A VERY “TACKLESS” RIDE!

BIG TEN CONFERENCE RULES!

WOLF KING RIEGNS!

INJURY UPDATE AND MORE SAFETY INFORMATION!


Belo News
August 20, 2011

Galesburg, Mi. – On one of the most beautiful mornings of the season, our intrepid hero headed out to Galesburg, excited about College Game Day! The cool air, after a pretty warm summer, invigorated our hero as he launched from the Cove. Sharkman reported seeing four bucks on the way to the start, possibly indicating an early Fall?

Riders slowly trickled into the start for the ride. It was College Game Day and the Big 10 Conference was well represented with one jersey from Wisconsin (Sharkman), MSU (Skipper), Purdue (Ironman), Ohio State (Stryker Guy and with Ohio State on suspension they may not get “officially” recorded) and later, Illinois when the Wolf King jumped on.

What, no University of Michigan? No, the Wolverines were shut out at College Game Day for the first time. Though no one school took the title, the Big 10 seemed to take the crown.

Don’t worry Shark Minions; there will be another College Game Day later this fall.

Skipper led the Nation out of the parking lot and past the Klutch where the morning group all waved at their hero’s as they rode by.

No Gazelle Girl this week, or should we say, “Party Girl” who was sleeping in because she was hosting, yes you guessed it, a party and needed to get the Gazelle Estate ready. We need to get the Mighty Minion Nation on Party Girls invitation list! This lady knows how to PARTY!

Flash Gordon and Squeaky were quick to take the pace out and fought it out for the Sharkman Honorary Sprint with the Sharkman taking it easy at the back of the peloton.

Riders jumped on and the count hit a high of 17 in the early part of the ride. A number of riders were already getting involved in kids’ sports and some where up in Grand Rapids for the National Crit Championships.

As the riders reached the top of the col de Twin Lakes, Skipper had a mechanical and Sharkman and All Black went back to look for him. When they got back to the Rt. 89 crossing, the Mighty Nation had left their leader behind so the three lost Minions took the cut off and got ahead of the Nation at the Country Club. Unbeknownst to our intrepid hero, somewhere along the path a large number of riders had joined on and as the Sharkman, All Black and Skipper waited at the top of the short hill up to Rt. 43 the peloton looked huge.

At the top of the col de Norte, the Nation circled up (see safety information below) as they waited for a Minion to climb the hill. When the rider got to the top of the hill, the Sharkman did not know who the rider was and it was only then did he realize the additional 7-8 riders were on board.

A spirited pace took control of the peloton as they approached the Bible Conference Hills. The previous “tack” incident was fresh in everyone’s memory and questions about whether there would be any tacks to greet them abounded. We are pleased to report no tacks on the road!

As the Nation stopped at Frona’s to regroup, the extra riders thanked the Minions and dropped off the ride.

As the Nation moved south to the GGG crossing, the pace line organized and the speed picked up considerably. Sharkman made a run from the back of the peloton for the GGG sprint, but Ironman nipped him at the line.

After the GGG crossing, Sharkman went to the front, again missing both Hossman and the Tow Truck to spread out the peloton. Soon, Squeaky came forward and then Toast made a very strong pull to try to string out the field.

As the peloton crested the final hill, Wolf King latched on to Squeaky’s wheel, as a cast of thousands followed in wait of the final sprint.

That is when Flash Gordon made his move to the front and picking up a bunch of speed from the back, he began to pick off riders like a cherry picker run crazy!

Wolf King was forced to make a move a bit earlier than he likes, with Ironman right behind him. As Flash Gordon and Wolf King drilled to the finish, Wolf King was able to hold of the surging peloton to take the tape by a fraction over Flash and Ironman.

The crowds went wild on the Champs le Galesburg as our hero’s approached the Klutch for their morning brew.

From Wolf King’s iPhone app;

Your Performance on the trip started on: Aug 20, 2011 8:13 AM

Trip time: 01:09:02

Trip distance: 36.6 km
Trip calories: 1003 kcal
Average speed: 31.9 km/h
Maximum speed: 182.5 km/h
Climbed altitude: 93 m

Only problem is Wolf King does everything in meters! He also needs to turn the thing off in the car. 182.5 km/h max speed? We don’t think so!

INJURY UPDATE!

After the festivities, the Old Shark mounted up to head back to the cove and Wolf King joined on to get a few extra miles in. As they headed out of town, a white Chevy pulled along side and it was none other than Hawkeye! He had wanted to make it for Koffee but had been held up on an errand but Sharkman reported that he was looking good and though he said he was tired, he was fighting the good fight. Hawkeye reports that he has finished with the major treatment but now has to give himself a shot three times a week that does tire him out. But again, he was looking good and wanted to thank all the Minions for their thoughts and prayers!

On another injury note, our own Tow Truck took a header out at Fort Custer, injuring his rotor cuff and had to have surgery on his shoulder. Unfortunately he will be out for the remainder of the season!

Who is going to tow the Mighty Minion Nation to the finish every week?!

Our well wishes go out to the Tow Truck of the peloton! Get well soon and get back in the Nation!

You won’t want to miss this week’s edition of the KK-TdG!

Saturday, August 27, 2011 – Launch Time – 8:00 A. M. – SHARP!

TEAM BISSELL RULES AT NATIONAL CRIT CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Belo News
August 20, 2011

Grand Rapids, Mi. – Bissell Boy, checking in from the National Crit Championships in Grand Rapids reported that Bissell Team rookie, Eric Young, won Stars and Stripes Jersey! Young is a recent IU grad and is the defending Little 500 Champion! Congratulations Eric Young and on College Game Day to boot! Is this a great country or what?


