Friday, April 22, 2011
A new season and a new ride for 2011!
The coming of Spring always brings change. For me, that change came in the form of a new set of wheels. The 2011 Giant Defy Advanced 1. This full carbon, full Ultegra bike rides like a dream, and I look forward to all her and I will accomplish this cycling season! Stay tuned... ;)
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Christmas Wheeth!!
So, ever wonder what to do with all those old bicycle wheels just laying around the garage? Believe it or not, they actually make awesome Christmas gifts! Well, not as is, of course, but with a little creative energy and some elbow grease, it's possible to turn those nasty wheels into beautiful Christmas WHEETHS!
Don Barnett, a mechanic at Century Cycles, came up with the idea a few years back and made a wheeth (wheel + wreath) for himself out of an old 700 series road wheel. I saw this wheeth a few months ago, and that's all it took to get the creative wheels turning. Long story short, not only did I make my own Christmas wheeth, but I also brought a new twist to the idea and created the first ever Advent wheeth!
For the Advent wheeth, I found four old wheel hubs, tore out all of their axles and bearings, soaked the bare hubs in a cleaning solution, scrubbed off the grease and grime then, finally, polished them with an aluminum polish to get a high, clean shine...
Next, I received an old 26" wheel from a co-worker and cleaned it up as well. The concept was to use the wheel as a table wreath with the hubs as candle holders for the four advent candles. I wrapped each hub in red ribbon and placed them within the spokes of the wheel...
A quick trip to Target found my cart filled with pine garland, twigs, pine cones, candles, holly leaves and berries. Within a few hours, the finished Advent wheeth was born...
The candle holder representing the third week of Advent received the traditional pink candle (the three remaining holders got purple) symbolizing the halfway point of Advent. This pink candle is also known as the "Joy Candle", hence the Joy ornament interlaced with the associated hub...
Needless to say, it was quite exciting to design a unique piece that represented both my passionate hobby and Christian Faith. However, as much as I would have loved to hang on to this newly completed Advent wheeth, it was always intended as a gift for my parents, for just as Christ became the Light of our world so, too, have my parents been the light of mine.
Now, as hinted earlier, the Advent wheeth was not my first crack at the whole wheel/wreath thing. I started by making a traditional Christmas wheeth. This piece consisted of a 700 series road wheel, pre-lit pine garland, pine cones, twigs, ribbons, holly leaves and berries. The finished product was no less exciting...
This wreath will be a present for my brother and his wife!
So, if your bored and looking for a great holiday project (and/or gift), why not give wheeth making a shot?
In the meantime, here's wishing you all a Blessed and Holy Christmas!!
Don Barnett, a mechanic at Century Cycles, came up with the idea a few years back and made a wheeth (wheel + wreath) for himself out of an old 700 series road wheel. I saw this wheeth a few months ago, and that's all it took to get the creative wheels turning. Long story short, not only did I make my own Christmas wheeth, but I also brought a new twist to the idea and created the first ever Advent wheeth!
For the Advent wheeth, I found four old wheel hubs, tore out all of their axles and bearings, soaked the bare hubs in a cleaning solution, scrubbed off the grease and grime then, finally, polished them with an aluminum polish to get a high, clean shine...
The candle holder representing the third week of Advent received the traditional pink candle (the three remaining holders got purple) symbolizing the halfway point of Advent. This pink candle is also known as the "Joy Candle", hence the Joy ornament interlaced with the associated hub...
Now, as hinted earlier, the Advent wheeth was not my first crack at the whole wheel/wreath thing. I started by making a traditional Christmas wheeth. This piece consisted of a 700 series road wheel, pre-lit pine garland, pine cones, twigs, ribbons, holly leaves and berries. The finished product was no less exciting...
It even looked better at night with the light glinting off the polished spokes...
So, if your bored and looking for a great holiday project (and/or gift), why not give wheeth making a shot?
In the meantime, here's wishing you all a Blessed and Holy Christmas!!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Another Metropark ride!
Recently (mid-September), I took another bike ride through the local Cleveland Metroparks, racking up about 35 miles. As in previous jaunts, I wanted to find an interesting and scenic destination. Truth be told, I have been a Parma, Ohio area resident for most of my life and, consequently, have cycled the Metroparks since my youth. To this day, one of my favorite stops along the way is still the Rocky River Nature Center, located in the Rocky River Reservation near North Olmsted, Ohio.
The main facility features interactive displays and dioramas of the Great Lakes region, showing everything from the development of area land masses since prehistoric times, to the region's indigenous wildlife. The area also boasts miles of paths that cut through the acres of wooded property and straddle the flowing rivers surrounding the Nature Center.
Of course, the best time to visit the Nature Center is mid to late Fall. The cool, crisp Autumn air and the vibrant colors of the changing leaves make it quite the sight! Be sure to check it out.
Monday, August 30, 2010
And now for something COMPLETELY different! Mountain biking!
That's right, after 20 some years of road biking, it was time to try something different. Ever since I started working at Century Cycles, I discovered that many of the guys prefer the thrills of dirt and off-road cycling over the paved roads. For weeks, they tried to convince me I should give it a shot. Well, not to seem like a complete cycling loser, I decided to finally take them up on the offer. I mean, how hard could it be, right? Ouch.
