Learning to Ride

Teresa, the founder of Venus de Miles

I have to confess that I wasn't particular active up until eight years ago. Sure, I loved to dance and go for hikes, although I didn't discover cycling until 2001. My boyfriend Mo (now husband) suggested I try indoor cycling, which I quickly became addicted to. After a few months, I decided that I wanted to try road riding.

Mo gave me one of his old Ventana's, which (kind of) fit me, and I declared that I was going to start commuting by bike a few times a week, which was 20 miles each way. I went from 0 to 20 really quickly, and during our "trial commute", I thought I was going to fall over after mile 10. Luckily, we stopped at a cafe at the halfway point in Sacramento, enjoyed a shot of espresso, and were off on our bikes again.

On the ride back, Mo decided that I should learn how to draft - he explained this would really save my legs on the way home, since he could tell that I was clearly re-thinking my commuting plans. Drafting was apparently beyond me at that point, because a few seconds after trying it, I rubbed his tire and was laying in the middle of the road, completely embarrassed. Mo gave me an encouraging smile, and rode next to me the rest of the way. He never pushed the sport on me, and allowed me to experience it as I wished to after that point. Which, clearly doesn't include drafting.

After that day, I was more determined than ever, and started commuting 2-3 times a week. It didn't take long before I decided to ride my first century, and Mo upgraded me to a Specialized Allez, which fits like a glove. My century took 8 hours to finish; I was solo because all of my friends thought I was crazy riding 100 miles, but at the end I had the cycling fever.

My spin instructor suggested that I ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, in the AIDS LifeCycle Ride in 2003. That's 600 miles - which seemed kind of lofty, but also feasible. I talked my best friend into joining me, who had never ridden, and we trained for 8 months. It was an adventure of a lifetime. During the seven days of ALC, I laughed, cried, fell, got up and laughed again. I raised funds for a cause that I'm passionate about, AIDS, not to mention awareness. Plus, I was awfully fit for my August, 2004 wedding, which was an added bonus.

ALC 2004 with wonder woman and Diana

Not long after moving to CO, Mo and I started talking about riding ALC 2006. We rode 5 of the 7 days on our tandem, which most folks call the divorcycle, but for us, it's a haven. We love riding together and although there were numerous um - spankings - on the tandem - for him going way too fast, we had an incredible ride.

ALC 2004 with Mo

Riding allows me to take time for myself and my girlfriends, smell the flowers, eat chocolate, and giggle up hills. It not only keeps me sane, but it also makes me whole.

Hope to see you out there,

Teresa

My First Bike

My dad got me my first road bike as a gift for my 14th birthday. He had started riding a lot, and wanted a buddy. It was a perfect excuse for father-daughter bonding, except he's got some serious thigh muscles. At least once a ride, he'd get into a pace, start thinking of other things, and end up miles ahead of me. I'd chase after him on my sleek red LeMond, hoping for the day I could keep up.

Father and Daughter (and the world's ugliest jerseys)

In high school, I rode on our poor excuse for a cycling team for one year, until the team was cut. I tried a few triathlons and rode plenty with my dad. In Boston, the fact that I was clipped into my bike and clad in spandex made my friends think I was a little bit insane. I thought it was cool.

I brought my bike to college in NH, where it proceeded to get stolen 2 separate times. The first time, it was stolen from the basement of my freshman dorm. 15 months later, I got a call from an operations manager who told me he found an old piece of paper in the pouch with my name and parents' home address on it. That was something my dad always made me carry, and it clearly was helpful.

The second time the bike got stolen, I emailed out weekly for over a month. One day, my friend said, "Every day I walk to school and I see this bike flipped upside down in a tree outside of Alpha Delta." It was a red LeMond, and it had taken a trip through the air from the second floor porch of the frat into a tree out front.

When I moved to Boulder, I spruced up the bike and started riding a lot. Every time I brought it in for service, people would laugh at my 10-year-old frame with failing components. I liked it, and I thought that, coupled with my worn camelback and cotton tshirts, it was an East Coast badge of honor. In early August 2008, I flew back to Boston to ride the Pan Mass Challenge with my dad, and for the first time (and, perhaps, only time), kicked his butt.

Pan Mass Challenge 2008

Two weeks after Venus de Miles 2008, I gave in and bought a carbon fiber frame. I felt like I was betraying an old friend, but my new bike was super fast and super sleek. My old LeMond sat, sans pedals, in my laundry room for 9 months. I considered selling it, but it had been with me for over ten years. One day in March I went to do laundry, and it was gone. After a minor meltdown, my roommate told me to call my boyfriend. He told me, "We're not talking about the LeMond." A few days later he wheeled it back into the house, spiffed up as a single speed with new handlebars and flat pedals. Best birthday present ever.My sweet new ride

I love my LeMond, and I ride it to work every day. It's been with me through a lot, and I hope I get a lot more time on it before it's gone. Which is why I bought a really nice lock.

It's been a while

We've been quiet on the blog for a long time, but we're back. Venus is collecting stories about women on bikes. Send me your favorite stories about your time on a bike, funny or heartwarming. I don't care if it's about your first time on a bike or your 100th race win, as long as it's about women and biking. I'll take pictures too! lauren@venusdemiles.com.

Lauren