interview

[solobiker]

Hi there! I am not sure if i saw this on this site or another, it is kind of similar to "getting to know you." How it works is one person will ask a question, someone else will resond and ask another question and let it filter down to eveyone and anyone who wants to answer. It is pretty fun. Well here it goes for who ever wants to answer, just remember to ask a question too and hopefuly someone else will answer it. How many days a week do you ride?

[tatormc]

I currently try to ride at least 4 days and maybe 5 if it all works out right. So my question will be when do you ride, such as time of day?

[spazzdog]

I ride when it's the warmest part of the day... i don't do well under 80 deg.

What's your avg cadense? What's your goal cadense?

[LBTC]

I'm trying to reach an average of 95 - 100. My computer doesn't show actual average, but I think most times, not counting hills, I'm around 87-93. I'm getting there.

Who do you ride with?

~T~

[mikki]

Mostly myself. Sometimes my DH. Where do you ride?

[short cut sally]

The 2 main ladies that I ride with, we each take turns picking a route when we ride. It usually involves all of us driving to a spot, bike for 35-50 miles, pack back up, then go and eat lunch. We usually end up traveling more on the main roads as they actually have shoulders to ride on. We do repeat a couple of routes frequently as they are convenient for us as in time frame and location and ease of meeting/parking. My question is, do you have the shoe/pedal system or use regular street shoes/sneakers and the standard pedal?

[Veronica]

During the school year I have doublesided pedals on my bike so I can wear regular shoes to work and my bike shoes for longer rides. In the summer I put SPD pedals on.

My question - what size tires do you use?

V.

[snowtulip]

Nice fat 24" 2.5! What's your favorite animal you've seen riding?

[Veronica]

I should have put "road" in my question. :p

I saw my first rattlesnake on Thursday! I almost turned around and went back home. I don't like snakes much at all. I also chased a coyote down the trail. When I realized I was gaining on him, I backed off. The poor thing must have been scared half to death. Coyotes are close enough to dogs that I can feel sorry for them - as long as they stay away from my cat! I saw moose, bison and elk on my tour last summer.

So - what size tires do you use on your road bike?

V.

[Adventure Girl]

Answer: My bike has 650 wheels, and I usually ride 650 x 23's. But my bike shop just gave me some 650 x 20's to test.

Question: How many miles are showing on your bike computer of the bike you ride most?

[SadieKate]

Answer: 2,326.8 of my Litespeed road bike but I don't remember when I changed the battery other than sometime last year.

Question: When was the last time you did something for the first time and what was it?

SK

PS - this is fun :D

[Veronica]

Question: When was the last time you did something for the first time and what was it?




Last Sunday I ate apricots!

If you had to eat dinner with one of the Tour announcers which one would you choose and why?

V.

[CorsairMac]

Answer: Paul Sherwin - I would Love to hear his storys about when he was a pro rider. Some of the glimpses he offers now just sometimes amaze me!


Question: How often do you eat on long rides? Do you base it on time re: every hour, or distance re: every so many miles??





(PS: this is fun - thanks for starting this!!)

[massbikebabe]

I eat probably every hour+ or so. Went out real early this morning after being sick from bad sushi yesterday and I totally bonked. My poor son had to witness my demise at mile 8...my question Has anybody ever had such a bonk where you are not sure if you should throw-up or pass out???

karen

[Adventure Girl]

Answer: I've never passed out while riding, but I have thrown up. But it wasn't because of bonking. It was a gag reflex after swallowing a bug. The sequence was: Swallow bug -- Gag -- Vomit -- Rinse... All without changing my cadence!

Question: What's the worst injury you've had while riding? How long did it take you to recover?

[Trek420]

A: I've never been injured riding but had a sore shoulder that occured elsewhere (Aikido) took about 6 weeks of gentle stretching to feel good on the bike.

Q: Veronica, why oh why have you never tried apricots? Also could apply to anyone else if there's a delicious food you haven't had till now.

