,” said David Littlejohn, Alternative Transportation Coordinator for Carmel.

Carmel now has a total of eight tricycles as part of the bike fleet. The community has found that the trikes are popular with “a wide array of people;” in particular, the community’s senior population as well as “people who may not necessarily be in great shape but want to get out,” Littlejohn said.

One reason so few large bikeshare programs are offering adaptive bikes is that the majority of the programs have stations where the bikes are docked. A trike or adaptive bike would need a different sized station.

The majority of the bikeshare programs with trikes or adaptive bikes are using Zagster, a Cambridge, MA, Company that provides bikes, technology and other services for bikeshare programs. One thing that makes adding alternative bikes to Zagster’s bikeshare fleets easier is that docking stations are not used, Communications Manager Jon Terbush said.

Scarcity of bikeshare providers that have trikes and adaptive bikes in their fleets is a larger issue. B-Cycle, in Boulder, did an internal pilot of a trike in late 2014. Staff, however, felt the trike they used was somewhat unstable and gave them a feeling that it would be “prone to tipping,” marketing and communications director Kevin Bell said.

If the company handling the bikeshare program does not offer alternative bikes, it is very difficult for a community’s bikeshare program to offer a handcycle, for instance.

An exception to this is in Boston. The Hubway bikeshare program has more than 1,500 bikes. People can also request a recumbent tricycle, but, it is rarely used, said Najah Casimir, Program Manager at Boston Bikes. However, Casimir said, people you may have initially thought that they would need an adaptive bike have been able to use Hubway’s regular bikes. “It has been extra educational for us that people of various abilities have been able to use the upright bike,” said Vineet Gupta, Director of Policy and Planning for the Boston Transportation Department.

Still, there are people with disabilities or other issues that prevent them from using the typical bicycle used in bikeshare programs. Trikes and other adaptive bikes offer an option for them to also enjoy the benefits of bikeshare.

This year has seen the launch of several programs with alternative and adaptive bikes and the trend is likely to continue. Bikeshare programs in College Park, MD, Corvallis, OR, and Westminster, CO, have all recently launched with trikes and/or adaptive bikes.

The mBike program in the city of College Park and University of Maryland launched this May with 120 bikes and five alternative bikes, including side-by-side bikes, trikes and handcycles. “We wanted a system that was going to be a transportation alternative for the widest possible audience,” said Aaron Goldbeck, Bicycle Coordinator for the University of Maryland. They also felt that, if someone was considering buying an adaptive bike like a handcycle, that they could use the bikeshare program to demo a bike first, Goldbeck said.

The bikeshare program in Westminster has a total of 40 bikes, with eight of them alternative bikes, including three handbikes and five trikes. With one-fifth of the fleet being alternative bikes, it makes them “the most inclusive bikeshare in that region of Colorado,” Terbush said.

In August, a bikeshare program is set to launch in Rome, NY which will have one side-by-side bicycle and one trike, Terbus said. Additionally, the Portland Bureau of Transportation recently announced that it plans to launch a pilot program next spring that will allow residents to rent adaptive bicycles.

As more bikeshare programs offer trikes and adaptive bikes, more communities will see it as a viable option to make a part of future programs. More options of bikes means more people being able to use bikeshare and, hopefully, more people riding.

Gina Kenny is League Cycling Instructor (LCI) #2446. She is also a member and active volunteer with the Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBr).

2012 stats

Miles ridden: 4,717
Miles ran: 1.3
Total races: 55 -- 10 mountain bike, 45 CX
Broken bones: ZERO
Number of rides with Christopher on single track: 1
2012 was a very hectic year but pretty good. = )

2011 numbers:
Miles ridden: 2,715
Miles ran: 148.7
Total races: 42 -- 1 road, 9 mountain bike, 32 CX

Working, Racing & Race Planning

On Sunday, I did the Wildlife Wild Mountain Bike Race put on by Betsy and the rest of the PAMBA crew at Wildlife Prairie State Park near Peoria. I probably should have taken a weekend off from racing but I really liked the trails the last time I raced there; I knew they had practically doubled the amount of single track; and, I wanted to support Betsy and PAMBA by going to the race.

