30 Days of Biking Day #3

Plans change.  It's a fact of life and more so, I think, when one involves others.  I was supposed to do a mellow road ride with one of my Velo Girls friends today.  She's an awesome woman who is just getting back on the bike after giving birth to two children.  Mommyhood intervened and she couldn't find a sitter so we rescheduled to next week.

So instead, I headed over to Arastradero Open Space Preserve after my YIN yoga class for an easy spin on the dirt.  My body was actually feeling very fatigued today after the past two days back on the road bike, so I brought my geared Sycip mountain bike instead of my single speed.  This was a good decision, as I got some fun dirt time and some recovery time on the bike.  I also got to test out some recent modifications I made to the bike and continue to dial everything in just right.

http://www.plus3network.com/activity/EFI-Arastradero-on-the-geared-Sycip/1739555

I rode pretty much every inch of the park.  The wildflowers are just starting to bloom -- my favorites Lupine and California Poppies.  They weren't photo-worthy today but should be in the next week or so.  I saw the coyote (on the east trails) and one awesome snake (California King, who I initially mistook for a rattle snake).  The trails were pretty empty except this one group of 10 older gentlemen (who didn't understand trail etiquette but I was charming to them just the same).  The trails were in so-so condition.  After all the rain, it appears some riders didn't pay attention to the seasonal trail closures, and there are lots of ruts.  Hopefully these wear down quickly as folks ride the dry trails.

I thought about riding a second loop but realized that would be silly.  I'm just getting back on the bike.  I've got 27 more consecutive days to ride.  And I'm feeling just a touch under the weather.  I'll save my double loop for Thursday.

California King Snake @ Arastradero

30 Days of Biking Day #2

Back on the bike again for the same loop -- just building back some fitness after my break.  The wind was a bit milder and the temps a bit warmer.  I rode without arm warmers, knee warmers, shoe covers or wool socks.  I made a small modification to my bike fit in an attempt to alleviate a biomechanics issue I've been having.  I'm not certain it helped but it didn't hurt either.  My late start meant that all the distracted moms were out on the road picking up their kids from school (a time I try to avoid riding when possible).

Spring is definitely in the air and I can smell the jasmine wafting through the breeze.  This makes me smile.

http://www.plus3network.com/activity/second-verse-same-as-the-first/1735889

The link above takes you to the Plus 3 Network.  If you're not logging your rides on Plus 3, you should be.  It's really a no-brainer.  You pick a sponsor and a beneficiary.  All of your logged activities count toward donations to the beneficiary.  It's just that easy.  I've gotten lots of friends involved over the years and we have a Velo Girls group on Plus 3.  Click and join, okay?

I love a good challenge.  I'm a bit competitive.  If the 30 Days of Biking Challenge isn't enough, I threw down a challenge to a couple of my friends.  The three of us are competing to see who gets the most "kudos" for the month on Plus 3.  A kudo is the metric that Plus 3 uses to calculate your activities.  If either of my friends tops my kudos for the month, I'll make a $100 donation to their charity of choice.  Game on, suckers!

a beautiful spring day in Los Altos

30 Days of Biking Day #1

After a three-week self-imposed break from the bike, today begins my 30 Days of Biking Challenge.  I hopped on the road bike for a sunny but brisk and windy spin.   After three weeks off the bike, both my cardio-vascular and muscular fitness are definitely way down, but the good news is that my body weight is down, too and I can feel the improvement in climbing even without much fitness right now.

http://www.plus3network.com/activity/golf-ball-be-damned/1731969

stylin' in the new Velo Girls 10th Anniversary club kit

Happy 10th Birthday Velo Girls!

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the very-first Velo Girls ride.  Technically, it was the second ride on our schedule (the first getting rained out on March 10th).  When I launched Velo Girls in 2002, there was no Facebook, no Meetup, and no other sites designed to bring groups of like-minded individuals (in this case women cyclists in northern California) together.  Instead, I built a website, planned a very conservative calendar (2 rides a month) and flooded Craig's List and various newsgroups with the news of this brand new cycling club for women.  Our tagline in 2002 was "Fitness, Friendship, and Fun!"  To my amazement, 46 women showed up for that very-first ride.  The rest is history.

