Bike Skills 102: Mountain Bike Skills - Sunday, July 25th

It's time for a little dirty fun! We'll teach you the basics (and not-so-basics) of balance, weight distribution, and how to use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to rock, roll, hop, and jump. Master the art of steep climbs. Learn to descend with confidence and skill. After just four hours, we guarantee you'll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike. This clinic is highly recommended for both mountain bikers and cyclocrossers.

Bike Skills 103: Cyclocross Skills + Tactics - Saturday, August 7th

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross? It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family. And best of all, it's happening at a park near you! Join guest coaches Julie + Paul Bates in this four-hour clinic where you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike. We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season. We'll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief. You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic.

Details and registration for these and all our clinics can be found here.

Team Velo Girls member Carolyn Thompson recently completed the CCCX cross-country MTB race series with the concluding race on June 27. She entered not only with good hopes of finishing well, but finished with lessons learned (and shared) after her 2nd time racing the series.

I had to take first place in the final race of the series to place first in the overall points for my category. My opponent had been injured and not feeling well and I have been feeling strong so I though my chances were good... it was not going to be easy but I at least had a shot at winning.

Read the full report...

After coaching last week's Velo Girls Alpine Altitude Adventure camp, I wanted to share my top tips for Death Ride success. I've participated in the Death Ride three times (2010 will be my 4th). There are lots of ways to approach an event like this. Here are my best suggestions:

1. Have a Plan. If you don't have a plan, you're less likely to keep on schedule, make the time cuts, and keep going when the day gets challenging. In your plan, include details like your time goals (print these out and put them on your bar, stem, or top tube), nutrition (what to eat + drink and when), and clothing.
2. Stick to your Plan. Don't get lost in the moment. Revisit your plan during the day as needed.
3. Have a Partner. In my experience with the Death Ride, I've found having a partner encourages accountability. Discuss with your partner in advance if you'll ride together the whole day. If not, when/where will you re-group. Discuss your challenges and how you will support each other during the day.
4. Pace Yourself. Ride at YOUR pace - a pace that is sustainable for the entire day. Don't get caught up in the excitement of the early morning hours and try to keep up with the hammer-heads. Remember, some riders will be much faster. Some riders aren't planning to complete all five passes. If you start out too hard, too soon, you're likely to suffer later in the day.
5. Go Easy on the Easy Parts. Yes, that's what I said. Resist the temptation to hammer on the lower grades and the flats. Allow yourself to recover on the easy terrain and conserve your energy for the hard terrain (when you really need it).
6. Remember to Breathe! Altitude affects individuals in different ways. In general, you will feel the effects at higher intensities. Try to prepare mentally for the negative effects of altitude (shallow breathing, rapid heart rate, headache, and nausea). Don't linger at the top of the climbs, but rather at the bottom. And don't panic when you suffer the effects of altitude -- remember that when you descend many of these negative effects will disappear or lessen.
7. Freshen up for Five! As you pass through Markleeville, take a quick break to change clothes (a clean chamois will make you very happy), grab an icy cold drink from your cooler and your favorite treat, and an Action Wipe. We leave all of this in our car on the route so we can make a quick stop to refresh before the final climb.
8. Don't Try Anything New. The day of the Death Ride is not the day to experiment with your nutrition, hydration, clothing, or equipment.
9. Expect the Unexpected. For many riders, this is the most epic and challenging day they will have spent in the saddle. Over the course of 10 hours, anything can happen. Try to be flexible and roll with it.
10. Don't Forget your Lotions + Potions. At 5:00am you're probably not thinking about sunscreen and lubrication. Here's your reminder. Apply early and apply often. I'm a big fan of Betwixt + Zealios and will be taking extra little sample-size packets with me on the ride.
11. Celebrate your Victories! Participating in the Death Ride is a great accomplishment. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed and unhappy. Remember to smile. If someone says "good job," even if you feel awful, just smile and say thank you. Ring a bell or holler at the top of your climbs. Appreciate the great feat you've accomplished.
12. Be in the Moment. Stay focused and aware, especially when descending. Although the roads are closed to cars (on Monitor and Ebbetts), there are 3,000 bicycles on the road. Be aware of others and your interactions with them. Ride safely, don't take undue risks, and have fun!
13. Honor Mother Nature. It's true, you'll experience lots of different weather on an event like the Death Ride: cold morning temperatures, blazing sun and heat, and (most years) rain, hail, thunder, lightening, and chilling temps in the afternoon. Even if it's 90 degrees mid-day, it's likely to be cold + wet later in the afternoon. Don't ditch your layers before climbing Carson (you might very well need them).

Due to popular demand, we've added a bunch of dates to our 2010 coaching calendar:

• Bike Skills 101 - Fundamental Bike Handling Skills sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com:
  Jul 17, Sep 18, Nov 13
• Bike Skills 102 - Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills: Jul 25 Aug 7, Oct 2
• Bike Skills 103 - Cyclocross Skills + Tactics: Aug 8
• Bike Skills 201 - Climbing + Descending Skills: Jul 18, Sep 18, Nov 13
• Girls Got Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate: Oct 16-17

See the details about these coaching programs, or register online today.

Join Team Velo Girls members in preparing for your late-summer events! This series is designed to increase distance and climbing weekly, while riding some of the best routes the Bay Area has to offer.

JULY 3 (SATURDAY): Tiburon Loop from San Francisco: 38 miles with 2,200' of climbing

JULY 11 (SUNDAY): Portola Loop from Burlingame: 50 miles with 3,200' of climbing

JULY 18 (SUNDAY): Calavares Loop from Fremont: 60 miles with 5,600' of climbing

JULY 25 (SUNDAY): South Bay ride TBA

AUGUST 1 (SUNDAY): Los Gatos Loop from Canada/92: 75 miles with rolling hills

AUGUST 8 (SUNDAY): Point Reyes from San Francisco: 80 miles with 6,000' of climbing

Details for the series and all our Velo Girls rides, clinics, and events can be found on our club calendar.

Contact century@velogirls.com to RSVP for the Six Weeks to a Century series rides.

Happy summer! By this point, you've probably had several solid months on the bike, completed a century or two, and are thinking "what's next?" Don't let another year pass you by wishing you'd learned to road race.

Velo Girls has just the program for you if you've tossed around the idea of racing, the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. In this award-winning, innovative, learn-to-race program, you'll work with a small team of other women just like you, women who are ready to challenge themselves to try something new. You'll meet with the team twice a week, once for high-intensity training and once for endurance and skills training. You'll learn everything you need to know to successfully complete your first road race, and hopefully continue racing during the summer months. And you'll be supported with expert coaching, a team kit (jersey + shorts), a training plan, and email support.

I'm especially excited about an addition to the program for this summer! Kristin Keim, JFKU Doctorate candidate in Clinical Psychology/Sport Psychology Graduate, will be interning with Velo Girls. The mental part of the sport can be equally as challenging as the physical aspect, and Kristin will help you conquer your demons and perform at your best mentally.

so what are you waiting for? Email coaching@velogirls.com for more information. Or click here to register now! Consider this your personal invitation to challenge yourself in ways you never thought possible!

There was a recent thread on the Velo Girls email group that prompted this post. In that thread, a rider commented that a specific local century ride was dangerous because the roads were in poor condition and that these roads caused at least three crashes during the event. With no disrespect to the original poster, I feel obliged to share some thoughts about these assertions.