On Saturday, I helped out with a Bike & Dine in Lockport. I really wanted to just lay around. It's been hectic and I could kind of feel a cold coming on. But, it is hard to turn down an opportunity to get paid to ride my bike.

I had about two hours of pedaling time at an easy enough pace that I took a heck of a lot of photos, rode parts of the I & M Canal Trail that I had not previously rode, found out where the Isle a la Cache Museum is and taught a lady how to shift her bike. So, a tiring day; but, all in all, a good day. While I was pedaling around Lockport, Joliet and Romeoville, Tom & Christopher went on a hike at Teason's Woods, near Palos -- which is what the photo on top is from. I got home before them and chilled out on the couch a bit before getting my stuff ready for the race.

I woke up early and headed down to Peoria. I got there earlier than I expected which let me get in a leisurely lap, finishing right after the beginners started. The trails were fun to ride although I was feeling a little crappy. The course was broken into two parts -- one section of single-track with lots of twisty single-track and lots of fun; although, one or two parts I knew I may have trouble with during the race. Then, out in the open and over to the other sections of single-track that were a little more technical but that I had less issues with. Then, back to the start/finish section and out to the first section of single track again. A lap was somewhere between 7-8 miles. We would be doing three laps so it would be a slightly longer race than usual.

I didn't have any goals really for the race. I wanted to do well but knew that my body was probably more in need of a rest than a race. I started off okay, although not great. I did too many stupid little mistakes during the first lap. I had a sport woman right on my tail and Bev behind her and I have a tendency to ride like an idiot when I know people are right behind me. Bev passed me probably about half-way into the first lap. So, that meant I was dead last again. Very frustrating but oh well. I wanted to, at least, keep the sport lady behind me. I knew the second part of the lap was a little more technical and by the end of the lap I was feeling a little better.

The second lap I came across Rachael sitting on the side of the trail. I asked if she needed me to stop and she said no. I felt bad since she looked miserable. However, I then cleaned one little technical section which was a small victory and the volunteer said another woman was right ahead of me. I knew she was in the sport race and not mine but set a goal to catch her anyway. I passed her during the second part of the lap, a little before the Edge of the World trail.

Third lap, my legs kept feeling like they were going to cramp up. It held off until I crossed the finish line and stopped. Fifth place. I actually got a medal & $15. I also scored a pair of socks. I was definitely glad I went but am so glad and happy (yes, I know that is redundant) that I am not racing this weekend. However, I am taking Christopher on a mini-trip with us spending all day Saturday at Great America so I'm not sure how relaxing that will be.

I'm hoping things will calm down a bit in the immediate future. We had our final 2012 Palos Meltdown meeting yesterday evening. I'm going to try to get a media release done in the near future with some photos, talk about the equipment for trail building/maintenance that CAMBr will be able to get with the funds raised, the tentative 2013 date, etc. (Psst, you may want to keep July 21, 2013 open.) I have a project I have to finish up for LIB and then I'm just hoping to go a little time without any crises.

Race successes & missed goals

This Sunday was the sixth annual Palos Meltdown. I was so tired and out of it for most of the day on Monday. The race, itself, was an absolute huge success. The race has grown steadily most years. In 2010, we had nearly 500 racers. Last year, with rain a good chunk of the day before and a small amount of rain the day of the race, we had almost the exact same number. This year, we had more that actually pre-registered. Both race director Ben Jenkins and CAMBr-Palos president Burak Balkuv mentioned we were going to max out. The first few years of the race, we did actually have a maximum amount of allowed racers per the Cook County Forest Preserve District, so that is what I kept thinking they were referring to. Nope. We had 800 number plates and were terrifyingly close to running out of numbers. More than 750 racers. 750+ racers!!! That means we grew by 50 frigging percent. 

