The Tillie Ride

Author Archives: Sue Stauffacher

http://tillieride.suestauffacher.com/234/

Posted on by Posted in Training .

Winter Training Location for Tillie Ride Riders!

With a forecast of snow, the Tillie Ride team moves conditioning indoors…

Where else to do our training but the good ole YMCA?

I have taken four spinning classes so far. It’s a wild workout where you can simulate hills and build endurance by increasing resistance on a stationary bicycle. One of my favorite high-energy teachers is Laura Karston. In addition to being very encouraging, she entertains us with stories about her new Exercise Barbie.

After class--note the redness of my face compared to Laura's

If anyone has any recommendations about how to distract yourself from the pain of climbing a hill that lasts for the entire Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believing,” I’d like to hear them.

Where do ideas come from?

Posted on by Posted in The Backstory .

Some authors don’t like to reveal the intricacies of their creative process.  Not me.  When kids ask me where ideas come from, I tell them straight out: the bathroom at Big O’s restaurant.  It was a long line at Big O’s here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  So I thought, I’ll just pop into the restroom.  As I was washing my hands, what did I see but a framed vintage postcard that said something like, “Tillie the Terrible Swede Rides Past the Pantlind Hotel.”  Being a curious sort, I thought to myself, ‘Who would have a name like Tillie the Terrible Swede?’  So I started doing a little research.  That was in 2005.  I got so excited about this lady that I made a scrapbook of all the old news articles I found (you can see it in an album on my Facebook page–Sue Stauffacher Books) and sent it to my editor, Nancy Hinkel, in New York.  Six years later (in January 2011), Tillie will debut in picture book form.

Here we go!

Posted on by Posted in Uncategorized .

Though TillieRide became active mid-October 2010, lots of things have been happening behind-the-scenes already. Hopefully, Sara and I can fill you in on the ‘backstory.’ But for now, welcome! We hope you find a way to connect to our nutty little project.  I must show you my bicycle. This is how I’m getting to Chicago, on my 25 year-old Nishiki hybrid commuter bike. It took me to graduate classes in Tucson and it’s been re-conditioned twice, once by FreeWheeler and once by Village Bike Shop. Bob says we can do it and if anyone would know, Bob would….

Point me in the direction of Chicago