Dirt Addictions has a full line-up of workshops and mountain bike weekends for various skill levels, from gnarly riders to beginners who have never been on a bike.

The owners, Timm and Alli Muth, are especially interested in teaching women to mountain bike. Andrea Hill and Chris Huffey, two women from Chapel Hill who ventured to the region for the grand opening of Dirt Addictions last week, said Timm and Alli’s coaching style helped build their confidence and got them hooked on the sport.

“We were worried whether we could hang with the hills at first,” Hill said. “But they would assess what we needed to work on, like rock gardens or switchbacks and just work with us on it until we got it down.”

A sample of upcoming trips include:

• Spring Mud Fling, March 11–13, Intermediate level: Hone technical skills navigating rock gardens and steep switchbacks, explore waterfalls and wrap up with a screaming run down North Mills River.

• Welcome to the Big Woods, March 25 – 27, beginner: Build confidence with skills clinics and try out some of the region’s easier trails in a fun, supportive environment.

• WNC Fat Tire Buffet, April 1–3, intermediate: Explore untapped trails featuring high-altitude forest roads, hair-raising descents, twisty singletrack and jump-laden downhills.

• Mud-Splattered Sweethearts, April 22–24, beginner/intermediate: A couples-only tour focusing on how to have fun riding together while honing bike-handling skills and focusing on confidence building.

For more information, go to www.ncbiking.com, visit the new shop on U.S. 441 across the river from Dillsboro (beside Apple Realty).