Lady_Hawk

Hello everyone,
I am new here, so please excuse me if I say something dumb. I am a 61 year old lady and I have been mtbng for 2 years now. I am not into the competitive thing, just enjoyment and I can pretty well hold my own, but I can't seem to find any women close to my age who don't think I am crazy for taking up mtbng at my age. I love it!! And I have found it to be addictive. I would like to have someone to ride with (preferably another lady) who is not half my age and would probably leave me in the dust. I live in the Hot Springs/Mount Ida area. At the present, I just ride by myself, but my husband doesn't like that. (He can't ride)Anyone out there???

DnvrFox

Welcome.

I think it is great that you mountain bike. Sooper!

My wife, 68yo, riides with me on the local trails, but she is not a mtn biker.

The local Bike Shop does have a ladies ridiing group. Also, there might be some bicycling clubs. My wife has problems finding groups where she can ride with others similarly situated, even here in the Denver area.

I sure don't remember anyone from Arkansas (female) posting here the past several years.

Welcome and keep posting.

Lady_Hawk

Hey thanks DnvrFox. I haven't been able to locate any ladies riding groups here as yet, but I am still looking. It is great to hear that there are other ladies out there even older than I am who also enjoy riding. I wish I lived closer to Denver (not really ) so I could ride with your wife. I plan on doing it well into my 100's

Old Hammer Boy

Hows about checking here: https://www.arkansasbicycleclub.org/c...her_rides.html

Lady_Hawk

Thanks for the link, but all I could find on it seems to be road biking. I didn't see anything about mountain biking. I don't really care to do road biking, but maybe they just don't have any mountain bike rides planned at this time. I will check it again later. Thanks, Lorna

stapfam

One of the things I did, male rider by the way, when our group shrunk to only 3- was to mention to our local bike shop that we were looking for riders to join us. Warned them that we were an older group, but we got a couple of riders come and join us, and they still come out with us. What does annoy us though are the people we know that would like to come out with us, but are afraid because they think they may be too slow. We have told them that we only have two rules- Must have helmets and the first one to the top of the hill gets cold waiting for the rest, so no-one is ever left alone, but they still won't give it a try.

By the way- the two riders we miss, are a 40 year old mum that had an old bike but we could not catch up the hills and a young 20 year old that would not give up- no matter how often she fell off. Kept our group a little more civilised. The Mum moved away- and the 20 year old got a boyfriend who was not into biking.

DnvrFox

After your descriptions on this forum of your rides - I wouldn't get near your group!

Dchiefransom

I'd actually visit the club websites in those links, and check their ride schedules. You might even get the club president on the phone and talk with them. Some of our members lead MTB rides offroad during the warmer months. If you were out here, as a member you could schedlue a ride every weekend, and might get a few people showing up regularly. Just because the club looks like it's all "road", doesn't mean that they don't do some off road riding.

Lady_Hawk

Hmmmmm.....that's probably a good idea......thanks, never thought of that

Artkansas 

You might want to also check out www.bacar.org, the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas. I'm a member. It has no organized rides and is centered in Little Rock, but they are good people and some are women your age.

stapfam

Perhaps that's why we are a small group, but a choice one.

I must admit that we do have a bit of a reputation. Last year I did a long road ride that started 12 miles from home so we rode the Tandem out to the start. My spinning instructors husband was on the ride and we played with him on the ride and wore him out. The ride finished 30 miles from home and we decided to ride home from there, but got a lift back to the start. The spinning instructor picked up her husband and just as she pulled into her drive- we passed them. Total milage we did was just about 100miles, and as I say- her husband was shatterred and we did cheat. Next night down at the gym and The rest of the spinning group were warned-"Don't go out with this rider if he invites you out. He's too fit and a nutter." That comment has stuck and none of the riders down at the gym will come with us now.
What made it worse was that she was out manning a feeding station just after one of the flat bits where we were playing with a few of the Fit Riders, her husband included. When they arrived they were working out their average speed and highest speed etc, but remarking about this "Bloody Tandem". I walked up to her and gave her my helmet and asked for her car keys. "Why"? Well I've done half the ride and now its your turn was my reply. I've never seen anyone make so many excuses to get out of a ride.

Back to the original theme of this posting. We do have the occasional female ride with us- and they do not let themselves down. Perhaps a little slower than us downhill but in general they are up the front on the hills and they do not let themselves down. They even enjoy the breakfast which most riders cannot take. Why not look for an older group that goes offroad in your area and see if you can join them? Just don't go with a 20 year old group as they are fit.

DnvrFox

The truth is out. But we knew it all along.

Your posts give some real "zip" to this forum. I enjoy them.

Sort of cro-magnon.

But we still need to find a riding group for that lady in Arkansas.

Hey - move to Colorado! Lots of ladies bicycling groups here, including mtn biking.

Artkansas 

I don't know if you've discovered the ezboard. https://p073.ezboard.com/bbikearkansasmessageboard

It has connections to most of the Arkansas biking activities.

https://www.bikehotsprings.org/
Should have something for you. Or
https://www.ouachitaadventures.com/