Why Are you Here? Your Genesis Story.
06-12-11, 01:43 PM
#51
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 84
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I had just turned 12 and a new kid my age named Matt moved into the neighborhood. The day after they moved in, I saw he and his parents ride away on matching fancy racing bikes, returning several hours later. I couldn't imagine a ride lasting that long! I had never seen one of those bikes close up, and when we eventually met, he showed me their Peugeot bikes, and I've been hooked ever since. As soon as school let out for the summer, I worked every day for several weeks at my father's plumbing shop to get enough money to buy my own 10 speed racer bike, a Schwinn World Traveler. It was 32 lbs of steel and canary yellow paint, plus 10 gears to keep it moving forward. Overnight I went from riding a banana seat Huffy to a modern road bike.
I began going on early morning workout rides with Matt and his mother, both of whom would often join the father for another ride in the evening. And of course, Matt and I went on additional lengthy rides as often as we could (two 12 year old boys, no cell phones, miles from home). By the end of that summer, I joined the three of them on a 120 mile, two day group ride (several hundred, supported, we all slept in large tents overnight) along a scenic river valley in NW OH.
Today I enjoy riding throughout the scenic mountains that surround Los Angeles. To the north and east are the San Gabriels with two beloved mountaintop finishes -- Mt Wilson which overlooks Pasadena, and Mt Baldy. In my immediate neighborhood are the Santa Monica mountains which run parallel to the Malibu coast. While the climbs don't exceed 2500 feet in the Santa Monica's, they offer plenty of challenge, and there are many route and distance options to keep you coming back for more. On any given weekend morning, the Malibu coast and Santa Monica mountains are owned by thousands of roadies.
Thank you for asking. I enjoy all your stories.
I began going on early morning workout rides with Matt and his mother, both of whom would often join the father for another ride in the evening. And of course, Matt and I went on additional lengthy rides as often as we could (two 12 year old boys, no cell phones, miles from home). By the end of that summer, I joined the three of them on a 120 mile, two day group ride (several hundred, supported, we all slept in large tents overnight) along a scenic river valley in NW OH.
Today I enjoy riding throughout the scenic mountains that surround Los Angeles. To the north and east are the San Gabriels with two beloved mountaintop finishes -- Mt Wilson which overlooks Pasadena, and Mt Baldy. In my immediate neighborhood are the Santa Monica mountains which run parallel to the Malibu coast. While the climbs don't exceed 2500 feet in the Santa Monica's, they offer plenty of challenge, and there are many route and distance options to keep you coming back for more. On any given weekend morning, the Malibu coast and Santa Monica mountains are owned by thousands of roadies.
Thank you for asking. I enjoy all your stories.
06-12-11, 02:09 PM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Orange, CA
Posts: 2,201
Bikes: Roubaix / Shiv
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Boring story....last year I simply bought a house. It happened to be about 75 yards from what is probably the longest MUP in SoCal...30 miles of nonstop pavement...one way goes towards the mountains, the other towards the beach. I bought a bike to use on this MUP, and next thing you know we have 3 bikes, a bike trailer, and I've done half a dozen century rides.
So, thanks go to the tax dollars for building a great public resource.
So, thanks go to the tax dollars for building a great public resource.
06-12-11, 02:15 PM
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 984
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Mine is not as extraordinary as some you the others, but I wanted a road bike. I thought they looked cool. I thought all the gear looked cool.
What has kept me on the bike is a combination between endorphins and extreme physical challenge.
I came from a world of golf (so I had the gear lust part down), and I was quite good at it. Not great, but it got me a scholarship. One day it stopped being fun and I quit the team and the school (I ended up graduating from a much better university in the end). Golf was physically challenging (I could not walk 18 holes without feeling extremely tired), and one day I looked in the mirror at a fat 19 year old and thought "when did I get fat?"
