Check them out and take your riding to the next level of safety and fun.



2014 Schedule:

Every year we get more requests for camps, and every year we do our best to accommodate them. For the 2014 season we'll be offering nineteen camps, and visiting BC, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, California, Utah and Colorado in the process. Wherever you live, and wherever you'd like to visit, we hope to see you soon.

Date Location Status
April 26-27 Los Gatos, CA
May 3-4 Santa Cruz, CA (co-ed)
May 10-11 Santa Cruz, CA
May 24-25 Whistler, BC
May 31-June 1 Edmonton, AB
June 7-8 Calgary, AB
June 14-15 Whistler, BC
June 21-22 Whistler, BC (co-ed)
June 28-29 Winthrop, WA
July 12-13 Whistler, BC
July 19-20 Winter Park, CO
July 26-27 Park City, UT
August 2-3 Hood River, OR
August 9-10 Fernie, BC
August 16-17 Canmore, AB
August 23-24 Silver Star, BC
September 6-7 Whistler, BC (co-ed)
September 20-21 Fruita, CO
September 27-28 Durango, CO

Note: The majority of our camps are women's only. The three noted above are co-ed.

More info: https://www.dirtseries.com/index.php



Introduction by Francis Cebedo:

Ladies, are you ready to actually enjoy mountain bike descending? Are you ready to learn in an environment that is challenging but will actually build up your confidence? Gentlemen, you want your spouse/partner to ride better but you're actually not the greatest teacher in the world. And not every female rider thrives in a group ride with a bunch of dudes racing each other.

So here is the Dirt Series mountain bike skills camp. It was born in Canada by a group of lady shredders and it is sponsored by Trek along with a few other companies. These women know what they are talking about and they know how to break it down and communicate them. And unlike a bunch of pros who just soar ten feet up in the air naturally, these coaches actually understand proper technique and know how transfer the knowledge to riders of different abilities.

The coaches are of the highest abilities and you cannot out ride them. And if you do, they will recruit you as a guest coach. The groups are broken up into many groups that will challenge and and nurture a rider of any ability. And a great testimonial this camp is most students feel they got their money's worth at $325. They either come back the next year to take another session or they volunteer their time to give back to group.

Description by Cherubin Cebedo:

The Trek Dirt Series is a two full-day mountain bike technical skills camp. In its twelfth year of operation, the Trek Dirt Series offers something for every level of mountain biker. Founder and Director, Candace Shadley, created this mountain biking technical skills camp primarily for women, but it also offers a few select number of co-ed camps as well. What inspired her to create this women-centric mountain biking instructional camp? Candace saw a need and demand to grow the sport of mountain biking specifically with women in mind, so they could learn the necessary skills and techniques needed to ride a mountain bike. Not only do the camps teach the participants mountain biking skills, it gives them confidence in a non-competitive environment.

The Trek Dirt Series is based in the beautiful Coast Mountain range of Whistler, BC. Some of the camps are held in Whistler (which is probably the most popular of the camps), but they are also held throughout Canada, Alberta and the United States from Oregon, California, Utah, Colorado and Washington. It really has grown in its twelve years of operation and will hopefully expand further. The camps are held on the weekends and are two full days. Each day includes a technical skills session in the morning and instructional ride in the afternoon. They bring all of their equipment from the teeter-totters, planks, drops of varying heights and many other tools necessary to teach the many skills you will learn during camp.



On Saturday evenings, they feature bike maintenance clinics, bike set-up opportunities and a social time to get to know the other camp participants. I found myself exchanging "camp" stories of my day with the other women I met. It was pretty interesting to hear about what they learned that day or how the trail conditions were that they were able to practice on.

Each Trek Dirt Series camp ranges from 35-70 participants and they maintain a 1:6 coach to participant ratio. The camps are led by experienced coaches with backgrounds ranging from Pro or National DH or XC medalists, professional athletes, personal trainers, yoga instructors. They vary greatly in their expertise, but they share one passion. They all enjoy spreading their love for the sport of mountain biking. They are eager to teach and help other women become as passionate about mountain biking as they are, and they have all the confidence in the world in each participants' abilities. They are there to inspire you, give you support, and motivation.

Prior to attending camp, every participant is required to fill-out a thorough questionnaire that determines each of their skill levels, cycling ability and interests. The questionnaire is a little intimidating, but it gets you into the right group with those of equal skill levels and similar interests on what they want to learn at camp.



Most participants range from novices just starting to mountain bike to those mountain biking enthusiasts who want to master more advanced technical skills. There are also quite a number of participants who are cross-country, free-ride, downhill, endurance and adventure racers too. The Trek Dirt Series really offers something for every level of mountain biker.

If you want to learn more about the camps, visit www.dirtseries.com. It's not too late to sign-up so checkout their schedule. The cost for the camp as of 2012 is $335 US or $335 Canadian depending on the location of the camp.

Continue reading for Cherubin Cebedo's Trek Dirt Camp experience...



