Team Velo Girls: The Riders

Age: 45
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: Endurance Cycling (and running)

Why I ride:
I love the way cycling makes my body feel. That moment of achievement when you're on top of the hill that just 30 minutes ago looked impossible, is a rush I will never tire of. Ultimately, I love cycling because it gives me a place I can go where I have quiet time to think. Some of my most important and best decisions have been made on my bike.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Demanding that the paramedic not cut off my favorite bike shorts while they were treating me for a few broken bones and a concussion.

Favorite off-bike activity:
I love to hike and spend time with my husband and kids.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
I am extraordinarily proud of my children every day, and watching them develop into smart, confident young women is extremely gratifying. With a childhood history of being uncoordinated, out-of-shape, and asthmatic, I have accomplished things that I never dreamed I would do. Like climbing Half-Dome when the poles were down, and meeting my future husband in a kickboxing class.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
600 podcasts from NPR, NY Times, and the BuzzCast.

My favorite season:
Anytime it is not raining.

A bit about me:
I've been living in San Francisco since the early 80s. I work for a small publishing firm as the senior operations manager. I spend a lot of time working with numbers, though ironically, I love words. My two daughters are 12 and 14. I took up cycling about four years ago -- there was a guy involved, but now I mainly ride with women. I got married in August. My husband does not ride a bike. And, yes, I've tried!

Goals for 2008 season:
As a ride leader with the endurance team, I see 2008 as an opportunity for me to pass on some of the support and coaching that I've received from so many great women cyclists.

Words to live by:
My two rules are: Does it make sense? Would I want my daughter to do that?

[ RIDER PROFILE COMING SOON ]

Age: 32
Residence: Sunnyvale, CA
Disciplines: Road race, endurance, triathlon, touring

Why I ride:
Riding connects me to so many things in life. It connects me to my Creator, to the beauty of the earth, to my spouse, to my mom, to different cultures and to friends old and new. On the bike, my body, mind and spirit feel joined together in a singular purpose.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Reaching the top of Passo Stelvio in Italy on a loaded touring bike. When I looked back down the 48 switch backs in the snow, I was so proud and so humbled at the same time.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
George Hincapie...he...uh...'inspires' me ;)

Favorite off-bike activity:
Reading and curling up with my husband while watching movies. I also enjoy occasional bouts of watching the Grand Tours on TV and surfing. Sadly the surfing has gone mostly by the wayside since I no longer live by the ocean.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Finishing a half-ironman triathlon (OK, that's only 2/3 off the bike).

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
I don't have an iPod. But, if I did, it would have Over the Rhine, Simon and Garfunkel, U2, Tori Amos, Natalie Merchant, Norah Jones, Marc Cohn, Indigo Girls, and too many others to list.

My favorite season:
Fall....I love the crisp air, sunshine, smell of wood fires and the turning leaves

A bit about me:
I love to travel and learn new things. I'm always up for an adventure. I am a hard worker and loyal friend. I aspire to be loving, wise, selfless, patient and kind (being funny, slender, fearless and a good racer might be nice, too!).

Goals for 2008 season:
To work hard, have fun, be smart and safe....to contribute what I can to make sure Velo Girls are on the podium as much as possible! I'd like to get on a podium at least once, too.

Words to live by:
"Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom." - King Solomon (translated)

Age: 33
Residence: Millbrae, CA
Disciplines: Mountain bike XC, also road

Why I ride:
For fun, for fitness, and to explore new beautiful areas

Proudest moment on a bike:
Completing my first race ever, the Cougar Classic, completely clipped in (I'd only had clipless pedals for a few weeks prior)!

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol: Lorri Lee Lown :-)

Favorite off-bike activity:
Mountaineering, followed by hiking, rock climbing and kayaking

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Completing the Chartered Financial Analyst program and recently summiting three consecutive mountains in Mexico in 8 days - all higher than Mt Shasta (La Malinche, Nevado de Toluca, Orizaba)

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
High energy playlist for working out (Tiesto, Armin van Buren, etc), classical guitar, 80's, classic and grunge rock

My favorite season:
Indian Summer in the Bay Area

A bit about me:
I was never a very athletic person until I discovered hiking a number of years ago. That turned into a passion for mountaineering and really opened my world to a number of other outdoor disciplines. I started mountain biking in 2006 as a way to spend time with my boyfriend and try out a new sport. Now I really love it and more than anything, really enjoy riding with the Velo Girls.

