Where to begin

I guess the best place is the change in our title. If you scan our pics you will see why we called ourselves, Team TMOBILE, but more importantly, what happened to TOM you ask? Well we have asked ourselves the same question. He kinda ditched us and our inspiration vanished. No worries though we kinda rocked!

I don't know how to put into words this experience so I will do my best to sum it up.

We got up early- 4 ish on Saturday and set off to the UW stadium for our big event. It was a bit chilly and we were all nervous, mostly because we were all STP virgins and the unexpected is scary. We were released from the start line in large groups- having said goodbye to Steve and the comfort of a car we rode off! IT was about 6:15 am.

Our route took us South over the UW bridge and across Montlake, under 520 and onto Boyer heading South. We hit Lake WA blvd and then Lakeside and up to Rainier and then all of a sudden we were in Kent for our first STop- 25 miles down... only 175 to go! THe stop was packed with music and fans, food and goodies. We didn't stay long, we were off to Puyallup then Spanaway for lunch. Spanaway was mile 55 for us and we had a picnic lunch at about 11 am with Jocelyn's sweet family.

This part of the ride wasn't so pretty- after all Auburn and Sumner etc.. are not known for the scenery. But we were in a groove and had already conquered "THE HILL". Really, who named it? It wasn't awful at all- thank goodness for all of our hills on our training rides.

On our way we had mini cheering stations and saw some darn cool bikes.

I would say that 90% of STP riders were on a road bike and then there were a few mountain bikes, a unicycle, a dozen or so tandem bikes, some with trailers for kids, a pedi-cab type of bike with three across and then the ever cool Elyptirunners- Elyptical Machine meets road bike..... Our Hybrids fit right in, though when a pace line sped by us, we did drool a bit at the ease in which they rode.


We rode on and made it to the Centralia halfway point around 3:30 pm where we hit the beer garden (worst idea once again) becuase this was NOT Our resting point for the night, we had 10 more miles to get to our campspot in Chehalis. This is where heavenly Peter comes in.

Peter is Leo's dear friend from years back who drove down all of our stuff (and I did NOT pack lightly) and even set up our tent for us. He was amazing- our new inspiration. What a selfless act!

So while Peter hung in the tent we all showered at the community pool, Joc and I took a swim test to use the tube slide- which in the end after passing the swim test, we also passed on the tube slide. Then Heavenly Peter drove us to dinner at a MANCAVE with mediocre food and weird locals. Enough said.

Peter dropped us off at our tent and Leo and I fell asleep instantly while Jocelyn struggled. (I guess we snore a bit)

5:30 am came early for Day Two.

We had a slow start but at 7 ish we were at the Espresso Stand having a quick caffeine boost and breakfast. Then we were off, we rode through Napavine and Vader and Castle Rock (all kinda strange places... The meth lab signs and the GUnsmith in a church for one) and into Kelso for our lunch stop. Prior to Kelso we met a guy named Carlos who also works for TMobile, not with Joc but near. He became our team photographer and joined us for the rest of the route. Carlos was doing it by himself, a sort of bucket list thing, and at lunch we found out that Carlos is from Downey, CA! THis is where my hubby is from and of all the high schools, of course he went to Warren with STeve. Carlos is a few years younger but still, small world!

Carlos helped motivate us and mix things up for the rest of day two as we hit hill after hill! They felt at times like rolling mountains but still doable and never at any point did any of us need to walk!!!!!!

We had the world's greatest sandwiches at Subway before going over the Longview bridge. This was a scary idea for us but turned out to be way fun. Joc's family met us again in St. Helen's where they motivated us (and me with Fritos) to finish the last 25 miles.

It seemed that the last few miles through downtown Portland and the steep hills within that took forever but it was worth it as our team of four crossed the finish line with smiles on our faces at about 5:30 pm! We did it!

We were met my Joc's parents and Steve who congratulated us and quickly rushed us to the showers!!!

At dinner we all agreed that if a hotel could be arranged we would in fact do it again!

Letter #5

Dear Gregg's,

Is there such a thing as bike karma? It sure felt as though the cards were stacked against us today. With Jocelyn's tire, computer and brake issues it felt as though we weren't meant to ride. Do you believe in Bike Karma Gregg's?

Secondly, do you think it is a bad idea to have margaritas and beers while in the middle of a ride? Every ride we say we won't, but halfway through those frosty beverages sound so good we can't seem to help ourselves. But then, we feel crummy afterwards and swear we won't make the same mistake twice. Repeat. Repeat. Are we insane Gregg's? What are your bicycle/drinking recommendations?

Finally, we really love your folks at your store. It seems that there are always A TON of them who can't wait to chat with us and make fun of our blunders. We especially love TOM, you should promote him and give him a raise and even let him start a Bike AAA service so when amateurs like ourselves have issues, out rides TOM to the rescue. Just a thought.

Thanks for always listening to us Gregg's, you have helped to inspire us and helped to keep us riding.

Love you,
Team Where is TOM

Our last practice ride

The plan was perfect. Leo, Joc and myself were meeting at the South Bellevue Park n Ride at 8:30 am to embark on our ride around Lake Washington on a beautiful sunny, summer day. Ah, but nothing works exactly as planned. 1. Not even out of the parking lot, Joc notices her tire is low on air, so we bike .2 of a mile to the Bellevue Way Chevron where our TEAM spends 1 hour attempting to inflate, change and fix a flat tire. Her valves don't match the gas station pump valves and our pumps are slow.. Then we attempt the supposedly miraculous carbon cartridge to only have hers explode sorta in the air and mine all over my hands. OUCH! Finally we get her tire pumped with my hand pump just in time for.... 2) Her handlebars to twist around just enough to snap the a piece of the front brakes off. *&^()&( (A series of swear words followed).

What is a TEAM TO do? Ride cautiously to Gregg's and enlist TOM's help. He did come through for us and even installed some extra bells all over our bikes :)

Another Starbucks later and 3 hours we leave heading North on Bellevue way. (approx 11 am.... Dang, we should be halfway home by now!!!)

