Dana VanVoorhees isn’t your typical enduro racer.

But she’s part of what just might be Grand Junction’s fastest growing mountain biking demographic: power mamas.

Power mamas are over forty and are no sit-down kind of gals. They believe trail riding–with all its whizzing speed and breathtaking drops–are not just for kids in their twenties, but for empty-nester women ready to direct that juicy mothering energy to themselves. Being new to mountain biking doesn’t faze them, and like all mamas, these ladies have their tricks.

Dana is 49 and a veteran of the Grand Enduro, and she shared some of her tricks with me. One of them is equipment. “I have an all mountain bike, a Stumpjumper FSR,” Dana explains to me. “Bike [components] have a come a long way since the 90’s. With all the geometry changes and better suspension, there’s no reason why a lot more [women my age] can’t get out there and try it. Bike geometry has involved to really good carbon fiber frames, they can handle a lot more force. Suspension, both front and rear, has come a long way. Hydraulic parts have been honed in to handle big drops and chunky terrain here in Grand Junction. Our local bikes are perfect for local terrain.” Immediately, I think back to my conversation with Sarah Allen, whose Grand Junction-based company, Mountain Racing Products, uses feedback from local riders like Dana’s to advance bike design.

Equipment isn’t just about the bike, but about safety as well, and safety is another of Dana’s tricks. When she feels safe, she can push herself. Full face helmet, knee and elbow pads, and focus are in her go-tos. When reaching speeds of up to 50 MPH, distractions are dangerous. “Farther. Faster. Harder. That’s my mantra,” Dana says. A clear head keeps her focused and safe.

This year Dana’s goal is to include the scary and technical Cathedral Drop into her line. She doesn’t have to. Part of

the allure of the Grand Enduro is racers can pre-ride the lines as many times as they like and choose the one best suited to their skill and adrenaline fix. Taking the Cathedral Drop is like walking a tightrope over the Niagra Falls–the sort of thing crazy people get soaked over and while skilled people are celebrated. Last year, Dana remembers only one amateur woman took the Cathedral Drop, Madge Saunders. Madge is 48 and volunteers at Boneshakers mentoring kids on mountain bikes, so Dana recruited Madge as a training buddy. Talk about a great trick! With Madge’s expertise, Dana will be one of the celebrated. And a woman to boot. And an older women to boot again. Take that, Cathedral Drop.

“We want to help more older women get into mountain biking,” Dana says. She and Madge are working to create a

weekly mentorship group just for power mamas. Any a woman with a mountain bike and a will is warmly invited to join. “It’s not as scary as you think,” Dana encourages. “The Ribbon, the Gunny, Free Lunch–that one is the scariest–but if you ride the prologue [a short preliminary timed segment held before a race to establish next day’s seeding / call up list order], that really helps. Once you have that down, you can get up to race pace once you know the lines you’ve chosen are safe. I really encourage woman in my age bracket to do the Grand Enduro.”

Erik Brygger is 19, and he is the quintessential Grand Enduro veteran–young, spry, and driven to take the top times. Demographically, he’s the polar opposite of Dana, and yet, his impetus for racing is the same: he wants to know what he’s capable of. “I’m really racing against myself,” he says. “I’d like to get a total time of 21 minutes and finish in the top five. Last year, I had 24 [minutes].” I asked him what his strategy is for shaving those minutes. “I like to ride smooth,” says Erik. “Too fast and you risk a fall. It takes longer to get back in the saddle than it does to ride a little slower and in control.” Plus, Erik admits, a young body may bounce, but road rash and bruises the next day suck. Ah! The voice of experience.

Erik is a two-year veteran of the Grand Enduro, and he appreciates how the Grand Enduro changes his perspective of his home trails. “I ride these trails all the time, but I never really race them. It’s cool to ride them all the same day as fast as I can.” In case you’re not familiar with the Grand Enduro stages (like I wasn’t) the trails are all over , so doing them all in one day is quite a feat. Each stage has its own personality and requires a different set of skills. Like every Grand Enduro vet I’ve talked to, Erik highly recommends out-of-towners ride the trails as much as possible before race day and get to know them.

That said, the race is well-suited to seniors and juniors alike because of its flexibility and community spirit. Erik says, ”There aren’t many juniors that race [the Grand Enduro]. It’s a good race to start your race season, especially if you’re just getting into racing. It’s relaxed. There’s not a lot of pressure. The Big Mountain Enduro, that’s top level pros and a lot more competition. It’s a lot more intimidating.”

What are your goals for racing the Grand Enduro this year, and what are your strategies? Tell us about it in the comments, below. Haven’t registered yet? Well come on. Whether you’re 18 or 50, everyone’s doing it.

 

 

 

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Dana VanVoorhees is an avid mountain biker creating a community of women who want to hone their biking skills. If that’s you, you are warmly invited to connect with Dana on Facebook. When she’s not on a bike, Dana works as a nurse at the Grand Junction Regional Center. Her favorite bike shops are Ruby Canyon Cycles and Colorado Backcountry Biker.

 

 

 

 

Erik Brygger is a mechanical engineering student at CMU and works at Bicycle Outfitters. When he graduates, he wants a career designing bike components.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click the link for deets about the June 1 & 2 3rd Annual Grand Enduro, including course descriptions, lodging info, and registration. Register now for the lowest fee. Follow @GrandEnduro on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow @MADRacingColorado on Instagram and Facebook. #PUSHTHEEDGE