Space Rider Gal--La chica de la Space Rider

Bar tape ~**~ Cinta del manillar

2011-06-07T20:57:00.001-07:00

Lately, I'm very interested in handlebar tape: designs, colors, textures and saw this one and really liked it! I have been riding La Pirata more in the last couple weeks and I'm really fond of my Bianchi creature. And La Relampago is getting an new double kick stand and fancy silver threaded housing cable. Yay!

Ultimamente tengo mucho interes en las cintas del manillar: disenos, colores, texturas y vi esta hace unos dias y me encanto! He estado sacando mas a La Pirata en las ultimas semanas y cada vez estoy mas satisfecha con mi bici de carreras de la casa Bianchi. Ah, y La Relampo va a estrenar pronto unas cuantas mejoras!

Busy May ~**~ Mayo ocupado

2011-06-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Many events in May with CycloMAYnia! Some pics from the fun!
Muchos eventos en Mayo con CycloMAYnia. Aqui van algunas fotos de los momentos!

BMX demo State Street, Santa Barbara

Tour of California, Solvang stage.

And Contador winning the Giro, made some peeps unhappy!

May was busy and June is shaping to be even more. How is your early summer going?
Hasta arriba con Mayo y Junio parece igualito...Como van vuestros veranos?

Chulavista

2011-05-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Visiting SD now involves a trip to its many bicycle shops. This weekend, we stopped by South Bay Bikes in Chulavista. A neat shop, with a bit of everything and a mellow SoCal attitude!

El visitar San Diego ahora incluye pasarme por sus muchas tiendas de bicis, y este finde, nos paramos por South Bay Bikes in Chulavista. Una tienda muy chula, con un poco de todo y mucho estido del sur de California.

Bike Challenge ~**~ Bici Reto

2011-05-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

I know some folks have mixed feeling about bike month but I'm having a great time this year and really loving the Santa Barbara County Traffic Solution Bike Challenge. My team is kicking ass!

Se que algun@s no estan segur@s de los beneficios del mes de la bici, pero yo me lo estoy pasando genial con el Bici-Reto de la ONG Soluciones del Trafico del condado de Santa Barbara. Mi equipo va de los primeritos!

2011-05-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Been very busy here but had a lovely time with friend visiting from the homeland.
Our bike mobil project is going great! Finally I get around to post some pics!

Mobil workshop bike ~**~ Bici Taller mobil

The mechanic super ~**~ El super mecanico

Super ocupda con muchos projectos y siendo una buena anfitriona ya que una amiga de Guada me estaba visitando. Ah, y la bici movil va fenomenal! Finalmente me da tiempo a subir unas
fotos!

Our other super mechanic with happy customer ~**~ Nuestro otro mecanico con clienta contentisima

Chocolates ~**~ Bombones

2011-04-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

Got wonderfully surprised on Sunday when the hubby got ready for me a cute little Easter basket with the most exquisite chocolates you can buy around here; CaliBressan, hand made by a French chocolate chef with Californian heart. I'm not being paid for talking about these chocolates, they are so good, that I find it a crime that others don't know about them and try them.

And to burn some calories, our BiciCentro-mobil-bike-workshop is finally ready. I'll be posting about the project and our adventures soon!

Vaya sorpresa cuando el domingo mi marido me habia preparado una cestita con una caja de los deliciosos bombones CaliBressan, artesanalmente creados en Carpinteria por un chocolatero frances con corazon californiano. Que quede claro que no me pagan por anunciar sus chocolates, pero estan tan buenos que quiero que mas personas tengan la oportunidad de provarlos.

Y para quemar calorias, nada mejor que nuestra BiciCentro-taller-movil, que ya esta lista! Pronto subire unas fotos de nuestras aventuras.

Bicycle Day ~**~ Dia de la Bici

2011-04-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

It's April 19 so happy bicycle day to all!

Es el 19 de Abril asi que feliz dia de la bici a tod@s!!!!

Bici Centro

2011-04-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

Some pics of theproject I have been working for lately at Santa Barbara Bici Centro. This the front door to Bici Centro, our community bike shop. Below it is our XtraCycle movil bike repair to go repair bikes at different neighborhoods and also hanging out at the shop during our community hours.

Unas fotos del proyecto en el que he estado trabajando en Bici Centro de Santa Barbara. La entrada a Bici Centro, limpiando nuestra XtraCycle bici movil para ir a los diferentes barrios y arreglar bicis y tambien en el talleer durante las horas que estan abiertas a la comunidad.

CicLAvia 2011

2011-04-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun at CicLAvia yesterday. It was crowded but everyone was nice and respectful. It definitely gave me a very different perspective of Los Angeles. LA from the saddle, without cars and with lots of people on the street it is very different.

Me lo pase fenomenal ayer domingo en CicLAvia. Toda la gente era respetuosa y amable. Definitivamente me dio una perspective muy diferente de la ciudad de Los Angeles. LA desde el sillin de la bici, sin coches y con gente en la calle se ve muy diferente.

Twins ~**~ Gemelas

2011-04-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Nutcase Twins! So much fun on Thursday nigh!

Gemelas Nutcase! Lo pasamos genial el jueves por la noche!

It is not laziness ~**~ No es pereza

2011-04-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

It's been so hard to keep this blog going, but I'm going to give it one more try and see what happens. I've busy volunteering in a super exciting project with the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition Spanish Outreach Committee but I have completely neglected my beloved blog...
Ok, enough b*^%!ing and moaning!

This week's events:

Appetizer: Santa Barbara Bike Moves on Thursday. If you are around join us, after party at The Sporty, funds go to our neighborhood bike movil project.
Main Course: CicLavia on Sunday .It doesn't need presentation and I can't hardly wait!!!

Es dificil mantener este blog pero yo voy a darle una oportunidad más y ver qué pasa. He estado ocupada voluntariando en un projecto super interesante para la Coalición de Bicicletas de Santa Barbara y su comite de acercamiento a la comunidad de habla hispana y por eso he descuidado por completo mi querido blog ...

Los eventos para esta semana:

Aperitivo: Santa Barbara Bicis en Movimiento este jueves. Vente con nosotros si estas por aqui. La after-fiesta en el Sporty y los fondos van a nuestro proyecto bicicleta movil de barrio.

Plato Principal: CicLavia el domingo en Los Angeles. Este evento no necesita presentación y me muero de ganas de que sea domingo!!

Yellow tights ~**~ Medias Amarillas

2011-02-24T17:44:00.000-08:00

Yellow tights for a chilly Santa Barbara morning. I dedicate this post to Meli and send her tons of positive energy.

Medias amarillas para una fresca mañana en Santa Barbaba. Este post va dedicado a Meli, a quien mucho cariño le mando una tonelada de energia positiva.

The Mixte Gallery ~**~ La galeria de las Mixtes

2011-02-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

La Relampago and I are so happy that we got featured in The Mixte Gallery. We love the site! Click here if you'd like to read the post.

La relampago y yo estamos super contentas ya que estamos en La Galeria de las Mixtes, un blog que nos encanta! Si quieres leer la entrada, pincha aqui.

Finding time ~**~ Sacando el tiempo

2011-02-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a hiatus in my posting and I feel bad about it, but working, volunteering for three agencies (Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition-BiciCentro, Foodbank, and public Library Adult Literacy) and trying to keep a balance with everything leaves little time to my rants and raves in this blog...My hope is to be able to post at least once a week from now on!

I guess my way to keep connected and in the loop is by reading fellow bloggers news, and it makes me smile to see that the snow is melting in Boston, Chicago, and NY. I also love to read about the super nice gals from SF and their adventures, and reading about Simply Bike pregnancy, she is awsome! And for learning, of course I can't miss Lovely Bicycle and Eco Velo, so instructional and didactic! And for fun, my favorite new blog from Madrid: I love Bicis, a blog sponsored by the newspaper El Pais.

I keep commuting by bicycle to work daily and attacking some mean hills on the road bike on the weekends. Oh, and I finally named the Bianchi Brava, I decided to call her La Pirata in honor of Mario Pantani, one of my favorites riders ever. And maybe, just maybe La Pirata gets inspired by her name and together we climb the hills faster!

As this weekend was a 3 day weekend one, I got around to get more things done and found the time to go on a ride with my friend Christa from Bike by the Sea. We rode lazily to brunch and we had time to catch up. She is already planning the Santa Barbara 2011 bicycle fashion show "bici bonita" so if you plan to be around Santa Barbara on May 5, please join us for the festivities, it should be very fun!

Pic below is her with her new ride: a black Bowery Lane single speed, a mega cool bike!

Sé que ha habido un paréntesis en mis posts y me siento mal por ello, pero con el trabajo y el voluntariado en tres organismos (Coalición de Bicicletas de Santa Barbara -BiciCentro, el Banco de Alimentos, y el programa de alfabetización de adultos a traves de la biblioteca publica) es dificil mantener un equilibrio y sacar tiempo para escribir mis revueltos pensamientos en este blog ... Mi meta es por ahora ser capaz de publicar al menos una vez a la semana!

Y por lo menos, me siento conectada a traves de la lectura de los blogs compañer@s y me hace sonreír ver que la nieve se está derritiendo en Boston, Chicago y Nueva York. También me gusta leer acerca de las super divertiedas aventuras de las chicas de San Pancho y ver como progresa el embrazo de Simply Bike, vaya pedazo de muchacha! Y desde luego para no perder onda en los temas didacticos no me pierdo a Lovely Bicycle y Eco Velo. Y luego, en plan relax me encanta leer mi nuevo blog favorito de Madrid: I love Bicis, patrocinado por periodico El Pais.

Y dia a dia continuo con los desplazamientos en bicicleta al trabajo y con fuerza ataco las cerros con la bicicleta de carretera en los fines de semana. Ah, finalmente le puse nombre a la Bianchi Brava, decidí llamarla La Pirata en honor a Mario Pantani, uno de mis ciclistas favoritos y a ver si La Pirata se inspira y subimos mejor las cuestas!

Como este fin de semana fue de 3 días me dio un poco mas de tiempo y pude salir de paseo con mi amiga Christa de Bike by the Sea para almorzar y ponernos al día, ya que ella ya está planeando el desfile de moda de la bicicletas de Santa Barbara "bici bonita" y si alguien va a estar por qui sobre el 5 de mayo, pues nos encantaria que se nos uniera a la fiesta!