Goals for 2008 season:
Major improvement in speed, general fitness improvement, respectable (exactly what this means is TBD) performance in races

Words to live by:
One foot in front of the other and you'll get there in the end.

Age: 37
Residence: Moss Beach, CA
Disciplines: Cyclocross, Mountain Biking

Why I ride:
To feel the wind in my face, I love bike(s), the challenge, the fitness, and the friends!!!

Proudest moment on a bike:
Riding with my sons, Malcolm and Nate.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
My husband

Favorite off-bike activity:
Drinking a beer after a cyclocross race, swimming, soccer, skiing, eating, and hanging with friends!

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Watching my son Malcolm take his first lap around the track without his training wheels on his 4th birthday. I cried!

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Face in the Crowd, Little River Band. Hips don't lie, Shakira. A few country songs...did I just admit that?

My favorite season:
Fall, Cyclocross Season, Indian summer, and Halloween.

A bit about me:
It me 10 years to get through graduate school!

Goals for 2008 season:
To earn a place with the B riders in Cyclocross.

Words to live by:
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes"-Proust

Favorite recent book: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Age: 41
Residence: Vallejo, CA
Disciplines: Endurance rides

Why I ride:
I ride for my brother who passed away from AIDS. I participated in my first AIDS/Life Cycle this past year in his memory and fell in love with riding. Through riding I've met a lot of great people and changed my life style for the better. So whenever I ride I ride for my brother.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Rolling into the Veterian's Center in Los Angeles on Day 7 of my first AIDS/Life Cycle. The whole ride was pretty amazing....from Day One as I climbed nine miles up Highway 92, to my first century on Day Two, to Day Three as I slowly inched my way up Quad Buster, to Day Four as I crossed the half way point, to Day Five as I was one of 2400 riders dressed in red, to Day Six as I held my candle during the candle light vigil and thought of my brother. Each day was the proudest moment of my life.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
My favorite cyclist is any one new to cycling and willing signs up for their first ALC ride. It is one of the scariest things a new cyclist can do and I admire every one of them for doing it.

Favorite off-bike activity:
What?! What do you mean off-bike? There is no such thing.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
My proudest moment off bike would be signing up for my first ALC.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
I'm a music fanatic and will listen to just about anything so my ipod is kinda eclectic......Alicia Keys, Garbage, Gypsy Kings, Marilyn Manson, Cranberries, Credence Clearwater Revival, Hillary Hahn, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, Elle Fitzgerald, Yaz, Manuel Guajiro Mirabel.......I'll listen to anything that moves me.

My favorite season:
Summer - perfect for riding, Spring -perfect for riding, Fall - perfect for riding, Winter - perfect for thinking about riding.

A bit about me:
I'm the youngest of seven kids. That should pretty much tell you everything you need to know about me. The two words most associated with me grown up....wasn't me.

Oh and in case you haven't guest, I'm all about the ALC.

Goals for 2008 season:
Increase my speed just a bit going up hills
Increase my speed a bit going down hills
Increase my speed a lot more on flat, rolleresque routes
Work on my endurance
Survive my second ALC

Words to live by:
Kinda cheesy since it's from a movie, but it's helped me get through some tough times.....Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me, I will turn to see fear's path...where the fear has gone there will be nothing....Only I will remain. --Dune

Age: 33 (despite what USA Cycling might think)
Residence: Los Gatos, but the dirty hippie Santa Cruz county side, not the chi-chi frou-frou one.
Disciplines: Road, but I suspect it's only a matter of time before I'm getting dirty

Why I ride:
To defy gravity.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Conquering my driveway, which may sound laughable... until you see my driveway.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Bob Newman, because this is all his fault anyway.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Am I allowed to talk about that here?

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Finishing my first marathon, which also happens to be my most nauseated moment.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
More music than I can possibly list here.

My favorite season:
Tarragon. It's underrated. Oh, season! Fall. I like crispy air.

