July

ORANGE
COUNTY
BICYCLE
CLUB’S
The Spoke ’n Word
All The News That’s Fit To Sprint • Volume 12, No. 5, July 2002 • www.sussexonline.com/ocbc
TWIN sPEAKS
Here’s the latest on the new club
jersey. We’ve come up with a design,
and we’re in
the process of
getting the
design put
into electronic files in
preparation
for printing.
If all goes according to
schedule, the
jerseys will
be delivered
sometime in
early August.
This means we’ll soon need to
place our order with the manufacturer. Real soon. In fact, we probably
won’t put the order form in the newsletter (since by the time the NEXT
newsletter goes out, it will be too
late). So we’ll be handing out flyers
at the Saturday rides that include an
order form. And we’ll put an order
form on the OCBC website. The price
will be similar to the last club jersey,
somewhere around $60.
Other news…I’m sorry to report
that so far we’ve seen only a small
reaction to the announcement (made
in last month’s newsletter) that a
weekend trip is being planned at Mike
Fraysee’s Bicycle Resort. So far, only
a handful of persons have indicated
that they are planning to attend. We
need to have around 24 people sign
up, otherwise we may have to cancel.
So please speak up if you want to
attend! To be fair to Mike, we have to
let him know soon whether we will
definitely book the weekend. Otherwise, we have to take our chances,
because he will naturally want to
make the dates available for other
customers. We were planning on
booking the weekend of October 5th
& 6th. But the last time I spoke with
Mike, he also had the weekend of
October 12th & 13th available as well.
So that’s
Continued on page 3
King Richard and the
Irish Maniacs
By SLINGSHOT
A searing skittering sting rends the air
overhead. Then slightly askew another
rough road? Should it be gravel, HOLE,
standing or sand? Merely point up into
The Irish Maniacs in the Monroe parking lot for the Heritage Trail just before the ride to
Port Jervis. Left to right: Matt, Larry, Richard, Brian and Joey—Vincent’s all.
Photograph by Michael Vincent 08/05/01.
stuttering path siffles through the leaves
above. Again and again. Dappled openings to the sky multiply as leaves rip and
turn aside with small but intense pops,
flips and stats. It is like being swarmed
by vengeful tiny titanium wasps. All
around us several dull thuds into bark,
then a singular loud metallic ping as lead
hits aluminum.
I thought, “Wow, the movies don’t
make these sounds up. They’re real!”
I had just crested the last of the challenging Purgatory Road rollers. We were
at the top of the Hamptonburg Alps, and
I was about to pat myself on the back
how the only Irish Maniac ahead of me
was Matt, when all this hell broke loose.
A half dozen riders led by the remaining Maniacs, were close behind and
oblivious.
I fumbled for the appropriate warning
shout. Should I yell car up, debris or
the trees? No…INCOMING!
I never got the word out. I was transfixed by the vision of two kids (one about
eight, the other four) moving toward the
road with one aggressively, like a little
plastic soldier, aiming a pellet rifle.
Don (The Lone Rider) Lee had passed
them first. Apparently the large group of
cyclists in his tow was just too tempting
a target. The little marksman had emptied his gun, quickly adjusting lead and
trajectory until the final shot hammered
and denuded a permanent quarter-inch
circle with a deep dimple precisely on
the “A” in the “Giant” logo on Matt’s
seat stay, just missing…well, his leg.
Of course we can all identify with
targeting an “A” on a bike, plus that shot
also permanently applied the wonderful
nom “Bull’s-Eye” to Matt. However kids
shouldn’t be shooting at cyclists, so about
Continued on page 8
Rides • Dr. Art • Race Results — Inside !
2
UPCOMING CLUB RIDES
SATURDAYS
Starting Times:
All Saturday and Sunday rides start at 8:00 a.m.
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
• THE HUMP
The new 35-mile Hump loop.
AA
It’s every Humper for his/her
own self with a sprint at the end for bragging
rights. Paceline skills mandatory. Ride leaves
Florida Big V at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Ride leaders: Paul Serotta 845-341-1959
and Twin George 845-469-9363.
• THE KINDER AND
GENTLER HUMP
A
We’ll follow the classic route
but at a slightly slower pace. No one is
dropped. Paceline skills are mandatory. Ride
leaves the Florida Big V at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Ride leader: Twin Lynn 845-469-7375.
• THE BUZZ
The Killer B’s do their 30-mile
B
loop at 15-18 mph pace, with a
challenging climb up Mt. Eve. We’ll periodically regroup, but the final leg from Pine
Island to Florida is ride ride! Ride leaves the
Florida Big V at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Ride leaders: Flash Dick 973-827-5771 and
R&R 845-986-6113.
• THE POKE
The course varies, but expect 25
P
miles at a 10-13 mph pace. This
is one of those nice rides where no one is left
behind. Usually we stop for snacks. Ride
leaves the Florida Big V at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Ride leader: Iceman 845-342-3098 and Early
Bird George 845-782-0500.
• ULTIMATE POKERS
10-18 miles on an easy route.
UP
Pace will be adjusted to the rider,
and walking the hills is perfectly ok. Good
ride for the beginner. Ride leaves the Florida
Big V at 8:00 a.m.
Ride leader: TBD
• KIDS RIDE
Let’s get the real beginners off to KIDS
a good start. 11-20 miles depending on the mood of the group. No one gets left
behind. Parent must accompany kids. Possible stop at Country Dream. (We’re trying to
lure you back, Gu!)
Leaders: will vary, but contact Zipper 845457-6027, Flying Tony 845-497-7006, or
Seth 845-496-7625.
RULES
Please be on time for the start of the ride.
Helmets are mandatory.
Carry water and food.
Make sure your bike is in good operating condition, especially tires in decent shape and
inflated to proper level.
Carry a spare tube, pump or inflator, tire levers,
allen wrenches.
Ride safely at all times.
Ride no more than two abreast.
Drop into single file when traffic approaches or
when someone calls CAR BACK.
For information regarding any of the OCBC rides or if you have a ride you want listed,
please contact the ride coordinator, Dick Batchelor at 973-827-5771 or [email protected].
MONDAYS
WEDNESDAYS
•
RECOVERY RIDE
This popular Washingtonville
B
ride is back! This is 18-ish miles
at an easy pace (maybe) to recover from the
weekend rides. Ride leaves the Stop and
Shop in Washingtonville at 6:00 p.m.
Ride leader: Piker the Biker 845-496-7625
• HUMP DAY WITH R&R
Join R&R on Wednesday eveB
nings for 16-20 miles of rolling
hills in scenic Warwick country. Ride leaves
from Flowick Shopping Center at 6 p.m.
sharp.
Ride leaders: Roberta & Randy 845-9866113, RSVP please
TUESDAYS
• TIME TRIALS
ALL
A club favorite; warm up together on the 8-mile loop around
the onion farms, then each rider goes off
alone for an 8-mile personal best, then we all
do the loop together at a cool-down pace. All
levels of riders absolutely welcomed. Ride
leaves the Florida Big V at 6:00 p.m. sharp.
Ride leader: Dangerous Dan 845-651-7396
• POKER NIGHT
Ride leaves from Fleet Bank,
P
Pine Island at 6 p.m. Route,
distance and terrain will vary, but expect 1314 mph pace, stopping as needed to keep the
group together. We’ll use mostly low-traffic
roads. Keeping with Poker tradition, we may
go out after the ride for supper at a local
eatery...or not. The plan is to ride every
Tuesday, but call the ride leaders ahead of
time to ensure it.
