February 29, 2008

NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT 2008

The League of American Bicyclists will be hosting the National Bike Summit March 3-5 in Washington DC. The conference takes place at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

The National Bike Summit offers two-and-a-half days of workshops, training, and meetings with members of Congress and their staff. Hundreds of advocates, industry leaders, and retailers will be working together to get more people out riding their bikes more often. The conference will provide advocates with a unique opportunity to inform Congress of the importance of bicycling, and to educate them on specific bicycling issues.

I am so excited to report that I will be in DC for the conference! If any of you are going to be there I would love to meet you, hang with you, attend a meeting with you or chat about bikes with you. I'm quite the social butterfly and I love meeting new faces. Please track me down at the conference or shoot me an email at [email protected].

I promise to report all week on all the really cool stuff I learn about. I can't wait!

February 27, 2008

NICE WORK LIAM

The National PTA runs a program called Reflections. The Reflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for students. The Reflections Program provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original works of art inspired by a pre-selected theme, while increasing community awareness on the importance of the arts in education. This year the theme was "I can make a difference by..."

Liam entered the program this year in the literature category and wrote a piece entitled "I Can Make a Difference by Riding My Bike to School". It was a good little piece in which he expressed how much fun riding can be for kids while being great exercise. He won 4th place in his category and I'm very proud of him (of course I am, I'm his mom).

On Monday I went to a ceremony and watched him receive his medals, one for participation and one for 4th place. He even wore a collared shirt, nice pants and pulled his hair back in a ponytail. He was very excited about his award.

Now we have got some bigger fish to fry as we are working on a bike rally at his school in the spring. If all goes as planned we'll have a One World, Two Wheels table, water bottles, a tech tent for bike tune-ups, a raffle with some cool prizes (maybe even a bike), helmets, snacks, a charity to raise money for and a great little lap course for all of the kids to workout on. Maybe by raising the awareness and enthusiasm more families will get out their and start riding!

February 26, 2008

CALGON TAKE ME AWAY

I have the flu. Yuck.
I can't workout. Lovely.
I have 4 monkeys. How can you be sick with 4 monkeys? They don't understand a sick mom. You just become someone to jump on while you're lying down.
I got a call tonight from the kid's school telling they have an asbestos problem and school is canceled for Wednesday. Are you kidding me?
I may lock myself in a closet all day tomorrow and leave food and water out for the kids. Do you think that'll work?
AND just to add insult to injury, I'm truly a women on the rag. Super.

The Loveman thought it would be nice to take this photo of me as it says it all. Isn't he sweet?

February 24, 2008

MARDI GRAS BALL

This past weekend was quite busy. First off, the Loveman had a birthday (moment of silence) and everything we did was just an extension of his special day. We had friends over, kids over, workouts, dinner out and then a Mardi Gras Ball complete with beads, masks and crazy hair! Unfortunately the Loveman made it up until the day of the ball and then he got a bad case of the flu.

Of course I still attended the ball. You know me, I will NEVER miss an event or gathering. My friend Offie had invited me as his guest as this was an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Party that was benefiting a youth scholarship that the fraternity supports. There were no fraternities or sororities at my college so this was the first "frat" party I had ever been to. Let me tell you it was a blast! There were some members inducted that night that did some crazy ass step dance that was something out of Riverdance. Then the whole room exploded and everyone made it out onto the dance floor. I danced for a long time, in my mask of course, and boy did I work up a sweat. I was soaking wet!

I've decided that the next time I have an indoor cycling session I will wear the mask to maximize my calorie burning. Not a bad idea...and I'll make sure to take pictures.

February 23, 2008

THIS IS HORRIBLE

Images1
I am a Libra. The symbol for Libras is the scale. Libras search for equality and are probably the fairest, most even keel people you could meet. Our characters on a whole are balanced, diplomatic and even tempered. I pride myself in being all of those things. So here's where I have the problem. I can't make a decision to save my life! Picking out a movie, ordering off a menu or buying clothes can be a horrifying experience for me. Never fails, I break into a sweat and beg for someone else to make a decision for me. It's truly torture.