I showed up at the Medina store on Sunday morning around 8:30 am to pick a good mountain bike to ride. The only thing available that was even remotely my size was a Giant 29er in medium. 29 inch wheels versus the standard 26 inch wheel of a typical mountain bike. Would this be a benefit for me? The dirt would decide. Three other gents that would be riding off-road with me were Tom and Russ from the shop, and Tom's friend Brian. Tom and Brian were veterans at mountain biking, having done it for over 20 years, and even raced professionally. Russ and I...were virgins.
We set out for Reagan Park, in Medina, just a few miles from the store. The plan was to tackle Huffman Trail, which is considered to be the easy course. (In hindsight, I would like to see the definition of 'easy'.) As we started through the trail, I was immediately struck by how narrow the path was. At points, 12 inches, maybe. At its widest, 3 feet tops. Keeping it on this narrow path might not have been so bad if it weren't for the quick hairpin turns, sudden drops, steep climbs, trees, roots, rocks, more roots, did I mention trees...all deliberately placed conveniently in your way. Several parts of the trail passed in between trees that were spaced barely wider than the handlebars of my bike! You had to think quick, stay focused, and keep pedalling. Thank God we had a pro like Tom guiding us through this living hell, otherwise I would surely have ended up a tangled mess of body and bike at the bottom of some revine. It was clear that the skills I had at road biking were of little use here in the woods. A new set of skills were now required.
The Huffman course is about 2 1/2 miles long, but to a rookie like myself, it felt like 10. Yes, I took some spills and yes, I walked some of those steeper drop-offs, but at the end, I was ready to tackle it again. We went through the course a second time and I felt the improvement. The fact is, ya gotta learn it quick. I still had trouble at certain parts of the course, but received some praise from Tom on my handling of others. The third time through was actually fun, but also exhausting.
When we finished riding, I was truly spent, and carrying a few more bumps and bruises with me then when I started. But it was a blast. I have a newfound respect for the dirt part of cycling and anyone crazy enough to try it. Will I do it again? Oh, you can count on it!!
I showed up at the Medina store on Sunday morning around 8:30 am to pick a good mountain bike to ride. The only thing available that was even remotely my size was a Giant 29er in medium. 29 inch wheels versus the standard 26 inch wheel of a typical mountain bike. Would this be a benefit for me? The dirt would decide. Three other gents that would be riding off-road with me were Tom and Russ from the shop, and Tom's friend Brian. Tom and Brian were veterans at mountain biking, having done it for over 20 years, and even raced professionally. Russ and I...were virgins.
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| Me, Russ, Tom and Brian, post-dirt! |
The Huffman course is about 2 1/2 miles long, but to a rookie like myself, it felt like 10. Yes, I took some spills and yes, I walked some of those steeper drop-offs, but at the end, I was ready to tackle it again. We went through the course a second time and I felt the improvement. The fact is, ya gotta learn it quick. I still had trouble at certain parts of the course, but received some praise from Tom on my handling of others. The third time through was actually fun, but also exhausting.
When we finished riding, I was truly spent, and carrying a few more bumps and bruises with me then when I started. But it was a blast. I have a newfound respect for the dirt part of cycling and anyone crazy enough to try it. Will I do it again? Oh, you can count on it!!
Matua Ride: August 2010
Every summer, I try to participate in a few local organized bike tours in an effort to not only become a better cyclist, but also to enjoy the interesting and beautiful Ohio countryside. Occasionally, I also like to hook up with friends and just ride for the hell of it, maybe taking in the scenery of areas less travelled. Last week, I participated in just such a ride.
A few people I work with at Century Cycles (Neil from the Medina store and Krista from the Rocky River store) get together each week to ride anywhere from 50-70 miles in a different location of Northeast Ohio. Many of the rides they choose are directly from author Stan Purdum's book 'Cycling to Lunch' (http://centurycycles.com/product/the-university-of-akron-press-pedaling-to-lunch-bike-rides-and-bites-in-northeast-ohio-3522.htm), which documents a variety of amazing bicycle routes Stan has created in and around the Western Reserve area. On this week's ride, Neil and Krista planned to combine one of Stan's rides with a route of their own. I decided to tag along. A fourth person, Ron, who is a close friend of Krista's (and a Pulitzer prize winning photographer, as I came to find out afterwards) also joined our merry little band.
The plan today was to kick out around 55-60 miles and hit several locations circling around the rather expansive Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant in Ravenna, Ohio. Our tour started off at 9:00am out of Mantua on roughly 8 miles of rails-to-trails pathway...and I do mean rough. In fact, the amount of paved path we encountered over this 8 mile jaunt was exactly...zero! Riding on a pair of road slick 700x23's over this kind of terrain made me a bit nervous, but the ol' Giant Defy Alliance held up just fine.
Our first photo-op was a small military monument in the village of Garrettsville, Ohio. The monument's various carved stones paid tribute to fallen soldiers from each of America's wars, from the Civil War through Desert Storm.
Next, we entered the town of Newton Falls, where again we found a small park with several war memorials. The park also boasted the very falls which carry the town's namesake. While sightseeing the area, we also came across the famous Newton Falls covered bridge, which was built in 1831 and spans the east branch of the Mahoning River. It is considered the second oldest covered bridge in Ohio.
