the brenda report

Lost my composure ......

2011-04-29T15:04:00.001-07:00

Today I lost a friend -- Jeff Kargola. ~ RIP OX
Walked into a nice restaurant here in Atlanta International to have good glass of wine and burger. As I sat here contemplating my father's life after stroke, I got a call from Micky telling me that our good friend had an accident in Mexico and didn't survive. I promptly had a second glass of wine...just for OX (of course this glass was mixed with tears).

Not a good day at all.

Ox, I pledge to remember your smile, your positive attitude and most of all, the good feeling you created in others just by being around. Thank you.

totally Worth It.

2010-12-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

I am of the mindset that personal health ranks right up there with financial stability.
But I am also one who likes change and diversity....meaning, I love my bike but honestly, cycling has burned me out a bit. It just cannot be my end all be all avenue for exercise. So...instead of grunt and groan and be miserable about burnout, I did my research and found something new! I just joined the world of "boot campers" !!! Haha no kidding. I started a new training regimen with a couple of great coaches here in Anaheim. Now I am finally rediscovering my personal love of fitness and am feeling a bit like a kid again!

I feel like a quack saying this but I was getting lost inside myself without new opportunities and outlets to make me happy....and thanks to these guys I am finding a whole new level.

Woooohoooo....

not so sudden realizations....

2010-11-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

--parenting from 500 miles away is not the best plan.
---exercise really does make a difference.
-sleep is essential.
-i am in love.
--- i am not scared to get old, but i am scared to become old.
-there are plenty of adventures that absolutely must blend in with daily chores.
----shedding unnecessary people is a bit like shedding unnecessary weight.
-saving pennies is still worth the effort.
--absolutely nothing compares to the bicycle.
--i miss blogging.

Learning something new :)

2009-09-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Forty is the new Twenty ;-)

ahhh ok...i'm 40 today.

2009-07-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

going to check my birth certificate just to make sure this is true. ;-)

stoked...

2009-07-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

Myles is my blessing. Getting to share my love for the bike with him has been one of the most amazing experiences of parenting so far :)

I love(d) my Jetta TDI until I met a bad day with my camshafts..

2009-07-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

Trust in your car maker?? Hmmmm. That's going to be a tough thing for me to do from now on. My car needs camshafts at 73k and it is one hell of a costly repair. The service manager at the dealer suggested I seek financial assistance from Volkswagon because he felt the part had worn out prematurely. To use his words exactly ..."never seen camshafts wear out this early before, they shouldn't"...

Well VW turned down my request.

Alot of internet research tells me this is an ongoing problem with these seemingly great cars, but even though I now understand better just what the heck was going on and why the part has failed (by the way....i did every thing right with the oil so it wasn't that!), this is not an easy pill to swallow. I'll be lucky if I can get the repair done for $2k and i just spent $1100 to get the EGR valves fixed. Here we go, into the money pit.......... :(

btw-- i know its all twitter and facebook these days but i sure hope this blogpost helps anyone who has the same problem as me thats doing a google search! here is a little reference for you in case you are reading and you want more proof.
http://www.justanswer.com/questions/1jj6e-06-jetta-tdi-running-rough-idle

a real good day...they just keep coming

2009-06-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

this wasnt taken today or yesterday or even the day before that, but it was taken on a sunshiny day, in a beautiful place, at a wonderful time --with the most amazing person.

Wahoo........

thats right. wahoo baby.
(and darn right...two wheels rock this picture too!)

MAMA...

2009-06-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

How adorable is that? A mama duck making her way with seven little ones....
And you know what was as adorable (to me anyway)? I was with Myles, we were riding beach cruisers to get tacos for dinner down near the pier on Main Street, he was really taken by the little creatures, and maybe more into them than me! It was a magical little event in our daily life....

So sweet to see my sixteen year-old into that.

Cherishing the "lucky mama moments".
ps) he beat me in the coasting race on the way home...little bugger used my draft!

pedal time always equals a smile...

2009-06-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

After a couple of very long days, I finished up my business and anxiously hopped on the bike, excited for some pedaltime. It was a Tuesday in Pasadena, and you know who..in all her buzy-ness, had completely forgotten about The Rose Bowl ride (one of SoCals well known weekly training rides). I was simply looking for some way to enjoy the evening on my bike after the long days of driving and traveling. My good friends at the bike shop (who also forgot it was Tuesday) gave me everything I needed to be complete including directions over to The Rose Bowl. Off I went on the maiden voyage, quite stoked on my plan for a little mini-adventure around the infamous Pasadena spot. When I rolled up to the big bowl, everywhere that I looked I was greeted by all sorts of hustle-bustle, as tons of people had the same idea I had and were out and about getting in their daily dose of fresh air. That kind of "other people" energy is inspiring to me, and I suddenly found myself enthused for putting in a few good efforts around the loop. As I turned in with the flow of everyone (clockwise please) I saw a nice smooth open line on the open road on front of me and I began to increase my speed. I got the legs going as I pushed into the gears ...click' click' click'...big ringing it, 90 rpms. Solid, and feeling my body come alive. I went for a nice big effort around the majority of the loop until I felt the burn. Naturally, the moment came as my legs reached a peak. Ok..time to rest.

Such a good feeling....
My heart, my lungs, my legs all stimulated.
My mind satisfied.
My smile on.

And so there I am --happily soft pedaling off to the side, enjoying a little breather, enjoying the "aliveness" of my once sleepy body. A good moment.

Then....all of the sudden, like I had just entered a dream, a HUGE pack of riders came sweeping by me at what seemed like lightning speed. It took me a second to equate the moment, I was still in my own little world...then it hit me, "oh yes, THE Rose Bowl Ride!"

I had hit the jackpot.

It took an effort to jump on, but man it felt SO good to get my groove on in the pack that it almost felt like someone was tickling me! What an instant treat. I loved feeling all of my senses really coming alive as I navigated the pockets of space, and the changing wind direction, zinging my way around in the pack, my heart beating solidly --thumping in my chest. LOVE that feeling.

I kept thinking "I gotta go"..."dinner plans"..."long drive" --but my legs and my heart just kept going, my mind saying "one more lap"... "oh that was fun, okay one more lap" vroom vrooom. "alright, just one more lap then I HAVE to go!" ---

Get the picture? ;-)

It felt so good to ride like that again. I didn't attack, or try to be at the front, or anything like that --I was simply enjoying the feeling of racing again, it felt so natural to be in this element.

Grateful moments indeed.
And since when does one ever just stumble onto a ride like that, unplanned?

And so ...that picture I posted above is testament to the bike. Me smiling on my spin back to my car, so thankful for a pleasant little pedal adventure, on a random Tuesday night.....

Peace out.

Proof that the bike is still being ridden ;-)

2009-06-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

Smiles are beautiful

2009-06-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

How can anyone not love a smile. And I for one...love people and I love capturing their energy with the camera (even though I am a total amateur!). I was actually a little embarrassed taking this shot (can you imagine me standing with these kids, lined up on "their" wall just so I could get a moment to snatch a picture for my "day-tripping in the rep world" photo album). I just needed a split second when they weren't gawking at me wondering what on earth I was doing there lined up like them.... the only female, AND without a board. Ha.

This was a moment indeed.

It was a great moment. The shot was taken in Las Vegas at Pharmacy Board Shop --one of my newest dealers. These guys are SO nice and So mellow and SO cool. No wonder all the kids want to hang out there!

I'm coming in close to two years ago when I was offered the position to come on board with this side of the industry and although it has been a WILD ride learning the ropes, there is never a moment that I do not appreciate the gift of being in this career.

Ride on Ride on...

there was a time when old school was new

2009-05-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Old School BMX Reunion & Show ** Highlights & Invitation ** from Old School BMX on Vimeo.

I'll be in attendance this year :)

Glen Helen --outdoor season opener.

2009-05-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Krista and I made it a day of Mojo madness and took our Ibis bikes out to the track to watch the big guns take on the big hills. Wow. Man oh man oh man those are some steeeeeep hills and serious jumps! Major respect for motocross....

ps) Tecate goes well with sunshine, dirt, and braaaaaaaaaaaaaap ;-)

Cinco de Mayo on the 6th...

2009-05-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

So I spent Cinco De Mayo working, working, working and completely forgot it was the annual May "party" night, until I was doing and evening jog and these cars went rippin' past me --one after another in this hilly neighborhood that resembles Fountain Grove in Santa Rosa. I was in Trabuco Hills (a beautiful area in the OC for hill training) getting in an almost "too late in the evening" workout after watching Myles run an impressive 2:12 800 meter race (injured) in a in a high school track meet. It took me awhile to realize that all those people zipping past me were "late" for the party --wherever the party was. I however, was quite content with the moment and my evening and the fact that I actually made my son's track meet! --and in the end, totally enjoyed a late night jog under a soon to be full moon.
Then Wednesday came along and after work off I went to join the guys for a one day late "Cinco de Mayo" mountain bike ride. There were tequila shots (none for me thanks!) and there were Tecates (don't mind if I do!) and there were sombreros (wish I had taken a picture of Lopes wearing his!). It was a grand time indeed...plus we celebrated Joe's (my friend Joe Lawwill's) birthday....so there was also a little chocolate birthday cake presented after tacos and beer :)
Good times for sure.....

Laguna Canyon is remarkably beautiful. If you haven't ridden up around the hills there, I hope you get to do so someday...the views are absolutely stunning and totally worth the trip.

Enjoy the ride...

I am getting a serious itch....

2009-05-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is Michele Johnson...one awesome woman. Mother of two, kick-ass mx rider and women's racing advocate. Luck me to meet her....."braaaaaap".

my new "kit"

2009-05-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

this is my new outfit for picking Myles up at parties..........

Myles gets lucky....

2009-05-02T16:25:00.001-07:00

...and finds a lost and lonely Ben!

XTREMEY AWARDS 2009

2009-04-29T10:21:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful evening, that's all I got to say.

LUNA FEST

2009-04-23T22:40:00.001-07:00

I'm happily attending. whoo whoot.

Pay to Play....

2009-04-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have had plenty of great times lately, whether with work or play --and both on and off the bike. But getting this patch of Poison Oak was enough to stop me in my my tracks for a wee bit. It was just that small little barrel roll crash from the Laguna Canyon ride I posted about recently....then this little bugger crept up on me and went ballistic. Its all over now.....phew, no more ooze and itching! For the record, this stuff called Kool-n-Fit Spray for bruises, arthritis etc etc... was THE ONLY thing that finally killed it. I ALMOST went to urgent care, and as a matter of fact was on my way... but I just couldn't stand the thought of prednisone, so I took one more trip to the health food store and loaded up on that spray and tea tree oil and non-stick pads and tape and all the goodies to be my own doctor. This time it worked.

Guess it is safe to say "spring has sprung", and so have all the plants!!!

Reunited......

2009-04-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well Myles is here...FINALLY.

This is a pic from our first "adventure" now that we live together again. The time has come. It's been a bit bumpy getting things going, but we are on a good roll now.

Phew.

EASTER....2009

2009-04-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Religious --or not.

Hallmark Holiday --or not.

....I have to say this Easter is one of the most special ever. I might have to have some help eating up on this bunny ;)

words to live by.........

2009-04-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Ain't nothing sweeter....

2009-04-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Laguna Canyon is full of little beasts. Yesterday I met Stair Step courtesy of Joe.

