Trail List : Montana de Oro State Park

If the trail doesn't get chya, these will

Finding a worthy trail across the country can be challenging. When Patrick and I started planning our trip to California, countless hours were spent researching various trail systems. To our advantage, his family lives out there, so a quick call-to-action via Facebook resulted in countless options. Thanks to MTB Project by REI, we were able to take a virtual tour of the trail without ever leaving our couch.

The trails within the park are clearly marked

After shifting through suggested trails, we decided that it was important to keep it a short drive from the city, have enough miles of trails to make it worth the drive, provide camping, and be challenging with a huge payoff. What we landed on was Montana de Oro State Park. The park sits just north of San Luis Obispo and offers 20+ miles of out and back trails, camping, and amazing views of the ocean and mountains. (Seriously, my favorite part about California is being at the beach and in the mountains at the same time!)

View from the top of Hazard

Soon after setting up camp, we set out to Hazard Peak Trail. Rated as an easy/intermediate trail, it had come highly recommended so we were eager to test it out.
The trail starts with an easy climb up the ocean side of the mountain. After the initial climb, we were greeted by a flat, winding trail through the brush. If you're visiting, make sure to enjoy this part of the trail while you can! From there, the trail gets a bit tougher. The trails quickly changes into a moderately steep climb of loose rocks. Most riders will be able to make it up, just make sure to be drinking tons of water as the whole trail is exposed.
The climb is made all the sweeter by knowing this trail is an out and back. All of the climbing at the start soon becomes a crazy fast and flowy descent.
Confidence is key! With the large amount of loose rock on this trail, there doesn't leave much room for excessive braking. Once you make it off the steep part of the mountain, you're back in the grove where there is a ton of room for bike surfing on small berms. For those experienced riders, there's plenty of opportunity for small jumps, as well.

Once back at camp, we spent the rest of day 1 drinking beers and soaking in the views. Not all of the trails at Montana de Oro are bike-friendly! It's worth it to take some time to hike along the bluffs, though.

The next day, we wanted to check out an easier trail that promised just as amazing views. Oats Peak has all the fun that Hazard does, just with an easier climb to the top. It is an out and back, as well, so any efforts put in on the way up will soon be rewarded.
Oaks Peak is switchback city, making the climb all the easier and the descent all the better.
The trail is doable by beginners, but it does feature a ton of exposure which may rattle some nerves.

All in all, I'm very stoked that we chose to visit Montana de Oro. It was close to civilization while feeling worlds away. The trails introduced me to a whole new kind of riding that I wasn't sure if I could accomplish. The camping facilities are wonderfully maintained and the views made everything worth it.

Oh! Make sure you grab a bell at the top of biking trails, as this area is popular for hikers!

Bull and Jake

As some might remember, my last attempt at a relatively long day on my mountain bike didn't go exactly as I had hoped. But eager to regain my reputation (even if just to myself), I was excited when Patrick mentioned planning a trip to Bull and Jake.
When our planning began, we were set to do a 2-day-intro-to-bikepacking trip that would consist of splitting up a 65 mile loop over two days. After various injuries and general anxieties talked us out of that plan, we settled on the 25 mile loop that would start and end at our campsite.

The hour and a half drive to the North Georgia mountains is always one of my favorites, but this time it had a slight nervousness tied to it. Although I was excited about learning from Coldwater's mistakes, I was also terrified of having another crash-and-burn day.

Long story short, Bull and Jake was the most fun I've ever had on a bike ever!
We started from the Jake parking lot, which meant that the ~6 mile climb up Bull Mountain was the first thing to tackle.
Despite my GPS tracking each mile, I still wasn't quite sure when we'd start the terrible ascent. I'm really good at just blindly following the trail leader (usually Patrick) and not asking a whole lot of questions. Pat laughed at me when I finally asked when the climbing started. We had somehow gotten 75% of the way up the mountain without me really noticing. Awesome!
That was my first major confident booster of the day. The second one came once we reached the top and the descent began.
The descent down Bull is basically just a "hold on to what ya got" adventure. With very few technical areas, there's endless opportunity to keep gathering speed on the way down the mountain. The hop from singletrack to some rutted out fire roads makes it all the more fun!
Once I reached the bottom and caught back up with Patrick, I was ready for anything!