Roads do not cause crashes. Unskilled riders cause crashes.

I've had the opportunity to ride and race my bike all over the world. I've ridden my road bike on baby-butt smooth pavement, on cracked and pot-holed farm roads, and on dirt roads (including an epic 1/2 mile dirt climb on Happy Canyon just this past weekend). You can ride your road bike on sand, gravel, grass, and ice. If you limit yourself to riding on perfect pavement, you might as well just ride loops in a business park (there are plenty of them in northern CA). Some of my most memorable rides are those that took place on less than perfect roads. These are the challenges we remember long after the ride is over.

When I first began riding a bike again as an adult, I was scared of everything. Instead of riding intuitively, I tried to manage every obstacle and bump on the road. I tried to control the bike instead of working with the physics of the bike to allow it to do what it's supposed to do. I was nervous and I didn't understand how my bike worked. And somehow, I never crashed (although I probably should have given the way I rode).

So, how do riders not crash when riding on variable terrain?

Continue reading...

Velo Girls, Michelle Goldberg and Patty Namba, participated in a unique fundraising ride. Michelle shares her experience:

We kept riding, and riding, and riding, around and around and around. Neighbors were starting to wonder. One neighbor, sitting on her porch, eventually fell asleep watching us go around and around and around.

At one point, I asked Patty if we were there yet. Her response was "How can we be there if we aren't going anywhere?" So very true that was.

Read the full report

May is Bike Month. Actually, every month is bike month in my opinion, but May is the month in which we try to raise awareness of just how awesome the bicycle is for transportation, recreation, and life in general. The highlight of bike month for many folks is Bike to Work Day (BTWD), held in the bay area on Thursday, May 13th.

I've been riding a bike since 1999. Since that time, I commuted to/from work in the financial district of San Francisco (23 miles each way), commuted to school in Los Altos (22 miles each way), and commuted to my job at a bike shop (3 miles each way). I also lived car-free for two years from 2001 - 2003. I've worked at home full-time since 2006 and each year on BTWD I feel just a little left out that I can't bike to the office (unless I really wanted to ride from my bedroom to my home office).

As I've been thinking about my role in the cycling community in relationship to BTWD, I realized that my goal is to encourage other women to consider bicycling as a viable, safe, efficient, and fun means of transportation. So, I've given myself the challenge this month -- go car-free for the entire month of May! There will definitely be challenges (like travelling to races or clinics). And I'll do my best not to avoid trips because I'm not going to drive there (something I found I did while I was living car-free).

I've had a "five mile" rule for as long as I can remember. If a trip is five miles or less, I don't take my car unless absolutely necessary (carrying large loads, car wash, oil change, etc). I'm pretty good about it, but lately I've found myself rationalizing use of the car by bundling my errands or having a tight schedule.

So, for the month of May:

I plan to log my daily transportation activity to share with others.

I also plan to share bike commuting tips + tricks via my blog and the Velo Girls yahoogroup.

I also challenge Velo Girls members (and others) to join our team (aptly named "Velo Girls") in the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition's Team Bike Challenge. Go ahead, sign up, and challenge yourself to ride instead of driving. You can do it! It may take a little more planning and a little more time, but you'll contribute to a greener environment, save money, and earn a great sense of accomplishment.

Team Velo Girls member, Melissa Hick, shares her experience at her very first criterium:

When I came around for the fourth lap, I was a "solo warrior" as the announcer called it. I kept going, paying attention to how I should set up for each turn and powering through the windy straightaways. I was out there by myself for a bit and each time I came through the start/finish line, the announcer and the crowd cheered me on. That really helped me keep going even though my legs were not happy.

Read the full report

Team Velo Girls member, Kerri Stevenson, shares her life-changing experience at the BOGGS V 8-hour mountain bike race on April 3rd:

The quick short summary of Boggs is that we camped, we froze, we got snowed on, we rode some awesome single track, we cheered each other on, we finished strong!

[...]

The mental game of this race was absolutely crazy to me, I went from feeling discouraged, humiliated and frustrated to feeling proud and excited and that YES I did belong on that course! I had 8 hours of bonding with me and my bike and I really think I am a better rider because of it.

Read the full report

Team Velo Girls member, Carolyn Thompson, shares her experience racing mountain bike cross country at Sea Otter Classic for the first time.

I got lots of advice from past racers and our very own Lorri Lee Lown - all of which was playing over in my head as I lined up on the front starting line! This years course started the racers on the race track between turns 4 and 5. Quick de-tour: Can I just say as an avid motorcycle race fan and frequent spectator at motorcycle races at Laguna that I was out-of-my-mind excited to be racing on "the" race track at Laguna!! For part of our warm up we spun up, and then jammed down the infamous Cork Screw turn and I was bubbling over with excitement the entire time! Ok end detour back to RACING! With teammates Kerri Stevenson off in the heat ahead of me a Mariska Vodegel in the group behind, I held my own on the front line at the starting grid. 30 seconds ladies...and we are off!

As if she was shot out of a cannon, the skinny fully kit'ed rider from Specialized I noticed as serious competition before was out in front and in the blink of an eye she was rounding turn 4 headed for the Andretti Hairpin (Turns 2)! I got on the back of a train of 4 or 5 girls but they were taking their time and I wanted to get a jump and put some space between me and others before we got off the track and onto the trails. My legs were feeling good, heart rate a little higher than I'd like but this is racing, so I click up a few gears and pull past all of them, enjoying the pristine tarmac on the race track as I headed, IN SECOND PLACE!!, around turn 11, up turns 10 and 9 before jumping off the track onto the rutted sand run-off section that puts us out on the trails.

Read the full report

Team Velo Girls member Amy King recently participated in the six-week Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. Here's an excerpt from her report about the Bariani Road Race, her first race:

I was nervous the whole 2 hour trip to the race. To be more accurate, I've been nervous for the last 2 weeks, feeling the passing of time acutely. I keep thinking about this crazy bike year: Last year at this time, I was a committed recreational rider (newly picked by Trek to do this blog!), and thinking that anyone who raced was either super-fit or just plain crazy. And there I was a year later, on Saturday, in the car on my way to my first race...nerves and anxiety on full blast. On Friday we had hosted a birthday party for my daughter and ten of her friends, then my two-year-old appeared to have the stomach flu. Not the most relaxing or focused way to spend the day (and night) before my first race, but perhaps it took my mind off of my worries. Saturday morning, I finished prepping my gear, and Declan looked well enough to leave with the grandmas (who had both flown in to celebrate Delaney's birthday) which meant Chris could come with me (hooray!). In the car, despite the deliberate non-cycling conversation, I kept focusing on one aspect of the race: would I be able to clip in to my pedals and at least leave the start line with the pack?

Read the rest of the report and see her photos on Amy's blog on Trek Women Who Ride.

Registration for the next six-week Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program is now open. As an added bonus, we'll be working with Kristin Keim, professional bike racer and Sports Psychology PhD candidate. The program is limited to 10 women and you can register here.

Here's a race report from Team Velo Girls member, Cristina, from the CCCX race on March 14th. Medals are cool and so is Cristina! Read the report...

