Our Pittsburgh Chapter remains focused on developing the sport of mountain biking for everyone by strengthening and developing the diversity within the sport. This year, we continue providing programs for women to learn new bike-handling skills, take on new roles in leadership and create alliances with our regional partners. Learn more about our new Board members here.
*Update*: Jump Jam canceled + Going Big on 10/21
UPDATE: Note: As of 7pm 10/20/2012, the Jump Jam event has been canceled. Stay tuned to PTAG website for details of future event. At this time, it does not appear that Month Of Mud has canceled their event, but then again, they’re celebrating mud. That makes your decision all the easier.
Original Post:
If you’re torn between participating in the 2nd ever Super D at the Month of Mud and the PTAG Skills Park Jump Jam official unveiling, so are we. Since Velomuse’s Pittsburgh Chapter is focused on advancing opportunities for women riders this year, we’ve been promoting group rides for various skill levels and types of riding, in addition to leadership training.
On October 21st, we want to amplify our efforts by making a call to action for the women riders that have been out there awhile or were recruited last year and are moving towards the next level with with skills. Promoters at both of these events are trying new things by putting creative minds together which presents unique opportunities. We can safely say that whichever you chose and no matter your past riding and racing experience – you will have the opportunity to learn something, if you present some open-mindedness. Maybe you’ll also see a way for you to help define the sport, as well?
Velomuse has been partnering with local cyclist and creative re-use crafter Nicole Bloch, who enjoys repurposing bike parts into beautiful jewelry. This spin around, we’re coordinating Erra Creations to support a couple upcoming events with a neutral pit zone for women and custom bike jewelry as gifts for all the women participants. So yeah, get out there and find something to learn.
So, is it A?
Or… B?
Put your hands in the dirt
Photo Courtesy of Alicia Mathers, Visual Communications Coordinator at Velomuse
Last Wednesday, Velomuse coordinated one of our advanced mountain biking and downhill skills workshops for women by teaming up with Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group, the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works to host a light trail maintenance workday as part of the leadership development program. The premise was that putting careful attention towards the design and flow of a trail would improve line selection for all trail users, while defining women’s presence with meaningful contribution to our recreation. We used an existing project list from the park steward to identify problem areas we could knock out as part of our shared teaching experience, for ourselves and other riders.
After a brief tool-hanndling demonstration inspired by IMBA’s trail care crew, five mountain bikers from diverse professional backgrounds demonstrated their initiative by sharing ideas and objectives for each area of concern. We collaborated to come up with guidelines for entrance/exit, how each line will demand body english and visibility and how our strategy would improve safety at high speeds.
We focused on three areas for improvement on the Iron Gate trail: two upper berms and one washed out wide section that had borne a new social trail to its right. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? Instead of closing off, removing roots or rerouting anywhere, we repaired and defined the trail with loose trail debris and a tiny bit of benching. About a dozen riders came through the trail thanking us for the work. I made the embarrassing mistake of raking on a slope at a bad angle and a muscle in my back spasmed something fierce. It was unexpected because it wasn’t more vigorous than other trailwork I’ve done, but perhaps I wasn’t using proper form? In any case, I’m improving slowly and expect to be able to trail work in the future. We finished that middle section and packed up our tools as the sun set. Reports have noted that the top portion of the trail flows nicely and it feels safer to travel at a higher speed. I’m hoping that we can return to repair the lower berm and help clarify the split after the new bridge-drop thing. Those are two areas I’ve noticed myself scrubbing speed on, while other areas are faster simply because its been less muddy than I’ve seen it.
New for 2012 – Women’s Ride @ Mountain Bike Fest (PGH)
The recently appointed Velomuse Board voted to contribute to the mountain bike fest hosted by PTAG, PORC and Allegheny Parks, by offering a Women’s ride option to complement the various group rides at Boyce park on Saturday.
LOCATION: Boyce Park Soccer Fields GPS Coordinates: 40.473388 -79.746945 (links to map)
TIME: 12pm-3pm
DETAILS: We are meeting and reconvening at the same time and place as the co-ed options – but will strike our own path at the discretion of the women who join us. We review group ride etiquette and discuss the route plans before leaving, pausing to regroup at all intersections so no one gets left behind. We expect to ride 8-12 miles at a brisk, talking pace on the eastern side of the park taking a short break or two to try new features or lines. In addition to your recently inspected mountain bike and helmet, it is recommended to have at least 50oz of water, a snack, and a basic trailside repair multi-tool for flat repair and adjustments. Medium tint sunglasses, sunblock and bug repellent aren’t bad ideas, either.
CONDITIONS: Thanks to PTAG Stewards, there’s evidence of a lot of hard work with trail maintenance and the conditions have been mostly dry for a few weeks. We might get a few drops of rain tomorrow, but that should only improve conditions – and it won’t be cold, but likely refreshing. We’ll bring some veggie sausages and snacks for after the event, as well. If you want to bring something for the potluck or volunteer, please contact PTAG’s Volunteer Coordinator.
ABOUT your ride leaders: Using backgrounds from wilderness education, coaching, racing and recreational riding; Alicia Mathers and I will consistently anticipate and review individual needs throughout the ride to provide a safe and memorable experience for all levels of women riders. We know the park well, having ridden it frequently for the past couple of years – it is a SPECIAL place and we want you to keep coming back. To learn more about how Velomuse is working to “Create Lifelong Cyclists” and empowering women through mountain biking, click here, or join our ladies’ forum on facebook and subscribe to our feed on twitter/.
