FIRST FRIDAYS AT CHESAPEAKE

I pretty much cleared most of my calendar this past weekend just so I could be part of such a spectacular weekend.  Where to begin....hmmmm...

First of all, Let me start by saying that I showered for the Friday event which is a pretty big deal for me.  That's my way of saying "Wow, this event is worth my cleanliness!"

It was first Fridays in Havre de Grace, MD and all the shops throughout town were open and the spirit of everyone was quite jovial.  When I arrived the sky was looking a little dark but I was not going to let that spoil my evening.  I had just dropped off all four, yes all FOUR kids, at the gym for Parent's Night Out and I was alone for 2 and a half hours.  Oh joy!  I checked out the fully stocked shop, did some meeting and greeting and then hopped in the rickshaw.  

My very very strong fellow cyclist Jeff took my friend Priscilla and I (we're a little hefty) around town and it was glorious.  For the first time in my life I felt like a queen.  I waved, sang, drank wine and gave out occasional autographs.  Who cares if people have no idea who I am?  On the way back to the shop I had the superb idea of stopping for beer for everyone.  Well that superb idea quickly turned into a wet t-shirt contest that unfortunately I did not win.  Nonetheless a good time was had by all!

Posted by Susan on May 5, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (1)

CHESAPEAKE CYCLE AND SPORT GRAND OPENING!!!

As part of being a Women Who Rides I have been involved in many Trek events, Trek product launches and Trek store opening.  I've also visited my share of local Trek bike shops as well as all over the US.  With all that being said I'm beyond stoked to tell you about one of the most exceptional bike shops ever. 

Ready?!?!?  Right here in Havre de Grace, MD (my backyard) a couple of my good friends, Ed and Ray, have opened up a bike shop, Chesapeake Cycle and Sport.  Now this is not your ordinary bike shop.  Yes, they have fabulous bikes and service BUT they also have a mobile bicycle service and repair vehicle that is rolling 24/7.  Anytime you need ANYTHING they are at your house or on the road to meet you anytime, anywhere.  Imagine that, personal delivery of parts, rental bikes or whatever!  Heck, I bet they would even stop and pick you up lunch on the way to your house. 

On top of being a really cool full service shop in an historic building they also have a group of employees that are the type of people you would want to hang out with on the road, on a trail, at a festival or at a bar.  They are down to earth, super nice people that love to ride.  They enjoy talking about bikes, teaching others about biking and they get involved and care about the community. 

Now if you thought the Chesapeake Cycle and Sport couldn't get any better....just hang on to your hats.  They have newly renovated guestrooms for a weekend visit, kayaks, a coffee shop in the works and just the right dose of small town charm.  Once you walk in to the place you are so comfortable that you never want to leave!  What more could you ask for? 

SO...if you are around this weekend stop into Chesapeake Cycle and Sport for some grand opening fun complete with food, drinks, bike rides, kayak trips, raffles, demos and lots of fun bike peeps to hang with...oh yeah and they'll be a very special guest on hand....(drum roll please).... ME!!!!  Hope to see you there!

Posted by Susan on April 29, 2009 in Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (3)

AHHH....THE LIFE

FYI - I'm not the only one in Mele Carney household that has fun.  The Loveman is currently doing a 4 day mountain bike ride somewhere in Colorado....and this is what he gets to look at all day.  Poor guy.  His life really sucks right now.

  

Posted by Susan on April 28, 2009 in Loveman the Tech , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

RUN SUSAN RUN!

Out of running, biking and swimming, I like biking the best, swimming second and running is definitely last.  I have tried to love it for years but I just can't get into it.  It doesn't excite, inspire or move me BUT if I want to do triathlons I have to run.

This is the second year I have done the Women's 5K by the Bay in Havre de Grace, MD.  The run is along the bay and is a celebration of women, running and fitness not to mention freakin' beautiful.  A portion of the proceeds are donated to local women's charities and its always powerful and ultra inspiring to be surrounded by 400 women. 

I had a pretty good run and manage to do it in 30 minutes which isn't terribly bad but more importantly, I finished!!!  I ran with old and new friends and then afterward we stopped by my friends' new bike shop, Chesapeake Cycle and Sport.  They sponsored the Women's 5K by the Bay and had an open house for the runners and volunteers which included mimosas, tasty treats and good music.   

