Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Upcoming Community Classes

It's hard to believe that come April 7th we'll have been on our Seattle to Portland mission for a year!  What better way to celebrate our almost anniversary than with some links to some area community classes?

Boise Area REI Classes 
(Register for classes on the website here.)

April 7, 2010 7:00 p.m.
Road Cycling Routes in Boise

April 14, 2010 7:00 p.m.
Mountain Biking Basics

April 21, 2010 7:00 p.m.
Basics of Supported Bike Touring

Locate your local REI store here and find out what classes they have for you!



Boise State University Sixth Annual Community Bicycle Congress

This workshop is a great chance to share your experiences as a commuter or to learn tips for commuting via bicycle. I had a chance to attend the workshop on March 24 and it was a great conversation on commuting. (More to come from this seminar this weekend.) Below is a description from Boise State's website on what the Congress is all about.

 This year's Bicycle Congress will attempt to stimulate conversations about womens' experiences in bicycle commuting, and will offer a grassroots mentoring program to help women who strive to balance societal roles and transportation choices. On each of four evenings during March and April, the Bicycle Congress will host informative workshops featuring leaders from the cycling community to promote mutual support and to stimulate public discourse. These recurring clinics (no need to attend more than one) are scheduled from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on the following dates:

March 24 (Wednesday) - Student Union Hatch Ballroom A
April 6 (Tuesday) - Student Union Farnsworth Room
April 20 (Tuesday) - Student Union Hatch Ballroom A
April 27 (Tuesday) - Student Recreation Center Classroom


We hope to see you out there!

Friday, March 26, 2010

The Friday Connection


Hey, it's Friday! What better way to spend your Friday than having a guffaw and a snort or two? Well, to help perk up your day we're sharing a fun link from www.bikehacks.com. It is the Dictionary of Bike Commuter Slang! If you're curious to know what a Babe Ruth, a Tin Man, or a
Weeble Wobbler is, click the link and prepare to be enlightened! 


Happy peddlin'!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Days Two & Three: Learning How to Ride a Bike

As I get another year older *choke* one thing is for sure . . . you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. That same "dog" might be humbled by looking or feeling foolish, but the sense of accomplishment when success is attained is invaluable. 

Enter days two and three of Kristin's Cycling Academy

As someone who generally fears speed, riding with cars, and curbs, this three-day clinic was a God send. On day two (Saturday) we participated in a bevy of skills tests. We did everything from bunny-hopping and curb jumping to off-roading our road bikes. You really had to be there to appreciate the scene. Imagine 20+ women weaving in and out of cones, helmets perched on their heads, intention firmly pasted on their faces. Empowered
Cornering, shifting (a small science in itself), and braking were all practiced, too. All things you thought you knew how to do . . .

What was the difference between the 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday?

Confidence.

The ride in was totally different than the ride out; there was a definite hint of triumph & camaraderie in the air.

Day three (Sunday) was a mixture of the skills we had learned the day prior put to practical use. Riding out to a more secluded rural road, traveled most often by truck and horse trailer, we explored the meaning of cadence, ascending, descending, and bike positioning. 

When mentioning the word descending this usually causes my heart to race, my stomach to float upward, and my brow to start sweating—you know the feeling. Well, I mastered my fear of flying downhill with help from my new friends. My top speed (aka the slow lady's lightspeed) was 26 miles per hour. It rocked!

I can't say I commanded my hill climbing in the same way—I seriously was the weakest link. My legs and lungs weren't playing on the same team, or even mine, for that matter. That said, my version of failure excites me. I can only get better, faster, stronger—if I practice. And I have a lot of practice ahead of me.

At the end of the clinic we all headed back to our starting location using our echelon training. (We learned how to ride in a pack, too.) It was fun, just like riding a bike should be. I think every woman  rode away from the classes a little stronger and definitely more self-assured. Way to rock, ladies!

