I've Got Mad Skillz

Last nights skills session was wonderful. There were 7 ladies in all. We started out the evening with introductions, then a lesson on braking. The front brake is on the left, the rear is on the right. Im sure some of you are thinking, Duh! Common sense, but it isnt and there is alot to braking when you are out on the trails. The scaphoid incident from my Tribute to Fat Tire Post was due to not knowing how to properly brake. Yeah, I may have braking down by now but to spare the newbies if at all possible is worth the reminder.

Next we learned proper pedal positioning. Okay I may be to advanced for this class, But Shads a wealth of knowledge and there is always something to be learned. I remember how long it took me to get the pedal position down. I struggled on Corners and could never make the ones that went right until Andy told me how to hold my pedals through the corners. Man did that make a huge difference, and I learned the rock garden pedal position on an instructional video online.

Hmmm then It was how to take a corner. I just learned this last summer, Andy also taught me that and it was reinforced in one of Shads more advanced skills session. I still take crappy lines sometimes so I will have to keep working on this one. The correct way, (correct being the easiest and therefore being the safest way) is to go into the corner on the outside or wide with pedals even or the with the inside foot in the top position. This allows for clearance (not hitting unexpected obstacles with the rear tire) and a direct visual to the next part of the trail. The #1 thing is to look ahead at the next obstacles coming your way, so you can see why the direct visual is of utmost importance.

Fourthy we learned to pop up the front tire. This is the area I thought I needed help with, but in all actuality I was just being a big baby. My first ride at Murphy Hanrahan last summer I was with a group of MORCERS, the qualifier is a skinny as you can see by the photos. I went for it with some great spoters nearby. Thankgoodness for Shad, he caught me about 5 inches from face planting on the obstacle. Oh I forgot, around the pedal position portion of the skills session we also went over Body positioning, it beats out looking ahead on the trail and Is tied with braking As the Number One most important thing when it comes to mountain biking. So in this case I had my weight to far forward, since this day I have been freaked to pop my wheel, I have hardly even riden over curbs. Its quite ridiculous because I rode this ------------------------------->

Thanks Melissa for being my model.

So the timing and practice was well worth it, I also practiced popping my back tire over an obstacle which was surprisingly easy.  Shad was showing off his bunny hopping so I though I would give it a try. I guess thats one for the next skills session. You pop up your front tire then while the front tire is in the air you proceed to pop up your back tire.  I think I am going to have to stick to just popping up my whole bike at the same time.  I would get so anxious to pop up my back tire that I would just skip the front popping and due the back.  One of those uncontrollable impulses I guess because I tried numerous times and It just kept getting worse.

]We rode the teeter,we rode a small camel back and it was a wonderful night to be on the bike.  Met some fabulous new women and I am ready to ride.