Photo credit Jesse Ettinger
Castaic Lake
Well, instead of an event write up…I decided to just say all the thank you’s I couldn’t say due to all the rain we received pretty much all day for this year’s festival. A plethora of pictures will be coming soon!
Where do I begin…I guess with THANK YOU! I know how rough it was at times today, especially this morning…yet 237 riders still showed up!
The rain came down pretty hard most of the morning. It’s difficult to make the morning commencement short when there are so many to acknowledge and thank that make GGR and the Rocktober festival a reality. I’m sorry I had to rush through things towards the end, please know how very grateful I am to all the volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors. Thank you!
I feel very strongly the right decision was made NOT to ride the trails. Myself and many others pour our heart and souls into this event every year, so this decision not to ride was not made lightly…Not only would we destroy the trails, it could have done a lot of damage to your bikes (clay soil sticks to everything) and it would have become dangerous. We respect the trails; we don’t ride in the mud and destroy the land.
Many of you made comments on how relaxed I was this year. It was because I had 55 extremely competent volunteers. Let the people around you do what they do best, and all will benefit in the end. I’d like to recognize and thank these people and companies.
Ride volunteers:
With a new location, we had to have a TON of pre rides. All of you made the effort to come out and learn the new trails and routes and many of you showed up at virtually every pre ride. Thank you for your commitment and dedication.
Doris Dunn: You absolutely ROCK! You handle all the exhibitors now every year and attended every pre ride that you were in town. I can’t do this without you! THANK YOU! You do an amazing job and I’m so very grateful you have become such a huge part of the festival.
RST Suspension:
Mike Dunn and Bobby Acuna: For the last month, RST Suspension was out at Castaic working on cleaning up the trails. This included pulling thorn bushes completely off the trails, (some of the single tracks were completely taken over by the thorn bushes), pulling falling trees, fixing holes, dealing with rattle snakes, doing EVERY pre ride, marking the course, and now…after everyone is gone…the event is over… because it’s still way too muddy… they STILL have to go back and pull all the signs and ribbons from the routes they worked so hard to put up.
I thank you both Mike & Bobby for believing in my vision, for supporting our women’s mountain biking community and for all your direction and wisdom as well. I count on the industry vets like yourselves to guide me and yet still be able to tell me the truth even when you know I don’t want to hear it, but need too. Thank you for that.
Also, participants…. if you were one of the 1st 100 riders to get into the park, RST paid for your parking.
This event could not have been pulled off without you both. Thank you. Respect, Grateful. Job EXTREMELY well done.
Please check out the fine products RST makes here: http://www.rst.com.tw/en/
Leah Jenson:
One of my besties who has believed in me for many, many, many years. You are the one I trust, you are the one who tells me how it is, gives me direction and handles the money. THANK YOU! Every year I count on you and you shine. I never, ever worry about the financial part of the event with you taking care of the raffles and putting the prizes together. Thank you!
Shilo Vigil/Bob Vigil/The Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop:
There was so much I wanted to say, but I had to rush it because of the downpour of rain. Shilo, what you did in the last Pedalfest race for me personally was astounding. Sacrificing your own race so I didn’t finish alone, knowing my spirit was destroyed, just showed me the kind of athlete, sportswoman and leader you truly are. I’m so very proud to have you as a fellow colleague in our amazing community. With having a baby, a business, managing a high school team, racing and leading women’s only rides…wow…YOU are a pillar in our community. I thank you for the amazing example and acknowledge your dedication.
Bob…. you have always given me great advice in such a relaxing, no big deal manner. Thank you for always being so friendly to me, our girlz and all that you contribute. Way to set an exemplary example of community. Congrats on winning the GGR community award this year! www.facebook.com/thesqueakywheelbikeshop/
Anne Yeoh:
Anne, I wish I could have spent some time on all of your accomplishments and I’m so sorry I couldn’t recognize you better with the rain pouring down on us. I’m so very, very proud of how much you have improved because of your dedication to making yourself a stronger, more fit, skilled rider. You always invite others on your rides and this shows you are all about community as well. Great job and congrats on winning the MOST IMPROVED RIDER this year!
Coaches:
Leigh, Christine, Kris, and Sarah: Ladies… I can’t thank you all enough for donating your day to us! Each of you is a part of GGR because of how special you are to our community. I’ve been coached by each of you, so I know 1st hand you are the best at what you do, I trust you…therefor I trust you with our women’s community. All the feedback I heard was CRAZY outstanding. Thank you for staying through the rain and making sure all these ladies had a great time and learned some valuable skills to make their riding more fun and safer.