2009-04-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is just one section of the trail "Stair Step" to show you what I mean as you read this little story of yesterday's ride.

My life has been full of all different types of workouts lately, definitely not your usual "bike racer training life". For example ---I have been running wherever and whenever I can fit it in, cross training conditioning at the gym, or practicing yoga late in the evening in a quiet corner of the cardio room, and even lately been doing sprint intervals on the bike after dark on quiet streets in Huntington Beach. Between work and all of life's demands, I have had a hard time making it out on the bike in daylight during the week, so being creative has been key ---but yesterday I made sure I was ready to hit the dirt by 5pm. I had been itching do to a ride with the guys for some time and was super excited to finally make it back out for a wednesday ride.

Here is how it went:

I meet Joe, it's chilly. He gives me an extra jersey that might as well be a mini dress on me! We bolt off towards the first climb (i swear mountain bikers don't do warm-ups!),our goal being to go get in a quick "little up then down" loop before meeting the group.

I just follow Joe in complete trust...
Joe says to me --"have you ever been up Stair Step?" I reply -- "no, never heard of it" (and what i guess happens next is that he must have had a little smirk on his face knowing full well what torture he was about to introduce me to..but since he was in front of me I couldn't see his reaction when I told him I didn't know of this trail). Let me just state that Joe is VERY good at just throwing me right into to the wolves when it comes to trail introduction....now I am just used to it and wouldn't have it any other way. It makes it all so cool not knowing what's next! The only thing I wished I had done/noticed is that I had left my front fork locked out because the last ride I did on my mountain bike finished with pavement hill repeats and I forget to release the fork, which made Stair Step even more of a challenge for "Miss Rookie" Laguna Canyon rider.....

Anyway, after a bunch of curse words and run-a-bike efforts --as well as a few monumental moments clearing some tough stuff --I finally made it to the top where Joe was patiently waiting for me. Then we skirted swiftly across some rollers and went onward to Telonics to attempt to get down fast enough so as not to miss the start of the "group ride" --- I took one look at Joe knowing full well what kind of descending I was in for and said..."hey hey hey..don't bother waiting for me, have a good ride --I'm cool on my own".
He was sweet enough to say you go to the right up here at the junction and I'll go to the left to see if I can catch them and hold 'em up for a minute.

Hahaha... a minute. Impossible.

Not only did I crash down what seemed like the dustiest day ever on Telonics, when I tumbled, somehow my bike seat landed on my calf and gave me the biggest charlie horse ever --i was stuck in the pedal and i couldn't move for like two minutes!...then I finally get up and start to walk down this dang hill to a spot where I can remount the bike (keep in mind, my top tube is tall and makes it hard for me to hop back on easily), but here's the funny part, as I am walking I slip on the "dusty" trail and go tumbling and sliding out of control with my bike rolling with me and ultimately landing dead on top of me ---- that part made me laugh out loud.

God you gotta love adventure hey.

So, needless to say, I roll by the pit and the ride is long gone, so I take myself on a little journey up Canyon Acres (one of the best ever "rideable" sustained dirt climbs that makes Manayunk Wall look like chump change) then I head up and over the rollers across to Rockit --down and back up and then basically back down Canyon Acres to my car. First I made a little pit stop by that big giant crystal place to rinse off my wounds (yep more rash) and all the dust from my barrel roll. The water running from the pretty crystal fountain was tepid and wonderful. Then onward ho and back to my car right before sunset....

After that, it was back to home to Clo Du Bois Merlot, organic sloppy joes and a tasty organic green salad --with avos and tomatoes. A lovely ending to yet another great adventure in Laguna Canyon.

I truly know how fortunate I am to be where I am, and getting to do what I do....Laguna Canyon is special and is full of challenges, lessons, beauty, and wonder.

On a side note: I can only imagine what all the people were thinking that I passed along my little solo ride when they saw my bloody arms and my body coated in dirt from head to toe --he he he ;)

Let the good times roll....

okay okay....still in love

2009-04-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

Weekend days in the desert.......watching SuperMoto with my young man.

parental management....the greatest challenge of all

2009-04-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

can you even imagine what it's like to go out of your way a BAZILLION times over and over and over and over for a little person you love beyond life. The act of standing by your baby through thick and thin through all of life's stages. the art of making major life choices to improve and grow to be a better person, a better parent --- to work hard to lead by example, show your young one to follow their dreams even if it means sacrifice. To believe in "truth" ---to follow the light, to respect and listen to those who know and have been ther before and ---to trust that mom is not a ding-dong that was born yesterday? Man oh man.....do I owe my parents THE BIGGEST APOLOGY ever.

good luck to all the parents out there who are raising teenagers, and best of luck to all and not be marred or jolted by the teenage years. it makes no difference sometimes how good you are, or what doors of wisdom you open to show them the way. rebellion, challenge, defiance etc etc etc.....it comes in all shapes and sizes regardless, no matter what ---and no matter how hard you try to save them from the stumbling blocks..

wow....was i just like this???? i wonder??? hindsight is......

CALI

2009-04-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

This little guy is the sweetest, and most gentle little tomcat out there. He is all healed up and has been back to the vet to make sure...
LOVE HIM..

...one more from the fundraiser day.

2009-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

love this shot. 90mph felt like cruising :) :)

Now that was a wonderful day--

2009-03-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

....and all for a GREAT cause! I've ridden my two-wheel pedal bike up Palomar Mountain, but doing South and East Grade on a Ducati was a whole different kind of treat .......words cannot describe the feeling of being on the back of a bike driven by one of the best. Pure luxury.

OH BOY....

2009-03-25T17:16:00.001-07:00

The parents are visiting.....stay tuned. ;)

Sweet hey.

2009-03-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Now that's a HOT looking Fuji Track Pro.......lucky me to meet this guy and his bike at random along my daily route. Made me smile fosho.

Time to get an alarm clock....

2009-03-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

So... its just been me and my silly little cell phone every night ever since I moved down here for my new job. I haven't got a true clock next to the bed. I use this little phone for everything, it goes with me everywhere ...but this ding dong also uses it for her alarm clock too, and guess what?... The phone battery went dead overnight last night (of ALL times!) and I missed my wake-up call to be on a special, out of the ordinary 6:30am conference call with work. Dang....major work foul, I think I'm sent to the bench for this one. Bummer...I hate missing work commitments!!!! ---- nevermind the 6:30am conference call time, don't let that shock you, that's a normal time for us west coasters for our regular Monday morning calls since we have an east coast based company. It's a little odd sometimes, being groggy on these Monday morning calls, but I'm used to them now. However, today was a special Friday call ...and yours truly slept til 7am without the alarm and missed the call.

Man......I suck. You can bet I'm buying an alarm clock today.

I'm kind of liking the looks of this one below. It could make every morning an adventure, and hey...you know me, I like adventures! :)

The clock works like you'd expect an alarm to, but has an ominous little propeller up top that shoots off when it's time to get up. You won't be able to turn it off until you retrieve the prop and return it to its holder on the clock. Just don't sleep with your face toward the ceiling, or with any of the windows open.

Hahahahahaha...wouldn't that be fun.

Girl Time :)

2009-03-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ryan Hostetter came to spend the weekend with me and we had just a fabulous time! Yes, of course the weekend was centered around riding and we rode a beautiful training loop everyday day, but we also made sure to add in some twilight pier walks, nightime pedaltime, tasty dinner eats, special vino, and yum-yum desserts into the weekend as well. Love this SoCal "training weekend" life. ;-)

Anyway, she's a way cool chick, super strong on the bike, and I'm just blown away at the fact that even though we hardly knew each other, we had such a great weekend hanging out. It's cool when life deals you people that really mean something and make you feel that just by knowing them your life is enhanced. That's how I feel about Ryan. If you see her at a race say hello (she's an adorable auburn haired beauty with blue eyes and fair skin....but sorry boys she's married to a special guy!) If you do meet her, you'll see what I mean, she's a great gal. Look for her, she'll be sporting Velo Bella kit (one of my favorite all around women's teams ever for many reasons!!...love you Sabine) and if you watch her race, I bet she'll be making every effort to be right in the thick of the action ---and perhaps find her way to the top step of that podium!

Go Ryan Go ...I might be your new number one fan :)

Flying B Ranch--- compliments of Joe Lawwill

2009-03-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

View Larger Map
Yo People......get ready there is a new thing coming into the world for dirt lovers. Joe Lawwill has been working HARD to get approval for an epic soon to be mountain bike trail park in Irvine Ca. --- and guess what baby?.... it's been approved! We not only need to thank the owner of the land for his generosity and support for mountain bikers, but we also need to thank Joe (and his partners) for their diligence in getting this park approved.

Now this is where you come in....
We ALL need to do our part to make this baby come to life. It's not easy times in the world of money and we all know that.....but we also know that a park like this is the kind of thing that you will be happy and proud to have been a part of supporting so that you can enjoy it, as well as feel good about leaving a legacy behind for generations to come.

So when the time comes......PLEASE get involved, volunteer, spread the word, kick down some money...whatever....just do it. It will be good for us all! :)

Thanks Joe...you rock. And by the way...Joe will be posting more as time comes about breaking ground and getting things going.....I'm just spreading the love and the excitement. Cheers :)

PRETTY IN PINK

2009-03-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

What do you call this? --- perhaps a little "early-season" training prep for taking a slider across the pavement? whatever it was it was a doozy, and a damn good skid. i may have been granted all "10's" by the judges had they been there, for my slide across two lanes only left me with one "new to me" temporary tattoo. although i think that type of sliding practicing should remain in softball pre-season practice rather than cycling pre-season. i must admit i'm pretty darn sure that might have been a record distance pavement slide for me, however i think i much prefer the 180 tailspin view of oncoming riders on closed race circuits versus oncoming cars on open public streets! ....someone was on my side that's for sure. let's just call this a lucky day. i actually feel bad for the lady who braked in the lane i ended up in, she really looked petrified when i made eye contact with her at the end of my slide. the whole deal --the crash i mean, it was nobody's fault, just a training ride where one of things can happen ---and this time it did. how could i let it ruin my day? the day was glorious for many reasons, i just added a little adventure and excitement to go with the warm weather and sunshine. and i am once again learning the art of being grateful. things could have been a whole lot worse.
may i also say how nice it is that the city of Irvine takes such pride in the surface of their roads --for the digger took i had no gravel, no road pebbles, and really almost no grit and road grime on my road rash at all either. that was pretty wild. i swear they MUST power wash their streets when no one is looking!

On Parenting a teenager.

2009-02-28T00:32:00.001-08:00

just a random definition that came to me ---using nature as the analogy.

I liken being a parent of a teenager to witnessing lightning and thunder ---it can be startling, shocking, intriguing, wild, uncontrollable and even down right disturbing....but undoubtedly there is always the most beautiful rainbow somewhere nearby ---usually appearing before, during or after the storm. I choose to focus on that rainbow, and to ride the waves of lightning and thunder as needed elements to bring about the creation of the rainbow in the first place.

Myles Anthony, you are my rainbow. (and as you can see in the picture, he is clearly playing up the lightning and thunder! ;))

Word to morning rituals.....

2009-02-23T23:07:00.001-08:00

Getting the skinny tire itch.....

