This is a test

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING?
I have been riding for 12 seasons, my goodness I should be an expert right?
wrong..

WHAT BIKE ARE YOU CURRENTLY RIDING?
Santa Cruz Blur XC

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCATION TO RIDE?
Well that would have to be Spring Water township, north of Barrie, and a
certain trail called the War Zone which I had the pleasure of introducing a
few of you to last summer!

WHY DO YOU RIDE AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF THIS SEASON?
The pleasure of riding with a great bunch of women who know how to have a
lot of fun for the social component, with regards to biking,  increase my
speed and improve my fitness.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WEARING SPANDEX?
Inspiration to improve that cardio so the bulges are reduced.

WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR NEW RIDERS?
To be patient and to ride as much as possible, getting really comfortable on
your bike is key.  Learning the trails you ride regularly also helps with
confidence and clipping in to your petals will elevate your riding skills.

DREAM DESTINATION?
Moab, Utah

 

How long you've been riding?: Riding since 2002, Racing since 2007

What bike you're currently riding?: 2013 Trek Superfly 100 Elite, 2013 Trek Superfly

Favorite location to ride: I love twisty pine stands anywhere , not many in the Don, it's moe deciduous forest but there are loads in the GTA to ride. In the Don , my favourite piece of trail is the sumach stand along the river on the flats

Why do you ride, and what do you hope to get out of this season?:  I ride for the sense of freedom on the bike, the peacefulness of the woods and the sense of profound satisfaction when the riding goes well and the intense desire to try it again if it doesn't. These are the things I  want to share with new friends!  This year I am starting the season in April with a 9 day stage race called the Joberg2C and going to end the season in October with Crank the Shield and I hope to get as many days as possible on the bike inbetween!!

How do you feel about wearing spandex? Really?, you have to ask, have you seen our kit?

What's your advice for new riders?: Come on out and do it in the woods with us, it's easier than you think to get started!

Dream destination:

Master Sport

Bikes: 1998 Rocky Mountain Element Race (winter beater), 2005 Devinci Moonracer and 2008 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 (race bikes)

Got my first bike (yes my first bike ever) in 2000, racing since 2001

Fav ride: Kelso, I love the hill climbs

Why I ride: To get and stay in shape. Things start to droop too much after 40!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING?

I've been mountain biking since 2004 - this season it's my ten year anniversary!


WHAT BIKE ARE YOU CURRENTLY RIDING?

Norco faser

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCATION TO RIDE?

Springwater forest, just north of Barrier (Susan Lee's backyard)


WHY DO YOU RIDE AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF THIS SEASON?

I ride because I love the sport, the combination of physical activity, contact with nature, and the club camaraderie. I'd like to build my strength and endurance to be able to complete a stage race in the Fall (Crank the Shield)

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WEARING SPANDEX?

it's a necessary evil


WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR NEW RIDERS?  Try it and get hooked!


DREAM DESTINATION?

Guatemala, Peru, New Zealand

How long have you been riding?: 2014 marks my fifth year!

What bike are you currently riding?: 2011 Trek Superfly 100

Favorite location to ride: The Don. wait for it.....Motown! (it will be yours too, right Julie?!)

 

Why do you ride, what do you hope to get out of this season? I love how good I feel after tackling a big rock, root, hill or pushing my endurance to a new level. I feel strong, accomplished and confident!

I would like to get better endurance, to be able to balance on the spot, lift my front wheel up and over large rocks and logs, podium three times, do Crank the Shield and meet new women who to to ride!

 

How do you feel about wearing spandex?: I've gotten used to it and the knickers are surprisingly flattering!

What's your advice for new riders?: There's no shame in getting off the bike to walk something.

Dream Destination: Last spring me and my partner checked Moab, Utah off

the list. Next would be Spain ... no Switzerland ... no Mexico ... no
Colorado ...

 

Master Sport

How long you've ridden/raced: 6 years riding, 0 years racing

What do you ride/race: KHS Prescott

Why do you: because when I ride, boredom sleeps and excitement reigns.

Where is your favourite place to ride/race Waterloo Hydrocut

Master Sport

I have been riding 5 years, this will be my first year racing!!

I ride a 2010 Gary Fischer X Caliber 29er hard tail and a 2006 Giant Trance 1 dually

I ride because it challenges me every time I go, and I live to overcome challenges, plus it's wicked fun!!!

My favourite places to ride are the Agreement Forest in Milton and the Kingdom trails in Vermont

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING?

I have been riding off and on since I was 16 years old, more consistently for the past 5 years! (12 years total...reveals my age).  

WHAT BIKE ARE YOU CURRENTLY RIDING?

Trek hammy down from Melinda! It's awesome!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCATION TO RIDE?

I love riding the Don with all the Betty's. It's close to home and with so many trail options.

WHY DO YOU RIDE AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF THIS SEASON?

I love getting outside, exploring new places and the challenges of mountain biking. Mountain biking takes you places that you would never really come across otherwise and I love that.

I'm really looking forward to this new role as a leader, helping women achieve mountain biking goals and taking them to neat little spots in the Don Valley.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WEARING SPANDEX?

