Cycling

Most people know me as a runner. Cycling however is something that I have had an interest in since high school. It started with a teacher leading out taking a small group to a triathlon. I did the running leg for my team. That year he also took a group riding 70 miles around Lake Cayuga. All I had was my 35 pound Walmart mountain bike. I still managed to stay behind me teacher and his Giant road bike most of the way. He told me, "If you get a road bike, you are going to fly on it." At first I wanted to get a triathlon bike, but didn't have the money for that. A church member picked up two old road bikes (80's) beside the road for me and then my dad found another. I took them to Southern and sold the two that I didn't ride. On Craigslist I found a really good deal on a newer used bike. My 2004 Fuji Newest 1.0.

Shortly after getting it, I road the Fuji in my first whole Cohutta Springs triathlon. After learning there was a biking group at Southern, I went with them on a couple rides. On those rides I was about the middle of the pack. I put some good use on that bike like the time John Howe and did a cycling/camping trip to Clouldland Canyon and back (90 miles total). 

Then two years went by and I decided I wanted to get a bike that fit me a little better. I got a Scott Speedster S50. Not happy with the components on this bike I decided it was time for an upgrade. I then found my current bike barely ridden 10 miles. It is a Scott CR1 Comp. The guy bought it new, did a bunch of work upgrading all the components, and then hurt his back at work putting him out of riding for a year. I was really excited to get the bike. It is full carbon with Sram Rival components, weighing in at 16 pound 1 ounce! 

Since then I have been riding even more with fellow cyclist. Being that is is so light weight, it makes going up hills and accelerating so much easier. Last summer I went back to the place where it all started, Lake Cayuga. There were three of us that went, adding a section to make it 100 miles. It took us about 6 hours. I hope we can get to get a big group together and do it again this summer.

Lately I have been trying to ride once a week in addition to running. One problem of riding with other cyclist recently is that they tend to get lost on the hills. Anyways I got a biking jersey and shorts that match my bike. Even after a year of having my "feather bike" I still am excited about riding it.