2009-02-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

These shots are a sample collection of a three week racing trip we did in Europe in The Spring of 2007. That yellow helmet would be the back up helmet I am using now (since I cracked my Giro when I flipped over my mountain bike a couple weeks ago). That yellow helmet sure has been around. The team was "Team Lipton" (for my new friends who may not know my prior race team experience), my teammates were phenomenal athletes as well as all-around amazing women. It's hard to believe that trip was almost two years ago! We were there for three weeks and although we had a smaller team there than originally planned (injuries kept some of our girls home), we still had a great racing experience. We had the privilege of staying at THE SRM house up on a gorgeous hill in Lucca, and honestly....the weather, the accommodations, the people, the experience, the lessons, the racing ....none of it could have been better.
When I look at pics like this it reminds me that I still have the itch to race my road bike......expect to see me out there this year, just can't quite tell you when or where but I can tell you that a certain Wednesday ride I am doing might just make me a bionic woman come summer time! ;)~

KESTREL 2009

2009-02-18T08:34:00.001-08:00

The man behind the plan is Steve Harad (Steven Harad)....go on Google him, educate yourself. He's great guy and is a man with vision for Kestrel that will not disappoint.

....read the post below, I'm not saying we're perfect (not one bike company out there is by the way!), but I read this this little excerpt from a another blog and thought it was worth sharing and noting, especially since mr bikesnobnyc seems to think that all we are is some wack job company that produces bikes without brains and thought and engineering and that only retired dentists will bother caring that we are back in business. Whatever yo-ho....to each their own.

Here's the forum post:
"A little extra positive feedback to Kestrel (parent Company - Advanced Sports Inc. - ASI - maker of Fuji and SE Bikes). Especially to Steve Harad - Kestrel Manager. I had a warranty situation and Steve took care of business! He took special time out from an Ironman Kestrel booth to communicate with me several times and get some action going. Just what one would hope all good business people would do. Also, "job well done" to Roy Hough at Kestrel for getting my frame "in the mail".
On the local front - Nytro took care of the actual Kestrel transactions - David Hull - Customer Service/Shipping and James - Service Manager worked with me in a very professional and positive way.
Disclaimer - I have no connection (other than spending my money) with either of these companies. Sometimes one hears complaints about business dealings - so it is good to deal with some folks that did thing correctly - right from the start to the finish. - and nice to have a great bike again."

Cool hey.

So without sounding like to much of a brat...can I just say "shut up and ride". If we all did that, the world would be a better place ---GUARANTEED. I don't care if you ride a cruiser, a fixie, a BMX bike, a tandem, a comfort bike, a touring bike, a friggin unicycle, a downhill bike, a tricycle, a hardtail, a rigid, a triathlon bike, or a bike made of whatever material.....aluminum, carbon, steel, titanium, bamboo etc etc......you get the picture. Just enjoy yourself already.

Got my ticket, March 23rd -- hot damn.

2009-02-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

The weekend--- Palomar Mountain, Qualcomm Supercross, San Juan Trail, and missing The Tour of California Women's Crit.

2009-02-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

How about that for Palomar Mountain ---

Good thing the Tour of California is passing through The Palomar Pass six days from now, because they're have been some big snowflakes falling and SUPER cold temps up there lately. We climbed it yesterday. It was gorgeous, and freezing, and epic, and lovely all at the same time ----and absolutely PACKED with California people at the top enjoying a little glimpse of what life would be like with "seasons"! It was so sweet and cute to see all the families with their little sleds and big gloves and cozy hats....throwing snowballs and making snowpeople, and even packing their truck beds with snow to take back down the mountain as if the darn stuff was like finding gold!
Having grown up in Ohio, I have to say I just don't have the same oooo-ahhh feeling about seeing snow, but it was nice to see that all those people were having fun romping around up there. --- Of course, our ideas of romping around fun was to make a training day of it, and we opted to ride our bikes up, didn't have any of the cozy warm fleece hats or jackets that everyone else was covered up with (and I tell you those people looked at us like we were aliens showing up at the top on bicycles with skinny little lycra outfits!). So for us it was a mini victory making it to the top in those conditions. We made a quick trip into the general store for a big 'ol hot chocolate....and then zip zip zip, down the mountain we went. After about 2000ft of descending the roads dried out so it wasn't so sketchy, and it started to actually be fun!... I'm not even sure I want to know what the temperature was, but I know for sure it was ridiculously cold....and I think it took about an hour to thaw out at the taco stand when we got to the bottom for lunch!
The IPA helped ;)

It was well worth the trek out there though.....days like that, with tough terrain and far from perfect elements that can leave much to be desired and make you wonder what in the heck kind of love of suffering on the bike this is (is it an an addiction i wonder?!), it sure can on the other hand make you appreciate your body and how it just keeps on taking on the next challenge the mind creates, and it definitely makes ya appreciate and respect mother nature and all of the gifts she gives us. One downer of the day was seeing a roadster moto guy laid out in one of the seemingly endless hairpin turns on the climb ---guess he overshot the turn then lost control and went straight into the side wall of the mountain. By the time we rolled around the bend, he was up and standing in one piece (...shaking like mad and smoking a much deserved cigarette!), but his bike looked like it was going to cost a pretty penny to fix...no bueno... but, better to see his bike all banged up rather than his body! Good thing he did that on the uphill and not while descending...that could of changed everything.

And speaking of banged up bodies, I went out and rode with some of The RADS guys on Saturday morning, my second chance to get out on The San Juan Trail and I was not missing that opportunity! My body was itching for a good mountain bike ride, so I hopped on the plan. We went up the infamous San Juan Trail, around Cocktail Rock...down some crazy root and rut descent and then back up to the rock and down San Juan again. The trails were awesome from the rain and the sun was shining, the views were epic and the company (as per usual) was unbeatable. I was definitely taking it easy, no attempts to break any records up the hill or do any daring "test the limits" descending, but hey....how about this for a surprise...I actually crashed AGAIN!

Gosh darn-it! Don't ask....but I will tell ya.
I thought I had it. It wasn't that tricky and trust me, no one was around so this wasn't an attempt to show off ;)~ It was just one of the many hairpins (San Juan has a whole set of epic hairpins), and for some stupid reason I was pretending I was a BMXer (hahaha...I may be a Lyons but i am not known to have mad BMX skills!), anyway I have been having fun dropping my seat all the way down and descending in the saddle rather than "cross-country" style. So... I had dropped my seat all the way down, approached this hairpin, threw my foot out, pulle the rear brake and made a quick and slick little attempt at 180 degree slide through the turn, but I botched it up somehow and all I did was jam myself up and take another tumble (i'm typically good for at least one crash on every mountain bike ride these days!) It should be known that I am a bit of a noise box when I ride, I make all sorts of sounds and I talk to myself often, I think I must have cussed out loud at myself for the next five minutes after I got up and continued down the trail. It just kills me when I "see" how it can be done ---the technical stuff you know, and I KNOW I have it in me to do it....yet I just keep launching myself into mid-air when I should be staying upright!

All part of the grand adventure, no complaints....just got to keep working at it and make sure I stay in one piece!

So in between these two epic rides, I made a mad dash down to go watch SuperCross at Qualcomm Saturday night. Man... Bubba Stewart walked away with it. He is really from out of this world. And Derek Costella (The All Access rider) who is quickly becoming one of my favorites to watch made the main again! Good going Derek :)
Watching the race at that venue was cool. I had never been there, the facility is really nice and personally, I LIKED the design of the track for the night....and I must add that I also liked The Monster after-party at The "W" in San Diego, that was a sweet spot for sure......

And hey.....we got lucky all weekend, no rain, nowhere at all. Wahoo.
Sorry for the Santa Rosa Criterium ladies, but I can honestly say that as much I missed racing, my weekend was far too enjoyable, still getting to pedal, still being with special friends and still living the dream ----and dang that rain just looked MISERABLE....not my cup of tea right now, for sure.

Nice job to to all the women who kicked ass out there though! --those girls in the break made the smart choice to get up the road, and with the rain, you could have pretty much called it that a break would go and not come back. And one more thing (of course congrats to the podium women), but a special congrats to Lauren Tamayo for making the podium and to Sarah Bamberger who whipped it in for a top five on the day! Way to make it happen chicas!

PROPS to the FEMALE side of the sport.....

2009-02-14T15:01:00.001-08:00

With all the hooplah around every pro men's team getting press and being seen in the state of California while preparing for the big Tour, and of course Lancy Pants and his comeback making headlines and all the other notable and deserving big guns getting media exposure and credit, I would like to take a moment in my simple little blogger page to give props to the pro racing women out there. These ladies duke it out, give their all ---and by the way, make MAJOR sacrifices to basically race for peanuts on the pro-circuit (that would be a very long post to explain some hard facts that the public has no clue about and I just dont have the time or interest to bother with sharing any of that right now, so we will skip that part and keep it all positive shall we!). Anyway, it should be known that the ladies you see in this picture will go down in history as some of the best sprinters that have raced here in the U.S. --- I'd like to give major kudos to all the people, the sponsors, and the fans that believe in, support and do their part to keep things rolling for the racing women in the sport of cycling at all levels.

And man....I wish I had been there to race!
Rock on ladies....rock on.

Winner for the day: Laura Van Gilder (congrats!)
2nd: Gina Grain
3rd: Brooke Miller
4th: Tina Pic
5th Megan Gaurnier

All good intentions came to a crashing halt.

2009-02-13T15:16:00.000-08:00

I had an epic crash. And I do not use the term lightly here....

So much for starting the season off with a bang. I have been diligently juggling a busy work schedule, making time to see my son, and getting in the training to be prepped and ready to go for some of the big races -- including The Tour Of California Women's Race. Looks like all my efforts, discipline, focus and yaddi ya will not help me this time around as the crash I had recently was a hefty one, and I have decided that I won't be making the trek up north to race with the women in The TOC Criterium. I have to admit I wish I could do the mind over matter thing, and just get my arse up there...but something tells me it would be a wasted effort.

And actually, I haven't had much time to think about my own body lately since all of my nurturing energy has been about the kitty for the last week, but now that he has been back to the vet for a little extra care, and is beginning to show signs of himself again, I have had more time to take care of "me" and really pay attention to all the kinks and tweaks. (I even went for a massage, it was the first time I hopped on a massage table in almost a year...jeez there is something not right about that!) Anyway, I had the darn appointment on the books for weeks as part of a holiday gift certificate, but little did I know how appropriately timed this therapy session would be.

Here's the crash scoop:

I had a crash about ten days ago on a great mountain bike ride, testing the envelope a bit on some "new to me" trails. It was a crash that ranks right up there as one of the "top five" most epic tumbles I have ever had....it might even rank in the top three...but for sure as far mountain bike crashes go -it ranks as #1.

It was a doozy to say the least.

It's hard to explain exactly what happened, but the end result was a superwoman launch and a hard hit that jolted my body from head to toe (well head to shins...but almost head to toe!). I was attempting to drop off a steep granite slab and somehow the bike and my body just didn't do it right, and over I went.

I hit the ground ---REALLY HARD.

