MINIONS ROCK AT BARRY-ROUBAIX OKTOBERFEST!

WHAT HILLS?

Beautiful Day in the neighborhood
(courtesy of Stingray)

WHY RANGER RICK IS CALLED RANGER RICK!

MINIONS ROCK AT PEAK 2 PEAK!

HOW MUCH LYCRA CAN A MAN NEED FOR A MTB RACE?!?

Belo News

October 18, 2014

Shark Cove, Mi. - Two big events in Miniondom took place over the past weekend. Both the Second Annual Barry-Roubaix/Waldorf Training Ride AND the Peak 2 Peak race up north.

And the Nation rocked at both of them!

Stingray, Brewman & Gazelle Girl

As dawn broke wet over the Shark Cove, our intrepid hero began to put the four bagger rack on Lava Girls Lavamobile. After loading his faithful steed on the back of the car, our hero headed over to the Yeti Boy spread to pick him up. They then set out for the Meijers parking lot where they were to meet Gazelle Girl before heading up to Barry-Roubaix.

When the two pulled into the parking lot, they did not see Gazelle Girl and while sitting and waiting, Sharkman got a text message from Tow Truck. “Where are you meeting this morning, Kmart?”

Yeti Boy & Reb

Sharkman immediately replied that the Minions were, indeed, meeting at Kmart! Yes, Tow Truck was in the mix!

Moments later, Gazelle Girl came riding up on her cross bike known as “The Sports Car of Mountain Bikes” and Yeti Boy and Sharkman wondered if she had ridden from the Triple Nasty Ranchero?!?

After all, she is Gazelle Girl! However, she stated she had parked at the Meijers Gas Station and had just now notice the two sitting and waiting and simply rode over to the car.

And they were off to the start!

Tow Truck and his "borrowed"
cross bike!

As they arrived at the Kmart in Hastings they saw Stingray and Brewman getting their bikes ready. After Yeti Boy, Gazelle Girl and Sharkman made a stop in the Kmart bathrooms to eliminate coffee, more Minions began to arrive. First Hoosier Boy, then Tow Truck, Reb and finally, Ranger Rick!

It was one of those mornings when it was difficult to figure out what to wear, however, everyone but Tow Truck was in tights. That's right Bunkie, Tow Truck was in shorts and looking ready to ride! What a stud!

Tow Truck was riding a very sporty looking orange Specialized Cross Bike that he had borrowed as he had broken the rear derailleur on his cross bike. Tow Truck has been having a number of mechanical problems with bikes this summer but did report he now has his road bike back from the shop! Just in time for winter!

Ranger Rick getting ready

Ranger Rick was also on a cross bike so with 6 mountain bikes and 3 cross bikes, the 9 Minions headed out to the course.

First up, Three Sisters!

These three first hills are what Barry-Roubaix is all about! Each hill gets progressively higher and as you ride over the first and see the second sandy hill, only then do you begin to understand what is ahead. When you see the third hill, some begin to cry.......these are hills!

As Yeti Boy said, “riding Barry-Roubaix is like Ground Hog Day, every time you look, there is yet another sandy hill to climb!” But climb they did!

The Nation pretty much stayed together as they ascended and descended the sandy hills, again and again and again and......you get the drift......

There always seems to be some discussion on the correct Barry-Roubaix course, but not when Ranger Rick is on board. It appears that he is not only an expert on the actual course, but he was also the Master Ranger on other options and hills for the ride. What.....what? Other hills?

Hoosier Boy in his Indiana kit!

That's right Bunkie! Ranger Rick turns out to be an actual Ranger when it comes to this course and he entertained the Minions all morning offering options to get the miles they wanted (30) and the hills (too many to mention).

Sharkman had actually gotten reservations at the Waldorf and did not want to be late for the beer!

The weather held and the colors on the back roads were fantastic. The Minions seemed to be in a talkative mood and the chatter in the peloton was high considering they all suffered on the climbs with getting enough air in their lungs and threw sand and mud up in each others faces on the way down. Is this a great country or what!?! Where else can you do stuff like this?

Tow Truck did a great job of “herding” the Nation as he went to the back and front regularly to make sure everyone was on.

The pace was clocked at 14.2 mph with over 2000 ft. of climb! The Nation was on fire as they changed clothes in the Kmart parking lot, with Sharkman showing his kilt moves and then headed over to the Waldorf for lunch.

Though town seemed a little busier with Oktoberfest, the nation had no problem getting into the Waldorf where the beer was flowing as the Minions ordered their beverage of choice as well as lunch.

Much of the talk was about the appropriate phone apps for biking and how well Ranger Rick knew the Barry-Roubaix course! Sharkman was enjoying the ambiance of the Waldorf so much he had a second beer. Oh, the humanity!

