Latest Club News & Info

              With this message I retract the message I sent out on Monday about there being no TAB rides this Saturday, July 20th. MVA's Metroparks Tour has been canceled because of predicted heat.

           TAB ride leaders will make their own decisions about whether to have regular TAB Saturday rides.

Chuck Nicewonder

Speedtrap Ride Tuesday July 16^th recap

          Sixteen riders rode out from Elmore on a rainy Tuesday for the Speedtrap Ride last evening.

          Heavy rains came down for perhaps an hour, but stopped well before ride time. So, riders did go out, and although they experienced a few drops, did ride on mostly dry pavement. However, there was evidence that there was more rain in the area, and it came just as riders were putting their bikes in their cars after returning to Elmore.

          Scott Lang’s Ghost Pepper Riders and Bob Kayden’s Cayenne Pepper Riders rode out together, but eventually did separate into two groups. Scott reported  a 21.1 mph average while Bob reported 20.1 mph.

          Two other riders and I formed a combined Jalapeno/Sweet Pepper Group. We rode out to US 23. But at that point, one person decided he wanted to go back to Elmore and another said he had really been ill the whole day, so all three of us returned the way we came. We had 16 miles at 14.2 mph.

          It was tandem night. Pictured are the two tandems on the ride: one with Doug and Kathy Metzger, the other with Dan Waggoner and Kathy Slovak.

          Because of the rain, next Tuesday, July 23^rd, will be Tandem Night Number 2. Even if you don’t have a tandem. Please join us. We’ll leave from Spoke Life Cycles in Elmore at 6:30 pm. I hope to see you then.

Chuck Nicewonder

 

Yesterday's ride proved not to be a dry one. 5 of us headed out of Whitehouse with the sun shining. We all knew there was a chance of getting wet. We saw the storms coming at us as we approached the farthest point.  The hope was to head north and beat the storm.  The rain came with about 2 miles left of our ride. We rolled into the parking lot with a 20.0 average and still smiling.

See you next week on Old 24.

Tara Ice, President of Justice for Sierah, and Sierah's aunt, will attend our pre-ride for the Windsday tomorrow. Tara is planning to be there around 6:00 to meet and thank the membership for their donations from the 4th of July Freedom Ride. I’d love it if we could have a great group come out to meet her. Ron and I will be there early (before 6:00) and hope many of you will be there too. 

And while you’re there, plan on joining us for our ride. The weather keeps looking better and better, with the chance of rain decreasing, temps in the mid 80s, light breezes. Honest! It’s a nice ride with fun people and great leaders (except that Dan guy). We have 4 groups for all different speeds, and get this - no hills or overpasses. Just nice flat roads!

So come at 6:00 to meet Tara, stay to ride with us at 6:30. Timberstone JHS, 9000 Sylvania Ave. Avoid Sylvania between McCord & King, only heavens know which way is open! Hope to see you all there!

The Old 24 Ride is tomorrow.  Expect the average speed to be between 20 to 21 mph.  We will be heading out from Cycle Werks in Whitehouse at 6:30 for a 28.5 mile loop out to Old 24 and heading north on County Road 3.  It is the 3rd Tuesday of the month so I will be heading to Local Thyme after the ride.

See you on Old 24.

Speedtrap Ride Tuesday July 16^th

          The Speedtrap Ride, co-sponsored by TAB and Flatlanders, will roll out once again tomorrow, Tuesday, July 16^th, from Spoke Life Cycles in Elmore at 6:30 pm.

          Scott Lang will lead the Ghost Pepper Riders on a 25-mile course. He expects his group to average 22 – 23 mph. Are you ready?!

          Bob Kayden will lead the Cayenne Pepper Riders over the same course at a slightly slower speed, 20 – 22mph.

          Tony Mazurek will lead the Habanero Riders and will likely average 18 – 20 mph.

          I will lead the Jalapeno Riders on a slightly shorter 22-mile course. We hope to average 16 – 17 mph.