La foto de arriba es Christa con su bici nueva, una preciosa Bowery Lane de una velocidad.

Bici Perfume

2011-02-11T19:04:00.000-08:00

Couldn't resist this solid Le Labo perfume: smells super nice (jasmine, tuberose, vetiver) and the bicycle theme sticker is so cute!

No me pude resistir el comprar este perfume de Le Labo en barra, con un olor estupendo (jazmin, vetiver y tuberosa) y con una pegatina chulisima de una bici.

Cats, Bicycles, Coffee and Barcelona ~**~ Gatos, bicis, cafe y Barcelona

2011-01-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Didn't get to post this pics from trip to Barcelona last year and our stop at Els Quatre Gats (the four cats in English), such an old institution of the Modernist Movement in Spain.
I love the Ramon Casas's self-portrait of himself riding a tandem and the four cats of the coat of arms. And, also, if you've read The Shadow of the Wind (one of my favorite books) this is one of the most important places in the novel.

No me dio tiempo a poner estas fotos del viaje a Barcelona la pasada Navidad y esta parada en Els Quatre Gats (los cuatro gatos) toda un institucion de las tertulias del modernismo.
Me encanta el cuadro del autoretrato de Ramon Casas montando en un tandem y el escudo de los cuatro gatos. Y ademas si te has leido La sombra del viento (por cierto, uno de mis libros favoritos) este es uno de los lugares mas importantes de la novela!

Second Nature ~**~ Segunda naturaleza

2011-01-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

Today something quite funny happened to me when I was coming back home after spending my workday in Santa Maria (about 1 hour from SB). I was about half way and I saw a pothole in the road and automatically I lifted my rear in order to avoid the impact of the bumbpy road...the funny part is that I was not on my bike and lifting my behind wasn't necessary as I was driving an official vehicle! I immediately realized how silly my reaction was and I giggled all the way left....Is cycling becoming second nature? Do you ever find yourself reacting like if you were riding even though in reality you are not?

Hoy me pasó algo muy gracioso cuando regresaba a casa después de pasar mi día de trabajo en Santa María (a una hora de Santa Barbara). Estaba como a la mitad de camino y vi un bache en la carretera y automáticamente levanté el trasero para evitar el impacto de la carretera en mi cuerpo ... lo gracioso es que yo no estaba en mi bici y levantar el trasero no era necesario ya que estaba en un vehículo oficial! Inmediatamente me di cuenta de mi reacción y me rei por el resto del camino .... ¿Sera que el ciclismo se esta convirtiéndo en una segunda naturaleza para mi ? ¿Os pasa que reacionais como si fuerais en bici cuando no lo estais en realidad?

Ma Vie en Rose ~**~ Mi vida en rosa

2011-01-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

I finally decided to go for pink and this is the final result. All the black in the previous handlebar tape, rims, crank, stem gave La Brava a very serious and tough look. I'm very pleased with this softer look. The shellac makes it shinny and the twine makes it informal. I really like how the pink cotton tape contrasts with the blue frame and how it brings together a more fun and fresh look in the overall aesthetics of the bike.

Finalmente me decidí por la cinta rosa y este es el resultado final. Todo el negro que tenía en la cinta del manillar anterior, en las llantas, y las bielas hacia que La Brava tuviera un look muy serio y ahora estoy muy satisfecha con este nuevo aspecto. El barniz le da brillo, el cordel el cáñamo le da un aire informal y la cinta de algodón de color rosa contrasta con el azul del cuadro de la bici y le da un toque más suave y divertido.

2011-01-20T18:46:00.000-08:00

If you are a Californian cyclist please consider taking action.

Si vives en California y eres ciclista, considera actuar!

********************************************************

Thanks again for signing the Peopleforbikes.org pledge in support of safer and better bicycling. You and 180,000 other Americans are powering this important movement.

Now, as the campaign enters phase 2, we need your help. We need you to send a short email today to your U.S. Representative that affirms your interest in safe and convenient bicycling, and asks your member of Congress to support ongoing funding for bike projects and crucial programs such as Safe Routes to School.

We are sorry to report that some members of Congress, particularly in the House of Representatives, want to dramatically (and disproportionally) cut the cost-effective federal investment in bicycling projects and programs, like bike paths, bike lanes, trails, and more. They simply don’t know (or overlook) these facts:

Bicycling and walking are essential to our communities.
Federal transportation investments that support these activities boost our economy, help individuals and government agencies save money, and directly address key societal challenges such as obesity and road congestion.
Biking and walking currently total 12% of the trips that Americans make but cost just 1.5% of our transportation spending. That’s the type of cost effectiveness we need now!

We’ve gathered lots of statistics and case studies that back these key points. You can read them here.

In the next two months, Congress will make important decisions that will not only affect the future of bicycling, but possibly your own hometown bike riding experiences. That’s why we need you to send a short note now to your U.S. Representative.

You can find your representative and send your note directly from our website. Click here to review clear, basic, suggested text for your email. Feel free to customize it and/or add a short personal story.

Meanwhile, whatever the weather, we hope that you continue to bike, enjoy every ride, and reap all the benefits.

Thanks so much for your continuing interest and support.

Tim Blumenthal
Director, Peopleforbikes.org

Lovely Vintage Bike ~**~ Precios bicicleta de epoca

2011-01-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

And this beauty is from the 30's and runs like butter! I rode on Sunday afternoon and after truly felt in love with the balloon tires.

Y esta preciosidad de los 30 va como la seda! La probe el domingo por la tarde y me enamore de las llantas gorditas.

Murals in Lompoc ~**~ Los murales de Lompoc

2011-01-18T19:50:00.000-08:00

Fun Sunday afternoon kicking it in Lompoc to check out their mega cool street murals.

Divertida tarde de domingo en Lompoc disfrutando de sus bellos murales callejeros.

2011-01-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about redoing my handle bars tape with cloth tape and then shellac it.
Rivandell has way too many colors and I can't decide which one to get. What color would you choose?

Estoy pensando en que quiero cambiar la cinta de corcho del manillar por la de tela y luego ponerla una mano de barniz, pero no me decido por el color ya que hay un monton en Rivandell. Que color os gusta mas?

Ventura Sunday ~**~ Domingo en Ventura

2011-01-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

First longish ride in 2011: a 28 mile Sunday ride with La Brava. My behind is still feeling it! The nicest part about this ride was going by the beach for quite a while. It was peaceful and beautiful. I'm looking forward to more longer rides in 2011.

Primer paseo del 2011: 28 millas el domingo con la Brava. Mi trasero aun se resiente. Lo mejor de esta ruta es que una buena parte del trayecto es por la playa lo cual hace el camino bastante tranquilo y hermoso. Espero poder disfrutar de mas salidas largas durante este 2011.

Bici T-shirt ~**~ Camiseta con Bici

2011-01-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

My sweet co-worker got me the loveliest T-shirt! She said she saw it and immediately thought about me. I love the sweet present and that little by little my coworkers are noticing bikes and some of the them are talking about giving it a try when the weather gets better.

Mi compi del trabajo me regalo esta preciosa camiseta, dice que la vio y que inmediatamente se acordo de mi. Me encanta el regalo y ademas es que poco a poco he notado como van apreciando las bicis y algunos incluso hablan de darle un intento cuando tengamos mejor tiempo.

Homesick ~**~ Nostalgia

2011-01-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

I'm back from Spain after spending some time with family and friends, and now I'm tired, cold jet-lagged, and homesick, and yes, I know that I'm being a wanner....and I'm sorry I have been lagging to check-in... To cheer myself up, I guess, I'll post some of my fave pics from the trip. It's the "rotonda del ciclista" in my town, right outside my barrio.

Ya estoy de vuelta de España después de pasar tiempo con la familia y amigos pero ahora estoy cansada, tengo frío, de mal humor por el cambio de hora (9 horas de diferencia) y mucha nostalgia, y sí, ya sé que estoy siendo una quejica y siento que me ha costado un poco reconectarme. Bueno, para animarme un poco voy a subir unas de mis fotos favoritas del viaje. Es la "Rotonda del ciclista" en mi ciudad, justo afuera de mi barrio.

Lights ~**~ Luces

2010-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

It is fun to ride in the evening by illuminated streets with Xmas lights! Last year I went to Spain very early in December and pretty much missed seeing all the lights up in my neighborhood. It has been pretty magical to ride with La Relampago after work and see the fun decorations. And, only 4 days to be Guada and eat turron!!!

Me gusta pasar con la bici por calles ilumindadas con luces de navidad, ya que las anteriores navidades, me fui a casa a principios de diciembre y aun no habian puesto aqui las luces. Es un poco magico salir del trabajo y subirme en La Relampago y ver la decoraciones. Ya solo quedan 4 dias para estar en Guada y comer turron!

New shoes ~**~ Zapatos nuevos

2010-12-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

Cycle chic moment of the day: riding to worth this morning with my new cheetah skin penny loafers!

Momento Cycle Chic del dia: De caminito al trabajo con mis mocasines nuevos de charol de piel de pantera!

Pizza & Beer ~**~ Pizza y Cerves

2010-12-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

Finally on Sunday I got to go on a longer ride after my ankle incident, I went for almost 10 miles, and although it's not a long distance, the hills and the lack of practice made me feel tired and ready for a treat. And what is better than oven fired pizza and local beer? This pic is from Sunday evening at Full of Life in Los Alamos. I love their oven, their flatbread pizza and the Telegraph beer!

Finalmente, el domingo sali con la bici por 10 millas, un tanto más largo desde mi incidente del tobillo y aunque no es una larga distancia, las colinas y la falta de practica me hizo sentir cansada y lista para un darme un capricho. Y que es mejor que una buena pizza de horno de leña y cerveza artesanal? Esta foto es del domingo en Full of Life en Los Alamos. Y como me gusta su horno, su pizza y las cervezas de Telegraph!

Warm weather ~**~ Buen tiempo

2010-12-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

Reading some of the post of bloggers from colder parts of the US and Europe such as Let's Go Ride a Bike, Simply Bike, Cycle Chic from Copenhagen makes me appreciate that I leave in Southern California, and although I love the idea of hats, gloves, scarfts and coats when I experience the cold I can't handle it very well. I'm preparing myself for Guada's cold winter as I'll be going home in one week but meanwhile, I'm enjoying the sun and I loved the warm weather we are getting in Santa Barbara. And although the leaves are down, over the weekend we had over 70F weather.