Mariska Vodegel and Carolyn Thompson each share field reports from their respective weekend MTB races at Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, east of Gilroy, and at Fort Ord in Monterey County. Read the report...

Never before in Team Velo Girls history have we had team members racing in three disciplines in one weekend! This weekend, we had women racing cyclocross, mountain bike, and road.

Congratulations to Gnat Harris on her impressive finish at the CXSR season finale on Saturday! The course was flat and filled with muddy goodness -- and a perfect way for Gnat to end her 2009/10 cyclocross season!

Sunday was the season-opener of the CCCX cross-country mountain bike series in Monterey. Three Velo Girls raced -- Kerri Stevenson with the beginner women and Carolyn Thompson and Lorri Lee Lown with the sport women. The course was just about as perfect as it could be, with fast + fun berms, breath-stealing climbs, and lots of fast swoopy single-track.

Monday, Angela DeSapio lined up with the big girls in an open women's field at the Dinuba Criterium (in charming downtown Dinuba). Where's Dinuba, you ask? Go to Fresno and keep going, that's where. The course is a really cool one, with great pavement, left + right turns, and just enough head-wind to make a difference in the final sprint!

Congratulations to all our racers for a great weekend representing the girls in pink!

In non-racing action, Velo Girls was busy as ever! Saturday morning was an on-road training session for the women participating in the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. We also kicked off week #1 of our Cinderella Training Series with 30 women participating in a sunny spin from Woodside. In the afternoon, we held our first Bike Skills 101 clinic of the 2010 season. And on Sunday, we held our weekly Northern Exposure ride originating in San Francisco and riding up into sunny Marin.

If you're not riding your bike, you've got no excuses. With all this fun on the calendar, we invite you to come out and join us soon!

Registration for this year's Menlo Park Grand Prix is now open. Sign yourself up online via SportsBaseOnline.

More details here, including the race schedule and a description of a new race course.

I'm thrilled to announce the winner of our 2010 Velo Girls club jersey design. The winning entry was designed by Team Velo Girls member Bonnie Osborn. And thank you to all our contest entrants: Dawn Castelli, Gnat Harris, and Kelly Thompson. I think this year's designs were the best yet!

There's still time to pre-order your jersey for March delivery (in plenty of time for Cinderella).

You can order a jersey with your 2010 Velo Girls club membership here. Or, if you're already a member, you can order a jersey in our on-line shop.

Velo Girls Coaching Services is thrilled to announce our 2010 clinic + camp schedule! In 2009, we had more than 800 participants in our various programs. Almost all of our 2009 clinics sold-out weeks in advance, so I would encourage you to register early for any programs you'd like to participate in! I can't wait to work with you in 2010.

See the full line up of Velo Girls Coaching programs and clinics for 2010.

Of course, I'll write a few more.

Thank you to everyone who voted the 2009 Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix the "best cycling event" in the Competitor Magazine Best of 2009 readers' poll. this honor is shared by all of us -- Velo Girls, our sponsors, and all of the racers who came out for a fabulous event on March 8th, 2009.

Mark your calendars now for Sunday, April 11th, 2010. We're busy planning the the 5th edition of the Hippstar Menlo Park Grand Prix and the event promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Of course, we need your support to make that a reality!

If you'd like to sponsor the Menlo Park Grand Prix in 2009 -- if you'd like to be part of THE BEST CYCLING EVENT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA -- shoot me an email. We have a diverse range of sponsorship opportunities available, for cash, service, and product sponsors. and we'd love to have YOU share in the glory of being part of the BEST of 2010!

The submissions are in and they're HOT! Voting is now open for the 2010 Velo Girls club jersey design and will conclude on January 20th (just in time to place your order). Please note that you must be a member of the Velo Girls yahoogroup to participate in the poll.

See all the groovy designs in all their pink glory, then head over to the poll and cast your vote.

Take a deep breath, smile, relax, look where you want to go, lean into the curves, and let go of the brakes.

You'll find it's easier to follow your desired path when you don't panic -- whether driving a car, riding a bike, or navigating life.

Ode to Lake SoMuddy

To a race they would go, the Velo Girls in pink,
with their mountain bikes and helmets, and even the kitchen sink.
'Twas Lake Sonoma calling for a little late-season fun.
"A mountain bike race in December should be good for the very first one.
For December is quiet and the race should be low-key,"
at least said the coach, yes, the coach, that is me!

So the girls loaded up with their bikes and their gear,
into cars, trucks, and wagons, and they dreamed of post-race beer.
They drove and they drove,
and they drove, drove, drove, drove,
over hill, over dale,
yes, they drove, drove drove, drove!

They arrived to find fog and muddy mud on the ground.
"Mud?" said the coach, not expecting it around.
"Sand, yes, or dirt, rocks, and roots, but not mud.
Oh how unusual. Oh what a dud.
This should be interesting, please do not flee,"
at least said the coach, yes, the coach, that is me!

At the line, blew the whistle, and the girls started out,
faces smiling and happy, not a single little pout.
They rode way up the hill in the fog and the mud,
then the fun really started when the coach fell with a thud.
How on earth could that be?
Yes, the coach fell with a thud, yes, the coach, that is me!

I was sliding on the ground within minutes of the gun!
I fell when I rode and I fell when I run.
I launched over the bar and I slid like a freak.
I plopped into a tree and I splished through a creek.
I fell over starboard and I fell all a-lee.
I fell, yes that's right, yes, the coach, that is me!

I fell in mud of red and brown,
I fell in mud and slopped around.
I fell in mud of black and green --
the greenest mud I'd ever seen.
I fell in mud of smokey gray,
I fell in mud all night and day!

I watched Edith and Kerri ride away like the wind,
for the podium was calling and there were medals to win.
And then to my ears, a fantabulous sound:
my cool teammate, Carolyn, giggling around.
Then Gnat, then Mariska, then sweet Cristina, too.
I would not be alone. I'll ride with friends, quite a few!

So the Velo Girls, they raced, and they even had fun,
but it's teammates that win, girls in pink, number one!

Holiday traditions -- we all have them. Some involve sweet treats or carolling voices. Some involve boarding a plane to a place we call home. Some involve stockings hung with care. And some involve riding your bike!

One of my holiday traditions for more than a decade involves that last option -- riding my bike through the most beautiful city I know: San Francisco.

Join Velo Girls on December 25th for the 11th Annual Christmas Orphans' Tour of San Francisco, a co-ed holiday tradition! We'll ride a 29-mile figure-eight loop of San Francisco on the quietest day of the year, featuring stops at Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Palace of the Legion of Honor. All riders welcome. Helmets mandatory. Meet at McLaren Lodge in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park (Stanyan & Fell) ready to roll at 10:00am. Email Lorri@velogirls.com for more information.

You'll find details on this and all our rides and events on our calendar.

Cyclocross season is wrapping up for many of our racers and what a great season it's been! Last weekend was the classic race at Golden Gate Park. New Team Velo Girls member Gnat Harris sends this report on last week's festivities!

This Sunday, you can catch the girls in pink racing at Coyote Point in San Mateo. The C Women race at 8:30am and the A/B/Masters Women race at high noon! I'd like to invite everyone to come out and experience this crazy-fun sport for yourself! You'll find details here.