Leaving the town of Newton Falls, we buckled down for some serious riding. At times, I found myself outdistancing my fellow riders and needing to ratchet the power down a tad. I was still feeling good after the previous week's Pedal to the Point tour, so I must have had energy in reserve. The reality, too, was that this was their ride and their route, and if I didn't want to get hopelessly lost, I needed to stay within visual range of the troops! Not to mention the fact that it's just nice to chat with cycling friends on such a great afternoon!!
At the 25 mile mark, we stopped for lunch at the Old Dutch Mill golf course in Lake Milton, Ohio. We were truly out in the sticks now, and this was our best shot at food for miles in any direction! The restaurant actually had a nice little menu and decent food. It hit the spot for sure.
Our final photo-op was in and around the West Branch State Park, located a few miles south of the Ravenna Ammunition Plant. Here, water and beachfront dominated the landscape.
As you can imagine, the desire to kick off the shoes and relax on the beach was tempting, but we fought of the urge and hopped back on our saddles. The last 20 miles of the ride went by uneventfully (except for the part where I swallowed some sort of nasty insect), and after battling a bit of easterly headwind towards the end, we arrived at our start point in Mantua at around 3:00pm, having cycled just over 55 miles.
It was a great afternoon and a great ride. Thanks much to Neil and Krista for inviting me along. I look forward to future rides!
A few people I work with at Century Cycles (Neil from the Medina store and Krista from the Rocky River store) get together each week to ride anywhere from 50-70 miles in a different location of Northeast Ohio. Many of the rides they choose are directly from author Stan Purdum's book 'Cycling to Lunch' (http://centurycycles.com/product/the-university-of-akron-press-pedaling-to-lunch-bike-rides-and-bites-in-northeast-ohio-3522.htm), which documents a variety of amazing bicycle routes Stan has created in and around the Western Reserve area. On this week's ride, Neil and Krista planned to combine one of Stan's rides with a route of their own. I decided to tag along. A fourth person, Ron, who is a close friend of Krista's (and a Pulitzer prize winning photographer, as I came to find out afterwards) also joined our merry little band.
The plan today was to kick out around 55-60 miles and hit several locations circling around the rather expansive Ravenna Army Ammunition Plant in Ravenna, Ohio. Our tour started off at 9:00am out of Mantua on roughly 8 miles of rails-to-trails pathway...and I do mean rough. In fact, the amount of paved path we encountered over this 8 mile jaunt was exactly...zero! Riding on a pair of road slick 700x23's over this kind of terrain made me a bit nervous, but the ol' Giant Defy Alliance held up just fine.
Our first photo-op was a small military monument in the village of Garrettsville, Ohio. The monument's various carved stones paid tribute to fallen soldiers from each of America's wars, from the Civil War through Desert Storm.
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| War memorial in Garrettsville, Ohio. |
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Civil War canon, Newton Falls, Ohio.      |
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| Action shot of Neil somewhere between Here and There. Just glad I didn't wipe out while turning around to snap the pic! |
At the 25 mile mark, we stopped for lunch at the Old Dutch Mill golf course in Lake Milton, Ohio. We were truly out in the sticks now, and this was our best shot at food for miles in any direction! The restaurant actually had a nice little menu and decent food. It hit the spot for sure.
Our final photo-op was in and around the West Branch State Park, located a few miles south of the Ravenna Ammunition Plant. Here, water and beachfront dominated the landscape.
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West Branch State Park, east.  |
It was a great afternoon and a great ride. Thanks much to Neil and Krista for inviting me along. I look forward to future rides!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Pedal to the Point - August 14-15, 2010
DAY 1:
Well, year 15 of my participation in the MS Society's 150 mile Pedal-to-the-Point Bike Tour is now logged in the annals of history. As I look back on the ride, it is amazing to me how one can anticipate and prepare for an event like this all year long, and in a blink of an eye, it is suddenly two weeks behind you. Never has the analogy "time flies" been more appropriate.
So, how was this year's ride? In a word, awesome.
For starters, it was my third year cycling as a proud member of the Patti's Paladins bike team. This sixty member gang was founded by Patti Substelny, a wonderful woman currently dealing with the crippling effects of multiple sclerosis. Although this disease has left Patti wheelchair bound, her energy and enthusiasm remain boundless. Her charisma and infectious joy for life are a constant inspiration to us all. It's why we ride. As for the team itself, they are a class group of people, several of whom I personally ride with each year and am glad to call friends.
Okay, enough set-up...on to the tour itself.
I arrived at the Polaris center in Berea, our starting point for the last two years, at the ungodly hour of 6:30am. As expected, the place was already swarming with riders. Apparently, they found it necessary to wake themselves at an even ungodlier hour than I. Through the chaos, however, I managed to find my team rather quickly. Perhaps it was the vibrant purple color of our new jerseys that made them so easy to spot. That's right, purple. Not blue, our traditional color, but...purple. Granted, the picture in the catalog we ordered them from looked blue, but alas...purple. I had not received my new jersey prior to the ride, so I grabbed one from the team supply, went to my car, and changed. As I stood staring at my reflection in the car window, the purple behemoth that now stared back suddenly appeared...a little less manly.
