By Carmen A. Aiken

Earlier this summer, I visited my friends’ farm off the Mississippi, where I toured last year. As we weeded the leeks, I mentioned an upcoming bike festival in Duluth, MN, a couple hours North. We’d been talking biking and my friends encouraged me to check it out. They said Duluth was beautiful, the biking is great and Lake Superior has a power Lake Michigan lacks. Thus, I found myself in Duluth last Thursday as a storm rolled over Lake Superior, mountain and touring bike hitched to the trunk.

The kindness and care of people involved with the KA Bike Duluth Festival began before I arrived. Dee, one of the clinic’s coaches lent me her personal Remedy for the Zenith Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic I signed up for. Just in case, my little Artemis and I planned to explore some trails I’d found via the MTB Project. Although the rain drizzled over my tent, by Friday morning the sun shone glorious as I pulled into Spirit Mountain.

Women unloaded mountain bikes from their vehicles and as I got out, each one said good morning, cheerfully. Inside, Jon, who’d set me up with Trek to demo a bike all day, was incredibly helpful, enthusiastic and welcoming.

After getting set up with a Remedy (full suspension with dropper post, or “riding a couch”, as a friend put it), I made it to our parking lot classroom, where Dee introduced us to our other coach, Pam. Our group was all ages and cycling backgrounds - grandmothers, moms, gravel riders, road, some MTB experience, and mostly local.

We began with skills like neutral and ready stance, side to side, braking and shifting. Dee and Pam demonstrated and observed us, providing enthusiastic feedback. Our skill building time flew. I’d noted on my pre-clinic survey that bridges spook me: I amp myself up and then hit the middle and panic. Then all of a sudden I was track standing and jumping off a small bridge setup! Every lady in the clinic made it up and off the bridge. By the time we were reverse-racing, practicing pedal ratcheting by going as slow as possible, we were all laughing and cheering each other on.

Dee had us balance on our pedals while our bike’s front AND back wheels perched on a picnic-table. At another table, Coach Pam had the same set up. Balancing while standing is pretty nerve wracking but Pam had the solution: “Do the Titanic!” We made our way up to the skills park where we took some chill berms, (“easier”) and tried out the less “easy” track, featuring a not-so-chill rock garden, a pitched bridge and a drop if we wanted. Readers, I made it over the pitched bridge! (Just the once but, YEAH!)

At lunch I asked Dee about how she’d gotten into mountain biking (her fun fact was that she was one of the grandmothers which is very, very hard to believe.) After doing lots of triathlons and road riding, she’d moved into mountain-biking to be kinder to her body. She’s a certified mountain bike coach and Trek Women’s Mountain Bike Advocate, and is honestly the best cycling instructor-coach I’ve ever encountered. I was totally struck when she expressed her desire to be a low-key mountain bike advocate, without the pressure to be competitive or taking away the enjoyment from biking through the woods. I think I literally said, “You speak my language.” We all talked through lunch and I got lots of great recommendations on where to hit the trails.

Full of french fries and laughs we divided up between Coach Dee and Coach Pam and lined up with our bikes… on a CHAIR LIFT! I marveled at the beautiful lake behind us and the volunteers marking the Enduro and Downhill races below. At the top of the hill, I managed to pretend it was new bike day and Dee got a group photo (We’re awesome! We’re about to get rad in Candyland!).

Happy Campers, via Dee

And then… we did it! Our group headed to Candyland, and Pam and our other assistant, Katie, took up the front and the rear and talked us through what we could expect: there would be a lot of berms and a few bridges. We walked a bit into the trail and Pam covered taking the berm in a way I will never forget. Swing our hips, channel a unicorn and lean out your beautiful butt to fart rainbows.

Off we went! And even at the end of the trail, with the steepest exit I had encountered, we all swooped down and laughed at the bottom. We switched with the other group and headed down Happy Camper, where the long stretches of bridges felt effortless and I amazed myself by bouncing off of rocks without fear. All too soon our clinic was over and Dee sent us off with swag and warm encouragement that might light me up until winter.

My loaner Remedy had to head in for the evening but I still had a lift ticket and a hardtail, Artemis. Mountain bikers of all shapes and sizes were pre-riding the course as more vendors set up and soundchecks rang out on the stage. As I handed the little bike to the lift operator, he hefted the light frame easily and looked at me curiously but I just smiled. I rode up with the bike and reminded her, "Don’t say I never do anything nice for you."

At the top of Sprung a Leak, I got the willies. I watched kids, parents, women, everyone take off down to Candyland or Happy Camper. Then I jumped on, mumbled “Level pedals, LEVEL PEDALS!” and took off. As I hit a high line on some of the berms, pretending my rainbow tail was swinging as I leaned, I could not stop laughing.