The rest of the day was, naturally, a bit more challenging. I made the mistake of looking at the elevation map, seeing Bull, and dismissing all of the other much smaller ascents. Turns out, what they lack in overall height, they make up for in steepness. Jake Mountain is filled with several short climbs and descents. Before you have a chance to catch your breath from the last downhill, you're back to climbing.

Going the direction we went, the ride ends with a quick creek crossing. Apparently, the water can oftentimes be thigh high. We got lucky with calve deep water during our visit and, being February, that was good enough for me.

Three miles, a couple of hike a bikes, and audible sighs later, we were back at the car. I was stoked to have had completed my first IMBA epic and even more stoked to still be in good spirits.

Current Gear Set-Up

Within the last month, I've been working on building up my bikepacking set up. Granted, it's been a pretty easy task thanks to a mechanically minded boyfriend, friends who've been in the game for awhile, and rad online gear swap groups.
I got some of my current gear as "starter gear" so I wasn't spending a ton of money on stuff before I knew fully what I was getting myself into. Reviews are super helpful in the process of setting up, but some things you just aren't sure what you'll need until you're actually out experiencing things for yourself.

I'll be working on doing full reviews for all of my current set up as I get more wear on them, but in the mean time, here's a comprehensive list of all the things I'm using.

Camping:
Sleeping pad: Nemo Astro Air Lite
Sleeping bag: Mountaintop Ultralight - this is a piece that I'll probably upgrade eventually, but it's perfect as a cheaper option if you're camping in mild weather & aren't ready to commit to a higher priced bag

On the bike:
Handlebar bag: Revelate Designs Sweetroll - mine is an older version that I bought second hand, but same idea
Seat bag: Revelate Designs Viscacha 
GPS: Lezyne Micro GPS
Pedals: Race Face Chester & Crank Brothers Candy 1

On my body:
Shorts: Mountain Khakis
Jersey: Specialized 
Gloves: HandUp

Bitsy the Jeep

Earlier this month, Pat and I bought a car! It wasn't a purchase we had previously put a whole lot of thought into, but once my beloved Scion started having more mechanical issues than we could handle, we set out in search of the perfect adventure vehicle.
An extensive Craigslist search led us straight to this 1995 Jeep Cherokee, which we half jokingly decided to go look at one evening. From the moment we pulled into the car lot, I was pretty much sold.

There were a couple of noticeable things we'd have to fix right off the bat : replace a door handle, install a hitch and bike rack, and find her some new tires Nothing we couldn't handle! And a '95 just 100,000 was something that couldn't be beat.

So, she came home with us about an hour later!

We've already managed to fix all the issues that needed immediate attention. By we, I definitely mean Patrick...but, I'm learning!
Once she was in perfect running order, we installed a hitch and ordered the perfect bike rack. We decided on the Saris Freedom Superclamp. It's a platform rack that holds 4 bikes, folds up when we're not using it, and tilts away from the back so we can easily access everything.

We've lovingly named her Bitsy. Partly because I just think it's a funny name, partly because you sometimes find new little bits on her that don't work very well.

The bright side, though, is that by having such an old, popular car is that parts are like $3 on Amazon.

We're slowly making upgrades to her and turning her into a full adventuring machine. I'll be tracking her progress on here as we go.

Waiting patiently for the weather to officially break so we can take her camping!

Coldwater Review....Kind Of

I had kind of expected to get this review written much sooner, but by the end of the day, I realized it wasn't so much of a review as it is a self reflection.

Camouflage bike 

Last week, I set out with two friends to conquer Coldwater Mountain in Anniston, Alabama. They've ridden the trails too many times to count, always coming back raving about how much fun they've had. I've heard these trails are some of the best the Southeast has to offer, so I won't water down it's amazing reputation with my "I had a bad day" rambles.

