WeROK November MTB Group Ride

Please read this!
 

Welcome to our FREE monthly ride! Ride start times vary by season to give us the best trail conditions and safest experience—May through September we roll out at 8:00 AM CT, and October through April we begin at 2:00 PM CT. We meet at the lower parking lot at Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Park, 6800 S Elwood Ave, Tulsa, OK 74132. Restrooms are available.

We will have ride leaders for skill levels between Beginner to Advanced. If you're new to mountain biking, OR have never taken WeROK’s Fundamentals, or other formal fundamentals skills clinics (even if you have been riding some), we REQUIRE YOU to start with the WeROK Fundamental Skills Session during registration. Regardless of your riding experience we feel taking this skills session will help improve your riding and create a better riding experience for all.

Loaner Bikes: Please refer to your registration confirmation letter. 
 

Cancellation/Bad Weather Policy: If bad weather develops we aim to cancel the event by 6:00 am the day of the ride.  Stay tuned to social media for announcements. We also follow Trailbot, in case Turkey Mountain trails are “closed” or “delayed”.  We do not have “rain dates”. 

Choosing appropriate group: First choose your riding and fitness level, then choose the best description among the groups. Once a group fills, the waitlist option will open. If you have a friend with the same skill level with whom you want to ride, help us out by registering together ASAP, in the same ride level, AND in same group number. Other than cancellations, we CANNOT GUARANTEE we can make any changes to groups, especially at the last minute, since we have group size restrictions. This delivers the best possible ride experience for all! If you don't end up riding with your friends, don't worry, you'll have the opportunity to make new ones!
 

Not sure which group to join? Ride levels are based on YOUR CURRENT skill and endurance levels. We want everyone to have the best and safest experience possible so we use a “rating” system to help align you with the right ride group. Please review the skills, endurance, mileage and proposed trails. Being in the right group makes a better, safer ride for all. If you are still unsure about which group might be for you just contact us at ride@werok.org. P.S. It is perfectly fine to “repeat” a level! Mastery of ALL levels takes time and practice. Please don’t rush yourself, nor succumb to peer pressure. NOTE: WeROK’s skill level names and colors are relative to Turkey Mountain trails. Other trail systems’ color designations could mean their Blue is (y)our Black, so be wise!
 

Advancing to next groups: A great way to know if you are ready to progress to the next ride level is if (1) you felt comfortable with skills necessary at your current level, and (2) you were able to keep up with the ride leader the entire ride and felt like you could have ridden longer. 

GROUP CHOICES:
 

1. FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS SESSION 

Select this group if you have never ridden a mountain bike, it’s been longer than you’d like to admit, OR you've never taken any type of basic mtb skills lessons before. Welcome! You have to start somewhere and this is the place! Even the most advanced riders should brush up on these essentials, and certainly, if you feel rusty, this session will help you. This session will cover the fundamentals of mountain biking, and then you'll hit the trail for a 2-3 mile ride. Successful completion of WeROK’s Fundamentals (or its equivalent) is required for advancement to next groups. Departure from this policy requires approval by a WeROK ride leader.

• Skill Level: Beginner.
• Pedals: Flat pedals are required (we may have loaner pedals available; email us ahead of time at ride@werok.org).
• Skills you can perform: no requirement, you will definitely learn a skill or two after this session. 
• Fitness Level: No requirement other than participate in possible heat for up to 2 hours.
• Example of Turkey Mountain terrain: Packed dirt, no rocks; double track near Bomb Cellar; the grassy fields; the Family Loop; the lower “mini-switchback-berm” loop. 

2. FUNDAMENTALS TO GREEN Group

Select this group if you have taken the Fundamental Skills session, you feel more confident with those skills, and you are looking for a very easy-going transition to green trails. You will have a skills refresher for up to 15 minutes.

• Skill Level: Confident Beginner.
• Pedals: Flat pedals strongly encouraged (see above re: loaner pedals).
• Skills you can perform: Staying upright while pedaling, skills learned in Fundamentals Group are beginning to make sense, and your confidence is growing.
• Fitness Level: Completed a Fundamentals session with minimal fatigue
• Examples of Turkey Mountain terrain: Packed dirt with occasional flat, mellow rocks or roots, no significant downhill or uphill; Family Loop; the lower “mini-switchback-berm” loop; the very first section of LoChi Connector.
• Duration: 3-5 miles, maybe longer in cooler weather, no longer than 1.5 hours after refresher portion

3. GREEN Group
You’ve ridden on the dirt trails multiple times by now, and you’re getting the hang of things. You’re mastering the Fundamentals Skills, and your bike operating and handling skills feel smoother. No Fundamentals refresher portion provided.

• Skill level: Beginner Plus.
• Pedals: Flat pedals preferred.
• Skills you can perform: Level pedals while coasting; one finger braking; becoming more comfortable with neutral and ready positions; and smoother corners/berms.
• Fitness level: Able to ride steady at a comfortable pace for 30 minutes on easy terrain, and may need a breather while climbing, or at the top.
• Examples of Turkey Mountain terrain: Packed dirt with a variety of low, smooth surface changes; more variety of up and downhill; LoChi; UHF or All Up with rests.
• Duration: 5-7 miles,1.5 to 2.0 hours 

4. OPEN Group

Looking for new challenges! You are ready to explore more trail features (obstacles) and a variety of up and downhills, with limited stops. Mileage varies. No Fundamentals refresher provided. 

• Skill level: Beginner Plus-to-Intermediate.
• Pedals: Flat pedals preferred.
• Skills you can perform: GREEN skills are solid, but you’re out of saddle more instinctively with level pedals; in and out of neutral/ready position more smoothly; frequent appropriate shifting; smoother, smoother berms and corners; want to ride across straight bridges and skinnies 3-5 feet wide; comfortable choosing lines through rockier terrain, or between tight trees.
• Fitness level: You’re riding a few times a week. Can ride a WeROK course continuously unless learning steep or more technical terrain. Pushing the pace uphill.
• Examples of Turkey Mountain terrain: Packed dirt, more roots and rocks, twists and turns. The small bridge on OLD Lo Chi, All Up, UHF, Stay Gold Loop, Naharkey clockwise, maybe counterclockwise. Sessioning features within your skill set, such as the small skinny on Family Loop.
• Duration: 8-10 miles, 2 hours with some stopping.