New Colours................

Here it is, the 2012 Quiring Cycles Team Kit!! 

Cheers,

Sue

90 Minute Spin for Charity II.........

Today was the last of the 90 Minute Spin for Charity Rides.  The spin took on a different approach then the last.  We took the ride as a group, as a team building journey, no one gets dropped, and everyone works hard to keep the group together.  I know that it's hard to understand how that sort of ride can be pulled off in a spin room where perhaps we physically aren't going anywhere...... but with a little imagination and a whole lot of effort we sure covered the km's!!  Even taking individual 30 sec. pulls as the rest of the group encouraged and cheered each other on on a long climb!!  Thanks to all who participated and supported local charity.  You are all awesome.... but you already know that!! 

Cheers,
Sue

P.S. (The playlist is posted on the side bar of the blog.)

I apologize..... I forgot my camera!! :(

Been "Cuffed"......

My father has always been the ultimate craftsmen.  He was in the tool and die business for years.  As I was growing up I remember him carving wood, making stain-glass windows, making us a dollhouse, building barns, home renovations and the list goes on.  There was/is nothing he cannot do.  Over the past few years I have been watching him work with leather and I have always been interested.  He started Creative Hide, a leather business where anything is possible.  He repairs leather work as well as makes custom leather accessories from belts to director's chairs.  I would stare at the hides of leather and see leather bracelet/cuffs in my head.  I have always loved leather cuffs however, I was not always able to find what I was looking for.  So here's when I grabbed a few of his tools and with his guidance got started!  Infinity Cuffs was born!  My first full collection will be "The Bike Collection".  How fitting I thought!  The cuffs are for men and women.  I will be adding pieces to the collection and posting on my blog.  All the leather bracelet/cuffs are for sale!  If you have any questions or would like to custom order a one of a kind cuff, please send me an email @ suestephensmtb4@gmail.com  My passion for all things bike is evident!!

From top to bottom:

"Vintage Big Wheel"

"Riding Solo"

"Eat, Bike, Sleep, Repeat"

"Making Tracks" (2)

"Crossing Over"

In the video, the red cuff, "Group Ride"

Cheers,
Sue

Taking it E-Z...............

Well, well, well here I am half way through my recovery week and I'm starting to question what the heck I'm doing!!  As I mentioned before, I have a COACH this year!  Training has been great but this week is a bit foreign to me! (lol)  An actual recovery WEEK!!  There is a whole lot of nothing getting done..... It's Wednesday and I'm feeling lazy and antsy!  However, I know there will be benefits to this, I just need to be patient.  It didn't help that on Sunday I was supposed to put my last effort in before "shut down" week but I caught a headcold and didn't feel good.  I took Sunday off from a planned ride to get better!  Now that was another first.  In the past I would have thought "get out and ride, open up your lungs, sweat it out......", only to prolong being sick!  Taking Sunday off was the "right" thing to do.  My headcold never got any worse and now I'm feeling better!!
 

Been here alot staring at the computer screen!!

Who would of thought "Taking it E-Z" would be so difficult??

Cheers,
Sue

90 Minutes for Charity...........

Today was the first of (2) 90 minute indoor cycling for charity classes.  Gym members and a few non-members filled the classes 25 bikes to roll with me for the 1.5 hrs.  Each participant donated $10 with all the proceeds going to the South Essex Community Council (Community Home Support Services).  I felt it important to keep the funds local, knowing we have many people in need in our immediate surroundings.  The ride, which parallelled "life", brought them from open road, to the dirt trails and back to open road.  I ride with feeling, emotion and passion and that's what I wanted to bring out in each individual along their journey.  Sure there are cyclist among the group but there are also non-cyclist who have found an addiction to the indoor cycling program.  I am very lucky to have such awesome and dedicated people come to my classes every week.  I really want to thank them for making this ride so exciting and motivating.  I hope that they felt empowered and know that they truly all are "GREAT"!! 

Cheers,
Sue

Here's the delicious Gluten Free Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, (courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine - special thanks to Sarah and Doug) that we enjoyed after the class:

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well
3/4 cup Sucanat (sugar cane)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 oz dark chocolate

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.  In a medium bowl, stir first 5 ingredients until blended.  Stir in chocolate.
2) Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake for 10-12 min. or until lightly browned.  Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 15 more min.

The Real Fight, Inspiration and Determination.......

Perhaps this story sounds familiar, maybe it's you, family or friend?  I got to know this wonderful lady through mountain biking and only after I read this article was I aware of her true struggle.  She really shines and is so full of energy and life.  Her positive vibe is contagious.  She is always cheering people on (even her competition) and encourages everyone at the races.  She is never without a smile on her face.  Please check out the following link, her story, fight, determination and journey is inspirational. 

http://rockandice.com/articles/how-to-climb/article/186-three-fs-for-jany


Cheers,
Sue 

Pumped Up "Chicks"...........