I hit so hard that I made a very loud sound, kind of like in the movies...as if somebody had just punched me in the gut! Naturally, I was up in an instant...assumed myself okay (ummm can you say killer endorphins) and on I went to finish my ride (although I did walk all the way down the rest of that trail). I was a little dazed and my body was stinging everywhere, but i kept telling myself I was fine. When I made it back to the firepit I think I was still pumped with adrenaline and endorphins because I felt pretty alright for how hard I hit... plus I knocked back a couple of beers, which definitely helped me feel better! ;-)

Well then, along came the next morning. I literally woke up feeling like a freight train ran over me. I think I looked pretty messed up after my crash too, but everyone was being very polite and didn't have the heart to tell me what a wreck I looked like at the pit!! haha.....nice guys :)

Anyway...it took me a day or so to realize that I was pretty hurt. It's funny how it always seems to take a day or two for a crash to sink into the body. It also took me a day to bother looking at my helmet --I didn't even know I hit my head, but I had cracked my helmet dead center on the forehead and tore some of the shell right off of the surface (not sure why i didn't check that after the crash....)
But anyway...as for my body: my neck, shoulders and whole back were wrenched like I had been rear-ended in a car accident. I had "dirt-rash" on both arms, both quads (who gets skinned up quads?!) both knees, one shoulder ...and ahem...one breast (how i got skinned up through my jersey and jog bra is still a mystery!).

Needless to say, the wind has been taken out of my sails. I am healing faster than I imagined I would, but I am still getting little headaches. I have only ridden once since the crash, and dang even though my legs felt great -- overall, I still don't feel 100% (especially in my neck). For those of you who know me and my yoga beliefs...you know I am all about a having healthy spine. I can tell that my back needs some more time to get better. It was a bit of a bummer to pass on all the local racing last weekend, and it will also be a bummer to pass on The TOC race this weekend, especially since I have been riding well (not like i'm tooting my own horn or anything, but sometimes you can just tell when you have good form, and man...little miss weekend warrior was feeling good!).

But I'm no dummy...I know when to say when, and this is one of those times that the needs of my body will to override the desires of my mind ---so I am taking the rest and will miss a great race in Santa Rosa. I will get back in the game when it feels right. Honestly, I know how lucky I am. That crash should have left me in pieces and I'm thankful that I walked away from that one.

One thing for sure ---even though I crashed (rookie rookie rookie) the main reason it happened is because I was giving it a go. This girl is starting to spread her "RAD" wings in the dirt, and I'm ready to test myself on sections that are pretty tough. There is a reason why these rides are epic and infamous, they are ridiculously challenging! I consider it a good thing that I was pushing the envelope a bit...I like challenges, they make me feel alive. But I think I will be taking some downhill lessons from a certified specialist in that department in the very near future!! ;-) ...and it must be said --I intend to clear that entire trail. I know I can do it. yep yep yep.

So about the pics from the day (thank you Bill for the ride shots!)...the jersey/short/helmet pic hardly tells the story of the crash....but you can see how ground in the dirt is on my kit, that ought to explain the hit and the slide! I think the best way to describe my crash would be to say it looked like a belly flop, off a diving board into water...only there was no water....just dirt and granite! The other pics show you just what kind of epic riding that these rides are all about, and you can see the proof that I do walk alot of sections that are a little overwhelming, I don't go out there like a total kook and try to ride sections that are WAY over my head thats for sure...

I will keep going out there with the big boys though....these rides are quickly becoming my new love.....and someday I intend to clear almost everything that they do. practice practice practice.

Word to THE RADS.
They are the coolest group of guys I have ever had the privilege to ride with, and I am super thankful for all of their help, support, encouragement and advice.

Peace

Roots baby...

2009-02-11T10:20:00.001-08:00

BMX OHIO MAGAZINE ---
My parent's contribution to the sport of BMX in Ohio.

What I remember most about this magazine is stapling these guys together in the basement of our home on Derby Rd (back in the early 80's). My parents seemed to have endless energy... always on a mission to tackle projects, and this one was no exception(hmmmm is that where i get it from!)!! My mom and dad, I have to say, were really the driving force behind getting our family into the world of the BMX culture. Sure my uncle bought the first BMX bike for my brother, and yes Todd (and my brother Brad were talented athletes), but the time and effort that my parents put into giving my brother's the opportunity to follow their dreams is absolutely priceless. Watching my dad get my brother's bikes ready, basically being the family mechanic and race coach, and watching my mom consistently get organized and packed, and all that they went through on a regular basis in (Mike Tamayo fashion) to pack and unpack that van weekend after weekend to get our family on the circuit ---well I just have to say....they are rockstars in my book. The bikes were like members of the family --kept right there in the dining room (and no we did not have a big house!). And can I just mention how much time my mom spent in the laundry room cleaning my brothers uniforms(!!). It all just blows my mind actually...thinking about what a full-time job it was for them to do all of that, on top of their regular jobs, and regular home and life stuff ----then they go and start a magazine to boot! Oh yes there's more too...my mom used to sit at the finish line and score at regional events (she was also the only mom in our uppity little suburb who rode a 20" bmx bike to work!), and my dad, being "mister personality" soon found his voice over the loud speaker at races and eventually was hired on to be a national race announcer who (in my mind and many others) was one of the most colorful announcers in the sport!

This was a family deal all the way around.

After having had the experiences that I have had racing road bikes, and having been on teams who have hired folks to do the job my parents did simply because of their love for their kids and for the love of the sport, well that right there is something that I reflect on often and that I can say I am very PROUD of (and yes I just said proud for my blogger friends who think i say "pro" and "proud" too much --now you have another hit for your word search).

Even though I wasn't as brave as my both of my brothers were on the race track..and I dropped out of racing pretty quick (took me almost twenty years to get back on the bike!), I was still a loyal sister and a devoted fan of my brothers--always getting right up front to watch their motos, semis, and main events. And yes...it used to scare me to death to watch Todd get crazy over jumps!
Truth is, I still wish I hadn't been such a little wimp about racing back then, but I wouldn't trade that track-side time for the world. Little did I know how much it would shape my future, and my love for the bike.....

But back to the magazine....I think my parents are the coolest people for recognizing and seeing the need to bring the efforts and accomplishments of the Ohio BMX folks to print in the 1980's. That was really hard work for them, and there was no great financial pay off, or gain to be made. They did it because they loved the sport and the people in it, and they believed in creating community. I'm a lucky girl to have role models like them.

No wonder I live and breathe bikes hey.

And yea yea yea the infamous Wildman is my brother (and my older brother Brad was a great freestyler that not too many people know about). I sure could tell you a ton of stories, but that will have to wait for another post! you could peep TL's site though, he tells his own wild stories! ;) www.toddlyons.com

Anyway back to my parents,
word to my Mom and Dad....love you guys!

Kitty-Kitty

2009-02-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

Our little one is a little injured, and a little out of commission at the moment. :( Times like this make me appreciate how special my animal friends really are.......

In the dirt yo.

2009-02-03T22:55:00.000-08:00

Words from the article:
"Road pro Brenda Lyons (630) took 1st Open Woman. Coming up on her is MBA TestRider Jon Buckell--1st 19-26 Sport, 3rd Pro Super D and 5th in Pro Downhill."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Huge props to Mountain Bike Action for doing a story on the series and big thanks for putting a shot of me in the press...sweet.

Copy and paste this link to see the full article:
http://mbaction.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=D294F416B5814E509AEDDD1022AFBDAE

Thanks to my friends down in here in SoCal and the folks at Southridge Park, I am back to my roots and racing in the dirt! :)
I'm not exactly fast like Pua Sawicki, but I am having a helluva good time out there!

Myles makes me smile.....

2009-02-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

Made a super quick trip up north, and introduced Myles to the world of SuperCross....very-very special.

I earned that beer....

2009-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

At the firepit, post-ride....enjoying some of THE best tacos ever.
ps) did I mention that i love my new Outland RC? :) :)

Amazing Sunset.....

2009-01-28T08:44:00.001-08:00

This is basically the view I had when I left my last shop for the day yesterday. I definitely realize how spoiled I am to be living right here along such a gorgeous coastline.....but wow, I wonder how is it possible that I hardly ever take the time to stop and "watch" the sunset!

That will change.

The only reason I actually saw the sunset was because I knew the highway would be in "go-home gridlock" so I opted to drive along PCH. I will be doing that more often, you can bet on it! And next time, I am stopping along the coast to watch the sun dip into the water.... (if I wasn't already late for dinner, I would have!)

It was absolutely amazing and made me feel suddenly, very peaceful.

worth noting...

2009-01-23T23:47:00.000-08:00

the eyes see more than the voice does tell.

Work the system people, work the system.

2009-01-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ok...so here comes the "race-season" and long gone are the days of United Travel vouchers for flying with the bike to races! ...and NOBODY wants to deal with the high cost airlines have been charging for flying bikes, right?

Well here is one more reason to stand in the A/B/and or C line of Southwest Airlines. (maybe you already know this, but if not, this is worth reading).

As we all know, Southwest Airlines typically has pretty good flight rates for travel, but more notably....look at how you can work within their baggage guidelines, and FLY YOUR BIKE FOR FREE!

With the policy listed below, it could be very simple. Pack your bike in two boxes that will both fit within the 62 inch rule. If you do, your two free checked pieces can be your bike boxes, plus a carry-on, Voila! ...free bike transport.
Or if you don't mind paying $25 each way, then check your one piece of regular luggage, plus your bike... split in two boxes. Looks like a plan to me!

Sure you ALWAYS run the risk of having your bike not make it to your final destination whenever you fly, and by putting your bike in TWO boxes the risk is doubled, ...but still i think it's a chance worth taking to get that bike up in the air for free!

With this baggage policy, Southwest beats any other airline out there! Gotta hand it to 'em sometimes...even if you have to stake your claim in line like you're trying to buy concert tickets! Just make sure you invest in some high quality BUBBLE WRAP!
Happy racing in 2009 people...rubber-side down!

Oh...and here is the official word from SWA.

# Baggage Allowance: Beginning January 29, 2008, Southwest will allow two (2) checked pieces of baggage per ticketed Customer. Size and weight limitations apply.

# Excess Baggage: Effective January 29, 2008, you may check a third bag for a charge of $25. Your 4th through 9th bag or item will incur a charge of $50 per piece, and any bag or item thereafter will be $110 per piece.

# Non-motorized Bicycles, including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, will be accepted in substitution of a free piece of checked baggage at no additional charge provided the bicycle is properly packaged and the box containing the bicycle fits within the 62-inch sizing limit and weighs 50 lbs or less . (Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage). The handlebars, kickstand, and pedals must be removed and placed inside the box. A $50.00 each-way charge applies to bicycles that don’t meet the above criteria. Bicycles packaged in a cardboard box or soft-sided case will be transported as a conditionally accepted item.

scratched up, banged up, and loving it.

2009-01-18T22:58:00.000-08:00

There is something uniquely special about coming home from an epic ride.

The high is inexplicable.

Our ride in The San Gabriel Mountains was beyond awesome yesterday. We climbed on and hike-a-biked so high up that we looked down on the buildings of Los Angeles like they were little cardboard structures...they didn't look real at all. The sky and air were so crystal clear that we could see well beyond the island of Catalina. We talked to, and met some very interesting folks who were enjoying the same views and taking in the glorious day just as we were. Although I must say am not sure if anyone else we saw almost lost their bike and body over a cliff edge (ahem....i did). That was a real humdinger of a crash and adrenaline rush...let me tell ya! That one left me in a state of awe and I instantly felt two intramuscular bruises forming, one deep inside my quad and the other deep in my gastroc (OUCH!!), but of course there was more adventure to be had so onward we went!

