Reveries of Coming in First

68-Year-Old Woman Kicks Ass

This is to show you that a 68-year-old woman (moi) with two total knee replacements and degenerative arthritis in her shoulders was the first-place woman to win a grueling 20-mile mountain bike race called “Sagebrush Safari” in San Diego County this past March.

This was the most grueling race I’ve ever ridden. And it was the first race I entered after 35 years (I raced avidly in the late 1980s and early 1990s.) After torrential rains, the trails were muddy and criss-crossed with streams.

I couldn’t really believe my eyes when, after finishing the race, I looked at the scoreboard and saw that I was 11th overall. OVERALL. That includes people way younger than me. And men!

As my friend and riding buddy, Steve, mentioned (on Instagram): “Haha, she also had a better time than the mens 65+ bracket winner 🏆”

After riding with my buddies consistently twice a week for the past 30 years, I had no idea how fast I truly was. Let it be said that Practice truly makes Perfect.

This is also to show you that if you have the will, you can make the way. Take control of the handlebars and give yourself the rollercoaster ride of your life. (Both on a bike and in life.)

Patty “Cleo” Mooney is a San Diego video producer. Alongside her husband, Mark Schulze, she has co-helmed San Diego’s longest-serving video production company, Crystal Pyramid Productions (est. 1981), since 1982. She is an avid mountain biker, travel adventurer, story-teller and poet.