Bare As You Dare: WNBR-STL

Last Saturday was the World Naked Bike Ride-St. Louis, and I participated! This blog post is totally SFW, but the links may not be. Click through at your own risk.

The ride was a blast. I had so much fun. My friend Jules and I connected with friends Melissa, Matthew, Mary, and Steven, and we met up with friends Harold, Karen, and their son Eli, after the race, too. Beyond that, I saw just two or three people I recognized at the event, which suggests to me that:
(1) this was one of those times when St. Louis was being all "big city" instead of "small town" (it vacillates wildly between the two) and
(2) more of my friends should ride bicycles. ;)

For Jules and me, "bare as you dare" = "not any barer than we'd otherwise be in public", so we opted for bikinis for the ride, and I wore a dress over my bikini to dinner and shorts over the bikini bottoms for the after-party. The WNBR stands for a number of great things:

• Awareness and promotion of decreasing dependency on oil-guzzling transport ("burn carbohydrates, not hydrocarbons")
• Increasing cyclist awareness and visibility
  ("now that you see me, pay attention to me when I ride with clothes on")
• Positive body image reinforcement
  ("every body is beautiful")

I decided to play up the environmental aspects of riding, since those, together with increasing my fitness through easy and fun (not gym-specific) activity are my favorite reasons for riding, and "tattooed" burn carbs not hydrocarbons on my arm and leg in permanent marker (I'm much better at writing on my leg than my arm - the arm bit was pretty comically awful). 

By far, the highlight was the ride - over 1,500 (est.) cyclists from all economic and social backgrounds coming together. I love that bikes are a great leveler when it comes to other dividing lines to make a big and unified "us" group. When "we" take off our clothes and ride together, the effect is certainly amplified! I enjoyed all twelve miles - the camraderie and support from bystanders (and the hilarity of the occasional oh heeeellllll no) and was very happy to be at least partially-dressed, as not only did almost everyone have a cell phone, but almost all seemed to be set to video capture, judging by the way the bystanders were holding their gadgets. I was also perfectly happy to realize I was missing from all of the photos posted by the RFT (nsfw) Post-Dispatch (nsfw) and KSDK (mostly sfw). Ha! 

I also loved the creativity exhibited by the riders (in their various states of undress or dress). Our group really enjoyed City in a Jar Jess's "Starry Night" body paint (#64 of the RFT photos), and I was really inspired by a 1920s-flavor outfit featuring a pale peach slip that I might incorporate into a future costume. My rule is that if I am photographed, I have to be cool with my employer seeing it, so I'll never be very bare. Not that there is any shortage of folks who were willing to bare it all, though.

The afterparty was kind of a let-down for me, honestly, but I'm glad they have it. We just milled about for a bit, and then rode back to our dinner/parking spot in the Hill. Mostly, it was a celebration of gawkers and people who really like to be naked and/or drunk, but lost much of the context of the ride, and so lost the appeal for me. The only real downside, though, was that my rear light wasn't as charged as I'd believed, and died during the ride. In the future, I'll make sure the lights are fully charged the night before and leave them off for the ride - the sun didn't set until after our return, and in the middle of the pack, I had no need for lights to see or be seen during the group ride. Also, pack back-up lights.

Photo credit: My Hubs. S is drawing fabulous lightning bolts on M's arm.

Photo credit: Karen K.

In future bikey news, the Moonlight Ramble-STL is coming up on August 9, 2014. Unlike the Naked Bike Ride, where you can just show up, the MR requires preregistration and the deadline is this Friday, August 1, 2014. So sign up soon! I can't wait. It's a lot later (Midnight start) which might do me in, but I so enjoyed the big-bike-group dynamic on Saturday, that I'm looking forward to it. I may just sleep through church that Sunday...

If you prefer daytime riding, here are some upcoming group rides  in August hosted through B*Works and Trailnet:

Saturday, August 2, 2014 9:30am - B*Works Automobile Row Tour. From the event link: This tour visits several of the buildings from “Automobile Row” as well as other sites  of historic importance, including both the sole survivor of St. Louis’ first “private place” and perhaps the most overlooked literary landmark in the entire country. Free. Just show up!