Leer los blogs de bicis de otras partes mas frias de Estados Unidos y de Europa como Let's Go Ride a Bike, Simply Bike, and Cycle Chic de Copenhange me hace apreciar el vivir en el sur de California. Y aunque me encantas los gorros, guantes, bufandas y abrigos, la verdad es que el frio me pone de mal humor. Ya me estoy empezando a preparar para el frio de Guada ya que me voy a casa en una semana a pasar las fiestas, pero mientras tanto a disfrutar del buen tiempo que hemos tenido en Santa Barbara estos ultimos dias, las hojas se han caido pero durante el finde las temperaturas eran de mas de 21 grados centigrados.

Folding Bikes ~**~ Bici Plegables

2010-12-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

It seems that folding bikes are getting very popular around SB. This pretty white one was parked in front of the my fave coffee shop and the right across the street at the same moment there was this lady on her red one. I see the appeal and would like to own one!

Parece que las bicis plegables se se estan poniendo de moda en SB. Esta blanca estaba estacionada en frente de mi cafeteria favorita y al otro lado de la calle al mismo tiempo había una señora con una roja. Veo como son de practicas y no me importaria para nada tener una.

Pola Bear ~**~ Oso Polar

2010-12-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

In my way to work I see this cool polar bear family everyday! The shop is a "member only barbershop," and you can get a hair cut and smoke a cigar....not sure I approve of the exclusiveness but I love their decorations....

En el camino al trabajo veo a esta familia de osos polares cada dia! El negocio es una barberia para limitada a miembros exclusivos donde te puedes cortar el pelo y fumar un puro. No me parece bien su sistema exclusivo pero me encantas sus adornos de Navidad....

And this is one of the the fancy window displays of The Bici shop State Street. They do such a nice job, the Halloween display was truly artistic!

Y este es uno de los escaparates de la tienda The Bici en la calle State, y es que ellos hacen un trabajo excelente con sus decoraciones, las de Halloween eran realmente artisticas.

And our Xmas tree!
Y nuestro arbol de Navidad!

Just pedal ~**~ Dale al pedal

2010-12-06T20:00:00.001-08:00

After quite many days off the bike due to injury, I finally rode La Relampago today. I was so excited this morning that I couldn't stop smiling! Riding back home in the evening was great, although my ankle was a little swollen and tender...but I didn't care, seeing all the Xmas lights up from the bikelane was really lovely. I'm bringing the camara and will post some pics tomorrow and for now enjoy this beautiful sunset!

Despues de no montar en bici por muchos dias, hoy por fin sali con La Relampago y estaba tan contenta que no podia parar de sonreir en todo el camino al trabajo. De regreso a casa en la tarde desde el carril de bicis la ciudad estaba preciosa con todas las luces de Navidad, aunque al llegar a casa me dolia un poco el tobillo y lo tenia hinchado... ah, que le vamos a hacer!....Sin falta pongo fotos mañana y por el momento disfrutaz de esta hermosa puesta de sol!

Coffee ~**~ Cafe

2010-12-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

Before I messed up my ankle, I visited the SB Natural History Museum as they have an special exhibition about coffee and found it to be really informative and nicely done!

Oh, and Blue Whale skeleton restoration it done and is really cool!

Visite el museo de historia natural como tienen una muestra especial sobre la historia del cafe, me gusto mucho!

Ah, y ya han terminado la restauracion del esqueleto de la ballena azul, ha quedado chulisimo!

December Bike Moves ~**~ Bicis en Movimiento de Diciembre

2010-12-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Won't be able to join Bike Moves tomorrow, really bummed! but if you are around, join the fun!
Theme is awesome: Bikemare before Christmas.

Realmente estoy "j@#$%da" por no poder salir con Bike Moves este jueves pero si andas por aqui, unete al grupo, es super divertido.
El tema del disfraz es estupendo: Bikemare before Christmas basado en la peli the Tim Burton!

TCS Music ~**~Musica de los TCS

2010-12-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

And since I can't still ride, I have been watching others do it with style. Check out Scottish Frank, lead singer from the TCS, riding around San Diego on this beautiful orange Schwinn. I love this band!

Y como no puedo montar, me paso el rato mirando a otros que lo hacen con estilo. Fijate en Frank, el cantante escoces del grupo TCS, montando en una Schwinn naranja por San Diego. Me encanta este grupo!

Turkey weekend ~**~ Finde de accion de gracias

2010-11-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

Had a nice Thanksgiving weekend in San Diego, although for Southern California it was chilly!
Enjoyed all the vegetarian side dishes (pass on the big bird as I'm vegetarian) and had lots of fun playing outdoors.

Went for a hike in Cuyamaca, a sunset stroll in the OB pier and enjoyed some yummy pizza in Filippis after a walk in the farmer's market in Little Italy!

Everything was great until yesterday Sunday in our drive up to Santa Barbara we decided to stop for a coffee break and rolled my ankle to the point that I had to see a doctor as it was so swollen this morning and couldn't walk. Nothing is broken but I have to rest and stay off the bike for a while. I'm so so f&*$*# upset.

Un buen fin de semana de Acción de Gracias en San Diego, aunque para el sur de California hacía frío! Disfrute mucho de los platos tipicos vegetarionos de estas fechas ya que al ser vegetariana no como pavo. Salímos a dar una caminata en Cuyamaca, un paseo al atardecer por el muelle de OB y una pizza deliciosa en Filippis despues de deambular por el mercadillo de los granjeros en el barrio italiano!

Todo estaba muy bien hasta que ayer domingo de regreso a Santa Bárbara decidimos parar para tomar un café y me doble el tobillo hasta el punto que tuve que ver a un médico, ya que estaba super hinchado esta mañana no podia andar. No hay nada roto, pero tengo que hacer reposo y no voy a poder montar en bici por un rato y esto me j%$#@ intensamente.

Rain ~**~ Lluvia

2010-11-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

Fun happy hour on Friday with friends but rain lots riding back home. Never before I had ridden in such a heavy rain but it wasn't actually so bad. I'm glad I have brand new brakes and rims...leather gloves were also helpful. It took a little longer to make it home but the ride was peaceful and almost "magical"....warm clothes and a little Jameson was all I needed once I got home.

Divertida Hola Feliz el viernes con amig@s pero de regreso a casa llovia a mares y nunca antes habia montado en bici con tanta lluvia, pero la verdad es que no fue tan mal como pensaba. Fue un alivio tener frenos y ruedas de aluminio nuevas, ademas de guantes de cuero. Me tarde un poco mas que de costumbre en llegar, pero fue super tranquilo, casi "magico" y cuando por fin llegue a casa ropa seca y un chupito de Jameson fue todo lo que necesite.

Owls ~**~ Búhos

2010-11-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I got to go an open house of a raptor sanctuary in Ojai and got to see lots of wonderful birds that are in the process of being rehabilitated. My favorite ones the owls; they are so cool looking!
Este pasado fin de semana fui un la apertura de un santuario de aves rapaces en Ojai y pude ver una gran cantidad de aves maravillosas que están en proceso de ser rehabilitadas. Mis favoritas los búhos, y es que son tan chulos!

100 posts ~**~ 100 artículos

2010-11-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

And this is post number 100 so to celebrate it I'll do a review of my bikes and what they mean to me. I know it sounds cheesy, but I love them and they each of them at a particular time have brought so much joy to my life. I can't longer imagine not riding a bike and do appreciate so much being part of my local bike and the bikey bloggy communities.

Y este es el post número 100 y para celebrarlo voy a hacer una revisión de mis bicis y de lo que significan para mí. Sé que suena cursi, pero me encantan y que cada una de ellas en un momento determinado ha traído mucha alegría a mi vida. Yo ya no puedo imaginar el no andar en bicicleta y ahora aprecio que es una gran parte de vida y me connecta con la comunidad ciclista local y con la biciblogesfera del mundo mundial!

My first love: La Buenva Fortuna, a Schwinn Fair Lady from 1971. When I got this bike I basically did not know how to ride and was going through some rough times in my life. This bike gave me confidence and helped me to realize that I could basically do anything I put my mind to it.

Mi primer amor: La Buenva Fortuna, una Schwinn Fair Lady de 1971. Cuando compré esta bici básicamente no sabía cómo montar y estaba pasando por momentos difíciles en mi vida. Esta bici me dió confianza en mi misma y me ayudó a darme cuenta de que podía hacer básicamente cualquier cosa que me propusierá.

Sanity Theraphy: La Pajarita, a Raleigh Space Rider from 1965. I got this bike during the time I was unemployed and rode around everyday. It kept me sane, connected me to some wonderful new friends and cyber-friend and got me started on this blog.

Terapia de cordura: La Pajarita, una Raleigh Space Rider de 1965. Compréesta bici durante el tiempo en el que estaba desempleada y me paseaba todos los días para no volverme loca. Eso me mantuvo cuerda, me conectó con algunos maravillosos amig@s nuevos de mi ciudad y con amig@s cibernétic@s y me inspiró a escribir este blog.

Back to myself: La Relampago a mixte Univega from 1978. This bike means employment to me, riding to work everyday and a sense of myself. This bike has also been a road to learning about restoration and the art of mechanical work on a vintage bike. Oh, I love my faithful lightening bolt!

Volver a mí misma: La Relámpago una mixte Univega de 1978. Esta bici simboliza el empleo y el montar en bici para ir al trabajo cada día, recuperar un sentido de mí misma. Esta bici me ha servido tambien para aprender sobre de la restauración y el arte del trabajo mecánico en una bicicleta antigua. Hay come adoro a la relampago!

Fast times: Bianchi Brava from 2011. Newest member of the family and fast, fast, fast and with her unique personality. We are getting used to each other and enjoying climbing together the nice hills in Santa Barbara. I think we'll be together for a long time.

Rápidos tiempos: Bianchi Brava de 2011. El nuevo miembro de la familia y rápida, rápida, rápida y con una personalidad única. Nos estamos acostumbrando la una a la otra y lo pasamos estupendo escaladando juntas las cuestas de Santa Barbara. Creo que vamos a estar juntas por mucho tiempo.

Back at work ~**~ De nuevo en el trabajo

2010-11-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

And La Relampago is back looking fantastic! She spent some time at the Wheelhouse and Thomas did an outstanding job! Here she is parked at work, she even got a new pair of panniers! At lunch today I went for a one hour ride around town and must say that she rides smooth like butter!