Golden Gate Park was a great place to race. It was rather nice that it was on much of the same terrain that the Velo Girls Cyclocross clinic was held, so there were not as many surprises as some of the other circuits. Still, a chilly morning gave way to a sun-soaked afternoon when the arm and leg warmers all started to come off.

For the most part the course was flat and not very technical. The few spots that defied that previous statement did so with bravado, as certain turns and slopes would cause pileups in the dozens.

For instance the women's C race got tangled immediately after the first turn. One woman went down, taking a few others with her, and backing up the rest of the field. Getting around that found us into another brake, as someone had gotten caught in the tape. No one was hurt, and I was most amused that one woman came up to me hours after the race, congratulated me, and immediately apologized for causing the crash.

The true test came on a 5-foot pitch of dirt in the later races. I personally had no problems with this section (let go of the brakes and pick a line, baby!) but we were lucky to be the first ones over it. Strangely, this was shorter and less steep than the OMG-I'm-Walking-This section of Cross Palace the week previous, but as the grass flew, the lumpy soft earth directed cyclists either over their handlebars or straight into a large tree. See video evidence.

It was great to watch our own Jenny Feix on the same track as legends Katerina Nash and Barbara Howe. Tough crowd out there, but what a show!

One last race in the Pilarcitos series this coming weekend. Ring a cowbell for the girls in pink!

One of our longest-running rides is the Melo Velo! This ride started as an extension of our regular weekly club ride and offered a shorter option for newer riders. Over the years it's been an introduction to Velo Girls and to road cycling for literally hundreds of women.

We all know how intimidating it can feel to start riding on the road by ourselves. So we developed the Melo Velo to introduce women to road riding and teach them the basic skills needed to ride on the road -- simple things like riding with a group, road ride etiquette, rules of the road, and basic skills like how to start, stop, signal, and drink from a water bottle.

Over the years, we've had an impressive group of women joining us on the Melo Velo. Women who participated in the Melo Velo have gone on to complete centuries, double centuries, multi-day events, and to race.

In order to keep a ride like this going every single week for so many years, we've had a dedicated group of experienced riders who volunteer their time to lead the ride. These women share their experience, mentor the new riders, and encourage the women to get out there on their bikes.

I'd like to take a minute to thank and congratulate the women who have volunteered to lead the Melo Velo this year. These women have made it possible for countless new women riders to start riding and to grow on the bike. Thank you to Oralia Arce, Jill Eyres, Winnie Homer-Smith, Jackie Link, Sharon Mandell, and Gayle Whittaker.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the work of one woman -- Michelle Goldberg. Michelle has been coordinating the ride leaders for the Melo Velo for many years, many times leading the ride herself. Thank you, Michelle, for your dedication to developing new women riders!

As bicyclists, we sometimes feel all alone out there in the concrete jungle, battling cars, buses, crazy drivers, and road conditions. We watch as more public trail systems are being closed to us. And we fight for the right to ride on the roads and the trails.

But we're not alone. Following are some fabulous organizations, local, national and international, whose missions are to provide advocacy, support + education for the bicycling community.

As 2009 draws to a close, I encourage you to lend your support to these organizations. Become a member. Make a donation. Show your appreciation for the hard work that these organizations do on our behalf.

See the full list...

Last night was the captains' meeting for the Turning Wheels for Kids Bike Build. The room was filled to SRO with enthusiastic volunteers from the community, all organizing teams for the December 12th event.

The meeting started with an inspirational video. I have to admit a few tears in my eyes. And then Susan Runsvold, founder of TWFK spoke. She told of this crazy idea she had to provide a few bikes to needy kids. in the first year (2004), 70 bikes were given to children. this year, we'll build more than 2,000 bikes (and about 800 requests were turned down due to limited financial resources)! she read some of the quotes from the children who've received bikes. This one stuck with me:

"TODAY IS THE BEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE."

How often can we say that we've helped a child have the best day of her life?

The average cost per bike is $80. Velo Girls is helping the good folks at Turning Wheels for Kids raise funds to help more children have the BEST day of their entire lives.

Can you help? Click the donation link below. Every little bit helps!

Velo Girls is excited to announce a new partnership with Trips for Kids in 2010.

For more than 20 years, Trips For Kids® (TFK®) Marin has been providing lessons in self-confidence, environmental awareness, and healthy habits to disadvantaged youth through the simple act of having fun on mountain bikes. Trips For Kids started in Marin and has grown into an international organization with more than 60 chapters operating in the United States, Canada, and Israel.

Trips For Kids Marin serves at-risk youth throughout the San Francisco Bay area, working with over 200 local organizations. The core offering of mountain bike rides is supplemented by the Earn-A-Bike programs and the Re-Cyclery bicycle thrift shop.

Velo Girls has been partnering with Trips for Kids on their annual Girls Day in the Dirt since 2004. Check out the awesome photos from the 2009 event.

For 2010 we've decided to step our support up a notch. In 2010 Velo Girls will:

• Provide volunteers + program for four Girls Days in the Dirt
• Provide fundraising support utilizing the Plus 3 Network
• Organize a donation drive for bikes + gear to be donated to the TFK Re-Cyclery program
• Donate $1 of each Velo Girls membership to Trips for Kids
• Actively promote the goodness that is Trips for Kids!

I'm always singing the virtues of the pre-ride bike check. There's a good reason for this -- you could avoid disaster. Yesterday, I barely avoided it (and I hadn't checked my bike). I hope my experience will provide a good reminder for everyone.

Gnat and I went out to play cyclocross today. I've rolled around on my cross bike exactly once prior this season. We headed over to the bay and rolled up and down a bunch of steep, loose, off-camber drops. We rode down to The Shells and jumped the jumps over and over again. All told, about 2 hours of rolling around.

Everytime I stood on the bike, I heard a strange little clunky noise, but just thought it was creaking under effort after such a long retirement. Riding home on the road, I stood on a short steep hill and noticed that my bike felt "loose" under my weight and effort. Since it's a break-away bike, I looked at the joints (all tight). Again, standing, I felt like the bike was going to fall apart under me.

I got home and checked the bike (should have done this before the ride). The QR on the rear wheel was closed, but almost completely loose. I'm sure that when I threw my cross tires on the wheels, I probably just put them back on while the bike was on the stand and didn't tighten down the QR.

I was very lucky today. This could've been an expensive disaster. I could've broken off the rear derailleur. I could've lost the wheel altogether while we were jumping. The chain could've locked up and launched me from the bike.

Moral of the story, check your bike. Check your QRs to make sure that they're closed and tight. Check your bolts occasionally to make sure they're tight. Check your tires. Check your saddle rails. Take a few minutes before or after each ride to check the machine that you trust with your safety.

I'm feeling pretty lucky -- maybe I'll go out and buy a lottery ticket now.

I thought this was a great little article about strong women cyclists, especially since it highlights some of my favorite women mountain bikers:

"What does a girl have to do if she wants marriage proposals, arm wrestling contests, shock and awe accolades, and (sadly) trail blocking and really strange behavior? Simple: Pass a guy on the trail or in a race.

If you're the dude and we pass you, you just got chicked...and I chicked a few guys while racing on a co-ed duo team with my race partner, Mario Correa this summer at the inaugural Breck Epic. I had some pretty colorful comments and antics and figured there had to be something to this. So, I asked a few VERY fast women about what happens when when they take the lead in a ride or a race, and I asked some men what is was like to ride co-ed when their partner passes a guy."

