In 2001, I was asked to be a tandem bike captain for site-impaired cyclists at an annual event called Blind Bikers Across America (BBAA). My wife, Bonnie, and I decided to attend and she agreed to take responsibility for providing support for a 240-mile multi-day ride. The ride began at the Tennessee River, west of Nashville TN, and ended at Indian Creek Camp [for the blind], located just east of Nashville.

 

We went because we had a desire to help others and we enjoy cycling. What happened was a life altering experience that we have repeated every year since. It is not possible to convey with mere words what these camps are like. Just as it is not possible to articulate the experience of visiting the Oklahoma City or Vietnam Memorials, you must experience it for yourself before you can begin to have any level of understanding.

 

Sight-impairment exists in the young and the old, the well adjusted and those who struggle with everyday life. Causes of blindness include genetics, disease, accidents, and worst of all – Abuse. One young man who attended BBAA regularly was the victim of such abuse. He was very intelligent and played the piano beautifully. He also lived with severe emotionally issues. To our deep sadness, David took his own life early this year.

 

There are people who attend BBAA, and other camps sponsored by Christian Record Services (CRS), who spend the entire year looking forward to the next event. Many blind people have limited contact with the outside world and may have meager incomes. These camps and the many other services provided by CRS make a tremendous difference in their lives.

 

What is it like to captain a bike with a blind person riding as the stoker? It is no different from riding with a person who has full eyesight. Riding a tandem is one activity that many sight-impaired people can do as well as anyone.

 

Most of the campers who attend BBAA range in age from teenager through their early twenties. Some are runners and/or swimmers. Most have dreams of obtaining a college degree and pursuing a career.  I will never forget the conversion between one of the stokers and myself before we began our first ride together. At the time, Jessica was about 17-years-old. We had not previously met. “So,” she said, “Have you ever worked with blind kids before?” “No,” I replied, wondering where this conversion was leading. The reply came without hesitation in the form of a question. “What did you expect?” Her rapid and direct questions were almost rattling. “I expected to find a group of well adjusted young people,” was my honest answer. “Good,” she said, “Because that is what we are. Now, let’s go!” I remember thinking that this young lady would probably meet the challenges of life better than most of us.

 

I may have performed OK as a bike captain and mechanic over the years, but that performance does not compare to Bonnie as the “SAG Lady.” The kids absolutely love her. There are numerous clips of video footage where a voice in the background yells something like, “Yea, Bonnie!” My favorite line from one of the kids is, “Bonnie rocks!” 

 

What is BBAA all about? It is about a lot of hard work, not walking a blind person in your charge into trees or other obstacles, and long days on the bike. Most of all, it is about making a difference in the lives of others and understanding that that difference can mean all the difference in the world.

 

For more information about Christian Record Services and National Camps for Blind Children, visit www.christianrecord.org.

 

- David & Bonnie 

In December 2006, I returned from a bike ride and decided to “touch-up” my rear wheel. After riding on the wheel for several hundred miles following the replacement of several spoke nipples, it had become slightly out of lateral true. While reinstalling the wheel on the bike, the skewer broke near the cam mechanism shooting the shaft across the garage. I had never seen a skewer fail before and considered myself very fortunate that the failure did not occur while riding.

 

The next day, a trip to the bike shop yielded two new skewers (Shimano Dura-Ace^®) to replace the failed rear skewer and the front skewer (both manufactured by Rolf), each having been ridden over 12K miles. I verified that the new skewers did not have any recall notices and installed them on the bike.

 

Less than two months later, I went on a very difficult 54-mile training ride that involved wind, cold, dirt roads, potholes, and rough pavement.  I recall at least one bunny hop during this appropriately named “Macabre” ride that almost sucked the last bit of energy from my aching body.  After driving home, I hung the bike from its two hooks in the ceiling and went inside to eat lunch, recover, and get on with the rest of the day. Later in the evening, I went back into the garage barefoot and stepped on a piece of metal. I looked down and immediately recognized the cam from the rear skewer! This was freaky; two skewer failures in two months on the same bike, same wheel, and both happened in the garage – Not on the road!

