Kalamazoo Bicycle Club Newsletter
December 2007

December President’s Letter

I want to wish every member of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club a happy holiday! I hope to see many of you at the Recovery Party in January.

2007 was a good year for the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club. Bike Camp was a resounding success and the Bike Camp Committee is hard at work preparing for Bike Camp 2008. The weather for KalTour was perfect and numbers were up this year. The Second annual WMU/KBC BTR Race doubled in the number of contestants and will tentatively be held again in August 2008. The success of these activities is directly due to the time and effort put into them by you, the members of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club.

In 2008 rider safety and community education will again be the focus of the club. A number of KBC members will be taking League of American Bicyclists “League Certified Instructor” training this winter. This training will enable KBC to provide enhanced Bike Camp education and community outreach education (educated motorists and bicyclists make for good riding conditions). A preseason KBC orientation meeting will be held. Paceline skill refresher classes will be held and everyone is strongly encouraged to participate. I believe that part of the reason that major incidents were down in 2007 was due to the early season education programs that were offered this year. I feel that it is much better to avoid an incident than to have the skills necessary to assist an injured party while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

I also want to say thank you to Zolton Cohen for all of his work as PedalPress editor. Zolton does not officially leave the PedalPress until the transition to the new PedalPress editor is complete. I would hope that everyone will thank Zolton for his hard work – think several hours per edition (and more when the PedalPress was in paper format) – and his excellent editorial skills. The PedalPress is the one KBC item that every KBC member receives. Zolton is the reason that the PP is a quality publication.

Be on the lookout for some new off-season activities sponsored by the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club. There are winter cross training opportunities for the days that it is to cold to ride and too nice to ride the trainer. Enjoy the winter season and get ready for Monday, March 9, 2008, the first regular KBC ride of the new riding year.

Mike Boersma

President

November Monthly Meeting Minutes

KBC’s regular monthly meeting was held Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the Kalamazoo YMCA located on Maple Street. KBC President Mike Boersma led the monthly meeting. Present were Zolton Cohen, Chris Haddock, Heather Haydo, Jelania Haile, Jim Kindle, Renee Mitchell, Victor Van Fleet, Gary Rankinen, Rick Whaley, Doug Kirk, Kathy Kirk, Juli Birman, Dennis Morrison.

The meeting started off with elections for the 2008 KBC Board of Directors. The slate consisted of Mike Boersma, President; Jim Kindle, Vice President; Tom Keizer, Treasurer; Elaine Naegele, Secretary. Running unopposed, the candidates were voted unanimously into office.

KBC Treasurer Tom Keizer reported $136.62 in expenses in October, versus $138.94 in income. Total in the club’s treasury is:

  • Checking account - $4,360.69
  • Savings account - $2,085.24
  • Certificate of Deposit - $12,858.53

Safety and Education Chair Victor Van Fleet reported that he has several volunteers for the KBC speaker’s bureau, and asks for more help (article elsewhere in this issue of the PedalPress). He also reminded those assembled about the importance of wearing bright clothing and lights if riding on the roadways in times of low light levels.

There was discussion about adding club rides for children. However, there was general consensus that unless a volunteer could be counted on to commit to leading such rides, they might not be supported well enough to continue.

Zolton Cohen reported that the Van Buren County Road Commission can provide KBC with discounted Kal Haven Trail passes to sell at the Recovery Party in January. The proposal to make them available at that time was passed. More information on this “perk” of KBC membership is available elsewhere in this newsletter.

Jim Kindle presented the final version of the Free Trial KBC Membership brochure. Starting in the 2008, these forms will be made available to local bike shops, to be given to purchasers of new bikes at those shops. The free trial membership program will only be offered to bicyclists who have never been a member of KBC.

There was a suggestion that, whenever a free trial membership was received, a “bike safety” email be sent in reply.

Jelania Haile will be contacting David Jones to find out plans for the next step for the bike club and LCI training.

There was discussion about current board appointed positions: Safety and Education Chair, Database Manager, Newsletter Editor, and Ride Captain. So far, the Database Manager, Paul Bruneau, and Safety and Education Chair, Victor Van Fleet, have both stated their desire to remain in their positions for another year. Webmaster, Bob Paksi, has not responded to queries about his intentions. The Newsletter editor, Zolton Cohen has received a contact from a member indicating possible interest in this position. Cohen has said he would be willing to work with the next newsletter editor in order to make a smooth transition.

Co-Social Director Renee Mitchell proposed creating a voluntary membership roster, or a “ride connection list.” Discussion revolved around how this could be accomplished and who would be able to take on the task.

Co-Social Director Jelania Haile unveiled the newly designed and printed KBC letterhead and note cards. Thanks especially go to KBC member Julie Birman, of RiverRun Press, for her help with the design and printing process. Haile said she (Haile) could be responsible for holding and archiving KBC’s intellectual property.