Y La Relámpago ya está de vuelta en estado excepcional! Pasó unos dias al cuidado de Thomas, mecanico de Wheelhouse, quien hizo un trabajo excepcional! Aquí está toda radiante aparcada en el trabajo, toda guapa está con su nuevo par de maletas! En la hora del almuerzo en el trabajo hoy la saque para dar una vuelta y estoy completamente satisfecha ya que ahora va suave como la mantequilla !

Upgrades ~**~ Mejoras

2010-11-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

I miss La Relampago so much, she is in the shop getting upgraded, new wheels and tires, brakes, and levers! Can't wait to bring it back home and take it for a ride.

Y cuanto hecho de menos a La relampago, ahora esta en el taller y le estan haciendo unas mejoras, para que ademas de esta guapa vaya mas suave. Le vamos a poner ruedas y llantas nuevas y frenos. Que ganas tengo de que regrese a casa y sacarla a da una vuelta.

Avila Beach ~**~ Playa de Avila

2010-11-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

Lovely weekend up in Avila Beach, a small coastal community. Took the Bianchi and rode it around, I'm still getting used to it and scare myself when it goes too fast! There were lots of casual cyclists out, and whole families with the children, the moms & the dads, of course with amazing hills and nice country roads in the area there were lots of folks in full Lycra kit.

Fin de semana estupendo en Avila Beach, un pueblecito costero a una hora y media de Santa Barbara. Me subi la Bianchi para pasear por esta zona y como todavía me estoy acostumbrando a lo rápido que va, de vez en cuando me doy un buen susto. Había un montón de ciclistas y familias enteras con los niños, las mamás y los papás, por supuesto con las colinas tan increíbles que hay por la zona había much@s al estilo lycra!

Mustacheers ~**~Bigotud@s

2010-11-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun to go last night to Bike Moves after having missed the last two rides. The weather was great and there were so many folks out and about. It was also very nice to see familiar faces and say hi bike moves friends! I think the theme was fun and simple, which made it super easy for people to participate without lots of preparation.

Fue muy divertido ir anoche al Bike Moves "Bicis en Movimiento" después de no haber podido ir a los últimos dos paseos. La buena temperatura hizo que mucha gente se animará a salir. También fue muy agradable ver caras conocidas y el poder saludar a amig@s del mundillo de las bicis aqui en SB! Pienso que el tema fue muy divertido y sencillo, lo que hizo muy fácil para tod@s el participar sin mucha preparación.

Mustache Ride ~**~ Bicibigotes

2010-11-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

If you are in the area tomorrow Thursday November 4th join us for the Bike Moves Mustache Ride.

Si estas en la zona, vente con nosotros en la Bici Bigotes el primer jueves de Noviembre.

Halloween

2010-10-30T09:10:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween! Safe pedaling and trick-or-treating!

Feliz dia de las Brujas! Que lo paseis bien pedaleando!

Girly Death ~**~ Las Muertitas

2010-10-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I volunteered with my co-workers at the Santa Barbara Zoo for a non-profits lead trick-or-treat event. The theme was "Day of the Death" and we had a blast distributing over 1,000 children toothbrushes. Riding back home later in the evening I scared quite a few people with my scary make-up! There were many smiles as well as some people realized that I was Frida!

I can't wait for Halloween, it's my very favorite Holiday here in the US! What will be your costume? Will you ride to a party?

El viernes pasado yo y mis compañeras de trabajo fuimos al Zoológico de Santa Bárbara para una fiesta de ONGs para un evento de Halloween. El tema de los disfraces fue del "Día de los Muertos" y nos lo pasamos genial distribuyendo mas de 1.000 cepillos de dientes a los niños. De camino a casa con la bici asuste a bastante gente con mi terrorifico maquillaje! Y tambien hubo quien sonrio al darse cuenta que era la calavera de Frida!

Me encanta Halloween, es mi fiesta favorita aqui en Estados Unidos! ¿Cuál será tu disfraz? ¿Vas a una fiesta de disfraces en bici?

2011 Bianchi Brava

2010-10-23T09:55:00.001-07:00

Well...I finally did it, after thinking and thinking, pros & cons., I decided that I wanted to experience the feel of a new road bike...and here is the Brava. I'm still getting used to how fast it rides!
I'll do a whole post soon about all the details.

Bueno ... después de pensar y pensar, pros y contras., al final decidí que quería experimentar la sensación de una bicicleta de carretera nueva ... y aquí está la Brava. Todavía me estoy acostumbrando a lo rápida que es y como responde!
Pronto escribire un post sobre los detalles.

Sore ~**~ Dolorida

2010-10-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm pretty sore...I felt down and it hurts....hubby said "better bruised leg and broken spirit" and he is right...but it does hurt indeed!
I got pretty mad when I went done not because my hills and purse were in the middle of the road, I was really upset because the only reason I felt was because a touring bus was parked illegally in a red zone and I couldn't see if cars were coming at a one way cross intersection.
Suddenly a car came pretty fast and I got scared and lost my balance and went down. I'm glad I was able to react promptly and got off the intersection quickly.
I didn't call the police, I just got back on my bike and rode to work...but now that the day is almost over and all my bones hurt, I think I should had call the cops and report the f ^&%$ illegal bus parking....

Sí, estoy bastante dolorida ... me caí y me duele .... mi esposo dijo que "peor tener la pierna rota que el espíritu demolido" y tiene razón ... pero me duelen de verdad todos los huesos!

Me enfade mucho cuando me fuí al suelo con mi bolso y tacones en medio de la carretera; mi furia se derivaba de que la causa era que había un autobús estacionado ilegalmente en una zona roja y no pudía ver si los coches venían para cruzar la intersección.
De pronto apareció un coche muy rápido, me asusté y perdí el equilibrio y me caí al suelo. Me alegro de que fuí capaz de reaccionar rápidamente y me salí de la intersección con rapidez.
No llamé a la policía, me subí a mi bicicleta y continue mi camino al trabajo.... pero ahora que el día está a punto de terminar y me duele todo creo que debería había llamado a la policía para reportar el estacionamiento ilegal del jodido autobus.. ..

Son Jorocho

2010-10-04T20:18:00.001-07:00

Mexican band Pura Pulpa straight from Mexico performed on Saturday at Casa de la Guerra as part of the Son Jorocho Music Festival. It was super fun. There were many other bands, great food and amazing churros!

El grupo Pura Pulpa de Mexico actuando el sabado en Casa de la Guerra en Santa Barbara durante el festival de musica son jorocho. Fue super divertido, habia un monton de grupos, excelente comida y churros increibles!

Sol food ~**~ Comida del Sol

2010-10-03T09:04:00.001-07:00

Saturday fun at Santa Barbara's Sol Food Festival! Folks from Traffic Solutions did a great job illustrating the benefits of riding your bike to the Farmer's Market.

Lots of information, people, fun things to check out and great beer and wine garden with local products. The end of the festival was great, I end up winning a great bag full of produce and flowers!
Mucha diversión el sábado en el Festival de "Comida del Sol" de Santa Bárbara! La gente de Soluciones del Tráfico hizo un gran trabajo ilustrando los beneficios de andar en bicicleta para comprar en el Farmer's Market.

Gran cantidad de información, personas, cosas divertidas que mirar y un lindo jardin para degustar cerveza y vino locales.El fin de la fiesta fue genial, me acaban de ganar una gran bolsa llena de productos y flores!

Measurements ~**~ Medidas

2010-10-01T22:45:00.001-07:00

I continue considering the purchase of road bike, and today I got measured/fitted by super helpful Mr. Cranky's, but can't make up my mind...I'm considering the Bianchi Brava but not sure if it might be big for me... any advice to the novice road biker?

Continuo considerando el comprar una bici de carretera y hoy Cranky's me tomo medidas pero no puedo decidirme ya que no se que bici es mejor para mi, quiero que no sea demasiado grande, por el momento estoy considerando la Bianchi Brava pero necesito consejos!!!

Road Bike ~**~ Bici de Carretera

2010-09-29T19:30:00.001-07:00

After considering all summer long to ride a road bike being inspired by Meli and Veluria's experiences, I finally got the guts last weekend. I was up in the Monterrey Peninsula for a wedding and the hubby and I decided to rest bikes and do the 17 mile drive by bike. His plan was to get me tired so he didn't have to dance! His plan worked out perfectly, the heat, the hills and my lack of experience on a road bike left me completely wiped out!

Anyway, It was my first time riding a road bike and it was quite an experience! I loved going fast and how light the bike was in comparison to my vintage bikes. The bike was a rental though so it was not very well maintained, the harder was the brakes, by the end of the ride my hands were very tired....some of the hills were pretty big and it took me a while to climb them.

All and all it was a nice experience the ride was nice, I find myself considering the thought of getting a road bike...let's see!

Después de considerar durante todo el verano el montar en bicicleta de carretera al estar inspirada por las experiencias de Meli y Veluria finalmente el pasado fin de semana logre sacar el valor para intentarlo cuando estaba en la Península de Monterrey para una boda, asi que mi maridito y yo decidimos alquilar unas bicicletas para hacer las 17 millas en bicicleta. El plan de marido era cansarme para así que no tener que bailar! y su plan funcionó a la perfección, el calor, las colinas y mi falta de experiencia en una bicicleta de carretera me dejo sin aliento! Era mi primera vez andando en una bicicleta de carretera y fue toda una experiencia! Me encantaba ir rápido y lo ligera que es la bici a comparación con mis bicis antiguas. La bici que use era de alquiler, y no estaba muy bien mantenida, lo más difícil fue que los frenos estan mal ajustados y al final del paseo mis manos estaban muy cansadas .... algunos de los cerros eran muy grandes y me tomó mcuho tiempo para subirlos. Todos y todo lo que fue una experiencia agradable y me encuentro a mí misma considerando la idea de adquirir una bicicleta de carretera ... vamos a ver que pasa!

The Invisible Cyclists of Los Angeles ~**~ Los ciclistas Invisibles de la Ciudad de los Angeles

2010-09-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

My friends from Bibi Centro sent me this article published in the PlannnersNetwork.org about The Invisible Cyclists of Los Angeles. It's long but pretty amazing!
Sorry, this one is only in English...

