The Women’s Bike Camp in Saalbach, Austria - what a ride!
Caro had a great time at the Women’s Bike Camp. Read on to see what made it so great.
A few months ago, I took part in a bike-components raffle to win entry into the Women’s Bike Camp in Saalbach, Austria and I didn’t win. However, while on vacation in Vienna, I got a message. The winner of the raffle had come down with a cold and I was the runner up! As a beginner, I was so happy that I had a chance to take part in this super fun event.
Day 1
At 7:00 a.m., on the first day of the camp, I was sitting in my car headed to Saalbach. I was really excited and I felt ready to ride even before I got there.
Saalbach is absolutely astounding.
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Sabrina and her team welcomed me and gave us a rundown of the schedule. Then, I met up with bc’s Steffi and we got to know each other a little. Right after, test products were given out. For the first day, I was outfitted with a LIV bike and a pair of shoes from Five Ten. Seeing as this was my first time riding a full suspension bike on trails, I was put into beginner group to get started. With a good helping of motivation, we started by learning basic technique on our test bikes. Our fantastic guides demonstrated everything precisely and corrected our mistakes immediately to ensure we learned correctly.
The first night, our guides all introduced themselves in their own unique way. Jule, who not only bikes, but also doodles and Antje who doesn’t fear pain, where just two of the wonderful people who led us through this wonderful weekend.
Day 2
With all our gear, my group headed down into the valley, all of us excited to try out the techniques that we learned the day before. Then it was time for the first trail, the Milka Line. At the top of the mountain I met up with Steffi again.
After practicing some of the techniques we learned, we headed into the downhill. The descent started out great, but sometimes great things don’t end well and my day ended in the emergency room. Thankfully, nothing was broken, but I still had to take it easy for the last two days.
Day 3
When I finished breakfast, I had a lot of time to check out the rest of the camp. There were plenty of booths where manufacturers showed off their products and provided test versions for the riders. There was no shortage of fun at the camp though, with a bunch of workshops and friendly faces.
When evening rolled around it was finally time for the camp party! A great BBQ, raffles, music and a bar led us into a late night full of fun. Steffi took part in the track stand competition, while I spun the Magura spin wheel. We spent the night laughing and drinking one or two glasses too much.
Day 4
Because I could no longer ride, the fourth day ended after breakfast. I said my goodbyes to the wonderful ladies I had the pleasure of meeting and headed home.
Final Impressions
The days at the Women’s Bike Camp were awesome! Even if I have to spend 6 weeks in a cast. A shout out goes to Steffi and the bc team for the chance to take part in such a cool event. I will be back next year!
And when it comes to crashing: it’s gotta hurt to have fun!
