Getting to Know You!

[Biker Oma]

Real name: Kim
Where do you live? Netherlands (going on 10 years)

Explanation of your handle: I am a grandmother and Oma is grandmother in dutch.

Explanation of your avatar: don't have one yet

Age (general or specific) 49 this year

Occupation: warehouse worker

Favorite bike: My Cube

What's in your stable? City bike: Sparta Argeon, MTB: Cube LTD, Racing bike: Trek 1000 (upgraded to Tiagra group) and my Scooter: Kymco Agility 50

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 40 kilometers down hill (saying boy it is going to hear it I fall )

Another picture of yourself or your ride? not yet

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Told the kids that their cat ran away from home. But it was hit by a car .

Most memorable moment on my bike: Went to Austria this year on vacation and was able to ride up some of the mountains.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Riding in Austrai and Croatia on vacation going up and down the hills.

[bluekayak]

Real name: Laura

Where do you live? Near Bloomington, Indiana

Explanation of your handle: Lacking imagination-my kayak is blue.

Explanation of your avatar: I like crows.

Age (general or specific) 47

Occupation: Teacher

Favorite bike: my new road bike

What's in your stable? Specialize Ruby Elite, Marin San Rafael, a nameless old Schwinn

Fastest speed on a road bike? 47 mph down a big hill

Another picture of yourself or your ride? While my picture has been taken, I don't own one

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Hmm.

Most memorable moment on my bike: At the top of every monstrous hill.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Riding through the woods on trails or those rare moments of sheer joy when the everything is moving the way it's suppose to.

[Tropical Scream]

Real name: Darilyn
Where do you live? Maui, Hawaii

Explanation of your handle: It's actually Tropical Screamer, but the whole thing wouldn't fit. It's an old nickname for the bright Hawaiian Aloha shirts.

Explanation of your avatar: It's a Mandarin Wind Hibiscus flower from my garden. I love the color.

Age (general or specific) 56

Occupation: Writer, mostly retired.

Favorite bike: Currently in love with mine.

What's in your stable? 2007 Women's Specialized Sirrus

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? I celebrate any forward motion at any speed.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? I don't like photos.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: I don't have a good enough memory to tell lies. I can barely remember the truth.

Most memorable moment on my bike: I haven't had it yet.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Riding by the ocean.

[zia]

Real name: Kara

Where do you live? a few miles outside of Boston, MA

Explanation of your handle: because I've lived and loved in New Mexico! (A Zia is the symbol on the NM state flag, and the Native American symbol for "sun.")

Explanation of your avatar: me, on my mountain bike, doing my first triathlon and realizing -- for the first time -- that I loved road biking!

Age (general or specific): very, very slowly approaching 40...

Occupation: Information Architect

Favorite bike: a Terry Symmetry, which is in the sick bay, awaiting a new frame (at which point it will become an Isis with Symmetry components)

What's in your stable? Gary Fisher Marlin and the sick Terry

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 33 mph, my last triathlon, going down a big hill in Hopkinton. Every time I look at my cyclometer going down hill, I think of what a teammate said she thought right before her big downhill crash: "I've never gone this fast before!"

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Not right now!

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: not really a good liar... no good ones, alas

Most memorable moment on my bike: biking through a crazy monsoon thunderstorm on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. I saw a commercial plane get struck by lightening less than a mile away. Terrified! I have never peddled so fast in my life.

Most fun ever had on a bike? My first triathlon, a women's only event. I never considered myself much of a biker, but during that race, I felt pure joy and power while I was biking. That's when I realized it was time to shed the inaccurate, negative image of myself as a biker (and as an athlete) that I'd been clinging too. It was a transformative moment!

[sduff27]

Real name: Shanna

Where do you live? just outside Dayton, OH. recently moved there from Pittsburgh

Explanation of your handle: i wasn't feeling very creative, name and favorite number

Explanation of your avatar: rock climbing in WV

Age (general or specific): i'll be 22 tomorrow!

Occupation: Medical student (first year)

Favorite bike: 1977 Schwinn Caliente

What's in your stable? my roadie la Caliente - and just got a new '08 scattante x560 'cross bike a week ago i haven't even ridden yet bc i don't have mtb pedals (they're on the way!)

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? still working on getting a computer...

Another picture of yourself or your ride? just got into cycling this summer and haven't gotten any yet (its a tragedy, i know)

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: i usually only lie to cover up surprise gifts i get for my loved ones

Most memorable moment on my bike: the only time i ever tried mountain biking a couple years ago i was charging down a steep incline that led right to a wooden bridge over a creek when i couldn't help but glance at the water and (of course) completely missed the bridge. the rest of the ride the whole crew was referring to me as "the Fearless".

Most fun ever had on a bike? i recently did my first race, the Tour de Donut, around here. its a 31.4mi race that attracts people of all ability levels and has two rest stations where they have refreshments, including donuts. the fun part is that for every donut you eat they take 5 minutes off of your final time. i did it with two of my classmates and my boyfriend and had an absolute blast!

[aeiea]

Real name: Jennifer

Where do you live? Santa Monica, CA

Explanation of your handle: Er... it's my gamer handle >_<

Explanation of your avatar: some lucky girl with a bianchi ... oh wait that's me

Age (general or specific) 32

Occupation: game designer

Favorite bike: the one in the picture

What's in your stable? Not much. Just the bianchi and an old trek mountain bike. And a bunch of underused longboards (skateboarding variety).

Fastest speed on a road bike? no computer sorry

Another picture of yourself or your ride? need to take more pictures

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "I know how to do that." ... was in reference to braking while carving down a hill (on a longboard). Immediately followed by "I don't need a helmet." ... immediately followed by me, wobbling while barely braking, landing on my head, followed by "I don't need to go to the hospital."

Most memorable moment on my bike: The first time I rode a road bike. Wheeeeee.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Every day I'm on my bike is more fun than the last.

[Emmety76]

Real name: Emma

Where do you live? Dublin, Ireland

Explanation of your handle: My cousins nickname for me....

Explanation of your avatar: Haven't added one on yet..but I will

Age (general or specific) 32..33 in October

Occupation: Project Co-Ordinator

Favorite bike: Hmmm too many to chose from I would like to build myself a fixie...new shop opened up with cool colored rims...sooo tempting!

What's in your stable? Planet - Parkway, a hybrid bike..but shopping for a road bike...Giant or Lapierre

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? Not got there yet..but about 25kms an hour on the hybrid, on the way home from town on Sunday.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? I prefer to be behind the camera..and i've yet to take a picture of the bike

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: How I couldn't stay out late as I had a long ride the next day.

Most memorable moment on my bike: I've had a few..when I managed to commute back and forth to work for the first time (approx 20km round trip) and the other weekend, where we got a Garda escort along the main roads...I swear we either looked like criminals or VIPs...I'm channelling the VIP vibe personally

Most fun ever had on a bike? It sounds strange but looking back falling off my bike was fun...I was turning a corner, the bike and I took on a patch of black ice..the black ice won and then getting my front wheel caught in a track and falling down again. I still got up and cycled off...I've a cool scar on my elbow from the track incident.
It taught me that I am not invincible, that if I fall I will get hurt and that I was lucky there was no traffic around when I fell which considering the areas was a miracle. Maybe its more of lesson then fun...but I have fun every day on my bike