Upon my return, I was quickly reunited with my favorite Paladins, MJ Formoso and Don Bales. Both are accomplished cyclists themselves and quite a joy to ride with. MJ immediately introduced me to Catina, her good friend and newest Paladin, who was riding in the MS150 for the first time. She would quickly become a welcome addition of our 'inner circle'. Shortly after our reunion, we were joined by my girlfriend Maria, who commented directly on the adorableness of our purple jerseys. It should be noted that Maria's favorite color is, in fact, purple, so her gleeful reaction was nothing short of expected. As far as these shirts were concerned, there was no going back now.
Off in the distance, another team caught my eye. The Century Cycles team. As you know from previous posts, Century Cycles is my newest employer. So, why am I not riding on their team, you ask? Well, although I love Century Cycles, my loyalties, at least for the MS ride, are with Patti's Paladins (even with purple jerseys). No harm, no foul. I did, of course, make my way to the CC team to say hello to The Boss (Scott Cowan) and several of the other riders. I wished them luck and quickly returned to the Paladins.
With the obligatory team photo and pleasantries of catching up behind us now, we sauntered over to the start line. Because of our team size and previous year's exceptional fundraising efforts, the Paladins were one of the first groups to be set loose. After a quick kiss to my girl and a wave to the crowd, I was off. The time was 7:30am.
The early part of any ride is traditionally slow as the group attempts to find their riding legs. Initially, I managed to hang with Don, MJ and Catina for a dozen miles or so, but after passing the first rest stop, I started getting antsy as I could feel my strength building up. I decided it was time for a break-away. With 12 miles in the bag and 25 left to go till lunch at Oberlin High School, my intent was to stomp out the remaining miles with purpose. The route had not changed much over the last several years, so there were no surprises along the way and I arrived at lunch in good time and feeling fresh. The heat of the day had yet to make its appearance. Before long, MJ, Don, and Catina pedalled into lunch and the team was reunited once again.
The lunch stop has always held special meaning for those of us aforementioned 'inner circle' riders because a), it is the place we first encounter the Heavenly Ho-Ho, those delicious chocolate covered, cream filled cakes that we ferociously gorge upon like wild beasts, and b), it is the location known for...Bob's Toilet Time. Now, Bob's Toilet Time has become somewhat of an ugly tradition on the MS150 tour. It is that time, seemingly every year, when I must unceremoniously excuse myself from the group and spend a good half hour visiting Miss Porcelain Polly. As you can imagine, this time consuming activity was a constant threat to the team's desire to arrive in Sandusky, well, before sundown. So, typically, they would simply bid farewell and continue onward, leaving me to catch up as best I could upon completion of my personal business. Needless to say, once I did eventual arrival back to the team, the mockery of my lavatory exploits knew no bounds. Being a true sport, I took it all in stride. This year, however, the unthinkable occurred. Yes, my friends, 2010 saw the final curtain call of Bob's Toilet Time. No visit to Porcelain Polly. No wasted hours. I said, "Seriously guys, I really don't need to go!" And they said, "WHAAAAAT??"
But I digress. Back to cycling.
The remainder of the ride to Sandusky was, for the most part, uneventful. I committed to another break-away shortly after lunch and raced on to the finish. It was clear to me over those last 40 miles of Day 1 that all my summer training was paying off. The harder riding improved my stamina and the choice to do more hills rather than distance greatly improved my ability to climb. Also, the use of clipless pedals enhanced my pedal stroke and improved my overall riding performance significantly. In tours past, I was the guy struggling on the side of the road to maintain any kind of cadence whatsoever. I was the guy being passed easily by seemingly everyone else. I hated the headwinds and the hills about killed me. This year, however, the riding seemed effortless. The strong winds and blazing afternoon heat were of little consequence and I found that I was the one handily passing most others. It was a welcome change and proof that, with the right training and consistent riding, you really can get better with age.
I rolled into Sandusky High School at exactly 1pm. As always, our beloved Patti was waiting there with bullhorn in hand to greet all the arriving riders. I decided to hang at the finish line for a while until MJ, Don, and Catina rolled in themselves. However, after about twenty minutes, they still had not arrived and I began to think that maybe they weren't as close behind me as I originally thought. Tired and hungry, I stashed my bike, grabbed my luggage, and checked in.
As always, there are three options when you arrive in Sandusky. You can either sleep the night at a hotel (too expensive), pitch a tent on the school grounds (too time consuming), or grab a chunk of floor in the gym (preferred by us diehards). Since I had arrived fairly early, there was plenty of gym floor available, so I set up my air mattress (complete with extra cool Dark Knight bedding) and crashed for a bit.
Finally, at just after 2pm, the rest of the gang arrived. I had flagged them down and they set up their gear as well. In the past, my air mattress was the size of a small aircraft carrier, and became like a beacon in the sea of people that eventually filled the gym. Unfortunately, my prized sailing vessel sprung a leak last year, and I found myself flat on the floor by morning. It was quite the sight, I assure you. This year's mattress was leaner and meaner, a battleship of manageable proportions.
By 3pm, the final piece of the puzzle made his appearance. I am, of course, referring to the cyclist known only as "Woody". Woody is a friend of MJ's, and we see him but once a year; the weekend of the tour. He is an exceptional rider who typically does the century loop on Day 1 (100 miles instead of the standard 75 mile route), and is an all important part of our 'inner circle'. With the group now complete, we hit the showers then head off to dinner. It was at this time that Woody introduced us to Steve, a fellow rider who he hooked up with on the century loop.