Social Directors Haile and Mitchell announced that the date of the annual Recovery Party is January 19th. More information about the Recovery Party is available elsewhere in this edition of the PedalPress.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:02 PM. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 at 7:00 PM, at the Kalamazoo YMCA on Maple Street.

Respectfully submitted,

Chris Haddock

“Retiring” KBC Secretary

Masthead

The electronically-distributed KBC PedalPress comes out on or around the first of each month.

If you have an article or a notice that you want to go into the PedalPress, please email it to the newsletter editor, zcohen@ameritech.net, by the 20th of the month before its intended publication.

For example, if you’d like an article to be published in the March edition (distributed on or around the first of March), have it to the newsletter editor by the 20th of February.

KBC Statistics

Active subscriptions

220

New Members

None this month

December Expiring memberships

Mike Birmann Family * Darryl Dolby * Scott Freer * Brad Fry

Renewed memberships

Denny Morrison * Christopher Barnes Family

Cyclocross Event Well Attended

On Sunday, October 28, approximately 15 hearty bicycle riders showed up in the late afternoon at the 40 acre grounds of St. Timothy Church in Richland in order to attend a cyclocross clinic.

After signing several liability releases, the participants viewed a brief cyclocross video inside the church and heard Jonathan Evans speak about the joys and difficulties of the sport. Returning to the parking lot outside the church, Tom Cross went over some of the fine points of cyclocross bicycles and other gear. Both he and Evans also stressed that specialized equipment isn’t really needed in order to participate in or enjoy cyclocross; a mountain bike or “converted” road bike can, in many cases, work adequately for beginning cyclocrossers.

Because cyclocross involves riding over a variety of terrain and obstacles that require getting on and off the bike, Evans and Shawn Busby demonstrated several dismounts, re-mounts, and bike “carry” techniques. Because time during a race is saved by efficient dismounting and remounting, Evans emphasized smoothness and precision in getting off and then back on the bike.

With the clinic part of the event out of the way, the riders got the opportunity to ride several laps around the obstacled course for practice. After another brief gathering and some additional instruction, Evans set the clock going for a timed “race-like, but-not-actually-a-race” atmosphere, and the riders were off, tearing around the course at top speed. Many of the participants, somewhat wobbly on their first attempts at negotiating the obstacles, hills and sharp turns, improved significantly by the end of the session.

At the conclusion of the clinic, more than one panting rider declared cyclocross, “exhausting – but a blast,” and several commented on how doing it regularly would likely improve bike handling skills as well as overall fitness.

Thanks go out to Tom Cross, Jonathan Evans, Shawn Busby, the absent Mike Wittenburg for helping set up the course beforehand, and especially to KBC Ride Captain Knute Jacobson for the use of St. Timothy Church grounds for the cyclocross course.

Dale Krueger Goes Bionic

The PedalPress received notice recently that longtime KBC’er Pastor Dale Krueger has undergone surgery for a total knee replacement. This on the heels of major neck surgery earlier in the year. KBC wishes Dale the best during his recovery, and looks to see him back on his Cannondale next spring.

Editor’s Letter

First off, a big thank you goes out to “retiring” KBC Secretary Chris Haddock. She elected to rotate off the Board of Directors this year.

Those who know Haddock personally will likely take exception to anything or anyone describing her as “retiring,” for she is most certainly not. In fact, if you look up “spunk” in the dictionary, there’s a large photo of Chris’s grinning, freckled face alongside the defining terms of the word.

Among other things she has had to overcome in the past several years, Haddock was kicked in the stomach by her horse, screwed up her ankle and shoulder playing soccer and hockey, and also was the victim of a wheel-touching incident on a Monday night ride. The latter sent her cartwheeling to the pavement, hard. However, before anyone on the ride could circle around back to see if she was all right, she was back up on her bike and ready to ride. In any organization – and especially in a bike club - it’s a good policy to have a club secretary in place capable of stopping a bullet. Chris Haddock, it would seem, has that ability…

So thanks Chris, for sending the minutes on time, volunteering at Bike Camp, and also for your input on many KBC issues at the meetings over the last several years.

And speaking of “retiring…”

I had thought this was going to be my last farewell, adieu, to you and you and you – to paraphrase the most famous song in the “Sound of Music.” Hey, I’ll be the first to admit I’m a great admirer of Julie Andrews – who, as Mary Poppins, proved herself very capable of handling a bicycle.