I took the top photo while Cook County president Toni Preckwinkle was speaking, right before the start of the novice race. I found out Friday afternoon she would be attending when Ben asked me to do a press release. I revised the initial release I did and sent it out to more than 180 newspaper, TV and radio media contacts. To tell the truth, I figured it wouldn't get much notice since it was going out on a Friday afternoon. Then, I heard that we had a bunch of TV crews there. = )

(Christopher rockin' the finish of the kids' race)

Saturday morning, I led a small group of ladies on a lap of the race course. I stopped several times to point out things such as keeping your butt back and braking steadily on Bad Ass Hill, etc. We stopped at the first two ravines to scope out lines, get tips and practice going through the ravines. I was beat after the ride but several of the ladies rode the ravines for the first time, which was very cool. Even cooler was when Sandra Samman came over to the LIB tent after her race. She was one of those that rode the ravines for the first time on Saturday morning. She had won the women's novice race. = )

Jacquelyn Felt won the women's sport overall -- after taking a multi-hour licensing exam that morning. She was also at the women's ride -- She is a good rider and already knew how to ride the ravines but I'm hoping the pre-ride helped a little. = ) Annette Stahelin finished 9th overall in sport!!! And, Laurie Chipps was only a few spots behind in 13th.

After the ride, I met up with Anna -- who had gotten lost and missed the start of the ride. I got her pedals on my Ferrous, adjusted the seat height and filled up her water bottle before she went out with Jacquelyn for a ride. Thanks, Jacquelyn!

I grabbed lunch at Tastee-Freez and then helped out with race set up. You can see some of my work with the fencing to the right of the starters. = ) I left right before the rain started coming down.

Sunday morning, I was out of the house at 7 a.m. I got to the race and saw my tent was already set up. = ) I set up my tables, LIB banner, got out brochures, etc. There was food for volunteers. I saw donuts and had a total craving for vegan donuts. I improvised with a pita, grape jelly and sugar. Not a good substitute. I also chowed down on some PB&J's. A little too much chowing down.

I spoke to people about the race, the League of Illinois Bicyclists, mountain biking, ladies rides, etc. I had a some people sign up for LIB's e-newsletter/alerts but no memberships. I changed and thought that I was really tired already. I started warming up and thought that my legs were sore. But, as I finished warming up my legs started coming around. I knew there would be a lot of fast ladies out there and was setting my goal as trying to stay as close to Rachael as possible.

The kids race saw something around 70 kids line up. It was crazy. We should have probably been prepared for that, considering the huge amount of racers. They'll be some changes for next year -- possibly bringing back the shorter lap race to give another option besides the free kids race or the much, much longer novice race. We'll also likely have some way for people to pre-register their kids for the race. I helped cheer Christopher on and then downed a chocolate gel and headed on down to my race. As I rolled down, the expert guys were going off. Crap.

We started and it was bad but I was not last. I even moved up a couple of spots by the end of Turf. But, the food and gel were not sitting great with me and I could tell the long days were not helping my racing ability. On One Day, Betsy was right behind me -- talking to me in a conversational voice while I was breathing heavy. Crap. Betsy and another rider passed me at the start of the climbing at Gravity Cavity. Patty passed me right after climbing up the grass hill. 

(Photo credit: Northwest Mountain Bike)

I realized that now put me in last place. Ugh. And, unfortunately, that is how I finished. I felt like I rode really good technically, for the most part -- including not breaking for the ravines. = ) And, I felt like I rode stronger than I had the year before. But, DFL. Tom came up to me right after the finish and I told him to go away. I soft pedaled a little bit, to lick my wounds and tell myself to HTFU. It kind of worked. I came back, apologized to Tom and heard from Christopher "Mommy, there are people over there that know you." Yep, there were a lot of people there that knew his mommy. It was so great to have people cheering me on throughout the course. = )

I socialized a bit and actually got a medal for third place in my age group. I definitely didn't feel worthy of a medal but it was still great to stand on the podium for my local race and a race I worked hard to help be successful. 

Christopher did more riding that day than he may ever have. He kept wanting to ride down the grass hill, which does not look nearly as steep in this photo.

Final numbers are not in for what CAMBr raised from the event. There were a record number of entries as well as some raffle ticket sales and shirt sales but there were also county permit fees, porta potties, number plates, timing chips, food for volunteers, official fees, etc. Stan said funds will likely be used to buy equipment for trail building and maintenance, such as another motorized wheel barrow and something for berming the trails (I can't remember the exact wording as I spoke with him right before heading out for a ride). Some will also likely be used for lunches for volunteers during trail days.

