May 14, 2008
The Exciting News!
Our New Addition!
The new addition to our family is called “BATMAN” in commemoration of its stellar grey and black paint job and its sleek “street bomber” lines. It is not a baby, it is a BIKE! It is the TREK SOHO – basically a stiff aluminum mountain frame with muscular disc brakes and surprisingly fast slicks. (Do I sound like I like the bike, or do I sound like the catalog? Bill is making fun of me…)
Anyway, the ride is real smooth and the upright mountain riding position is comfortable with a backpack on. Success! With gas at a gut-wrenching 3.53 a gallon it is a deal.
I have been riding to work on it for about two weeks straight... and I am loving it.
April 27, 2008
Club for Women
Trek just launched a new club for Women this last weekend at the Sea Otter Classic.
We held the first official club party on Saturday, which was a blast. There was cheese, wine, gifts, raffles, and all kinds of women riders. We had everyone there; from first time riders, mothers, and daughters, to Lea Davison, a Pro Rider for Trek VW team. I think we even had a few "WWDR" (women who don't ride) who showed up to the party. They must have come for the cheese. It was fun, and we were glad to have everyone there.
The idea for the club came from the Women Who Ride Contest. It all started when Trek received thousands of entries for their Women Who Ride Contest last year. After reading all of the 500 word essays, the women at Trek ran into two problems; choosing only 5 winners from a pool of incredible women, and harnessing the groundswell fantastic interest in the WWR idea. The Women Who Ride club is the answer to the second question, and if the first party is any indication, it is going to turn out to be a humdinger!
Everybody is invited, except for boys. Here is where you can sign up.
March 17, 2008
Bike with Brook and Brodegard
That is the name of the new class I am teaching at the club. My friend, Brook (who is also a Personal Trainer) had the idea for the class and now we both teach it. We just started on Saturday, but I can tell it is going to be great. It is a cycling class where you get to bring your bike and bike trainer into the club and participate in a great workout. It is a great way to get a workout, but unlike a spinning class, you get to be on your own bike. We only had one person show up to our class on the first day, but I am sure we will get a lot more next week. Thanks for coming Tonja!
We all had a lot of fun during the class. After the hour class was over, Brook still needed to ride for another hour and she also wanted to try out my CycleOps rollers. We set them up next to a treadmill so she could hold on to something till she got the hang of them. After some wobbles and close calls, she had those rollers down and finished the rest of her workout on them. Brook is a tremendous Triathlete, and she is trying to get me to compete in a triathlon this summer. I don't know if I can keep up with her. I might just have to "tri" it out and see.
March 11, 2008
Rolling Away with a CycleOps!
It is fantastic! I just got rollers for my bike. I don't know why it took me till the end of the winter to get them. (Lesson learned- please be advised- if you live in Minnesota, you will need to ride indoors more than a couple of days during the winter) Now that I have them, the winter no longer mocks me with it's cold air, snow and frost bite. I can sit pleasantly inside on my own bike and ride as many miles as I want without getting cold. In fact I got too warm on my first ride and had to turn on a fan to blow on me.
Having a fan actually makes the ride more enjoyable and more like a real bike ride. It is like having the wind in your face.
For those who don't know what rollers are, just check out the picture (The picture is of me just after an outdoor run- hence the warm clothes inside). If you can't figure it out, let me explain. Rollers are like a treadmill for your bike. There are two rollers in the back that your back tire sits on top of. The front has one roller which is adjustable to fit your bike size. There is an elastic band that connects the back rollers to the front one. When you start to pedal, all the rollers start rolling and you ride on top of them. It is a lot of fun! Well, more fun than I have ever had riding a bike indoors before.
CycleOps is the brand of rollers I have, and amazingly CycleOps just sent me a trainer for my bike. I can't wait to try it out. I will keep you updated on my future rides on these two new pieces of equipment. Also, stay tuned if you want to know how I mastered getting on a trainer, clipping in, and staying on without holding on to a wall or table.
Special thanks to CycleOps for the trainer, and to Krista Rettig for her Trek Madone. The road bike I am riding currently is a rental from Krista. Thanks Krista, she rides like a dream!