It may yet be my last go-round, if things turn out the way I’d like. You see, someone has shown an interest in eventually taking over the newsletter editorship. I can’t reveal his name as of yet, because he’s still not sure if work commitments will allow him the time to do this job. But if it turns out he’s able to work it into his schedule, I can say without reservation that you’ll be pleased. The guy can write. He’s way funnier than me, and he’s probably even more responsible. I’m keeping my fingers crossed – and not just because, after five years of doing the newsletter, I’m ready to move on to something else. If this person is able to be the new “voice” of KBC, he’ll be a great asset to the club.

President Mike Boersma once called the newsletter editor’s position “arguably the most important one in KBC.” Though I like to argue, I won’t argue that. The PedalPress is the “face” of the club to its members and the general public. As such, it has to be good, accurate, informative and interesting. When, several years ago, we decided to take the newsletter electronic, that opened it up for more content. I’d like to think that what has appeared in the PedalPress in the last few years was of pertinence to local bicyclists. I’d also like to think that the club’s newsletter could be construed as one of the chief “perks” of being a member.

But make no mistake about it; putting together a newsletter of this size and scope is no easy task. It requires a lot of hours each month, and a level of interest in local bicycling that requires a real commitment and a lot of follow-through. It’s a big job. And also one the labors of which are somewhat concealed from view. My favorite comment regarding the PedalPress was overhearing one longtime club member saying, “Yeah, the PedalPress is the best part of being a member of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club! I love it and look forward to getting it each month! That (Webmaster) Bob Paksi is sure doing a great job!”

Zolton Cohen,

KBC Newsletter Editor

IT’S PARTY TIME!!! Recovery Party set for Saturday, January 19, 2008

KBC's annual Recovery Party will be held on Saturday, January 19th, 2008, at the home of Megan, Fred and Rebecca James, 5220 Ridgebrook Drive in Portage from 7-10 P.M. Ridgebrook Drive is located south of Kilgore Road, between South Westnedge and Lovers Lane, west off Woodmont Drive. A huge ‘THANK YOU!’ goes to the James’s for their willingness to host the Recovery Party for a 3rd year in a row.

Social Directors Jelania Haile and Renee Mitchell will make chili (both meat based and vegetarian) and have beer, wine and soft drinks on hand. They are also petitioning Cricket Howard to whip up another batch of his highly popular Recovery Red beer.

We ask that you bring a dish to pass. To avoid 'too much' of a good thing, we suggest that if your last name begins with:

  • A thru H - bring a salad
  • I thru R - bring a dessert
  • S thru Z - bring an appetizer or bread

Local bike shops are contributing schwag to give away at a raffle, and there will be a slide show of KBC events. Volunteers to help set up or clean up would be appreciated, and can call Jelania (345-1274) or Renee, (329-7061). Every member of KBC and spouses/friends are welcome to attend. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with your cycling buddies and share great food and company.

Discount price seasonal Kal Haven Trail passes for both individuals and families will be available at the Recovery Party. Prices are:

  • $12.00 individual seasonal trail pass
  • $32.00 family seasonal trail pass

That’s a savings of 20% for an individual and about 8% for a family. You will need to bring either cash (exact amount) or a check to the Recovery Party in order to pick up your trail pass. No orders for trail passes can be accepted before or after the party. If you want a discount trail pass, you must attend the Recovery Party and pay for the pass at that time.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 19th, 2008 and we look forward to seeing you there! :)

Elections are Unanimous

At the monthly KBC meeting on November 12, 2007, those present unanimously elected Mike Boersma President, Jim Kindle Vice President, Tom Keizer Treasurer, and Elaine Naegele Secretary. All but Naegele were incumbents.

Board appointed positions for Database Manager, Safety and Education Chair, Newsletter Editor, Ride Captain, Social Director, and Webmaster will be voted on and approved by the Executive Board during the December 11, 2007 monthly meeting.

Discount Kal Haven Trail Passes To Be Available at Recovery Party

As if free beer, lots of good food, valuable schwag give-aways from local bike shops and pleasant company weren’t enough incentive for KBC members to attend the club’s annual Recovery Party in January, there’s another “perk” now being thrown into the mix – discount priced seasonal Kal Haven Trail passes.

Yes, you read that right. If you come to the Recovery Party on January 19, 2008, you’ll be able to obtain 2008 individual passes at a 20% discount, and family passes at about an 8% discount. And, as an added bonus, these passes will be good not just for one calendar year, but will be honored until April of 2009.

Prices for the discounted passes (you must pay for them and pick them up at the Recovery Party, the club will cannot honor mail-in or other types of purchases) are $12 for individuals, $32 for a family.

$ave Money, Improve Health, Increase Membership

The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club (KBC) has a golden opportunity to make a huge impact on this community/county. How? Read on and if you like what you see you are invited/encouraged to participate.