This Saturday, I'll be leading a Bike & Dine in Lockport, which should be fun. On Sunday, I'll be heading to the Peoria area to race at Wildlife Prairie State Park. Eight-mile loops of mostly single-track, which should also be fun. The best part, though, will likely be the ability to just show up, ride some of the course, warm up and race and let someone else worry about all the other stuff. = )

Imagining a Well-Marked Course

Yesterday, was the mountain bike race at Imagination Glen. They are fun trails so I was looking forward to the race even though I've been battling a cold or something for most of the week. I knew the course was technical but didn't want to pre-ride a lap since it's 10 miles. I did ride part of the course, socialized and warmed up. It ended up being myself and one other woman. Imagination Glen are her home trails, so to speak, and I remembered her having a very speedy first lap last year before dropping out due to mechanical issues. So, I was kind of resigned to second place but figured I would see how I felt on the bike.

Then, the race started and several sections of the course didn't have tape on them. I ended up going down one part the wrong way and then ended up riding back the way I had came. A volunteer starts yelling at me, I get turned around to do that portion a third time and then come to another volunteer that makes me stop -- stop -- for awhile because he just started and is not sure where the trail is. Things start going well and, then, another section that is not marked. I guess which way to go and then have someone tell me I'm not on the race course. I double back, look around and, it turns out that, yeah, I had been on the course. Since the other lady knew the race course, she obviously did not have those issues. Talk about a home court advantage.

That definitely tends to ruin your mental game for a race. I spoke to others after the race who, unfortunately, had similar experiences. It didn't help that, during my second lap, one of the volunteers starting yelling at me about the tape being down. Or, the fact that they were paying out for the guys but not the ladies. Or, that I remembered that last year they couldn't find the keys to open up the bathrooms. Ugh.

On a good note, I did get three hours of mountain biking in. They did have watermelon, cantaloupe and bananas for racers afterwards which was cool. And, apparently, they then had their act together for the other races. But, I'm not sure I could recommend this race to anyone.

And, on a better note, we did a little family bike ride to a park after I got home. I took photos of them playing at the park while I laid in the grass looking at the clouds and my dirty legs, which I had been too tired to wipe off. = )

Macomb had been a couple of weeks before. That race I would definitely recommend, even though it is a haul. They had a great course, it was marked well and the guy that runs it is super nice. When I finished, I was handed a cold Powerade. Betsy, Bev and I lined up and decided to just go off the same time as the sport ladies. I rode well the first lap and, then, just wasn't there mentally. Life sometimes sucks and that was one of those periods.

This coming up weekend, however, will be full of fun and smiles. = ) I can't believe my little guy is actually turning six a week from today. His party will be on Saturday and I'm still trying to think of something cool for us to do on Sunday.

Then, the Palos Meltdown is on Sunday, Aug. 5!!! I can't believe it is this soon! We still have a final committee meeting and the packet stuffing as well as final decisions on the course and marking it. I have to say, I will be breathing a big sigh of relief at the end of the day. Ben has been doing a great job as race director and I'm sure he'll need a beer, nap or both by the time it's over. I hope to see everyone there -- either racing, cheering people on or helping out.

A good day for the Kenny family (mostly)

Yesterday was a busy day for our family. I had already been planning to travel down to the Peoria area to race in the Jubilee Challenge when we learned that Chris and Martin Kratt, the brothers from the PBS show "Wild Kratts," would be returning to Brookfield Zoo on the same day. "Wild Kratts" is one of Christopher's favorite shows so, Tom & Christopher made plans to spend the day at the zoo, while I made plans to go race.

(Martin Kratt on stage.)

This race always seems to have very hot weather but, at least, the trails would be dry this year. There is quite a bit of climbing but the trails are fun. You definitely have to stay on your toes, though, as there are quite a few switch backs and hair pin turns, sometimes when you least expect it. I knew there was going to be a low turnout for the women's expert race but I was also psyched. I've been training pretty consistently this year and have also been trying to improve my technical skills -- particularly, when it comes to turning and trying not to brake so much before log piles.