So here it is!!  The new look, new team, new bikes, new sponsors, new year!!  I am very excited!!  For 2012, the Quiring Cycles Mountain Bike Team looks a bit different.  I am part of a (2) women team,  Erin Vicary and myself!  Here's a bit about the wonderful companies that we have been fortunate to get support from:

Quiring Cycles:  The ultimate custom hand built bike!  This year Scott has sponsored us each with a TITANIUM 29er!!  Super pumped.  I can't wait to get on the new ride. 

Weather Underground:  The original internet weather network!  If you want to know the real details about the forecast, you need to check them out!!

Liquiforce:  This is a company based out of Kingsville, Ontario however, has an office in Michigan as well.  This is so great, considering our (2) person team is the Ontario, Michigan combo!!

Alison Dunlap Adventure Camp:  A huge change for me this year is having a coach!  Alison has agreed to put us through the training paces!  I have never had a coach, or a real concrete training schedule so I look forward to having things laid out for me!

Kenda Tires:  Looking to keep the rubber side down with these awesome tires!!  They have a great selection of 29er tires and I am thrilled to be riding on them!!

ESI Grips:  Light, comfortable and colorful!  This is our 2nd year with ESI as a sponsor and I could not imagine my hands on any other grip!

Bolle:  Protecting our eyes is obviously important and Bolle is the sunglasses of choice.  We will be sporting the Tempest sunglasses.  They are light and fit my smaller face great!

Crank Brothers:  Home of the "Egg Beater" and "Candy" pedals!  They have sweet components, gear and tools.

Hammer Nutrition:  It is so important that we have proper nutrition, before, during, and after a ride/race.  Hammer Nutrition has it all.  Love their product and I'm so happy that we will be fueled by them!!

With the support of these companies I know that we are in for a great year!  I will give more detail about each sponsor in future posts but for now please check out their links. 

Cheers,
Sue

Back on the trail again..............

  On Sunday I wasn't able to get out for the Bikesabbath WRCS #5 ride as I had planned.  There was alot going on and I just couldn't swing the morning ride time.  So after a quick lunch I headed toward the trail!

  It makes me nervous to be out on the roads after they have been plowed.  Especially when the shoulders are not cleared.  So the Greenway (rail to trail) seemed to be exactly what I needed.  I was able to work on power and balance.  It was slow going but well worth it!  I used the same combo of layers on my feet as I had mentioned in the last post and it worked like a charm!!  I can't tell you how excited I am to have warm feet for longer than 15 minutes!!  I only passed one other trail user and he was walking his dog.  He chuckled as I passed by and questioned my sanity!!  :)

Cheers,
Sue

Cold feet?.............

                                                                  

(Will this be the combination to keep my "tootsie's" warm?)

^^

   

I'm a bit of a late blog poster on this one but forgive me, sometimes life gets busy!!  :)

Last Sunday was a chilly ride but with the sun shining I wasn't going to miss WRCS #4.   Well it's no secret, I have been plagued with cold feet and no solution for it in these frigid temps. However, on Sunday I may have solved it! Perhaps I have the right "mix" after years of "un"comfortably numb toes and a couple of blog posts later!  The coldest posted temp during the ride was -14 degrees Celsius.  So it was a pretty good test, however it wasn't crazy windy out.  So before I get too pumped about it I will give it another test/trial and report back my findings!  As far as the actual ride, well we were a group of almost 30 and rode for over 2.5 hours.   Perfect!

Cheers,

Sue 

Great times with my teamy.................

January 7, 2012 - January 8, 2012.....

Another year as team-mates!!  :) 

I had never been to a roller derby and to be quite honest I really didn't know what to expect.  I envisioned ladies on rollerskates combined with dodge ball play (if that makes sense)!! lol  Well I was partially right and obviously not about the ball!!  I quickly got an update on rules by Erin and Elisha was kind enough to interpret the program for me!  The derby score was a blow out but it was a real cool experience.  Though it is unlikely I would ever participate I may go back to watch another battle!!

I spent the night at Erins and after a good night's sleep, we had breakfast and got out rolling...... on the bikes of course!!  The weather was awesome!  At one point in the ride we could see what looked like horses out on the dirt road ahead of us.  As we got closer it became apparent that they were not horses at all!!  They were lama's out for a walk with their owner's.  They graciously let us take pictures and then we were off pedalling again.

The 2012 team is looking different this year!!  Stay tuned for an update on the exciting news!!

Cheers,

Sue

The Local "Star"...............