Clickety-click the linkety-link to read the rest of the article: BikeRumor.com

I've had the good fortune to meet many fabulous women since founding Velo Girls in 2002. One of those women is Jan Medina.

I've been trying to remember when I first met Jan. She's been a part of the Velo Girls family for as long as I can remember, participating in rides, clinics, and events for many years. She's a Lifetime Velo Girls Member and has been sponsoring the Team Velo Girls almost since it's inception.

A handful of years ago, Jan hired me to coach her for a cross-country bicycle ride -- yup, that's all the way across the US. During our first coaching consultation, I admit feeling envious of her upcoming journey and thinking just how incredible it would be to ride across the US.

During that coaching session, Jan asked me about sponsoring Velo Girls and a check arrived in the mail a day or two later. And through the ups + downs of the real estate industry, Jan has always found a way to support the programs we provide for women.

Jan has been instrumental in recruiting women to Velo Girls and to our many clinics -- she's one of our biggest cheerleaders. In addition to her trans-continental tour, she's completed the AIDS LifeCycle (from San Francisco to Los Angeles) and recruited friends and family members to participate in that ride with her. And through the ups + downs on the bike, she's always kept Velo Girls close to her heart.

I'm excited to announce that for 2010, Jan will be the title sponsor of our Girls Got Skills clinics. Jan has participated in these clinics twice since 2003 (yup, they're that good) and brought many women cyclists with her over the years. It's only fitting that we put her name on a program that has been so instrumental in her cycling career.

Thank you, Jan, for your continued support of Velo Girls!

It's that time again: your chance to be immortalized as the designer of our 2009 club jersey. So get your fashion groove on and start drawing! We'll run the contest through December 15th so you've got plenty of time to submit your entries.

Click here to see details of the contest: prizes, deadlines, design templates, etc.

Hey everybody! Velo Girls would like to invite you to come out to Saturday's local cyclocross race at Sierra Point (just south of San Francisco) to cheer on the girls in pink! we've got women racing in the Women's C race at 2:15pm as well as in the Women's A/B/35+ race at 6:00pm. That's right: NIGHT RACING. this is the only night-time cyclocross race in the area and it's a great event to spectate. Bring the whole family, stop by the Velo Girls/KENDA tent to say "Hey" and don't forget to bring your cowbell!

I think this is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Turning Wheels for Kids is a great organization. Each year they build thousands of brand spanking new children's bikes and donate them to youth in Silicon Valley. In order to do this, they receive donations throughout the year from corporations and individuals to purchase the bikes and then, in just one day, hundreds of volunteers come together to assemble the bikes. It's a super-fun day and folks from all over Northern CA donate their time to assemble the bikes -- folks from companies, bike clubs, bike shops, professional sports teams, and other civic organizations.

Velo Girls (and our male counterparts, the Velo Boys) will once again be volunteering to assemble bikes. The Big Bike Build will take place on Saturday, December 12th at the San Jose Convention Center (time tba but probably 8:00am - 1:00pm)

You don't need to be a bike mechanic to build a children's bike -- many of the bikes are single speed with coaster brakes -- even I can do that!

We are very limited in the number of volunteers who can participate in the event, so if you're interested, RSVP to Lorri@velogirls.com

TWFK is also looking for volunteers to help un-load all the bikes from the trucks on Friday, December 11th @ 6:00pm. If you can help with this part of the project, just send me an email -- Lorri@velogirls.com

And last but not least, let's help raise funds for TWFK this year! Last year was the inaugural year for the BIKE BUCK CUP trophy, awarded to the team who raises the most funds for TWFK. Almaden Cycle and Touring Club (ACTC) captured the trophy last year and Jim Schallau, the team leader of this group, has thrown the gauntlet! In the registration form Jim says, "ACTC expects to again take home the Bike Buck Cup!" Let's see if we can give ACTC a run for their money! Go ahead, click the link below to make your donation (Paypal link), and help put some kids on bikes:

Velo Girls is once again partnering with Trips for Kids to present a Girls Day in the Dirt -- this Saturday, November 7th at Tennessee Valley. Trips for Kids is a super-cool organization that provides outdoor experiences for kids who might not otherwise get out into nature. For Girls Day in the Dirt, 30 young girls will get to experience mountain biking (many for the first time ever) in a beautiful natural setting -- complete with picnic lunch on the beach.

We could still use a few female volunteers to help provide the girls with a fun day! The riding is super-easy -- mostly flat fire roads -- and the pace is pretty mellow. In addition to the ride, we teach the girls some fundamental bike skills by playing some fun on-the-bike games with them.

All you need is a smile, a bike (mountain, cyclocross or hybrid) and the desire to get a little dirty with some cool girls!

If you'd like to volunteer, please email me at Lorri@velogirls.com.

Just added (by popular demand): Bike Skills 201 -- climbing + descending -- November 21st. This is a co-ed clinic and will be our last climbing + descending clinic until March 2010.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE.

Would you like to optimize your climbing efficiency? Not sure when to sit or when to stand? Need to perfect your position and gearing?

WE CAN HELP!

Do you cave into your inner chicken whenever the road pitches down? Do all your riding buddies have to wait and wait and wait for you at the bottom of a descent? Not sure how to pick your line? Scared of your drops?

WE CAN HELP!

Over 800 men and women have participated in our 2009 Bike Skills clinics. All your friends are doing it. They now know the secrets to speed on the ups and on the downs. Don't be left behind this winter!

WE CAN HELP!

2010 Velo Girls membership is live! Renew or join online here.

We've got a super-cute membership gift for the first 100 members who sign up for 2010, so register today!

To kick-off 2010, we're having a fun + fabulous membership kick-off party on Wednesday, November 11th @ the Presidio Sports Basement from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Come meet Team Velo Girls, learn about our new partnership with the Plus 3 Network, and be the first to know about all the exciting events we've got planned for 2010.

Sports Basement is providing Velo Girls members with yummy eats + beer + wine! And, after the party, there's a party in the aisles with a special members-only shopping discount!

RSVP by Monday, November 9th to Lorri@velogirls.com.

Introduced in 2006, the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program is designed to help riders bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, we teach women everything they need to know to begin road racing and then support them at their first race. Since it's inception in 2006, 66 women have participated in the Tri-Flow program, and many of them have continued to race both locally and nationally as CAT 1 - CAT 4 and masters.

Following is a program re-cap from Kaya Beeley, who participated in the 2009 Dunnigan Hills program:

I bought my first road bike in 2003. For the first couple of years, I did a lot of club rides and solo rides through the Oakland and Berkeley hills. It seemed that the club riders were always training for something, so I finally got around to doing my first century ride. It was great to finally have a purpose and focus to my riding. I got my first bike computer and started logging my miles. Last year, my endurance riding peaked with my completion of The Death Ride, a 129 mile ride with 15,000 feet of climbing. After proving to myself that I could sit in the saddle for 13 hours, I found myself less enthusiastic about endurance riding. Not because it was boring in the least, but because I had learned a lot about mental toughness and how hard I could push myself. I was ready for a change.

Continue reading...

Competitor Magazine (formerly City Sports Magazine) finally brought back the Best Bike Club category in their 2009 Best of Competitor survey. It's been missing since 2006. Velo Girls won in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Can we do it again?

