Come on out & ride!
Join us in San Antonio for some great rides with great people...
Anybody up for a Thanksgiving Day Bike Ride???
Just think, the extra calories burned means more pie after dinner…
We will be meeting bright & early Thursday morning at 8AM, trying for wheels down @8:15AM. Meet at the bikeworld parking lot on Broadway in Alamo Heights.
Fast Beginners, Scenic Intermediate & Fast People are all welcomed to join in!! (this ride is not suitable for Super-Beginners)
We’ll wander downtown and out to Mission Trails. From there we will make our way back.
We’ll stop for breakfast along the way somewhere.
Join us – it will be alot of fun!!!
Click here before reading post…
Alrighty then… now that your in the mood:
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Saturday November 21st 7PM
Our Holiday Meet & Greet - Fun / Food / Music / and More!!!!!
Location: 126 S. Tower Drive, 78232 – in Hill Country Village
It’s a Meet & Greet – Bring your non-riding partners/ spouses for a fun get together off the bikes. Join us for this even if you haven’t ridden with us yet. Invite all those people who keep telling you they want to try it – one day. Have them come out & meet all of us!!! We will be needing RSVP’s so we know about how many to expect.
It’s a Rider Appreciation get together – a night where we congratulate each other & ourselves for all the tremendous things we’ve done through out the year.
It’s a Holiday Celebration!! We have great music, fire spinning demonstration, and lots more. We will be providing several beef and chicken main courses, we ask you to bring a side dish or dessert. So start thinking about who your coming with and what you’d like to bring.
Sunday Scenic Intermediate & Fast Beginner Afternoon Mission Trail Ride – LOCATION CHANGE
We have been informed that due to congestion caused by the Rock & Roll Marathon, it is not advisable to ride Mission Trails Sunday, November 14th. So we will change the location from Mission Park to Hill Country Village.
Location: 126 S. Tower Drive, 78232
Meeting: 1PM
Wheels Down: 1:15-ish
This will be a ride-at-your-own-pace ride. The loop is 3.5 miles. Ride as far as you like. Several people will be doing distances of 15, 21 and 32 miles. Fast Beginner pace of 11-13amph, Scenic Intermediate pace of 12-14amph and some will go faster.
This ride is for Fast Beginners & Scenic Intermediate riders. This ride is not currently suitable for Super-Beginners.
How do you know you are a fast beginner?
You can ride an average speed of 12-13mph.
(Average miles per hour is calculated off an odometer. At the end of a ride,
most odometers will tell you what your AMPH is. Say you ride 15 or 25 miles,
the odometer will track what your overall speed was for the entire ride distance.
That is your average miles per hour.)
You are mostly capable of changing a tire.
(As a fast beginner, you should have all your tire changing equipment. We host
several tire changing clinics throughout the year. You should carry a tube, tire
levers, Co2 inflater head, Co2 cartridge, possibly a patch kit, possibly a small
pump that fits on your bike. Oh, and a dollar bill.)
You can complete at least 15 miles of riding with limited stopping.
(you want your endurance level to be where you can ride for about 5 miles
before needing a break, and your breaks should be short.)
We have a group of FAST Beginners & Scenic Intermediate level riders that want to add to their mileage in training for some of the bigger rides. Distance from 15 to 45 miles.
It is a 3.5 mile loop, you get to choose how far you go.
Show up, enjoy yourself, let us know how you like this ride!!
Veronica 383-3660, option 4 Guy 683-0831
Please note: All our rides are posted on the Website and Calendar. If you do not receive an email, the ride is still scheduled, just check the Calendar or Website for start locations and times.
