Beautiful by Bike

Interview with Michelle and Antonia Molina by Melissa Balmer

2013-05-02T19:45:00Z

Image: Kirk Saylin of Saylin Studio. Hair & Makeup: Toni by Michelle Salemi, Michelle's Makeup by Michelle Salemi & Hair by Vanessa Benevanate both of Atlantic Studio. Toni's vintage 1970's bike courtesy of The Bicycle Stand, Michelle's vintage 1970's bike is Melissa's regular ride.

May is National Bike Month, but it's also Mother's Day and this month we are so very pleased to bring you an interview with Michelle Molina and her daughter Antonia. In honor of the upcoming "Vintage Bike + Fashion Show" at BikeFest Michelle and Antonia recently dressed in 70's inspired hippie bohemian wear and jewelry from the super chic local "Twig and Willow" boutique for a photo shoot with the very talented Kirk Saylin to help celebrate Long Beach's love of bicycling and our rich vintage culture.

Michelle Molina and her husband John Molina (CFO of Molina Healthcare) are one of the most dynamic and community committed couples in Long Beach. Michelle has served as the Chief Executive Officer and owner of PeacePartners since its inception in May of 2003. Prior to the creation of PeacePartners, she served as a teacher in grades 4-8 and administrator for the Paramount Unified School District in California for ten years. She has been a PeaceBuilder since 1994 and a PeaceBuilders trainer and curriculum developer since 1998.

Michelle Molina is also managing partner of Millworks, a socially-responsible investment, development, and property management in downtown Long Beach. Their current projects include a South Pine entertainment district restaurant resell and a $60 million adaptive reuse of the former Press Telegram newspaper building and the historic Meeker-Baker building on 2.5 acres of North Pine property. She is a member of HOPA, Historic Old Pine Association, and participates in many North Pine charitable and arts projects.

Daughter Antonia Molina is the reigning Miss Teen Long Beach and will be attending Orange County School of the Performing Arts this fall with a focus on creative writing.

The entire Molina family embodies a wonderful spirit of active living and demonstrate regularly how easily the bike can be utilized for fun, errands and exercise.

MB: Antonia why do you think having May as "National Bike Month" and special events like May 11^th’s “BikeFest” celebrated here in Long Beach are important to engaging people in a bike-friendly and active living conversation.

Antonia: My favorite part of where I'm from is the fact that for a city of this size, it's such a tightly woven community and I love that. The more we inform people about how bike-friendly the city is, the more likely is it that someone will go, "Hey, I need to go to ____, and its only this far away, and there's bike paths and bike lanes, and it's better for the environment and my health, so I should ride my bike!" People sometimes assume that riding your bike around is a bigger hassle than it actually is.

MB: Antonia in your role as the new Miss Teen Long Beach what message would you like to share with fellow teens in your new leadership role?

Antonia: The biggest thing I think young girls can do is to stop being so judgmental towards one another! So many teens are afraid to be who they are because of all the negativity that comes with being yourself. They tell us constantly to express ourselves and to not be afraid of people that tease you, but it's so much harder than they make it out to be. I guess that's the biggest thing I'd like to teach people. Beauty comes in every shape and size and color.

MB: Antonia tell us about your current bike and your favorite places to ride with your family & friends.

Antonia: I have a navy blue Cafe 8 by Felt Bicycles. Just this past weekend a friend and I rode to Shoreline Village-- according to MapQuest that's 4.36 miles one way. With my family, we ride to Mom's Cafe at Mother's Beach on Sundays for breakfast.

MB: Michelle you are a woman who wears many hats! You’re a wife, mother, the CEO and owner of PeacePartners and Managing Partner of Millworks and many philanthropic endeavors. How does your own commitment to active living for yourself personally help you stay grounded and healthy with such a busy schedule?

Michelle: I could wax poetically here about the mind/body connection, however, this is a simple example of the laws of physics. Bodies in motion; stay in motion…bodies at rest; stay at rest. I have a lot of energy and I owe that in large part to my physical movement. I thank Lisa and Casey Kammel at Executive Fitness for that. And once you feel you are capable of a higher level of physical activity, you try a lot more adventure. We kayak, paddle board, bike and hike as a family, and my son and I add indoor rock climbing/zipline, ice and roller skating and camping as the "adventure" members of the family.