3) A mile into our ride, Joc hits a bump and her NEW computer flies off the bike and shatters on Bellevue Way into a million little pieces...

Should we turn around now? Probably, but lucky for us, we didn't and the rest of our ride was a dream. 75 degrees and sunny, some hills and some long flats. It was great.

We took Bell Way to Lake WA blvd around the North end of the Lake to the Burke-Gillman which we took to San Point and detoured to Aqua Verde for the best Margaritas and Tacos EVER!!!! (Made it super hard to start riding again...)




After that we road along the Seattle side of Lake Wa towards Seward Park, Boeing and then across Renton and back to our cars.

Total Riding time: 4 hours
Distance: 54 miles
Issues: LOTS

This was our last team ride before our big STP event next weekend. Wish us luck, afterall we are almost at our goal!

Have you IBEXed yet?

So I am about three weeks away from D-Day or the actual STP and I have been asked the same question multiple times recently: Doesn't your butt hurt from all that riding?

NO!
Why you ask? IBEX.

I have a pair of IBEX knickers (or for those of you out of the lingo- 3/4 length bike pants) and I love them. They are made out of this great wool fabric which at first thought to a novice like myself, seemed odd and suepr hot for summer bike riding. But it actually keeps you cool and wicks the sweat away from your body.

The knickers fit true to size and the padding is just the right amount, not so much that I walk funny (which we have all seen), but enough that my butt has yet to hurt or cramp up. I also love elastic around the calf, keeps it from riding up and down. THe other great part is that the back waist band sits a bit higher than the front so you don't get a plumber's crack.

Bottom line, I love these pants and I am in the process of buying the bike shorts to add to my collection.

Side note: I also bought the arm warmers and the Indie Jersey and all have done me well. Hmmm, makes me wonder if I am the UNOFFICIAL IBEX SPONSORED RIDER?

Check it out for yourself:

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/product/1646/8990/womens-el-fito-three-quarter-bike-knickers

Flying Wheels 65 Mile Ride

The sun was out, the birds were chirping and my nerves were kept to a minimum. The ride was great minus a few hills. Especially the first heading up the plateau within the first 4 miles of the ride. I wish we had more time to warm up before throwing us into a big hill. Not to brag or anything, but I actually shocked myself. I was really freaked out ahead of time doing a group ride, especially with the hills. My fear all comes down to the clipless pedals. I have a fear that I won't be able to make it to the top and won't be able to clip out with the hundreds of other riders around me. But I'm proud to say...I did make it and was able to clip out and rest when needed. I did scream a few times, but hey, I'm a girl and that's what girls do. And quite frankly I kept my complaining down to a minimum (or at least the best I could) and never cried.

The ride took us over the plateau, through Duvall, Carnation and I think Fall City. It was so gorgeous and the sun made it even more amazing. Note to self: Always bring suncreen. My sunburned arms will thank me later! Hillary was speaking the truth...the ride was pretty much all hills. Pretty rough, but a great way to prepare for STP. There was the dreaded hill at the end, that everyone warned us about along the way. And yes, it was miserable. We walked a little and took breaks along the way. But the fact is we finished and I'm so proud of my team.

Poor Leo started cramping up in the beginning, so I'm not sure he enjoyed the ride as much as the rest of us. But he was a trooper and pushed his way through as any good soldier would. Especially a soldier that has been to war 3 times:)

I do have to admit that I started to get bored about 4 hours in and the last 7 miles was dreadful. Mostly just boring, repetitive and long! I'm a little nervous about STP now. Not for the physical aspect, but mentally. I'm a self diagnosed ADD victim and my attention span runs out rather quickly. Not sure how I'm going to push through 100 miles 2 days in a row...but somehow I'm sure our team will. I just wish I could hook up a tv with The Housewives of New Jersey to my bike. That would definitely keep me entertained.

Just another few weeks until STP. Hopefully Tom will join us for 1 ride before the big day. Tom, tell us when you are free. We miss you...and if we don't hear from you soon we are changing our team name to Team Where is (fill in the blank)?

Flying Wheels

Team, Where is Tom (might have to change our name because TOM our inspiration is MIA...) rode in our second group ride last Saturday- on a glorious sunny day.  The ride we did was 70 miles OF HILLS! Oh my goodness, there were hills of all sorts and sizes and none that were mild or easy. Luckily it was nice out, weird tan lines to prove it and we made it. Sore, tired and sweaty- but we made it. Joc has more pictures and we will upload those soon.


http://cascade.org/EandR/flying/pdf/fw_45_100_mile_map_2010.pdf


Some Highlights:
Lots of randmon roadkill- rats, crows, and deer
Going 1 mph up a hill and praying we would make it
Barely getting off to walk
Going through gallons of water
My computer breaking again! UGH

WE FINISHED AND WERE TOLD IF WE CAN DO THIS RACE, STP will be a breeze!!!

The Applebees Ride

Joc and I (Minus one team member---- LEO) rode through the torrential downpour on Monday. We decided that if we didn't ride on crummy weather days, well we wouldn't ride at all.  We did the South Lake Washington Route.



Essentially we met in Factoria, rode across I90 West and circled Mercer Island then continued I90 across the Lake and took Lake Wa blvd through Seward park and wound around until we made it to Boeing Field. Now, up until this point it was (as my BRILLIANT 3 year old says ) only misting. It was actually nicer than either of us expected... Notice I wrote, up until this point.

Yup as soon as we hit Boeing the sky literally opened up and sheets of water poured on us, literally a pontoon boat would have helped. Luckily we became hysterical which helped pass the time as we made our way around the South end of the Lake through the Landing and back to Factoria. 

Ironically, later Monday night, it was actually SUNNY outside. Damn Seattle Weather. 

All in all we logged another 40 miles and realized that we can ride through all sorts of inclement weather.


