Sara Bikes DC is being transitioned into a blog for my photography. I have a new lens in the mail, which I'm super excited about, so stay tuned for some awesome photos and adventures in the District of Columbia. Thanks for reading-- more to come soon. I just want to keep record of the Autism Ride below, since I'll be deleting it from the blog side bar shortly.
Century Ride & Raised $900 for Autism Speaks
On July 31, I participated in the Bike to the Beach that stretches 120 miles from DC to Bethany Beach, DE. We've currently raised $900 for Autism Speaks.
A wonderful 4-year-old named Joey, son of Dianne and Joe, from Gainesville, Florida will be the inspiration for my ride.
My Donor Honor Roll, thank you!
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Claire Rubin
Dani Jahn
Evin & Carole Rubin
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Lee & Chuck Heard
Martin & Maria Rubin
Mary Mulderig, Cindy & Allison Rubin
Michael & Courtney Liggera
Nancy & Richie Liggera
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
The Barley Family
Vicki Liggera
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Less than two week away
In the past month and a half, I’ve really gained an appreciation for a wide variety of bike routes in and around Washington D.C. I certainly have made a significant commitment in training for the ride, but I’ve also dealt with the shock of real life and time management. Some days, waking up at 6am to cycle just isn’t practical and other days I’m too busy after work to fit it in, but on a whole, I’ve found a way to prioritize cycling.
Although I’ve slacked on the blog writing front recently, I just finished a program sponsored by The Op-Ed Project (www.theopedproject.org), so I’m all fired up to get typing. The project was essentially built on the premise that 85% of op-ed articles are written by men and most of the submissions are from men, so the seminar gives women the tools to submit op-eds and enhance the public debate. Pretty cool stuff. I have some ideas brewing, so I’m really looking forward to writing articles and pitching my ideas to various publications.
Anyway, back to cycling—the big day is not so far away anymore. In the last final push, I’ll be cycling daily of course and increasing the mileage. I really benefited from a group ride last week because it pushed me to go a lot faster than usual. Not to say that I kept up with everyone, but I definitely realized that cycling at a faster pace for long periods of time is definitely doable, and I just wasn’t pushing myself hard enough. Too bad I missed the ride today, but I was off in op-ed land and plotting to change the world (which was an extremely valuable day’ work).
As I get closer to the ride, I’m trying to figure out what the next steps should be with my blog. Writing about the ride really gave a good platform to share ideas and write about cycling, but I’m not sure where to take the blog next. Maybe make it about my life in DC or find a new charity ride to pursue? I guess I should get through July 31st, and then start asking those questions, but as someone who over plans everything, I can’t help but ask.
Although I’ve slacked on the blog writing front recently, I just finished a program sponsored by The Op-Ed Project (www.theopedproject.org), so I’m all fired up to get typing. The project was essentially built on the premise that 85% of op-ed articles are written by men and most of the submissions are from men, so the seminar gives women the tools to submit op-eds and enhance the public debate. Pretty cool stuff. I have some ideas brewing, so I’m really looking forward to writing articles and pitching my ideas to various publications.
Anyway, back to cycling—the big day is not so far away anymore. In the last final push, I’ll be cycling daily of course and increasing the mileage. I really benefited from a group ride last week because it pushed me to go a lot faster than usual. Not to say that I kept up with everyone, but I definitely realized that cycling at a faster pace for long periods of time is definitely doable, and I just wasn’t pushing myself hard enough. Too bad I missed the ride today, but I was off in op-ed land and plotting to change the world (which was an extremely valuable day’ work).
As I get closer to the ride, I’m trying to figure out what the next steps should be with my blog. Writing about the ride really gave a good platform to share ideas and write about cycling, but I’m not sure where to take the blog next. Maybe make it about my life in DC or find a new charity ride to pursue? I guess I should get through July 31st, and then start asking those questions, but as someone who over plans everything, I can’t help but ask.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sara [realy] Bikes DC [now]
[Yummy graduation party treats-finally posted the pics!]
The title of my blog finally makes sense! I finally moved to D.C., so now I actually bike in D.C. I've definitely been good about getting out there to cycle in the past two weeks, but I've been slacking in the variety department. I pretty much found one trail I really like and that's about it. I take M Street up to the Key Bridge and follow the Mt. Vernon trail pretty much up through Alexandria and turn around. For the moment it works, but pretty soon I'll need to spice up my routine so it doesn't get too boring. I'm a little weary of cycling on the roads, but I'm sure that will just take a little time to adjust to traffic.