MB: Michelle enjoy riding your bike locally with your children – how does this help you model both good active living behavior as well as being a good steward in the community?

Michelle: When the kids were little we had a bike trailer, as they grew up we had a trail-a-bike for Giovanni and Toni was on her own, so it was something we experienced as "going on a bike ride". Now that we are all mobile, we still do that, but have added the commuter aspect. Giovanni actually has two bikes; a motocross bike for fun, school and stunts, and a single speed/fixed gear that he uses for training and junior lifeguards. It has bright orange handle tape and purple pedals…that says a lot about who he is. Watch out Long Beach.

John and I ride together a lot also. In the last year we both moved from beach cruisers to Electra Townies. Getting used to the control you have with multiple gears and hand breaks has been a dream for us as commuter cyclists. We certainly take a "ride" still, but we consider the potential to ride each place we go. We have enjoyed riding to Flugtag, Rose Park Blue Grass Festival, Grand Prix among others, but always use our bikes to go to parties or dinner on the Peninsula or to the Shore without question. Saves parking spots, get exercise and fresh air…win-win.

I assure you we do not set out to be good stewards or role models, that is just how we live.

MB: Michelle Recently Molina Healthcare brought on Olympic Cyclist Tony Cruz to be its Health Ambassador. A little bird told me you played a role in bringing this about – can you share with us why Tony is the perfect role model for Molina?

Michelle: Tony was the perfect person to lead the health charge at Molina. There were already wellness initiatives in place being lead by Mario and John with a gym going in at Molina Center and yoga and Zumba classes already waiting list-full. Mario is an avid runner and John rides his bike to work often, so the vision and priority was in place. Having Tony on board to coordinate all of that was key. He is building new partnerships, helping coordinate programming and collecting data. He practices what he preaches, has a approachable spirit and has made many friends at Molina already. I am happy to admit to being the connector…I am proud to possess that skill!

MB: Sadly we live in an era of a sedentary disease pandemic in our country with experts proclaiming that the youngest generation won't live as long as their parents. 40% of trips we make in the U.S. are under two miles - as very easy distance to travel by bike. If you had a magic wand and could create a dream campaign to get people biking and walking to be healthier what would you do? What would you say? And how would you get the word out.

Michelle: Setting an example is a start. Ride when you can; save money and your heart. Educate people both formally and informally about logistics, safety and community about biking and walking. Advocate for walkability and bikeability with our city leaders. And lastly, encourage others to join the cause. Lastly, there are lots of great bike organizations in town, the more they can work together with a common agenda and vision, the easier this work will be!

About Our Photographer Kirk Saylin

Making great images for clients has been Kirk's passion since 1993. He attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and has worked for such clients as Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Dodge, Cleveland Golf, Samsun and Callaway, as well as many others. Articles have been published on his work in PDN online and his work has appeared in Communication Arts. When not on location Kirk works out of his 5000+ square foot studio facility on Pine Ave. in Downtown Long Beach. Find out more about him and his work at www.saylinstudio.com

A Red Bike - by Krista Leaders

2012-12-03T02:45:40Z

I wanted a red bike more than anything in the world for my 5th birthday. So on a summer day in July of 1971 I was given a beautiful, red, Schwinn Stingray bike with big handlebars, chrome fenders, black "banana" seat with a silver stripe down the middle and a "sissy bar." The front tire had a brick pattern and the rear tire was a wide slick tread. This bike was a no frills bike, I wasn’t having anything to do with flowers or pink or tassels. The bike was way too big for me, but I didn't care, it was mine and I was going to learn how to ride it. My dad took me out on the sidewalk, steadied me and then ran behind me countless times until I was able to ride; training wheels were not an option. I must have fallen a hundred times before I rode it down the street. That single gift changed the trajectory of my life more than any other. On my Stingray I was able to go farther, faster, and be more brave and confident. In a neighborhood of boys and at a time when Evel Kneivel was our hero and BMX was just beginning I learned to be a daredevil on my Stingray. It was only a few years before I had the bike going off jumps, and doing wheelies.