I wanted to lose weight, but had tried running when I was in high school and got a mean case of shin splints, and I hated running. I thought maybe cycling is my thing. So I asked for a bike for my birthday. I loved it. I love how a hill can make you suck air at 5 mph when you first start and then one day you are sprinting up it at 20 mph and are not even breathing heavy. It also helps your weight. I began at 225 and ended at 170.
It has given me so much and I hope to be able to ride until the day I die.
What has kept me on the bike is a combination between endorphins and extreme physical challenge.
I came from a world of golf (so I had the gear lust part down), and I was quite good at it. Not great, but it got me a scholarship. One day it stopped being fun and I quit the team and the school (I ended up graduating from a much better university in the end). Golf was physically challenging (I could not walk 18 holes without feeling extremely tired), and one day I looked in the mirror at a fat 19 year old and thought "when did I get fat?"
I wanted to lose weight, but had tried running when I was in high school and got a mean case of shin splints, and I hated running. I thought maybe cycling is my thing. So I asked for a bike for my birthday. I loved it. I love how a hill can make you suck air at 5 mph when you first start and then one day you are sprinting up it at 20 mph and are not even breathing heavy. It also helps your weight. I began at 225 and ended at 170.
It has given me so much and I hope to be able to ride until the day I die.
06-12-11, 02:19 PM
#55
Maximus
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The details of my life are quite inconsequential ... Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament ... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon ... luge lessons ... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets ... When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds — pretty standard, really. At the age of 12, I received my first scribe. At the age of 14, a Zoroastrian named Vilmer ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum — it's breathtaking ... I suggest you try it.
06-12-11, 02:24 PM
#56
Artificial Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Cyberspace
Posts: 7,159
Bikes: Retrospec Judd, Dahon Boardwalk, Specialized Langster
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6798 Post(s)
Liked 5,509 Times
in
3,245 Posts
The details of my life are quite inconsequential ... Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament ... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon ... luge lessons ... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets ... When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds — pretty standard, really. At the age of 12, I received my first scribe. At the age of 14, a Zoroastrian named Vilmer ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum — it's breathtaking ... I suggest you try it.
06-12-11, 02:25 PM
#57
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 8
Bikes: Orbea Aqua T23 - 2011
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I am here because:
1. me in a race-fit cycling jersey is a ridiculous site...
2. I would like for it not to be
I have already pedaled away 12 lbs...
My wife picked up a 2nd hand bike for $100 a few months ago... I picked up an entry-level bike so I could ride with her... I love it... can't wait to go the next time each time I hang it up in the garage.
Peace...
~Notto
1. me in a race-fit cycling jersey is a ridiculous site...
2. I would like for it not to be
I have already pedaled away 12 lbs...
My wife picked up a 2nd hand bike for $100 a few months ago... I picked up an entry-level bike so I could ride with her... I love it... can't wait to go the next time each time I hang it up in the garage.
Peace...
~Notto
06-12-11, 02:32 PM
#58
Boricua Newb Roadie
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Posts: 336
Bikes: CAAD10 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
06-12-11, 02:37 PM
#59
Medicinal Cyclist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mohawk Valley/Adks, NYS
Posts: 2,807
Bikes: 2003 Klein Q Carbon Race; 2009 Giant OCR-1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks--I will. Here's why:
https://coloncancer.about.com/od/stag...a/Exercise.htm
55% ain't nothing to sneeze at. No better motivation to keep at it, IMO.
https://coloncancer.about.com/od/stag...a/Exercise.htm
55% ain't nothing to sneeze at. No better motivation to keep at it, IMO.
06-12-11, 02:50 PM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SE Minnesota
Posts: 12,275
Bikes: are better than yours.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Thanks--I will. Here's why:
https://coloncancer.about.com/od/stag...a/Exercise.htm
55% ain't nothing to sneeze at. No better motivation to keep at it, IMO.
https://coloncancer.about.com/od/stag...a/Exercise.htm
55% ain't nothing to sneeze at. No better motivation to keep at it, IMO.
__________________
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.
