Winchester Wheelmen July 2009 Newsletter

Volume 26, Number 7

“The Bicyclists’ Voice in the Shenandoah Valley”

P.O. Box 1695, Winchester, VA 22604

http://www.winchesterwheelmen.org

 

July Club Meeting

We will be at the Butcher Block Buffet for the monthly meeting on Monday, July 13th, 2009.  The business meeting will be held at 7:00pm.  The address for the restaurant is 131 Town Run Lane, Stephens City, VA 22655.

 

Club Meetings

Our June club meeting was held at Butcher Block Buffet in Stephens City.  The following are the highlights of said meeting:

 

·       Treasurer’s Report:

- Savings:  $6,803.32

- Checking:  $1,882.82

 

·       Meeting Attendance: There was discussion about the meager attendance at the WW monthly meetings. Suggestions included meeting less frequently, changing location, offering speakers.  The consensus of those present voted to maintain the monthly meetings. A change of location is being considered.

 

 

 

·       Annual Winchester Wheelmen Picnic:  The members in attendance offered three dates to be considered for the annual picnic, August 23, August 30, or October 4.  Ken Tenney will check with Billy Thompson to see which date is best.  If interested in assisting in the planning of the picnic, contact Ken.

 

 

Congratulations:  to all who competed on the weekend of June 13-14! Nine area swimmers completed the unusually difficult Chesapeake Bay Swim (4.4 miles with tough currents), including Eileen Span, Chris Ackerman, David Black, Katie Thomas, and others. 

 

Three area triathletes performed very well in the Eagleman Triathlon: Eric Dempster-3rd in age group, Katie Steadman-15th in age group, and Jerry Brown- 46th in his age group). Many world class triathletes were there including Natasha Badmann, probably the best female triathlete in the world.

            I know Robert G. and others did Big Bear but I couldn't find the results. Great work to all!

 -Ray Legge

 

Cross-country by Bicycle:  Longtime club member (for the most of 20yrs), Fred Lonas, has embarked upon a journey of a lifetime.  Follow Fred http://www.crazyguyonabike.com:80/fredlonas as he bicycles across the U.S.A.

 

2009 Membership:   Membership fees for 2009, $16 for an individual and $20 for a family.   If you have any questions, please write to the PO Box or send an e-mail to info@winchesterwheelmen.org.

 

Cycling Adventures:

 

Five Boros Bike Tour, May 3, 2009

By Mark Brewer

            In retrospect it is fitting that I learned of the Five Boros Bike tour while waiting in a long line to use the men’s room at the 2008 Bike Virginia Tour.  An overly gregarious fellow sporting more gold bracelets than any weight-conscious cyclist might normally wear was sharing his experiences at a New York City ride with anyone within earshot, as much from friendliness as to distract us from our shared discomfort.  I learned enough about dates, location, and methods of approach to begin scheming.  By the time my planning was finalized, fees paid, signatures penned, and stoker child lured, I had overlooked several warning signs from that wait in the bathroom.  Namely, I had been stuck in a seemingly endless line, shuffling forward at the whim of others without my morning coffee or breakfast, in increasing discomfort, far from home, and wondering if it was going to rain.

            Isn’t it the stuff of adventure to dream of events going one way, but with proper planning, to be prepared for actual events to make a mockery of the dreams?  In my dreams the Five Boros ride was going to be sunny, with great views of the New York city skyline from the different bridges; standing at the railing of the Staten Island ferry pointing out the Statue of Liberty to my 11 year old daughter, Sarah; a leisurely cruise through Central Park, full of flowering gardens and the songs of early Spring bird migrants.  My daughter, from her position as stoker on our tandem, would gain an appreciation of the varied architecture of the city, from storefronts and skyscrapers to homes in residential neighborhoods. My job, as the so-called captain of the tandem, was simple: to steer us safely through 30,000 other riders.

            Of my hopes for the ride, I can say that I did steer us safely over the 42 mile course. What I somehow overlooked first was breakfast—nothing was open at 5:30 in the morning.  We were trying to catch an early ferry to get a good start on the ride and the result was no breakfast or coffee, something I insist on at home before school or a ride. Also, in the stress of getting ready at home I had failed to raid the stash of ride snacks so we had no ride food.  As we approached the ferry parking my low fuel light came on, which means 35 or so miles of driving, except we came to a complete halt as a line of cars formed, creeping toward a parking lot an unknown distance away.  It was getting later, we were on empty and the car was on empty and it has started to rain. Great.  After a half hour of idling and creeping we finally parked, pulled rain our rain gear on over wool jerseys and pushed off on our great New York adventure. Only, it turned out that waiting was to be our lot the next six hours.

            We waited in the near constant rain to board the ferry from Staten Island to Battery Park. We waited in the rain at least an hour to begin the ride.  We waited in the rain to access bridges.  We waited in the rain for food, water, and toilets.  But, as my randonneuring friends like to say, any time you get to ride your bike in the rain is a good time. Except that were very frequently not riding at all, but just shuffling forward or standing in a throng of people. When we did ride, we endured the constant spray of water from bikes (the worst offenders were knobby mountain bike tires) with no fenders or mudguards, water-filled potholes, rain-slicked manhole covers and old trolley tracks, and the sluices of water from downspouts draining the upper decks of the bridges. Good wool jerseys, shorts and knee warmers and rain coats kept us warm, if not dry.  We had a chuckle over one boy whose rain-soaked cotton shorts were so heavy that they had drooped well down below his waist line.  The view would make a plumber blush.