Ride leaders: Freres Jack & St. Donna Mahon
973-697-5898, Cowdelmoos 973-853-7687
THURSDAYS
See Slingshot’s story, page 1
NO HELMET = NO RIDE
CURRENT RIDE LEVELS:
Level
Pace
Comments
AA
20+ mph
A
17-20 mph
B
14-16 mph
P
10-13 mph
(Double A’s) Stops only for repairs and emergencies,
and refueling on longer routes. Ride leader is not
obligated to wait for riders who fall off the pace.
Paceline skills mandatory. For strong, experienced
riders who like pain. Alot. Rides are typically 30 miles
distance and higher.
(A’s) Same as above, but a bit slower pace, and no one
gets dropped. For riders who want a good workout but
would rather skip the pain. Paceline skills mandatory.
Rides are typically 30 miles distance and higher.
(B’s) Occasional stops for regroup/refuel. No one is
dropped. For strong riders who prefer a social ride.
Rides are typically 30 miles distance and higher.
(Pokers) Frequent stops to regroup. Usually stops for a
snack. No one is dropped. This is ideal for riders who
prefer scenic routes and avoiding high traffic roads.
Rides are typically 25 miles distance.
(Ultimate Pokers) Especially designed for the novice
rider, the pace and distance will be adjusted as needed.
No one is dropped. Frequent stops to regroup. Always a
stop mid-day to eat.
UP, KIDS 1-10 mph
3
RIDES (continued)
SUNDAY, 7/1
• TOUR OF THE
A/B
strong P
TERRIBLE TURNPIKES
or SPACE FARMS
The Colorado bound will have another chance
to train today and all are welcome to join
them. But if you prefer a shorter ride, choose
one of the Space Farms routes. Cue sheets
will be available for all rides. Rides leaves
from the Fleet Bank in Pine Island at 8 a.m.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B: Rob Daley (845)497-2208
B/P: Dick Batchelor (973)827-5771
SUNDAY, 7/14
• ARDEN VALLEY
A/B
CHUTE
strong P
Rodger Friedman gives us this
new and challenging 36 mile ride. Expect
rolling terrain with a couple of challenging
climbs and lots of nice scenery. Cue sheets
will be available. The ride leaves from the
Sterling Forest State Park Information
Center at 8 a.m.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B/P: Roger Friedman (845)351-2063
Dick Batchelor (973)827-5771
Driving directions to start:
From Route 17 Quickway:
Exit 131; 17S 7 miles to 17A; R on 17A 1.3
miles to Long Meadow Road (CR 84); L on
Long Meadow Road 3.5 miles to Old Forge
Road; Bear R on Old Forge Road, about .5
miles to Sterling Forest State Park information center parking lot on left.
From Warwick:
17A East to Long Meadow Road (CR 84);
R on Long Meadow Road 3.5 miles to Old
Forge Road; Bear R on Old Forge Road,
about .5 miles to Sterling Forest State Park
information center parking lot on left.
available but contact Dick Batchelor right
away since he will be away at that time. The
ride leaves from the Fleet Bank in Pine
Island at 8 a.m.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B: Richard Sclafani (570)685-2879
• HERITAGE TRAIL
If the Sunrise Mountain climbs
P
don’t appeal to you, why not do
Early Bird George’s very pleasant new ride
again. The ride leaves from the (now defunct)
Big “V” parking lot at 8 a.m.
Ride Leader: George Gredell (845)782-4862
SUNDAY, 8/4
• COUNTRY ROADS
Pick a ride from ten to sixty-two
ALL
miles; today we can enjoy the
rides that we offered back in June to our
guests. The rides will leave from the Psych
Center in Middletown at 8 a.m. The roads
should still be well marked so cue sheets
won’t be necessary.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B: Richard Sclafani (570)685-2879
P: TBD
SUNDAY, 7/28
• SUNRISE MOUNTAIN
A/B
Enjoy this 50-60 mile ramble
through Sussex County and
Stokes State Forest with an optional climb up
to the High Point monument. Cue sheets are
Bill Fox, a former OCBC member, died on June 1, 2002 as a
result of injuries suffered in a bicycle accident.
He did the Jersey Double every
year and was recently mentioned
in a New York Times article on
runner’s highs.
Our condolences to Bill’s wife,
Margaret, and the rest of the family.
A bicycle ride in Bill’s honor is
being organized to raise money
for Breast Cancer Research. It will
be called The Ride for Bill and
will take place on August 25th,
Bill’s birthday and anniversary. It
will follow the same routes as our
Country Roads Tour. Anyone who
wishes to help, please contact
Amelie
Joy
Babkie
at
[email protected].
SUNDAY, 8/11
• BASHERKILL
A/B
We can thank Vita Lady Dolores
strong P
for giving us this new ride, which
is partially based on the old Tour de
Middletown. We’ll ride about 46 miles with
ALL
a couple of significant climbs – Wurtsboro
and Eagle’s Nest. Cue Sheets will be available. This ride will depart from the Psych
Center in Middletown at 8 a.m.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B/P: Dolores Pagano (845)386-1241
SUNDAY, 7/21
• NEW PALTZ
We’ll do this club favorite again.
ALL
Ride up to New Paltz and recharge yourself at the Bakery. Rides leaves
from the Orange County Park from the
Picnic Grove (our traditional start point) at
8:00 a.m.
Ride Leaders:
A: TBD
B: TBD
P: TBD
WILLIAM M. FOX
Middletown, NY
R I D E
LEADERS
W A N T E D
TWIN sPEAKS
Continued from page 1
another option open to us. But please,
let me know SOON if you want to attend.
Please read last month’s Spoke ‘N Word
for details about the trip. This outing is
designed to be of interest to club members of all riding levels.
4
SHORT SPINS
Jumpin’ Jerry
Unjumps
On a recent ride, Jerry went
over a piece of metal in the road
that got caught up in the wheel and
lodged in his front fork, causing
immediate cessation of the front
wheel rotation. Of course that immediately launched Jerry, who
saved everything important by
landing on his head. Helmet totaled, Jerry okay (with some road
rash). Bicycle in need of hospitalization.
LIFE BEYOND ORANGE CO.:
OTHER CYCLING EVENTS
COMPILED by RODGER FRIEDMAN
Long Island Gold
Coast Tour • July 7
Tour Long Island’s North Shore with
the Huntington Bicycle Club. Routes of
12, 25, 50, 65 and 100-mile all begin in
Greenlawn, and course through the Gold
Coast Areas of Huntington, Oyster Bay,
Cold Spring Harbor, Laurel Hollow, Old
Brookville, Bayville & Roslyn. Registration fee of $20 ($15 for the 12-mile
ride). For more Info: Call: 516-942-2084,
or E-mail: [email protected]
Cycling the Erie Canal
2002 • July 7-14
An eight-day, 400-mile bicycle tour
from Buffalo to Albany, New York. A
New York Parks and Conservation Association event. For more info contact
[email protected] or visit http://
nypca.org/canaltour.
gage truck carries your stuff. Breakfast
and dinner provided. Registration is
$475. For a lot more information, visit
the web site, www.bontonroulet.com.