I went out for a quick spin tonight and had an awesome encounter with the newest local star!  As I pedalled down Rd. 2, there were more then a dozen cars parked on the side of the road.  I slowed right down and there it was, in flight, heading right toward me!  The one that has everyone talking, the majestic Great Grey Owl!  It was intimidating seeing this large bird heading my way.  It flew about 5 ft from me and then perched itself on a sign post.  It stayed there for a brief time and then off it went again and found shelter in a tree.  This owl has bird watchers coming from far away.  It is the largest species of owl in North America.  It is not native to the area and the fact that it has been found this South is a real surprise.  I may not be a real bird watcher but in this case....... I guess I really do give a "hoot"! :)  I took a few pics and then had to be on my way as daylight was slowly slipping away!

In other biking news, the WRCS kicked off Sunday with a New Year's day ride!  There were about 30 riders.  Here's a brief recap:  The temp was above freezing, it was windy, we rode on pavement and trail, the pace was casual, there were 4 flats (courtesy of only 2 riders.....), and good conversations!  What a great way to start 2012.  

Happy and Healthy New Year to Everyone!!

Cheers,
Sue

Happy Holidays....................................

There was a bit of a plaid invasion in our house this year!!  Every year I make the kids pose in front of our Christmas tree!  You would think as they get older it would get easier, like a 1,2 smile, click, click picture over.  Well it just doesn't go like that, nope!  They just get sillier!  Our Christmas was pretty low key this year and it felt great just to chill, eat and well eat some more!

Apparently naughty or nice..... they still got presents!  :)   I love Christmas morning!  In fact I was up at 4:00 am telling myself to go back to sleep!  I was really hoping Santa was gonna put some new "wheels" under the tree!! ;)

Oh wait!  He did put some new "wheels" under the tree!  Clayton was really impressed!  He put his new helmet on, grabbed his new board and decided to jump off the landing in the garage!  Next thing I knew on Tues. (Dec. 27) he was on the internet researching how he would make a 1/4 pipe!  He handed the idea over to Jason and off they went to buy some wood and a few hours later, voila, his 1/4 pipe was reality!  :)

   

So while Clayton and Jay worked on the new ramp.... I went out in the rain/snow for a bike ride!  I have been battling a headcold and needed fresh air.  I thought it would help open up my sinus'.  The cool air was great but when I got back I had really itchy legs!  I get that usually when it's real cold out but this was different!  My knees got real itchy and red.  They got puffy and swollen almost like fluid was under my skin.  My skin felt real tight when I bent my knees!  To top it off I had a bumpy rash!  Of course I grabbed the camera to chronicle what was happening! lol...  I took a shower and the swelling went down after about 15 min.  I promise my knees look normal now but what a freaky thing!  Still trying to figure it out! YUCK!

(my legs/knees right after my ride)   (my legs/knees after the shower)

   I know it's hard to tell but this is what my "heading" South looks like!  ;)

Happy Holidays!  

Cheers,

Sue

Balance........

The weather was less than stellar but I had a need, a want, to get out and ride.  I had only been on my bike once since Iceman and that was for the cross race at Bloomer.  November was a very busy month which included a move (house) on Nov. 1.  Since then it was Iceman, packing, unpacking, decorating, and the list goes on, not to mention everyday stuff such as raising 4 kids!  After a long race season I usually take time off because I need a break, but this year it was time off to get stuff done!  In the midst of all this "controlled chaos", as I like to call it, I lost a bit of balance.  I didn't realize it because I was so busy, but then it crept up on me.  I was not resting well, muscles were tired, couldn't turn my brain off and my body was in overdrive!  As exciting as all the happenings going on in my life is, I was starting to teeter.  I woke up this morning, after a restless night's sleep, feeling motivated and wanting to get on my bike.  I often preach to "listen to your body", and that's exactly what I did!  After some stretching, a quick core and upper body workout I put my layers on.  Leaving the comfort of my toasty Acorn slippers I got on my Quiring and rode!

 Heading out!

 The only sign of a "rolling hill" around!

The sky was gray, roads wet, winds out of the south east, a light snow and fresh air!

 Came back to a coffee and warmth! Cozy!

Bike shoes off and slippers back on!!

It wasn't a very long ride but it cleared my mind.  It was exactly what I needed to restore balance.  Ahhhhhhhh........

Cheers,
Sue

"Cross"ing Over......

Event: Bloomer Park Cyclocross Race
Promoter:  Tailwind-Racing
Date:  Nov. 20, 2011
My ride:


I decided mid-week (last week) that I was going to do the cyclocross race at Bloomer.  I have never been out to watch a cyclocross race let alone race in one!  This was going to be a new experience, no pressure at all!  I had been off my bike since Iceman and was getting the "itch" to get my heart rate up again! :)  Friday I practiced some mounting and dismounting.  On Sat. I was trying to figure out what tires I should use and opted for a trip to a local bike shop to grab myself some cyclocross tires.  They mounted great on my 29er rims!!

