May Contest

With Mother’s Day coming up, it’s a great time of year to think about the women (be they friends or family) who have had an influence in our life. We’d love to hear your stories and maybe see a photo of a woman who may have influenced you with cycling or in your desire to try to live a healthy life.

Tell us briefly about it and we will share those stories with our readers. We will have TWO WINNERS and two special prizes:  pretty Vetro necklaces by Lelia Cool with a retro bicycle design on them. (If you win, keep it or give it away as a gift—that is totally up to you!)

Thank you to Terry, “the Original Women’s Bicyling Company” for providing these pretty necklaces as prizes!

For our male readers, you can win this for a special woman in your life!

This contest begins today, May 3^rd and goes until May 20^th.

Please keep your story brief (120 words or less).

Your Stories:

From: Emily Nolan

My Mother has always inspired me she’s had a tough life and it just got tougher. She was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer in February, at the same time i joined a womens cycling team that raises money for the Breast Cancer Fund, and one of my fellow team members is a breast cancer surviver- between my mom and my teammate i have never been more inspired to ride- if these two women can fight cancer, lose body parts and still ride i can certainly fight some sore muscles and extra weight and ride further, harder and with more passion! Thanks Mom!

From: Jill Bankey:

Hands down, Debbie C. is THE woman responsible for my love of riding. I purchased my first tri-bike with clip-on pedals & crashed within 5 seconds of my first ride. Someone recommend that I get in touch with Debbie C. to learn how to ride that bike. On our first lesson, we were climbing steep hills & she rode next to me the entire time saying “You will recover! Your legs will recover!” I survived that day and found a love for the bike. I kid you not, every time I’m on a hill, I can still hear Debbie C. encouraging and telling me that I can do it and that I will recover. She believed I could do it even when I didn’t. Her belief in me made me continue with the sport.

From Sasha Aslanian‏:

My grandmother. When she was young, she and my grandfather biked across Norway during the German Occupation….twice. They crossed mountains on balloon-tired one-speed bikes. 200 miles on gravel roads. The first time, they brought their 2-year-old in my grandfather’s a handlebar basket. My husband and I retraced their trip 68 years later. It was tough even with modern gear. I can’t believe how strong she was.

From Lisa:

I’m inspired to ride by the beauty of the world around me. The small wonders of flowers in bloom like lady-bug red ocotillos, cinnamon colored poppies, and magenta cactuses. As well, the large wonders of mountains and clouds and the shadows of a bird kissing my helmet.