Clickity-click the link and vote, and while you're at it, vote for our sponsors, too: Best Bike Shop (Mike's Bikes), Best Energy Drink (GU Brew), Best Energy Food (GU Chomps), Best Sports Medicine (Discover Chiropractic). And don't forget to vote for our race, the Menlo Park Grand Prix, as the Best Bike Event!

http://competitor.com/bestof2009

Dolce Vita Cycling is pleased to endorse Lorri Lown and Michael Hernandez for NCNCA President and Vice-President.

Lorri is a true advocate of women's cycling and has been instrumental in introducing hundreds of women to the sport. We feel Lorri has consistently shown true leadership qualities and her ability to lead an organization through her continued success with Velo Girls, her varied and well attended skills clinics, and her continued efforts to continually improve herself and others through cycling.

Similarly, Michael has distinguished himself with his endless enthusiasm for all racers, regardless of skill level or category. We feel Michael's involvement announcing at races and in a leadership role at Hellyer illustrate his willingness to serve as a voice in spearheading racing and development opportunities for a broad range of cyclists, whether they be juniors, track riders, or pros.

Together Lorri and Michael speak to the same philosophies of development and camaraderie that our team aspires to, and we'd be honored to have their voices represent us.

Thank you, Dolce Vita Cycling, for your vote of confidence!

Those who have been following my life on Twitter or Facebook are aware that i've been really focused on improving my health and fitness for the past few months. 2008 And 2009 were filled with lots of things that got in the way of my training -- managing a rapidly-growing business along with some health issues to name just a couple of them. But now, I'm back and training with a vengeance and ready to race full-time in 2010.

One of my priorities in making this decision was to hire a coach -- a partner with whom I could plan and execute the training necessary to get me back into fighting shape. I haven't had a coach since 2004, and one of my biggest hesitations was the fact that I couldn't find a local coach with whom I really wanted to work. Don't get me wrong, there are so many great coaches in Northern California, but I was looking for someone special -- someone I could really connect with. When I inquired with my current coach about her interest in coaching me, her response was "I would be honored to coach you, Lorri." That's all I needed to hear.

You might wonder why a cycling coach needs a cycling coach, but the reason is pretty simple -- I'm not able to make myself or my training a priority without having someone to be accountable to. Yeah, I could write my own training program (I have in the past). But what I was really looking for was someone to view me with fresh, unbiased eyes, to hold me accountable for my training, to give me tough love when required, and encouragement when needed, and to inspire me to greatness.

The proverbial plumber had leaky pipes. So I hired another plumber to fix the problem for me.

The road is just beginning. I hit an all-time high body weight in June (thanks in great part of a terrible prescription drug I was taking). I was riding less in a month than I used to ride in a week. And my body just fought me every step of the way. When I did ride, it was pretty miserable and I'd be completely exhausted for days afterward. Something had to happen or I was going to have to change careers. Not to mention that my true passion -- riding my bikes -- just wasn't fun for me anymore.

So, I quit taking the drug and started focusing on weight loss. I've gone through two other periods of significant weight loss in the past decade, and I knew exactly what I had to do. I started keeping my fitday.com journal again and monitored every calorie in and every calorie out. To date, i've lost almost 30 pounds, and while i've still got about 25 more to lose, I feel better everyday and I know i'll hit my weight loss goal by the start of the 2010 racing season.

In August, I went back on a training program (with my new coach), and the progress has been remarkable. My weight is down, my power is up, and that means just one thing -- free speed! I'm nowhere near race fitness at this point, but I'm able to ride and recover and I look forward to conquering all my favorite climbs before year-end.

So, there it is! I've got big racing goals for next year and I'm very excited to feel that they'll be attainable. Four months ago I was ready to give up the bike forever, but instead, i've been able to turn my life around and enjoy the process of getting leaner and stronger and fitter and faster everyday!

I guess clinic season never really ends in California. This past weekend I coached our last two clinics of the season: sold out Bike Skills 101 (bike handling fundamentals) and Bike Skills 201 (climbing + descending). 2009 has been our most successful clinic season ever -- with more than 800 participants in all of our various clinics. Of those, about 200 cyclists participated in 8 different Bike Skills 101 clinics - all of them sold out! My inbox is overflowing with requests to add just one more clinic this season, so we've added Bike Skills 101 onto the calendar for November 15th.

Registration is now open. Sign up online now.

This is a co-ed clinic and runs from 9:00am - 1:00pm in Redwood City.

Bike Skills 101 is a fundamental skills course - a must-do for anyone who rides a bike. Whether you're new to riding or you're an experienced cyclist, I guarantee that we can help you become more skilled and more confident in your riding. USA Cycling upgrade points are available for those of you who are racing (or interested in racing).

Everybody knows that The President gets to do some really cool things. And gets some neet new toys. The perks are endless (or so I've been told). So here are the reasons I really want to be President of the NCNCA.

1. Someone recently said that I've got big shoes to fill and that I get to wear size 99 shoes. since your feet are the lever on the bike, the bigger the better, right? I'm just a little worried about toe-overlap.
2. The President always gets mysterious-looking (yet handsome) body guards. what girl wouldn't want to surround herself with mysterious + handsome men?
3. The President is a diplomat and gets to travel to exotic and distant lands. I see trips to Copperopolis, Weed, Snelling, Bakersfield, Challenge, and maybe even Henleyville in my future! who needs to be a world traveller when the best of the best is right here in rural CA thanks to Velo Promo?
4. The President (or is it the First Lady) always redecorates the White House. I think this means I'll have to finish re-painting my condo before taking office in January!
5. Everybody makes fun of The President. I foresee a media whirlwind of cartoons, p-shopped photos, and essays poking fun at my dog, my bikes, and my hairstyle. kinda like high school but on a global level. maybe I'll even get an invitation to host SNL!
6. People give The President free stuff! I can't wait to get a chicken from the cluckers' council, a happy cow from the moo brigade, and an avocado tree from the pit plants coalition.
7. Everybody celebrates The President's birthday! I love birthdays and next year will be a special one for me, so mark July 29th on your calendar as a presidential day of wanton recklessness.
8. The President gets chauffeured around in a big shiny black car. I already have a 10-year old black (not-so-shiny) Subaru with dings + scratches from bikes leaning on it, so all I need now is a driver. some might agree that the way I drive, that would be a good thing.
9. The President gets to wear a big sparkly crown for formal occasions (oh yeah, maybe that's the king). I have a closet full of tiaras just waiting for the right opportunity to be worn! don't be surprised if you see me wearing one at the NCNCA meeting, the NorCal Cyclefest, or the SFBC Winter Party.
10. Legions of heralding trumpets and firing muskets greet The President wherever he goes. after years as the drum major of my high school marching band, I can't wait to stand in front of the celebratory ranks again!

In all seriousness, I look forward to the challenge of serving the NCNCA as The President in 2010. Please read my candidate's statement, as well as those of the other candidates.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Haughey

Team Velo Girls member, Jenny Feix, has been racing cross since 2003 and this year seems to be her year if early results are any indicator. In three races she's scored two wins and a 4th place and she's just getting warmed up for a HOT season of mud, sweat, and tears.