Kalamazoo County population is close to 300,000 and this is made up of approximately 89,000 families. Virtually every family has one or more bicycles either in a garage bike rack or hanging from the garage ceiling. These are kids bikes as well as full size adults bikes. For the most part these bikes get very little use. Furthermore many families don’t have the foggiest idea about rules of the road (www.lmb.org/michcode.htm), bike safety, bike etiquette or bike maintenance, bike quality, size, styles.

KBC could and should be a source of enlightenment by sponsoring, endorsing and presenting hard hitting factual programs on these subjects to the multitude (1000 +-) of organizations in this area i.e., schools, churches, service clubs, fraternities, biz operations, co-operatives, condo association, etc. Imagine what you could accomplish with a presentation to a church or school group or any other group of your choice.

Think about the economic results if bike owners were emphatically encouraged to use their bikes for recreation, errands, socializing and health benefits. A family of four, each biking a few miles per day doing errands to the store, church, work, school etc., rather than driving the family car, could save the best part of fifty cents per vehicle mile. This would soon add up to an impressive amount of money. You do the math!

As an additional benefit, assuming this cycling presentation included a reference to a sensible nutritional program, overweight and obesity (which includes over sixty percent of our citizens) would be dramatically impacted and family healthcare cost would be significantly reduced. Recent studies indicate that better nutritional and exercise habits would reduce family healthcare costs 25% to 35%. Translated into dollars and cents this would mean a reduction in healthcare costs from ten to twelve thousand dollars per year down to eight or nine thousand dollars per year per family. Source www.cdc.gov www.parade.com www.rd.com

It might be of interest to the club that this program could be an incentive/inspiration to "join-up’ and enjoy the fun. The last membership report published indicated current membership (after 35+ years in business) of 221. As an ongoing educational feature of KBC, it would go a long way towards embellishing and publicizing the image of KBC and quite possibly stimulate new memberships.

The above program would encourage KBC membership based on desire. It would improve the quality of life, lower healthcare costs, reduce motor vehicle expense and provide another avenue for family enjoyment. To paraphrase a familiar saying, "the family that bikes together stays together."

Assuming you would like to participate in the success of this program you are invited to join the Safety and Education Committee and make available your organizational expertise, experience and platform ability. Next, you can actively share in the distribution of this information to the many and varied organization (over one thousand to choose from) in the Kalamazoo area. If this type of KBC and community support is of interest to you lets get the ball rolling now. Please contact me as follows: vvanfleet@core.com (please put KBC in subject line) or Ph: 269-375-7691.

Submitted by

Victor Van Fleet,

Safety and Education Committee Chair.

Iceman Results

Editor’s Note: Thanks go to Joe Kucharski for compiling these (many!) Iceman results for area riders. Note also that KBC was very well represented on the podium, with John Meyers, Jim Kindle, and Michele Kagey each winning their division, and there were a lot of other highly placed individuals as well. Congratulations to the riders who took on the Iceman Challenge. And be sure to read Kindle’s account of his first Iceman race, immediately following these results).

