| Home | Join Us! | Contact Us | News | Schedule |

ACTIVITY NEWS: April 2005

     What's in this Issue?

1. Bicycling 101: Clipless Pedals
2. Ironman Upcoming
3. In Brief
4. Cruising California's Coast 2005: A View from the Back
5. Mileages and Stats
6. New TCBC Members - Welcome to the Club!
7. Outreach! A New Type of Ride.
8. Setting Goals
9. 2nd Annual TCBC Swap Meet
10. Upcoming Events
11. Weekend On Wheels History 1993-98
12. TCBC Board of Directors and Contacts

Bicycling 101 - Clipless Pedals

by Liz Sands

One of the best upgrades that beginning cyclists can make is to acquire clipless pedals. First, some terminology. A plain pedal with nothing to keep your foot attached is a platform pedal. If you add a plastic cage to the pedal that goes around your foot, with a strap that can be tightened, then you’re talking about ‘toe clips’. Pedals that have some form of mechanical connection with your bike shoe, usually a cleat on the bike shoe that locks into a receptacle on the pedal, are ‘clipless pedals’ (clipless because they don’t have ‘toe clips’).

Why make this upgrade? Your pedal stroke is much more effective when your foot is attached to the pedal and can exert force through a greater range of the pedaling circle (with a platform pedal you can only exert force on the downstroke part of the circle). Toe clips do offer some of this efficiency, but they can be difficult to get in and out of when starting and stopping. In order for toe clips to be the most effective, the strap should be tightened after you get your foot in - you then need to remember to loosen the strap to let your foot out when you need to stop.

In contrast, most clipless pedals allow you to step on the pedal and immediately ‘click in’ instead of fumbling around with getting your foot into the toe clip cage. To release from the pedal, usually all that is required is a twist of the foot.

There are lots of different clipless pedal systems out on the market. If I had to recommend one particular kind to a beginner, it would be an SPD-style pedal and cleat. With an SPD-style cleat, you can choose to buy a shoe where the cleat is recessed on the sole. This allows you to walk around more easily when you’re off the bike, unlike the larger cleats that make us walk like a duck when we go into the convenience store to buy Gatorade. The other advantage is that most SPD-style pedals have a tension adjustment that allows you to make the pedal-cleat connection looser or tighter. That’s a big plus when you’re first learning how to use the pedals – you can adjust them to be loose, so that you’ll be able to twist your foot out of the pedal quite easily.

When you’re shopping for clipless pedals, be sure to ask whether the model you’re looking at has tension adjustment. Another thing to keep in mind when you’re shopping, if you already have bike shoes, is to buy a pedal whose cleat can be installed on the shoes you already have. If you’re shopping for both pedals and shoes, again, be sure that the pedals and shoes you buy are compatible with each other.

Another feature to be aware of is how much “float” a particular pedal system has. “Float” is how much the pedal will allow you to wiggle your foot around on the pedal. People who have knee issues are going to have to pay more attention to float (some peoples’ knees feel better with more float, and some do better having their foot in more of a fixed position). It is very important to have a knowledgable person at the bike shop help you with the placement of the cleats on your bike shoes. You want the cleats to be positioned so that your knees end up in proper alignment.

Down the line, more advanced cyclists often will move on to different pedal systems than the SPD style. These cyclists are looking for features like lighter weight pedals, more cornering clearance (pedals are shaped so that you are less likely to hit a pedal on the pavement when leaning the bike over in a corner), and an extra secure attachment so that they don’t pull their feet out of the pedals during a sprint. There are many different options and like other types of gear purchases, my advice would be to start by talking to other members of the club and finding out what they like and don’t like about their particular pedal system.

Next month I’ll talk about learning to use clipless pedals.

Ironman Upcoming

Late April is IRONMAN time, with the big ride on Sunday, April 24. See last month’s articles or this month’s schedule. Thanks to those who have volunteered so far. We still need more volunteers – contact Sarah Hartmann at 952-545-6151 or sarahart@juno.com for info.

Registration is still underway for the ride. You can register on-line at www.IronmanBikeRide.com or get a registration form from the website. Any questions: call the event Hotline at 612-378-3773.

Riders should remember to visit the TCBC booth at the start, Lakeville High School, for fellowship and fun. Also, riders should sign up there for their TCBC mileage credit after the ride.

In Brief

NEXT ACTIVITY NEWS DEADLINE will be Monday, April 4. It would be much appreciated if everyone could get their trips and news in by then. This will be the big May issue distributed to the IRONMAN registrants, so it’s the chance to reach our largest audience.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the Watermelon Ride on July 4 at the same northern suburbs locations. You can sign up on the TCBC website.

