My friend Denny introduced me to the idea of riding the FHR, a very low-key 33-mile bike race around Bainbridge Island while the Cascade Bicycle Club has their annual Chilly Hilly ride.
I wasn't entirely sure about the pirate thing, and was pretty sure that I wouldn't be cool enough to fit in, and I don't even drink beer (the 0.83 club is a drinking club with a biking problem, they say), but decided that it would be a fun way to ride some hills to train for New Zealand.
I did feel a bit awkward when I was the only person (out of 50? 75?) with lycra/spandex/neoprene/bright yellow as we boarded the ferry, but had fun chatting with people afterwards (especially after I changed into some other clothes, even though they still weren't nearly as cool as everyone else's). During the ride, we were all mixed in with the CBC riders, so I definitely didn't feel too out of place then.
There were definitely some fun people that I met, and as the third female finisher got to pick out a prize from the pile of loot: I walked away with a pretty hand-made messenger bag with the 0.83 bike club logo hand-painted on it. Sweet! I just might need to ride with these guys again... as soon as I can find some cool high socks and clothes of the appropriate palette. Oh, and I need to figure out how to carry a messenger bag without it falling off my back.
I wasn't entirely sure about the pirate thing, and was pretty sure that I wouldn't be cool enough to fit in, and I don't even drink beer (the 0.83 club is a drinking club with a biking problem, they say), but decided that it would be a fun way to ride some hills to train for New Zealand.
I did feel a bit awkward when I was the only person (out of 50? 75?) with lycra/spandex/neoprene/bright yellow as we boarded the ferry, but had fun chatting with people afterwards (especially after I changed into some other clothes, even though they still weren't nearly as cool as everyone else's). During the ride, we were all mixed in with the CBC riders, so I definitely didn't feel too out of place then.
There were definitely some fun people that I met, and as the third female finisher got to pick out a prize from the pile of loot: I walked away with a pretty hand-made messenger bag with the 0.83 bike club logo hand-painted on it. Sweet! I just might need to ride with these guys again... as soon as I can find some cool high socks and clothes of the appropriate palette. Oh, and I need to figure out how to carry a messenger bag without it falling off my back.
(Picture from alyson's Picasa album from '08, showing race "number" that we wore)
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