And wow....it was cool seeing all the people out,(most of the hikers will hike up part way from the bottom down, or they drive to the top where we rode and hike part way down from the top then back). There was a whole stretch in the middle where we basically had the trail(s) to ourselves. However, we did see one trail-runner dude who actually ran all the way up those trails from where we started! And he was smooth! Very Impressive.

As expected, The San Gabriel mountains did not disappoint. What a beautiful place.

Go there someday if you can. Go by foot, by bike, or (I think we even saw a donkey..) what the heck go by donkey. Why not?

Myself...I will take the two wheeled option as my first choice, but this is one ride you need a Camelback and lots of food...cuz baby "its a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll". Ohhhh, and by the way...the the down hill was insane. Let's just say, strap everything on tight, lower that saddle ...and hang on, because its time to go for a RIDE!

That whole day was one for the books for sure.....me and the little Outlander (my nickname for my new bike) have officially had our first date. I know I know...I wrote about my first ride up at Top of the World a couple of posts ago. But that first ride, although beautiful in its own right (especially because it was my maiden voyage) ...well that ride was more like having a date for coffee or tea, you know. Yesterday was the real deal first date with all the bells and whistles...we had appetizers, drinks, dinner, and dessert.

AND going to Anaheim 2 that evening...now that was a second helping of dessert!
Yahoo.

Wonder...wander....pedal.

2009-01-17T00:14:00.001-08:00

I wonder what's in bloom. Find out tomorrow when we ride there! :):)

wowwwwwwwwwww...i am in the new era :)

2009-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

The latest of my rides...The 2009 Fuji Outland RC suh-weet ride.

Okay..... little miss hardtail has found a new light. May the good graces of speed and inertia protect me, for I see a whole new dimension of riding in my future!
all smiles after finishing the ride...red sunset in the background.
so beautiful.

i LOve this BIkE!

I went to work today with great anticipation. Visiting all three shops on my route, I knew in the back of my mind what was ahead....this would be MY day. I arrived at the trail head with just enough daylight to get a "little taste" of what my new world of mountain biking will be all about. I took my new bike out in Laguna, at a place called Top of The World. What a great name for a place to do a "first ride" on a new bike. I truly FELT on top of the world when I jumped on and started pedaling. It's amazing how a simple bike ride can create so much excitement!! Just me and my bike made the maiden voyage...sure I saw a few people, some with pets, some with walking sticks, and a few with bikes...but it was that time of the day when the number of people and the amount of activity on the trails was beginning to fade like the sunlight in the sky. It made for a very special and serene setting for me to "meet" my new bike in motion. I did one quick loop that included a technical trail called "Rocket", which I am still slightly tentative descending, but I was absolutely amazed at how the bike just rolled right on through it all!

Full-suspension is so forgiving!

I know I make it sound like this stuff is brand new even though the rest of the world has been on it for years and I am just NOW making the switch, so forgive me for sounding like such a dork! For me it's like I have found a whole new sport, and I could not be more thrilled about the endless possibilities that exist in the world of cycling!! I mean wow...he/she who does not ride a bike is really missing an incredible part of life and a part of history in the making. In every decade "the bike" takes a giant leap with the growing age of technology, and it's just amazing how technological advancements through time keep influencing "the bike".
I am the first to admit that I am not a technical person, but this kind of stuff (hi-tech features on modern day mountain bikes) is simply fascinating...it's like it's from another world (to me anyway!!). It makes me understand why bike geeks are so geeky....these designs are SO impressive!! I just wish I cared more about all the hi-tech mumbo jumbo, it's certainly fascinating and all....but the truth is, all I really care about is riding. I'm the "touchy-feely" type, who likes to hear myself breath, I like feeling my body work with the bike, I like to feel my muscles charge and fatigue, I like to feel my whole body involved in creating motion and movement, and to feel the presence, the flow and the challenge of the natural elements that surround me. Riding is that reminder that I am indeed a part of it ALL (whatever that ALL may be), and that I am indeed alive and kicking...in a nutshell, that's really why I ride.

So, I will leave the fancy stuff to the visionary engineers and designers, but I will always ride my bike(s) with much appreciation for the minds behind the innovations regarding the bicycle. And on another note, I have to say....I STILL love my hardtail Ibis Mojo (a great innovation of her own time) and I will never part with her, but as I turn the page and explore a new style of riding (and racing!), I think this latest addition will take me there in stride, that's for sure.

Here we go yo.

And it was a beautiful Perigee.

2009-01-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

One that we won't soon forget......it sure did make for a fabulous weekend.

I always said I would switch things up when my mood changes!

2009-01-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

So on a much needed (and earned day of rest), I opted to try out a killer japanese seat I found in the garage and give it a test ride today on my beach cruise (which by the way was no different than a typical summer day, blue skies and temps in the 80's!) Anyway thought the seat was pretty cool looking and comfy! I think it's some top secret seat sample of my brother's heeehee, so I will be putting the lightning bolt seat back on tomorrow...but i am going for some colored tires soon! Thinking blue --bright blue, like the sky today. It was beautiful day....and I finally got to ride with my lovely friend Brandy (we are two working women with full lives who live a block away but might as well 100 mile from each other!) What a treat that we got to get some fresh air together... :)

And on a random side note:
There is a new ride for little miss Brendita in that box! :) :) :)

....and the "epic adventure" continues

2009-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

WOW!!! Today was my first mountain bike race in way too many years, and DANG if it wasn't probably one of the most challenging courses I have ever done! (Well for me anyway.) I have been rekindling my love for the dirt lately and riding whenever possible, but one of the major differences I have noticed between NorCal mountain biking and SoCal mountain biking is the amount of "sandy" trails there are down here (and ruts...but that's another story!!)! Yikes, riding in the sand though.....is not something I feel skilled in AT all!! Even with all the tips and suggestions, I am still not comfy in the sandy technical stuff! The picture above should give you a good idea of what some of the riding was like today!!! And the funny (stupid??) thing is I didn't pre-ride any of the course to know what the heck I was getting into. Ummm blind ambition? Perhaps. I slept until the very last possible second today, almost late enough to say never mind I'm not going...but I got my act together and made it after all even though I woke up feeling pretty cooked from climbing Palomar. How could I miss out on this cool opportunity to bring it back to the dirt!?? So anyway, when I was on the start line with super cool chicks I would be racing, I asked a bunch of questions about the course, they were super friendly...major bonus! They made me feel comfortable right away and I was instantly stoked to be there. So one thing I said was "you know I'm not all that good in the sand....is there alot of sand I should be aware of?" And they were both like "oh nooo...it's not that bad at all, just maybe one section" Ha ha ha....not the case!!! In truth, they were being honest because to them it was not a sandy day on the trails since there had been rain recently, but me and my little NorCal mountain bike trained self were COMPLETELY shocked at what was yet to be seen on the backside of the course! It was nuts.. sandy, technical, rutted, blind turns, tight switchback turns, steep little grunts etc etc..all safe enough to ride..but I had such rookie skills out there with the conditions of the trails that I couldn't help but chuckle at how stunned and tentative I was!!! By lap four I was getting better....but man!, hats off to all the riders who can take the sand like it's hardpack! Hopefully, someday I will "get it". (and on another note...what the heck was up that wind!!)

Once again though, another gorgeous day on the bike, and another epic adventure...totally worth making the effort for! and I really did have a heck of a good time (and am keeping my crash average at one per-ride....just got a little scraped up!)...so now, it's back to the drawing board. I WILL learn to ride better in sand and decomposed granite. I have some pretty awesome teachers in that department :) It's just going to be all about "practice practice practice" :)

By the way... one of my favorite moments of the day was putting on a number-plate!

A glorious ride.

2009-01-09T22:43:00.000-08:00

Our group today was fortunate (and crazy enough) to rise and shine early, at an hour some would still call middle of the night just to seize the opportunity to take our two wheeled pals up the infamous Palomar Mountain climb (and ahem....we did both sides!). It was a morning filled with cool peeps, epic riding, and good eats. What else could ya ask for....all by noon thirty! That's the way to spend time doing business with your shops if you ask me!! ;)
ps) the picture above is to share with you what the view was like from the top. beautiful hey....

I'm not sure what's worse...

2009-01-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

It's hard to say what would be a worse situation, being stuck in traffic without any food when hungry, OR being stuck in traffic feeling hungry with a whole box of gourmet cookies sitting on the other front seat (http://www.brentandsams.com/). I tried putting them in the back seat so I wouldn't see them...out of sight, out of mind. Didn't work. Then I tried just having one or two. Ugh.... but I knew they were still there! Then things got out of control when a brush fire along the freeway held up traffic even more. That was the end of my will. Let's just say I lost the battle with that little box of cookies! (if you know my son Myles...ask him sime day what a wimp I am when it comes to cookies!)

It's a GOOD thing I'm riding Palomar tomorrow though, as I should have plenty of extra calories to burn ..... giddy-up!

ANAHEIM.....

2009-01-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

So these are some of good friends who have introduced me to the world of Supermoto. I had no idea how much I would love this sport!!! The sounds, the energy, the skill, the speed....it's all so amazing! I can actually say that I now call these racers athletes! There is some serious strength, endurance, discipline and fitness that has to go along with being on these bikes even though they have motors!!!
..and how cool is that most of those guys get out on road and mountain bikes to cross train. I'm impressed. I also have to say, it's a total treat to be friends with such legends of the sport! :)

Ride on ride on....

Motorpacing Anyone??

2009-01-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sunset...New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

Couldn't be more appropriate to have the highlight of this day be centered around the bike (on the dirt! yahoo...). Here's to a wonderful New Year filled with lots of love, peace, adventure ..and happiness for all. :)

Thanks to the guys for taking me on such an epic ride!

GOT SKILLS........(wow)

2008-12-31T00:30:00.000-08:00

Special holiday memories and moments.......

2008-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

Thankful for the "special" that exists in my world.

Sweet Sixteen

2008-12-22T08:06:00.001-08:00

Well here we are.

Myles turned the big "16" yesterday. It hasn't always been easy being a mom, and things haven't always been perfect(especially the teen years ahem)......but my life as "mother" is more special than anything I know. hands down.

more than a good day :)

2008-12-21T06:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Joe Lawwill for putting the group ride together, and props to Joe for taking all the great pics!I was a total newbie to The San Juan Trail and Cocktail Rock, but you can bet I'll be getting out there more often! :)

"MYCO-DIESEL" ..... wahoo.

2008-12-19T10:05:00.001-08:00

Here is some great news that a friend shared with me and now I am sharing with you!

Introducing Myco-Diesel:
A unique fungus that makes diesel compounds directly from cellulose has been discovered living in trees in the Patagonian rainforest.

"These are the first organisms that have been found that make many of the ingredients of diesel," said Professor Gary Strobel from Montana State University. "This is a major discovery."

The discovery may offer an alternative to fossil fuels, said Strobel, MSU professor of plant sciences and plant pathology, who travels the world looking for exotic plants that may contain beneficial microbes. The find is even bigger, he said, than his 1993 discovery of fungus that contained the anticancer drug taxol.