[betagirl]

Answer: I'm the type that tries anything once before I decide I don't like it. So I can't really think of anything that I tried recently that I was afraid of. Apricots I love, but I can't eat them (upsets the GI system).

Question: What's the strangest place you've worn your bike clothes into, either before or after a ride (or if you just like to wear them out)? :D

[Trek420]

A: on a Southwest Airlines flight from La to Oakland after the AIDS ride. Bikegoddess who was with me at the time had her bike shoes on, I changed shoes but shorts, jersey...

Q: What's the oddest thing in your under-the-seat bag?

[emily_in_nc]

Answer:
Question: What's the worst injury you've had while riding? How long did it take you to recover?

A: Broke my pelvis in three places from a crash this April. Had surgery to put a plate and pins in to stabilize the bones. Still recovering but am riding on the trainer indoors, going to the gym and walking (slowly and with a bit of a limp) without crutches now!

New question: What do you do to prepare for and/or deal with loose dogs when you (road) ride? (My accident was caused by two dogs.)

[KkAllez]

A:

New question: What do you do to prepare for and/or deal with loose dogs when you (road) ride? (My accident was caused by two dogs.)

I try and plan ahead, any road we haven't ridden on and there is a farmhouse coming up I imagine they have rottweilers and make sure I have legs to sprint, plus plenty of gears left. So far my only threat is this tiny dachshund, which I fear more will be run over by a car when he comes out to try in vain to catch us. Oh, and this is really bad, but I put Ben between me and the approaching house-with-unknown-dogs.

Q: do you prefer riding solo or in a group?

[Veronica]

Q: Veronica, why oh why have you never tried apricots?

I grew up very poor in Maine. I don't know if there were apricots in the grocery stores, but even if there were my mother would not have bought them. I tried dried ones once and wasn't terribly impressed so never considered fresh ones until Sarah brought some from Bubba's tree.


New Question: If you had to compare yourself to one of the this year's Tour riders, which would it be and why?


V.

[betagirl]

A1: Group. I push myself harder. Unless I've had a bad day, then nothing brings you back to the level like a nice solo ride.

A2: Iker Flores, cuz I'd be in last place :D

Q: Have you ever called in sick at work to go ride your bike?

[Lynne]

Q: Have you ever called in sick at work to go ride your bike?

A: Not yet...(that doesn't mean I don't think about it every single solitary morning when I wake up!!)

Q: For you competetive types, what was your first race like and did anyone place last?

[CorsairMac]

Q: do you prefer riding solo or in a group?

Solo - I've ridden solo for so long I find it difficult to ride in groups and I end up getting cranky! LOL I have 2 very good friends I ride with sometimes but I really enjoy my solitude on the bike!



A:
New question: What do you do to prepare for and/or deal with loose dogs when you (road) ride? (My accident was caused by two dogs.)


If I'm alone I stop the bike and talk to the dog. Tell it to go home. I don't move unless the dog just will not back off and then I try walking away very slowly and in a non-threatening manner. If the dog will not back down I start yelling Really Loudly for someone to come and get this frigging dog and I pull out my water bottle and squirt the dog. If I'm with friends, the ex-pro racer puts himself closest to the dog and squirts the dog with water while the 2 women (me and my friend) sprint past.

wow----and now my question?????

If money were no object - what bike would you have and why?

[Veronica]

If money were no object - what bike would you have and why?

This one

http://www.llewellynbikes.com/albums/album37/aaa.sized.jpg

All that lugged steel!

If you could tour anywhere, where would you go?


V.

[slinkedog]

A. Italy... Tuscany, to be specific. Although those rides they've been doing for the Tour in the Loire Valley look amazing.

Q. If you could go on a ride with any pro rider, who would it be and why?

[BikingAt50]

I would love to ride with Lance...if he would promise to wait on me. I wouldlove to join you for a ride in Tuscany!!

Question:

How long have you been riding and what what kead you to this sport?

