my tan lines give me away...

[jobob]

That's great, whatever you're comfortable with.

I personally think the bike tan on my hands looks odd, particularly when I'm in a meeting where I need to look presentable, so I gladly slap on the bronzing gel. And I feel more comfortable with that.

- Joanne

[latelatebloomer]

Do what feels good, sweetie. Didn't mean to step on your toes.

[shewhobikes]

it's goofy and sorta fun since this is my first year of riding. it reminds me of how proud i am that i've done enough riding to HAVE a biker tan!!!

[nicolezoie]

I get razzed ALOT for my rather startling glove tan. It's especially noticeable when I've got my arms crossed across my chest. I've also got matching ankle tans too. And, while just as stark a contrast, I don't *really* mind my shorts tan, only because I know it draws attention to my curvy & very strong legs (eat your hearts out, twiggy-stickfigure-hollyweird types).

[RoadRaven]

its/they're a badge of fitness and health

wear them with pride...

[Kimred]

I hate to be the gloomy voice but my Husband just had his first skin cancer removed at the old age of 34! He's a mountain biker/fisherman. Please use that sunscreen!

[Trekhawk]

I hate to be the gloomy voice but my Husband just had his first skin cancer removed at the old age of 34! He's a mountain biker/fisherman. Please use that sunscreen!

Kimred is right being from Australia (high rate of skin cancer) we Australians have started to slowly become more aware of sun safety. It really is important to slip,slop,slap as we say and keep your skin safe. In most Australian schools the rule is no hat no play outside. I notice here children are not required to wear hats and I notice very few do. SO if you have children also encourage them to wear hats and sunscreen so they wont suffer latter in life.

[RoadRaven]

Yeah Trek... same rule in most schools here too over summer, no hat, no play outside

So strange to see my kids and their friends demanding sunscreen (parents and teachers and TV ads have trained them well) whereas me, at the same age... well I was plastering myself in baby oil or coconut oil...

[DirtDiva]

It's the rule in all primary schools, as far as I know, and most enforce it very strictly. Kids learn very quickly to always have a hat at school when the alternative is sitting in the shady area for the whole of lunchtime while all their little mates are of playing elsewhere - they may as well have been given a detention, as far as they're concerned. Many classrooms also have big tubs of sunscreen in them, but I'm not entirely sure if it's teachers, schools or the Cancer Society providing these.

I'm young enough that sunscreen has always been a strong feature in my summers, but I must admit that I never really wore hats until I started teaching; I find it hard to go without now (something that so marks me out as an antipodean in Britain).

Now, I don't get out on my bike nearly as much as some folk here (although I do tend to spend a reasonable amount of time outside), but I never pick up more than a bit of slightly-less-white (I'm pretty fair) on my arms, and that always comes from a foolish early season burn where I forgot to put on the sunscreen before going out in the sun. It doesn't matter how high the SPF is or how water resistant it is, sunscreen needs to be reapplied every couple of hours.

[/soapbox]

[bikerchick68]

I'm SO bad about sunscreen... every time I wear it I either break out in acne... or it runs down into my eyes and burns!

just wanted to add an update... my newbie rider is now up to 23 miles... last night we did her first night of hill repeats. She wasa hurting woman, but never gave up!!! She has grit, no doubt about it.

Her husband was supposed to ride the upcoming event with her (their first event ride) but the day we met, was complaining about not being able to catch his breath while riding... had been to the doc and they were supposed to run tests the following week... later that day went to ER as short on breath... long story short, he had a PULMONARY EMBOLYSM!!! YIKES!!!!!!!! He is now on a blood thinner and due to safety concerns off the bike for 6 months...

I gotta see if the ride is still open and will most likely do it with her... it would stink to do your fist ever 50 mile ride alone...

[bikerz]

Amazing (and great) how things change - I grew up on the equator in East Africa (35 years ago!), and we NEVER had sunscreen. We are (genetically speaking) very fair, but were dark brown most of our childhoods. I worry about it now, and try to remember to wear sunscreen and/or a hat when in the sun. Maybe (hopefully) we had a little more ozone back then...

[CorsairMac]

I'm SO bad about sunscreen... every time I wear it I either break out in acne... or it runs down into my eyes and burns!

just wanted to add an update... my newbie rider is now up to 23 miles... last night we did her first night of hill repeats. She wasa hurting woman, but never gave up!!! She has grit, no doubt about it.

Her husband was supposed to ride the upcoming event with her (their first event ride) but the day we met, was complaining about not being able to catch his breath while riding... had been to the doc and they were supposed to run tests the following week... later that day went to ER as short on breath... long story short, he had a PULMONARY EMBOLYSM!!! YIKES!!!!!!!! He is now on a blood thinner and due to safety concerns off the bike for 6 months...

I gotta see if the ride is still open and will most likely do it with her... it would stink to do your fist ever 50 mile ride alone...

eeekkkkkk BC - keeping him in my prayers! as for riding with your newbie friend - what a wonderful thing for you to do.....can you ride it as a poacher if you have too??.....I can't even imagine what she must be going thru right now after having planned this with her husband all along!! keeping you in my thoughts too hun!

[caligurl]

can you ride it as a poacher if you have too??.....

oh bc.... wanted to tell you... the person that answered you about this ride in the other forum.. POACHED this ride last year..... that's why he says he stopped at am/pm for water... he can't tell you much about the support cuz he wasn't supposed to be using it!

he caught a LOT of flack about it (and this wasn't the first one he poached and bragged about poaching!)

have fun on the ride with your newbie!

(i do have to add... i did my first metric century "alone" last year.... actually... i do most centuries "alone" cuz of my pace/speed... or i should say lack thereof! however i do have to admit it's more fun to ride with hubby than to ride alone!)

[caligurl]

ok.... i've tried to edit my post three times to add to it.. and it freezes up every time!

ok.... you can still register.... even the day of the event... but it will cost you $10 more after the 23rd! so better to register early!

they are closing poway grade to traffic and you will need a wrist band to enter it/ride it.....

you get a PATCH! now i want to do it too! but i have angeles crest the day before.... a century with 11,000 feet of climbing... so i don't think i'll be up to another century the next day! (plus it's sunday and i try to avoid sunday rides plus with the price of gas and the rides i already have scheduled.... i'm making excuses! but i want a patch! lol!)

[bikerchick68]

cali.... 11000 ft climbing... good gawd woman... you're turning into a billygoat!

my bro is riding the Knoxville double next week... 200 miles with 11000 ft climbing... AAACK! The week after 9/24 we're riding the Lighthouse Century together... it will be his "recovery" ride

corsair...thanks for the nice words... it's really selfish of me tho... I'm grooming a riding partner!!!