Tag Archive for: slo

What do you do to pay the bills? I’m recently retired from almost 50 years in Information Technology, the last 10 being at Cal Poly.

What kind of riding do you do? How often? My riding is mostly recreational at this time, usually three times a week. I used to commute occasionally by bike to Cal Poly. I ride mostly  with my wife and we participate in San Luis Obispo Bicycle group rides. We ride recumbents, solo and tandem. We sold our road bikes in 1994, but have some mountain bikes we ride a couple of times a year.

What do you think the most important thing the Coalition has done in SLO County? I think the most important role of the Coalition has been their advocacy with local government and other organizations to improve the streets, bike paths and riding conditions for everyone in the county, and for the associated increased awareness of cycling and walking that now exists within our community.

What advice do you have to encourage others to get on their bicycles? Just do it! Stop procrastinating, dust off the bike and get out and ride, we live in a beautiful part of the country, so get out and enjoy it.

What’s your favorite thing about bicycles? Their simplicity, mechanical efficiency and freedom they provide. Riding a bike is as close as we can get to the freedom of a bird, but on the ground.

Describe your favorite bicycle memory… My father was teaching me to ride when I was about 5 or 6 years old. We’d go the local park and I’d keep trying to balance, but didn’t really progress very much. Until one day, when I “got it”. I rode round and round on the grass, until I hit a tree root and fell over. The metaphorical light bulb came on and I then understood the personal freedom that a bicycle provides and how easy and enjoyable it is to get around without relying on other people or motorized transportation.

If you had a name for your favorite bicycle, what would it be? My wife and I don’t usually name our bikes, but we do occasionally refer to our recumbent tandem as “The Beast”. While it was built specifically for racing, it is nevertheless a lot heavier and less agile than our solo bikes

Anything else you want to share?  My major interest lies in all forms of human powered transportation – including submarines and boats, land vehicles, helicopters and airplanes, not just bicycles. I’d also like to emphasize how easy it is to just get out and ride. It’s a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the scenery.

What kind of riding do you do? How often? I used to ride and race road bikes but lately I’m really into mountain biking. The scenery is intoxicatingly beautiful. I love the challenge of riding on varying terrains throughout the state and the relaxed, kicked back demeanor that comes with dirt riders. Chris, my fiancé, and I travel almost always with our bikes in hopes of finding new trails wherever we go.

Around town, I ride my sweet KHS road bike. I changed out the drop bars for comfortable handlebars and threw on a basket to fit everything I need when tooling around town.

What do you think the most important thing the Coalition has done in SLO County? By far, the most important thing that the Coalition has does is create a strong voice to advocate for safe cycling and transportation. We care about our quality of life and the people around us so it’s essential that the cyclists’ voice is represented in the community. When we ride to work, school, or just to the grocery store, let’s make sure that we, as a community, provide the safest routes possible.

What advice do you have to encourage others to get on their bicycles? New at riding? Ask a friend to go with you to a flat, empty parking lot or quiet bike path and practice the basics (breaking, turning, shifting gears, etc). Also, it’s important to learn the basics like fixing a flat and how to check over your bike before going out on a ride.

Learn the rules of the road. You have rights! Knowing your rights on the road makes you a more confident and safe rider. Even experience riders make simple mistakes that can put you in danger. The Coalition offers informative and fun bike ed classes, they are free! Sign up online at SLOBikeEd.org

Also… Have you seen how much gas is????

What’s your favorite thing about bicycles? The freedom. Riding on a quiet mountain at dusk or to my house after work is my therapy.

Describe your favorite bicycle memory… Getting engaged at the top of Tequepis trail, in San Ynez; this was the most amazing ride and best surprise ever. It had rained for weeks and the weather finally cleared up this one weekend. Chris and I rode up this windy single track under the canopy and at the top, it opens up to a 365 degree view of the ocean and San Ynez Valley/Lake Cachuma. Magical. Chris and I love mountain biking together so it was a very special, and appropriate, engagement.

Anything else you want to share? Ladies, riding in heels is easy-don’t sacrifice style when on a bike! 🙂