Snowbird bicycle climb — 1992
In September of 1992, a friend invited me to ride in the annual Snowbird Bicycle Climb. Knowing essentially nothing about the ride, I agreed to participate. I was anticipating a strenuous but enjoyable ride up the canyon. On Saturday, September 12, 1992, I rode my mountain bike to the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. I had on old jeans and a sweatshirt. I even had a child seat attached to the back of my bike. Imagine my embarrassment when I saw hundreds of other participants on their sleek road racers, dressed in form fitting Nike bike racing outfits. Even my friend avoided talking to me when he saw my apparel, my fat-tired mountain bike, and especially the baby seat attached to the rear of my bicycle. I registered and was assigned to the last group. I was the very last participant to leave the parking lot when the race started. Never having been one who cared much about how others perceived me, I started out to have a good time. My two goals were to reach the finish line and to ride the entire way. I reached my goals with one additional highlight: I didn’t stop at all, as I pedaled the whole way with no rest stops. The course was ten miles long with an increase in elevation of 3800 feet. It took me 1 hour 52 minutes. It was very challenging but I enjoyed the thrill of accomplishment as I crossed the finish line (and also the long coast down the mountain road back to our home!). I received a few snide comments from other participants as they would ride by me (“You lost your baby!” “Tell me where you bought your biking clothes.” “Nice tires!”), but I enjoyed the day and the exercise. Needless to say, I did not receive an invitation to participate the next year.
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