It looks like a second clinic may be on the horizon at some point (fingers crossed). I have to say, if you ever have an interest and have an opportunity to participate in Kristin's Cycling Academy for women, or any of them for that matter, DO IT!!! You will not regret it.

Many thanks to the K.A.C.A. Team (Kristin, Joe, Liza, Dave, Dave, Jason, Ron). You guys are the bomb-dot-com!

NuunLove


We'd like to give a shout out to Nuun for the Nuunlove. You guys rock! Thank you. Hopefully we get to meet some of your folks at STP in July.

Friday, March 19, 2010

The Friday Connection

Happy Friday!

Today's link of the week goes to a fun helmet vendor whose safety gear is graphically appealing. You can't help but smile when you see their brain bucket designs.



Nutcase Helmets [www.nutcasehelmets.com], based out of Portland, Oregon, has a whole barrel full of fun helmets. They aren't just for cycling either. They have helmets for  skateboarding, inline skating, and scooter helmets. This might just be the place to get a roller derby helmet, too. They also have some cool wallpaper for your computer.

You can find Nutcase Helmets in sporting good stores everywhere. We even saw a handful of designs at our local REI.

Don't be surprised if wearing one of these colorful helmets makes you ride just a little bit faster. :)

Happy peddling!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Day One: Kristin Armstrong Cycling Academy

Day One: Kristin's Cycling Clinic

With front bike wheel in hand—feeling a little conspicuous in my work out gear—I showed up to our meeting spot 30 minutes early. Apparently,  I was right on time. One of the first people I met upon entering the center was Kristin herself. I have to admit I felt a little starstruck. Actually, I felt this way about her whole team. With her she brings a handful of experts; these are the same people who helped her win some pretty important medals. (And they are all incredibly nice folks.)


I moseyed into the back of our meeting room—a key place to observe my fellow two-wheeling friends. I was very curious to see who was attending this camp. Frankly, I was afraid I'd be the only one who wasn't a cycling phenomenon. As it turns out, others felt the same way. As women filtered into the room names, ages, and experiences started bouncing around. The chatter was bubbling over everywhere. 


63

58

53 

No, this isn't a lock combination. These are the ages of just three of the women I spoke with last night. Talk about inspiring! They were all fit, looking younger than their years, and excited to be there. Man, that's how I want to spend 63. How about you?

We didn't spend too much time talking though. We had a lot to learn in three hours.


Kristin and her team went to town. We covered a whole slew of topics—everything from saddle alignment to pedaling mechanics to pain to how to change a flat tire. Yes, I am ecstatic to say I have changed a "flat" on my bike. Now all 20 + of us can help others out on the road if they run into a hail storm of goat heads.  Very, very liberating!


There is a lot to cycling. I kind of equate this clinic to the reason one should take snowboarding lessons. You can have your friends teach you all the bad habits you'll spend years trying to pry out of your brain, or you can go to the professionals and have them teach you the basics—the right way. This clinic is teaching many of us good skills right out of the gate.

This is just the beginning. The fun continues this weekend. Our next assignment involves the word "drills." Yes, it does sound scary—that is exactly why it is going to rock! I'm looking forward to learning some new skills and to forging some cycling friendships that can take me down the road.



Monday, March 15, 2010

Week 100 Miles

Springing forward is a bit hard to do, especially when you're losing an hour of precious sleep time. But secretly I have been counting the days for my buddy, Daylight Savings Time, to arrive. (More daylight = more bike time during the week!) *Woohooo!*

This year, in the City of Trees, we managed to make friends with Father Winter, experiencing a very mild cold season. However, when opening the blinds Saturday it looked like he decided to throw a few flakes at us. Meh. Snow, and snotty wind aren't very inspiring when you're daily agenda says 40 miles or Bust on it.

Hey, I know all you die hard riders are reading this saying, "Quit whining! Suck it up!"  Don't you worry, I did my ridin' on Saturday. I just did it on what I like to call The Rack. You know, in the great indoors on the trainer? I killed it and a couple of episodes of L.A. Ink, too. 


