She Got Bike!

Welcome Home!

Susan M — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:46:06 GMT

Last year, Jess was unable to join us for She Got Bike! because she had just left to serve in Afghanistan. Jess's friends sent her the event tshirt she's wearing in this photo.

Jess just returned home and is gearing up for this year's event. Thanks so much for your service -- we can't wait to meet you!

SAVE THE DATE - She Got Bike! is September 14th, 2008

Susan Olson — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:14:16 GMT

Hello She Got Bikers and Beyond,

We're thrilled to announce that She Got Bike! 2008 will be held on September 14th at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville Maryland.

Registration will open very soon and we'll let you know as soon as it does.

In the meantime, please pass this Save the Date info onto the women cyclists you know. We had 500 women last year and would love to reach 850 this year in service of introducing more and more women to joy the cycling.

PLUS, the organizers of She Got Bike have been cut open, hung up and attacked by weird bugs A LOT this year and we CAN'T WAIT - SERIOUSLY CAN'T WAIT, CAN'T WAIT, CAN'T WAIT to get out on our bikes with YOU!!!!!

More to come!

Check Out Your She Got Bike! Photo on GracefulEdge.com

Susan Olson — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:35:19 GMT

Hello Ladies,

Who knew you were all so gorgeous AND adventurous?

Well, we did, of course! And as proof, She Got Bike Event Sponsor, GracefulEdge.com, has posted your smiling faces on their web site for the world to see. If you visited their table at the event, check it out and see if your pic is up.

Just click here: She Got Bike! On GracefulEdge.com

There are about five pages of photos and some pretty interesting factoids and secrets :) about you guys.

Also, a big thanks to GracefulEdge.com for coming up with such a cool idea.

Enjoy!

Susan O.

A Big Congrats On Your Big Accomplishments

Susan Olson — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:21:06 GMT

Hi all,

We want to give all of you She Got Bikers who are new or relatively new to cycling a HUGE, GIGANTIC, CONGRATS - and a BIG VIRTUAL HUG on your amazing accomplishments at She Got Bike this year.

Baltimore has some very challenging terrain and if you completed any of our routes - even if you walked some of it - you deserve a lot of respect and kudos for what you did (not to mention a big piece of chocolate cake or something).

You should be very proud. And we are excited for you and awed by you.

Cylcing is not an easy sport - even when it's flat!

When I first started riding, even a small hill seemed like a mountain. I remember feeling like I was going to pass out. On my very first group ride, I cried when I got up the first the hill because I was just so amazed that I did it. I know my teammates all had similar experiences - except for Elizabeth who does not require oxygen and can still talk up a 17% grade in a fast race.

ANYWAY, trust me, the hill I got up was NOTHING LIKE - NOT EVEN CLOSE to the ones you conquered last weekend. You rode routes that tire out elite racers. And you rode them with style and heart.

We received some great feedback that it might be nice to have an easier route as an option next year and we are already talking about it (we love hearing what you guys want!). And for those of you who love pain - we are committed to making She Got Bike an event that gives you a big reason to celebrate when you come in from your ride.

So, again, congrats on your accomplishment - we hope you take a moment and celebrate how truly beautiful you are!

She Got Bike! Cookies

Susan M — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:28:00 GMT

We got lots of feedback about the yummy cookies at the rest stops. We are very fortunate that one of the She Got Bike! organizers, Margaret Hartka, loves baking almost as much as she loves riding her bike. Margaret supplied all the sweets for the rest stops and offered to share the recipe for the s'mores bars.

Enjoy! And remember the more your ride the more cookies you get to eat!

(photo from cookiemadness.net)

Margaret's Totally Awesome She Got Bike! S’mores Bars

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons golden syrup, maple syrup or dark corn syrup
2 ¼ cups rolled oats
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups mini marshmallows

In a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, melt and stir together the butter, sugar and syrup, cooking until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the oats, flour, salt, and graham cracker crumbs.

