It was long ago pointed out to me via MTBR.com that many cyclist especially it seemed mountain bikers had "mojo's" for good luck on their bikes.
So I wonder do any of you have a Mojo and if so what is the story behind it?
I'll post a pic of mine which is on my Serotta who became "FlyGirl" and this is the story of how and when she got her name and Mojo.
I was on a training ride by myself up in the high desert where I lived at the time. I had a 20 mile loop which I would lap and on the second lap about the half way mark I usually would stop at a cyber cafe called Water Canyon and get a cupa jo, refill my Camelbak and hit the road. On previous rides I had searched and searched the road for that little thingy which would become my mojo as rumor has it it must be something you find on the trail to truly be a good luck charm.
This day I did not have Mojo on my mind, what was on my mind was beating the desert heat and getting miles in and wondering why I didn't do my ride in reverse as I had ahead of me that long grinding 6 mile climb before going home, ugg!
So I stop for my cuppa jo and get it all doctored up the way I like it go to sit down outside on the patio there was a nice breeze and I could have my bike right next to my table. I pulled out my chair sat down and *ouch* what was that I sat on? Ugg a big plastic fly! How gross! And what's worse it stuck to my lycra shorts so I had to pick it off.....hope no one was looking!
Well I didn't think anything of it and wasn't thinking when I stuck the fly in my jersey pocket, drank my coffee and hit the road it was about 8 am and I had another 10 miles to crank out, I really wanted to beat the heat, it was already hitting the high 80's.
So about half way home on that long up hill stretch it hits me, I've found my Mojo and it's a fly!!! Now how am I gunna make that cool for my Serotta and what kind of name would "fly" be? I always thought I would tie in my Mojo with my Serotta's name.
When I came home and stripped off my cycling clothes, emptied out the pockets so I could throw them into the washer I left that ugly plastic insect laying on the table my son saw it. Being a boy of course he thought it was cool, a fly! We talked about it and how I was thinking of a way to make it be my Mojo or thinking maybe forgetting about it and looking for another Mojo when he said "hey Mom it's fly". My son is also a jazz musician and "fly" is jazz-speak for cool, fast, nice.....so we both came up with the name FlyGirl for my bike and he helped me zip tie the plastic fly onto my bike.
My son was also working as a graphic designer for a vinyl company and was supposed to make me a sticker for my fork with a fly holding a pin up girl, he never got around to it as college started, job ended and his school life took over.
So that's my story sorry for the length but I would love to hear yours!
Life is like a 10 speed bike, we all have gears we never use.
Charles Schultz
"The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community." — Ann Strong, Minneapolis Tribune, 1895