Why I should become a Specialized Trail Crew member?

When I learned of the Specialized Trail Crew the other day...I thought, "Hey, what an awesome idea!" I'd love the chance to be a part of this crew and share my experiences on a new S-Works Stumpjumper. Here in Florida there aren't any mountains, but we have more than our share of technical singletrack with sugar sand, palmetto roots, and gators...yet, my husband and I have not gotten tired with our selection of trails across the state. The two of us have been mountain biking together for the last 6 years.



I started this blog shortly after I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Moyamoya last December. Under strict doctor's orders I had to abruptly stop all strenuous physical activity which included mountain biking. With millions of thoughts racing through my head at the time, I needed a place to capture my thoughts and vent my frustrations. I appropriately titled this blog "Fat Tire Network" in reference to my love of mountain biking and in hopes I would be able to ride again someday. I wanted to document this journey and keep family and friends up-to-date with the trials and tribulations of finding a treatment.

Now here I am, after two brain surgeries and a series of complications that kept me in-and-out of the hospital for two months...I was able to return to mountain biking in May (after drumming up the courage to put a bike helmet back on my head) and (thankfully) haven't stopped since. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, since many Moyamoya patients are not as fortunate to resume an active lifestyle, due to neurological setbacks. This life changing event has inspired me to get in the saddle more frequently than before this ordeal began. I also chose to keep my blog going, but morphed it into a platform to share my non-medical related adventures and rides which have included trips to Santos, Alafia, Snowhill, South Shore (Fruit), Turkey Creek, and an epic trip up to Mulberry Gap in Georgia for a long weekend of a variety of climbs, fast descents, and muddy downhills. I recently expanded my technical savvy and started fattirenetwork on Twitter to tweet about some of our mountain biking rides while out on the road.

You don't have to question my love and enthusiasm for mountain biking. I am on the saddle every weekend, barring any Florida thunderstorms or hurricanes. We take part in hash rides, help with trail maintenance, and always have a great group of fellow mountain bikers to ride the local trails with. Most of the vacations and road trips my husband and I take are centered around mountain biking whether it's on our bikes or renting from local bike shops (and getting the inside scoop on the best singletrack in the area). Some of these places include:

• Bay area, CA (Demonstration, Castle Rock, Arastradero)
• North Carolina (Tsali)
• North Georgia (Pinhoti network, Unicoi, Bull Mountain, Gainesville)

So I would like you to consider me as a dedicated Specialized Trail Crew member.

Follow me on Twitter: @fattirenetwork