I am a native Texan and multi-generation Austinite who prefers the slower pace of the hill country. I am a proud member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2003, my parent’s favorite daughter and a “bratty” little sister to my brother. Two schnauzers, Jens and Magnus, plus one impossible manx cat named Sinatra call me their fur mom. My husband got me interested in cycling while he was on the Texas A&M Cycling team and bought me my first road bike for our first wedding anniversary in 2004. We spent a lot of time doing charity rides and my love for bikes continued to flourish. By 2008 I had started learning to mountain bike with a local group called Ride Like a Girl and in 2011 I became a ride leader. I love mentoring new riders on all aspects of riding. Along the way I started racing mountain bikes and in 2012 accomplished a big goal of winning a State Championship in my age division in the Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association Marathon Series. I have dabbled a little in gravel racing, but I tend to enjoy watching the scenery and riding too slow to truly call it a race so I will likely never podium in one. On September 7, 2019 it no longer could be me, it was me. I was riding with my husband on our weekly date ride, exploring a new route in Burnet County on a beautiful sunny day. About 35 miles in I was hit from behind by a Ford F150, his speed was estimated at 40-50mph. He did stop and cooperated with authorities, he wasn’t texting but did not see me even though there was nothing to visually impair him on the road. I was launched into the air and flew past my husband before landing in a ditch. By the time the ambulance got me to the hospital my blood pressure was indicating internal bleeding, I lost an estimated 2-3 liters of blood and had two surgeries to repair a torn mesentery artery. I had an additional surgery on my ulna which snapped in half. My left lung partially collapsed, and I was on a ventilator for six days. The lung continued to have issues and I had to have a chest tube inserted. I had 13 other fractures including two in my pelvis and my T12 vertebrae. I spend 16 days hospitalized, with an additional 10 days in a rehab facility. Due to the T12 fracture I had to wear a TLSO brace for 93 days. Miraculously I had no head trauma and have mostly recovered from all the injuries. I was able to start biking again 98 days after the crash and have been able to continue riding mostly trails while continuing my recovery. I was introduced to Triny through Facebook while I was hospitalized through a mutual friend and began telling others about #itcouldbeme. Since the crash I have become passionate about telling my story and educating others on safety both as a cyclist and a motorist. I look forward to serving as an ambassador and continuing to spread the message.