***********************************************************************
The Invisible Cyclists of Los Angeles
By Omari Fuller and Edgar Beltran (PlannersNetwork.org)

Night has fallen and you’re driving through a gritty urban center when you approach an intersection. Just as you turn right through the crosswalk a dark figure materializes before you. You slam on the brakes and stop just a foot or two away. Without pausing to acknowledge the near miss, the figure cruises to the far side of the street and disappears down the sidewalk in the murky glare of streetlights.

You’ve just glimpsed an invisible cyclist.

Thousands of working-class people use bicycles to traverse cities and towns across the U.S. every day. In the city of Los Angeles, this group of cyclists is as dedicated as any other, riding through the wet of winter and simmering heat of summer.

Yet you won’t see invisible cyclists at Los Angeles City Council meetings demanding bike lanes. You might not see them in the street either, as these cyclists tend to ride alone, often intermingled with pedestrians on the sidewalk, and without lights or reflective clothing. These cyclists are also often Latino immigrants, and nearly 20,000 of them in the L.A. metropolitan area use a bicycle as their main means of transportation to work

As we’ll explain in this article, this particular group has different needs than other cyclists, yet their interests receive little attention. This article will also examine a program called City of Lights, which aims to bring invisible cyclists out of the shadows using a combination of self-empowerment training and advocacy work. We found City of Lights to be a promising model for assessing the needs of an under-served group and pursuing a more equitable distribution of resources.

Profile of an Oppressed Group
Working-class immigrant Latino cyclists face a multitude of challenges that are more pronounced than those facing most other cyclists. These include sub-standard bicycles and safety equipment, no knowledge of cyclist rights, more dangerous streets with fewer provisions for safe bicycling, increased danger of bicycle theft and robbery, police harassment, lack of health insurance, minimal publicly available data on the aforementioned conditions and no political representation. We will look at these challenges in detail to make a case for the need to address the particular oppression that this group faces.

We’ll rely on tenets from critical race theory (CRT) to help structure our arguments. A key CRT tenet considers racism to be endemic and pervasive in our society and institutions. We will note subversive effects that are specifically directed against Latino identity. CRT also uses personal narratives to amplify the other voices that challenge the dominant narratives in society. Throughout this article we’ll hear the voices of those closest to this struggle. CRT also recognizes that there are unique challenges presented by the intersection of a plurality of identities related to race, class, gender, citizenship status and innumerable other characteristics. As such, we must acknowledge the multiple identities of this group of cyclists and the oppression that members of this group must endure in the form of unfair treatment as a result of those identities.

Less Money = Less Choice + More Danger
Low-wage workers have limited transportation options, compelling them to bike. Since work may not be steady enough or income high enough to be able to afford a car, or perhaps even a monthly bus pass, some are effectively captive cyclists. Limited mobility means fewer accessible job opportunities, which perpetuates low-income status.

Many can only afford to live in older, less affluent neighborhoods. In Los Angeles, these neighborhoods have older and narrower streets with no space for bike lanes. As one cyclist in the majority-Latino neighborhood of MacArthur Park put it, “I don’t know who put all those bike lanes in Santa Monica [a more affluent and less diverse neighboring city], but they did a good job, and we need that here!”

The dangerous biking conditions that result from crumbling pavement and no separation from car traffic in these older neighborhoods disproportionately affect low-income people of color. Their affordable, second-rate bicycles strain unreliably under these conditions. Bicycle helmets, which should be indispensable for hazardous urban riding, are seen as expensive and optional.

A further hazard is the high volume of truck traffic that low-income cyclists encounter when traveling to and from work in industrial areas. According to Allison Mannos, program coordinator at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, accidents between cyclists and big-rigs are not uncommon. When injured, cyclists and their families, many of whom lack health insurance, may suffer the additional hardship of expensive medical bills.

Another infrastructure problem is the dearth of bicycle parking in high-crime neighborhoods where bikes are more likely to get stolen. Allison Mannos comments, “Even if not so many of them have a bike, at least 50 percent of them had a bike. So they’re still cyclists in the sense that many would ride if their bikes hadn’t been stolen.”

Biking while Immigrant
As immigrants, this population of cyclists experiences other challenges on top of those that arise from being low-wage workers. The many undocumented immigrants of L.A are legally barred from obtaining California driver’s licenses, limiting their transportation options by legal means on top of economic ones.

On the road, immigrant cyclists face more challenges when they have to deal with L.A. drivers. According to Adrian, a Latino student who is also active in the burgeoning Los Angeles bicycle movement, “Older Latino immigrants don’t know their rights. Due to language issues or being misinformed, they let cars push them to ride literally right next to the curb, almost pedal striking it.” (Pedal striking is bike lingo and refers to the dangerous situation arising when the pedal strikes something, which can cause the bike to swerve wildly and the cyclist to be thrown off the bike into traffic.) Thus, although the California Vehicle Code states that bicycles have all the rights and responsibilities of vehicle drivers, including full use of the roadway, ignorance of the law contributes to immigrant cyclists being intimidated and forced into even greater danger at the margins in the gutter and on the sidewalk.

Biking while Latino
Does being Latino contribute to being stopped by police while biking? Although the Los Angeles Police Department doesn’t release data on police stops by race, we know that one of the few places they’ve set up stings to enforce a no-bikes-on-sidewalk law is in the MacArthur Park area where around 80 percent of residents are Latino. Also, adult cyclists are not required to wear a helmet, but comments like “I’ve been stopped by the cops three times for not wearing a helmet,” were common when we interviewed working-class Latino cyclists. In these instances, possible police targeting compounded by ignorance of the law leaves Latino cyclists vulnerable to mistreatment that other groups may not face.

There is little opportunity for this group to redress these and other oppressions due to their lack of representation in the civic arena. Limited English language proficiency and a community-wide mistrust of the authorities help explain why it is uncharacteristic of this group to walk into City Hall and demand better police treatment or more resources for safe biking in their neighborhoods. Complicating any effort to make such demands is the absence of accident statistics or data on police stops and ticketing that might illustrate the degree to which heightened risks affect this particular group of cyclists. That is why, according to Allison Mannos, “Any data at all, quantitative or qualitative, that we can get on the experiences of this population is a good thing.”

Who Benefits? Who Loses?
Because they ride at the margins with little evidence of their plight and without a voice in the civic arena the public is oblivious to these invisible cyclists. Critical race theorists suggest that for every disadvantaged group, another group receives some advantage. We wonder who benefits from the challenges confronting invisible cyclists. One possibility is law enforcement, which increases its revenues and police power by ticketing and detaining members of this population on questionable grounds. Motorists are another group of beneficiaries who gain in time and convenience what invisible cyclists lose in safety. In other neighborhoods of L.A. that have better amenities, residents and bicyclists may benefit from infrastructure improvements that should be shared with less affluent parts of the city.

More work should be done to identify the beneficiaries in this scenario and to eliminate the incentives that perpetuate it. In the meantime, let’s consider the current efforts being taken on behalf of the invisible cyclists.

Illuminating the Shadows: Critical Race Theory and Advocacy
City of Lights is a program of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition that was created to reach out to working-class Latino immigrant cyclists who have limited English proficiency. The program is working to ameliorate the oppressions that affect this group through advocacy and education, in the form of community workshops on safety issues, legal rights and bike maintenance.

City of Lights bike safety workshops educate cyclists on the rules of the road and safe riding techniques, essential knowledge for the dangerous areas where these cyclists ride. The educational programming is reinforced with the provision of donated safety equipment such as lights, helmets, locks and bike maps to cyclists for whom the expense of such equipment would be too great. A bike maintenance workshop might stress the importance of maintaining the proper tire pressure, which not only helps prevent having a dangerous blow-out while riding in traffic, but can save cyclists money by avoiding the costs of tire repair or replacement and travel delays. These workshops are hands-on and designed to foster self-reliance, teaching cyclists how to maintain their bikes against the strain of riding on L.A. streets. Some workshop participants have expressed that their new bike maintenance skills could open a door to employment opportunities or business ownership, which could have a very positive effect on their income. Legal rights workshops are designed to curtail the number of unwarranted citations.

Data backs up the advocacy efforts of the City of Lights program. As Allison Mannos describes, existing cyclist data provides little information on Latino immigrant cyclists, who may not feel comfortable responding to conventional bike surveys. City of Lights tries to rectify this by conducting their own surveys with questions that capture the difficulties and experiences of this group of cyclists. Quantitative data is of interest, but collecting personal narratives also affords invaluable insights. For example, asking cyclists about their riding experience in the U.S. and in their country of origin can reveal a person's economic, social and environmental motives for riding.

The next advocacy step is to raise general awareness of invisible cyclists. To that end City of Lights staff attend conferences to highlight their data findings and workshops in the low-income Latino immigrant cycling community. They also push the Los Angeles City Council and municipal departments to provide more bike lanes and bike parking where these cyclists live, work and ride and they communicate with law enforcement to request data on how often and why invisible cyclists are stopped and cited, potentially revealing and deterring oppressive police tactics.

By focusing on invisible cyclists and establishing their concerns as worthy of attention, the City of Lights efforts build on another tenet of critical race theory: centering and validating the experiences of marginalized people. According to Allison Mannos, the key is to rely on the narrated experiences of members of the specific group to identify their needs, rather than imposing on them external ideas about what their needs are. “When we talked to these cyclists,” says Mannos, “we found out they aren’t that into racing or wearing spandex, but they are interested in having a place where they can work on their bikes and see other people like them. Our priority now is to create spaces like that where they can build their own cycling community.”

Bringing invisible cyclists together and out of the shadows should help address their numerous challenges and, hopefully, make your next encounter with them far less harrowing.

Omari Fuller and Edgar Beltran are master’s candidates in the Department of Urban Planning at the UCLA School of Public Affairs.

Helmet hair ~**~ Pelocasco

2010-09-21T18:55:00.001-07:00

The fog, the sweat and the helmet give me this sort of cool helmet hair, there are days I like it, oh well!

La niebla, el sudor y el caso me dan este simi-artistico pelocasco, hay dias en los que incluso me gusta...que le vamos a hacer?

The Independent ~**~ El Independiente

2010-09-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

Great article in this week Santa Barbara's Independent about the bicycle scene in Santa Barbara. This was my favorite part of the article: "The most obvious shift in ridership is the number of women on the roads. "

The article touches on CycleMania, the Fashion Show, the Bicycle Film Festival, and !st Thursday Bike Moves (pic is from my first Bike Moves, alien theme).

