Tuesday, February 21, 2012

END OF WINTER PARTY THIS FRIDAY!


SPECIAL GUEST CHRIS CARMICHAEL!


ZICKMAN ON A YELLOW BIKE?


NO ICE, NO POLE 2 POLE! SORRY BUNKIE.....


Belo News

February 18, 2012

Battle Creek, Mi. – As we have been saying for the past few weeks, an annual tradition in the world of cycling is the Team Active End of Winter Party at their store in Battle Creek. This annual event has become famous both as a great show of new gear and a celebration that cycling season is right around the corner. However, the other thing the party is famous for are the Celebrity Guests!


You won’t want to miss this year’s edition, as anyone who is anyone in local cycling will be in attendance.


In addition to our intrepid hero, the Sharkman, the special celebrity guest this year is none other than Chris Carmichael!


Carmichael owns and runs Carmichael Training Systems, an on line training program available to all athletes.


Everyone knows that Carmichael has been the personal coach for seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong as well as George Hincapie, ice-hockey player Saku Koivu and swimmer Ed Moses. Wikipedia reports that athletes under his tutelage have reportedly won a combined total of 33 medals in the Olympics, World Championships, and Pan American Games. In 1997, he joined the Union cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body for cycling headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland as the Olympic Solidarity Coaching Instructor. He is a regular contributor to both Bicycling and Velo Magazines.


But that's not all!


Carmichael is also a former competitive cyclist and member of the U.S. National Cycling Team (1978–1984) and competed in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and was a member of the first U.S. cycling team to compete in the Tour de France, the famous 7-Eleven Cycling Team in 1986.
As a matter of fact, our intrepid hero, the Sharkman had the opportunity to meet Carmichael at his CTS Headquarters in Colorado Springs some years ago and he was so kind, he gave the Sharkman his Olympic Team wind jacket which the Sharkman has proudly hung in the Shark Cove!


The festivities kick off at 5 PM and will run until 9 PM. As usual Team Active will have some great deals on all things cycling and will also have food, beer, and wine on hand. The EOW party is a great way to celebrate the upcoming riding season and an awesome opportunity to reconnect with all your riding buddies.


We are hoping to see a good turn out by the Mighty Minion Nation so……


Be There, Bunkie!


ZICKMAN ON A YELLOW BIKE?






OH, THE HUMANITY!

Belo New
February 18, 2012

Ft. Custer, Mi. – Seven mighty Minions showed up for an impromptu romp in the woods this past Saturday, as the weather continues to cooperate for outdoor riding, even though it has not cooperated for the Pole 2 Pole Race. Zickman reports that Gull Lake has no ice on it, making the race impossible without a wet suit. So no Pole 2 Pole race and as all Cub Fans like to say, “wait until next year!”

But nothing stops the Zickster from getting out and having some fun with the Minions. No, not even the embarrassment of riding his wife’s mountain bike. That’s right, the legendary Zickman, veteran of the Iceman and other endurance racing, showed up on Saturday sporting the bright yellow bike, with green tires, you see in the photo above! Sporting a “gel seat cover” Zickman was unrepentant in his wish to ride this bike. Explaining it was his wife’s bike and he wanted to “test ride it” he maintained that was all there was to the story.

However, in yet another in-depth investigative report, the Belo News has learned the real reason the Zickman decided to come out on his wife’s yellow steed.

It appears that this mighty Minion, this legend of the peloton, the Zickman has taken his beloved 29er apart and has not yet figured out how to put it all back together. Oh, yes, it is now clean. However, it just isn’t a bike at the moment.

As our young Minion rider, Wrongway stated, Zickman will now need to do the “walk of shame.” The “walk of shame” happens when a rider needs to take their bike, in a bushel basket, to the bike shop to be re-assembled. Oh, the humanity of it all!

None the less, riding that yellow mountain bike with a gel seat didn’t stop our Zickman from kicking some butt!


Zickman led the Minions with Bissell Boy, Brewman, Yeti Boy, Stingray, Brewman, Wrongway and our intrepid hero, the Sharkman in tow. It was also later learned that even Hossman showed up, but came late and ended up riding the Green Trail solo.

The riders did a lap on the Blue Trail before attacking the Red, where they ripped through the Amusement Park, where Yeti Boy sustained a flat to his rear tire. In what has been described as a tire changing seminar, (or was he trying to regain some respect in the peloton), Zickman took control and changed the tube in record breaking time using only one tire iron! In a fantastic display of mechanical workmanship, Zickman had the tire changed and inflated in record breaking time! Is this a great country or what!

The Minions finished up and prepared for a photo opportunity at the Trail Head. Zickman asked the Belo News reporter, after he was asked to put the yellow bike in the photo, if there was a plan to make fun of him. Zickman now realizes that Belo News need not make fun of him, he has done that himself!

Here at Belo News, like they say at Fox News, “we report it, you decide!”

