PUNK ROCK CYCLING



Heather's Punk Periodical~


During our trip home from Iowa City last weekend my teammates and I were discussing the fact that, while the number of women in these races has grown, we’re still dwarfed by the men’s fields.

Numbers to consider: Iowa City Road Race: over 160 men; less than 40 women. Old Capitol Criterium: over 140 men; less than 30 women.


The number of women participating in sports like running and triathlon is growing exponentially. The first women’s Olympic marathon was run the same year as the first women’s Olympic cycling road race. Why aren’t more women racing bikes?

The easy answer lies in the fact that cycling is an expensive and rather time-consuming sport. My running sisters do get a bit of a break here. Buying a pair of running shoes is certainly easier on the pocketbook than buying a bike and all the related equipment. And run training, even for a marathon, is typically less time-consuming than training to race bikes.

But what about the hundreds of women in this state who are already avid (and strong) cyclists? They’re spending thousands of dollars on bikes, clothing and equipment. And they’re spending hours and hours out on the trails and roadways. Why isn’t this passion translating into race participation?

My teammate Ali has a theory and I agree with her. Ali thinks that many women don’t race bikes because they take it too seriously and feel there’s too much at risk. Consider this: If the only people who ran Dam to Dam were those that could run a 7:00 min or faster pace, those of us who run upwards of a 9:00 min pace probably wouldn’t be that jazzed about participating. But the reality is that paces at Dam to Dam vary from 4:59 to 17:27 and there are thousands of people participating. The same goes with events like the Hy-Vee triathlon. The 2008 event had over 1200 finishers and finish times ranging from 1:55 to 5:16. There’s something about the event and shear numbers of participants that acts as a sort of “safety net” for those of us who aren’t going to end up on the podium. This doesn’t mean we’ll push ourselves any less hard than the elite athletes. It doesn’t mean that we’re any less vested in our results. It’s just easier to take the risk when you’re part of a larger crowd. As a solid “middle of the packer”, I understand this well.

I got pushed out of that comfort zone last weekend in Iowa City. I’ve been watching the Old Capitol Criterium since the early 80’s and swore I’d never race it. When I joined PRC I had to commit to doing it and, to be honest, I spent a lot of time worrying about it. Finding myself standing at the start line Sunday morning was surreal. There were only 11 of us starting the race so I knew my performance (or lack thereof) would be right out there for the world to see. No hiding in the crowd this time.

The whistle blew, the race was on and I was off the back almost immediately. To make matters worse, it started to rain, making an already sketchy course even sketchier. Wanna know what I did? I just kept riding!

I rode the entire race by myself. I never caught anyone and was ultimately lapped by the race winner. I finished last. Wanna know something else? I had an awesome time!

Would I have liked to do better? Of course. Will I keep pushing myself to improve? Absolutely. But I wish there was a way to describe just how wonderful it felt to put myself out there and find out that my fears were unwarranted. There was nothing humiliating in going out and doing the best I could at that given moment on that given day. People cheered for me and encouraged me all along the way. My teammates were (and always are) so supportive and positive. Who ever knew “losing” could feel so exhilarating?!

I’m sharing this experience because I want to issue a challenge to all you groovy cycling chicks out there: Come do a race with me! Do you love to ride? Prove it! If you’re nervous about jumping right into one of the “bigger” criteriums or road races, start with our Race Like a Girl series on May 28th. It’s incredibly beginner-friendly and lots of fun. Let’s see what we can do to “up” those numbers. The more of us that are out there giving this a try, the more fun it will be. What have you got to lose? That’s right- nothing. And there is so much to be gained!


PRC Races Iowa City Weekend~


This past weekend, the women of PRC raced the Iowa City Road Race on Saturday followed by the Old Capitol Criterium on Sunday. Definitely a successful weekend for the women of PRC!

On Saturday, the Category 4 women raced a 26 mile road race on the wet course with Maria finishing a close 2nd place to All-9-Yards' Dee Mable in the final sprint. They were closely followed by a group of riders including Ali in 8th, Emily in 9th, Sara in 10th and Heather in 14th. Great road race experience for all!

The women's Category 1/2/3 race brought some tough competition from nearby widwest states. After 52 long miles, the PRC duo was still in the lead group with Keely and Kelli taking 8th and 9th place in the final sprint. The Iowa City Road Race was won by Catherine Walberg of Team Kenda. And wow - Team Kenda is tough with attack after attack throughout the entire road race!

