Inside the peloton: Carol Collyer

This fall I’m heading to GFNY Ottawa! Growing up in Ottawa during the 60s and 70s, i was the little girl who tagged along with my big brother and his friends on their summer rides on their Mustang bikes, complete with banana seats and monkey bars, later they upgraded to 10 speeds. Nothing beat the feeling of the wind in my braids as I cycled, trying to keep up with the boys (still hasn’t changed!). Even now, almost 60 years later, I still feel like that 7-year-old girl. (I’ve got some skinnier braids and wrinkles to show for it.)

As a competitive rower, I had to choose between bikes and boats. I couldn’t do both at the same time, so competitive cycling when to the back burner for over 50 years. Then, GFNY came to the Bahamas, where I was living at the time. Riding with my bike club, we all had an amazing experience – fun, well-organized, and I made so many new cycling friends from all over the world.

This year, I’ve registered for six GFNY’s (Miami, New York, Cambridge, Bahamas and Cozumel) and I was thrilled to see Ottawa made the list! It will be a blast from the past to compete in my old stomping grounds, and I may be successful getting one or two of those past boys to attend! Everyone participating in GFNY Ottawa should definitely plan to take a few extra days to explore the beautiful capital city of Canada.  Don’t miss the Rideau Canal (recognized as the largest naturally frozen ice rinks in the world by the Guinness World Records), Old By-town Market and the Parliament Buildings, just to name a few. Be sure to check out the Parkways, which are closed to vehicles on the weekend for cyclists.  You can even ride over one of the many bridge into the Gatineau Hills, Quebec.

See you in Ottawa this September! I will be the (older) girl with the skinny braids!