New National Head Coach... guess who!?

as seen in the Ride to Cure March Training Times....

Please join us in congratulating Mike Clark as he joins Tim St. Clair as Co-head coach for the Ride to Cure Diabetes. For the past several years Tim St. Clair has served as the sole National Head Ride Coach for the Ride to Cure Diabetes. Tim has tirelessly helped coordinate all aspects of the coaching program including training programs, coaching recruitment and his fantastic support of riders on-site at each ride. As the Ride program grows the responsibilities have also grown, and with Tim’s support we are proud to announce a second National Coach to the program: Mike
Clark.

Mike Clark is a familiar name to the Ride to Cure Diabetes and is known for his efforts as the coach for the West Michigan Chapter team, one of the largest ride teams in the country. Additionally, Mike is also known for his efforts in supplying mechanical support for the Ride. As the owner of bike shops in Michigan, Mike is "all about" growth of the Ride program. On a chapter level, he has tirelessly promoted the Ride - his chapter's ride team has grown like few others and he even volunteers at his local chapter once a week, stuffing envelopes, organizing, and doing whatever is needed to make his ride team successful. Mike has ridden as his chapter's coach for five years, he rode as the Head Coach in Asheville last year, operated the "bike room" for several Rides, driven a SAG wagon at multiple Rides, and last year and again this year he has joined Tim St. Clair on conference calls throughout the year with new Riders and Coaches. In 2008, he was at all five Rides in one capacity or another.

By joining Tim St. Clair as a National Coach, Mike will provide more communication with potential Riders, more communication with prospective Coaches, and more communication with veteran Coaches. Congratulations Mike Clark and thank you for your years of dedicated service to the Ride and JDRF!

World Premiere

After almost a year in production the end is in sight. We are pleased to announce the World Premiere of of the film "More Than 100 Miles: Riding to Cure Diabetes". This exciting event will take place on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at Celebration Cinemas North in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We are planning on a 7:00 p.m. start time, with an after-party to be announced later. Tickets will be available in advance and at the door. Ticket prices and other surprises will be announced soon, but don't worry, it will be a cheap date. Tuxes and evening gowns are optional.

Our coaches

This photo of Mike and Nicole before the Grand Rapids Bicycle Film Festival should instill confidence in all the new riders.

Team Type 1

Here is a pretty cool video of Team Type 1 and Phil Southerland. He is racing in the Tour of California Feb. 14- 22.

http://www.voxpopfilms.tv/oneshot/

Film Festival Update

The trailer for the ride documentary "More Than 100 Miles" will be the first film shown at the Grand Rapids Bicycle Film Festival on Saturday at the Wealthy Theatre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films start 7:30 p.m. That means don't be late, it's only 4 and a half minutes long.

Another Cool Thing!

So...this is a heads-up for anyone out there w/ kids 'tween the ages of 4-14 or so. (Or anyone that has kids that age to buy gifts for - ever!)

My friend and riding buddy Aaron VanderWege is an entertainer and that's his audience. He performs all over the area under the moniker of "Dilly Songs" and he's offered to give 100% of the proceeds of the sales (at our shop) of either of his CD's to JDRF!

Heres' the scoop: Stop in at the shop and pick up one or more copies of "Picklehead" or "Bicycles, Monkeys and the Occasional Cat" and you just got your kids a cool buncha songs and did a little bit more to find a cure.

How cool is that?

(A couple of the cuts on "Bicycles, etc" feature guitar by someone you might know)

Help us get the word out, huh? (He's workin' on a press release - we just got this set up last night)

More about Aaron @ dillysongs.com

Ride on!
MC

Grand Rapids Press on 1/31/09

Reading the Grand Rapids Press this morning... and Steve says: "Um, wow, look at that". A HUGE picture of the JDRF West Michigan Chapter ride team in Death Valley on the top half of the Outdoor section.

The trailer for the documentary, "More than 100 Miles: Riding to Cure Diabetes", by Tom Scheidel will be shown at the Bicycle Film Festival that is the feature of the article.

Tom is quoted in the article as well. Nice work on getting JDRF Ride to Cure some press coverage! http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2009/01/grand_rapids_film_festival_to.html

Hopefully you all can attend the event:

BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL

Where: Wealthy Theater, 1130 Wealthy St. SE

When: Feb. 7

Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m., films begin at 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $20 for adults 21 and older (includes two beverages); $15 for those younger than 21; free for ages 15 and younger