SLaB clinic for IMBA -great fun with bikes & beer!

More on the SLaB, free, beginner-intermediate women's mountain bike skills clinic during the Ales and Trails IMBA fundraiser event.

Coach Bev Demonstrates different "bike body separation" 

& positioning in order to get under the limbo. 

Coach Rob Connelly looks on.

Participants do fantastic on all the drills. 

Some never knocked off the bamboo bar!

About 15 ladies attended the skills portion! We then went for a ride to practice switchbacks - then a gnarly fireroad descent. Will post more pictures when we get them! All these photos were courtesy of Racheal Lopes of HILRIDE - Progression Development Group.

Ales and Trails jumping limbo

IMBA Ales and Trails event was a total success. Didn't have my camera, only my phone, so when I acquire the images from the 15 ladies we did skills drills with, and 13 that went for an adventurous bike ride on the trails - I'll post more. An exceptional group of ladies ranging from total beginner - never ridden a mtn. bike - to night riding experienced dirt riders and competitive roadies trying to convert to the dirt! Great attitudes and bravery and smiles!

Set up a SLaB Lounge area complete with comfy chairs and a carpet, was a nice shady rest spot! I LOVE BOYS! I can't thank my husband Terry, and Rob Connelly enough  for their dedicated help on the trail and at the event site! Also, BOYS play and play and practice - see the images below of the creative competition that erupted. Boys will be boys, and can't help but smile at them!

The SLaB skills drill of doing the Limbo - soon was taken over by skilled extreme riders! They converted the limbo into a jump challenge. It was so entertaining and fun to watch. The last thing I packed in my truck before leaving at 6 that morning, was the limbo fence stakes & bamboo "bar". 

Fantastic illustration of how boys will play - an inspiration to us women who think riding is to go out for a point "A" to "B" loop, when we might learn more from staying in one area and playing on our bikes to learn balance, compression and wheelie lifts etc. I was food deprived, sun dried and with only my iPhone camera and a beer at this point in the day. Big smiles all around!

World Class rider - National and World Champion - Shaums March- Demonstrated not only how good he was, but how hard it was, as they pushed the limits on this little contest! No prizes, just competition erupting from a creative twist on the limbo! Nobody was hurt during this exercise.

5th annual ALES and TRAILS

SLaB is excited to be donating it's time and hosting a free clinic during the IMBA fundraiser this weekend. We are big believers and supporters of the good work that the IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) does for maintaining trails, trail access and advocacy.

Come help support IMBA, and say hi to SLaB - we'll be starting at the Paradigm Cycles Booth - look for our jersey's and logos about the picnic grounds - and say hi to Bev and Terry and Robco if you see us!

SATURDAY, JUNE 28th: Beginning-Intermediate Women's Skills Clinic and short ride starts at 9:45 a.m!

wheel ups vs up chucks

Rachel spins the Tibetan prayer wheel -

Well the last thing Rachel and I did before we left Sun Valley yesterday was to spin this Tibetan prayer wheel. I finally was back from the dead it seemed - and able to escape towards the airport for home, a day late. This close up of the wheel I took because it looked colorful, upon uploading my images just tonight, I noticed the theme. Hmmmm... maybe I should have spun this wheel before I came to town? Or was this an Omen that I'm done tossing pretty things out of my mouth. Strangely appropriate.

Turns out things still are not back to normal colon wise, and looking up info last night on the internet... and it appears to be e.Coli .... yup... more than just an average food poisoning... as I had some curious symptoms that I'll resist sharing. 

I'll just assume it was tomatoes... who knows. Went to my Naturopath today, and took some magic dust herbs that immediately calmed my tummy. Life is looking better everyday!

Glad to not be up-chucking - and wish I could have done the 2nd day of my bike clinic -  and done wheel ups - wheelie drops... etc etc.

I have lots of pretty photos from the start and end of the weekend, and luckily nothing to share from the middle. I'll post the Dirt Series mountain biking images soon!

Don't forget to come join SLaB this weekend at China Camp in San Rafael - for the IMBA ales and trails event! AlesandTrails.net