A bit about me:
I am a morning person, an NPR junkie, and there are at least 5 books in various stages of undress on the passenger side of my bed right now. I'm a momma to a big white husky dog who invited herself into my life while I was busy trying to live without running water or electricity in Alaska. I drive a car that runs on vegetable oil and is older than some of my teammates. I grew up in New Jersey but only have an accent when I want to. I wrote a "coming-of-age" novel in my early 20s, before I came of age. No, you will never read it. I am a critical care nurse at Stanford. Please wear a helmet. I don't want to wipe your butt until you're old.

Goals for 2008 season:
To make it out alive.

Words to live by:
Don't eat anything that your great grandmother would not recognize as food.

Age: 55
Residence: Burlingame, CA
Disciplines: Endurance rides

Why I ride:
Because it's fun. Because it makes me feel so well. Because I can.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Reaching the final stop on my first AIDS Lifecycle. The first days were hard, but manageable. The last day started out feeling almost impossible. As we reached the coast, a couple of dolphins were playing in the surf nearby, and watching them was exactly the distraction & inspiration I needed to get there. It was a wonderful feeling of accomplishment for me. I first got on a road bike less than a year before that day. Before that, I had thought the ride from Burlingame to Woodside was a really long day!

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
There are a few, all personal friends, and Lorri is one of them.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Running my family business, reading and tap dancing.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
There are too many to count, but most have to do with my wonderful family, including my two grown daughters.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet; Beethoven; Benjamin Britten; Dave Brubeck; Beatles. (and Mr. Sandman, Weird Al's This is the Life, and a few others of equal intellectual quality)

My favorite season:
Any warm one, because my toes hardly ever thaw, and because I love to cycle with no arm warmers.

A bit about me:
No one who knows me would be too surprised to hear I am doing the endurance rides. I've always been stubborn, (I prefer to think of it as determined), and willing to put in a lot of time working by myself. I was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1998. I had it surgically removed and (so far) have had no further issues. That has moved me from being a person who was happy & complacent to a person who is happy and very sure not to let her days be wasted. That's part of what got me back in good shape. It has also made me especially happy to be around to watch my family business enter a wonderfully successful period, to see my daughters grow and, in one case, perform in Stomp! for a couple of years, in the other, to give me the chance to be the mother of the bride.

Goals for 2008 season:
To get a little faster, a little stronger, to take a few minutes off my Old La Honda climbing time, and to take some of the fear out of my descent. To get on the rollers and ride with no hands.

Words to live by:
We should never forget how lucky we are, even on tough days. We should never forget to share our luck with others.

Age: 30 - though the USCF tells me I'm 31. No fair!
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: ex mtb-rider turned roadie (I preferred non-technical, fast descents and got on a road bike before I tried a full suspension mountain bike with oodles of travel)

Why I ride:
I like the strategy of team dynamics, the speed, being able to lose myself in thought as I ride, struggling up a long climb and making it to the top. Having my weight distributed over two one-inch patches of rubber in contact with the road. Riding my bike keeps me happy and healthy.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Beating my fastest time up Old La Honda after a season's worth of training.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Tom Boonen as he's such a fantastic sprinter, and Alberto Contador for that amazing mountain stage he won in the 2007 Tour de France.

Favorite off-bike activity:
I also ride horses - I'll be competing at First Level dressage with Jaleo the Andalusian. Sailing, too, though I'm not doing much racing this year. Travel and reading, too.

My favorite season:
Summer, I am a lizard and have been seen doing pushups to regulate my temperature.

Goals for 2008 season:
To race well and have fun with my team!

A bit about me:
I was born in Montreal, lived most of my life in California except for a short time when I went to Innsbruck, Austria for a winter to learn to ski, and when I worked for a non-profit in Sri Lanka mapping an electric fence designed to keep hungry crop raiding elephants out of the lush rice paddies.

I heard Jimmy Carter speak about the Carter Center a couple years ago on what motivates him to help eradicate guinea worm from Western Africa, and in general what has been a motivating theme for him throughout his life. One of the things he said was that it takes a lot to get yourself out of your comfort zone, out of your comfortable cocoon that shelters you from life's hardships. But as soon as you push yourself a bit, make yourself a little uncomfortable for something you truly believe in and get out of your cocoon, you'll discover new things about yourself that you never would have learned had you stayed sheltered. So I think of that when I'm climbing a steep pass or thinking that my lungs are about to pop, and that keeps me going.