Iceman

Overall Name Time Class
28 John Meyers 1:41:56 1st Expert Men 40-44
39 John Doyle 1:43:56 29th Pro/Semi-Pro
58 Bill Gallagher 1:46:24 2nd Expert Men 25-29
75 Mike Jones 1:49:36 5th Expert Men 45-54
91 Joe Kucharski 1:50:23 4th Singlespeed Men
184 Mike Birmann 1:55:07 21st Expert Men 45-54
207 Mark Olson 1:56:19 13th Singlespeed Men
212 Todd Freidinger 1:56:25 11th Expert Men 25-29
237 Christopher Howard 1:57:18 41st Expert Men 35-39
242 Ryan Marcikic 1:57:34 17th Expert Men 30-34
251 Joe Thomas 1:57:50 12th Expert Men 25-29
255 Jeff Cachero 1:58:05 20th Expert Men 30-34
256 E. R. Fulkerson 1:58:05 35th Expert Men 45-54
272 Brad Bierema 1:58:57 4th Sport Men 30-34
283 Jonathan Evans 1:59:19 54th Expert Men 35-39
343 David Scanton 2:02:10 54th Sport Men 30-34
374 Scott Steurer 2:03:31 28th Singlespeed Men
381 Alan Dahl 2:03:41 44th Expert Men 40-44
399 Paul Bushnell 2:04:29 50th Expert Men 45-54
420 Charles Barnes 2:04:59 49th Expert Men 40-44
426 Mostyn Lumbard 2:05:09 17th Sport Men 30-34
477 Steve Duistenhof 2:06:49 62nd Expert Men 45-54
491 Tim Krone 2:07:17 53rd Expert Men 40-44
500 Daryl Dolby 2:07:24 12th Sport Men 40-44
501 David Mitchell 2:07:26 80th Expert Men 35-39
509 Richard Newman & Joan Orman 2:07:40 6th Tandem
514 Samuel McAllister 2:07:44 26th Sport 35-39
540 Charles Brenner 2:09:00 2nd Beginner Men 35-39
548 Melanie Rogers 2:09:20 2nd Sport Women 19-34
563 Christopher Barnes 2:09:44 11th Sport Men 45-49
586 Robert Kennedy 2:10:20 6th Sport Men 50-54
592 Stephen Barnes 2:10:31 6th Sport Men 15-18
595 Dan Albanese 2:10:33 23rd Expert Men 19-24
599 Matt Berner 2:10:39 36th Expert Men 30-34
604 Dennis Kindle 2:10:52 1st Beginner Men 45-54
607 Paul Knight 2:11:02 8th Sport Men 50-54
635 Daniel Henshaw 2:11:55 20th Sport Men 40-44
642 Dan Vansweden 2:12:03 63rd Expert Men 40-44
655 Michael Mackey 2:12:25 25th Sport/Expert Clydesdales
677 Rob Nicey 2:13:14 81st Expert Men 45-54
729 Jasris Jasnie 2:15:03 39th Sport Men 30-34
762 Darrell Greathouse 2:15:45 33rd Sport Men 40-44
769 Kurt Sherwood 2:16:03 26th Sport Men 45-49
776 Bob Gray 2:16:13 49th Sport Men 35-39
777 Harold Jocobson 2:16:15 2nd Beginner Men 45-54
806 James Bray 2:17:01 67th Singlespeed Men
807 Michael Cockrell 2:17:04 52nd Sport Men 35-39
813 Jesse Ward 2:17:17 18th Expert Men 25-29
831 Joe Williams 2:17:41 90th Expert Men 45-54
859 K. Wolfe 2:18:28 45th Sport Men 40-44
866 Paul Emenheiser 2:18:41 59th Sport Men 35-39
919 Harry Hausmanis 2:20:21 27th All Men 55-64
974 Kevin Cleary 2:21:50 44th Sport/Expert Clydesdales
985 Matthew Alves 2:22:07 51st Sport Men 45-49
999 David Karnes 2:22:27 7th Beginner Men 40-44
1007 Grant Kasten 2:22:44 81st Sport Men 35-39
1020 Troy Clayton 2:23:18 21st Sport Men 25-29
1034 Michael Denny 2:23:51 56th Sport Men 45-49
1058 Chris Coulter 2:24:22 12th Sport Men 15-18
1092 Jerry Wrentrow 2:25:35 65th Sport Men 30-34
1095 Chris Schnell 2:25:39 53rd Sport/Expert Clydesdales
1099 Tyson Lamoreaux 2:25:52 6th Beginner Men 25-29
1137 Bill Braun 2:26:59 61st Sport Men 45-49
1160 Patrick Bagi 2:27:41 78th Sport Men 40-44
1172 Kevin Philion 2:27:55 95th Sport Men 35-39
1193 Terry Hutchins 2:28:39 39th All Men 55-64
1202 Paul Jacobson 2:28:51 5th Beginner Men 15-18
1211 Mark Boese 2:29:03 75th Sport Men 45-49
1216 John Coll 2:29:17 7th Beginner Men 45-54
1245 Gabriele Cipriani 2:30:18 86th Expert Men 40-44
1256 Ian Kennedy 2:30:47 27th Sport Men 25-29
1277 Brent Slezak 2:31:17 43rd Sport Men 50-54
1297 Brendan Cleary 2:32:10 7th Beginner Men 15-18
1300 Anthony Van Es 2:32:19 106th Sport Men 35-39
1335 David Bishop 2:33:52 55th All Men 55-64
1345 Lisa Popa 2:34:19 14th Sport Women 35-44
1349 Andrew Darrell 2:34:27 8th Beginner Men 15-18
1361 Michelle Kagey 2:35:04 1st Beginner Women 35-44
1374 Nick Hofstra 2:35:43 23rd Beginner Men 35-39
1382 Dave Dilno 2:35:55 76th Sport Men 30-34
1393 Michael Peterson 2:36:04 106th Expert Men 35-39
1401 Thomas Noverr 2:36:18 12th Beginner Men 45-54
1403 Ben Karrer 2:36:26 33rd Sport Men 25-29
1410 Jason Rinker 2:36:37 25th Beginner Men 35-39
1416 David Vaccaro 2:36:52 75th Sport/Expert Clydesdales
1432 Scott Gardner 2:38:15 67th All Men 55-64
1470 Erin Lumbard 2:40:22 17th Sport Women 19-34
1484 Craig Martin 2:41:07 71st All Men 55-64
1542 Kyle Hughes 2:44:05 7th Beginner Men 19-24
1561 Sam Sullivan 2:45:18 8th Beginner Men 19-24
1576 Kim Williams 2:46:10 3rd Beginner Women 35-44
1608 Connor Hughes 2:48:01 12th Beginner Men 15-18
1627 Paul Klemett 2:49:35 116th Sport Men 40-44
1664 Michael McPhilamy 2:52:25 61st Sport Men 50-54
1673 Ernesto Rojo 2:53:03 86th Sport Men 30-34
1694 Steve Darrell 2:54:24 39th Beginner Men 45-54
1695 Karl Miller 2:54:24 137th Sport Men 35-39
1717 Laurie Jarski 2:56:28 24th Sport Women 35-44
1741 John Denny 2:58:22 117th Sport men 45-49
1745 Stacie Kryszak 2:58:35 8th Beginner Women 19-34
1757 Carl Urbon 2:59:15 95th All Men 55-64
1759 Barclay Finch 2:59:36 41st Beginner Men 45-54
1762 Gayle Majeske 2:59:49 27th Sport Women 35-44
1764 Gary Nicholas 3:00:04 38th Beginner Men 35-39
1772 Charlie Sullivan 3:00:21 15th Beginner Men 15-18
1789 Ismeal Castaneda 3:01:10 92nd Sport Men 30-34
1797 Scott Hughes 3:01:56 47th Beginner Men 45-54
1810 Kevin Kryszak 3:03:03 31st Beginner Men 30-34
1821 Steven Hay 3:04:14 43rd Beginner Men 35-39
1840 James Bucholtz 3:06:11 44th Beginner Men 35-39
1868 Kevin Jawahir 3:08:37 145th Sport Men 35-39
1873 Sheri Jones 3:09:15 5th Beginner Women 45-54
1877 Bradley Edgell 3:09:52 45th Beginner Men 35-39
1883 Michael Majeske 3:11:22 131st Sport Men 40-44
1894 Robert Mayberry 3:13:10 55th Beginner Men 45-54
1930 Timothy Halloran 3:18:22 148th Sport Men 35-39
1936 John Schmidt 3:19:10 67th Sport Men 50-54
1942 Kristie Brown 3:20:10 33rd Sport Women 19-34
1958 Kevin Callahan 3:22:18 33rd Beginner Clydesdales
1984 Sean Kelly 3:27:51 104th Singlespeed Men
2019 Amy Krone 3:36:58 19th Beginner Women 35-44
2030 Stuart Murphy 3:40:20 39th Beginner Clydesdales
2042 Lynn Bielecki 3:44:13 21st Beginner Women 35-44
2048 William Corder 3:47:32 105th Sport Men 30-34
2052 Ginny Duisterhof 3:48:11 36th Sport Women 35-44
2080 Kim Solvik 4:06:21 22nd Beginner Women 19-34
2083 Joan Darrell 4:09:51 11th All Women 55-64
2101 Jorge Inclan 4:43:34 78th Beginner Men 45-54