The sheer mass of cycling humanity was impressive, almost disturbing. As much as we cyclist deride car drivers for their bad habits, the driving public has nothing on masses of cyclists in the competition for anarchic, single-minded, downright rude behavior: weaving, riding in groups spread across the road, talking on cell phones, buzzing others, passing without a warning, cursing at pedestrians.  There were frequent crashes and we came to recognize the distinctive sounds of bicycles going down—the scraping of metal on metal and thuds of flesh on pavement. (Not an experience I expected to share with my innocent daughter).  We saw half dozen crashes, mostly from inattentive riders crashing into each other; sometimes riders just seemed to topple over.  One obnoxious fellow who had been speeding and weaving through our traffic was felled a few feet from us and we had to steer away from his sliding bike, though mostly from concern for our safety.  I found the wheel of a clearly competent rider and followed him for miles. I won’t say “drafted” because our speed never went above 15 mph the entire ride. (Avg. speed was 7.7 mph.)

Sadly, the low cloud cover obscured the views of New York that I had hoped for.  We had a brief glimpse of the lower stories of the Empire State building, the upper levels buried in cloud.  We never saw the Statue of Liberty.  The high views offered by the different bridges were undone by both rain, clouds, and the constant vigilance required to avoid crashing into fellow riders.

One part of the city looked like the next to me.  Sarah did recognize Radio City Music Hall from an earlier visit, however, so I suppose it was not all a blur. The narrow lanes of Central Park squeezed us into close quarters and we slowed even more than on the wide car-free streets.  I sought shelter from the wobbling crowds by riding in the horse carriage lane, staying as close to the piles of steaming horse manure as I could.  Protected by good fenders, we were immune to the predictable effects of tires spinning through shit and safe from the cycling horde.

The rest stops were frequent.  They were predictably crowded and required some line-cutting of our own to grab a few crackers, tiny cashew bars or oranges.  We were constantly harassed by ride marshals to move on, take ourselves off the street, or stand over there. We never spent more than a few minutes at any rest stop; we got our little snacks and moved out. There was nothing to see. We looked like refugees who had been rained on.

As is usual on such rides there are people to look at and talk to, and of course people are often charmed by the sight of my daughter on our tandem.  The child stoker kit, which adds a second set of cranks so a child can pedal along, requires frequent explanation; it has been suggested by less patient friends that I carry a card explaining that I am a mute.  The bizarrely-colored Electra saddle Sarah favors attracts much commentary, as well.  Parents with kids want to know about the kit, and I enjoy encouraging tandeming with kids because it has been great for us.  And having a child stoker tickles many people’s funny bone, though after three years of cycling with her there are not many original quips left, apparently. 

It was these brief contacts with other cyclists that seem to have left the most indelible impression on my daughter.  Listening to passing riders, she admitted to having trouble understanding the accents of the native people of New York.  And of course there were people from all over the world, so we heard multiple languages and heavily accented English all around us.  One couple gave our tandem a thorough examination, conducted entirely in Chinese, but never looked at us.  When I finally made eye-contact, they seemed surprised that we were not models or wax figures. They hurriedly moved on.  Then there were the hand gestures used by several less-than-patient pedestrians waiting in blocks to cross the street.  Those were not unfamiliar to us

            When we finally rolled to the last rest stop a few miles from the ferry and the car, we simply grabbed a few bottles of some chemical drink called Fuze and rolled on through a dreary industrial back lot filled with vast and deep puddles.  A bottleneck at a pedestrian bridge quickly created another line and we dismounted and shuffled forward a few feet at a time.  I took the time to check my now-shivering daughter for hypothermia: what day is it? What’s your dog’s name? What the hell are we doing here? 

We finally reached our car after some 5 hours and 22 minutes of riding at an average speed of 7.7 mph.  It had rained the entire time.  Having learned from a few similarly wet brevets, I made sure all of our wet stuff went into the trunk we left the lot in dry clothes and a warm car.  First stop, a gas station.

 

 

From the Driver's Seat - A SAG Operator's View of C&O in a day…

 

The alarm goes off.  I promptly integrate the buzzing into my dream and keep sleeping...  D'oh!  It's 5:45am, Saturday, 20 June 2009.  I'm supposed to be on my way to Little Orleans in 10 mins.  Didn't happen, but it was okay, sort of...

 

Cumberland, MD (MP 185).  At about 4:35am on Saturday, Chris Stubbs, Len Yang, Trey Hatch pushed off from the Cumberland terminus of the C&O Canal towpath.  They were well-equipped with lights and gear.  The towpath was pretty much in bad condition, with the starting segment "under water" due to a thunderstorm passing through at 3am.  The previous day, I'd ridden at Williamsport, MD, for a test ride that I wanted to be a sound indicator for what the riders would encounter.  Conditions were "85-90% good" then.  It was all for naught, as thunderstorms tore things up, esp. so close to ride time.  I finally got all the prepared gear in the van and was off to Little Orleans at about 6:15am.  I followed the GPS navigational aid until the 15 Mile Creek Campground.