College has definitely spoiled me and the real world came at me so fast with little time to prepare. Where has all my free time gone? Adjusting to the 40-hour work week is definitely a big change from the college class schedule. I've made the decision that in the interest of socializing and more free time in the afternoons, I need to get that ride in early. I mean really early. Really, really early. Ok, maybe it's not that early, but it is to me. So, I've been rising with the roosters at 6am. Yikes! That leaves me enough time to get in 15 miles before work. My goal is 5 days a week, but in all honesty, it's been more like 3 on the weekdays and one on the weekends. At one point, I thought riding in the morning meant I would have more time and could ride in the afternoons too. Ha! That's crazy talk. It's a lofty goal, but isn't realistic for me right now. I had been attempting to tone down the coffee drinking, but with my new little schedule, that's almost a laughable idea.
I'm getting both excited and nervous that the century ride is swiftly approaching. Unfortunately, I missed out on what sounded like a fun B2B training ride this weekend, as I was out of town, but hopefully, I'll make it to the next one. Recently, I've been slacking on the fundraising front, but maybe it will pick up soon. I know there are a few more letters I could send or people I could ask, but it feels like I've asked everyone I know. I've never enjoyed asking people for money, but it's such a good cause and fun event, that it's really worth going the extra mile, putting in a little extra effort and really asking everyone I know to donate..
Got to go and make it out for a nice Sunday ride before it gets dark!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Bike in a Box
After what felt like an eternity of rain, the sky finally let up and allowed for one last good ride. Brad Choi, my sister's roommate, and I cycled through Colonialtown on Sunday to get to the Cady Way trail, which is a smooth ride that heads toward Winter Park, FL. We started out at 9:20 a.m., so it goes without saying that we didn't beat the heat. This ride confirmed that it's always more fun to ride with others rather than alone. Most of the ride the weather was probably high 80s to low 90s.
This trail definitely beat out the West Orange Trail just because it's so much closer to my house and requires minimal driving to get to it. Although, driving is required nonetheless. Biking from home would mean driving on 50, which would mean impending death. Rt 50 is one of the most dangerous roads in the country and several people die crossing it each year. It's kind of like the ugly strip mall road of Florida.
Anyway, I was very happy to get one last good ride in before dropping off my bike at David's World Cycle to be boxed up. This makes my move feel very real. The next time I'll ride my bike is in Washington, D.C., hopefully on Tuesday. About 95% of everything I own is boxed up ready for departing Florida on Saturday. I don't know when or how I accumulated so much stuff, but I really hope it all fits in that Uhaul...and my apartment for that matter.
My parents are having a little get together for my college graduation Thursday. The food will be catered by my mom's cafe: Roho Art and Coffee (rohoartandcoffee.com), a.k.a. yummy Cuban food. The dessert, however, was in my hands. Therefore, it's cookies in several forms all requiring orange and blue icing. Of course there's a standard cookie cake with a big mortar board from Publix (a.k.a the best supermarket in the world that will be missed when in DC) and individual cookies from Cookie Cousins (www.thecookiecousins.com).
Yes, you guessed it- individual BICYCLE COOKIES in Gator colors. This is possibly the dorkiest thing ever, and I cannot wait! I'm planning on taping info about my bike ride to the little sweet treats. Yum!!!
I actually learned about The Cookie Cousins, a local Orlando cookie designer, when I went to a Cystic Fibrosis luncheon fundraiser with my mom a few weeks ago. They had Lily Pulitzer dress cookies because it was a luncheon/fashion show. I figured if you can make a Lily dress, sure enough you can make a bicycle out of dough. Too bad I can't fund my own fashion show to raise money- that would be awesome.
This trail definitely beat out the West Orange Trail just because it's so much closer to my house and requires minimal driving to get to it. Although, driving is required nonetheless. Biking from home would mean driving on 50, which would mean impending death. Rt 50 is one of the most dangerous roads in the country and several people die crossing it each year. It's kind of like the ugly strip mall road of Florida.
Anyway, I was very happy to get one last good ride in before dropping off my bike at David's World Cycle to be boxed up. This makes my move feel very real. The next time I'll ride my bike is in Washington, D.C., hopefully on Tuesday. About 95% of everything I own is boxed up ready for departing Florida on Saturday. I don't know when or how I accumulated so much stuff, but I really hope it all fits in that Uhaul...and my apartment for that matter.
My parents are having a little get together for my college graduation Thursday. The food will be catered by my mom's cafe: Roho Art and Coffee (rohoartandcoffee.com), a.k.a. yummy Cuban food. The dessert, however, was in my hands. Therefore, it's cookies in several forms all requiring orange and blue icing. Of course there's a standard cookie cake with a big mortar board from Publix (a.k.a the best supermarket in the world that will be missed when in DC) and individual cookies from Cookie Cousins (www.thecookiecousins.com).
Yes, you guessed it- individual BICYCLE COOKIES in Gator colors. This is possibly the dorkiest thing ever, and I cannot wait! I'm planning on taping info about my bike ride to the little sweet treats. Yum!!!