Leigh Donovan! Thank you for taking charge and handling this part of the festival for me! It was thrilling seeing all the ladies with such big smiles on their faces coming back from the skills clinics! ichoosebikes.com
Liz Kurtz:
Thank you for rounding ladies up and taking them for a lake ride. You spontaneous manner is always such a refreshing charm that always seems to work for all! I thank you for your guidance and being such a supportive, strong woman. You are such an inspiration and wonderful support system to have at events. Your riding experience shines through and benefits us all Thank you!
Desi:
Every year you run check in/registration AND lead a ride! You just make it happen. Each year you practice your ride routes to make sure you know every single inch of the trail to ensure all of your riders have a great experience on your rides. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting this amount of energy into everything you do for our women’s mountain biking community!
Marybeth:
I know you stepped in today for sign in and didn’t even get to demo the bikes you wanted too when you have been looking for so long for the right bike. Thank you for making that sacrifice for the benefit of the event. Thank you always for your wisdom and direction you always give me when I need it.
Mega Watts:
Thank you for heading up our exhibitor/sponsorship committee EVERY year! Great job!
Exhibitor/sponsorship committee:
Thank you to all the volunteers who did just an amazing job getting exhibitors and product donations this year!
Sean and Janet Devlin:
Thank you for making the long drive to Castaic to Big Bear. You really made the best of things by keeping your tandem out and letting many of us give it a try. Janet…. I have a whole new respect for you! I cannot believe you DH on that bike! You both are an amazing team. I felt immediately the trust you must have in the captain with me riding stoker.
REI:
Jean and company…thank you for taking the chance this year on GGR! Having the bag stuffing and the early packet pick up at REI was a HUGE success! The support you have given us and CORBA has been incredible. Thank you for believing in GGR and supporting our women’s mountain biking community. www.rei.com
Forze Tri:
Sarah, you REALLY stepped up as an event sponsor with the absolutely beautiful GGR socks for the event. These socks are so incredibly comfortable and supportive! Thank you! www.forzetri.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
Jenson USA:
Thank you so very much for donating extra tubes and the incredible GGR purple tees! This is such a huge hit at the event and our ladies wear these ALL year round. Thank you for being such a great part of our women’s community! www.jensonusa.com
CORBA:
Thank you to my fellow board members Mark, Jen and Steve Messer for supporting EVERYTHING I do and always trying to make it better for me. Thank you Steve for your dedication and hard work 24/7. You are the true definition of community. corbamtb.com
Leah Dilbeck:
Leigh, thank you for your constant compassion, caring, willingness to step up and get it done. I thank you for your enormous donation to GGR and our women’s community. I’m so very bummed that all the kids today didn’t get to ride with you due to the rain. You are truly a remarkable women and I’m so very honored and proud to be associated with you. dilbeck.com
Mojave Desert Chapter:
Ladies! I’m so devastated you made the 5-hour drive one way and couldn’t ride the event. You DID have quite the adventure and great story to tell with a lost wallet, chasing robbers and a lost key! Thank you for your willingness to volunteer and your wonderful, happy smiles even though it poured on you!
I’m looking forward to seeing what you will do in your own community with our precious women riders! www.facebook.com/groups/1876612489234263/
AJ Sura/G2 Bikes/Girls Ride 2: AJ:
You are always so very kind and gracious to me. Thank you! You have become such an incredible success with your shop, your racing, your club. I’m so very proud to call you a friend and colleague. Thank you for always supporting GGR and opening up YOUR local community to OUR local community. Together we are growing our women’s cycling community and keeping women mountain biking. I’m so very proud to always send ladies your way when they live in your hood! Thank you for all that YOU do and helping with us with getting some incredible event sponsors and exhibitors this year! www.g2bike.com
Jose MTB!
Thank you for getting up so early and being at my house at 5am EVERY year! I thank you for the use of your truck, your willingness to just jump in and help wherever needed. Thank you!
Joyce Deprest:
Thank you for getting MBU at the event and having such a friendly, positive presence. Congrats on your 2017 CORBA board membership as well!
Everyone...........
Please check out all the event pictures from our amazing photographers!
To see ALL the photos from our amazing day : www.girlzgoneriding.com/photos-of-the-day
Well, instead of an event write up…I decided to just say all the thank you’s I couldn’t say due to all the rain we received pretty much all day for this year’s festival. A plethora of pictures will be coming soon!
Where do I begin…I guess with THANK YOU! I know how rough it was at times today, especially this morning…yet 237 riders still showed up!
The rain came down pretty hard most of the morning. It’s difficult to make the morning commencement short when there are so many to acknowledge and thank that make GGR and the Rocktober festival a reality. I’m sorry I had to rush through things towards the end, please know how very grateful I am to all the volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors. Thank you!
I feel very strongly the right decision was made NOT to ride the trails. Myself and many others pour our heart and souls into this event every year, so this decision not to ride was not made lightly…Not only would we destroy the trails, it could have done a lot of damage to your bikes (clay soil sticks to everything) and it would have become dangerous. We respect the trails; we don’t ride in the mud and destroy the land.
