Tales From a Baby Blue Egg Beater

What a weekend, my heads’ still spinnin…
Talk about missed pictures, if I could have captured all the silly moments of the weekend, I’d have an album worth more than my life.

Here are a few captions:
Pit Passes
Dashboard Hula
Wells sandwiches
Standing on the corner of Broadway & Kearny
Sienna at the top of the stairs
Feeling giddy about a boy
The never ending Pit Passes
Hula cheers to Chris & the crash
Andy’s zig-zagging the entrance to the ‘run up’ during course set-up
Giving your house up as host housing and not being there to enjoy looking at the cute bike boys
Being at the bike races enjoying looking at the cute bike boys
The seashell bra that never got worn
Leis & pit passes
Pancakes and scrambled eggs
The women’s C field at Surf City
Safari Dave
You See I know (he wants to kiss the bellas)

Some explanations:

Okay, Pit passes, all I remember is waking up at 5 am on Saturday morning fully dressed in my Kona Party Outfit (which never made it’s debut) on Sabine’s couch covered in pit passes and leis and Sabine looking at me confused and saying I think that’s Miss Mary. Then me getting up with the worst headache and hallucinating about a never ending roll of laminated rectangles and having to cut all 200 of the buggers and Amy freaking out cuz I wouldn’t have them before reg opened. But then I realized that the UCI races don’t start for another 5 hours, so I pack ‘em up and head to the race. There is a picture of the roll, I just have to track it down. And I’m not over exaggerating-that sucker was HUGE and I just want to say thank you to my supper duper secret helper in getting those things cut Friday night instead of partying hardy with all the other kids.

Dashboard hula-think cute girl in a grass skirt and lei standing with her hands up and shaking her body-can you se me now?

Being at the bike races enjoying looking at the cute bike boys-no explanation needed here, I’m just repeating it again cuz it makes me think of all those cute bike boys.

Safeway Mike

Homemade pancakes and chicken scrambled eggs-as Jeni says “everyone needs to pack a Mary”

Color-Coordination. What can I say? I can’t not match. And I like blue.

Exes and Hexes. There were a few women out there this weekend looking absolutely fabulous and glowing in being single. T‘is the season to be a bella & single! You cute bike boys better watch out!

Ohhh cute bike boys

To Mayhem: I couldn’t be Mischief without you this weekend! And boy was I getting into it! You’ll always be my favorite kooky Mexican.

Seabright brewery-powering me through a tough Saturday with nothing in my stomach but some butterflies & beer.

I wish I could take photographs of my thoughts and memories, but for now, I’m pooped. It was a great weekend. It was a great team that worked it. Thank you to anyone and everyone who came out. There’s more to be said but I need to catch up on a week’s worth of no sleep. (and I want to go dream about the cute bike boys!)

Thanksgiving Ride

By Esther Kim

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!

I haven't been riding too muchlately but I thought thanksgiving was the perfect opportunity/excuse, to get my lazy butt back on the bike. I did the thanksgiving day ride up Kennedy. I figured it would also make me feel a little less guilty stuffing my face with thanksgiving dinner and pie afterwards.

My boyfriend and I tried to get an early start up the hill, and by the time we got to LG there was a huge crowd of people who already took off up Kennedy. I made my out of shape butt up that climb, huffing and puffing, using my 2 foot rule as a guide all the way up the hill. (2 foot rule: only look 2 feet in front of you when going up a steep hill, as to not overwhelm yourself).

The only other time I've climbed Kenendy, was last thanksgiving! It was amazing to see everyone out and about, being passed uphill by an 11 year old, and probably 60 year olds. One guy had a pie box tied to the back of his bicycle and it read "free pie at the top". If that doesn't motivate someone, I don't know what will.

As I made my way slowly up the hill, someone commented that they thought my streamers on my handbars were holding me back, adding extra weight. There was extra weight, but definitely not from the streamers :) I saw a few bellas as well. I saw a blond bella with some pink hair flair passing me up with a hello (sorry I dont' know who you are), but you'd be happy to know that other guys were asking about you! I had one guy come up to me while I was crawling uphill ask me who you were and alas I couldn'tsay. You made quite the impression on the boys.

Anyhow, with so many people passing me on the hill it got a little lonely and sad, but I told myself that this year I was going to make it all the way up, no walking that last stinkin steep hill at the top. As I started that last hill towards the top of kennedy, I could see people walking up it. Some decided to walk as soon as they saw the hill and others walked after riding up half of it. My two foot rule was still in effect. I started up the hill and there was a guy next to me who looked like he was ready to take on the hill as well. It was nice to have someone to share the pain with. We both road up side by side. My heart was ready to explode but I wasn't going to walk, even if I had to fall over trying. The guy ran out of steam and walked, but I somehow still managed to get upthat stinkin hill without getting off the bike. I was pooped!

