Saddle wisdom

It’s raining lightly today, and in the upper 50s outside. Just been enjoying a spring catalog from Terry Bicycles, full of fashionably wearable women’s bike clothing, accessories, and equipment.

Terry’s website has some interesting blog posts. Found Georgena Terry’s take on 650 vs. 700 cc wheels “The Wheel Debate Continues” very helpful.

As one of the 8.2 percent of Washington State residents currently looking for a job, I need to control discretionary spending, so being a bike fashionista is out. The hard plastic and Velcro boot I wear these days to protect my healing left ankle doesn’t really go with much, anyway. I’m not into the snowboarder/astronaut look.

I use Terry saddles. I wore the leather out on a “Liberator” many years ago, and my “Butterfly” is still going strong on my road bike.

Cutout saddles work. Also use chamois butter and teach yourself to hover above, as much as sit on, a saddle while riding. Bingo! That’s how to survive long distance riding.

3rd annual APBP webinar on women and bicycling

I attended the 3rd annual Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, APBP webinar: Empowering Women to Bicycle for Transportation (and Fun) on March 28, 2012. Always an inspiring event.

The slide show is available here.

I was particularly inspired by Kim Cross, founder of Magic City Cycle Chix, a Birmingham, Alabama-based group that puts together women’s local mountain biking trips and group rides that are heavy on encouragement and light on competitiveness. I wished these gals were in my neighborhood.

Having recently “discovered” mountain biking via a few of New Zealand’s Nga Haerenga bike routes, I’m gonna look into what’s available specifically for women like me hereabouts. I know a number of mountain bikers, and 100-percent of them subscribe to the “if your head isn’t bleeding, and you haven’t got a tree branch wedged in your front wheel, well, you’re not trying hard enough” school of thought.

Most riding is out for me currently. Last week, I swapped my non-weight-bearing awkward cloth “boot” for a sturdier, weight-bearing, equally awkward Velcro-and-hard-plastic number that’s the next step (pun) in regaining my ability to flex my left ankle and walk without pain.

While I don’t think I’ll be practicing jumps off elevated wooden platforms anytime soon, my PT just told me I could set up a bike on an indoor trainer, and get back in the saddle.

It won’t be pretty, but it’s a start.

My favorite solo women bike travelers: Louise Sutherland

"In 1945, aged 19, Louise Sullivan pedalled off to discover New Zealand, then spun her way around the globe, winning hearts along the way."

While cooling my heels at the Auckland YHA last month, I read a short biography by Bronwen Wall, Louise Sullivan Spinning the Globe [Kennett Brothers : Wellington, New Zealand, 2010].

It's hard not to like this free-spirited woman. In 1978, Louise, now aged 52, wearing a knee length skirt, rode her Raleigh bicycle solo on the Trans-Amazonian highway across Brazil.

Louise carried a bottle of nail polish as a trip essential, and it's wonderful to see how often she used this item to befriend people, break down barriers, and get out of trouble.

This book is number 6 in a series called "New Zealand Cycling Legends" at Kennett Brothers

Friendlier Bike Events for Women?

What can be done to make bicycle events friendlier to women? I just read this interesting qualitative study from two Australian academics at Griffith University, who studied female participants on the 2010 nine-day Bicycle Queensland supported ride. I’ve ridden several day and week-long events over the past 10 years, and I’m familiar with being an outlier: solo female rider, perfectly happy to ride at the back of the pack so I can enjoy the journey, not the destination, and not having many other women riders around.

Here’s an academic take on what that might mean.

Fullagar, Simone and Adele Pavlidis, “It’s all about the journey: women and cycling events,” International Journal of Event and Festival Management (2012), Vol. 3, Iss. 2
Abstract here:

To read the full article, email Professor Fullagar

Bike maintenance basics for women

I figured out how to get myself, my bike, and my gear back to Seattle. A lot of sitting around airports (Auckland to Sydney, Sydney to San Francisco, San Francisco to Seattle), and experienced first hand the ups and downs of negotiating airports in a wheelchair.

Since getting back on Feb 28, I've been busy with doctors and kneeling on a scooter to get around without crutches.

As riding is OUT for months until I can put weight back on my left foot once more, and learn to walk with pins in my ankles, I'm making the best of it.

Went to the local outdoors store, and attended a free Bike Basics for Women demostration. I know quite a bit about bike maintenance and basic repairs, but I sure don't know everything.

This was a nice time to spend the evening, learning about lubes and things I should be doing, but haven't.

Sudden end to tramping on Cape Brett

Under the temporary cast I now have bolts and pins on the outer ankle and bolts and wire on the inner ankle. I hope to be discharged tomorrow, and find a way to bumble through a few days at the Auckland YHA, then assistance from shuttle drivers and airport staff.

Not sure how I'll get my bike on the plane home, but fingers crossed.

It's one week exactly since I injured myself.

No riding or walking for at least 6 weeks.

Gosh, what a week it's been. My accident even got a mention in the local newspaper.

Cape Brett Lighthouse

An early morning view of the lighthouse, take from the doorstep of the lighthouse keeper's cottage, now tramping hut.

I spent 2 days here, reading and looking at the ocean, a 23 bed hut to myself.

This will be the last post for a while, as I had an accident on the hike out. I am in Whangarei Hospital with a badly broken left ankle. I still can't quite believe today's events, which included a helicopter evacuation off the trail.

I won't be doing much riding for a while but I am safe and looking forward to having my ankle pinned tomorrow.

I am immensely grateful to my rescuers. New Zealand really is amazing.