Update from the chicken girly newbie (longish)

Gwen says:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb from
where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.

<more snip>

Gwen, don't feel stupid at any point, unless you really have been a dork ;-) We all start somewhere,
and many of us are not too far away from where you are now. The trick is to try to remember what
worked and what didn't and keep adjusting the techniques until it all works. And keep riding.

Steve

Gwen Morse wrote:

<snipped>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I reset my Cat Eye odometer computer before that ride and it stopped working, entirely. Hmm. I
wonder if it has something to do with getting the chain tightened.

porpbably the front sensor got bumped.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually*

get up it now, but, there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I can't
get "around" them on one side. Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time.

suggestion: depending on the condtion of your trail... going around isn't always a good
choice, contributes to cheater routes around things and widein of the trail. But it amy
already be like that....

However, I was able to

Quoted message said:

restart my climb from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way.

way to go!!

But, a bit after was a

Quoted message said:

point where he just ended up ahead of me, and I stayed back when he tried to wave me forward. I
mastered this highly subtle technique from my hiking partner, Fred. Fred's done this to give me
confidence when I'm doing tough hikes. Mike had seen me follow the trail markers, and he'd seen
the "worst" of the climbs, so, there was nothing he couldn't deal with up ahead.

I have to say, he lit out like a donkey with his tail on fire. I don't know if he's been eating
his Wheaties or what, but, he was just zooming along. So, of course, not wanting to be the
candyassed girl who was left behind, I tried to match my pace with his. *AND I DID IT*. This just
goes to show I *was* being candyassed all along about my speed.

way to go again!!!

Quoted message said:

There was nothing too significant for a good part of the hike, except that Mike tried riding over
a log obstacle and *almost* fell on his ass. And, he complained about some jouncy bits of the
trail, so, I offered to switch seats (I have an ergonomic gel seat), but, our seatposts were
different sizes by like a millimeter or two, which meant it couldn't happen.

But, the true beauty was when we were working our way down the extended final descent, and Mike
suddenly swerved to one side, and then his bike went to the right, and his body flipped over the
handlebars to the left.

I'm a bit ashamed to report that my first thought was "Gosh, I wish I had my camera" and only my
SECOND was to wonder if he was "okay".

heh, what are friends for?

Quoted message said:

A bit further along the same descent, I was able to get into proper "attack position", and not
fall (or even just feel "wobbly"😉 for several seconds. I think all the responses from people
in the group helped. I have alot of trouble with this, so, I'm proud to have been able to do
it at all.

go grrl!!

Quoted message said:

Mike and I are supposed to meet again tomorrow for another ride. He wants to do the loop twice. I
think he's hooked 🙂.

fun RR... sounds like you are hooked too!!

Penny

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Gwen says:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb from
where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.

<more snip>

Gwen, don't feel stupid at any point, unless you really have been a dork ;-) We all start
somewhere, and many of us are not too far away from where you are now. The trick is to try to
remember what worked and what didn't and keep adjusting the techniques until it all works. And
keep riding.

Steve

Another trick is to remember that riding techniques posted here will almost always need to be
adapted to your own personal riding style.

For instance, one way i have found to improve hill climbing, is to first find a moderate climb. get
used to it in your favorite hill climbing gear for about 4 - 5 rides (by ride as a unit, i refer to
each individual riding session, not looping over the same trail section). then, when you feel
comfortable (depending on your body's strength/endurance building speed), start taking the climb in
one gear higher on the rear cogs. after you get used to this, repeat steps.

I have found, there is a limit to this though. once you begin to provide a lot of power to the
pedals, the chain jumping links (some may call it skipping, or slipping) will be much more common,
though if your gears are fairly new, unlike mine, then you may not have this problem.

And remember, performance training can only be done at your own pace as like fingerprints, nobody
develops performance the same way, or at the same rate.

One person told me that using a stair-master can help, though i have not tried it. I have tried
stationary bikes, and i must say, after riding a real bike, a stationary just doesn't have the same
resistance. i found myself constantly adjusting the tension pad.

And the most important thing, though you may already know, is to have fun.

~Travis
--
To reply by email, remove clothes.

travis5765.homelinux.net, Primary Administrator TF Custom Electronic, Owner/Founder/Developer
(current project: Automotive exhaust flame-thrower)

Gwen Morse said:

The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually* get up it now, but,
there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I can't get "around" them
on one side.

Aside from the badness of trail-widening that Penny mentioned, trying to get around the side will
often cause you to have to make precarious turns in the middle of an already-difficult climb.
Sometimes just going right up the middle is more effective. Gather as much speed as you can, pop up
the front wheel a bit (very easy to do on a steep uphill), and lunge forward to get the back wheel
over the root. If its a really long climb, use the easier parts to slow down and catch your
breath...you'll need momentum to get up the steeper sections.