Saturday Super-Beginner & Fast Beginner Rides – Saturday 2 – Brackenridge Park: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Saturday_Beginner_Rides.html
Sunday Tour De Cure / Intermediate Training Ride - Scenic Intermediate, Veloce Intermediate & Advanced Intermediate – Sunday 3 – Toutant Beauregard: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Training_Road_Rides.html
Sunday Scenic Intermediate & Fast Beginner Afternoon Mission Trail Ride: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Sunday_Mission_Ride.html (route sheet attached, let us know if you are interested in doing this ride, please)
Morning Rides: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Morning_Rides.html
We’re having a party – Join us. Join us even if you have ridden with us in a while or if you haven’t met us yet – Next Saturday – Live music, great people, lot’s of fun, (fire-spinning?): http://saridelikeagirl.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/its-party-time/
Mission 2 Mission Ride – December 5th – We are all doing this ride, even the Super-B’s. Our team is San Antonio Ride Like A Girl/ Ridin With The Girls – team members get $5 saving on registration – register soon: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Mission_2_Mission_2009.html
Tuscany Bike Ride – Yes, we are going to Italy, Go with us, it will be amazing: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Tuscany_Italy_2010.html
Did you know we already have a team for the Tour De Cure in May? And if you register now, it’s more fun? And if you raise your $150 before 12/31/09, you get a special winter training t-shirt? Yes, check it out: http://www.saridelikeagirl.com/Tour_De_Cure_2010.html
Also, we will have a rest stop on the TdC route & anyone that would like to assist us with this can contact me to be included: 210-383-4663
We have an opportunity to help our friend Brian Wicks from Resurrection Ministries. He’s been doing homeless ministries for almost 10 years. Every Tuesday & Thursday he goes out on an established route & feeds those down on their luck. Throughout the year, we try & give Brian a break, a few night off from his tireless efforts. We have that opportunity this week.
We’ll be feeding the homeless Tuesday 11/10 & Thursday 11/12. I’ve got the cooking handled but we will need assistance with the feeding. It gets a little hard when there’s just 2 of us handing out dinner to 20 or so people at each stop, there are 5 stops. The feeding starts at 7:00 – 9:00pm. Please let me know your availability as soon as you can.
The address to help if you are riding with us or following us from north central San Antonio is:
126 S Tower Drive, 78232. The neighborhood is Hill Country Village. Call 210-383-4663 if there is any confusion.
You can either meet at the above address & leave from there, or you can go directly to the meeting point/first stop and meet up with us there.
If you are meeting at the house & following us down there, be there no later than 6:30PM.
If you are meeting us at the start point, be there by 7PM.
Our meeting/ start point is at 1541 Austin Hwy, 78218. It’s the parking lot of Advanced Auto Parts / Anna Linens, right on Austin Hwy. It’s between Harry Wurzbach & Eisenhauer, north side of Austin Hwy. If you can’t find it, call me 383-4663 or Guy 683-0831.
Those of us going from the house on Tower, we will leave promptly at 6:30PM. We’ll try to group up to limit the number of cars we take. You may feel more comfortable leaving your car at my house as opposed to on Austin Hwy. Let me know.
We’ll be meeting at Advanced Auto Parts on Austin Hwy at 7pm. If you are in route and running late, please call me so we can wait for you. 210-383-4663.
The route we’ll be following heads towards downtown from Terrell Hills, ending on Alamo in downtown. It will take us from 7-9pm to complete. For those of you that have never had a chance to do something like this, we’ll be talking about it before we start the route. If you have any questions, please call me or email me. This is a very interesting and rewarding experience, I hope you come.
Cancelled due to rain. Another line of storms is heading in from the south. We will cancel until next week. Sorry for those of you that missed the ride…
The biggest question is:
Costume or no costume??
Choose your tour distance from 15, 30, or 50 Miles. Course is fully supported and suitable for Super- Beginner, Fast Beginner, and all levels of intermediate.
Ride out begins at 8am. See caravan info below. This is a great ride for all of us!
Check here for all the details
The Saturday Recreational Tours are just for fun. There are relaxation stations set up around the course so that you will be able to stop for restrooms, replenish your liquids and get a snack before continuing. There are no prizes for who finishes ahead of who — it is a time to enjoy the camaraderie of a beautiful bike ride along River Road, alongside fellow cyclists who share your love of touring the beautiful countryside – and then get back to enjoy the charm and ambiance of Gruene – or head for the Wursthalle for the German Festival. Tour de Gruene is a great family ride – offering several distance choices – each of which are scenic, relatively flat, and contain rest stops along the way to replenish your thirst and hunger.
Wurstfest Opens in New Braunfels at Wursthalle at 11AM Some of us are staying to enjoy the festivities…
Individual Time Trails (race) begins at 2PM
We will be meeting at Starbucks at the Forum, IH35 & 1604 at 6:15AM Location for Caravan
From there we will head out to Gruene, leaving the parking lot promptly at 6:30AM. If you want coffee, be there earlier, please. For last minute questions call 210-683-0831.
Several of us (who have not registered yet) will be registering at the bikeworld on 1604 from 6-9pm Thursday.
So, leave a comment & let us know… costume or no costume???
It is important, if you ride, to be involved.
Join the MPO’s Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee for a special evening committee meeting to report on the state of cycling in San Antonio and Bexar County. Find out what’s been accomplished and where we are heading.
