About Giles

This "About Me" page is designed to be static content, but blogger doesn't have a "not-as-post" option, like WordPress does, so I'm just posting it as a blog and linking it--so pardon the semi-off-topicity.

My name is Giles. I'm 25 and live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I've ridden bicycles for years, but in 2008, I started racing.

I'd been doing a lot of riding during the summer of 2007, then when the Tour de France came about on TV, I watched it closely, and learned a lot about the tactical and strategic aspects of racing--what makes it a team sport, et cetera. Then when the Portsmouth Criterium came to town in September, I said, hey--I could totally do that. I quit smoking literally the next day, and started looking in to how to get in to racing.

I started this blog in the first week of January, 2008. Originally it was mostly for my parents to read, since they live about 2000 miles away in New Mexico. Since then, I've joined a team (NorEast Cycling), and started training, racing, and doing charity rides--like the 2008 Portsmouth Tour de Cure, in May. A few people took interest in my blog, including a site review by PortsmouthNH.com, so I've tried to make the content not suck, and I now post regularly, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. The focus has kind of shifted from my own cycling exploits to general Seacoast New Hampshire cycling advocacy since I started, so I probably have some content that's useful for other people, too.

Some of my most popular posts so far:

• Bicycle Helmets: Safety vs. Style
• What's Your Bike's Name?
• Portsmouth-Pease Bike Lanes
• Local Bike Shop Reviews
• First Ride, New Bike (guest post by my friend Cassandra)

If you like what you read, subscribe to my RSS feed to keep updated daily. If you have any questions, comments, ideas, or whatever, you can email me at giles.cooper@gmail.com, or just catch me around town!