After dinner, the six of us hopped on the shuttle bus to Cedar Point. This is one of the best perks of participating in the MS150 ride. It should be known, however, that even at the amusement park, there are certain traditions that the 'inner circle' must maintain. For example, we must ride the biggest, baddest coasters in the park...except for Woody, who at this point races off for a quick beer or two, avoiding the rides altogether. It is also customary for us to eat a particularly greasy after-dinner dinner at the park's 50's diner. Finally, making fun of the park's clientele is probably the most strictly followed tradition, and the easiest. Spend a day there and the reasons will become obvious. On this particular evening, our mockery skills were off the chart! Many of the characters we saw perusing The Point were more frightening than the rides themselves. By the end of the night, it was apparent that we were going to pretty much burn in Hell for the absolutely destructive commentary we launched at these people. But hey, it is, after all, and amusement park...and we were nothing if not amused!
By 11pm, the group was down for the count, passed out on sleeping bags, cots, and air mattresses. Like every year, we were tired enough to hope that sleep would take us quickly, but restless enough to know it never really would.
DAY 2:
As expected, 6am arrived painfully early. Unfortunately, the worst part of sleeping in the gym during an MS150 style bike tour is that the term 'sleep' becomes redefined. Sleep consists of tossing and turning hourly, exhausted but still wired from the day, and by the time you finally get comfortable and true sleep begins to settle in, your alarm clock, which is essentially everyone else around you, startles you into consciousness a mere five minutes later. Yippie.
After the traditional pancake breakfast, we packed our gear and hit the road. Although Day 2 never seems to have the drama of Day 1, rest assured, before it's over, something will happen to our 'inner circle' that will be the topic of conversation for weeks. In fact, that first 'something' happened early into Day 2. Normally, we all start out together and eventually break apart based on our riding strength. Woody, who is the strongest cyclist of our group, will usually take off about mid morning and charge on to the finish. This year, however, I had the strength to actually stay with Woody when he made his break. As we rode along together, what happened next could only be described as something out of a Godzilla movie. I heard a sudden gasp of horror from behind me, and as I turned, I saw Woody being viciously attacked by...a butterfly. The Mothera sized winged beast swooped in and circled Woody's helmet, determined to fell my cycling partner. Not giving in, Woody pulled to the side of the road to deal with the insect directly. Mothera, knowing the battle would be lost, dove for cover...inside Woody's helmet! An epic struggled ensued before Woody was able to remove his helmet and dispatch the trapped creature. It flew off gracefully as if the encounter never occurred. Woody and I, on the hand, were dumbfounded as to how a creature of such docile constitution could attack with blind fury. Fortunately, no injuries were sustained by this chance meeting of man and beast. The temporary delay did, however, give the rest of our team a chance to catch up. Woody, perhaps still shaken, chose to ride with MJ, Don and Catina, whilst I committed to ride on ahead. As with the day before, I felt strong and wanted to maintain an accelerated pace.
I arrived first at the lunch stop and found a table with a different group of Paladins to eat and chat with. After a quick feast of sandwiches, grapes, and the obligatory half dozen Ho-Ho's, I rejoined MJ, Don, Catina, and Woody for the final 32 miles of the tour. We also picked up Rick Garcia, the captain of Patti's Paladins, as part of our home-stretch team. This is always the hottest, most draining part of the day, and after all the riding done thus far, it's the part where you have got to stay mentally focused on the finish. Not five minutes after we left lunch, my mental focus took an immediate leave of absence. Now, for those of you who ride charity bike tours regularly, you know that the organizers go to great lengths to make sure the route is well marked. Numerous signs on electric poles and painted arrows on the roads make it almost impossible for even the slow-witted to mess up or get lost. Well apparently, I am in the category of people ranked below slow-witted, because the minute we got to the first intersection, I decided to follow the set of arrows from Day 1, instructing me to go right, instead of following the arrows for Day 2, which indicate that riders are to continue straight. As I was in the front of the group, I made a wide right turn to allow plenty of room for the rest of the team to turn easily. Suddenly, the rear of my bike got away from me and I heard a blood-curling scream as MJ, correctly following the Day 2 arrows, clipped my back tire and went down. At first, I was stunned and confused as I thought I had just given everyone enough room to turn. It was only as I faced the others and saw the angry stares glaring back at me that I realized it was I who was at fault. Oh boy. She went the right way. I did not. I have always had a particularly low tolerance for silly mistakes committed by others, but when I commit them, I am merciless in my self-criticism. How in the world could I have been so damn stupid as to read the wrong signs? I've been doing this ride for 15 years and there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of mindless mistake. Flushed with embarrassment and totally at a lost for words, I apologized and helped MJ up from the ground. Fortunately, my teammates were not quite as hard on me as I was and all was quickly forgiven. It's moments like this where I cannot speak highly enough of those I ride with on the Paladins team. I relegated myself to the back of the pack for the next several miles, allowing the well deserved barbs and jokes of my error in judgement to strike me without defense.