So here I am with so many names for my new Trek 2008 Trek Madone 6.5 WSD. Thank you to everyone that emailed me and contacted me with names. But unfortunately I can't make up my mind. I'm driving myself crazy!

Here's a few of my favorite ones.

Phantom
Steve
Lightness
Slick
Goodness
Strunze
Lucky Star
Ice
Mad One
Doug
White Lightening
Privilege
Freddy

I PROMISE to have a name by the end of the week. I'm gonna have to flip a coin or something...I may just have to let me kids decide. That's usually how I make the majority of my major decisions in life. Thanks for your patience!

February 21, 2008

THANK YOU SUSAN

I received this email a few days ago and I really felt the need to share. It's still hard to believe that people actually read my blog much less are inspired by it. Wow. Very very cool.

Hi Susan,

I am design engineer here at Trek. I graduated from college about two years ago and work for the OCLV carbon group. I was part of the team that designed your newest bike. I had never ridden a road bike until this past summer when a bunch of the guys forced me into it and made me start riding to work with them. Let me tell ya it took me a little getting used to, to get up at 5am to ride the 15 miles to work!! (I'm not really a morning person..still kind of stuck in college mode.) I started on an '08 Madone and fell in love instantly. Up until last summer I had been a downhill free rider and claimed I would never be one of those spandex wearing sissies...little did I know how much work a road ride can be. I rode in the Trek 100 in June and was able to keep up with the boys until the last ten miles. All and all I finished averaging 18.5mph, which as a beginner I was very proud of. Heck I was proud I finished 100 miles at all!!

Anyways the main reason I am emailing you is to say thank you. Reading about all your adventures helps remind me why I love my job on those days when I feel like I might scream if I see another bike! Crazy as it may sound, when you stare at bike parts and frames all day everyday you start to forget how amazing biking can be and the impact it has on people's lives. So thank you for giving me inspiration on those days when work seems a little dull. Whenever I hit a mental block in designing or can't handle another minute of CAD work I read your latest postings and feel a bit better when I dive back into work.

Best of luck in all your adventures and in coming up with a name for the newest bike!

Jen Weber

Composite Design Engineer

Trek Bicycle Corporation

Thank YOU Jen and the entire OCLV carbon group for designing a kick ass bike! Keep riding and reading!

February 19, 2008

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND STOP THE INSANITY!

Ok, so I'm sure you've all heard about the Amaury Sports Organization (ASO) barring Team Astana, in which Trek sponsors, from competing in any race or event organized by the ASO in 2008. The ASO runs pretty much runs all cycling events in France including the Tour de France. Not so nice.

Why you ask? It's because this year's team is paying for sins of last year's team even though this year's team is completely different. We all know what that's like. If you had a big brother or sister that was a sneak or a bully in school then you were immediately pegged a trouble maker when you entered the class years later. Guilt by association. Sad but true. Well this isn't high school it's the real world and that's what's happening to the new Astana team of 2008.

Stickers The new Astana team has totally cleaned up their act. I would even go so far as to call them squeaky clean. As a matter of fact Levi Leipheimer has never been implicated in any drug scandal. Unfortunately the ASO could care a less. It's a bum rap. What a shame...especially for Levi Leipheimer and the entire Astana team. Can you imagine working so hard to achieve a dream and then to have it taken away? It's a load of crap.

So what can you do? Well here it is. A website was just set up yesterday in support of Levi in trying to get him back into the tour. The more people that sign the petition and get on the Let Levi Ride website, the better the chances will be. Write a letter, get a shirt, a button or a sticker. Do something and Let Levi Ride! Thanks in advance for your support!