My bike was the center of my world.

By the time I got to junior high I had outgrown my Stingray and was ready to move up in the biking world. I had to have a Schwinn Varsity with a rack to carry my books. I scraped and saved and begged and pleaded and finally got a used Schwinn Varsity from a local bike shop. I had found a new love, my 10 speed. I rode it everywhere; to school, the library, friend's houses, the beach, around the block a million times, to my old neighborhood across town, there was nowhere too far. So it went for rest of my adolescence. My bike was my transportation. If I wanted to go somewhere I went by bike. I rode on hot days, cold days, rainy days and at night. This continued until I graduated from high school and went through every teenager’s rite of passage in 1984 and bought my first car. Over the next several years as I was forced to go farther for school and jobs, my bike sat in the garage neglected. I still felt I should be riding it though. Periodically I would take it out, but not as often. Then one day my younger brother, hot rodding in the driveway in his car, skidded into my Schwinn Varsity and bent the frame. I was angry and devastated. Now what do I do? I went on a quest for a new bike. What I settled on was a rugged, red Univega Mountain Bike with knobby tires and 18 gears. It was awesome until I crashed it on a dirt road, over the handlebars and into the stream I went. I bent the forks, the rim and popped the tire. The bike was never quite the same after I fixed it, so I sold it and moved onto a newer, sleeker more agile mountain bike.

Over the years I dabbled in mountain biking, riding for the adventure and reliving my daredevil days as a child. My life got busy, responsible, and overbooked and my bike got hung up in the garage. It hung there until I had enough of a busy, responsible and overbooked life. My days of mountain biking were over so I decided to get a new bike. I thought long and hard about what type I wanted. Did I want a beach cruiser? Hybrid? Road? How did I see myself as a bike rider? How far did I want to go? I always thought bike touring would be fun. After much thought I decided I wanted to go far, a road bike was what I wanted. I plunked my money down on a Giant Avail road bike, red and black. When I road it for the first time I felt like I had just been put behind the wheel of a sports car. It was swift, agile, and light and the most comfortable bike I had ever ridden. I bought it to be a recreational bike rider. Little did I know, six months later I would become a bike commuter.

A year ago I sold my car and have been on my bike ever since. Surprisingly, it was an easy decision. The car at the time was an unnecessary financial burden and could be used to pay off some debt. When things are meant to be they happen without effort. A few days after deciding to sell the car, a coworker was driving it away and I was on my way to being a bike commuter.

Interestingly, when I told people what I was going to do, the one question I was asked the most was "What if it rains?" I thought it was such a strange question since I live in Southern California where rain is not the dominant weather condition. Nobody asked about 100 degree and humid days, fog, 37 degree morning commutes, or inattentive drivers.

So for the past year I have been on the bike logging nearly 1800 miles commuting. I have learned how to get groceries (pannier bags are awesome). I can get 30 pounds of dog food and a case of cat food (a trailer is a miracle). I ride to work, doctor appointments, errands, and just for the fun of it. People have offered to pick me up or let me use their car and most times I politely decline the offer. I will not be a fair weather bike rider or let distance define my world. This is what I have chosen to do and I will learn how to adapt.

This past year has been an adventure in trying on a new life and it seems to fit pretty well.

Krista Leaders has been mostly car-free since November 22, 2011. She lives and works in Long Beach, CA. as a Project Manager for the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, a bike-friendly business district. She recently became a League of American Bicyclists, LCI Cycling Instructor as a scholarship recipient from Women on Bikes.

Beautiful by Bike - by Susan Wiggins

2012-10-31T16:21:25Z

This past May, I fell in love. I’ve been happily married for 7 years but when I found “Bluebird,” my Linus Mixte 3-speed, my whole experience of biking changed. And my husband was all for it. Now, I easily and effortlessly keep up with him. Our Sunday rides to the farmer’s market are faster and more fun. I ride more often, almost every single day and often multiple times a day. I am undeterred by windy Long Beach afternoons, and for the first time since I was a kid, I have a bike that really fits me.

