Photo courtesy of SnowyMountain Photography

By Brett Ratner

Are you a lady who loves riding mountain bikes? Do you especially enjoy riding mountain bikes with like-minded, trail-loving women? Or maybe you're curious about mountain biking but would feel more comfortable learning among a group of experienced and supportive female riders?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, the Women's Dirt Days Ride, hosted by Pretty Fast Women's Cycling, is definitely worth checking out.

This year, four Dirt Days rides were planned. The first took place last weekend at Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit's John Muir Mountain Bike Trail.

Dirt Days #2 will take place on June 7, also at Kettle. Dirt Days #3 and #4 will take place at Palos Forest Preserve on July 5 and August 1.

While both trail systems offer excellent riding, if you're a beginner, you should definitely plan on attending the June 7 edition.

First off, Kettle's trails are one-way (Palos' trails are two-way). This allows you to better concentrate on honing your skills without worrying about oncoming traffic.

Second, Kettle's trails are loops, which always start and end at the same place (making it unlikely you'll ever get lost).

Third, the trails are color coded by difficulty. And, as you may expect, the easier trails are also shorter. This allows you to warm up on an easy/short trail then gradually work your way up to harder/longer ones.

Lastly, if you don't own a mountain bike, Backyard Bikes is located pedaling distance from the trailhead, and rents high-quality steeds.

If you make it out for a Women's Dirt Day event, expect a laid back, relaxing vibe, fun and interesting people...and of course great riding.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/prettyfastcycling to learn more.