 

15 Mile Creek, Little Orleans (MP 141).  I arrived there at the projected time of arrival of the riders 7:30am.  I broke out the gear and food stuffs and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  It got to be 8:30, and I started to really get worried.  Is someone hurt?  Then it occurred to me that maybe the ride never started or started later than 4:30.  I called my wife to have her check messages, to see that no one called in...  Nope.  I called Len Yang on the mobile phone.  No answer.  Left a message.  Time creeps by, but I expect to see them any second.

 

Finally, it happens at about 9:04am, I see two riders through the rain forest-like wet haze, some 100yds away.  (The rain finished at my location at about 7:45am.)  One rider has a flashing front light.  I can just make out their silhouettes, but not much else.  I see one look back, and expect to see a 3rd rider.  They see me (I think), then go back down the trail to get a better approach to the stop location.  I'm very happy to see that it's Len and Trey.  They're not hurt and everything seems okay, except for the mud... and the wetness.  Sloppy conditions, at best.  I ask about Chris.  He's had an utterly awful morning, 3 flat tubes and a blown tire.  He's waiting at the C&O camp-ground at Paw Paw for help.  I can only help him after Len and Trey eat and leave.  They both are hungry and tired, even just 44 miles into this ride.  Since it took an extra 1.5hrs to get there, it's a lot harder to monitor food and drink.  Given the heavy conditions and problems, it would have been ideal to have a "check SAG" stop at Paw Paw Tunnel.  Lesson learned.  Having done the ride last year, I encourage both of them to eat and drink more than they think they should.  This will all be fuel for later in the day...

 

I pack up the van and depart Little Orleans at ~9:35a.m., after having plugged “Paw Paw, WV” in the GPS.  I "thought" it might direct me all the way to Cumberland or to the east through the cut at Hancock, then on WV 9.  No, it sent me on some gravel & dirt roads that were much faster.  I pulled into the parking lot at Paw Paw at about 10:05am.  Chris had just spent the last 2hrs there alone, getting consumed by mosquitoes.  Len and Trey wanted to wait with him at Paw Paw and ride together after my arrival, but with no way to contact me, Chris convinced them to move forward, that that was the only way to get the ride done.  With Chris in the van, he was resigned to not completing the entire trek, but still wanted to do as much of it as possible.  We drove to Hancock, MD, via hard surface roads, with an arrival of about 11:10am.  We pulled into the bike shop lot and saw Len & Trey there, also.  Trey had a mechanical, too; his right crank arm had loosened, despite tightening it along the way.  The shop put Loctite on it and torqued it to spec.  Meanwhile, Chris bought a new set of tires and tubes.  The SAG (me with Chris as a passenger) says goodbye to the riders and we're off to meet them again in Williamsport, MD, 85-odd miles into the ride.

 

Williamsport (MP 100).  I mount new tires and tubes to Chris’ bike while he eats.  We project the arrival time to Williamsport at about 1:05 pm, based on the departure from Hancock, MD.  As soon as Chris is ready, he leaves the lunch stop at about 12:20pm and back-tracks to meet Len and Trey.  1:05 passes.  I start to get worried again.  They come over the aqueduct at about 1:45pm.  I suspect that Len and Trey simply got a later start than expected + conditions hadn’t greatly improved since the first segment…  All of the food and drink is ready to go.  I make sandwiches for everyone and they eat them eagerly.

 

There are higher temperatures in this sunny parking lot.  We’re shaded a bit, but it’s still not easy.  The riders depart at ~2:20pm after having hosed down their bikes at an NPS garden hose.  At least the bikes look better, if the riders don’t (still mud-encrusted).  Everyone’s chain is lubed, trying to keep the effect of the grinding aggregate to a minimum…

 

Next stop, Antietam Creek Campground (MP69) Projected arrival ~4:20pm, but I forgot about the road detour from mile 87 to mile 85.  They actually arrive at about 4:45, which is nearly on time.  There are better conditions in this stretch, but some awful ones right before the detour.  There are hard-packed conditions right at the campground, so spirits are a bit higher.  They bump their cum. Avg. up to 13.7mph from 13.5 at the previous break.  They push off at 5:26pm for the last daylight segment.

 

Noland’s Ferry (MP45).  The guys arrive at about 7:20pm.  I donned gear and went up the towpath to meet them inbound to this SAG location.  I tested (and tasted) the towpath for the first time today.  I got only a small glimpse of what they dealt with all day, so I KNOW it was not a lot of fun.  I had to coax the guys into eating and drinking some.  It’s getting harder; semi-inspired “Slog Mode” is fully underway.  They depart at 7:53pm.