TUESDAY NIGHT RIDE REPORT

Belo News
August 23, 2011

Battle Creek, Mi. – The Mighty Minion Nation was able to get the Tuesday night ride in between rain storms and in so doing, shattered the season speed record with a 20.9 mph average. Airman, Stingray, Wrong Way, Rainman, Hoosier Boy and our intrepid hero, the Sharkman headed out from the Kellogg HQ Visitor Lot with an east tail wind. Half way through the ride, Danny jumped on as Hoosier Boy, who had positioned his bike at the Galesburg/Augusta High School, jumped off. By the time the group headed back east, the wind had tied down a bit and the fast moving train was able to keep the pace up through the remainder of the ride.

If you’re looking for a great work out and some pace line experience, this is the ride for you! Launch time 6:00 p.m. Tuesday Nights from the Kellogg Visitor Lot!

Editors Note – Bissell Boys write up on safety a couple of weeks ago brought a number of great comments about the importance of safety in the peloton.

As a follow up, Gazelle Girl shared the attached from the Kalamazoo Bike Club Newsletter.

BTW – Sharkman is a member of KBC, as are many Minions, and completely endorses membership. The KBC is your voice on biking in the area and the $15 a year dues is a minor cost compared to all that the KBC does for the bike community!

[KBC-general] Reporting Road Rage and Accidents


On August 10, 2011, the Kalamazoo County Road Commission hosted a presentation on Traffic Laws by Sgt. James Campbell, an expert in Traffic Crash Reconstruction with the Michigan State Police. I followed up with Sgt. Campbell. His well thought-out answers to my questions may be important to some of you, so I am releasing them immediately. You never know whether his information might come in handy sooner, rather than later.

Q: What should a bicyclist do, if a motorist causes a bicyclist to be injured by their actions, such as in an accident, or through an act we might call "road rage?"

A: If there is an actual crash and some one is injured there needs to be a report per MVC 257.617 (stop and ID and report). If there is no contact but the vehicle causes a crash with injury the same applies and the vehicle is still required to report. This vehicle would be listed as a "non-contact" unit on the report.

Q: What if no actual injury occurs, but a bicyclist believes the motorist engaged in a deliberate act that otherwise could have hurt someone?

A: If the vehicle violates a traffic law that is not seen by a police officer - in your case it most likely would have to be "careless" 257.626b (likely to endanger person or property). The citation would have to be written with a "witness" as the complainant and that person would have to come to court and testify.

Q: In the case of such careless driving (or "road rage"), what would be required in order to make a complaint with some hope of justice? Does it help if more than just one rider saw what happened?

A: A careless ticket is written to a driver (not owner) so there would need to be some ability to identify the suspected driver.The citation would require - time / date / location / vehicle information (plate, color, make and model) and a way to identify the driver. Witnesses always help because in court it will be you vs. them.

Q: When should a report be filed?

A: The complaint should be made ASAP so that if the vehicle can be located if possible.This information is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the counsel of an attorney or any other professional whose service may be required in the situations discussed above.

Thanks to Sgt. Campbell for the time and thought he put into helping our membership.

Paul Selden

Director of Road Safety, KBC

And the following was sent in from Bissell Boy.

Tacks, glass found along Colorado bike race routes

By STEVEN K. PAULSON - Associated Press AP – Wed, Aug 17, 2011

DENVER (AP) — Colorado authorities are warning cyclists that tacks, box cutters and broken glass have been found strewn along popular bike routes that are part of course plans for major races next week — including the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

The objects are being purposely placed on trails and roads, Jefferson County sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said Tuesday.

"We've had five or six incidents where things were put along popular bicycle roads," Kelley said. She said the incidents have caused several flat tires but no injuries.

The 100-mile Deer Creek Challenge, which takes place in a canyon south of Denver that is one of the most widely-used riding routes in the area, is scheduled for Sunday.

And a day later, elite cyclists from around the world will begin competing in the weeklong, 510-mile Pro Cycling Challenge, which culminates in a final stage that takes riders from Golden's Lookout Mountain in Jefferson County into downtown Denver.

Crews will be sweeping the roads before the races, Kelley said.

She said authorities found broken glass that "appears to have been purposely placed on the shoulder" of Lookout Mountain Road — a scenic, winding site that figures to be one of the more challenging climbs of the professional race.

Kelley said there has been a history of tension between motorists and bicyclists, especially in Deer Creek, where box cutters were found. She said a meeting was held last year between riders and the homeowners association in an effort to negotiate a truce.

Dan Grunig, the executive director of Bicycle Colorado, said bikes sometimes outnumber cars on the shoulderless roadway in the area, causing congestion.

A WORD FROM THE SHARKMAN HIS SELF!

There has been a lot of discussion about safety on the rides and I want to emphasis how important it is for each of us as riders, to make sure we are not causing the dangers that we worry about. I have noticed that we have gotten just a bit careless at some of the intersections and especially at the top of the col de Norte as we wait for riders. Circling in the road in front of cars; riding in the wrong direction on the road; crossing the yellow lines, etc. are all things that are not only dangerous for us, but also cause major issues with drivers.

We need to make sure we stick to the side of the road and have no more than two abreast unless we are passing and the road is clear.

More importantly, if we have a driver who does get upset and cuts riders off or shouts at the peloton, Minions should take the high road and ignore them completely or even apologize for their errant behavior even if they are in the right.

Flipping a driver off or yelling back at them is completely counter productive and only makes the situation worse.

We want goodwill around the KK-TdG field of dreams and it is important for all Minions to be safe, courteous and every vigilant!

Remember - "in conflict, be fair and generous!" - Lao Tzu

Be safe out there Bunkie!

Nough said!