Strobel's paper, published in the November issue of the journal "Microbiology," is based on his discovery of the unique properties of the Patagonian fungus, called Gliocladium roseum.
Professor Gary Strobel in the Patagonian rainforest (Photos courtesy Gary Strobel)

"Gliocladium roseum lives inside the Ulmo tree in the Patagonian rainforest," Strobel begins, telling the story of how he and his team learned that they had found an entirely new source of fuel.

"We were trying to discover totally novel fungi in this tree by exposing its tissues to the volatile antibiotics of the fungus Muscodor albus," Strobel recounts. "Quite unexpectedly, G. roseum grew in the presence of these gases when almost all other fungi were killed. It was also making volatile antibiotics."

"Then when we examined the gas composition of G. roseum, we were totally surprised to learn that it was making a plethora of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives. The results were totally unexpected and very exciting and almost every hair on my arms stood on end!"

Strobel calls the fuel produced by the fungus "myco-diesel," from the Greek-derived root word for the study of fungi - mycology.

"This is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances," said Strobel. "The fungus can even make these diesel compounds from cellulose, which would make it a better source of biofuel than anything we use at the moment."

Intense research into ways of making ethanol fuel directly from cellulose now is taking place in public, private and university labs, and several companies are producing demonstration scale cellulosic ethanol from wood waste, from municipal solid waste and from agricultural residue.

Nearly 430 million tons of plant waste are produced from U.S. farmland alone every year, material that scientists are learning to convert to biofuel.

In current biofuel production, this waste is treated with enzymes called cellulases that turn the cellulose into sugar. Microbes then ferment the sugar into ethanol that can be used as a fuel.

"We were very excited to discover that G. roseum can digest cellulose," Strobel said. "Although the fungus makes less myco-diesel when it feeds on cellulose compared to sugars, new developments in fermentation technology and genetic manipulation could help improve the yield."

"When crops are used to make biofuel they have to be processed before they can be turned into useful compounds by microbes," said Strobel. "G. roseum can make myco-diesel directly from cellulose, the main compound found in plants and paper."
Culture plate of Gliocladium roseum, a fungus that produces myco-diesel hydrocarbons

In the rainforest, G. roseum produces lots of long chain hydrocarbons and other biological molecules. When the researchers grew it in the lab, it produced fuel that is even more similar to the diesel we put in our cars.

The majority of hydrocarbons found naturally occur in crude oil, where decomposed organic matter provides carbon and hydrogen. When bonded, these elements can form seemingly limitless chains of molecules.

Professor Strobel, who travels the world looking for exotic plants that may contain beneficial microbes, says his discovery brings into question our knowledge of the way fossil fuels are made.

The accepted theory is that crude oil, which is used to make diesel, is formed from the remains of dead plants and animals that have been exposed to heat and pressure for millions of years.

Strobel speculates, "If fungi like this are producing myco-diesel all over the rainforest, they may have contributed to the formation of fossil fuels."

Strobel is the lead author of the paper published in "Microbiology." His MSU co-authors are Berk Knighton and Tom Livinghouse in the Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Katreena Kluck and Yuhao Ren in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology.

Other co-authors are Meghan Griffin and Daniel Spakowicz from Yale University and Joe Sears from the Center for Lab Services in Pasco, Washington.

Researchers in government agencies and private industry have already shown interest in the fungi. A team to conduct further research has been established between MSU's College of Engineering and researchers at Yale University.

One member of the team is Strobel's son, Scott, who is chairman of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. The MSU-Yale team will investigate a variety of questions, including the genetic makeup of Gliocladium roseum.

Scott Strobel said his team is already screening the fungus' genome. Besides determining the complete genetic makeup of the fungus, they will run a series of genetic and biochemical tests to identify the genes responsible for its diesel-making properties.

"The broader question is, what is responsible for the production of these compounds," Scott Strobel said. "If you can identify that, you can hopefully scale it up so you end up with better efficiency of production."

Scientists in a variety of disciplines may be able to combine their talents to optimize production and find a way to turn what is essentially a vapor into a burnable, liquid fuel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOW...this really cool, really awesome, and really amazing! Go Gary!

M.I.A. ...Birth name --Mathangi Arulpragasam Born--17 July 1977

2008-12-16T22:59:00.000-08:00

Just a little diddy I found on the web about one girl that I look up to. (besides...we have the same birthday, and that's just cool) ;)

M.I.A. has done more and seen more than most up-and-coming rap stars. In a lucrative musical genre that still flatters itself as being oppressed, M.I.A. stands out. Coming to Britain as a refugee with nothing, she flourished despite a difficult adolescence. She's also done more with herself than put out a hit record and some singles, which are no mean feats either; M.I.A. earned an art degree and impressed with her collages and documentary filmmaking.

I have an attitude....are you surprised?

2008-12-03T23:44:00.001-08:00

seriously though, I do have a thing or two to say about the hub-ub of having or shall we now say... "not having" a three day stage race at the upcoming TOC.

My little miss brenda opinion will have to wait though...

I'm too tired to write about it considering I woke up Monday morning in Santa Rosa Tuesday morning in Huntington Beach and this morning in Las Vegas.
I lost count of the shops I have visited, but you can bet I got in the gym...twice.

Making it happen.

made me think of Helen

2008-12-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

As Helen Keller said... "Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all."

That's what I was thinking when I went wall riding today in Vegas on my Angel....
That there two-foot wide water drainage thing just sort of jumped out of nowhere, I swear I didn't see it on my way to the gym when I was getting all cocky dropping in from the highest point of the wall (trust me this banking was steeper than The ADT Center Velodrome). Honestly, I'm not sure how the heck I managed to skirt across that giant trough thing as I was dropping in at speed, my hands all the way out on the bull horns, in sneakers on Ultegra pedals...(not clipped in!), but somehow I made it over that big 'ol gap in one piece. All I got out of it was a rear flat.

Phew.

I guess it is a good thing I haven't gone "fixie" yet with my Lager, I would have definitely lost some skin with those antics....

full circle....

2008-12-03T00:17:00.001-08:00

my mother just told me an amazing story about the day her mother died. special moments like these will not be forgotten.....

myspotttt

2008-12-01T23:27:00.000-08:00

making it happen........

seen it? endofsuburbia.com

2008-11-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Cat Cali

2008-11-20T23:59:00.000-08:00

He makes me smile, so patient and so sweet. Such a little talker too.....

Late night walks with animals, adventures in "dumpster diving", and a wonderful nighttime read.

2008-11-19T23:27:00.001-08:00

Here I am doing the dog (and cat) walk after hours. It was intended to be a short walk. I was cold! Notice the hood people...it does get chilly here in Huntington Beach you know!

I was also a little tired. I had fallen asleep sitting up in my chair waiting for a phone call that never came. Time had ticked on by though, and still had a job to do for the animals of the house. I got my act together for the sake of the little dog Dyani, who NEEDS her daily dose of fresh air and sniffs and smells. I called the cat to join us (Cali loves to come along), and off we went for a short little walk.
I took the first "turn for home" option, as I intended this to be a short little adventure. I was already feeling a little spaced out and ready for bed. Heck...(I was thinking) the pets will be just fine with a short walk tonight...so we went a short ways, and rounded the turn back towards the house. By the way...it's trash/recyling night in our neighborhood so all the cans are out ready for the big trucks to scoot along and scoop up all the waste and recyclables.

I spotted something of interest next to one of the cans sitting curbside, I didn't exactly dumpster dive for this little gem, but I definitely took one good look at what I was seeing and immediately thought...YES...I want that. Well what I saw and wanted wasn't exactly a little gem, it was a 6ft tall, solid wood shelf unit with a heavy built, sturdy base. The solid wood and sturdiness of this piece sure did mean it was going to be HEAVY to carry home. But after assessing my options, like trying to drag it along the grass (no good) I figured out how would I leverage my body with this big old beast and make it another full block home. I decided to give it a go. Thank goodness only one car came along to see me and my antics. I tried a few different carrying positions, and at one point I ended up practically carrying this gigantic thing on my head. Don't forget I still have the dog on a leash, too. I literally worked up this remarkably intense heat in my body within two minutes of carting this thing home.....! After a few stops to reposition myself, and untangle the dog leash from my ankles, I actually made it home with the thing. And now...I have a new shelf unit that needs a little TLC but hey....reduce reuse recycle, right.
It will be put to good use.

It's a welcome addition to the scene.

After lugging that thing a little bit of a long way though, I came home a little charged up, no longer as tired as I was when I left the house, and so I decided to get on the web and read into a few topics that interest me.

I like what I found.

The article below was too good in it's entirety for me to end up butchering it by attempting to explain the content, so I just decided to copy and paste the whole darn thing into the post.

Hope you will find it to be as much of a good read as I have.
Good Nite.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ethics and Virtue
Developed by Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer

For many of us, the fundamental question of ethics is, "What should I do?" or "How should I act?" Ethics is supposed to provide us with "moral principles" or universal rules that tell us what to do. Many people, for example, read passionate adherents of the moral principle of utilitarianism: "Everyone is obligated to do whatever will achieve the greatest good for the greatest number." Others are just as devoted to the basic principle of Immanuel Kant: "Everyone is obligated to act only in ways that respect the human dignity and moral rights of all persons."

Moral principles like these focus primarily on people's actions and doings. We "apply" them by asking what these principles require of us in particular circumstances, e.g., when considering whether to lie or to commit suicide. We also apply them when we ask what they require of us as professionals, e.g., lawyers, doctors, or business people, or what they require of our social policies and institutions. In the last decade, dozens of ethics centers and programs devoted to "business ethics", "legal ethics", "medical ethics", and "ethics in public policy" have sprung up. These centers are designed to examine the implications moral principles have for our lives.

But are moral principles all that ethics consists of? Critics have rightly claimed that this emphasis on moral principles smacks of a thoughtless and slavish worship of rules, as if the moral life was a matter of scrupulously checking our every action against a table of do's and don'ts. Fortunately, this obsession with principles and rules has been recently challenged by several ethicists who argue that the emphasis on principles ignores a fundamental component of ethics--virtue. These ethicists point our that by focusing on what people should do or how people should act, the "moral principles approach" neglects the more important issue--what people should be. In other words, the fundamental question of ethics is not "What should I do?" but "What kind of person should I be?"

According to "virtue ethics", there are certain ideals, such as excellence or dedication to the common good, toward which we should strive and which allow the full development of our humanity. These ideals are discovered through thoughtful reflection on what we as human beings have the potential to become.

"Virtues" are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues.

How does a person develop virtues? Virtues are developed through learning and through practice. As the ancient philosopher Aristotle suggested, a person can improve his or her character by practicing self-discipline, while a good character can be corrupted by repeated self-indulgence. Just as the ability to run a marathon develops through much training and practice, so too does our capacity to be fair, to be courageous, or to be compassionate.

Virtues are habits. That is, once they are acquired, they become characteristic of a person. For example, a person who has developed the virtue of generosity is often referred to as a generous person because he or she tends to be generous in all circumstances. Moreover, a person who has developed virtues will be naturally disposed to act in ways that are consistent with moral principles. The virtuous person is the ethical person.

At the heart of the virtue approach to ethics is the idea of "community". A person's character traits are not developed in isolation, but within and by the communities to which he or she belongs, including family, school, and other private and public associations. As people grow and mature, their personalities are deeply affected by the values that their communities prize, by the personality traits that their communities encourage, and by the role models that their communities put forth for imitation through traditional stories, fiction, movies, television, and so on. The virtue approach urges us to pay attention to the contours of our communities and the habits of character they encourage and instill.