Instead, I've decided to realize that, sometimes, it's really nice to have yourself humbled in order to take a very real look at your strengths and weakenesses. Coldwater was definitely a humbling experience for me.

Between not properly eating (what else is new?), having an incredible fear of rock gardens (don't worry, I'm over it now), and never having done any sort of sustained climbing, it was one of the hardest rides I've ever done. From the time we left the parking lot, I knew I was in for a rough day.

What was lovingly referred to as "The Death Berm"

Once I psyched myself out after the first climb, that was it for me. My least and most favorite aspect of mountain biking is how pertinent a positive mindset is. There are some rides that I come out of feeling on top of the dang world or, as with this ride, I feel like finding a new hobby.

On the positive, my Surly held up amazingly. I can't imagine having tackled that trail on anything less. The brakes were amazing, which I put through extensive testing that day. The shortened fork proved for better climbing. And she handled falling over over and over again with dignity. 

Although this past week wasn't my day, I'm excited to continue to build up my strength and endurance in order to have a better experience next time I'm out there

Pat's bike is all geared up for his upcoming adventures & it looks so dang cool

Surly Instigator 2.0

Few days late, but now that I have a couple of rides down, I feel it's a proper time to talk about the new love of my life - the Surly Instigator 2.0!

I got my new bike as an early Christmas gift from Patrick. It's my second mountain bike and while I initially made the decision to get a new bike simply out of wanting a "tougher looking bike," I was not prepared for the night and day difference between my old Specialized and the Surly.

I started out with a Specialized Jynx, which was a wonderful beginner bike. However, my one and only resolution for the year (if you can even call it that) is to become a more serious mountain biker, so a new bike was in order.

Now if you've ever ridden with me or read any of my other posts, you know I'm the first to admit my beginner status. At this point, I'd rate myself at almost intermediate because I can finally make it down hill without slamming on my brakes at every turn, get off the ground on most rollers, and make it up most climbs. Whenever I'm talking about my riding experience, I feel like it's necessary to point out what phase of the game I'm in, because there's been many a times when I'm talking to someone about something they consider "easy" and it kicks my butt, or visa versa. Mountain biking is all about perspective anyway. ~~right, man?~~

I had heard a lot of other reviews talking about the Instigator's weight. With its stock 26+ tires and all its original parts, it weighs in at just around 31 lbs. So far, I've only done one ride with the fat tires on. It's a given to say that downhills were a BLAST, but the second there was any sort of elevation, I tired faster than I ever have. Granted, it might have been mostly mental as I watched my friends speed up the hill without any issues, leaving me to slug up a minute or two behind.
The day I got my bike, we put in an order for Mavic Crossride 27.5 wheels.
With the new wheels on, the bike's weight dropped to 26.5 lbs and man, it fliiiiiiiiiies now.
We paired the Mavics with Maxxis Ikon skinwall tires (because matchy). As my first pair of Maxxis tires, I can see now why people prefer them. When descending, I can feel the tread lock into place when cornering. There were several times that I think I should have ended up on the ground, but the tires kept me up. On climbs, these tires could crawl up rocks and roots without issue.

The Instigator has definitely already made me a much more confident rider, but with its aggressive geometry, climbing still wasn't as fast on it as it had been my Specialized. To help with that, we shortened the fork from 140 to 110. I haven't gotten to ride it with the shortened fork yet, so no reports on that. We are heading out for a long day of riding tomorrow at some trails I've never been to, so I'll be reporting back with a fresh trail review as well as updating on the fork.

To summarize, I would definitely recommend the Instigator to anyone looking to get rad. It's a machine that you just get on, hold on, and have fun on. It definitely delivers just that with no disappointments.

I'm stoked to continue testing it's limits, as well as making some additional upgrades to. Next up - dropper post!

In the Studio

Being a one woman show has its extreme perks, with a few downfalls thrown in there. Naturally, one of the biggest hurdles I'm constantly working against is pattern development.
I work closely with a few folks from the local cycling scene who are commuters, adventurers, and all-around-bike-people to come up with new ideas for products.
It's always an interesting challenge to go from idea to tangible item.

