Chilly Hilly 2016 Photos

Photo from: http://www.marathonfoto.com/

MarathonFoto released professional samples of photos of the Chilly Hilly ride. Similar to the one shown above, most of the photos insinuate that I am miserable. Perhaps I am about to make an intense and powerful turn?  I am not sure what exactly is going on in the above photo, but it is a definite lean of concentration there. Or maybe the photographer caught me mid-fart. Just kidding. I don't fart and ride, that would be dangerous.  

Photo from: http://www.marathonfoto.com/

Luckily, MarathonFoto also took photos of me looking like my normal pedaling self. Whew! Now, I must point out one obvious thing. Given the dominate and plentiful watermarks on these photos, MarathonFoto didn't want me to do anything with this photo beyond decide to purchase it. MarathonFoto surely doesn't want me to do what I just did, which is take a screen shot of the photo their photographers worked hard to capture and share it like my own without paying them.

I've been paying money for organized group athletic events for 17 years. It's kind of my thing (you may or may have noticed from reading this very blog). I have purchased professional ride photos from many rides, but passed over countless others. For the photographer reading this and wondering why I haven't purchased photos, there are a few reasons: 

1. Not enough money. There have been years that covering the cost of the ride itself required several months of saving, so tossing $10 for a photo was a luxury I couldn't afford. I could afford it now, and still didn't cave (sorry, Marathon) 
2. No use for the photo. Obviously I have a use for these photos, as I have just posted screenshots on my blog and am waxing philosophical on them this very moment. But, back when photos offered were print only, I simply didn't know what to do with them. Hang a photo of myself on the wall? Weird. Give it to my mom? Do you really think anybody in my life needs another photo of me in a bike helmet? I think not. 
3. Just not a good photo. Many come through blurry, poorly centered, boring, or capture me in a way I don't want to look at (see top photo above). But here's the sad thing, that second photo actually looks kinda cool. I thought about buying it. Why not, right? Well, Marathon's Watermark is right over my face and I have no way of knowing if my face looks "good". I ended up buying a photo from a ride 4 years ago that had some key parts covered up by watermarks. When I got the photo, I found that the watermarks covered up features that would have kept me from buying the photo. I guess the joke was on me. Not this time, I'm not taking the risk. Sorry, MarathonFoto. Maybe some other day. 

Wooleaters ride-ready

The Wooleaters bike group all got together to create out own woolen-sheep patches to proudly display when we go on group rides together. We got together, enjoyed some wine and cheese and crafted away. The felt we used was actually partially made of wool! Each person crafted a unique and creative sheep. Every sheep came out amazing! 

We will have our inaugural sheep-showing at Chilly Hilly this Sunday where all Wooleaters on the ride will wear our new logos. If you see us on the ride, give us a "Baaaaa!" as you pass by.

I also made some sheep cookies for the crafting fest, pictured below. They are actually Timmy, the young and mischievous lamb, from the "Shaun the Sheep" children's program. Yummy! Good energy-filled simple carbs!

Ready for Chilly Hilly

I registered so early that I got my rider number and route map in the mail! I am so gonna crush this thing! Bring it, Bainbridge! Show me all you got!

Chilly Hilly

In celebration of the first year I've had Sundays off work, I am going to ride the Chilly Hilly this year in Seattle. This ride, sponsored by Cascade Bicycle Club (aren't they all?) takes place on the last Sunday in February (the 28th this year) and tours Bainbridge Island. 

While it wasn't an option for me to do this ride before without using a precious vacation day, I never really wanted to. Major Cascade rides have a tendency to be over-attended and under-fun. However, last year's Flying Wheels Century was so much fun that my views are changing a bit. I expect this one to be a blast.

Of note, the Cascade website states that this ride tends to be 25% female and 75% male. I have seen more female riders in Washington than any other state I've ridden in, so I find this statistic a little startling. As a female, I feel obligated to represent..and try to figure out why it is so unbalanced.

On a side note, the website also claimed Bicycling Magazine named the Chilly Hilly "One of Four Classic Rides in the Nation." This is a pretty impressive label, and, being a fan of Bicycling magazine, I followed the link. Sadly, the link took me to a landing page of click-bait, albeit bicycling-themed, not unlike the worst of the worst website out there. First I saw an article about Justin Beiber "nearly causing a whole cycling team to crash", when I fell for the click bait I read that it was merely a photo op for the team. Really, Bicycling? This is what you have reduced yourself to? To make it worse, on the bottom of the page were tons of links that I have to assume were sponsored ads and not things actually reviewed and approved by the magazine. First was an article about how women over 35 are bound to gain fat around their waists more than any other group of people, and how most exercises (including cardio!) will only make it worse for these doomed old women. Next to that was an article of nothing more than provocative photographs of healthy and fit women advertised for no other reason than being "hot/beautiful/sexy." There is nothing the media won't stop at trying to exploit women for their physical features. Bicycling, I was just starting to respect you as a magazine that strove to serve cyclists. Now, your website takes me back to your image of instead serving "men who like to bike." Do you see the difference there? But I digress.  

Back to the subject at hand, I am excited to ride in the Chilly Hilly! I'm excited to be a part of the 25% gender bracket and pull through those climbs and brave the temperatures. Maybe I'll be sexy while I'm doing, maybe I won't. I'll leave that up for the media to squabble over.