LEADER FORUM: Final reminder that this will be held April 2 in Brooklyn Center.

THANKS MUCH: The 60 survey results from the TCBC Annual Recognition Banquet in January were pretty positive overall.

TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN: Any non-TCBC activities listed in this newsletter are not covered by TCBC ride insurance.

ARDEN HILLS PARK: Ramsey County is purchasing 14 acres from the Canadian Pacific Railroad near Tony Schmidt Park, just north of Lake Johanna Beach. The county will start constructing an underpass this summer, part of a trail, so that park users will gain linkages to the beach, Mounds View High School, Bethel College, etc. The east-west railroad has always been a huge barrier in the area.

WASHINGTON COUNTY CONSTRUCTION NEWS: Word is just out that the Stillwater Bridge over the St. Croix will be closed to all traffic, including bicyclists, from August 1 to November 1 for repairs to keep it running for a few more years, until (hopefully) the new bridge south of town is completed by 2011. ALSO: County 8/14 between Hugo and 35E will be turned into a four-lane road, starting in late summer, and the new road will have a separated intermodal trail alongside. Traffic signals are planned at these busy intersections: County 12 and 15 west of Stillwater, and County 19 and Lake Road in Woodbury. These all affect bike routes.

MINNESOTA RECREATION ACTIVITIES: A recent DNR survey shows that 29 percent of adult Minnesotans say they bicycle, the fifth most popular activity. The leading activity is walking/hiking at 54 percent.

Cruising California's Coast 2005: A View from the Back

By Cindy Hanson

From February 24 through 28, 22 TCBC riders from four states joined leaders Tom Sullivan and Kristine Poelzer on a 300-mile tour of the coast of Southern California. Every participant has their own memories of this ride. These are some of mine.

Feb. 24/Mile 0, 8:00 AM: The crunchy click of road shoes on pavement signals the gathering of riders in the parking lot of the Santa Monica Travelodge. The air is moist and cool; the mood, eager anticipation. The pre-ride ritual (sign in, check the bike, fill the tires, study the map, snack, hear the briefing) goes quickly. We snake out of the parking lot towards the pier, bike path, Long Beach, and parts south. We have 52 miles to go. Ocean. Sand. The Santa Monica Pier. It’s February! We’re doing it—woo-HOO! California, here we come!

Mile 2: Tony has a flat. While he and Phil attend to the bike, the rest of us goof around, taking group shots with the pier and ferris wheel as backdrop.

Mile 14: Manhattan Beach, our first stop. The ride has been absolutely flat, following the undulating bike path along the beach. The sun hasn’t emerged, though the surfers (neoprene-clad; it’s February) have. We grab snacks from the well-stocked sag vehicle and continue on.

Mile 27: After passing through Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach, we exit the beach path to begin a gentle climb through some picturesque, high-buck real estate. Flowering vines and tree branches heavy with oranges festoon brick walls that almost surely ring gated communities. After an impromptu photo op on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Palos Verdes Estates, we stop for lunch at a café in Lunada Bay. The sun has joined us.

Mile 40: Cabrillo Beach, our last stop of the day. Roger dips his rear wheel in the Pacific Ocean.

Feb. 25/Mile 52: After a night in Long Beach, we assemble to start Day 2. Kristine asks for feedback on the ride. One rider crabbily observes that yesterday’s pace was sub-14 mph: “What can we do about that?” While I’ve enjoyed the leisurely pace, I share his concern; we’ve got 75 miles to cover today.

Mile 84: Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach . . . more sand, surf, and surfers to our right. To our left, we see the effects of the recent catastrophic rains — impressively scary erosion under cliff-top mansions, wrapped in yellow tape and temporary fencing. We climb through Dana Point and Capistrano, stopping for lunch in San Clemente.

Mile 102: Our route has taken us through one of the spookiest parks I’ve ever seen: Eight miles of empty parking lots along the beach, with a high-security Con Edison plant at one end. Probably much more inviting when it’s occupied. The occasional low-flying military aircraft lets us know we’re approaching Camp Pendleton. We’ve been assured the base is open to cyclists. Four of us climb the hill to the guard shack, where we are turned away. We politely press our case, noting the cyclist who is coming towards us from the opposite direction. The guard is adamant. We retrace our path and discuss our options while we wait for more riders. Steve decides to take I-5 and heads for the freeway on-ramp, his orange flag whipping in the breeze.

