please update your bookmarks

yes, I'm still blogging......just moved over here -- http://velogirlscoaching.blogspot.com/

it's kinda lonely over there....I miss everybody.

so, please update your bookmarks and come visit sometime!

Happy New Year!

For 2008, you're most likely to find my ramblings here -- http://velogirlscoaching.blogspot.com/

*sigh of relief*

I have made 2,934,892 decisions in the past week. I'm not a good decision maker so this has given me a headache. I also have commitment issues.

what a relief I feel. I've finally finished up the coaching calendar for 2008. we've got some exciting new programs and there's virtually no white space available. now I'm just waiting for everything to be published to the website and for on-line registration to open. of course, this all should've happened weeks ago, but did I mention that I'm a really bad decision maker?

what more could a girl need?

no, it's not a sex toy!

9th Annual Christmas Orphans' Tour of San Francisco

how many things can you say you've done for 9 years? probably not many. but, for the past 9 Christmases, I've done the very same thing -- ridden my bike in SF.

in 1999, the Christmas Orphans' Tour began with 4 of us who were training for the AIDS Ride. we became fast friends, riding together for three days in a row, the highlight being our tour on Christmas morning. although we were from different circles of friends, we kept the tradition going for the next couple of years. In 2002, I started hosting the ride through Velo Girls, and we've continued ever since. some years the weather is warm. some years it's cold. it's rained a few times, but we've never cancelled the ride. we see all types of bikes and all types of riders. one year I did the loop on a 7-speed cruiser (I was delivering Christmas meals that morning and needed the basket). this morning, I almost brought my Rivendell so my dog could ride in the basket with us, but decided to wait until she'd actually done some descending before I subjected her to a group ride.

the Christmas Orphans' Tour is a co-ed ride. there are a handful of folks who've joined us for 5, 6, or 7 years. but most folks come out for a year or two and then move onto another aspect of their lives. the SF Bicycle Coalition always posts the ride, so we get some riders who might not otherwise be exposed to Velo Girls (or recreational riding).

so, for the 9th year in a row, I've headed up to SF on Christmas morning for a fabulous morning with friends (new and old).

highlights for this year?

riding with Jan Medina -- one of our fabulous sponsors who I don't see very often.

the amazing weather! the air was clear and crisp and I took about 50 photos (see the link below).

meeting Carol and Jerry from the ALC forum.

seeing Alana, a coaching client who only recently began riding, jamming on her bike!

meeting so many new people.

riding in SF on the most amazing day of the year.

Okay, off to do "normal" Christmas things now like eat and drink and be merry!
The rest of the photos are posted here .

Happy holidays, everyone!

Hello Montebello!

that was just what I needed today. aaahhhh!

it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Betty J. makes me wet -- what about you?

check this out -- KCCX

I'm not racing cyclocross for the first time in 5 years. I thought I might miss it. I really needed a break -- mental if not physical. Even though I'm not racing, I keep my finger on the pulse or some cliche like that.

I raced cyclocross nationals two years ago in Providence, RI. I spent a good part of the snowy, frigid weekend with Gary Noe and Betty Jordan. Betty is my hero. She won cyclocross nationals that year for the 55+ women. I think it was the first time USAC had offered that field. Betty was the only entrant. and she deserves those stars & bars.



now go click that link again!!! then click on the women 50-54 (I can't figure out how to give you the direct link). not only has USAC added fields for 60+ women, but did you check out the field size for 50+ women? 11 amazing women, all who can probably kick my butt and your butt and other random butt and then crack open a Belgium with the boys. and then, there's the 7 women in the 55+ field and the 2 in the 60+ field. wow, wow, wow!

it's interesting to me that many women stop road racing in their 50s and 60s because they perceive it to be too dangerous to their fragile bones. I guess the perception of cyclocross is that's it's a "safe" sport. or maybe the fun factor is just worth the risk.

so here's to those silver crossers -- women who won't let their age (or society) dictate what they should be doing on a Sunday morning.

and here's to Betty Jordan for leading the way!

OMG! I forgot how to brew coffee!!!

How does that happen? I drank coffee for about 20 years. Lots of coffee. Hot coffee in the morning, iced coffee in the afternoons. A couple of years ago, I decaffienated. A year ago, I acquired a latte habit, but I only allow myself one a day and only on days I'm riding.

Well, this morning is gray and rainy and I just wanted to smell the coffee brewing. I keep some coffee in the freezer for guests, so I took it out and stared at the coffee-maker, and realized I didn't know how many scoops to put in the machine.

Hot damn! It might be strong, but it sure smells yummy.

Coach Lorri Does COS

Blatant self-promotion? Maybe?

"Coach Lorri Lee Lown was recently invited to be one of a handful of presenters at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in January 2008 for the three-day Enhancing Leadership in Womens’ Cycling conference presented by USA Cycling. Lorri jokes that this is a great honor since she’s only an MBA (and most USAC presenters are PhDs). However, she has successfully charmed Sam Callan (Sport Science and Coaching Education Manager) over the years during her many visits to the Olympic Training Center as a participant in other conferences. Lown, founder of Velo Girls, who also happens to have an MBA in Gender Relations, will be presenting on the topic of gender differences in cycling and how to develop a successful women’s cycling organization."

The conference is open to coaches and non-coaches alike. If you’d like more information about registration, contact Sam Callan at scallan@usacycling.org.