Not Decor, but a bit of Me!


The part of my life outside design and decor is road cycling (skinny tire). I am not talking "toodle" around the neighborhood, I am talking distance riding. When I lived in DC, I rode with a group of gals called "Babes on Bikes" a group dedicated to fitness and fun (I'm in that picture, can you find me? Not a beauty queen that's for sure!). We biked from Arlington to Bethesda and beyond, from Bethesda to Mount Vernon, out to Herndon and Leesville (time to get out your atlases!) and all around our nation's capital usually riding anywhere from 35-50 miles. I had been a mountain bike (fat tire) girl for years, riding in Alaska up and down mountains and all 15 miles of paved road, well that is a wee bit of misleading, 15 miles from end to end, but there were some paved roads going across! :>). My first ride with the "Babes" was 45 miles and due to moving had been out of the saddle for a while, I was a bit rusty and thought I was going to die....well, I wished I would anyway. As time went on 45 miles became a piece of cake (depending on how many hills were on the ajenda for the day) and ventured to train for a century (100 miles....in one day) for my 50th birthday. My DH and I along with several of the other Babes and their DH's did the ride and had a blast.
I am so excited because the weather has warmed up, and it is riding season again! DH and I are training for a ride the first week in June that starts in San Francisco and goes up into the wine country and does a big loop and ends back in San Fran. A week long of riding 45-65 miles per day....so my fanny needs to hit the saddle and get those callouses in place. I am going to meet up for the first time Tuesday evening with a group of women in Atlanta, should be interesting...

Did you notice my two fave colors on my bike? Black with pink etchings...pink jersey and pink and white socks!



Ok, I wanted to let you all know that I rode 18.5 miles of KILLER hills, was the oldest in the bunch by 5 years and held the middle of the pack of about 18 women. There were so many beautiful homes, I am surprised I do not have a neck ache...can't wait until next week.

15 comments:

  1. You're changing my opinion of Biker Babes!!

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  2. Renae--Your bike is Fab! So you must be. Check out my wheels....click on Katillac Shack. Also, please e-mail me...would like to include you in a post! Can't find your contact info.....

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  3. I am so impressed, Renae!
    It sounds like a wonderful trip. I am looking forward to the time when Steve and I can do something like that.
    I have a few more years to go...
    Thank you for sharing this part of yourself with us.

    xo
    Brooke

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  4. God I feel lazy after reading your post! Have fun in Atlanta!

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  5. DESIGNER INVITATION: Renae--I am back!! Thank-you for visiting the Katillac Shack!! I would like to invite you and all other designers/creatives out there--to submit pics of your home....we are selecting a new bunch of Design Stars to feature!!! A brief description of why, how and what your environment means to you.And 3 photos--can be small vignettes. If selected--and it is NOT about mag quality stuff, but about the heart and soul of your ideas-- we feature you indefinitely and give a big link to your site/blog. See current stars at the site...
    P.S. Renae--I really would love to see your home...French is a fav of mine and in the high-end side of my practice do lot with that style!

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  6. Do not let me give the impression that I ride the kind of bike rides that you do...but last fall I was on a bike trip and like you said, passed a beautiful house, I was looking at the house and hit the guy in front of me causing us both to wreak! lol So I am glad to hear that you have more control than I do when it comes to beautiful houses...

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  7. hi Renae...thanks for stopping by...it's actually my newsletter that has the interview...you can sign up at the top of my blog.
    Have a fabulous day!

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  8. I'm impressed... I would've been dead last or in the middle if I could've held onto you!

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  9. get out !!!!


    you even ride with those scary peddles !!!

    my best girlfriend does the serious ( skinny tire ) biker thing.
    she took a nasty fall the day she got the scary peddles.

    have fun & be careful !!
    xxx's

    ps i could not find you

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  10. Wow that is so great, 18.5 miles!! Wow.
    Thanks for your email, the URL that fixes my post is

    Http://feeds2.feedburner.com/colourmehappyblog

    Thanks so much for letting me know!! It drive me crazy that it's stuck on that image which I've since deleted months ago!!

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  11. Soon you will be ready for the tour de France!
    Good for you to step up and cycle! Bravo!!

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  12. HOLY SMOKES...that is awesome!!! I don't think we would ever do anything like that...hundreds of miles on a bike would kill us. BUT, we could follow in a car and be your water boys who also snap pix of the beautiful houses/landscaping you might have missed. :o)

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  13. Dear Renae:

    It was very lovely to see you at Fifi's event at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I do love the pool side cabanas and the fabulous young men who served up all that tasty bubbly. It's unfortunate they don't sell them in their gift shop! I might have had to take home several or a dozen!

    Sincerely,
    Petunia who has not ridden a bike since one humiliating event involving a parked car and her inadvertent glance at a beautiful man on the sidewalk!

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  14. Very impressive! I am not worthy! :-) I am afraid of hills...I'm a weenie. That's why I love the Silver Comet...nice and flat! :-) Enjoyed this post! Susan

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Thanks for coming by! I will always respond to your questions when you provide me with your email address.