Slush Cup Results

Overall Name Time Class
24 Kim Henshaw 48:08 1st Women 19-34
43 Tristan Greathouse 51:11 2nd Men 10 & Under
81 Frances Greathouse 57:34 1st Women 10 & Under
85 Jessica Greathouse 58:57 2nd Women 14 & Under
162 Kellie Schnell 1:28:16 14th Women 35-44

My First Iceman, by Jim Kindle

I’d heard a lot about the infamous Iceman Cometh Challenge over the years but had never gotten up the nerve to do it. Being primarily a roadie, not too accomplished on a mountain bike and never having done a MTB race - in fact having done only one official bike race in my life - left that empty, churning feeling in my stomach as the day of the race approached. I’d heard stories of freezing cold temps, eight inches of snow, and the huge sand pits that were on the course ready to swallow you up.

Watching the weather forecast daily as the race drew near, it didn’t look good. Long range forecasts were for cold, rain, maybe freezing rain and snow showers. But, being Michigan, the week of the race brought better forecasts, and the day of the race was a perfect early November day. It was a beautiful day, starting out in the 30’s and moving up into the mid 40’s. It must have been in the low 40’s when my wave took off at 11:10AM.

At the start I remembered the tips I had gotten from KBC’s Mike Birmann, particularly about the start. He told me to go out fast, get to the front, and I’d be able to stay there as the pace slowed. As we moved up to the start line, I tried to get as far up as I could without being too pushy. Plus, remember, I’d never done this before, so I didn’t want to be right up front and have everyone ride over me in the first twenty seconds. I was about 3 rows back when the gun sounded. It wasn’t a real fast start, so I just hung there about 12-15 riders back as I got a feel for the bike and got the legs going. Maybe a hundred yards into it I was feeling good and the pace wasn’t picking up much as I once again heard Mike’s advice in my head. I figured this was the time to get it going. By the time I crossed the road leading into the fairgrounds, there were only about six riders still in front of me.