Press slightly more than half of the mixture into a lightly greased 9x9-inch pan. Let cool completely. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top, then the marshmallows. Top with remaining crust mixture. Bake the bars for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes, then cut into squares while still slightly warm.

Links to cue sheets

Susan M — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:50:47 GMT

Here are the links to download the cue sheets from the She Got Bike! rides:

14 mile ride
25 mile ride
46 mile ride
64 mile ride

Making Headlines

Susan M — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:04:01 GMT

This morning's Baltimore Sun featured a terrific article about She Got Bike! You can view it on their website by clicking here.

"This is the only all-women riding event in the Baltimore area - and one of the very few in the U.S.," co-organizer Susan Olson said. (Sun photo by Algerina Perna / September 30, 2007)

Wow!

Susan M — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:40:08 GMT

Wow!

We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and excitement generated by this year's She Got Bike! We had nearly 500 women partipcate -- supported by more than 70 amazing volunteers. Our biggest and best event so far!

We can't wait until next year!

PS: Starting tomorrow some of us are having back surgery or devoting some serious time to our neglected day jobs, but we will get pics and cue sheets posted very soon. Please send us any photos, stories or feedback to info@shegotbike.com.

A few thoughts for avoiding early morning goosebumps

Susan Olson — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:51:48 GMT

Hi all,

The sun will be out on Sunday and FANTASTIC weather is predicated - YEAH!

AND it might be a bit chilly first thing in the morning.

For those of you who are just getting started cycling, we want to share a few tips to be comfortable on your morning ride:

1. Consider knee warmers and arm warmers - easy to stuff into a jersey pocket when you don't need them anymore.
2. If you tend to get cold easily, you might even want to bring along a lightweight wind breaker that can also be taken off as you warm up.
3. If you are planning on wearing a short-sleeve jersey or shirt, consider wearing a short sleeve undershirt as well. Short sleeve jerseys tend to be much thinner than long sleeve jerseys.
4. If your hands get cold easily, wearing full-finger glove liners over or under your fingerless cycling gloves is a solution.
5. A ear/headband keeps your ears warm but lets heat escape.
6. If you tend to warm up pretty fast on the bike, it's better to start off a little cold because you'll soon be working hard.
7. Wool socks might be better than cotton.
8. EAT!!!!

Any questions about what to wear, just ask!

SHAMELESS PLUG for our FAVORITE BIKE SHOP --- Joe's Bike Shop has a bunch of the stuff listed above if you want to pick up a pair of arm warmers or wool socks before Sunday. They can be reached at (410) 323-2788.

Could we be so Lucky?!!!

Susan M — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:49:28 GMT

I've heard a rumor that the famous Jon Posner is heading up one of the rest stops at She Got Bike! In addition to being a pro racer, team manager and mechanic, Jon has been featured in several films and is one of our amazing local local heros -- instrumental in the national mountain biking and 24 solo scenes.

Event Day Schedule

Susan M — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:39:18 GMT

Programs for the entire schedule of event activities will be available at registraton on Sunday morning. Below is a summary of the day's activities:

7:00am Trek WSD bike fittings – first come, first served

7:15am Registration opens

8:45am Baltimore Bicycling Club beginner’s clinic

8:30am Joe’s Bike Shop flat changing clinic

ALL riders need to be on the road by 10am (see ride schedule inside for specific start times)

11:00am Festival opens – activities, exhibitors and lectures

11:00am Lunch/Snacks/Drinks available

3:00pm She Got Bike! ends (sadly)

A Perfect Fall Day...

Susan M — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 07:22:32 GMT

...is in the forecast for Sunday! I've fixed the broken link for the event flyer so you should now be able to download it from the link to the right of this post.

If you missed pre-registration you can still join us on Sunday. Event day registration opens at 7:15 am and costs $30 (cash or check only).

www.gracefuledge.com at She Got Bike!

Susan Olson — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:34:42 GMT

We're excited to introduce you to the newest She Got Bike Exhibitor, Graceful Edge.

