mtb

Information overload!

~ reluctantroadie ~ 1 Comment

Now that I’ve had a few days to mull over all the information I received, if not learned, from the Slaydies bike clinic I just completed, I want to jot some thoughts down for posterity (and my unreliable memory). 😉

My overall conclusion is this: taking a bike clinic is a great thing to do, if you’re looking to improve your skills in a safe environment!

The clinic was spread out over 4 weeks (we met each Tuesday afternoon for about 2 hours), so there was time in between classes to practice what we learned. Each class was focused on a few specific fundamental skills. For example, the first class was devoted to the proper position when descending technical trails and braking (very important skill!!). We spent most of the second class on cornering. During the third class, we worked on our front wheel lift, which is crucial to technical climbing, i.e. getting over bigger rocks/obstacles when going uphill. For the last class, we broke down a specific “challenging” trail into sections and “sessioned” those sections, which just means that we worked on specific sections multiple times….i.e., practicing!

After each class, Stef, our coach, emailed us personalized feedback and “homework.” For instance, after the second class, Stef advised me to work on thinking where my body weight is when cornering and where I’m looking as I’m entering and exiting a corner. She even sent me “before and after” pictures of me cornering:

(Left: trying too hard to show that I’m cornering. My right leg should be extended. Right: better cornering position.)

Although I can ride a bike, I’ve never intentionally practiced anything, so my technical ability is pretty much zero. I found it a little overwhelming to think about all the stuff I had to do to corner, descend, climb, etc., which was to be expected. No one was going to magically master all the skills in one day! However, I learned a lot over the past 4 weeks and am inspired to apply my head knowledge to actual riding. In fact, during my last two rides, I tried riding a couple of trails that I still consider “challenging” and successfully rode most of them. So, that’s improvement.

Apart from all the skills I need to work on, I think my biggest challenge will be to curtail my SAT’s (self-appointed trainer, i.e. my husband) expectations and enthusiasm for my “renewed interest in biking” (his words). Based on my previous experience (for example, this ride or this ride or that ride), my SAT has a talent for pushing people to do things they may not want to do. Dear readers, any tips on how to lovingly ignore my SAT? 😉

Left: me with Stef, our clinic coach. Right: taking a photo break during the last class.

Trying some new stuff

~ reluctantroadie ~ 1 Comment

Today, my SAT (a.k.a. self-appointed trainer and my husband) and I went on some different local mountain bike trails. Instead of riding the same (easy) trails, we did one trail backwards and one entirely new trail. I don’t tend to do the same trails backwards because I like doing what I know in the direction I know. I found that doing the one trail backwards was….harder. But, I got one obstacle on my first try and have another obstacle to work on for next time. The new-to-me trail is a wee bit out of my comfort zone, but still within my reach. There are about 3 obstacles on the uphill I need to work on….but, I “cleaned” (i.e. complete a section of trail on the first try) the downhill! In addition to doing new stuff, I “sessioned” things I didn’t get on the first try, which means that I repeated the sections I didn’t get until I did get it. It’s similar to practicing a hard part in a piano piece until you master it.

Anyway, I thought I’d document my first (and only, so far) session ride of 2020 for posterity. I have to admit that being able to do harder things is cool. Yes, the practicing part is work, but the concept is something with which I’m familiar from years of piano practice. Stay tuned for more skill development on the mountain bike from yours truly. 🙂

iSore

~ reluctantroadie ~ 4 Comments

(This is a long post.  You are forewarned!)

This weekend featured 2 new “firsts” for me, plus a return to my “last-resort” method of training: indoor bike.  So many words, so little time, so let’s begin!

