Stylish cycling? What is that? This past April, I would have had no idea what that was! Then, something happened.

I left my fear in San Francisco! It happened this past spring when my twin sister and I rented bikes and rode across the Golden Gate Bridge during a short visit. This became my favorite part of the trip and truly was a life-changing moment for me! After that ride, I couldn’t stop thinking about buying a bike.

My sister was the one who wanted to rent bikes and I was a bit fearful about road conditions, traffic, my personal stamina and anything else I could add to the list. But, there was something about breaking that fear, with all that beautiful scenery surrounding me, which helped to conquer my concerns. As soon as I put on my helmet and hopped on the bike, I was that eight-year-old again, riding free with a big smile on my face!

The fear was in my head and once I got on the bike, everything that I knew and loved about biking, returned. As for style, I had a huge rubber band on my right ankle and lots of layered clothing! I wasn’t making much of a fashion statement, because this was all new to me.

The ride was exhilarating as we rode on bike paths, streets, hills and made the eight-mile ride across the bridge into Sausalito, where we had a nice lunch and took our bikes back on a ferry to the bike rental shop. We chatted with other cyclists, took in the view and smelled wild sage. I didn’t want the ride to end.

After watching the PUBLIC Bike video and seeing the photos of healthy, happy AND stylish people enjoying their bikes on the site and on http://www.youlookfab.com, I was inspired to enter the competition for several reasons. I love the design and color of the PUBLIC bikes and Rob Forbes’ “Design Matters” video, showing so many iconic and familiar images (like flip-flops and a VW Bug), make this bike instantly friendly and accessible! I’m a happy person and they look like happy bikes!

In particular, I like the fenders, chain guard, soft seat and rack, because my bike doesn’t have these features and is nice, but pretty basic. While I do have upright handlebars, and it was a requirement for me, because comfort was important, the PUBLIC bikes combine all of these with a freshness of style that I absolutely love, along with safety and practicality. It doesn’t get any better than that for a blossoming bike fashionista! I want to ride my bike, but I also want to arrive in style!

Even though it was my sister who wanted to be adventuresome, I was the one who had that “aha moment.” (Once she got off the bike, she was done!). But, I came home and bought a hybrid bike and am making biking a part of my life, because it connects me with everything around me, like nature, people and community. I feel like I’m helping the environment every time I use my bike instead of my car!

My stylish cycling wardrobe has improved and consists of skinny-legged jeans or pants, with a colorful long-sleeved shirt or top, a bright scarf and my sage-green Converse sneakers or my gray Tom’s. I also have a lightweight hemp cross-body bag I use. Comfort is key, but so is layering, as during a ride I run from cold to warm and back to cold again. I always wear my helmet, sunglasses and sunscreen and I have a headband when my ears get cold.

I’ve begun to roam more and more, first going on bike paths and now riding through my neighborhood to do errands and go to my library, the market and visit friends. Right now, I can’t carry a lot, because my bike isn’t equipped for that. Last month, I joined other riders for a ride to benefit breast cancer research and it felt good to be a part of this, especially after having had breast cancer treatment in 2004. Now, wherever I travel, I want to see the city on a bike. Angie Cox’s website and her recent blog on “Stylish Urban Cycling” inspired me to step up my style in all areas. Now, I want to go to Amsterdam and look Euro chic on a bike! I’ve also got my eyes on some women’s designer helmets a member posted on the http://www.youlookfab.com site to complete a more stylish and fun look. (www.yakkay.com).

To think that I found my bike inspiration in San Francisco and then to have a chance to ride a San Francisco-based PUBLIC bike, makes the significance of this year even more real. My goal or vision, if I win, is this: I would fly up to San Francisco and make the Golden Gate Bridge ride again into Sausalito on my new PUBLIC bike. Then, I would take the Pacific Surfliner train home to Southern California and savor the experience on my ride, with my new PUBLIC bike tucked safely on the train. No bike rental needed this time!

Photo #1: A ride to the library
Photo #2: My "aha moment" in April. I'm on the left and my sister, Cheryl, is on the right.
Photo #3: In blue and white, I'm with a group on this 10-mile ride to benefit breast cancer awareness.