06-12-11, 03:15 PM
#61
Medicinal Cyclist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mohawk Valley/Adks, NYS
Posts: 2,807
Bikes: 2003 Klein Q Carbon Race; 2009 Giant OCR-1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hey, you're catching on. "Doctor's orders" and all that. That's what we call "playing the cancer card."
06-12-11, 03:27 PM
#62
Senior Member
Had not rode a bike since I was a kid. I went through life as a runner which kept me in decent shape despite a fairly hectic, stressful job. As I hit my early forties, I was still adding pounds and points on the blood pressure. Plus, the knees and ankles were starting to complain about the pounding of running. Pulled out the mountain bike from years gone by and liked it but I wanted to go faster so got a road bike. It's been addictive every since.
06-12-11, 03:55 PM
#63
Peloton Shelter Dog
We did the patent drawings.
__________________
https://www.cotsiscad.com
https://www.cotsiscad.com
06-12-11, 05:12 PM
#64
Stratiotika ktemata
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Vero Beach, FL
Posts: 286
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
In 2005 we had a hurricane that knocked out electricity in my town for 2 weeks. During that time, no one had gasoline either. And there was a dawn/dusk curfew.
Life was boring. In order to have anything to do once the sun went down at night, I bought a $50 used schwinn from the 70's and just puttered around town on completely empty roads.
A 6 months later, one of my friends who was into cycling convinced me to get a decent single speed to commute to and from work, which I did. Going from an ancient crappy schwinn to a new single speed road bike was amazing. My rides went from being 10 mile rides at 14mph to 25 mile rides at 18mph. I became addicted to the exercise and the speed.
Shortly after that, I started following professional cycling on TV and I got inspired to try racing. I bought a TT bike (I was in love with the technology and the fact that it was the absolute fastest bike speeds I could achieve solo) and did my first couple of races in 2008. I was slow and horrible.
I kept riding but on a TT bike it's hard to get the type of base mileage in you need to be competitive as a racer. I bought a used road bike from craigslist and my cycling took off. I went from going 250 miles a month of training to 500. As you can expect I got a lot faster. In 2009 I made huge efforts to train, and I got my first podium as a racer. I kept up my ~500 mile a month training for a while but I plateaued. In 2010 I rededicated myself. I now average around 700-800 miles a month with lot's of structured interval training, and I eat right. I haven't had fast food of any sort since August 2010 and my results have been excellent. Since my first race in 2008, it's been about 3 years and my performance continues to improve.
The funny thing about all of this, is that none of it was planned. When I bought that first beater schwinn, I never planned on buying a real road bike. It was simply to kill time since we had no electricity. When I bought the single speed I mocked the idea of ever wearing lycra and racing. When I bought my TT bike, I did it for speed not to race. I raced on a lark, and enjoyed it. I bought my road bike not because I consciously wanted to ride more miles and do longer rides or do road races/crits, but simply because the craigslist deal was too good to pass up.
Even after I got my road bike, I only really committed to racing and training hard by accident. I was riding solo one day when the local fast group ride overtook me and I caught onto the back of the pack and held on as long as I could as they geared up for the final sprint. I would say getting dropped that day was the turning point. From then on, I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be.
And now I am doing what I want to do and I am what I want to be.
Life was boring. In order to have anything to do once the sun went down at night, I bought a $50 used schwinn from the 70's and just puttered around town on completely empty roads.
A 6 months later, one of my friends who was into cycling convinced me to get a decent single speed to commute to and from work, which I did. Going from an ancient crappy schwinn to a new single speed road bike was amazing. My rides went from being 10 mile rides at 14mph to 25 mile rides at 18mph. I became addicted to the exercise and the speed.
Shortly after that, I started following professional cycling on TV and I got inspired to try racing. I bought a TT bike (I was in love with the technology and the fact that it was the absolute fastest bike speeds I could achieve solo) and did my first couple of races in 2008. I was slow and horrible.
