Happy Le Tour de France Season!

Tuesday/Thursday Club Rides

  Rides start promptly at 6:00 PM from RRB in Lake Geneva.  Please wear your helmets and leave your ear buds at home.  We roll along the quiet, low traffic back roads weaving about South East Wisconsin for a couple hours, more or less.  We leave en masse, but usually sort out into groups according to speed. However, no one gets left alone on the road.  

  This week we are doing on Tuesday Lake Geneva to Stateline and Mohawk on Thursday, July 16th .  Our Calendar and Routes can be found on the TREADHEADCYCLING web page at http://treadheadcycling.com

  WEATHER

Mackenzie's Story

  Previously, I shared a bit about Mackenzie, my Team Triumph  and the TreadHeads helping her experience a triathlon.  Frank Ludicky put together a super video detailing her story and capturing the spirit of the day.  You can watch it on YouTube here.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnUXY00P9xY&feature=youtu.be  Apologies to Frank for the misspelling of his name in a previous post!  

Race Results

  Congratulations to Andrea Pether for her Wisconsin State Road Race title this past Sunday!  Also, a stellar weekend for Jack "Hammer" Spende for winning the Indy Crit and standing on the podium in third at the Wisconsin State Road Race.  Ross Giese secured a 6th place finish in the Cat 3 Masters 35+ State Road Race.  I do not have any details, but speculate Ross Adams was interviewing for a new gig as a Crash Test Dummy.  Hope you are healing well, Ross.  

 At The Scarlet Knight Scramble, Ray Nelson took 2nd in his age group and 4th overall.  Jerrod Collier was 7th in his age and 26th overall.  And atop the podium for the first time in her career.... drum roll please....Heather Rainer Peat!

Heather Rainer Peat

Post Ride Pool Party

I have a company scheduled to come out this week  to break up the concrete on the pool deck and repair the leak in my pool.  IF, and the way things have been working that is a big contingency, we get it taken care of I will be opening the pool to my fellow TreadHeads after the Thursday night club ride July 23rd. Stay tuned for detail. Let's hope for clear skies and good weather.  Oh, and suits are NOT optional!  

Le Tour de France

  Anyone else watching?  I find July to be the least productive month of the year. Holidays, so much to do and hours spent over 21 days in front of a screen watching emaciated spandex clad skeletons launch feather light carbon rides up insane grades in the Alps and Pyrenees.  It is an exciting Tour with no clear dominant racer.  

Keep the Rubber Side Down

Post Ride Pool Party

Tuesday/Thursday Club Rides

Post Ride Pool Party Thursday

Rides start promptly at 6:00 at RRB.  Helmets are required and we ask that you not wear ear buds.  These are "No Drop" Rides, but we do often split up into groups based on pace.  All of our routes are predominantly on the quiet, rustic, low traffic back roads around Lake Geneva.

 The specific routes can be found at our TREADHEADCYCLING web page.

  This Thursday, you are all invited for a swim at my house after the ride.  I know at least one rider, Ray Nelson, who wants to cut the ride short and arrive at my house around 7:00 PM.  I am providing the pool (no life guard) and you provide any food and or beverage you'd like.  Swim suits are required, it's a gentrified neighborhood.  ;-)    If you like, you can park at my house and ride into RRB, (It's 2.5 miles but does involve a big hill at the start.)  We are at W3490 Oakwood Drive  The weather is forecast to be a high of 77 degrees Thursday.  If you would please, let me know if you will be attending.

DIY Bike Wash July 4th at RRB

  Sorry you missed this one.  It was great to get the wheels off, have all the brushes, chain cleaning tools, and lubes to make our rides sparkle and extend the life of the drive train.  Hopefully Don Thomas at RRB will host another DIY Bike Wash so others can take advantage and give a little TLC to their rides.  

Bikes Cross Barriers....

Tuesday & Thursday Club Rides This Week

Tuesday night we will be doing Lyons, Tyres and Bowers, Oh My!  And Thursday is a favorite- Four Lakes!  Be there!  Rides start promptly at 6:00 from RRB.  We roll out together and once out of town, we tend to settle into some distinct groups.  But it is a group ride and no one gets left behind.  

The TreadHead Calendar can always be found here.

 RRB- DIY Bike Wash

  Don Thomas has all the tools to get your bike sparkling.  So, Saturday, July 4th, why not stop buy and take advantage of a chance to wash the road grime off your favorite ride?  I'd like to suggest that we first go get our bikes dirty.  Anyone up for a morning ride first?  We can meet at RRB at 7:30 AM for a ride before you head off to the lakes with your families,burn wienies on the grill, down cold PBR's  pool side, go watch stuff get blown sky high, or whatever your holiday plans may include.  

New Heroes 

  Rich and Mike Mennenoh are my two of my new heroes.  The Father/Son duo ground out a 99 mile mountain bike race at Lutsen Mountain Minnesota.  I can not do justice to their stories, but sure either one could regale you with the dedication,effort, commitment and down right fun sufferfest they experienced.  Ask Rich about leg cramps at mile 90 and what you do at that point.  Hint:  The Answer is found on our socks and jerseys!  