If you have a bike, perhaps you know that experience of riding when your body and bike are in perfect harmony, terrain or weather conditions hardly matter. On my old bike, adding any variable like wind into the mix or heavily loaded panniers from the market or grocery store made riding feel like a chore. I always felt like I had to work so hard to get anywhere. Still, I rode because I like living at a walking or cycling pace, and I‘ve always done everyday errands on foot or by bike when I can. But the old bike never felt comfortable and no matter how I sat on the seat or adjusted the handlebars, I felt like I could never get any power in the pedals.

I can’t remember where I first learned of Linus Bikes, but I researched them and went and rode a few in the showroom on Abbott Kinney in Venice. I wanted to buy locally, so I found the shops who sold them here in Long Beach and went in to ride some more. Nicole and Evan at The Bicycle Stand really helped me understand what kind of bicycle would suit me best. They spent several hours with me, setting up different models for me to ride so that I could feel the difference. It was an empowering buying experience. I knew exactly what I was getting when I left their shop that day. They told me to work the bike on my rides and then to bring it in so they could make adjustments to enhance the experience. Since I bought it, they have obliged with appropriate tweaks here and there, making my riding life even better. For a woman on a bike, it’s very important to feel confident and a bicycle that really fits makes this possible.

My husband has been using his bicycle as primary transportation for the past 10 years, riding to work in all weathers. I will be riding Bluebird to work too. In 2013, I will open Long Beach Community Acupuncture, a clinic dedicated to accessible, affordable treatment. Acupuncture works most effectively when a person can receive it frequently. A community clinic provides a quiet, common space for treatment at rates that allow people to receive as many treatments as they need. I believe this model is a perfect fit for Long Beach’s diverse population of hardworking, creative individuals. With over 200 community clinics operating in the U.S., I look forward to adding Long Beach to that list.

The car-congested environment of Southern California is the last place I thought I could make a home, but I’ve enjoyed living in Long Beach for almost a decade now. I tend to like smaller towns. While Long Beach is nowhere near a small town in its population density and diversity, it often feels like one to me. I think it is because the city is largely accessible by bicycle, walking, and public transportation. And bicycling in Long Beach is only getting better. I am excited to be part of this wave of innovation by contributing to sustainable business, affordable healthcare, and keeping Long Beach a desirable place to live.

Susan Wiggins graduated from Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the spring of 2012. In 2013, she will open Long Beach Community Acupuncture. For more information, email: infolongbeachca@gmail.com. To learn more about community acupuncture clinics nationwide, check out the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA) at www.pocacoop.com.

Bicycling Into the Good Life - by Barbara Torres

2012-08-03T00:45:38Z

The media message of the 1960's was, “You can’t be too rich or too thin.” These were the days of the anorexic fashion model, Twiggy and before Title IX created school sports opportunities for girls. As a teenager I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, but it should involve being thin, rich and preferably famous.

In the 1970's I read an article about a senior couple who vacationed by bicycling from San Francisco to Santa Monica. I wanted to do that but I got sidetracked when I got married at twenty-one, had a family, and began working as an elementary school teacher. Then in 1991 I read a book about a group of middle aged riders who bicycled across the US. I thought, “I could do this.”

I bought a bicycle and began training to ride across the US even though I didn’t have a month's long time window to consider such a trip. Instead I began randoneering, riding ultra-marathon distances against the clock. I’d lived in the San Fernando Valley for twenty years while complaining vehemently about the summer heat. Through cycling I fell in love with where I live. I learned how to take care of myself so I could ride in heat, rain, wind, even snow. I found a community of cycling friends. I experienced new environments as I rode my bicycle all over California.

Along the way, I discovered our national advocacy organization and became a lifetime member of the League of American Bicyclists. I read about their course, Effective Cycling, now Bicycle Ed 101. I was eager to take the course but it was never available within a reasonable proximity to my home. Finally my friends Nancy and Richard Wedeen invited me to a weekend course in Davis, CA. The purpose of the course was to train riders to be LCIs, League Certified Instructors. I jumped at the chance and passed the course. The crash avoidance techniques were challenging for me to learn, but they have helped improve my riding and build my confidence on our LA roads as well as roads in cities from Paris to New York City.

