Getting to Know You!

[salsabike]

Internet troll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Attachment 1575
In Internet terminology, a troll is often someone who comes into an established community such as an online discussion forum, and posts inflammatory, rude, repetitive or offensive messages designed intentionally to annoy or antagonize the existing members or disrupt the flow of discussion, including the personal attack of calling others trolls. Often, trolls assume multiple aliases, or sock puppets.

[Kalidurga]

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? Probably ~35 mph riding through old Ellicott City

Whoa... Was that with or without all the traffic and antique shoppers?

Welcome to the board, Allison. Cool to see another DC/Md area person. Just out of curiosity, are there any good bike shops over your way? I've hit just about every shop in MoCo and FredCo, so I need to check out (haunt, stalk, whatever...) the ones over closer to B'more.

[vinyl]

Whoa... Was that with or without all the traffic and antique shoppers?

Welcome to the board, Allison. Cool to see another DC/Md area person. Just out of curiosity, are there any good bike shops over your way? I've hit just about every shop in MoCo and FredCo, so I need to check out (haunt, stalk, whatever...) the ones over closer to B'more.

Thanks! The historic part of Ellicott City is a ghost town early on weekend mornings - there are mornings where the only things I see through that stretch are parked cars and green traffic lights! When it is crowded with traffic and antique shoppers, I don't want to be there in a car... and certainly not on my bike! There are some other fun hills in that area, but I'm not confident enough to navigate the twists and turns on those hills with any sort of speed.

In terms of local bike shops... it depends on what you're looking for, but I have not found a one stop shop. For service (and special orders), I really like Bike Doctor in Linthicum, just a few minutes from the BWI loop. While the store is small and they don't have much stock, Jeff and his staff have always been great and ordered things for me without a problem. Race Pace opened a large store in Columbia that has a better than average selection of women's apparel, but I've not been thrilled with the service in the store. The Race Pace in Ellicott City has (or at least had) a female mechanic, and I've been told that she is very helpful, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her.

[inatree]

Real name: rhiannon

Where do you live? santa cruz, ca

Explanation of your handle: spent a lot of time as child hiding in trees

Explanation of your avatar: my new bike

Age (general or specific): 27

Occupation: disabled person trying to get off disability

Favorite bike: um...dunno

What's in your stable? trek 1000 wsd and elektra hawaii cruiser

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? dont have a computer yet

Another picture of yourself or your ride? dont have that many right now

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: what does this have to do with riding? i lied to my friend when i was 10 and i've felt bad about it ever since.

Most memorable moment on my bike: when i got my first bike when i was 9, i remember riding all over the neighborhood in the afternoons, my homelife was horrific so i always got so happy when i was on my bike i actually sang almost the whole time i rode. i was almost mute when i was a kid so that was really something. i always wonder what that looked like, a little girl singing at the top of her voice down the middle of the street on a bicycle. lol!

Most fun ever had on a bike? refer to above.

[aicabsolut]

Real name: Catherine
Where do you live? Washington, DC for now

Explanation of your handle: Old AOL name made in high school. AIC = alice in chains (yes, I was a child of the grunge era), and Absolut b/c I had a horse named Stoli at the time and his daddy's name was Absolut...

Explanation of your avatar: Me and my last horse, Waffles (shown as Parzival) in the Olympic ring in Atlanta, GA for a horse show.

Age (general or specific) 26 in Oct.

Occupation: Grad student

Favorite bike: I don't know enough about bikes yet, but I really like mine.

What's in your stable? 06 Specialized Roubaix Comp, double

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? Dunno.. haven't bought my computer yet. (First road bike, new purchase)

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Me on a horse is as close as I've got.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: The biggest? Hmm.. I think I'm more of the little white lie teller.

Most memorable moment on my bike: The day I learned how to ride as a little kid....never had any big bike adventures

Most fun ever had on a bike? I always have fun. I haven't been a big bike rider before.. maybe I'll have some especially exciting times in the future.. I hope.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Internet troll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ok, so I just gotta ask....what the heck is that thing stuck on the top of the troll's spear- a roast chicken????

[Kalidurga]

The Race Pace in Ellicott City has (or at least had) a female mechanic, and I've been told that she is very helpful, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her.

I stopped in that Race Pace yesterday on the way home from the Charm City 'Cross race. I didn't see a female mechanic, but the guys in the shop were very helpful when I asked about cold weather apparel. That shop has got to be the biggest bike shop I've seen yet, I'll have to check out the one in Columbia, too.

Explanation of your handle: Old AOL name made in high school. AIC = alice in chains (yes, I was a child of the grunge era)

It's not often I run across a fellow grunge fan. For some reason, I didn't get into grunge when it was in it's heyday, but I must be regressing because I love it now. I'm a Soundgarden junkie, myself. Good to see that particular genre's still appreciated

[DrBee]

Ok, so I just gotta ask....what the heck is that thing stuck on the top of the troll's spear- a roast chicken????

A fish?

[guanajagirl]

Real name: Jennifer

Where do you live? DFW Texas

Explanation of your handle: Guanaja: one of three main islands off the coast of Honduras. My mom was born here.

Explanation of your avatar: N/A

Age (general or specific): 23

Occupation: RN

Favorite bike: mine or a suzkie Bandit

What's in your stable? Raliegh cadet 1.0

Fastest speed on a road bike? dont know yet

Another picture of yourself or your ride? dont have that many right now

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "I think of you as just a friend"

Most memorable moment on my bike: Learning to ride without training wheels. I spent a whole afternoon on my driveway until i got it!