After constant rain all night, things were beginning to dry up in time to start the Women's Category 4 Criterium race. Unfortunately, just a few laps in, the rain let loose again and made for some slick corners. PRC stayed strong though with Maria again taking 2nd place in the rain. She was followed by Ali in 4th place, Sara in 7th place and Heather in 10th place. Unfortunately, a flat tire on the first lap for Emily.

The tough competition from Kenda, ISCorp, BH and Mercy returned for the Category 1/2/3 crit on Sunday. Team Kenda's Kristin Wentworth, Catherine Wahlberg and Kim Eppen of Mercy took the top three spots with Kelli and Keely finishing 11th and 12th respectively.

Special congrats to Maria for her 2nd place finishes in the Category 4 races both days!! Stay tuned for pictures from the weekend.


Emily's Punk Periodical~


What is the best bike I can get for $200?

One of my coworkers wants to buy a bike, so of course, everyone directs her to me for advice. After a few questions I found out that her top dollar was $200 and she wanted to bike a mountain bike because she likes straight bars and wider tires. She wants to be able to ride her bike on the paved trails and possibly commute to work, but will likely never ride off-road. With that, I told her that an inexpensive used cross bike would be a better option for her, but once I told her that they don’t just come with straight bars, she immediately shot it down. She has never tried regular road bars, but was very set that she would not like them. I really don’t want to put her on a hybrid because, well, that’s just no fun. She also does not want to buy a junker brand, so she asked for a suggestion of what to look at and what to steer clear of.

So, to put this all together, she wants a legit bike, good brand, wider tires, and straight bars…for no more than $200. Oh yeah, and she wants an aluminum frame because it is lighter. I might be able to talk her into spending more, but when I threw the $700 number at her, her jaw dropped, so I took that as a no.

Anybody have any good ideas?


Harlot Wear!~


Harlot Wear is a super awesome cycling clothing company . . . and no they don’t make spandex-stuff that no one wants to actually wear in public. They make cycling clothing that is at home on the saddle- just as much as it is on the bar stool.

The name Harlot? A little racy isn’t it? If you look back to the history and women that first rode bicycles they were not looked upon fondly. Women riding bikes were seen as immoral, immodest, and prone to do unsavory things at any moment!! Well... ok, maybe it's not too much different. Ha!



Please enjoy this historic yet unbelievable text from Harlot Wear’s website:

Critics warned that the“unfettered liberty of bicycling would intoxicate women to immoral acts” and that the bicycle “promoted immodesty in women”. As Clare S. Simpson noted, “The independent mobility of cyclists raised genuine alarm for their physical, if not moral, safety; simply put, the bicycle could easily take women to unsavory places where they might be endangered physically … or morally. Drawing on previous knowledge of the kinds of women who deliberately made themselves conspicuous in public, that is, prostitutes, there would be a strong tendency to conclude that cycling women were far from respectable: not exactly prostitutes, perhaps, but possibly women of loose morals or with an undeveloped sense of propriety.”

If that doesn't make you want to wear Harlot clothing, we don't know what will...

Order yourself some gear! (and notice on the website that PRC is one of their sponsored teams!)


Men Are The New Women~


We recently got in our PRC hooded sweatshirts designed by our best friend DONNY. Black hoodies with the phrase MEN ARE THE NEW WOMEN written across the back. If you'd like to have one of these awesome hoodies simply approach any member of PRC you see wearing it and offer her $150 cash. She will be happy to give you the sweatshirt off her back. As long as she has something else to wear- we're not strippers.
WASHING INSTRUCTIONS for PRC Hoodies.
Thanks to Jen & Ed at T-Shirt Graphix!


PRC Races At The Tour Of Hermann~


This past weekend, Kelli, Maria & Keely headed down to race in the Tour of Hermann stage race in Hermann, Missouri. Unfortunately, they raced in the rain both Saturday and Sunday but still had a great time and great results too!

Tour of Hermann omnium points were awarded from a combination of results in a 10 mile time trial, a challenging criterium course and then a killer, hilly road race (Note: When advertised as a "river valley town", they're not kidding about hilly!). All women, including Cat 4's were categorized in the 'women open' classification. In the time trial, Kelli took 2nd placed by just 15 seconds to Lincoln's power house Sydney Brown. Kelli did the 10 mile time trial in 23:44, for an average speed of 25.3. Maria and Keely finished just 4 seconds apart from each other with Maria finishing in a time of 26:39 and Keely in 26:43.

