May 2024

Hello MountainAdoras!

Happy May! Here’s to hoping we finally get some more riding days and better weather, even with the impending May gray!

As per usual attached is this month’s calendar.

RIDES: BBB is still going strong on Monday nights for an all levels MTB ride at Elings. Saturday AM women-led road rides are back in action this month, leaving at 8:30 AM from Handlebar on de la Vina. Sof will be leading an all levels MTB Sunday 5/19 at 9AM.

Jerseys are in their final stages of approval (fingers crossed!). If you ordered a jersey you will be getting and update as soon as we know when to expect them!

The Senduro route this month will be a Sulpher Mountain loop  – keep an eye out for specifics on our website once our Senduro queen gets back from a trip! There will be a group ride May 11th starting at 8:30 AM from the Sulpher Mountain Trailhead. As per usual, you can ride the route any time this month, just make sure that you’re a member of the MountainAdora’s Strava group to get included in our monthly prizes!

We’re hosting another demo day on May 16th at Ellwood– if you are interested please sign up via this survey. Due to the amount of interest we had at our last demo day we’re hoping to host 2 separate demo slots: 5-6PM and 6:15-7:15PM.

We’re also planning a beginner’s bikepacking trip to Refugio June 1-2, please sign-up HERE. Want more info:

The MountainAdoras will be hosting our first ever overnight bike packing trip (Saturday June 1 - Sunday June 2) to Refugio State Beach! This is an inclusive ride open to all folks (but please remember the SBMA goal is to promote feminine-identifying gender participation in all cycling disciplines and capacities). The ride is ~30 miles fully paved, riding on roads parallel to the 101 (~4 miles will be on the 101 shoulder - which is very wide/safe).
Plan would be to ride out of SB before noon and make it to Refugio with plenty of time to set up camp, eat, and get to know each other and then ride back together Sunday morning. A car will go ahead of us to reserve a camp and can also bring any gear/tents/belongings that we are unable to bring on our bikes. In true bikepacking spirit though, try to carry as much of your own gear as possible. The car will also act as a shuttle in case anything happens along the way. Water will be available at the campsite. Bring your own food! We can coordinate camping supplies to bring so we don't have duplicates of many things. Possible activities at Refugio include swimming, games, chatting and potentially a sunrise ride back to SB on Sunday morning.
Look out for an info session before the ride to go over gear/supplies or to come and meet us/ask questions!

Sof will also be hosting a social/happy hour at her house in SB 5/22 at 6PM, please e-mail or check discord for her address!

Finally – our next monthly meeting will be 5/20 (NOTE – THIS IS NOT THE LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH) in order to avoid conflict with Memorial Day. Hope to see you there!

As always, happy Shredding!

Rachel

April 2024

Hello MountainAdoras!

We have a LOT of exciting things in the works at the moment so buckle up and get ready!

First off please see the attached calendar for this month’s rides. BBB will continue on Mondays with a 5:30 start time as we now have more daylight (yay!). The Saturday road ride is taking a bit of a hiatus this month as many of our volunteer ride leaders are off traveling the world and doing fun things. We hope to bring this back in the coming months.

CLINICS – Friends... We’re trying to do a BIG THING and bring a rad MTB coach from Colorado to SB for a clinic this summer BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. We’re hoping to bring Chris Schieffer out to coach 2 full days of clinics June 22nd and 23rd. The total cost of the clinic will be $175 for about 7 hours of coaching (which is a STEAL when you compare it to other clinics), but we’re asking for a $75 deposit to secure your spot. We can have 8 women each day and the clinics will be broken up into skill levels (Beginner/intermediate on Saturday, Intermediate/Advanced on Sunday). Please register ASAP (go to the SHOP tab on the website) to save your spot and help support this effort!  We still have a bunch of logistics to work out but we really would love to bring awesome coaches to our area to support our mission. Need financial assistance? Please reach out and we can see what we can do!

Jerseys – DELAYED. Nothing ever comes on time these days, am I right?! We will reach out to those who ordered with an update as soon as possible.

Sea Otter festival! – Who is going this year?! Let us know by filling out this google doc (or email me if it’s not compatible with your phone) and let us know when you’ll be there, if your racing etc if you’re interested in hanging. We’re planning 2 meet-ups this year! A happy hour at the Peak Design tent on Friday at 4-6 PM and a SB happy hour at Dust Bowl Brewery – Tap Depot in Monterey Saturday at 7 PM. Please join us!!

Senduro – welllll weather hasn’t been our friend in the attempts at the Senduro but this month’s route is back in SB and should be BEAUTIFUL with all the wildflowers and green! Check the Senduro tab on the website for this month’s route, log it on Strava (make sure you’re a member of the MountainAdoras group), send us photos on Discord, or tag us on IG. Let us know how it went! Kate will be leading a group ride on the route on the 13th. Please reach out for more details or keep an eye on the Discord/IG for meet-up specifics. Prizes will be awarded at our next monthly meeting (we will actually have the prizes this time, promise!)

