I CAN RIDE A BIKE!

Today my body is saying to me "WTF? I thought we had a good thing going here. You sit around leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating 45,000 calories a day and I digest it really fast and then you eat some more. But now you have kicked me into overdrive and I will make you pay. Be ill, silly girl. Migraine for you." Enough said. So instead of a real post about my ride today, I will give you this. Thanks to Ivy: filmmaker extraordinaire, personal TRL for the day, and old-school-high-c-bff. DON'T HATE. I CAN RIDE A BIKE!

-Caitlin

Token Straighty.

I. Rode. 33 miles. That's right, 33. Didn't give up; didn't take the short cut offered to me. I did it. And now I am in pain.

But its a good pain, you know? The kind you have when you have used every ounce of everything in your body. And then you treat yourself with a giant burger, some sweet potato fries, more water than a dog laps and peanut butter malt.

We started the training ride at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Climbed out of the area and then rode pretty flat for about 12 miles. Pit stop: Goldsteins Bagels...a little bit of heaven on earth. Even better when you know you actually NEED the calories. Then we started the hills. Oh, the hills of Pasadena/Monrovia/Arcadia/Sierra Madre. Oh how I hate you. Despite all of the pain and shortness of breath I was thoroughly enjoying meeting new people. And by new people, I mean that I have 4 training ride leaders (TRLs) to my self. 4 expert ALC's (AIDS/Lifecyclists). 4 people who were kind enough to impart all of the wisdom they could in a span of 4 hours.

First there were the Erics. Then there was Ed. And obviously, Kerry the Bike Whisperer was there. Eric #1, who we will forever "thank" for designing this training ride, will be called Fancy Eric from here on out. Fancy Eric, at the point in the ride where I was given the option of taking an easier, shorter and not uphill ride and I declined, said dramatically and with lots of love, I might add, "I love newbies." He also referred to me as the "token straighty." Love him.

Eric #2 will be called Safety Eric. At one point in the ride he berated two young gentlemen for skateboarding without their helmets. I mean, don't get me wrong, they deserved it (they were holding their helmets in their hand but not wearing them...umm, helpful). He also speaks Castilian (sp?) Spanish. These are the things you learn whilst on a bike.

Ed, who I will remember as The Yoga Instructor, decided to take a moment out of concentrating on a gradual uphill grade to inform me that I could really improve my back problems by "tightening my anal muscles, my sex muscles and my abdomen at the same time." Fancy Eric found that hilarious. That is why he is fancy. The Yoga Instructor was very patient and helpful today; I think I realized, through him, that this is genuinely not a race but an opportunity to see how strong I really am.

And finally, the Bike Whisperer, who you have met before, was there. All day. Riding my back wheel, teaching me about down shifting and upshifting and yelling, "how you doing girl?" when I started to slow and get quiet.

I felt privileged not only because I was new enough to, perhaps, require 4 TRLs, but also because I met 3 more people than I knew yesterday who laughed and encouraged and pushed me through 32 miles. They did this for a stranger. This is clearly one of the reasons that I ride.

~~Autumn

CRIMES OF SPANDEX

I am totally a pro cyclist now, right? So, as such, I can say that as I delve deeper into this new culture I am finding garments that appall me to the very core. They hurt me on the inside and go against everything I stand for as a professional person of good taste. If you are someone who chooses to wear the following styles, I apologize, but this is my blog so I can speak the truth. Please enjoy part 1 in (another) ongoing series of terrifying cycling gear.

THE MANGY CHEETA

Autumn sent me these charming shorts. They are fabulous in case you have to roll up to your job as an exotic dancer after you finish your ride. Saves SO MUCH TIME!!!!

THE PARTY IN YOUR PANTS

First: these look like psychedelic vomit. Second: they are men’s pants.

THE MIGRAINE

I mean...I think Gem had these pants. And while she was fabulous, I don't think that means a grown man in 2010 should wear them.

THE CROUCHING TIGER

I think this one goes out to my BIL, Chris. You would look stellar in this. But I would not speak to you in pulic if you wore it. Also: it's UNISEX!!!

I KNEW I could contribute something to the world of cycling other than making everyone feel better about their own skills!