I kept riding but on a TT bike it's hard to get the type of base mileage in you need to be competitive as a racer. I bought a used road bike from craigslist and my cycling took off. I went from going 250 miles a month of training to 500. As you can expect I got a lot faster. In 2009 I made huge efforts to train, and I got my first podium as a racer. I kept up my ~500 mile a month training for a while but I plateaued. In 2010 I rededicated myself. I now average around 700-800 miles a month with lot's of structured interval training, and I eat right. I haven't had fast food of any sort since August 2010 and my results have been excellent. Since my first race in 2008, it's been about 3 years and my performance continues to improve.
The funny thing about all of this, is that none of it was planned. When I bought that first beater schwinn, I never planned on buying a real road bike. It was simply to kill time since we had no electricity. When I bought the single speed I mocked the idea of ever wearing lycra and racing. When I bought my TT bike, I did it for speed not to race. I raced on a lark, and enjoyed it. I bought my road bike not because I consciously wanted to ride more miles and do longer rides or do road races/crits, but simply because the craigslist deal was too good to pass up.
Even after I got my road bike, I only really committed to racing and training hard by accident. I was riding solo one day when the local fast group ride overtook me and I caught onto the back of the pack and held on as long as I could as they geared up for the final sprint. I would say getting dropped that day was the turning point. From then on, I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be.
And now I am doing what I want to do and I am what I want to be.
06-12-11, 05:14 PM
#65
Senior Member
Had become a couch potato...
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
06-12-11, 05:37 PM
#66
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: mass
Posts: 38
Bikes: Banshee Paradox, jamis satellite, giant nrs 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hit 37 years old and 234 lbs and I was able to balance a sub on my belly. I finally said enough and decided that if the big guy upstairs called it wasn't going to my own fault for lack of effort. I then bought a entry level bike and started cycling. I think of my wife and beautiful daughter every time I lack motivation to ride. After 11 months I hit 197lbs and hope for many more healthy years with my family, my bike, and the cast of characters here in BF.
06-12-11, 05:40 PM
#67
Elite Fred
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Edge City
Posts: 10,945
Bikes: 2009 Spooky (cracked frame), 2006 Curtlo, 2002 Lemond (current race bike) Zurich, 1987 Serotta Colorado, 1986 Cannondale for commuting, a 1984 Cannondale on loan to my son
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 60 Post(s)
Liked 43 Times
in
19 Posts
Had become a couch potato...
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
I'm just a guy that has been riding bikes for a long time.
Major props to you.
06-12-11, 05:50 PM
#68
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 621
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i became pretty much sedentary after graduating from college 3 years ago, i was working long hours and kept making excuses for why i didn't have time to work out. the bad eating habits didn't start until late last year, i gained 20 pounds within 6 months and decided to do something about it. i quickly got bored with the elliptical so i started taking my exercise outdoors but the running was just too rough on my knees. when i was out running on the bike/hike trails at Terry Hershey Park, i couldn't help but notice how fun cycling looked, so i talked a friend into letting me borrow his old bike that he was trying to sell and went on a group ride with them and i've been hooked ever since. the best part is that i got back into shape, lost those 20 lbs, and it doesn't even feel like work because it's just so much damn fun riding.
06-12-11, 06:43 PM
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Daly City, California
Posts: 858
Bikes: Trek 2.1, CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I started because I got my ass kicked by friends when we climbed up the mountain (it's a small mountain). I ended up beating all of them a few months after I got a road bike. That was 2 years ago. Just this year I won the sanctioned bike race up the same mountain. I like the cycling community, especially the racers so that's why I ride and race.
06-12-11, 06:49 PM
#70
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: So Cal
Posts: 1,153
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I'm only 22 and got into mountain biking when i was 19. Would go with my cousin as often as we could and it was a blast. Suddenly i stopped riding and my mountain bike collected dust.
