# oh boy here comes the rant..........



## tiffanyinanthem (Dec 17, 2007)

Okay so its Monday and I'd like to rant about something! 

Any other girls come into the office with their cuts and bruises only to get the comments, "oh you're really going to hurt yourself crap" I have even got the comment that I'm too girly to mtn bike and that I should just stick to road riding. WTF. Can't we just ride too! yeah, it hurts, yeah it sucks to crash, but I like the challenge and just because I crash doesn't make me a bad rider either! Isn't it ok to be a girl that doesn't mind getting hurt every now and then! 

Ok rant done, anyone else get the comments like this? 


Tiff


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

What is " too girly to mountain bike"? LOL, I didn't know there was such a thing. Face it, you just live on a different ( better!!) planet than those other gals. 

f.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

Eh... tell 'em you only mountain bike as a way to get you, your guns, your ammo, and beer to the secret militia base- since you're still working on that GPS system for the helicopter of course.


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## Gatorbike (Mar 13, 2006)

*rant*

Well what I hate is aren't you a little old for that???:madman:


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

... and being a mutant, some part of my brain would shout back "Only if I let myself get fat, lazy, boring like everyone else around here!"

Of course my brain is obviously evil and dangerous and isn't entirely fit for public consumption, so people around me often don't understand when I snort and walk off laughing after they say something so stupid.


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## Linga115 (Mar 23, 2008)

tiffanyinanthem said:


> Okay so its Monday and I'd like to rant about something!
> 
> just because I crash doesn't make me a bad rider either! Isn't it ok to be a girl that doesn't mind getting hurt every now and then!
> 
> Tiff


if you dont crash you're not riding hard enough! :thumbsup:


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

*Maybe not a guy/girl thing*

Maybe its not so much a guy/girl thing as a sedentary/gonzo thing. I get the same head shaking from guys when I show up on Monday banged up from mtn biking or rock climbing. Especially when I start proudly showing off injuries. They can't understand working so hard when the beer is already in the fridge.

Know how to tell the difference between a poser and a gonzo outdoor athlete? Ask them about their last injury. If they just give you a blank look, they are a poser. If their eye's light up and they start showing off scars, they are one of us.


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## badjenny (Mar 13, 2006)

I am an esthetician, I work in the salon/spa industry. Talk about being surrounded by girlie girls! Most just think I am crazy. My clients seem to enjoy my stories and seeing the occasional carnage. Maybe they are living vicariously through me. Over the years I have gotten a few into running and riding, some have ended up as tri geeks, I don't take credit for that.  

We have had the most amazing weather in Nor Cal lately so my tan lines are getting bad already. I was in a tank top at work the other day and one of my clients said "don't you have some self tanner to even that out?" (my farmer tan) She was really disturbed by it, she wanted to know what I did when I went out dressed up. She was even more disturbed when I told her that it didn't bother me. Too funny.


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## BiknMama (Sep 25, 2006)

That sucks! I'm pretty fortunate to work in a place where there are a number of cyclists. So it's not unusual to see people randomly walking around in spandex in the middle of the day. There are still folks that look at us like we're daft but at least they don't say stupid things to us.

The only grief I've really gotten is from my folks when I first started riding about 9 yrs ago. They just didn't understand spending a bunch of money on a bike and the schlepping around on the dirt. But then my folks are exactly the exercising type either. My mom used to tell me that I'd gotten too skinny.  I assured her that I was fine and that I was eating - a lot. :thumbsup: 

No, the folks at my work that don't exercise will ask how far I rode at lunch. When I tell them 10 miles (or more if I'm on the road bike) they look at me like I've just ridden to the moon. :lol: But I guess 10 miles is pretty far when you stake out parking spots at the front of the parking lot.


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## Fabulous (Jan 20, 2008)

My favorite line I've gotten was: "Wow! How does a _girl_ get interested in that?" (Insert incredulous look from the imbecile)


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Honestly, I don't even try and explain my hobby to people anymore. If I sense that someone else is into exercise/outdoors stuff then I will open up but other than that I just don't. 

I tend not to reveal too much of my personal life at work anyway, so it's not that hard. People know I like to cycle but I'm sure they think its bike paths along the ocean on the way to a latte (well, sometimes it is) but the offroad stuff - nope.


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

I don't know, I think it's just people who are not into mtb think that mtbikers are crazy or that you have to be that way to be doing it (well particularly DH racing).

