[GW] Sat GW Mens Team Ride

Sun Apr 6 09:39:26 MDT 2008

I just want to say THANKS to Lynne.

I've not met most of you, and living is Western Wisconsin, I probably won't get in on many of your evening rides during the week.  That said, I joined the Wheelmen last summer because of the great people I met and got to ride with at the Iron Crotch.  I've ridden with Kathy Ostland, Ted Free and Cheryl Barker for most of the four years I've been riding, and they are good representatives of this Team.  Most of the Gophers I've met have really been great, friendly and helpful.  This team seems to have very few members with the unfortunate "Roadie" attitude, and that I truely appreciate.

I've done a couple of mountain bike races and would like to get more involved in road racing, but I would like to learn what I'm doing before getting out there and getting killed.  Part of the problem is I'm 58, a new rider and old enough to understand the possible results of crashing during a bike race - both to myself and others.  I understand kids are the future of our sport, but there is a growing number of us that have "retired" from other sports and look to bicycling as a new challange.  

Grand Performance offers classes on how to race, but I'm a Gopher and to echo Lynne - I'm not interested in hunting down other teams.  Would I race?   would I be a benifit to the team?....maybe, maybe not - but I would be a safer and smarter rider; and perhaps, present the general public with a better example of how we want our sport to be perceived....

Just another two cents worth.

See you on the road.

Monte

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lynne 
  To: Jeff Ingham ; Rich Bergstrom ; gophers 
  Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 8:48 PM
  Subject: Re: [GW] Sat GW Mens Team Ride

  My email is seriously screwed up-I'm getting emails on this topic back to the 1st-TODAY.  So my reply is a bit late, but here goes... 

  I saw Lee tonight-sounds like the Thurs rides are typically lower intensity?  If so, that's a good thing.  To be blunt-I'm not interested in hunting down other teams/groups to ride with. In my opinion, that's why you join a team.  Otherwise, I might as well go U/A. (Don't get me wrong-Lee had a good suggestion and I plan to supplement rides with some other resources/groups out there).

  Having said that, am I alone in wanting to see more support for developing members?  I want to see more lower-level drill work like sprints and practice pace-lining it, as well as shoving my way into the line where I want to be to keep position toward the front.  Cornering in a larger group and what line I'm expected to take when caught in various positions at the corner.  The best place to be coming into the corner, and how to fight to have it.  Races aren't won timidly sitting at the back, but most of this stuff is not intuitive and that's where you end up when you don't know enough.

  I know it's earlly-possibly all of these types of development rides come later in the season.  But the road racing season is already upon us; yeah, you learn most everything in a race situation, but some of the things I mentioned are much better learned before you take someone out with a stupid move.

  You give me the opportunity, I'll be there, but I'm not sure if I'm alone in needing this.  

  Anyway, my two cents worth as a new/developing member.

  Cheers,
  Lynne

  Jeff Ingham <jeff_ingham at starkey.com> wrote:
    We should probably just post this to the GW site since we probably missed someone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
      From: Rich Bergstrom [mailto:oce_one at hotmail.com] 
      Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 10:34 AM
      To: Alaxander, Mark; Devers, Gordy; Ingham, Jeff; Kotz, Mark; Lacey, Martin; Schueller, Dan; Schueller, David; Sterling, Matthew; Thurmes, Pete (MN17); Wheeler, Dan; Arsenault, Paul; Connell, Bill
      Cc: paul.mckinney at gmail.com; mckinney.paul at gmail.com
      Subject: Sat GW Mens Team Ride

      Dan W. and I will be at County Cycles 9:00 AM Saturday morning. Route to be determined. 3-4 hours with some speed play the plan so far. We could ride to Ramsey beach for a second starting point, or head towards Afton. 

      I think I've got everyone. Mr. McKinney did I get you email right? 

      See you Saturday,

      Bergstrom

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