I have also been privileged to teach these techniques in Bicycle Education Classes, offered through the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. In addition I’ve had so much fun introducing cycling to my two young nieces ages five and eight as well as my four year old grandson.

I did attain some awesome cycling goals. The biggest was qualifying for and completing Paris Brest Paris. I rode 750 miles in 87 hours. The compulsive person in me loved every minute of that training, but after four years of grueling mileage, my body rebelled. I was getting sick too often, and I rode much of that grueling mileage in the dark to beat the clock. Now I wanted to SEE where I rode. To keep bicycling in my life I would “ride today, so I could continue riding tomorrow.”

I improved the quality of my life by commuting to work, which allowed me to arrive in high spirits after a cool morning commute. In winter I had to leave home in the dark, but a bike light took care of that issue.

There were times I cycled home in triple digit temperatures. I felt great when the young male teaching assistants on our campus exclaimed, “Don’t mess with Mrs. Torres, she is TOUGH, she rides in this heat.”

When we taught units involving protecting the environment the students recognized, “Mrs. Torres is the greenest, she rides her bike to work.”

My favorite memory was cycling home wearing my helmet and sunglasses and having the young neighbor say, “there’s a hot babe.” His brother, who recognized me was mortified and quickly jumped in with “That’s not a babe, that’s Mrs. Torres.” When he apologized to me I told him “please don’t worry about it,” as I secretly reveled in his brother’s “mistake.”

In addition to commuting to work, I continued to ride with my friends on the weekends. Every ride allows me to revel in the fact that I can visit a contrasting environment under my own power in just one day.

Getting back to “never too rich or too thin.” Cycling has not made me too thin, however it has allowed me to maintain a healthy weight and to appreciate my body for what I can do. I get to feel physically and emotionally powerful with every ride. Though I’m not rich in dollars, I feel like I’m on a vacation every time I ride my bike. As far as famous, when I arrived at work on my bicycle all the students in the school went out of their way to say, “Hi, Mrs. Torres.” or, “I saw you go by on your bike today.”

Oh yes, I did find a window to fulfill my dream of cycling coast to coast. I am looking forward to cycling to many more far flung destinations and with luck getting to share these destinations with up and coming cyclists, like our four year old grandson.

Beautiful by Bike - by Kellie Morris

2012-07-06T02:56:08Z

Beauty can manifest itself in so many different ways. I am a city gal: I was born in Los Angeles and have lived here all my life. I have lived in the South Bay most of my life. Most of the beautiful things I have appreciated are manmade. I can appreciate the beauty of a well-designed building. I can appreciate the beauty of a sleek car or a well-designed freeway intersection that sucks you in and effortlessly spits you out with no change in your speed. I can appreciate a pedicure that lasts three weeks (don’t look too closely!) with no touchups.

On May 17, 2012 I set out on an Epic Journey to ride my recumbent trike across the United States with two other cyclists. We met in Bar Harbor Maine and intended to ride west to Washington State.

This adventure would be an extreme departure for me: I am a city gal who had camped once but now would camp most nights for three months. After several weeks of camping I can see the beauty of camping: setting up a puzzle work of cloth and poles and stakes that becomes a mini temporary house that protects you from the harsh elements for a few hours as you slumber. There is beauty in a down sleeping bag that reflects your own body heat to keep you as warm as a baby cradled on your mom’s arms. There is beauty in opening your bags of foods, throwing it in one pot, applying heat and producing an edible (and often tasty) meal. There is beauty in relaxing after a good meal and taking in all that surrounds you: sights, smells and sounds of nature.

During my ride through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, I had a companion that rode along with me: water! There seemed to be running water in the form of a stream, a creek, a lake, a river or a trickle down rocks along the road for the majority of the miles I road in these states. It was a welcoming comforting sound that I missed when we road into New York.

The irony of communing with nature is that, even in the city, nature is all around you. But nature is only a whisper to the roar of civilization. I’ll give you an example: the birds start singing and calling and warbling when the sun rises. They are nature’s alarm clock. But birds in the city also make this racket. I never heard it because my ears were tuned to the alarm clock I had set.

