Intermediate Adventure Mountain Bike Camp

entering 7th – 9th grade

This camp is for the intermediate level mountain biker looking to take on another level of trail-based adventure. On this four-day camp, we will spend two full days digging deep into XC mountain biking alongside our pro coach, who will lead skills clinics and group rides focused on growing our comfort and increasing our riding levels. But this camp isn’t just about biking! We’ll also spend time hiking, practicing survival skills, and exploring the trails and waterways at the Sweetwater Farm Trail Center. To conclude our adventure, we’ll join a local expert and guide to discover a cave ecosystem the best way we know – by exploring it. Together, we’ll venture into a nearby Highland County cave system to learn, experience, and challenge our comfort zones one final time as a group.

This camp is intended for riders who have spent a fair amount of time on a mountain bike, who have mastered riding basics, general risk management, and who already feel comfortable and confident taking on intermediate level natural surface trails. It is not intended for beginning mountain bikers.

Program Snapshot:
Lodging: Tent camping in the shaded grove on flat camping pads behind the community center, bathroom is a short walk away
Meals: Breakfast & dinner will be served out of the main kitchen, lunches are packed to be conveniently eaten in the field as needed.
Group Size: 12 kids, 2 instructors, 1 expert coach
Age (& skill) Appropriate Activities: XC Mountain biking: instruction, skills + drills, games, group rides. Hiking, caving, stream exploration, survival skills, campfire games, sensory awareness activities.

Meet your Coach!

Sue is an East coast mountain bike icon. Her mountain bike career was baptized in the mud bogs and slippery rocks of Canaan Valley, West Virginia. She raced cross country professionally for many years at both the national and international level. She is a multiple time national champion, Pan-American champion as well as World Champion in 24 Hour Endurance racing. She excelled at both long and short events. Her last National Championship was in 2018 as Masters Enduro National Champion.

Sue still races occasionally, but continues to ride and loves technical, challenging trail riding. She works at White Grass Ski Touring Center and teaches cross country skiing in the winter. The rest of the year she works at Blackwater Bikes in Davis. She is the creator of the Canaan MTB Festival, the president of Blackwater Bicycle Association, a NICA coach supporter, and maker of HaySue’s Spicy Salsa.

She loves the positive outcomes that kids and bikes can have together. Bikes teach life long lessons and create healthy lifestyles. She teaches balanced and dynamic body position in all terrain, positive mental strategies for tackling bigger obstacles and finding the right speed for different trails and features.

She is a combination of laid-back and tough and truly believes the essence of mountain biking is being outside, moving our bodies, loving nature, riding with friends and challenging ourselves.