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb
from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.
Not only did I look like I "couldn't" climb, but, Mike was following right behind me and had to
stop, too.

It always makes me feel bad to hold people up, but often it just gives them an excuse to walk
something that they wouldn't have made anyway!

Quoted message said:

There's a double hill that gives me trouble. I have alot of trouble climbing the first hill, but,
I can climb the second one. I couldn't remember *where* it was. It turns out it was at least a
mile later than I thought it was.

I had to grin about this part; I do that all the time. I know the hill is just ahead *somewhere*,
and end up tooling down the trail at a snail's pace for quite awhile waiting for that hill.

Climbing steep hills is a skill that is developed over time. There's a whole lot more to it that
just being in shape. You might want to Google for some of the climbing threads. Many of us tend to
really get into the climbing aspect of MTBing; any damn fool can go downhill.

Quoted message said:

I'm a bit ashamed to report that my first thought was "Gosh, I wish I had my camera" and only my
SECOND was to wonder if he was "okay". He was. He was actually laughing over it. I'm a bit amazed
that he was undamaged by the fall (as was his brother's bike) because both of them were entangled
in four trees that were close together. How his head or joints avoided contact with all of them is
a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes.

Always glad when everyone's OK. It has always amazed me the beating that these bikes can take.

Quoted message said:

A bit further along the same descent, I was able to get into proper "attack position", and not
fall (or even just feel "wobbly"😉 for several seconds. I think all the responses from people
in the group helped. I have alot of trouble with this, so, I'm proud to have been able to do
it at all.

Cool! It feels really good to get comfortable with parts that used to be tough, doesn't it?

Quoted message said:

My computer still wasn't working. I might bring my bike in tomorrow. The battery's not dead -- the
numbers are still there. They just don't change. I think maybe a wire is loose somewhere.

Gotta agree with Penny on this one. The sensor on your fork can get bumped, and often does if you
take the front wheel off. If its too far from the magnet, it'll just stop working. I try to check
mine before every ride to make sure it notices the magnet passing by.

Quoted message said:

Mike and I are supposed to meet again tomorrow for another ride. He wants to do the loop twice. I
think he's hooked 🙂.

Oh yeah, if he was smiling after that crash, he's hooked!

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Gwen Morse said:

Quoted message said:

The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually*

get up it now, but, there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I
can't get "around" them on one side. Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time.

suggestion: depending on the condtion of your trail... going around isn't always a good choice,
contributes to cheater routes around things and widein of the trail. But it amy already be like
that....

Suggestion? The rule states that if you can't ride it, walk it. Widening trails just so you don't
have to get off of the bike to walk something you can't ride is lazy and irresponsible.

JD who's amy?

(Stephen Baker) said:

Gwen says:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb from
where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.

<more snip>

Gwen, don't feel stupid at any point, unless you really have been a dork ;-) We all start
somewhere, and many of us are not too far away from where you are now. The trick is to try to
remember what worked and what didn't and keep

Hmm. I'm not finding many of them writing posts here 🙂. <heh>. I'll have to comb through more
carefully.

Gwen

--
Gwen Morse -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Love is a snowmobile racing
across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels
come." -- Matt Groening

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

(Stephen Baker) said:

Gwen says:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb
from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.

<more snip>

Gwen, don't feel stupid at any point, unless you really have been a dork ;-) We all start
somewhere, and many of us are not too far away from where you are now. The trick is to try to
remember what worked and what didn't and keep

Hmm. I'm not finding many of them writing posts here 🙂. <heh>. I'll have to comb through more
carefully.

Gwen

Just most of them either don't post for fear of not comparing to the "pros", or they don't think
they have something to contribute.

Then there is the majority, most of us, from my impressions anyway, while having many skills, also
are not afraid of learning something new, or a new way of doing it.

I for one, while having a documented writing disability, find that writing ride reports, no matter
how lame the ride was, aids me in improving my creative writing. With the right choice of words, one
can make a slightly eventful 5 minute ride sound like an epic.

creativity can turn "i rode over some rocks" into "as i rounded the turn, i was faced with a field
of rocks, each one threatening to dismount me and cause great pain and blood loss, though in spite
of the danger, i charged forward and soaked up the blow of every stone that passed under my tires
with the grace of a wild cat".

But then, too much creativity and it can deform the real ride into a work of fiction.

So come on newbies, post your rides. It gives us something to read when we can't ride, and who
knows, you may even receive some helpful pointers to use on your next ride.

~Travis
--
To reply by email, remove clothes.

travis5765.homelinux.net, Primary Administrator TF Custom Electronic, Owner/Founder/Developer
(current project: Automotive exhaust flame-thrower)

Technician said:

I for one, while having a documented writing disability, find that writing ride reports, no matter
how lame the ride was, aids me in improving my creative writing. With the right choice of words,
one can make a slightly eventful 5 minute ride sound like an epic.