Saturday, August 16, 2014, 10:30am - Trailnet I Love STL Bicrobrews Microbrewery Tour. From the event link: Several urban microbreweries are featured on this tour. Learn what it takes to craft a great brwe from some of St. Louis' finest microbreweries. Tastings and tours will be provided at many of the stops. Must be 21 to drink. $8 if you preregister online; $10 day of tour.

Saturday, August 23, 2014, 9:00am - Trailnet Old Frenchtown Bicycle Tour. From the event link: This ride explores two of St. Louis' most fascinating and historic neighborhoods, LaSalle Park and Soulard. Home to some of the Midwest's most interesting architecture, both of these 19th century neighborhoods retian the imprint of the various ethnic and religious groups that have lived and worked there. Both are also case studies in the effects of highway construction on the traditional city as well as models of late 20th century historic preservation and urban redevlopment. Preregister online or in person; $5 for adults and $3 for kids. 

Saturday, August 30, 2014, 9:30am - B*Works Old North St. Louis Tour. From the event link: Known for years almost exclusively as the “Crown Candy Kitchen neighborhood,” Old North St. Louis has experienced a remarkable renaissance in the past decade. This tour begins and ends at Crown but explores the entirety of a neighborhood that began its existence as an independent city with an unusual and  visionary urban plan. Free. Just show up! 

Personally? I am most interested in the Microbrewery and Frenchtown tour - I lived in Soulard for a bit while I was in law school and before the Hubs and I bought in the county. I was thrilled the WNBR tour cut through my old neighborhood, and went right by our old apartment near Broadway (7th) and Geyer. I would love to participate in the Old North Tour, too, but I'm not sure that will jive with some scheduling things for me. I love CCK, though, and would love to go!

These city tours are such a fantastic way to see parts of St. Louis you didn't know much about or maybe were reluctant to travel through alone or in an automobile. In particular, the Calvary Cemetery Tour (and its complementary second half, which will be hosted through B*Works in October) offered the great opportunity to ride to the cemetery through neighborhoods north of the CWE, which I haven't spent any time in during my 13 years in St. Louis. I so enjoyed the architecture and the positive interactions with the people who live there on our routes to and from the Calvary Tour. Cycling really erases so many of our differences and brings us together. It's another reason I love my bicycle.

If you have been thinking of joining us on one of these rides, I hope you'll jump right in (to reference the local music scene) at one of the August events. 

Cheers, and happy riding!

R

Sartorial Cycling: Dressing for Transitional Temps

Happy Friday night, Fiets-Friends!

Today, let's talk about layering for riding. On Sunday, I decided to ride Fleur to church, which is about two miles each way from my home. It was in the low-40s when I left, but was supposed to be near 60 for my ride home. HEY, those temps require different outerwear, y'all.

So what to wear to ride?

As always, start with what you want to wear. It's a bicycle ride, not an ice-climbing expedition. {The dog is optional; mine isn't a fan of baskets, for the record.}

Consider that you will be INCREASING wind exposure (by moving through the air, sometimes quickly), while WARMING your core through physical activity. So really, you'll warm yourself up once you're going for a few minutes, but the air will feel colder -- especially on your arms (which aren't moving as much as your legs), hands, and face/ears. 

Personally? I don't mind a brisk breeze on my face, but cold ears give me a wicked headache. 

Early in the blog, I suggested wearing a handkerchief in your forehead to prevent helmet-forehead. For cool, but not yet cold, weather, try binding the bandanna over your ears. It will block the wind but let most of the sound through. 

I also recommend a scarf; err on the warm side (they are easy to loosen or ditch). The other form of cold that gets to me is a cold neck and chest. I like winters so much more since scarves really caught on a few years ago!

Finally, if you have a jacket that is primarily wind-proof, or at least wind-resistant, grab that one. I was far chillier on my "coffeeneuring" ride when it was in the 50s in a wool tee and polyester fleece jacket than in my sleeveless shell, light cardi, and ancient raincoat (this jacket's at least ten years old; serves me well in a number of circumstances).