Oh and the best part, apparently Memorial Day is a holiday where all the good post-ride restaurants close down so we ended our ride with a bite at a fantastic, 4 star establishment known as Applebees.  (If any of our foodie friends are reading this, bite your tongue, we know we sinned!)

Why oh why is the weather so crummy here?

Team WHERE IS TOM took off on a training ride on what we hoped would be a glorious Saturday morning ride. In fact, look at our previous post and you can see what our goal was. Well, anyone out there recall the weather early Saturday morning. WE DO! It rained and rained and then rained some more.  Reluctantly we still set out on a shortened version (though we were mighty tempted to hit a bar and or movie instead). As we rode out of Bellevue and into the rain clouds our day was looking dismal. Right about 10 miles in, near but not on the 520 trail the SKY LITERALLY OPENED UP AND DUMPED ON US. So we did what any pro street racing team would do, we hid under a bus stop waiting for it to pass.  IT didn't at least not right away.


Soggy and shivering we headed towards Redmond- making this our second attempt to use the 520 bike trail and our second time not really finding it. THough we did find the world's steepest street and then an oportune time to mountaineer with our bikes from said street to the trail.  We headed into Totem Lake, felt a bit of sun and hit the Samammish trail into Redmond. Ironically we found lunch just as it got sunny out. So we ate some soup and warmed up our bodies and our shriveled feet. 


Then our ride led us down East Lake Samammish and through Issaquah back on the I90 trail home, totalling about 40 miles.  While not uneventful, no ride of ours has been, I learned some valuable lessons:


1. The 520 trail is quite elusive- I wonder if it truly exists?
2. Jocelyn lies- NOT EVERYTHING IS DOWNHILL!
3. THe padding on bike shorts soaks up rain water nicely, a bit like a GIANT DIAPER.
4.  Riding whether sunny or cold is fun with my team, I kinda dig them




Lastly, Tom if you are reading, isn't it time you join us for a ride?

I only had one photo from our journey, but it should really sum up our trip....

Hey Team, How about this for Saturday???

'Get that bear! Get that bear! Ho!' | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional

If you read my previous post, letter #4, click on this article.  I think this is my bear!!!!!!!!!!

'Get that bear! Get that bear! Ho!' KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington Local & Regional

Letter #4

Dear Greggs,

Today I went out into the beautiful morning sunshine by my lonesome for a solo ride through Maple Valley and Issaquah. Actually it was the same hilly ride that Joc and I did last week. The reason I am writing you dear Greggs is that no one told me what to do when one solo biker encounters a BLACK BEAR the size of a HOUSE!!!!  Yes that is right, on lovely Iss-Hobart road at about 10 am, I had to slam on my brakes so that Mr. Bear could meander across my path. He could have fit my entire bike in his mouth he was so freaking large.

So please Greggs, tell me if any of my reactions were correct... I panicked, said a little prayer, and closed my eyes as I pedalled home as fast as I could.  When I come in this week to get my pump issue all worked out, could someone at your lovely store talk to me about my protection options? Should I add Bear Spray to my Pack or should i just get a rifle? 

Signed a scared, wilderness rider,

Hillary

Maple Valley Ride

We did it...we changed our first tire! Ok, so we didn't actually change a tire by ourselves, but we intently watched two fellow cyclists change Hillary's tire. So here's the deal, we left Hillary's house with high hopes of completing our ride in no more than two hours. We took off and within minutes we both were running over rubbish in the road. Seriously...it was like a tool box exploded and we both hit every tool possible. We were riding on flat ground and all of a sudden Hillary asked, "does it feel like we are riding up hill?" Uh oh....sounds like the infamous Seattle ride where I was ready to quit STP. Then all of a sudden we realized Hillary had a flat. We pulled off to the side of Highway 167 and confidently preceded to change Hillary's tire. That is until we realized we had no idea how to use either one of our bike pumps. Fortunately, two cyclists stopped by to assist. Might I add they were wonderful, kind, and looked great in their bike shorts!

Our heroes who saved the day or at least our ride!

Hillary attempting to change her own tire

With a new tube in place we continued on with our ride. The ride was awesome. Hilly at times, or as Hillary would say "rolling hills". I like to call them just "hills". Needless to say we both rocked and never once had to walk our bikes up the hills. Actually, I think Hillary and I perfected the art of biking uphill while standing. Very impressive I must say! About 2 hours later we pulled into Hillary's neighborhood to end a great ride. I must admit I did have to walk my bike once we hit the short bike path between streets in Hillary's neighborhood. I don't know what it is about this one spot, but I freaked out, so I dismounted and walked the ten feet to the end of the path. I think I even shocked Hillary, who reminded me that it was literally 3 pedals of road. I promise next time I will ignore my nerves and bike up the path.

Here's a brief summary of the ride:

1. We managed to return home by the time we promised Hillary's husband and ourselves...even with a flat tire.
2. We rocked the hills.
3. Hillary is working on a game plan for me to overcome my fear of my clipless pedals...I have faith she will succeed.
   
4. I DIDN'T FALL!
5. The bruise from my last fall is officially green and I think may be growing a tumor now.
   
6. Both mine and Hillary's wrists were hurting from our ride...what does this mean? You got it...another trip to Gregg's to get new handlebars. Any excuse to see our fave employees at Gregg's!

You may be wondering, "where was Leo?" Great question. We have no idea. He bailed on us that morning. My guess....he partied too hard the night before and wasn't able to get up early enough to make the long trek from Everett to Maple Valley.

And a shout out to Kirk, Tom, and Rebecca who showed me how to use my bike pump, changed out my handlebars, convinced me to keep my super pricey bike knickers, providing some tips on clipping out, and for showing me their Veladrome race videos.

Two weeks until our long ride...we are thinking the Bainbridge Island loop, aka Chilly Hilly.

