30th Annual TCBC Watermelon Ride! - Twin Cities Bicycling Club

More documents

Recommendations

Info

BACK OF THE PACK Herb Bench Dedication Ride and Picnic Set for June 26 Just east of the Sabo Bridge over Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis sits a new bench alongside the Greenway, inviting bicyclists to sit and relax. And that’s most appropriate, because the bench was placed there this spring – paid for by TCBC members -- to honor the late Herb Schultz, surely one of the most welcoming ride leaders the TCBC has ever had. It carries a plaque saying, “In Honor of Herb Schultz … Friend – Bicyclist – Mentor … a favorite Twin Cities Bicycling Club Ride Leader.” The club will be dedicating the bench on Sunday, June 26, with three 10 AM rides – for B, B/C and C riders – preceding the 12:30 PM dedication at the bench. All rides will leave from Brackett Park, about a mile east of the bench, stop at the bench for the dedication, then proceed back to Brackett Park. (The park is along 28th St. E, just east of 36th Ave. S.) A picnic will held at Brackett Park at 1 PM following the dedication. The cost will be $5 per person to help defray the cost of food and renting the park shelter. All club members are invited; even if you don’t choose to ride, you’re still welcome to join your fellow members at the picnic. If rain wipes out the rides (hey, Herb didn’t like to ride in the rain, either) the dedication and picnic will be held inside the park shelter at Brackett Park. RSVPs are necessary for the picnic. You can email your RSVP to HerbPicnicRSVP@bikeTCBC.org by the deadline, June 21, or check the TCBC home page for a link to the RSVP. Please RSVP by June 21st. TCBC ONLINE STORE Limited supply of TCBC jerseys, along with map clips and personalized bike name plates. For more information and to order, go to: www.biketcbc.org click on TCBC Online Store. "Get them while they last!" Herbie The quintessential back of the packer was Herb Schultz. Herbie didn't have to ride at the back. He also didn't have to gather up new riders, some young and some on the other side of young, to come to his rides. He didn't have to encourage folks just getting back into cycling after decades of watching an old bike with deflated tires sit in the garage to join his riding bunch. Herbie didn't even have to arrive an hour early for bike rides just to "set a spell" and visit with a few people who would come ahead of time to exchange updates on life, work, friends, and pie. But he did just that because he was Herbie. So in his memory, which brings a smile to many of our faces, I asked a few of his cycling companions to share a memory of Herb. For me, riding with Herb started with a phone call about finding a place to stay in the Lanesboro area for his annual fall ride along the trails along the Root River. He could have simply said here is a list of hotels and most are booked, which is a cold reality of that time of year in SE Minnesota. But Herbie instead knew who was coming, and who had a spare bed in their room and might be looking for a roommate. He knew this not because he was helping coordinate lodging but because he knew his people so well and in casual conversation; they shared with him where they were staying and what their roommate situation was. He also asked me about myself and calmed my anxiety about going out of town with a group of people who I didn't know and had no idea if I would fit in with, let alone be able to ride all day with them on my old bicycle. That weekend I was warmed by the friendly "Herb bunch" and realized this was far more than a cycling weekend. It was a group of friends that chose to share their lives whether they were on the bike, eating dinner, going to the theater, or sitting around a campfire. An amazing realization was that age, ability, and appearance didn't matter, nor did whether you opted in or out of each suggested event. And I learned that Herbie was a good cyclist but chose to lead from the back of the pack, most often quietly observing his "pack" with occasional reminders to the front runners to keep it to a C riding speed.- Karen J Here are several others’ favorite memories of Herb.... I didn’t often ride in back with Herbie, because I was one of those who frequently showed up an hour early to sit with him in his big Explorer and discuss life, love, and leisure. His rides were often mapless, and he’d enlist me to ride “point” with only a vague description of the route and an admonishment to avoid hills. The bunch would pedal along with me up front trying to hold things down to a C pace while trying to outline upcoming turns for the folks wanting to ride ahead. I’d often glance to the back of the pack to make sure Herb was in sight and occasionally he’d shout out to slow things down a bit. After a stop for soup we’d return to the ride start, and Herb would always wrap things up by saying: “Let’s hear it for Jeffie!”, and I in turn would say: “Let’s hear it for Herbie!” (the quintessential back of the packer). Herb is gone, and it is infrequent that I’m up front, but if I am I can’t help but glance back to see if Herb is there, and his requests to slow it down still echo in my ears. Most days slowing down and hanging in back still seems like fine advice! - Jeff R I rode literally hundreds of rides with Herb over the years, and co-led dozens of them with him. So I often rode at “the back of the pack” with him, as he played mother hen to all the guests on his rides. Herb was almost always back there to help if you had a flat or other mechanical problem. Mind you, Herb helping didn’t necessarily solve the problem quickly, but he was always willing to try. Once, several years ago, Herb, I and the rest of the Bunch all left a restaurant in Cornell, at the end of the Old Abe Trail, to head back down the trail to Chippewa Falls. Herb started off in his usual last position, I was second-to-last, and about a half a block ahead of us was the rest of the Bunch, including Terry Osell. Anyone who’s ever been on a “Herb ride” where Terry was riding knows that Terry was the unofficial “tire fixer” when anyone has a flat. Terry, who designs and builds bikes, and owned a bike shop for many years, sees changing a flat tire as about as challenging as putting on a biking jersey. Watching him is a 90-second free clinic on how to fix a flat tire. So, a half-block from the restaurant, when I heard a “pop” from my rear tire and we braked to a halt, Herb’s and my first thought was not, “Where’s the spare tube?” but “Where’s Terry?” There he was, a 18 JUNE 2011 TCBC NEWS www.bikeTCBC.org TWIN CITIES BICYCLING CLUB
