"The Video" & Sharing

I must address some moonlighting: yes, I have another blog. I love blogging. When presented the opportunity to blog for Trek, to a wider, women-focused audience, my arm jolted straight up into the air, "YES, PLEASE!!" 

But I couldn't abandon my original blog, An Adventure Called Bicycling. It's where I've stored so many ride photos, videos, how-to posts, rants and raves and general inspiration regarding bicycling. I look at Google Analytics (site visit counter) in awe, imagining my collective audience sitting in an auditorium to hear what thoughts, discoveries and news I have to share about bicycling. Sometimes I find that I write not just for the audience-- but for myself. To hold myself accountable to never stop exploring.

The real driving force, though, is that sometimes I receive notes of thanks for particularly inspiring posts that encouraged people to do something they've been putting off, or didn't think they'd ever do. Wow. That feels just amazing.

I bring all this up, because never have I received so many thanks for a post, than for THIS VIDEO. 

What We Saw: TransAmerica Bicycle Tour 2009 from Rebecca Jensen on Vimeo.

While I may be applauding myself and my efforts right now, my point is to encourage ALL OF YOU, readers out there-- to think about how you can share YOUR adventure, whatever it may be. If you're bicycling through the winter for the first time, if you're going to train for a triathlon for the first time, if you're a mother, toting her children to school behind a bicycle instead of an SUV.. you are having a positive impact on your community, but don't stop there! Think about how you can SHARE your experience with more family and friends. Take snap shots of your new bicycling adventure (be it commuting, traveling or training) and make a simple slideshow on iMovie, then invite friends over for drinks and a show.

This is just to say-- you don't have to ride your bike for 3 months in order to be inspiring. Every little adventure-- across the country or to the grocery store-- is an adventure worth sharing.

Go share!!

Ditto on Good Samaratans

Now that we're on a kick listing our best experiences with complete strangers I needed to add my 2 cents worth.  Where to start?  maybe with the fact that over about 10 years we have completed 4 or 5 delightful STP weekend rides- 200 miles in 2 days.  Mt. Rainer on your left, valleys and forests and the best rest stops and sag support you could ask for.  In fact SO good that a rider doesn't  even notice the horrendous traffic and dangerous intersections - that's because the communities and volunteers come together to support the ride; they divert traffic, close off intersections, have police officers directing traffic.  Riders are oblivious to the coordination it takes to move all those bikes and riders, 10,000 strong, from Seattle to Portland safely.   Since we had not been able to do this great ride for a few years - we decided "let's just go out and do that STP route on our own, unsupported". Bad plan!

Fit Your Bike

You may or may not have noticed that my Madone-- is indeed not a Women's Specific Design (WSD).

That's because Trek-- is really, really cool. Let me explain.

When I showed up to Trek Headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, we got sized to our carbon beauties-- because fit is OH SO IMPORTANT when buying (or winning!) a new bike. It doesn't matter how fancy your bike is-- if it doesn't fit you. A poor fit can cause discomfort, pain and reduce your efficiency. A good fit will cause comfort, elation and speed! 

So we got fit to our new bicycles and in the process of my fit, we discovered that the reach (how far I had to reach with my back and arms to reach the handlebars) on the WSD was actually too short for me, as were the width of the handlebars.

But Trek wasn't about to put me on a WSD bike JUST BECAUSE I represent their women's program.. instead, Trek said, "you know, WSD may fit a majority of women, but not all women. Let's get you on a regular 5.1 Madone," and I'm glad for it.

There is NO reason that your bike should hurt you. If you are experiencing discomfort on your bike-- be it bum, back, neck, wrists.. seek out a professional bike fit through a local bike shop or physical therapist. A full fit costs around $150, but it is worth so much more.

Keep ridin'!

RJ

Another nice person story or two

Cyclists are just good peeps, all 'round. I have hundreds of good stories. 

This is a good one.

Three summers ago I was racing in a local mountain bike race. I was in the middle of a 4 lap race when I got a flat. I rarely flat (gasp! jinx). So there I was, off the bike, getting ready to remove the rear wheel when some dude I didn't even know, who had the same exact bike, GAVE me his wheel. Said he wasn't gonna probably finish anyway. Wow! Now that's some serious good carma in action. I found him afterwards and tried to give him my winnings. He wouldn't take it. We swapped wheels. Holy crap, he even changed my flat. For real, that was awesome.

More nice people

Amy's post inspired me to tell one of my favorite cycling stories.   In August, 2008, I set off from home one early morning for a 100+ mile ride up to Brattleboro, VT for the wedding of my dear friends Abby and Laura.  I was inspired to do my first solo century, carrying my party clothes rolled up in my panniers next to a few spare tubes and a pump.  I google mapped the directions, clicking the "By Walking" option to find a quiet, rural route out of the city and into the gorgeous small towns of southern NH and VT.  But just 15 miles from home, still in the urban belt, I felt the unmistakable jolt of a rear flat.  I found a small grassy patch of lawn and spread out my gear, carefully changing the tube and pumping it up, ready to get back on the road.

The Only Downside

Perhaps the only "downside" of a Trek Madone..

..is that you'll want to stop and take pictures of it all the time. ;)

Nice People

This is for those of you out there who think that the world is full of bad news (it has nothing to do with cycling, though):

This morning, my youngest pitched a huge fit while getting into the car after an errand.  He was literally flinging himself around trying to get out of my grasp.  I had a bag of goodies and my wallet in my hands, and had to put the bag on the ground.  Because I know how spacey I can be, I put my wallet on top of the car so I wouldn't forget it.  Yeah, you know what happened.

Before I even realized it was missing, I got a call from the gentleman who found it.  He had run over it actually, and tracked me down so he could get it back to me - he said it had happened to him, so he understood.  He even gave me directions to where he was working.  And then he wouldn't take a reward, just laughingly told me not to do it again.  

So, Mr. Aldana, thanks again for saving my wallet & a lot of trouble on my end!!  I really appreciate it!

How Omaha Cyclists celebrate Halloween

Each fall, road & mtb enthusiats all come together to celebrate the end of a full season of riding and racing. No, really, it's an excuse to dress up in costume and ride our bikes. It's our annual Pub Crawl and Ryan and I go all out. This year, we were Juno and Bleeker. I musta looked pretty authentic cuz one of my friends back from CO. was shocked when he saw me. Tee-hee. Especially since I just got married, he totally fell for it.

Flying Bikes

Now you've seen it!  Bikes in the sky over Whitewater, Wisconsin.  These are just a few of the many

     

bikes that flew over their Main Street all summer long.  Not a bad community event: it brought me (by bike) to town to see them, bike ride through the whole City, buy ice cream, lunch and snap some colorful photos.  

No savings on daylight

Turned back the clocks today and our season of dark afternoons begins.  Harder to motivate when the sun's down around 4, so I'm making my list of ways to beat the dark as the days get colder.  

1.  Light up the night - Even with blinky lights, reflective gear, and a vest with a strip of LED lights, I'm looking for ways to improve my evening cycling attire.  The brighter and flashier the better.  I'd love to hear ideas about good lighting systems.  I've yet to find a helmet with built-in illumination (shouldn't every helmet have lights?)

2.  Fire up the stove - As I pedaled home today after a chilly ride, my thoughts turned to winter cooking.  I love to bake bread but when I'm getting back from a long day out, famished, I want quick, hot food in large quantities.  Here's a favorite, Yumm Sauce adapted from Cafe Yumm in Eugene, Oregon: