A Not So Sunny Sunday

It's been quite an eventful week to say the least.

As I sit and type, the boyfriend is currently under the knife, getting a steal rod placed in his right collarbone (to match the titanium in his back of course). Before we know it, he really will be RoboRob. I wonder if the rods come in carbon fiber... 

The past 3 days have gone on forever. What a trooper he's been. There is no way I would have had the strength to handle the injury as well as he did. After getting patched up, I drove him to the hospital. All was good until we got into the ER. As soon as the nurse came in to check him, I turned the palest of whites and broke into a sweat I started to faint and so the nurse made Rob get up off the gurney and put him in the visitor chair while she laid me down in the bed with my head below my feet. Rob desperately searched for the phone to take a picture (thankfully he couldn't find it). How dare I steal his thunder!

Sunday, at the 3rd Annual NOW Energy Bar Criterium in Carson, CA, Rob was in the final sprint. He held his position as planned and everything was coming together. He was right where he needed to be to get a Top Ten finish. Of course, a 1st place was most ideal, but at this point we were shooting to bank the one more Top Ten finish that Rob needed to upgrade to Cat 3.

That didn't happen. In that final sprint, Rob got tangled with a junior rider and hit the deck like a sack of bricks. I don't know how everyone else in the pack managed to avoid him, but I am so thankful they did.

In case you missed it, here's the video (fast forward to 1:30).

The past 3 days have been spent in and out of the hospital. It's amazing how quickly your life gets turned upside down and nothing else matters anymore. Getting Rob fixed is all that matters now. With his great spirits it's evident that he will pull through quicker than anyone else who's gone through this and will be back on his bike before we know what hit us (well, maybe not as fast as that guy from the Tour de France, but pretty damn close).

Despite all this, I managed to pick myself up a USA Cycling license. Why not? Seems like the practical thing to do. It was actually more of a "in the heat of the moment" purchase so that I could discuss Rob's situation with the Technical Director at USA Cycling (can you believe they wouldn't talk to me because I wasn't a licensed member - OH NO YOU DIDN'T). But in all fairness, after we weeded through the initial banter, they ended up being pretty helpful. Kudos for restoring my faith USA Cycling.

So what did I learn? Bicycle racing is an EXPENSIVE hobby (doesn't mean I will quit before I start), and USA Cycling has an insurance plan if you get injured during a race. Just be sure to get it reported by the officials otherwise it will be another level of hell added to your life. No bueno. 

So now I have a license. I guess that means I better get on my bike and start training so I can catch up to the lovely ladies of H&S Bicycles!

- Keep on pedaling. I'll be out there with you all soon!

All I Want For Christmas is Some Sweet Bike Gear

...not my two front teeth. I have those.  Well... one is a porcelain veneer because I knocked it out in the 3rd grade running up a metal slide, but still. I want some sweet bike gear! To be honest, I picked a lot of these things based on looks. I am visual. I want to look good and DAMN IT! I deserve it! And so do you. I hope to get my hands on these items and let you know my true thoughts as we all know that some things aren't always as they appear. But for now, check out my list of what I have my eyes on.

Electra Ticino 7D in Glacier Blue. I know, this is a bike, not bike gear but it would be nice to have something for a casual ride to the grocery store, right? I fell in LOVE with this bike when I was at H&S Bicycles 2 weeks ago. What a beautiful bike! I have a thing for blue anything. The color is so soothing! Electra makes 3 different models of the Ticino (20D, 8D and 7D) and to be honest, I chose the 7D because I feel in love with the color and the hammered fenders. The 20D, of course, appears to be the much better bike, offering 20-speed over 7 or 8 and additional accessories, such as the Ticino alloy rear carrier. However, none of that stuff is super important for me. I can add on the accessories that I want when I want. I think this would be a cute bike to tote around town on while chasing my 5-year old on her bike. I would love to get on one of these bikes and see if there is much of a difference between the 7 and 8 and note the drastic difference of the 20, if any.







Pearl Izumi's Women's Elite Barrier WxB Jacket. Baby, it's cold outside! I need a versatile jacket like this one to keep me warm when I'm on (and off the bike). It's light enough to wear on a cool fall day and durable enough to block the wind on a winter ride. It's waterproof and has a breathable 2-layer knit face fabric with Titanium for thermal regulation. FANCY! It's got a retractable drop tail which comes in handy for those wet rides (planned or unexpected) and has reflective elements for low-light visability. You don't need to wear white to be seen anymore. I dig the red and black... H&S Bicycles colors. Thanks Pearl!













Cat5Gear Cyclist Case. A virgo's dream come true. I'm always on the go with my bike. Sometimes I take my gear to work and ride on my lunch break, or I drive to meet up with friends. I even flew for the first time with my bike this past September. When I'm on the go I ususally just throw everything into a too-small gym bag that I can't get to zip up. I came across this case where you can neatly store all your cycling gear: shoes, helmet, garmin to Gu's. It's all there. Leave it to my native homeland (O-Canada!) to get it right. I approve (and I would LOVE to get my hands on one - hint, hint).












Sidi Moon cycling shoes. To be honest, the only interaction I have had with Sidi thus far is my amazing Sidi shoe covers that are covering my BOOORING white Shimano cycling shoes. If you want a way to look expensive and elite, Sidi shoe covers, no one will know what's underneath them! Shhh! But seriously, I've heard nothing about amazing things about these shoes, so of course I am curious to get a pair. Based on looks (I'm a female, of course I want something that looks HOT). I'd get the Moon. Metallic silver. What's not to love? I saw this in person yesterday, My Super Fave Bike Nerd Hero Jenny ('memba her?) picked herself up a pair. LOVE cannot describe the look of these shoes. I hope to bless my toesies in a pair, but in the meantime I will have to fake it with my Sidi shoe covers over my Shimano shoes. In the meantime... tell me Jenny, what do you think?