This weekend took Sweet Riders to Sagamiko's newly managed "Pleasure Forest". There are new trails and all of the trails have been fully worked over and ride very smoothly now. We had a private lesson with Kobayashi San who turned out to be a very good downhiller! Great riding with you Kobayashi San!!

The event itself also ran very smoothly...thanks to Nakazawa Gym, The Trail Store, B.C. Porter and all of the others who came out and worked hard for this event!! I had such a good time despite the freezing temperatures on the second day. I was just so happy to be riding my new Saphire and meet my friends. I was the only pro woman racing that day, but there were several out in the women's class, which is great to see. The race itself was so much fun... the course a challenge, short but so sweet!! My first lap time was 37 seconds, only 3 seconds off the boys so I was stoked.... and for my second run, I wanted to go faster.. but little by little I got tired by the afternoon.... being on antibiotics didn't help... arrgg but I ran the second run just 40 milliseconds later than my first time... oh well..I tried my best and this was great training and a good way to start the season......!!!!! There are more photo's here... please enjoy!!

The top 3 ladies of the Free Ride Games.... congratulations girls!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet Riders in Sagamiko March 27th-28th, 2010

Free Ride Games Event!!!

日時＊　３月27日（土曜）　9:00～11:00
場所＊　プレジャーフォレスト相模湖　http://www.sagamiko-resort.jp/
内容＊　’’’’Englishで XCコースライド’’’’
　　　　もっとレベルアップしたい方が対象です。
　　　　このクリニックはクロスカントリーの練習やトレイルライドに使われる英語の表現を中心に構成されております。
　　　　実際にMTBの動きを入れながら行います。ライディングテクニックはコーナリングを予定してます。
　　　　★Let's hammer!!!! (レッツハマー!！とは、最後の力を使ってゴー！！ペダルを止めずにブーンって感じ）

受付＊　8時50分にSpecializedブースへお越し下さい。
　　　　クリニックの受付はご予約下さい。　info@sweetriders.com

レンタルバイク＊　お客様のご要望がありましたらレンタルバイクもご用意しております。
　　　　　　　　　お早めにお問い合わせください。　Specialized or KONA
　　　　　　

クリニックの所要時間＊２時間

講師＊キャリー渡辺（Specialized）　丸山’’ya-chan’’八智代(KONA)

募集人数＊12人

費用＊　2500円　（保険代含む）

御持ち頂くもの＊　バイク、ヘルメット、ボトル、グローブ　その他個人装備

問い合わせ先＊　info@sweetriders.com

Date: Saturday March 27th

Time: 9:00 – 11:00 am

Course Description: Sweet Riders English XC course ride. This ride is for riders who would like to polish up on their cross country riding skills and learn some English terms and expressions along the way. For example, we will work on some cross country cornering techniques and learn how to say “ Let’s hammer!”.

Meeting Place: We will meet at the Specialized Booth at 8:50 am. If a rental bike is needed, please let us know and we will try to arrange a Specialized or Kona Demo bike for you to use during the course

Course length: 2 hours of riding and instruction.

Number of people: 1~12

Cost: ¥2500 per person, including insurance. Please pay at the Specialized Booth at the designated meeting time. There will be no cancellation fee for this special event.

Registration: Please contact Sweet Riders at mailto:info@sweetriders.com?subject=Sweet Riders English XC ride

日時＊　３月27日（土曜）　14:00～16:00
場所＊　プレジャーフォレスト相模湖　http://www.sagamiko-resort.jp/
内容＊　’’’’Englishで DHコースライド’’’’
　　　　もっとレベルアップしたい方が対象です。
　　　　このクリニックはダウンヒルの練習に使われる英語の表現を中心に構成されております。
　　　　実際にMTBの動きを入れながら行います。ライディングテクニックはハイスピードコーナリングを予定してます。
　　　　★Rail that berm!!!! (レイルザットバーム!！とは、コーナーに向かってブーンブーンって侵入する感じ）

受付＊　13時50分にSpecializedブースへお越し下さい。
　　　　クリニックの受付はご予約下さい。　info@sweetriders.com

レンタルバイク＊　お客様のご要望がありましたらレンタルバイクもご用意しております。
　　　　　　　　　お早めにお問い合わせください。　Specialized or KONA
　　　　　　

クリニックの所要時間＊２時間

講師＊キャリー渡辺（Specialized）　丸山’’ya-chan’’八智代(KONA)

募集人数＊12人

費用＊　2500円　（保険代含む）

御持ち頂くもの＊　バイク、ヘルメット、ボトル、グローブ　その他個人装備

問い合わせ先＊　info@sweetriders.com

Date: Saturday March 27th

Time: 14:00 – 16:00 pm

Course Description: Sweet Riders English DH course ride. This ride is for riders who would like to polish up on their downhill riding skills and learn some English terms and expressions along the way. For example, we will work on some high speed cornering techniques and learn how to say “ Rail that berm!”.