BIKE NIGHT at the MPO
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Time: 6pm Open House, 6:30pm meeting begins.
Location: Community Room, VIA Metro Center, 1021 San Pedro, 78212
Link for Directions, Click Here
Your attendance is very important at this meeting. I know we are all really busy, but the MPO doesn’t understand what our real issues are. At the last meeting I attended, they made statements about how most of the ‘northside’ cyclists don’t even ride in San Antonio. We tried to explain that we have to drive further & further north to be safe due to limited ‘bike-friendly’ routes in town, but I don’t know if they heard us.
They are doing many things in an attempt to make San Antonio bike-friendly, but it is not going to happen by itself. We all have to get involved, whether we’re beginners or seasoned cyclists. They need your input & they need to know how many of us there are with these needs.
It will be very important for as many of us as possible to show up. Hundreds of cyclists at this meeting would show the MPO that 
we are large in number and that we have needs that are not being adequately addressed. Specifically safe bicycling. Usually there is a small handful of cyclists and the MPO steps up to talk of all they are doing. With cyclists dying on our streets, it is time for a change. That change begins with you.
Many of you that are new to cycling don’t know what to do when opportunities like this one come up. Some of you feel because you are new, you have nothing to say, so you can’t see the importance of coming to a meeting like this. Many of you, new & experienced cyclists feel that it won’t do any good. What is needed is that you show up, the rest will fall into place. We can’t make significant change by staying home.
We look forward to seeing you there…
We headed into the weekend apprehensive. The forecast did not look good with 100% chance of rain both Saturday & Sunday. But we all prepared, trying to be optimistic. Several people joined the festivities downtown at the AlamoDome. There was plenty to see from the final packet pick-up, food & festivities to the Bicycle Jersey Fashion Show. Jason Bowker was stylin’ as he walked the runway sporting our official Ride Like A Girl/Ridin’ With Da Girls jersey. It was a great start to the excitement, and it was dry.
Guy & I took one truck with luggage out to New Braunfels Friday night. Sometimes you have blessings in disguise. We got lost and couldn’t figure out where the finish for Saturday would be. Frustrated, we decided to leave the truck in the hospital parking lot across the street from Schlitterbahn. We had no idea what a wise decision that was. We were tired, it was after 11pm, we drove back home.
It wasn’t actually raining when we began the drive to the AlamoDome 6am Saturday. There was a light mist as we exited 281. Jason, Doug & Linda were already in the parking lot. The riders began to arrive. We affixed our numbers to everything, I grabbed my camera and wandered through the lot as it filled as others took their luggage to the truck that would transport it all to New Braunfels. It started to rain. (sorry to everyone that stopped & posed, same story as last weekend: digital camera+rain= bad photos) We discussed the problem with many of the arriving, disappointed riders that were there.
Some never even made it to the parking lot, deciding it wasn’t a good riding day for them. Others that had arrived, 
determined the added danger from the rain was more than they were willing to risk. Guy & I discussed with Jason his decision.
As the rain got harder, it was decided we would start the ride, and then sag to the lunch area. We got to the very end of the very long line as the start began. While in line, we persuaded Rita, Michelle, Lizette & David to join us for the start. (they had chosen not to ride, due to how hard it was raining). Patty & Emy cheered us on from the sidelines.
The music was loud, the rain was falling, riders were twittering out their thoughts as the line slowly progressed. Marty took off just ahead of us (on left) It was 8:30am when we crossed the start line slowly. Rita was the very last rider. She won the award for the shortest distance of any rider to start as she proceeded out the parking lot, turned right onto the sidewalk, turned back into the parking lot back to her car. She estimated it was less than 2 miles of riding for her.
Jason, Guy & I rode across to the underpass, then decided to turn back as the rain increased. Michelle, Lizette & David messaged me later that they rode all the way to the Alamo before calling it quits & getting picked up.
TO BE CONTINUED…
feel free to add your experiences to the comments… email me photos if you have them…
Greg & Alex – may you rest in peace in God’s loving arms. It was so good to be able to have been a small part of your service. We all saw how moved your family was. It was an honor for each of us to be there.
To Gary, Carol & all of the family, thank you so much for letting all of us come & be a part of this. Greg & Alex will live in our hearts every day.
Carol Bruehler, listening to you promising us that you both are going to get active in cycling advocacy so that we would be safer on the streets was heart-wretching. Let me promise you that I will, too. With dim hope that this will be the last time we need to hold a ride like this.