The Great Big FANY
Ride • July 21-27
A 500-mile camping ride across New
York from Buffalo to Albany. The organizers have worked out an association
with Amtrak whereby riders get discount tickets to Buffalo with special consideration for carrying bike and baggage. A generous portion of the $200
registration fee goes to the Firemen’s
Home in Hudson, a facility that cares for
retired volunteer fire fighters from all
across NY. More information can be had
at the web site, www.FANYride.com or
call Karen at 518-461-9663.
Bicycle Tour of ColoTandems East Tandem rado • July 21-27
The main event this summer, judging
Weekend • July 12-14 by the
caravans of OCBC riders heading
Nom proposed
Despite the facts that he is an
award-winning employee of a German auto maker (Mercedes), and
his name sounds like a character in
an English drama, in his maternal
lineage and in his heart, Richard
Lawrence is 100%, passionately
Italian. Thus, when it came time to
build a bike, there could be no
question of country of origin—it
would have to be Italian. And since
Richard is about seven and a half
feet tall, it would have to be the
biggest Italian bike ever seen in
Orange or any other county. The
result—a classic 63 cm Bianchi—
the biggest Italian bike in captivity. On windy days, draft on Richard. The wind will all but disappear. What else could we call this
guy but Richard “Big Bianchi”
Lawrence! Look for us on windy
days Mr. Lorenzo. “Big Bianchi”
is now plastered on your back.
—Submitted by a fellow member
of the Italian bike brigade
Tandem Weekend ’02 sponsored by
Tandems East will go out of a hotel in
Vineland, NJ. $425 per couple with a
limit of 55 teams at the hotel. Routes will
cover about 140 miles between Friday
and Sunday. Contact Mel and Barbara
Kornbluh at 856-451-5104 or go to the
web site, www.tandemseast.com.
Maine Wheels Coastal
Tour • July 14-19
west.
For more info,
www.bicycletourcolo.com.
visit
RAGBRAI XXX•
July 21-27
Day passes only are left for this 30year-old cycling institution. See the
handy web site, www.ragbrai.org.
The Maine Wheels Bicycle Club offers this fully supported six-day tour of
the Maine coast. Includes complete sag
service, mechanic, marked roads as well
as daily maps, and a masseuse. For more
info, contact: Brian McLaughlin, Maine
Wheels Moose Tour, PO Box 229, Norway, ME 04268, tel. 207-743-5993,
www.coastaltour.com,
e-mail:
[email protected]
Lighthouse Tour •
July 26-August 2
The Bon Ton Roulet •
July 21-27
The League of American Bicyclists’
National Rally, dubbed BikeFest 2002
will be held at UMass-Amherst, August
2-4 in scenic, rural western Mass. at the
site of the League’s Great Eastern Area
Rally in 1995. BikeFest 2002 will offer
cycling for all levels of ability on low-
Seven-day tour of the Finger Lakes is
hosted by the Auburn YMCA-WEIU
and the Cortland YMCA. Go about 50
miles a day (with an optional century on
day five). Stay at official campsites or in
designated local inns or B&Bs. A lug-
Subscribed in full for this year. Details at the web site at www.
canamwheelers.com/lighthouse.html.
BikeFest 2002 •
Aug. 2-4
Continued on page 5
5
LIFE BEYOND ... OR SO MANY TOURS SO LITTLE TIME
traffic roads and mountain bike trails.
Plenty of flat road rides along the Connecticut River valley, plus both rolling
and challenging hilly rides in the foothills of the Berkshires. Family-oriented
and technical mountain biking will be
offered at Mt. Toby and Amethyst Brook,
just ten miles from campus. For more
information visit www.bikeleague.org,
e-mail [email protected], or
call (202) 822-1333.
Princeton Event •
August 3
A choice of rides in Central Jersey
from 16 miles to a full century, sponsored by Princeton Freewheelers. Register online at princetonfreewheelers.com,
make
contact
by
e-mail:
[email protected]
or phone 609-882-4PFW. Register before July 15 to get the free tee shirt.
Grand Tour de
Quebec • August 3-10
This tour of New France is “la plus
cool” way to see the province of Quebec.
It relies heavily upon “La Route Verte,”
a huge system of designated bicycle paths
and bike-friendly roadways crisscrossing the province. The seven-day ride
begins way up the Saint Lawrence at La
Pocatière and ends in Montreal. Prices
range from $600 - $900 Canadian, depending on level of accommodations.
Reservations are required by July 13.
Participation is limited and the tour does
sell out. For information, get a bilingual
dictionary and call 888 899 1111, or see
the English-language web site,
www.velo.qc.ca/voyages2002/
GT_e.htm.
Moosa ’02 •
August 3-10
Sponsored by Can-Am Wheelers.
Ride from Kingfield (a resort town Western Maine) to Quebec City with
motorcoach ride back. “Moosa” is an
acronym, not a typo. For more info: 207743-9018,
e-mail
[email protected] or on the
web: www.canamwheelers.com
My thanks to Rodger Friedman who
has graciously offered to compile this
listing for your riding pleasure.
You can reach him at
1 Mystic Circle, Tuxedo 10987,
845-351-5067, or e-mail:
[email protected] if you have or
need brochures or info on other rides.
Maine Moose Tour •
August 4-9
A six-day bicycle camping vacation
in Maine. “Home-cooked” meals and a
massage therapist are part of the package. Camping is always in or near town
and the shower water is hot at days end.
Motel and bed options are available for
those who prefer not to camp. For more
info, contact Maine Wheels Bicycle Club:
Brian McLaughlin, Maine Wheels Moose
Tour, PO Box 229, Norway, ME 04268,
tel.
207-743-5993,
www.moosetour.com,
e-mail:
[email protected]
Cycle Vermont •
August 17-23
A seven-day van-supported ride/
camping trip run by Adventure Cycling,
beginning and ending in Burlington. 389
total miles, 67 average daily miles, 20,919
feet cumulative gain. Cost of $600 includes support staff, luggage support,
catered breakfasts and dinners, maps.
Max. 130 riders. For more info:
www.adv-cycling.org/tours/
vermont.cfm
Tour de Goshen •
August 18
11, 25, 45, and 62 mile rides over
familiar terrain. Registration fee $25 by
Aug.15, $28 afterwards; $10 for kids.
Call Joe Fix It’s, 294-7242 or 774 2377.
Proceeds benefit the Winslow Riding
Academy (therapy horseback riding for
autistic children) and the Mental Health
Association of Orange County.
Covered Bridge Metric
Century• August 18
15, 31, or 62 miles beginning in
Lancaster, PA, with rolling terrain with a
MAKE TIME TO RIDE
few small hills. Seven covered bridges
and a full lunch stop on the metric. Shorter
routes get lunch at end. Lancaster Bicycle Club, www.lancasterbikeclub.org.
Catskills AIDS Ride •
August 24
Sponsored by Community General
Hospital of Sullivan County to benefit
AIDS and HIV positive patients in
Sullivan County. The ride raised $35,000
in 2001, its first year. Three routes
offered: a 100-mile route with spectacular views of the Delaware River, The
Woodstock Site, the Beaverkill, and
Willowemoc (each rider must raise
$1000); a 75-mile route encompassing
the hills of Callicoon Center, Roscoe,
and Harris (riders must raise $750); a 50mile route providing a challenging tour
of White Lake, Jeffersonville, and
Roscoe (each rider must raise $500). All
proceeds will go to the HIV Patient Emergency Relief Fund. For more info, call
845-794-3300 x 2626, 212-580-8961, email [email protected], or
visit www.catskillsaidsride.com.