In the criterium that afternoon, Kelli took 3rd place behind Sydney and her Mercy Fitness Cycle teammate with Keely finishing in 6th place and Maria in 15th place.

Sunday morning, in the pouring rain, Kelli and Keely went 5th and 6th in the road race. Maria finished the difficult road race in 16th place.

Overall, for total omnium points at the Tour of Hermann, Kelli took 3rd place with 81 total points, Keely 5th place with 47 total points and Maria 11th place. What a weekend!

Congrats to the 3 of them for a great performance! They did a good job of representing PRC! Click HERE for pictures and complete results can be found HERE.

Special thanks to PRC sponsor Darrell Brown for the use of his super nice truck and trailer. We were rolling high class with dry bikes thanks to Darrell! What a nice setup. Also, special thanks to Terry for driving to pick up the truck/trailer, loading it, driving us all of the way too and from Hermann and for putting up with us all weekend! You're a trooper and a brave man. We really, really appreciate it Terry!

Next up... the Iowa City Road Race and the Old Capitol Criterium this coming weekend. Click HERE for details.


PRC's D4W Week: Meet Amy Kippley~


As you may know, PRC’s Designs For Women week is here! What does this mean? This is your chance to see some of the latest and greatest bikes and products that Specialized offers women. The best part? Specialized has a demo team that brings all of the goodness right to Des Moines, so don’t miss out! It doesn’t matter if you’re female or not, we’d love to have you stop by and visit us!!! Here’s the calendar:

Tuesday night from 6-8pm, stop by Rasmussen Bike Shop. PRC will be there to hang out, share wine and show off new product. Come and test ride one of the sweet bikes!

Wednesday night, join PRC for our Wednesday night ‘Papa John Ride’. We’ll even have tasty Papa John’s pizza (URL) back at the bike shop following the ride. Come test ride a new bike on the ride.

Thursday night, we’ll have the D4W vehicle set up at Union Park for our ‘Race Like A Girl’ Series. Sponsored by Elder Corporation, ‘Race Like A Girl’ is a cheap, beginner friendly, race for women and men. Come out and give it a try!

There are many opportunities next week to see PRC and check out the wonderful products by Specialized.


So who is the lucky driver that gets to drive around the Midwest and show off the new product? We want to introduce you to Amy Kippley.



PRC: Amy, where are you from?

AK: Minneapolis, Minnesota.

PRC: What got you interested in bikes?

AK: My dad had a big part in getting me onto and keeping me into bikes. Ever since I took that leap from big-wheel to banana seat I’ve never looked back.

PRC: Personally, you prefer road or mountain?

AK: I prefer riding on the road, but crashing on the mountain. I went to state in crashing big, so when it comes to making a fool of myself on the trail, I don’t mess around. Bring on the dirt.

PRC: Have you raced bikes?

AK: Yes, mainly of the single-speed variety.

PRC: Other than Iowa, where is the coolest place you have done a demo?

AK: Tricky one, since Des Moines truly is party capitol of the Midwest. Is it cheating to say Minneapolis? I think so. I’ve got a soft spot deep in the heart of Texas- Austin has some great folks and some fun trails. The riding in Devil’s Den (Arkansas) is also some of my favorite.

PRC: Any good demo stories?

AK: Each demo is completely different so each one usually has its own amazing tale to tell. From riding hinged swing tall-bikes in Springfield, MO, getting caught in a hail storm during a night ride through San Antonio, TX, and surviving only on wasabi peas and a jam packed 80’s mixed tape on a power drive from Tyler, TX straight through to Cleveland, OH- It’s been an exciting five months on the road.

PRC: What is the best part about your job?

AK: Meeting so many new people & conquering so many new trails. Great food, folks, and bikes- I’m one spoiled lady.

PRC: What is the worst part about your job?

AK: Racking up truckloads of hotel awards points. One too many continental breakfasts and I start to get a bit weary.

PRC: What a big rocking van to drive around? Are you a future mini van owner now?

AK: I think I paid my dues as a mini-van driver. Once I get back to having a place where I wash & fold my own towels, I’ll be trading in my keys and investing in sturdy bike trailer for hauling the heavy.

PRC: What are some of the coolest Specialized 'must' ride bikes?

AK: The new Era/Epic. Ferocious bikes!


