Profile: Barb Howe

Nickname: Barbarella

Age: 33
Location: Berkeley, CA
When I’m not riding my bike: I work as a sale rep for Vanderkitten, prepare elaborate meals and sometimes go rock climbing.

Velomuse: Who is your role model in cycling?

Barbarella: Two kinds of people, the first are the people you see out riding their bike year round rain or shine because it’s how they get around and you can tell they love to ride their bike. The second kind of person is the woman racer who has a full time job but is dedicated and talented enough to mix it up with the salaried pro’s. (I’m not talking about myself but people like Mo Bruno-Roy, Wendy Simms, Rachael Lloyd and Ann Knapp)

Follow Barbarella on Twitter: barbhowe
http://www.barbarahowe.com/

*Photo Courtesy: Tim Gasperak/gasperak.com*

Profile: Erika Kopanic

Nickname: Gerbil

Age: 23

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Off the bike activities: Assistant Director of Admissions

Velomuse: Who is your role model in cycling?

Gerbil: Many people have told me that I have great potential in cycling, especially in racing. This advice finally stuck when I met Jacquie Phelan, a champion in women’s cycling. She insired me to challenge myself to the limits.

*At the time of this posting, Erika has completed her first race, in 1st place.*

Profile: Dawn Lovejoy

Name: Dawn Lovejoy

Age: 48

Location: Andover, MA

When I’m not riding/racing: I enjoy thrift shops, craigslist, yoga, hiking and eating…not in any specific kind of order!

Velomuse: Who is your role model in cycling?”

DL: “My role model in cycling is the one and only Jeannie Longo.  Her continued ability to keep winning, to keep racing and keep being competitive at her level and at her age leaves me breathless”

Profile: Kathie Reid

Nickname: Dr. Reid (only because I’m a college prof!)
Age: 43
Location: Fresno, California in Fall, Winter, Spring; Bridgeport, California in Summer
What I do when not riding/working: Freelance writer, primarily covering all things road racing!

Velomuse: “Who is your role model in cycling?”

Dr. Ried: “Now that I’ve been writing about the professional women’s peloton for three years, there are too many great women cyclists to choose just one role model! But, my first cycling role model — who continues to be  an inspiration to me — is my first coach, Kristi Eastin (formerly Kristi Hill), who is a former pro in both road and mountain. Not only is she an amazingly talented hammer on the bike, but incredibly humble, gracious, and generous about sharing her knowledge with other women (and men!) to bring them into the sport.”

Link to website – http://kathiereid.blogspot.com

Profile: Aviva Prager

Name: Aviva Prager
Age: 17
Location: Albany, CA
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Enjoying the outdoors/conservation work, (college apps, hah just kidding)

Velomuse: “Who is your role model in cycling?”

AP: “My role model in cycling is Michelle Dumaresq, a professional downhill mountain biker who races for Canada’s national mountain bike team. As a post operative transgendered woman she has faced much adversity throughout her career. However, she has been open about her her history as a trans woman and continued to follow her passion, paving the way for the next trans mountain biker.”

Profile: Michelle Johnson

Nickname: MJ

Age: 32

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Off the bike: Yoga. Never enough time for friends & family.

Velomuse: “Who is your role model in cycling?”

MJ: “My cycling girlfriends and competitors are the best role models I could ever have.  It is hard for any rider to balance work, family, friends, training and I honestly feel its harder on the ladies to do it.  They all motivate me to want to be a better athlete but I am always so proud of them when they blow my doors off!”

See more about MJ here: http://www.topladies.wordpress.com

Profile: Rebecca Rusch

Nickname: Reba or The Queen of Pain

Hometown: Ketchum, ID

Age: 41, and faster/fitter than I’ve ever been!

When I’m not riding: part time firefighter/EMT at home

Velomuse: “Who is your role model in cycling?”

Queen of Pain: “My coach Matthew Weatherley-White because he’s a friend, a motivator, a cheerleader, an educator, a training partner and is crucial to my success. He also balances a very full time job, house, wife and training with travel, racing and exploring. He’s an extremely well rounded, elite athlete and is accomplished in rowing, running, cycling and adventure racing. Despite his achievements and ultra busy schedule, his eyes still light up like a kid when he gets on his bike or heads out for an adventure and his passion is contagious.”

Note: This is one in a series of women showcased. Hopefully, we’ll get enough response to share something new everyday.

Ladies’ Frick Park Sessions

**Edit: THESE SESSIONS ARE POST-PONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.**

This week is #3: This is my favorite of the series: moving mounts and dismounts, advanced cornering and leveraging shifting.