Amish Country Bike
Tour • Sept. 7
This one is a favorite of Ice Man. 15,
25, 50, 62, or 100 mile loops from the
Legislative Mall on Federal Street in
Dover, DE. All loops begin at 8:15 a.m.
Pre-reg. fee is $20 adult, $13 children
under 16, $50 family rate (before Aug.
26), and $25 adult, $15 children afterwards. Participants receive map, marked
route, water bottle, post-ride picnic, live
musical entertainment, free shuttle to
YMCA for showers, plus food stops
enroute, sag support, and technical assistance. T-shirts available for $15 by preordering or day of for $18. For more
[email protected],
info:
www.visitdover.com, or call 800-2335368.
Farmland Century •
Sept. 8
Ride the North Country on the other
side of the Adirondacks, this side of the
Saint Lawrence. Depart from Canton,
NY, and ride along lightly traveled country roads through St. Lawrence County
farm areas. The ride moves through the
townships of Canton, Dekalb,
Continued on page 10
6
From
the Vault of Dr. Art...
a collection of tales about cycling
I don’t know about you, but for me the
allure of the bicycle shop has changed a
bit since I was a kid. Don’t misunderstand, I still feel inclined to stop every
time I see one, but the attraction is not as
great as it once was.
I grew up in Rockland
County, and there were several bike shops to choose from
when I was a seventh grader.
The closest was a shop in
Blauvelt that sold bicycles,
model rockets, Cox planes, and
plastic model kits. Talk about
your one-stop jaw dropping...
everything a kid could want in
just one store. The owner of
the place never seemed to mind
having kids like me stop and
just look around, and my bicycling buddies and I did so all
the time. First stop was an ice
cream shop/newsstand called
“The Scoop,” which was about a four
mile ride from my house. The “Scoop”
was where we could flip through the
pages of Mad magazine, and the more
brazen of the “bikers” would try to flip
through the pages of Playboy, at which
point we’d all be labeled as troublemakers and be thrown out of the store. A
purchase of a few packs of “Wacky Packages” stickers, and a Charleston Chew,
and Milk Duds, and a pack of Starburst,
and an ice cream sandwich at the deli
next door, and we’d be pedaling off to
the bike shop. (I think about 90 percent
of any of my money as a kid went towards something with sugar in it. My
clean bill of health at the dentist ended
shortly after I could pedal to the store
with money in my pocket).
My bicycle for these adventure rides
you ask? Well it was not a Serotta. Back
then Ben Serotta was probably more
interested in riding bicycles than building them. Actually my dream bike back
then was not even a racing bike, it was a
Schwinn Pea Picker. The Pea Picker was
part of the Schwinn “Krate” series. It
was a five-speed version of the Schwinn
Sting-Ray with a “chopper” type of appearance. The “chopper” style included
a stick-shift five speed on the top-tube, a
“drag-slick” rear tire, and smaller front
wheel complete with disc brake. It was
as close to a motorcycle as you could get
as a kid. Did I forget to mention the
exceptionally cool banana seat and front
and rear shock absorbers? The “krate”
series bikes were the most desirable bikes
for young kids on the planet. Owning
one put you into the very exclusive group
of “cool” kids... and no.... I did not own
one. Remember, I said it was my dream
bike, it was not the one I was riding.
Actually the bike I was riding back then
was a Schwinn knock-off that was about
half the price of a “Pea Picker” and it was
known as the Vista “Banana.” The “Ba-
nana” was a 3-speed stick shift model
with no shocks and came in a sort of
Bianchi-like celeste green color. I purchased it with a summer’s worth of lawn
mowing money, and loved the thing.
Sure, it wasn’t a “Pea Picker, or Apple
Krate, or Lemon Peeler” (all were Krate
series bikes), but to me it was still a head
turner. I remember the day I purchased it
vividly, finally having the last of the
money needed, or so I thought (that
darned tax).. Dad picked up the balance.
Riding it home from the shop was as big
a rush as driving home in a new car. My
folks waited out front with the camera to
capture the moment of riding up to the
house in a photograph. In the months
that followed, like a dyed-in-the-wool
Harley owner I tricked it out with as
many accessories as I could fit on it. The
bike had a headlight, tail-light, Sting Ray
directionals, AM bike radio (for listening to songs like “The Streak”), rear
view mirror, and saddle bag. As
kids back then, one of the greatest
things in the world during the summer was to wolf down your dinner
and then go do the “neighborhood
Criterium” in the dark. We’d all be
out there going around a 1/8th of a
mile circle of pavement with our
lights on just having a ball. I’d always get my butt kicked by Ricky
White on his Raleigh “Chopper”
and the guys on their Schwinn
“Krates.” I rationalize my losses
back then to equipment—had I been
on my Serotta, I would have dusted
them all.
Anyway, back to the bike shop in
Blauvelt. The owner never seemed to
mind us milling around the store looking
at stuff. He had to know that there wasn’t
more than two dollars between the four
or five of us. However, he was always
kind enough to take a bike down off its
hook and let you study it up close. I was
especially intrigued by the red, yellow,
and black Raleigh Super Course TT. It
was nothing like my Sting Ray copy
parked on the sidewalk. The shop owner
explained that these sorts of machines
were built for speed, and were much
lighter than our sidewalk cruisers. Then
he’d allow us to marvel at the lightness
of these “English racers” by taking turns
lifting it up. The names of the bikes
displayed are still visible in my mind’s
eye, names like Raleigh, Falcon, and
Austro-Daimler. I rode home and told
my folks over dinner I would save my
money to one day own a racing bike that
had TEN speeds, unlike my three. My
folks probably got a chuckle, knowing
the expense and time it would take to
save the money.. “by the time he’s sixteen he won’t even be interested in bicycles anymore.” I wish that bike shop in
Blauvelt was still open. I would love to
walk into the shop today, greet its original owner, and thank him for his patience
with us kids. It fueled a passion for
racing bikes that has not diminished to
this day.
Dr. Art Donohue is a chiropractor in
Chester, he can be reached by telephone
at (845) 469-2877 or by e-mail at
[email protected].
7
Irish Manics
Continued from page 1
a quarter mile down the hill we were
regrouping at the stop sign when (Shiftless) John Handago said, “Somebody
should tell their parents.”
A surprising misguided sense of duty
pushed me to turn back up the hill thinking, “Yeah, and maybe somebody should
tell Shiftless to keep quiet,” but that’s
how I ended up being the first to coast
into the driveway of the shooters.
As I passed onto private property,
everything was ominously still. The day
had grayed over. The tree line over the
driveway thickened to accentuate the
gloom. As if a sudden storm was approaching, slight and nearly seen noiseless lightening flashes peppered just outside of consciousness. It was almost total
quiet, except of course for the barking Pit
Bull.
That Pit Bull had the largest head I’ve
ever seen on a dog. I kept reminding
myself that it was just a frightened puppy
tied to a tree, more worried of me than I
was of it. Then I got close enough to see
it was tied to the broad trunked oak by the
heaviest chain I’ve seen outside a tractor
pull. This was too reminiscent of Francis
Ford Coppola’s movie Apocalypse Now.
