![\"IMG_4090\"](\"http:\/\/corbamtb.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_4090.jpg\")
<\/a>Many ladies got there early and the girls got the GGR Booth up right away to get riders checked in and Mark Langton got the CORBA booth up right away next to GGR of course! Doris Dunn took over managing the vendors for the morning and mapped everything out. I was so grateful she took this over and she did a great job! Joyce made signs, awesome GGR name tags and did a million other fantastic things for me. Well done ladies!<\/p>\nThe morning is always crazy\u2026and the day is filled with sooooo many things we have a time schedule to keep, so it\u2019s critical things move quickly and smoothly in the morning\u2026\u2026Sometimes they do\u2026\u2026\u2026sometimes they don\u2019t!<\/p>\n
While we were getting set up, the demo trucks, Trek & Giant, the food truck and Pedal Power truck were to be arriving any minute to set up for demo bikes, give out samples prior to the rides of the Joy Ride System by Pedal Power: http:\/\/www.petal-power.com\/<\/a> and of course have some coffee in the wee hours of the morning!<\/p>\n dRiders were arriving early and the parking lot was getting full. The lines at the GGR booth seem to be going well and so far running smoothly thanks to Registration Team Leader Desi who handles this for me every year and does an outstanding job! Then she goes and leads a ride too!<\/p>\n Gathering everyone up in the morning before the rides and clinics is always challenging..it\u2019s a social event so ladies are socializing and enjoying the morning!<\/p>\n I always start the morning with a quick motivational speech. This year was about empowerment since the entire day was about empowering each other to become better riders, better friends and just better in general.<\/p>\n I talked about getting involved in GGR and CORBA suggesting everything from organizing and leading rides, to trail work to setting up a Wenches with Wrenches workshop at their favorite bike shop.<\/p>\n The Rambachers, Amy and Thomas, GGR ride leader volunteers, were recognized for their incredible Enduro Series wins\u2026The Rambachers also donated 6 foot tables to GGR which we desperately needed!<\/p>\n Christine Hirst (left) and Leigh Donovan<\/p><\/div>\n Darcie Loth was presented the night before with the Courage and Commitment Award.<\/p>\n And the community aware this year to recognize their excellence in our community went to Michael\u2019s Bicycles in Newbury Park. http:\/\/www.michaelsbicycles.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n This year we were blessed with having 2 coaches for the beginner skills clinics! Christine Hirst who has been with GGR since the beginning donating her time every year for this event, and now Leigh Donovan who made the really long drive to donate her time for the day helping our incredible group of GGR riders to become safer, more confident riders! Leigh recently partnered up with LIV to start http:\/\/ichoosebikes.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our final speaker was Mark Langton from CORBA. http:\/\/corbamtb.com<\/a>. GGR and CORBA partner for pretty much everything. Mark talked about CORBA and the trail etiquette <\/a>for safe and courteous riding for all that use the trails.<\/p>\n Photo Time! We all then moved over to a big empty space in the park for our massive group photo. I was looking around and couldn\u2019t tell really how many were there, but I knew it was much bigger than last year. I would just have to wait to count the waivers later in the day to find out\u2026.<\/p>\n RIDE TIME! So now all the riders went to their ride signs to wait for their ride leaders. The beginners were taking the skills clinics 1st while the advanced beginners went out for their guided rides. Then the advanced beginners would come back and get THEIR skills clinic and the beginners would go for THEIR guided ride.<\/p>\n While everyone was out on the rides and skills clinics, Louisa and I started going over the raffle and silent auction items. This also gave me a chance to just take a breather and take in everything that was happening and what I needed to do in the afternoon.<\/p>\n The afternoon was to chill, visit all the wonderful booths, have lunch, socialize and win some great stuff!<\/p>\n We had some speakers in the afternoon too!<\/p>\n Amy \u201cEnduro\u201d Rambacher talked about coaching a high school team<\/p>\n Nancy \u201cDen Mother\u201d Harris and Jill Hamilton of Petal Power spoke about racing.<\/p>\n Lisa Baker from the Unlikely Cyclist came up and told her story and talked about women\u2019s cycling clothes and the importance of proper fit.http:\/\/theunlikelycyclist.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n Then before we started the afternoon raffles, Leigh Donovan awarded Karleen Volz the most improved rider of the day. Liv donated a Liv Cycling kit, hat and gloves for miss Karleen to take home knowing she was the most improved rider! http:\/\/www.liv-cycling.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n We ended the day with the huge raffles, silent auctions and Mark Langton from CORBA awarded an REI tent for the CORBA membership drive winner. Every year at Rocktober, we also hold a CORBA\/IMBA membership drive and everyone\u2019s name that renewed or purchased a new CORBA membership goes into the raffle.<\/p>\n I want to thank every volunteer, rider and sponsor who were a part of this event. All the volunteers work hard to make this a better event every year and I thank you for it. Our booths and sponsors sere just awesome this year! Huge Kudo\u2019s to Shredly who has been with GGR since day one! http:\/\/www.shredly.com\/<\/a>. Also, Zoic did something very special. They picked a girl out of the crowd and gave her a ZOIC MAKE OVER! HOW COOL!\u00a0 Thank you Zoic for making the day extra special! http:\/\/www.zoic.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>I watched all the ladies take off for their guided rides like a proud, very worried mother. Virtually everyone was in the purple, the GGR club color. Some had their GGR jerseys on, some had purple tees, purple jerseys, boa\u2019s, purple beads, painted purple toes and finger nails, decorated handle bars, the bling goes on and on! It was fabulous! Ladies really had fun with the bling this year!<\/p>\n<\/a>Let me mention the men on these rides\u2026.there are very few men in GGR. Because\u2026well, it\u2019s a club for women! However, these handful of men are friends of mine that I ride with, trust, are respectful, kind and very willing to help out. Their strength, speed and compassion is much appreciated to help on our rides. They out did themselves this year too! Purple tu tu\u2019s, wigs, ear rings, purple nail polish\u2026.they were COMPLETELY in the GGR spirit for the day and I love them for that!. I thank you all so very much!<\/p>\n<\/a>Charles from Clif : http:\/\/www.clifbar.com\/<\/a>, came up to me while I was heading over to get some coffee. Clif provided the entire fuel station this year. This included hydration, recovery, shots, gels and mini Clif bars. They also provided Clif product for the goody bags. This was Clif\u2019s 1st year supporting the GGR Rocktober event and they were thrilled with their fuel station as well as the attendance! Always great when your sponsors are happy!!! Thank you Shilo and her girls from The Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop in Palmdale for setting up the Clif fuel station for GGR!<\/p>\n<\/a>The riders started coming back around noonish for the afternoon festivities. Apparently there were a ton of hikers and of course a Boy Scout group that was on the trails at the same time, so there was some congestion on some parts of the trails. We will be re routing the routes next year to prevent a lot of this.<\/p>\n<\/a>We broke everything down, swept the park so not a trace was left behind, I watched everyone pull out and just a few of us were left talking about the day. I was exhausted. I start planning this event in February and it\u2019s always very stressful the month before. For the most part, it went better than expected. The turn out was huge\u2026\u2026..women mountain bikers are growing in numbers that our club just can\u2019t even support at the events any longer. Bike companies\u2026\u2026bike shops, this is a movement that is happening. Take notice, step up and get involved in your women\u2019s cycling community! WE ARE FABULOUS!<\/p>\n<\/a>For a list of our amazing sponsors, please go to the GGR website and check them out who support women\u2019s cycling! http:\/\/www.girlzgoneriding.com\/event-sponsors-2014.html<\/a><\/p>\n