February 18, 2008

THE BIGGEST LOSER - Part 2

Yes, yes and yes, the biggest loser is still happening!!! I know I have been ignoring the topic for a while and I apologize but sometimes dealing with weight loss can be such a drag. Just looking at my back fat in the mirror can put me over the edge. Is there really any reason why we can't just shave our fat off with a big ass potato peeler? If life was so easy...

So it's week six and I am down 12 pounds. I am steadily losing a pound or so week and I'll take it. Yes, I'm eating right, working out and sending some pretty serious voodoo to the other contestants. But, come on, losing weight sucks! I can be a little bitchy about it if I like, right? Although I must admit that I am enjoying my daily breakfast of low fat oatmeal with a spoonful of flaxseed for got measure. If nothing else it keeps me clean as a whistle.

Here's my strategy...I'm gonna be slow and steady and then in the last two weeks I'm gonna spend 3 hours a day in a sauna in addition to working out, eating only figs and drinking water with lemon. I am not prepared to lose this competition so ladies, "Get ready to rumble!"

PS - The above photo is my fab friend Molly (who I work with) and I in the Bahamas. Molly is the organizer of the biggest loser contest and I must say she is going strong. If there's one person I wouldn't mind losing to it would be Molly...but that's it!

PSS - The photo of me...I just couldn't resist.

PSSS - I still have no idea why every bloody person that comes to the Atlantis has to have their picture taken in that silly chair...but hey I was doing it just like every other idiot that walked by. Peer pressure I guess.

February 16, 2008

AN AWESOME RIDE, IN MY GARAGE

Tonight I had a great ride. It started in my garage, continued in my garage and ended in my garage. I didn't use lights nor did I wear my helmet or any of my winter gear. If I can't be outside with my new love then I need to start riding him inside.

It was also my make-up session for the Cranky Cupid Spin Challenge. I had every intention of being a part of the challenge but that thing called life just got in the way. My daughter Kiley had a class party where I painted faces, I picked up V-day presents for my monkeys, I picked up my girlfiend's 3 darling children so the parents could be free for V-day, then I made a big spaghetti dinner and had a bottle of red wine. Before I knew it there went my day and my workout. Sometimes you need a rest day.

So there you have it...me, my new love, in a garage. Nice.

PS - Feel free to keep submitting names for my Trek Madone 6.5 WSD!

February 14, 2008

SPINNING SLACKER

Remember my trainer, Mary Daubert? You know, the former Olympian and mountain biking world champion (still wondering why she trains me)? She is one cool cat and I had the pleasure of meeting her when I was out at Trek in January. She sends me schedules, advice, different programs in strength training and is all around supportive of what I do.

While we were in Madison we did some spinning together and she touched on some important points. Yes, we've all heard many of these things before but whether or not we're actually doing them is another story. The constant reminders are very effective for me because it is so easy to become a spinning slacker. You figure, what the hell, no one is watching so you can get away with whatever you want. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we've all been there but bottom line we are the one's that suffer in the end.

So here are some basic reminders...

1. Make full circle movements with your legs. Feel the power all the way around the circle. It you don't feel the fat jiggle constantly then you are not doing it right. Feel the power from within baby!

2. Pretend you are wiping poop off of the bottom of your shoe. Poop stinks and you want to get it off...plain and simple...on the bottom of the pedal stroke of course.

3. Keep your shoulders and elbows relaxed. No one wants to look like Pee Wee Herman on a bike.

4. Keep a light grip on the handlebars. Tight grips lead to teeth clenching which leads to butt clenching which leads to constipation. Need I say more?

5. Look up!!! What is so freaking important about looking down at your bike (unless you're riding a gorgeous Trek Madone 6.5 WSD). But seriously, raise your chest and tuck in your chin to raise your head rather than hyper extending your neck. Do you think giraffes are sexy?

6. Don't move your freaking body like you're at an 80's disco party. Stop looking like your having an epileptic seizure on the bike, just stay still. No rocking allowed!

Ok - so now go and practice. That's what I do every day. Keep up the good work riders.