What's in my iPod:
I'm a fan of many genres of music: pop, classic rock, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, classical, bluegrass and if I'm on a roadtrip I'll even listen to some country. In my iPod you'll find Manu Chao, Bob Dylan, Philip Glass, Tom Petty, NPR podcasts of all flavors, Paul Oakenfold, DJ Keoki, Die Fantastischen Vier, Outkast, Beethoven, Vivaldi, pretty much anything with a good rhythm and melody.

Words to live by:
Be the change you want to see in the world. -Ghandi

Age: 67 - yikes!
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: Endurance

Interests:
Travel by bicycle, cycling anywhere, anytime; photography; learning new stuff; writing

Why I ride:
Because no matter what else is happening in the world, when I put my foot on the pedal and push off, I'm very, very happy.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Today I once again climbed the officially "over 18% grade" to get back to my house. (I usually come from the other side, a gentler grade.)

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Now that Lance isn't riding, I'll have to review my options and get back to you.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Pushing pixels (photography)

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
seeing my daughter do well

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Thelonious Monk, Stan Getz, etc., jazz & blues mostly, some classical, audiobooks, photos.

My favorite season:
They're all good as long as you have good gear. We really do live in the best climate in the world and are so lucky to be able to ride any time of year.

A bit about me:
I'm primarily a touring cyclist, from a solo self-supported trips down the California coast, to many trips around the world, including Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Denmark and France many times.

Goals for 2008 season:
To show young riders that you can still enjoy cycling, even still learn new things, no matter how old you are.

Words to live by:
Keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep on truckin'!

Age: 28
Residence: Menlo Park, CA
Disciplines: road

Why I ride:
I ride because I love the feeling of being so wonderfully alive when IÕm out on the bike. I love the physical aspect of pushing and challenging my body, and I love the flow and fluidity of riding. I love being able to go so many places and the unique experience and view from on the bike. I love how beautifully a team of riders can work together.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Completing my first century.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Lance Armstrong

Favorite off-bike activity:
Going to a live music concert.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Completing my first half ironman triathlon.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Some current favorites: The Weepies, Robinella, Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Alison Krauss, The Waifs

My favorite season:
Summer

A bit about me:
I grew up in Dallas, Texas. I love swimming, hiking, and being immersed in nature. I love curling up to a good book and being transported into another world. Making music and experiencing live music give me energy like no other.

Goals for 2008 season:
Improve my fitness, handling, and descending skills; Support my teammates; Get out and race for the experience.

Words to live by:
"We can do whatever we wish to do provided our wish is strong enough. What do you most want to do? That what I have to keep asking myself in the face of difficulties" - Katherine Mansfield

Age: 42
Residence: San Mateo, CA
Disciplines: road, cross-country mountain bike, cyclocross, coaching

Why I ride:
Cycling has transformed my life and I can't stop!

Proudest moment on a bike:
Too many, really. One of the more recent experiences was racing in the Kern County Women's Stage Race in May - one year to the date of getting back on the bike after a couple of icky surgeries. I cried at the top of the 13-mile hill climb.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:


Favorite off-bike activity:
Playing with my puppy, Julie!

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
I can't think of one thing that stands out more than the others. I try to live my life so that my parents would always be proud of me. I try to make an impact in all that I do. I try to be good and positive and help others.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):


My favorite season:
When I lived in NY it was spring because spring was alive and new and green and marked the end of dreaded winter. Here in CA I'd have to say it's summer. The sun energizes me.

A bit about me:
I have the best job in the world! I help men and women improve their self-esteem and their lives by helping them succeed at cycling.

Goals for 2008 season:
My primary focus is on helping our team succeed in this new structure. As always, my goal is to get more women to ride and race their bikes!

Words to live by:
You only have one opportunity to live today. Don't miss it. You can't get it back. Run, ride, walk the dog, smell the flowers, live life everyday! This is something I wrote as a daily reminder and it pops up in Outlook every morning. I went through a period when I needed to be reminded that life is wonderful.

Age: 30
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: Endurance cycling, MTB racing

Why I ride:
Because it is FUN, FUN, FUN. (and it is an excuse to get dirty)

Proudest moment on a bike:
Learing how to change a tire, my first endurance race, supporting my b/f in his 1st endurance race, my first century

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:


Favorite off-bike activity:
Travelling, reading, cooking, watching football

Proudest Moment off the Bike:


What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Madonna, lots of hard rock, Madonna, anything current pop, Madonna, and cheesy dane tunes (for when I am on the trainer)

My favorite season:
Summer, I love hot weather.