-Caitlin

BECOMING PRO-KIT-WEARING-CYCLISTS

I am scared of many things: heights, fish, crustations, polyester...the list goes on. I am, however, probably the most scared of sports and sports related injuries, such as losing balance and veering into oncoming traffic. But today we rode to the beach down San Vicente and I did not get hit by a car once! Hooray! Also, let me tell you, there are SO many people on fancy bikes in Brentwood. I am pretty sure they are all laughing at me as I teeter down the street with my ridiculous looking "gear", but I guess that's karma for just weeks ago wondering why any sane person would voluntarily ride a bike...ever. Anyway, I was excited to see the ocean this morning and am thrilled that I still have all my limbs!

Nerd #1 with bike.

Nerd #2 with bike.

Success! Horrible helmet picture! Much excitement!
(pre scary hill)

The reward! (I mean other than helping people and saving lives and all that.) Totally worth it.

(post scary hill)

-Caitlin

A Pair of Cyclists.

And we're back. We survived the first week of early morning rides, crotch guard shorts/pants (I'm telling you, padded shorts are a life saver but perhaps the most ridiculous feeling thing ever. Ever.) and overcoming fears. I am afraid that getting up in the morning is going to kill me while Caitlin is afraid that (i) the bruises on her legs are going to make people think she's being abused and (ii) that her hair doesn't look perfect in a helmet. We're a good pair. Here are some other ways that we compliment each other in our quest to become pro-kit-wearing-cyclists:

I wear my helmet and gloves into Noah's to buy bagels because I want everyone to know how athletic I am; Caitlin removes hers promptly and uses the windows to fix her hair.

I am scared of the buses and trucks flying by (I grew up in Iowa; we don't have freeways or busy streets); Caitlin is scared that we will not finish in time to get bagels.

I refuse to ride in the dark because we don't have flashing lights for our bikes yet and I CANNOT break the law; Caitlin prefers riding in the dark because then people can't see her and therefore can't judge her.

The world could not handle two of either of us.

~~ Autumn

Warning: Serious, not Snarky.

It has been only about 10 days since I first even thought about doing the AIDS/LifeCycle, and already I think I'm addicted. It doesn't really bother me, but my friends and family seem a little bit concerned, skeptical and surprised. I don't blame them. I actually have to stop and analyze myself a little to not join that bandwagon.

Here's the thing: the opportunity was presented to me on a day and at a time when I could not say "no." Some might call it "convenient," I call it timing. Why was it perfect timing? Well, because I had just returned home from a trip to visit my uncle, Art. I did not know Uncle Art, nor did I even like him, until about 4 years ago. He's been in prison for the past 25 years. I've seen him 5 times in my entire life, and 4 of those "sightings" have been at the Correctional Training Facility in central California.

The first time, I'll be honest, my dad made me go. The last 3 visits have been my own choice. Without getting into pages and pages of the reasons and the whys or the why nots and the ethical and legal discussions about a life sentence, let's just say that when you know and love someone who has no freedom, has no "tomorrow" to really look forward to and spends every day the same as the one before, it makes you think. It makes you think about how life can change in an instant. It makes you think about the choices that you make everyday. It makes you think that our days are precious and indisposable.

So when you walk out of the visiting room, and bars separate you and your 75ish year old uncle as you wave to each other, you realize that you had better go and do something worth while. You had better not take that walking away for granted. And you had better not bet on tomorrow.

36 hours after I walked out of that prison, Caitlin asked me if I wanted to ride 545 miles in the AIDS/LifeCycle. Did I want to give up my 30th birthday vacation extravaganza to be sore and in pain and raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Did I want to do something for myself and for the millions of people suffering in this world from a disease that can and will be cured.

I did. So I am. Its as simple as that. And I'm sure that after the "newness" rubs off I'll complain about the early mornings (I HATE mornings), and I'll complain about the money I've spent (law school creates a lot of debt), but I'm not going to give up and I didn't join this ride and cause lightly. Trust me.

CAITLIN VS. BIKE, BIKE: 1

So about 500 bruises have taken up residence all over my legs. Even more than normal. Pedals are not my leg's friends. We are all very lucky that it is not dress weather or this whole thing might be off.
-Caitlin