The moral life, then, is not simply a matter of following moral rules and of learning to apply them to specific situations. The moral life is also a matter of trying to determine the kind of people we should be and of attending to the development of character within our communities and ourselves.

Out in the world

2008-11-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

The beauty of simplicity......

Main Street Cyclery --Seal Beach, Ca.

ENERGIZED

2008-11-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Pedal pedal pedal, breathe breathe, pedal.

So here we are well into a busy active Autumn with the holidays just around the corner (heck how did that happen!!). I have made a choice lately to keep the skinny tires hanging on the hook, and have been taken instead to the great pleasure and joy of spending time in the woods and on the dirt rediscovering the world of mountain biking in all it's beauty and wonder. It's been a refreshing change getting off the pavement, and up into the hills exploring new places and new trails. It's like soul food. I'm feeling a little fitness coming on too, which is incredibly good news for me. Good for me in a way that goes far beyond the obvious athletic gains that are so easily visible from consistent activity.

I know I am not the only one who experiences this, but over the years I have often recognized that there is a distinct parallel with my level of fitness and my ability to create the quality of life that I strive for. I have also been completely aware of the fact that there will come a tipping point for me (that isn't so pretty!), if I am not keen to stay in touch with my core values, and remain on the path of taking care of my physical well-being.

As a matter of fact (a bit of reminiscence for me since I am just finishing my first annual cycle in bicycle industry sales), I was thinking today about what a difference a year makes. Just last November.....a month or two into this new position as "sales rep", my new boss came to spend a few days with me in my territory. We had literally been on the go from early morning until well into the evening for two straight days. My life had been jam packed with activity and change for weeks and weeks on end. No joke.

So there we were, finishing up day two of three busy days together.
As I was dropping him off at his hotel after a very full day of travel, he says to me "Okay....see you at 8am." (ahem...it was after 9pm already). I remember this moment very clearly. I was in the driver's seat, slightly amped from two straight days of race-like highway driving, just having buzzed around my territory like a hummingbird on sugar, introduced to new roads, new areas of my work territory and the new language of this entirely "new to me position" that I had literally launched into without ANY training.

Never mind the fact that I had just completely uprooted myself from a home of eleven years in a community that I had lived for the last twenty. That was all part of the grand adventure though ...I and was totally into opening up new doors in my life. However, I found myself suddenly getting lost trying to normal things like find gas stations that carried diesel for instance and I became instantly aware of the fact that I would have to go through grand procedures to find the health food store, the bank, highway entrances and exits ...etc etc etc. I was coming from a place where I could do most of those things in my sleep. Here, EVERYTHING was completely new (to me) and I was totally spinning in the whirlwind of change.

I had been a living like a sponge, soaking up a life in a whole new world, and had been completely committed to not missing a beat, and making sure to get the most out of every moment.

However...I was coming to a place of information overload, I was also on day three without any physical activity (funny how there are some of us in the world who think that three days without sweating is like an eternity). I could feel the anxious swell rising up inside of me, like an orchestra preparing for the crescendo.

Anyway...so my boss continues on, completely unaware of the swell, he rallys me for another day of action packed travel.

I couldn't go on.

I looked at him from the driver's seat of my car and boldly told him "No.. 8:30 is too early".

He looked at me, slightly stunned and at a loss for words. I think at that moment he was saying to himself..."who does this this little "rookie" junior sales rep think she is challenging my itinerary and agenda"....

He challenged back and said to me that 8:30 was NOT too early.

I took pause. Then said (in a calm voice).......
"Roy, I need to go for a run in the morning. Here's the deal. When Brenda exercises, Brenda is happy. When Brenda is happy, she does her job more effectively."

(in other words, Hellllooooooo....I NEED physical activity in my life!!)

We went around and around for a minute, but I was adamant about my situation, position, feeling....whatever you want to call it. He was equally pressing with his opinion..."no you don't need...blah blah blah...exercise blah blah blah to do your job well blah blah blah".

Little did he know that run was absolutely going to happen.

And it did.

And as the story went, we hashed it out, compromised our agenda... and met at 9am ;)

2008-11-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

Think about it.

My inbox

2008-11-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

Got an email this morning that made me smile.

My faraway friend Benny Ma (our former Lipton Soigneur)said..

"I'm actually rediscovering how much fun it is to ride my commuter bike around the streets of NYC. Makes you wonder if the word "bicycle" really means life."

I'm right there with ya Benny, right there.

word.

2008-11-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

On Yoga

2008-11-12T00:19:00.000-08:00

“Without intention, all these postures, these breathing practices, meditations, and the like can become little more than ineffectual gestures. When animated by intention, however, the simplest movement, the briefest meditation, and the contents of one breath cycle are made potent.” Donna Farhi

Donna Farhi--I studied with her at Oberlin College about ten years ago. She was a fantastic teacher who taught me to explore my practice in a way like never before. After working with her, I found my grace as teacher and guide.

I will be back on the mat teaching in January......

Hip style...

2008-11-10T22:47:00.000-08:00

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How's that for sweet?

This swanky hotel down here in SoCal has decided to outfit each guest room with a bike for guests to use during their stay. Even sweeter that they chose The Lager, a bike from our SE BIKES line (and one my of my brother's designs), as the bike of choice for their guests. In my humble opinion, bikes definitely belong on the road (or dirt!), but I have to admit...that one looks pretty hot hanging on the wall like a piece of art. Nice going TL....now a rider, racer, all around great brother, and (at least in my mind)...accomplished "artist".

cool:)

2008-11-09T16:04:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like dancing the night away with good friends!

Introducing Lily .... a bright little light!

2008-11-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

Recently (and completely out of the blue), I received an email and photo from Lily's dad, Jim. It was a real treat to get this email and photo.

Here is the story....
This picture was taken after The CSC Invitational in 2007.
Let me explain a little bit about this day, leading up to the moment I met Lily.

I had a very frustrating race (all my Lipton teammates were up in Montreal). After this race was over, I realized that I REALLY love racing with a team and not alone(!), and just how spoiled I had become by being on Victory Brewing and Lipton, racing with some of the best riders in the world! I was all on my own on a day where there were strong teams represented in a race that had always been hotly contested....and historically, a break was known to go up the road.
Prior to this race, we Lipton ladies had just completed a round of three weeks of racing in Europe. We had a great racing streak (and an amazing trip!), and all of us were gaining some great form from that "block" of racing.
I, personally, was anxious to get back to some U.S. racing (criteriums especially!), so I asked to be left off of the Montreal roster, and took it upon myself to race a bunch of east coast criteriums ---solo.

In this particular race, the break went early. I went after it and bridged up with one rider (playing defense)in tow. I caught the break in a hard, lap and a half effort, only to have Laura Van Gilder attack...just as I was making contact (she is such a savvy rider!!). She got off the front at that moment, and took Rebecca Larson with her.

That would be the race.

I was pretty knackered at a crucial moment...and ultimately, missed the move of the day! The rest of us in the break were reabsorbed by the pack shortly thereafter, and although I felt strong and capable in the race, and made several unsuccessful attempts to bring back the pair...I would not have a fruitful day of racing. If my memory serves me correctly, it seemed that the field was just letting them go. And the two teams defending were doing a great job at that! Anyway....long story short, I left the course feeling a bit bothered by the outcome of the race on a day that I knew I had good legs.

Then.... along comes Lily.

This smiling, jubilant, little lady... shining brightly in the crowd (always big crowds at CSC). Her dad asked if he could take our picture together. Our conversation was brief, but Lily made me smile. It made me happy again....just to see so much excitement coming out of this little gal, and her pure love for bicycles.

That's what it's all about...so simple.

Meeting Lily reminded me to check myself, and my attitude. She made my day. I left the course with a smile on my face after all (little did she know what an impact she had on me!). I was happy that I met a new little gal who loved bikes as much as I do, and happy to have the life I have. I am a bike racer, and that's a dream come true....regardless of the day's outcome.

I hear from Lily's dad that she is super pumped about getting a new bike for xmas this year. That Rocks. Go Lily Go!

And it went like this...

2008-11-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

Three hours on that thing....and I DID too pedal!

And you know what else,
even though I'm not a gambling woman, I am willing to bet something good...like pounds of organic, fair-trade espresso, or many bottles of tasty Russian River pinot noir, that I was one of the best stokers that captain has ever had along for a ride.

Oh wait a second, did I say "one" of the best?
Sorry...I meant to say "the" best.

word.

Ramblings...

2008-10-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that I go through suitcases like some people go through running shoes.

An interesting tale.

2008-10-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

In the last two days I have seen my share of a different side of Vegas than most of us see during Interbike. I have seen plenty of hookers and thugs, thugs getting busted by cops, hookers looking for the trick, cops pulling over people with movie cameras to document the moment(!), lots and lots of cops and sirens in action actually, casinos, tourists, normal people, some not so normal people, Starbucks everywhere, Whole Foods to save my gluten free life (and to save my gut from any major drama like recently), running for shade by the middle of the day because it's so darn hot, but then freezing my arse off indoors because everyone keeps the A/C on so high indoors.....then add to that about ten very different, very unique visits with Las Vegas area bike shops and two visits to two "new to me" 24 hr fitness centers and there you have it. A work trip to Vegas. Big girl style....all by herself. I didn't even get lost that much!
Crossing my fingers I will actually get to ride my bike here before i leave tomorrow...so off to bed I go. it's an EARLY start....but something tells me there are some nice places to ride outside of town, and I need to learn about them because I will be back here in December (and then again about every 6-8 weeks), and it would be nice to be familiar with and enjoy the outdoors and not just do gym time!

It'll be a miracle if I make that early of a start considering how long my days have been, but it sure would be a great way to end the trip!

One thing I know for sure....I will be more than ready for the weekend come friday! And I couldn't be happier that the time change if finally coming!!!!!!!!!!!

First true love...

2008-10-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

This little Ibis Mojo is not my first bike, nor will it be my last....but it is definitely the first racing bike I have ever fallen in love with. I finally found my way back on the little thing last weekend and hit up some "new to me" dirt trails in a "new to me park" (with new friends down here in SoCal). On this day, I was reminded just how special this bike is to me.

We rode some pretty tough trails (and I think I may have been the only hardtailer on most of the tough ones we rode) however, funny thing is... even with the fact that the travel on my old fork was basically non-existent, my tire tread was minimal, one of my wheels in my wheel set has a nice dent in it to the point where I had to place a tube in the tubeless wheel, yaddi yaddi ya, you get the point, right? ...honestly, even with all of that I have to say, once I got going on her ("White Lightning" is my bike's name) I was in total and complete trust that I could handle the trails, regardless of how tough they were, and regardless of all the "issues" with my bike. I felt like I was hopping on a horse that had been my friend for life!

It was such an amazing day....I love that bike.
In all reality....it was from riding this bike (in Annadel State Park) that I developed the skills, the confidence, and the fitness that enabled me to go on to become a fearless little criterium racer in the pro peloton.