As we entered the woods on a 2-track road, I wondered how easy it’d be to get around the riders still in front of me. It was obvious the one side of the 2-track was the preferred line, as it was where most riders were, and much clearer. The other side was narrow and had tall grass overhanging it, plus there was tall grass and leaves down the middle that you would have to traverse to change tracks. As I approached the first rider that I wanted to pass, I was apprehensive about switching tracks, thinking about the sand everyone had told me about. I made the first move to the other track, and hey, it wasn’t bad at all. I went around that rider, and just kept going until I’d passed everyone I thought started in my flight.

I just kept riding and had a great time meandering through the North woods. The course consisted of a lot of the 2-track already mentioned, single track that at times was fairly technical, and fire roads. And yes, those sands pits (washouts) were plentiful. There were a couple of places in particular Mike had told me to watch out for. He described them well, as I was certain on a couple of them that it was the place he was talking about. He told me how to approach them and get through in the shortest amount of time. He nailed it, as I managed to pass several riders from earlier flights as I took the preferred line.

There are some pretty big climbs on the course, but the biggest proved to be inspirational, as there were fans cheering and ringing cow bells as I cranked my way to the top. A couple of laughable spots involved some of what I thought were the more technical portions of the course. In one of the single track portions called the Luge (a section of switchbacks going down the side of a very steep, tree covered hill) I was coming into one of the hairpin turns too fast, and I knew I wasn’t going to make the turn. There was another rider a few yards behind me. So I just hollered “I going to hit that tree”. Sure enough I did, but thankfully I had scrubbed enough speed to just kind of bump it. I came out of the pedals, but didn’t go down. The guy behind me had to stop as I remounted and got rolling again. Heck, I said I was sorry for making him stop. Don’t know if that’s proper MTB etiquette or not.

The other funny thing happened to be some fans, that now that I think about it, wanted to see blood. It’s a huge downhill with some knee high whoop-d-dos about three quarters of the way down. If you hit those wrong and went airborne, landed on the uphill side of the next one, you’d be splattered all over the countryside. Anyway, as I crested this hill, I heard the guys down at the bottom yelling “let it out, let it out.” I said to myself “Don’t be a fool, don’t be a fool.” I listened to myself and didn’t crash, but got a laugh out of it.

The course was very well marked, and the support throughout the ride was excellent. They have a couple of food stations set up, and even have volunteers there to hand you food or drink as you pass by. This brings me to one thing I learned about MTB racing. I have a Camelback, but hate that thing on my back when I ride, so I used a water bottle in the cage on my bike. Big mistake, as I was only able to consume about a half bottle during the entire race. I also had trouble with the GU. Trying to open it and ride a mountain bike at the same time is very difficult. Next year I’ll just put some Shot Blocks in my pocket, and eat the lint right along with them. On second thought, maybe I’ll line my pocket with something first.

As I approached the last few miles of the 27.5 mile course, I was getting very tired. In what the organizers thought was a cruel joke, they even put up a sign that read “PREPARE TO BE ANNOYED” in front of a technical single track section. At this point, breathing very hard, and arm weary, I thought a crash was inevitable. I managed to get through and with one last climb to go, (they actually had a volunteer there telling you it was the last) I entered into the fenced area at Timber Ridge Campground, signifying the end was very close. That was inspiration enough to push me faster and I cranked it up, and sprinted to the finish.

What a sense of accomplishment, even over the nausea! After a bottle of Gatorade, I felt much better, and had decided that the Camelback in 2008 was a necessity. The ride was great fun and I would recommend it to anyone that has vacillated in the past. I can’t guarantee the weather will be as great, but I figure if the weather is bad, it’ll just be more of an adventure.

There’s a New Shop in Town – Zoo City Cycle

(Editor’s note: in response to an email inquiry from the PedalPress to the owners of Zoo City Cycle at 4328 South Westnedge, Rick Lee sent this reply.)

Thanks for the interest in our shop and we look forward to working with you guys in the future...

OK here we go....We opened May 15th 2007 after extensive renovation of the building that housed Gerber's army surplus behind Outback Steakhouse and the Root beer Stand on South Westnedge. We carry Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Jamis, Redline, Surly and Sun. We have access to many other lines on a special order basis and will be adding more lines as we go. We do take trade-ins and sell used bikes, though we will be much more selective on the product we will take in. We are planning a Bike Swap in February 2008. We will dedicate the entire month to selling used bikes and offering special deals for that event.

We do have a full service shop and can do almost anything needed (though we are not currently overhauling front suspension forks). One of our goals is a three-day turn-around which we were able to do this year. We are open 7 days a week and we keep time open for emergency repairs on the weekends, which was very well received this year. We will also be holding maintenance clinics and will be happy to work with you guys on any special needs.

