Bicycle Repairman

Look there!

Is it a stockbroker?
Is it a quantity surveyor?
Is it a church warden?

Noooo! It's Bicycle Repairman!!

Matkin Bridge

Watching the sun set as we rode in on Salina Rd at the end of a thirty-mile fast ride, I acknowledged that today was the Fall Equinox. The earth tilts and darkness settles in faster each day. This marks the beginning of the Second Bike season. We adapt with lights on road bikes. Taking to the country roads, or Fairfield loop trail with our mountain bikes. There are other alternatives: spin class with Meghan Dowd.

Connecting the trail over Hwy 1, Matkin bridge will be ready by the end of the year.

Tour of Missouri - Stage 7

Last weekend we were in Kansas City for stage 7 of the Tour of Missouri. On Saturday, Steve Boss interviewed Chef Duffy, who cooks and does management work for the Astana team, and on Sunday after the stage he interviewed Tim Duggan, a rider for the Garmin Slipstream team. The interviews are for his Great Taste show on KRUU. The discussions revolved around food, relating to what the riders eat during the course of a stage race. The show will air this Wednesday (9/23) at 7:00 PM on KRUU.

On Sunday we saw stage 7 of the race. We all had a great time; lots of action, lots of great people to talk to, and lots of interesting displays. The riders did 7 laps around Kansas City, so we got to see them flash by each time. We were in the vicinity of the start/finish line the entire time.

Two of the highlights for me, other than seeing a pro peloton in action, were feeling the rush of air as the peloton went by a few feet from me (at one point I heard the announcer say that they were averaging 35 mph), and having a 30 year old triathlete utter his surprise when I told him how old I am; he said that he thought I was in my early 40s!

I took lots of pictures; you can see them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/hmharvey1738/TourOfMissouriStage7#

Hugh

Biking on to Memphis

Crossing over the Des Moines River between the twin cities of Douds and Leando, the lead rider had pointed up as the rest of us turned our eyes skyward to view two beautiful, magnificent bald eagles intersect our path from above. My heart soared with them as we biked onward to Memphis, Missouri for a fun social, century ride.


Earlier, the ride had started by passing the middle school in Fairfield, where a stage was being set up for a concert with The Nadas and The Beach Boys.
The weather could not have been more perfect, a cool Fall type of day. We had started with sixteen riders dressed in their colors, riding artful bikes: Litespeeds, Quattro Assi's, Orbea Orca, Eddy Merckx, Serotta, Gary Fisher, Le Mond and Trek.


At one point, past the Missouri border, an Amish community had gathered for Sunday services. Twenty-three horse drawn carriages in a field, lined in neat rows with orange triangles placards on the back. Biking back from Memphis we passed the farm again with men gathered in groups. Children lined up as if to pose for a picture, with other children playing some sort of game. I wondered what they think of us lycra'd, strangely colored cyclists. Perhaps, that we could as easily get in good shape by working out in the fields?

At various times during the ride, we biked as a group and individually. Whether alone in thought or conversing with different riders, the journey had many different levels to experience. Alone with my thoughts, I had remembered when I first met members of the Feist Bike Group. Performing at their level seemed to be beyond my ability. Since joining the group I have biked fast centuries (100 mile) rides, gone 200 miles without sleep, and ascended the tallest paved road in North America (Mt. Evans).

In retrospect, the take away is that it is a mind game for what one can, or cannot achieve. As effortless for the flight of an eagle, physical obstacles can be overcome.

The most powerful stories are the ones that we tell to ourselves.

Tom O'

Photos by Alan M.

Race Across the Sky

Viewing an email sent from Jeffrey L., the challenge had been issued, "you guys been doing Centuries...anybody care to join me? Next year?"

"It would be a "story" for our journals."

JAL

He is refering to The Leadville 100, the Race Across the Sky. One hundred miles of mountain bike trek at an elevation over ten thousand feet, begining and ending in Leadville, Colorado.



"The purest level of passion."

Anyone??