I did manage to get outside on Sunday. Here are some lessons from this week.

Electrolytes are your friend(s).
Water alone is not enough on long rides. You need to get some fuel in your bottle. Whether it is Gatorade, Propel, Powerade, or what have you . . .  it will help your performance when you are looking down the barrel of 2 + hours of ride time.  I discovered Nuun tablets, and so far, I really like them. They are reminiscent of Alka Selzer in that they come in tablets that dissolve in your water bottle. They have a little fizz—not too much—just enough to keep it interesting. They come in a variety of flavors, but aren't loaded with sugar. And they don't seem to be tummy trouble makers.

Joy riding is allowed. I accosted a couple of hills yesterday (okay, maybe survived them might be more accurate) and felt so proud of myself when I was done.  I even ventured into the unknown and toured a bit on Hill Road, which had me a little nervous as there were no bike lanes where I was riding, but I survived.  It's important to change up your the scenery and give your muscles a different work out once in awhile. You don't want to get bored do you? If you need help finding new routes check out Google Maps for bicycles or pick up the Boise Road Cycling Guide (or a map in your area).

There are crazy people out there who might freak you out or make you smile. I was in Garden City, headed to my Greenbelt connection, when I heard a guy bellowing in the street. He was coming toward me from the opposite direction. As I got closer I realized he was on a motorized bicycle. Who has a motorized bicycle?! I don't know what he was hollering about—he sure seemed to be enjoying his bikeped (like moped, but not). I had to chuckle—is it really too much effort to peddle your bike? And don't you need a license for that thing?

Stoked. (Why yes, it is that "90s term.") This week I get to embark on my Kristin Armstrong Cycling Academy adventure! I am totally excited/nervous. It will be three half-days of great cycling information and meeting new two-wheeling buddies. One thing I already know is that I will have the opportunity to change my first tire tube—think flat tire. (No, I haven't had to do this yet. Yes, I should know how to do this.) I'll keep you posted.


Now that we know we can survive 100 miles we get to go back down to 80 miles for this coming week. Here's to a happy, sunshine filled week. Enjoy the new DST! And have a little extra coffee for your Monday morning.

Happy peddling!

Paige

Friday, March 12, 2010

The Friday Connection



Hello Friday! You could not have come soon enough. It's bike ridin' time!

This week's link is a quick one to an online (free) training tool offered by Bicycling.com. If you are  wanting to keep track of your weekly mileage and are a sucker for graphs you'll want to take a look.
You can keep track of your times, heart rate, calories all in one place. It even allows you to see other users' routes (which could be really handy if you're trying to get creative about your rides).


Link:

http://traininglog.bicycling.com/landingpage.aspx

Have a great weekend. Happy peddling!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Google Maps Does Bicycling

Clicking through Facebook this morning I ran across an article (by Bicycle Times) sharing news that Google Maps now offers mapping for bicycle routes. YES! This is awesome news!

I have been playing with the map, which is still in beta, but it is a great tool. If you are needing to map a ride to work or are calculating mileage for a recreational ride you are going to want to take a look Google Maps.

Monday, March 8, 2010

80 Miles Down


Thundering up the path, fighting a headwind, can teach you something about perseverance. The steps to just get on that same path can, too. Here are some highlights from this weekend's rides that you might find useful in your own journeys.


The Presta Valve is a tricky jester. For weeks I have been "filling" my tire up with air and continually it seemed be going flatter and flatter. I decided to get to the bottom of the issue Saturday and fully inspect the presta valve on my slumpy front tire. The secret to the unfillable tire lies in the twist. Presta valves are different from regular (shrader) valves. You first unscrew the cap to the valve, but then you have to unscrew the bottom part of the presta valve (righty tighty, lefty loosey). This then allows you to fill it with air. If you push up on the valve after you've loosened it you can hear the air escape. Who knew!? I don't remember this being in the manual.