A lot of smaller layers allow you to tailor your outerwear during the ride and to adjust as necessary for the ride home, when temps have shifted. I ditched everything but the jacket and helmet for my ride home two hours later. 

Finally, a note on hair: with long tresses, I often like a braid or braids, because of the ease, but a low bun also plays nicely with a helmet. It also, if anything, creates a soft "o" or  "s"-type wave instead of crimpy-type "z" waves. I just twist my hair onto itself and secure ends with an elastic or small hair clip.

As the daylight wanes, and the temperatures continue to drop, I will likely be focusing my transport rides on these shorter jaunts within my more immediate neighborhoods. I do plan to continue Sunday church rides into and through the winter as long as the streets are clear.  I look forward to the experience and sharing what I'm learning with you here! I'd also like to lobby for the workday to shorten to from no earlier than an hour after sunrise to no later than an hour before sunset -- just to have a fighting shot at some daylight for part of my commute -- however I'm commuting. 9-3 from November to March, anyone?

Cheers, and happy riding!

x

August Events for Women Bicyclists

Hi friends, and happy Friday! 

I don't have a lot of riding stories right now, because despite the amazing weather we've had this summer, certain scheduling and other events in my life have conspired against my bicycle riding hopes. Never fear, fair readers, as this is temporary.

I wanted to update you about the August events through Trailnet's Arch Women and Cycling Savvy.

The August Lunch Meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 2013 from 12:00-1:00pm. This is a brown-bag lunch event. This month's session will address body image -- specifically, the conflicting messages that we, as women, face, and how if affects how (and how much) we eat, and how we determine what is "healthy" for ourselves. This is often a really important topic for active women, since we need to healthfully fuel our biking habit! The lunch is at the Railway Exchange Building downtown, in the 12th Floor Lobby. (Map)

Do you wish you felt more confident on the road on a bike? Cycling Savvy is hosting their Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling course on Thursday, August 22, 2013 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at 6174A Delmar in University City (Map). The course costs $15, and is described as follows:

Through guided discussion with video and animation, this session familiarizes students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space. Bicycles are not needed at this session.

The next Trailnet on Tap meeting is Wednesday, August 28, 2013 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Urban Eats Cafe (Map). This month's topic features similar concerns to the women's lunch meeting. Personal trainer Tracy Herold will discuss how to be healthy whatever your size and physical condition, and the role active transportation plays in your health. RSVP on Facebook if you plan to go!


Hopefully, if your schedule allows, you can make one or more of these events. 


Cheers and happy riding!

Image Source
Article from Bike Radar about "How to Lose Weight Cycling"

PicTuTorial: Avoiding Helmet Head

Soooooooooo... I am one of those lucky ladies that if I scratch my skin lightly, it turns bright red and stays that way for many, many minutes, prompting people to ask if I've been recently mauled. I also tend to stay red-faced after exerting myself physically (which is so much worse when I wipe the sweat from my face versus letting it evaporate). The reason? I'm am so freaking pale. Any change in blood flow below the surface of my skin is super-obvious. So, it should come as no surprise to you that when I wear my helmet to ride my bike, at least so far this summer, I reach my destination hot, sweaty, red-faced, and with an enormous dent that lasts something like 15-20 minutes. (No, seriously. I really enjoy being all cooled off but having a freaking dent in my forehead. That's brilliant.) I have read before about people using bandannas under their helmets to minimize helmet dents in their hair and to help keep sweat from running into their eyes and I thought to myself, huh. If it works for those purposes...

So the last 3-4 times I've ridden, I've worn a bandanna under my helmet. You could really style it any way you want, but this is how I've been using it. A pictorial tutorial, or "PicTuTorial", if you will (please excuse the ridiculous faces I make in photos).

Step one: Place your helmet on your head to get a sense of where the pads come in contact with your forehead. Dorky face and photo is just a bonus.

Step two: Grab your bandanna. Any type will technically do, but I recommend something easily washable, like a basic cotton (as opposed to, say, your pretty silk scarves).