Happy Camper/Candyland

On Saturday it was pretty clear I’d been on my bike for the good part of 10 hours the day before, using positions I’m not exactly used to. But I darted out to grab a donut and coffee before the festival got crazy, pulled the Aurora off and made my way up to the Chalet. I found the road tour group, some quick looking folks in local Ski Hut kits, smiling and chatting. Nina, a ride guide, let me know that I was the only person signed up for the 50 mile tour and there were more volunteers than participants, but not to worry.

After the Enduro Racers got up the hill on the lift, the road riders got a ride to the top where we’d start out. Enduro MTB riders in their gear waited to begin as the tour people took their lean bikes to the road. Leann, our ride leader, explained the 25 mile group would turn around at the first stop, and Dave, our cheerful SAG driver would have snacks there and later along the route for the 50 mile group, AKA me.

I’d been chatting with Nina and another new friend, Tiffany most of the morning and as we took off down the road, both of them rode up next to me to chat at a few points. I kept myself at a energetic but not pushing it middle of the pack pace. The kitted riders were off and the 25 mile riders mostly were at my back. Some chill climbs, beautiful views and we hit the Munger Trail, crossing an incredible river gorge.

Just like that the rest stop appeared. I drank some Gatorade and chatted, but realized that the 50 mile group guides were taking off. I happily slowly flanked them, enjoying solo time through beautiful green fields, past cattle and a deer sculpture, enjoying Midwest ups and downs. More new friends, Ann and Kerri  rode next to me for a while and in fact every single volunteer on the 50 mile tour, with an inordinate amount of triathlons, Ironmans and gravel rides between them, talked to me during our ride. We chatted about biking, about Duluth, about how they didn’t really “ride road”, it was just what to do amongst gravel and mountain biking and fat biking in the winter (oh, of course!).

Country roaaaaaad and some road riders.

Have you seen the video of the tiny horse in Poland trying to keep up with the Peloton? That about represents my road ride, except all these riders happily stayed by my side. At our last little stop looking over a beautiful berry farm, we met up with Don and Mike, who were both tickled I’d come from Chicago with my steel touring bike. Mike was kind enough to talk to me all about how the 100 miles of trails in Duluth and incredible community came to be. With support from friendly local leaders and lots of sweat equity and determination, they’ve truly created an incredible biking space in a beautiful, beautiful place.

Maybe four hours later, we’d returned! After a beer with my new road buddies, I checked out some truly incredible ladies’ mountain bikes, including a Halo and Juliana. I ran into Dave as I waited for the Halo, who told me I should check out the Great Hawk Chase course. Even as a beginner? I asked. He laughed and told me to try.

I got about a quarter of the way in and gave up, feeling prematurely impressed by the racers the next day. My legs were done. I slipped off the chammy, slid my cutoffs back on and found Nina who invited me to hang with her. I still found it in me to dance to the truly catchy, “Drunk on a Tuesday” by Four on the Floor, Cream Ale in hand with a bunch of new lady pals from the weekend.

Lester River on the ascent of the trail

The Artemis and I hit Lester Creek around sunrise the next day. My legs ached but I had to check out the trails, so off I went, climbing and taking on bridges. Finally, I seemed to feel the sensation of the bike moving beneath me, doing all the work as we descended over rocks and roots. I got a little lost on the descent and although I thought the roots seemed very, very technical, it was only at the bottom did I realize I’d done my first blue trail!

At the crest of the ridge, I couldn’t believe the view nor the weekend I’d had. Dee and Pam had been incredible mentors and coaches and the clinic ladies were all inspiring and wonderful. The entire road crew from Saturday morning set the bar for ride etiquette and attitude, showing me Minnesota nice is something I should aspire to. The beer was tasty and the woods renewed me. Over and over I was invited back or to move, which sounds tempting. But I warned them to watch out: next year I’d have a Chicago contingent invading Spirit Mountain. Let’s start planning the caravan, because we’re missing out down here. I’ll see you soon, Duluth. Honestly, I don’t think I can wait until next summer.

Dirty, early morning joy ride on Amity East featuring a Prince tribute

Carmen Aiken bikes around Chicago as a commuter, advocate, rabblerouser, writer and even printmaker since she moved back in 2009. After being involved with the Big Marsh Park project, she found out mountain biking is pretty fun and has added it to her touring and adventuring habits. Her work has been featured at The Billfold, Streetsblog Chicago, Story Club, Miss Spoken and can be found at https://goo.gl/R5KJdb. She'd love to talk touring with you.