In the end it's all about riding to your ability, and some people have amazing ability! After all practice at anything hard enough & you get good at it, but the only way to find your limit is to push it and take a tumble or two isn't it. I would tend to say that if people aren't getting hurt then they're not riding hard enough, but I think it's not entirely correct, it just means that people aren't taking as many risks and are riding more to their ability, and probably progressing slowly.

It's funny, the local hardware store owner attended a DH race once (as a medic think) and he though it was crazy how they came to him to get patched up, he'd go to do it and they say "oh not that one that's from last week" and "nah that one is from the other day" and then "just patch it up so I can make the next run".

I would agree though with Tiffany, it is particularly annoying if you partner decides to be overly protective - my husband use to be a bit iffy about me going out and riding who knows where on my own (exploring the trails), but I think he quickly got to understand that it's just something I like to do and it's not really cause for concern (I'll tell him how long I'm likely to be and take a mobile phone with me). And when you head out and they say "make sure you don't get hurt etc" , well you know I could but it won't stop me!


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

Lol, you should just tell them that you could think of worse ways to die . . . . . and watch the looks on their faces


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## CycleMainiac (Jan 12, 2004)

I guess I am lucky, my co-workers just seem to accept I am crazy and will do things they consider crazy on a bike. I think there is a lot of living vicariously through me going on. 

This past weekend I did the MS180. I have had a poster up in my office for months about it. Today when I came in several asked about the ride and were interested enough to listen to me describe the weekend.

Several months ago I did some gravity riding and returned with pics of us in full armor. My boss told me "If you get hurt, I WILL bring a lap top to the hospital so you can work."


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## FreeRangeChicken (Jan 13, 2004)

I think my girlfriend just resorted to telling people that I beat her.  

We actually go out fairly regularly and repeatedly throw her at rocks(sessioning on spots where she has trouble) which inevitably results in heinous bruises, banged knees and/or loss of skin... even a broken ankle. I think it is awesome that she is willing to take the time(and trauma) to learn better technical skills.

My first 1.5 yrs of mountain biking were perpetually blood-stained and bruised. I either got better, or got smarter. Probably a little of both.


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## tiffanyinanthem (Dec 17, 2007)

*battered woman....*

LOL yeah, people have commented that I look like a battered woman too!

My bf rides too so he never says anything bad, he just patches me up and lets me tell him all about my crashes. 

Tiff


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

As Maid of Honor for my sister's wedding, I heard comments about how the farmer's tan is fairly noticeable in the photos. Ah well! I did try to even it out......the day before 

Once at work, I got the "eewwww...." from one co-worker, but that was to be expected. Another one noticed and commented to his biking friend that there was a woman at work "who bikes, and seems pretty hardcore judging by the bruises and scrapes." That's the guy I'm dating now!


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## callmeCrash (Aug 28, 2007)

I work in the ER so lucky me that bruises and road rashes are oohed and ahhed over. The gorier the better. There have been numerous times I've dropped my pants at work just to show co-workers the "really cool bruise" I got the last time I've been biking. 

Wear your cuts and bruises like badges of honor, doesn't matter if your male or female, it states that you were out and being active and pushing yourself to ride to your limits. Surround yourself with people who recognize that it's cool to ride, those other girls can just go get high on beauty products...


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## georgezilla (Sep 28, 2005)

guess i'm pretty lucky! my boss and i fight over who gets the day off to play! the ladies that i work with arent the girlie girl types. we all have stories to tell about our bruises and scars~wear them proudly! the last good bruise i had turned up looking like a relief map of africa. got lots of ooohhs and aaahhhs over that one! most were suprised i hadnt made a shishkabob out of myself  
funny, the comment about the farmers tan for the wedding. when my sister got married, i was the maid of honor and i made a point not to ride for a week before hand. i figured i'd be the one in a body cast or something! law of physics or gravity or because i had to wear a dress....


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## kmoodymz3 (Feb 8, 2006)

My co-workers aren't the problem, it's my mother-in-law. "why do you want to do that?" "Isn't it dangerous?" etc. Then she goes on how too much exercise could be harmful:madman: you got to be kidding right? I work 45 hrs a week commute 2 hours a day. Like I have the time to over-exercise! I wish! My rant is over now.

Good thing my husband is very supportive of my riding. We even have a competition going. I'm winning in the scar category but he is way in the lead for broken bones.


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## creseis (Apr 4, 2008)

I like to show off my new scars to my boss, he knows I'm crazy! I had to leave work early one day because I was limping and he convinced me to go get xrays because my knee was the size of a watermelon! My parents ignore the scars, I sometimes stop by on the way back from a bike race and they look away and we talk about something else! I have a vague idea that hurling yourself off of a rockface while attached to a bicycle is probably an indication of at least mild insanity, probably lack of self-preservation, but it just doesn't register in the deeper, decision-making parts of my brain.


