2016 marked a year not only in immense growth in the women’s mountain biking movement and GGR, but was a true year in growth for my own adventures on the bike.
Highlights!
GGR added 2 new chapters in 2016!
Kern County headed up by Tracy Jones! Kern County GGR Chapter
Mojave Desert Chapter headed up by an awesome leadership team of Kingman, AZ locals!Mojave Desert Chapter
Specialized and Cynergy Cycles presented me with a 2016 Specialized ERA Expert for the 2016 season! WHAT an honor to ride this incredible machine! This bike earned me many podium spots and incredible adventures! I was so very honored to have ridden this bike for the season!
Another super fun and successful Women’s Only Weekend in Big Bear! Every August, GGR & Bear Valley Bikes Bear Valley Bikes hosts a women’s only weekend in Big Bear. I think this summer’s was by far my favorite. Since we had more vet ride volunteer leaders for Saturday’s Down Hill at Snow Summit, we were able to now add a beginner’s DH group. So all of the riders groups were perfectly matched in speed and ability so all ladies just crushed it! We had a huge group dinner Saturday night and Sunday half the ladies went to XC in Fawnskin and the rest got an INTRO to Enduro day thanks to Bev at Rim Nordic! Rim Nordic Mountain Bike Park
On a personal note, I had the most incredible and adventurist summer of racing bikes with friends. I had the amazing opportunity to race XC at the super fun summer series Pedalfest: Pedal Fest Enduro at Rim Nordic: Rim Nordic Bike Park and race on teams for 6 and 12 hour endurance events hosted by SoCal Endurance who always, always encourage women to race! SoCal Endurance
The highlight every year for GGR is of course our annual Rocktober Festival. This year was different….new location….Castaic Lake and pouring rain. We still had well over 200 women that not only showed up but stayed the day. They rode around the lake, demo’d bikes, took a skills clinic and shopped at all the vendors. RST Suspension and REI were the title sponsors for this year’s festival. BOTH companies are very involved in their communities and support women’s mountain biking. This year’s community award went to The Squeaky Wheel Bike shop! The Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop. The most improved rider for 2016 went to Anne Yeoh of the Inland Empire chapter! Leigh Donovan was back again as head coach leading our skills clinic from I Choose Bikes.
The date is set for the 2017 Rocktober Festival! October 8th at Castaic Lake! Registration opens August 18th. This is a FREE event for all women mountain bikers!
(Scroll to the bottom to see the conclusion!)
GGR ended the year with our annual CO ED holiday ride and luncheon. January brings on a new and exciting year! Chapter rides, endurance races and January 28th, we have the REI ALL OUT/OPT OUTSIDE event at Malibu Creek State Park. REI has asked CORBA and GGR to run the mountain bike portion of their event! We are so very excited and honored to be a part of this day! Spots are limited, so get signed up now! It’s free! REI All Out Event January 28th 2017
Until next time….we at GGR wish all of you a bright new year of prosperity, health, happiness and most important…epic riding!