Step Three: To fold the bandanna, lay out out flat. You can just roll it up, but sometimes the triangle ends poke out, which bugs me. It might not bug you. Here's how I fold my bandanna (though, you could just wear it wrapped over your head, I think -- the extra padding from multiple folded layers might discourage forehead-denting better, though).

Step four: put on your bandanna. This summer, I've generally biked with my hair at least part of the way up (it's cooler, since my thick hair is very long right now), and that gives a secure spot to tie the bandanna. From other blogs I've read, and from my running experience, securing the bandanna this way has a triple benefit: protects your forehead from helmet dents, keeps your ears warm, and if you want to cover your ears completely, keeps wind out of your ears. The latter benefits are more applicable to cold-weather riding (or running), but I know some folks who get headaches when they are in the wind with their ears uncovered (including my mama). So, note it if it works for you!

The alternative is to tie it above the bump/hairstyle. This should work with most helmet styles. It definitely works with my Yakkay helmet, as well as my Giro helmet, but it might be to lumpy for a helmet with significant back coverage (Nutcase, Bern, etc). This offers less ear coverage.

Step five: secure your helmet. You can adjust the bandanna so more or less is showing -- this is how it looks with my Yakkay, with is a super-minimal helmet.

And here's how it looks with my more traditional Giro vented helmet.

(As a side note, mini-helmet-review, I prefer the style of the Yakkay, but the Giro feels much more secure and is a little more comfortable from a pure fit perspective. The Yakkay is appealing because it comes with "hat" covers, which I plan to try out in the fall. I find both helmets to be significantly hotter than not wearing a helmet at all [which would be my style and comfort preference - but don't we all feel that way?], but I'm not willing to risk my noggin or its contents to avoid a bump or look chic. At least, not until Americans view bicycling as a legitimate alternative to motorized vehicles. Also, I have the Yakkay Smart One, and the ones currently sold in the US are the Smart Twos. The principal difference is that I have a velcro-close soft strap that wraps around the back and collapses into the helmet when not in use; the Smart Two has a double-metal restraint with a dial-in sizer, which might make the helmet feel more secure. The padding in the Giro is softer, in part because the reason the Yakkay is not as bloody hot as some of the other sleek helmets -- again, see Nutcase, Bern -- is because the rigid pads hold the helmet away from and above your head a bit, allowing air to circulate around your scalp and through the four vent holes in the top. Honestly, it works, and though my head sweats -- it would if I weren't wearing a helmet -- it does not sweat more than in the Giro.)

But I digress...

So, upon reaching your destination, remove your helmet and your handkerchief, and you'll be bump-free! I can't promise no red face, but it's a step in the right direction! Also, unless you've been riding in very hot conditions for a long time, most of the bandanna will be pretty dry, so you can use it to pat dry any super-sweaty spots on your face, chest, or arms. Or to rub at that little bit of chain grease on your calf. Whatever. 

When you're not wearing the bandanna, I recommend untying and unfolding it so it can dry. You can probably get two uses out of it if you weren't exceptionally sweaty, didn't have to use it as a towel after your ride, and your back-to-back uses are pretty close together (within a day or two). Whatev. (I should probably note that I have a pretty high tolerance for sweat, non-stinky human smells, and general grime. Maybe it's all those summers in Europe, or at our cabin at the lake in Kansas growing up. I may do a post revealing what a weirdo crunchy hippie I am about most personal care products at some point.)

Finally, after a ride or two, for the love of all that is good and holy, wash the damned bandanna. Head sweat doesn't smell like underarm sweat, but sweat of any kind creates a really hospitable environment for bacteria and it's the bacteria that gets stinky. I used my bandanna for two very short, not-too-hot rides on Thursday and then on Tuesday, and it was fine for both... but when I modeled it for this tutorial, I could tell it was ready for a bath. Et voilà. 

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Post script: You may see some changes as I futz with the layout. My primary blog is in Wordpress and so this is a different blogging format for me. For now, I've decided on the photos - you can click on them to see the written post. Cheers and happy riding!