Girls Rule!

I attended a Sue Haywood Clinic...ROCKED MY WORLD! As part of the Year of Me (turning 40), Craig has been pushing me to find 12 exciting experiences before the big day. I have been wanting to attend an all women's mountain bike clinic for some time now. I jumped on the opportunity to learn from Sue Haywood with the added bonus of visiting Mulberry Gap.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first. No one else from Chattanooga was attending...flying solo. As a closet introvert with tendencies of nervous talking and uncomfortable giggling (official diagnosis), I flashed back to high school...the new girl...strangers...which lunch table...oh no, am I one of the cool kids...FREAKING OUT!  It is the Year of Me...new experiences...stuck my neck out there, registered for the group cabin.  Doin' this!

Did I mention...I was going to Mulberry Gap!!! One of my most favoritest get-a-way locations!  Getting to hang out with women who are as crazy about mountain biking as I am...could not wait! Still nervous, but at least we all speak the common language of bikes.

The packing started on the Tuesday before, everyone I know takes 3 days to pack, don't you...I blame the Eagle Scout in the house..."are you packed yet?"  Gear bag checked, riding clothes were washed, everything was going smooth until...THE WEATHER CHANNEL!..Rain, damn it! No this cannot be! I convinced myself to sleep in the same room with strangers...rain, rain, go away!  Alright...breathe, we live in the South and weathermen are 20% right, 20% of the time.  I'll gave it until Friday, the forecast was going to change!  It did...kinda!

As always, the guys at Scott's Bicycle Centre had my bike ready to roll.  Never a worry with Doug and the gang.  It needed a good comb over after the Velo Vixens' Night Shift Race (blog post pending, just so excited to tell y'all about the clinic).  An advanced camp, required an advanced bike.  My Trek Top Fuel 9.8(.5) handled the trails like a champ!

Friday came, weather was looking better-ish. Rain might hold off for at least one day. "Just give me enough time to learn how to wheelie!"  On my way down to Mulberry Gap, I was pondering what the other women would be like, where they traveled from, will there be a loud snorer in the cabin (I had my hammock and a rain fly, just in case I needed to bail).  Upon arriving, I saw a few other women filing in...just stay cool and don't look them in the eyes!  At check in I got a key, a key?...WAIT A DANG SECOND...a small cabin?!  You mean, no scary Orange is the New Black moments over who gets the top bunk..the weekend was awesome!  A group of guys from Missouri had rented out the bunkhouse!  Awe...privacy, no children, badass women screaming into camp after afternoon rides on the Pinhoti's...Let me say it again, this weekend was awesome!

No time to ride that evening.. :(  BUT, it was dinner time!  Never arrive at Mulberry Gap with a full belly, amazing home cooked meals and plenty of it. I met several of the ladies at dinner...lunch room table fear concurred!  Atlanta was the most popular hometown, one from Nashville, another from Asheville and I finally met Shanna, THE Endless Bike Girl!  I always see crazy pictures of her fairy wings, cool socks and all, on social media.  Single speeders rave over her bike cogs. Celebrity moment for sure!  We got a tentative schedule from Sue after dinner and everyone headed back to there cabins. WAIT...no group socialization? No camp fire shenanigans? I guess I was not the only one nervous about meeting new people.

My roommate arrived after dinner. We hit it off from the start!  She, too, was a medical professional.  We spent the evening nerding out on medical industry conversation, but not too deeply, we had mountain bikes to ride in the morning.

Saturday morning breakfast was Aaaamazing (I seem to be talking about food a lot)! Good nutrition for a day on the bike, a must! Water bottles were filled, crafty name tags made (of course I wrote my name really small and stuck it on my helmet, just like a good introvert would do), we are ready for some schoolin'. Scott's Bike Shop did a great job setting my bike up. I passed bike check with flying colors. Levers and shifter were all well placed, no adjustments needed.  Ready to shred!

Next, ride position check:  Lesson #1 - I do not hold my arms the right way. Elbows out! (crap,...shhh, he has been right the whole time, no one tell "him"). 