After we all fueled up we went out on a chic only bike ride!  I had the pleasure of riding with 4 women I had never ridden with before.  It was an all level ride and I really enjoyed cheering on the other riders and sharing my love of cycling.  I'm telling you riding is totally infectious!  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I get to see women cycling and really wanting to do it just for the love of riding.  Now get your bike out and start riding!

PS - I forgot to mention that all 5 of us were riding WSD Trek bikes!

Posted by Susan on April 26, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Free your Fat , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

GOALS FOR THE SUMMER

When I think of working out I think of a big fat juicy cheeseburger and that's just wrong.  Over the years I have found ways to get away from the eating visualizations and into my fitness visualizations or "goals" as I like to call them. 

Its always good to have a goal.  Whether you achieve it or not its just good to have.  As I have a mentioned in the past I like to have goals as they help me visualize a beginning, middle and end with my tasks.  Deep down goals scare the crap out of me but I really love that aspect of them.  Scare tactics always seem to work...especially with the monkeys. 

This summer I have already signed up for 4 events and 1 is in a holding pattern.

1. Women's 5K by the Bay -  4/26
2. Catoctine Challenge 150 mile ride - 6/26
3. Diamond in the Rough Sprint Triathlon in Maryland - 7/11
4. Northeast Olympic Triathlon in Maryland - 8/16
5. Trek Women's Triathlon Series (Date TBD)

So there you have it.  I've only done 3 of these events last year and they all proved to be big fun but very challenging.  So once again I will start/continue training and hope to have a strong finish with all events.

Now that I have my goals lined up I will crack a beer, eat a cheeseburger and think about them.  Just kidding.  I will start riding a lot more outside and try to eat a bit more protein and a little less fat...ok, a lot less fat.  Is that possible?  We'll see.

Posted by Susan on April 22, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Free your Fat , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?

Recently I had the luxury of taking a family vacation to Siesta Key, Florida for 10 days.  I packed all four of the monkeys into a suitcase and then hopped on a plane headed south.  I had to travel alone because the Loveman had just started a new job and didn't have any vacation time.  As a result, he was only able to join us for 2 full days.  The interesting part is that both of his flights were on different days than ours...hmmmm.  Why didn't he want to fly with 4 kids under the age of 9? Why was he so kind to leave the privilege entirely for me? God I love him. 

Siesta Key is gorgeous and we spend every Easter with my sister, brother, parents, cousins and childhood friends.  It is always a great vacation not to mention a wonderful family tradition.  But there is one thing that this vacation lacks and that is a daily dose of Valium.  Let me explain.  Our condo is about a hundred feet from a pier on the bay, and the pool is about two hundred feet from the condo and then there's a street that is on the other side of the pool that takes you straight to the beach.  I know what you are thinking...every parents nightmare come true.  You are constantly on guard and ready to pounce if needed. 

Now (as most people say) I need a vacation from my vacation of child wrangling, eating, drinking and sheer inactivity.  BUT once I get home I plan on getting back in the swing of things, ie. riding, riding and riding. We are rolling into what may possibly be my favorite time of the year!

Posted by Susan on April 19, 2009 in Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

I BIRTHED MY FIFTH CHILD

For the past few weeks I have been directing a one woman show in New Mexico. I rehearsed in Baltimore and then went to New Mexico for production week.  It was an experience I will never forget.

I directed a woman, Kathleen Fontaine, that I had worked with onstage when I lived in California.  She was writing and performing in a one-woman show about her life.  It was about her troubled childhood, her 15 month addiction to crack and her road to rehabilitation.  It was anything but a comedy.  

The material was very powerful and on opening night I found out how powerful it really was.  In the middle of the show on opening night Kathleen was so nervous that she completely lost her lines, stopped the show, asked the audience to leave and then walked off stage.  As I sat in the audience I realized that the audience was not leaving and she wasn't coming back so I went into the bathroom to get here. 

Long story short....I basically told her to get her ass back on stage and eventually she did.  The show went on, she finished with a bang and the audience loved it.  She had many people congratulate her telling her that the part when she "walked off stage" was their favorite.  No lie.  So I guess it worked and apparently really well. 

