Getting to Know You!

[newrider]

One more try!

Real name: Pam

Where do you live? Northern Indiana

Explanation of your handle: I am a...

Age: 48

Occupation: physical therapist assistant

Favorite bike: Trek 1500

What's in your stable: Trek 1500; Trek 7200 WSD Hybrid (for sale if you're interested! Very low miles, I just couldn't make it be a road bike)

Fastest speed on a road bike: 28 or so thus far

No pictures, sorry

Biggest lie ever told? It's been awhile, I've probably repressed it...

Most memorable moment on the bike: Last week....passed a teenage farmboy walking slowly in his barnyard. Just up the road I rode over some car keys by a mail box. Sensing a connection, I turned around, grabbed the keys, called out, "Are you looking for keys by any chance?" He starts jogging up to me, looks me in the eye and says, "You are so awesome!" It's this bike, I'm telling you...awesome indeed!

Most fun ever had on the bike: hmmm...every day, throwing the leg over and feeling that big thrill about what lies ahead....

[tomgrrrl]

Real name: Ellen
Where do you live? Berkeley, CA

Explanation of your handle: Well....guess it's obvious.

Explanation of your avatar: just me

Age (general or specific) 48

Occupation: Journalism Professor/Filmmaker

Favorite bike: Specialized Stumpjumper FSR

What's in your stable? Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, Bianchi Axis, Burley Zydeco Tandem (for my daughter and me)

Fastest speed on a road bike? hmmmm, I actually prefer uphill to going fast downhill....call me crazy...I guess 30 something....

Most memorable moment on a bike? Well, last week I went down Eldridge Grade on Mt. Tam.....a bit daunting (gnarly) to say the least, but I survived. Of course I wiped out once I got through the hard part.... :-)

[amg]

Real name: Alison
Where do you live? Port Coquitlam, British Columbia (Canada)

Explanation of your handle: my initials

Explanation of your avatar: I don't have one yet

Age (general or specific) 34

Occupation: self employed soon to be student

Favorite bike: whichever one I'm on
What's in your stable? road: older (15yrs?) steel Concorde Squadra; mountain: 2003 Giant AC1, 2004 Santa Cruz Chameleon, elderly Kona Cindercone

Fastest speed on a road bike? haven't the faintest idea, road riding is a new interest for me.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? sorry, don't have the technology for that!

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

Most memorable moment on my bike: each ride is memorable in a different way. There are so many that are memorable for different reasons - friends, the dog, achievements, solitude...

Most fun ever had on a bike? Most recently during the Test of Metal, a 67 km race in BC. Not that I was fast or anything...it's just a great event. The initial start and climb goes through the town and suburbs before it hits the trails, and the residents come out to cheer you on, and if it's hot weather they play tunes and turn their sprinklers on so you can ride through them if you want. All the course marshals along the way are rooting for you as well. This year was incredibly mucky. I felt like I paced myself well, made it to the finish without cramping, bonking, or getting stopped at either of the cut offs, and had just enough energy pedal hard at the finish and then roll at a snails pace to the car for food at the end!

[mtbdarby]

Real name: Darla (friends call me Dar)

Where do you live? Merrill, Wisconsin

Explanation of your handle: mountain bike and Darby is for me (Dar) and my son Bryce who I call B.

Explanation of your avatar: heck, I just figured out what that means!

Age (general or specific) 37

Occupation: operations manager for a packaging distributor

Favorite bike: I just bought a new one so I'm thinking it will be that one.

What's in your stable? Diamondback hybrid, and Specialized hardtail

Fastest speed on a road bike? haven't the faintest idea, I'm not a big fan of road riding and I'm new at mtb.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? dont' have one yet.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Of course I can ride this course!!

Most memorable moment on my bike: keeping up with the great people in my club, half of which are over 60 and in the best shape - I'm in awe and humbled to ride with this great group of people.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Riding the rocks on the Flower Trail at nine mile with my heavy hybrid bike that everyone keeps telling me I can't ride out there. Wait 'til I show up with an actual mountain bike this week!!