Now before i even MTB'd i weighed in at 240 pounds, i'm 5'11. Senior year of high school i decided its time for a change in lifestyle so i shed 100 pounds. Completely changed my diet and played basketball almost everyday after school with friends. Felt really good and wanted to get into mountain biking as it was something i was always interested in. I was never really good at any sport, yeah i played basketball but i wasn't the greatest player. I just played cause it was a good workout and i enjoyed it since i was able to play with friends.
About a year later i got into the fixed gear scene, yes i know, shame on me. I didn't know anything about hipsters and that culture and not even a year of building up my fixed gear i decided to get a real road bike and threw the fixie on craigslist. I didn't want to associate myself with hipsters and there way of riding. Sold the fixed, bought a road bike and its been an addiction since. Been a serious roadie just over a year now and i'm loving it.
Now before i even MTB'd i weighed in at 240 pounds, i'm 5'11. Senior year of high school i decided its time for a change in lifestyle so i shed 100 pounds. Completely changed my diet and played basketball almost everyday after school with friends. Felt really good and wanted to get into mountain biking as it was something i was always interested in. I was never really good at any sport, yeah i played basketball but i wasn't the greatest player. I just played cause it was a good workout and i enjoyed it since i was able to play with friends.
About a year later i got into the fixed gear scene, yes i know, shame on me. I didn't know anything about hipsters and that culture and not even a year of building up my fixed gear i decided to get a real road bike and threw the fixie on craigslist. I didn't want to associate myself with hipsters and there way of riding. Sold the fixed, bought a road bike and its been an addiction since. Been a serious roadie just over a year now and i'm loving it.
Last edited by wrr1020; 06-13-11 at 12:14 AM.
06-12-11, 07:05 PM
#71
You blink and it's gone.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dundas, Ontario
Posts: 4,436
Bikes: Race bike, training bike, go fast bike and a trainer slave.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Started riding about 15 years ago, right after getting separated from my first wife...
I had been on a bit of health kick, I was 28 overweight and needed to change. I first started with diet and daily brisk walks which shave off about 30lbs, but that started to get boring...So I started riding. I started on an old 10speed I had, but wanted to buy a new bike so bad...Wife did not feel it was necessary...A bunch of other crap was going on that told me it was time to move on, for my own sanity and the first thing I did was by a mountain bike. I started riding that thing everywhere and quickly fell in love with the sport. I got addicted fast and got a bad case of upgraditus with the MTB. Along the way I met a woman who was also getting into the sport
We started mountain biking together a few times a week and before long were dating...Then married...Honeymooned in NC, TN, doing as much MTB'n as we could
After about 7 years on the MTB's we thought that getting some road bikes would be good. A way to increase our mileage in the spring and improve our cardio for the MTB'n we were doing...Well hot damn! we got hooked, but bad...You see with us MTB'n was becoming a bit of a problem because I was technically stronger then her. So a lot of our rides turned into hurry up and wait adventures. That and she had a habit of crashing, and crashing hard...BUT! She never quit...I remember one time outside of Collingwood Ontario she came down a rocky descent and I heard the telltale signs of a impending crash...Banging, cursing and a cry....She augered herself into the ground, cut the bridge of her nose and I'm sure was a bit dazed. I asked, want to call it a day? She said no, let's keep going...
Well on the road bikes we didn't have that problem...We could ride together, she was right there with me...pushing me and me pushing her...We grew together as road riders and now road racers
We both want the best gear we can afford and we both want to be the best riders/racers that we can be...
It's actually kind of funny because at our club TT's I'm always sent out a minute before her...She's on a full TT rig, me a road bike with aero bars...Usually we finish within 30sec of each other...
