The NICA season starts in December and goes through May. We don’t do any structured training; it is all riding and kids get fit that way while also learning skills.

Outside the December – May timeframe, riders may get together for informal rides.

Our typical practice sessions are:

• Tuesday: Girls only ride at Arasteradero – meet at the park and ride at Page Mill/280
• Wednesday: Arasteradero – this is a good beginners ride. We park at Arastradero and the road going off to the Palo Alto University
• Thursday: There are two rides on Thursday
  • A smaller group ride of typically faster riders at Waterdog.
  • A DEVO ride for middle school and newer riders, usually at Waterdog.
• Friday: Laurelwood and or Waterdog. During winter, when on winter time, we run a spin class on Fridays. These are really great team building with riders of all abilities exercising together. These nights also include core exercises, stretching and yoga. Afterwards we go out to the local pizza joint for a fun social gathering.

Weekday rides typically start at 4.30pm except when the clocks change for winter and then its 4pm.

• Sunday: A longer ride, typically 4 – 5 hours. Often in El Corde de Madera (Skeggs)
• Saturday: There are no regular Saturday events but we do have occasional events. For example we have in the past we have taken some riders to the Heller Velodrome in San Jose for the beginner session. This is not a team event, it is run by volunteers at the Velodrome, but going down together makes it fun.

For something a little different we might join the Velodrome’s beginner days.

Friday night Spin Training – we’re always looking for larger locations. If anyone knows of a gym that has a room with 20+ spin bikes let us know. Even though it’s indoors, it’s a really good way riders of all fitness can get to know each other, and we also used the time to teach core strengthening exercises.

Where We Ride

Aside from the locations already mentioned, when Mid Pen has finished working on the old dirt part of Alpine Road, we’ll meet at the Windy Hill Open Space Parking lot and ride up dirt Alpine and do loops in Montebello and/or Russian Ridge.

On weekends we often ride at Skeggs, officially known as El Corte de Madera Creek preserve. Newer riders meet at the Skeggs Point parking lot. Older riders meet at the bottom of Kings Mountain Road and then ride up. As the season progresses, we encourage newer riders to also ride up as that builds fitness and endurance.

Once a month we’ll go further afield to places like Wilder Ranch, UCSC, Pacifica or Soquel Demonstration State Forest (usually just called Demo).