Letter #3

Dear Greggs,

Jocelyn and I ventured out on a ride Saturday morning and not even a 1/2 mile into it, I ran over a massive explosion of car parts and voila got my first flat. So we calmly pulled over and panicked. We thought our REI fix a flat class really taught us the necessetties but quickly realized that we couldn't figure out how to use my pump with my tubes. Hmmm. Are we idiots we thought? Surely not. But twenty minutes later we can't get my tube/valve to hook up to my pump nor Joc's. Luckily, Dale a nice road biker (not his real name, or probably not his name) pulled over and offered his assistance. Well he informed me that my Schrader valve is super hard to work with and even he could not get it to work with my pump. So he pulled out Joc's spare tube (maybe a Presta or something like that valve) and used his pump as mine didn't work and inflated my tire.  Then another lovely road biker also pulled over to witness our incident and had a giant foot pump and really inflated it the rest of the way. So after a fun 45 minute detour and introductions to two new friends we were on our way. 

We rode through Maple Valley and Issaquah-Hobart on a nice rolling-hill 22 mile ride. But Gregg's what to do about my tubes and pump? Aha, I have an idea, I will come back in with my bike and beg you for help once again? So Tom or Kirk if you are reading this, be patient with me and get me a damn pump that is easy to use and works with my tubes. Actually I may want new tubes. See you Thursday or maybe Saturday.

Sincerely a frustrated Flat Fixer,

Hillary

Some Goals for this Journey

I found myself today thinking about my goals for this process and why I am doing the STP and while my original reason for doing it, Jocelyn persuaded impulsive me, has not changed my goals have.

Original Goals:
To buy a bike
To complete the STP
Have Fun


New and improved Goals:

1. Get my average MPH up to 14-15 instead of about 12-13
2. Possibly invest in a road bike, down the ahem... road
3. Do the STP on an annual basis
4. Do the Oregon Coast week-long bike ride
5. Burn more calories than I consume on any given training ride
6. Get Jocelyn to not be so damned freaked out about clipping in

I love bike riding and have to thank Joc for my new hobby. I find myself daydreaming about our weekend rides and getting so giddy about the new places we might explore.

About 3 years ago, I remember driving down the road in San Diego and seeing a fleet of bikers in their cool jerseys riding along together. I noticed how fluid they were and in-sync and how it looked so peaceful.  Then a mile down the road, I stopped into Starbucks and saw the same bikers pull up and enjoy their coffee and snacks together as part of their Sunday Riding Club. I remember thinking that I wanted to be a part of a club like that one day. Well thanks to Joc and Kirk (why Kirk, Cause I dig him and think he is fantastic) and my great hubby for allowing me to ditch out almost every weekend, I kinda am part of the bike culture or at least our own little bike culture and I kinda love it.

OUCH!!!

Due to busy schedules team Where is Tom? had to ride separately this weekend. I decided to brave the I-90 bridge again with my dad this morning. Overall it was a good ride, but I'm realizing I do not enjoy the bridge at all. Here's a breakdown of my morning.

1. Met my dad Saturday morning in Bellevue.
2. My dad had a flat tire so we changed it together.
3. His brakes were rubbing so I tried to help him make adjustments.
4. After a 1/2 hour he decided he would be fine riding with little to no front brake.
5. We headed out from my parents house to the I-90 trail.
6. Mercer Island is still all hills both ways!!! I hate Mercer Island.
7. I averaged 19 miles/hour across the 90 bridge westbound...much better than last time. (What a difference no brakes rubbing makes!)
8. I've never been scared of heights, so I don't think that was it, but I was scared to death of riding across the bridge. Something about being able to see the water and the thought that if somehow I fell in with my bike attached I would drown. Morbid I know...but I'm crazy!
   
9. We rode around Seward park. I grew up in Bellevue and never once had ever been to Seward park. I have been missing out. What was I thinking driving all the way to Greenlake when Seward park is so close???
10. On the way back to 90 we couldn't decide which way to go...then it happened.....
11. I think I was at a stand still and clipped in on only one side...in slow motion I fell down for the 2nd time.
12. I have reconfirmed that I have no reflex reaction and am horrible in a pickle!
13. Tom, I confirmed that your bike does not always release your clips when you hit the ground...I was still clipped in and my dad had to pick me up.
14. I got back up and we headed back to Bellevue, with a quick stop on Mercer Island for my uncle to fix my dad's brakes.
15. I averaged 12 miles per hour Eastbound. Something about that wind got to me.
    
16. My uncle joined us on our ride back to Bellevue...and made riding look so easy. My goal is to look like him on a bike one day.
17. My dad is a freakin' machine. No matter how much older we get I'll never be able to beat him physically.
    
18. My entire left side is really sore. Falling does hurt in case you didn't know. And I swear I have a bruise on the palm of my hand...that's a first!
19. We rode a total of 27 miles.

Overall, it was a great ride, but I miss the fun times I have with my team. Looking forward to the next ride! And even more scared of my pedals now. Why, oh why is the fear not going away???

Snoqualmie Valley Ride

Leo and I in front of my house...before the ride began

Sunday was a gorgeous day, which made for a wonderful ride. One of my favorite rides to be exact. We started from my house and rode down into Snoqualmie Valley. One word...BREATHTAKING! Here's a brief summary of the ride from my perspective:

1. I didn't fall.
2. I did have a moment where I had to clip out fast...which I couldn't do, so I did hit my pelvic bone on my handle bars. Not sure if I can have any more children after that.
3. We played some hilarious games thanks to Hillary and Leo.
4. We've all agreed that Meagan Fox is a bit dirty.
5. The clipless pedals definitely helped me make it up the hill, which is about 3.5 miles of pure hill.
6. We didn't have to stop once to get up the hill...did I mention it is about 3.5 miles of pure hill?
7. We stopped at my new fave pub and again met some amazing people.
8. Leo found a new friend...apparently someone who has the same appreciation for Tommy Boy as he (Hillary and I were both at a loss).
9. Leo loves his new pedals and handlebars.
10. Hillary and I are heading back to Gregg's to buy new handlebars...so we can look like Leo!
11. I didn't fall.