 
And I am sure there were lots of TreadHeads racing their bikes on the roads for TOAD, Tour of America's Dairy-land.  Regrettably, I am have no information to post at this time.  As always, I would love to share your results with your Biking Brethren, so please let me know.

But maybe the biggest hero is Mackenzie Wann.  Just a year ago, this young woman suffered a life changing injury.  Thanks to some very neat people, she was able to acquire an athletic chair that allows her access to a variety of experiences that had been closed to her this past year.  my Team Triumph, Wisconsin Chapter has a mission statement to enrich the health and well being of individuals with disabilities by fostering lasting, authentic relationships through the teamwork environment of endurance athletics.  Mackenzie, with her Team of Angels, was able to complete the RAM  Bigfoot Triathlon, sprint distance this past Sunday.  What a near perfect day.

You could hear the joy in her voice rolling past the lake, farms, wooded areas, views she has not seen much this past year.  So many others rolled past and shouted out their enthusiasm for her courage.  I think I can speak for Tara Trent, Ann Clausen, Andrea Pether, and Ross Giese in that it made us feel so proud to be TreadHeads, sharing with Mackenzie what we take for granted.  (And thanks to our TreadHead Media Specialist Frank Ludeke for capturing the event on camera!)  

Mackenzie has her own chair, and even her own TreadHead jersey.  So let's get her out on the road with us.  She is eager to go!  It is an easy process to attach her chair to a bike.  There are some things the cyclist has to be aware of, but it is an exhilarating experience for everyone.

Captain Mackenzie with Angel Andrea Pether

Tara Trent & Ann Clausen were Swim Angels

The Smile Says it All

Captain Mackenzie with her new THC jersey.  

Le Tour 

  This is a great time of year, due at least in part to this perennial classic.  Any one willing to go out on a limb and predict a winner?  A possible podium?  I am at a loss to say who has the best chance to win it and as such, think this will be a great year to follow the tour.  There is no one dominating rider or team, at least from what I can tell?  Why don't you put your favorites to win the GC, or any of the other competitions, in the comments below.  

Ride safe and keep the rubber side down.  

Shut Up & Ride... just thought that needed to be said!

General Musings

It's been a great week and weekend of riding, weekend weather notwithstanding.  But hey, it is weather, and every place has it, yet no one does anything about it!  Think of those who live in flooded areas or the Arizona Desert.  It ain't so bad here, is it?

  We are having a great turn out at club rides.  Let's keep it up, and try to get some new folks out to join us.  I get a visceral feeling that some may be intimidated by the length of our rides.  There is always a shorter option on our routes.  Any of us are happy to help you find where to break off.  And no one rides alone!  It is a club ride, not a race.  Sure some folks will ride fast.  That is a good thing.  And some not so fast.  That too is a good thing.

We have been rolling out as one big group.  Let's continue that practice.  We look good going through town that way, and the visibility is a reminder to drivers that there are cyclists on the roads around here.  And continue to talk to each other.  Point out road hazards, encourage each other, and make sure no one is in need of any thing.

  Some are finding cycling makes them both hungry and thirsty. People are going out post ride, so be advised and maybe keep some non spandex in your car????  And once and awhile in the summer, we are known to kickback in RRB's parking lot and have a cold one and some tacos from Super Mercado.

  By the way, I will be out of the Lower 48 for the next couple weeks.  Stay tuned to Facebook and TreadHeadCycling web page, especially the Calendar tab.  I do plan to offer up my swimming pool for a post ride soak after I return.  I'll let you know.

It Is Worth Repeating

  The National Bike is sponsoring a country-wide challenge for riders to log their miles on their cite.  The state with the most miles the end of summer wins!  Illinois TreadHeads, skip down to the next section.  I am encouraging Wisconsin riders only here.  ;-)   Last year, I am told, Wisconsin was the winner, so there is incentive to defend that title.   I am finding it a fun exercise to track my standing both locally and nationally.  If you want to play, here is the link.  

https://nationalbikechallenge.org/

my Team Challenge Wisconsin Chapter & Captain Mackenzie

  The Bigfoot Beach Triathlon is scheduled for June 28th.  my Team Challenge- Wisconsin Chapter is working hard to help Captain Mackenzie in her first triathlon.  If you would like to help out at the team tent, or volunteer to help the promoters with the event itself, please contact Gayle Harrigan at 262-745-7873, visit http://myteamtriumph-wi.org/volunteer/  or even message Gayle on the my Team, Triumph- Wisconsin Chapter Facebook page.  

Udder Century

  As I type this, there is a substantial group of TreadHeads battling the road, wind, hunger, thirst, fatigue and probably having a damn fine time! 

  And as I return to publish, it seems as if the threat of bad weather deterred most, if not all from the ride.  If I am wrong, share some photos or information about the ride with me.

WEMS Race at Alpine Valley

  Seems we have some gluttons for punishment among the TREADHEADCYCLING ranks.  (More on Mike "The Bishop"  below.)  Greg Clausen took 8th in the Six Hour Solo, while Ray Nelson was first with 8 laps and over 8K feet of climbing.  (Imagine what he might have done with lights?)  Kerry Gonzales did three laps in the Three Hour Solo race.  Jay-Rod Collier teamed up with Ernie Huerta for 2nd in the Six Hour Duo race.  Apologies to anyone I missed. 