Within minutes, the main group arrives and heads up to the guard shack. They don’t return, so we follow them. We are waved through. (Later, we learn that Tom and Dona, who have met up with us on their way north from Carlsbad, showed the guard a printout from the base’s website, which notes the main road was opened to cyclists on Feb. 3.)

Mile 109: I’ve exited Camp Pendleton, I’m riding alone, and I’m totally lost. Following the map takes me into a marina, which I know is not right. I turn back and run into a kindly rider with panniers: “Are you with the Minnesota group? Are you lost?” She escorts me back to the main road, where I meet up with Tom and Dona and follow them to the hotel in Carlsbad.

Feb. 26/Mile 126: This is our swing day. We will be in Carlsbad again tonight, so today we take day trips of our own choosing. A few intrepid riders take the climb to Torrey Pines and beyond (2-1/2 miles of climbing at 6 mph; “I had my butt handed to me for lunch,” said Jayne). John, Patt, and Phil take the day off; they rent a convertible and drive to Mexico. The rest of us are somewhere in between. Mary and I ride Highway 101 through the funky communities of Leucadia, Encinatas, and Cardiff, and the swanky communities of Solana Beach and Delmar, stopping at bike shops, looking for cool socks. We stop on the side of a hill and contemplate the climb to Torrey Pines. Hang gliders are visible in the distance. A group of riders of peloton proportions passes us in a Technicolor swoosh, heading for the climb. Another day, perhaps. We head back to Carlsbad; after 35 miles, we are ready for some lunch and some serious beach time.

Feb. 27/Mile 161: Today we retrace our route back to Long Beach. We stay together until we reach Camp Pendleton, which we enter without incident. The base is quite scenic; if not for the Tank Crossing signs and the occasional burst of ordinance, we could be on rural roads. The only casualty is my rear tire, which develops a slow leak. Tony and Jim quickly change it for me at the next rest stop. I hover behind them, feeling grateful but ineffectual, guiltily sucking down a Gatorade.

Mile 235: After a long day of battling headwinds, we arrive in Long Beach. The Queen Mary, permanently docked in the marina, is our sign that we are only blocks from the motel. I am tired and very saddle sore. I have no idea what people are planning for dinner. I have a early burger at the diner around the corner and return to my room, where I fall asleep watching the Academy Awards.

Feb. 28/Mile 245: Our last day brings more perfect weather — sunny, low 60s. The route out of Long Beach takes us through the Port of Los Angeles: busy, dirty roads, giant trucks, enormous cargo ships and unloading equipment. Challenging city riding, and a fascinating view of a working port. More cargo moves through this area than any other port in the U.S. I don’t think I’d want to ride through here at night.

Mile 250: I knew this hill was coming. I remember screaming down it two days ago. My quads are burning. I slow, click out, stop, look up, and start walking. Tom comes up behind me, riding to match my pace; how he does so without falling over, I don’t know. Two-thirds of the way up, he observes that the hill is flattening out a bit. I exhale, engage, and slowly grind my way to the top.

Mile 263: We return to the coastal bike path. It’s Monday afternoon, and the beaches are much busier than when we first passed through; we must negotiate our way past many joggers and cruiser riders, most of whom are wearing headphones. Surf traffic is heavy, too. We don’t see anyone pumping iron in Venice Beach, although we do stop to take a look at the astounding array of vendors of tattoos, piercing services, and the like. Many people here have meaty, macho, muscle-headed dogs. This is quite a change from the dogs we saw at our lunch stop in Laguna Beach, many of whom were riding in ladies’ purses.

Mile 285: Back in Santa Monica. After changing clothes and taking the bikes to the shop for shipping to Minnesota, Mary and I head down to the pier for our last night in California. On a lark, we decide to ride the ferris wheel. From the top, we can see miles of the bike path that started our ride five days earlier, and brought us back a few hours ago. We see jets taking off from LAX. The wheel goes around seven, eight, nine times, then bumps to a halt at the bottom. The ride is over. Pull To Exit, says the sign. We do.

Mileages and Stats

Here are the trip report totals submitted for the new activity year, from November 1 through sometime in mid-February. It hasn’t been a real tough winter, with above-average temps and only 19 inches of snow so far. The top four women are each previous mileage award winners! Amazingly, we already have a rider over 1000 miles, possibly the earliest date ever.

