Getting to Know You!

Welcome one and all!! It's soo cool seeing all these new faces!!!

Biker: we've got several UK members here - nice to see another! and I didn't laugh (really loud) about your most memorable - honest I didn't! :D Ohhhh and happy birthday - our birthdays are just days apart!!

Faust: not only can you have an avatar - but it's just the cutest one! Good Luck on your schooling!

Donna: I loved your fav bike description! I was just talking to someone the other day about the banana seats and the sissy bars! Man we thought we were something back then eh?

Green: I was chuckling about your most fun had on a bike! Loved it!!

Real name: Brandy
Where do you live? Huntington Beach, California

Explanation of your handle: I'm one of the unoriginal ones that uses my first name ;)

Explanation of your avatar: I don't have one yet...need to search for one.

Age (general or specific) Will be 30 on May 19th!

Occupation: Stay at home mom who is venturing into the fitness industry. I just went to my orientation and I am in the process of becoming a Spinning instructor through Mad Dogg Athletics. Next goal will be a personal trainer certification and then I'd like to work with pre/postnatal moms and do some youth fitness as well.

Favorite bike: My new Trek 1000 WSD!

What's in your stable? see above

Fastest speed on a road bike? Today on the bike path in Huntington Beach I got up to 21.2. I might have had a little help from the tailwind though. :D

Another picture of yourself or your ride?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...dyMama/bj2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ama/sunset.jpg

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Hmmm...I don't know!

Most memorable moment on my bike: So far, it was my first fall with clipless pedals...lol!

Most fun ever had on a bike? I'm a total newbie, so the fun is just beginning. I can't wait!!

Real name: Katie

Where do you live? State College, PA

Age (general or specific) 29

Occupation: grad student

Favorite bike: my beautiful yellow road bike

What's in your stable? Lemond Buenos Aires 2000 & Gary Fisher Tassajara GS 2004

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? I should get the bike computer that has been sitting on my shelf onto the bike, but a bit hesitant that the bike computer will compromise my spiritual connection with the bike and the ride.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Me after a great mtn ride up a valley on the northeast shore of Oahu this Feb - it was muddy! Attachment 836

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Too painful to think about!

Most memorable moment on my bike: Waiting at the top of a steep descent on my mountain bike for several minutes, fear-factor-esque, until I convinced myself either I would be fine, or else I would die but it would be worth it.

Most fun ever had on a bike? A long weekend bike/camping trip with my friends in the Fingerlakes - biked up one lake and back down another, and stopped to taste wine every few hours. And any summer road ride on rural Pennsylvanian byways featuring huge hills and a lengthy, greasy lunch stop.

Welcome to the board one N all!!

Brandy: good luck on your certifications! I love your goal - I think it's an awesome idea! and another Trek rider - we really ARE taking over the world! lol

Katie: Love the picture!! and I was chuckling over your most memorable, I've had several of those only mine were riding on the city streets! But yeah - do I go, do I stay?......do I wanna live forever?? ;) what a feeling when you finally be like Nike and Just Do It!

stella - sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you!

i grew up in central vermont (east barre), so only about 40 miles or so from st. j. then i went to college at uvm. it's a gorgeous state and i love going back to visit (all of my family is still there).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by greenmtngrrl

stella - sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you!

i grew up in central vermont (east barre), so only about 40 miles or so from st. j. then i went to college at uvm. it's a gorgeous state and i love going back to visit (all of my family is still there).

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We moved to Vt when I was 14y/o. We lived in a small town (Newbrury) north of White River Junction and south of St. Jay. I used to go to Burlington to visit friends at UVM (I went to college in Maine).

It is a great state! I miss it, a lot and wish I still had family there!

Real name: Tara

Where do you live? Westford, MA, but I grew up outside Burlington Vermont and that still feels like home too.

Explanation of your handle: My handle is usually ChocolatePizzaRedWine, for the three reasons I started riding, but this board shortened it.

Explanation of your avatar: Haven't found a suitable one yet...

Age (general or specific): 40-something, but I feel 20-something.

Occupation: I teach things... Indoor cycling, water aerobics, children's swim lessons currently.

Favorite bike: My high-end Sequoia Specialized. Very cushy. I'm willing to sacrifice a little speed for comfort.

What's in your stable? See above, plus a Giant MB and a couple of old Trek hand-me-downs from my hubby.

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 40mph going down a hill in Harvard MA. I usually "whoop!" when I break the speed limit on my bike, but not that time. I was too scared!

Another picture of yourself or your ride? I'll have to figure out how to do that.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "I weigh 129 pounds."

Most memorable moment on my bike: Finishing my first century a month before I turned 40.

Why? When I was young, I was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease called myasthenia gravis. My parents were told that I'd be in a wheelchair by the time I was 25, I wouldn't be able to lift my arms by the time I was 30, and I'd be dead shortly thereafter. Thanks to some medical advances and a lot of luck, I'm not. Riding 100 miles in one day was something I never dreamed I could do. I cried when I crossed the finishline.