I'll leave you with another quote,

"It's a beautiful day, Sky falls, you feel like, It's a beautiful day, Don't let it get away, You're on the road But you've got no destination, You're in the mud, In the maze of her imagination, You love this town, Even if that doesn't ring true, You've been all over, And it's been all over you, It's a beautiful day, Don't let it get away, It's a beautiful day"

-U2

Leo and Hillary at the Irish Pub

Me and Hillary enjoying some good food

Letter #2

Dear Gregg's

I feel like I have to write to you to tell you how inspired you have made me.  Just a few short months ago, I was a gas-guzzling driver and now I am a rockin biker. I love my bike. Have I mentioned that lately? I love my bike clothes thanks to Ibex and my bike shoes and frankly I even love my gloves and helmet.  Though Gregg's, if i am being honest I don't love my mirror. But that is okay. I love coming to your store and chatting it up with Kirk and Tom and most of all I love my new hobby. Thank you for showing me the way.

Forever your biggest fan,

Hillary

PS- Tom and Kirk, if either of you are reading this be ready- Joc and I both want to get the lovely handle bar extensions and other accessories so expect a visit from us soon and we'll take you out for a beer!

All clipped in and off to the Irish Pub

We ventured out on our beautiful Sunday afternoon on a ride as designed by the best biker-friendly website- mapmyride.com  It took us on a shorter ride through the Snoqualmie Valley for a bit over 20 miles. The scenery was breathtaking and along with a few "road trip games" we had a great afternoon.

The last 4 miles were a treacherous uphill climb but luckily we were all CLIPPED in and slow and steady won the race for us. Actually Jocelyn zipped up the hill- way to go Joc!  We stopped for the requisite happy hour at the Irish Pub in the Ridge and had the greatest hummus, cheese platter, fries and beer money could buy! 

http://www.finaghtys.com/

Sitting outside feeling accomplished it couldn't get much better. OH wait then the table of 4 women came in and rocked some Journey outloud on their IPOD and it was BETTER!

Joc will have to post our pictures, but I thought it was a purely delightful day. Thank you Finnaghty's for a great feast and Leo for indulging in our girl talk!

Motivation Quotes from the Team's Motivational Speaker (Updated)

As self proclaimed Motivational Speaker for the team I have promised to, every so often, provide motivational catch phrases to keep us all ..... well MOTIVATED! Please note that I did say "every so often" because I have commitment issues.

Motivational Phrase #1 (March 5, 2010)
"If you come to a fork in the road...pick it up"
- Author unknown

Motivational Phrase #2 (March 9, 2010)
Just keep saying and believing "I think I can....I think I can!" The key is in believing!
- The Little Engine that Could

Motivational Phrase #3 (April 11, 2010)
"When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it, don't back down and don't give up. Then you're going to mystify a lot of folks."
- Bob Dylan

Motivational Phrase #4 (April 12, 2010)
"Hey I, oh I'm still alive"
- Pearl Jam

Motivational Phrase #5 (April 18, 2010)
"I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you
Come rain or come shine
High as a mountain, deep as a river
Come rain or come shine."
- Willie Nelson

Motivational Phrase #6a (April 22, 2010)
"Do, or do not. There is no try."
– Yoda

Motivational Phrase #6b (April 22, 2010) Yes, there are two today because I'm bored right now!
"I love you like a fat kid love cake."
- 50 Cent

The most Unorganized, Organized Ride ever

I had to add to Joc's post about our 40 miler. My thoughts:

Not organized
No official start or finish= anti-climactic
Not organized
Great company but crappy weather
WE MISSED TOM!

The good part besides the company was that we all finished feeling that we could do many more miles as long as the weather was decent. Physically it was much easier than expected but mentally it was tought!

There, that is my two cents.

40 Mile Tulip Ride

Team Where is Tom? at the beginning of our 40 mile ride

It's official...Leo, Hillary and I completed our first "organized" ride. I'd call it a race, but let's be honest....we weren't competing for a medal, just to finish in one day. It started off pretty rough since I had to wake up at 3:45 a.m. in order to meet Hillary in Bellevue by 5 a.m. However, once I was out of bed and we had our Starbucks in hand I was good to go. We made it to La Conner by 7ish, registered and started the ride at 7:30 a.m. We should have known it was sketchy when they told us to start whenever we wanted because there was no official Starting Time. We left, with map in hand, on our 40 mile adventure. Then the torrential downpour began. Seriously, it was suppose to be nice until noon, but of course we couldn't be so lucky. About half way through we realized we had gotten off course and had to back track a bit. Along the way we saw our first Tulip in front of the Liquor Store (see pic). I'm trying to keep this short, but sweet, so here is a brief breakdown of the ride:

1. I never fell off my bike
   
2. It rained the entire time (at some points I swear it felt like snow and hail mixed...and I pondered whether or not the world was coming to an end like The Day After Tomorrow)
3. We passed a dead cat in the road (thanks Hillary for warning me not to look...so I could avoid tears)
   
4. We passed a dead raccoon in the road
5. We had to stop and ask for directions on several occasions
6. We got lost and had to back track for about a mile
7. We met some super cool people along the way (when we were asking for directions)
8. I found the cutest town (Edison) that looked like New England...and I want to move
9. We did finally pass a Tulip Field and it was gorgeous
10. Leo's back was hurting and he may have possibly pooped his pants....he's says it was mud
    
11. We logged 42 additional miles
12. The clipless pedals definitely made me more efficient (apparently 30% more efficient)
13. My new super cool hydration pack is totally dirty...I may have to wash it
14. My bike is very dirty....I bet Hillary that I wouldn't wash it because it adds character
15. My left knee is killing me (not sure if I need to see a physical therapist or go back to Gregg's for another bike fitting....however, I think I may be overstaying my welcome at Gregg's since I have not paid for any of these additional adjustments or questions that I ask)
16. We had to be our own cheerleaders and booster club since there was no official Finish Line
    
17. I didn't fall off my bike:)

The first Tulip spotted on our ride (at the liquor store)
Of course we stopped at the liquor store!

