Last Ride in August

Riders,

We're going to ride again this weekend... over the past several weeks, due to various training plans dictating distance, intensity and discipline, the SVR departures have been like an airport... some "flights" were held in a holding pattern, riding around the perimeter of the New Spring parking lot until there was enough daylight to take to the roads.... others were loading cargo of GU, Bars, and Endurolytes and checking equipment until daylight, others waited until the appointed hour of 0700 to show... still others, of the main group had a "wheels up" time of 0800. So, for this weekend, we'll continue the mass departure time of 0800.... of note, some riders may taxi around burning fuel and checking equipment until the appointed hour.... kinda like "touch and go" at the landing strip.

So, join the SVR this Saturday for a ride of 45 +/- miles... we leave from the New Spring Parking lot... give a shout if you're new to the group...

Now, a brief report about last weekend... PETA Vick became a member of the C club... he logged his FIRST (but not his LAST) 100 miler on the bike... it was good to have another rider to complete the full monty.... if he just wasn't such a magnet... an ANIMAL magnet... one dog, one squirrel, and one cat flirted with him.... what's next??? ride with him on Saturday, and you'll be sure to find out!!! AND, Bullet Bob almost got an honorary membership to the local chapter run by Vick...

And I hear that last week, we welcomed back another international traveler... who spent 1 week in England followed by 2 weeks in France seeing family... too bad he just missed the TdF!!!

Just think, there's only 2 century rides left... for DiveBomb and me...as well as a few others.... that will be cause for the first hallelujah chorus!!!

and if you're keeping up with "it"... the fat lady sings the finale in 71 days... and she's warming up in the wings!!!

The Announcer

C squared

Riders,

Let's just cut to the chase, we’re riding this weekend. Mass start from the parking lot of New Spring Church at 0800. A small group may start at 6:30am to get a few miles… they may or may not return to the start… if you're new to the group, give a shout out to the veterans... you'll know who they are... they're the ones telling riding stories of "how much they hurt on the last ride".. note to you old timers... be on the lookout for Jamey... he joined us on the TNR and he's new the group.... I told him about the SVR...

For some riders, this weekend’s mission is to join the C-Squared group... where C = century and squared is X 2.. (NOTE: I know squaring a number is not multiplying by two),... but C-Squared sounds better than CX2... don't you think???

See ya on the road
The Announcer

Saturday Ride

Riders,

Who's BAD ride is that??? from what I understand, a retired SVR is spinning himself back into shape... the scenery doesn't change... but the calorie burn for cheese and MD-RED is awesome!!!

We’re looking for a few good riders… some riders who want some miles… about 45 to 50 miles of county roads…. I know I’ll be ready to ride and want some…

So, join us for the SVR this Saturday at the parking lot of New Spring… wheels roll at 8’ish (notice… I didn’t even say 0800… I’ve caved in to ride creep… which is when the start time keeps drifting past the appointed hour… sad…but true... we're only human.)

I have a small work related obligation that will prevent me from getting early miles…. But, some of you may be inclined to gather up a few miles on your way to a mega ride!!!!

The mission is to keep the cranks turning… that means very abbreviated breaks at the gathering points… and I’ll do that by pacing myself…. and pacing is not RED-LINING it during the sprint zones at Macs!!! So, check your equipment and gear… bring fluids, some packaged energy and an attitude to ride safely....

If you're missing from all this fun... we'll think you're doing one of the following... racing in Elberton.... we know Vick is!!!! or preparing for the BIG G'ville TRI on Sunday... and we know many Andersonians are doing that... or maybe you're on that last week of the Swiss vaca.... or maybe you're enjoying the last Saturday before school starts with the family...

Here's a shout out to CR1 Shuey... out in Houston, Texas.. showing that cancer just WHO's THE BOSS!!!!!!

The Announcer

Sharing the road

Folks, we're our own worst enemies.

In cities and towns all over the country local law enforcement is cracking down on cyclists and road rage incidents between motorists and cyclist are on the rise. An off-duty fireman shot a cyclist in the head in Asheville last week. Wars of words between cyclists and motorists in various parts of Greenville have led to a police crackdown ... AGAINST THE CYCLISTS! Some suburbs around Atlanta are trying to ban cyclists from certain roads ... or altogether. If you're not aware of how this activity has dramatically escalated in the last year, then you're not paying attention.

One factor cited repeatedly is the disregard cyclist show for the rules of the road -- running stop signs, etc. That's a big part of it. But the bigger part is the simple disregard for common courtesy. We expect motorists to share the roads, but then we don't do it ourselves.