 Butch Welke did his own enduro ride traveling to Chicagoland on his Fatty to ride in honor of veterans.  

Iron Man Mike

  

Mike "I rode more miles Saturday than you did all week" Bishop appears to have had a wonderful day.  He rode from Bloomington to Twin Lakes, approximately 167.  The motivation (or excuse as Mike seems to need no motivation to ride) was to honor his father who did a similar ride as a kid.  So, are we to assume the Madison to La Crosse ride the previous week was just a warm up Mike?  

Folks, do NOT let him pick the club ride routes!  We will never be back before dark!  Seriously, great job Mike.  You are an inspiration.  

His & Hers Clausen WORS CamRock Medals

Tuesday & Thursday Club Rides

  We meet, every Tuesday and Thursday, throughout the summer at RRB Bikes in Lake Geneva at 6 PM.  We have a series of routes on quiet, low traffic country roads.  Maps of these routes can be found at http://treadheadcycling.com/ride-routes/

  This week-  Tuesday, June 2nd   Four Lakes

  Thursday, June 4th : Bray Road

  Tuesday, June 9th: Lake Geneva To State Line

  Thursday, June 11th  Mohawk

  Once again we  had a super turnout, and great ride this past week. Lot of new faces and visitors.   We have other routes post on our web page at http://treadheadcycling.com/ride-routes/

  Tuesday & Thursday Weather 

Board Meeting:

  The TREADHEADCYCLING CLUB met this past Saturday morning.  Look for the minutes/agenda in an upcoming email.  

Meet Mackenzie

This past rainy Saturday, a few of us got to meet a remarkable young woman and share our passion for cycling with her.  Several TREADHEADS are going work with my Team Triumph-Wisconsin Chapter to help Mackenzie experience the joy and excitement of a triathlon June 28th at Bigfoot Beach State Park.  A special athletic chair is being built specifically for Mackenzie and should be ready on race day.  

The wind in our faces we curse or at least take for granted put a huge smile on Mackenzie's face.  I think it would be great if Mackenzie can join us for some Thursday night club rides, too.  Thanks to Chris Schmidt for bringing the opportunity to our attention.  It put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.  There are more pictures and a couple short videoes on the Team Triumph Facebook Page.  The Swimmers looked like a motor boat.  That too, was amazing to watch.  

  

Race Results

WORS- Cam-Rock  

D. Gage Photograhpy

  As results trickle in.... Heather Rainer Peat was 4th in her age, and 16th overall in the Women's Cat 3.  Kerry Gonzales won Sport Single Speed.  Henrique Lowe finished 6th while Dad, Andy Lowe suffered a DNF.  Greg Spende finished tenth for his age group and 72nd Overall in the Cat 2's.

  Greg & Ann Clausen both earned medals!  Way to Go!

  In the Elite Field, Ray Nelson finished 2nd in his age, and 11th Overall.  Mike "The" Bishop was 5th in 40-44 age group, and 49th Overall.   Jerrod Collier was 12th in his age category, 56th Overall. 

  Again, apologies to those I missed. Let me know, and I'll make amends!   

Some Recent Results from The Road;

Andrea Pether has put up some impressive results;  Remember, she is a TREADHEAD at heart.  

05/30/2015 - LAPT/Trek Midwest Road Race | RR | 19-29
3 / 6	475.76	Andrea Pether	343188		63	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI
05/25/2015 - Concordia University Criterium p/b Team Velocause | CRIT | 19-29
3 / 9	154.83	Andrea Pether	343188		77	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI
05/24/2015 - MOSH Criterium | CRIT | 19-29
1 / 7	152.35	Andrea Pether	343188		677	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI
05/23/2015 - Palmyra Road Race | RR | 19-29
1 / 7	468.50	Andrea Pether	343188		104	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI
05/17/2015 - Silver Lake Criterium | CRIT | 19-29
3 / 8	133.69	Andrea Pether	343188		462	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI
05/16/2015 - Wheel & Sprocket Criterium | CRIT | 19-29
6 / 10	237.51	Andrea Pether	343188		593	ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice MRI

Andy Schmidt;

05/25/2015 - Quad Cities Criterium | OMNI
1 / 17	-	Andrew Schmidt	303828		800	Hincapie Development team
05/25/2015 - Quad Cities Criterium | CRIT | Junior | 15-16
1 / 15	125.35	Andrew Schmidt	303828		177	Hincapie Development team
05/25/2015 - Quad Cities Criterium | CRIT
7 / 38	105.40	Andrew Schmidt	303828		239	Hincapie Development team
05/24/2015 - 37th Annual Melon City Criterium/ Rider Development | CRIT
3 / 44	93.55	Andrew Schmidt	303828		248	Hincapie Development team
05/23/2015 - Snake Alley Criterium | CRIT
1 / 42	96.76	Andrew Schmidt	303828		424	Hincapie Development team
05/23/2015 - Snake Alley Criterium | CRIT | Junior | 15-16
2 / 16	118.40	Andrew Schmidt	303828

MEMORIAL WEEKEND- Don't Forget to Ride

Tuesday Thursday THC Club Rides

  We meet, every Tuesday and Thursday, throughout the summer at RRB Bikes in Lake Geneva at 6 PM.  We have a series of routes on quiet, low traffic country roads.

