Why Cycle?

Summer cycling has ended. According to Mission Control, the tracking system on my Specialized e-assist bike – I covered almost 385 miles and climbed just over 20,000 feet during the month of August. Since buying this bike last September, I’ve clocked 1,595 miles, and not including the times I forgot to hit “Record”.

Why? I realize that some may wonder why I cycle so much. It’s a valid question I find myself asking as well and I don’t always have a satisfying response.

I suppose on a bike, the breeze in my face, on city streets, rural roads, or trails, I see the world around me in a manner different from either walking or driving. In an odd way, it’s a bit like wandering the foothills of Issaquah Valley on the horses of my childhood.

I also enjoy the camaraderie of other women cyclists, women I ride with through sun and rain, good times and not so good. Each ride is different and never quite what I expected. Case in point, I worried that we’d face high temperatures and possible forest fire smoke during my last organized ride of the summer, the 210-mile ride from Seattle to Vancouver called RSVP. Instead, it rained non-stop, letting up as we crossed into Canada.

I credit cycling for pulling me out of my pandemic slump, from the physical and emotional quagmire I allowed myself to sink into for longer than a healthy lifestyle allows. I had to find a way out, a route back to myself. I knew exercise, for me cycling, was the ticket.

Ten years earlier I had trained with a former work colleague. She was an experienced cyclist, quite the opposite of my newbie status. We were turning sixty within a month of each other and decided to do RSVP to commemorate the occasion. I met that goal head on and rejoiced by suggesting we do it again for our seventieth. “But next time,” I said, “We’ll do it on e-assist bikes.” That was 2014.

I continued to cycle, though not at the same level of intensity, through 2017 when I rode Obliteride, a 100-mile ride to support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research. Then I hit a wall. I was physically exhausted and simply couldn’t keep up with my friends. Holding them back, feeling like the weak link, was emotionally draining. I stopped cycling but for short neighborhood rides. Then COVID hit.

Jump forward to late 2023. I remembered my comment to my cycling buddies about doing RSVP again, but on e-bikes. I’d been thinking about the e-assist option for several years and finally made the decision to try one, a decision more about admitting the physical limitations of my age than about the expense. It turned out to be the best purchase of my life allowing me to joyously re-enter the world of cycling. It’s a great place to be. 

Summer Cycling to Cure Cancer

Fred Hutch Obliteride is a bike ride and 5K walk/run that connects and empowers people to help cure cancer faster by raising funds for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

Summer cycling season is almost here and with it comes Obliteride. Ten years ago, I cycled the 100-mile route to help celebrate my 60^th birthday. That ride -- and all the wonderful family, friends, and readers who supported the cause with their generous donations -- was such a rewarding experience I’ve decided to do it again.

On August 10^th I’ll be riding to commemorate my 70th birthday, to acknowledge all those who have not been graced with my good health, and to raise money for much needed on-going cancer research. If you’re like most of us, this insidious disease has touched your life.

You may likely find yourself bombarded daily, as I do, with donation requests during this election year. Still, I’m hoping you are able to donate to cancer research!

This year I am riding on TEAM IRINA, our young warrior whose battle with cancer inspires all of us on her team to train harder and do all we can to fund the research she and so many others desperately need.

Please donate HERE:  

Obliteride 2024: Mrs. Arleen Williams - Obliteride (fredhutch.org)

Why Your Weekend Plans Should Include SIFF

Just over two years after I retired from teaching, I received an unusual email from a documentary film maker named Cady Voge. In that email, she explained that she'd been filming a former student of mine and her family for over four years. 

In that email, Cady wrote, "...I captured many moments at home with them. One such moments was a very sweet (and very brief!) moment that I captured of Mirna at the end of a session on zoom in one of your English classes. You had a lovely interaction with her and her son, Joshua, it's very sweet." She asked if I'd be willing to sign a release form to allow her to use the brief audio clip in the documentary. As a staunch believer in the need for wider coverage of the challenges facing refugees, I gladly signed and sent the release form. 

To my surprise, I received another email from Cady Voge last week - an invitation to the premiere of All We Carry at the Seattle International Film Festival this weekend, Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. An invitation I'd like to share with all of you. 

The film will also be streamed from May 20 to 27 for those who are unable to attend the premiere here in Seattle. Please take a look at this amazing link Cady shared and join me this weekend at SIFF! 

Who's Reading Next Week?

In my prior post regarding the PoetryBridge event at C&P Coffee Company next week, I mentioned three featured readers but failed to include the names of the other two. Please allow me to remedy that. 

I first met Bonnie Wolkenstein virtually to discuss the Guanajuato Writing Retreat she curates. Are you curious? Check out her website here. I've never participated, but Guanajuato is lovely, and the retreat sounds wonderful!

I've also had the privilege of meeting Christopher Jarmick. It was pre-pandemic! We enjoyed a brief conversation after a reading at BookTree, the independent bookstore he owns and operates in Kirkland, WA.

I'd also like to acknowledge the dedicated work of Leopoldo Seguel, the force behind PoetryBridge. Leopoldo has organized this community of writers since the first reading in February 2010 and actually managed to grow the group by switching to zoom during the pandemic years. Thank you, Leopoldo! 

I am grateful for the opportunity to participate at PoetryBridge and am honored to read with these talented writers. I hope you can join us next Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm.

You know how it goes …

... you’ve finished a long project. Or maybe you just hope you're done with it. Then someone points out that really, it's not finished at all, and you realize you still have a ways to go.

Almost a year ago I thought my work-in-progress was ready for a final copy edit. It’s a memoir I started in early 2020 titled Pandemic Baby: Letters to My Grandson Before He Could Read. It took the astute and kind comments of a few early readers to make me realize the story was incomplete and the manuscript needed more work. So, I returned to my desk (actually, the dining room table) and started over.

I’m happy to say I’m ready to share my efforts once again. This time with the public – that means you! I'm honored to be a featured reader for PoetryBridge at C&P Coffee Company, and I hope you'll join me. The mission of PoetryBridge “is to promote the best of poetry and storytelling in West Seattle.” Every month there is a group reading with three featured readers presenting both poetry and prose, followed by a community open mic.

If you live in the Seattle area, I’d love to see you on Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm. Maybe a bit earlier to grab a beverage and a seat. If you’re a writer, I welcome you to bring some words to share at community mic. The event will also be live streamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person. To learn more, please join PoetryBridge Association of West Seattle.

PoetryBridge @ C&P Coffee Company

Wednesday, April 10

7 pm- 9 pm

5612 California Avenue SW

West Seattle

206-933-3125