I know many of you think I'm anti-social because of the way I ride off from the group on Tuesdays and Saturdays when I drive up from Calhoun Falls. I'm a bit of a lone wolf. But more than that, in the face of the growing tide of negative sentiment towards cyclists, I'm growing more tired of the bad behavior of cyclists as a group. Case in point. Last Saturday, as we were riding down the road that heads into LaFrance, I was at the rear of the group (believe it or not) and a car approached from behind. Another rider noticed it first and yelled "car back." Nobody but me did anything and I immediately fell in behind Jonathan Storie who I'd been chatting with. NOBODY else did a thing. It pissed me off. I'm sure it pissed the driver off. There's no excuse for it. I know many of you heard it and you did nothing. If you didn't hear it, I made sure you heard it the next time. Sorry Jonathan (he got an earful of it).

WHEN SOMEONE YELLS "CAR BACK," it means SHOW A LITTLE COMMON COURTESY, STOP YOUR CONVERSATION FOR TEN SECONDS AND GET SINGLE FILE!

This is not a problem with new riders more than with the old farts who've been around a while. It's riders from all camps who are guilty and it has to stop. We have a right to the road, but it's no higher right. Sharing the road is a two-way street. We can't demand courtesy from drivers if we don't treat them courteously and, until I got angry, NOBODY was being courteous to the driver in the incident on Saturday. There's no good excuse for it. It was bad behavior and I wouldn't blame the driver one second if they got upset about it.

I hope Mike the Announcer makes this mandatory reading. The driver you piss off may go off on the next cyclist he/she sees and that next cyclist might be me.

(I often close these kinds of messages by saying, "do what I say and not what I do." That isn't necessary in this particular case. I will run a stop sign if there isn't another car there. If there IS, I'm stopping -- or at least slowing until the driver and I have made eye contact and we each know what the other intends to do. And if I'm aware of a car behind, I WILL be as far to the right as I can safely ride. If you see me behaving otherwise, it's because I'm truly not aware there's traffic behind. )

Bob Chambers
Psycholist

Ride for 8-8-09

Riders,

We have an announcement… last Saturday, Dive Bomb Dillard officially joined the C-club… aka Century Club… and we had a few others report LONG rides… Mr. NameSake had 105 (and that’s NOT a radio station!) and TT-Bob and Ryno logged 87 miles. And High Heels racked up a PR of ~52 miles… We had a few bricks reported… Scott B reports a sum total of 50 miles… (48 bike miles immediately followed by 2 miles on foot!!!) and Ryno added 2 bi-pedal miles after riding… I’m sure there were others out there on the road… ticking off the miles according to whatever training plan you’re following… (if you have one!!!)

Of note, the next long ride is in 2 weeks… in the mean time, we’ll just need to keep the legs moving.

This Saturday will be another day to ride… the main group meets at the parking lot of New Spring church for a rollout time of 0800… there are several riders who’ll start at 6:30am for additional miles… there’s no guarantee that the early riders will circle back to for the mass start… due to family obligations, I will not attend the mass start… however, I will make every effort for the rise and shine time of 5:30am (need at least 1 hour before I get my motor cranked!!!) for the early ride for about 1.5 to 2 hours…. What we do to just to get some miles!!!

So, if you not vacationing in the Swiss Alps... etc.. join us for more fun that is illegally allowed...

Note, on SlowTwitch, they say it didn't happen unless you have pics... I'm going to attempt to post some proof!!!!

The Announcer

NOW, a serious note... this email describes our mission to gain a few miles.. and have some fun... but, for one of our own, Scott Shuey, his mission is to whip the cancer that has invaded his body.... his fight is taking on a new meaning as he's been admitted to MD Anderson for some high dose chemo to get ready for a stem cell transplant... his blog is posted below... give it a read and then offer a prayer for him, Kim and the girls.. and his mom and dad who are there with him... SO, here's an SVR SHOUT OUT to SCOTT... it's GO TIME my friend!!!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/scottstrong

C- Club Renewal and New Member

FWIW,

Rocketman Russ told us it was time to put some hay in the barn... so, that's what we did... Mr. NameSake asked us "just what were you thinking when you signed up?"... so, it was time to get to it....

So, yesterday, I renewed my membership in the C-club... and Dive Bomb Dillard completed his application for full membership and joined the club... We logged 100.2 miles followed by a transition run of ~1 mile...

There were others out for a Ben Franklin Ride was well.... I'll get some high mileage reports and post them here!!!

It's been reported Mr. NameSake logged 105 miles and Ryno and TT-Bob racked up 87 miles.... nice job guys!