My Trek Dirt Camp Experience by Cherubin Cebedo

Before the summer season started, I was fortunate enough to take part in one of the Trek Dirt Series camps in Los Gatos, California from May 12-13, 2012. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into, but I knew I wanted to attend this camp. Why? I wanted to get more comfortable and confident on a mountain bike, as well as learn some techniques for proper bike handling. I am a newbie to mountain biking, but I'm not that new to cycling.

I have been a road cyclist for a little over 5 years and on occasion would do a family mountain bike ride with our two children (ages 11 and 9). Even though the trails we would ride were not that difficult, I found that I would always have a full death grip hold on the handle bars and brakes (yes, not just one finger on the brake and no one finger fluttering (small pulls on the brake lever to slow down), a full grip on the handle bars and brakes) when I would descend on any bumpy terrain, and would almost always get off my bike on switchbacks I found too difficult. I think the only time I felt somewhat confident was on flat fire roads and climbing small inclines. I knew mountain biking was very different from road cycling, and it was time for me to finally learn how to do it right.

I learned about the Trek Dirt Series camp from my husband who is an avid cyclist. For many years he's been trying to get me out onto the trails and on a mountain bike. When this opportunity came up for me to be able to attend the camp, I couldn't say no. It was a great opportunity to learn mountain biking skills from other women who are passionate about the sport.



My camp experience

After months of waiting, I couldn't believe Saturday morning of camp was finally here. I was nervous, anxious and almost thought of backing out. Was I really going to do this? I didn't get much sleep the night before either and after talking with some of the other women, I think we were all in the same boat.

There were a lot of smiles and warm welcomes from the Trek Dirt Series Team and the volunteers at check-in and registration. I met Leandra Furber (Lu for short) and Amy E. at the registration, and they led me through check-in and gave me some ideas of what the day entailed. The energy was high and everyone seemed really excited to be there. I started to feel a little bit more at ease. I even met some women while waiting in line, and it turned out they were in my group for the day.

If you happened to be one of the lucky few that reserved equipment for the day, there was a whole team of coaches who helped you set up. You could try out some of the newer Trek mountain bikes, do a trial run in Five Ten flat shoes, or borrow protective arm and knee pads (body armor). Yes, some women were in full body armor ready to tackle some really tough terrain.

After registration, there was a meet and greet led by Candace Shadley. Then we were off to the park where the skills sessions were being held. Once there, we divided up into our groups for the day. The first session I was in, we learned some basic bike handling skills. We rode around in a circle pushing and pulling our bikes back and forth underneath us. We would start and stop while still balancing our bikes as we road around in a circle. Not as easy as you would think, but I got it. Next session, we focused on braking without skidding. I managed to use only one finger on each brake and flutter it softly as I came to a complete stop. No full death grip on the brakes and fear of going over my bike. "This is great," I thought. "Make sure to have your cowboy legs," one of my coaches said. This means to have a cowboy like stance while you are standing up on your flat pedals and still have your hands on the bars with one finger on each brake, arms slightly bent and elbows facing outward. I had a feeling my cowboy legs were really going to have a workout and by the end of camp they were tired and sore.

Soon after the braking session we focused on drops. Our coaches for this session had two different heights of drops for us to try. At first glance, they didn't seem that high, but when you're on your bike, it's a very different view from up there trying to drop off the ledge. One of the coaches demonstrated how to ride up the ramp, slow down before the drop, look, drop your wheel, lean back and roll. Everyone in our group got in line to take a turn. I'm a little unsure but I am able to do drop off the lower box. I practiced on the lower drop a few more times before moving onto the box that has a higher drop. This one is a little bit trickier, but I manage to do that one too. I couldn't believe I had just done some drops and a few hours earlier I wasn't able to do them at all. After drops, our group moved onto riding in a straight line, rolling over obstacles and skinnies.



"Your bike will roll over anything," one of the coaches says. I was a little unsure about how my bike wheel will roll over that log that is almost a foot high. She demonstrated with ease how to do it. We practiced on the littlest and lowest log first, then gradually move up onto the bigger and higher logs. As we mastered rolling over logs, we moved onto riding in a straight line and over skinnies. Who knew trying to ride in a straight line would be a little difficult. We practiced riding a straight line then move up to going over the skinnies or narrow planks. My first try, my wheel fell off as I near the end of the plank. I knew I could do this one, so I tried it again. My second turn, I almost made it to the end of the plank, but my wheel falls again. My third attempt I roll over the skinny all the way through to the very end and I balanced my bike on that narrow plank all the way across. I gave a little "woohoo!" as I turnedback around. The women in my group all seemed really happy they were able to do it too.

After lunch it was time to put our newly found skills into action. We were divided into 7 riding groups. I was in Group #2 and we were headed to Saratoga Gap, a popular place for outdoor recreational activities such as hiking and mountain biking. There are tons of trails varying from somewhat easy terrain to more technical, rough and steep climbs. My group took a trail that was perfect for practicing what we had just done in the morning sessions. It was nice to have a coach with you on the trail. The women in my group seemed to have no fear and really tried to do each section we stopped at on the trail. When someone was able to clear the section, there were a lot of cheers. I always found myself at the back of the pack watching and observing. Actually implementing what we learned that day onto the trails was a lot harder than I thought. The drops I did earlier at the park on the grass, wasn't that same as doing the drops while on the trail over a branch. I had to get over my fear.

