# Looking for riding partners around Santa Cruz



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

hi.

i ride in the santa cruz area (live here). i have one gal friend who i ride with, but am looking for more options. shes' awesome, but not always available, and often doesn't want to ride as long as i do. i guess i'm an intermediate (?) rider (_sheesh- who do you describe your riding level?_). i know a bunch of men (and women for that matter) who are racers or pros, and i'm just not at their level. i can climb alright and take on some technical stuff, but i still get off my bike once in awhile (which is perfectly alright with me)- and i am not particularly fast. i've ridden for years, have a Blur LT, ridden downieville/ fruita/ etc. so i don't suck but i'm not ready to race either. :skep:

the trick with me is- i ride primarily on weekday mornings.  which most people are not available for. i'd be game for weekends once in awhile as well.

if you are anywhere near me and want to hook up and ride. lemmeknow. 

peace.


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

dammit. 

perhaps i need to do a secret handshake? or just no other gals around the monterey bay?


----------



## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

maybe check the Norcal board?


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

thanks. i hadn't tried the advanced search option and was overwhelmed by all the various posts in there... but i just tried that and found a possible match. thanks.


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

Hi dirt rider, 
This is funny.....a friend of mine who lives in Florida sent me your post. She thought we might be compatible riding buddies. I usually ride with my husband but sometimes he is not as enthusiastic as I am , so it would be nice to find others to ride with, especially women......

I am usually available weekdays, depending on the day. I usually ride at Wilder, because I can ride there from home, but have ridden other places too(Tahoe, Moab). I am not a racer or gonzo DH rider, just a gal who likes to have fun riding her trail bike. I can climb but not really fast, and like you, can do some technical, but have absolutely no problem skipping a section where I might break various body parts.

I don't think I suck, but you might, haha....i have been riding for about 10 years, and currently ride an Ibis Mojo. If you are more experienced, I wouldn't mind learning something from you either.

So I'm up for a ride if you are!!


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

thanks stripes. 
vagabond is on it, too.
sweet.
this works. 
: )


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

Just sent you an email dirt rider. Look forward to Monday!


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

dirt_rider said:


> dammit.
> 
> perhaps i need to do a secret handshake? or just no other gals around the monterey bay?


oh--you didn't get the memo about the secret handshake? hehe...sorry, i rarely hop on this site. but, i'm totally down to ride. i've been riding a long time, but have an ht for everyday riding. i'm always looking for more riding buddies--but how early? it's hard for me to get outta bed...but i can be persuaded...


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

vagabond1990 said:


> Just sent you an email dirt rider. Look forward to Monday!


dangit! always too late--i bet you ladies are riding right now! it's okay, i'm sick w/some lung rot stuff...when's the next ride? count me in...


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

so- vagabond and i actually got out on a ride this morning!
'twas god, we seem well-suited to ride together, and also had the most awesome owl sighting ever ! yay.  

jane d.- i am a morning rider and normally ride in the soquel/ aptos area around 8 a.m. or so- weekdays. i certainly can be persuaded to ride elsewhere and at other times.... this is just my current routine. what have you got in mind, and where are you/ where do you ride?

i will be out of town from the 30th through middle of next week (going to serve as bystander at the santa cruz hellride in downieville this weekend.)  but i'm down to hook up when i return.


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

Hey dirt rider, thanks for the nice ride this morning, and the pleasant companions (and the plums!!)

If any of those owl pics come out, plz send me one. Nature at it's best!

And Janedoh.....I'm not an early bird either, but the ride this morning was worth it. I'm on far westside SC, ride wilder a lot, so if you want to go out, I'm game.


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

Janedoh.....I'm not an early bird either, but the ride this morning was worth it. I'm on far westside SC, ride wilder a lot, so if you want to go out, I'm game.

Hope you get better soon!


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

vagabond1990 said:


> Janedoh.....I'm not an early bird either, but the ride this morning was worth it. I'm on far westside SC, ride wilder a lot, so if you want to go out, I'm game.
> 
> Hope you get better soon!


Hi ladies--
Well, I will get up early to ride...just not super early! I went out today, with some new riding buddies--super fun! And, I rode trails at uc that I hadn't been exposed to before. YAY!

Okay, so, Stripes is out due to a sinus infection, but I'm rallying some gals together for the mbosc ride on Sat. morn. Who's in?


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

Hi janedoh.....sorry i didn;t see your post earlier. 

Is this the Sat. ride at Wilder? At 10am? 
I 've never ridden with this group before... but I'll come.....
dirt rider is out of town.
Let me know if there is anything else I need to know.


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

vagabond1990 said:


> Hi janedoh.....sorry i didn;t see your post earlier.
> 
> Is this the Sat. ride at Wilder? At 10am?
> I 've never ridden with this group before... but I'll come.....
> ...


oh, hmm...i'm not sure they're doing that ride because of the horsey thing--are you on their mailing list? i'll check their website, but i haven't really heard from anyone one of them, but am planning a ride with another lady. i'll pm you later tonight--sorry, just got home!


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

i'm in downieville... not back until next week. i'll try to catch up with you ladies next time !


----------



## harperbikebeer (Jul 17, 2008)

dirt rider and ladies, I love riding early weekday mornings. I live in San Francisco, but I am really really wanting to do more riding in the Santa Cruz area. I am used to getting up super early at my job as a nurse, so I don't mind getting up and coming on down there to meet you. Would LOVE it in fact. 