[betagirl]

Q: How long have you been riding and what what lead you to this sport?

A: I've been riding for about 8 years. My ex boyfriend got me into it. I started with a mountain bike but quickly fell in love with riding on the road and dodging traffic versus logs. He dumped me and I kept his bike :D

New Q: what's the weirdest thing you've seen on the side of the road/trail on a ride?

(I ask this because tonight I almost ran over a fork. Not a plastic mcdonalds fork mind you.)

[Trek420]

Veronica "I grew up very poor in Maine. I don't know if there were apricots in the grocery stores, but even if there were my mother would not have bought them. I tried dried ones once and wasn't terribly impressed so never considered fresh ones until Sarah brought some from Bubba's tree."

I grew up poor myself, I didn't know it till I grew up and did the math. My parents had a chicken farm in Sonoma County till the bottom dropped out of the market and they got "real jobs". Between what we raised and grew and traded with our neighbors ("we'll give you two sheep, we get half a steer") we ate VERY well. We had a small orchard, my Mom still cans some but I now know we were not well off at the time.

One thing my parents said was the reason we supported the farm laborers strikes is that we earned what they did, only difference was we owned the land.

My first job was in the nearby dried pear factory and I'm still not too keen about them. Dried apricots are kinda iffey: they can be really bad or pretty good. Good thing to do is stick 'em in a little port or sweet'ish wine (non alch is fine) and they plump up really nice.

[bikerz]

Q: what's the weirdest thing you've seen on the side of the road/trail on a ride?
A few weeks ago, riding along the San Francisco Bay trail, I almost ran over a large reddish-orange fish on the sidewalk. (it was thiiiiis big! :p ) I swerved just in time, and managed not to end up in the bay myself. Seemed pretty far for a fish to jump out of the water on his own, but maybe he just couldn't take it anymore and decided to end it all...

New Q: What is your favorite memory from riding bike as a kid?

[Trek420]

New Q: What is your favorite memory from riding bike as a kid?
My first time riding, the feeling of pedaling and of freedom to go where I wanted. My Mom taught me how to ride a bike which is odd since she never learned how to ride herself. Which brings up....

New Q: how did you learn to ride and how old were you?

[CorsairMac]

New Q: how did you learn to ride and how old were you?


ohohohohoho I got this one:

in my backyard - my parents didn't believe in no stinkin training wheels so all the aunts/uncles/whatevers formed a big circle and had me ride around and around in that darn circle. I was TERRIFIED and I remember falling on the steps one time and they laughed as they helped me back up. Gosh darn I remember I was gonna beat this thing if it KILLED me! I was probably 5 at the time. maybe 6 max.

Q: what was your "bestest" bike as a kid?

[Veronica]

New Q: how did you learn to ride and how old were you?

I don't really remembered how I learned to ride as a kid. I do remember my first new bike. I got it for Christmas the year I turned ten. It was pink and had a basket and a banana seat, coaster brakes of course.

I know exactly when I began to think of myself as a cyclist. It was on my first organized century, June 2002. I took a corner much faster than I would have liked and nothing bad happened! :p

Next Question: Do you read all new posts on TE or do you filter out some topics?

V.

[trigurl]

I read those of interest to me if I have more time I will read the original post

Question: do you use a hydration pack why/why not?

[singletrackmind]

Question: do you use a hydration pack why/why not?

Yep. It's easier to stay hydrated than bottles on the mountain bike and makes the roadies around here yell 'get a mountain bike' when I'm on the road (I have 3-how many more do they want me to have??? 'Course, I am thinking about a Blur...). It also seems to mess with the dude roadie heads when an oldish chick in mountain bike gear on a middle-end Raleigh road bike passes them.
It carries all my junk and my plain water and I can easily tie a jacket onto it on those too warm/not warm enough days. When I crash sometimes it takes some of the blows.
I ususally ride between 2 and 6 hours (saturday I did a century-yay me!) so having it plus 2 bottles of a light gatorade mix is good.