With the race time being 12:15 pm, I actually got to sleep in a bit.  Once we arrived at Bloomer, I registered, got a real quick warm up in and checked out a section of the course.  I lined up next to the other pro women, and was the solo female on a mountain bike.  I wasn't sure what to expect and the race got off with a short sprint for the holeshot prime.  We then settled into a good pace.  It took me about (3) laps to get used to the tires and the short course.

After 45 min, the race was done!  I couldn't believe it, I even questioned the announcers as I came across the finish line!  I am used to at least double the length race.  I had a blast!  It was/is great "cross" training!!  :)

Top 3:
Kelly Paterson (Wolverine/ACFstores.com) - 1st
Me (Quiring Cycles) - 2nd
Anne Schwartz (Flying Rhino) - 3rd

Thanks Tailwind for helping make my 1st cyclocross race a great experience.  I got a feeling I will be doing another!

Cheers,
Sue

Iceman 2011.............

Friday: Travel day, shopping day, expo day, and a quick end of the course pre-ride day!  I was very excited for this year's Bell's Beer Iceman Cometh.  It's the race that wraps up my season but it also brings out so many talented athletes and fans.  There is so much hype that goes along with it.  This race should be on your to do list.  You have to be there and experience it to fully understand why so many racers are drawn there year after year!!

Saturday:  Race day and Bell's Beer Sunset On the Season Party!!  When the World Champion, Catherine Pendrel (Luna Chix), rolls up to the start line, you know that the race is on!  The pro women's field was so stacked this year, it was probably the strongest group to date!  My race went very smooth.  I held on to the lead group for the first 30 min. and then we hit some climbing and my recovery wasn't as quick as theirs and I fell off the back.  I continued to pedal on my own and then caught some elite men racers and was able to work with them for a while.  I got a second wind just after Williamsburg Road (just over half way) and continued to push.  It's been that way for most of the races this year where it takes me almost half of the race to kick in.  I was able to catch a couple pro women with about 9 km's to go and crossed the finish line in 8th!  I was happy with my race and I had fun out there!  The fans were awesome and so motivating!
Results:
CLASS: Pro Women

Place No.   Name            Town         Sta Teamname             Ice     
===== ===== ============ ============== === ==================== ======= 
 1   231 Heather Irimiger   Boulder       CO SUBARU - TREK       1:46:01 
 2   243 Chloe Woodruff     Tucson        AZ BMC MTN DEVELOPMENT  1:46:13 

 3   232 Catharine Pendrel  Kamloops      BC LUNA CHIX            1:47:03 

 4   225 Amanda Carey       Victor        ID KENDA - FELT         1:48:32 

 5   226 Judy Freeman       Brighton      CO KENDA - FELT         1:48:45 

 6   237 Johanna Schmidt    Traverse City MI EINSTEIN RACING      1:50:43 

 7   224 Kelli Emmett       Manitou Spring CO GIANT               1:50:44 

 8   242 Susan Stephens     Essex         ON QUIRING CYCLES       1:51:50 

 9   240 Erica Tingey       Las Vegas     NV WHITE PINE RACING    1:51:57

10   234 Heather Spencer    Pinckney      MI TEAM FAST            1:54:55

11   238 Susan Vigland      Traverse City MI HAGERTY CYCLING      1:55:25

12   235 Mackenzie Woodring Belmont       MI PRIORITY HEALTH      1:56:37

13   223 Lynn Alfs          Birmingham    MI PAINT CREEK BICYCLES 1:56:38

14   246 Marne Smiley       Chicago       IL BOBS RED MILL        1:57:27

15   221 Jamie Galambos     Sylvania      OH MAUMEE VALLLEY WHEEL 2:00:21

16   239 Amanda Ryan        Wixom         MI TEAM GIANT           2:01:19

17   241 Erin Vicary        Walled Lake   MI QUIRING CYCLES       2:02:04

18   230 Patti Kaufmann     Whitefish Bay WI EXPO RACING          2:09:56

19   228 Michelle Peariso   Amherst       WI ADVENTURE 212/SPECIA 2:14:15

20   227 Dana Baurbenn      Shelby Twp    MI WOLVERINE/ACFSTORES. 2:22:34

Sunday:  Jay and I were told about the Vasa Singletrack in Traverse City.  So we thought before heading home we would take full advantage of the warmer November weather and hit the trails!  So glad we did!

Cheers,
Sue