Occupy The Tarmac In Sonoma
Last night I gave a brief presentation ( Why Women Love Bikes) at the Sonoma Museum in Santa Rosa.
It’s one of my favorite topics, and it is so huge it allows me to vent about the patriarchal, sexist bike industry . I show that, despite the trivialization, sexual objectification (sadly by the women athletes themselves as well as the neanderthals in the marketing department), and despite universal silence concerning the many body types, riding goals, and ages of women cyclers, we still keep riding and sharing what truths we know.
Namely that offroad riding is safe, easy and fun. And that, despite the frightening realities of auto-rider mayhem, it’s still statistically healthier to ride than not to. Oh, and that we women really look out for one another. We are not catty, at least I never see that.
What I do see is: every bicycle event is a boys/mens event, unless it is specifically geared for women (like tonight’s clothes party at 3 Ring Cycles, or the amazing Wild Goose Chase produced by the inimitable Georgena Terry, patron saint of women cyclers worldwide). Yes, it appears to be a men’s world. But this is because of the media silence, the marketing lameness, and the myriad tiny factors (like: thou shalt not make waves) the keep our Ilk out of the manstream.
Um.
Well, it looked like my victims audince was having as much fun as I was, roaming all over the Victorian, Golden Age, Suffragist-Biker terrain I could cover in 46 minutes.
My friends Paula Smith (outsitting in her field, above. Namely: landscape oil painting), her hub Keith, and ‘bicycle world heritage human” Art Read cruised south from their place in Santa Rosa at noon today, covering 40 miles in about 3 hours (they are still dealing with a scary headwind, while I happy type this up)…
The air was crisp, the light was low-angle, the colors were saturated, the experience very moving.
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Jacquie Phelan's Weblog 
Hey, Jacquie,
Nice ride! And on the way back we were cheated of our unrelenting headwind, somehow. A few stretches of ‘let’s power through this’ interspersed with tailish sidewinds on Alexander, Carmody, parts of Chileno Valley; and full on tailwinds on Roblar, the Rodota Trail and other little surprises. I was junk by 45 miles, or so; but not extreme junk: no leg cramps later.
Nice talk, too! I wasn’t taking notes; so who was it, Mary Dean Stanton, that went to England and started riding at 53; and what was the name of her book about it?
Paula said you got to challenge Dick Powers, once more, on the rest of your way home, yesterday; when two dudes blew by you on bikes. You went, woman!
Art
still enjoying your blog – you said i’d get bored. still riding my bike and it’s still beautiful fun and a great way to see our outdoor spaces, rain or shine. what should I do? set up a Wales Wombats chapter?!
I heard you were awesome, Jacquie.