Here's a quickie from Jenny about her first win of the season at the LARPD series:

First race of the season for me. The course is perfect for this, flat, grass, and some duffy sandy areas mixed in and even a little gravel in spots. Two barriers to jump, and two logs to get over. I had an OK start, but a few A women got away fast and I didn't see them again. I stayed with a group of four women from the fist lap on, one of the gals (Velo Bella) took a spill in the gravel, so that left just three of us pushing each other toward the finish. Great competition. We all stayed together till the finish. LARPD offered me a good start to cyclocross season.

Team Velo Girls will be out to play again this Sunday, October 25th at the second race of the Bay Area Super Prestige Series at Coyote Point in San Mateo. Come cheer the Gnat and Mariska and the other C Women @ 8:30am, then stop by the Velo Girls tent for fun + frolic while we ring some cowbell for the hot boys in spandex. The main event for the women is at 12:00 and Jenny will test her mettle against a large, strong field.

It's not the off season.....it's the cross season!

I'm honored to be running for President of the Northern California & Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA) for 2010. My three years' experience on the BOD as Treasurer, as well as my management background, experience in not-for-profit, and my involvement with other Boards, are a solid fit for the position.

Since the NCNCA is a working Board, I think it's important for the next president to have previous hands-on management experience with the BOD.

In my tenure as Treasurer, I've made positive and valuable contributions to the NCNCA. I made it a priority to implement financial controls to strengthen the organization. During my tenure, we've had a budget surplus each year and been able to invest $85,000 during my first two terms into a reserve fund to be used for special projects such as equipment purchase and a new electronic timing system. I've formalized the financial reporting system and have provided the BOD with timely and thorough financial reports each month. In addition to my duties as Treasurer, I've been an active board member and instrumental in decision-making throughout my terms. I'm currently coordinating the Electronic Timing System Work Group and was instrumental in formalizing the election process for the 2010 NCNCA Officer Elections (no more drawing straws around the BOD table). I have actively solicited quality candidates for all positions who I feel will make a great impact on the management of the NCNCA in future years.

To many, I might seem focused on women's issues. However, I'm very unbiased about all areas of racing -- as a race promoter (Menlo Park Grand Prix), racer (road, cyclocross, mountain), coach, official, general busy-body, and as someone actively involved in the non-racing bike community as well. I have a positive relationship with USAC and have been involved with a number of USAC and other national task forces and committees.

I've worked in the cycling industry since 2001, as an independent coach, business owner, bike shop employee, and as a contract instructor for fitness facilities and corporate wellness programs. I'm well-connected in the cycling industry on a local, national, and international level. In my own business, I've developed programs that have been recognized as the gold standard in the cycling industry.

I received a BFA in Theatre Arts Management from Ithaca College, and spent the first 13 years of my career managing not-for-profit theatres. My focus was business management (accounting, finance, HR, risk management, and employee benefits). As an employee in not-for-profit, however, I was able to gain management experience in other areas as well, such as marketing, development, and operations.

I hold an MBA in Organizational Management/Gender Relations from Syracuse University. After my theatre career, I spent the next three years in management at a software start-up and at Charles Schwab, where I managed technology projects.

I received a CA Certificate in Personal Fitness Training from Foothill College (a 30-credit certificate program) and have participated in countless hours of continuing education from USAC, USAT, and other educational organizations.

My goal as President is to be an empowering leader and to enable the BOD to best serve the membership of the NCNCA. I plan to utilize technology to improve communication and continue to develop programs that will benefit membership.

Lorri Lee Lown
Founder & coach, Velo Girls
USAC Club of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008

Jackie is known by her friends and fellow cyclists to always bring a smile wherever she goes. This was evident even thirty years ago when she was in a sailing accident that crushed her knee, turned it into something good, and used cycling to recover. Since that time not only has she ridden for her own physical and mental health, but she has dedicated herself to helping other women get outside and on their bikes.

Jackie joined Velo Girls in 2003 and became a member of Team Velo Girls in 2006. As part of the Endurance Team she has dedicated hours of her time to women ever since. She has started and led four different rides to help women start riding and meet others. She understands that women will continue cycling if they have others to ride with and she has made it her personal mission to offer as many rides as possible. Many women in Northern CA, including some of the area's finest racers, credit Jackie with helping them learn to ride a bike and develop a love of cycling.

Jackie is retiring from the team this year, but trust us that is not because of a lack of energy! We want to thank her for her dedication, commitment, and unselfishness.

Favorite Ride: My ramble around the entire city ... around the bay waterfront, through the Presidio and around Land's End, down Ocean Beach, over Twin Peaks and through the Mission to my home on top of Potrero Hill. It's about 30-35 miles and there's always a surprise somewhere along the way.

Why I Ride: Because no matter what else is happening in the world, when I put my foot on the pedal and push off, I'm very, very happy.

Most memorable Velo Girls moment(s): Whenever a beginning rider comes up to me, sometimes years later, to tell me how much it meant to her that I'd helped her when she first started riding. Some have gone on to race, others to complete ALC and century rides.

A Bit About Me: I took up cycling after having a knee crushed in a sailing accident in 1980, and it's opened up the world for me. I've taken a bike to explore Holland, France, Denmark, Portugal, Japan (including up Mt. Fuji!), Arizona and countless trips along our coastline from Seattle to San Diego.

Favorite Quote: Years ago, on a Northern Exposure ride with over 30 riders, one woman said to me, "I like your style, you don't mind leading from the back!"

One of our new sponsors in 2009 is Action Wipes. How could we not fall in love with a product with the tag-line: Your face is not a baby's butt ... don't wipe it like one?

Lorri met Martha Van Inwegen, founder and creator of Action Wipes, on Twitter of all places, but it's indicative of the spirit behind the product. New to Twitter (and not exactly sure what to do with it), Lorri found that someone named MarthaVan was following her. With a little research, Lorri learned that Martha owned a local, California company called Life Elements. Like most cyclists, Lorri should own stock in baby wipes (handy for cleaning both bike and body after a ride). And with the Velo Girls goal of aligning ourselves with local, California sponsors, Lorri decided to learn more about the company.

Our relationship has been a match made in heaven! Martha has been a great supporter of Velo Girls this year and we've been signing the praises of Action Wipes ever since!

What's so great about Action Wipes (besides an awesome product)? Martha Van, is, that's what! She's a fun + fabulous woman with a very progressive, guerilla marketing strategy (just like Velo Girls). She's a social media maven and has run marketing campaigns via Twitter and Facebook aimed at introducing Lance Armstrong to her product (@LanceArmstrong, you should be using Action Wipes) -- a very cool photo campaign featuring cycling super-stars big and small with a newsprint poster harolding that tag-line. Although she claims she's not an athlete, she's immersed herself into the global cycling community in a way that the big, corporate brands could only dream of doing.

Martha was host to the team when we raced in San Luis Obispo this summer, and she told the girls the following story, illustrating her entreprenurial spirit, creativity, and desire to succeed:

Life Elements was the parent company to C+M Couples (C = her husband Curt and M = Martha). C+M Couples is a line of seductive and sassy personal care products targeted to the spa market. When the economy took a dive it affected the spa market (and her business). So, she met with a marketing guru who helped her re-define her product line, now targeted at the active lifestyle market. So she re-labeled all her products in her home office, creating the product we all know as Action Wipes.

When life gave her lemons, Martha made lemonade....and Action Wipes! Thank you, Martha, for your friendship and support this season!