 

Riley’s Lock (MP22).  There were extremely muddy & wet conditions at Lee’s Ferry.  I start looking for riders to arrive at about 9:45p, as a late arrival time over the latest stretch of 22 miles.  Almost on cue, it’s Trey… by himself.  Uh-oh!  He grabs a Coke and tells me Chris has had another flat tire down the towpath.  We strap the wheel from my bike onto his rear pannier carrier for him to carry down the path.  Len arrives.  The guys look rough and a bit despondent.  A few minutes later, Chris pulls in.  In the short conversation that follows, he’s done for the day (night?).  Bummer.  Much discussion ensues as to what Len and Trey ought to do.  I encouraged them both to keep going, that we’ll support them into Georgetown.  To get so close and not finish in such adverse conditions is a slap in the face to the effort, adding insult to injury.  I made sandwiches for them both.  Trey was a bit stunned, saying he wanted to continue, but not really moving to eat or drink.  Len called his wife to ask if it was okay to continue.  She insisted that he do so, and so it was.  More food and drink and in the company of a rider from last year, Dave Judkins, who just arrived at Riley’s Lock, they pushed off.  Dave joined them for about 6 miles with a headlight that was out of this world.  Looked like an aircraft landing light and cost about $1,000.  Lighted the trail like daylight!  They had to wait until about milepost 9 until they hit crushed stone and an undoubtedly better surface.

 

Georgetown (MP0).  Chris called to Len to give him directions en route.  The last bit of navigation to Thompson’s Boat Center parking is tricky.  They spoke one more time.  Chris intercepted them on foot at K St. downtown to give personal directions.  They pull into the parking lot at 12:40am, still covered in mud, but done!

 

These are 2 very tough guys who got the job done in pretty much atrocious conditions.  The only way it could be worse is if it were raining all day.  I don’t think it’s possible to do it in a day in those still worse conditions, but I’ve certainly been wrong before and will be again…

 

Stats:  Total distance (with detour): 189miles.  Avg. speed: 13.4mph.  Time on the bike ~14.1hrs.  Total elapsed time ~20.0hrs.  (That’s 6hrs of “breaks”, but also includes time burned on mechanical failures.)

Also:  one blown tire, 4 flats and out with 117miles for Chris.  Len had had one flat and one wreck (at the same, last time Chris flatted).  Trey had no flats and no wrecks (but had to deal with a wonky crank arm).

 

Towpath conditions were 50% soft-ish/50% creamy peanut butter.  The guys looked like riders from Paris-Roubaix when they'd come in at the rests (or worse!).  We had dry-ish conditions last year when I did it, and I can confidently say that this year was harder.  189 miles is tough no matter what, but those conditions made it worse; the only thing that could have been really worse would have been rain the whole while instead of "just" riding after thunderstorms...

 

Congratulations to all 3 riders for a job well done!

 

Here’s a special thanks to Janet Rauhaus (Len’s wife) for such strong support and huge helping hand food shopping and preparation + being there at the end of the ride!

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Ken Tenney

 

 

22 June 2009

 

PS – This is what happens to a tire boot with a “too big to patch” hole…

 

C & O Towpath Ride 2009

I awaken at 3:15 a.m. in the hotel in Cumberland to thunder, lightning and pouring rain. I tell Janet, my wife, “It doesn’t look good (for actually starting this ride)”. The alarm sounds at 4. Miraculously, it is calm outside with a wet haze in the air. Trey and I set off on the damp streets to find Trey waiting at the designated start area illuminated by a street lamp. He is with his parents who left Leesburg at 2:30 to bring him here. His mother doesn’t look thrilled as she watches her son vanish into the hazy darkness on a bicycle.

As we leave town there is an ethereal play of moonlight reflecting trees in and across the shallow canal enveloped in a light fog. Dawn gradually breaks and light rain falls. A sharp crack from Chris’ front tire is immediately followed by a puff of mist and a hiss. Examination of the tire finds a hole in the center of a patch in the outer tire. We have no tire or tire boot so Chris jerry-rigs a patch with a 5 dollar bill and an empty gel pack foil. It isn’t too long after we have settled into a decent pace when I hear another hiss as Chris’ back tire blows. The outer tire seems ok so he replaces the inner tube and we are back on the trail. A few miles down the road and it’s another pop and hiss as the makeshift repair on the front fails. We are not far from Paw Paw, West Virginia so the plan is for Trey and I to meet Ken Tenney at the first SAG stop, eat and then send Ken to pick up Chris at Paw Paw and meet us at the second SAG stop 40 miles beyond the first.

I feel rejuvenated after eating and I don’t want to keep Ken waiting again so I push off fairly briskly. I enjoyed the opportunity to get know Trey during our ride together. He is a Virginia Tech vinoculture grad student and I learn he is 26 years my junior. He seemed to have no trouble riding at the pace I started and I was afraid that I might slow be slowing him down. We stopped to share a Cliff bar and he remarks that we were going at a pretty good rate and he was “a little tired”. I was glad he said that as I was having my doubts as to if I could keep that pace for another 145 miles.

Later, after I downloaded the first 160 miles of the trip on my home computer, I found that we traveled up to 23.5 mph on various spots – probably on the dry areas. We did stop at one point to hand pump some rusty water from one of the water pumps along the way to wash off the mud. We probably shouldn’t have bothered.