Many of you made comments on how relaxed I was this year. It was because I had 55 extremely competent volunteers. Let the people around you do what they do best, and all will benefit in the end. I’d like to recognize and thank these people and companies.
Ride volunteers:
With a new location, we had to have a TON of pre rides. All of you made the effort to come out and learn the new trails and routes and many of you showed up at virtually every pre ride. Thank you for your commitment and dedication.
Doris Dunn: You absolutely ROCK! You handle all the exhibitors now every year and attended every pre ride that you were in town. I can’t do this without you! THANK YOU! You do an amazing job and I’m so very grateful you have become such a huge part of the festival.
RST Suspension:
Mike Dunn and Bobby Acuna: For the last month, RST Suspension was out at Castaic working on cleaning up the trails. This included pulling thorn bushes completely off the trails, (some of the single tracks were completely taken over by the thorn bushes), pulling falling trees, fixing holes, dealing with rattle snakes, doing EVERY pre ride, marking the course, and now…after everyone is gone…the event is over… because it’s still way too muddy… they STILL have to go back and pull all the signs and ribbons from the routes they worked so hard to put up.
I thank you both Mike & Bobby for believing in my vision, for supporting our women’s mountain biking community and for all your direction and wisdom as well. I count on the industry vets like yourselves to guide me and yet still be able to tell me the truth even when you know I don’t want to hear it, but need too. Thank you for that.
Also, participants…. if you were one of the 1st 100 riders to get into the park, RST paid for your parking.
This event could not have been pulled off without you both. Thank you. Respect, Grateful. Job EXTREMELY well done.
Please check out the fine products RST makes here: http://www.rst.com.tw/en/
Leah Jenson:
One of my besties who has believed in me for many, many, many years. You are the one I trust, you are the one who tells me how it is, gives me direction and handles the money. THANK YOU! Every year I count on you and you shine. I never, ever worry about the financial part of the event with you taking care of the raffles and putting the prizes together. Thank you!
Shilo Vigil/Bob Vigil/The Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop:
There was so much I wanted to say, but I had to rush it because of the downpour of rain. Shilo, what you did in the last Pedalfest race for me personally was astounding. Sacrificing your own race so I didn’t finish alone, knowing my spirit was destroyed, just showed me the kind of athlete, sportswoman and leader you truly are. I’m so very proud to have you as a fellow colleague in our amazing community. With having a baby, a business, managing a high school team, racing and leading women’s only rides…wow…YOU are a pillar in our community. I thank you for the amazing example and acknowledge your dedication.
Bob…. you have always given me great advice in such a relaxing, no big deal manner. Thank you for always being so friendly to me, our girlz and all that you contribute. Way to set an exemplary example of community. Congrats on winning the GGR community award this year! www.facebook.com/thesqueakywheelbikeshop/
Anne Yeoh:
Anne, I wish I could have spent some time on all of your accomplishments and I’m so sorry I couldn’t recognize you better with the rain pouring down on us. I’m so very, very proud of how much you have improved because of your dedication to making yourself a stronger, more fit, skilled rider. You always invite others on your rides and this shows you are all about community as well. Great job and congrats on winning the MOST IMPROVED RIDER this year!
Coaches:
Leigh, Christine, Kris, and Sarah: Ladies… I can’t thank you all enough for donating your day to us! Each of you is a part of GGR because of how special you are to our community. I’ve been coached by each of you, so I know 1st hand you are the best at what you do, I trust you…therefor I trust you with our women’s community. All the feedback I heard was CRAZY outstanding. Thank you for staying through the rain and making sure all these ladies had a great time and learned some valuable skills to make their riding more fun and safer.
Leigh Donovan! Thank you for taking charge and handling this part of the festival for me! It was thrilling seeing all the ladies with such big smiles on their faces coming back from the skills clinics! ichoosebikes.com
Liz Kurtz:
Thank you for rounding ladies up and taking them for a lake ride. You spontaneous manner is always such a refreshing charm that always seems to work for all! I thank you for your guidance and being such a supportive, strong woman. You are such an inspiration and wonderful support system to have at events. Your riding experience shines through and benefits us all Thank you!
Desi:
Every year you run check in/registration AND lead a ride! You just make it happen. Each year you practice your ride routes to make sure you know every single inch of the trail to ensure all of your riders have a great experience on your rides. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting this amount of energy into everything you do for our women’s mountain biking community!
Marybeth:
I know you stepped in today for sign in and didn’t even get to demo the bikes you wanted too when you have been looking for so long for the right bike. Thank you for making that sacrifice for the benefit of the event. Thank you always for your wisdom and direction you always give me when I need it.
Mega Watts:
Thank you for heading up our exhibitor/sponsorship committee EVERY year! Great job!
