ROCKETMAN TAKES THE SPRINT!
SHARKMAN LEFT OUT TO DRY!?! OH, THE HUMANITY!
SHARK MINION NATION BEATS PARADE!!!
THIS SATURDAY IS BEER JERSEY DAY!
Belo News
June 15, 2019
Shark Cove, Mi. - As dawn broke a bit dark over the Shark Cove, our intrepid hero, the Sharkman, was running around setting up flowers and candy for his main squeeze, Lava Girl. It was Lava Girls birthday and he had contemplated not riding, but they had celebrated the night before and had plans for dinner, plus, he had flowers and candy! What else could be done?!? So he decided to ride!!!
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| Nikeboy making his debut in complete "Style Guy" fashion! |
The forecast was dismal, but the radar indicated that the rain would hold off, so donning his beloved Shark Minion Jersey, our hero was ready to rock as Yeti Boy and Nikeboy pulled up to the Shark Cove!
Nikeboy was making his season premier and was, of course, decked out in sartorial splendor.....
As they got to Watkins, they saw Reb and Fire approaching and Sharkman thought to himself that all was right in the Realm!
As they approached the Koffee Klutch they saw Wishbones' bike resting against the wall and Wishbone looking out at the street enjoying his first kup of koffee. But they seemed unable to get a wave from them as they wave to the early morning koffee group. Was he sleeping.....?
There was a concern that the threat of rain would hold the numbers down and it was beginning to look as though it would. However, as launch time neared, the riders continued to pile in and Belo News was pleased to see the number go over 15 so that names would not need to be remembered!
Brewman was back and continues his ironman streak of consecutive KK-TdG starts. At present, he is the Lou Gerhig/Cal Ripken of the mighty Shark Minion Nation!
You go, Brewman!
Team Tandem was back and looking good in their matching Shark Minion kit!
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| Team Tandem in Shark Minion Kit! Do they look great or what?!? |
Stroker was back after his equipment failure of the previous week and riding a very sweet Specialized loaner from Mike's Team Active!
Gazelle Girl rode in with this weeks, "Other Guy" who was none other than our own Toesetter!
The group was ready to rock it as Sharkman reiterated last week's "Chalk Talk" on safety and included that riders needed to be better about shouting out road hazards like pot holes, fallen branches, road kill, etc. but also that if a pot hole pops up the rider has to suck it up and hit it rather than swerve in a packed peloton.
After the Start Photo, Sharkman got the train moving towards town as Nikcboy dropped off, but PJ jumped on. Total was 17 riders and 16 bikes and Sharkman started singing "Good Morning America How Are you!" as they passed the klutch with a wave to their fans!
Greyhound, Boatman and PJ all jumped on after the Nation pulled out of the station.
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| Reb was back after breaking the sub 8 minute category at the 6k last week. Not a 3k, but a 6k? BN apologizes for making that mistake. Happy Reb? |
Fire was leading out until Team Tandem came around and pulled our hero to a 24.4 mph win of the first sprint. It was a victory for America!
Thanks Team Tandem!
The ride continued on through the col de Twin Lakes, where Sharkman actually attacked a hill for a change....past the Yorkville Church, through Kellogg Korner, past the Kountry Klub and up to the Rt. 43 sprint. This always seems to be one of the faster sections and this week was no exception!
Sharkman led the fast moving train out onto Rt. 43 and the Nation stayed in single file until the base of the col de Norte, where the riders swarmed up the hill like spiders on a wall.
Sharkman wasn't going to get left behind again this week, so he went to the front and fought to stay on the peloton as the speed picked up in the run up to the Holy Rollers.
Yeti Boy jumped out in the Holy Rollers and easily took the sprint as the Nation pulled up behind him at the Feed Stop and before heading out on the low road to the inlet.
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| Brewman continue his streak! But couldn't keep his eyes opened.... |
After the Digital Divide, Sharkman announced that Gazelle Girl would determine the direction of the pace line and today, she stated the wind dictated a clockwise pace line. The Nation tried hard, and at times it seemed like they were going to pull it off, but it was a yo-yo type of line that only came together out of pure coincidence.......
Yet Gazelle Girl was set for her "Victory for America" assault on the GGG Spot Sprint, which she took with some pushing from Rocketman and Padre.
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| Gazelle Girl and "the Other Guy." |
Then it happened......
Sharkman, concerned that there was no more Tow Truck, no more Hossman.....Skittles was gone.....oh, the humanity! The Nation needed a lead out rider!
Sharkman hates when the run up to the sprint goes slow and riders begin to jockey for position, so he started out get the Nation moving, but no one followed.
Sharkman kept looking in his mirror and no one, no one,
no one, was coming around!!!
Sharkman couldn't believe his beloved Nation would leave him out there all alone! "Where were they?" he thought to himself as he looked at his speed at between 21 and 23 mph. No where near where the legends Tow Truck, Hossman or Skittles could produce, but hard for our aging hero.
As he reached the final ascent before the finish, he look and a counter attack was just beginning to form, but continued to try to throw himself on his sword for the good of the Nation!
As he crested the summit, he was gassed but fought on and as the peloton began to form up and come around him as he was hitting the wall.
Reb shouted out that he had voted to let the Sharkman go, but was voted down by the Nation........wait, what?
Sharkman was able to get a second win and move up after dropping to near last in the Nation, but Rocketman took the sprint with a cast of thousands on his wheel.
Average speed was still not over 19 mph, which is unusual for this time of year, but training has been at a minimum with all the rain......
But there was no rain on this day!!!
The fans went crazy on the Champs le Galesburg, not only for their hero's but for the upcoming Galesburg Day Parade!
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| Thanks for the Koffee, Yeti Boy! |
The Klutch was rocking and Andrews whole family was working to cover for him, as he was busy as Co-Chair of Galesburg Days! Congratulations Andrew, you did the Nation proud!!!
Yeti Boy threw down the first $20 to buy and actually got change back as only 7 of the Nation stopped for koffee, while the rest of the Nation hurried to beat the parade out of Galesburg.
Thanks Yeti Boy!
The Koffee flowed as the Nation perched in their reserved seating!
There was a very nice tail wind for Yeti Boy and Sharkman as they returned to the Shark Cove!
It was a perfect morning to be in the saddle and there was NO RAIN!
And the Nation was out of town before the parade got started!
Sharkman also wanted to thank the Nation for doing a great job of group riding today! Riders stayed to the right, listened when others shouted out and for pointing out road hazards! Great job, mighty Shark Minion Nation and thanks for playing nice together!
Is this a great country or what?!?
You won't want to miss this weeks edition when the Nation celebrates summer with.....
BEER JERSEY DAY!
That's right, Bunkie! Break out your favorite beer jersey! Best Beer jersey gets to buy Sharkman's koffee! MMmmm....this might be Brewman's first absence!
Is this a great country or what?!?
Saturday, June 22,, 2019
Beer Jersey Day!
Launch Time - 8:00 A.M. - SHARP!
Be there!
Riders joining the Minion rides acknowledge the inherent risk involved with bicycle riding and by joining any Minion ride hold harmless any rider involved.
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