Yesterday, my SAT and I embarked on a new type of adventure: the multi-disciplinary outdoor fest.  We decided to hike up Bridge Mountain, which is one of the most popular and beautiful hikes in southern Nevada and is situated in Red Rock Canyon.  Most people who climb Bridge Mountain drive their high-clearance vehicle (HCV) up the 5 mile gravel road to the trailhead.  That gravel road is appropriately named Rocky Gap Road, for it is indeed VERY rocky.  I am not sure which is faster: driving up the road or hiking up the road.  There are many sharp twists and turns along the narrow road that necessitate good driving skills, a cool head, and patience (for high speeds are well nigh impossible).  I was eager for my SAT to hike Bridge Mountain because I knew from personal experience how fun of a climb it is.  Along the way to the summit, one will see the rocks change color from grey (limestone) to red and cream (sandstone).  There is also a hidden forest near the summit as well as a beautiful stone bridge or arch (thus, the name “Bridge Mountain”).

Whilst discussing the idea of hiking Bridge Mountain, my SAT smirked and suggested that we do Bridge the “correct” way: (mountain) bike up Rocky Gap Road, hide our bikes at the trailhead, then hike up.

“It’ll be SO much faster going down Rocky Gap on our bikes and besides, we have to do this the proper way,” my SAT declared.

“Proper according to whom?” I inquired.

“To anyone hard-core,” he asserted.

“How long do you think this will take?”  I asked.

“Let’s say 2 hours….wait, no, probably more like 1.5 hours for you,” he calculated.

Oh joy.  A 5 mile mountain bike climb, which is something I rarely do, for almost 2 hours.  To add incentive, my SAT invited a friend (Mike) to join us who knows the route up to Bridge AND who is even less experienced than me on the mountain bike.  I reluctantly agreed to this endeavour and yesterday morning, we got on our bikes and started pedaling up the rock and boulder strewn road.

Honestly, that was one of the hardest things I’ve done on the bike.  My lack of expertise on the mountain bike was most evident when I had to negotiate my way uphill through rocks and gravel.  I was going so slowly that I lost my balance (and patience) several times.  All the while I was huffing, puffing, and fearing for my cardiovascular health, my SAT was smiling, laughing, and doling out words of encouragement.

“Pedal HARDER!”….”Why are you just standing there?”….”GET BACK ON YOUR BIKE.”

(Ok, he DID say some nice things too, like how well I was doing and how far I’ve come.  Of course, my state of mind during the entire climb was such that I decided that SAT now stood for “Sadistic Apathetic Trainer.”  I think the word “sadistic” is apparent enough; the “apathetic” was my adjective to describe his attitude to my pain during the climb).

Mike wasn’t saying much either on the bike ride up the climb and had to admit he did not make HIS wife do things like my SAT was making me do.  Take note, my SAT.

We finally got up to the trailhead, heaved in as much oxygen as we could, then stashed our bikes off the trailhead:

IMG_9510

The hike up to the top of Bridge Mountain was beautiful.  Perfect temperature and gorgeous views.

IMG_9522(Our goal!)

IMG_9548(My SAT and I on top of the bridge.)

The ride down Rocky Gap Road went much faster than the climb (obviously!), but I still had to brake most of the way down, as I kept on gaining speed when I wanted to go slower over the rocks and boulders in my way.  However, we all made it down safely and before the sun set.

IMG_9558(SO HAPPY to be DONE.)

In contrast to yesterday’s beautiful weather, today was quite rainy and cold.  I still had a considerable number of miles to ride for the week and it wasn’t looking good for a long ride today.  Despite my lack of adequate rainy weather gear, my SAT and I set out for a bike ride anyway.  We were only a few miles into the ride when we both decided to turn around and go home for the following reasons: 1) every time we turned a corner, our tires would direct streams of water into our shoes.  Cold, wet feet do not a comfortable ride make.  2) My saddle (seat) is one of those fancy cut-out ones to alleviate pressure.  While I cycled, water from the wheels would splash up the cut-out and onto my butt area, making my cycling pants feel like a spandex sponge.  I could feel myself squeezing water out of my chamois (the padded part of my cycling pants) whilst sitting and rotating my posterior during each pedal stroke.  3) It was just plain cold and miserable.

We arrived home and immediately shed our sodden clothing.  I resigned myself to a long session on the indoor bike in the gym.  Better than nothing, I suppose.  I hope tomorrow is a sunnier, drier day!

IMG_9559

(Just arrived home and not impressed with the precipitation.)