BACK OF THE PACK block ahead at the end of the pack, going around a corner. Where others in the club who got a flat might have stopped, taken out the tools, and started taking off the tire, what Herb and I did was run down the street yelling, “Terry! Terry!” But to no avail, as Terry was out of sight. So it was up to Herb and me to fix the tire, something we’d rarely done, because Terry was on so many of his rides in those days. Forty-five fumbling, bumbling, “you’ve-got-iton-wrong, dammit,” minutes later, we finally got rolling. When we eventually caught up with Terry and the Bunch at a rest stop at Jim Falls, Terry asked innocently, “Where were you guys?” Herb just smiled, and said, “Donny and I were taking our time, enjoying the scenery.” Neither of us wanted to admit Terry was 30 times faster at fixing tires than two of the fearless leaders on the ride. -Don P My first TCBC ride was a "Herbie" ride. I had a lot of fun and Herbie made me feel at ease with the group even though I did not know anyone there. I immediately signed up to become an official member of TCBC and went on to ride with Herbie on many, many "C" rides and weekend trips. My last and wonderful memory of Herbie was when we had to cancel a ride (due to rain) and instead we ended up having a great potluck party at my house. Herbie always loved a good potluck gathering!! Two weeks later he passed away. I will never forget all the fun times we had with Herbie. He was definitely one of a kind. - Joan D One of our fondest memories of riding with Herb occurred when he asked us to plan a three-day bike ride on the Paul Bunyan and Heartland Trails. Our Saturday night included going to the Brauhaus German Restaurant where Herb had their special Schweinhaxe, followed by the performance at the Woodtick Theater where Herb “rocked and rolled” to the fiddle music. His laughter at the comic routines was heard throughout the theater. Herb enjoyed it so much that this has become an annual TCBC trip (June 17-19 in 2011). - Diana and Duane K From 2001 thru 2009 I co-led many rides with Herb, both as an "ambassador" and an official club ride leader. As we were rolling along, I will never forget Herbie's big shout out "hold up" which could mean several things - we had dropped someone at a light, someone had a flat or other mechanical problem - but it was mainly a nice warning to "slow down". At the finish of a ride Herbie was always ready to lead a cheer for the ride leader. I especially miss his "Let's hear it for June." Herbie might be gone but I will never forget him. -June J One special memory I have of Herb was his unique handshake involving bumping and twisting fists, fingers, thumbs, and elbows. I tried my best to remember the rather complicated sequence and aspired to join the group that greeted Herb in this special way. Once on a weekend ride, I was determined to get it right. After the first day's handshake, I was fairly sure that I had finally learned it. On the second day, I confidently strode up to Herb and we did the sequenced handshake without a hitch. I smiled and said, "Herb, it took me years to finally learn the handshake. I can't understand why it took so long." With a wink, Herb then simply stated, "well, Dave, that is because it is different every time." We had a good laugh about that. - Dave M There are many more stories about NEXT TCBC NEWS DEADLINE WILL BE MONDAY, JUNE 6. Next deadlines after that will be July 5, August 8, and Sept. 5. Persons Under The Age Of Eighteen (Minors) Are Welcome On Club Rides. However, it is the policy of the Club that a minor must be accompanied on the ride by a responsible adult who is either a parent or guardian or an adult approved by a parent or guardian. If the minor is a member, a parent or guardian must sign the annual waiver for the minor child. If the minor is not a member, a parent or guardian must sign a waiver for the minor child at each Club ride in which the minor participates. LYNDALE AVENUE CLOSED JUNE 12: From 10 AM to 2 PM, Lyndale Ave So from 22nd to 42nd Street will be closed to motor traffic. Organized by the Minneapolis Bike Coalition, the event promotes biking, walking, mass transit, and local businesses. Check www.openstreetsmpls.com. Hopefully this will begin an annual tradition. IN BRIEF Herb that live on in our hearts and minds. His memory comes up on bike rides regularly as we wind along trails, past lakes, in the forests, and through urban landscapes. He still can make us laugh, and we always knew that the world was right when he was with us on a ride. Some of us believe he is still riding along with us in spirit and caring about all the people on his rides, especially those at the back. NATIONAL TRAILS DAY is Sat, June 4. Get out there and use them! BIKE/WALK TO WORK DAY IN MINNESOTA will be Thursday, June 9. More info is at www.bikewalkweek.org. There will be events in the Twin Cities from June 4-12. DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY stats show that last year there were 9 bike fatalities last year in MN and 10 in 2009. April got off to a sad start with two already. Each year there are more than 950 injured in crashes with vehicles. BICYCLE ALLIANCE OF MINNESOTA had its annual meeting after the Bike Expo. Their membership is 1200 and growing. Executive Director Dorian Grilley’s serious bike accident last August has elevated his passion for the organization, he said, and he’s doing fine. They promoted their new website at www.bikemn.org. It was mentioned that 43,000 people work for bicycle-friendly businesses in Minnesota! Doug Nelson TWIN CITIES BICYCLING CLUB www.bikeTCBC.org JUNE 2011 TCBC NEWS 19
Page 1 and 2: ALWAYS PLENTY OF FOOD AND FUN AT SN
Page 3 and 4: VOLUNTEER E CORNER R VOLUNTEERS JOE
Page 5 and 6: CHECK C THE TCBC C WEBSITE E WWW.BI
Page 15 and 16: SCHEDULE E CONTINUED N Northeast an
Page 17: UPCOMING AND OVERNIGHT EVENTS E BIK
Page 21 and 22: MARSHALL "MAJOR" TAYLOR'S 1899 TRAC
Page 23 and 24: NATIONAL N A NEWS LEAGUE OF AMERICA

30th Annual TCBC Watermelon Ride! - Twin Cities Bicycling Club

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?