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## rugbyred (Aug 31, 2006)

Both my gf and myself play rugby, so any "little" bump, scrape, bruise, etc is nothing new. One year when she came home from National's, she had such a bad black eye with more swelling than I have seen befoe that her teammates resorted to calling her Chunk (from Goonies). We went out for drinks that evening. Yes, I got some bad looks but we laughed.
Eric


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## PennyRich (Jul 13, 2003)

I took up mtb'ing after splitting from my (abusive) husband. For the first few months I would be bruised and/or limping after every ride. I limped in one Monday morning and one of the morons I work with told me he couldn't see the difference between getting knocked around by my husband and what I was doing now! Ignorant Jerk!!


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## kerilou (Jun 15, 2005)

I'm the boss where I work and everyone knows I'm hardcore.....they always want to see the battle wounds. The best was the time I crashed on my commute to work (10miles of mostly sweet single track) I walked in all covered in dust and blood.....no one missed a beat they just looked at me and said did you fall?......nice!


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## drtgirl (Jan 8, 2008)

I work in the outdoor industry so injuries and bruises are pretty common here. I think the stares and comments are kinda funny. Last year I did an adventure race where my legs were scraped to a pulp by wild raspberry bushes and then I got a case of poison oak on top of that. It was in the middle of summer and hot so i wore shorts around...the look were priceless. Oh well.


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## tiffanyinanthem (Dec 17, 2007)

*urgh*



PennyRich said:


> I took up mtb'ing after splitting from my (abusive) husband. For the first few months I would be bruised and/or limping after every ride. I limped in one Monday morning and one of the morons I work with told me he couldn't see the difference between getting knocked around by my husband and what I was doing now! Ignorant Jerk!!


Oh yeah what a tool!


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## oldpro (Mar 2, 2005)

I too have lived with comments like that for years. My Mom (best friend) drives me crazy with comments like 'Oh honey, will all those scabs across your face leave a scar? You have so many, and on your LEGS too.' Perhaps, we all should tattoo our scars with dates and locations? It would be a help for me as I am loosing track of what and when. You'd never know by looking at my badges that I am actually a rather skilled rider. Stuff happens-parts sometimes break at inopportune moments, depressed animals attempt suicide with your front wheel, riders fall in front of you, and my favorite are day dreams happen (very dangerous). Well I had better update my Life Flight insurance. Don't let those folks get to you- otherwise everyone would be crazy like us.


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## grungePoodle (Jul 3, 2007)

I love this thread.

I had a boss ask me (when I came in with a new cast on my hand)...'Well I guess that's the end of your biking, it's about time. Aren't you getting a little old for that?" (I was 39 at the time). Whatever.

Since then, I've had two more surgeries and started racing again. I feel awesome at 41 and roll my eyes at people that question my sport. But nowadays, most everybody I am around are bikers or athletes...they totally understand.

I think what bugs me more is when women say to me, "Oh I am too old to do stuff like that." I tell them I am OLDER than they are (and have two kids) and then they realize they have no excuse.


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## oldpro (Mar 2, 2005)

BINGO- I think that you hit the nail on the head!!! Their excuse is gone.

Has anyone ever posted a thread about sending in images of our favorite scars?


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

(A guy chiming in here)

I once witnessed a most amusing friendly scar-bragging competition between three women. They compared scars from mountain biking, rockclimbing, water skiing and field hockey and sport-induced surgery. They had a really impressive collection between. This was part of a big rockclimbing group, and all of the guys were impressed more than anything else.

On the other hand, I've recently started collecting biking scars, and I don't like 'em. They're just too big and messy. Climbing scars just have a nicer aesthetic to 'em


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## brownieinSC (Apr 19, 2004)

I think after about a year of my husband and I riding our families just kind of accepted it. When they see a bad bruise or big scabs they kind of look at each other but don't say anything to us. I remember (vaguely) being in the hospital after my concussion. It scared my husband so bad he said that was it for me and mountain biking. We were out riding again two weeks later. He had his own hospital trip about six months ago that included 15-20 stitches in his face. 
People I work with do shake their heads sometimes but I can't remember someone saying something that really pissed me off.


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## screampint (Dec 10, 2001)

grungePoodle said:


> I tell them I am OLDER than they are (and have two kids) and then they realize they have no excuse.


Yep, that usually shuts them up. I get a lot of that at the kids' schools, on occasion I have been thought to be my son's stepmother, after all, I can't be old enough to be his mom.

