Pedal House Fat Group Ride

Fat Biking with the Pedal House

Greetings All, I hope you survived the holiday season with relative sanity...(double meaning???) Anyway, on Christmas day Jeff and I went for a ride.

Jeff and I at the end of Roger Canyon. 

We had fun on that Surly Pugsly.  Jessica brought the Moonlander out a little later and she, her brother Jason and I had a pretty good time breaking trails and riding some BLM land.  I was beat up...but I was also hooked on fat biking.  It was like my cycling heart grew two sizes too big....

I am loving Fat Biking.  Nat took me out to Happy Jack and tried to kill poor Ali and I.  Erwin and Brian were there too.  Overall, a pretty darn good first time out for Ali.

Then Erwin took a group of us out for another ride in the hills.   This was a Fantastic ride.  I was dressed right, which helps, and we had a good three hours in the saddle.  Today Miguel and I rode and had another three + hours on the trails.  Check out the two rides here: 

Roland Cycling CycloCross Race - 10/6/13

My friend Miguel has always been a strong influence on my life as a cyclist.  We have been friends since before I have memory, and we have ridden bicycles as long as we have known each other.  I am not sure who got who into cycling, though I feel it was a mutual desire to ride to something, rather than the more common metaphor of riding away from something.  

Several nights we would ride our bicycles around Laramie and evade the detection of undesirable forces..... Police Forces.  Not that we were  criminals, just bored.  Like one time, we were sitting by the fountain that used to be on the corner of University and 3rd street.  I think we were about 14 or 15 years old.  It was about 12:amish, and Miguel had just said he was going home soon.  Then, out of nowhere, someone lights a bunch of firecrackers and throws them into the street.  (Here is where you make assumptions about which one of us did it.....heehee, I'll never tell.)  

Well, as chance would have it, a very nice police officer was driving by at that exact moment.  A moment so perfect, the firecrackers actually landed on the trunk of the cop car.  Long story short, If I had been a better cyclocross rider back then, I would have gotten away too!  But instead, I watched Miguel role off into the evening, hoping bushes and retaining walls like a champion.  (To his credit, he came back, and because he did the police officer just told us to go home.)  

  

Currently, the Roland Cycling team is hosting a series of Cyclocross races, Sans Police Force.  The pictures below are from the race this weekend, Enjoy.  

Starting line, Eric enjoys a moment. 

Big Leg Allen and Felix

Chest hair and all.

Barrier hop, a fantastic part of the day. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Hop!

When you're this fast, you hover over your bike!

Can't be to safe during hunting season. 

Running was actually faster here, but it was still running.

Nathan attacks the barrier!

Sweet brakes on that rig.  

The last race is on 10-13-13, Sunday at 1:pm.  If you have never been to a cross race, come on out and check it out.  It is a fun atmosphere, and there are lots of dudes in spandex.....okay come out in spite of that last part.  

Laramie Bicycle Safety Day May 4, 2013

May is National Bike Month http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/  and to kick it off, we decided to host an event for kids. Free Helmets, stickers and a

bicycle rodeo sounded like a winning combination.

The 1st Annual Laramie Bicycle Safety Day was a huge success. The event started @ high noon....and we had families lined up down First Street in Historic Downtown Laramie, WY.

Smiling faces for the whole family!

 

 

 

57 of 60 Giro/Bell helmets http://www.giro.com/us_en/  were protecting the heads of future generations by 1:44 p.m.

 

Looking good people!!

 

The perfect day for a violin recital and a new helmet!



At 3:30 p.m., the last three helmets all went to the same family. Thanks for "fitting the bill".



A Bike Rodeo? Of course, Wyoming seems like

the perfect place for a rodeo. Limbo anyone?

 

 

Track Stand Contest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free safety inspections for youth bicycles

provided by the Pedal House. www.pedalhouse.com  

 

  

Rusty tightening a pedal.



Dewey making an adjustment.



Leo enjoying the open course.



Thank you to the DLBA http://www.laramiemainstreet.org/

NU2U https://www.facebook.com/pages/NU2U/136188062483

Laramie Rotary Club http://www.laramierotaryclub.org/

Coal Creek Coffee http://www.coalcreekcoffee.com/ 

and the Pedal House crew. http://www.pedalhouse.com/

Thank you to Amber Travsky, Onies Heckart
and Michelle Visser for being volunteer helpers at the last minute.
Your assistance was greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for joining us! It was a great day. We look forward to the 2nd Annual Laramie Bicyle Safety Day in May 2014....coming to you from historic downtown Laramie, WY.

One Reflection on a Glorious Day!

One Reflection on a Glorious Day…

           August 2012 – Meet at the Pedal House @ 7:30 a.m. on a Sunday.    It's a little brisk…Laramie in August is amazing. We drive west on WY Highway 130 towards the Snowy Range. 

 

 

 

 

Everyone gathers at the North Fork trailhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ed rolls to a stop in his white four door sedan, removes two mountain bikes from the trunk and exclaims, “Dude, I told you I was going to be there in 15 minutes! I showed up 1/2 hour later and everyone was gone." It's going to be a fun day.

 

Bikes out of trucks and trunks.

 

 

 

Little last minute checks on gear…tire pressure Ok? Brakes Ok?

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 They humor me so I can get a group shot…

Preparing for the big moment.
 

 

and they are off.

 

 

Riding mountain bikes, in the mountains? I've done it. I'll do it again but... I'm a city commuter…a part time city commuter who loves to hike and take pictures. Thus, I sprinted ahead to find a great spot to take shots.  

 

 

 

 

Big Air…

 

 

 

 

Big Smiles…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fast Corners…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Big Rewards…I forgot to take a picture of the pizza and beer, but it was definitely on the menu from The Beartree Tavern and Cafe.  

I look forward to documenting another group ride in the summer of 2013, enjoying time with my dogs, friends, husband, a cold beer and cheese pizza. In the meantime, I plan to head to Curt Gowdy State Park in the early morning to enjoy a snow free hike on March 8. I LOVE Wyoming!

 

Hiking on snow free trails in

January, February and March in southeast WY?

Perhaps there are some benefits to global warming?

Kidding…kidding. I know, “We NEED the moisture.”