          John Galdeen will likely be there to take the Sweet Pepper Riders on a ride for a distance and at a speed comfortable for those in the group.

It’s Tandem Night! Bring that tandem if you have one! Pictures will be taken of all tandems, their captains, and stokers!

Winds will be SSW at 10 to 15 mph, favorable for the return portion of the ride to Elmore. However, there is a 60% of scattered thunderstorms. Let’s hope they’re scattered somewhere other than Elmore!

Ottawa County’s best Tuesday night ride has some great riders, nice people, and goes out on lightly traveled country roads. You owe it to yourself to give it a try. Sign-in begins at 6:00 and we ride at 6:30 pm.

I  hope to see you then!

Chuck Nicewonder

 

Greetings to all TAB members and Friends,

        

             This is just a reminder that there will be no official TAB rides this coming Saturday, July 20th.

Why? Because this Saturday Maumee Valley Adventurers' Metroparks Tour will take place, and it has been TAB's policy for some time to support MVA's invitational rides.

             The ride will begin at Community of Christ Lutheran Church, 6517 Finzel Road in Whitehouse.

You can register for the tour on line at the cheaper rate until 11:59 pm on Thursday, July 18th. Day-of-Ride registration will be available at the church on Saturday morning.

I hope to see you on the road.

Chuck Nicewonder

Hot, dusty, windy, and sunny. I know I've complained a bit about how much rain we've received, but we could've used just a touch to knock down the clouds of dust kicked up by passing vehicles. Seven riders left from Cotton Brewing for an extended route from Adrian. The roads were fast on our way north. As we headed west, the gravel started to get chunky and loose as we tackled hills on Taylor, Whelan, and Pawson. With the heat and sun, we needed some extra hydration. Thankfully Edgar knew there was a gas station on route down Pentecost Highway. We returned to Cotton Brewing from some great drinks and food.

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HSUzCvnsbHGRK8916

The Michigan Villages is a different type of ride. You ride through miles of flat open fields to reach the first village, only to be transported to a totally different environment for the next 20 miles. Woods, orchards and vineyards along a lazy river - it’s beautiful and scenic. Then you head back home to be met by more flat open fields. It’s like they’re hiding their best kept secret. But it is definitely worth the trip.

Ten riders came together to enjoy the ride, felt like the perfect number of riders. We cruised north and west to Blissfield, alternately enjoying and fighting the SW wind. Deb Tassie bid us farewell at the point to return to Secor Park and enjoy a solo ride south of the park. 

We navigated around the River Raisin Festival and went on to the best part of the trip through Deerfield and onto our Petersburg rest stop. We found Jodie Petcoff waiting to ride with us after her 5k run in Petersburg. We rode on through the woods of Petersburg State Game Area before heading back south and east to Secor Park. Jodie peeled off at Temperance Rd to go home. (Jodie rode to Petersburg from home, ran the 5k, and rode with us part way to ride home, her own reverse mini-duathlon) At least the wind shifted to straight out of the west so we had a crosswind most of the way. 

We arrived back averaging 17.1 mph for exactly 51 miles, with smiles all around. Roads were really good, with the worst roads for the short stretches we were inside the villages. Rides like this with friends really make my day, it was fun ride all around. 

Next week - No Adventure ride. Support the Maumee Valley Adventurers Metropark Tour.  We’ll be back in two weeks with our send-off picnic for longtime member Mark Nowatarski as he moves on.

Tara Ice, President of Justice for Sierah, and Sierah's Aunt, will attend our pre-ride for Dan Riley's Windsday Ride this week. Tara is planning to be there about 6pm to meet and thank the membership for their donations (Which we are still receiving!) from the 4th of July Freedom Ride.

I would love to have a great big group of riders this week to meet her and take part in Dan's always-awesome ride. We will be there about 6pm and four groups will roll out at 6:30pm. Hope to see you all there!

-Ron Schieb