Super Hero

Okay, so I don't ever feel like I look like a superhero, but maybe the next time I look for cycling gear I should look with that in mind....Super Ciclodiva!

bike obsession

My “obsession” with bikes and cycling probably started when I was in high school. I had this old clunky 10 speed that my parents gave to me for my 11^th birthday. I had that bike for a very long time! Anyway, at that time my obsession did not include general maintenance, just putting air in the tires every now and then and maybe checking to make sure the brakes worked. All I cared about was going for a ride which usually would be after I finished the dinner dishes and if the clean up was quick and easy and it wasn’t too late I would head out on my bike for a big loop. It’s funny to think about it now, but the big loop then was a five to seven mile route that went to Fern Prairie and then back around on Everett Road to Lacamas Lake and back to my house. I guess as a teenager, that IS a big loop.

When I think back, I would have to say that my most favorite memory happened during the summer that I spent with my cousins at their house. Each morning I would be dropped off at their house by a parental unit and then spend all day with them until the other parental unit came to pick me up. I had my bike at their house so we could go for rides on the days that were especially dull.

Our rides back then consisted of riding around Camas, the schools and the neighborhood - nothing terribly adventurous just getting out of the house. This one particular day Francois and I rode to what was formerly JD Zellerbach Middle School and were racing around the buildings (me on my 10 speed, he on one of my parents 3 speed bikes) and we decided to around the 8^th grade building, in opposite directions, at a speed that we agreed would be less than race pace…something supposedly leisurely.

Yeah, so neither of us did…I should have known! Who knows how long it took but we rounded the corner at the far side of the building and crashed into each other. I don’t remember if we went down or not, probably so, but I do remember being VERY concerned about my bike. Never mind the fact that we just crashed into each other and one of us may have had some sort of minor injury! Nope, was my bike okay?! I think he ended up with a bent wheel, but he could still ride it. My concern directed toward my bike was particularly disturbing to him I think. It is a rather amusing memory – I have been reminded of that a couple of times since then.

So, Francois, next time I suggest we ride around a building at a leisurely pace, smack me upside the head and say, “Don’t you remember the last time we did that? You might mess up your bike!”

Good times!

Sadness

Have been feeling a good deal of sadness this week. The wife of one of our BC's passed away unexpectedly this week. There is definitely a different feel in the atmosphere around the station, but then it could just be me. Any kind of sadness seems to really affect me anymore.

My connection with Julie goes beyond the fact that her husband is a co-worker, but not so much that we were "friend" friends. More than acquaintances though, maybe friendly acquaintances...hmmm.

Julie was so outgoing and gregarious, which has been said by a few others also. Whenever we would run into each other at the store or coffee shop it was just a boost just to experience her inner beauty. She would call the station quite often while her hubby was working and we would end up chatting for a couple of minutes before I would transfer her on (a hazard of my job, talking to people...the spouses more specifically). There are a few of the wives that I have gotten to know because of work, but it seems that I have had more opportunity to connect with her over the last few years. The last time I saw Julie was a few weeks ago at Starbucks while visiting with my friend Cathy. She and her mister were walking up and she came over and had given me a hug...and visited with us for a couple of minutes before heading out for their big day together. It was just little things like that...she was just so sweet. I will miss those phone calls and visits at Fred Meyer or Starbucks or Target.

She leaves behind two boys also. They are young teens - young men, who will go through the rest of their growing up years without their mom. I was told that she lavished love on them all the time...something that they will miss for sure. I hope they continue to love like she did.

The past couple of days have felt so unreal and I've been doing a pretty good job at keeping it together. Have had calls from neighboring fire departments offering condolences (which is hard) and support. Once the memorial has come and gone, but I don't think that memories of Julie will fade so quickly - that's just the kind of person she was. Memorable.

Wishing I had the opportunity to get to know her better, but thankful that I got to know her at all.

I think I have seen it all...

Found the first one on Dean Tracy's blog (Team Land Rover/Orbea) http://voodoomadness.blogspot.com/ and the other was sent to me by Matt D. I don't know what to think of the bicycle acrobatics...hmmm.

Vine Ride 2009

Vine Ride...good route, good rest stops...extra miles! 65 miles actually was 71 miles in the end! This is the last organized ride this month...we'll be gearing up for the Peach of a Century in which we will do the 100 mile century and not the 62 mile metric century - GOOD TIMES!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Clouds

I have felt like this on occasion....(click image to expand)

Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour

Instead of riding the Bridge Pedal in Portland on Sunday we made our way to Albany for a new ride - the Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour (Mid Valley Bicycle Club). The route was 69 miles. My legs were not cooperating and I was feeling tired from the beginning. After lunch we took the alternate route that was said to be a no more hill route...after a couple of miles there was another hill. It wasn't that steep or long, but it was a hill. I tried to keep it together as best as I could and made it to the end with a final total of 60 miles. Not bad for not feeling all that great.