See everyone at the End of Winter Party!

Be there!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012



MINIONS ROCK AT FT. CUSTER!

SHARKMAN DOES THE ROAD!

Belo News
February 4, 2011

Ft. Custer, Mi. – A few of the Mighty Minion Nation decided to take advantage of the weather this past weekend and headed out to the Fort for some sunshine and single track. Wait, did you say sunshine?

That’s correct, Bunkie! The weekend was unbelievable and the Minions jumped all over it at the Fort, where the trails are in excellent condition and the temps were hovering the lower 40’s. Heck, it was almost shorts weather! How can that be on February 4!

Our intrepid hero was just a tad later than normal in getting to the trail head and as he drove in he saw that Danimal was already warming up on an even bigger Surley than his old Pugsley. Danimal, the trend setter that he is, was riding a new “Moonlander” Surley (http://surlybikes.com/bikes/moonlander) that had even larger tires than his old Pugsley! Oh, the humanity. This thing could even roll over Wolf King after a Doritos induced coma on the side of road (or couch)!

In addition to Danimal, others in attendance were Brewman, Wrongway, Stingray, Chumbly, MC Hammer and another unknown rider who went by the name of Daniel. The Nation was ready to ride!After scenic loop on the Blue, the Mighty Minion Nation decided to hammer it out on the Red when Stringray, about 2/3rds of the way through, experienced a flat rear tire. After getting another tube loaded, he shocked the tire with a shot of CO2 and the tire went flat again. He decided to “walk out” for the third time this season. Stingray has been on a string of “walking out” of the Fort. He has had a chain break and blew out a side wall in previous weeks and expressed his frustration as he was loading his steed into his pick up truck at the Trail Head.

Over all, a great ride and a great way to spend a February Saturday morning!

Actually, it was such a great weekend, our intrepid hero, the Sharkman, got his cyclocross bike out on Sunday and did a 20 miler! He actually complained that he had over dressed for the ride as the temps hit 50 degrees! This can’t be February!




Is there anything better than that first road ride of the season? Especially when it comes on February 3? Is this a great country or what?

REMEMBER, ONLY 7 WEEKS TO OPENING DAY!

END OF WINTER PARTY WITH SPECIAL GUEST, CHRIS CARMICHAEL ON FEBRUARY 24 AT TEAM ACTIVE IN BATTLE CREEK!

POLE 2 POLE RACE – WEATHER PERMITTING, AND IT AIN’T PERMITTING YET!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

ONLY 8 WEEKS UNTIL OPENING DAY!

END OF WINTER PARTY FEBRUARY 24 WITH CHRIS CARMICHAEL!

SPEAKING OF WINTER, WHERE IS IT?

POLE 2 POLE RACE IN JEOPARDY!

A NEW MINION “RAINDROP” IN THE PELOTON?


Belo News
February 1, 2011

Battle Creek, Mi. – We know you have all been waiting for it, so here it is!

Yes, boys and girls, it is time for the Mid-Winter Belo News Update!

And what a lousy mid-winter it has been, eh Bunkie?

Oh, sure, some people like the fact that it has been warmish, with little to no snow, however, since January 7, our intrepid hero, the Sharkman, has not been on the bike outside!

Oh, the humanity! So, what’s wrong with it being warm?

Just enough snow (and slush) to keep our hero off the trails and roads and not enough snow to cross country ski!

Cruel irony, eh?

What does this all mean, you ask?

Well, Belo News will tell you what it means!

It means logging miles and miles on the torture device we have all come to know as, the dreaded indoor trainer!

It also causes one to wonder when the payback will come. Heavy snow and rain for Opening Day? A long, cold and wet Spring? Hey, we’re from Michigan, we know payback is hell! But the Mighty Minion Nation will survive!

If you are riding outside, always remember Rule # 9 from “The Rules” at Velomainati!

Rule #9 – If you are riding outside in bad weather, it means you are a badass! Period!

For more rules see; http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#9

So even if the weather get’s bad, the badass Mighty Minion Nation will ride!

Maybe…

Actually, the Sharkman does have a “state of the art” trainer in the cove basement but he just hates riding indoors when he can be outdoors! He does, however, like kicking Lance Armstrong’s butt in the basement and he does want the mighty Minion Nation to know he has never, ever lost a sprint against Armstrong or any of the European Pro’s in his basement. Yep, completely undefeated down there and a complete “Master of his domain!”

So, with only 8 weeks until Opening Day, we here at Belo News are hoping that everyone is getting their training in.

But we digress. Belo News has a lot of news for the Mighty Minion Nation, so let’s get started……!

END OF WINTER PARTY FEBRUARY 24, 2012!

SPECIAL GUEST CHRIS CARMICHAEL!

FREE WEEKLY SPIN CLASSES!