December 30, 2007
Shout out to Idaho Mountain Touring
As some of you know, I just moved to Minnesota about 6 months ago. When I lived in Boise, Idaho, I worked at a store called Idaho Mountain Touring, IMT. It was by far the best job I have ever had. I got to work with people, and bikes, which is a great combination.
The people I worked with were awesome. Here is a little run down.
There is Chris, the owner, who is a small guy, but he has enough passion for biking to fill an entire room. Bill is Chris' son. The same passion is not there, but don't go easy on him, he can handle himself on a bike (when he is in shape). Brian, is the manager. If you want to see someone do their job really well, go down to IMT and talk to Brian. I can't say enough good things about him. Then there is Kevin. I don't know exactly what Kevin's job is, but he does drink a lot of Green Tea Frappuccino from Star Bucks. Jared is one of the very reliable guys who knows how to take care of business. He can also always be found with his trusty side-kick Todd. (Todd is one of those guys who hangs out at the shop so much that he is not even acknowledged when he walks in anymore- he is treated like one of the employees). Antonio is the superstar athlete who everyone wants to be like when they grow up. Ann is the accountant, and the sweetest lady around. I don't know why everyone said she was so mean about missing a time punch. I forgot to punch in all the time, and she never harassed me :-) Brett is the pro cyclist who only works part time because he rides so much. I rode mountain bikes with him a few times...he is really fast. One time we both rode up to Bogus Basin Ski Resort... but I left an hour before he did, just so he wouldn't pass me. Annie is the fun one who comes to work waiting for something new or exciting to happen. She is also the only other girl who I worked with while I was there. All the other guys I worked with are just as amazing- sorry if I didn't mention your name directly. 
The reason I mention IMT is because I was able to visit Boise Idaho for the holidays this year. It is actually all due to a series of fortunate events. As soon as I moved to Minnesota with my husband, his family moved to Boise Idaho! Now on the holidays I am able to visit my in laws, and friends. It's great!
Idaho Mountain Touring is one of the best places to shop in Boise. The old building with the squeaky floors, and the down to earth, family friendly environment is great. If you happen to visit, it is likely that you will have a great experience that keeps you coming back for more.
I miss you guys at IMT. I can't wait to come back and visit again.
November 3, 2007
Lights Out
I rode home Tuesday night. The main roads home are of three sorts;
freeways, which I can’t ride on, Main Roads, which are generally so
patched and worn that I get full use out of my exorbitantly plushy suspension,
and Side Roads that are generally poorly lit but much smoother.
Tuesday night I rode the side roads. In order to get home I have to
cross over or under three freeways, snake through a curvy section of
neighborhoods and take a long loop around a golf course. Past the golf course
there are no streetlights at all – just one at the start of the road and
one way down at the end of it, acting like an island in the middle of the Atlantic. No cars either; just a mile-long stretch of
newly paved road for me to play on.
So, riding there in the darkness I did something crazy, something I
would never suggest to anyone. I switched off my lights.
At first everything was completely black. Then slowly I started too
see stuff – the white lines on the side of the road, the pale shadows of
the trees beside me and above me clouds masking the stars.
The road was glass; aside from the hum of my tires on the pavement and
the occasional ghost-shifting of a needs-tuned mountain bike (not Trek’s
fault – cables stretch on a new bike) it was completely quiet.
I was starting to think how peaceful everything was, when I hit the
mother of all potholes.
Ka-THUNK! No time for musing when you are trying to hold on to your handlebars
for dear life.
I switched back on my lights and checked everything out. No harm done,
but the lights stayed on for the rest of the trip.
Kind of funny though – when I first hopped on a bike I swore I
would never ride again in the dark. Then I got lights and now I ride pretty
regularly after the sun has set. On
Tuesday I turned off the lights.
What is next? The more and more you ride a bike the more and more
crazy stuff seems normal.
Bill calls it the “Slippery Slope of Biking”
I have promised myself to ride to work at least until the end of
November. By then it will be much, much to cold for anyone to ride.
Maybe.
Talk to you later.