Graceful Edge is where active women go to share the latest in cool gear, active apparel and awesome experiences across a wide range of activities, including cycling, running, hiking, alpine sports, yoga and so much more.

If you (dare we say it) participate in other sports activites besides cycling, this is the go-to place for info and resources. AND THERE'S A TON OF CYCLING STUFF TOO!

Check them out at www.gracefuledge.com - you can also sign up for their free eNewsletter so you'll be up-to-date on what's going on near you.

Why We Hate Spain

Susan Olson — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:16:41 GMT

Actually, we don't hate Spain. We hate that our teammate Susan M., is in Spain and can't fix our event flyer download button on the She Got Bike site.

No worries though - we have the flyer as a pdf and if you need one, just send an email to:

info@shegotbike.com and put "Send Me the SGB Event Flyer" in the subject line.

Adios!

Get Your Henna Cycling Tattoo at She Got Bike

Susan Olson — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:44:10 GMT

This is too cool!

Henna artist, Aaron Young, will be at She Got Bike giving FREE henna cycling tattoos (chain rings, etc.) to anyone who wants one. My teammate Susan M., was sporting a nifty Henna creation just last week and it looked AMAZING.

Needless to say, Aaron is thrilled to be able to spend the day tattooing a bunch of women. Look for his table at the Festival after your ride.

A Celebrity Among Us

Susan M — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:05:32 GMT

We are so thrilled that Susan Mele is going to be part of She Got Bike! again this year! Susan is featured on Trek's website as one of their "women who ride" and she has some great stories about cycling and insights about why women love to ride.

Susan will be featured on the Marc Steiner show on Monday, Sept 10 at 12 Noon. She'll also be leading the "Crank" ride at She Got Bike!

(Susan with her gorgeous Trek Madone, aka "Sweetness")

Join the She Got Bike Listserve and Talk to Other She Got Bikers Before the Event

Susan Olson — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:20:34 GMT

Hello Ladies,

Looking for someone to ride with at She Got Bike? New to the event and want to chat with other women beforehand? Want to find out who's coming? Or just talk women's cycling?

Then join the She Got Bike Listserve/Message Board where you can post questions to all pre-registered She Got Bike riders who sign up.

How it works: Just send an email to susancolson@earthlink.net with "Add Me To The Listserve" in the subject line and I will add you to the She Got Bike Google Groups listserve. If you don't already have a google groups account, you may have to create one when you join, but it's pretty easy. I believe you will also get a confirmation email that you once your name is added with a link to the listserve.

After that, you can use the listserve anytime you want.

Tailwinds,

Susan O.

She Got Bike & Trek's Women Who Ride

Susan M — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:04:21 GMT

As you all know, Trek's Traveling Women's Van will be at She Got Bike! bright and early with bikes for you to try and take on She Got Bike rides. What you may not know is that Trek recently held a Women Who Ride contest to find five women who best represent women's cycling in all its forms - and guess what? THREE of those women are from OUR REGION. Very cool.

You can read about them at http://www.trekbikes.com/women/women_who_ride/ as well as follow their stories via Trek's Women Who Ride Blog. We think they are inspiring!

Update on the Festival

Susan M — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:25:47 GMT

This year's event is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever! For those of you who have already registered -- we're still working on the schedule of activities but here are some of the key times:
7:30 am Registration and TREK booth open
8-10 am Rides leave (you may choose to ride on your own or leave with a larger group-- group departure times will be emailed to all registrants and posted to the website in the itinerary)
11:30 - 3:30 Expo! lunch, fashion show, vendors and activites

We'll post the event schedule to the site in a few weeks.

Why we Love to Ride

Susan M — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:04:45 GMT

August is the beginning of "century season" for many seasoned cyclists around Baltimore. It seems like every weekend there's a century or metric century winding through the undulating tree lined roads of Pennsylvania or touring the flat farmland of the eastern shore. Enjoying the landscape from the bike is one of the things we love about riding.