  This week-  Tuesday, May 26th: Walworth Ride  

  Thursday, May 28th:  Lake Como Loop

  We had a super turnout, and great ride this past Thursday.  4 Lakes was new to many riders, and we will be making that route a Summer Regular.  We have other routes post on our web page at http://treadheadcycling.com/ride-routes/

  Tuesday & Thursday Weather 

Friday Night Cruiser Ride

  OK, where do we stand on these?  Are people interested and available?  Please note, those are two separate issues, right? ;-)  Let me know if there is interest and some leadership and I will be happy to post an itinerary.  

THC- Goals.  What is the purpose of our club?  

  The THREAD would like to hear from you about what you think the club is or should be all about.  But more importantly, our Board of Directors need to hear from you.  Please give this some thought and share your ideas, hopes, dreams and aspirations.  

  I became a member for the social aspect of riding in a group.  But that has evolved into much more for me over time.  What do you hope to benefit by being a TreadHead?  

Up Coming Events:

They're Tractors, On Sticks....

 It looks as if some TreadHeads had a good time, as always at The Black Hawk Bike Club's Back Roads Ride in Rockton this weekend.   Mark this next one on your calendars and start getting your miles in now to prep for this annual century.  McHenry County Udder Century  There are shorter distances available, too.  

  A group of TreadHeads are going to be helping a young woman experience the joy of participating in a triathlon.  There will be a get together next weekend to get acquainted with Mackenzie and learn how to transition her properly through the different disciplines.  And then we will be part of her team in the Big Foot Triathlon on June 28th.  If you are interested in more details, talk to Chris Schmidt. 

And speaking of Dr. Schmidt, I am sure he would love to clear his home of the new TreadHead kits. If you ordered one, please arrange to get yours picked up.  Yes, Chris, I am one of those guilty ones. I'll call you!  

  Steve Bappert is looking for people to join him this Wednesday for an informal ride. He will post details on Facebook, and I will update here.  Stay tuned.  

  Next Sunday, May 31st, is the WORS Battle of Camrock.    

Bike Tip:

  I am reading one of the best books I have ever read!  I won't bore you with details here, though am happy to talk with you about it if you care.  It has nothing to do with cycling, except that everything has to do with cycling!  It is Resilience, Hard Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life.  

  Wanna be a better cyclist?  Wanna ride faster? Ascend hills quicker?  Pull longer at the front?  Find the best lines on the trail?  Find a model!  Look to someone who does what you want to do.  Follow their lead.  Ask them how they got so good at what they do.  And I will tell you, it is not just that they have a nicer bike,  Bikes are just tools.  

  And of course, you are you, and your model/mentor is he or she.  But that does not mean you can't take their experience, ideas and style and make it your own so it works for you.  I think everyone has a strength, something we can learn from, And it is not just the fastest or the strongest for the longest who can be a role model.  Ride like someone may be watching, cuz they probably are!

Race Results:  

  There is still some heavy racing going on for one TreadHead over in Iowa at The Snake Alley Criterium and Burlington Road Races.  Here is a link to Andy Schmidt's USA Cycling Results.  I hope to have more details to report later, but it looks as if he won the Men's Cat 3 criterium and  his Hincapie Development Team represented the podium in the Juniors Race.

TreadHead Alum, now representing Team Novo Nordisk Development, Ezra Ward Packard scored fourth place racing in Cat 2 at Burlington Road Race in Iowa this weekend.   The link above is to Ezra's USA Cycling Page results if you would like to see how he has been doing.

  And it appears Andrea Pether is having some success somewhere riding for ISCorp.

As always, if you are racing, let me know so I can share your results with other TreadHeads.  

Tuesday/Thursday THC Club Ride

  Start from RRB in Lake Geneva each Tuesday and Thursday at 6 PM.  The routes vary around Lake Geneva, and are always on quiet, low traffic back country roads.  Distances vary from 20-35 miles.  

Friday Night Cruiser Rides

  These are casual fun rides on cruiser bikes.  People ride a variety of bikes on easy going rambles around local towns, and after an hour, adjourn for dinner and or drinks.  The location varies each Friday, but start at 6:30.  So far, we have been in Lake Geneva, Woodstock and Burlington.  

Rides, Races And Events

  You can see upcoming cycling events on previous posts of this blog, and of course there is usually discussion and new ride opportunities posted regularly on the TREADHEADCYCLING FaceBook page.  

Kliff Notes For The THREAD

Here is the condensed and very simple version....

CLUB RIDES:

  TUESDAY, MAY 12th 6 PM RRB Cycles in Lake Geneva WI  Knob Hill Roller Coaster A Go-Go

  THURSDAY, MAY 15th,, 6 PM, RRB Cycles in Lake Geneva Round da Lake W/ da Snake.  We ride around Geneva Lake, and have the option of riding up Schofield Road and crossing HWY 50 to Snake Road.  Snake Road ends on the West edge of Lake Geneva.  