After three years of serving the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA) as Treasurer of the Board of Directors, I'm throwing my hat into the ring to run for President. The current President, Casey Kerrigan, has been an integral part of the NCNCA leadership team for decades, so these are some big shoes to fill, but I'm confident that I can continue to make a positive impact on bicycle racing in our district.

Elections take place later this month. I was thrilled to receive this endorsement from the Bay Area Women's Cycling Association.

Bay Area Women's Cycling is pleased to officially endorse Lorri Lee Lown and Michael Hernandez as candidates for President and Vice President of the NCNCA in 2010. Over many years, Lorri and Michael have shown their dedication to improving our local cycling community, in particular by increasing opportunities for women and juniors. Both have also been instrumental in mentoring, & educating beginning cyclists as they become racers.

In addition to their advocacy, Lorri and Michael have significant experience as officers in a cycling-related organization. Lorri has served as Treasurer of the NCNCA for several years, and Michael has served on the Board of Directors for the Northern California Velodrome Association. We believe that Lorri and Michael are the best candidates to be President and Vice-President of the NCNCA.

Voting is scheduled to take place online starting (October 20th and concluding on) November 2, 2009. NCNCA member clubs are allowed one vote per available office (to be provided by a delegate on behalf of each club). Please spread the word about the election, and encourage your club delegates to vote for Lorri and Michael.

We voted on a proposal tonight to re-instate the masters women to the NCNCA BAR/BAT for 2010. Thank you to all the women who sent feedback and responded to our survey. 76 women responded to the survey -- 17% of all masters women. that's a great response in the survey world.

We voted to include W1/2/3 35+ in the 2010 BAR/BAT. We'll start chatting with promoters soon to ask them to include this field in their 2010 races.

We're still thinking about the W4 Masters. The overwhelming response from our survey was to include a W4 40+ category for 2010 (which could easily be combined with an existing W4 field in a criterium or added to a race-day for a road race). The numbers of CAT4 women support this so I'm sure we'd have a great turn-out if promoters are willing to add this field. I'll run a follow-up poll to see what everyone thinks and/or feel free to post your feedback on the NCNCAracing.com forum.

Again, thanks to everyone for rallying for the masters women!

Team Velo Girls has been invited to grand marshall the 64-mile Challenge at the Princess Promenade this weekend. This event, in just three years, has become a fabulous, fun-filled weekend of cycling goodness for girls and women of all ages. And we're thrilled to be a part of the magic!

The Princess Promenade was created to get women out of their cars and on to their bikes. It is a fun, inspiring event that gives women and girls a goal to train for, culminating in a parade of princesses along the beautifully scenic American River Parkway bike trail. It is held the first Sunday in October in Sacramento, CA.

After the ride, join Team Velo Girls members at the Velo Girls tent in the fitness expo area for photo opportunities and autographs.

Registration is still open for this event -- details can be found at princesspromenade.com.

Fall: short days and cooler temps! While there's still lots of riding left on our calendar, two of our most popular rides will soon go on hiatus until March -- Midweek Madness on Wednesday nights and Dirty Velo Girls on Thursday nights.

This week is the LAST Midweek Madness of 2009. Roll from Woodside Town Hall @ 6:00pm on Wednesday for a quick, 60 minute high-intensity spin, followed by dinner at Buck's Restaurant. Don't forget your blinkie lights!

Due to waning daylight, Dirty Velo Girls will also meet for the last time this Thursday! Roll from Arastradero OSP in Palo Alto @ 6:00pm followed by girl-time at the Alpine Inn.

RSVP to Lorri@velogirls for either ride. Details on both rides and all our other rides + events can be found on the Velo Girls calendar.

That can mean only one thing: C-Y-C-L-O-C-R-O-S-S!

Cyclocross is a super-fun, family-friendly sport and all the cool kids are doing it. You can do it too! All you need is a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike. And Velo Girls Coaching Services can help you get started on the right foot. Even if you never plan to race (never say never), the skills you learn will help you become a better rider for both mountain bike and road.

Join us on Saturday, September 26th for our four-hour jumping on and off your bike Cyclocross Clinic. Our guest coach will be John Funke, one of the best instructors I've ever worked with. He's fun, he's fast, and he can teach you everything you need to race your first cyclocross race (or perfect your skills if you're already a racer). John comes to us with decades of experience racing all over the US and he honed his skills with one of the top cyclocross coaches in the US: Adam Myerson (of Cycle-Smart Solutions for Cyclo-Cross DVD fame). John is one of the most popular cyclocross clinics in the northern CA and he swears this will be his final clinic. Ever! So don't miss it.

So what are you waiting for? Fixies are so 2008. Cyclocross is where it's at this fall!

Click here for information and registration.

Seven years and counting, women from across the US (and Canada) have participated in our corner-stone two-day women's cycling clinic: Girls Got Skills. This weekend clinic is total cycling immersion for women of all levels, and participants walk away with a renewed love for the bike! Just think, 16 hours of you, your bike, like-minded women, and expert coaches! It just doesn't get any better than that.

During the weekend we focus on fundamental bike handling skills. Paradigms will shift as we teach you how to REALLY ride your bike, understanding the physics behind balance, weight distribution, and gyroscopic force. Don't worry, this isn't high school physics -- we teach you in a safe, comfortable setting that includes lecture, demonstration, and lots and lots of hands-on practice under the watchful eyes of our coaches and mentors. Besides the fundamentals, we'll teach you how to corner at high speed like a pro, climb like a butterfly, and descend like a freight train. We'll also teach you ever-important group riding skills, like how to draft a wheel and paceline with one individual and a large group. And if that isn't enough, we throw in bonus material on nutrition and training with heart rate. We even help you establish HR training zones by performing a short HR test.

This is one of our most popular clinics and it always sells out. There are a few spots left, so I would encourage you to register today.

September 26th + 27th, 2009. Mark those dates now as the beginning of the rest of your cycling career. This weekend is definitely life-changing.

Our on-line registration provider, SportsBaseOnline, made some system upgrades this weekend and changed all of the links to Velo Girls membership and clinic registration (SURPRISE!). Please note the following:

• Velo Girls Coaching Services Clinic Index
• Bike Skills 103 -- Cyclocross Skills -- September 26th -- co-ed
• Girls Got Skills -- September 26th + 27th -- women only
• Bike Skills 101 -- Fundamental Handling Skills -- October 18th -- co-ed
• Bike Skills 201 -- Climbing + Descending -- October 18th -- co-ed

Registration is open for all of these programs!

A picture tells a thousand words, or say I've been told. Velogirls.com is trying to keep our content fresh, new and exciting with the hopes that you'll come back again and again to check out what's up with the Girls in Pink. The best way to do this is to create a community effort, allowing our members to share their Velo Girls experiences through photos.

We've set up a Velo Girls Flickr photo group and would like to invite you to join and share your photos.

Do you have some great photos from a recent ride? We'd like to see them! Post-ride silliness? Ditto! Did you capture the racers in action? Add them to the group pool!

To join the group, just go here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/velogirls/

Once you're a group member, you can add up to 10 photos or videos a day. Please add a tag to your photos: "velogirls."

In the works, we'll feed our Flickr pool directly to the homepage of Velogirls.com so all the world can see all the fun we're having!