HE SPOKIN WORD
LICKING COUNTY BICYCLE CLUB NEWSLETTER
August 2008
www.lickingcountybicycleclub.com
Cookout Report
The LCBC July 13 cookout at
the home of Don and Pam Paisley was enjoyed by about 20 club members and their spouses or friends. Everyone
contributed some great food to go with the chicken and burgers that Don grilled. It was a wonderful opportunity
to get to know some of our newer club members. President, Mike Smith lead an all-star team of water volleyball
players against a team with his daughter, Amanda, a real volleyball player. Mike played like a teenager
on Sunday and whined like an old man about his aches and pains on Monday. Everyone had a good time cooling
off on a warm day. If you missed the summer cookout, there will be a fall wiener roast and potluck when
the leaves start turning..
36th Land of Legend
Tour Financial Report
The financial information surrounding the Land
of Legend Tour is in. Treasurer Ray Brown reports income of $654 from the 87 riders who made the trek.
Expenses for promotions, treats (cantaloupe), mileage, YMCA, etc. amounted to $511.16. Net profit
for this year’s tour is $142.84. That may sound like a small profit for the effort that was involved,
but the threat of thunderstorms dramatically cut back registration. Eighty-seven riders had a fantastic
day and the tradition of the Land of Legend Bicycle Tour as a first-rate bicycle tour has continued. The
money made is inconsequential in comparison. We currently have $3153.24 in our checking account, so we
have more than enough for the operational needs of the club.
Planning for the 37th Annual Land
of Legend Tour
Ken Apacki did an outstanding job as Director
of this year’s Land of Legend Tour. There has never been a more carefully planned and executed tour.
Ken has documented in detail the schedule of tasks to be performed in preparation for the Tour. He’s
done this as a service to the club and to future Tour directors. It’s a blueprint we can follow for
years to come. Ken has made this preparation, because he knows he will not be available as Tour director
next year. If all goes as planned Ken and Eddie McKee will be riding the Continental Divide in another
adventure of a lifetime that the rest of us can only imagine with awe. We need to find a director for next
year’s Land of Legend Tour now! Ken has prepared the plan. We always have the
volunteers to get the work done. We need a director to coordinate and drive the process. Someone
needs to step up to the job and keep the tradition of the tour going. If you’re willing to take on
the job of Tour Director please contact Ken Apacki to learn more. You can reach Ken at 740-587-2176 or by e-mail at kenapacki@roadrunner.com
Unscheduled Rides will be announced on LCBCOnline from Ken Apacki
Mike Smith has invited members to join
him on rides into Perry and Muskingham counties over the past several months. He has used our Yahoo Group and individual e-mails
to get the word out. Personal e-mails have caused some confusion so Mike is going to only use the Yahoo
Group service.
In order to get his and other ad hoc invitations,
you will need to join the Yahoo Group called LCBCOnline. Once a member, you will get all the postings and you too can use
the group to send a message to all members. Please keep the topics relevant to bicycling and the Licking County Bicycle Club.
Here is how to register:
We
have established a “list server” and “message board” on Yahoo Groups service.
The purpose of the group is to contact each other and share activities for the benefit of bicycling
in Central Ohio. This will be available 24-7 so there is no need to wait for the publication of the next newsletter to make
a statement or invite others to ride. This is becoming a more practical way for communicating with the club.
You are invited to join the group and
use it as you wish.
This message provides a link back to the group and
easy registration.
Click on this URL: Yahoo Group LCBConline Signup
If that does not work, go to www.yahoogroups.com and join “lcbconline”.
You will need to create a user name
and password if you don’t already have one for Yahoo.
To send an
e-mail to everyone, address it to lcbconline@yahoogroups.com
You can subscribe and unsubscribe at any time.
I would
like to encourage all members with e-mail to join the group. It can be the primary means for communicating and staying in
touch.
What does bicycling
do for you?
In last month’s newsletter I posed the question, “What does bicycling do for you?”
Here are some responses.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the last GOBA tour, the best one yet, and
my fourth in as many years. It was very hilly and quite beautiful, but also very challenging, which is the price you
pay for that kind of scenery! But the price is worth it – the scenery, being outside, enjoying not only the sights,
but the smells (the good ones, and the bad ones!) are all part of the experience. Becoming “one with the bike”
– the feeling that it is a part of you, that “sore butt” feeling gone and replaced by – what? –
the challenges of a steep hill and the thrills of the downhills beyond. The colors of the wildflowers. Watching
the corn grow. Catching glimpses of the deer, the rabbits, the horses, cows, pigs, sheep…and knowing I am doing
something good for myself, not only for my body, but for my soul. That is what bicycling does for me.”
Molly Kurtz
“The view from the top
of the hill is even more breathtaking when you're already hypoxic.”
Susan Haas
(Editor’s
note: I looked up hypoxic. It means “the condition of extraordinarily
low oxygen”
July
Rides
The July 5 ride to Jacksontown and Gratiot was one of the best attended rides of the year with 18
riders. The breakfast at the Methodist Church in Jacksontown was fantastic as usual
and the Gratiot route was enjoyed by everyone.
The July 19 ride was to allow club members who worked the Land of Legend Tour to ride
the metric century route of the tour. I contacted Mike Smith to get a ride report and received the following,
“Not sure what number showed up for the Land of Legend
metric repeat as I offered to stay behind to work on the house while Kaye endured the heat of the day. The best guess count
was eleven riders. As I said it was hot and steamy and it was decided a shortcut would be taken after breakfast at Bladensburg.
The shortcut wasn't so short. Turned out a few extra hills were thrown in as well as a bridge out. No report on their
overall mileage but I suspect a few were added.
The
Clouse Lake Loop was ridden by Jamie Roberts, Mark Wilson, and me a week later and we came upon the same 'bridge out'
situation. It was an opportunity to perfect the 'bridge out traverse' and this maneuver would have proven useful to
the LOL metric repeat riders. The move requires scaling walls, passing bikes end for end from creek bed to the top of the
wall, and some pain tolerance for nettles. The date for the 'bridge out traverse' seminar is forthcoming.
Watch the newsletter for a posting and sign up early as we expect it to fill quickly”
Web Site of the Month:
Have
you ever wondered exactly how bicycles evolved? The earliest bicycle may have been an attempt to replace
the horse as a means of transportation since many horses starved to death as a result of crop failures in 1816.
There is short but interesting reading at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_bicycle and http://www.pedalinghistory.com/PHhistory.html. Take a few minutes to see your bicycle’s ancestors.
Calendar: Note: Helmets are required for all club rides.
All rides begin and end at Licking County YMCA, 470 West Church Street,
Newark, unless otherwise indicated.
Miles are approximate and depend on whether riders follow or deviate from the route.
Day/Date
Time Miles
Destination
Tuesdays 8:00
a.m. ?
Riders’ Choice
August 2 8:00
a.m. 25/45
Jacksontown/Millersport
August 9 8:00
a.m. 45
Croton
August 16 8:00 a.m. 50
Dresden
August 23 8:00 a.m. 45
Baltimore
August 30
8:00 a.m.
45
Pataskala (Nutcracker)
Licking County Bicycle Club Officers:
Michael Smith/President
323-1514 Bob Rush/Secretary
587-4575
Ray
Brown/Treasurer
788-9632 Don Paisley/Newsletter
928-0702
Don
Paisley/New Membership
928-0702
Ken Apacki/Land of Legend Director
587-2176
Licking County Bicycle Club
PO Box 593
Newark, OH 43058-0593
