Rider Profile: Shanti Ware

And then, she says, there are the trails: "Trail, oh sweet trail - how we love you so! Technical climbs, switchbacks, screaming down narrow singletrack through beautiful firs (do you feel like an Ewok yet?), trail dips that allow you to stand up, let your suspension do its thing and catch some air on the back end. You hear the sound of your breathing and an intermittent 'Whoooo-hoooo' from your fellow riders as the trail and your bike are rockin' your world. And the views: Mountain Bike Nirvana! Pack some floss in your Camelback, 'cause you'll need it to get those bugs outta your teeth at the end! High-fives and shouts of pure biker joy at the end."

But Shanti's day isn't over yet: "You're tired, you're hot, and you're sweaty, but you are still stoked. Take heart dear biker: Now back for a shower, some hot food and crazy trail tales with 300 of your new best friends over a beer in the beer garden. You'll even get to see some of the pictures and video of the rides that day on the big screen."

Shanti wants to see more women on the trail so she helps lead clinics for women at Mt. Bike Oregon. "I feel that those of us who are already biking need to help women see that mountain biking isn't just for "The Dudes." Some of the strongest climbers I know are women. Because of our geometry and size, we ride the trail a little differently than men do, so it gives an opportunity to address women specific trail needs. The women's clinics are a great way to meet and bond with other women riders. We are a growing minority in the mountain biking world and its pretty cool to build our sisterhood. It took me two years to "get my wheelies." Last year 10 women got wheelies and bunny-hops mastered in a couple of hours. It was so cool to hear a woman remark, 'My husband can't even do that! I can't wait to get home and show my son his Mom can wheelie!' I think that was my favorite class moment."

Though Shanti has more mt. bike enthusiasm than most club members combined, she's actually relatively new to the game. Shanti just started riding three years ago when she discovered that her knees couldn't handle other sports and her boyfriend was a 20+ year mt. bike veteran. She says her first ride was love at first loop, "Mountain biking combined the skills I knew for year: the balance of horseback riding, strategy of tennis, and the physical and nature aspects of trail running all in one sport. I came home and bought a bike off Craigslist. I'd just turned 38 when I sat my first mountain bike. I'm 41 now and growing as a rider every day. I am stoked to meet killer riders in their 60's and 70's. No one is 'too old' to start mountain biking!"

So what's Shanti's favorite MBO trail? "It's really hard to say just one. If there were only one to ride ... It would either be Alpine or the Hardesy/Lawler. I've not ridden Goodman yet. With that added to the Hardesty/Lawler ride, that might trump Alpine (gasp!). Guess I still didn't give you "one." That's just how good MBO riding is."

Look for Shanti out there on MBO and give her a high five or bring her a beer in the beer garden.