Granny Gear is a still a pretty young concept. There are bag makers who are worlds above me and that's really exciting! I love watching what other designers are coming up with (& wishing I had thought of it first).

Recently, I decided that I really wanted to tackle a pretty simple frame bag. I'd read a couple of tutorials online that made the process seem significantly less daunting.

I already know I messed up with this #nondriveside picture

The process was surprisingly smooth! I came out with a one color, one pocket frame bag custom made for my SS Fairdale. Also, because it's a custom bag, I made sure the straps don't cover up the Fairdale name...a little pickiness can be managed when you're making things for yourself. 

The frame bag is made from cordura, making it fully water resistant. The straps on future models will be a bit burlier to ensure the bag stays put on any adventure its put on.
I'm not quite ready to offer this to a general public yet. I'm going to ask some friends to use upgraded versions for a "prototype" run before opening them up for order.

I'm real stoked on how the first one turned out, though! And it was a great learning experience.
Now onto the next challenge. 

Trail Review : Blankets Creek

I attempted Blankets Creek this past summer and didn't have a good time. I blame it on having done a 30 mile road ride beforehand, but regardless, I had been putting off going back for the longest time.
Today, I wanted to tackle a longish day on the bike without having to go too far from the city. When my friend suggested Blankets Creek, I knew my time of avoidance was coming to an end.

An impending rain storm shortened our day a bit so we decided against tackling South Loop. I'll tackle that one day, I'm sure.
Also, these trails are directional! This post is written going the Monday, Wednesday, Saturday direction. I assume you could just read this post backwards if it's Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday??

From the parking lot, you head onto Mosquito Flat, a relatively flat, short trail. It's the perfect place to give your legs a chance to wake up before spitting you out at the trailhead for Dwellings Loop, Qhuel Holler, and South Loop.
Dwellings Loop was the only one I had ridden previously. Second attempt left me feeling much more stoked on these trails.
For my skill level, this trail is decently gnarly. It doesn't consist of too much climbing, but it's short, punchy climbs are full of roots and rocks to navigate over.
What I missed out on the first time was enjoying the awesome features of the downhills. Any sort of grief you're feeling from technical climbs quickly vanishing the moment you start descending.
Berms, table tops, rock gardens, and switchbacks galore! Everything you want in a descent, Dwellings delivers.
There are some additional alternative lines that I was pretty sketched out on, but was stoked to have a friend who highly recommended them. If you're a tenderfoot like me, I'll offer you the same advice I was given: roll it or stop to check it out first!
I was almost unknowingly introduced to my first drop today but hydraulic brakes saved me from a probable trip over my handlebars. (But a quick trip back up the trail a bit and a second take, I was able to clear my first two drops!)

After Dwellings, you arrive back at that first trail head (ya know, cause it's a loop...). From there, you'll hit Mosquito Flat again, take that to Mosquito Bite, which is basically Mosquito Flat with a few more roots and some wood features.
The real challenge comes when you arrive to Van Michael. This is one of those trails that got talked up soooooo much that when the time finally came for me to hop on it, all I could focus on was the video game style boss music that was playing in my head.
It's SO! MUCH! CLIMBING!
Luckily, I found out that, despite how much I abhor climbing, I'm actually kind of okay at it.
Van Michael is one of the more technical trails out there (I've heard South Loop is the most technical but, as I said, haven't ridden it yet). Much like Dwellings Loop, you've got a whole lot of roots and rocks to navigate over while you're climbing.
The descents offer HUGE berms and table top opportunities that I assume are used by folks who go a lot faster than I was.

After Van Michael, I was pretty much done for the day. We did a quick cool down on Mosquito Flat to Mosquito Bite which popped us back to the parking lot right as the rain was starting.
I definitely conquered my fear/hatred of Blankets Creek. I can now very happily recommend it to anyone who is looking for a solidy technical day of riding without having to go too far outside of the city.

Trail Review : Sope Creek

Atlanta really is lucky with how many awesome trails we have such a short distance from downtown. If you're pressed for time but still want to get in a really great day of riding, I highly recommend checking out Sope Creek. 