Articulo fabuloso sobre el ciclismo local El Independiente de Santa Barbara esta semana. Mi parte favorita de la pieza es "el cambio mas obvio es el numero de mujeres que estan montando en bicicleta en la carretera."

El articulo tambine menciona el CycleMania, el desfile de moda con bicis, el festival de cine de bicicleta y Bike Moves del primer jueves del mes (la foto es de mi primer bike moves y el tema era de aliens).

The Getty ~**~ El Getty

2010-09-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

The last couple weeks have been so busy and hard to find the time to connect with the blogsphere and missed being connected. Finally got a little break here...Last Saturday spent the day in LA at the Getty and it was a really nice day. I liked the exhibits, "Engaged Observer" was my favorite and of course strolling around in the gardens and enjoying the beautiful flowers.

The rest of this week went so by so fast, but I did managed to scape the office and get a cup of coffee at the French Press with the lovely Christa from Bikes by the Sea and volunteered yesterday morning at the Santa Barbara Bicycle Swap Met.

Las últimas dos semanas han estado tan ocupadas y me ha sido difícil encontrar el tiempo para conectar con la blogosfera aunque he hechado de menos a tod@s. Finalmente he consegido un poco de descanso y aquí estoy de nuevo ... El sábado pasado pase el día en Los Ángeles en el Getty y fue un día muy bonito. Me gustó la muestra, "Observadores Comprometidos" y por supuesto disfrute paseando por los jardines viendo las hermosas flores.

El resto de esta semana pasó tan rápido, pero sí que logre escaparme de la oficina un ratito para ir a tomar café en el French Press Christa de Bikes by the Sea. Tambien ayude como voluntaria en la mañana en el mercadillo de bicicletas de Santa Barbara.

Bicyle Swap Meet ~**~ Mercadillo de Bicicletas

2010-09-06T18:28:00.001-07:00

So excited about the Bicyle Swap Meet and the bicycle film festival coming up!

Con un muchas ganas de que ya sea el mercadillo de bicicletas y el festival de cine de bicicletas!

Shadow ~**~ Sombra

2010-09-04T13:17:00.001-07:00

I ride over this bridge at least twice a day and couldn't resit to take this pic of my shadow with this beautiful late afternoon light.

Subo y bajo este puente al menos dos veces al día y no me pude resistir el sacar esta foto de mi sombra con la hermosa luz de la tarde.

Sunset ~**~Atardecer

2010-09-04T00:30:00.001-07:00

Great way to start the 3 day weekend: bike ride to our friends' home for beers and chat.

La mejor manera de empezar el finde de 3 dias: salida en bici a casa de nuestros amigos para tomar un cerves y charlar un rato.

Murals ~**~ Murales

2010-08-30T21:57:00.001-07:00

The Granada parking structure in Santa Barbara has these beautiful murals about the Summer Solstice Celebration. The murals were created by artists Richard McLaughlin and Benjamin Bottoms.

El parking del teatro Granada en Santa Barbara tiene estos hermosos mulares de los artistas Richard McLaughlin y Benjamin Bottoms que conmemoran la celebracion del Solsticio de verano.

White Electra ~**~ Electra Blanca

2010-08-29T19:38:00.001-07:00

The lovely lady is Henny, a local Santa Barbara artist and bicyclist. She is so cool with her white Electra. When I snapped this pic she was coming from the Sunday Art Walk at the seafront where she sells her artwork.

Esta encantardora dama se llama Henny, es una artista y ciclista de Santa Barbara. Tan chula con su blanca Electra! Cuando tomé esta foto ella venía del "Paseo de Arte en la playa" donde vende sus obras de arte cada domingo.

Black bike ~**~ Bici Negra

2010-08-28T18:36:00.001-07:00

Lovely black bike parked outside the French Press on Saturday morning. I loved all the brooks gear and got super excited to see the brooks panniers!

Una preciosa bici negra aparcada delante del French Press el sabado por la mañana. Me encantan todo los accesorios de la marca brooks, sobre todo los panniers.

Fog ~**~Niebla

2010-08-25T20:45:00.001-07:00

After only 2 days of sun we are back to the fog. This summer has been weird. This is Victoria Street this morning in my ride to work. It was cold!

Niebla otra vez despues de tan solo 2 dias de sol. Este verano ha sido raro. Esta es la calle Victoria en mi ruta al trabajo en la mañana. Hacia frio!

Funk Zone

2010-08-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

I went on a ride yesterday after work to Santa Barbara Funk Zone and had to pose in front of two of the many cool murals!

Ayer viernes despues del trabajo baje al barrio del Funk Zone aqui en Santa Barbara y no hubo otro remedio que posar delante de dos de los muchos chulisimos murales de la zona.

Pedaling ~**~ Pedaleando

2010-08-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

Still being homesick my morning just got a lot better when I saw that the super nice guys from Madrid Chic had posted this super cute video. I know, I know...I'm a copy-cat but I had to re-post it myself in my blog. I couldn't stop smiling, the lyrics are great and I love the cute little bike and the places it goes! The name of the band is GranBob and the song is "Pedaling." I can't wait to hear the rest of the record. Enjoy!

Estando aún con mucha nostalgia, esta mañana mi animo ha mejorado cuando he visto que los majísimos chicos del Madrid Chic habían colgado este superdivertido video. No sí, ya lo sé, soy una copiota, pero es que no he podido resistirme y he tenido que colgarlo en mi blog. Ahora tengo una sonrisa de oreja a oreja, hasta creo que me ha curado la morriña...me encanta la letra de la canción y las rutas por donde va la bicicleta! El nombre del grupo es GranBob y el tema es "Pedaleando." Que ganas tengo de oir el disco entero!

Guada

2010-08-17T22:21:00.001-07:00

I'm so homesick! It's been about 1 month since I got back from Guada and I really really miss it.
This photo is from one the side doors of one of my favorite buildings in Guada. I used to walk by that door almost everyday to get downtown when I lived there...I have been here for almost 14 years and I'm still miss my hometown.

Anyhow, going back to the building, it is currently a catholic church although it was built in the 13th century as a mosque. I just love the beauty of the architecture, the wooden door, metal and brick, and the connection to my neighborhood.

Hace alrededor de 1 mes desde que volví de Guada y realmente tengo muchisima nostálgia!
Esta foto es de una de las puertas laterales de uno de mis edificios favoritos en Guadalajara. Caminé delante de esa puerta casi todos los días para llegar al centro cuando estaba alli...llevo casi 14 años aqui... y a veces siento que no me acostumbro del todo.

Volviendo al edificio, actualmente es una iglesia católica, aunque fue construido como una mezquitaen el siglo 13. Me encanta la belleza de la arquitectura, la puerta de madera, el metal, los ladrillos y la connexion con mi barrio.

Fenders ~**~ Guardabarros

2010-08-15T19:51:00.001-07:00

For a while I wanted to add fenders to La Relampago and finally decided to order them through Velo Orange. I got the 45 mm VO hammered fenders and I love them! This is the final result, I think the transformation is over!

Desde hace tiempo venia queriendo poner guardabarros a La Relampago y finalmente me decidi por los de 45 mm de la marca Velo Orange y estoy encantada! Este es el resultado final y creo que la transformacion esta finita!

2010-08-15T19:47:00.001-07:00

Rear fender with basket.

Guardabarros trasero con cesta.

2010-08-15T19:46:00.001-07:00

Front fender detail.

Detalle del guardabarros delantero.

Farmers Market ~**~ Mercado de granjeros

2010-08-14T18:49:00.001-07:00

I bought some yummy squash blossoms to put them in my quesadillas!!!

Y compre flores de cabacin para ponerlo en mis quesadillas!

2010-08-14T18:48:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning ride to Farmers Market! Love the heirloom tomatoes!

Paseo en bici el sabado tempranito al mercado de fruta y verduras. Me encantan los tomates de huerta!

Cruiser Ride ~**~Paseo de Crucero

2010-08-08T22:02:00.001-07:00

I was super excited to take out for a spin my beloved Buenaventura Fair Lady Stingray!

We had a great time at the 30th annual Fiesta Cruiser Ride in Santa Barbara. We did not finished the whole ride as we had to come home and get ready for the Sunday Cycle Chic ride organized by Christa!

Estaba super entusiasmada de poder sacar a dar una vuelta a mi querida Buenaventura Fair Lady Stingray!

Lo pasamos muy bien en la 30 ª Fiesta anual del Paseo de Crucero en Santa Bárbara. No terminamos todo el recorrido ya que tuvimos que volver a casa y prepararnos para el paseo de domingo del Cycle Chic organizado por Christa!

Bike Moves runs the bulls ~**~Bike Moves corre el encierro

2010-08-07T10:31:00.001-07:00

1st Thursday in Santa Barbara is a lot of fun and this months Bike Moves theme was the running of the bulls. There were lots of bulls, runners and a few matadors.

The ride started at dusk and one guy had a stereo in his bike playing Spanish classical guitar. It was nice! Once we got cruising downtown the music switched to Manu Chao and it was even more fun.

It's Fiesta week in Santa Barbara and the streets were crowded, no police incidents, everyone was happy! I think this was the ride that I have liked the best since I joined Bike Moves.

El primer jueves en Santa Bárbara es muy divertido, el tema de este mes en "Mueve en Bicicleta" fue el encierro de los toros. Había muchos toros, corredores y un matadores.

El paseo comenzó al atardecer y fue espectacular, uno del grupo tenía un estéreo en su bicicleta con guitarra clásica española. Una vez que llegamos al centro la música cambió a Manu Chao y fue aún más divertido. Esta semana es Fiesta en Santa Bárbara y las calles estaban llenas de gente pero y policia pero no se registraron incidentes y todo el mundo lo paso bien!

Creo que ha sido hasta ahora la salida que más me ha gustado.

Sunday Afternoon ~**~ Tarde de domingo

2010-08-03T21:41:00.001-07:00

Nice and easy Sunday ride downtown to celebrate the 15th birthday of the Press Room. The week is very promising: Thursday Bike Moves "Running of the Bulls" with bull/bikes, and Sunday the 8th double date with the Cruise Ride and Santa Barbara Sunday Cycle Chic!

De paseo tranquilamente al centro el domingo por la tarde para celebrar que el Press Room cumple 15 primaveras! El resto de la semana es muy prometedor: El jueves Bike Moves con el tema de "San Fermin" con toros/bicis, el domingo 8 de Agosto doble cita con la Cruise Ride y ademas la salida de con el grupo de Santa Barbara Sunday Cycle Chic!