I actually learned about The Cookie Cousins, a local Orlando cookie designer, when I went to a Cystic Fibrosis luncheon fundraiser with my mom a few weeks ago. They had Lily Pulitzer dress cookies because it was a luncheon/fashion show. I figured if you can make a Lily dress, sure enough you can make a bicycle out of dough. Too bad I can't fund my own fashion show to raise money- that would be awesome.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Deconstructing the Bicycle
My one hour lesson on how to fix a flat at David's World Cycle gave me a new appreciation for my bicycle. I first learned how to take off the back tire and then completely deconstructed the front wheel, pulled out the tube, checked for my hypothetical hole in the tire, replaced it and put it all back together. Of course I watched the instructor do it first and then gave it a try. I never realized that the tire completely comes apart with a tube in the middle and little spoke holes all around the rim. How cool- now I can speak bicycle.
He also taught me a nifty trick that if there's a visible hole in the tire to use an empty gel packet wrapper or dollar bill before putting the tube back in so you can make it safely home without getting another flat before entirely replacing the tire. It's definitely reassuring to know that if I'm out cycling on my own that I can take care of a flat without freaking out or being stranded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to stay lucky with no flats, but at least now I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.
There's no such thing as free lunch, so my free bike repair lesson turned into a shopping spree. I bought womens gloves and then tested them out on a short ride when I got home. They're very comfortable and cushony, but rather drab and ugly. I really wanted to buy the kids gloves because they were so cute and colorful, but that didn't work out. I also got an extra water bottle holder, so I'll have two for hot days, and another mini air pump. Last week at Orange Cycle I got a cycling jersey on the clearance rack for $34, marked down from $118. I can never turn down a good bargain, especially when it comes to cycling.
All the accessories really start adding up, so it's good to find the deals. It's especially nice when the local shops have decent sales because then I can still save and support local businesses. Although, I must say the Shimano pedals I bought awhile back were a to-die-for deal online. So, you never know where the bargains are, just keep your eyes peeled. The only item I've purchased for cycling and have regretted is my odometer. I really should have bought the wireless version that gives the average miles per hour for the entire ride instead of just the changing speed as you go. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't figure out how to change the clock after day light saving time, so I'm an hour off the rest of the world. It would be nice to know the average speed per ride and try to improve upon that instead of just guessing.
I'm looking forward to a sunny Memorial Day Weekend that will hopefully include a trip to the beach and lots of cycling. The past six days it has rained constantly. Rain, rain go away. Sunday I'll be trying out the Cady Way Trail with my sister's roommate.
He also taught me a nifty trick that if there's a visible hole in the tire to use an empty gel packet wrapper or dollar bill before putting the tube back in so you can make it safely home without getting another flat before entirely replacing the tire. It's definitely reassuring to know that if I'm out cycling on my own that I can take care of a flat without freaking out or being stranded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to stay lucky with no flats, but at least now I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.
There's no such thing as free lunch, so my free bike repair lesson turned into a shopping spree. I bought womens gloves and then tested them out on a short ride when I got home. They're very comfortable and cushony, but rather drab and ugly. I really wanted to buy the kids gloves because they were so cute and colorful, but that didn't work out. I also got an extra water bottle holder, so I'll have two for hot days, and another mini air pump. Last week at Orange Cycle I got a cycling jersey on the clearance rack for $34, marked down from $118. I can never turn down a good bargain, especially when it comes to cycling.
All the accessories really start adding up, so it's good to find the deals. It's especially nice when the local shops have decent sales because then I can still save and support local businesses. Although, I must say the Shimano pedals I bought awhile back were a to-die-for deal online. So, you never know where the bargains are, just keep your eyes peeled. The only item I've purchased for cycling and have regretted is my odometer. I really should have bought the wireless version that gives the average miles per hour for the entire ride instead of just the changing speed as you go. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't figure out how to change the clock after day light saving time, so I'm an hour off the rest of the world. It would be nice to know the average speed per ride and try to improve upon that instead of just guessing.
I'm looking forward to a sunny Memorial Day Weekend that will hopefully include a trip to the beach and lots of cycling. The past six days it has rained constantly. Rain, rain go away. Sunday I'll be trying out the Cady Way Trail with my sister's roommate.
Friday, May 15, 2009
West Orange Trail
Whenever I drive home from college, I always notice the bike overpass with a huge "West Orange Trail" sign hanging above Florida's Turnpike. Yesterday I decided to try it out. I was impressed with the trail, very similar to my favorite, the Hawthorne Trail in Gainesville/Hawthorne, FL. Although, it's a little hillier. I can't believe I complain about hills. When I used to run cross country during high school in Connecticut some of the race paths cut through mountains. The last race was tredging through snow and mountains. No wonder I don't like to run anymore. In Florida, there's no such thing as a mountain, just hill or slightly larger hill.