A short 20 minute drive from the city, it's one of the most underrated trails close to the city.
(And if you're really feeling yourself, it's possible to ride from the city to the trail! It's been reported that during high traffic areas, it's actually faster to ride there.)

Since it's still cross season, I spend pretty much any free time I have on my cross bike. So what better way to spend some quality time with my bike than to take her to a mountain bike trail!
I had been to Sope a handful of times before. Once on my cross bike, maybe twice on my mountain bike. The most recent time, however, was the first time I actually got why people think so highly of this trail. 

From the parking lot, you're greeted with a finely ground gravel road that offers a nice scenic warm up alongside the river.
Once on the actual trail, it's mostly singletrack with all the roots, rock gardens, and berms you could hope for.
It's exceptionally fun on a full rigid bike when you're given the added bonus of having to pick the best lines to avoid the dreaded pinch flat. 

The only downside to the trail it has a rule that "bikes yield to pedestrians." I've never had any real issues with hikers and typically they'll move if they see you coming. It is one of the more populated trails I've been to and sometimes you have that one hiker who doesn't quiet understand how it works and ends up walking in the same direction you're going.

Sope is officially rated as an intermediate trail. When I first started going, it was a little too challenging for my skill set. I spent most of my first trip participating in a great hike a bike. My most recent time going, I was able to clear mostly everything.
If you're looking for a well rounded riding experience, Sope is definitely worth a visit. 

Boundary Waters - Douglasville

I finally made it to the top step!!!

After seeing a 4th place finish nearly every race of the season so far, I finally saw a course that seem to be designed just for me.
As promised, Boundary Waters offered a little bit of everything.
From off camber switchbacks to a gravel climb that was far more strenuous than it appeared, the course was well designed to keep each rider on their toes.

I'm gradually learning proper race preparation.
It's a weird transition to go from being an absolute couch potato who never really thought twice about what I was eating, to this world of being an "athlete."
(I'm still very much not sure if I'm able to commit to considering myself a real athlete yet)
After a week of monitoring what I ate and when, I could definitely feel an incredible improvement in my race performance.

There's only a few races left in the season. I'm incredibly excited to continue to learn and grow alongside my teammates.
They've been the most supportive crew I could ask for.

I'm currently winning the Cat 4 women's series.
I'm trying to not jump the gun on being overly excited because, honestly, anything could happen at this point.
But hey, for being in my second month of racing, I'll take it!

Dingo Cross - Dahlonega, GA

The race at Camp Merrill this past Sunday has been easily my favorite race to date.
Despite somehow sleeping through my alarm, waking up two hours late, and getting to the venue just 15 minutes before our race started, Dingo Cross was the most fun I've had on a bike all season.

Definitely one for the mountain bikers of the group. The course featured nine official barriers, including multiple log jumps, a muddy run up, a gravel pit, a creek crossing, and your every day barriers that I'm sure have an official name that I don't know. 

Although I don't think I'd want the stress of almost missing a race ever again, part of me is thankful that my first race lap was my "pre-ride." Had I been given the opportunity to scout out the course beforehand, I probably would have psyched myself out too much to properly concentrate during the race. Even when not faced with an official barrier, the course tested everyone's handling skills. From a sandy off camber remount to several deeply cut ruts, there wasn't any time to let your guard down.


So far this season, I've placed 4th in all my races except for one where I got DNF because of a flat tire and not knowing to run the rest of the course (Whoops, rookie mistake!! I know better now!)
Overall, my team has been killing it. We took the top step of the podium on our first race of the year, resulting in my teammate, Brent, to move up a category. I'm patiently waiting for my time to cat up to the elite women's field, but wouldn't be disappointed if I have a year with the Cat 4s to get my bearings a bit better.

Every race offers a whole lot of learning that I am happy to partake in. I've already met so many amazingly strong ladies at the start line who are so ready with high fives and congratulations at the finish line. ((Cross is honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me & everyone should do it))

Unfortunately, this upcoming week is an off week. I'm already so anxious to be back in race mode hanging out with all of my favorite people.
I'm planning to get in lots of mountain biking in the meantime. 

