Thursday, March 19, 2015

Out of the Blue

One day, out of the blue, it occurred to me that I had been involved in one form of bicycling or
another for almost 20 years.  20 years!  That's almost half of my life time.  It was such a strange realization for someone who always felt like a poser and an outsider.  And, that's when I realized being involved doesn't necessarily mean being the best.  It simply means participating.

I had another epiphany, and realized that if I were to put together a resume it would be pretty impressive.  I have four State titles in BMX; I owned a BMX based business, owned a state
level race team, and revolutionized the way pad sets were made.  The list goes on:  I've
taken millions and millions of pictures; hours and hours of video, created a website, held bicycling events, yada yada yada.  I guess you could say I discovered my own credibility.  So, imagine my dismay, when I see my club representatives struggling with the same issues I just put to rest.

The first question that is always asked of them is, "Do you ride?"  And, this is where they falter.  I never interrupt when they answer, though.  My girls, meaning; Sara Diamond and Jolene Layton, are very competent and can handle themselves in any situation.  I'm the only one who knows how uncomfortable that question makes them.  I just want to butt in and reply for them, "Of course I do!  Anyone can ride a bike!  But, more importantly I'm an advocate of bicycling."  Fact is, when the topic of bikes come up people automatically think of this...


When in reality, we're more like this...



This seems to be, especially hard for women to understand.  I've repeatedly been told, "I would love to join your club but I don't ride a bike."  What they mean is, "I can't ride like that."  And, back to the first picture above.  Seriously, who the fuck wants to do that?

What if I said that advocating is one of the most important ways of showing support without having to throw a leg over a bike?  It's true.  The people who know us via the club now pay more attention to cyclists on the road.  They also pass that information on to their friends, children and family members.  People who never had an interest are now paying attention.  This is a big deal because bicycle/road safety is a huge issue.

However, it does little to increase the number of women riders, which is my next big focus.  In June, Saints-2-Sinners will be hosting a Ladies Only ride on the Dryden Rail Trail.  We will leisurely peddle the trail with plenty of stops and opportunities for pictures.  We will be met at the Dryden Lake Park with live music; and cocktails, served up cold by the best looking men in the club.  This will be our first official attempt to making bikes fun for females.



I have no intentions of stopping there.  I'm also focusing on apparel designed specifically for women.  Gone are the days where I cater to men.  I'm sure they'll survive without another funny tee shirt.  Also, gone are the days where my girls sit on the sidelines.  Last summer, kicked off the beginning of our vehicle supported rides.  In addition, they are assuming the positions of photographer/videographer.   I'm very excited to get started!

Stay tuned to the Saints-2-Sinners website or Facebook page for more information regarding the Dryden Lake ride. And, happy spring, everybody!