I started the trail out by Winter Garden and Oakland, FL. I got to ride over the turnpike, which was of course exciting. Not really sure why- just fun to say I did. I also learned that Oakland, FL got its name due to the overwhelming amount of beautiful oak trees in the area. The trail has several rest areas and even rents out bikes to people for the day, which I thought was pretty cool.
My only issue with the West Orange Trail was the distance from my house. I drove almost 30 minutes to get there, cutting through two major highways and probably racked up $6 in tolls on the Sunpass. Geez! There must be a closer entrance to home. Given my luck, I was driving straight toward the ugliest looking clouds. I would have liked to ride 25 miles, but I cut it short at nine and missed the rain by about 5 minutes. Phew! Not just any rain- it was a torrential downpour with thunder and lightning of course.
At this point I'm a little frustrated with the cycling options of Orlando. Tomorrow I'll try some of the loops near downtown, but I'm afraid of the deadending cycling lane issue. In any other state that would be ok, but people drive like maniacs here. The only place there are worse drivers than Orlando is Miami.
I'm very excited to move up, which is just 2 weeks away. Once I'm in DC, I'm counting on better trail/route options than Orlando. That should help me get into the groove of a more regular, planned out training schedule. The month of May has been extremely chaotic with packing and errands, so I'm sure June and July should be much smoother.
I took lots of fun photos on my West Orange Trail ride, and they'll be posted soon. In my jumble of packing boxes, I've somehow misplaced my camera cords to transfer the photos. Comments and suggestions always welcome!
I started the trail out by Winter Garden and Oakland, FL. I got to ride over the turnpike, which was of course exciting. Not really sure why- just fun to say I did. I also learned that Oakland, FL got its name due to the overwhelming amount of beautiful oak trees in the area. The trail has several rest areas and even rents out bikes to people for the day, which I thought was pretty cool.
My only issue with the West Orange Trail was the distance from my house. I drove almost 30 minutes to get there, cutting through two major highways and probably racked up $6 in tolls on the Sunpass. Geez! There must be a closer entrance to home. Given my luck, I was driving straight toward the ugliest looking clouds. I would have liked to ride 25 miles, but I cut it short at nine and missed the rain by about 5 minutes. Phew! Not just any rain- it was a torrential downpour with thunder and lightning of course.
At this point I'm a little frustrated with the cycling options of Orlando. Tomorrow I'll try some of the loops near downtown, but I'm afraid of the deadending cycling lane issue. In any other state that would be ok, but people drive like maniacs here. The only place there are worse drivers than Orlando is Miami.
I'm very excited to move up, which is just 2 weeks away. Once I'm in DC, I'm counting on better trail/route options than Orlando. That should help me get into the groove of a more regular, planned out training schedule. The month of May has been extremely chaotic with packing and errands, so I'm sure June and July should be much smoother.
I took lots of fun photos on my West Orange Trail ride, and they'll be posted soon. In my jumble of packing boxes, I've somehow misplaced my camera cords to transfer the photos. Comments and suggestions always welcome!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Above and Beyond
Just a few days ago we surpassed the fundraising minimum amount of $500 for the Bike to the Beach Race. Thank you thank you thank you! But why stop there? With just about 2.5 months left before the race there's plenty of time to keep on raising awareness and money for Autism Speaks. I'm going to look into some more creative fundraising strategies as I make the move to DC. On my list is to bring letters explaining the ride and asking for a donation from local businesses and past employers/internships. I've been looking into fundraising for cycling events and the opportunities are endless. In a few weeks there's a ride for M.S. in Central Florida and the top fundraiser for that ride has raised more than $6,000. Wow, I'm impressed. That ride is in just two weeks and would have been great practice for the Autism Speaks ride because there's an option to do 50 miles on Saturday and Sunday each, but unfortunately it's a bit too pricey- $250 to register. Another great cause, but the timing just isn't right. Although, I was very impressed to see such high donation and fundraising numbers from those participatin in the ride. It looked like a lot of the teams were companies in the Central Florida area, so I wonder if companies matched the rider donations. I'll have to look into doing something like that and reaching out to businesses. That seems like an effective way to bring in more donations.
Anyway, I'm elated to be at $675 with donations and can't wait to see where we'll be by July 31st! Share comments or suggestions!
My Updated Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Evin & Carole Rubin
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Mary Mulderig, Cindy & Allison Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
Anyway, I'm elated to be at $675 with donations and can't wait to see where we'll be by July 31st! Share comments or suggestions!
My Updated Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Evin & Carole Rubin
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Mary Mulderig, Cindy & Allison Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
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