FAVORITE QUOTES FROM THE WEEK.

“The pause button has been pushed.”

I’m a girl scout at heart…

If you tell me something is about to happen, I prepare.  In Vermont, this scenario usually comes in the form of an impending snow storm. I am the person who checks the pantry to be sure we have a day or two’s stock of everyone’s favorite goodies and basic staples.

For the past two weeks I have behaved in a similar manner, with one exception… I knew we would need more than a day or two inventory to get through, and since I live with my mother, the fewer trips out into public the better.

As of last Friday, all was good at home, my office grew to more of an at home command center and I was ready for all that might unfold.  The new Terry catalog was arriving in homes and lots of spring rides were in the planning stages, so I had no shortage of projects to keep me busy.

Today, I have a new hurdle…. how do I navigate the quiet waiting?  With a snow storm, I go to the window to see how many exciting inches have fallen, and dress for a romp in the snow with my dog.

This is not exciting, and we’ve all been in need of support.  So I looked to my wonderful customers and here are some of their thoughts of inspiration and direction:

“Dress for the weather and enjoy the lighter traffic!! ”  Nancy in Indiana

“We can still ride, right?!” Buffi in New Hampshire

“My bike is powered by positive thinking.”  Terri in Pennsylvania

“The weather is too nice to ignore.” Melissa in Florida

“This is an opportunity to focus on ourselves and our well-being, because for this one moment the pause button has been pushed. Don’t squander this opportunity to focus on yourself and do some of those back burner things. Declutter your life by only adding back to your routine those things that really inspire you.”  Anne-Christine in California

“The last few weeks I’ve been eating my way through the stress and I am grateful for the relaxed fit options as I get back on track!” Lisa in Vermont

“Thrilled to see an Indigo short.” Marti in Colorado

“Rode from Paris to Prague last year and hope to bike in Spain later this year…in the meantime I’m still riding outside even though it’s still chilly here.”  Felice in Oregon

“I bought a spin bike 3 months ago and am very grateful for not only the exercise but the mental health boost.”  Sharon in greater Chicago area

“I forced myself to ride today, because I knew I’d feel better…and I did.”  Kelly in Pennsylvania

And a few that came after our CEO, Liz, sent out a note about what we are doing in the midst of all this:

“Thank you for this message. I appreciate each effort made for all of us. Here in MN, snow still around, howeevr biking will be possible eventually. Always to improve outlook, and literally practice balance. Virtual hugs,”  Lin in Minnesota

“Good on you, Liz and your team! It’s because of your conscientiousness, I’ll continue to be a loyal customer and refer you to all my bicycle riding friends.” Long-time customer, Anita

“Thank you for communicating this. I am so glad to see that as a small business you are able to prioritize employee health and safety along with continuing operations and customer service. I was already a loyal customer, and this is just another reason to remain so!” Another long-time customer, Kathy

From all of us at Terry – THANK YOU for hanging in there with us and giving us these words of encouragement. You keep us rolling.

Lisa Wilkes has built the customer service department for Terry and gets more personal fan mail than all the rest of us combined. She’s also in charge of our Ambassador program, runs events and supports women’s cycling in a wide variety of ways. As a former cycling coach, this all comes naturally to her and as a result, we lean on her for advice and morale boosting – now more than ever.