West Michigan Coast Riders

WMCR Spring 2013 Family Ride & Picnic

Rick A. Borns — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:36:11 +0000

Come join the rest of the WMCR membership to celebrate spring with a Family Ride & Picnic!

What: WMCR Spring 2013 Family Ride & Picnic

Why: To celebrate spring (finally) arriving and enjoy a leisurely afternoon with family & cycling friends

Where: Central Park in Spring Lake

When: Sunday May 19, 2pm-5pm

Cost: Free to members in good standing (if you have not renewed your membership for 2013, you can do so at the event)

Details: The club will supply the meal, non-alcoholic drinks and place-settings. Members are to bring family, bikes, helmets and a “hunger” for spring!

Ride: The family ride will be a leisurely “at your own pace” ride on the bike path around Spring Lake. You can ride anytime you like, but if you want to depart with a group, plan to rollout at 2:30pm. If there is interest, some club members may also go on a longer “no-drop” road ride. Helmets are required for all riders.

The WMCR Board is looking forward to seeing you there!

WMCR Group Road Rides for 2013

Rick A. Borns — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:29:20 +0000

Folks, the WMCR Club has some exciting new group road ride plans for the 2013 season with something to offer many levels of cyclists! There will be four group road rides starting up the first full week in May (week of May 6) and the following is the “411″ on each.

The WMCR Board has planned an exciting 2013 season and we’re looking forward to seeing you at the group rides and other events throughout the season!

Monday Night Muskegon “No Drop” Ride

Location: The Coffee House, at the corner of Seaway Drive (business loop 31) and Seminole

The Vibe: There will be one group until numbers warrant splitting into 2 groups or more. This ride is for all levels of riders. We would sure like to see more ladies and younger riders involved. Experienced riders can use this as a recovery ride from weekend events or high mileage. Newer riders can use it as a moderate effort to begin developing an aerobic base and learn group riding skills. Emphasis will be on safety, group riding skill development and a smooth enjoyable ride.

Open to: All WMCR members in good standing and occasional guests. If you regularly attend as a guest, we request that you join the club.

Date & Time: Monday, 6pm starting on May 6

Pace: 17-20 MPH. Speeds will be controlled – there will be no drops, sprints or rapid climbs.

Route: Being developed now, but distance will be between 30-35 miles.

Equipment / Safety: Dropped bar road or cyclocross bikes are appropriate, hybrids and mountain bikes are not. As always, safety is paramount and a helmet is required to participate.

More Info: Call Ken Polidan at 231 799 0008

Tuesday Night “WMCR North” Ride

Location: Montague Township Park (SW corner of Dowling & Whitbeck)

Open to: All WMCR members in good standing and occasional guests. If you regularly attend as a guest, we request that you join the club.

The Vibe: There will be one group until numbers warrant splitting into 2 groups. This ride is for A & B level riders that want to ride a more rural & hilly route and/or for members that find a northern Muskegon County group ride more convenient.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 6pm starting on May 7

Pace: 18-20 MPH with regrouping at stop signs

Route:http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2363730 (If there is interest, we could rotate among three or four different routes).

Equipment / Safety: Dropped bar road or cyclocross bikes are appropriate, hybrids and mountain bikes are not. As always, safety is paramount and a helmet is required to participate.

More Info: E-mail Brian Griffin at wmcoastriders@gmail.com

Wednesday Night Spring Lake Training Ride

Location: Shoreline Sport and Spine on VanWagoner in Spring Lake.

Open to: All WMCR and Shoreline Triathlon Club members in good standing and occasional guests. If you regularly attend as a guest, we request that you join the WMCR club.

The Vibe: The ride is intended as a training ride for road racers, MTB racers and Triathletes so the pace will be “brisk” and you can expect surges/sprints when safe road conditions permit. As always, safety is the top priority and reckless riding will not be tolerated.

Date & Time: Wednesday, 6:30pm starting on May 8

Pace: 18-20 MPH in the spring and increasing throughout the season as the group develops. The group will separate into A & B groups when numbers warrant it.

Route: Being developed now and will be around 35 to 40 miles.

Equipment / Safety: Dropped bar road or cyclocross bikes are appropriate, hybrids and mountain bikes are not. Tri-bikes are not preferred, however we realize that there are those without both options so bring what you have and we’ll discuss briefly how to ride safely in a pack. As always, safety is paramount and a helmet is required to participate.

More Info: E-mail Aaron Zeulke at wmcoastriders@gmail.com

Tuesday Night North Muskegon Ladies Ride

Location: The “4 Corners” in North Muskegon – behind Keefe’s Pharmacy

Open to: All WMCR members in good standing and occasional guests. If you regularly attend as a guest, we request that you join the WMCR club.