  FRIDAY NIGHT CRUISER- 6:30 PM, Burlington WI.  Meet in the Parking Lot of Fred's Burgers
  596 Pine Street.  Ride the crushed lime stone and paved trail of Burlington.  Fred's for post ride food and/or drink.  

WEATHER REPORT

Other Rides, Races & Events

  WORS continues in Rhinelander, WI. with the Crystal Lake Classic

  Blackhawk Country Roads  This is a two day event.  TreadHeads are planning to ride Saturday, May, 23rd.  There are multiple distances, but the TreadHeads are riding the 65 mile course.  Wheels out at 7:30 AM sharp from registration, located in DownTown Rockton, IL  302 West Main Street.  

  Parking is located at the High School    

   

Mid Week Post

Thursday THC Ride out of RRB Bikes

I am assuming no sane person went out Tuesday from RRB for our first formal ride of the season.  If you did go out, it may be best you not announce that as I did qualify "sane."  Given that, and that there is construction on the road out of town, I propose we amend our Thursday route to be Crab Apple .  6 PM Start time, less than 25 miles for the route.  Short cuts available.

Friday Cruiser Ride

  Friday Night at 6:30, downtown Woodstock on the Square. Ride for an hour and adjourn to The Public House on The Square post ride.  

This Weekend- Informal Rides

  Let me know, and I'll amend this post to show who, what, when, where, etc

Treadfest

  From our Race Director, And All Around Good Guy, THE BISHOP.  This is a link to our web page.   http://treadheadcycling.com/treadfest/

 
  Also, here is a message he is sharing about TREADFEST.
 

Hey Treadheads,

The Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) is underway and the club is in the process of planning for our amazing race at the Grand Geneva, Treadfest. This is our sole fund-raiser for Tread Head Cycling and the money generated is used to promote cycling within our community. There are a few developments regarding Treadfest that I'd like to share with you today.

The race is on September 6th, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. This is a week earlier than usual and was changed due to WORS schedule conflicts with the NICA high school races which WORS also manages. We are excited to get racers to make Treadfest a destination race with their families to spend some time in and enjoy the Lake Geneva area. This also allows Treadheads to have a little more fun after the race since most people don’t have to work the next day. We know this can be a heavy vacation weekend and we are hoping to get the volunteers needed to run the race smoothly.

Treadfest will not have the trail run this year. Our numbers for the trail run have always been small and it is not worth the investment in volunteer hours for the return. We are not alone as last week’s WORS race in Iola also removed the trail run from its schedule. Runners I had conversations with seemed to understand and took it in stride.

This year we are going to have our Treadfest volunteer party a week before the race at Simple Café. This will allow a better forum to communicate race logistics and coordination plus have some fun. Simple is one of our sponsors and they have graciously agreed to open in the evening for our awesome volunteers. More details to come on an evening of great food and friends.

To help with Treadfest volunteer coordination we are going to have team captains for the different functional areas. Team captains will lead volunteers in each functional area. To improve communication the volunteers will have one person that can provide information and leadership.

We will soon be sending out requests for volunteers. We really appreciate all of the help that everyone has provided over the years and we hope that we can count on several wonderful individuals to help make this year’s event a success as well.

If you have any questions regarding the race or volunteering please let me know.

Mike Bishop - Treadfest Race Director

National Bike Challenge

  The Wisconsin Bike Federation is encouraging Wisconsin (and you Flatlanders, too, I guess) to sign up and post your miles through the Summer.  Last year, Wisconsin took the top of the podium, and the TREADHEADS are a good group to up that tally.  More information about signing up can be found at https://nationalbikechallenge.org/     Thanks for sharing that information, Dan Getzen.  

Talk To Your Board

If there is something cycling related that you are passionate about, share your thought with a board member(s)  What can we do to make our club better?  

Solo Riding Gets Me Thinking...

Riding makes me think. Thinking makes me write.  Don't ask what happens when we throw drinking into thinking, that is a post for another time.  But here is a little something you might relate to on what the bike does for me.  

It’s Not A Bike;

There is an abundance of research that suggests we are happier when we spend our money on experiences rather than things.  That seems counter-intuitive to many.  We know what happens to that expensive meal once it has been devoured, but a thing costing the same amount of money often lasts well beyond the lifetime of a meal. 

But it is generally not true that things are better than experiences.  New toys lose their sparkle and shine.  But experiences?  They tend to grow, even get better, over time.  Take a vacation where it rained 5 out of 7 days.  A year later, you will remember the glorious wonder of the two sunny days.

A friend of mine is the genius behind The Art of Really Living.  He contends that we can slow time and in effect live (almost) forever.  He has some very specific steps about how to do that.  But the basic premise is to live life so as to create event horizons. 

What are the criteria for shaping event horizons?  For making moments that last almost forever? That slow and expand time?  There are five factors;

•  Emotional Intensity
• Physical intensity
• Uniqueness
• Flow
• Beauty

I took issue with the research that things don’t make us happy.  I pointed to my favorite bike as a prime example.  The bike was a thing.  That thing made me deliriously happy.  Ergo, some things do make us happy.  John corrected me.  It is not a bike. It is an experience delivery mechanism.  It is not a bike.  It is the rides with friends, the cycling vacations to new destinations, it is the early morning experience of seeing the sun rise over the next hill on some back road, flying down a steep descent, or cresting it, happening upon an unexpected lake.  It is…. we all have our memories sitting atop a bike.