Rain or shine it was a great day and ride with my 2 amigos. The more I ride the more I love it. Leo is even thinking of buying a rode bike after STP and continue riding. I'm also thinking I could make a career of this....a slow career, but who cares as long as I look good while doing it. Who knows maybe I'll buy a road bike too someday. I know where to go if I do....REI (just kidding...I would only shop at Gregg's in Bellevue from now on!)

Leo and Hillary's first beer after 40 minutes of driving around trying to find a place to eat (and we ended up at Red Robin out of all places)

Hillary and I at Red Robin following the ride...thank God for Coke and fried food!

I'll end with a quote as team Motivational Speaker:

I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you
Come rain or come shine
High as a mountain, deep as a river
Come rain or come shine
-Willie Nelson

Help!

Help me PLEASE!!! I can't stop thinking about the clipless pedals I just bought. Driving home yesterday from my ride I kept reminding myself that I don't have to clip out as I was tapping on my clutch between gear shifts. Then I woke up at about 2 a.m., which is way passed my bedtime, and was thinking about my new pedals. I'm not sure if I'm scared to death or excited to ride again and practice more. Either way I need some serious help getting these stupid pedals out of my head. I just keep picturing myself heading up a hill and realizing I can't make it to the top or need to stop for a car/pedestrian and I won't be able to unclip. I don't know how to describe it, but it seriously takes concentration and effort to get out of these clips. I'm hoping its my inexperience and not that fact that I have crappy ankles, after surgery on both, that is making clipping out so hard.

I'm trying to remind myself of what Tom says and practice, practice, practice and know that falling doesn't hurt that bad. However, I'm a bit nervous that I am going to fall in front of him when he joins the team on a ride...or scared that I will fall in the street and cause a car accident.

Any advice of how to get these crazy fears out of my head??? It is consuming my life!!!!

Let me end with a line from my favorite singer, Eddie Vedder via Pearl Jam:

"Hey I, oh I'm still alive"

Question....

So I've got a question for you crazy followers of this blog... after our ride today it left me with a very difficult decision to make before our tulip festival ride next week. My ass hurt like crazy today, and I'm tired of telling people my ass hurts all the time, the other thing is without the clipless pedals the two girls are leaving me in the dust going up hills. So the question is, should I invest in a new seat this week or go with the clip in pedals????

I'm taking votes!!!

...I'd do both of them, but I want something to look forward to each ride. I would love for every ride to get easier and easier as opposed to hitting the peak now and getting bored of it.

Sunday Morning Part 1 (My addition)

Just had to add my two sense to Hillary's post.

Tom is only 23!!!!! (But I promised not to make a big deal of that anymore) Even though he is young...he is still super cool and he's an Eagle Scout!!!
Tom loves SODA - plus 1 My only disappointment is that Coke is not his drink of choice. Everyone knows that Coke is the better choice.
Tom is a perfectionist and a bit of a sci fi junkie... should we call him Gandalf now? Another reason why he is cool...The Sci Fi channel is my favorite channel next to Lifetime Movie Network
Kirk is accident prone, though I knew this but each time i see him there are more accidents to hear of Yay!!! Not to the fact that Kirk continually gets hurts...but at least I'm not the only one that gets injured all the time.

One more item I must add...Tom has a Sprint phone. My heart sunk when he told me....since I work for T-Mobile (the BEST company ever). However, I have faith he will leave the dark side and join the T-Mobile gang once he spends more time hanging out with me. BTW...did I mention you can add a line for $5 right now with T-Mobile. BEAT that Sprint!

First Fall Down!

I DID IT!!! Thank you Hillary and Tom for convincing me to get back on my bike, after the last dreadful ride, and go clipless. As I mentioned in my last blog, I bought my clipless pedals yesterday from Gregg’s and took the plunge today by taking them out for a spin. My biggest fear was that I would fall. DONE! Hillary, Leo and I started out at the Bellevue Park n Ride. We were just riding around the parking lot, getting ready to begin. I clipped out of my pedals…or so I thought and bam…I fell to the ground (Refer to pic that I’m sure Hillary will post). Luckily, but embarrassingly, I wasn’t moving so the fall wasn’t too bad. All I could hear was Leo asking if I was okay and Hillary laughing hysterically while peeing her pants. Being the tough girl that I am I got up without crying....I may have even laughed at myself, and began our ride.

So what’s a girl to do when you’ve fallen while not even moving? WWTD???? Go visit Tom at Gregg’s to tell him about my first fall and show him that I survived without a visit to the ER. Keep in my mind at this point I was so scared from my fall, my heart was racing and I was clipping in and out of the pedals to ensure I didn’t have another fall so soon after. I even debated not clipping in again and just pretending, but that was too hard. We got to Gregg’s and we immediately told Tom, Kirk and Rebecca (another fave Gregg’s employee) about the start to our ride. Oh yeah…and we finally introduced Leo to Tom, so he can finally relate to our Team name. Leo even bought some arm warmers, which look super cool. Both Leo and Hillary now own arm warmers, while I sported knee warmers, and we all looked like real cyclists.

After a nice chat with the staffers at Gregg’s we continued on our way. BTW…have I mentioned how much I love going to Gregg’s? It’s like my new Starbucks…the place to go when you are looking to share good conversation and laugh your A$$ off!

Quick Gregg’s Cycle Advertisement:

Seriously…please go if you are looking for a new bike or bike accessories. They are all so knowledgable and wonderful. I bought my bike about a month ago and have been back to Gregg’s on several occasions for tune ups and accessories. Everyone, especially Tom, Kirk and Rebecca, have been so helpful. I still love Tom soooo much, but I also now love Gregg’s only female staff member, Rebecca. She is super smart and experienced in riding and really knows cycling from a girl’s perspective. I will be a lifelong customer of Gregg’s. As one customer wrote to Gregg’s, they are the Nordstrom of bike shops.

