Patting ourselves on the back

[KkAllez]

17 GLORIOUS miles. That's all. Just 17. I remember when 12 miles were killer. Then anything under 30 miles for a ride was an easy day. But on Wednesday after three weeks off bike me and my husband rode 17 glorious miles. Totally and completely happy to be on the bike again. First time to ride since new expensive Michelin tires, Bar Phat, and wider handlebars plus a better cyclometer. Three weeks of: Moving a cranky, mean elderly person from assisted living to another, first week of second semester nursing school, a week of oncology and a lady aspirating but was saved (not with my meager nursing school ability, I'll tell ya that), a week of a patient who couldn't speak English and was a survivor of a wreck involving 7 people with 5 fatalities and three of fatalities were her kids and one her boyfriend, one buddy nurse who wouldn't speak to me, and two who were not much better, but best friends in nursing school I'd lay down my life for, a son that keeps me honest, and husband who says YES when I ask WANNA GO RIDE?

Seventeen miles of soul healing, forget the world, race the wind and your ride partner, BICYCLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Geez, I hate to wax poetic and sound all maudlin, but THIS is it. THIS is why I ride. To forget the horrors I see that I can't help but go back to and try to fix. And to feel like I am 12 again and be immortal and fearless and totally in love and unjaded and uncynical.....okay, okay, I'll stop now!

[smurfalicious]

Oh my, it's amazing how confident we get staring into the ether starting some lame self righteous flame. I'm patiently waiting for my COTA membership, a former member of OET (Oregon Equestrian Trails, they aren't as active here as they are in the valley), a forestry student who has sat through soils classes (it's raining, do you know where you soil is?) and the proud mama of a horse who is learning to drive, so he can skid logs for a low impact logging project on our study forest at school so spare me that lecture. I've pulled myself off trails because I could barely see my tracks in the wet dirt, not ruts. I behave myself, thanks. Sure there were times when I was so scared out of my mind I wanted to lock um up, but I said a little prayer and held on.

Anyway, I think you know what I meant, but hey, way to bring down a self congratulating thread by harshing on someone else's skills. I didn't lay any tracks, though in sand as loose as this, it's inevitable no matter what you do. I just grabbed my rear brake, not both and kinda, I dunno, pivoted. Like doing rollbacks on my horse.

You're right though, I should probably go back to riding dirt bikes with my brothers. There's a whole lot less arrogance, and they have soooo much better beer.

[spazzdog]

Yee-Haaaaa!! Smurf.

Ride 'em cowgirl!

[spazzdog]

Hi gang! I need some help and was wondering if y'all could lend a hand. No need to post responses here... don't want to clog the airwaves. Would much rather see everyone's "yee-hah's" here.

My request: I've got my website up as a few of you know. I know it works fine under IE 6, and Irulan was kind enough to check it out under Mozilla.

If anyone is running some other browser (or if you're simply curious ) please go to http://www.spazzdog.com. Please leave a comment in the guestbook (part of the test) that includes the browser you used to get there. You don't have to leave your name... maybe sign it with your TE handle, just so I know who stopped by.

I would appreciate it if you'd go to each page and note what loads well, too slow, whatever. It's my first site and I want to get it right. All criticism accepted. Just leave it in the guestbook.

As always, thank you for your time. Spazz

[Pedal Wench]

Originally posted by spazzdog
Hi gang! I need some help and was wondering if y'all could lend a hand. No need to post responses here... don't want to clog the airwaves. Would much rather see everyone's "yee-hah's" here.

I would appreciate it if you'd go to each page and note what loads well, too slow, whatever. It's my first site and I want to get it right. All criticism accepted. Just leave it in the guestbook.

As always, thank you for your time. Spazz

I hate to say that I wasn't able to leave a message on the site. I use AOL. Everything looks good - the pages loaded quickly, and some of the images loaded, some others had that little red 'x' icon. The big problem was when I tried to leave a comment. I kept getting an error message that only letters and numbers are permitted in the comment field. I removed everything that was suspect. I was about to remove all punctuation, and realized that you wouldn't be able to make sense of my comments, so I'm posting here!

[spazzdog]

hmmm... the red ex's would be the gif's and jpg's. I'm not sure how AOL treats those. Some are animated. Perhaps you have/or AOL has some of that type content blocked. I just don't know.

Thanks Audio... I'll check it out. I appreciate you taking the time.

[spazzdog]

Hey Audio... I fixed the 'characters accepted' issue.

[Twice Daily]

I started and finished my first race yesterday! (My goal was to just finish the locally held cyclocross race).
I was the only participant in the Woman's B group, so I guess I "technically" won...but I feel like a winner in other ways:

1. I was the only girl with enough guts to come out and race in the B division!

2. I have been battling asthma as long as I can remember, which had seriously hindered any strenuous exercise (and at times, any exercise at all)...over the past few years I have been able to use medications that have helped in getting my asthma under control, and so I have been able to exercise regularly and more intensely that I ever imagined...

3. Last summer I started cycling and I haven't looked back...cycling has been great for me and hasn't seemed to aggravate my asthma (perhaps because the forward leaning position causes my diaphragm to stay relaxed and my lungs to inflate fully)...

4. I can now ride a 30 mile round trip commute to work, which ends with a climb only Satan could have designed...but I do it and I love it and I'm not wasted when I'm finished!

5. My boyfriend used to race MTB professionally and so I can share this amazing sport with the man I love. He keeps challenging me and is eternally supportive and cheerful.

6. Cycling has been the biggest self-esteem booster I have ever experienced and I'm more fit than I ever thought I could be…

7. And I love my shapely musclely thighs!

[fultzie]

from one asthmatic to another:

ROCK ON!!!!!!!

that is soooo awesome!!

[spazzdog]

BIG tail waggin' for you Twice Daily



On my testing request; thanks to all of you that have visited so far and to Kathy, whomever you are I took care of the IP thing.

[admiral finch]

I did 110 grueling, cow smelling, hot and delsolate miles in the Cheese and Wine Century Sunday with a friend. I've done centuries before, but this was by far the hardest thing I've ever done.
But, I did it! RARRRRRRRGH.

And Sunday, the 24th, I'm participating in Bike Against the Odds, the Breast Cancer Fund's ride in Oakland, CA. 6000+ feet of climbing. hooey. Bring it on.

If any of you live in the Bay Area, you should come out for this if you haven't already and if you need a team, join the one I'm on--In Line Cycling Team.

Hope to see you there!

a.f.

[Trek420]

Hey Admiral, I'm doing BATO too, am riding with the Velo Girls.

I've signed up for the metric century but will give myself permission to "wimp out" and take a shortcut. But I'll try to do the whole thing.

[admiral finch]

Trek! Very nice. Somehow, I had a feeling. You guys are doing so well in your fundraising, too. Nice job. So far, I'm carrying my team. Woo!
Any chance you'll do the Yellowjackets training ride tomorrow?

I hear ya on the wimpin out thing. I'm really going to try to do the full metric, but you know, it won't be the end of the world if I can't. No sense in hurting myself!

A.F.

[Trek420]

I plan to be on the Velogirls ride in the East Bay Saturday, also might ride on Sunday (if the rain does not show up). Of course it's not about taking the option out or sagging, one always plans/trains to finish. Whatever distance I do I'll feel good about doing a hard ride this late in the season, normally pretty "washed up" by now....and of course it's a great cause.

see you out there?

[Veronica]

A couple of Thom's SpeedBlend photos were used by Rivendell on the Velo News site.

V.

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