A friend of mine recently complimented me by saying that the ride reports I've been posting in my
blog keep her "on the edge of my seat". I'm not sure I'm writing "epic" descriptions, but, that's
obviously still a good effort 🙂.

Quoted message said:

So come on newbies, post your rides. It gives us something to read when we can't ride, and who
knows, you may even receive some helpful pointers to use on your next ride.

I've sure been getting helpful pointers. It's almost as good as going out with people who "know"
how to ride.

Gwen

--
Gwen Morse -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Love is a snowmobile racing
across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels
come." -- Matt Groening

Gwen Morse said:

(Stephen Baker) said:

Gwen says:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb
from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.

<more snip>

Gwen, don't feel stupid at any point, unless you really have been a dork ;-) We all start
somewhere, and many of us are not too far away from where you are now. The trick is to try to
remember what worked and what didn't and keep

Hmm. I'm not finding many of them writing posts here 🙂. <heh>. I'll have to comb through more
carefully.

my old ones are full of newbie frustation, angst, whining and anal over analysis.

Penny

BB said:

Quoted message said:

My computer still wasn't working. I might bring my bike in tomorrow. The battery's not dead --
the numbers are still there. They just don't change. I think maybe a wire is loose somewhere.

Gotta agree with Penny on this one. The sensor on your fork can get bumped, and often does if you
take the front wheel off. If its too far from the magnet, it'll just stop working. I try to check
mine before every ride to make sure it notices the magnet passing by.

funny note: my front whell was free spinning on the rack all the way home today. That added at
least 2 miles to my odometer even tho it was going backwards.

Penny

JD said:

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Gwen Morse said:

> The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually*
get up it now, but, there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I
can't get "around" them on one side. Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time.

suggestion: depending on the condtion of your trail... going around isn't always a good choice,
contributes to cheater routes around things and widein of the trail. But it amy already be like
that....

Suggestion? The rule states that if you can't ride it, walk it. Widening trails just so you don't
have to get off of the bike to walk something you can't ride is lazy and irresponsible.

JD who's amy?

amy slipped buy my spell check.

penny

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JD said:

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Gwen Morse wrote:
>> The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually*
> get up it now, but, there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I
> can't get "around" them on one side. Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time.

suggestion: depending on the condtion of your trail... going around isn't always a good choice,
contributes to cheater routes around things and widein of the trail. But it amy already be like
that....

Suggestion? The rule states that if you can't ride it, walk it. Widening trails just so you
don't have to get off of the bike to walk something you can't ride is lazy and irresponsible.

JD who's amy?

amy slipped buy my spell check.

penny

I guess so did *buy...hehe
--
Slacker

Slacker said:

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JD said:

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
> Gwen Morse wrote:
>>> The trail at Cathedral Pines starts off with a climb. I can *usually*
>> get up it now, but, there's some knotty roots right in the middle that give me trouble if I
>> can't get "around" them on one side. Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time.
>
>
> suggestion: depending on the condtion of your trail... going around isn't always a good choice,
> contributes to cheater routes around things and widein of the trail. But it amy already be like
> that....

Suggestion? The rule states that if you can't ride it, walk it. Widening trails just so you
don't have to get off of the bike to walk something you can't ride is lazy and irresponsible.

JD who's amy?

amy slipped buy my spell check.

penny

I guess so did *buy...hehe

did that one on purpose neener neener

Gwen Morse <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

<munch>

Quoted message said:

I took my bike to the bike shop, yesterday, to get the chain tightened. It's been falling off
every time I go riding, once a ride. The bike shop owner tightened it and said I need to get the
gear cables tightened, too, but, that I could bring it in next week. That was good because I
wanted to hit the trails and didn't want to wait any longer.

It would be a good idea to learn to work on your own bike. It will save you a lot of time and money,
and it comes in real handy when you have trouble on a trail. Most of this stuff is real simple, it
just looks hard to do. I recommend the book "Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenence". It
beats the hell out of the outdated looking book the guy at the LBS recomended to me.

<munch

Gwen Morse <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

<Snip>

Quoted message said:

My computer still wasn't working. I might bring my bike in tomorrow. The battery's not dead -- the
numbers are still there. They just don't change. I think maybe a wire is loose somewhere.

