MTB Egypt rider of the month: March 2013
Name:
Shams Rashad
Age:
32
Where are you from?:
Alexandria, Egypt.
What do you do for a living?
I am an electrical Engineer who is currently a stay at home mom.
When and why did you start cycling?
I have been riding when I was young with my brother like all kids, then I returned to cycling as a transportation method in Europe in 2001. I was spending a summer in Germany where everybody cycles to and from work. I also did some traveling on bike back then. This brought cycling back into my life and ever since, whenever I get the chance to bike I go for it.
Then we found mountain biking and the trails of Wadi Degla last summer and I have been hooked ever since, my husband is the one who sold me on to it 🙂
Road, off-road, or both?
Now mainly off-road but I don’t mind road cycling around the house. I love cycling anyway.
Tell us about your bike(s)!:
I ride a 2013 Specialized Safire Comp. It is a full-suspension 120mm travel woman specific bike. I love it.
Favorite ride(s) (road or off-road):
Wadi Degla’s “Long loop”, extended Long Loop, half Tour de Wadi and of course Wadi Hof because it is challenging. I am still ‘mentally unfit’ to ride the very narrow ridges but I am getting braver every time.
Do you practice other sports?:
Tennis and Zumba.
Tell us about your cycling-related injuries/accidents:
Well so far I’ve had minor falls and injuries because I am too careful, which is something I am trying to change but I guess it is an age thing 🙂
Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?
I come all the way from 6th of October with my husband 2 to 3 times a week and I have to leave my baby at home sometimes for 6 hours to come to the trails. I am always worried and feeling bad that I leave her behind for long hours and stay far away from her. I guess this is what proves to me that mountain biking is important to me and that I enjoy it to a large extent.
I would like to say that all mountain bikers I met so far are very nice, funny and decent. I am happy I got to know a lot of them. I enjoy the ride and the company:). MTBing is one of the very few things I feel passionate about. I am really happy I found it:)