Another excuse is the time thing ("Oh, I don't have the time, I'm a mom). Heck, if owning a small retail business, a bike festival, a wholesale company, and running my own practice (not to mention being a mom) isn't time consuming, what is?

I definitely get that "you're a mutant" look from people who just don't get it. After 15 years of mountainbiking and 7 years of rock climbing prior to that, I really don't worry about it anymore.


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## Muff (Apr 1, 2007)

Well ladies, I look at it this way.... I can beat most of the guys I ride withrft: and can still stomp women half my age (that's when experience comes into play) :cornut:. So, I'll just keep biking and ladies- keep kickin' major BUTT- 'nuff said:yesnod:


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## stingray_coach (Jun 27, 2006)

Muff said:


> Well ladies, I look at it this way.... I can beat most of the guys I ride withrft: and can still stomp women half my age (that's when experience comes into play) :cornut:. So, I'll just keep biking and ladies- keep kickin' major BUTT- 'nuff said:yesnod:


Women are such braggers ; )


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## Muff (Apr 1, 2007)

stingray_coach said:


> Women are such braggers ; )


:cornut: :rockon:


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## antonio (Jan 18, 2005)

Nice thread.

If it weren’t for a lady on a mountain bike, I don’t think I would have ever found the sport.

In the spring of 2003 I was riding along the Charles River (on my Tassajara that had never seen dirt) and stopped for a crowd crossing the path headed towards Harvard. This slim black lady, who looked younger than her short, grey hair would suggest, rolled up beside me, did a trackstand for a few secs, popped her front wheel up, on her back tire turned her bike 90 degrees to the left, and went down the grass hill to go around the crowd. My jaw dropped - too many stereotypes being challenged at once AND I was impressed by skills I’d never seen before. 

I went online to look up what it was that she did, found a few mountain bike sites including my local club, discovered there were a few short trails close to home, went out on a short, mellow ride (that kicked my 5-day-a-week-at-the-gym a$$), and was HOOKED! 

Ant


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## antonio (Jan 18, 2005)

BTW - I never crossed paths with that lady again, tho I'd like to thank her for the inspiration. And I still can’t trackstand/wheelie/manual/etc.


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

It's not a GUY or GIRL thing, it's a lazy a$$ person vs Athletic/Active person thing - we guys get it too :skep: People just can't see why you'd ride somewhere instead of driving - _I have no car now, a choice I made and my only TransP is a bike_ - sure it's a pain when I need to go to the grocery, sometimes I do bum a lift if I need a lot of stuff, but most times I shop small enough to fit into a big knap sack.

I rode 38 miles yesterday following a rally my bro was in, most people just couldn't believe I did that throughout the entire day and it was super hot - _yes I did suffer from the heat_ - but I had fun getting from one point to the other mainly through cart roads/trails. When I got to the last stage around or race track, I was with a bunch of kids on bikes and we pulled up to an overlook spot to watch, there was a nice rock face down one side and a share drop on the other...........Well when I rolled up to the rock face and stopped to look down _(which is totally rideable if you actually ride a MTB how it should)_ to see if it was clear, some guys standing there started talking loudly about if I was a real rider I would just go straight down that - thinking there's no way I would. Well I asked the guys sitting on the roll in to just ease over a bit, turned the bike around and rolled away like I was just going to sit with the other guys I came with AND once again the guys started yapping I wouldn't do it  I slowly rolled the bike around them and proceeded to clean the entire thing much to their amazement - _couldn't believe someone could/would actually do that_  Sad thing is I had mapped out a MTB race course there a couple years ago and that feature was part of it


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## screampint (Dec 10, 2001)

Went to a boy scout committee meeting for my son's scout troop. Boy do I feel awkward in those with the other moms. Usually I don't let the mutant feeling get to me, but when you are surrounded it's hard. I was presenting a fund raising idea to the committee and it had to with mountainbiking. They agreed to support it, but I could tell they had no idea about what I was talking about.


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## Muff (Apr 1, 2007)

screampint said:


> Went to a boy scout committee meeting for my son's scout troop. Boy do I feel awkward in those with the other moms. Usually I don't let the mutant feeling get to me, but when you are surrounded it's hard. I was presenting a fund raising idea to the committee and it had to with mountainbiking. They agreed to support it, but I could tell they had no idea about what I was talking about.


You must be one of those "cool" Moms!!!:winker:


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## serious (Jan 25, 2005)

I don't really understand all this pride regarding injuries and "battle scars". I hate to come back from a ride or a race and tell my wife that I fell or had an injury. I know some falls and injuries are inevitable when you push the limits, but there is nothing hardcore about getting injuries that put you on the sidelines.