At one miserable juncture when Chris was waiting in the rain, the weather was worsening and I was worrying that Trey was regretting his participation, Trey remarked, “Hey this is fun. It’s like its ok to play in the mud.” It’s amazing how another rider’s positive attitude can change my mood. I noted the same last year in the MS 150 when Nancy Jo Morrison would issue a winsome “whew” when cresting hills and remain upbeat despite the heat and the climbs.

Trey noted a disturbing loose feeling while pedaling. He produced a large allen wrench from his saddle bag and managed to tighten his crank during one of our stops. Soon we reached Hancock, MD and stopped at the bike shop there to have his crank repaired.  A biker outside the shop took a look at me and made the astute observation, “it must be muddy on the towpath”. While waiting for Trey’s bike to be fixed, Ken and Chris came in to the shop to buy 2 new inner tubes and tires.

After the bike shop stop the ride was uneventful until I heard again the dreaded pop and hiss from my rear tire as we rode along the river on a stretch of the towpath which abutted some 40-60 foot cliffs on the left and the river on the right. I had to rinse my hands and tire in a puddle of muddy water to clean off the mud so I could get to the tire. I found a piece of glass that was easily removed. The mosquitoes were awful as I struggled to change the inner tube. A group of teens were hanging around the towpath next to the water. One of the groups climbed onto the cliff 40-50 feet above the towpath. Just as I finished the repair I heard a loud splash and a murmur of excitement from the teens. The teen on the cliff had apparently leaped out over the towpath and into the water, barely clearing the rocks. He said he couldn’t breath but by the time I reached the water’s edge he said he was ok. I remember doing dumb things like that to impress my friends. It’s a wonder we survive adolescence.

Soon after I started back on the path, I felt a’ thunk, thunk’ of my rear brake binding on something. I loosened my brake and spun the tire around and found that the bead of the tire had loosened from the rim and the inner tube was bulging. I had just used my last C02 cartridge so had to hand pump the tire while fighting off swarms of mosquitoes.  I put in just enough air to ride as I had sent Trey ahead and was in a hurry to catch up. Soon, both Trey and Chris appeared as they had back tracked to me to see what the delay was.

Midway into the ride the sun came out briefly and Chris remarked, “Hey, this is almost fun”. We did see a fair amount of wildlife including a skunk that ran ahead of us along the path (we slowed down, of course), lots of turtles and deer, snakes, hawks and heron and a large wild turkey. There is a detour in an area still devastated by Hurricane Agnes from the 70’s. We decided to take a shortcut in the detour that led us into large cindery rocks and gooey mud reminiscent of the Midwest “mud roads” that suck your tires into wet clay. We were beginning to rue our decision to take the shortcut until a woman who was walking her dog assured me that the turn off was just ahead.

Dusk was falling during our second to last stop. Chris was really pushing the pace in some very sloppy terrain. I questioned him about this during a brief rest, pointing out that Trey and I had already biked 40 mi more than he did and weren’t as fresh. He defended himself saying that he was desperate to get through the muck before night fell. As total darkness fell, I was leading through the worst part of our ride (besides the short areas mud mentioned above). Mud and puddles everywhere. Just before out ride, Jon Hicks had advised us to go through the puddles instead of around them to avoid losing control in the mud. I found this to be sage advice. The trouble is that you don’t know for sure if the puddle is covering a pothole that will seize your front wheel and send you toppling. >99% of the time there is no pothole. You have to always be prepared, however for that <1%. Potholes are more likely in short, wide puddles but you have to always be alert. This vigilance is quite tiring over 20 hours of riding. Anyway, I told Chris later that he was absolutely right to push as hard as he did because negotiating the mud and water was much scarier at night than during daylight.

Three miles from the final SAG stop at Riley’s Landing Chris had his final flat tire. Trey and I went ahead to fetch a front tire from Ken. Chris was disgusted and said he wasn’t going to fool with another tire. I really thought the ride would end. Trey’s crank was loose again. It was 10:40 p.m. and I called Janet who was waiting in Georgetown with my daughter, Lauren. They had been in D.C. for the performance of the Bolshoi Ballet at 2 p.m. and were still hanging out for me. Janet said she knew I would regret it if I didn’t finish and I could hear my daughter in the background telling me to finish even though it would take 2 more hours. Dave Judkins from last year’s ride came to Riley’s lock to give us support and he offered to start us on the path again as he had brought his bike along. So. . . Trey and I finished the ride. Chris ran out to the street to guide us in to the parking lot at Thomson’s Landing. Trey’s sister and friends were there to greet him Ken, Chris, Janet and Lauren were there for me.

What is the best thing about this ride? the people, of course . . The camaraderie of a group of friends working toward a goal. There is a feeling of accomplishment in meeting a challenge alone but it is more satisfying when done as a team. This was much more satisfying than the 200 mi. road ride I finished alone 2 summers ago. I feel enormous gratitude to Ken for his outstanding efforts in organizing and providing support (he even got GPS coordinates for the stops and tested the towpath before we rode!), Chris for dreaming up the ride and continuing with us even though he had to skip part of the ride, and Trey for staying so positive and patient. When Chris asked for a ride to Cumberland, I was happy to comply as I looked forward to being able to introduce him to Janet. She likes to meet interesting, good-hearted people and is a good judge of character. After we distributed the food and supplies Janet mentioned to me that by spending only a few minutes with Ken one can tell what a great guy he is. Winchester Wheelmen are the best!