Birthday Party ~**~ Fiesta de Cumpleaños

2010-08-01T12:20:00.001-07:00

My friend turned 30 and celebrated in style throwing a great party.

He is very active in our community and loves anything bicycle! Most of his friends are cyclist too. The party was great and it was lots of fun. It made me smile that bike parking was also provided.

Mi amigo cumplió 30 años y celebró con estilo dando una gran fiesta.

El es muy activo en nuestra comunidad y le encanta todo lo que tenga que ver con las bicicletas! La mayoría de sus amig@s son ciclistas también. La fiesta fue fantástica y muy divertida.
Me hizo sonreír que también se proporcionó.el estacionamiento para nuestras bicicletas!

Monster Movies ~**~ Peliculas de Monstruos

2010-08-01T12:11:00.001-07:00

Friday Night:

We rode our bikes to dinner at Los Arroyos and then went to watch Bride of Frankenstein at the Sunken garden in Santa Barbara.

The film is part of the The Monster Movies series, which is a new initiative to bring community together providing public and free entertainment by showing 8 Classic Horror Films from Universal Pictures. The event is every Friday at 8:30 p.m. and it is sponsored by the Arts and Lectures Department of UCSB. All I can say is that it's super fun and that I'm glad it is happening!

We took our blanket to cozy up, it's chilly at night here!

Viernes por la noche:

Vamos con la bicis a cenar a Los Arroyos y despues a ver una peli, La novia de Frankestein, en los jardines del Juzgado en Santa Bárbara.

El ciclo de Monster Movies es una nueva iniciativa para que la comunidad se junte y así poder disfrutar de entretenimiento público y gratuito. El ciclo va a mostrar 8 películas clásicas de terror creadas por la Universal Pictures. El evento es los viernes a las 8:30 de la tarde y está patrocinado por el departamento de Arte y las Conferencias de la universidad de Santa Bárbara. Todo lo que puedo decir es que es super divertido!

Nos llevamos una mantita para arroparnos, hace fresco por aqui!

At work ~**~ En el trabajo

2010-07-26T22:12:00.001-07:00

Getting to work is so easy and I do love the ride in the morning, and I love even more the ride back home after I'm done because when I get home I'm refreshed and my mind is clear.

I took this morning this pic of La relampago sitting outside work, getting prettier everyday. I love my new basket from Cost Plus Imports! Fenders are coming next!

Ir al trabajo con la bici es tan facil, me encanta y sobre todo al salir de regreso al final del dia, todos los rollos se te aclaran de camino a clasa.

Esta foto es de hoy con La relampago aparcada fuera del trabajo y cada dia mas guapetona. Me encanta mi cesta de mimbre de la tienda Cost Plus Imports. Pronto tendra guardabarros tambien!

Yoga in Summerland ~**~ Yoga en Summerland

2010-07-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Super fun bicycle ride on early on Saturday to Summerland to Yoga class with three of my friends, I'm trying to attached the bicycle google map but I'm technological challenged! Coming back to Santa Barbara was pretty fast, we had a lovely tail wind and before we knew it we were up in State Street!

Super divertida bajada en bici a Summerland el sabado tempranito para ir a clase de Yoga con tres de mis amigas, desafortundamento no puedo pegar al post el mapa de google. El regresar a Santa Barbara fue bastante facil ya que tuvimos el viento a favor y sin darnos cuenta llegamos a State Street en un santiamen!

My red bicycle ~**~ Mi bicicleta roja

2010-07-14T01:01:00.001-07:00

While I'm enjoying being at home I have spent doing fun things with my family and one of them was looking through old photos. And to my surprise I found this one of me learning to ride my first bike. I knew I had it but I couldn't remember what I was wearing in the photo or what kind of bike I had, I just remembered it was red. It makes me smile to see that back them I was already into looking cycle chic when riding my bike: cute skirt and red mary janes!

I don't remember what happened to my red bike, some how it was a ghost of my childhood as I never learned to ride without training wheels then.

This ghost had hunted me pretty much all my life, until last summer when upset by what was going on with my work, I bought my purple Sting Ray to focus my energy in something positive.

I finally learned to ride and the ghost is gone for ever!

Mientras estoy en casa estoy disfrutando mucho hacienco cosas divertidas con mi familia, una de estas actividades ha sido ver fotos antiguas y para mi sorpresa he encontrado esta de mi cuando estaba aprendiendo a montar en bici. Sabia que la tenia pero no me acordaba de la ropa que llevaba o del modelo exacto de me bici y me hace sonreir el ver que incluso cuando era una peque tenia un cierto sentido del cycle chic montando con falda y zapatitos rojos!

No se que paso con esta bici, de alguna manera se convirtio en un fantasma de mi infancia ya que nunca aprendi a montar sin las ruedas de aprendizaje....

Este fantasma estubo conmigo por casi toda mi vida, hasta que el verano pasado me compre una Sting Ray para poner mi energia en algo positivo ya que me mi situacion laboral era un asco.

El fantasma se esfumo para siempre cuando por fin aprendi a montar!

Marea Roja Plaza Cibeles ~**~ Red Tide in Plaza Cibeles

2010-07-13T06:45:00.001-07:00

Marea Roja Plaza Cibeles
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

Took the train to Madrid to see the celebratory parede in Madrid. Pic is taken from La Cibeles, the entire city was red with folks from all over waiting to see the champeon team. It was a magical evening!
I still can't believe that got to see with my own eyes the players and the cup!

En tren hasta Madrid para ver el defile celebratorio, esta foto es desde La Cibeles; la ciudad era roja y habia gente de todos los lugares esperando a ver a los locos bajitos! Fue una tarde magica! Aun no me creo que pude ver con mis propios ojos a los jugadores y a la copa.

El pulpo Paul ~**~ Paul the Octapus

2010-07-13T06:38:00.001-07:00

El pulpo Paul
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

It was so much fun to see Spain win, tears and suffering, then celebration! Paul also joined the party!

Fue tan divertido ver ganar a los rojos, con lagrimas y sufrimiento, pero despues lo celebramos a lo lindo e includo Paul se nos junio a a la juerga!

Primos ~**~ Cousins

2010-07-13T06:35:00.001-07:00

Primos
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

My cousin and I going nuts from Plaza Santo Domingo!

Mi primo y yo celebrandolo como locos desde la Plaza Santo Domingo!

public bikes ~**~ bicis publicas

2010-07-10T08:07:00.001-07:00

Guada's public bicycles
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

I want to take one for a spin but joining it's rather complex...next visit I will plan ahead better!

Y como quiero subirme en una y dar una vuelta, pero es un poco complicado por la burocracia...para la proxima visita lo voy a planear mejor!

Guadalajara public bicycles ~**~ Bicicletas publicas de Guadalajara

2010-07-10T07:59:00.001-07:00

Guadalajara Bike share
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

It makes me smile super big to see that my town has now a public bike share program!

There are mutiple locations and I heard from my dad and other locals that additional spots are being added throughout the town.

Y como me hace sonreir el ver que mi cuidad ahora tambien tiene un program de bicicletas publicas.

Hay varios puntos de prestamo y mi padre y otros locales me han dicho que estan creando mas.

Running of the bulls ~**~ El encierro

2010-07-10T07:53:00.001-07:00

Running of the bulls
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

Display at a local bakery in my neighborhood. Check out the bull of bread!

Escaparate en una tahona en mi barrio. Fijate en el toro de pan!

To the final! ~**~ A la final

2010-07-08T18:18:00.001-07:00

Spain to the 2010 World Cup Final
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

What a victory! The whole town and country went nuts!
Children celebrating in my neighborhood in Guadalajara Spain that we're going to the World Cup Final!

Vaya victoria! La locura en mi ciudad y en todo el pais!
Jovenes de mi barrio celebrando en Guadalajara que vamos a la final del mundial!

Everyone rides!

2010-07-07T07:58:00.001-07:00

Going to town
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

I loved my stay in Cambridge and it was so neat to see that so many people ride, it was also great to see the bike infracture integrated in the city.

Next stop, Guadalajara-Spain!

Me lo pase genial en mi visita a Cambridge y fue estupendo ver que muchisima gente monta en bici alli! Tambien me gusto mucho el ver la infraestrucutra creada para el uso de bicicleta ya que esta totalmente integrado en la ciudad.

Paloma is cycle chic

2010-07-07T07:54:00.001-07:00

Youngest cycle chic gal
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

She is probably the youngest cycle chic gal out there, she is only 8 months old and loves riding her tricycle!

Probablemente la chica cycle chic mas joven, con tan solo 8 meses. La encanta montar en su triciclo!

Business Meeting ~**~ Reunion de negocios

2010-07-07T07:51:00.001-07:00

Moving archquitecture
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

More from Cambridge, it seems that business here is also done while cycling!

Mas desde Cambridge, me parece que aqui los negocios tambien se hacen montando en bici.

Bikeshop ~**~ Tienda de bicis

2010-07-03T08:07:00.001-07:00

Bikeshop sign
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

Super cool sign!

Letrero chulisimo!

Bull pub & bike

2010-07-03T08:06:00.001-07:00

Bull pub & bike
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

Last night Pim's and lemonade!

Anoche Pim's con limonada!

Blue bike ~**~ Bici azul

2010-07-03T08:04:00.001-07:00

Blue bike
Originally uploaded by Space Rider Gal

Lots and lots of cool bikes in Cambridge. I'm really miss my bicycles!!!

Montones de bicis super chulas en Cambridge, cuanto hecho de menos a las mias!

Holidays! ~**~ Vacaciones

2010-06-30T16:30:00.001-07:00

In transit to go visit my family in the UK and Spain.
First stop in San Diego to drop the Griselda the kitty cat with her grandparents.
I'll be taking lotsof pictures & updating the blog!

En transito para ir a visitar a mi familia en Inglaterra y Espana.
Primera parada en San Diego para dejar a Griselda la gatita con sus abuelos.
Sacare montones de fotos para actualizar el blog!

Sunshines ~**~ Soles

2010-06-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

I love all the good things and good people that have come to my life since I started my blog; it is such a way to find support, friendship and community. Love you all.

Thank you Meli for giving me the sunshine award. You are such an inspiration to me and having the recognition come directly from you it is even more meaningful to me. Gracias amiga!