I saw beautiful sights as I rode but what remains with me is the beauty of the people I met during my ride. There was the police officer, who we never met but only talked to on the phone, who let us camp in the city park because we were too hot and too exhausted and could not ride the additional 20 miles to the campground we planned to use. There was the group at the VFW who let us camp behind their post. There were two Warm Showers host families who warmly welcomed us into their homes. There was the bike shop owner who crammed the three of us and all our gear into his van and drove us five miles in a cold downpour to a hotel. There was the fellow who drove my trailer to the top of a challenging mountain pass I was climbing in a cold rain and dropped it off with my companions. There were the health care workers who took care of my needs before asking about my insurance. There was the bike mechanic who replaced my shift cable free and said his payment was in knowing that I would be able to have an enjoyable ride the next day.

My journey ended after three weeks of riding due to some health issues. I have an autoimmune disease that leaves me with a compromised immune system. I received a few bug bites that quickly became infected. It became clear to me that though my spirit was ready to conquer that three month trip; my body wasn’t up to the challenge. I learned an important lesson the day I decided to fly home: you have to know when your journey is over.

Southeast Asia by Katie Taylor

2012-04-30T04:30:08Z

I didn't look beautiful when I woke up. I saw the sun rising from my riverfront bungalow and felt drawn to action without preparation. Look at those pinks spread across the Mekong river! I must chase the light fast enough to draw it into the marrow of my bones. Each day I spend traveling in Southeast Asia, I seek moments that I'll remember forever. And here I am on Don Khon island in Southern Laos, watching the sun rise over my right shoulder.

I hopped on a rented city bicycle and set off towards the horizon. I didn't have a destination but East, toward the blossoming morning. The only main road veered north, so I followed its bumpy unpaved route until I found a trail headed towards the sunrise. The tiny wheel sized road took me through a rundown Buddhist temple with saffron monk robes drying in the morning breeze. I could barely marvel the experience before I found myself staring at a stream overlooking the sunrise by dried rice fields. Look at that view.

I followed my beloved trail south with the sunrise on my left and a small village on my right. Sticky rice wafted over the warming morning air. Children giggled in the path and shouted "Sabaidee!" as I crossed. I smiled at an old man rocking in a hammock. I waved at a woman wading into the river to wash up. I felt blessed to venture through the waking village by bicycle. My pedals moved slow enough to make eye contact and feel involved, but fast enough to avoid intruding.

Past the village, trees gathered close around me until I found myself in the jungle. I couldn't believe how easy it was to explore. A quick right and left led me to a rickety bamboo bridge. I briefly parked my bicycle to cross and stumbled across a magnificent waterfall on the other side. Alone, I watched the bright daylight spread over Mekong rapids and beaches.

Back on my bicycle and back into the jungle, I forded tiny stream crossings and bumpy trails. A giant ox blinked at me while I slowly maneuvered around his hind legs. Then, I heard childish laughter through the trees ahead. A eight year old girl scaled up up up to knock jackfruit out of the branches while her young friends watched. They were fascinated by me and spoke the only English word they knew - "hello." We mimed a conversation and took pictures with each other amongst more giggles. I felt blessed they let me into their lives for a moment.

The bicycle moves at a human speed. Strong legs, big smiles, and a quick wave invites others to participate with you unlike in any other vehicle. In Cambodia, students would pedal harder to catch up and pepper me with the four questions they knew in English. "Hello! What is your name? Where are you from? How old are you? Are you married?"

I went through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam through a myriad of transportation options. But I never felt more alive than when I was rattling down a rural road on an old Chinese bicycle waving at all I passed by & whom passed me.

Now I'm back in Long Beach and I grin at the multitudes trying out their bicycles. They're leaving their cars behind and experiencing the human condition, however briefly. They're participating in a community accessible only at the human level - other people smiling and waving with joy for the sunny day. Try that out behind car windows; it's impossible to say "Sabaidee" or "Sues dei" at the people you came to visit. Instead, hop on that bicycle and practice your beautiful smile on each person you encounter.

You never know what beauty you'll see by bike.

