Team 19: Primal Penguins

[Kitty]

Hello hello and welcome to Team 19! This is your Captain speaking, Kitty (or Grace as it shows on Strava.)

It was wonderful to meet BMillah and Josh at the kick-off happy hour this evening. For those of you who I didn’t meet directly, I was the one dressed as a penguin. In-keeping with the now traditional penguin theme of the 19th team, “Primal Penguins” was a great punny suggestion that came up (19 is prime afterall), and it passed with unanimous votes of all team members present.

The 1st order of business: I have created the necessary Strava group for our team, which can be found here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/BAFS2018-Team19
I tried to invite who I could, but the system would only let me direct-invite those who were on my “Follow” list. Please join up so the Freezing Saddles system can track your miles for our team.

The 2nd order of business is to get to know each other! Please post to this thread with a brief introduction: tell us a bit about yourself, where you live (or ride), how many year’s you’ve done Freezing Saddles, your goals for the year/winter, your favorite type of ride etc.

To get things going I’ll go first:

As noted above, I’m Grace but I go by Kitty (seriously, they are used interchangeability, will answer to either.) I’m a Michigan native, but have lived in Arlington for the past 9 winters. I miss the snow of the North, but love being able to ride more months of the year. This will be my 3rd Freezing Saddles, and my 2nd as a Captain. I have a somewhat short commute, but will try to make it up by riding (almost) everyday and taking advantage of/making opportunities to ride this winter. My goal is to ride with as many of you as possible the course of the competition. My favorite rides are at least 25 miles and end with a beer or baked goods.

Full Disclosure: Next month I have a research trip to Japan that is going to take up a bit of my attention/free time to prepare for. I will try to arrange one group gathering before I go, but otherwise I won’t be able to run anything weekly. So please don’t wait for me to kick anything off! If there’s something you’d like to do as a team, feel free to start it up! I just suggest that if you want only Team 19 folks involved, make the announcement in the Strava group so other teams can’t infiltrate.

With that, LET’S RIDE!

Topic

[Edelweiss]

Hi!
I am Kate, this is my third Freezing Saddles. I was on Team 4 both previous years, so I am happy to be on Team 19 this time. While I am a very social rider, I moved to Colorado last summer, so I will not be at team rides and coffees, but I am a daily rider, so I will do my best to rack up points.
I am not sure how Kitty got stuck with 2 of us playing from out-of-state.

Now for a few plugs: I am sponsoring 2 Pointless Prizes!
Back by popular demand, Doughneuring! See the #FS18donut thread to see the rules. Everyone can play, and there are weekly changing donut challenges all winter! And, I will be back in DC in March to lead two Doughnuering Epic Rides. We can make them team rides for 19. Details tbd.
New for 2018: the Paul Revere Midnight Ride pointless prize. Sleaze at the last minute to get a day’s ride in, or ride at 12:01 to get the next day’s ride in before bed. Do both for a 2-for. See the thread, midnight rides are great!

I am Edelweiss on the Forum. Nice to meet you!
Kate

[Kitty]

Edelweiss! Despite your distance, I’m happy to have you! Besides, that’s great news that you’ll be in town for at least part of this caper.

For those of you who are down with donuts, she is the lady to know, and her Doughneuring rides are indeed epic!
I for one will definitely be doing some Midnight rides as my body clock gets wreaked by jetlag. :rolleyes:

[josh]

Hey all, I’m Josh. Most of my riding right now is commuting out to Herndon, which I started doing a couple days per week late this summer (and so this is my first Freezing Saddles). I don’t have a car, so I try and get most of my errands done via bike too, and I’ve been doing some exploration and working towards some of the Pointless Prizes over the past week or two.

I’m down to ride to breweries or out on the C&O or Hains Point or wherever else if my schedule allows it (which it probably does). I’m located in Arlington, but I will try to trek out to wherever if need be. I also have a mountain bike that’s seen no almost no use from me, so if anyone wants to hit some easy trails near here let me know. Recently I have begun to really enjoy biking at night as well. I’m shooting for perfect attendance during the season, and trying to get a daily ride streak going after that.

Looking forward to riding with you all!

[bmillah]

Hello everyone!

Glad to be in such a great group and part of Freezing Saddles ’18.

My name is Brian Miller, I’ve lived in Silver Spring for the past 10 years. I’m normally a warm-weather rider, but saw this club pop-up on Strava and thought it’d give me a nudge to get out in the cooler months.