Exhibitor/sponsorship committee:
Thank you to all the volunteers who did just an amazing job getting exhibitors and product donations this year!
Sean and Janet Devlin:
Thank you for making the long drive to Castaic to Big Bear. You really made the best of things by keeping your tandem out and letting many of us give it a try. Janet…. I have a whole new respect for you! I cannot believe you DH on that bike! You both are an amazing team. I felt immediately the trust you must have in the captain with me riding stoker.
REI:
Jean and company…thank you for taking the chance this year on GGR! Having the bag stuffing and the early packet pick up at REI was a HUGE success! The support you have given us and CORBA has been incredible. Thank you for believing in GGR and supporting our women’s mountain biking community. www.rei.com
Forze Tri:
Sarah, you REALLY stepped up as an event sponsor with the absolutely beautiful GGR socks for the event. These socks are so incredibly comfortable and supportive! Thank you! www.forzetri.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
Jenson USA:
Thank you so very much for donating extra tubes and the incredible GGR purple tees! This is such a huge hit at the event and our ladies wear these ALL year round. Thank you for being such a great part of our women’s community! www.jensonusa.com
CORBA:
Thank you to my fellow board members Mark, Jen and Steve Messer for supporting EVERYTHING I do and always trying to make it better for me. Thank you Steve for your dedication and hard work 24/7. You are the true definition of community. corbamtb.com
Leah Dilbeck:
Leigh, thank you for your constant compassion, caring, willingness to step up and get it done. I thank you for your enormous donation to GGR and our women’s community. I’m so very bummed that all the kids today didn’t get to ride with you due to the rain. You are truly a remarkable women and I’m so very honored and proud to be associated with you. dilbeck.com
Mojave Desert Chapter:
Ladies! I’m so devastated you made the 5-hour drive one way and couldn’t ride the event. You DID have quite the adventure and great story to tell with a lost wallet, chasing robbers and a lost key! Thank you for your willingness to volunteer and your wonderful, happy smiles even though it poured on you!
I’m looking forward to seeing what you will do in your own community with our precious women riders! www.facebook.com/groups/1876612489234263/
AJ Sura/G2 Bikes/Girls Ride 2: AJ:
You are always so very kind and gracious to me. Thank you! You have become such an incredible success with your shop, your racing, your club. I’m so very proud to call you a friend and colleague. Thank you for always supporting GGR and opening up YOUR local community to OUR local community. Together we are growing our women’s cycling community and keeping women mountain biking. I’m so very proud to always send ladies your way when they live in your hood! Thank you for all that YOU do and helping with us with getting some incredible event sponsors and exhibitors this year! www.g2bike.com
Jose MTB!
Thank you for getting up so early and being at my house at 5am EVERY year! I thank you for the use of your truck, your willingness to just jump in and help wherever needed. Thank you!
Joyce Deprest:
Thank you for getting MBU at the event and having such a friendly, positive presence. Congrats on your 2017 CORBA board membership as well!
Everyone...........
Please check out all the event pictures from our amazing photographers!
To see ALL the photos from our amazing day : www.girlzgoneriding.com/photos-of-the-day
I thank each and every one of you who attended, volunteered, donated product and exhibited. Thank you for supporting our women’s mountain biking community and hearing our voices.
I thank you all for believing in my vision and making it a reality for our community.
Those of you that are closest to me, I especially thank you for your patience, your guidance, scraping me off the ground, removing cacti from me, handling me when I'm out of control and just being my support system and breath. You all know who you are. Luv you and I thank you.
Here are some upcoming events that I am racing and GGR is supporting:
November 5th: 12 hours of Temecula: GGR has a booth for race support all weekend. Wendy racing the 4 person team of: Amy Rambacher, Thomas Rambacher and Bobby Acuna: http://www.socalendurance.net/12--6-hours-of-temecula.html
November 10th:
Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica: Intro to Cycling 101: Open to newbie roadies and mountain biking women:
Wendy to present everything you need to know and have questions on as a beginner cyclist! https://www.facebook.com/events/1167109186713378/
November 13th:
Ladies only all level club ride: https://www.facebook.com/events/1757806374488307/
November 27th:
CORBA Ram Ride and Pancake Brunch: Sycamore Canyon/Host shop Michael’s Bicycles: https://www.facebook.com/events/142406946210578/
December 3rd:
Santa Claus Grand Prix: Tehachapi:
Wendy Racing co-ed team 6 hour: http://www.racepedalfest.com/events/2016-santa-claus-gran-prix/
December 17th:
GGR holiday ride and luncheon at Cheeseboro and Woodranch BBQ in Agoura Hills: https://www.facebook.com/events/1409533175727880/
Until the next adventure, go grab your bike, a bestie and ride!
MWAH!
GGR Girl Wendy E!