Meeting Place: We will meet at the Specialized Booth at 13:50 pm. If a rental bike is needed, please let us know and we will try to arrange a Specialized or Kona Demo bike for you to use during the course

Course length: 2 hours of riding and instruction.

Number of people: 1~12

Cost: ¥2500 per person, including insurance. Please pay at the Specialized Booth at the designated meeting time. There will be no cancellation fee for this special event.

Registration: Please contact Sweet Riders at mailto:info@sweetriders.com?subject=Sweet Riders English downhill ride at Sagamiko

Went out for a quick first ride on my new Specialized Saphire 2010 model!! Only on the road but it rode so smoothly.....very happy!!! I can't wait to take it out on the trails this weekend. Will let you know how it goes but I am sure it is going to be great! Any volunteers available to come out and help build trails in Ikeda this weekend??? If you are, drop me a mail.. we desperately need some helpers!! Thank you.. more later!!

Here are some of the things we do at Sweet Riders.....

There is still time to sign up for our Free Ride Games Event!! Email us today to join in on the fun!!
３月27日はクリニックです。　まだまだ募集中！！　英語も自転車も両方体験できる良いチャンス。

お待ちしております。（写真をクリックしてね）

Here are my new Oakley's... Ladies this model is called "Trouble" I fully recommend them.......new model this year!!!!!!

a smile for you..

my rockstar look...lol!!

After struggling through zillions of receipts to get my taxes sorted today....Ya-Chan and I decided to take a well deserved break and head out for a ride to Bamboo Cafe. What is Bamboo Cafe you ask? Well it is Hakuba's great little coffee spot near the station and serves some awesome Java!!

So I really wanted to ride my new bike but we ran out of time to adjust the rear derailleur because of limited sunlight so I gave up on that notion and grabbed my pink bike. Wow, first time on the bike in over a month... felt so refreshing... always reminds me why I love to ride so much!!!!!!!

Great afternoon, good hot chocolate and a finally got a bit of exercise in since the long standing cold thing!!! Hope you all had a great day as well!! More photo's here...

Today I was able to have the whole day to myself.... slept in because I am still trying to get over the last bit of my cold.... did all the bedding laundry.... washed the kitchen cupboards, dusted and cleaned the top of the fridge...(big job)... then it was time to make myself a healthy meal.....mmmmm... I love Japanese okura...mixed with brown rice, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, a dash of red wine, diced carrots, egg, and avocado.......mmmmmmm it was delicious.

Then I should have started doing my taxes but I was pretty tired and got into watching the movie "The Blindside" .....was a really good feel good movie..... fully recommend it! Then it was off to bed in clean fresh smelling sheets!!!

Chill days are great once and a while!!!!!!!!

Today I watched the powder snow dump all day from my kitchen window..sigh...even had my friends call me to come up on the hill.... but since I have been suffering from a cold for the past month... I decided to do the smart thing and try to fully recover and hope that on Friday, my next day off, there will be just as much powder again.

So, since I had some spare time and didn't feel like doing my taxes, (which have to be in by March 15th.. arrgggg) I made this silly video.. enjoy... ha ha!

click here to view the video!!!

I was lucky enough to be invited with several other fellow English teachers to the annual Japanese Bartenders Association Meeting..however this year's theme was 1920's gangster style....I panicked..what would I wear???? One of my favorite shops in Matsumoto, called Paradise...had the goods... what you see in the picture came from there....I transformed into Goldie!!! The party was so much fun and very formal....met some wonderful people and enjoyed a fantastically organized event. Mr. Hayashi, the owner of Bar Coat and the Old Rock Pub in Matsumoto put this great event on. I want to thank him and his staff for a wonderful evening. Mark B, thanks for inviting me!!! Enjoy the photos here!!

the smaller posse....Mr. Will, Miss Tana, Uncle Kelton, Goldie and Mikey.......more photo's here!

Well March has come and it was time to say good bye to all of the friends who visited and were staying in Hakuba for the winter season..... Good times and great people......cheers to you all for sharing such good memories.....Jess, Sarah, Paulo, Dan and several others....have a great spring!!!!!