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:
I didn't fall.
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.
We played some hilarious games thanks to Hillary and Leo.
We've all agreed that Meagan Fox is a bit dirty.
The clipless pedals definitely helped me make it up the hill, which is about 3.5 miles of pure hill.
We didn't have to stop once to get up the hill...did I mention it is about 3.5 miles of pure hill?
We stopped at my new fave pub and again met some amazing people.
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).
Leo loves his new pedals and handlebars.
Hillary and I are heading back to Gregg's to buy new handlebars...so we can look like Leo!
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"
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!
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!
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!
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
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!
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:
I never fell off my bike
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)
We passed a dead cat in the road (thanks Hillary for warning me not to look...so I could avoid tears)
We passed a dead raccoon in the road
We had to stop and ask for directions on several occasions
We got lost and had to back track for about a mile
We met some super cool people along the way (when we were asking for directions)
I found the cutest town (Edison) that looked like New England...and I want to move
We did finally pass a Tulip Field and it was gorgeous
Leo's back was hurting and he may have possibly pooped his pants....he's says it was mud
We logged 42 additional miles
The clipless pedals definitely made me more efficient (apparently 30% more efficient)
My new super cool hydration pack is totally dirty...I may have to wash it
My bike is very dirty....I bet Hillary that I wouldn't wash it because it adds character
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)
We had to be our own cheerleaders and booster club since there was no official Finish Line
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 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:
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.
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!
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 136th 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!
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
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.
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.
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!
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!!!
Leo and I in front of my house...before the ride began
Leo and Hillary at the Irish Pub