WOMEN

1013 KATIE ANGLE
787 SUE BLUM
528 LISA DUST
526 SUSAN EVAN
432 MARY DERKS
430 PATT SELEEN
410 KATHLEEN LEPP
300 CINDY HANSON
298 KATE KOVAR
252 MARY NELSEN

MEN

758 MICHAEL MCNUTT
733 TONY STIFTER
689 SCOTT LARSON
670 JOHN GESME
661 LEE THIELMAN
592 JIM JOY
547 JEFF JOHNSON
507 RICHARD FRANCO
487 CHARLES BREER
483 MIKE BENNETT

TOTAL RIDES: Angle 34, Blum 20, Dust 19. Larson 29, McNutt 26, Joy 23.

New TCBC Members

WELCOME TO THE CLUB:

ADAMS, RON
ANDERSON, SCOTT
BANKWALA, ZEHYANI
BEASLEY, JOHN
BECKER, WILLIAM
BIESE, ERIC
BISTRAM, GREG
BROOKS, CARROL
CHRISTOPHERSON, JON
DAHLBLOOM, CHRIS
DENGLER, CLAUDIA
HILL, JOHN
HOKANSON, HEATHER
JEFFREY, KIRK
KENAGY, DAVID
JOHNSON, BOB
JOHNSON, TROY
KEMPF, DOUG
LASKY, BOB
LEIGH, DENIS
LLOYD, VALERIE
MOEN, JOYCE
MUNLEY, MICHAEL
NICKELSON, JOYCE
O’ROURKE, STEVE
OYE, RANDALL
SCHROYER, MEL
SPERRY, MARK
WILSON, MARTHA

Outreach! A New Type of Ride.

As you may have noticed in recent issues of the ACTIVITY NEWS, one of the Board’s focus items this year is outreach. Outreach can take many forms, one of which is supporting rides of other bicycling clubs and organizations in Minnesota and the surrounding states through TCBC members’ attendance. As the largest recreational bicycling club in Minnesota, TCBC can make a difference in the success of some of the smaller events if we encourage our members to attend. In addition, TCBC becomes more visible in the greater bicycling community by attending other events (especially if we wear our TCBC jerseys), thus creating positive awareness of our club and goodwill in the biking community while, at the same time, introducing club members to potential new riding opportunities.

To that end, the TCBC Board of Directors has approved a new category of rides this year called “Outreach Rides“. These are “event” rides such as Tour of Saints, TOMRV, Horribly Hilly Hundred, Jesse James, etc. in which TCBC members would receive mileage credit for attending. This concept is not without precedent, as TCBC already gives mileage credit for the IRONMAN and St. Paul Classic rides. In order for the ride to qualify as an Outreach Ride the following criteria would need to be met:

1. A TCBC Ride Leader must act as the Ride Leader and perform all the normal Ride Leader duties associated with the ride (i.e. submit the ride in the schedule, answer questions, hold a ride briefing, sign members in, etc. --- basically the same tasks as for a “normal” TCBC ride, minus making the map.)

2. Ride must be an “event” ride of 1 or 2 days (no weeklong tours, or portions thereof, would qualify).

3. Ride must be in MN or a bordering state (WI, ND, SD, & IA).

4. Ride must be available to all members.

5. Ride must not be a pledge-type fundraiser ride.

6. Riders must be registered for the official ride and covered under its insurance (TCBC insurance does not cover these rides).

7. Ride needs to follow the same guidelines as for existing (non-outreach) rides (i.e. ride must be published in the newsletter, leader must hold a ride briefing at a set published time, riders must sign in and attend leader briefing in order to get credit for the ride, etc).

8. Ride must not conflict with TCBC’s Watermelon or WOW rides, or dates that are blacked out by the club.

9. Ride must be approved by a subcommittee of the Board prior to being listed in the ACTIVITY NEWS (web rides will not be allowed).

Outreach Rides will be non-category (i.e. they will not be listed as A, A/B, B, etc.) rides as they are supported by the event organizer. The Ride Leader can ride wherever they choose and can indicate in the ride description if they plan to ride at a certain pace.

So now that we have explained what an Outreach Ride is, and what the criteria would be to schedule this type of ride, here’s how to schedule this ride.

Only current active TCBC Ride Leaders can schedule Outreach Rides. First, make sure that the ride meets the all of the criteria previously mentioned. Then write up the ride description as you would normally write up any other TCBC Ride, but do include on the tag line, “OUTREACH RIDE”. (Example: 4 SAT OUTREACH RIDE: TOUR OF LAKES 41 OR 70 MILES continue on with ride Description.)