-Len Yang

 

MS 150 – 2009 edition

So, I finally did an MS 150 ride, Tour de Vine, in Charlottesville, VA, 13-14 June 2009.  I’d known about these rides since their inception years ago, but never really thought to participate.  I had always thought my donation money and effort were better spent by simply making plain monetary donations only, that participation would actually cost the organization dollars that should be spent on research…  Well, I was wrong.  The services provided in support of the MS 150 are all donated and event is staffed by volunteers.  A little education goes a long way!

There were 8-odd Winchester Wheelmen present for 2009.  (Not that any of the others were peculiar, other than me, but I’m not sure of the membership status of everyone at this writing…)  J  Six of us are pictured here, on the evening before the first ride.  The folks in the stylish photo at left are:  Top row – Neil Crowe, Jeremy Wright, Ken Tenney; Bottom row – Hunter Edwards, Kim Edwards (Team Captain), and Christian Edwards.  Despite the semi-disgruntled look worn by Christian, all were in a good mood this Friday evening.  I was tent camping on the grounds, as were Kim and her family.  That was all good, save the crescendo of cascading zipper sounds in the middle of the night for trips to the latrine.  Man, there is no silence on a 2 acre field!  Pretty funny.   We saw WW member Jay Skidmore, who stopped to say hello.  He was riding Sat., but doing the Reston ride, Tour de Cure on Sunday.

Ride impressions.  My experience on Saturday was great.  I opted for the ‘century’ loop, somehow figuring that day 2 would put us on the same roads, and I wanted to get the long day out of the way, so Sunday wouldn’t feel as long.  Well, that was a pretty tough ride.  I was taken aback by just how darn nice everyone was!  This was certainly no competitive ride.   The atmosphere was very relaxed.   The rest areas were plentifully stocked and there were lots of pleasant people helping everywhere.  I rode a little bit of pace line with some folks I rode with in Mountains of Misery, all part of Team Crutchfield.  I rode from mile 65 to about 99 with Dan Gloster.  I was not too thrilled, when, at mile 94, a woman at the rest area told us it was 12 miles to the finish.  Um, no, it was 14 miles.  That really wasn’t much of an issue, but there were some pretty serious hills in-between.    I was psychologically set on 104 miles, so when the odometer clicked over, I wanted that puppy to be done!  The finish was great and unusual for a “middle-of-the-pack” rider like me, in that there were cheering crowds as I crossed the line.  The best thing was an ice-cold washcloth to cool down with/wipe down!  I cleaned up in the provided dorm shower and we gathered for dinner.  Dinner was excellent, accompanied by a couple of beers from the local distributor.  Hey, carbo-loading for the next day, eh?

Sunday opted for the 50 mile ride.  I learned the route was entirely different, save the first few miles.  Cool!  I pushed off at about 7:15am in a group of few riders.  What an utterly beautiful ride!  Saturday, we were in more “pasture” land.  Sunday’s ride was headed toward the Blue Ridge Parkway, with funky, sharp climbs, some of which were not too short, either.  We veered to the south before getting too far up the side of the eastern slopes.  The weather was cool and sunny to start, finishing drier and still sunny.  The terrain in this area near Charlottesville can’t be overstated as picturesque, though I’d say very little of it is “flat”.  I had a great, inspiring ride.

My take-away from the MS 150 is that it’s an extremely well-run event.  I’m not sure if I’ll ride again (I missed my family), but I certainly would recommend it to others.  All of the catered food was great, without exception.  There was entertainment on the grounds of the hosting private school (live bands).  The atmosphere and the entire mood were very upbeat and casual at the same time.

Thanks should go out to Kim Edwards for being the Team Captain and to everyone who rode.  I know more WW members have ridden in the past, so it would be nice to increase the numbers again next year.

- Ken Tenney

 

Ken, thank you for writing the article of your ride experience I assume from a ‘readers’ view yours would be more interesting than mine, since you covered more ground than my pack did –

My sons enjoyed the rests stops J not big fans of the hills but they made it and I hope I didn’t throw them in too early as to never appreciate the fact they can do this ride (different routes of course) every year – Kim Edwards

Oh yeah we (all 8 Winchester Wheelman) raised a total of $4,225.00

 

Miscellaneous Notes

·       The 2009 Winchester Wheelmen CD-ROM is available from Ken Tenney.

·       We would really like to hear about any bicycle adventures you may have this summer.  We are all cyclists and would enjoy your story.  Write a short article or let us interview you.

