Adventures of the First Lady: Lots of Updates!

It's been a cross between eventful and uneventful which is part of why I haven't written a First Lady post in some time.

We've had some transitions with our helpers, so you've probably seen some new faces since the start of the season. Scheduling, boy, I've learned a lot. Each season is unique, granted this is my first one at the shop on a full-time basis.

The FWD rides are gaining publicity thanks to our ad in Inspire(d) magazine! I'll admit, I feel a little silly having a picture of me in a publication that is read by a lot of people. Unfortunately, our Sundays have been a bit on the uncooperative side.


We have had extreme success with our Co-Ed/Co-Led rides and with that we are making the decision to go to full-on Co-Ed/Co-Led rides in August. We plan to have a women's ride once a month on a Sunday, but need to figure out which Sunday would work best! Keep in mind that I am happy to lead women on a ride separate from the co-ed mix as needed! You can also schedule a solo ride with me during the week as well.

It can be a challenge having a ride that caters to all levels of riders, but we feel that it can be fun for all involved. We look out for those who are new to mountain biking and decide the pace and route off of that.
We aim to have our rides be supportive, fun, and encouraging for all riders by keeping it casual and no-drop.

Personal life had been hectic for a bit as Travis and I purchased a house. It was a pretty crazy experience and I'm glad it's over with. It wasn't terrible, but there was a lot that went into the process. Moving itself wasn't terrible and took very little time thanks to help from my mom and a couple friends, yeah! The kitty kids have adjusted and they are enjoying the additional space. They get a whole room upstairs- the Kitty Room if you will, being that the windows are low enough for their perches.

Travis and I will also be heading off to adventures in Ogden, UT. We'll be attending a dealer event called Saddle Drive. Due to the timing of the event and the newness of our help, we're having the store closed from Sunday the 19th-Wednesday the 22nd. We'll be back to work on Thursday the 23rd.

Super stoked as this is our first "vacation" since we went to Interbike in '13....but this is also my first time mountain biking elsewhere other than our local Decorah trails. Very excited! We'll be able to test ride new Surly and Salsa products. Yup, there will be blog posts relating to what we see and the trip itself.

There is also a new Facebook page that you can visit to check mountain bike trail conditions- Decorah Mountain Bike Trails. This is something we started due to so many questions at our shop on trail conditions. If we have a Twitter for it, etc. We will do our best to update the trail status as much as possible. We hope to eventually have photo albums with all of the trails featuring some memorable points. Eventually some fun videos as well!

There has been much to learn and the process does not seem to end! I wouldn't expect it to, honestly. There are days where I feel like I have a grasp with everything that's happening and other days where I'm definitely dropped down on my pegs a ways when it comes to feeling sure of myself. It's all part of the process, like Dory- "just keep swimming" is the best mentality.

Keep yourself open to learning, new ideas, new processes, and learn to not beat yourself up over things.

Be inspired to keep learning.....and....
Have Fun!