Fun Fun Fun

This is a totally fun, totally unofficial ride. Some of you may remember last year's 5x55 Ride on the Musketawa Trail. This is year is even better. A better trail, the White Pine from Comstock Park to Sand Lake; more bars, the 6; and fewer miles, the 46.
The date of this auspicious event in August 8. Start time is 11:00 a.m. from behind Vitale's in Comstock Park. Highlights will include the Corner Bar in Rockford, The Cedar Pub in Cedar Springs and the Sand Bar in Sand Lake; plus three additional establishments.
Join us to ride or just hang out. Mark the date in your calendar, more details coming soon.

Post Ride Report: 7/12

More than once in the last few days, I heard or read someone mentioning how incredibly awesome our team ride on Sunday from Mike & Lin’s house was….Now, even in crummy weather and with lots of flats and all that sort of stuff this group tends to have a great time. But there was something special about Sunday….it was probably a perfect mix of a whole bunch of factors—glorious weather, delicious food (I think I can still taste the garlic from MC’s salsa…YUMMMMMM), a few laughs, and a whole slew of cyclists riding their hearts out. Seems like people really took to the idea of riding with whom it makes sense to ride with—practicing for what Ride Day is really like. Simple concept that seems to be sticking. Let’s keep it up, eh?

Roll Call…team members and tons of Special Guest Stars (SGSs)!

Brad Spooner
SGS Chris “Route Meister” Davison
Kathy Hesch
SGS Carmen “I can’t stay but my brownies will” Hannah
Tom Scheidel
Heather & Brian
SGS Mike – friend of BJB
Maggie DeBoer
SGS’s Rhonda and Jake and Stacy
Tom Miller
Karen Kindel
SGS Jen – teaching stuff to MC about bikes!
Chris Radford
Dawn Andersen
Nathen Kooi
John “I’m really important. There’s a kid named after me now” Jasker
Cathy P to the T
Chris Machuta
SGS’s Don & Linda Milanowski
Brenda Baushke
Rick Blackmar
Linda Thompson-Poeder
Lynne Gallagher
Ken Thorne
Nick Murphy
Kevin “I’ll captain that tandem” Carnes
SGS Dawn “Stop picking on me before the ride even starts” Riccomini
Cindy Aley
did the Map Man
Nic
Host and Hostess with the Mosterest: MC & Lin

See you many of you on Saturday for the Holland Hundred, and again just under two weeks for the Great Northern Ride and Salsa-Off (e-mail to come with details)!

One more reminder Killington bus riders....got your passport/passport card all set?

Allez! Allez!

(Hey everybody, here's an announcement that I wrote about my upcoming Tour de France viewing party. I'd love to see a lot of you there. The ride is optional, and it's kid friendly)

Tour de France viewing party benefits diabetes research

SAUGATUCK, Mich. — Cycling's Tour de France is one of the most mythic sporting events of all time, and with seven-time champion Lance Armstrong seeking to return to glory after four years of retirement, the excitement level is even higher. West Michigan cycling fans will have a chance to celebrate the Tour's storied final stage while supporting the fight against type 1 diabetes.

On JULY 26 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Spectators Bar and Grill in Saugatuck will host a benefit viewing party of the Tour de France's stage 21, which ends on the Champs-Elysees, with proceeds to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's West Michigan cycling team. The breakfast buffet costs $8, with a portion of each benefiting the JDRF team. Spectators is located at 6432 Blue Star Hwy in Saugatuck. For more information, call (269) 857-5001.

Spectators owner and chef Clare Ray said the restaurant is happy to host the event. "I've been a fan of the Tour de France since Greg LeMond was the first American to win back in the '80s," Ray said. "This gives us a chance to not only celebrate cycling, but to help JDRF in its quest for a cure for type one diabetes."

This year, some 58 riders are raising funds to participate in hundred-mile events in Killington Vt. or Death Valley, Calif. Since 2005, the West Michigan JDRF ride team has raised some $778,000 for the charity, and this year so far has raised nearly $100,000 more. Team member and event organizer Brian J. Bowe said the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes program is physically challenging, but also rewarding. "The team is filled with dedicated people who are focused on helping find a cure for diabetes, all while reaping the amazing physical benefits of spending lots of time on the bike," he said. "

Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating, often deadly disease that affects millions of people — a large and growing percentage of them children. Insulin keeps people with type 1 diabetes alive, but it's not a cure. Along with the challenges of living with diabetes, there are many severe and/or fatal complications caused by the disease. Thanks to advanced research, a cure for type 1 diabetes is within reach. The JDRF funding and its leadership is associated with most major scientific breakthroughs in diabetes research. JDRF funds a major portion of all type 1 diabetes research worldwide, more than any other charity.

Note: A an optional pre-breakfast road bike ride will leave from Velo City Cycles, 77 E 8th Street in Holland, at 7:30 a.m.

http://spectatorsrestaurant.com/

Road ID Tour de France Challenge

That's right...all you have to do is predict who will win the next Stage of the Tour de France for your chance to win $1000 and a Free Road ID. $250 will be awarded directly to you and $750 will be donated, in your name, to the charity you choose below. It's that easy.

http://www.roadid.com/TDF

(note, there was no winner yesterday., so... : No Winner today. Prize $ Rolls to Stage 6...$2000 prize ($500 for you $1500 for charity)

Hey - while you are there, be sure to order a RoadID. JDRF highly recommends them and if you use this coupon code - you'll get 20% off: PC49951JDRF

Sunday Ride @ Casa de Clark

Just a reminder about our upcoming team ride, this Sunday at Casa de Coach Clark in Holland. Roll out is at 10:00 am, and the fajita bash will follow afterward. 60ish and 45ish mile options will be available. This will be a great opportunity to work on that riding-with-who-you'll-ride-with stuff, paceline practice, etc. that was mentioned in a recent team e-mail too.

A map to the house was included in that last team e-mail. Contact MC or Nicole if you need directions.

See you there!

No caption required. Check out other Sonoma Pics and get rev'd up for the ride in VT.

The XS is here!

First off, thanks to XS Energy Drinks for once again sponsoring the West Michigan Ride Team. Their participation has helped us raise over $8,000 over the last four years. This year XS has again donated a pallet load of energy drinks. That's 224 cases. We don't have room at our house for that much product, so let us know soon how much you would like. Remember, you can drink it yourself or sell it as a fundraiser. Either way all the money goes directly to your ride account.
There are lots of great flavors, including:
Cran-Grape, Tropical, Citrus, Cherry, Lemon, Cola, Black Cherry Cola, TeaBerry, Peach Tea, New Wild Berry, and Caffeine-free Root Beer.
For more info or to schedule a pick up time contact Tom or Mary.