So, it is not a bike. It is an experience delivery mechanism.  We just call it a bike for convenience.  

And how many event horizons do I have from riding a bike?  Where do I start?  How about you?  

Like TREAD THREAD?  Tell your Friends.

Hate the TREAD THREAD?  Tell ME!  

Gary

TUESDAY THURSDAY CLUB RIDES

  Tuesday night, 6:00, Crab Apple.  This is approximately a 21 mile ride, but there are some built in short cuts if light is a concern for that distance.

  Thursday night, same time, same place.  Around Da Lake With or Without The Snake.  

  There has been extensive discussion about how to make our rides better, more accommodating,  But it is what you do, not what you say that matters. That said, let's be sure that if new folks join our ride, we make sure they know the route, understand safe ride etiquette and that riders are not left behind.  Most people do not travel to a group ride to ride alone, am I right?  Let's be good ambassadors for cycling.  

FRIDAY NIGHT CRUISER RIDE

  Cruiser ride means we ain't going far, we ain't going fast, and if you are in a full spandex kit with aero bars and carbon wheels, you are going to feel funny.  If you don't feel funny, we definitely need to talk.  Come on any bike that rolls.

  Friday night, Woodstock on the Square, 6:30 PM.  Food and drinks post ride, location yet to be determined.  

RACE RESULTS

Doing It In The Dirt

  Lots of TREADHEADS made their way north for the first of the WORS races, Iola Bump and Jump.  It sounds like at least one of them got his bumps.  A great showing from our local riders.  

  Heather Rainer Peat, her son Rider and Kerry Gonzales all found their ways to the podium. Heather graced the podium in second place, Rider and Kerry each in 4th.  Kerry raced a single speed, some how oblivious to the fact that being able to select which gear is most appropriate for the terrain and obstacles is a good thing.  

  Ray Nelson placed 8th overall, and Jerrod Collier was 3rd in his age group in Cat 1.    

  Jack Spende was 10th in the Citizens' 11-14 age category.  

 Greg Clausen placed third in his race, and his wife Ann finished 8th.  

 

  Also racing the TREADHEAD colors were Rich and Mike Mennenoh.  

Republished without express permission from Mike The Bishop's Facebook page;  Long boring race report. So today I drove three hours north to Iola Wisconsin for the first WORS race of the year. I had originally planned to bring the whole family but things changed and I drove up by myself. I wasn't super excited about the 6 hours of driving for 2 hours of racing but I figured I had been planning this for a while and I should go get it done. On my way up I stopped at Starbucks in Franklin. There was a long line and I did notice that there was a nice girl in front of me in the next car. When I pulled up to the window the girl at the window explained that the girl in front of me had paid for my coffee so I was good to go. That has never happened before and definitely put me in a better mood for the rest of the trip. When I got to the race it was great to see old friends that I had raced against 2 years ago when I did the series. We caught up on things and realized that most of us had upgraded and we would be racing each other in Category 1. For those that are not into cycling this is the highest level of 5 with the exception of being a pro. This basically means that we have to race with the pro riders but we only see them for about 10 seconds. Our goal was not be last in the race. The pace and climbing at the start of the race was brutal and I was not ready for it. I started in DFL but actually started to move up on a couple climbs. Some guys had to put a foot down on one of the climbs but I was able to make it through the slight mayhem and move up. I was doing well but on a huge climb my buddy Jerrod went past me and I decided to jump on his wheel since we have ridden together before. Since I drove up that day I had not ridden the course and had no idea was was around each corner. Well it bit me this time. On the following downhill there were some massive roots that you have to take on the right but I went left and was eject off the bike. At this point everyone started asking if I was OK. When you are on the ground and bleeding it is nice to have your fellow competitors concerned about your well being. It was very encouraging. I told them I was fine and managed to jump back on my bike. At this point I noticed my handlebars were not exactly pointed straight down the trail so I had to stop again to get them fixed. Another friend came by encouraging me to keep going and keep strong. When I finally got going I was almost DFL again. After a crash you are a little shaken up but I just kept thinking about my friend's comments and it kept me going. I was able to catch and pass a couple of the guys but after the third lap I started to get super hungry. Usually I eat tons before a race but this time I kind of forgot. During the race I had 5 Gu's and a large bottle of electrolytes but it did not stop my stomach from imploding. I tried to keep strong but I can see from my data that my effort just kept falling as the mile built up. It wasn't my day. I got 5th out of 9 in my age group but like 45th out of 58 overall. Before I went my buddy Butch said, I hope you like sand, and he was right. The course had tons of sand and was quite dusty when you were in a pack. I also almost ran over a snake that decided to cross the trail in front of me. That doesn't happen very often. The temp climbed over 80 degrees which I think is the first time this year that I have ridden in anything that warm. Even with all of my troubles and excuses I really had fun. It was great to be out on a bike pushing my body as hard as I can. It was also nice to be with friends that are fierce competitors but truly look out for each other.

