Your Story; Sydney Schalit
The reasons why we ride are as varied as those who ride. In fact, there is even a FaceBook page devoted to celebrating why I ride. Some start young because of their parents, others find cycling later in life. Some ride alone, some in groups; some with their kids, some in competition. Regardless, we all understand the therapeutic–physical, mental and spiritual–benefits that the bicycle affords. Oftentimes, our love-affair with the bicycle brings us closer to our friends, to our community and to our selves. On occasion, love even arrives on two wheels. In Salida, Colorado, there is one who appreciates greatly all that the bicycle has brought her; friendship, health, sanity, community and love. That person is Sydney Schalit and this is her story.
When I first moved to Salida last summer there was a yellow cruiser that I would oftentimes see around town. Its yellow frame, tires, grips and saddle pulled a trailer that was transit for two happy dogs. There was also a friendly woman at the Sweeties Bakery who would always smile and say hello whenever I visited for a sandwich or cookie. Turns out that yellow bike and that big smile belonged to the same person. We soon became good friends enjoying yoga, dinner and many laughs together. Along with her yellow Schwinn, Sydney also has a Raleigh single-speed and Jamis Dragon 29’er mountain-bike. Yup, a devoted cyclist through-and-through.
While attending the University of Texas, Sydney was on the rowing team and the sailing team; she also played intramural soccer and tennis. Once she moved to Salida, she starting cycling as a way to spend more time with her girlfriends Heidi, Kimberly, Stephanie and Kelsey. ” It turned out to be very therapeutic for me: the little victories, the exhilaration and exhaustion, the new perspectives on the same ol’ trails.” At the same time, Sydney found that cycling helped greatly as she recovered from traumas suffered while in Mali with the Peace Corps; “anything that didn’t make me sicker made me stronger.” The bike also helped Sydney negotiate her way out of an intimate relationship that had run its course.
This year, Sydney explored the competitive side of cycling, both as a racer and as a coach. She joined three other ladies on a four-person team at the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde which inspired her to compete solo at the 24 Hours In The Sage; a gruelling mountain-bike race with the night laps cold and wet. On Fridays she gets “to share the joy of riding with kids through the Salida MTB Team. It is a great opportunity to get kids on bikes and eat a slice of humble pie each and every ride.”
In June of this summer, Sydney and I finally got out for a ride together. Joined by Michael Hayes–a very strong cyclist with a beaming smile that matched Syd’s–we rode the Alpine Tunnel loop, carrying our bikes over the snow, riding above the tree-line and flying through the woods. That ride sparked a romance that continues today, Sydney and Michael exploring the world together on two wheels.
Sydney is one of those who embodies cycling, enjoying both the physical rewards while recognizing the spiritual benefits of the bike. “Riding has brought me my best friends and through some of the darkest times in my life, leaving me stronger mentally and physically.” And that, is Sydney’s story, one that continues with every turn of the pedals.
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