 

I carefully inspected and measured the bike frame, wheel, and dropout for misalignment or damage. I found that the dropout centering screws were uneven by about 3mm and the wheel was skewed significantly to the left. Was this the cause or a contributing factor to the failure? Determining the definitive answer is probably not possible. However, there is little doubt that the misalignment significantly increased stress on the skewer.

 

Shimano replaces failed parts under warranty through any authorized bike shop at no charge. If another failure occurs, it probably means that I missed the actual cause of the previous failures. However, I believe that this was one those odd events that happen ever so often in life and I will live out the rest of my days and never see another skewer fail. If I do witness another failure, what are the chances that it will be in a garage?

 

- David

Is it possible that you are a cyclist “to the core?” We know many riders that fall into this category. If you are unsure whether you fit into this classification, the statements below may help you determine the answer. If you believe more than half of them are true, you are probably wearing Lycra^® and eating a banana while you are reading this.

 

1.        A favorite sound is the solid click of cleats locking into pedals.

2.        It does not matter whether the road is flat or hilly; being on the bike is good.

3.        If there is only time to take a ride or mow the lawn, the choice is easy – Take a ride.

4.        A lawn tractor falls under the classification of “cycling aid” because it reduces mowing time.

5.        Fidgety and irritable are accurate adjectives after several unscheduled days off the bike.

6.        More than one bike per person resides at this address.

7.        Of course I have a bike used mainly for inclement weather.

8.        Bananas are on a list of favorite foods.

9.        There are more cycling clothes than work or dress clothes in the closet.

10.    Crashes happen and there are scars to prove it.

11.    It is hard to find clothes that are not too large in the waist (especially belts).

12.    The fixed seats at the local mall food court are unbelievably far from the table.

13.    Shaving of the legs occurs at least as often as mowing of the lawn.

14.    Changing wheels or cassettes to suit terrain is a regular activity.

15.    The kids in the neighborhood bring their bikes to my house for repairs.

16.    Cycling.tv premium channels rock!

17.    It is possible to calculate the exact amount of water/drink, bananas, and gel packs required for an event.

18.    Cycling logs contain rare or obscure events (e.g. bitten by dog, ran over opossum, etc.).

19.    Five minutes is too long to repair a puncture.

20.    Truing of wheels is not complete until they are back to factory specs.

21.    Chain wear measurements are required more than twice per year.

22.    Cobblestones are a superior road surface material.

23.    It is mystifying why network television does not broadcast the classics and tours.

24.    A favorite t-shirt reads, “If you can’t ride with the big boys, stay in the bike lane.”

25.    Comparing the bike and the car, the bike is worth more.

26.    It is possible to be in a public place wearing Lycra^® and point out people who are dressed funny.

27.    Snowfall during a ride might cause one to smile, or even grin.

28.    Rides never get easier – Only faster!

29.    Any car purchased must have room for the bike inside the car or trunk.

30.    Water bottles occupy a significant amount of space at this residence.

 

- David & Bonnie

The bike event that I look forward to the most each year is Six Gap Century. It takes place in the mountains of North Georgia, covers 100 miles, and boasts 10,700 vertical feet of climbing. The toughest climb is seven miles long with an average gradient of 7%; some sections are as steep as 15%. The reputation of this event attracts professional and highly ranked amateur cyclists, some who are able to complete the course in less than 5 hours. It also attracts hordes of other cyclists (1,800 or more) with varying levels of skill and fitness. Many opt to attempt a shorter version of the ride known as the “Three Gap Fifty.”   

 

My goal was to set a personal best time of 5 hours 30 minutes or less for the century. Almost everything about the day was perfect. I was well trained, made it to bed by 10pm the previous night, slept well, had a good breakfast, and was on the starting line in the second row. The one thing that was not perfect was the weather. Rain threatened, but I assessed that it would probably not begin until I was at least halfway around the course.

