This blog is way overdue for an update! Why haven’t I updated lately? Because I’ve been consistently riding my mountain bike. This is not a joke. Although I’ve had my mountain bike for 5 years, I barely rode it. I was seriously considering selling my bike in October 2020 because it was a waste to have a great bike and not ride it. (Also, due to the pandemic, it seemed like EVERYONE was spending time outside on bikes, which meant that bikes were in great demand. I figured that I could tap into that demand and get a pretty great price for my bike.) However, my SAT (self-appointed trainer, a.k.a., my husband) persuaded me to give mountain biking one more go and I agreed. I even signed up for a clinic….and that was the clincher. Not only did I learn some fundamental skills, I met some great women riders, who introduced me to a lot more women riders. Now, I have a community of women riders!
I wanted to blog about each of my mountain bike rides and trips that I’ve done this year, but because there are way too many rides and trips to document, I’m just going to bullet out the highlights of my mountain biking year thus far:
- Set a mileage goal for 2021: 30 miles / week (i.e., 1,520 this year). As of June 26, 2021, I’ve ridden 927 miles (1,492 km)!
- Gone on lots of group rides, both self-organized and via a few groups I’ve joined.
- Met lots of lady shredders!
- Trips taken include 3 Sedona trips, 2 Flagstaff trips, and numerous valley/local rides.
- Successfully completed the Slaydies 30 day skills challenge, which means that I intentionally practiced mountain bike skills for at least 20 minutes a day for 30 consecutive days. Over the 30 days, I spent 28 hours and 27 minutes on my bike and rode 184.1 miles. That’s a lot of practice!
- Took 2 bike skills clinics (cornering and downhill with PedalTherapy).
- Accomplishments: I can actually lift my front wheel! I can also do baby level lifts and something resembling a back wheel lift. Additionally, I can now ride ALL of the Beverly Canyon downhill sections, the Javelina downhill, most of East Loop in both directions, and much of the Hawes trail system. I also rode a couple sections of the Black Canyon Trail for the first time in May and that was really fun.
- Residual benefit: lost a few pounds. 😉
Goals for the rest of this year include exceeding my mileage goal and focusing on new trails at South Mountain to learn, such as Mormon and National (yikes). Right now, getting out to ride is a bit more challenging due to the heat here in Phoenix, but I’m managing to continue riding by getting up at 4:30am (this is not a joke). I cannot wait for fall.
I’ll end this blog post with lots of pictures from all the riding I’ve done this year!
On top of the “Helipad” at South Mountain with Jodey and Jess. 
Lovely view of the Sedona red rock on Valentine’s Day. 
Rode with Lifan and Carl on Valentine’s Day in Sedona. 
Riding some trails at Hawes in east Mesa on my birthday. 
Another Sedona ride in mid-March. 
Sedona girls’ ride with Jodey, Vanessa, and Kara. 
Saw burros on the trail at Browns Ranch! 
Just after “cleaning,” i.e., successfully riding, the south side Beverly Canyon downhill. I focused on downhill skills for a week leading up to the PedalTherapy downhill skills bike clinic I took in April. 
Getting the hang of what the proper downhill body position should feel like during the PedalTherapy downhill skills clinic in April. 
Riding a portion of the Black Canyon Trail in May. 
Barely saw this critter on the Black Canyon Trail! 
All the ladies who completed the Slaydies 30 day challenge. 
Girls’ ride in…Sedona! (It’s a great place to ride.) 
Played hooky for a day and rode in Flagstaff with Sara and Tori to escape the Phoenix heat in June. 
Another ride in Flagstaff, but this time, with a different group. 
I’m getting up at 4:30am to ride to beat the heat. One benefit: glorious AZ sunrises. 
AZ sunrises really are beautiful.
reluctantroadie 