In honor of our birthday, I'm sharing some images of the original "girls in pink."  Which of these do you own?  Do you still wear it?  Which is your favorite?

Happy 10th Birthday to Velo Girls!  May we continue to ride + celebrate 20 years of women's cycling in 2022.

2002 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Lorri Lee Lown

2003 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Lorri Lee Lown

2004 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Voler Team Apparel

2005 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Laura-Anne Sammarco

2006 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Jessica Su

2007 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Sarah Clatterbuck

2008 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Lorri Lee Lown

2009 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Tanya MacNeill

2010 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Bonnie Osborn

2011 Velo Girls club jersey designed by Ingrid McCarty

2012 10th Anniversary Velo Girls club jersey designed by Denise Soultanian

links I Like -- 23 March, 2012

If you're looking for a good read (or 646) this rainy weekend, check out this very comprehensive directory of women's bike blogs from around the globe.

http://bikestylespokane.com/womens-bike-blogs-the-comprehensive-list/

Got a blog to share?  Send her your link!

thirty days of biking

I like challenges like this.  I've done them on my own in the past but this is a fun way to incorporate social media (and to influence others to create a positive habit).  So, starting April 1st, I'll ride my bike daily:  long rides, short rides, road rides, dirt rides, commuting + errands.  I'll post each ride to Facebook and Twitter so you can follow along.  Why don't you join me?

http://30daysofbiking.com/

munday funday -- 19 January, 2012

everything's better on a bike....even for the Muppets!

Links I Like -- 10 February, 2012

Ah, Valentine's Day is on the horizon.  Do you secretly dream of finding love on wheels?  Here are some special Valentine's Day cycling links:


Instructable's How to Make a Valentine Out of a Bicycle Chain -- http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Valentine-out-of-Bicycle-Chain/




Pactimo's Designer Valentine jerseys for women + men -- http://shop.pactimo.com/house-womens-designer-jersey-valentines-day/

SF Gate:  Romantic Bike Rides -- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2012/02/09/NSV91N1PLB.DTL




San Francisco Bicycle Coalition "Send a Valentine" Campaign -- http://www.sfbike.org/?valentines

Pactimo's Sweet Heart Jersey for Women!

10th Anniversary Velo Girls Kit from Pactimo!

I'm just so excited about our new partnership with Pactimo!  I've been riding in Pactimo clothes for the past couple of months and they are by far the BEST cycling clothes I've worn.  I'm even more excited to unveil our special 10th anniversary kit, designed by Team Velo Girls member Denise Soultanian.  In honor of our 10th year, we're offering a full line of clothing, including long sleeve, sleeveless, short sleeve and mountain bike jerseys as well as bibs, shorts, arm warmers, vests, and gloves.  Here's a little sampling of the items you can order (click to enlarge).

Please note, if you already ordered a jersey with your membership, you DON'T need to order again -- I've already taken care of it for you.

In order to receive everything in time for Cinderella, we've got a very short ordering window.  Orders will close at 10:00am on Monday, February 13th.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to get one of the coolest-looking kits for women on the road today!

To order, go directly to the Pactimo Store:  http://order.pactimo.com/teams/velo_girls_club

You'll need to create a login and enter the password:  velogirlsclub

dream it, do it

Have you ever dreamed of changing your life and re-defining your career?  Check out this great video  from ABC7 about Velo Girls sponsor Gina Centoni of Alioto Centoni Restoration + Development and how she transitioned from the board room to a hard hat.  While this might not seem a traditional career path (especially for a woman), Gina found that her management and analytical skills enhanced her business partnership and has been key in her success in a new industry.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8522413

Thanks for your support Gina + Mike!  We're thrilled to welcome you to our family of sponsors for 2012.