Oh! and I impulsively bought a new bike a few days ago. We missed the singlespeed race in Dahlonega, but I'm hoping to take her along for the double header in Savannah at the end of the month. 

See you guys soon! 

Trail Review : Enterprise South

The Enterprise South Nature Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee were some of the first trails I went to when I began mountain biking. It features approximately 10 miles of looped trails. There's no doubt that these are appropriately labeled as beginner trails, but don't let that be a deterrent for your visit. What these trails lack in gnarly factor, they make up for in fun.

Enterprise South is divided into three directional loops. I've done both directions and I highly recommend the Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, although there are still tons of fast downhills the Tuesday Thursday Sunday direction, too. Each of the loops are about the same difficulty, even though technically they're considered beginner, intermediate, and advanced. As I said, they were my favorite trails when I started mountain biking and I never came across anything that I couldn't handle....except for the occasional rock garden but that's a personal hurdle I'll overcome eventually.
Each loop has its own defining features.

The loop we started on is known as Black Forest. It's a quick singletrack with a handful of punchy climbs, roots, and loose ground. (There's also the most fun downhill run into a parking lot if you're doing the M, W, F, S direction). From there, you go into TNT, my personal favorite. There is a tiny bit more climbing on this loop, but the pay off is wonderful. This loop has a lot of roller sections which is a heck of a good time regardless of how much speed you're comfortable with maintaining. The Log Rhythm loop is the last one we came to. For advanced riders, this area can be used as your playground. It has an elevated bridge, pump track, and log obstacles. For those not comfortable with the advanced features, they're easily bypassed without taking anything away from the all around experience.

I definitely won't be making any trips to Chattanooga that I don't make time to visit this trail at least once. It's a good way to get in a couple of really solid miles on your bike. For those riders looking to amp up their mountain biking skills, it's a really great place to work on getting comfortable with maintaining speed. For those just looking for a good place to ride, this is a decently easy trail that doesn't feel like a snooze fest.

Impromtu Chattanooga

Yesterday was our usual day for group mountain biking trip. For whatever reason, the idea of riding didn't sound the slightest bit appealing to me. I was going to suck it up and go anyway, but thankfully, Patrick was there to save the day by suggesting we go on a day trip to Chattanooga.

By the time we decided to go, it was already past noon. The trip up there would take us about 2 hours, closer to three when you take into consideration traffic and a food stop. We compromised by agreeing to pack up the mountain bikes to get in a quick ride at Enterprise South (which are some of my favorite trails ever!) and then get in some good exploring after.

Around 3:30, we got to Chattanooga, unloaded the car, and hopped on the trails. Unfortunately, we only got about 7 miles in when the skies opened up. I can't say it was the biggest downpour I've ever gotten stuck in, but it definitely ranked in the top 3. Our only option was to head to the car one way or another. Bummed that we drove 2 hours for about 30 minutes of riding, we figured that we'd be able to take the few miles of trails back. Nope!
After only a couple of minutes of rain, the previously flowy trails turned into actual rivers. So we turned around and took to the road.

Once we packed back up, we called up my brother who lives in Chattanooga. Luckily, it only seemed to be raining over the trails, which are about 20 minutes outside of the city. We drove out of the storm and into perfect weather!

My brother has a friend whose family owns a ridiculous amount of land up on Lookout Mountain so he took us up there, where we got in a whole lot of sightseeing over Cloudland Canyon and some canoeing on a private pond.

We originally had plans to go out to dinner together before leaving, but it being Sunday and us having no concept of time, when we realized how late it had gotten, all  our food options had closed. (which is a major bummer because I've been dreaming about how good Urban Stack burgers are for a good six months now!)

All in all, it was the perfect almost-full-day-off-a-bike day. I am thankful to have had a moment outside of the routine of the city. Now, back to my regularly scheduled training rides.