A bit about me:
I grew up in NYC, I hate the suburbs (except for some good road ride routes), I love to travel, I have family all over the world, I came to SF just b/c I wanted to, I got into cycling b/c I hurt myself overtraining for a marathon, I hate running, I have an awesome trail dog named Esther (named after Madonna).

Goals for 2008 season:
Ride, race, have fun, get another teammate to do something they wouldn't normally do (like try an endurance race)

Words to live by:
Don't stop, push yourself and you will be surprised at what you CAN do.

Age: 22
Residence: Santa Clara, CA
Disciplines: Road racing, running (whenever I'm not injured!)

Why I ride:
I am positively obsessed with the Bay Area and believe the best way to see it is from a bike! I feel a special connection with the outdoors when I'm workin' hard.

Proudest moment on a bike:
My first road race.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Dave Zabriski is the most awesome/hilarious person in the world.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Trail running!

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Winning a high school state championship in speech/debate (a remarkably sport-like activity in a nerdy kind of way).

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
It's always changing, but my all-time favorite for trainer workouts is Linkin Park's Meteora album.

My favorite season:
Fall. It reminds me of cross country and comfort food.

A bit about me:
I grew up in the East Bay and have strong emotional attachments to my training routes in the tri valleys. I left for a few years to study political science in Southern CA, and am SO glad to be back!

Goals for 2008 season:
Above all, to stay healthy and avoid injury. Second, to see if this runner/triathlete can become an honest-to-goodness bike racer!

Words to live by:
"I'm a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will." --Gramsci

Age: 47
Residence: Mountain View, CA
Disciplines: Road, cross

Why I ride:
To be strong, young and fit. Time alone and with friends. To be out in nature and sunshine.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Standing on the podium for the first time ever - I was 3rd in the surf city cross series a couple years ago

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
I don't have one at the moment.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Gardening, cooking, trail running, yoga and hiking.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Not sure... I must be waiting for it!

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Lot's of jazz and old stuff from the 70's and 80's

My favorite season:
Summer - hot and sunny

A bit about me:
Married and childfree, but have 3 cats. I work part time "outside the home" and I love to work in my garden and grow lot's of yummy veggies and can and freeze them to eat all year round! I'm venturing into Road racing this year finally, it took a few years to convince me but now I'm actually kind of excited about it.

Goals for 2008 season:
This will be my first time road racing, so I want it to be a fun learning experience, and contribute to this great fun group of women!

Words to live by:
Growing old is mandatory, growing up is NOT!!!

Age: 50
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: road biking, endurance

Why I ride:
It's fun!

Proudest moment on a bike:
Finally learned how to descend not like a weenie

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Has to be my husband/bike mechanic. He keeps my bike in top shape and taught me to descend not like a weenie.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Cooking for my family.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Lost 35 lbs., thereby avoiding becoming an old lady and requiring a major overhaul of above favorite off-bike activity.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
To my dismay, lots of oldies. I think I need to update.

My favorite season:
Summer! No rain and lots of daylight!

A bit about me:
I am a securities lawyer and mom of two daughters, Rose and Grace, and lots of pets: two dogs, Conan and Chaz, two cats, Frankie and Jonnie (I did not choose those names) and numerous fish (They have names but I don't know what they are). I love to cook (and eat).

Goals for 2008 season:
Complete the Cinderella ride with my 13-year-old, complete AIDS/Life Cycle 7, complete Death Ride

Words to live by:
It's not worth doing something unless you were doing something that someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren't doing. (Sir) Terry Pratchett (English Writer, b. 1948)

Age: 45
Residence: Menlo Park, CA
Disciplines:

Why I ride:
Too many reasons, but here are some:

Connecting with the world and my mind, body and soul; the sense of adventure and exploration; getting lost; getting found; the sense of accomplishment (I rode up that??); downhills; the feel of wind in my hair, not having to use a car; exercising all 5 senses; connecting with friends; riding solo and working out whatever I need to work out; an excuse to eat, and to find the best ice cream; to remember what I needed to learn (All I needed to learn I learned on my 9 week bike ride across the country); to remember life's lessons; feeling alive and at one with the world......