Most fun ever had on a bike? riding with my family while camping down some nice hills

[margo49]

Real name: Jennifer

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "I think of you as just a friend"

the best "biggest lie" for a while, that one!

[Rebeccah]

Real name: Rebeccah (fancy that!)

Where do you live? Oakland CA

Explanation of your handle: Easy to remember my own name.

Explanation of your avatar: N/A

Age (general or specific): 47

Occupation: Software engineer (formerly orthopaedic surgeon)

Favorite bike: I like both of mine

What's in your stable? Viscount Gran Sport (c. 1977)
Trek 7100 hybrid (c. ?)

Fastest speed on a road bike? where? when? Dont know. Fastest speed recently, 19.4mph on a local bike/run path, flat, slight tailwind. I'm just getting back into cycling again after a 6 year hiatus.

Another picture of yourself or your ride? I'll have to think about that one.

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "They say you either love it here (NYC) or hate it here, but I really don't fall in either category" (I hated it).

Most memorable moments on my bike:
- First ride without training wheels. I had been stuck sharing a training wheeled bike with my little sister for months after I was ready to move up. A neighbor got a new bike and gave me her old one, which was too small. I straddled it, and she was explaining to me how to ride it but I already knew. Before she even had a chance to help me get started, I was off!
- Riding to high school in the sleet.
- Drafting a much stronger rider (friend of mine) up and down hills in the Fingerlakes area of New York on the longest ride I think I've ever done (some 40+ miles of hills).
- Getting attacked by three kids on the lakefront bike path in Chicago when I was in medical school. My helmet and gynmastics training (and years of "practicing" fending off attacks in my dreams) made me fearless, and after jumping off the bike and rolling, I was immediately on my feet and advancing on the one that brought me down, fists clenched, bellowing "GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE!" at the top of my lungs. The three decided it wasn't worth it (they were probably trying to steal my bike) and lit out. All I lost was one reflective pant leg cuff. No injuries, just some muscle stiffness the next day. The adrenaline high lasted for a week. My heart beats faster just recounting the story.

Most fun ever had on a bike? That would have to be 10 days cycling through Bourgogne (Burgundy area of France) with a group of about 30, half French, half American, mostly teenagers (I was 20 or 21) with a half a dozen chaperones. We camped, stayed in a few dormitories and hostels, did a lot of winery tours, a lot of eating, and some sightseeing. Full sag wagon, rented 10-speed touring bikes, averaged 20-30 miles/day (or was it 20-30km?) in rolling hills. It was a blast.

Rebeccah

[Rebeccah]

Ok, so I just gotta ask....what the heck is that thing stuck on the top of the troll's spear- a roast chicken????

Looks like a plate of roast turkey to me.

Rebeccah

[suzieqtwa]

Real name: Suzie
Where do you live? Portland OR

Explanation of your handle: I worked for TWA airlines 15 years

Explanation of your avatar: ?

Age (general or specific) 53 on November 18th

Occupation: volunteer at a "no kill' cat shelter (laid off from airlines)

Favorite bike: Just bought my first bike 3 months ago..Gary Fisher Nirvana.. Im ready for a road bike ,but will wait till March.

What's in your stable? My husbands Trek 7.2

Fastest speed on a road bike? I have a hybrid?? Ask me when I get a road bike

Another picture of yourself or your ride? Im still trying to figure out this picture thing...they come up too big ,but Ill try,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it downloaded somewhere ,but not here? I dont like pictures of myself anyway.



What is the biggest lie you've ever told: probably my age....can pass for much younger.

Most memorable moment on a bike: Just getting up the hill for the first time..wait a couple of months, and a road bike ,then I will have more stories.

[BeeLady]

Real name: Lauren

Where do you live? San Antonio, Texas and DeWitt County, Texas

Explanation of your handle: Tend three bee hives

Explanation of your avatar: pretty tree in the yard

Age (general or specific): 51

Occupation: Domestic goddess, cow herder, bee keeper and dog pack leader

Favorite bike: don't know yet - looking at Bianchi Volpe and Surly bikes - want a touring bike

What's in your stable? hehe old Mongoose Threshold, soon to be renamed "Lactate Threshold Goose" (my grocery store bike)

Fastest speed on a road bike? about 37 - have some big hills out in the country and no traffic - didnt know that was fast - thought my front wheel was going to come off - can't wait til I get a decent bike! (Have a computer but don't remember if it was 37 or 39 mph)

Another picture of yourself or your ride? dont have that any right now

What is the biggest lie you've ever told: "That's fine with me"

Most memorable moment on my bike: In second grade when I realized the mechanical workings of a bicycle - how the chaindrive worked, etc. Light bulb moment - have loved bikes since

Most fun ever had on a bike? Just finished a 36-mile event (my first) on my Goose - was a tough ride with lots of hills and a strong headwind the last twelve miles - but felt it "made" me as a cyclist.

[CorsairMac]

Welcome to that board one and all! Holy Smoked Salmon, I was off the board for a few days and it Exploded!! Sorry I missed the comments from LA - sounds like a real whinner! To each and every one of you who've posted here since I was here last - a very warm TE welcome and I hope to hear more from ya'll!