Always dangerous for the old Shark as it rendered him completely useless for the rest of the day, though Lava Girl claims that it is no different than any other Saturday after a long ride. Oh, the humanity, again........

It might explain why he forgot to take photos at the Waldorf! Oh, triple the humanity!

BACK TO FORT CUSTER THIS WEEKEND!

Belo News

October 21, 2014

Shark Cove, Mi. - The Nation heads back to the Fort this Saturday to continue the season in preparation for Iceman. For those who want a longer ride, they can join the old Shark at the Klutch for a kup of bottomless before launch at 8:30 a.m. from there and ride to the Trail Head.

For those who want to sleep in and forgo the koffee (which might be hard for our intrepid hero to understand) they can meet at the Trail Head at Ft. Custer at 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Two launch sites;

The Koffee Klutch at 8:30 A.M. - SHARP! The ride to the Trail Head.

The Fort Custer Trail Head at 9:00 A.M. - SHARP!

All riders will meet at the Trail Head at 9:00 A.M.

MINIONS ROCK AT PEAK 2 PEAK!

Belo News

October 18, 2014

Minions and more at P2P!

From Iceman:

Peak 2 Peak Land, Mi. - After a steady rain from 4:00 pm Friday to 4:00 am Saturday, with an 80% chance of rain on Saturday, the minion racers woke up expecting the worst.

But alas, no rain all day! Who does these forecasts anyways?!!... at 8:00am, weather.com was still showing an 80% chance of rain.

Nickhead! What....is that a beer in his hand?
What the h.....

Race time was 9:15 am and about 40 degrees. 10 mph wind as the Nation all toed the line.

The course was fantastic except for one section in the lower valley by the Betsie River. This was a total mud bog for about 100 feet. Racers were causing huge traffic jams whilst slowly climbing off their already muddy steads to decide, do I run through this pig pen or do I run around and into the woods. I did my best Cyclocross through it and carried my bike. But that put me running in a foot of mud and thus gave me cold feet later. Lap two in the same section was even thicker mash but now some didn't care and attempted to ride through it... and many went splashing face first and thus cold everything for the remaining 10 miles.

The climb up the back was slow and steady, and long, it was the only really tough part of the course. Then we ripped down the bob-sleddy front of the mountain criss crossing the face in what has to be the funnest stretch of MTB around and then into the wide open ski slopes for a screaming 30 mph descent into the the next lap and/or the screaming fans at the finish. This is one fun course.

Chains and Iceman

I encourage all Minions who MTB to get up there and race this course. And the fall colors were fantastic!!

Minions I saw and their division results, sport division:

Nickhead 1st place

Polar Bear 3rd place

Iceman 2nd place

Kia Pet13th

Zickman 6th

Chains 17th

DPS 13th

The Promise 16th

(Sorry if I missed anyone/ or didn't know you were a Minion.)

What a great event! Get there next year Minions! You will not be disappointed!

Iceman on the Podium!

Nickhead on the Podium!

HOW MANY LAYERS OF LYCRA DOES A MOUNTAIN BIKER NEED?!?

Polar Bear gets ready to ride!?!
Is that Lycra?

Belo News

October 18, 2014

Photos courtesy of Momma Bear:

Peak to Peak Land, Mi. - Polar Bear made Peak to Peak a “Family Bear Affair” this past weekend. Momma Bear provided these “never seen before” photographs of the legendary rider in action who took 3^rd place in his category. In addition, Baby Bear rode her first ever Expert race and placed second! Is this a great family or what!?!

With Momma Bear there to get the photograph's, it was a victory for the Polar Bear family as well as the mighty Minion Nation!

Polar Bear!

To all the Peak to Peak riders, you did the Nation proud!

Polar Bear in action!

Polar Bear on the Podium!

Baby Bear on the Podium!
On the left, looks just like
Momma Bear!

BARRY-ROUBAIX RIDE THIS SUNDAY!

Belo News

October 22, 2014

Triple Nasty Ranchero, Mi. - If you are looking for another run at the Barry-Roubaix Course, you'll get your chance this Sunday Bunkie!  Gazelle Girl will be leading the way!

Here are the details!

Barry-Roubaix ride this SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. launch from in front of the Walldorff. Lunch after. (Figuring it is okay to park in the lot behind The Walldorff on a Sunday morn....)

Email or call Gazelle Girl by Saturday p.m. if you're planning to come so we don't leave without you!joan.o@comcast.net / 269.665.4555

Riders joining the Minion rides acknowledge the inherent risk involved with bicycle riding and by joining any Minion ride hold harmless any rider involved.