The name of the show was Learning to Stay and I think that by coming back onstage she accomplished that.  I must admit that the stress of getting her back onstage and watching her finish the show was a little bit of a nail biter.  As she took her final bow I felt as though I had birthed my fifth child...without the epidural. 

Posted by Susan on April 8, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

THE NEW GIRLS IN TOWN

Bittersweet.....ah yes, its one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands, Big Head Todd and the Monsters. 

Well that's how I'm feeling right now, Bittersweet.  I've been doing this Trek blogging gig for a couple of years and I'm really comfortable with it and gosh darn it I like it!  But all good things must come to an end....sniff sniff. 

This week Trek announced the next five Women Who Ride.  I know that no one can truly live up to the quality blogging that I present to my audience (joke) but I think we should give them a fair chance. 

....And the winners are....  Roxzanne Abbott, Caitlin Hollister, Rebecca Jensen, Amy King, and Mary Strupp.  I am thrilled to death for them and am sure they will rock the Women Who Ride Program.  I think I even get to meet them!

I would also like to say a big thank you to all of the women that submitted an essay.  Your enthusiasm was overwhelming and apparent in your essays.  As everyone knows it is hard to put yourself out there in front of a group of people and then ultimately not make the final cut.  I encourage you all to keep riding and to share your experiences and your love of the bike with every person you meet. 

We all do this for a reason so keep riding and remember its your courage to try new things that makes you a winner.

Posted by Susan on April 5, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (3)

INACTIVITY

Definition of INACTIVITY - Idleness; habitual indisposition to action or exertion; lack of energy; sluggishness.

Ok, so I have been feeling the repercussions of my inactivity.  Why?  Because I'm busy as all hell and my kids are sick so as a result I have been inactive.  Fiona had strep throat last week so she was out for three days, then I rehearsed for 4 days for a show I'm directing in New Mexico this week, then Seamus had a thick green mucus coming out of his nose which translates into "he can't go to the gym nursery", then I went to NYC for my friend's memorial, then Liam got strep throat and the list goes on.  I'm not complaining, I'm just pointing out that inactivity is just another way of enjoying life.  A lot of fun without the sweat. 

So I've only worked out 2 to 3 times a week for the past 2 weeks BUT I've been a great mom and a good friend and that has got to count for something, right?  But I can't help but think about the 2 (yes 2) Olympic triathlons that I've already signed up for this year.  Why Olympic?  I don't know.  Maybe because I figured I'd never be in the Olympics so this would be the one time that I would be doing something Olympic-like...not quite sure what I was smoking when I signed up.  Maybe I just want to suffer.  Maybe I just want to let my fat jiggle for several miles longer than usual....hmmm

Speaking of fat, I noticed that there was a special category for big girls!  I never knew that.  Even though I have gained 20 pounds and clearly fit in the big girl category there was no way in hell I was signing up for it.  If I did I might as well wear a sign saying "I'm one of the big girls, look at me!"  Believe me, people will already know that after looking at me.  Nothing wrong with being bigger but why the hell do we need to telegraph it? 

So once again I have to figure out how to shed those 20 pounds.  Guess I'm back to having my jaw wired.  I have no problem with it, it's just the Loveman that it bothers.  

Posted by Susan on March 30, 2009 in Babes on Bikes , Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOCK OF LOVE

 
So here's a kid I really admire.  He's 8 years old and has been growing his hair as long as I can remember.  He's been made fun of for as long as I can remember.  He's been called a girl as long as I can remember.  Inevitability, every soccer  game, when the opposing team walked on the field, one kid would shout, "I can't believe you have a girl as a goal keeper."  He would just shrug his shoulders and laugh. 

When people called him names he would say "It's ok, I'm used to it by now."  He's never really cared what other people think of him and that's an extremely rare quality in a kid his age. 

With all that being said he decided about a year ago that when he cut his hair he would donate it to Locks of Love.  At seven years old he had no idea what locks of love was but he thought it would be a really cool idea after I told him what the organization was all about.  He new people with cancer, kids that had lost their hair and felt like he could handle his part of the equation.

He grew his hair really long to the point that I was brushing dreadlocks out of it every other day.  We waited for it to get to the perfect required length and then called in the barber.  He had fun with the whole experience and it all makes sense because he is a really fun kid!

He's my son Liam and I love him.

Posted by Susan on March 25, 2009 in Stories from the Saddle | Permalink | Comments (1)