PRC Wins At Elkhart TT~


Thursday was the first running of the Elkhart Time Trial Series in Elkhart, IA. This series is a monthly 12k time trial, a great tune-up for weekend races, and a perfect gauge of how your fitness grows through a season.

In the Women's Open race PRC's Kelli and Keely took the top two spots- which is not much of a surprise since they were the only two racing (common for some of the local events). Kelli's winning time was 18:18 - a very respectable time for the evening. As race director Chad Vandelune said, "Guys I know how it feels, I've been beat by a girl before too." Indeed Kelli's time would have put her in the top 10 on the Men's Open field. Nice.

There was a much larger field in the Women's Cat-4 race and we were stoked to see Ali Doyle (pictured) take the top spot with a finish time of 21:01. Skimming by second place by 9 seconds. Congratulations to the women of PRC and a huge thanks to Chad and everyone who worked putting this event together. It's always a blast and we recommend it to anyone looking to challenge themselves!

FULL RESULTS


Recap On Last Wednesday's Ride~


Last Wednesday close to 500 cyclists rode from Rasmussen Bike Shop to the state capital to bring attention to the safety of cyclists on the roads and the education of motorists. It was an amazing turn out of people from all over the state and we were proud to join in. Maria even took the microphone for a while and we are all SO PROUD of her for speaking her mind to that group. We've collected a few photos from the ride- and THIS PHOTO of Sara even made it into the Des Moines Register website.

SEE OUR PHOTO ALBUM and watch THIS VIDEO


PRC Is Heading To Hermann, MO~


Today, Kelli, Maria and Keely are road tripping south for an omnium stage race in Hermann. They’ll do a 10 mile time trial on Saturday morning, followed by a downtown criterium and then a hilly road race on Sunday. Click HERE for details on the race.

Good luck PRC! Ride fast, ride smart, be safe and most of all, have fun!!


Send Get Well Wishes To Doug~


WOW! With just a 2 day notice, what an amazing turnout last night for the bike safety rally. News reporters estimated over 500 cyclists biked the streets to the steps of the capitol!

Special congrats to one of last night’s speaker’s, PRC’s own Maria Ruhtenberg! She did an amazing job speaking in front of such a crowd. Definitely a powerful night for Des Moines and especially for Doug! Thanks to all who attended.

And we have good news about Doug. Most of the PRC girls have had the opportunity to stop over and visit Doug in the hospital this week. Although quiet sore and a long recovery still ahead of him, his spirits are up and he’s definitely motivated to get well!

Through his time at the hospital, we want to cheer him up with some get well wishes! Please click HERE to send Doug a get well message through the hospital website. Doug is at Methodist Hospital.


Specialized D4W Demo Week... NEXT WEEK!~


Test The Best


Join PRC For The Wednesday Bike Rally!~


Instead of our normal Wednesday Papa John Ride, we're joining forces with the cyclists around Des Moines and doing the bike rally to the capitol THIS Wednesday!! Please join PRC!! Bring your friends, family, children, neighbors and anyone else who has a bike. (Yes, a large number of children are expected so bring them!)



Details and the official invitation:

When? Wednesday, April 15that 5:30pm
Where? Leaving from Rasmussen Bike Shop, 301 Grand Ave in West Des Moines
Biking to? We’re heading to the steps of the capitol
Who? EVERYONE! Media will be present and we’re hoping for a good turnout!


Official Invitation:
On Saturday morning, April 11, fellow cyclist Doug Smith was recklessly run down by a motorist near Winterset Iowa . Doug suffered serious life threatening injuries and is recovering at Methodist hospital. The cycling community of Iowa is outraged by incidents like this which unfortunately are occurring on a much more frequent basis. If your life has ever been touched by all the good that comes from riding a bike, we invite you to ride with us on the bike ride of your life! We are riding to proclaim to fellow Iowans that bicyclists are living breathing human beings, just like your father, mother and sons and daughters, We want everyone to understand that riding a bike on shared public highways is not a privilege but a right that has been supported and endorsed by Iowa law for years.

Join us on this Silent Ride and encourage law enforcement officials across the state to fully enforce the current Iowa motor vehicle code and ask that our state legislatures pass Senate file 117, protecting the rights and safety of cyclists. Come together, with a single voice, to encourage city and county attorneys to fully investigate bicycle/motor vehicle accidents and to hold those responsible accountable under the full extent of the law.