By the time the instructional rides were over, we were all tired, but we were excited about everything we did that day at camp and everyone we got to meet. If you could attend it, there is a dinner back at Summit Bicycles with catered food, beer, wine, and desserts. You could attend one of the featured talks like proper bike fit or maintenance, or look around the store for gear you want to purchase. I stayed for a bit to chat, had a glass of wine and some food. I headed home to shower and rest up for what Sunday activities.



On Sunday, we started all over again, but in elective skills groups that allowed participants to improve on specific skills. There was also a raffle that morning for some great prizes like a free pair of Five Ten Shoes, hydration pack, mountain bike padded shorts and a bunch of other great items. I happened to win the Bontrager Cycling Jersey and Bontrager Cycling Gloves. I was more than excited to win them too so, I actually wore the gloves that day and they were one of the best gloves I've used. Not only were there raffle prizes, but some really great giveaways that everyone got like the Kicking Horse Coffee Beans from Canada, an assortment of sponsor stickers, a $100 Off coupon for a Trek Bike and a Fox T-shirt. The morning was off to a great start, but then it was time to head out and get in our skills groups for the day.

My group worked on practicing switchbacks by using two long pieces of rope set-up to simulate a switchback on a trail. You learned the proper technique to maneuver through the turns, flutter your brakes, balance and feel comfortable making the tight turns smoothly on the grass. Our coach made it looked really easy and smooth, but it definitely took a lot of coordination and skill to do it right. Then my group moved onto practicing jumps and more drops. In the afternoon after lunch, we headed out into our instructional rides. This time my group headed out to Santa Teresa Park, another great area for mountain biking and hiking. The other groups headed out to Saratoga Gap and those who were more experienced and wanted more of a challenge headed out to the Soquel Demo Forest in Santa Cruz.

At Santa Teresa Park my group worked on climbing steep gravelly sections, going over raised rocky sections with our bikes, descending on rocky terrain and going through rocky switchbacks. Quite a few of the women in my group made it look easy. There might have been some slight hesitations, but we all tried each section. If we didn't get it the first time, we tried it a few times more. Everyone was encouraging and motivated you keep trying.

By the end of our day, we were all tired, but we were even more determined to ride our bikes better throughout the summer. I know for a fact that the women in my group have been riding a lot this summer, and I'm more than positive that by taking part in the Trek Dirt Series had something to do with it.

What I got out of camp

The Trek Dirt Series really helped me get more comfortable on a mountain bike. I also found myself wanting to ride on a mountain bike even more. The weeks after camp, I was riding at least 2-3 times a week on my mountain bike. I could hear my coaches voices whenever I tried some of the techniques they taught me. I was getting better and stronger everyday that I rode.

Prior to attending camp, I couldn't even jump a curb the right way and now I was rolling over logs, riding over skinnies and descending with more confidence on gravelly trails. Plus, I was conquering some of those tricky switchbacks be it somewhat slow, but I was able to do them much smoother. I gained more skills and confidence to do some of the drops and rolls, and it would have taken me longer to try those if I didn't attend the camp. The coaches were invaluable and their belief in you made you believe that you can do it too! I came into camp really a beginner to mountain biking and now I can confidently say I know a thing or two about it.

Would I do this again? Most definitely! I'd like to actually try a different venue like Whistler or Colorado. Maybe I'll gather some of my cycling friends and make a great vacation out of it too. Until then, I plan on riding more and practicing what I learned.



I met some really inspiring women during the two days of camp and they helped and encouraged me. I've been able to keep in touch with some of them, and have ridden a few trails with a few. Here is what they have to say about the Trek Dirt Series…

"I gained riding confidence during the course. I was surprised at how hard it is to actually "ride a bike". There is so much technique and balance involved that it is not as simple as first meets the eye. It was definitely worth the amount and I would definitely participate in the course again." Heather Wnorowski, Santa Cruz, Ca.

"I signed up for the Trek Dirt Series to gain confidence on a mountain. I have been a cyclist for years, both road and fixed gear, but mountain biking is a whole different animal. I threw myself into downhill last summer at Northstar with no fundamental skills base, and I did not want to develop bad habits. I also wanted to show up my boyfriend!" Kelly Suzanne Gerrish, San Francisco, Ca.

"I gained so much confidence on the bike. I learned about high-speed cornering, switchbacks, descents, braking, but mostly about myself. That even if I push myself to failure, I know what it feels like to try. You don't get there from being over-cautious, anxious and scared. The coaches helped me develop fundamental skills and provided a safe environment to allow me to push myself out of my cautious comfort zone. will definitely do this camp again. It was worth every penny and I have already recommended it to all of my girlfriends." Kelly Suzanne Gerrish, San Francisco, Ca.

"I received so much support and encouragement from the camp and other participants. It was amazing. I found that "YES!", I could do some of the harder components. The camp was so worth the money I spent. I can't wait to utilize my skills over the summer and fall, and try the camp again next year - with a focus on the next level of skill development! I have told a great deal of friends about this camp and would highly recommend it for riders of all ability levels." Daphni Ames, Ca.