Katie

Follow Me Along the Sea by Melissa Bell

2012-04-11T17:42:20Z

Alyssandra Nighswonger is a beautiful, inspiring cyclist, artist and musician who will be flying to Seattle, then riding home to Long Beach, California in only six weeks. This journey is 1,500 miles long and she will be riding 40 to 60 miles per day. Along the way, she will be promoting her new EP "When My Love Knot Slips" and playing shows in Seattle, Olympia, Portland, Eureka, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.

I love when fate takes hold of your handlebars and steers you in the right direction. In my case, this is how I stumbled upon Alyssandra and the amazing journey she is about to endure. Usually I ride my bike during the day, as I am still too scared to ride at night by myself. But recently I’ve been going to Berlin (the coffee shop on 4^th street next to Fingerprints) and staying late to get out of the house. I’m more productive this way. However, I do not own lights for my bike Lulu so I decided to look around at West River Cycles. As I was paying for my merchandise, I noticed a postcard and happened to pick it up. On the postcard was a picture of Alyssandra and brief description about her journey. I knew I had to interview her for WoBSoCal! She agreed and provided me with my most interesting interview thus far.

MBell: What is/was your favorite bike? Can you describe it in detail?

AN: In college, when I first really started commuting around town by bike, I got this burgundy Trek hybrid bike. It was super comfortable, sturdy and fast. A few years later, I was trying to discover myself and grow into my femininity, and figure out what it really meant to be a woman. In the process, for some crazy reason, I gave that bike to my sister and bought a prettier, girlier, bright turquoise beach cruiser, which was slow and heavy, and had giant cruiser handlebars that were harder to maneuver. There was a lesson in there somewhere. Right now, I'm riding an old Univega road bike. It does the trick, but it's definitely an in-between-er until I find "the one."

MBell: What do you think the benefits of biking are, especially for women?

AN: Independence and time in the sunshine! I feel such freedom and happiness when I ride my bike. I'll ride it home from work and drive over the jam-packed freeway and feel such relief. When you're on a long ride, you don't answer any e-mails or phone calls or text messages. You can just let your mind wander and take it all in. For someone who is as busy as me, it's a great opportunity to get my brain to shut up. I'm always making to-do lists and constantly checking my e-mail. It's nice, because after the first 30 minutes, my brain runs out of day-to-day things to remind myself about, and then I just relax and get nice and day-dreamy.

MBell: How did you come to the decision to do a bike tour?

AN: There were few events that led up to this: for a year, my little brother, who works for an airline, had me on his buddy pass, so I was flying up to Portland to collaborate with Joshua Bassett, from the Portland band Welfare. Then, last July, my car broke down, so I was doing some heavy bike commuting while I saved up for a new car. In October, my little brother told me that he was going to rotate his buddy pass. I was thankful for having had the opportunity to travel so much, but wanted to find another way to connect my project in Portland with my music down here. So, of course, I thought a music tour by bicycle would do the trick.

I have friends and family to stay with in Seattle, Portland, Salem, Eureka, Mendocino, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Marina, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The rest of the time, we'll be camping and staying in hostels. The first person I thought of to accompany me on the tour was my friend Sarah Rosenberger. She's a fellow adventure hound I work with at a coffeehouse in Long Beach called Viento y Agua. She's much more fitness savvy than I am, and has come up with a training plan that involves big rides, little rides, rides with hills, yoga, running and weight training. I haven't spent as much time training as I would have liked so far, since I've been finishing my album and planning the big Vaudeville show, but I'm on the right track and there's still a month left! I'm excited and terrified. It's really fun to talk about. At the same time, my boss at my other job has been training for the Aides Lifecycle, so we've been encouraging each other. I'm a little nervous about the weather and getting lost, or having everything well enough planned, but we still have a month to go, and we've gotten nothing but support from friends and family.

MBell: What do your friends and family think of your adventure? Are they worried or nervous?

AN: They're excited, but they're definitely nervous. When I first got this idea and started telling people about it, I think they pictured me alone in the middle of the night, huffing and puffing up the tallest mountain in Big Sur. And in reality, we're training ahead of time, and we'll only be riding 40-60 miles a day, so we'll get to each destination with plenty of time before sunset. It's going to be harder and easier than we think, but we can do it!