 

I felt very good because I would be able to go out with the lead riders who average around 25 mph for the first 15 miles over rolling terrain to the beginning of the first climb – Neel’s Gap. After that, I knew that the group would quickly begin to subdivide as the 5-mile 5% grade climb would begin to take its toll on the lesser climbers. This is the point were it is necessary for me to settle into a rhythm and maintain a heart rate of 5 - 7 beats below my personal lactic threshold for the duration of the climb. The idea is to ride well within my limits early in the event while steadily increasing speed as the ride progresses, yet still have just enough energy for a strong fast finish.

 

To my dismay, the rain began 2 miles into the ride. It was not long before the first rider went down. He made the mistake of taking a corner and allowing a tire to drift onto a painted white line on the road. It is critical to avoid painted road markings when cornering or braking in the rain because they are extremely slick. Fortunately, all the other tightly packed riders avoided the crash and the group continued uninterrupted toward the awaiting climbs. I told myself that I must ride conservatively and stay out of trouble. A mile or two later, the next crash happened on a downhill at 40+ miles per hour. The rider went down hard and I missed the rear wheel of his bike by only 6 inches. At this point, I was resolved to stay out of harms way, but it was not to be.

 

On the next short climb, about halfway to the top, I shifted to my small chain ring and the chain dropped. Because the group was so tightly packed, I hopped off the pavement to the right to prevent slowing others and to avoid a collision from the rear. Fortunately, I was able to reengage the chain before the bike came to a stop. I began to accelerate and picked a spot to get the bike back onto the pavement. I misjudged the slope of the pavement at my chosen reentry point. That miscalculation, combined with the lack of traction from the newly fallen rain, resulted in the front wheel sliding out from under me. I fell onto the road and was immediately struck in the left elbow by a bike passing on the left. Fortunately, I was the only bike that went down.  The pain was severe, but I immediately jumped up, checked myself, checked the bike, remounted, and began to chase the front group.

 

I found myself in the middle of a pack that was about two minutes behind the front group. That may not sound like very much time, but this group had lost those two minutes in less than 5 miles. I quickly rode to the front of this second group. I was amazed at how strong I felt; although I knew that this sudden surge of energy was most likely the affect of adrenaline released into my bloodstream because of the crash. Regardless of how much adrenaline was in my system, I knew it would be futile to attempt to catch a group of strong amateur and professional cyclists by myself. Therefore, I eased back a bit on the pace and continued while I attempted to assess the condition of my very painful elbow.

 

After only a few more miles, I spotted my friend Tracy on the side of the road changing a flat (Tracy is a Cat 2 racer riding for John Deer and has finished this course in less than 5 hours). He recognized me and shrugged. I knew that he was disappointed that he would not finish with, and possible beat, the pros in the group.  Tracy was able to catch up on the next climb and graciously offered to assist in helping meet my goal. I told him that I did not think I would be able to make the goal after the crash.  He examined my elbow and said something similar to, “It doesn’t look too bad.”  Several days later, he confessed that he did not want to worry me, but he had thought it did indeed look terrible. It was completely ecchymosed and I had a tattoo quality imprint of a 23c tire on the bicep.

 

I rode with Tracy and some others for a few miles. Eventually he rode away and was able to assist one of his friends to meet his time goal that coincidently was the same as mine. At this point, I was feeling OK – Not great, but OK. Near mile 38, is the beginning of the accent to Unicoi Gap. I thought I was doing pretty well. The rain was cold and my elbow hurt, but I felt as though I was maintaining a reasonable speed. Then the affects of the adrenaline began to wear off. It was as if someone was turning off the fuel supply. I still managed to convince myself that I would be able to finish, but that confidence was shaken when a bike with 28c tires and a rack passed me. Even after that, I rationalized that the rider was probably exceptionally strong and I was still going to be OK. Then another bike with a rack passed. That is when I knew it was over. Around that time, I ran into Chet – A friend who attends some of the same group rides that I do. We rode to the top of the gap together. He continued, but I abandoned; beaten by the psychological and physical trauma, rain, and cold.

