Short Ode to Long Rides
One of the things I love most about long winter training rides are the people you meet, long conversations, and good stories. During last weekend’s group ride I was stoked to meet an NCVC rider who is from Sweden. Perhaps the first Swede I have met. I was stoked. I drilled him with questions about Sweden until we got to a hill climb and I could no longer breathe. This weekend was a great girl ride with some teammates. When riding with them, we somehow find a way to converse even while revving it up a hill. The stories must go on! These are some of my favorite quotes from this weekend’s ride:

“He came over to borrow my rollers*, and now we’re back together.”

“Yeah, so I still need to email back Jacquie Phelan**.”
“What?!” (Basically, because Anna didn’t want to have to rent a car when she goes out to the Sea Otter Classic this year, she hatched this plan to get Jacquie and WOMBATS to charter some kind of an eco-bus to transport people from Salinas to Sea Otter. A mountain biking meets save-the-earth kind of plan she figured Jacquie would go gaga over. The amazing part is that Jaquie Phelan actually emailed her back within the day, saying she just got back from an environmental meeting with “General Murders” and was thinking of the same kind of idea and that they should chat. So how cool is that if Anna ends up working with and meeting Jacquie Phelan, all because she was too cheap – oh yeah, and eco-friendly - to rent a car?)

“Purple house!”

“Don’t get doored on this road.” (thanks…I’ll try not to.)

“What?!” (as a truck passes)
“What?!!” (as another truck passes)
“What?!!!” (yet another truck passes)

“As long as I can crimp my hair and wear my 80’s leg warmers.”

*Not hair rollers, Rachelle. The kind you ride your bike on.
**Member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, pioneer of women’s mountain bike racing, multiple National and World Mountain Biking titles, and famed environmental & women’s rights activist.