[CorsairMac]

Welcome one and all! I get the biggest kick out of reading all the new "getting to know you" posts. It's so much fun meeting all of you and hope to hear more from ya'll!!

WELCOMEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yogaangel]

Real name: Angela
Where do you live? Tigard, Oregon

Explanation of your handle: My nickname is Angel and I adore yoga - YogaAngel

Age (general or specific) 41

Occupation: IT Manager (Information Technology)

Favorite bike: I have an REI house brand hybrid bike - Novara.

What's in your stable? I only have one bike, but if you want to talk about gear and other add-on's...

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? I came close to breaking that 30 mph barrier this past weekend (28.4). My goal is to catch Dianyla (my training partner) on a down hill.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Hmmm, Dianyla? Let's get together and decide on which pics from the ones we've taken on our training rides. I think we probably have the same number of unauthorized shots from both of our cameras.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "Sure, Dianyla. I'm up for adding the extra 20-mile loop to our ride today. Not a problem."

Most memorable moment on my bike: A year ago on my birthday, I did a 26 mile event ride by myself and cried as I crossed the finish line. It was so exciting for me to have that accomplishment. This year I would say finishing my first 50-miler, first metric century, first 80-miler, on and on.

Most fun ever had on a bike? I would say my first group ride with strangers. It was on the San Juan Islands in Washington and I was scared to death!! When I slowed down or lagged behind, there was always encouragement from everyone. AND, as lame as I thought I was - I wasn't the last one back to the B&B.

Thanks to everyone on the forum for providing me with great insight, information, and support!

[On_yer_left!]

Real name: Ingrid
Where do you live? Boulder, Colorado

Explanation of your handle: Spent the past week chanting that phrase through the Rockies. The men really hated it. (I notice they do the same thing on bikes as they do in cars when a woman starts to pass them -- they speed up)

Explanation of your avatar: avatar??....you mean I could have an avatar??

Age (general or specific) 38 on Aug 14!

Occupation: Journalist

Favorite bike: Orlando's Orbea. Orlando's a cycling friend who's trading up and won't cut me a deal on his baby. B***ard.

What's in your stable? Jamis Quest

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 50-plus coming off Grand Mesa last week, shaking from the cold and chanting, "hold together, baby..."

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Sorry. Trying to get this attachment thing to work, and it's not cooperating.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: About cycling? Told my mother I've never crashed.

Most memorable moment on my bike: Above-mentioned crash. Was going straight through an intersection, about 20 miles an hour, and an elderly man coming in the opposite direction decided, at the last minute, to turn in front of me instead of yielding the right of way. Crashed into him, flew off the bike and landed head-first in the middle of the intersection. My helmet was smashed and I left a good chunk of skin on the road. Plenty of witnesses, luckily. The paramedics asked to keep my helmet for their bicycle safety classes; I was bruised and scraped; my bike was repaired courtesy of the driver.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Probably when I was 12, riding trails with the boys. Had a bright orange Schwinn with a sparkly banana seat. I was hot.

[LBTC]

Most fun ever had on a bike? Most recently during the Test of Metal, a 67 km race in BC.

Hey, Alison! Welcome! I was *at* the Test last weekend....my husband raced it...see my other posts about getting sick to find out why I backed out of the wait list when I was number 20!! What was your time? I plan to race it next year, as long as the training I'll be working on for the rest of the season doesn't put me back into the getting sick all the time cycle....

and, yes, I plan to register on Jan 1. We all expect it to sell out on the first day!!

Welcome to Team Estrogen! Otherwise known as the Mutual Admiration and Support Society....

this is the best group of riding women I've ever found! They're like riding buddies from everywhere!!

oh, and I"m about 5 hours north of you in Williams Lake! Maybe one day we'll get a chance to ride together, too!

Namaste,
~T~

[CorsairMac]

Welcome Angel and Leftie!!

Loved the storys but Leftie I gotta tell ya - I LOVED the Orlandos Orbea line! There's a guy that races crits here and I"m lusting after his Orbea too!! and Tell me about the "on your left"....guys NEVER tell me they're there *shakes head*

Hope to hear more from you ladies and welcome welcome welcome!!