The rules for accepting this award are:-

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

These are my 12 Sunshines:

1. Bici Critica Guadalajara—pals from my town, it makes me smile to see bikes around my town and watching some of the videos makes me so homesick. I can’t wait to be there! Less than two weeks!

2. Lovely Bike—Veluria thanks for all the advise on how to do things yourself and the encouragement to try new things.

3. Madrid Cycle Chic—Love the blog and pictures around el casco viejo. Keep up the great work!

4. Velo Vogue—Love reading your adventures Kristin! Bars, bikes, video & songs, world cup fever and more.

5. Bike by the Sea—my pal Christa from Santa Barbara. Chica you are such a great asset to the bike community in Santa Barbara! Besos!

6. Bici Clasica—bike eye candy, love your reviews chico!

7. Let’s Go Ride a Bike—Gals you are such champs! I love reading your bike to work and play time posts, great tips and wonderful photos.

8. Riding Pretty—Love your stylish can-do-approach, and really love reading your posts about DYI!

9. Suburban Bike Mama—I just love your tenacity and perseverance. I would like to see more moms doing what you are doing. Such a great role model! Did the lady (& husband) from the gym still bother your? I hope not! :-)

10. Josh y Lola—So helpful with so many ideas about what to wear!

11. Bici Critica Azuqueca—more from my beloved Spain and its beautiful Azuqueca! Vecinos, you guys rock!

12. Los Angeles Cycle Chic—Southern Cal style! It’s amazing to see you riding with your lovely belly! You go gal!

~**~

Me encantan todas las cosas buenas y las buenas personas que han llegado a mi vida desde que comencé mi blog; es una manera de encontrar apoyo, amistad y crear comunidad. Besos para tod@s

.
Gracias Meli por darme el premio “sol”. Eres una inspiración para mí y tener el reconocimiento viniendo directamente de tí es aún más significativo. Gracias amiga!

Las normas para la aceptación de este premio son las siguientes:

Poner el logo en tu blog o en tu post.
Pasar el premio a 12 bloggers.
Vincular a los candidatos dentro de su poste.
Dejar saber a l@s candidat@s que han recibido este premio comentando en su blog.
Compartir el amor y el post con la persona de la que has recibido este premio.

Estos son mis 12 soles:

1. Bici Crítica Guada -- mis amig@s de mi ciudad natal, me hace sonreír ver las bicis por las calles de Guada y al ver algunos de los videos me da tanta nostalgia. Que ganas tengo de llegar, ya solo faltan dos semanas!

2. Lovely Bike --Veluria gracias por todo el asesoramiento sobre cómo hacer las cosas por ti mism@ y por incitarnos a probar cosas nuevas.

3. Madrid Cycle Chic--Me encanta tu blog y las fotos en torno al casco viejo. Sigue con el buen trabajo!

4. Velo Vogue--Me encanta leer tus aventuras Kristina! Bares, bicicletas, vídeos y canciones, la fiebre del Mundial y mucho más.

5. Bike by the Sea—mi amiga Christa de Santa Bárbara. Chica eres una joya para el mundo de la bicicleta en nuestra ciudad! Besos!

6. Bici Clásica --caramelos para los ojos, adoro tu blog!

7. Let's Go Ride a Bike --Chicas sois unas campeonas! Me encanta leer los post de tus peripecias de camino y regreso al trabajo en bici y tus ratos divertidos. Gracias por tus buenos consejos y fotos maravillosas.

8. Riding Pretty –Me encanta tu actitud de que uno puede hacer las cosas a mano y reciclar sin gastar mucho y estando fabulosa!

9. Suburban Bike Mama --Me encanta tu tenacidad y perseverancia. Me gustaría ver más mamás haciendo lo que estás haciendo. Ojala que las pesada del gimnasio (y su marido) no te hayan molestado de nuevo!

10. Josh y Lola –Super útil y con muchas ideas de que ponerse para estar guapa e ir a la moda!

11. Bici Critica Azuqueca--más de mi querida España y su bella Azuqueca! Vecinos, sois la leche! Un abrazo!

12. Los Angeles Cycle Chic-Desde el sur de California con estilo! Me alucina verte en bici durante tu embarazo!

Work ~**~ Trabajo

2010-06-26T18:53:00.001-07:00

Pic of the building where I work. I really love the architecture in downtown. I'm riding to work everyday and I'm very proud. I need some advice on what to wear to stay warm and dry in the fog. All tips welcome!

Oh, a few words of prize for y'all my bloggersphere friends, now that I'm working it's harder to keep up with the blog. So much respect for the daily bloggers. How do you do it pals?

Edificio donde trabajo. Me encanta la arquitectura del centro. Voy en bici al trabajo cada dia y estoy super orgullosa de ello. Necesito consejos de como vestirme para llegar al trabajo seca en los dias de niebla, aqui tenemos muchos muchos dias asi. Todos los consejos son bienvenidos!

Ah, unas palabras de elogio y reconocimiento para l@s amig@s del la bloggesphere, desde que estoy trabajando me cuesta el encontrar tiempo para mantener el blog al corriente. Que respeto tengo por l@s que suben posts a diario. Como lo haceis?

Moon ~**~ Luna

2010-06-26T18:44:00.001-07:00

Friday evening moon was absolutely gorgeous. Pic taken from the bike lane riding down on State Street for some drinks & dinner.

La luna anoche viernes fue totalmente espectacular. Foto tomada desde el carril de bicicletas bajando por la State Street de camino a cenar y a tomar unas copichuelas.

The ugly duckling ~**~El patito feo

2010-06-19T18:26:00.001-07:00

On Memorial weekend I purchased this 1978 Univega mixte from a local guy. I love the looks of the mixte and I was ready for more gears as my beloved Space Rider Raleigh only has 3 internal gears.

The mixte came with 10 gears, bigger wheels (the Raleigh's are only 24"), and a great potential for beautification!

Little bit little during the month of June I have worked on cleaning the bike, waxing the frame, and getting some parts worked: greasing chain, crank, adjusting breaks and getting new pads. My wonderful hubby really helped me with this part of the process!

I also started to get and install some "beauty accessories", picking out what to get was lots of fun. The final list was a Brooks B17s saddle, shellaced cork handle grips, a crane bell, and a Pletcher vintage rack. I installed the rack at the Bici Centro with the help of their nice and helpful volunteer crew.

For now I think I'm almost done, front light and fenders will come shortly and after my trip back home I will probably add some panniers.

The ugly duckling has become a beautiful swan!

Post part of LGRAB games

~**~

El fin de semana de Memorial Day compre esta mixte Univega del a un tipo local. Me encanta el estilo de las mixtes, ademas ya estaba lista para tener una bici con mas marchas, ya que mi quirida Space Rider Raleigh sólo tiene tres engranajes internos.

El mixte tiene 10 engranajes, ruedas más grandes (las de la Raleigh sólo son de 24 ") y un gran potencial para transformarse en una hermosa bicicleta.

Poco poco durante el mes de junio he trabajado en la limpieza de la bici y su encerado. He ajustado algunas de sus piezas y he engrasado la cadena, los frenos y he cambiado las pastillas. Mi super marido me ayudo un monton con este proceso.

También comencé a conseguir e instalar algunos accesorios de belleza ", seleccionar lo que me gusta fue muy divertido. La lista final fue una silllin Brooks (el B17s), manguitos en el manillar con corcho barnizado, una campananilla de la marca crane y una Pletcher instalada en Bici Centro con la ayuda de su serviciales voluntarios.

Por ahora creo que esta casi lista, una luz delantera y guardabarros llegarán en breve y después de mi viaje de vuelta a casa, probablemente voy a añadir panniers.

El patito feo se ha convertido en un hermoso cisne!

Post parte del LGRAB juegos de verano

Meow, Miau Señor Snob!

2010-06-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

This is a LGRAB Summer Games official entry

For the last few weeks I have been taking care of my feline nephews Max and Cream Cheese, while my in-laws were in the UK visiting their grandchildren (-my niece and nephew). The kitties and I have been having a lot of fun together reading, playing, and watching movies!

Max really enjoys the snob's cynicism and wished that cats had been added to the list of items carried by the beautiful Godzillas (see page75).

Reading the snob also got us to rent Quicksilver, and we give it a meow of approval! We loved the music, the cool bikes, and all the drama! And like the Snob predicted, ( see page 72) it has really inspired Cream Cheese to begin a bike messenger career!

~**~

Las últimas semanas he estado cuidando de mis sobrinos felinos Max y Queso Crema, mientras que mis suegros estaban en el Reino Unido visitando a sus nietos (mi sobrino y sobrina). Los lindos gatitos y yo hemos tenido un montón ratos divertidos leyendo, jugando y viendo pelís!

Máx disfrutó leyendo el cinismo del snob y expresó gatunamente su deseo de que los gatos se hubieran añadido a la lista de los posibles objetos transportados por las hermosas Godzillas (véase página 75).

Lectura del snob también nos animó a alquilar Quicksilver, a la cual le damos un maullido de aprobación, nos encantó la música, las bicis y el drama! Y como el snob predijó (ver página 72) Queso Crema esta realmente inspirado en comenzar una carrera como mensajero de bici!

Este post es una entrada oficial al LGRAB Summer Games

World Cup ~ **~ El Mundial

2010-06-06T18:22:00.001-07:00

I have some serious World Cup fever; 4 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes to go!

Estoy ligeramente obsesionada con el mundial; faltan 4 dias, 12 horas y 30 minutes to go!

Hoedown ~**~ Rodeo

2010-06-04T21:39:00.001-07:00

This is a LGRAB Summer Games official entry

Last night I went to a social hoedown ride that was part of Santa Barbara 1st Thursday Bike Moves. It was so much fun!

I enjoyed riding, seeing friends, and wearing my fave Western wear!

The ride is getting bigger every month, last night it was 175 of us plus two dogs!

YeeeHaw!

~**~

Este post es una entrada oficial al LGRAB Summer Games

Anoche fui a la salida en bici estilo rodeo organizada por 1st Thursday Bike Moves de Santa Barbara y me lo pase fenomal. Es superdivertido!

Me encanta salir en grupo con amigos, llevar mi ropa vaquera favorita.

El grupo cada vez es mas grande, ayer fuimos 175 personas con nuestras respectivas bicis mas dos lindos perritos!