Gary, we are all so sorry for your family’s loss. It meant so much to me when you hugged me Tuesday night. It was so very gracious of you to take the time to personally thank each of us that came to join in honoring Greg & Alex. Every rider you thanked came away feeling moved.
Kylie, to you, I don’t know what to say. I watched you & saw you were distraught & a little confused by so many people. I hope you saw how much we all care. How your mom & dad touched so many people, they were very special. I lost both my parents when I was 4. I wore a dress similar to yours at their service. I can’t tell you that there won’t be times when you will miss them greatly. I will tell you that they will be with you forever, I know this because my mom & dad have been with me forever. You are surrounded by so many loving people, you will get through this. You will be ok.
When we started sending emails on Monday I wasn’t sure if many people would show up for the ride. It’s in Boerne, people have to work, you can’t miss class in college. The replies came all day. I send my condolences, I’m praying for the family, I’ll make a donation instead. Though I understood, I had to fight off being discouraged. I couldn’t help thinking that in a way, this was the most important ride of our lives.
One by one they came. And they just kept coming. Some lived in Boerne & rode there. Others braved the traffic congestion on IH-10 in their cars. There were literally hundreds of cyclists, it was more than we expected. There had been a similar ride in Fort Worth last week, only 88 people showed up. It was a little daunting, wandering through the crowd. I had to think fast, how do we get this many riders organized safely? I spoke to the crowd in groups of about 30-40 at a time, hoping everyone could hear my voice. Hoping they would listen.
I carried a picture of Alex & Greg in my hand. That image will be in my mind every time I ride. I stood there, slightly stunned, as we prepared to take yet another group of cyclists out in harm’s way. So many familiar faces, so many of the clubs & teams, everyone with the same somber look. Everyone with similar thoughts. The grief over our fellow fallen cyclists and their families. The unspoken fear, it could have been any one of us. The frustration, this would not be our last ride like this. Then it was time.
Nolan, a friend of the Bruehler’s, lead us on this Ride Of Silence, a ride to honor the memory of Alex & Greg. Pulling out of the parking lot & turning left, it was a very long 2 mile ride. I nervously looked back in my mirror, watching as we proceeded toward the church. You all made me proud.
Two by two, we rode. There were a lot of riders. We streamed in a very long double paceline, slowly making our way down Blanco Road.
Did I mention there were a lot of riders. It must have looked impressive, from a distance.
At moments it was almost surreal. The sound of the TV news helicopter circling above us, a TV crew in a white SUV, driving along side us, filming us as we rode. The faint sound of the traffic around us. The thoughts of why we were all doing this.
Arriving at the church, another task. How do we fit all these people in this one spot, looking orderly. I remembered an email from earlier in the day. We want to make sure we do it right. I rode to the very edge of the church building, starting the line there. We stood them, side by side, all the way down the street. There were so many, I ran out of street. At the end of this line, setting bikes to the side, the rest of the cyclists all grouped up.
Did I mention there were a lot of cyclists there. San Antonio’s cycling family out to support the Bruehler family in their time of need.
The camera lenses weren’t wide enough to capture all of us. It was incredible how the Bruehler family kept coming across to thank all of us collectively. You could see it overwhelmed them. It overwhelmed the riders.
We stood, helmets to our hearts, listening to the family talk to us about their gratitude. So many were overcome by emotion, being approached by Gary, Greg’s father. Several women rider’s, with features similar to Alex, struggled to maintain composure as he mentioned ’all these Alexes’. The family’s grief was palpable.
You could not help but be overwhelmed with feelings, watching the family. It was terribly sad and poignantly beautiful all at the same time. Softly spoken whispers of how tragic this all was.
A really touching moment for all of us when the family brought out the guest book… for all of us to sign. They gave all of us memorial brochures, well, as many as they could. No one expected this many cyclists to show up. We read, we cried, we comforted.
Then it was time to disperse. The light was fading. We still had riders signing the guest book. We brought the book back to the parking lot so each could finish signing. Darkness had fallen by the time I left.
To the Bruehler family, please know it meant so much to all of us that you wanted us to be there, joining you at such a private moment. Every cyclist that showed up felt your gratitude & thanks. We were each so honored by this. So many will miss Alex and Greg, they touched so many lives. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
To the cyclists, thank you. For coming out, for being patient, for showing your care for this family. Please be safe. I know we made a difference to the Bruehler family, we can only hope it will make a difference in the future…
[Photos courtesy of Tom Reed - Express News, Charles Shull - Artisan Portrait Studio and Katherine Fuller - Women's Cycling Magazine]