On The Road Side of Things

  Last weekend, Andy Schmidt represented in fine fashion down at the Joe Martin Stage race in Arkansas.  He won the up hill Time Trial, was the only one to break 10 minutes, followed his winning team mate, Simon Jones to third on the Saturday road race, and seemed to be a lock on winning the General Classification that was determined in a crit on Sunday.  Some how, another Schmidt, 23 year old college student Tyler, was up the road in a break. But it appeared from the materials provided by race officials that he was not a GC threat.  Imagine everyone's surprise when it was discovered that he was in fact in contention.  The other Schmidt ended up winning the GC by two seconds.  All of us who have had our legs torn off by Andy know that he could have regained those seconds anywhere in his sleep.  Maybe not the result he wanted, but we are proud of him!  

  This week, Andy raced in La Crosse Wisconsin.  Results to follow later.  

THINGS TO DO

    Sunday, June 14th, 34th Annual BCLC Ramble.  This link is to an Active Registration page, but all the details are there.

  Previous posts have a host of other rides and links.  But it is a worth a reminder for the Blackhawk Back Roads ride on Memorial Weekend. Expect a group of TREADHEADS on the Saturday ride.  

  Likwise, check back later and I hope to have some informal rides posted for the weekend.  

Be Sure To Keep The Rubber Side Down,

Gary

 

 Sunday, May 3rd, starting from Kent Lambert's home in Elkhorn.  Wheels out at 9:15 and the group will ride to Flowing Well near Whitewater. Expect a . 40 mile round trip. The address is W4714 Pebble Drive.  Kent's number is 262-210-1121.  

Tuesday & Thursday Group Rides

RRB Bikes in Lake Geneva, 6:00 PM Start time.  No route, no leader, just show up and ride.  We will start the formal rides on Cinco de Mayo.  Anyone up for a cold Corona after that first Tuesday ride?  

Inaugural Friday Night Cruise  

  This Friday, May 1st, we will kick off our cruiser ride series.  It is a casual ride on whatever bike you want.  The purpose is to get your body moving and socialize a bit.  We will meet in Lake Geneva at Flat Iron Park, do a casual ride for an hour and then patronize our new sponsor, Sprecher's Restaurant & Pub for dinner and/or drinks.  Flat Iron Park is on the lake and across from Sprecher's.  I think it would be great if we wore Treadfest or TreadHead shirts to Sprecher's as a subtle reminder that the THC does support local businesses that support us.  

  The following Friday, May 8th, we will take this same act on the road to Woodstock, IL (yes, we are Southeast Wisconsin & Northern Illinois' Premier Cycling Club- it says so on our webpage)  Any suggestions for the following Friday?  Burlington crushed limestone trails and Fred's for the Best Burgers after the ride?  

Race Results

I have a link to Joe Martin Stage Race in Arkansas with the Cat 3 General Classification standings after Saturday's road race.  You won't have to scroll too far before you see a recognizable name.   I'll be posting some updates later once the race has concluded.

Henrique Lowe, pictured above, competed in his first crit, The Fitchburg Fast & Furious.  Henrique had a much better day than dad, finishing the race ahead of the others in his age group.  Andy crashed out on the final lap and is banged up a bit.  Fortunately, he was not one of the two racers taken away in an ambulance.

Please, if you have race results, let me know.  Call me, text me, email me.... It's all good!  

Spring Social & History Lesson

  We had a great turnout at the Spring Social held at our TreadHeadCycling Sponsor and WORS handbook advertiser, Next Door Pub.  It was fun to see people off bikes and out of spandex.  And we had some new faces in our ranks as well.  

  The new kits look great!  It got me thinking about how this club has evolved.  It all started with a handful of people going for a little bike ride out of RRB and then adjourning to Cactus Club
(now Tuscan Tavern & Grill) for Fajitas merging with a handful of serious grass roots mountain bikers looking to partner with a bike shop.  Ray Nelson, Ryans Bankle and Fosnaugh, and Butch Welke were avid mountain bikers.  Returning home from a Madison swap meet, they stopped by Skinny's for dinner.  They decided to get serious about mountain biking and asked Skinny's owner, Chris Dahl, if he would be interested in sponsoring the team.  The team/club was to be called Skinny's Club Tread.  

Next, Don Thomas at RRB was solicited to contribute and a deal was made with Trek bikes.  Other sponsors were brought on board, more people joined the team/club and Tuesday & Thursday night rides became a regular feature.  You may still see some long time members in the blue and white Skinny's kits, or maybe a bright gold racing jersey from "back in the day".  From this small group, Treadfest was born in 2006.  That race has grown in popularity and seems to get better each year.  Many of the WORS racers list it as a favorite.  And that is what drives the club financially.  

  

  The group has grown in numbers and in purpose.  While no one knows for sure who first coined the term, TreadHeads, it now stands for TRAINING, RIDING, EDUCATION,ADVOCACY & DIVERSITY.  THC has donated to various school silent auctions and the YMCA fundraising event,  In addition to developing the WORS race trails at the Grand Geneva, members have had a hand in creating a host of local off road trails like those at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours and Silver Lake Park.  Butch Welke has been the heart and soul of those projects, and the riding around here the better for his presence.  

