When I was eleven years old, I was finally tall enough to just barely fit on my mother’s road bike and having seen my father kit up and ride so many times, I told him I wanted to try road riding with him. Being his favorite activity, he was thrilled! He got me my own pair of cycling shoes outfitted with SPD cleats, and my first jersey and cycling shorts. The jersey was orange, pink and covered in palm trees, a thing of beauty, really. Turns out I fell in love with the sport, riding every weekend with my dad, and doing some occasional longer sponsored rides (my longest being 50 miles, not bad for an 11 year old!). I started waking up early during the summer to watch stages of the Tour de France, and had all sorts of stats and facts memorized about the riders. Probably the embarrassingly funny bit was that my AOL screenname was “FutureProCyclist.” Continue reading
Category Archives: race reports
My Weekend “Off” from Cyclocross
I’ve been racing a cross race every weekend since Granogue (which was the first weekend in September), so since I wasn’t registered for any race on this particular weekend, I was going to take a nice chill Sunday off to not race. Roz then told me she was doing Stoudt’s, her second race since the broken collarbone, and our neighbor Louis was going to race too—his second CX race ever. Well, looks like I am going to race after all. Continue reading
How to Make a Perfect CX Donut
Team Laser Cats @ Swashbuckler! Photo by Hana Elum
We at Team Laser Cats tend to have unusual jobs and talents. For example, we have bike shop cats, hair stylist cat, chef cat, organic food coop food buyer cat, Laser Cats and Such cat boss: you get the idea. Up to this point, my profession (architect / adjunct professor) was definitely on the more “quotidian” or “normal” end of the spectrum. But this cat’s got some ~secrete talents~ that she’s been keeping under wraps for a little while, namely, a lifetime of making and designing. And when a lifetime of origami crafts, years of art classes in drawing/mixed media/ceramics, and a couple architecture degrees get harnessed, one can cough up a pretty awesome donut costume for Halloween (not to be humble about it or anything). Continue reading
Junior racer Tamia joins up with TLC for her first CX Race
Team Laser Cats is very proud of the fact that our very own Sophia Lee started the Rocky CX project — a cyclocross bike designed to be used by women interested in giving cyclocross a try. Rocky was put together by loving donations from members of our community, including a frame from bona fide pro Arley Kemmerer. A couple weeks ago, Rocky traveled to West Chester CX #1 with Tamia Santiago, a junior road racer with the Cadence Youth Cycling organization who also works with Laser Cat Taylor Kuyk-White at Neighborhood Bike Works. Read on for Tamia’s first cyclocross experience, then hop on over to the Rocky blog for more stories on the bike’s adventures this season, or to chip in a donation! Continue reading
Crossasaurus Awesome: Philly Girls Don’t Give Up
Lindsay Hall races for Laser Cats from her homebase in Central PA. On Sunday, she joined teammates at Crossasaurus Awesome. Read more of her writing at http://trainingonaprayer.blogspot.com/
N-now th-that that don’t kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
Cause I can’t wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
Cause I can’t get much wronger
Man I’ve been waiting all night now
That’s how long I been on ya
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
Cause I can’t wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
Cause I can’t get much wronger
Man I’ve been waiting all night now
That’s how long I been on ya
Photos from West Chester CX #1
As the women of Team Laser Cats prepare for a weekend at Whirlybird, Crossasaurus Awesome, and DCCX, here’s a look at photos from last Sunday’s race at West Chester. Photos by Willem Heydendael, Elisabeth Reinkordt, and Sam Orskog.
Taylor lining up in the 1/2/3s
Elisabeth stays warm at the start
Sam on the start line
Taryn on the start grid at West Chester #1 2015
Taylor up the run up
Elisabeth keeping Taylor in sight
Taryn runs up
Guest junior rider Tamia in her first cx race
Sam on the run up
Tamia brought her crit racing strength to the grass
Elisabeth bridges up to Taylor in the 1/2/3s
Cati, Taylor, and Elisabeth in the battle for 3rd on the last lap
All smiles at the finish!
1/2/3 podium saw Taylor in 3rd, Elisabeth in 5th
‘Cross makes you hungry. Good thing Michaela brought a pup
Tamia on the junior podium!
Taylor’s amazing parents brought a whole tailgate
PUPPY
Caffeinated Cross: A Lesson in Self Acceptance
Awhile ago I (Krista) watched the women’s field at a local cyclocross race, straddling a friend’s cyclocross bike so I could bike from spot to spot along the winding course. At one straight away, in which the women zipped by with speed, an older man who was spectating beside me turned to me, gave me a quick once over and asked, “Hey, how come you’re not in this race?” His big smile pressed down the corners of his eyes with grandfatherly glee and I responded, “Oh, I don’t want to race,” a half-truth that I let hesitantly slip out. I cringed for the ensuing, well-worn conversation that I knew was about to take place.
“C’mon! You scared? You can do it, it’s easy!” he said and chuckled. I let out a little laugh.
“I’ve raced before, I know what it’s like,” I said, a smile gripping my face.
“Well, what’s your excuse then!?” he said, shrugging his shoulders. Continue reading
Vermont 50 as skills training!
Last Sunday, I (Taryn) took on the Vermont 50 as my sixth time on a mountain bike. I am new to cycling in general, and have realized that the only way to learn and improve your skills is to spend time in your saddle. A 50 mile mountain bike race is exactly what I needed to figure out the sport and improve my skills, but it wasn’t easy. Continue reading
Nittany lets cats play in the mud
A couple weekends ago, I (Elisabeth) broke out my pro camera and headed to Trexlertown, Saturday as just a spectator, and Sunday to hop in and race as well as take some photos during the rest of the races. Here’s a little recap, including contributions from Yung TayTay and photos of the Laser Cats in Sunday’s race taken by Willem.
Nittany was the first big race of the region, and the Laser Cats Feline All-Stars were ready to rock. Roz held it down Saturday, crushing for the holeshot on her patriotic single speed. Then our good buddy Rachel Rubino tore through the whole field and took the win! Continue reading
Hot Cross Granogue
Grinding up the hill to stay ahead of Shauna, hoping for a spray of water from Taylor. Photo: Matty Bee
True story: Cyclocross appealed to me because it was a fall/winter sport. A cold weather sport. A sport where there might be snow. I am a snow baby. I was born in the frigid cold of Nebraska in January. A year ago, I said I refused to race ‘cross in months that didn’t end in “ber” (which when you say it out loud is funny because it sounds like “brr”). I should probably revise that to “no ‘cross before Labor Day.” Sunday was hot, dry, and very dusty. But with a course as fun as Granogue, I’m nothing but happy to be back in the cyclocross game for another season. Continue reading
Team Laser Cats 