I had tried to find someone to carpool with and didn't have much luck. So, I decided to take advantage and planned on bringing a small cooler to keep up in front with stuff to eat/drink in the car and have a big cooler in the back. I had decided I wanted to fill my Camelbak bladder with ice but didn't want my Heed to get too diluted when the ice melted -- so, I made Heed popsicles. = )

I couldn't find our ice cube tray. I think Christopher had wanted to play with it at some point for some reason. So, I took his old juice cups with lids and filled a bunch of them half-way with Heed and put them in the freezer. I then put the frozen Heed in the bladder with some ice cubes and more Heed. I packed the cooler the night before with lots of ice packs, etc. and, I'm thrilled to report, that at the start of my race there were still some frozen parts in the bladder and I still had cold Heed to drink by the end of the race. It was somewhat of a hassle to do but it was definitely worth it.

I got there early enough to preride the course. I missed the turnoff for the sport/expert loop and just did the beginner lap. I figured that let me know most of the course and that I'd be doing the climbs in the sport/expert portion enough during the race anyway. I had switched stems last week -- trying an 80 mm with more rise. On Saturday, I rode and thought that I should switch back for the race. Well, preriding on Sunday with the 90mm stem felt really odd so I switched back again. A huge thanks to Tony Thaller who helped me get everything tight so I didn't kill myself during the race.

I spent some time sitting in the air conditioning in the car, put some Palos Meltdown fliers on cars, sat in the car again and warmed up. At this point, I knew it would just be Betsy and I. She had injured her arm pretty bad on a trip in the spring and had not been on the bike much. I thought I might have a chance to beat her but she is a speedy lady with awesome mountain biking skills and this was one of her home courses. Last year, she found out she had Lyme disease and was on drugs with bad side effects. She still beat me at Matthiessen even though she was feeling lousy. I had been totally psyched, at the time, to just have been ahead of her for half of the race.

I actually stayed in front of her the whole race. I would think I was safely ahead and then would either see her, hear her or would have someone tell me she was right behind me. I only finished a minute ahead of her, maybe even less than that. I'm still in awe that I was able to do it. I'm sure she'll be kicking my butt again soon but yesterday was definitely very, very cool.

As a bonus, I got another plastic cup! Now that I know they have a medal and $ in them, I was very happy to see it. = ) It is definitely an excellent idea to keep the medals/pay outs organized.

Worst part of the race, listening to the radio on the way there and having "Call Me Maybe" stuck in my head for most of the time. That was pretty horrible.



I know this weekend is the WORS CamRock race. I'm kind of sad I won't be able to go. But, a trip for a bike race is no where on the list of things Tom would like to do for Father's Day.


Speaking of Tom, he unfortunately now understands how crappy you can feel after spending too much time in the heat. Tom and Christopher got to the zoo early, on Sunday, to stake out a spot to watch the Kratts Brothers. They watched the show, waited in a very long line to get Martin Kratt's autograph and checked out some of the zoo. From what they told me, Christopher had a wonderful time. Tom -- not so much.

(Christopher and Martin Kratt)
Afterwards, we went to Tastee Freez to celebrate my win with a funnel cake for me, ice cream for Christopher and a shake for Tom. It was a long, but wonderful, day.

Redemption

This past Sunday was the Black Partridge Open race. I did really well in this race two years ago -- keeping ahead of two speedy ladies and riding well. Last year, I felt horrible on the bike. So, this year, my goal was do better than the year before. I'm sure the Racing Ralph's, rigid fork and starting the race overheated didn't help last year's performance so it wasn't asking much to do better this year.

The course is mostly fun singletrack with a few climbs. Rachael and I were the only ones pre-registered. I knew we'd have a small field but did not realize that we would be the only expert ladies lining up. Besides wanting to do better than last year, I also wanted to stay ahead of the sport ladies. We're off, at the same time as the expert guys, and I'm excited that I'm actually mostly keeping up with Rachael. I slide back some and, then, slide out on one of the turns. I'm still at times over-thinking logs and turning, trying to remember the tips Alison Dunlap gave us at the clinic on Mother's Day, and the sliding out didn't help. I see Rachael finishing going through the grassy start/finish area as I am entering it.