[poison tumac]

Real name: Carol/Gazelle
Where do you live? Santa Cruz, Ca!

Explanation of your handle: I hate the itch

Explanation of your avatar: Mt. Tamalpais, San Francisco

Age (general or specific) 21 (May 27)

Occupation: Freelance Web designer

Favorite bike: my new Turner Nitrous!! <3<3
What's in your stable? Turner Nitrous, Calfee Dragonfly Pro, junk town bike, currie electric bike

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? 42 MPH going down Bonny Doon Road sometime. That was a lot of fun

Another picture of yourself or your ride?


What is the biggest lie you've ever told: Yeah, I'm listening...

Most memorable moment on my bike: Hmmm...there's a new one about every two weeks. Any time I make a boy suffer is pretty memorable for me.

Most fun ever had on a bike? Dropping down a steep long road into an obscure winery, sitting around drinking wine for a while, and then racing my friends up this ridiculous road with a buzz. We made the old olympian carry a bottle of wine in his fanny pack for the rest of the day! Good times

[amg]

Hey, Alison! Welcome! I was *at* the Test last weekend....my husband raced it...see my other posts about getting sick to find out why I backed out of the wait list when I was number 20!! What was your time? I plan to race it next year, as long as the training I'll be working on for the rest of the season doesn't put me back into the getting sick all the time cycle....

and, yes, I plan to register on Jan 1. We all expect it to sell out on the first day!!

Welcome to Team Estrogen! Otherwise known as the Mutual Admiration and Support Society....

this is the best group of riding women I've ever found! They're like riding buddies from everywhere!!

oh, and I"m about 5 hours north of you in Williams Lake! Maybe one day we'll get a chance to ride together, too!

Namaste,
~T~

Number 20 on the wait list, you were so close! A guy I know was close to 100 on the wait list and he got in. Next year I'm registering on new years day before I go to bed, I registered on January 4th this year if I remember correctly and it was already half full.

My time was super slow, 5:44:10. I blame the peanut-butter goo masquerading as mud in combination with prioritizing school over riding this winter (what was I thinking ), but I felt so much better than last time that I consider it an improvement!

I've lurked on this site for a while - drawn by the search for a comfy seat (during which I learned much more than I expected!) - and I stuck around because I like the positive attitude. We should try to connect at the Test next year, I'm determined to go again.

[CorsairMac]

Welcome to the board tumac. I've never heard of that but I Have heard of poison sumac - wonder if it's the same thing??.....anyway, Loved the sign in the pix!!
Hope to hear more from you!

[LBTC]

We should try to connect at the Test next year, I'm determined to go again.

Absolutely! And I think we should talk Irulan into joining us there, too!! You were on your bike a long time, Alison! Well done!! I would have been aiming for around a 5 hour time....but I've never ridden there. I'm hoping to get our Vancouver friends to meet us there one weekend so we can casually ride it and get to know the course a bit.

Do you ever venture further north in your riding?

Namaste,
~T~

[short cut sally]

hi, just registered so here goes my attempt at the introduction (could not do the cut paste thing..sorry).
Name: shelly Location: Arkport, New York
Age: 38
Occupation Emergency room nurse
Favorite bike: Trek 1500 ( I think-depends on what the LBS has in stock)
What's in my stable? Fuji Finest Road bike and a cheap, barely functioning MTB
Fastest speed on my bike? Not sure, still ride the brakes going down hill
Most memorable moment: Being told by a fellow rider "honest I know a short cut"
Most fun on a bike? Enduring that "short cut"
Biggest lie I've ever told? vowing I would NEVER wear spandex, and the whole garb that "roadies" wear, but man, that clothing really makes a world of difference

[CorsairMac]

Welcome to the board shelly!! ROFL about the spandex thing, I remember the first time I rode my bike to work (re: 9 guys all shop rats) and thinking I can't do this...I can't walk in the shop like this. Now: when they need me they don't even let me change, they hang out at the doors until I get there. Just goes to show what WE see isn't always what Other ppl see! LOL

Hope to hear more from ya!!