Re: Py's story and path to SBRA    -   Submitted:  Sun, 02/28/2010

Thanks Py for the great website and chances to meet online
Hi I'm Mary. Two years ago I returned to Long Island, where I grew up near Jones Beach, after being gone a long time. Back then I just swam at West End all day long or sometimes at Sunken Meadow. My longest and most memorable bike ride was straight up Merrick Road to Salisbury Park and back - 12 miles at 13 years old. I was so proud! I went to college in the city. For the past two years since I came back, I drive all over Long Island with my job in Ronkonkoma. The very first thing I committed to was a bike ride with thousands of people to Montauk, when I met Paula who let me draft her and introduced me to SBRA. I'm actually, really a swimmer, but I bike to break up the monotony and to cross-train. I got a road bike while living in Central Florida, pedaling along miles of paved trails before I had to ride on the road. Good thing, since it took me a while to learn how to unclip. Once I fell off my bike from a dead stop. I remember my first "crash-free" ride. In Florida in summer you have to be finished with your ride by about 10am or you will die of the heat. My favorite ride was 40 miles along Playalinda Beach north of Cape Canaveral, throwing myself into the ocean to cool off before driving home. There's no one out there! At first being back here I suffered claustrophobia and traffic panic but I'm doing better now and enjoying the companionship with the C people. Having my bike fit by Nelson from Stony Brook Cycle at Super Bike Saturday was a great treat. I'm training to ride 60 miles this summer, so I look forward to meeting you all out there. Thanks to Bob Miller for all the lovely rides out on the East End when I was a newbie. I hope to find a way to contribute to the club this year. All of you leaders who do so much to make this club amazing are really inspiring and I want to thank you for making my life so much better.

Mary Mendes