What is your all-time absolute most favoritest trail (or road) ever (and location) and why?

[MomOnBike]

The Sakatah Singing Hills trail in Minnesota I rode this spring. Paved for 30-some odd miles, winding through a really nice State park, small towns strung often enough that a person could get a snack, etc. if necessary, and long enough for a real ride. My next favorite is the next trail I ride - whichever one that will be.

So, how are you doing on your goals this year? 'Great,' 'don't ask,' or 'goals? what are they?'

[betagirl]

A: I set a goal of 3000 miles for this year. I'm at 1300 with an early April start (stupid chicago winters), so I think I'm doing pretty well. I have 159 miles next weekend for RAIN and about 500 for RAGBRAI in a few weeks. My average speed is up to about 18 and I can peak at 25 without drafting, but only briefly :D

Q: Who's the best looking pro cyclist?

[Adventure Girl]

Answer: Oooooh... Let me answer that one!
http://www.procyclingphotos.com/images/roadworlds/elite_men_road/2k3worlds_emrr001.jpg

Question: What's the most number of miles you've ridden in one day? How long did it take?

[betagirl]

AG...you and I think very much alike :D

[Grog]

Question: What's the most number of miles you've ridden in one day? How long did it take?

A metric century. No imperial centuries so far, but should do one by the end of the summer.

QUESTION: What is the first piece of equipment/clothing you like to take off when you get off the bike?

[Lynne]

Answer: Oooooh... Let me answer that one!
http://www.procyclingphotos.com/images/roadworlds/elite_men_road/2k3worlds_emrr001.jpg

Question: What's the most number of miles you've ridden in one day? How long did it take?


OMG! Drool...drool....drool.....thanks for posting that picture!

[Veronica]

QUESTION: What is the first piece of equipment/clothing you like to take off when you get off the bike?


HRM strap.

Question - How much climb is there in a typical ride for you?

V.

[CorsairMac]

Question - How much climb is there in a typical ride for you?

Answer: I used to think I would Never be able to ride Mt Diablo with ya'll when I read the elevation gains/precent grades you climb until I realized:

Every day just on my commute I climb approx 550' which works out to about 2750' a week. When I take a lunch ride I can add anywhere from 150 to another 300 feet per day on to that. On weekend rides I can add another 500-1500 depending on where I ride that day. But for every climb I get in this town there's a descent!! Oh Yeah!!!

Questions: Who uses 650 tires and why???

[yellow]

http://www.procyclingphotos.com/images/roadworlds/elite_men_road/2k3worlds_emrr001.jpg

My first thought: where's his helmet???!!

I must be either old or just too happy with my DH! :D

...OK, back to the topic at hand.

Someone else should answer Veronica's as she has a good idea about my stats. I'd say for my standard ride around these parts I get between 2300 and 2500 for the 20 mile option and 3000-3500 for the 30-40 mile option.

Next Question: Do you wear standard, plain ol' socks or snazzy stylish socks? If the latter, what is your favorite pair?

[Trek420]

Question: Do you wear standard, plain ol' socks or snazzy stylish socks? If the latter, what is your favorite pair?

A: Snazzy socks. Favorites are Chili pepper socks. Hah! Betcha thought I'd say my "Impeach Bush" socks.

Ok, going to post the question again since I think it was never answered.
Q: What's the "oddest" thing in your under the seat bag or oddest thing you've ever carried there?

ok, just read breaking news about evacuation in Birmingham England. sounds like that was precautionary though. Back to saying my t&p are with our Brits. I hope you and yours and all are ok.

[Irulan]

Next Question: Do you wear standard, plain ol' socks or snazzy stylish socks? If the latter, what is your favorite pair?

bike socks.
Your Bike Sucks
Hottie
IMBA Long Live Long Ride
etc.

FLowers


on my must get list:
Terry's Ride Like a Girl
PMS

[Lynne]

Next Question: Do you wear standard, plain ol' socks or snazzy stylish socks? If the latter, what is your favorite pair?