The pickup attached to the front fork has probably moved to far from the magnet on the wheel OR the
magnet on the wheel has fallen off 🙂

Try moving the front pickup sensor so it is within say 5mm of the magnet as it spins past. If there
is no magnet, well... that's 'ya problem 🙂 Test it by spinning the front wheel freehand (holding
the front of the bike off the ground, obviously)

Trevor S

"Gwen Morse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

After not getting to ride for two weeks because the weather wasn't permitting, I've ridden three
times this week (Mon, Fri, Sat). I'm going to ride again on Sunday, too. Here's an update on my
last two rides:

<snip>

Keep on riding, Cathedral Pines is a nice, smooth and manicured trail. We ride there every once
in a while.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

BB said:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 22:10:16 -0400, Gwen Morse wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb
from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.
Not only did I look like I "couldn't" climb, but, Mike was following right behind me and had to
stop, too.

It always makes me feel bad to hold people up, but often it just gives them an excuse to walk
something that they wouldn't have made anyway!

If I know there's a good possibility I'm going to have to bail on a climb I'll try to time
it so that I don't cause anybody behind me any problems. Still, sometimes it happens. Part
of the game. When the shoe's on the other foot (and it often is, since I usually ride sweep
behind my kids) I just consider it a chance to take a break and say hi. The exception is the
time some yahoo just *had* to pass me just before the start of a climb. Then bogged down,
bobbled, dismounted and literally SAT DOWN in the middle of the trail less that a quarter of
the way up. As if he didn't know there was somebody right behind him. I confined my comments
to a heartfelt "Way to go, Ace. Nice job" as I pushed past him, then remounted and finished
the climb. Although I must admit to slinging maybe just a little more gravel than strictly
necessary when restarting. Making it to the top without having to stop again, and being able
to turn around and watch him make several efforts to restart, give it up, and push his bike
the rest of the way up was better than chocolate.

Kathleen

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

BB said:

Quoted message said:

My computer still wasn't working. I might bring my bike in tomorrow. The battery's not dead --
the numbers are still there. They just don't change. I think maybe a wire is loose somewhere.

Gotta agree with Penny on this one. The sensor on your fork can get bumped, and often does if
you take the front wheel off. If its too far from the magnet, it'll just stop working. I try to
check mine before every ride to make sure it notices the magnet passing by.

funny note: my front whell was free spinning on the rack all the way home today. That added at
least 2 miles to my odometer even tho it was going backwards.

Penny

That happened to my sisters bike as my parents were taking her to college. added 53 miles to the
odometer (giving it a total of 112 miles, she doesn't ride it all that much).

I usually remove my speedo during transport as i have this strange paranoia that it will fall off,
even though it has never fallen off on the much rougher trails. i did lose a tire pump on the trail
once, though i have since fashioned a velcro retainer and it now is held secure.

And BTW, backwards miles are counted just the same as normal miles. the spedo simply counts the
number of times the magnet passes beneath the sensor, and applies some math to convert it to the
correct units (ie, Mph, Kph). if the magnet goes forwards, backwards, or maybe you just jiggle the
wheel back and forth so the magnet repeatedly passes under the sensor, either way, it is still
passing beneath the sensor.

~Travis
--
To reply by email, remove clothes.

travis5765.homelinux.net, Primary Administrator TF Custom Electronic, Owner/Founder/Developer
(current project: Automotive exhaust flame-thrower)

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

BB said:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 22:10:16 -0400, Gwen Morse wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Needless to say, I didn't get around them this time. However, I was able to restart my climb
from where I got stuck, rather than walking up the rest of the way. Still, I felt sort of dumb.
Not only did I look like I "couldn't" climb, but, Mike was following right behind me and had to
stop, too.

It always makes me feel bad to hold people up, but often it just gives them an excuse to walk
something that they wouldn't have made anyway!

If I know there's a good possibility I'm going to have to bail on a climb I'll try to time
it so that I don't cause anybody behind me any problems. Still, sometimes it happens. Part
of the game. When the shoe's on the other foot (and it often is, since I usually ride sweep
behind my kids) I just consider it a chance to take a break and say hi. The exception is the
time some yahoo just *had* to pass me just before the start of a climb. Then bogged down,
bobbled, dismounted and literally SAT DOWN in the middle of the trail less that a quarter of
the way up. As if he didn't know there was somebody right behind him. I confined my comments
to a heartfelt "Way to go, Ace. Nice job" as I pushed past him, then remounted and finished
the climb. Although I must admit to slinging maybe just a little more gravel than strictly
necessary when restarting. Making it to the top without having to stop again, and being able
to turn around and watch him make several efforts to restart, give it up, and push his bike
the rest of the way up was better than chocolate.

Kathleen

Not only that, but you have the added bonus of surprise, as you have just described, for all those
guys that think "yup, woman, i better pass her to keep from being held up". Though perhaps the guy
was just trying to show off, and bombed.

I admire your skill in confining your comments. I would no doubt be laughing my ass off while
passing the guy.

~Travis
--
To reply by email, remove clothes.

travis5765.homelinux.net, Primary Administrator TF Custom Electronic, Owner/Founder/Developer
(current project: Automotive exhaust flame-thrower)