Belo News
February 1, 2012

Battle Creek, Mi. – An annual tradition in the world of cycling is the Team Active End of Winter Party at their store in Battle Creek. This annual event has become famous both as a great show of new gear and a celebration that cycling season is right around the corner. But the other thing the party is famous for are the Celebrity Guests!

Reporting from our own fellow Minion, Dutch, so here is the scoop:

First: Friday, February 24th is the date for the 19th annual Team Active End of Winter Party. We are especially psyched this year because our special guest will be none other than Chris Carmichael. We are looking forward to our biggest EOW party ever. The event kicks off at 5 PM and will run until 9 PM. As usual we will have some great deals on all things cycling and will also have food, beer, and wine on hand. The EOW party is a great way to celebrate the upcoming riding season and an awesome opportunity to reconnect with all your riding buddies.

Second: Team Active is holding free weekly spinning sessions on Monday and Wednesday evenings here at the shop at 6 PM and also on Tuesdays at 5:30 PM. Participants need to bring their own rollers or trainer, appropriate riding attire, a water bottle and a towel. The weekly sessions will continue through the end of February. Riding with friends is a great way to make indoor riding more tolerable. And let us not forget that the spring riding season is just around the corner; time to charge up those legs and slim the waistline.

Thanks Dutch!





SPEAKING ABOUT PARTIES, WHAT ABOUT THE POLE 2 POLE RACE?



Belo News
February 1, 2012

Gull Lake, Mi. – The second annual “Pole 2 Pole” race that is put on by our own Zickman is in jeopardy this year, as the Lake has not yet frozen. O.K., we are the “Shark Minions” but nobody wants to swim or put on a wet suit this time of year, right? So unless it get’s pretty darn cold, the Pole to Pole Race will be cancelled. Look for another Belo News edition later in February to announce if the Race will go on.

As Zickman mentioned in a recent email, we wouldn’t want to see any drownings as they tend to be real downers no matter how much beer there is…..






NEW “RAINDROP” EXPECTED IN JULY!

Belo News
February 1, 2012

Shark Cove, Mi. – Over the holiday’s, it was revealed that the “second couple” of the Mighty Minion Nation, Rainman and Tardette (the first couple is, of course, Sharkman and Lava Girl) have a little “Raindrop” in their future!

Yes, the Mighty Minion Nation seems pretty fertile these days, as yet another cycling legend (who looks a lot like Andy Shleck) and the famous cycling couple have announced they are expecting a baby sharklet this coming July! There goes Rainman’s training schedule!

Tardette is doing well and all in the Shark Cove are extremely excited at the prospect of yet another sharklet addition to the Nation!

Congratulations to Rainman and Tardette from the Minion Nation!



RAINMAN ON A NEW RIDE?!

Belo News
February 1, 2012

Fort Custer, Mi. – It was not only a special Christmas at the Shark Cove with the announcement of the new “Raindrop” in the neighborhood but also the announcement that Tardette had purchased a new Trek Superfly 29er for the Rainman for Christmas! Whoa, a new carbon fiber 29er for Christmas? You bet! Rainman is seen here standing next to his new steed as he took on Ft. Custer over the Holidays! In her acceptance speech for “Wife of the Year” award, Tardette was quoted as saying, “Is this great country or what?”



BARRY-ROUBAIX, WHO IS IN?

Belo News
February 1, 2012

Battle Creek, Mi. – Don’t forget that Barry-Roubaix is coming up on March 24, 2012. Wrongway wrote in to Belo News that he is signed up for the 62 miler under the team name “Meat Factory!” Whoa Wrongway! Make the Mighty Minion Nation proud and remember to report your results back to Belo News!


RACING INSIDE A STORE? CRAZY!

Belo News
January 9, 2012

Grand Rapids, Mi. – So, what has our other intrepid hero, Brewman been up to? Well check it out at these sites below! This guy, famous for riding mountain, cross, road and swilling beer is just everywhere! Where else can you get in-depth reporting like this? Check these sites out!

First race of 2012. What a fun event. In and out of an old Meijer store.




Check out their facebook:






IS BIKING GOOD FOR YOU?

Belo News
February 1, 2012

Shark Cove, Mi. – So, you’ve been wondering, “are all the miles I ride good for me?” Well, Bunkie, here is some proof that they are, as well as a great blog to check out. Sharkman’s daughter knows this bloggist from her days at Ski Magazine and passed it on to our hero. Enjoy!

If you don’t think this bike riding thing makes a huge difference as you get older, then check this out!

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/01/finding-inspiration-in-an-mri/

(Rumor has it that the photo of the 74 year old sedentary gentleman legs are really the legs of Wolf King after doing “virtual training” on the couch with a bag of Doritos.)

On this same blog, you are going to want to watch this video!

Love Scotland? Love mountain biking? Well why not do them both! Is this a great country or what!

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2010/07/worlds-best-bike-handlers-throw-down-in-scotland/


DON’T FORGET! OPENING DAY!

SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012!

BE THERE!