The farther up this river I got, the weirder
things were getting.
Passing close by the dog that strained
on the end of its chain, I turned and found
myself surrounded by a group of tattooed, pumped-up and shirtless skinheads emerging from an open garage full
of free weights, bench press machines
and workout paraphernalia. They all
looked to be about 16 to 17 years old. I
tried not to think about ritual slayings of
oxen. I’m sure I did not hear drums
beating in the distance. Our young shooters were absent.
“Are there any parents in charge
here?” I hoped.
Not-necessarily-the-oldest-looking
stepped forward, “I’m in charge, what
do you want?”
“Somebody just shot at us from your
front yard.”
“That was the four year old. I’m sorry.
He’ll be punished.”
I shuddered to think what “punished”
meant, but it was said just in time for
Shiftless to arrive, then one of the Maniacs, then another and another of our
crew. Our brightly colored Spider Man
costumes and fashionable bikes seemed
slightly out of place. Shiftless had a few
words with the “parent” about how kids
should be taken to shooting ranges for
that kind of stuff. How they shouldn’t be
allowed to roam wild with firearms. How
they…well, the two of them butted chests
for awhile until Mr. Parent says, “Look
we said we were sorry, but if you want to
take it farther…?” He pushed a little
deeper into Shiftless’ chest as I interjected, “Well, good. Looks like we’ve
got that settled then. Apology accepted.
Time for us to go. Thank you for your
time. Sorry to interrupt your workout,
daemonic ritual, ox-roast, whatever.
By the way, if you want to
get the drop on (Bull’s-Eye)
Matt, just hang back a little
approaching a hill and say,
“Matt, you go on ahead
and draw fire.”
Don’t forget about the OCBC Saturday
rides…Big-V parking lot. See ya later.
Toodle-ooh.” Big cheery wave, and a
little scratch of gravel coming up from
my rear tire.
And that was it, just another in a long
series of adventures with the Irish Maniacs.
By the way, if you want to get the drop
on (Bull’s-Eye) Matt, just hang back a
little approaching a hill and say, “Matt,
you go on ahead and draw fire.” Then
shift down a gear and hammer it…but
back to the main point.
There’s always excitement when the
Maniacs show up. Each ride becomes a
quest. I first found out what these guys
are all about on August 5th last year. I
know the date because my riding log
shows a string of 16 to 35 mile rides all
spring and summer, then a 79 miler out
of nowhere.
Of course I already knew that the
Maniacs push the pace into “YOU CALL
THIS A…” territory during the Monday
Recovery Ride. I also knew they got their
collective nom when Mary (The Black
Widow) Endico told someone on the
Wednesday Hump Day with R&R that
she had to take it easy because tomorrow
she was going to a ride in Washingtonville
with, “those…those…those Irish maniacs!” To which she received the immediate reply, “Oh those guys. Yeah I know
those guys. They ARE maniacs.” So
when the Maniacs invited me to a Sunday morning jaunt from Monroe to Port
Jervis I knew things might get a little
brutal, but I was about to find out they are
much more than mere cycling fanatics.
Their history is the typical story about
a lost job resulting in a new partnership
and a heart attack resulting in a new
hobby. Well maybe not so typical, considering the heart attack.
The core Maniacs are three brothers
and a nephew. There are other maniacal
members that show up from time to time,
all in the same family—the Vincents.
The oldest and ring leader of the core
group is (King) Richard. He’s the one
with the heart attack and also the lost job.
A while back Richard lost his job and
got together with his brother to start their
own business. They could only put together $5,000 while naysayers were telling them they’d need at least $100,000—
just to get started. Of course Maniacs
don’t let little words like “impossible”
get in their way. They just did it. Now a
little motorcade of black Lexus’s pull
into the parking lot of OCBC rides to
herald their arrival while providing testament to tenacity, commitment and talent.
Their business is in the niche market
of metal embossing, the kind you find on
Christmas cards. (King) Richard is reported to be the third best in his field.
However when you get to know him
you’ll agree that the words “third best in
his field” mean he’s as good as the best,
but his modesty refuses to allow anybody around him say any more than
third. If you ask for promotional material
you’ll be told there isn’t any, it works
mostly by word of mouth. I’ve concluded this follows the old farmer’s saw,
“If it was any good, they wouldn’t have
to advertise it.” Their work is good, and
they don’t have to advertise it.
Not so long ago (King) Richard had
his heart attack. As part of his comeback,
his exercise and hobby became cycling.
Recently hearing about Richard’s heart
attack, Don (The Starkmeister) Stark,
who’s been on The Hump with him,
reacted thus: “Hmm…he had a heart
attack? Now he’s GIVING them!” Of
course Richard knows enough about genetic predisposition to get as many in his
family as possible involved with cycling
as well. It is this organizational bent that
earned him his nom King Richard and
brought us The Irish Maniacs.
These guys are all about family values. No, not the political football “Family Values” that seeks to denigrate women
and squelch anybody that won’t follow
the theocratic line, but real family values
Continued on page 8
8
that focuses on teamwork, support and
lending a helping hand. You can see it
whenever they are around their kids,
other family members or, for that matter,
anybody that shows up for a ride. I saw
it first on that long day in August going
from Monroe to Port Jervis and back.
I was definitely the weakest one on
that ride, but they made a game out of
keeping me with the group. It was just
after Lance won another Tour. I had on
my standard yellow jersey while they
were de rigueur in their red-orange Mel’s
Original Bicycle Shop shirts. They christened me Lance and set about keeping
me out of the wind, saving me for the big
climb. The first half of our 79 mile ride
put us past Port Jervis and into the parking lot of Action Outfitters in Milford,
PA.
There we got to see Jamie at work.
His dad had been driving Jamie to OCBC
rides all summer where he harassed us
with one of the fastest shifts in town.
Like many a fast rider, Jamie also works
in a bike shop and often misses club
rides, giving up prime riding time in
order to keep the rest of us on the road.
I’m sure we all agree these are very
special people, and it was exciting to get
to hang out with a true cycling pro in the
middle of a ride.
After our quick visit with Jamie we
hammered back through Port Jervis,
where the Maniacs kept my Lance dream
alive by yelling, “Go Lance,” “Maillot
Jaune,” and letting me pull through town,
downhill, etc. Finally we were standing
at the traffic light below the four mile
climb up Route 6.
It was hot and hazy. I turned around to
see the Maniacs lined up behind me. See
the picture? It looked just like that except
Larry had his helmet on. All of a sudden
I realized, “This is it! I’ve made it. Here
I am with strong riders—of the kind
heroes are made of, more than half way
through a long ride, and I’m not yet
dropped.”
About half way up the climb (King)
Richard was riding beside me talking,
and I was trying to explain how pulling
Lance to the hill meant just getting him to
it. It was then supposed to be Lance who
got himself up the hill. I gasped that this
current variation in which a Lance-alike
gets pulled to the hill then also coaxed up
the hill, was just a little outré. I convinced him to go on ahead and ride with
the other Maniacs.
A little later Joey drifted back and
was talking to me. I figured he was a new
rider and not so strong. Finally he was
rested and went on ahead.