I work in the city, and occasionally commuted to work until August ’16 when I had an accident- so I mostly stay up in the ‘burbs and ride solo. However, I’d def. come in to the city on a non-rush hour ride with a group if an opportunity arises.

I’m a father of two girls, ages 6 and 8, who occupy a lot of my time. Since I don’t commute, I end up doing most rides after they’ve gone to bed or on the weekends.

I’m primarily a road-guy, but was fortunate enough to pickup a great beater mtn. bike and I’ve been riding that (disc-brakes!) since this started and loving it (again, disc-brakes!).

I can’t commit to tons of miles, so my strategy for the ‘Penguins is to ride daily and get respectable mileage in on the weekends.

I enjoyed meeting Kitty Josh last night and hope to get the opportunity to meet the rest of you at some point during the challenge. Go team!

[cyclingfool]

Hello everyone! cyclingfool here, AKA Eric. I live in Del Ray in Alexandria and work at Trader Joe’s in Bailey’s Crossroads as a mate (assistant manager). Working retail management means my schedule is all over the place and involves long hours, which is to say that:

1. I will most likely be unavailable for any FS-related get togethers; and
2. You’ll notice lots of rides at weird times of day like 3am commutes to work or 1am commutes home.

Sadly, between work hours and family commitments commuting makes up almost all my miles, with some occasional errands or kidical rides sprinkled in. Even sleaze rides can be hard to work in, but I’ll do my best to get do some for the team and for fun. I will put in a solid four to five days a week commuting about six miles each way for sure, more as possible.

I also enjoy bike touring and camping. I did Pittsburgh to DC last summer and try to work in an overnight or two on the C&O in the summer, though those kinds of miles are not likely to come during the course of Freezing Saddles.

I think this is my fourth FS. I look forward to winter riding, getting to know you all a little, at least virtually, and to having fun with FS! Go Penguins (though not in the NHL sense of that phrase)!!!

[emoji605] Sent from my ONEPLUS 3T using Tapatalk [emoji605]

[bobco85]

Hi there, I’m Bob. Up until last September, I had lived only in Virginia (grew up in Arlington, college time in Harrisonburg, moved back to Arlington then Alexandria for 2 years). I’m now living in Tukwila, Washington (just south of Seattle), and the sun takes 3 hours longer to rise here compared to most of y’all. This will be my 4th BAFS.

Kitty, I am sad I couldn’t see you in your ‘guin costume (though I have seen you wear it in past BAFSHH’s), but I am honored to be on the team of the person who told me the greatest number of times last year that everyone would miss me when I moved (I miss everyone so much, too!).

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who’s out-of-state for this competition! If I were to yodel loud enough, would you hear it, Edelweiss?

I have been car-free for just over 10 years now, and I bike everywhere for exercise, errands, commutes, and fun. I am also an uncle to nieces (9 and 7) and nephew (4) who live in the Burke area of Fairfax, and I was successful in convincing my brother to teach them to bike which they love doing (I got to do some riding with them). For 2017 Bike to School Day, I rode with my brother to his school (he teaches 4th grade).

I love to make videos of bike rides and bike infrastructure (and post them on this forum). While I am no longer making videos of DC-area bike stuff since I moved, I still have a healthy back catalog on my YouTube page (I believe our team captain is in at least one of the videos). Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/user/bobco85

@cyclingfool 171668 wrote:

Hello everyone! cyclingfool here, AKA Eric. I live in Del Ray in Alexandria and work at Trader Joe’s in Bailey’s Crossroads as a mate (assistant manager).

Before my move, I was living in Alexandria (Mark Center) and working in Arlington (Ballston), so I would pass by that TJ’s (the nearby Performance Bike is my go-to bike shop) on an almost daily basis (depending on mood and route chosen, sometimes shopping at that TJ’s, too). I have a request for you: go to the spot shown on this map and take a picture of what is there (no spoilers): https://goo.gl/maps/fErwVs2s1Mo That route is part of my shortcut for getting through Baileys Crossroads, but the thing that is there is really cool (it will be on your right on the ground on the side of the road, might be hard to see at night).

@cyclingfool 171668 wrote:

Go Penguins (though not in the NHL sense of that phrase)!!!