Back to the ride…we continued on Bellevue Way down to 520 at Northup and headed towards West Lake Sammamish. Tom was right…clipless pedals really help when you are heading up hills. It was a bit hilly on Northup, but def good exercise and a great opportunity to try out the new pedals. We finally reached the peak of the hill and headed down to the lake, which both Hillary and Leo loved. Leo zoomed by both of us at about 30 miles/hour. Of course, I was timid and braked the whole way down…freaking out at one point when I hit about 25 miles/hour. The ride around Lake Sammamish was wonderful. Then Jocelyn (yes, I’m talking about myself in third person, but just to emphasize my choice) convinced the team to head into Issaquah to add a few more miles to our trip. It was downhill along 90, which is never good. Why, you ask??? Because if you go downhill you must come back up! And of course we did once we hit the Arco in Issaquah and turned around back towards Bellevue. It seriously was up hill until we hit 136^th in Eastgate and headed down to Factoria. We ended the trip riding through Factoria and the Mercer Sleugh and back to the park n ride.

All in all, I’m so glad that I listened to Hillary and Tom and got back on my bike after the last horrific ride to Seattle in the rain. It was a great ride, even with the fall at the beginning. I’m definitely looking forward to our next ride in La Conner at the Tulip Festival (40 miles). I hear that Tom may even join us (Yay)! My only complaint…I’m already sore. Getting older sucks because even the smallest of falls hurts every inch of your body.

I’ll end with a quote from one of my fave singers Bob Dylan:

"When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it, don't back down and don't give up. Then you're going to mystify a lot of folks."

Regardless of my bad ride to Seattle and the fall today, I’m going to keep on riding and see you at the start of STP in July. PEACE!

Cautious Clipper

That is my new nickname for Jocelyn as she is navigating the world of clipless pedals... Ahhhh!

THis was before we even left the parking lot for our ride today!!!  It was smooth sailing for the cautious clipper after that.  We rode about 25 miles on GIGANTIC hills through Bellevue, Kirkland and parts of Issy. IT was a glorious 68 ish outside and we managed a nice ride at a steady clip without having any beer!  That seemed to be a nice bonus.  Some highlights were my three giant snorting fits as I laughed at something someone said.  Leo's ass hurting and him thinking people would take it the wrong way... and the fact that within our ride we managed to return to Gregg's twice. Both times with semi-legit reasons. 

I think we may have convinced Tom to do the Tulip ride with us next weekend!!! Hint Hint

Sunday morning Part 1

As my previous letter stated, I had to return to Gregg's to get my broken bike fixed. I have to admit I was a bit nervous walking in as it seems I spend most of my free time just squatting at the place.  Much to my relief Tom said to me as I walked in, " I read the blog, good to see you." Love that he knew I would be coming.

Lucky for me I was surrounded by my new favorite peeps Tom and Kirk and between the two of them and the lovely SERVICE dept my bike got fixed and only another hundred bones in Gregg's pockets.  The best part was by far the two hours I spent pretending that I worked there. After I bought a round of coffee and snacks, this is what I learned:

Tom is only 23!!!!! (But I promised not to make a big deal of that anymore)
Tom loves SODA - plus 1
Tom loves FRIES - plus 1
Tom is a perfectionist and a bit of a sci fi junkie... should we call him Gandalf now?
Kirk is accident prone, though I knew this but each time i see him there are more accidents to hear of
Kirk and Tom share a special man-love

The extra bonus is that no one seemed to mind me just hanging out.

Letter #1

Dear Gregg's,

My name is Hillary and I am a stalker. I feel kinda funny admitting this but I truly either feel like a real-life stalker or a groupie. You see, I went to your store again today to speak with Kirk about getting a new pump (yes he redeemed himself after the incident) and I ended up spending nearly 2 + hours there. The funny thing is, I kinda enjoyed myself. Kirk is a wealth of knowledge, though you hired him so you should know that, but he is also funny and tells great though gross, stories. Plus the guy has a streak of bad luck that is quite- uh entertaining.

The even funnier or infuriating part is that at 10 am when the doors open tomorrow I will be back. Ah that is right, somehow when my bike went for a ride in the back of the pickup- (someone out there: is that a bad idea for transport?) the spedometer broke and the front brake also broke! I am so damn pissed I could scream, however at least if I have to run another damn errand, thank goodness it is to your store, cause I love it.

Thanks for being so great!

Your loyal stalker,

Hillary

Gone Clipless

So I finally decided to take the plunge and go clipless. Pedals that is. So, I emailed TOM and told him I would be coming in this Saturday and bringing a friend, in hopes he would be working and help make some adjustments to my bike and accessorize my friend’s bike. On a side note, my friend Cinnamon just learned how to ride a bike. As in, she has never ridden one until about 7 months ago. No, she didn’t need training wheels. Instead she researched on the internet and jumped on and started riding. I’m so proud of her for learning to ride. Anyways…back to my story. Tom wasn’t working, but volunteered to come into Gregg’s on his day off and help us out. That’s how wonderful he is. Sounds like I need to send another letter to Gregg’s about Tom being a spectacular employee.

After a stop at my fave coffee shop, Café Ladro, Cinnamon (aka Spice) and I met Tom at Gregg’s Cycle. We started by accessorizing Spice’s bike. Unfortunately, her bike can’t accommodate a water bottle holder so she is going hydration pack all the way. Then we moved on to the clipless pedals, which I have feared for weeks now. I got on the bike trainer and tested the pedals out. On my first try I was still struggling to clip out, but I’m hoping time will change that. Tomorrow is the big day to test them out. Hillary, Leo and I are going to ride from my house in Snoqualmie, down to the bottom of the falls and through Fall City and maybe Duvall. We’ll see how far we get. Stay tuned for an update on if I survive the clipless pedals. Tom assures me that I will be riding up hills with ease and I trust everything he says.