We do not have clothing yet, but that will change by spring.....we do have complete lines of accessories including helmets. We also have a full service skateboard shop and we carry kites of all kinds...from $4 regular kites to very specific (and amazing!) types.

As far as being unique....I would say we are in all ways (sic) than what is currently available in town. We have great respect for the shops here...Kalamazoo is lucky in that way...but our goal is to be perhaps less intimidating, more accessible than other shops. We have a great desire to make a visit to Zoo City Cycle a most enjoyable experience. We truly love what we do and we hope it shows.

We will try to cover most aspects of cycling, but we will probably be keeping $2000 and less as our main focus. We will certainly try to accommodate any requests from our customers, regardless of that being something we stock or not.

Thanks for your interest, and we invite all of you to visit us at 4328 South Westnedge Avenue. We are open Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5 and Sun 11-4 (our current fall hours)- spring Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 9-5 and Sun 11-4. Our phone number is 269-552-3000 and we look forward to seeing you. Let us know if we can help you in any way.

Thanks Again,

Rick Lee

Zoo City Cycle & Sport

Shop Notes

Alfred E Bike

320 East Michigan, Kalamazoo, (269) 349-9423
www.aebike.com


Billy’s Bike Shop

63 East Battle Creek Street, Galesburg, 665-5202


Breakaway Bicycles

185 Romence at Westnedge, Portage, (269) 324-5555, www.breakawaybicycles.com


Custer Cyclery

104 North Augusta, Augusta, 731-3492


Gazelle Sports

214 South Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, (269) 342-5996,
www.Gazellesports.com

Announcements: Join us at Gazelle Sports on Thursday, December 6 at 6:30 pm for our annual Run Through the Lights - a fun, untimed 5k run/walk through the holiday lights of Downtown Kalamazoo. Cost of registration is the donation of a non-perishable food item that we'll donate to Loaves & Fishes.

BONUS on this night..... shop between 5 and 9 pm and get 15% off EVERYTHING!!! (The small print: Valid on in-stock merchandise only. Not valid with other coupons, discounts, special orders, holds, gift cards, past purchases or Garmin products.)

The small print:

  • ALL PAIRS MUST BE MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER.
  • 2- and 3-pack socks must be paired with like numbered packages, e.g., purchase three 2-packs, get a fourth 2-pack free.
  • Not valid on SALE socks, with other coupons, discounts or on past purchases.
  • Free pair is of equal or lesser value of selected pairs.
  • Who can say "no" to FREE socks???

ProSport

4813 West Milham, Portage

Announcements: Prosport - Corner of 12th and Milham across from Wedel's. Open 10-6 Daily, 9-4 Sat. Nineteen years serving Kalamazoo bicyclists. Guaranteed two day service. Friendly and knowledgeable.  Ride over soon.


Team Active

22 W Michigan, Battle Creek, 1-800-841-9494
www.teamactive.com


Village Cyclery

US 131 in Schoolcraft, 679-4242
www.villagecyclery.com

About Bicycling

Important: Riding a bicycle is an inherently dangerous activity. There are risks of injury or death. You could ride over something and fall, or get hit by an automobile or strike or be struck by another bicyclist. There are many other dangers to bicycling as well.

While nothing can eliminate all risks associating with bicycle riding, to minimize the danger, make sure you and your bicycle are in good riding condition. Know the rules of the road and also of the group you’re riding with, and ride in a manner consistent with the protocols of that group. Always wear a bike helmet, use bike lights if riding in the dawn, dusk or dark, and consider purchasing and riding with additional safety equipment such as reflectors and rear view mirrors.

KBC Contact Information

KBC Officers

President Mike Boersma 269-720-1409
president@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Vice President Jim Kindle 269-382-8053
vicepresident@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Secretary Chris Haddock 269-624-5418
secretary@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Treasurer Tom Keizer 269-382-4737
treasurer@kalamazoobicycleclub.org

Other Important KBC Folks

Insurance Coordinator Joe Kucharski 598-9284
inscoord@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Database Manager Paul Bruneau 269-343-6016
databasemgr@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Newsletter Editor Zolton Cohen 269-344-0200
editor@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Ride Captain Knute Jacobson 269-629-0093
ridecaptain@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Social Director Jelania Haile 269-345-1274
socialdirector1@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Social Director Renee Mitchell
socialdirector2@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Safety and Education Chair Victor VanFleet 269-375-7691
safetychair@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Web Site Bob Paksi
webmaster@kalamazoobicycleclub.org

KAL Tour

Director Michael Krischer
kaltour@kalamazoobicycleclub.org
Director "Super" Dave Bishop 269-679-4522
kaltour2@kalamazoobicycleclub.org