I had my Garmin wrapped around a foam thing on my handlebars and it starts coming loose my second lap. I try fiddling with it while riding so I don't have to stop. I spend way too long doing that and realize that I have to stop or I will likely lose it or break it. Not thinking clearly, I stop in the middle of the trail. Oops. I apologize to the sport guy that comes up behind me and, then, crap. A sport girl passes me. I am determined not to finish behind a sport lady again so I kick it up a notch. As I'm in the double-track, a little before the field and start/finish, I'm still wondering how far back the sport girl is and see Rachael up ahead of me. So, I figure to see if I can pass her. I realize I won't be able to make it stick but I figure why not. I actually cross the line to start lap 3 ahead of her. She says "You realize we have another lap, right?" I did but my body apparently did not. = )

I kept trying to push it the third lap but it was definitely harder -- I used up quite a bit of energy with the second half of the second lap and it was really hot. Still, I rolled in for second place four minutes behind Rachael. She was having some stomach issues but is still one heck of a speedy lady and extremely talented rider. So, I finished close behind Rachael, kept the sport girls behind me and rode pretty well. And, I got handed a plastic cup as I got on the podium. I'm wondering what the heck kind of lame award is this; and, then realize it has $40 cash and a medal inside. Sweet!

The photo is of Christopher at the park yesterday.

Thanks to those of you who have expressed concern/interest about my mom. She is a pretty private person but I will say that she is doing well and is one tough lady. = )

Matthiessen Race

(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Mosely)

Yesterday was the Matthiessen race. I was excited for this race as I did well last year and enjoyed the trails -- although, there was definitely some climbing. I was able to carpool with Bob Anderson and we headed out a little before 9 a.m. so we could get there early enough to preride. I wanted to at least ride the beginner's loop to get a feel for trail conditions, etc.

Soon before we got there it started raining. It let up as we picked up our number plates and, then, started again. There had already been quite a bit of rain during the past week so I knew the trails were going to be muddy. I also knew that some of the steep climbs would likely be unrideable. I did an easy lap while the beginners race was going on, trying hard to stay out of racers' way. There was a little rooted section that I should not have had any issues with but was anyway. The trails were pretty wet and starting to get a little bit beat up. I knew that by the end of my race they would be even worse but, hopefully, not terrible.

I ended up eating a Clif Builder too close to the start and didn't really get in a good warm up but I knew that turnout would be light with the weather/trails conditions. There ended up being only two women's expert racers. They wanted to combine us with the sport group but I plan on doing most of the Illinois series and wanted to make sure I got series points. The other girl was also up for an extra lap so we started at the back of the expert guys. We were off and it was definitely like the start of a 4B CX race as there were build ups at each of the turns around the trees before you head into the single track. I got ahead of Moriah (the other lady) right before the single track. The pace was still a little slow but not so slow that I wanted to pass the guys. It was slick but not bad and fun. I could hear Moriah breathing behind me so I knew she was right on my tail but I was feeling pretty good.

And, that's how most of the race went. Moriah was far enough behind me for most of the race that I kept telling myself to go at a good pace but mainly focus on not crashing or doing anything stupid. On the second lap, we were told that they were going to cut out the river section for the rest of the race. I was kind of indifferent to whether it was in or not. It was definitely muddy and added another climb but it was also fun.

Going through the trees, starting my third lap, I chatted with Hemme and others and gave some high fives. It was muddy but I was definitely having a good time. Soon after entering the singletrack, I managed to run into the tree -- at the a sharp right turn with a tree to the left of the trail. As soon as I hit it, I remembered doing the exact same thing the year before. I was amused as well as slightly embarrassed.

A little further into the third lap, I heard Regina behind me, who was doing the sport race. She asked to pass and I rode behind her for most of the lap until the hike-a-bike climb. Being so short, I'm always at a disadvantage on those. I let some guys get around me and continued riding -- seeing Regina a little ahead of me and wanting to push it to catch up to her but telling myself to go steady and not do something stupid to crash, knowing Moriah was somewhere behind and that I still had another lap to go.

I came through the finish soon after Regina and they told me I was finished. I figured they thought I was doing the sport race and told them I still had another lap. They said they were stopping everyone and I argued with them, wanting to do the four laps. I can see their point in wanting to stop everyone but it had only been 1:44 and the shortened lap would have only added another 20-25 minutes. Oh well.