Then we got to see the bike that Tom is building. Can you say “SUPER AWESOME”??? I don’t know bikes, but it looked pretty cool. Once he brought his bike down it was like a an ice cream truck came driving by…as several Gregg’s employees came flocking over to check it out. It’s amazing how wonderful everyone is that works there. Seriously…it’s like you have to pass a personality test before accepting a job at Gregg’s. I love them all!!!! We spent the next several minutes chatting about track racing, which Tom is getting into and trying to convince Kirk to get back into it. In case you forgot, Kirk is the other amazing Gregg’s employee that helped Hillary with her bike and a former professional racer.
Of course there was a lot of smack talking, which Spice and I just sat back and watched. Overall, it was a great day and another example of how much I love Gregg’s Cycle. If you have never been…GO! Make a day trip of it. I swear the staff will keep you amused!

So you wanna lube a chain eh?

Joc and I attended an Intro to bike maintenance class at REI.... And let me start off by saying that we had NO plans on getting dirty or breaking a sweat.. we weren't even in bike gear. UGH!  But we did it with smiles on our faces and crap on our hands. We learned how to properly LUBE a chain (way fun to say) and fix a flat. We also learned that Jocelyn's tire is AMAZINGLY HARD TO get on and off and I was SOLD the wrong pump for my tire size. I am sure this was an accident and a mere oversight becuase the crew at Gregg's have been amazing until what i will now deem it- The PUMP INCIDENT!!!

Tom, or anyone at Gregg's I am not mad and not even sad, just a bit dissapointed that my guys let me down :)

We also learned one final nugget of wisdom: In one's bike changing kit one should have Handi Wipes!!!

The dreadful ride to Seattle…from my perspective

Warning: The contents of this email are a pity party for one….ME!!!! Be Warned!

It started out great. The sun was out and it was only slightly sprinkling. I was thinking to myself….”this isn’t so bad. I can handle riding in the rain.” Then we started riding and it was downhill from there…or what felt like uphill both ways! About a mile into the ride I felt something rubbing on my tires. I mentioned this to the team and Hillary said that her tires rub a bit too…so I figured all was okay. Then we hit the start of the I-90 bridge and I knew something was truly wrong when my bike started to descend on its own. I literally started to come to a stop while heading downhill. I looked ahead to see where my team was and they were already halfway across the bridge. Then I checked my computer and it said I was going about 6 miles/hour and I was pedaling at full force. What could be wrong? Was I that out of shape? Probably! How was I going to make it across the bridge at this pace? How were Hillary and Leo riding across so easily? Then I came to the realization that I couldn’t do this….I spent the rest of my ride across the bridge thinking up ways to tell my team I was dropping out…and then deciding how to tell everyone at work I’m quitting before I even really began. Then I debated…do I stop and cry or do I push through and at least make it to the opposite side to tell my teammates my decision? I decided to continue on as my thighs were burning and my heart was racing.

I finally made it to the other side and told Hillary and Leo what was wrong. Leo checked my bike and noticed that my brake pads were misaligned. Basically I was riding my bike with the back brake fully applied. Any idea what that feels like to ride up hill with your brake fully applied? One word comes to my mind….HELL!!!! I was still defeated, but felt like maybe I wasn’t as crazy as I convinced myself of on my way across the bridge. After a few failed attempts to fix my bike we continued on to Lake Washington Blvd. in hopes of finding a bike shop. As previously mentioned the bike shop moved and the other store was closed. The three of us sat around and then we asked ourselves, WWTD? Let’s call Tom!!! We called Tom at work and he walked me through a few steps to troubleshoot my bike problems. Nothing seemed to work so he suggested I finish my ride without a rear brake and bring it back in for an adjustment. We decided that was our best option and continued on to 520, where I was positive there was a bike trail across the bridge.

On the way, we rode alongside the arboretum where I thought I was going to be hit by a car and die. I screamed most of the way…especially when I looked to my left and realized I was within an arms length of a car passing me. We finally made it to 520 and came to terms with the fact that there was no trail and we could either take the Burke Gilman across the water or go back the way we came. We decided to head back to 90, but stopped at the Cactus on the way. BAD IDEA!!! Two lavender margaritas later I was giddy and my head was spinning. Storm Watch 2010 had began and I was positive the ride back wouldn’t be so bad. Probably the alcohol talking for me!! Needless to say…the ride was pretty horrible. Once we got to the stairs heading up to 90 I was freezing and my toes were numb. I kindly asked Leo if he would carry my bike up the stairs (with no intentions of actually letting him do it). Being the wonderful brother that he is he grabbed mine and his bike and made his way up. Hillary and I spent the next 20 minutes laughing and peeing our pants trying to get her bike up. Once we made it to 90 the rain was coming down so hard it hurt my face! I swear I have cuts on my face from the rain slamming into me. We finally made it back to Factoria and I couldn’t be happier.

Unfortunately, I’m still feeling uneasy about the ride and wondering if the fun is gone and now I’m just struggling to make it through training and to the finish line. My biggest concern is that I’ve come to the realization that I work, have 2 kids and a husband, other family and a couple of friends that I would like to spend time with, which takes away from my training. I keep hearing people tell me not to underestimate the distance of this ride and that I need to ride my bike daily. The truth is that I can probably ride 1-2 days a week and maybe get in a 40 minute ride on a stationary bike 2 days a week. This alone makes me feel guilty that I'm not spending enough time with my children. Not sure this is going to be enough to get me through the ride without crying or catching a cab. Additionally, I’m a little achy…mostly just my knees. Either my bike needs to be adjusted or I’m just getting too old. Let’s hope our next ride goes better. I’m hoping my hero, TOM, can join us and provide me with some words of encouragement and wisdom!!!!

Motivational quote for the week, “This too shall pass”…at least I hope!!!