Then Larry (The Big Red Machine)
was beside me. Larry lives in Dingmans
Ferry, PA and gauges a ride based on the
best food stops. On his own time he
places arrows on the road pointing to the
good Deli’s. You don’t have to think
twice about where to stop. As for turn
markers you’re on your own, but the
snack markers are all taken care of west
of the Delaware River. Given his penchant for the sub, I wasn’t much surprised when Larry dropped back. I was
only surprised by how strong he was
despite the lack of training rigor. After
“Big Red” moved on ahead I found myself talking to the as yet un-nom’d (Bull’sEye) Matt. We talked about the heat, the
climb, etc. Actually, he talked while I
wheezed.
It wasn’t until Brian (The Kid) was
just off my shoulder that I figured it out,
“These guys are baby sitting me!”
They were doing it so subtly I hadn’t
noticed. That’s the way they are. They’re
going to help you out, and they aren’t
going to embarrass you in the process.
To this very day I can’t get a single one
of them to admit they are waiting for me.
It’s always, “Whoa Slingshot! You’re
strong today. You’re riding like a mad
man…like a man possessed. Are you on
drugs? What have you been taking?”
The only reason it finally got through
to me that day in August is because Brian
rides in a whole different universe. When
he showed up beside me, there was just
no way that I could fool myself into
thinking, “Hah, not so easily done. He
had to drop back!”
Last year I always tried to do my little
part to challenge Brian by maxing out
my breathing and heart rate coming out
of the parking lot, then hanging on as
long as I could after his “fast” button was
pushed. This year he’s 20 lbs lighter and
has been riding incessantly, despite his
new driver’s license. I can’t even do my
little part at pushing his buttons any
more. This week I chased him with the
help of the other Maniacs. Try as we
might, he always stayed the same 200
yards ahead, spinning casually, playing
with us. We could see him, but we
couldn’t catch him for about ten
miles…then he was gone.
Except for Saturday mornings when
the pros show up, the unfortunate “Kid”
has to ride alone most of the time. There’s
nobody to push him, nobody for him to
draft behind, nobody to practice
pacelining with, nobody to see him pedaling back into the parking lot a half hour
before anybody else. His nom “The Kid”
is an obvious reference to the young
Lance Armstrong. In a sport that has
been called the most difficult sport in the
world, Brian is a standout. If the local
schools offered bicycling competitions,
Brian would be a star.
So heed my plea! Somebody help us!
Somebody with real speed (maybe one
of the pro riders Brian stays with on
Saturday) has got to start showing up at
the Thursday and Monday rides to show
him a good time. The guilt (and pace) is
going to kill me.
Here’s the pitch. The Thursday ride is
an unofficial OCBC ride. We’ve tried to
elect a leader and make it official several
times, but everyone in attendance always demurs. Somebody always starts,
“We just need a phone number for people
to call.” Then somebody counters, “Look,
none of us had any illusions coming into
this. We were totally up front and honest
about it being just for fun. Do we really
need to mess it up with a commitment?”
Except there was that day Robb (The
Cardinal) Daly was the only one missing, and we elected him leader in absentia. He doesn’t know about it yet, so
don’t tell him. Also be sure not to call
him at: 845-497-2208. We’ve deemed it
the: “We doh nee no steeeking leaders”
ride.
Thursday’s ride starts at Round Hill
School 6:00 p.m. It is unpublished and
unofficial but has gone out very regularly since the beginning of last year.
Round Hill School is on 208 just 2.3
miles south of the light in
Washingtonville. Or 4 miles north of 17
(the Quickway) in Monroe. Or take 94
North from McDonalds on 17M in
Chester 5.8 miles then turn right onto
Round Hill Road. Follow the yellow line
for 1.1 miles and make a right at the stop
sign. The school’s just another 1/8th mile
on your left.
The ride winds through the lovely
Hamptonburg Alps. That’s what we call
the area. You may call it something else,
especially if you try to stay behind Brian.
The ride is a spin-off of the Monday
Night (You Call This a) Recovery Ride,
and many of the same people show up.
The original course was designed by
(The Cardinal) Robb Daly. It was advertised at the time as, “Robb knows a good
hill. Let’s do it Thursday.” There’s a
challenging climb up Goshen Road.
Sometimes we do the Double Dip which
adds the equally tough Cherry Hill Road.
Last year Scott did a study and found
that adding the Double Dip provides a
total of 1330 feet of climb. The original
ride is 20.3 miles while the favorite alternate route, taking Egbertson Road instead of Cambell Hall Road, is 23.4
miles. The Cherry Hill spur adds only .1
Continued on page 9
9
LIFE BEYOND ORANGE COUNTY... OR
SO MANY TOURS SO LITTLE TIME
Gouverneur, Macomb, Depeyster,
Oswegatchie, and Lisbon. SAG support. For information, see the web
site, humber.northnet.org/bikenny.
pike exit 8A). Raises funds for the
local chapter of the housing charity.
For information, visit the web site at
http://www.middlesexhabitat.org.
Rock ‘n Ride Bike
Tour • Sept. 8
Escape New York •
September 28
A fundraiser for the Jersey Coast
chapter of the American Red Cross,
this tour offers 10 and 40 mile routes
from Harvey Cedars, Sunset Park on
Long Beach Island. For more info call
888-853-6550 ext. 225, or visit
www.jerseycost-redcross.org, or email [email protected].
50, 62 and 100-mile rides depart
from Manhattan’s Sakura Park, cross
the George Washington Bridge, then
explore routes in Bergen County and/
or Rockland County. The event is
organized by the New York Cycle
Club. http://www.nycc.org
The Jersey Devil
Century • Sept. 21
The 23rd annual riding of this event
organized by the South Jersey
Wheelmen. The tour begins at Parvin
State Park in Centerton, New Jersey,
and wanders through the flat and rolling South Jersey counties of
Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem.
Three loops add up to 125 miles,
which is a very generous idea of a
century. Pre-registration fees (until
September 12) of $14 include food
and water, sag support and, uh, a first
aid kit. Call 856-848 6123, or see the
web site, www.sjwheelmen.com.
MS City to Shore
Tour • September
28-29
The National Multiple Sclerosis
Society organizes this two-day, 150mile tour as a fundraiser. Each cyclist is required to raise a minimum of
$200 in contributions. The ride runs
over flat and gently rolling countryside in southern Jersey, from Cherry
Hill to Ocean City. Sophisticated
and well-organized rider support, with
rest stops every 15 miles and mechanics at every rest stop. Information available at 1-800-445-BIKE, or
on
the
web
at
www.
ms150biketour.org.
Golden Apple • Sept.
Mid-Hudson Bicycle
22
The Westchester Cycle Club’s Club Century • Sepsomething-for-everyone tour beginning in Katonah, NY,. Routes from tember 29
25 miles to 125, with full support and
free gifts for the first 500 registrants.
Fees $20 before September 15, $25
thereafter. Registration forms online at Active.com, accessible through
the club web site, www.
westchestercycleclub.org.
Middlesex County
Habitat For Humanity Tour • Sept. 22
An array of routes through Central
Jersey starting from Jamesburg (Turn-
The date is set. Information to
follow.