Weekdays are my favorite! Ready any time. Ride a Santa Cruz Blur LT as well, comfortable with technical stuff, have ridden in Moab this spring and am looking for challenging rides... either long or hard. Love riding for hours, endurance rides, etc. or tricky technical things... 

might possibly be available this Friday, the 8th... would know for sure tomorrow,


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

i can ride this friday (8/8)- early-ish. 
i've got a kid to get to junior guards at 10:00 and an appointment at 1:00 so i'd have to be out and back before 10 (leaving at 8 is ideal for me). if you gals want to come down and do the ride i did with Vagabond last time- it's about an hour and a half (or less). if you wanted to go longer without me- i can give you solid directions on how to drag it out as long as you want. let me know. i'll plan to ride then- either way.


----------



## harperbikebeer (Jul 17, 2008)

where do you meet? I'm in. Sounds fantastic.


----------



## dirt_rider (Jan 10, 2008)

detailed directions are in your private mailbox.

anybody else want to join us ?


----------



## vagabond1990 (Apr 16, 2008)

hi.....
i'm in ny til end of Aug, so have a great ride!!


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

Hi ladies--
I've been down with the 3 week flu from hell..that's okay, I didn't wanna be fit in the summertime, anyway...gr!

Regardless, getting back on the bike this week. Lemme know about any rides in the later part of the week, or the weekend. Also, I'm on the e-mail list for MBOSC and they're pretty awesome! Hope to ride soon with you all...


----------



## ~smiley~ (Nov 4, 2004)

Hey! I just found this thread and would definitely be up for finding some women to ride with weekdays. I'm not exactly an early bird... but could be persuaded on occasion. I like rocks and techie stuff...can climb but am pretty slow at it. (I come from the flatlands of texas so, well, you can imagine) It sounds like the pace/style you all are describing would suit me well - I like the challenge of a good trail, but don't mind getting off my bike if I have to. I like to go fast but I'm not out to race. And, I'm free during the week! 

I just got back from riding in the Tahoe area (with the mbosc and romp crews) and know that I'm not going to be satisfied on the smooth trails of the Open Spaces around me any time soon. 

I live in Palo Alto so getting to the SC area early might be a little tough - but the good news is that I'd be going against commuters. 

I'll keep an eye on this thread to see when you ride next.

Stacey


----------



## harperbikebeer (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks, Dirtrider, for the gorgeous and fun fun fun ride last week. Such a beautiful place. I would love to do that again and would definitely be up for coming down again. 

Would love to get a small group going and have an extended loop figured out for whoever could go longer that day to tack on a few more hours or so... You were explaining to me all the options, and there were many I think. Great place! Great to meet you, too. 

And Smiley, I live in San Francisco, and have also become unsatisfied with the smooth trails of the open spaces, so if you ever want to ride but can't get down to the Santa Cruz area to ride with these ladies, I could come there and we could ride Saratoga Gap or Skeggs or something... 

This thread is exciting to me, though, we should get some rides going during the week in the SC area! I love Demo, haven't been to Wilder yet, have only ridden the fireroad of Nisene marks, would love to ride the UCSC trails with someone who knows them... So much to do!


----------



## janedoh (Mar 26, 2008)

harperbikebeer said:


> This thread is exciting to me, though, we should get some rides going during the week in the SC area! I love Demo, haven't been to Wilder yet, have only ridden the fireroad of Nisene marks, would love to ride the UCSC trails with someone who knows them... So much to do!


Hi again ladies-- so I started riding with a couple women from mbosc. They are so much fun! And, one of them knows UC really well. The only drawback, I would say, is that they're super fit, super fast. But, if you're down to go, let's do it! Oh, I think we're riding Fri. afternoon. Lemme know if any of you are interested!
jo


----------



## harperbikebeer (Jul 17, 2008)

I can't do it this Friday, but I would love to do this in the future.


----------



## 246366 (Jul 3, 2004)

Hey Harperbikebeer! Long time no hear. Glad your hike went well. We need to catch up. I want details!!

Dirt Rider, I am available to ride during the week when the kids are in school. I'm on the Peninsula, but can generally ride Demo and get back in time if I get an early enough start.

I also started a small invitation only Yahoo Group called Dirt Divas (invites only tends to keep out the strange men!). I can send you an invite if you like. There are about 150 women from all over the Bay Area that ride together. There are all levels of riders and there's always something going on. A lot of people on the group have kids and so have funky schedules that require us to ride during the week, when the employed have to earn a living. 

There is also a women's ride on Friday's once a month at Passion Trail Bikes, in Belmont which I know is a ways from SC, but occasionally a group of women from your area carpool and come up for the ride and the post ride dinner which is always pretty phenomenal (last month we had a professional chef cook Paella for us and Charles the owner of the shop made us Sangria. Perfect!). Last month there were more than 45 women riding. Maybe Knobbyknees can post a picture because it was a truly awesome sight to see that many women kicking ass (a cop actually did an emergency stop and backed his car up at about 30mph to catch the view in the PTB parking lot!).

Happy Trails.

Sam


----------



## SCjuliLover (Jun 4, 2008)

great thread! i'm down to ride wilder, skeggs, the gap, demo etc...check out some of my rides caught on helmet cam! http://www.youtube.com/quik564

i usually ride with my bf because we're on the same schedule, but i love to get out with the Divas as much as i can (hi Sam!). i usually post my rides to the Diva forum on Yahoo to find riding buddies.

i'm dying to ride UCSC but i don't know the trails. lets get out there!

-Liz


----------



## robbybird (Oct 18, 2008)

*I wanna come along...*

Hey Ladies,

How does one go about getting on the Diva list? Or any other ladies only list for riding? Could someone PM me the details? I am free on Fridays and weekends for AM rides. And most afternoons. I am in San Jose.

Thanks!


----------



## 246366 (Jul 3, 2004)

*Hey!*

Hey Liz, good to see you here! My other half could help out with a UCSC ride on one of those Fridays if I can drag him out of work.

Robbybird, check your private messages.


----------