Overall, it is a great ride and it could be loads of fun, but it wasn't meant to be for me this particular weekend.

Make a Smilebox photobook

This coming Saturday is the Vine Ride that starts in Newberg. This is one of our faves and I'm really looking forward to it!

Fat Cyclist's Wife - Susan

I posted a couple of days ago about Susan Nelson and her battle with cancer - just read this and had to share. Click the name to get the big picture on this incredible person... Susan Nelson

Weekend Fun...

This weekend is a cycling week for us - starting with the Portland Twilight Criterium at the North Park Blocks in good ol' downtown PDX. Gonna try to get a good spot to get a lot of cycling action shots and maybe see a crash or two :)

Tomorrow we are off for ALBANY! We will probably get a ride in the morning, then we'll be off for the Mid Valley Bicycle Club's Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour.

So, check back later...have a good weekend!

Inspiration

When you start following a blog that belongs to someone that you don't know, you just never know what you might get into.

For the past couple of years I have been following the blog of Elden Nelson a.k.a. fatcyclist. The first time I saw his blog name I was intrigued and entertained as he writes about cycling in the serious sense and also in a comedic way. As time went on he wrote more and more about his wife, Susan, who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2003.

So all of this time between the cycling related posts he would update his readers with Susan posts and run contests on his blog in an effort to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Another cool thing that came about was a smallish cycling apparel company Twin Six partnered with Fat Cyclist and created a special jersey and set up a Win Susan fund to raise funds to help the family off-set the cost of medical bills and help with other financial things that popped up.

Over the last year things started to look not so great and Susan's health started the downward spiral - the more things started looking bleak, the more she would fight. Her cancer had spread to her brain and lungs and affected her way of life in ways that the average human couldn't understand...all the while thinking of others first, especially her family which also consisted of two teenage boys and twin girls.

Now, over a year later, with the past few weeks becoming more evident that she was at the end of her fight against cancer Susan passed away in her home, surrounded by her family. Win Susan has now been transformed to Fight Like Susan.

So, the next time you see me out on the road with my pink Fat Cyclist jersey, think of Susan and of those around you that might be fighting cancer today.

To read more about Susan go to http://www.fatcyclist.com/ and check out old posts in his archives.

Best Teammate EVER!

This year has been a year of challenges as I move past the 5 year mark of my brain cancer diagnosis and with each passing week another 5 year mark is passed (first surgery, second surgery, first day of radiation....etc) I feel more confident everyday about where I am as far as my health. Nothing crazy weird has popped up and I'm keeping up on my MRIs and doc visits. I Even was "fired" by my radiation doctor whom I only visited once a year. Her assessment of me from my June visit was that I am doing great and there is no need to see her anymore....WOO HOOO! No more trips to NW Cancer on 136th Avenue!!

With Livestrong going to Seattle this year I decided to find something different to do here in the Portland area to challenge myself. Livestrong is a ride or a run event...we've done both in past Livestrong events so why not put them together?! BAM! Duathlons here we come!

What does this have to do with the best teammate ever? Besides having Tom by my side thru every aspect of my cancer, Robin was there too. She was there to help calm me in pre-op and visited me while I was in the ICU and later in a regular room. She drove me to appointments and took me places when I was getting stir-crazy. Really I couldn't imagine anyone else to be there during all that, I am so blessed to have her as a friend.

After Tom and I did the Blue Lake event I loved it so much that I looked for another event to do and saw the All Women's event all I could think is that I should have a team! Who else would come to mind...Robin of course. She said yes...we got registered and then came event day. Since I did my first du in June, I had an idea what was going to happen and slight advantage over my newbie teammate.

Both of my runs were less than average for me, but with the heat and the training lite over the previous 2-3 weeks it wasn't all bad. Robin on the other hand just ROCKED the bike course and completed the course in just under 38 minutes! An average of 18+ mph - AWESOME! It was truly exciting to see her returning to the transition area so that I could get going and do the my second run.

The best part was finishing and having "my people" at the finish cheering on! What a feeling of accomplishment - to have my closest friends and my sweet husband there to cheer and celebrate the finish of another awesome event.

What a way to celebrate survivorship with the best teammate ever!