DEMO DAY – save the date! We’re hoping to host another demo day at Elings with Velopro and Specialized in the evening on May 16th. More info to come on this! We’re hoping to be able to provide an opportunity to try a full suspension MTB, eMTB, or gravel bike. More info to come on this.

Our Next Monthly meeting will be April 29 7PM at Topa Topa in the Funk Zone – come by, hang out, help us plan our next month!

Happy Shredding,

Rachel

March 2024

Hello MountainAdoras!

Well February was pretty rainy huh!? Here’s to hoping that the time change brings us longer days, more sunshine, all the wildflowers, and some good biking weather!

Our calendar is fairly modest this month but here’s what we have in store:

We’ll continue hosting the “Women-Led Road Rides” on Saturday mornings. Meet at 8:30 AM at Handlebar on Canon Perdido for an all-levels, no drop road ride to kick off your weekend!

BBB is back! Lizzo will be hosting “Bike, Burritos, and Beers” on Monday nights in March at Elings. Meet at Moser Meadow (the top) @ 5:15 PM for a few MTB laps and then we’ll head to Super Cucas on the West Side for burritos and beers. Bring lights for the first few weeks as we might get caught in the dark until the days get longer. Also be mindful of where you park – gates to neighborhoods and the Cliff Dr lot are locked at sunset. DUE TO RECENT RAIN, this week’s ride will be held on TUESDAY 3/5 instead of Monday.

SENDURO – this month’s Senduro challenge is taking us on a field trip to Montana de Oro up near SLO. Check out the graphic below for more info or see the Strava link for the route. Remember - you can do the Senduro challenge at any point this month and even multiple times to try to better your time! Want to be included in our challenge and eligible for prizes?! Make sure you are a member of the MountainAdoras Strava group, record your ride on Strava, if you take any photos - tag us on IG (or email me!), or let us know how it went in the Discord. Prizes will be awarded for fastest time, personal best, and most style points at the next monthly meeting. I (Rachel) will be heading up on Sunday 3/24 to ride the route and will be posting in Discord to see if anyone wants to join me and to set up carpools. If you want to join and aren’t on Discord shoot me an e-mail so we can stay in touch!

Our next monthly meeting will be Monday 3/25 at 7PM at Topa Topa in the Funk Zone. Hope to see you there!

Happy Shredding!

- Rachel

February 2024

Hey MoutnainAdoras!

Happy February - I hope you’re all staying safe and dry. With all this weather we have limited MTB ride offerings this month, and they’ll be condition dependent so keep an eye on Discord and IG for any changes.

We will be offering a weekly road ride on Saturday mornings. Road rides will be women-led, but welcome to all. They will be run at a causal pace, no-drop, and beginner friendly!

We are looking forward to another year at the Sea Otter Classic April 18-21st. The club has a discount code for 15% off for club members. If you would like to take advantage of that opportunity see Discord or reach out via email (sbmountainadoras@gmail.com) for access to the discount code. We have women planning to race across a few disciplines (XC, downhill, etc). We will be hosting an info session next month (date TBD) to answer any questions!

MERCH! We’re excited to offer the first every MountainAdoras Jersey - keep an eye out on the website for an opportunity for pre-orders. We’re hoping to run the pre-order for a few weeks and then order them so we will have them in time for Sea Otter!

Lastly - We had a blast recapping everyone’s experience on the Senduro route at this past month’s club meeting! Congrats to all the participants and challenge winners! Next month’s route has been posted - it will be 19 Oaks + Camuesa Connector. See the website for more details. Unfortunately the weather has likely affected this route as it can take 1-2 weeks to dry after rains. We may not have an opportunity to ride this route the month, but we may re-visit it in the future! Feel free to reach out with questions!

Happy Shredding!

January 2024

**CALENDAR UPDATED 1/17**

Hello MountainAdoras!

Happy New Year!

Bear with us as we still have a few things "TBD" with a bunch of folks traveling for the holidays during our typical planning time. Keep an eye out on Discord, Instagram, or our Website for updates on rides that may interest you! I will do my best to keep the calendar updated across all platforms as plans get a bit more solidified. (PS - did you know you can access discord from your computer, not just an ap on your phone?! E-mail us if you want the access code to join our network!)

Our first monthly SENDURO has been announced - the Sisar-Gridley Senduro! To learn more about the Senduro check out the newest page on our website to get all the details. Also make sure you join our Strava group so we can track your rides and accurately award the winners at our next meeting! Share any pictures or videos via IG (tag us!) or the discord for extra style points and to bring the hype!! There is also a new channel on discord to discuss and coordinate rides on the Senduro route. 

