RLAG Schaeffer Farms: Saturday May 20, 10 am

[liznotter]

Women-Only Mountain Bike Rides / All Abilities Welcome

Ride Level: We will have at least two groups with leaders: a casual/beginner group and a group for more advanced riders.

Location Information: Shaeffer Farm is an extremely popular mountain biking and equestrian destination with several excellent singletrack loops covering almost 12 miles of rolling terrain. Trails offer something for all levels, but tend toward fast and smooth hardpack singletrack, with moderate climbs, and a good number of log and ramped log hops. Some technical sections will require beginners to dismount, but intermediates should find most sections rideable and challenging.

More info: http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1205

About Ride Like a Girl (http://www.RideLikeaGirl.org): We're a group of women riders who get together for mountain biking, fun, and comraderie. Most rides are beginner-friendly, but are geared toward women who have at least a little mountain biking experience. Some rides are for more experienced riders. Rides are expected to last from 60 to 120 minutes. Depending on the size of the group, smaller groups will be formed on the basis of skill level and interest.

All riders MUST wear a helmet, bring water, and have a trail-ready bike. Riders should also carry the usual basics: spare tube(s), a pump, tire levers, a chain tool, and basic allen wrenches.

Please reply if you're planning on attending.

[7rider]

Hi there, Liz.
Brand new to MORE Forums....
Caught a blurb in SPOKES about women's skill-building sessions and checked out the MORE website for more info. Stumbled on this ride posting which sounds awesome to me. I am not a MORE member (yet??) and have never done a ride with you folks, but I'd love to join the ride if I can. I'm a fairly decent rider - but I haven't been in the woods with my bike in a loooong time (too long), so I'm pretty rusty. However, most of my riding has been done at Schaeffer, so I'm somewhat familiar with the area and its challenges.
Anyway...can I join the ride even if not a MORE member? What are the procedures? Do you just show up and look for a group? Waivers?? Etc., etc., etc.
Thanks much.
Regina

[redneckp3ngu1n]

Hey My sister is gonna be comin to this. do u cater to all levels of endurance? Also is sheaffer still gonna be open for us guys who wanna ride when thier sister is there? ;)

[liznotter]

Regina, welcome!

To join a RLAG ride, just show up at the appointed time (though RSVPs are appreciated so I can arrange enough leaders). I'll have a waiver form there. And look for a green mini-van and a grey Trek, that would be me.

Check out the Ride Like a Girl website (link below) for more information on ride ratings and things you need to bring, along with information on future rides.

Look forward to seeing you, let me know if you have further questions.

Liz

[liznotter]

Hey My sister is gonna be comin to this. do u cater to all levels of endurance? Also is sheaffer still gonna be open for us guys who wanna ride when thier sister is there? ;) Yes, Schaeffer will still be open...though riders may have to run the RLAG gauntlet somewhere along the trail. Don't worry, we're (mostly) good-mannered.

I'll need a parent there to sign a waiver for your sister, if she's under 18. And we will have one group riding at a casual pace, so we'll look forward to seeing her.

[7rider]

Great! Thanks, Liz.
I did check out the ratings...a casual/moderate intermediate ride seems pretty do-able for me. Please consider me RSVP'd.
Regina

[mabagal]

Regina,

Welcome! While you don't have to be a MORE member to join the RLAG rides, MORE membership has it previledges (the most impt being served Scudd's fries! :D)

To join or for more info:
http://www.more-mtb.org/index.php?page=membership

Jo

[CRAIG2]

Hey My sister is gonna be comin to this. do u cater to all levels of endurance? Also is sheaffer still gonna be open for us guys who wanna ride when thier sister is there? ;)

If we don't get too much rain, it should be open. If I make it up there, you can tag along with me if you'd like - maybe we can get a group of guys together for a casual/moderate testosterone fest - we'll talk about Nascar, and tell fart jokes. Or maybe I'll just show up in drag in solidarity of the RLAG ride :)

Craig

[Freseray]

Just got back from the ride and I need to say thanks to Liz, Theresa and Karen for a great ride. Its so hard to organize these kind of things, and an all girl ride was indeed appreciated. For any of you gals out there who want to get into biking, these RLAG rides are very friendly, beginner or not. Definitely dont be afraid to come out. Thanks again.