Please join us on Wednesday April 15 for the bike ride of your life to the Iowa State Capital departing promptly at 5:30 PM from 301 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA.


More Mail From Diana... YES!~


We got more fan mail from Diana in Colombia. This gal is so cool!


HI...THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLICATION, ALMOST DIED OF HAPPINESS, I COULD NOT BELIEVE, I HOPE TO BE FAN NUMBER ONE, THE DOORS ARE OPEN WHEN MY HOUSE WANT TO VISIT COLOMBIA, I HOPE TO SOON. I LOVE VERY VERY MUCH PUNKROCKCYCLING!!!

YOUR FAN NUMBER ONE!!! -DIANA


Wow this trip to Colombia looks more and more appealing every day. Right now tickets are running about $680- yikes.

We love getting letters from just about anyone - if you want to be as awesome as Diana you can write us as well... send your emails to punk@punkrockcycling.com!


Prayers For Doug Smith~


Saturday morning our good friend and PRC team sponsor Doug Smith was hit while on a training ride with Maria, Heather, Keely and others witnessing. A large trailer swerved into him- he has suffered several broken bones, head injuries, and internal bleeding.

Please send your prayers to Doug, his wife Sally and their daughter Emily. We are thinking of you all!


Emily's Trail Work Report~


Last Saturday was Rob’s Big Day Out with CITA starting with a 6:45am departure to ride gravel down to Summerset, followed by 3 hours of trail work, Papa John’s pizza for lunch, and finally a lap around the now ready-to-ride 5 mile loop at Banner Lakes in Summerset State Park.

About mid-week I committed to riding with Rob in the morning, helping with the trail work, and riding back home. Well, I am a fair weather rider, I really enjoy sleeping at 5:30am, and I have a very rigid routine of enjoying a salmon omelet and coffee at La Mie every Saturday morning. That being said, I bailed on the 6:45 ride and headed down to Summerset after breakfast. Thirty-three volunteers showed up to finish the last of the bench-cutting, branch snipping, bridge building, rut digging, trail raking work. They entrusted me with giant snippers, so I spent the morning clearing branches and raking away debris.

After filling my belly with a slice of delicious Papa John’s sausage pizza and a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi, I hopped on my mountain bike to test out the trail. I am used to the Center Trails, so this was definitely a change of terrain…it used to be an old mining field so there are lots of packed gravel mounds with some steep pitches and tight hairpins. I soon realized that my technical skills…or maybe confidence level…are not quite ready for those trails. BUT, I plan to get better, so watch out Banner Lakes…I’ll be back.

Special thanks to Rob for a great day out and big thanks to CITA for all the work you do for the trails we enjoy!

Click HERE for more info on the trails.


Keely's Pizza Eating Adventure~


Keely recently worked with Iowa State University. They ran some very interesting tests on her...

"Iowa based women's cycling team Punk Rock Cycling began collaborative work this week with the Department of Internal Digestion at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. The university study was aimed to discover unique characteristics of an athlete's digestive patterns..." READ THE REST OF THE STORY.


Join Us For The Papa John Ride~


Hey PRC fans, just a reminder that tonight is our Wednesday Papa John Ride. Looks to be great weather! We hope you can join us. Our ride leaves from Rasmussen Bike Shop at 5:30pm and heads south of town for 24 miles (or 31 if you make an extra park loop).

Trying to decide if this ride is for you? PRC strongly recommends bringing a road bike, helmet, nutrition and sports drinks/water as needed. Although this is a 'no drop' ride you should be able to ride at least 24 miles at an avearge of 15mph or better. Got questions? Email us at punk@punkrockcycling.com and we'll gladly help.

If you can't join us this week, no worries, same thing each Wednesday from April through September.


*** Parking note: If you are driving to the ride, please park your car in the far lot WEST of Charlie’s Filling Station. We do not want to block customer parking for either Rasmussen Bike Shop or the bar next door. Thanks in advance!!

Our route map is shown below:



You Write The Caption~


We found this picture of Quikstep rider Tom Boonen. And well, we don't know what to say. So maybe you have some ideas? Leave your captions in the comments. And think of something funny! And if you're like any of the girls on PRC you've probably used a good amount of company time searching for moderately naked pictures of Tom Boonen. For those girls out there that are like us - here is our collection of Bear-Bones-Boo-Boo pics. Enjoy.