  We truly are a diverse cycling club.  Members ride road bikes, mountain bikes, fat bikes, bmx,cyclocross, cruisers, tandems....  We have a range from those just beginning and riding to get into shape to state and national champions and regular podium placers.  One TreadHead races professionally throughout the US and abroad.  Sometimes it seems the only thing we have in common is the bike.  And clearly that is enough.  

  Here's looking to a bright future for TREADHEADCYCLING and the local cycling scene.  

Things To Do

This is the time of year that if you are bored, it is your own fault.  There is something to do every weekend, and often you will be forced to choose.  

Here is a link to WCA, Wisconsin Cycling Association  You can find many of the road, cyclocross and track racing events around Wisconsin.  

Prefer to Do It In The Dirt- TREADHEADCYCLING is part of the WORS (Wisconsin Off-Road Series.  WORS kicks off the season in Iola with the annual Bump & Jump next weekend, May 3rd. 

Or if you are in the Illinois area, check out PAMBA .  

May 16th there is a local charity ride in Delavan.  More information can be found at Tour de Tech Fundraiser  Or feel like supporting the fight against diabetes?  Then the Madison Tour de Cure is for you.  

I have wanted to do this one for years.  Now is my opportunity.  The Gravel Metric Presented by Axletree is scheduled for May 26th.  This is a free event, but they hope you will spend some coin while you are in Dekalb IL.  It is a 60 plus mile gravel road ride.  Who is in with me?  Great for a cross bike.  

Blackhawk Country Roads Memorial Day Ride information and registration can be found here;  http://www.blackhawkbicycleclub.org/

IMPORTANT CHANGES

  TUESDAY & THURSDAY ROAD RIDES

The Tuesday and Thursday informal road rides will be starting from RRB at 6 PM to allow those TREADHEADS with real jobs or travel time to make the rides. Hope this is good news and we see you there.

THURSDAY NITE FAT BIKE

This Thursday, April 23rd, will be the final Thursday night fat bike ride.. BUT we will be continuing the fun via a Friday Night Cruiser Ride.  By cruiser ride, we mean nothing that goes fast! Fat bike, cruiser bike with three speed internal hub, single speed... I think you get my point. This is about riding a bike, socializing, have some food, some drink, some fresh air.....Stay tuned for the first event.  

THC SPRING SOCIAL 

Friday night, 5:30, Next Door Pub, Free pizza, beer and soda to members ($10 for non member guests)  Dues for the year are $25 for individuals and $40 for the family.  Bring a friend!  

THE FOLLOWING DAY

RIDE YOUR BIKE THEN

DIY BIKE WASH

Saturday, April 25^th

9:00 AM- 2 PM

RRB Lake Geneva

•  Coffee & Donuts, while they last!
•  Road ride at 9:00, 10:30 and 12:00.  We will be doing loops of Crabapple (We will have cue sheets for this route)
•  Mountain biking at Canopy Tours- meet at RRB first.  Same start times as road rides

Don Thomas of RRB is providing stands, brushes, buckets, polish, lube, etc. all you need to make your steed sparkle.  You provide the bike and elbow grease.  We can’t all wash at once, so we will be doing loops, returning to the shop to drop off or pick up riders. 

Stay tuned for updates and more info on TREAD THREAD.

RACE RESULTS

   And from Tour of The Battenkill....In perhaps the toughest race of his young career, Andy Schmidt used patience, teamwork and measured strategy to climb atop the podium at Tour of The Battenkill in New York this weekend.  Andy rode hard and steady, while team mate Simon Jones repeatedly attacked the field.  Andy would then follow the competitions' moves to keep Simon from getting away.  Once "softened" Andy saw the opportunity, and had the resources in the tank to create a gap from the others.  He and Simon came into the last turn and monopolized the good lines in order to prevent a last second inside attack.  

   Certainly winning such a difficult race over some amazing competition only enhances Andy's chances to take his show on the road to another continent.  Next weekend finds him racing in Arkansas at Joe Martin Stage Race http://www.joemartinstagerace.com/  This is a first time UCI race and will feature racers from all 50 states as well as 20 other countries.  Good luck Andy!  

Any other results to share, please let me know and I'll post them here.   

RIDES THIS WEEK

 Tuesday and Thursday night we have informal rides leaving RRB in Lake Geneva at 6:00 PM.  There is no predetermined route, no ride leader, just good people getting together to share a ride.  (My son turns 12 Tuesday, so we will be celebrating here with family.  Swing by and rub my nose in the fact that I am missing the ride. And NO, the pool is not open yet.)  

The Thursday Night Fat Bike Ride will start at 6:30 in Hebron, IL.  The plan is to ride for an hour and then adjourn to Hart's for food and drink.  This is the last event of the season.  The following week as I mentioned above, we will be replacing Thursday Night Fat Bike Ride for Friday Cruiser Ramble.  No special bike required, but if you show up covered in spandex with Zipp carbon racing wheels and aero bars, you may feel a bit misplaced.  If it rolls, ride it. Fat bike, Electra, Schwinn, Walgoose from Walmart,  hybrid, 1982 mountain bike, single speed, fixie.... whatever!  It is all good.  Just plan to be there.  It won't hurt your race prep for Saturday.   

We had a great group of ten for last Thursday's ride.  Let's keep racking up those spring time miles!

Keep the rubber side down,

Gary