It's going to be my first time, so I'm excited.

WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR NEW RIDERS?

Just to get out and try it out, the challenge is awesome.

DREAM DESTINATION?

The Chilcotin mountains in BC.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING? This will be my 5th season on a mountain bike!

WHAT BIKE ARE YOU CURRENTLY RIDING? 2015 Pivot Mach 4

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCATION TO RIDE? Pisgah National Forest. 

WHY DO YOU RIDE AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET OUT OF THIS SEASON? I'm always practicing my technical skills so I can tackle trails on new trails and old favourites. 

 

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WEARING SPANDEX? As a former roadie, I'm totally comfortable in the spandex.

WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR NEW RIDERS? Repeat challenging sections of trail.

DREAM DESTINATION? Anywhere with rocks, roots and gnarly, chundery descents. 

how long you’ve been riding? - was into downhill 10 years ago and stopped biking for years while working too much, now back to cross country for 3 years and loving it!
 
what bike you ride? - 2015 Giant Trance Advance
 
why you ride with the Bettys? - nice to ride with some ladies instead of always the boys and gain more confidence and skill without the pressure. It's a great social adventure with some great women.
 
dream destination, or 2015 goal? - to hit up Colorado without suffering too much.
 
 

Race Category:

Senior Expert

 How long have you been riding/racing?

I have been riding since I was a little kid (20+ years) and racing on and off since 2006.

 What bike are you riding for 2015?

I will be riding a Cannondale F29 Carbon 3

 What do you love about riding/racing

I love the speed, the adrenaline, and the sense of accomplishment you feel after a race. I love being out in nature, exploring new trails and challenging myself. 

Goal event 2016:

Why do you ride with the Bettys

Having a group of women who love to ride and challenge each other is hard to find. Being a part of the Wild Betty’s creates a positive and fun atmosphere that makes racing enjoyable.

I've been riding for 18 years

I ride a Specialized Fate Expert Carbon 29.

 

How long I've been riding:  19 years and counting...

What bike I'm currently riding:  2013 Ellsworth Epiphany 275

My favourite location to ride:  In Ontario, Hardwood Hills, with Albion a close second. Out of everywhere I've been, Moab and Costa Rica.  

My Dream Destination Ride:  There's so many!  But if pressed I'd have to say New Zealand.

What I like best about riding:  How everything else in life just fades away until it's just you and the exhilaration of speeding along a great stretch of roller-coaster singletrack.  There's nothing else like it.

Goals for 2016:  To ride more often!

How long you've been riding: 
Since I was 3 but only a year half seriously. What bike you're currently
riding:

What bike you're currently riding
XC Race and Epics: 2016 Norco Revolver HT (aka Tails) 
Enduro and All Mountain Playtime: 2016 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR (aka,
Stumpster)

Favourite location to ride:  Anywhere with flowing downhills, and great
views. 
Spyglass Hill, Rothesay, New Brunswick is all time favor because it is
where I learned to ride. 

Goal event 2018: 
The Spring, Summer and Fall 8 hour solo epics

Why you ride/what you love about biking: 
Mountain biking is the best therapy. It combines the complete escape of
being out in the woods and endorphin rush of sport into the ultimate
medicine.

Why do you ride with the Bettys: 
The people...The Bettys are my second family. They make the awesomeness of
biking even better. 

How long have you been riding? I've been riding for 10 yrs (since I was 49) and this will be my second year leading with the Wild Bettys.
Why the Bettys?Leading/sweeping for the Bettys is fun and I'm happy to help out with such a great group that gets and keeps women riding mountain bikes

Bike :Felt Virtue Nine 3 is my full suspension bike and I have a new Felt Surplus 30, 27.5 plus hardtail.
Favourite place to ride: My favourite trail is the one I'm riding! 

   

how long you’ve been riding/leading? - been riding 15? years, leading only 1 year (or 0.5 year if getting injured last year even counts!)
why you lead - I've benefited from others before me who've taught me, given tips, showed me new trails and I'd like to be able to give back somehow. I like how the Bettys does such a great job of encouraging women and new riders to come out and are so welcoming. 
what bike you ride - Santa Cruz 5010 custom build
favourite trails - Porcupine Ridge and 3 Stage

photo credit : Sven Martin

How long have you been riding:

 I’ve been riding mountain bikes for 4 years

What bike do you currently ride: 

My current bike is a 2017 Cannondale Habit Carbon 1 

Where is your favourite place to ride: 

I love riding at Albion Hills. That course has such an amazing flow to it, and feels effortless if you can get the timing right.

Goal Event for 2018: 

Fall 8 hour- would love to get the 100km pin!

 

How long you've been riding?: 6 years, 3 with the Bettys

What bike you're currently riding?: Giant Talon 2

Favorite location to ride: Albion and Kelso

Why do you ride, and what do you hope to get out of this season?: I love being out in the woods and challenging myself to learn new skills. This season I'm hoping to get to more destination rides and try some new trails.

How do you feel about wearing spandex? Depends on the occasion :)

What's your advice for new riders?: Relax and go at your own speed. Keep looking ahead to where you want to go. Have fun!

Dream destination: England & Scotland