I know it's been answered a dozen times, but I love this question so I'm going to answer it too :p I love snazzy socks! I have only 3 outfits and 3 socks...my favorites are the bad kitty socks that are pink with a mean kitty and cross bones. So cute! But I have little blue cloud socks to go with my blue stuff and also pink ones that say "sexy" in red. I'm always on the lookout for more socks because they are the expensive accessory.

[CorsairMac]

Ok, going to post the question again since I think it was never answered.
Q: What's the "oddest" thing in your under the seat bag or oddest thing you've ever carried there?
.

A: A Home Depot gift card. I bought it for a friend for her birthday and then realized I had not a clue where I was going to carry it that would stay dry (as in my jersey pockets were sweat soaked!)

Q: Where is the oddest place you've ever taken or ridden your bike ie: grocery store?

[SadieKate]

Q: Where is the oddest place you've ever taken or ridden your bike ie: grocery store?
Answer - no place. Me and my bike are not odd or out of place; the non-bikers are the ones who are odd. :rolleyes:

Next question - what was your last dream or nightmare about biking?

[emily_in_nc]

Questions: Who uses 650 tires and why???

I'm too short to ride a bike with 700c wheels and have proper standover and a short enough top tube without a severe toe overlap, which I think is dangerous.

Question: Does your average speed matter to you?

[betagirl]

Question: Does your average speed matter to you?
I have OCD when it comes to my speed. So I'd have to say yes :) Probably because I ride with men a lot and am going to start racing, I'm constantly gauging how well I'm doing and if I get faster.

As for the dream I can't remember the last time I dreamed about being on my bike, so I'll leave that one to someone else :)

New Question: What's your favorite pre-big ride food?

[Veronica]

What's your favorite pre-big ride food?

Currently, two raspberry toaster strudels, and a glass of Adwalla Mango Tango mixed with cran/raspberry juice.

For the dream - I have daydreams about our upcoming trips. I have wishful thinkings - if I had been going slower, would Thom have followed my line and not crashed?

My Question - Did you ride today? If so, describe your ride. Be descriptive (sorry 5th grade teacher emerging.) :) If not, explain why.

V.

[LBTC]

My Question - Did you ride today? If so, describe your ride. Be descriptive (sorry 5th grade teacher emerging.) :) If not, explain why.
V.

No. I rode yesterday with DH. Today I went to kickboxing. It's my strength training and, besides, I was sure that DH would not want to ride tonight after having been stung in the lip by a wasp and missing the whole day from work, crashed out on antihistamines. However, as I finished my class, he phoned and said he was going for a road ride. *sigh*

What's your favourite smell when you're riding?

~T~

[Grog]

ANSWER: Strawberry fields! Second place goes to fresh cut grass... Special mention for salty water, but I never really get to smell it when I'm on the bike...

QUESTION: How would you describe your ideal riding partner?

[nuthatch]

QUESTION: How would you describe your ideal riding partner?

Someone who likes to sing Broadway show tunes with me! Or old Baptist hymns.

P.S. Favorite smell - wild roses in bloom!

Question: Do you greet all the riders you see on the road and what's your preferred method?

[nicolezoie]

Question: Do you greet all the riders you see on the road and what's your preferred method?

Most. Usually a friendly "Howdy" or "Morning!" if I'm creeping up & don't want to scare them, or a loud "ON YOUR LEFT/RIGHT" if I'm going fast, and a "THANKS!" on my way by.

Question: Do you prefer helmets with Visors or without?

[Veronica]

Question: Do you prefer helmets with Visors or without?

Without

Question: How much water weight do you lose when you're riding on a really hot/humid day?

V.

[latelatebloomer]

What's your favourite smell when you're riding?

~T~[/QUOTE]

wild roses
horsechesnut trees in bloom
horses (I ride past Last Chance Ranch, a horse rescue)
and stormclouds (my cadence actually improves :D )