The 2008 Midwest Women's Mountain Bike Clinic began with a splash, or more like a downpour! With over ten inches of rain the night before the clinic, trails were drenched and the clinic had to be postponed. For those who arrived on Friday evening, we still had a wonderful time sitting around the campfire laughing and eating plenty of food. Most of Southern Indiana was flooded for weeks and several of us were actually flooded inside the park for the weekend, but believe it or not the trails at Brown County State Park were completely ridable by Sunday afternoon!
The clinic was rescheduled for later in July and the date change meant we missed out on some of the demo bikes, but we still had a fantastic turnout of ladies and volunteers. Participants ranging in age from 14 to 65 arrived from all over Indiana as well as Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Illinois. The 2008 event added several new aspects such as the Trail Education Class. Participants learned about trail advocacy and what goes into getting access to the trails we ride. They were also able to see first hand new trails being built by HMBA volunteers. The first ever Naked Lady Party was also added to the clinic. New riders were able to select gently used cycling items donated by other participants and volunteers. We had everything from helmets, gloves, shoes, jerseys and more. This will surely be an ongoing tradition at future clinics.
The 2008 clinic was a success despite the deluge and we look forward to seeing many new and returning faces for the 2009 Midwest Women's Mountain Bike Clinic!