Before long, things returned to normal. Woody and I jumped to the front of the pack and raced for the finish. Although lagging slightly behind Woody in this last leg, I still managed to keep within earshot of him the rest of the way. We made one stop about 10-12 miles from the finish to call home and let everyone know we were close to the finish. MJ, Don, Catina and Rick arrived shortly thereafter to do the same. This is as much tradition as any other part of the ride. What was different at this particular stop was the welcome addition of POPSICLES!!! On a blazingly hot afternoon as this day had turned into, the refreshingly cool flavors of grape, orange and pineapple were manna from Heaven. We set out on our bikes for the last time today, and 12 miles later, as was the custom of previous years, we all crossed the finish line together. Happily, I saw Maria and my parents awaiting our arrival. Interestingly, my parents had never seen me at any of these tours, so it was a touching moment to watch them waving and shouting as I cycled into the finish. After checking in and receiving our completion medals, the 'inner cirle' got together one last time for hugs, photos, refreshments and the promise to hang out more between rides.
The tour was over, but the memories of the event will live on for weeks to come. Sure, the cycling is fun and challenging, and the heat, wind and changing weather add a degree of mental and physical toughness, but it's the friends you ride with that make it worthwhile. I will always remember the funny stories, crazy new catch-phrases like "WHHAAAAAT?" and "What time is it? It's Happy Time!!!", and the team spirit throughout the weekend. Even those unique purple jerseys are a pleasant reminder of the fabulous team I am a part of and the awesome woman who is it's voice. The MS150 Pedal to the Point Bike Tour is a wonderful ride worth riding and a Cause worth supporting. I look forward to seeing everyone again in 2011, where we can create new memories and new stories to tell.
Until then...
Well, year 15 of my participation in the MS Society's 150 mile Pedal-to-the-Point Bike Tour is now logged in the annals of history. As I look back on the ride, it is amazing to me how one can anticipate and prepare for an event like this all year long, and in a blink of an eye, it is suddenly two weeks behind you. Never has the analogy "time flies" been more appropriate.
So, how was this year's ride? In a word, awesome.
For starters, it was my third year cycling as a proud member of the Patti's Paladins bike team. This sixty member gang was founded by Patti Substelny, a wonderful woman currently dealing with the crippling effects of multiple sclerosis. Although this disease has left Patti wheelchair bound, her energy and enthusiasm remain boundless. Her charisma and infectious joy for life are a constant inspiration to us all. It's why we ride. As for the team itself, they are a class group of people, several of whom I personally ride with each year and am glad to call friends.
Okay, enough set-up...on to the tour itself.
I arrived at the Polaris center in Berea, our starting point for the last two years, at the ungodly hour of 6:30am. As expected, the place was already swarming with riders. Apparently, they found it necessary to wake themselves at an even ungodlier hour than I. Through the chaos, however, I managed to find my team rather quickly. Perhaps it was the vibrant purple color of our new jerseys that made them so easy to spot. That's right, purple. Not blue, our traditional color, but...purple. Granted, the picture in the catalog we ordered them from looked blue, but alas...purple. I had not received my new jersey prior to the ride, so I grabbed one from the team supply, went to my car, and changed. As I stood staring at my reflection in the car window, the purple behemoth that now stared back suddenly appeared...a little less manly.
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| Me and fellow teammates MJ and Don sporting the new purple Patti's Paladin's jersey. Did I mention they were purple? |
Off in the distance, another team caught my eye. The Century Cycles team. As you know from previous posts, Century Cycles is my newest employer. So, why am I not riding on their team, you ask? Well, although I love Century Cycles, my loyalties, at least for the MS ride, are with Patti's Paladins (even with purple jerseys). No harm, no foul. I did, of course, make my way to the CC team to say hello to The Boss (Scott Cowan) and several of the other riders. I wished them luck and quickly returned to the Paladins.
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| Tracy, me, and Scott representing Century Cycles! |
With the obligatory team photo and pleasantries of catching up behind us now, we sauntered over to the start line. Because of our team size and previous year's exceptional fundraising efforts, the Paladins were one of the first groups to be set loose. After a quick kiss to my girl and a wave to the crowd, I was off. The time was 7:30am.
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Patti's Paladins 2010 |
The lunch stop has always held special meaning for those of us aforementioned 'inner circle' riders because a), it is the place we first encounter the Heavenly Ho-Ho, those delicious chocolate covered, cream filled cakes that we ferociously gorge upon like wild beasts, and b), it is the location known for...Bob's Toilet Time. Now, Bob's Toilet Time has become somewhat of an ugly tradition on the MS150 tour. It is that time, seemingly every year, when I must unceremoniously excuse myself from the group and spend a good half hour visiting Miss Porcelain Polly. As you can imagine, this time consuming activity was a constant threat to the team's desire to arrive in Sandusky, well, before sundown. So, typically, they would simply bid farewell and continue onward, leaving me to catch up as best I could upon completion of my personal business. Needless to say, once I did eventual arrival back to the team, the mockery of my lavatory exploits knew no bounds. Being a true sport, I took it all in stride. This year, however, the unthinkable occurred. Yes, my friends, 2010 saw the final curtain call of Bob's Toilet Time. No visit to Porcelain Polly. No wasted hours. I said, "Seriously guys, I really don't need to go!" And they said, "WHAAAAAT??"
But I digress. Back to cycling.