September 21, 2007
It's hard to say "Goodbye"
Well, I just said goodbye to one of the most special things in my life...my road bike. Remember that blue, fast bike that I purchased after I gave back the stolen one? (read "I stole my first bike" blog) Well, that blue beauty is gone now. Out of my life forever. I put him in a box and mailed him away to some guy in Oklahoma. It was really hard to let him go. I apparently had a big attachment issue. Some people can go through bikes like pairs of socks, but I develop relationships.
That bike meant a lot to me because it was such a big part of my life. We went on endless rides together. It took me up into the mountains and through the city traffic. I rode it to work, to class, to soccer practice and even to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July. My very last ride with it was yesterday to the Minneapolis Public Library. Man, I am going to miss that bike.
Today, I wanted to go mountain biking, but I didn't have time to load my bike up and drive to the trails. I had to do some form of biking today...I have the Single Track Escape bike race tomorrow, and I don't want stiff legs. I ended up going to extreme measures...I took my mountain bike for a road ride! Just picture me on my Trek Fuel Ex (yeah, it's full suspension) going around Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun. Well some of you don't have to imagine, because you saw me. Yeah, I know what you were thinking when you gave me that strange look.
Just because my road bike is gone, doesn't mean you won't see me out on the roads. I will just have to have to make a few compromises and adjustments till I get my new road bike. (won't be till December or January) More discussion about the new road bike possibilities later.
It is kind of silly, but I hope to see my blue road bike again someday. A reuniting of some sort. Who knows, it could happen. But until that day, farewell.
Keep Riding!
Note to new owner in Oklahoma: Treat him nice!
September 10, 2007
A Little Shop Talk
I have long since determined that a good bike shop is not only filled with excellent products, but also excellent people.
From chain grease and patch kits to wheel sets and aero bars- Getting the right product (at the right price) is always the number one concern. Names, companies, and designs change from shop to shop, but for the most part, you can get something that works for you in any one of them.
What makes one bike shop different from the next, I believe, is the service that you get. Do the employees acknowledge you when you walk in? Do they offer assistance or direction? Are they willing to spend time with you whether you want to drop a dollar on a power bar, or a couple thousand dollars on a bike? Do women get the same attention and service as men?
To me, it is important to feel like the bike shop wants me, not just my money. When they ask how my bike is treating me, it is not just a fancy “hello”. They really care and want to know how the bike is performing (especially if they sold it to me). I also think it is important, as a woman, to be listened to. I don’t want some kid showing me the line of comfort-hybrid bikes when I told him I like to mountain bike.
Getting the products you need for all your biking adventures is very important- but just as important are the people in the bike shop that help you get what you need.
What do you think? I would love to hear your opinions.
Keep Riding!
August 15, 2007
Girls can do it!
I am living proof that girls can do it. I just finished installing a rack on the top of my car. I had to put on towers, bars, and extension kit and two bike racks. It looked complicated at first, but once I got going it was really simple. It took me a total of two hours, but if I had to do it again it would probably take me half that.
Back in Boise, ID I worked at a bike shop (Idaho Mountain Touring). We got a lot of women who came in for car racks, but they never took them home in their trunks. They would pay to have the shop put them on, or have their husbands install them. I thought that was pretty reasonable. I had never put one one myself, and knew that I shouldn't attempt to install one for a customer since they would be paying for the work.
Now I have a wonderful set of Yakima racks on my car. It is so much better than taking off the wheels and shoving two bikes in the trunk. My car, and bikes took a lot of dents and scratches doing it that way.
Girls, don't be afraid to try something that you have never done before. I am so proud that I have racks on my car finally, but even more proud that I put them on. If you are putting car racks on yourself, I have 3 tips for you:
1) Read all instructions carefully.
2) Clear enough working space. You'll need a lot of space when you lay everything out. If you don't have enough garage space, just take it all outside.
3) Don't get frustrated or give up. You have to do a lot of measuring and it can get frustrating when you measure and move one side, only to find that the other side, which was already in place, has also moved.
The new addition to our family is called “BATMAN” in commemoration of its stellar grey and black paint job and its sleek “street bomber” lines. It is not a baby, it is a BIKE! It is the TREK SOHO – basically a stiff aluminum mountain frame with muscular disc brakes and surprisingly fast slicks. (Do I sound like I like the bike, or do I sound like the catalog? Bill is making fun of me…) 