Submit your Outreach Ride Request via e-mail to: Pete Hawkins (pmh@peoplepc.com) and Dave Swaab (swaabd@hotmail.com). They will then forward the request to the Outreach Ride Committee (ORC) for approval. A member of the ORC will contact the submitter (via e-mail) as soon as possible after the decision has been made regarding the ride.

The ORC will also contact the TCBC ride scheduler, but only to inform them that the ride is approved. Once approved, the Ride Leader must submit the ride description to the ride scheduler in a timely manner for inclusion for publication in the newsletter. Please Note: Web Rides Will Not Be Eligible As Outreach Rides.

Setting Goals

The other day I gazed at my neatly folded stack of washed and ready to wear jerseys. Their feminine summery colors jumped out from the white wire shelves they sat on. Blue, pink, white, purple. How I longed for warmer than 32F degree weather to wear them and ride.

Ridden with financial guilt over having spent more on clothing than components, I began counting them. Thirty, not including winter jerseys and skimpy Y back tops suitable for the gym. I could set a riding goal for 2005 - if I ride 30 TCBC rides this year, each jersey would be worn, well, once.

Checking the TCBC website stats I saw I rode a mere 16 rides last year -- 434 miles. Yikes, is that all? Well, they don’t count the MS TRAM (300 miles) and last year I blew it with my own ego-inflicted knee injury. I will never again sprint against the big guy at the end of an 85-mile day. A month later I crashed and broke a rib and thumb, shaving a total of three months off at the peak of the riding season.

This year will be different. I’ll do it right and not crash and pace myself on the TRAM.

What goal to set? My husband disapproved of the idea of trying for the women’s trophy. “You don’t really have time for that, do you?” he quizzed. What’s worse for my kids than having an absentee father would be an absentee father combined with an absentee mother who is out zipping around on two wheels, days at a time, working on a mileage trophy. So that goal was out. It’s March and I am already a million miles behind the trophy leader anyway.

My teenage son had an idea. He suggested “Why don’t you sell your bike and spend all your time at the gym? It’s a lot safer and your chances of injury at the gym are near zero.” “Oh sure, and I could still keep the bike clothes and use them at the gym” I replied, irritated. It was clear that these guys are not so helpful in the goal-setting department.

Now is a good time to set a cycling goal. There are the standard ones: pick a number and decide how many miles you want to ride this year (100 or 20,000). Increase your average riding speed. Get that trophy. Conquer a set of hills, or ride them and not feel like they are conquering you. Perhaps something different: try every flavor ice cream on the rides, or the pastries. You’ll likely burn them off on the ride anyway. Maybe there’s a bike tour you’ve always wanted to go on (caution - this requires financial pre-planning). Lastly, there are non-recommended goals, such as seeing how fast you and your bike can really go (50 mph?) or experience how much you can spend in a bike store in one day (dire credit card bill consequences will follow).

For many of us who are fair-weather riders, the 2005 season has just begun. The hardcore winter riders have been cranking all along. Set yourself a goal and have fun with it this year. The thrill of accomplishment is waiting for you. Discovering that you really could do “it” is a rewarding feeling that stays with you forever…..and next year you can set a different goal.

By Marina Lim

2nd Annual TCBC Swap Meet
Saturday - April 30, 2005 - 1:00-4:00pm

by Valerie Olson (with the introduction blatantly plagiarized from Ron Burzese’s article in the March 2001 Activity News)

Have you been the victim of too many upgrades over the seasons? Does your living room resemble the set for “Sanford and Son?” How about all those once-just-perfect saddles? Would you like to turn all those extra parts into money so you can further support your habit? Or are you a new rider looking to improve your bike's fit or performance in such a way that does not break your piggy? Well, fellow members, I feel your pain!

The 2nd Annual TCBC Swap Meet will be held from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday, April 30. This year’s location is South Town Bingo, 8049 Morgan Circle in Bloomington (located behind the Southtown Red Lobster on American Blvd W). It’s a much larger space than last year and there’s even a snack bar too!

This is your opportunity to buy, sell, or donate new or used bicycling gear including ready-to-ride & incomplete bikes, tag-a-longs & trailers, bicycle component parts & accessories, cycling clothing & shoes, bicycling books, etc. Just about any bicycling-related item is acceptable. No commercial sales or non-cycling items like snowboards, grandma's china, or pet hamsters please.