There are only two other bikes that have a place in my heart like that one. The first one being my little pink Stingray, that I taught myself to ride when I was about six-years old (I can still remember the first moment I made it around the corner in front of my house without having to put my foot down!...little did I know what love I would have for corners later on as a professional rider!!). And the other bike being this little 24" wheel Schwinn road bike my dad got for me when I said I didn't want to race BMX anymore, but I still wanted my own bike. I remember loving being in the big ring and loving being on the road, and loving going really, really fast (a feeling that you just couldn't get on a bmx bike!). I was far too young, and out of the loop to know that the bike I was riding was a style of bike that was actually being raced (by women!) but had I known....who knows what could have or would have happened! I think I was about twelve when I got that bike and I remember thinking how cool it was when my dad put a MotoFox sticker on it (a bmx thing). So that was my bike's name "The Green Fox" ....it would be over twenty years before I got back onto a road bike, and even a couple more before I ever raced one....but that little road bike and some of the moments I had riding it are forever embedded into my brain --the feeling of high speed, and the wind in my face, and the urge to race cars (lol), and the pressure in my legs from using big gears, and most notably, the pure freedom that I felt when on two wheels.....those are the things that make me realize, (like so many people) I have loved bikes practically my whole life, to the point where I almost feel bad when someone tells me they don't ride bikes, because I know, as many others do, the pure joy that can from riding at any age and in any fashion. Okay...sappy bike love story over :)

word to the world on two wheels
RIDE ON RIDE ON

This is one of those days....

2008-10-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

...where i have gained a little perspective.

it took having a heart to heart conversation with someone very special, and all i can say is that i am forever grateful that there are some pretty amazing and wonderful people in my life to help me by simply listening and then giving me such valuable feedback! the subject is not exactly important....it's more or less a reminder to believe in, support, and value the people in our lives that sometimes we take for granted!

making that comment is probably a little more personal than a typical brenda blog post...but hey, i don't have any concerns about sharing my feelings when compelled to do so. there you have it.

and....in other news, last night i had a tough evening of major tummy cramps (miss super sensitive ate something that didn't go over so well!). essentially i didn't sleep a wink and ended up missing an event that i had planned on attending with one of my bike shop dealers. i feel horrible about missing something i committed to, but at some point...i had to choose between a little rest for the wicked, or run out on another terror mission and risk crashing and burning in the very near future, especially considering that my life has been rolling along at the speed of light lately!

so as i lay there at 5am this morning, the smart side of me said....it's time to rest and heal, and hope that the bike shop dealer will understand. something tells me this was all meant to be, but trust me....i did not like to fail on a commitment, nor did i like to be buckled over with stomach cramps for half the night....just to learn a lesson! it's been a way more than busy time for me with work and travel....to the point where i work very hard to add in all the other normal elements of life, like spending time at "home", getting to exercise, see and talk with friends and loved ones etc etc etc...

fortunately, i am pretty in tune with myself, and can usually see that brick wall from a distance away...thus thankfully, i have usually been able make sure i don't go slamming into it!!

so...i'm going to sit back...take in a little sunshine, spend some time on two wheels, spend some time with special peeps and then get back on a roll come Monday.

the word of the weekend: Rejuvenation.

ciao

Along the way....I met Maya

2008-10-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

So it was a normal day for me. I was parking my car to head in to see one of my dealers, Ira's Bike shop in Arroyo Grande.

Suddenly, just a few feet away from me, I saw this young gal have a pretty bad crash on her bike. It was a nasty crash, actually, and I immediately went to her aid. I basically had to run after her and tell her to stop (the adrenaline and embarrassment of the crash made her just get up and attempt to take off on her bike!)I convinced her to get off her bike, have a seat on the curb, and then I worked on calming her down by asking her to take a few deep breaths, and telling her she could trust me, because I too, was a bike rider and I knew what it was like to crash (little did she know how many times!!). We made our way over to the nearby public restroom to clean her up and we called her Mom. I stayed with her til her Mom could get out of work and come take her to the Emergency Room. In the meantime, I congratulated her for her bravery, and for wearing a helmet, and of course I showed her all my scars from the bunches of crashes I have had over the years.....but told her I still love to ride bike, even after all my crashes.

So...her Mom came, they hugged, they packed up the bike and off they went to see the doctor. That was that. Or so I thought.

This week Maya's mother called me and our conversation nearly brought me to tears. She told me about Maya and how shy she is, and how this was a big step in life that they were taking to have her start riding her bike to and from school (I think Maya must be about twelve or thirteen years old...and just learned to pedal on two wheels a year ago or so). Sandy, Maya's mom, told me that the day after the accident she told Maya that she didn't have to ride her bike to school anymore if she didn't want to and Maya looked at her and said...."Mom, that is the best part of my day."

.....that's the part that almost brought me to tears. How cool is that. What a trooper. Below is an email I received from Maya just recently. It made my day.

I think I have made a new friend :)

Hi It's Maya. Thank you soooo much for helping me on last Tuesday. I went to the urgent care and they gave me stitches. The wound under my nose is healing, but the one on my knee hurts the most. I'm feeling better, and Ira fixed my bike.
If you hadn't been there, a lot of bad things could have happened.

Maya

okay...maybe I am bragging a little....but c'mon we are talking about a teenager here!

2008-10-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

I just can't help it, my son continues to blow my mind.

Our most recent conversation consisted of him telling me how excited he was to go on a field trip to The main PG&E Facility in San Francisco, where he and his classmates were going to learn about the PG&E plant, and what they are doing to become more environmentally active. Myles, went on to tell me (once again) that he wants to make a life and a career in the realm of environmental sustainable living....wow is this really my baby saying all of this unprompted to his mama?!(maybe we will build a straw bale house together someday!)

...and in nearly the same five minutes, he starts to ask me serious nutrition questions, and actually asked my advice in the area of how to best replenish his body after hard workouts because he wants to do it right, and be as fit as he can possibly be. And get this....he called me an expert in the area, and someone he really trusts that can help him become the best athlete he can be.

awwwww... super big sigh and pitter patter goes the heart.

We won't talk about how "he forgot" to call me, and how I waited til I was practically sound asleep to hear from him!!....because at this point, none of that matters. I'm just thrilled with the topics of conversation we are having lately.

Thank you to the universe.

Weddings, bike rides, and new special people.

2008-10-20T09:16:00.001-07:00

The funny thing about the cycling community is that most bike racer weddings typically take place in the fall, when we get to actually have the "off-season"! It's pretty funny how many road cyclists will go down in history as being married in the month of October!! Recently, I have had the pleasure of attending two special bike racer weddings...two weekends in a row. It was a lot of effort on my part to make both events work into my life, considering the logistics of work and travel and this being the big "pre-season" sales time for the cycling industry etc etc....but I couldn't be more happy about making the effort to be present and part of both of these lovely celebrations. Both wedding locations were beautiful, both couples were amazing, and the folks who attended the two events were some of the coolest people I know.....hands down. Naturally, I also met a bunch of wonderful people as well. Of course both wedding weekends also included a road ride ---I mean naturally, you bring your bike to a wedding, right!? LOL

So this last wedding, which was Saturday, took place in Escondido, it was a great time indeed. Early in the day I went on one of the most beautiful Southern California road rides I have been on since moving here a year ago. And thank goodness, all I had to do was arrive in Carlsbad....suit up and follow his wheel, and his plan. Life made easy :) Along the route, I rode something called Harmony Grade and it reminded me a bit of the beautiful (almost unknown roads) outside of the Fresno area where we once had a pro-women's stage race. Anyway, we pretty much went up and down and up again (and up again and again and again!) for the whole entire ride....which was actually a welcome change from the area I typically ride out of here in central Orange County. I will definitely plan to take advantage of the Carlsbad area for winter riding now that I know a little more about those roads!
Again...I can't say enough that it is worth the extra effort to squeeze good times into life, even when work is all consuming!! Both weekends were just incredible and have left me completely satisfied and rejuvenated! (By the way...I did get to spend time with my main man Myles during my first wedding weekend trip...that was the greatest gift any mom can ask for...time with her teenage son!)

So one interesting note about the weddings: considering most of us see and spend so much time together on bikes, and rarely do we call for occasions to dress up, it practically goes without saying that it was fun to see (at both weddings) everyone all decked out in cool threads. Cyclists sure do "clean up" nicely!

Weddings are so cool.

Anyway, onto a little pictorial:...

Kat and Janelle all smiles...
go to http://www.meredithmiller.missingsaddle.com/2008/10/13/good-times-ca-style/ for more great pics from this day! (Meredith has an amazing camera!)

Thea and Dirk Copeland....pure joy

A typical site during a ride....climb climb climb and by the way...PROOF(!) that Bluv does do hills ;-)

my greatest blessing.......Myles

2008-10-14T23:20:00.001-07:00

WELL SAID.

2008-10-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well."
– Diane Ackerman

I'm tired of reading about DOPERS.

2008-10-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

It's getting old.

I feel a little bit like that girl in the picture.....

2008-10-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Been sleeping like a rock lately. The days are long, the brain is full and there is no end in sight. Interbike was a whirlwind (always is) and contrary to popular believe I only went out one evening and it was for the Sinclair Imports Party....really a great time with lots of new and old friends and I think we danced enough to officially call it a workout!! I did get in a nice long run one day at the show (which was a miracle), but the rest of my time was spent working the floor like the superstar sales chick I am (juuust kidding)...but really it was non-stop. Came home from Interbike with the chore of moving all of my home office stuff from one room to another in the house, not the greatest timing considering all the post Interbike follow-ups I need to be organized with, plus getting strategy down with existing dealers.....ahhh did i really say i was a girl who loves challenge?! lol Meanwhile, car registration is due, gotta keep my daily work outs to stay fit and feeling good, gotta do all the usual stuff like eat shower and laundry...and have I mentioned I am coming down to the wire with my 2007 taxes at the same time I need to send in a few months worth of expense reports to my company.....last minute brenda does it once again. But here's the deal... I have finally hired an assistant to help me with my books each month for expense and gas and mileage reports. You have no idea what a great investment this will be.......yippeeee...

Ps) cool things are coming down the pipeline for our 2009 women's team so please stay tuned. cheers.

Praise to my main man Myles....

2008-10-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

My baby is in "The Green Academy" (a pilot program being run at his high school and the only one of it's kind in the U.S.). He is absolutely loving it and is already planning his career in the world of "green living" ...... I'm so thankful he gets it at such a young age and I'm also very thankful for the teachers he has, they must be exceptional! Can you imagine having conversations with your teenage son about solar panels, and bio-fuels etc etc...?!

Meanwhile...he is on the football team, is holding a 3.0, and is part of kickin' little rap band that actually has some pretty cool beats and lyrics!

Go Myles go! :)

Loads to share from Interbike...

2008-09-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

....but at the moment the biggest news for me is that I slept 24hrs over the last two nights, which just might be a record for me! Let's hope that's enough to catch up on the twelve hours of sleep I had during the whole show. Does that make it even now???

I can feel myself coming back to normal finally, and once I get completely unpacked and organized, I will update you on the show. WOW(!)we have cool things happening in the bike industry.....I just love it! More to come about our brands and the cool new things and announcements, but overall I have to say that I believe anyone who rides a bike is already a happier person than those who do not! So spread the word and get your friends and family members out on a bike....it's a beautiful, beautiful thing and one of the most amazing inventions ever. Even for all the craziness and stress of business that goes down at the show, it never fails that I leave Vegas feeling super fortunate to be part of this industry!

Cheers to all ...and as always, word to the bike.