Our friends at Velopro have offered to host us for a tech clinic on Thursday January 25th @ 6:30 PM at their SB shop (15 Hitchcock Way) to go over common trailside/roadside fixes. It's the perfect season for those long rides so if you want to feel a bit more confident in what to do if you get a flat, your chain breaks, or your shifter cable snaps then this clinic is for you!! We'll also talk about basic maintenance, how to check for common signs of wear and tear, and have an opportunity for Q&A. I've asked them to pull out a few tools/products that are must-haves for any long ride in case you're in the market for some new tools. 

Our next monthly meeting will be Monday January 29 at 7PM at Topa Topa in the Funk Zone. Hope to see you there!

Happy Shredding!

- Rachel | MountainAdoras Chair

December

November

Hi MountainAdora,

This month’s newsletter is short and sweet! We’ve got a handful of weekend rides as well as Tuesday and Thursday evening rides (don’t forget to bring lights). As always, you are welcome to DM us on IG or post in discord if you’d like to organize a ride and we would be happy to promote it!

On Nov 6th we are hosting a talk at the Trek store in Goleta with Dan Connell on Bikepacking and his journey to riding the Tour Divide. Everyone is welcome so feel free to bring a friend or partner of any gender! There will be prizes, pizza and beer - please RSVP here so we can get a headcount for refreshments.

We are going to work to set up some clinics this winter, please email (sbmountainadoras@gmail.com) or DM us with what type of clinics you’d like to see. These could be both skills and tech clinics.

Happy Shredding!

October

A few extra things:

- Sunday Oct 15 - the Little Tunnel ride will be a "progression session" - this means we'll talk lines, session some features, and spend some time working the trail. Plan to be on the trail for a few hours (you're welcome to leave when you need to!). This is a "black" rated trail, but a great one if you've been feeling comfy at Elings or Tuckers and want to try something a little more challenging. Please reach out if you are curious or have any questions!

- As the days get shorter, we're looking to assess interest in placing an order for NiteRider lights. In the past we have been able to get 35% off of group orders. If you are interested in being contacted further/purchasing lights please fill out this survey (I really just need your e-mail!).

- Save the date - we are planning to host a talk by Dan Connell @ the Trek Store in Goleta the evening of November 6th (tentatively.. we will post on all platforms when this is confirmed) on his experience with long-distance bike packing and riding the Tour Divide. What is the Tour Divide?? Oh it's just a causal race from Canada to Mexico... the ultimate endurance bikepacking event! This should be a fun one!

As always - keep an eye on the Discord, Instagram, or website for the most up-to-date information and feel free to use the Discord to reach out to others for riding partners or general questions!

September

July 2023

Happy summer! The sun is finally out and it feels like Santa Barbara around here again!

We have some exciting things happening this month... The MountainAdoras (peak at that new “spelling”) finally have a logo, branding, completed our bylaws for our 501C3, received our EIN number so we can start receiving donations and our board is so pumped to celebrate all of that with you!

We have planned a “Logo Launch Party” on Sunday July 9th 2-6 PM @ Topa Topa in the Funk Zone. We will finally have some MountainAdoras merchandise available for sale! We will also be hosting a silent auction to start fundraising for the club – we will have a Pike fork from RockShox, some items from Cadence Collective and Oceans and San, a fork or shock rebuild from Lonewolf, items from Peak Design, and a quite a few more!

You may be asking… what do we need funds for? Well – there are operational costs of “going legit” (aka operating a 501C3) – including consulting with lawyers, filing taxes, operating a website, having promotional materials for fundraising efforts etc. We’re also hoping to be able to actually pay the people who help us (i.e. clinic instructors, design/branding peeps) and subsidize/offer scholarships for clinics, races, and trips. All of the funds that we raise will go towards club efforts and activities. OK ENOUGH OF THAT – We are so excited to be at this point and hope you will come have a beer and celebrate with us next weekend!

Attached is a calendar of this month’s rides – we have a bunch of road and MTB rides for all levels. Please reach out if you have any questions or want updates on a specific ride and I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner.

You may also see on the calendar the “Little Tunnel Progression Session.” A "Progression Session" is an opportunity for us to dissect a trail, talk about line choice, and practice sections. Little Tunnel is a great opportunity for this as it is a short section of trial that can typically be repeated 1-2x in a single ride. It is technical, but most features have option lines. A full suspension bike is recommended for this trail.

We have a group campsite (Buttercup Campground) booked in Big Bear Aug 25-27 in hopes to get a group to go to Snow Summit Bike Park. This is a lift assisted bike park and is a great opportunity to get reps on riding downhill without having to ride back up! Please sign up here or e-mail for more information. Friends/partners/families welcome.

Again – if you want to stay up-to-date on club happenings, please download the Discord Ap and join us on our Discord channel https://discord.gg/Cy4WNXAP . We also do our best to keep the Instagram page up-to-date with any changes in our programming (@sbmountainadoras).

Hope to see you all next weekend!