·       Sunrise/sunset page -  http://www.sunrisesunset.com/usa/Virginia.asp

·       Club Inventory (for sale) – Available at Blue Ridge Bicycles, available first come first serve

Wheelmen jersey- blue & yellow and/or red & white

Wheelmen t-shirts, black Nike shirt with yellow band and lettering

Copies of "BICYCLING AND THE LAW" http://www.bicyclelaw.com/

 

Classified Ads

·       I have the following items for sale.  Feel free to contact Steve LaDrew at ladrew@shentel.net or by phone at 540-333-1262 if you're interested, (10% Discount to WW members)
  BICYCLE, MOUNTAIN: Raleigh Peak Technium, hardtail with Concept front shock, 17.5" seat tube c-c, 21.5" top tube c-c, 21 speed, Deore XT thumb shifters/F&R derailleurs, raised bars, wheels with XT hubs/Sun rims/DT Swiss spokes, new WTB NanoRaptor 2.1 tires, rat trap pedals, bottle cage, $150.00
    BICYCLE: Softride Windshear, medium, 650 Rolf Vector wheels with new Continental Grand Prix tires, 27 speed, shimano 105 STI shifters/brake levers & rear derailleur, sora front derailleur & brakes, adjustable stem, beam bag, bottle cage, no pedals, excellent condition, pics available. Would make a good entry level Tri bike $400.00
    BICYCLE: Softride PowerWing 700 TT/Tri bike, Ouzo Pro carbon fork, bullhorn bars with C2 aerobars, ultegra 8 speed bar end shifters, dia-comp brake levers, dura ace cranks (175's) & front derailleur, shimano 105 rear derailleur & brakes, still one of the most aero bikes available $400.00
   WHEELS: Pair A - Bontrager Race wheels 700c Rear is brand new, never ridden, front has maybe 100 miles on it. The stickers have been removed from the front wheel only. $150.00
   WHEELS: Pair B - Bontrager Race wheels 700c.  This pair has about 1000 miles on it, still in excellent condition. $100
    BICYCLE RACK: Performance truck rack holds 3 bikes.  Fits truck beds 53"-67" wide as is, could be cut down to fit smaller.  New in box. $50.00

 

 

 

    Future/Out of Area Rides       

 

July 25 – Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Festival in Harrisonburg, VA - http://www.ourcommunityplace.org/bikefest/

 

July 25th and 26th   Annual Hagerstown Sprint & Youth Triathlon www.RacineMultiSports.com or Contact Ken Racine at kcracine@myactv.net or 1-301-991-0461 to volunteer.  Help is needed for the Youth event on Saturday.  Adult race is on Sunday, the 26th.

 

July 31- August 1 – Skyline Drive out-and-back Josh Lewis is planning a massive undertaking – 210 miles, 20,000 feet of climbing.  210 miles and 20,000 of climbing.  Contact Josh Lewis for details: joshwflewis@netscape.net  The Skyline Drive is 105 miles of beautiful mountain scenery.  If you have the legs and a bike to go with them, you should take up the challenge.  Who knows, the Swiss Alps could be your next adventure – think 2010.

 

August 1 – Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge - www.bikemountainmama.homestead.com

 

August 8 – Cumberland Valley Century – San Mar Childrens Home – Boonsboro, MD, sponsored by Cumberland Valley Cycling Club http://www.bikecvcc.com/cvcc_century.html

 

August 15 - Cheat Mountain Challenge - www.wvcf.org/cmc/

 

September 13th    4th Annual Save-A-Limb Ride and Festival featuring professional cyclist Floyd Landis.  The event is in Oregon Ridge Park, Hunt Valley, MD    www.savealimb.org

 

September 20 – PPTC Historic Back Roads Century - http://www.bikepptc.org

 

September 26 & 27 – Ride in the Heartland - http://www.bikeheartland.org/

 

September 27 – Cannonball Century - http://www.bikefred.com/CBC/cbc.html

 

October 10 – Seagull Century - http://www.seagullcentury.org/

 

October 24 - Between the Waters Bike Tour - This year’s event is scheduled to start and end in the town of Nassawadox.  This one-day ride will take cyclists through the back roads of the Eastern Shore of Virginia with route options of 100, 60, 40, and 20 miles that are flat and well marked.  You can visit their website, www.cbes.org, for more information or to register.  Or, phone 1-757-678-7157.  There will also be a free casual bike ride on Friday afternoon before the event ride.

 

   Winchester Wheelmen July 2009 Ride Schedule        

Weekday/Weeknight Rides

 

Up to date posting- Remember to check Google listserv. http://groups.google.com/group/wheelmen  for any last minute changes to rides.  You can read all of the postings without joining the group. 

 

Mondays – Apple Pie Ridge Elementary on Apple Pie Ridge Road.  Ride starts at 6:30pm and will be between 20-25 miles, fairly hilly roads, no one is dropped, good workout to build strength on the hills. Robert Golightly is leading.

 

Tuesdays - The Retired/Day off Ride – (Note: time change, now starts at 9:30am) Easy pace, lunch stop, 25-35 miles; variety of routes:

 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 9:30am at Macedonia Church on Macedonia Church Road.

2nd and 4th Tuesday, 9:30am at Daily Grind on west end of Jubal Early Road.

  

Tuesdays - Food Lion Plaza east of Stephens City on VA 277. Rides start from the east side of the plaza. The route and duration determined by those present, (usually 30-35 miles).  Start time is 6:00PM.