Most fun ever had on a bike? It's all fun!

Welcome to the board chocolate: I cried with you my friend, what a inspiration!! Westford, MA? are you flooded out or doing ok??

Welcome, all!

Choc/Pizza/R--what a story. Can you imagine the joy you'd bring if you were to show up to say "hi" to the docs who told your parents you'd be gone by now? It is so great to be wrong about something like that. Congratulations on your triumph.

Katie--love the mud! What a great ride.

Brandy--what beautiful pictures of you and your family. In the next year, we'll be seeing shots of you and your husband on bikes! ;)

Glad to have you, and all the other newbies here. It's a fun place.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CorsairMac

Westford, MA? are you flooded out or doing ok??

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We're okay, but some of the areas nearby have been hit pretty hard. In one of the towns I teach in, they were paddling canoes down the streets on Monday. Eeek!

Thanks for the welcome everyone! I've been lurking here for a while, and it's nice to step out of the shadows!

Take care,
Tara

Real name: Catherine
Where do you live? Greensboro, NC (moved here 1.5 years ago from FL but I've also lived in the Poconos (PA), the Boston area, Michigan, Wisconsin and I was born in Minnesota)

Explanation of your handle: It's a long story, but on another forum, I was known as GLC (for GuinnessLovinCat) and I wanted to change it to join a more 'health' oriented forum. I picked GirlLovesCycling and it stuck. I shortened it to GLC1968 (my birth year) when I came here.

Explanation of your avatar: Haven't gotten around to adding one yet... Now I have!!! My avitar is a pic of me in my one and only modeling gig. This is the box cover for one of the Nerf Trucks back in the 70's...real high profile, huh?! :p

Age (general or specific) 38

Occupation: RF Engineer

Favorite bike: Haven't found her yet! ;)

What's in your stable? 2004 Fuji Roubaix and a very old Specialized Rock Hopper (1996?)

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 35.7mph...on a long down hill...on a lunch-time ride here in NC.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? OK - this was right after I started riding...a lot of the gear has changed since then...
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL65/.../108052541.jpg

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: I remember lying about having done something bad as a kid and letting my little brother take the blame for it. It was 20 years before I ever admitted to it. It still bothers me to this day, but he's gotten over it (mostly)!

Most memorable moment on my bike: My first ride (on a road bike)...My husband and I went out on a 17 or so mile loop. We live in a hilly area and this route was mostly rolling hills. I was already in great CV shape, so I was able to really crank up the hills and then FLY down them. (I left my husband in the dust) It was so incredibly exhilerating. I was amazed at how much fun a road bike could be...I think I even 'whooped' once or twice on a few downhills. :o

Most fun ever had on a bike? Besides the above ride...on the MS Tour I rode in last year, there was a short while on the second day where my little group of 3 riders was able to jump on the tail of a long line of FAST riders. We were easily pulled along at WAY faster than we had been riding and for a few minutes, it really felt like we were flying! It was a rockin' good time until one of our group broke a spoke and we had to pull over.

Quote:

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We moved to Vt when I was 14y/o. We lived in a small town (Newbrury) north of White River Junction and south of St. Jay. I used to go to Burlington to visit friends at UVM (I went to college in Maine).

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Stella - where did you go to school? I went to Bates a L O N G time ago. :)

GLC, I went to UM at Farmington, ended up graduating from Roger Williams U in RI.
Here's a blast from the past--Were you at Bates when one of the Dean's was shot? I think it was '86?...I was dating one of his sons. (The Dean survived, for others reading this...it was a disgruntled student).

Real name: Amy

Where do you live? Walnut Creek, CA.

Explanation of your handle: I love my dogs!

Explanation of your avatar: Someday I’ll do that little picture thing.

Age (general or specific) 50. The big five-o, two weeks ago.

Occupation: Systems software engineer

Favorite bike: That would have to be my old Bianchi.

What's in your stable? TBD. I’m here because I might get a bike. I used to do a lot of riding twenty years ago. I’d like to start riding again, but the process of picking a bike seems pretty daunting. So I’m glad I found this site.

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 45 on a lovely road somewhere near Santa Cruz. There were no cars. It was great!

Another picture of yourself or your ride? I stay safely behind the camera, but thanks for asking.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: “Yeah, you look great in that outfit.”

Most memorable moment on my bike: It had to be getting to the top of Mount Hamilton. Also the first AIDs ride was quite something, I still talk about that whenever I drive up Highway 1. (drive, in a car, I still can’t believe we did that on a bike!)

Most fun ever had on a bike? Downhills!

welcome GLC and Dacshund.

Lise get over here, we found another dacshund fan!

And Dacshund lots of us here are the big 5-uh-oh, self included. Somewhere here there's a great thread "over 40, show of hands" we may have to bump up.