No admission, fees, or commissions are required. This event is open to the general public and is provided as a benefit to TCBC members. Buyers do not need to be TCBC members. All sellers must be current TCBC members. If you know someone who'd like to sell, but isn't a TCBC member, just remind them that our $25 membership fee is less than what other swap meets charge just to rent table space.

This year we’re inviting any bicycling-related non-profit organization to request display space by contacting us in advance. Check the web site for the current list of organizations that will be represented and which will be accepting donated bicycles, parts, or equipment. Details about which items each organization can use will be communicated later via the TCBC eGroups.

With the added space, we’re doing more advertising this year and anticipate a great turnout. We’ll be printing 4,500 flyers to stuff in the IRONMAN <http://www.ironmanbikeride.org/> packets too. Please invite all your cycling friends!

All the details and additional information for buyers, sellers, and non-profits is posted on the TCBC web page <http://www.BikeTCBC.org/swapmeet>. We’re also looking for volunteers to staff the information tables and the TCBC booth. Contact SwapMeet@biketcbc.org.

TCBC is grateful to all of our exceptional members. We’re glad to offer this event as another great benefit of being part of the best bike club anywhere! We hope to see you all there!

Upcoming Events 

RIDE AND WHINE SERIES: Some say that bicycle trips are an excuse to eat, with stops at coffee shops, restaurants and ice cream shoppes. In recognition of those who are guilty, an occasional series of “Ride and Whine” rides for “eaters with a biking disorder” are in the offing. The first issue is listed in the Ride Schedule, featuring the Cannon Valley Whine, with a Sunday May 22 brunch on the 5th floor of the St. James Hotel overlooking the Mississippi River. Ambassador Don Picard, 952-894-3431, offers his culinary aptitude to spearhead this series. He will plan at least one food-oriented “whine” trip each month where the emphasis will be fine food and easy biking. Leader: Herb Schultz, 952-941-4381, and/or future alternates.

2005 SUMMER VELO TREMPEALEAU – June 3,4,5. Join us for another fun weekend of cycling in Trempealeau County, WI – a beautiful area of ridges and valleys. Come to cycle one, two, or all three of the days. These are rated A/B TCBC rides and all depart from Oak Park Inn in Whitehall, WI. Depart times and route lengths will be published in the May and June newsletter issues, or check the schedule, www.bikeTCBC.org. The Oak Park Inn, Whitehall, 877-479-7024, has rooms and also welcomes campers to their beautiful grounds. Camping will include their marvelous continental breakfast, and comfortable shower and restroom facilities. Another lodging option is the Relax Inn, 715-985-2323; it is four miles away in Independence. The motel rooms get booked fast, so reserve your room as soon as possible. Co-leaders: Kristine Poelzer, John Murphy, and Ron Plinske.

AUGUST 19-21: Ride “da Range” on the Mesabi Trail. $3.00 daily wheel pass is required. Join this C-plus ride on the Mesabi Trail and experience Minnesota’s Iron Range up close and personal. We will bike on paved surface trails joining the bustling cities of Eveleth, Hibbing, Virginia, and Chisholm. We’ll visit Ironworld, which features a museum with exhibits telling the story of the Range’s geology, mining, immigration, life skills, and traditions. There is a 1920’s Mesabi Railway trolley ride taking us through a mining “town” and showing us the spectacular views of the Glen-Godfrey Open Pit Mine. There will be motel and RV park campground lodging options that you will book on your own. After-ride activities (optional) include dining at the Whistling Bird in Gilbert, a night out at Zimmy’s featuring Bob Dylan memorabilia, and a play at the Hibbing Community Center, or a visit to the Palucci Planetarium. Yes, there are hills – this is the Range. Ambassadors will be Duane and Diana Kasper, 952-448-1608, or kasperddt@aol.com. Leaders: Herb Schultz, 952-941-4381; Clareyse Nelson, 612-623-3009. Complete details will be in future issues.

Weekend On Wheels History: 1993-98 

(This year is the 25th anniversary of the first Weekend on Wheels – to St. Peter in 1981. So far I have covered how the ride began and the first 12 years of it. Quotes are from our newsletter unless otherwise noted.)

1993 recap: This was the year when TCBC was formed as a hostel club (similar to a subsidiary) of American Youth Hostels. AYH kept the IRONMAN, TCBC kept WOW, etc. WOW was well-publicized again and the participants jumped up about 100 over the previous year.

This would be the final year of an out-and-back ride with a mass luggage shuttle. It was the first time WOW went to the same destination more than two straight years – River Falls. Again, the longer Sat route headed through Withrow, crossed the St. Croix at Osceola, and went south through Somerset and Burkhardt, with a shorter route crossing the river at Stillwater. The Sun route went through Red Wing and Hastings and Afton, with the shorter route crossing at Prescott.

