Moronacity Cycling Journal » Entries tagged with "Beginners"
Superior Bike Fest: Twilight Criterium
I was nervous. It was my first crit, and my first road race. I worked a twelve-hour shift, Thursday, so I had no time for preparations that day. Friday morning, I packed up my bikes and my dogs. Unfortunately, it took much longer than I expected and I didn’t arrive to Marquette until 4:00 p.m. I had very little time to get my packet, get ready, and start my race. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
Invite a Friend for a Ride
Summer really doesn’t seem to be trying all that hard to arrive in the Keweenaw. It hit just under 60 degrees and I threw on my short sleeve jersey and shorts for a ride into work to do an ultrasound. I returned home two hours later to trade in my cross bike for a mountain bike and I hit some nearby trails. It peaked at 60 degrees, so the short sleeve jersey … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
Improve Your Riding With a Good Book
I like books. Whenever I start a new hobby, I buy books. Bicycling wasn’t any different. When I started mountain biking, it was pretty obvious I had a lot to learn regarding technique. I didn’t know how to climb steep hills or maneuver through rock gardens, and the only advice I was given was “ride more.” Well, that advice really doesn’t work. The following are the books in my … Read entire article »
Filed under: Cycling
Join a Local Bike Club
Many cities or regions are fortunate enough to have a cycling club. While some cyclists are elites and need to ride with fast groups, there are many organizations that cater to riders of all levels. My area is a great example of the different kinds of clubs that can exist: C4 – University cycling club Keweenaw Cycling Club – new community club open to families and creating a kids’ race team. Red Jacket – BlueSky Health Cycling Team – adult race team with riders of all levels. Trekkers – Community cycling club geared toward adults that meets once a week and sends out about three groups of riders: beginner, intermediate, advanced. All gather together for a potluck afterwards. Bike shops often host weekly rides through the summer as well. While there … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
Cycling Forums
The Internet is a pretty addicting little tool. Many of us have spent hours, if not days, surfing the web with endless information at our fingertips. I spent one whole night last week surfing through the backwards chronology of the English monarchy on Wikipedia. If you are reading this blog, it is probably a safe assumption that you spend some of your bandwidth surfing through various cycling forums as well. I am quite … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
Wild Times
I love going Negaunee. I visit a friend who is more like a sister to me. People are usually quite curious about what we’re up to. A girl’s weekend? They must be partying! For several years, people would ask us in that “you’ve been doing something crazy, I know it†tone, “What did YOU two do today? “Oh, it’s funny. We went to Munising to get Dairy Queen, buy lottery tickets, and then we went to Chatham and loaded hay on the truck. It’s hay day!†That’s usually when we get a weird look. That’s usually not the response someone expects from two women hanging out. I met Sandee when I began the clinical work for my degree in Marquette. One day, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Road Riding
At Least it Shifts!
I returned to Houghton on a late October day and headed straight to Cross Country Sports to drop off my bike. I bought a new derailleur and the guys straightened the existing hanger. I picked it up the next day and went for a ride. Remember, this was my first year mountain biking. I was practicing and mastering new skills all the time. Enter the wheelie. Oh, yes. I wanted to learn how to do a wheelie. I started off at the trailhead, the Core loop at Tech, and tried to apply what I read in books. My last attempt ended with my front wheel coming down hard and the bike flipping forward. I landed on my left chest as my head was forced … Read entire article »
Filed under: Mountain Biking
My First Mountain Bike Hike
“Di, are you going to do the race in Copper Harbor?†I had fear. “Copper Harbor? Uh, no. I don’t want to race mountain bikes. I just want to ride and enjoy.†“Do it with us. It’s going to me and another girl. We’re just doing it to do it. Ride it with us. We won’t be going fast.†“I don’t know. Isn’t it really hard? … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
A New Era
Some people think I’ve been riding for quite a while. They are impressed by my dedication and strong desire to hit the trails almost daily throughout the summer. I love outrunning the bugs and dodging the squirrels and ducking the overhanging tree branches. There is nothing sweeter than successfully passing over that narrow bridge, or clearing the rock garden in all its sharp, jagged glory. I think some of my passion and dedication … Read entire article »
Filed under: Mountain Biking