Onto riding: Ready position, moving around in the cockpit of the bike (that's right, biking is so cool we get to sit in a cockpit just like a fighter pilot...minus the wings, missiles, plane and engines...but it is still a cockpit!), braking (for weenies), and leaning the bike. Oh, leaning the bike. I have been working on that technique for a while . It has been my Achilles heel. Stop turning and start leaning! So much to work on at home. Note to self, buy small cones for home practice. Plus it will be a great way to get the kids working on skills too!

Next, bunny hops, wheel lifts (both front and back)...super fun.  On to WHEELIES...oh, no wheelies, but I want to learn how to wheelie! A few pointers were given for practicing a wheelie but we ran out of time. What a fun filled morning. Great instruction and support was handed out. I felt so inspired as I started to see some of these women feel more comfortable with their bike.

After lunch we headed to some of my most favorite, yet rarely, visited trails; Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1 and Pinhoti 2. During previous visits to Mulbarry Gap, I have always ridden the 5 mile climb to the top of Bear Creek. Not this time, we had a shuttle! Catch ya next time CLIMB. 

We started on the Bear Creek Spur. Practice time on gnarly switchbacks. I have not been able to clear the two on Bear Creek. Hike-a-bike in shame, but no more, time to clean them.  After watching Sue and two others, ride clear the first one, I took a deep breath and pedaled down. Eyes up, looked ahead, leaned the bike, butt was back, heels were down, used both brakes. I started into the righthand turn feeling balanced, under control, but then I felt my back wheel start to slide. Okay...no biggie! Kept looking up, looked where I was going. UMPH, my back wheel bucked up right in the apex of the turn, threw me slightly off line, but kept looking up resisting the urge to bail...ahhh TREE! Brake, gain control!  Letting the training take over.  I found myself leaning against a tree at the bottom of the switchback. I made it! A little out of control, but I made it. Sue chimes in "Great job! Remember to breath." Need to add breath to my prep list.

Several women were not quite sure if they wanted to attempt the tight off camber turn. One young lady, who was obviously a little intimidated, decided to put her fears aside and go for it. I was so proud of her!! She went into the right hand turn very well balance. Then, at the same place I had lost control, she starts to slide, ugh, she hit her brakes, gained some control and then, in slow motion, her back wheel started to buck up, she leans forward, BAM, just like that she was tumbling down the side of the hill. Shoot, I thought she was going to recover. Within seconds, several ladies were at her side, helping her up, collecting her bike and gear. She was quick to her feet and looking good. Phew, no need for nursing skills....Oh wait..."um, Noel, could you please come check out this cut?" Alright, taking off my helmet and putting the nursing hat on. I approached the group on the ground. Oh damn! Is that fatty tissue pocking out??? Yep, that was one deep "scratch."  That was going to leave a mark!  After flushing out the wound, we apply a wet to dry bandage with bits and pieces from the first aid kit in Shana's never ending supply pack. Moved to triage and insure she didn't have any other unnoticed injuries. She checks out otherwise unscathed. Alright back to biking for the rest of us...she was heading to the Ellijay hospital.  Mountain biking isn't for wimps!

The rest of the ride is fairly uneventful; seriously fun singletrack! Fast down hills with roots and rocks, creek crossings, uphill ascents with punchy climbs. What a BLAST! Re-energized and feeling the smooth movements of my bike as I LEANed into the turns, I found a new groove. It was all about flow. We headed back to camp for shower and dinner.

Sunday proved to be a little different than planned. A downpour had started Saturday night and didn't let up. :( No riding on Sunday. We set up shop in the Gathering Barn to turn lemons into lemonade.   With all the bikes gathered we set to taking wheels off and on, playing with suspension presser and rebound adjustments. The most impressive item on the docket was Shanna's pack, the woman carries literally everything in the pack. I swear she could survive the end of the world with that thing.  Who needs an American Express, when you have a pack like that...NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.

I left the weekend feeling pumped, enlightened and ready to get more women educated on the basics of mountain biking. I really want to share the joy of freedom, accomplishment and independence the bike provides to us. I wish my personality allowed me the luxury of being unpredictable and spontaneous. If it did, I would quit my job tomorrow and start helping fellow female mountain bikers become more comfortable with a bike. Thank you Sue and Shanna! You are two very inspiring women who know how to pass on the inspiration to SHRED LIKE A GIRL!

Stay tuned in for my next blog post...going retro.  Well not really, just writing about my last race before my next race which is coming up this week.