The only penguin I will ever cheer for (C-A-P-S CAPS CAPS CAPS!!!) is Chill Penguin. He’s the boss of the first stage that everyone knows to choose (you get the dash upgrade which is awesome) in Mega Man X. Kitty, if you added some blue and yellow armor to your costume, you could totally go as him!
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While I will be unable to meet any of you during this year’s BAFS, I hope to ride in parallel from 2,300 miles away and hopefully meet and ride with y’all when I come back to visit sometime this spring. Happy biking!

[irishnomadic]

Hi Kitty and fellow Penguins.

Greetings from Dublin and sorry to have missed the Happy Hour. Between a man cold and this trip to Ireland, I’ve made a wimpy start, but hoping to commute most days from uptown DC to downtown and am definitely up for any group get togethers on a week-end. 25-50 sounds perfect. Don’t have a mountain bike.

I’m Irish and American, 54, and I don’t mind a bit of rain. And this is my first Freezing Saddles. We have one car in the family, and when I’m not chauffeuring my 15 year old to see her boyfriend (yikes!), I like to bike.

I’ve missed a day or two, and barely squeeked in a mile on some cold days at the start, but hoping to pick it up when I return on Monday.

And delighted to join this group, and love the name! Right now, I’m working up to being a penguin. Not sure primal is on the cards till February or March.

I will request to join the Strava group now.

Looking forward to the months ahead and to meeting those of you in DC at some point.

[Kitty]

You guys are the best! Already everyone has joined the Strava club, and I’d been great to read these introductions from new people! As we’re seeing already, these teams are designed to be a mixed bag of riders, in terms of time, distance, and temperature tolerance. While I do I have chuckle at the number of Penguins currently out of the area, I think it might give us an advantage by mixing up the weather patterns.

@cyclingfool 171668 wrote:

Go Penguins (though not in the NHL sense of that phrase)!!!

Yes! I love all penguins, except for the ones in black and gold from that place at the end of the C&O…

[SarahBee]

An appropriate safety poster at my office

[Edelweiss]

Team,
I am thrilled that we Penguins have been dominating the top of the team leaderboard, but Team 7 just zoomed up and is breathing down our backs! Let’s just keep riding, every day if you can, and maintain our lead over those Seventh Heaven posers! Rah, Go Team Penguins!
I am also very sorry to say about 6 miles I rode today failed to record, and no manual entries…I hope to make it up over the 3-day weekend.
It is great to be meeting you here. More introductions, please.
Edelweiss

[AlanA]

@Edelweiss 171971 wrote:

Team,
I am thrilled that we Penguins have been dominating the top of the team leaderboard, but Team 7 just zoomed up and is breathing down our backs! Let’s just keep riding, every day if you can, and maintain our lead over those Seventh Heaven posers! Rah, Go Team Penguins!
I am also very sorry to say about 6 miles I rode today failed to record, and no manual entries…I hope to make it up over the 3-day weekend.
It is great to be meeting you here. More introductions, please.
Edelweiss

Ummmmm……excuuuuse me. Posers, you say??

[irishnomadic]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5332394/star-wars-stormtrooper-penguins-darth-vader/

[Kitty]

@Edelweiss 171971 wrote:

Team,
I am thrilled that we Penguins have been dominating the top of the team leaderboard, but Team 7 just zoomed up and is breathing down our backs! Let’s just keep riding, every day if you can, and maintain our lead over those Seventh Heaven posers! Rah, Go Team Penguins!
I am also very sorry to say about 6 miles I rode today failed to record, and no manual entries…I hope to make it up over the 3-day weekend.
It is great to be meeting you here. More introductions, please.
Edelweiss

As Penguin-in-Chief I was thrilled to see your (friendly) trash-talking/boasting. Now that we know our competition its time to give chase!

@AlanA 172061 wrote:

Ummmmm……excuuuuse me. Posers, you say??

We’re coming for you like ‘guins to a herring school! 😡

@SarahBee 171783 wrote:

An appropriate safety poster at my office

I have been trying to explain that to my office compatriots. During the worst of the ice last week, I lived it! I waddled along in my normal (non-riding) winter gear, which of course includes a knit penguin hat.

[Birru]

So… Saturday is Penguin Awareness Day according to the calendar. Is this code for something? What are you up to??

[Kitty]

The Penguin in Chief is aware of Penguin Awareness Day, yes. Plans forthcoming. May or may not be top-secret.

[Author]

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