There was considerable rain on Sat for the time ever on WOW after 12 dry years – “near-monsoon-like” conditions, and strong headwinds returning on Sun. I remember huddling under a shelter at the Somerset rest stop. “TCBC’s goal is to develop WOW as Minnesota’s premier non-pledge weekend bicycling trip.” Chair was Jeff Schadegg, and the committee was Tony Anthonisen, Kathy Dukinfield, Pete Hawkins, Dave Johnson, Mark Norton, Betsy Olson, Paul Ross, and Ralph Schlief. Jerry Loomis supplied jazz piano accompaniment during dinner. After that, there were the usual door prize drawings. WOW fanny packs were available. Air conditioning could be had at the dorms!

1994: Significant changes were made this year to a format we have used since: starting the weekend with a Friday night ride, and staying at the destination city the whole weekend. As newly-recruited chair Mary Wingfield explained, “Point to point routes created logistical problems for transporting baggage and collecting riders in the event of foul weather. Changing the routes annually is a time-consuming burden on our volunteers. We concluded that River Falls would be ideal for providing circular routes.” (Mary wrote in 1997 that “My suggestion that we base out of River Falls and do looped routes was met with much resistance” but the Operating Committee of TCBC was eventually convinced.)

This made it easy to cover much more of scenic Wisconsin and offer more routes. Also, this year the maps were much-improved, now made by Pete May. Each route Sat went south, with the two longest going to the Mississippi at Diamond Bluff and then up the Trimbelle Valley, with the longest also going to Kinnickinnic State Park near the St. Croix. Lotsa hills, you betcha. The long Sun route went through Elmwood, famous for UFO Days, then back through Spring Valley.

There were some problems which Mary apologized for in print: too many hills on the shorter routes. The bike shop which was intending to offer mechanical support cancelled out. The sag wagons were not available in time. Too many watermelons were ordered. One route had been chopped into dirt during the week.

My article written then reminds me: a persistent rain arrived exactly when the Friday ride started, and some of us got lost. Very hilly, but little traffic on the scenic roads. Jerry Loomis was on piano again, and line dancing followed dinner. The literal high point of the weekend was the road winding endlessly up “Mount Elmwood” and there was some walking involved. Uff da.

1995: “We’ve got new hills for the long-distance hammerheads and bypasses for the vertically challenged. Plus you can choose between camping out, reliving your college days at the dorm, or snoozing at the local motels.” First this year – these lodging options, the Friday night ice cream social, riders having the option of paying for and biking only one day, and TCBC didn’t list any other rides that weekend.

The Fri ride as usual ranged from 18-30 miles, including the fearsomely hilly Kinnickinnic River crossing on County F. All Sat routes went that direction too, with the medium one heading up the Trimbelle Valley and the long route going through Hager City and Ellsworth. Both Sun routes went north through Roberts, with the longer one passing Willow River State Park, Trout Brook Road, and Bass Lake, where the bikers had to ride through standing water.

Mary Wingfield chaired again, and baked many loaves of lemon poppyseed and chocolate chip banana bread for the rest stops. Inexpensive River Falls movie tickets were obtained by Todd Henshaw for those interested, starting another tradition. Tony Anthonisen organized the sag wagons and ham radio operators. Eric Kuno marked the routes well. Both days were plenty humid.

1996: WOW changed to June – previously the earliest it had ever started was July 31. I can’t remember the reasons, probably scheduling concerns. All riders received the new map clip. President Dona Devine wrote, “The hills were very challenging but I wouldn’t change any of it! The scenery was just wonderful.”

Sat had four routes, including the first WOW century since Northfield. All routes led to Ellsworth. From there, the 73-miler wound up and down seemingly nonstop hills to Maiden Rock and back in the scenic Rush River Valley, with a beautiful rest stop on the Mississippi. This gave the longest routes the first WOW look at a hill that would become truly infamous in years to come – near the tiny town of Esdaile. Yes, some of us were walking part of it. A number of bikers did the century, which passed through Plum City and even Exile.

The Ellsworth rest stop had to be resupplied three times with food set aside for Sunday. Not a problem, though, because steady rain arrived by Sun breakfast. Most of the bikers stalled around for awhile before deciding not to ride at all, helped by Jeff Johnson’s bleak forecast and radar report – which turned out to be pretty accurate, naturally. “About 25 web-footed bikers set off for Baldwin and Centerville on Sunday.” Jan Wagner was the only rider to do all 74 miles, and Laurie Dinneen rode 49. Obviously the new WOW format of not doing a point-to-point ride saved us on a day like this.