One response that I've been getting are a few friends that say, "You're bringing a BOY, right?!" This always makes me cringe. It's never: "You have the trip all mapped out, right?" or "You've taken some time to learn basic maintenance on your bike, right?" but instead, "Make sure you bring a boy!" I really want to say, "I beg your pardon, but we are two ambitious and amazing ladies and we have been prepping and training hard, and we will make it just fine, regardless of whether or not a boy happens to be with us."

But it does just so happen that there will be a few boys on the trip, but because we want them as part of the adventure, not because we need protection. Our boyfriends are going to ride different legs of the trip, depending on the amount of time they can take off work and school. My friend, Tyler Maughmer, is an avid cyclist, heard about the tour, and sold his car so he could ride half of the trip with us. Then, I found out my friend, Chad Sheby, just happened to be planning the same bike tour as us, but only a week apart! And bonus points: he's going to bike-mechanic school for a month before the trip. We're meeting him in Portland and he'll ride with us as far down as he likes. Maybe San Francisco, maybe further. Then, I'm talking different musician friends into flying/driving up to different stops on the tour to make guest appearances at shows. Adventure time!

MBell: What essentials are you bringing for the trip?

AN: I'm packing everything on the actual bike—no trailer—so we're packing light: change of clothes, some warm stuff, basic bike maintenance stuff (a few extra tubes and tires), lightweight camping gear (sleeping bag, sleeping pad and tent), a baby Taylor guitar so I can play shows, some “merch” to sell at shows (though I will be having my mom mail “merch” to a few destinations so I don't have to carry it all at once), journal, 35mm camera and my flip to take videos.

You can dwownload Alyssandra’s free single from her new EP at: www.alyssandranighswonger.bandcamp.com. You can also follow Alyssandra’s journey at: www.followmealongthesea.blogspot.com

About Melissa Bell

A senior at California State University, Long Beach she studies journalism and creative writing. In her spare time she loves to write short stories and poetry. Melissa has had poetry published in JAGed Magazine, and Bank Heavy Press. She has experience as an event writer, as well as, writing adventure pieces for Flasking.com. While, she adores writing she is still unsure of where she will end up with her career. Nonetheless, she knows she wants to do something that she enjoys, rather than something that just pays the rent. Read more...

Meet Margeaux Hamrock by Melissa Bell

2012-03-15T11:26:51Z

Margeaux on her vintage cruiser in front of Salon Pop. Image: Allan Crawford

Margeaux Hamrock is the talented young stylist at Salon Pop who created the three great vintage inspired looks on our cover model Molly Gardner this March 15-May 14, 2012 issue and also let us borrow her bike! Salon Pop is a full service salon on Long Beach's famous 4th Street Retro Row.

MBell: Tell me, Margeaux, when did you become interested with fashion? Is there a certain era that you enjoy most? What about it do you love so much?

MH: I became interested in fashion at a very young age. By the age of 3 I was already collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia and took heavily to the 1950s/1960s mid-century looks. I love the fashion, hair and makeup from this era so much. It was a time of putting effort into presenting yourself on a daily basis and this is what I have based my own standards off of.

MBell: What was your first bike like? Is there any particular style of bike that you enjoy?

MH: My parents gave me a Schwinn beach cruiser when I was 8 years old and all I have ridden since are all along those lines.

MBell: What are some advantages you see riding a bicycle instead of driving a car?

MH: I love riding my bicycle for exercise and quick trips to the market. Parking is so tight in this town that if I forgot something at the store there is no way I am losing my parking and driving back. I hop on my bike and go for a little cruise. I also love riding my bicycle down the boardwalk/beach path. It's a straight shot to Belmont Shore without having to ride on the streets.

MBell: We're you nervous when you first started riding around Long Beach?

MH: When I first moved to Long Beach 4 years ago, I was very nervous to ride on the city streets. I feel like I have gotten a lot more comfortable and the city has made it much more inviting with all of the bike friendly routes now.

MBell: What are some tips or advice you have for females riding around town?

MH: The only advice I would have for other women is to always be aware of what is going on around you. Sometimes there are simple accidents you can avoid by just always paying close attention to your surroundings and have an escape plan if you can. Riding on city streets can be very dangerous.