PRC Races In Lawrence, Kansas~


With so many of the races in Iowa canceled so far, Maria, Keely, Heather, and Sara, decided to head down to Lawrence on Saturday for the Spring Fling Criterium. The girls left early and headed south hoping to make the Women’s 4 race at noon and then race the Women’s 3/4 at 1:30.

Well, things didn’t quite go according to plan, and somehow they got lost and didn’t make it to the race course until late and missed the first race. So, looking on the bright side, the girls took the opportunity to get in a good warm up in before heading to the start line. It turned out to be great timing. The sun came and the temps go up to 72 degrees. It was, however, quite windy (25-30 mph). It was Heather and Sara’s first race.

The course was in a park with about a one-mile flat and wide loop. There were 12 women in the field. The first few laps were slow and uneventful before things opened up. Keely sped things up a bit, and then there was an attack. Keely covered the attack long enough for Sara and Maria to get a free ride up to them on the wheels of two Velo Tek ladies. As they were gaining on the leaders, Keely fell off a bit, hoping to get help from the group. Maria then attacked and bridged up alone to the leader. Those two stayed away the rest of the race with Maria getting a close second at the line. Keely and Sara raced with the Velo Tek ladies and beat them in the end with Keely coming in 3rd and Sara 4th. Heather was the victim of a bad early position and was not able to get in the break. She worked with another rider for much of the race and got some really good experience and finished a very strong 8th. Congratulations ladies!

PRC was too busy riding fast to take pictures during the race but click HERE for a few pictures from the road trip south.


Happy, Happy Birthday Donny!~


Happy, Happy Birthday to our team owner and the founder of PRC, Donny!! We hope you have a great day and hope California is treating you AWESOME!!
If only you could be in Iowa, you're missing out on a snow storm today. Jealous? Anyway, we're thinking of you and miss you lots DQ!


Britney's Punk Periodical~


A lot of people say they love animals, but then, when they come across one that has a scar, is a little bit skinny, or is coughing up blood, they just turn their heads. Well, I love animals of all shapes, sizes, and disabilities. That's why I devote all of my free time to finding and caring for diseased and deformed animals. I just can't get enough of those smelly, limping critters! I'd never be so cruel as to turn away a stray dog, just because his care requires that I siphon fluid from his lungs with a plastic tube every four hours. If you only like animals that sport silky fur or have tongues, then you can't say you truly love animals. I love all of the earth's creatures—those with and without tapeworms.

Just take one look into my Siberian husky Clancy's pus-encrusted eyes. How could you not love him to pieces? He's so special to me, as are the five or ten cats dragging themselves around my house any given week. I give every animal a name, no matter how close he or she is to death. Add one more to the list of little buddies in cages stacked on, or hanging from, every available surface in my home. Muffin, a guinea pig with a tumor three times the size of her head, may need a little more care than a so-called "normal" guinea pig, but I'm more than happy to put in the extra effort. Every mange-covered, rasping animal is a gift from God. Sure, sometimes the smell can be overwhelming, and sometimes the animal hair clumped on my couch, clogging my kitchen drain, and clinging to my clothes can be a bit unpleasant. But once you've bottle-fed an abandoned, three-legged ferret, like I do every morning with little Tripod, there's no turning back: You're a true animal lover.

Every animal deserves tender loving care, even if he or she is well beyond hope of ever living independently. I have an iguana with chronic pneumonia, and a 17-foot boa constrictor with a skin disease so advanced it turns the vet's stomach. Then there's Señor Oink, the epileptic pot-bellied pig I found in the giveaway section of the classifieds. I love little Oinky, no matter how many times he's accidentally bitten me or destroyed one of my lamps during an episode. I can't believe someone actually wanted to get rid of him! Not all of the animals I own are pets that were left to die in a sack on the side of the road. I've rescued my share of wild animals, too—everything from birds with broken wings to Smokey, a raccoon that swallowed a tin-can lid.

Just last year, I rescued a deer. My then-boyfriend Larry and I spotted the little guy lying on the side of the highway, covered in blood and barely breathing. Of course, I insisted that we heave him over into the back of Larry's pick-up and take him home. There, I wrapped him in a blanket and kept him on my front porch, where I hand-fed him corn that I chewed up myself. I even outfitted him with toddler-sized diapers, which stayed in place because his back legs were paralyzed. I feel good knowing that, even though I couldn't save the deer, I kept him alive for almost a week. Larry thought we should put him out of his misery by running over his head with the pick-up. So much for that relationship! I dumped Larry, as soon as we unloaded the deer's carcass back at the same spot by the road where we first found him.