Ramapo Rally •
Sept. 29
The 25th Ramapo Rally, sponsored
by the bordering Bicycle Touring
Club of North Jersey, shares some
turf with familiar OCBC rides and
also ventures into unexplored regions
that are, after all, right next door. Full
range of rides from a 12.5 miler to a
full century. Contact: Joel Seidenstein
201-944-7226 or their website
BTCNJ.com.
Irish Maniacs
Continued from page 8
mile to both, but it feels like more. There are
several flat miles along County Route 4 that
are great for pacelining.
As with the Monday Night ride it starts
with everyone explaining how tired they
are, how they haven’t been getting out much
and how they are going to go slow…no
really, they are actually going to go slow for
a change. Somebody always laughs, so it is
re-stated, “No, I mean it. I’m going slow…no
really, I’m serious!” Then the ride starts and
Brian or somebody gets a little ahead, then
somebody else tries to catch up, then somebody else gets nervous about getting
dropped…then it’s hammer time.
But also as with the Monday Night ride,
there is always someone who’s glad to show
the route to new people, make sure they
don’t get dropped and actually go slow if
they want. Although there’s no real leader,
it seems everyone that shows up is considerate and thoughtful to make sure nobody
has a bad ride. Seth leads the Monday night
ride and often attends Thursdays and carries
his skills over. That is to say, he’s glad to go
along chatting happily at the slowest of
paces, but he can hammer your butt to a wall
if that’s what you want…what you really,
really want.
There are cue sheets for the two Thursday routes available at: www.keytap.com/
ocbc/
Please come help us with Brian (The
Kid) Vincent. If you’re not strong enough
yet, we’ll get you in shape. Then you can
report back what it’s like to actually ride
with him. You can also help us figure out
why stopping for a 64 ounce milkshake on
the way home to Dingmans Ferry never
seems to impede (The Big Red Machine)
Larry’s performance. He’s also way too
strong.
What with Maniacs, hills and long
pacelining opportunities (with instruction),
we’ve got it all. We can’t promise adventures like being shot at by skin-heads every
week (those guys are long gone), but there’s
always something special. Such as: during a
recent ride Seth bent his big chain ring. You
should have seen it. Not just bent, but crisply
folded into a little origami bird. I’m used to
being mangled like that by Seth on any
given hill, but I’ve never seen anybody do
that to a chain ring…and from everybody
else’s gaping jaws, I’m guessing it was new
to them too.
If you are truly worried about the pace:
Well I am myself personally tired of the
constant maniacal hammering and am more
than willing to show you the course. I promise I’ll take it easy and go slow…no really,
I’m serious!
10
For The Riders (Nuts) That Race
News from the Peloton
Upcoming events for July
July 4 - 4th of July Cycling Classic,
NJ www.usbhof.com
July 6-Prospect Park, NY www.
kissena.com
July 6-Lou Maltese Road Race, NY
www.crca.net/races02/maltese.htm
July 7-Attleboro Crit, MA—Sandy
508-222-2171
July 7-Tour of Maplewood, NJ
www.teamcolavita.com/tour-ofmaplewood.htm
July 13-Firecracker Crit, Sussex, NJ
www.jr-n-r.com Jerry 973-579-2810
July 13-Prospect Park, NY www.
kissena.com
July 14-Park Ridge Classic, NJ—
Mike 201-391-5291
July 13-14 Web.Event.Com Race
Weekend, Poughkeepsie, NY http://
cycling.webevent.com/race.html
July 20-Tour of Hilltowns, MA
www.northamptoncyclingclub.org
July 20-Prospect Park, NY www.
kissena.com
July 27-Washington Ave Classic,
NJ— Ken 732-458-4748
July 27-Prospect Park, NY www.
kissena.com
July 28-Aug.4 Tour DeToona, PA
www.tourdetoona.com
July 28 Donovan Ruhl Crit, CT 203732-2311
July 28 Freedom Tour, NJ www.
highgearcyclery.com
More info on all cycling events:
www.bikereg.com
www.cyclingcalendar.com
Training Series:
Tuesdays, Bethel, CT www.
carpediemracing.org
Thursdays, Rockleigh, NJ—Dave
201-573-4047
Results:
Zack “Attack” Feeney:
06-01-02: 1st Place Shoreham, BMX
06-02-02: 1st Place New Paltz, BMX
06-05-02: 2nd Place Bethel, BMX
06-08-02: 2nd Place Binghamton,
BMX
Congratulations to Zachary for moving up from rookie category to novice.
Great Job!!!!
Although I am very proud to list my
son Zach’s racing results, I would like
some more results from other riders.
Please forward results to and any questions on races to Tim Feeney at
[email protected] or velo42@
bestweb.net or [email protected]
Thanks and keep riding....
Jamie Pitman:
Here’s a recap of, member, James
Pitman’s racing results thus far this year.
Jamie has been an OCBC member for
two years now. He races as a junior (15/
16)& will be 16 in August.
4/13-Eastford Road Race (CT.); 36
miles; Cramped up but pushed thru it;
finished 6th (15/16 juniors) & learned a
valuable lesson about staying hydrated!
4/21-Jersey Hill Circuit Race (NY);
28.5 miles; cold day ; finished 1st (15/16
juniors)*
5/5-Hollenbeck Spring Classic Race;
22 miles; finished 1st (15/16 juniors)*
5/11-High Point Hill Climb (NJ);
5.5+miles; finished 6th (15-18 juniors),
would have finished 4th if he had raced
Cat.5! 58th of 121 riders
5/18-Flanders Time Trial ; 11 miles;
rainy day; finished 4th (15-18 juniors) /
42nd of 113 riders
5/25-ATT Crit (NJ); 20 miles; pulled
from race (15-18 juniors)
6/2-Butternut Valley Road Race; 25.5
miles; very windy; finished 8th of 23 in
Cat. 5
6/8-Phila. L. Armstrong TT ; 8.4 miles;
finished 6th of 9 (15-16 juniors)
—William, Gretchen & James Pitman
* Jamie received gold medals for these two races
from the LAJORS (Lance Armstrong Junior
Olympic Race Series).
Eileen Holzman:
3/24-March Madness Biathlon, Central Park, 1st in age.
6/9-NY Tri Series, Harriman, 1st in
age (55-59), Time 1:47:26.
Raise the Limit,
Please!
Submitted by JEAN LeBLANC
Marie (although I didn’t know that
was her name at the time) rolled by in
an unusual jersey. Great colors, fleur
de lis, and the saying,
“Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez”
(“Let the good times roll”),
a popular phrase taken from the
Cajun French usage popularized by
“Nawlens” Mardi Gras.
Ever interested in the origins of language I rolled along to the staging area
for the Tour de Tremblant following “
la chemise interessant.”
Tremblant is the name of a ski mountain to the north of Montreal. The
terrain for Le Tour was described as
rolling. I had never been to a rolling ski
mountain tour. Having been there for
the Tour de Tremblant, I can still say “I
have never been to a rolling ski mountain tour.”
The day was just drop-dead gorgeous—“parfait” as I heard several riders describing the day and the forecast.
There were a half dozen cottonball
clouds drifting around like spectators.
The “vent” or wind idled among the
assembled unnoticed. No need for leg
or arm warmers, just bare skin.
The seething crowd was a combination of anxious and excited, bobbing as
a flock of birds on the bay. To the
untrained ear the argot of French, English, Franglais wove a powerful aural
spell. Spandex stretched the length of
the boulevard. Daubs of random color
fashioned a visual palette punctuated
by sun-glinted shards of polished
cycles.
