Poison Oak!

Hello TLMTB families, we want to share some information and protocols for events where we may encounter poison oak.

Poison oak is everywhere in the places we ride in coastal California, so lets do our best to keep our exposure to a minimum.

Poison oak contains an oil called urushiol that most humans are allergic to. Urushiol is in the plants leaves,roots,and branches. It’s important to think about it as an oil because that helps us clean it off and deal with it.

When we do trail work and drop our tools in poison oak, or when we drop our bikes off the side of the trail into those bushes, or when we step off the trail and step through some of these plants, some of that oil attaches itself to whatever touches it.

Rule One - always wear gloves and keep the gloves separate from other clothing and yourself. If you regard the gloves as contaminated with oil, you will be ahead of the game.

Rule Two- always wipe off or clean your hands before touching your face or any other part of your body.

Rule Three- wash your clothes separately . A smart thing to do is simply change out of your clothing that may have gotten contaminated, clean up a bit, put the clothes into a trash bag and then wash them without any other clothing in hot wash with a detergent. The detergent is the key to release the oil from the clothing.

Rule Four- wash with a detergent soap. Remember the oil or grease concept! Here is a great video on how to do this.

There are lots of good products out there to clean up with. I personally clean up with Dawn dish soap, then if I am at home I clean up again with Tecnu, then take a shower. My trailwork boots and gloves live in a bag.

LEts follow these steps and keep that pesky rash at bay this season!

Equipment Checklist

Mountain biking can be overwhelming with the amount of gear required for a safe, fun experience. We wanted to share a basic list of things your child will need to go for a ride with us.

Mandatory Items-

• Helmet

• Closed toe shoes

• Water Bottle or pack

• One snack per expected hour of riding. This can be a bar or some fruit chews, etc.

• Spare tube in the correct size for the athlete’s bike

• Tire Lever

• Blinky front and back light if riding past dusk

Super Important Items-

• Bicycle multi tool. This does not need to be fancy but needs to have a 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, and 6 mm allen key. A Torx T25 is very good as well.

• A chain master link that fits their chain

• Tire plugs for tubeless tires

• A small pump or inflator

• A small seat pack to carry most of this

Important clothing items to consider-

• Eye protection. We prefer clear lenses or yellow for shaded areas.

• A light water-resistant jacket.

• Technical clothing that can get wet and stay warm. We can help with this out of our gear swap boxes.

Try-It-Out Season is HERE!

The Norcal League Pre-Season is here and we are STOKED!

We have four events this fall to sample what the team is all about. Come on out, ask questions, and ride/build some amazing trails! If you are not currently registered in Pit Zone, you HAVE TO SIGN THE ELECTRONIC WAIVERS, both for student athletes and parents that want to accompany them.

Please reach out with questions!

New Parents Q and A!

TLMTB New PArent Meeting

Hello new TLMTB parents!

We are excited to meet you and will be hosting two Q and A sessions-

• The first will be on October 3rd at 5 PM at Miller Creek Middle School near the front office

• The second will be on October 4th at 9 AM at Miller Creek Middle School near the front office.

Both meetings will be about 30-60 minutes .

We look forward to seeing you!

Girls Ride October 25th!

Curious about riding your bike on dirt trails? Come ride with us! These 

rides are the perfect place for teen girls to try mountain biking. Participants will be surrounded by other girls who are also interested in seeing what the sport is all about. We will focus on fun, friendship, and exploration.

Tienes curiosidad por andar en bicicleta por senderos de tierra? ¡Ven a andar con nosotros! Estos eventos son el lugar perfecto para que las adolescentes prueben el ciclismo de montaña. Los participantes estarán rodeados de otras chicas que también están interesadas en ver qué se trata el deporte. Nos centraremos en la diversión, la amistad y la exploración.