Carrie Barton

Ron,

The link to the statesmen article must have gotten cut off. Here is
the full link, and the group that is running the clinic:

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080517/
OUTDOORS/805170330/1034/SPORTS
http://www.cogwild.com/Womens-Tours/default.aspx

Upon closer inspection, the group is actually out of Bend, but
advertising in the Salem paper. My bad. There are still two dates
available. I haven't been to any of these clinics I posted about, so
I can't endorse them from first hand experience. But, I know several
people who have gone to the dirt series camps, and know a hand full
of the instructors. I have heard great things from many camp
attendees. They have really figured out how to set up a comfortable
environment that every one can take something away from.

Carrie

On Jun 3, 2008, at 10:09 AM, Ron and Dorothy Strasser wrote:

> Thanks Carrie. I had heard about the dirt series, but could not
> get the statesman site to open. Is it a local group doing a
> clinic? Either way any chance for women or men to have opportunity
> to learn how to ride their mountain bikes if positive for our
> sport. I guess I would just like to see more locally grown
> opportunities. I know that John Joy of the PUMP club did a
> mountain biking 101 group ride a few Sundays last year out at
> Scappoose. I do not know how the turnout was, but he is very mellow
> and makes folks feel comfortable. The only way I knew that took
> place is because I saw it on the PUMP website. I commend any
> effort to get ladies comfortable and on mountain bikes, but just
> hope the message of opportunity gets beyond the bicycle world to
> the mother who just returned from vacation where she had so much
> fun riding her mountain bike or the commuter. The bikes just go
> into the garage until the next vacation or commute instead of being
> the conduit of a great new adventure and view of life!
> Thanks for your efforts.
> ron
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carrie Barton"
>
> To: "Ron and Dorothy Strasser"
> Cc: "Lindsay Kandra" ;
> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 8:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] ladies MTB
>
>
>> These opportunities are out there. A 5 second google search yielded
>> four different women's specific camp opportunities in Oregon. One
>> in Bend, Hood River, Corvallis, and Salem.
>>
>> http://www.dirtseries.com/
>> http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080517/
>> OUTDOORS/805170330/1034/SPORTS
>>
>>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------
>
>
>>
>> On Jun 2, 2008, at 9:35 PM, Ron and Dorothy Strasser wrote:
>>
>>> A quick rant from an old "Sport" mountain bike racer. Yes another
>>> one from
>>> ron.
>>> If I am way out of line you can tar&feather me or just lecture me
>>> at will...
>>>
>>> I do not feel qualified to show anyone (man or woman) how to race a
>>> mountain
>>> bike, but it just seems that if some riders that did have the
>>> skills (men or
>>> women) and were willing to take the time to show women or men some
>>> of the
>>> skills that it would help provide the confidence needed to try some
>>> races.
>>> There are places right here in Portland (and I am sure in other
>>> locals) to
>>> do some clinics. A city park with some hills (even grassy) would
>>> be a place
>>> to show riders technique for descending or climbing. More
>>> technical terrain
>>> could be taken on as the group advanced. I am amazed at how
>>> supportive
>>> racers are of each other in the mountain bike world. Women support
>>> each
>>> other so well in sports so I would think if newbie's showed up to
>>> clinics or
>>> races they would find how positive the environment is for their
>>> growth. I
>>> think time is a huge part of if people feel they can give of
>>> themselves (as
>>> teachers) or give of themselves (as students). There is only so
>>> much time
>>> in a day and it sure seems to go by quickly. Do the teams out
>>> there offer
>>> this type of learning opportunity to newbie's on their teams? Or
>>> do they
>>> now do some clinic like teaching for entry level riders that are
>>> not on
>>> teams? Is the teaching of new riders or team members based on
>>> the new
>>> person showing talent and desire? If they have both that is very
>>> good. But
>>> what if they just have the desire part and just a lot of fear maybe
>>> hiding
>>> the talent part... Do teams help them through this? I believe
>>> there is a
>>> huge gap between people that like to ride bikes and what they
>>> believe bike
>>> racing is like (road or mtb). Most of the publicity racing gets
>>> covers the
>>> top tier level and thus regular people see it as something they
>>> have no
>>> chance at enjoying much less being a part. Cyclocross gets about
>>> as close
>>> to reaching out to the masses as cycling has ever gotten in the
>>> good ol'
>>> USof A. Portland is a huge part of that open door policy. I see
>>> "Platinum"
>>> as getting that door open even wider for Track, Road and MTB
>>> racing. I
>>> would help out, but I believe well qualified people in the cycling
>>> world
>>> need to make these training sessions happen. I know they do
>>> sessions at
>>> Alpenrose and PIR for track, cyclocross and road, but one sure does
>>> not hear
>>> much if anything about MTB racing. I think the public image of MTB
>>> racing
>>> is lots of wrecks, thus a general fear of pain from falling off the
>>> bike.
>>> There are probably more crashes on the road. I am not
>>> complaining. New
>>> people need to come from the masses, not specific picked out
>>> individuals
>>> known through a friend etc. For example, regular people need to
>>> see an
>>> opportunity on a flyer in a coffee shop or grocery store as well as
>>> bike
>>> shops or hearing from a friend. The flyer/poster needs to perk
>>> interest.
>>> If the clinic is run well, the new women or men will pick it up and
>>> go with
>>> it. People can learn and accept new ideas and challenges when they
>>> feel
>>> supported. Even people that seem as if they would never be able to
>>> race a
>>> bike, might become much more than perceived if nurtured. So if
>>> someone puts
>>> something together (hey you teams or bike shops!) I will be a
>>> gopher and
>>> help out. I will be a spoke in the wheel. I have nothing but time
>>> and will
>>> let all my other responsibilities fall to the wayside (even to the
>>> point of
>>> homeless and begging for food)... or at least work the volunteering
>>> into my
>>> schedule.
>>> rant over
>>> ron
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Lindsay Kandra"
>>> To:
>>> Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 7:27 PM
>>> Subject: [OBRA Chat] ladies MTB
>>>
>>>
>>>> What keeps me from the MTB race scene is the lack of practice. I
>>>> really
>>>> don't like going out with more intermediate or advanced riders and
>>>> holding
>>>> the whole show up, so I get lazy and don't go at all. There are a
>>>> lot of
>>>> ladies doing CX because of the camaraderie in the women's fields
>>>> and maybe
>>>> more women would come to race MTB if there were more opportunities
>>>> to do
>>>> clinics and rides with a group of other race-curious slowpokes.
>>>> Maybe
>>>> those are already out there and I just haven't looked hard
>>>> enough...
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>>>
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