The remainder of the ride to Sandusky was, for the most part, uneventful. I committed to another break-away shortly after lunch and raced on to the finish. It was clear to me over those last 40 miles of Day 1 that all my summer training was paying off. The harder riding improved my stamina and the choice to do more hills rather than distance greatly improved my ability to climb. Also, the use of clipless pedals enhanced my pedal stroke and improved my overall riding performance significantly. In tours past, I was the guy struggling on the side of the road to maintain any kind of cadence whatsoever. I was the guy being passed easily by seemingly everyone else. I hated the headwinds and the hills about killed me. This year, however, the riding seemed effortless. The strong winds and blazing afternoon heat were of little consequence and I found that I was the one handily passing most others. It was a welcome change and proof that, with the right training and consistent riding, you really can get better with age.
I rolled into Sandusky High School at exactly 1pm. As always, our beloved Patti was waiting there with bullhorn in hand to greet all the arriving riders. I decided to hang at the finish line for a while until MJ, Don, and Catina rolled in themselves. However, after about twenty minutes, they still had not arrived and I began to think that maybe they weren't as close behind me as I originally thought. Tired and hungry, I stashed my bike, grabbed my luggage, and checked in.
As always, there are three options when you arrive in Sandusky. You can either sleep the night at a hotel (too expensive), pitch a tent on the school grounds (too time consuming), or grab a chunk of floor in the gym (preferred by us diehards). Since I had arrived fairly early, there was plenty of gym floor available, so I set up my air mattress (complete with extra cool Dark Knight bedding) and crashed for a bit.
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| My sweet sleeping arrangements. Believe or not, those Bat covers were the talk of the gym crowd! They were diggin' the spread! |
By 3pm, the final piece of the puzzle made his appearance. I am, of course, referring to the cyclist known only as "Woody". Woody is a friend of MJ's, and we see him but once a year; the weekend of the tour. He is an exceptional rider who typically does the century loop on Day 1 (100 miles instead of the standard 75 mile route), and is an all important part of our 'inner circle'. With the group now complete, we hit the showers then head off to dinner. It was at this time that Woody introduced us to Steve, a fellow rider who he hooked up with on the century loop.
After dinner, the six of us hopped on the shuttle bus to Cedar Point. This is one of the best perks of participating in the MS150 ride. It should be known, however, that even at the amusement park, there are certain traditions that the 'inner circle' must maintain. For example, we must ride the biggest, baddest coasters in the park...except for Woody, who at this point races off for a quick beer or two, avoiding the rides altogether. It is also customary for us to eat a particularly greasy after-dinner dinner at the park's 50's diner. Finally, making fun of the park's clientele is probably the most strictly followed tradition, and the easiest. Spend a day there and the reasons will become obvious. On this particular evening, our mockery skills were off the chart! Many of the characters we saw perusing The Point were more frightening than the rides themselves. By the end of the night, it was apparent that we were going to pretty much burn in Hell for the absolutely destructive commentary we launched at these people. But hey, it is, after all, and amusement park...and we were nothing if not amused!
By 11pm, the group was down for the count, passed out on sleeping bags, cots, and air mattresses. Like every year, we were tired enough to hope that sleep would take us quickly, but restless enough to know it never really would.
DAY 2:
As expected, 6am arrived painfully early. Unfortunately, the worst part of sleeping in the gym during an MS150 style bike tour is that the term 'sleep' becomes redefined. Sleep consists of tossing and turning hourly, exhausted but still wired from the day, and by the time you finally get comfortable and true sleep begins to settle in, your alarm clock, which is essentially everyone else around you, startles you into consciousness a mere five minutes later. Yippie.
After the traditional pancake breakfast, we packed our gear and hit the road. Although Day 2 never seems to have the drama of Day 1, rest assured, before it's over, something will happen to our 'inner circle' that will be the topic of conversation for weeks. In fact, that first 'something' happened early into Day 2. Normally, we all start out together and eventually break apart based on our riding strength. Woody, who is the strongest cyclist of our group, will usually take off about mid morning and charge on to the finish. This year, however, I had the strength to actually stay with Woody when he made his break. As we rode along together, what happened next could only be described as something out of a Godzilla movie. I heard a sudden gasp of horror from behind me, and as I turned, I saw Woody being viciously attacked by...a butterfly. The Mothera sized winged beast swooped in and circled Woody's helmet, determined to fell my cycling partner. Not giving in, Woody pulled to the side of the road to deal with the insect directly. Mothera, knowing the battle would be lost, dove for cover...inside Woody's helmet! An epic struggled ensued before Woody was able to remove his helmet and dispatch the trapped creature. It flew off gracefully as if the encounter never occurred. Woody and I, on the hand, were dumbfounded as to how a creature of such docile constitution could attack with blind fury. Fortunately, no injuries were sustained by this chance meeting of man and beast. The temporary delay did, however, give the rest of our team a chance to catch up. Woody, perhaps still shaken, chose to ride with MJ, Don and Catina, whilst I committed to ride on ahead. As with the day before, I felt strong and wanted to maintain an accelerated pace.