* The running mount – this is great for cyclocross practice, intermediate mountain biking, and urban adventures. Plus, its a neat and very graceful trick to show your friends.
* The running dismount – good for leveraging speed before an obstacle, make sure you are comfortable clipping in and out with cleats, or bring running shoes and platform pedals.
* Advanced cornering gives the rider ability to shift before coming to an obstacle and throughout turns with low visibility, giving more confidence and safety at various speeds.

A low-pressure environment for women to try new obstacles and riding styles, while having fun. This will be a rider development series, with each week focusing on different skills, trails and techniques. Sessions led by professional USA Cycling coach and Trek of Pgh store manager, Eryn Hughes. Please bring your helmet, bike in good working order, and a smile. Please tell your friends!

Here’s the rest of the schedule:

June 4, 2009 (Kick off ride) – Meet & greet, braking/cornering skills workshop, slow race, 0 obstacles trails, coffee & tea @ Tazza D’Oro

June 11, 2009 – Meet & greet, climbing and descending skills (obstacles optional), riverview, tranquil trail, social climb, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

June 18, 2009 – Meet & greet, moving mounts and dismounts, advanced cornering and leveraging shifting, roller coaster trail, iron gate, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

June 25, 2009 – Meet & greet, singletrack handling skills (obstacles optional), bradema, iron gate trails, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

July 2, 2009 – Meet & greet, basic trailside flat and drivetrain repair, no obstacles loop, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

July 9, 2009 – Meet & greet, pacing & conserving energy, fueling your body, strength-building, longer/faster loop, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

July 16, 2009 – Meet & greet, look at sustainable trail design features, community relationships, trail etiquette, iron gate, Bannon trail, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

July 23, 2009 – Meet & greet, race preparations, mental strength, fast & fun ride , finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

July 30, 2009 – Meet & greet, everything fun, recap ride, finish with coffee & tea at Tazza D’Oro

Upon closer inspection – social climate observations

The advocacy scene is mostly moderated by two all-inclusive multi-user clubs focusing on trails: PTAG, and Bike Pittsburgh, which incidentally comprise mostly cyclists are the change-makers. Just like in California, the mountain bikers perform a majority of the volunteer trail maintenance. Unlike California, Pittsburgh has a Steward (representative from PTAG) for each park, which communicates the trail maintenance news and needs – which I think lends itself to a stronger relationship with other trail users. The MTB clubs, like PORC and Allegheny Cycling Association are social networks or racing organizations, that basically advertise rides, races, and community as their primary function. At the cusp of every development is a lot of community support, including numerous established local bike shops, the bicycle-oriented OTB bicycle cafe (which it is good to note, drinking beer seems more a part of the riding/sports culture here), and a 20-year old mountain biking magazine interwoven within the fabric of the community: Dirt Rag.

The ladies’ cycling scene is about the same scale as the one in the Bay Area, but quite a bit less cohesive and inclusive than what I am used to. Its smaller and appears to be spread thinly across various regions. What I have personally experienced so far, doesn’t seem to offer the same sense of community for women within the sport here, as with men. It brings me back to the age-old question, “Why do women get into athletic pursuits?” and I think the women that get into it for attention (positive and negative) rather than personal gain, may not stick with it. It seems negative attention is a long-term social biproduct of poor self-image, and something that cycling can counter with the right recipe of positive reinforcement and goal-setting. Positive community development starts with the kids, and the sport is built around their development. To that end, a new Trips for Kids chapter has started in Pittsburgh, a little something familiar to me from the Bay Area. What follows is the question, “What will keep them in the sport?” and what I am going to do about it.

The trails and the roads are similarly treacherous in a fun way – more potholes, slippery roots and “greasy” mud pockets than anything I’ve ridden in California. Indeed, its more of an upper body workout, and there is less room to let go of the brakes, feel the wind through the helmet vents, or even exhale, for that matter. Personally, I am looking forward to the challenge, willing to work for improvements, and eager to see some race courses out here.

Junior Girls’ MTB Camp

We had 12 girls and 6 adult volunteers to coach and direct the weekend training camp for the NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League season kickoff. We also had two special guests, Marla Streb, who focused on cornering technique while the storm outside kept the girls inside, as well as a very understanding Sports Psychology Consultant, Carrie Cheadle, M.A. Hot chocolate and warmed up clif bars made the event really special.

more about "Junior Girls’ MTB camp", posted with vodpod