Trail Review: Chicopee Woods

Chicopee Woods are 21 miles of incredibly well maintained mountain bikes trails created by SORBA in Oakwood, Georgia. I've been hearing about the insane trails at Chicopee Woods in Oakwood, GA for a couple of months now. Patrick has made his way up there on several occasions, but it had sounded a little too intense for me. Unlike the other trails I had ridden previously, Chicopee's loops don't have an easy out. Once you're in, you're in until the end.

We finally made our way up yesterday so that I could see what all the hype was about. And, man, they didn't disappoint!
The trails were probably the most technical I'd ever ridden. There are lots of roots, rocks, punchy climbs, and fast descents, that make even the beginner trails a little sketchy.

The trails are separated into several different loops, varying in difficultly from beginner to advanced. From the parking lot, we started on the easiest loop, known as the Tortoise. It made for a solid warm up, allowing time to hone in on the challenges ahead and get your legs burning on a couple of relatively easy, but long climbs.
Honestly, I can't tell you where we go from there. The trails quickly split off into several, non-directional loops. We ended up riding everything, except Copperhead Gap, the most advanced trail. Patrick has done that one on previous trips. He reports that it's a lot of climbing and really technical, but I don't really have much more information to report on it than that. I'll do it next time, promise!

While I may not have known exactly which trail I was on the majority of the time, I can say that the Flying Squirrel loop is one that no one should miss! It's a little climby, with one insane, rocky hill that nearly took me out a couple of times. (Keep in mind, I would rate my personal riding skills at just below intermediate so what I regard as tough, may be more or less challenging for other riders). However, any climb on any of these trails has an incredibly fun pay off at the end. There is almost an exactly equal amount of climbing as descending. I haven't smiled my way through an entire trail system before Chicopee.

Aside from that, I really only remember that I kept getting lost between White Tail and Red Tail, finding myself riding the same section of trail over again, only to then turn around. White Tail is probably the best trail for someone looking to get more comfortable with fast descents, without any crazy climbing in between. There are some cool, hidden drops that I accidentally did (without dying!)

Yesterday was an insanely hot day, so it's important to make lots of time for water and food breaks when you can. There aren't any water fountains at the trail head, so make sure you're fully stocked up before heading out there!

We ended up getting soaked by a spontaneous thunderstorm for our last 2 miles. While I never recommend intentionally riding wet trails, it definitely made the final stretch that much more enjoyable. We got back to the car covered in mud, absolutely exhausted, with ~15 miles under our belt for the day.

Chicopee Woods are about an hour outside of the city and definitely worth the trek up north. I can't wait for our next trip up there. I can't recommend those trails enough!

#CrossIsComing

It's been killing me to not blab about this publicly, but I've officially been invited to join my dream team for the upcoming cyclocross season. I'll be racing with Loose Nuts Cycles alongside some really awesome dudes. 

I have a lot of work ahead of me, and big shoes to fill. The team's 2015 season was insanely impressive with podium finishes nearly every race. 

While incredibly intimidating, I'm glad to have such successful teammates to learn from, and to constantly worry about disappointing if I don't train hard enough (hah!)

This might be my favorite picture ever...no one has ever captured my "holy crap" face before. 

I'm slowly easing my way into full-gear training with a 100 mile/week goal. My riding schedule currently includes one full mountain biking day, with four days doing long(ish) distance road rides. So far, I've fallen just short of my goal, which means I need to be adding another ride day into the mix.
As the year progresses, I plan to advance my training rides gradually, but for now, my goals are challenging enough without burning myself out.

Something that I'm learning is that while my team is crazy supportive, at the end of the day, we're all advancing at our own paces. It's easy to get real discouraged when comparing myself to these people who have been racing for years now. While I definitely don't want to give myself the easy way out, or make any form of excuses for myself, it is important to remind myself that every day is a form of progress. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.
If you had told me a month ago I'd be doing the things I'm capable of doing today, there's a high chance I wouldn't believe you.

My biggest obstacle now is just to do all those things I'm too scared of. I have to learn how to push myself and get out of my comfort zone, which is not something that I've ever had to deal with before. Training is as much mental space as it is physical effort.

