A Small Setback

So, totally unrelated to cycling, I sprained my ankle in December. I wish I had a great story to tell about how it happened... an exciting one about doing something like snowboarding, or something else fun and athletic. But no, I was just walking and slipped. I was wearing heels that day and was in a rush with my busy and at times hectic life. I sprained this same ankle about 10 years ago in a totally different manner. Anyway, it was a huge setback for me! It was a "high ankle sprain" and I was told I would have been better off breaking it. I spent my winter break from school not being able to walk at all without crutches. My foot and every toe on that foot was swollen for weeks! The swelling and inflammation lasted for a long month and was the most painful part. I did physical therapy for a month and am finally almost back to my normal self. The first few weeks of physical therapy were quite painful but I really looked forward to the last ten minutes of each session when they had me ride a stationary bike. I really missed riding my real bike! I'm finally walking without a brace, no limping, and can take steps without pain. I finally can walk down stairs. I'm slowly trying to get back to doing everything I was doing before the injury including dancing, yoga, and riding my bicycle! These things make me feel happy.

Don't Forget the Skincare!

This post is not meant to be an advertisement. These are products I've used that I'd like to review in my blog from the perspective of a lady who loves being out in the sun riding her bike.

Besides wearing a helmet, protecting your skin from the sun should also be a safety measure taken when riding a bike. I currently have not found a sunscreen that I'm 100% happy with. I am currently using the Coopertone Sensitive Skin "faces" (although I don't use it on my face) 50 SPF sunscreen that my husband picked up from the local drug store. I like that it protects from broad spectrum UVA and UVB rays and it works great (NO sun burn at all). I have sensitive skin and allergies so I also like that it's also fragrance free and hypoallergenic. My one complaint is that it leaves a very visible white residue on your skin until washed off. I recently was reading about how sunscreens contain ingredients that are toxic and want to look into this a little more and possibly explore some plant based sunscreen options. Any suggestions?

For my face, I have continued my normal daily routine of wearing a light application of Bare Minerals SPF 15 foundation. I have a job that forces me to be out in the sun for a portion of my day and this is what I've used for the last few years and love it. As I've been riding my bike and spending more time in the hot sun this summer, It's continued to be my favorite thing to put on my face. This is all I wear on my face. Sunscreen feels heavy on my face and this feels like you aren't wearing anything at all. Even applying the slightest bit has protected my face from sunburn after a whole sunny day riding my bike.

The last skincare item I wanted to write about is Burt's Bees tinted lip balm. I really love this product. I have found that it not only has a slight tint of color (non-tinted is also available), but it does a great job protecting my lips from getting chapped. I have found it to work incredibly better than ChapStick brand. It's a must in my bag when headed out on my bike. Oh, and did I mention it's 100% natural?

What to Wear?

As a beginning cyclist, I was faced with the question about what to wear while cycling. There are so many sites dedicated to women's cycling fashion. Many of them show images of beautifully dressed women with NO helmet! Sure, it looks great in the pictures but the possibility of falling off my bike or getting hit by a car and risking head injury makes it so much less appealing! I ALWAYS ride my bike wearing my helmet! No exceptions! As far as clothing is concerned, I ride my bike wearing what I would normally wear. I don't see the need of wearing cycling performance wear for the type of urban biking I do on my beach cruiser. More power to the more serious die hard cyclists out there who dress this way. My rule of thumb is to wear what fits into your lifestyle. I do a lot of commuting around my city to run errands (instead of driving) and also ride just for fun and exercise. I love wearing skirts and dresses normally so this is what I end up usually wearing on my bike. I've read a few articles and blog entries about wearing skirts and dresses while biking and there are many different opinions out there. Some ladies feel they can wear skirts and dresses and ride their bikes with knees pointing in and carefully mounting and dismounting from their bikes. I've heard of other ladies using pins or clips to attach the skirt or dress together. Being rather modest, I prefer to just wear bike-type shorts or opaque leggings under my dress or skirt to play it safe. Right now, I have found my pair of Tom's shoes to be the most comfortable of the shoes I already own for bike riding, although I do also wear my vintage style wedgies and dressy flats depending on my mood and more importantly, where I'm going.

Give Bicyclists Room and Consideration on the Road!

As a beginning bicyclist, I have a new perspective of driving and sharing the road. My city, unfortunately, does not have a lot of bicycle lanes and drivers are often inconsiderate and outright oblivious when approaching bicyclists on the road (and even in marked bike lanes). While driving, pass us on the left and please give us PLENTY of room (3 feet or more) when passing. Passing too closely can injure a bicyclist or cause him or her to loose balance or hit a parked car. It's also very scary when a car cuts in front of you to turn or obliviously pulls out from having been parked along the curb in front of you.

I have found BikinginLA to be a useful site about this topic. Bike safety is a serious issue. I know several friends (more experienced cyclists than myself) who have been seriously injured by getting hit by cars on their bikes. So, please, pay attention, give us plenty of room, and kindly and carefully share the road!

I Got a Bike!

I have fond memories of riding a bike as a kid but hadn't been on one since my childhood. On our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I traveled to Santa Barbara and decided to rent bikes for a day. We rode around and it was amazing how much joy I felt as I rode the rental bike near the beach. Feeling the fresh air on my face as I pedaled along the beach instantly made me smile. We talked about getting bikes of our own. Six years later (a lot later), we finally did. My husband decided one day that he was now serious about getting a commuter type bike to travel around the city. I thought this was a great idea since a quick grocery trip or going out to pick up a cup of coffee certainly shouldn't constitute a car trip in the city. Why drive when you can ride a bike? It made perfect sense to me. Biking would be a more eco-friendly way to travel and would provide exercise at the same time. So, we headed over to a local bike shop. While entering H&S Bicycles in Burbank, CA, I couldn't help but stop in amazement as we walked past the Electra Beach Cruisers parked outside. I was immediately drawn to them as they have such a lovely old vintage charm (and I LOVE vintage things). That day, we bought my husband's bike. He got a red Jamis Coda 21 speed bike. All I could think about was how beautiful the beach cruisers were and how much I wanted one! I did a little internet research at home and looked at more bikes. The more I saw, the more I realized that the Electra Cruiser 7 was the bike for me. I loved the mint color available as it reminded me of my antique jadeite glassware collection. My bike was ordered and arrived after a few days and was set up for me at the bike shop. I absolutely love it! My husband enjoys riding his bike to "get places" but I simply enjoy "cruising" on my bike and enjoy every second of it!

Here are a few more pictures of my bike. Of course, I had to get the basket and bell! I'm still debating the handlebar streamers. My husband didn't get it at all, but hello- I'm a girl! And, I'm the one who is going to ride it so I might as well make it mine and accessorize! The flower on the basket was easily customized with a little hot glue, E6000 glue, felt, and silk flower from the craft store. I am often stopped by people who tell me "I love your bike" and "Your bike is pretty" and I love it. Cycling has brought me much joy and I hope to share that joy with others (especially with other ladies).