I arrived first at the lunch stop and found a table with a different group of Paladins to eat and chat with. After a quick feast of sandwiches, grapes, and the obligatory half dozen Ho-Ho's, I rejoined MJ, Don, Catina, and Woody for the final 32 miles of the tour. We also picked up Rick Garcia, the captain of Patti's Paladins, as part of our home-stretch team. This is always the hottest, most draining part of the day, and after all the riding done thus far, it's the part where you have got to stay mentally focused on the finish. Not five minutes after we left lunch, my mental focus took an immediate leave of absence. Now, for those of you who ride charity bike tours regularly, you know that the organizers go to great lengths to make sure the route is well marked. Numerous signs on electric poles and painted arrows on the roads make it almost impossible for even the slow-witted to mess up or get lost. Well apparently, I am in the category of people ranked below slow-witted, because the minute we got to the first intersection, I decided to follow the set of arrows from Day 1, instructing me to go right, instead of following the arrows for Day 2, which indicate that riders are to continue straight. As I was in the front of the group, I made a wide right turn to allow plenty of room for the rest of the team to turn easily. Suddenly, the rear of my bike got away from me and I heard a blood-curling scream as MJ, correctly following the Day 2 arrows, clipped my back tire and went down. At first, I was stunned and confused as I thought I had just given everyone enough room to turn. It was only as I faced the others and saw the angry stares glaring back at me that I realized it was I who was at fault. Oh boy. She went the right way. I did not. I have always had a particularly low tolerance for silly mistakes committed by others, but when I commit them, I am merciless in my self-criticism. How in the world could I have been so damn stupid as to read the wrong signs? I've been doing this ride for 15 years and there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of mindless mistake. Flushed with embarrassment and totally at a lost for words, I apologized and helped MJ up from the ground. Fortunately, my teammates were not quite as hard on me as I was and all was quickly forgiven. It's moments like this where I cannot speak highly enough of those I ride with on the Paladins team. I relegated myself to the back of the pack for the next several miles, allowing the well deserved barbs and jokes of my error in judgement to strike me without defense.
Before long, things returned to normal. Woody and I jumped to the front of the pack and raced for the finish. Although lagging slightly behind Woody in this last leg, I still managed to keep within earshot of him the rest of the way. We made one stop about 10-12 miles from the finish to call home and let everyone know we were close to the finish. MJ, Don, Catina and Rick arrived shortly thereafter to do the same. This is as much tradition as any other part of the ride. What was different at this particular stop was the welcome addition of POPSICLES!!! On a blazingly hot afternoon as this day had turned into, the refreshingly cool flavors of grape, orange and pineapple were manna from Heaven. We set out on our bikes for the last time today, and 12 miles later, as was the custom of previous years, we all crossed the finish line together. Happily, I saw Maria and my parents awaiting our arrival. Interestingly, my parents had never seen me at any of these tours, so it was a touching moment to watch them waving and shouting as I cycled into the finish. After checking in and receiving our completion medals, the 'inner cirle' got together one last time for hugs, photos, refreshments and the promise to hang out more between rides.
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| Another MS150 in the books. It's Happy Time! |
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| Mom and Dad braving the heat at the finish. |
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| The 'inner circle', exhausted but smiling! |
The tour was over, but the memories of the event will live on for weeks to come. Sure, the cycling is fun and challenging, and the heat, wind and changing weather add a degree of mental and physical toughness, but it's the friends you ride with that make it worthwhile. I will always remember the funny stories, crazy new catch-phrases like "WHHAAAAAT?" and "What time is it? It's Happy Time!!!", and the team spirit throughout the weekend. Even those unique purple jerseys are a pleasant reminder of the fabulous team I am a part of and the awesome woman who is it's voice. The MS150 Pedal to the Point Bike Tour is a wonderful ride worth riding and a Cause worth supporting. I look forward to seeing everyone again in 2011, where we can create new memories and new stories to tell.
Until then...
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Pedal to the Point this weekend!
Well, all the training rides are done and now it's time to put up as this weekend (August 14-15, 2010) is the annual MS150 Pedal-to-the-Point Bike Tour. I'm proud to say that this will be my fifteenth year riding in the event and I am once again looking forward to the challenge. Interestingly, I am a stronger rider now at 44 yrs old then I was when I started cycling seriously at 25! (I hope that this same performance increase holds true when I'm 60!) This is also my third year riding as a member of the PATTI'S PALADINS team. Patti Substelny is just one of millions afflicted with the debilitating disease that is multiple sclerosis, so if riding 150 miles in the blazing summer heat will bring us closer to a cure, then sign me up! Our team is over 60 members strong and consistently one of the top fund-raising teams in the tour. (You can read more about the team by checking out our page on the MS150 website, http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=13681&team_id=182611, or at http://www.pattispaladins.com/. And yes, we are even on facebook!)
So today was, in fact, the last of my training rides before the weekend. It was a short one (30 miles) due to the weather, but productive nonetheless. Of course, when cycling through the gem that is our Cleveland Metroparks, obligatory pictures of the landscape are a must. Today's pics are of the Walter F. Ehrnfelt covered bridge in Berea, Ohio.
So today was, in fact, the last of my training rides before the weekend. It was a short one (30 miles) due to the weather, but productive nonetheless. Of course, when cycling through the gem that is our Cleveland Metroparks, obligatory pictures of the landscape are a must. Today's pics are of the Walter F. Ehrnfelt covered bridge in Berea, Ohio.
And hey, it's not to late to support me in this awesome event. If you would like to make a donation, head over to the MS150 Pedal-to-the-Point website, http://www.msohiobike.org/, click on the "Donate" link, and look me up! Who knows, maybe next year you can even join our team! In the meantime, thanks much for your support!
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