I now have been given "the wave." It must be official—the spandex makes this cycling imposter look like the real deal. In the motorcycling world you often find bros with hogs giving each other "the wave" when passing on the highway. It's a signal to say, "Hello, Friend." Well, in the cycling world it appears to be the same. A serious looking cyclist decked out in Lycra and shades gave me the hand signal (the good one) yesterday. It really kind of made my day; I'm a sucker for a friendly hello from anyone on the Greenbelt, especially from a fellow on two wheels. Thanks, Spandex Man.

Do these bike shorts make my butt look big? Eh, who cares?! Please note if you spend any amount of quality time with your bike you will eventually succumb to padded shorts, chamois butter, and goofy shoes. Also notice that at some point you stop caring about how you look in those same shorts in public. I know, you probably think that is impossible, but what starts with a spinning class will quickly move straight to Lucky 13.

Seriously.

The Greenbelt is no place for a cyclist (on the first awesomely sunny day). Kids, dogs, bikes, groups . . . they all want to enjoy the great outdoors on beautiful days, too. If you think you will be able to fly by them, reconsider. Sometimes they are all an accident waiting to happen. I have found the road less traveled by pedestrians can often cause the least anxiety and frustration for the cyclist in a hurry.

Rockin' out makes the miles fly by. In super geek style, I bought a $13 iPhone mount for the Green Steed. Yes I did. I'll get out my pocket protector and glasses now. No matter how you look at it, this bad boy rocks! I can listen to music (at a low volume) and answer a phone call mid pedal stroke.

Friends will push you to do things you otherwise might not. (That can be a good thing). I will be participating in Kristin Armstrong's Cycling Academy next week. I had decided to pass on clinic, but thanks to the encouragement (gentle prodding?) of my friend Monique I will be participating.  Can we say excited?! I sent over an email to find out if there were any openings available and there was one left!  I'll keep you posted on what I learn.

One hundred miles is the mileage goal for this week. I am excited to map out some new routes and push some new limits. I hope the start to your week begins with a bang.

Happy peddling!

Paige

Friday, March 5, 2010

The Friday Connection


Man, another week has flown by and it is Friday again. What does that mean? (Yes, it is the Friday Connection!) And it is a 60 mile weekend (80 mile week) according to our training plan!!

This week's link comes from our friend Monique. It is to an article at the Idaho Statesman highlighting Kristin Armstrong's visit to the Senate Transportation Committee where she testified about strengthening Idaho laws for cyclists. Some laws they are discussing were also hashed out at the Boise City Council Meeting  a few weeks back. It is exciting to have a local cycling celebrity help bring in the fight for safer roads.

In the same article the organization Yield to Life was mentioned. Yield to Life is a non-profit that focuses on creating safer conditions for cyclists. It is a very nice site. It offers tips for motorists and cyclists to help make roads safer.

Safety really starts with education. If motorists and cyclists know the rules of the road we are less likely to have bike/car related accidents!

Safe peddling, Friends.



Links:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/03/04/1104909/kristin-armstrong-testifies-before.html

http://yieldtolife.org/

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Just for Fun


As training gears up (today is a 20 mile ride . . . and it is raining out), I thought I would share a little creative sunshine I discovered this morning. You've seen clocks made from bicycle parts, but now you could have your very own "spoke mirror" hanging on your wall. This decorating with recycled bicycle parts is the bomb-dot-com.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Kristin's Cycling Academy is Finally Here!

As you heard us report a few months ago Kristin Armstrong is offering cycling academies for women. Well, the time is finally here! While perusing George's Cycles website this weekend a snippet about Ms. Armstrong's academy popped up. Here is the the link to the flyer (courtesy of George's Cycles).

And here is the official site for more information.

Can we say excited?! We'd love to have the chance to learn tricks, tips, and skills from our very own Olympian.