I think I saw Sabine all smiles at the top walking around up there. For the descent back, my boyfriend suggested we go straight towards PowerPoles instead of taking Priest down. I, of course, ask if there's anymore climbing, to which he responds "only a little hill". His "only a little hill" turns out to be 4 of the steepest uphills, steeper than any other hill coming up Kennedy. He told me he forgot about those hills. We would climb one steep hill, only to see another one. After the third hill I told him if there was another hill I was going to cry, to which he responded, "you did bring your kleenex right?".

Although the ride ended up being a longer loop than expected, it was still fun and a great way to start off thanksgiving. I'm thankful for being able to ride my bike and being part of a wonderful biking community, and being a bella!What other club would get comments like, "oh la la", and "go bella bellabella" from complete strangers :)

"Poaching in San Carlos"

by Laura

Sometimes you learn the hard way and sometimes its the easy way. I always go hard. One of my favorite rides is climbing up Robinson Canyon and descending down Rancho San Carlos where I can dream of an early Clint Eastwood riding up on his good/bad and ugly horse and asking me to join him on his ranch. I was a Clint Eastwood fan at the age of 6. Back then my english was poor so spaghetti westerns were TV institute of choice.

Well the other day my friend Leenda and I were on our favorite ride. Going through the gates was our reward for the challenging climb up Robinson. The gates of Rancho San Carlos Estates are closed to the public, you practically need security clearance but Leenda and I always made it through. It was tradition to unzip our jerseys and just let our skin soak the rays of the beautiful landscape. Residents would always wave, smiling and passing us cheerfully. It reminds us of riding in Europe, where the roads and air are clear. Maybe it was our smiles or maybe it was our tanlines, but no one questioned our belonging there for the last few years.

Until the other day. As we entered the gates a woman passed through in her burgandy gold Lexus. Staring at us, making us feel...out of place. We made it through the entrance gates and along the windy oak lined streets when a secruity guy drives towards us. Like usual we have our story... we are visiting friends. This time it doesn't work he asks our names. I throw out Leenda in a hurry thinking Leenda knows someone who lives there. We have prepared many rides for this moment but I forget who to say we are visiting. So I figure Leenda is the name he wants. Leenda looks at me with the "what game are we playing now look" He asks Leenda her name and she says Leenda too. We are so busted. We are such silly girls. Never give your real name. I guess I caught Leenda off guard. At least she didn't give him my name. We plead our case I mean look at us we are harmless what are we going to steal?... we have barely anything on.

Then a moment of clarity. We are poaching. We can steal those million dollar hubbies nestled in their million dollar mansions. The woman in the Lexus knew that. Poaching is not allowed in San Carlos. We were escorted out by a security guard apologizing the whole way, saying how he had to do it because he had a call from the burgundy Lexus. I think they even posted our pictures. The entrance gate sign reads "Wanted Leenda and Leenda for poaching".

Riding Trails on a Cross Bike

So I went for a ride with some bellas yesterday after the Fort Ord CX Race and I tend to stay in the back and take my time. Not because I'm unsocial but because I like to day dream when I'm on the bike and need someone in front of me to subconsciously follow.

Mostly I imagine these wild races where I'm flying down a descent, wistfully jumping off the bike in perfect 4 step form, gracefully running over barriers, and completing my 5th step re-mount on my bike like a pro.

Then I hit a 2 inch bump and practically fall over. And I think to myself, damn I'm glad I'm in the back.

Boy BEATer?

"As a Bella Fella, I am more than a little concerned by this talk of Bella Boy Beaters… Is this some strange form of initiation Sabine hasn’t told me about yet? Are these devices used to subjugate us “XY” types? Are they likely to lead me into trouble I know not how to deal with, and yet truly desire?

The VBs are a mysterious and joyful lot…"
- Alex


"I think that's yes, yes, and yes."
-Kathleen

"Too many questions. This Fella needs a spank!"
-Julie

Boy Beater

By Robyn Jenson

The Velo Bella boy beater has been proven to take 20 years off your age!!!!! another amazing benefit to being a Bella. Several years ago it was shown that being a Bella gives you bigger boobs now the Boy Beater makes you look younger.

I had finished my run with my Bella Boy Beater on, looking sweaty and messy and went to Whole Foods to grocery shop and to get one of my clients a birthday beer. I get to the check out stand and the cute boy, in his late 20's, asks for my ID. I said, Excuse me??? He stated again that he needed to see my ID. I told him he made my day!!! He then told me that he needs to see the ID of any person under 30 so he won't lose his job!!!

I was jumping and down with glee and gladly gave him my ID, he must have thought I was nuts til he found out that I am really 50. But now I look 30 whenever I wear myBella Boy Beater, I didn't have to do Botox or anything!!!I wear my Bella Boy Beater every day now!!!!