People might wonder where I get all the time and energy to take care of such an interesting menagerie. I won't lie and say it's easy. I need a giant calendar to keep track of who gets special-diet food and whose festering wounds need irrigating. But just when I think I've had enough of mopping secretions off of my floor eight times a day, someone like Toby—my little beagle with mild dysautonomia and a severe allergy to grass—does something adorable. I can't stay mad at these enfeebled and contorted little guys. It's not their fault that they have so many problems. If you really care about animals, you're going to love a Siamese cat like Phantom, who lost half his face in an exhaust fan, twice as much as you love a cat that has his whole face.

Really, what these animals need most of all—even more than lots of very expensive medication—is affection. Sure, I have a lot more broken furniture than most people, because of my pets' seizures and emotional outbursts. But does that mean I stop loving the little guys? These animals just need hugs, patience, and plenty of time to romp around outside. Except Patches, who can't be exposed to direct sunlight.



Driven By Elder

Papa Johns Pizza Ya'll


TEAM PROFILE
Punk Rock Cycling Women's Team

MEET THE GALS
Kelli Mente, Cat 3
Keely Shannon, Cat 3
Maria Ruhtenberg, Cat 4
Emily Schaapveld, Cat 4
Heather Myer-Davis, Cat 4
Sara Broek, Cat 4
Keri Fellows, Cat 4
Alison Doyle, Cat 4

TEAM SUPPORT
Rachael Lambert, Specialized D4W
Jed Gammell, Insurance
Chris Maharry, Photographer

Create your own profile!

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Rock Valley PT
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True Sport (U23 Sponsorship) - 4/09
Bike Iowa (Keely's Pizza) - 4/09
Kansas Cyclist (Meet PRC) - 1/09
IA Public Radio (Cranksgiving) - 11/08
True Sport (100 Reasons) - 11/08
Bike Iowa (100 Reasons) - 11/08
Bike Iowa (Test The Best) - 8/08
True Sport (Our Bikes) - 7/08
Cycling Update (Our Bikes) - 7/08
Specialized Newsletter - 6/08
Bike Iowa (Our Bikes) - 5/08
Bike Iowa (Ritual Ride) - 5/08
Juice Magazine - 5/08
Cycling Update (Elkhart TT) - 5/08
True Sport (Anthro with Ana) - 5/08
NE Cycling News (Spring Classic) - 4/08
Cycling Update (Kent Park) - 3/08
True Sport (Camp #2) - 3/08
True Sport (Camp #1) - 3/08
Bike Iowa (Babysitters) - 3/08
Bike Iowa (V-Day Auction) - 2/08
Nebraska Cycling News - 2/08
True Sport - 2/08
Cycling Update - 1/08
Bike Throw - 11/07
Bike Iowa - 10/07

RLAG May
Memorial Day Weekend Races
Elkhart TT in May
Finchford Road Race
IA City Criterium
IA City Road Race
D4W Week
RLAG April
Tour Of Hermann
Ride For Awareness
Spring Fling in Lawrence
We Love Tom Boonen
Sexy Specialized Angels
Dinner At Jethros
Tulsa Spring Training 09
Keely With SMASH
Kelli's Trip to California
Photo Shoot with D. Smith
Behind the Scenes D. Smith
Oakley Party
Bike Maintenance Class
PRC Holiday Party
The Ana Collection
The Best of 2008

All The FLICKR Photos

Jane Makes Out With Podium Girl
Chicken Or Anteater?
Kelli After Elkhart TT
Jane Climbs Snake Alley
Kelli Cleans Her Bike
Ana's Solid Sprinting
The Crowd At A Ritual Ride
Chris Talks About Getting Spanked
Ana Hates Video Recordings
Jane's Finish at PRC Du
Jen Heckles Sk8 Kids
Chris's Gap at Old Cap
Emily's Training Ride
Jane & Kelli Talk Transition
Andy Likes PRC (& Guys)
Jane-Jen-Kelli After Altoona

All The YOUTUBE Videos

SWEET STUFF SUCKA
Delicious Desktop Backgrounds

TRAINING
Our Critical Power Test (XLS)
Rockin CL Training Log (XLS)
Kelli's Drafting Tutorial (PPT)
Criterium 101 (PDF)

  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010




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