far away

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

Some people get to ride in amazing places like this... *cough cough* Sonya Looney.

I, on the other hand, get to drool over the words and videos of others.

 

Something Good from Gary Thomas on Vimeo.

I guess rain isn't so bad

Sometimes, at least.

The weather cancelled our weekly group ride yesterday, which gave us the opportunity "forced" us to tag along for the Dirt Diva event.  You really didn't have to twist any arms as our new pal Sonya Looney was there.  The Dirt Divas do an urban ride before their meetings, which is held at one of my old faithfuls in the neighborhood - the Kickstand.  The route was pretty neat, and the ride was well attended.

After the ride the Divas held their monthly meeting.  I had planned on just being at the bar enjoying fried pickles and beers, but the Divas were kind enough to let us into their meeting.  It was a great to hear about all the great things the Divas are doing individually and as a group.  I also got wrangled into the honor to help out at their upcoming skills clinic. 

Sonya spoke, answered questions, and handled a door that just wouldn't close.  While Sonya was talking about experiences from a few years ago it hit me just how long I have been following her blog.  It was a kind of a bizarre realization because as she was talking I was totally thinking "hey, I remember that."  You do kinda get to know someone through reading their blog and following their experiences.  The internerd is a crazy thing sometimes.    

Sonya get's frustrated with doors that won't stay closed, just like us!

It was a great talk.  Sonya's a real inspiration for a lot of female riders out there, and deservedly so.  We joke, about the fame and the "just like us" thing, but Sonya is a real person.  And I think that is really how she'd like to be thought of.  She's more than willing to share her experiences and knowledge that might help you out in a heartbeat.  So if you ever get the chance to meet her, or attend one of her  rides/clinics as she's all over the country, go for it.  And don't be shy, say hi - she has a serious sense of humor that you DO NOT want to miss!  

The Divas had a little swag raffle for stuff that Sonya brought to the meeting and I was a lucky winner.  I know white on the bike makes you faster... but same goes for pink on the rider, right?

I met Sonya Looney and all I got where these socks

I SWEAR I'll talk all about ME and my race tomorrow.

Just like us!

Like that, but better.

Although she may not admit to it, Sonya Looney is famous.  She's a badass mountain biker kicking ass across the globe.  She has also proven herself to be a great ambassador for our sport.  More importantly, she is a cool, down to earth, funny as hell, mountain biker.  After all, she rides bikes, just like us!

As you can see, my wife commented on a photo I snapped during the group ride.  If you couldn't surmise from her comment, Jake Gyllenhaal is her celebrity crush.  I don't know if Sonya Looney is my celebrity crush (sorry to crush your hopes there Sonya, but you might have to fight Natalie Portman for that right, and we all know Natalie can take a punch) but she is officially good people.

PLUS, she has a mustache

JUST. LIKE. ME!

Let me tell you a story.  A couple of years ago I was readying for a pre-ride for a race up in Connecticut.  It was a course that I certainly wanted to pre-ride because it was going to be a tough race... after all, it was called "Wrath of the Boneyard."  I had originally thought that I would be pre-riding with the course designer for a no pressure ride.  As I arrive I find out that we would have company, one of which being a rider that I followed on the internet.  To say I was intimidated would be an understatement.  I didn't know what else to do other than introduce myself and tell him that I followed his blog.  He thanked me and offered to wear a pink jersey so that I wouldn't be so intimidated.  From that point I truly understood just how awesome mountain bikers are.  Here was this Cat 1 ass kicking rigid singlespeeder giving me (a cat 3 beginner) tips on line choice like we were old friends.  Where else can you find pros and beginners getting along as equals?

And that is who Sonya Looney is.  A down to earth mountain biker who would readily shed her fame in order to have a real interaction with another rider, of any level.  And that's when the other side of Sonya comes out.  The side you wouldn't imagine in a million years!  I won't share all the amazing gems that we heard last night, but I will leave you with this... if for no other reason then to prove that I did meet Sonya Looney.

Elephantiasis?

Maybe I'll talk about my race this weekend tomorrow... or maybe I'll tell you about the fried pickles.

Sonya

Sonya Looney is in town!

There is a shop ride scheduled tonight with Sonya Looney that TheMutt reminded me of at yesterday's race.  For some reason I was thinking that the ride with her was on Wednesday.  So today doesn't work out as well for me schedule wise to make the ride at 5, and 5:30 is pushing it - Sonya might see me changing in the parking lot!

Of course, the weather is now coming into play.  As you see from the picture above, Sonya has been welcomed to NC with rain.  The trails around Charlotte get rather particular when rain is involved and they often go into hibernation, so I'm not sure the ride will be on with last night's rain and the predicted thunderstorms this afternoon.

Then you have my legs.  My legs are feeling a bit beat after the race yesterday (which I will get into tomorrow).  So the decision is: do I bring my bike to work with the chance of it getting a nice long shower on the back of the pterodactyl as I drive around Gastonia and let the dice roll as to whether the ride will be called off or not OR do I just call it on account of my legs and try to sneak into the Dirt Divas' meeting tomorrow to meet Sonya there?

I like the third option as it also involves a side of fried pickles.