I did get a totally awesome trophy and $80, which was very cool. Bob, Dennis Schuller, Steve and his wife Cindy and I got food at Duffy's before heading back. Not entirely vegan-friendly but I was able to get a veggie sandwich and fries and definitely enjoyed the company.

Christopher was excited to see the trophy and Tom was kind enough to hose down my muddy bike that weighed a heck of a lot more than it had in the morning. The next ladies trail ride is this Saturday, which should be fun. And, on Sunday, I get to celebrate Mother's Day with a mountain bike clinic with Alison Dunlap!!!! I'm so excited. = )

First Ride/Race

This Sunday was the first mountain bike race of the season. I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. The first race of the season is always exciting. Plus, the Sylvan Stampede course is one of the more technical ones and I've had a lot of fun racing it the past two years.

The course is pretty flat with lots of twists and turns, roots, rocks and some cement walls to go around. In other words, totally my type of course -- with the exception of several short straight cement/flat sections, which are good for drinking during but a part that favors speedier girls than myself.

Christopher really wanted another trip, as he had not had one since we went to cross Worlds down in Louisville in January. Tom agreed to come so Christopher could have his trip, which was one of my reasons for apprehension as it is well known how much Tom hates RV trips. I had also been training more this year and was a little apprehensive about how I would do in the race -- would the training pay off or had I tortured myself on the trainer for no good reason.

It was also chaotic in that we were still trying to get the Niner together and I did not get to ride the bike on dirt until preriding.

First, the bike -- oh my freaking god is it awesome. It is sexy and so light it is crazy. I still have to dial in the fit a little. I still have to trim the handlebars a little more (okay, have Richards trim the bars a little more) and figure out the stem and fork. But, after only riding it for approximately 30 minutes in the preride, I felt awesome on it during the race. = )

As for the race, there were only six girls at the start. I'm sure the weather scared some off and there was also a small turnout for last year's race but, man, there were only six of us -- which included several girls that I knew I had no chance in beating. So, it is a little hard to get in racing mode. Still, we were off and I tried hard to be speedy in the beginning straight section before the single track. Speed not being my strong point, it did not go as good as I would have liked but I was not last. The girl ahead of me crashed a couple of times which allowed me to catch back up to her and then pass her. However, on one of the bobbles/crashes, I ran into her back wheel and the lady behind me was able to get past both of us first. I remembered her getting past me last year and then not seeing her again. Unfortunately, that was the case this year as well.

I suck at starts and always feel like I'm going to die. Then, as the race progresses, I usually feel better and better until the end when I tend to start to bonk and mess up on stupid stuff that I can normally cleanly ride. I reminded myself of this fact as I thought I was going to redline and pass out, not quite halfway through the first lap, and tried to focus on riding smooth and trying to keep pushing it through the fast sections.

For the most part, I was feeling really good on the bike -- in terms of feeling comfortable on it. My arms and back were getting sore near the end and I still need to improve on speed/fitness, but that seems to be coming along as well. I would catch glimpses of Rachael from time to time. I knew she had been sick but I was still pleased that I was not extremely far behind her. Even sick, she is one speedy lady, particularly at a course like Sylvan.

It was raining during part of the race. The course held up really well but started getting pretty slick during the end of the last lap. I took things a little too conservative on the last lap and my lap times definitely show it. New bike and new tires -- as well as several near wipe outs caused me to let off the gas. I did however finish fifth and was not DFL, which is always a good thing. = )

Christopher had did the kids race earlier at noon. What is wonderful about this race is that they actually have them ride on a short bit of trail as opposed to just riding through grass. Even better, they gave him a water bottle with two packages of fruit snacks. He was absolutely thrilled to get the fruit snacks. He did very well. There was one slight incline that he got almost all the way up and then slid part of the way down, causing a small scratch on his leg. He told his teacher how he had raced, slid down a hill and had blood coming down his leg. He definitely made it sound more exciting. Maybe a writing career is in his future.

We were parked in a nearby parking lot where they had a big puddle/pond that you could throw rocks in! And, they had a big pile of rocks!!! A pile that was bigger than Christopher! For a five-year-old boy, there is not much better than that. = ) He also got to see Zoey and Casey, which he was excited about.