“Marie! Marie Ghissard!! Attends!
Marie!”
The calls of a friend to another caused
Marie “Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez”
Ghissard to stop and turn. Lost in the
spell of the cycle circus, I ran my bike
into the back of Marie’s and both of us,
surprised, began a comical round of
apologies.
“Wow, I’m really sorry. You
okay?.”
“Escuzez, je regrette. C’est de ma
faute.”
“Eh, Marie! Bonjour!” and turning
to me Charlene, the friend calling for
Marie, beamed another “Bonjour.”
Their exchange continued in the argot of the Tour and I listened momentarily until the focus of the comments
were directed to me. At first, I didn’t
Continued on page 11
11
WHEELER DEALERS
FREE • Yakima SST towers and clips
to fit 1990 Acura Legend and Sedan.
Clips may fit other vehicles - contact
Yakima. Jim Flax 845-638-3168 or
[email protected]
FOR SALE • Trek 7300 Hybrid,
nearly brand new (< 50 miles), Men’s
17.5” frame. Call Steve 355-7428 or
[email protected]
YOUR TURN
Regarding the honorable mention in
the June issue if the SNW, I’d like to
point out that Dave & the gang down at
Joe Fix-It’s in Monroe did help out with
some items that I do not have the tools
for, such as pressing the headset, cutting
the steerer tube for the fork, etc. I’d like
to give credit where credit is due concerning my winter project of building up
my new bike. They did a great job!
Thanks,
Frank Guarnuccio
FOR SALE • LOOK PP296 road
pedals. Adjustable release tension, adjustable rotational float from 0 to 90
degrees. Metallic blue - Brand new,
never used. Red free-arc cleats included, as well as all hardware. List
$100 - a bargain at $80. Call Frank at
(845) 469-1824
Continued from page 1
understand it was me they were talking
to or at or about. And then broad smiles,
followed by laughs of understanding and
formal introductions. With that I was
inducted into the bike club of St. Jerome
and forced to ride amid the stunning
Quebec countryside and a host of
“Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez” jerseys.
I can report that the culinary cycle
efforts of the Cajun/Quebecois were
masterful. Too much I said to my hosts
, “Ca suffit ! “ and then out came desserts.
Everything “au chocolat,” and I knew,
I just had to “raise the limit!”
“Ca suffit!” Really.
Until the next time!
Deadline for the next
Spoke 'N Word:
July 13th
Send your Country Roads
pictures and anecdotes
PHOTO by &R
Raise the Limit
The peloton led by a Postie on the Manyunk wall, US Pro race, June 9.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
James C Amels, Bloomingburg NY
Craig Bottrill, Nyack NY
Scot Brown, Warwick NY
Humberto Cavalheiro,
Central Valley NY
Anthony& Cynthia DeFeo,
Monroe NY
Thomas Denehy, Milford PA
Daniel & Lauretta Duthie, Bellvale NY
Deighn Eliason, Sussex NJ
Maxine & James Farrell,
West Milford NJ
Bonnie Franson, Monroe NY
Madelyn Garstak, Monroe NY
Peter Gisler, New Milford NJ
Lisa Goetz & Tom Walsh, Monroe NY
Judith & Bill Greene, Middletown NY
Jairo Gutierrez, Middletown NY
John & Mayra Harper, Hewitt NJ
Curbie Harris, Dumont NJ
Rachel Heath, Sussex NJ
Eileen Holzman, Airmont NY
Jeanne Hopkins,
Cornwall-On-Hudson NY
Walter Jung, Chester NY
Doug Kane, Washingtonville NY
Theresa Kane, Florida NY
Andrew Kattermann, Sussex NJ
Richard Lawrence, Campbell Hall NY
Pasquale Leuzzi, NY
Stefan Lutz, Warwick NY
Terry Martin, New York NY
Al Meehan, Yonkers NY
Tom Murphy, Monroe NY
Charles Norton, Goshen NY
Gary Olman, Middletown NY
Jill Pennings, Warwick NY
Rose M. Quackenbush, Huguenot NY
Andreas& Monica Runggatscher,
Monroe NY
Barbara Sessa, Slate Hill NY
Gary Sipila & Jennifer Lehr,Hewitt NJ
Randall & Lynda Smith, Warwick NY
Donald Snoop, Jr. & Erin Reilly,
Highland Falls NY
Victor Staniorski, New York NY
Casey Van Duynhoven, Florida NY
Matthew J. Vincent, Monroe NY
Carl & Charlotte Weitzman,
Chester NY
Lorraine Yeargin, Circleville NY
Janine Zimnoch, Tuxedo NY
George Zubalsky, Rock Tavern NY
Frank Zwolinski, Hamburg NJ
The following bicycle dealers are Supporters of the Orange County Bicycle Club.
They all offer members a 10% discount off non-sale clothing and selected items.
BICYCLE DOCTOR
30 E. Main Street
Middletown, NY
845-344-1414
BIKEWAY
1488 US Highway 9
Wappingers Falls, NY
845-297-2453
BIKEWAY
692 Rt. 6
Mahopac, NY
845-621-2800
JOE FIX-IT’S
20 W. Main Street
Goshen, NY
845-294-7242
JOE FIX-IT’S
401 Route 208
Monroe,NY
845-774-2377
SUSSEX BIKE & SPORT
155 Rt. 23
Sussex, NJ
973-875-6565
DARK HORSE CYCLES
2294 Route 208
Montgomery, NY
845-778-6604
www.darkhorsecycles.com
ORANGE COUNTY BICYCLE CLUB’S BLIND LEADING THE BLIND
PRESIDENT
(Twin) Lynn Meyer
PO Box 129
Florida, NY 10921
845-651-8010
VICE PRESIDENT
(Shiftless) John Handago
186 Purgatory Rd.
Campbell Hall, NY 10916
845-294-6555
TREASURER
Joe (Recumbo) Keenan
14 Clover Rd.
Newfoundland, NJ 07435
973-697-1941
SECRETARY
Mary Ellen (Slider)
Calandrillo
22 Hillsdale Dr., Sussex, NJ
973-702-0110
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
CLUB PEDDLER
Richard (Masimodo) Sclafani
570-685-2879
FAX 570-685-3556
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Paul (Serotta) Levine
845-928-3060
RIDES CHAIR
(Flash) Dick Batchelor
973-827-5771
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
PUBLIC RELATIONS
(Cardinal) Robb Daly
845-497-2208
COUNTRY ROADS
COORDINATOR
Chris (Zipper) Joyce
845-457-6027
SPECIAL EVENTS
Nancy (Divine Miss N) Usis
845-361-3280
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
(Saint) Donna Mahon
61 Lakeview Dr.
West Milford, NJ 07480
973-697-5898
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
MaryLou Nolan
845-294-5753
(The Brave)
e-mail: [email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Roberta Dakan
571 Rt. 94 N.
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-6113
(Reader of thePack)
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
www.sussexonline.com/ocbc/ WEBMASTER: (Fractured) Fred Laux, 973-875-6718, e-mail: [email protected]
ORANGE COUNTY BICYCLE CLUB
PO Box 122
Warwick, NY 10990
JULY — WHEW ! COUNTRY ROADS IS OVER