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## Dubgirl (Mar 19, 2008)

I guess I'm lucky to work next to a girl about my age who is heavy into sports. Volleyball, football, soccer...even kickball!!!

LOL she's always showing off her cuts, scrapes and bruises so I showed her my first boo-boo of sorts from riding and she just said 'right-on!'


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

serious said:


> I don't really understand all this pride regarding injuries and "battle scars". I hate to come back from a ride or a race and tell my wife that I fell or had an injury. I know some falls and injuries are inevitable when you push the limits, but there is nothing hardcore about getting injuries that put you on the sidelines.


well duh you don't want to get so hurt that you are sidelined BUT what I think we are all talking about here is the bonding that occurs when someone totally "gets" your bruise that you got while tipping over still clipped in, the ugly scrape from grazing a tree stump, those "no s**t there I was" moments...


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## creseis (Apr 4, 2008)

Speaking of getting bruised up... I saw my family this weekend and my sister could not stop commenting about how calloused and sliced up her hands get from rowing, and how she occasionally even gets a bruise on her leg! Everyone was doting on her, "Oh, poor D--"! It made me sick! I mean, she was the one.... on *2* occasions... to tell me that I had a concussion (because I was not mentally capable of figuring it out myself), AND she has photographed numerous scars I've had in her presence. And now she's asking everyone to feel sorry for her because her hands have little blisters???! Sheesh. I guess that is what it is like to have a normal sense of self-preservation!


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Face it, ladies, what we do is special, no matter what sits on your chamoix.*

We are either too old or haven't grown up or ought to have something better to do. People just don't get it; it is beyond them. Even people who are on the Board of our local parks District cannot imagine that a 15 mile ride is short. The reason mtb racing is bad on TV is it's inaccessibility. This is the very reason people cannot relate to mtb; it takes place too far from the parking lot, the sofa, or the golf tee, and you can't see it on TV.
But girls doing it. Are you kidding?


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

Since this is the womans forum I thought I'd add a little about a riding bud of mine, she's absolutely the most fun person to ride with and she'll try anything, actually will/can ride more things than alot of the guys.

We've nicknamed her the "Pitbull" as she just attacks everything and if she falls, well she fell. She dislocated her elbow once on a tame "Sat ride" and I thought she'd never ride trails again, but then once it was healed she was back out riding, that's when we recruited her for our "little bit" more tech Tues & Thurs rides. She awesome, but I don't quite think her husband appreciates the bruises to much, but that doesn't stop her - best riding bud I've got :thumbsup:

_Forgot to add, she's about 5'1" and weighs about 95lbs soaking wet  Only thing she lacks is raw horse power/power to weight, but we're working on that._


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## tiffanyinanthem (Dec 17, 2007)

LyNx said:


> Since this is the womans forum I thought I'd add a little about a riding bud of mine, she's absolutely the most fun person to ride with and she'll try anything, actually will/can ride more things than alot of the guys.
> 
> We've nicknamed her the "Pitbull" as she just attacks everything and if she falls, well she fell. She dislocated her elbow once on a tame "Sat ride" and I thought she'd never ride trails again, but then once it was healed she was back out riding, that's when we recruited her for our "little bit" more tech Tues & Thurs rides. She awesome, but I don't quite think her husband appreciates the bruises to much, but that doesn't stop her - best riding bud I've got :thumbsup:


Thats awesome!  I love this story. My nickname with a few of the guys from work that I ride with every once in a while is Tuffany. I think its funny.

Tiffany


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## cinlind (Jan 26, 2008)

*I rode in Baker's Dozen this weekend*

I had a physical therapy appointment this morning, my PT seemed a bit disappointed in the lack of bruises or carnage stories from the weekend.

Cindy


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

*So..................*

...................How was it? I know Rob who organizes this race and have wanted to do it the last two years but things have never worked out. How many laps did you manage? It is how many laps can you do in 13 hours right?



cinlind said:


> I had a physical therapy appointment this morning, my PT seem a bit disappointed in the lack of bruises or carnage stories from the weekend.
> 
> Cindy


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## cinlind (Jan 26, 2008)

*so how was it? It was a good time!*

I was on a 3 person open team - we came in 10th out of 19 teams, not bad for 3 kayakers that just picked up bicycles due to last years drought. I matched the boys on my team lap for lap so I was happy even thought we weren't super competitive.

Very fun environment- very festival like! You should head out next year.


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