 

Wednesdays - All-comers road ride, starting at Orchard View Elementary School on Middle Road, Rt. 628.  Start time is 6:00PM. This is a 17 mile loop with a variety of rider participation.  A good ride to get you started with group riding.

 

Thursdays - Pace line Ride – Fast training ride of 20mph plus, 27 miles.  Start time is 6:00pm.  Meet behind the Quarles gas station/convenience store at the intersection of Kimble Rd (SR 653) and VA 7 in Clarke County. If enough show, there is a "faster" and "slower" group.  No ride leader.  Park anywhere behind the store in the grass, leaving the gravel driveway clear. Parking straight in towards the trees will allow plenty of parking slots. Please do not park in the paved parking area since that is used by customers.


   Winchester Wheelmen July 2009 Ride Schedule        

Weekend & Individual Led Rides

Saturday, July 4th – Firecracker 50 Miler – Meet at Blue Ridge Bicycles at 2228 Papermill Rd at 9:00am for a three county ride of 50-55 miles at touring pace (12-14mph).  We will pass through the metro areas of Boyce, Millwood, White Post, and Middletown with at least two rest stops along the way.  Ride leader is Mike Perry: 540-877-1795 or mperry@visuallink.com.

Sunday, July 5th:   Mixed Surface Ride   Ride start is 8:00am from 3874 Back Mountain Rd (near Mountain Falls in SW Frederick County).  This is a non-race pace ride for those just looking to do something different.  It is a mixed surface ride (gravel/dirt/pavement) - starts on pavement for smooth warm-up.  Ride length is projected to be ~50 miles.  Note that parts of the ride are very hilly and aerobically demanding (for me, anyway).  I can send a cue to anyone interested to see what it looks like ahead of the ride date.  Ken Tenney is leading and may be reached at k_tenney@verizon.net or 540.722.9224. 

 

Thursday, July 9thth - Rookie Ride -  Meet at Marker Miller Fruit Market on Cedar Creek Grade at 6:00pm for a 10 to 15 mile ride over rolling terrain.  Pace will be easy and ride leader will ride with slowest riders.  Rookie rides are designed to help new riders become familiar with group riding to become more comfortable riding on the road.  Or, if you just want to stretch your legs on a short ride, come on out.  Mike at 877-1795 or mperry@visuallink.com.

 

Sunday, July 12th - Woodstock or Bust - Meet at 9:00am at James Wood Middle School on Amherst St.  This is a 60-65 mile ride through Frederick and Shenandoah Counties at touring pace.  Plans are for a lunch stop in Woodstock with rest stops along the way.  Mike at 877-1795 or mperry@visuallink.com

 

Thursday, July 16th - Rookie Ride - Meet at Marker Miller Fruit Market on Cedar Creek Grade at 6:00pm for a 10-15 mile ride over rolling terrain.  Same conditions as July 9th ride, different route.  All riders welcome for an easy paced ride—12mph.  Mike at 877-1795 or mperry@visuallink.com.

 

Sunday, July 19th - Lovettsville Loop de Loop - Meet at the Giant grocery store in Purcellville, VA, at 9:30am for a 36-38 mile ride through northern Loudoun County.  The Giant store is located on the east side of Purcellville on business Rt.7.  Kim Norton is the ride leader.  Contact Kim at (703) 340 8074 or ksnorton@hotmail.com

 

Saturday, July 25th - Single Speed Ride - 15 miles;  meet at Blue Ridge Bicycles at 2228 Papermill Road;

Ride will leave at 8:30am sharp.  Bring your single speed or bring your multi-speed and choose a single gear to ride in for the 15 miles.  Ride Leader is Chris Tyson, 662-1510(w) 540 336-7231(cell).

 

Saturday, July 25th - Steve’s Hancock Adventure - Meet at James Wood Middle School on Amherst Street at 8:00am for a carpool or 9:00am in Hancock at the Western Maryland Trail parking lot just off Main Street.  Ride will start at 9:15am-9:30am.  This is a 37-38 mile ride north out of Hancock into some of the beautiful farm land of Pennsylvania.  These back roads are a step back in time.  Charmaine Shaw is the ride leader.  You can contact her at 540 550-1177 or charmaineshaw54@hotmail.com.  Charmaine will offer the 26th as a rain date if Saturday gets washed out—same time and route.

Note:  Impromptu rides are set up when no one has volunteered to lead a ride.  Where they go and how far they go is determined by the cyclists who show up to ride.  They are planned for those who can't always make a commitment to a day or time.  If you would like to see an impromptu set up at a different location or time, let your newsletter editor know (monkeyboys_2@comcast.net ).  Better yet, volunteer as a ride leader.  Rides can be short or long, morning or afternoon.

 

GENERAL CLUB RIDE NOTES
Approved helmets are required for all rides.  If you are not a club member, you must sign a waiver prior to the ride.  For all scheduled rides with a designated ride leader, please contact the leader for details (confirmation that the ride is a 'go', weather concerns, other).  For rides without a leader, visit the Winchester Wheelmen Google listserv for the latest information.  The direct link to that web page is: http://groups.google.com/group/wheelmen  you can read all of the postings without joining the list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Winchester Wheelmen

P.O. Box 1695

Winchester, VA 22604