More details for the event are on facebook.
Homewood Bike Park, coming soon!
Public Board meetings commence Monday April 16th
Velomuse Board meetings will now meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at Big Idea Bookstore from 6-8pm. The meetings are open to the public for discussion and information, while only Board members will vote on action items. General members from the public are encouraged to attend and participate. We will share agenda and minutes on the Velomuse website: http://www.velomuse.org/
Click the flyer to RSVP on our facebook event.
Women’s Weekend: Gravity Camps at Snowshoe
Whether you’re just getting into Gravity riding or you’re a seasoned veteran, Snowshoe‘s wide range of Downhill & Freeride Camps will help you make huge leaps in your riding skill and confidence. Velomuse endorses these camps and the bike park, they support women’s mountain biking and women ride free all the time! We attended last year and wrote a report on it, here.
July 21-22, 2012
Kona’s Women’s Weekend Camp I
Ability Level: All ability levels welcome
Head Coach: Angi Weston
Base Price: $149 plus tax
Optional Add-on’s: Bike Rentals starting at $40 per day, Lodging starting at $16.50 per day, Meal Plans starting at $18 per day (taxes not included)
Summary: A 2 day Camp designed for women riders by women coaches. This camp is designed to introduce women of all riding backgrounds to the sport of gravity riding in the Bike Park during a fun filled weekend with the girls. Skills clinics, trail riding, group learning, morning yoga, and evening chair massage are all included in this Camp Package.
August 11-12, 2012
Women’s Weekend Camp II
Ability Level: All ability levels welcome
Head Coach: TBD
Base Price: $149 plus tax
Optional Add-on’s: Bike Rentals starting at $40 per day, Lodging starting at $16.50 per day, Meal Plans starting at $18 per day (taxes not included)
Summary: A 2 day Camp designed for women riders by women coaches. This camp is designed to introduce women of all riding backgrounds to the sport of gravity riding in the Bike Park during a fun filled weekend with the girls. Skills clinics, trail riding, group learning, morning yoga, and evening chair massage are all included in this Camp Package.
Coach Bio: Angi Weston hails from Bellingham, Washington, is an IMIC Level 3 Coach and works for Kona USA in Ferndale, WA. Angi has extensive downhill and freeride coaching background both in group and one-on-one settings and is a competitive racer across a number of riding disciplines.
Snowshoe is recruiting and training additional mountain bike coaches this summer, as well. Registration is $599 (+$100) for the June 13 – 15, 2012 weekend learning essential bike handling skills from Shaums March. Last year’s Coach Certification flyer can be found here.
Call to action: Trail Day in Frick Park 4/1
Velomuse is going out to provide volunteer support on an important trail day this Sunday at Frick Park in Pittsburgh, PA – coordinated by Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group. You can find more information on the flyer here.
Velomuse Nightvision Project
In a unique time-lapse photography project, Velomuse’s Alicia Mathers embraced our group concept by taking pictures of our group of mountain bikers tracing lines along the contour of lanscape at night with bicycle headlights. This project has sparked the interest of various riders, bringing together new cross-sections of the community and creating compelling images. Please click the image for the complete photoshoot. Leave a comment if you think you can identify the trails in Frick Park, Pittsburgh, PA. Winner will be notified to receive a prize.
We’re also accepting donations if you want to purchase prints of these images, with the funds going to women’s mountain biking leadership programs.
Velomuse Vixens Ride Again!
On February 26th 2012 a group of six Velomuse Vixens (Greta Daniels, Alicia Mathers, Jeanne Morin-Leisk, Kamden Hoffman, Melissa Hopkins, and Jessica Nelson) dressed up as Ballet Bikers, complete with tutus and Velomuse T-shirts, and competed with more than 80 other teams in the largest stationary bike race in Western Pennsylvania. The Race to Any Place was a six-hour relay race, consisting of twenty-four grueling 15 minute heats and lots of fun, that benefited the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Velomuse Vixens were able to raise over $500 in donations, which we are grateful to all of our friends and family for sponsoring our fabulous team. We may not have won the race in mileage but we did win the best dressed team, the best dancers, and the team with the most spirit! We had such a great time and encourage everyone to come out next year and join us in supporting this great event, no athletic prowess is necessary just a desire to have fun and meet a lot of awesome people, especially if you’re dressed in a tutu! If you don’t believe me check out what a couple of the Velomuse Vixens had to say about this year’s event.
“I really thought wearing a tutu was a crazy idea, but after a couple spins with my awesome lady team and the admiring looks we received I was honored to be on team Velomuse. Can’t waiy until next year, who knows what kind of costume we’ll come with but if I have teammates like I did this year I can’t wait!!” ~Kamden Hoffman
“The Race to Anyplace is one of my favorite events every year. Not only is the entire room coming together to benefit a great cause, but this year’s turnout of women’s riders/racers was truly an inspiring site. The community is certainly growing by leaps and bounds and I know it is because of the welcoming and supportive environment that we all work very hard to cultivate and maintain. As for the Vixens – I could not have asked for a better ballerina squad spinning their hearts out!” ~ Greta Daniels