In less then 3weeks she's heading to the Canadian Masters Nationals and I'll be right there cheering her on...I'm skipping them, I'm good, but not that good
I had been on a bit of health kick, I was 28 overweight and needed to change. I first started with diet and daily brisk walks which shave off about 30lbs, but that started to get boring...So I started riding. I started on an old 10speed I had, but wanted to buy a new bike so bad...Wife did not feel it was necessary...A bunch of other crap was going on that told me it was time to move on, for my own sanity and the first thing I did was by a mountain bike. I started riding that thing everywhere and quickly fell in love with the sport. I got addicted fast and got a bad case of upgraditus with the MTB. Along the way I met a woman who was also getting into the sport
We started mountain biking together a few times a week and before long were dating...Then married...Honeymooned in NC, TN, doing as much MTB'n as we could
After about 7 years on the MTB's we thought that getting some road bikes would be good. A way to increase our mileage in the spring and improve our cardio for the MTB'n we were doing...Well hot damn! we got hooked, but bad...You see with us MTB'n was becoming a bit of a problem because I was technically stronger then her. So a lot of our rides turned into hurry up and wait adventures. That and she had a habit of crashing, and crashing hard...BUT! She never quit...I remember one time outside of Collingwood Ontario she came down a rocky descent and I heard the telltale signs of a impending crash...Banging, cursing and a cry....She augered herself into the ground, cut the bridge of her nose and I'm sure was a bit dazed. I asked, want to call it a day? She said no, let's keep going...
Well on the road bikes we didn't have that problem...We could ride together, she was right there with me...pushing me and me pushing her...We grew together as road riders and now road racers
We both want the best gear we can afford and we both want to be the best riders/racers that we can be...
It's actually kind of funny because at our club TT's I'm always sent out a minute before her...She's on a full TT rig, me a road bike with aero bars...Usually we finish within 30sec of each other...
In less then 3weeks she's heading to the Canadian Masters Nationals and I'll be right there cheering her on...I'm skipping them, I'm good, but not that good
06-12-11, 07:14 PM
#72
Has coddling tendencies.
I met my wife at this time. One day I saw a hot, young athlete, locking up her green motobecane, with downtube shifters, and I made some small talk. Soon we were pedaling together in the Mountains on weekends. Then one thing led to another and now we have five bikes and a tandem.
06-12-11, 07:17 PM
#73
Has coddling tendencies.
06-12-11, 07:46 PM
#74
Vandalized since 2002
Love this thread, btw.
I grew up in a small town in Idaho. Only way I had to get around with any sort of freedom was by riding a bike until I got my license at 15. After that I soon stopped riding. When I moved to Moscow to go to the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!), I couldn't afford a car so I bought a MTB to get around on and soon started riding it more on the local trails than to and from classes. I got married in '06 and moved 10 miles west to Pullman, WA and tried riding a few times to Moscow on the MUP between the two cities and craved some skinnier tires and no suspension. I soon bought a steel frame Jamis that I threw a rack on and some panniers for the commute. I use it less for the commute now (especially since I graduated in May) and the panniers are just collecting dust. However, the Jamis and I have a lot of fun pedaling up and down the hills of the palouse. Truth be told, she would probably be a better suited to cyclocross than the road, but whatever.
I grew up in a small town in Idaho. Only way I had to get around with any sort of freedom was by riding a bike until I got my license at 15. After that I soon stopped riding. When I moved to Moscow to go to the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!), I couldn't afford a car so I bought a MTB to get around on and soon started riding it more on the local trails than to and from classes. I got married in '06 and moved 10 miles west to Pullman, WA and tried riding a few times to Moscow on the MUP between the two cities and craved some skinnier tires and no suspension. I soon bought a steel frame Jamis that I threw a rack on and some panniers for the commute. I use it less for the commute now (especially since I graduated in May) and the panniers are just collecting dust. However, the Jamis and I have a lot of fun pedaling up and down the hills of the palouse. Truth be told, she would probably be a better suited to cyclocross than the road, but whatever.
06-12-11, 07:51 PM
#75
Peloton Shelter Dog
Had become a couch potato...
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
Was diagnosed with a cerebral cavernous malformation early last year. The "healing" process was torture and left me unable to walk or move on many days. My neurologist, who is now one of my best friends, was training for an Ironman. Decided that as soon as I got my strength back I'd never miss another chance to be active. Short and sweet.
__________________
https://www.cotsiscad.com
https://www.cotsiscad.com