[outdrgal]

Thank you to Liz, Theresa, and Karen as well for such a wonderful ride and also for an introduction to a new area of the state. I had a WONDERFUL time. What a way to start the day! :)

[liznotter]

Thank you to each of the 15 RLAG riders we had out at Schaeffer today, it was a blast. Extra thanks to Teresa and Karen for leading the intermediate group, and BIG kudos go to 12-year-old Shannon, who kept up with us for the entire ride and hung in there until the end. A couple of years and this girl is going to being kicking us all over the racetracks.

Liz

PS. I need an intermediate ride leader at Wakefield on June 3. Anyone, anyone?

[Mrs. Outlaw]

Big thanks to Liz for leading the casual ride today! The route you put together was perfect. The Rusted Willy trail was lots of fun!

I'll second Liz's comments about Shannon!

Julie

[bobo ryder]

Thank you to each of the 15 RLAG riders we had out at Schaeffer today, it was a blast. Extra thanks to Teresa and Karen for leading the intermediate group, and BIG kudos go to 12-year-old Shannon, who kept up with us for the entire ride and hung in there until the end. A couple of years and this girl is going to being kicking us all over the racetracks.

Liz

PS. I need an intermediate ride leader at Wakefield on June 3. Anyone, anyone?


thanks 4 the shout out, it wuz fun.....exept when i fell in the thorn bush :D

[teresa]

Liz,
The new trail section you helped build two weeks ago at Schaeffer was super sweet. Stayed in the saddle the whole way except where the two huge down trees blocked the trail. When's the chainsaws gettin buzzy on it?

It's like a love fest on this thread. We are all so warm and fuzzy after that great ride you put together. Thanks for the detailed printed course instructions and the preride. I almost convinced my crew of 8 I knew what I was doing! Karen ran sweep for the whole 2 1/5 hour intermediate ride ( she's so patient ) and then took the hard core chics for 30 MORE minutes, while me and my tired legs headed to the parking lot with the rest of my group.

What a perfect ride..............T

[jabberwocky]

Liz,
The new trail section you helped build two weeks ago at Schaeffer was super sweet. Stayed in the saddle the whole way except where the two huge down trees blocked the trail. When's the chainsaws gettin buzzy on it?No! Those logs are fun! Although the ramps on the second one either needs to be fixed or removed, as they are pretty loose.

Agreed, the new section of trail was super spiffy.

[liznotter]

Stayed in the saddle the whole way except where the two huge down trees blocked the trail. When's the chainsaws gettin buzzy on it?Thanks Teresa, for leading Saturday's ride, it was a blast.

Oh, I'm betting those logs will stay where they are... While I am a big proponent of beginner-friendly trails, it's important that trails try to serve a wide population, that they're fun for as many riders as possible of all skill levels from beginner to advanced. Schaeffer is considered an intermediate system, so it's assumed there will be large obstacles that, well... not all riders will be able to do. And some obstacles that only one or two riders will be able to clean. Luckily, there are many large logs at Schaeffer that have ride-arounds or smaller pyramids beside them... if I don't feel like dismounting, I avoid a couple of the trail sections where I know I'll have to drag my bike over something. And it gives noobs like me something to set my sights on!

Liz

[teresa]

Hey,
Maybe my adult A.D.D. is kicking in but I am thinking of two trees that a small child could walk under. Of course being 5' 2'', I am smaller than some child riders. Okay now you have my curiousity piqued. Will have to get back out there really soon before my memory fades. I know I was not in a low sugar coma at the time........but am pretty sure I will dismounting at that spot for a long time!

Don't give me bad rep points for using the infamous term 'chain saw'. It's all in the education of us westerners. I thought I knew what technical riding was.....until I moved to VA last fall.

[heidi]

Liddy, send me a pm. Got a question for you and don't know your username!