On the way home, we stopped by a Burger King that had an indoor play area and had a Transformers Bumblebee toy for the kids meal. So, for Christopher, the trip really could only have been better if it had been longer. Tom, on the other hand, was not happy. He kept waffling on whether to race and decided not to. He rode around a little bit before my race but, by the time my race was over, it was raining and he just wanted to start heading home.

I'll be taking Christopher on a little trip this weekend to check out a museum in Rockford and they are going to stay home for the next race so they can go to a gathering someone from Tom's work is having. = ) I'm very psyched to ride the Niner and for the next race, paritcularly as I rode well at Matthiessen last year.

Niner Review & Bike Obsessions

Before I get to riding the Niner on Sunday, I had to post a photo of Christopher sledding on Friday. I had to go to Morton Grove in the afternoon & initially felt bad that Christopher wouldn't be able to go sledding 'cause we'd be running errands. The snow had all melted by us when I picked him up around 3 p.m. so we were very pleasantly surprised when we found there was still snow in Niles, where this photo was taken.

On Saturday, I rode at Palos in the morning and then we decided to stop by Goodspeed Cycles since they had finally built up the small Niner E.M.D. I rode it around the parking lot & thought the geometry was a little better for me than the Ferrous. Christopher really didn't want to leave because there were some other kids there. They swapped the handlebars and stem and rearranged the spacers while we were there. I kept telling them they should do a demo on the trails so I could have a better feel of how it rode. I was very, very excited when they said I could take it and ride it on Sunday. I'm not sure if it is their normal procedure or because I've been in there several times for LIB as well as doing a fix-a-flat workshop in their old location and manning a table for Active Trans there last year. I almost wanted to skip the PSIMET team party so I could ride. = )

On Sunday, I set my alarm for 6 a.m. so I could get some time on the trails before they thawed. I spent about 3.5 hours out there. I really enjoyed riding it -- obviously, since I didn't leave until the dirt had just started sticking on the tires.

The geometry was still slightly off but fit me pretty good and it was so fun to ride. The one thing I wanted to see was how it was on steep climbing -- That is my main issue on the Ferrous. If I have the stem/handlebars at a good riding position, then I can't keep the front wheel down on steep climbs. If I have it so I can handle steep climbs, I'm a little too upright when riding on flats. But, with ice and permafrost, it was really hard to tell as most of the steep inclines weren't rideable.

The bottom bracket is a little lower than on the Ferrous and it has a triple in the front as opposed to just one chain ring on the Ferrous. The chain ring hit one log pile that I usually don't have any issues with. Probably partly lower BB, partly extra chain rings and, possibly, also a change in the log pile since I last rode there in the fall.

We weighed the bike with my seat on it and a bottle cage and it was one pound heavier than the Ferrous. But, they had heavier wheels on the Niner and not as nice components so it would probably be slightly less than the Ferrous if I built up the frame.

Awesome, right? My dilemma --I have also been obsessing over the Specialized carbon hardtail women specific 29er since I read about it last year. Any time I was in a shop, I would ask about them and no one ever had any info. I was beginning to think it just never made it into production. At the team party, Karrie tells me they were produced, she had one and sold it and is not sure when they will be available again.

They should be available in April. Only complete bikes -- with SRAM 2x10 (which Tom & I are both totally lusting after) and 165 cranks (which are on my CX bike and which I like). I could get a team deal but still a heck of a lot more than the Niner frame. Niner also makes carbon frames but only offers a XS in the EMD model.

So, I've been torn and obsessing for at least the past 24 hours now. = ) Tom also suggested custom titanium but that is really out of the budget and I don't think I could wait that long.

One thing is for sure -- we will be selling quite a few of my bikes and frames to pay for a new 29er. If you know any short riders -- send them my way. We're selling my Schwinn SuperSport DBX frame (size XS), my Trek XO (size 47) either as a frame and/or wheels or how it is currently built up with the Shimano stuff that had been on the Schwinn, my Gary Fisher Hi Fi full suspension mountain bike, an old hybrid bike and a small Santa Cruz Juliana full suspension frame that has a stripped real derailler hanger but that a bike shop says can be fixed (we still have to bring it to get an estimate for that though). We'll be posting info. on CraigsList hopefully very soon but shoot me an email if you know anyone who may be interested. = )