 

Fortunately, my wife was on Hogpen Gap to re-supply our friend Brent and myself with water bottles as we passed. I called her on the phone. After she finished her re-supply duties, she drove over and picked me up, and we drove home. I did not go to the doctor or get an x-ray. Therefore, I do not know if the bone was broken, but it took 6 weeks until the pain was completely gone and another 2 weeks of physical therapy was required to regain full range of motion.

 

It was fortunate that I was not seriously hurt, and even more fortunate that the injury did not affect my ability to ride while it healed. I plan to return to Six Gap in 2007 and attempt the goal that was unattainable in 2006. If goals were all easy, I suppose that they would not have value.

 

- David 

After years of participating in large group rides where both skill and fitness levels are very diverse, it is easy to predict certain behaviors that can only be improved through education and experience. Specifically, two actions can make what should be an easy ride difficult. There are riders that speed away on the flats and down hills, and are caught later when the course turns upward. This behavior often results in splintering of the pack because other less experienced riders may give chase.  The second action involves riders that have plenty of energy in the beginning, but fail to take proper advantage of the group’s slipstream. Near the end of the ride, their unnecessary waste of energy over the duration of that ride may leave them struggling to stay with the group.

 

Group rides (especially in the off-season) should be at a comfortable, steady pace. It is OK to break into subgroups because the definition of a “comfortable, steady pace” varies by individual. The laws of physics that govern group cycling permits weaker riders to remain in a faster group, but there are limitations. Those limitations should naturally result in divisions of cohesive subgroups. It is not OK to break into subgroups because of riders that surge and inconsistently alter the tempo (that is racing). Actually, surging does not always create subgroups; most often, it creates strings of abandoned riders that are unable maintain the inconsistent pace.

 

Regrouping is a good thing. Subgroups should reconnect with one another at least once during a ride. Choose some major junction and/or a store stop.

 

If you are strong, do not ride away from the group. Use your strength to move the group along by taking longer turns at the front. If you are not strong, do not place yourself in an unsheltered position for even a few minutes. Find a steady wheel with which you are comfortable and stay glued to it. After your fitness improves, you can begin to take short turns at the front.

 

If you find yourself dropping back on hills, be assured that whatever the solution, it is not to breakaway on the preceding downhill and attempt to beat everyone to the top. This may work a few times, but it upsets a steady tempo, and you will become fatigued from the extra effort required. The best solution is to move near the front of the pack before a climb while taking advantage of the draft. Then, drift back through the pack as the climb progresses. This leaves you in a sheltered position for the longest time possible.

 

There are three possible reasons a rider attacks on a hill during a group ride. They may be a strong rider, the pace is slow, and they want to stretch their legs. There is no need to chase because they will be back in the group shortly. The second possibility is that they are accelerating because they are fearful that they may loose contact with the group on the hill. There is no need to chase because they will be back in the group shortly. The third possibility is that the rider is leaving the group and intends to finish at a faster pace. Again, there is no need to chase because they will not be back in the group and you will not able to maintain their pace. The lesson is clear – Ride steady and smooth and do not attempt to ride uphill at a pace you (or the group) cannot maintain. If you are strong, sit on the front and control the pace. If you are not so strong, perfect your drafting skills so you can finish with the group without burning your last calorie.

 

If you do not understand drafting, or only think you understand, get an experienced rider to coach you. Education from knowledgeable resources is very important to improving your level of skill. Riding effectively in a group requires a lot of practice. Windy days are especially challenging because they require knowledge of advanced cycling techniques.  Seek first to master the techniques. This will keep you from being dropped from the group until your fitness improves. Once you develop a combination of good technique and fitness, it will be your turn to become a teacher.

 

- David