Proudest moment on a bike:
Dipping my tire in the Atlantic Ocean, after riding every inch of over 4400 miles across our country.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Frank Scioscia....who got me into this crazy activity.... My bicycling buddies.....

Favorite off-bike activity:
Traveling, Gardening, Skiing, Cooking, Theatre, Camping, Scuba Diving, Hanging .....too many activities, too little time.......

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Bringing together a group of individuals to form a community that raised over $63,000 for breast cancer research.

Exposing my dear friend Jeremy, and others, to skiing and cycling (and other outdoor pursuits), and seeing that look of wonderment in his/their eyes.

My favorite season:
All of them!

A bit about me:
During my senior year of college, I *won* a bet that caused me to move to Anchorage, Alaska to teach school - supposed to go for one year, stayed for five! Moved to the bay area for grad school, and, ahem, never left....

Goals for 2008 season:
To get back in shape. To help another Velo Girls reach the podium at least once. To survive. To not come in last place in at least one race.

Words to live by:
I shall pass through this world but once. Therefore, any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. (My high school quote.)

It's the journey, not the destination.

Age: 39
Residence: Livermore, CA
Disciplines: Road

Why I ride:
Because I can... sounds simple, but I never take for granted that I can get on my bike and ride... There are so many people that can't and wish they could... I'm truly lucky!

Proudest moment on a bike:
Crossing the finish line of my first full century... I wasn't sure if my sit bones would ever be the same! But, knowing that it was the culmination of all my training and efforts to raise money to find a cure for the cancer (which had taken my father 10 years before) made the pain disappear... I was elated ... it such a rewarding experience.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Any rider that's challenging themselves to reach new goals

Favorite off-bike activity:
Teaching SPIN (is that technically off the bike?) I've watched so many folks move from strictly indoor riders, to buying their first bike and completing their first events - it's amazing!

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course): A little of everything... except heavy metal... :p

My favorite season:
Back East, it was the fall, here in CA, I'd have to say the late spring... not as much rain, but the hills are still green

A bit about me:
I'm a "transplant" to CA... I've lived in a variety of places around the US and the world. I didn't start riding until my early 30's, and don't ever intend to stop... Other than riding, I like to run, do Yoga, swim... read... and learn new things.

Goals for 2008 season:
Hopefully to "infect" new riders with the same enjoyment, fulfillment and strength that cycling has given me.

Words to live by:
Live well, Laugh lots, Love much

Age: 45
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Disciplines: Road

Why I ride:
Initially I began as a rider to keep my head on straight during a difficult time. Now I ride because I truly enjoy seeing and feeling the road and all the challenges it brings. I really enjoy the commonality of the Velo Girls riders. We are all just riders out for the day.

Proudest moment on a bike:
My proudest moment was crossing the line last year at the AIDS Life Cycle finish in Brentwood, CA.

Favorite off-bike activity:
Spending time with loved ones, cooking, movies, taking pictures

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Achieving my 1st and 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Alicia Keys, Goapele, Dixie Chicks, Cranberries, Ellis, Everything but the Girl, Salsa/merengue, Heart, Madonna

My favorite season:
I love Spring and enjoy the Fall

A bit about me:
Born and raised in San Francisco. Went to 12 years of catholic school. I work in Palo Alto in the medical field.

Goals for 2008 season:
To become a stronger rider. In doing the ALC again this year, I would like to do " Quad Buster" in one fell swoop.

Words to live by:
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. -- John F. Kennedy

Age: 47
Residence: San Mateo, CA
Disciplines: Endurance cycling

Why I ride:
Sanity, wind in my face, the open rode, cool scars.

Proudest moment on a bike:
Returning to Ink Grade and tackling it on my own terms.

Who's your favorite cyclist/cycling idol:
Missy "The Missile" Giove

Favorite off-bike activity:
Socializing with friends, meeting new people trying new things.

Proudest Moment off the Bike:
Surviving this year and growing from it.

What's in my iPod (not when riding, of course):
Nellie Furtado, Toby Keith, Mary J. and Abba.

My favorite season:
Spring, the rains are tapering off with many days of clear riding weather ahead.

A bit about me:
Native San Franciscian, I enjoy having fun at work, joking around and trying not to take things to seriously.

Goals for 2008 season:
Riding further and higher than I have before.

Words to live by:
It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. - Sir Edmund Hillary