I'm excited for what this summer has to offer! I can't wait to see what I'm able to accomplish...and how many flips I'm able to do by the end of all of it.

Today's my birthday! Which is sort of like a mid-year chance to make new resolutions all over again.

I've grown a lot as a cyclist in the past few months. I still have so many obstacles that kick my butt (or, ya know, toss me over the handlebars...literally), but it's crazy to be riding routes/trails that I did even just a few weeks ago and doing monumentally better than before. My goal for my 23 year old self is simply: if I'm scared of it, I gotta do it. 
This, of course, applies 98% to on-the-bike only. Let's be real, I'll never not be an anxiety ridden baby. And I'm alright with that!
Right now, my biggest challenges on the bike are just psyching myself out. I come up to a big hill or a technical downhill and my first instinct is to get off the bike. After that, it's nearly impossible to convince myself to get back on it.

I'm working on being able to concentrate my thoughts back into a good place even after I stumble over part of a trail.
I got the chance to go riding with a new trail mate today. It made all the difference being able to watch the lines she was taking and ask questions while we were out.

Last week was filled with very exciting news that I cannot wait to share publicly. Right now, all I'm allowed to say is that I'm more excited for cross season than I ever thought was possible. More on that real soon!!

Also, Patrick and I have decided to venture into something creatively new. I'm still working out the fine details and, as my new-found-adult-self, I'm not open to sharing every piece of our new project until I feel comfortable with the way it's going. But, just know, that I'm very stoked on everything that's happening right now. I'm really excited to see where everything ends up.

So yeah. Here's to 23! I hope I can convince people to like me this year.

Wastin' Away in Margaritaville

This past weekend was my momma and I's semi-sort-of-annual-mother-daughter-vacation! We've been going to Gatlinburg, Tennessee since I was about 12, so this year we decided to switch it up and spent a lovely weekend in Myrtle Beach and Charleston.

Neither of us had ever been to Myrtle Beach and spent only minimal amounts of time in Charleston so it seemed like a perfect idea!

Unfortunately, the weather didn't quite agree with us going to the beach mid-April. Our first two days in Myrtle were spent wishing we had brought more sweaters. The temperatures also meant that any lounging on the beach we were planning on doing was pretty out of the question. We spent Friday wandering around the shops along the boardwalk. By Friday evening, we were out of things to do. (One can look at only so many "Myrtle Beach 2016" tank tops & shot glasses). Bummer when we still had two days of vacation! So we decided to do what anyone else in our position would do - let's take a road trip from our road trip!

A quick Google search revealed the Charleston was only 2 hours from Myrtle. Saturday morning, we woke up super early and started the trek to The Holy City. With Myrtle not exactly being our cup of tea, Charleston ended up being everything we wanted in a city! The weather cleared up, we had all new things to explore, and we spent the afternoon roaming around taking pictures and reading all about the history of the town.

It took Mom and me about six times longer to walk anywhere than it should have because we would both stop every 500ft to take a million pictures of someone's house. Everything in Charleston is so dang pretty! 

Once we were done oogling over downtown and were in danger of having full memory cards on our cameras, we got back in the car to search out Folly Beach.

Folly Beach has a special place in my heart, so I had to be sure to visit it again. This time last year, Patrick and I drove overnight to Charleston for his birthday and got there right as the sun was coming up. We ended up taking a nap on Folly, eating lunch, and turning around to come back home.

Essentially, that's what Mom and I did on this trip. We ventured out to the beach just long enough to snap some pictures.

Sunday was our last day on vacation. The drive back to Atlanta is 5 hours, so we had to leave early to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.
We got up really early, excited to see that the good weather from Charleston followed us back to Myrtle. We were finally able to venture out to the beach to take in all the beauty that had been hiding itself over the past 3 days.

We got back to Atlanta right around 2pm. Patrick was leaving at 3 to meet his friends for mountain biking, so naturally I had to tag along, too. I was exhausted from an amazing weekend, but it was great to be back on my bike.

Thank you, Momma, for an awesome weekend!