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| The Gathering of Minions! |
SUNSHINE AND RIDERS!
WHAT, NO SEAT POST BOLT?
GAZELLE GIRL HALF MARATHON? OH, YES!
Belo News
March 30, 2013
Shark Cove, Mi. - One can only imagine the excitement at the Shark Cove as a clear, blue sky greeted our hero when he rolled out of his shark bed! After two weeks of cold and snow, it was looking like Mother Nature was finally going to smile on the Minion Nation.
Or was it?
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| New bike or new wheels? |
When Lava Girl awoke she looked at the Shark Thermometer and commented that it was a cold 26 degrees outside! This only confused our intrepid hero as he began wondering what clothes to take with him to the start. The old Shark was also pondering what bike to take. Suspecting a bigger turnout (what a difference a week and warm temps makes) he decided some of the young studs might be in attendance and he better take his trusty Litespeed rather than his cross bike. Good thing he did!
As he loaded the car and felt the warm sun on his dorsal, he started going back into the Cove for different, less warm clothes.
Our hero's joy was in abundance as he pulled into the parking lot and saw several riders preparing their steeds for the mornings ride!
There was Airman, who everyone was asking, "did you buy a new bike?"
Apparently, he bought new wheels, which made the bike look different, plus, ....well new! Airman
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| Tow Truck, Mad Dog & Ranger Rick listen to Airman. |
Kid Doster, Wolf King, Cannon, Brewman, Ranger Rick, All Black where all getting their bikes ready and wondering about what to wear when first, Tow Truck then Mad Dog rode in.
At 9:30 A.M. SHARP, the mighty Minion Nation pulled away from the start and headed toward the Klutch, where Luann was busy with a customer, but still got to the side door to wave the peloton on!
It was then that a cry of "Flat Tire!" was heard from the back of the train.
It was none other than Wolf King himself, whose front tire was losing air fast from the valve area of an old tube.
Alas, not only did Wolf King not have a tube, he did not have either CO2 or a pump or even tire irons! "What?" you say? Isn't this the rider who gave grief to our hero, the Sharkman, when he broke his seat post bolt and didn't have a spare? Who berated our hero about not being prepared? Who now needed our own hero's tube, tire irons AND CO2 and hand pump? Yes, it was the same Wolf King.
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| Kid Doster & Brewman make their debuts! |
With the weather a bit cool, it was difficult to get the tire off the rim, but once off, a puff of baby powder, a scent of CO2, and the riders were off again to head north!
As they did, a mighty cheer went up from the peloton as Gazelle Girl approached making her season debut! "Gazelle Girl!" rang out from the peloton as the Nation moved toward Sharkman's honorary sprint, which he worked way too hard to grab.
The crowd seemed pretty mellow and all still seemed to be complaining that they were not in shape for the ride. However, as the Nation approached the col de Twin Lakes their speed continued as Cannon picked up the pace with Sharkman on his wheel.
Cannon shared that he had a bad crash at the previous weeks Barry-Roubaix and his GPS had him going from 23 mph to zero in next to nothing as he went down on his knee after getting his wheel stuck in an ice rut. However, it did not seem to affect his riding this fine, sunny morning. The col de Twin Lakes blew the peloton apart, but it all came back together at the top and as the Nation moved into the infamous Kountry Klub section after Kellogg Korner.
As many Minions know, this section seems to be where the Minions like to take it up a notch and though Sharkman thought it might be too early for that, it apparently was not. Thinking he was glad to have brought his Litespeed, he watched as Tow Truck, Cannon and Ranger Rick went to the front and took long pulls.
Meanwhile, Wolf King continued to lose a bit of air out of the newly fixed tire, or at least he was using that as his excuse for lagging behind as the nation waited at the top of the col de Norte.
After the Bible Conference Hills, where Gazelle Girl helped Wolf King get to Frona's by using the cut off, Wolf King need Sharkman's pump to put more air in his tire.
When the train crossed the Digital Divide, Wolf King came from worse to first and pulled the Minions into a nice pace line but then got quickly jettisoned off the back once the group got up to ramming speed.
At the GGG spot, Sharkman had an average speed of 17.5 mph on his computer but when he didn't see the Wolf, he headed back and told the Nation he liked his koffee dark and bottomless (not that it did any good….)
Leaving no Minion behind, our hero headed back to get Wolf King who was just off the back but was complaining about a rough day on the bike.
Wolf King latched on to the old Shark's wheel and they almost caught on to the run away peloton which seemed to be taking their sweet time getting to the finish.
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| Now we know where Gazelle Girl get's her edge! |
As the peloton headed down the road to the Champs le Galesburg, Wolf King said he was still losing air and was heading straight to the Klutch. Sharkman again shouted out, "Dark, bottomless!" but again, it was to no avail…..
The crowds went wild on the Champs le Galesburg as the mighty Nation appeared in force on their way to the Klutch where the koffee was dark and bottomless!
Cannon had to leave early, but first showed the Nation his banged up knee and one could only marvel at the fact he was riding fine one week later. But then again, the Minions are pretty tough sharks and he is young.
In the photo to the right, Belo News was able to catch Gazelle Girl "dipping into" her bag of tricks and we now know what gives her that special edge in the peloton! The Commissioner of Cycling is launching an investigation!
Eleven riders made this week and it is hoped that even more Minions will be out next week!
Since it is April and it is supposed to be getting warmer, the time will be moved up to 9:00 a.m. this week so riders won't need to rush off and miss the ambiance of the Klutch!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Launch Time - 9:00 a.m. - SHARP!
Be there!
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Belo News
April 4, 2013
- The Fort Custer Stampede is slated for May 5th and all proceeds go to trail development and maintenance!
- May is Bike Month and May 13-19 is Bike Week! So get those bikes out and ride to work, the store, to a Minion Ride near you - just ride!
- On the Tuesday of Bike Week, the Kalamazoo Bicycle Film Festival will take with a feature film at Bell's Brewery!
- Tour de Taylor is coming up on June 15th! More on this in a later edition so mark you calendars!
GAZELLE GIRL HALF MARATHON!
Belo News
April 3, 2013
Shark Cove, Mi. - Just as Belo News was going to press, Hoosier Boy sent the Editor a note asking if, in fact, a half Marathon had been named after our own sweet heart of the peloton, Gazelle Girl herself! Hoosier Boy reported that he is on an email list for Gazelle Sports and received an update on upcoming events, which include a "Gazelle Girl Marathon." Belo News was able to reach Gazelle Girl at home where she is quoted as stayin, "I'm a brand! Is this a great country or what!"
Yes, it is a great country Gazelle Girl, it is indeed! For more information on this event, you can go to:
http://www.gazellesports.com/info/255-GazelleGirlHalf.html
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