1997: “Some old favorites, some new surprises….. run by cyclists for the enjoyment of other cyclists.” Riders, including day trippers, rose to 260. Over $400 in prizes and gift certificates was given away. About 80 people rode the century Sat, and 17 did the 104 miles Sun. “A couple of riders had heat exhaustion, and a few had mechanical breakdowns…. The pain of the uphills was rewarded by the rush of the downhills.” Laurie Dinneen reported 58 mph descending into Elmwood.

Sat’s routes went east, with the longest reaching Menomonie, and most routes going through Spring Valley. The Sun routes were similar to the year before, through Ellsworth to Maiden Rock – but this time we went DOWN the Esdaile monster hill. Never mind, there was equal climbing going the other way overall.

Mary Wingfield retired from being chair after this event. She recapped the past four years and especially thanked volunteers Pete May, Leroy Schweich, Milo Gustafson, Hank and Mary Kaszynski, Vi Londroche, Tom Devine, Larry Miller, Doug Nelson, Betsy Phillips, and finally Dave Erick, the “all-around can-do guy.”

1998: New wrinkles – Friday night prize drawing, and massage therapists available for a fee on Sat! Dave Erick was the new chair. Routes were about the same as the previous year. There was some rain Sat morning and the Handy Andy Park in Spring Valley was a great place to take refuge and eat a lot, with wonderful volunteers like LeAnn Plinske, Kathy Dukinfield, and others. Not much was written. “Never have I experienced caring and dedicated volunteers like those on WOW 1998” said Wilbur Thomas.

OVERALL: WOW had now visited River Falls eight straight years and 10 years total. Three years (of our 24 total) had over 300 riders, with the largest ever being 391 in 1991 at River Falls. The past six years were very consistent, between 200-260 riders. Seven WOW days (out of 48 Sat + Sun) have topped 90 degrees – none since 1992. In the May or June issue: the years 1999-2004.

- by Doug Nelson

1993: July 31 – Aug 1. Woodbury High School to University of Wisconsin – River Falls. 260 riders. 48/94 miles Sat, 52/88 miles Sun. Temperature highs were 79 and 79 degrees, with plenty of rain Sat.

1994: August 12-14. Starting and ending at River Falls. 220 riders. 28/46/75 miles on Sat, and 42/60 miles Sun. Temps were 74 and 72 and it was dry.

1995: August 11-13. River Falls. 215 riders. 36/63/82 miles Sat, 34/69 miles Sun. Temps were 87 and 88 with rain both evenings.

1996: June 21-23. River Falls. 210 riders. 33/56/73/115 miles Sat, 38/49/74 miles Sun. Sat was 88 and dry, Sun was 77 with steady rain in the morning.

1997: June 20-22. River Falls. 260 riders. 38/64/79/101 miles Sat, 35/61/79/104 miles Sun. Temps were 86 and 87, with light rain Sun.

1998: June 19-21. River Falls. 200 riders. 38/64/79/101 miles Sat, 33/56/73 miles Sun. 79 degrees and some rain Saturday, 79 and dry Sun.

TCBC Contacts

ACTIVITY NEWS is published by the Twin Cities Bicycling Club, formed in 1993.
Mail and checks should be sent to TCBC, PO Box 131086, Roseville, MN 55113.

TCBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT: Mike Beadles
VICE-PRESIDENT: Dave Swaab
SECRETARY: Charles Breer
Mary Derks
Lisa Austin
Pete Hawkins
Katie Angle
Scott Larson
Paul Huntington

OTHER TCBC POSITIONS

TREASURER: Tony Stifter
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Kristine Poelzer
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR: David Erick
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Doug Nelson
SCHEDULE COORDINATOR: Jim Pederson
WEBMASTER: Phil Doi
RIDE STATISTICS: Julie Timm
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Stephan Kieu

Contact ACTIVITY NEWS Editor: Doug Nelson if you have information at 2800 Hamline, #208, Roseville, MN 55113. (651-639-9917) tcbcdoug@mtn.org  Deadlines will usually be during the first week of the month for the next month's issue.

To submit items for the Activities Schedule, send e-mail to Jim Pederson: schedule@biketcbc.org

| Home | Schedule | News | Contact Us | Join Us! |