The Vibe: The ride is open to all ladies from entry level to season veterans

Date & Time: Tuesday, 6:00pm starting on May 7

Pace: There will be two separate groups: 1st group 12-15 mph, 2nd group 15-19 mph

Route: 25 miles for 1st group and 30 miles for 2nd group

Equipment / Safety: 1st group – upright/comfort bikes are appropriate, 2nd group -hybrid & dropped bar road bikes are appropriate. As always, safety is paramount and a helmet is required to participate.

More Info: E-mail Barb Cooper at wmcoastriders@gmail.com

Yankee Springs MTB Time Trial Race – Sunday April 21, 2013

Rick A. Borns — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:44:01 +0000

The weather cooperated nicely today for the 24th annual Yankee Springs MTB Time Trial race. The Yankee TT is Race #1 of the 2012 MMBA CPS season and it seems that every MTB racer in MI showed up! I’m not sure what the total registration was this yeat, but I would guess it was north of 700 racers – again. The Yankee Springs area received a little snow lately, but the trail was in good shape with very little mud. The race course loop is 11 miles long with 1,000 feet of climbing and littered with rocks, roots, ruts and drops yet most of the trail flows well and is fast. Beginner and Sport racers ride one lap while Expert & Elite racers ride two laps. At least six WMCR members raced today with 5 of the 6 being in one class (40-49 Expert). In fact, with 51 entries, the 40-49 Expert class was about double the size of many of the expert classes. Here’s how the “Coasties” finished (as usual, I appologize if I missed anyone):

Expert 40-49
James Gomez: 1:42:16 for 9th in class
Brent Portenga 1:43:00 for 11th in class
Jim DeWent 1:44:25 for 13th in class
Matt VanderSys 1:48:56 for 25th in class
Rick Borns 1:49:20 for 28th in class

Expert 50+
Randy “Thor” Knapp 2:06:43 for 24th in class

The Spring Lake Ride of Silence

Chris Doubek — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:22:43 +0000

Spring Lake, Michigan

Wednesday May 15 7:00 pm

The Spring Lake Ride of Silence starts at Central Park’s west parking lot, behind Ace Hardware on Savidge St. We are proud to once again have the Ottawa County Sheriffs riding with us and providing us a safety escort. The Ride starts promptly at 7:00 PM, please arrive by 6:40. Helmets are Mandatory. Headlights and Taillights are recommended, but not required. Please wear your Ride of Silence / Share the Road T-shirts if you have one.

Black & Red armbands will be provided. We ask that these be returned after the Ride

WMCR Monday “Lite” (night) Ride for 2013

Rick A. Borns — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:46:30 +0000

For 2013 season we will take a different approach to the monday night ride. There will be one group until numbers warrant splitting into 2 groups or more. Pace will be 17-20 mph. This is a common B level pace. This ride is for all riders. We would sure like to see more ladies and younger riders involved. Rider speeds will be controlled. Experienced riders can use this as a recovery ride from weekend events or high mileage. Newer riders can use it as a moderate effort to begin developing an aerobic base and learn group riding skills. Emphasis will be on safety, group riding skill development and a smooth enjoyable ride. Proper bicycle for ride is a dropped bar road bike. Although we will ride at a moderate pace by road standards, hybrids and mountain bikes are not appropriate. Distance will be between 30-35 miles and there will be no sprints or rapids climbs. Ride will start at 6:00 P.M. from the Coffeehouse at the corner of Seaway Drive(business loop 31) and Seminole. If you have questions, call Ken at 231 799 0008.

Lowell 50 “Classic Gravel Road Race” Spring 2013

Rick A. Borns — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 02:01:29 +0000

288 racers participated in the spring 2013 edition of the Lowell 50 on Saturday April 6. Although rain was predicted, it stayed dry all day in the Lowell area, but it was blustery with high gusty winds and temps in the high 30′s. As usual, most racers (186) opted for the 28 mile event while the “gluttons” (102) raced the longer 50 mile route. Last season’s Lowell races were very fast with relatively smooth and hardpacked dirt roads, but this year’s spring race was uncharacteristically dusty & loose. I suspect that the promoter talked the road commission into grading the roads before the event – and perhaps spreading aggregate in certain areas. In previous events, there were deep and sharp edged ruts that caused quite a few crashes, but the loose course conditions this spring made for a slower pace and more difficult climbing. The Lowell 50 course is great, but the event has sometimes been plaqued with “operational” issues – this year some 50 mile racers missed the start since the 50 mile wave start announcement was weak and the results posting & awards process was a bit long & awkward. However, it was still a great early season race and the WMCR club came out in force with – at least – 8 club members racing. As usual, I appologize if I missed anyone…..

28 Mile Race

Jim DeWent: 1:34:16 for 11th overall and 3rd in age group

Rick Borns: 1:36:28 for 17th overall and 4th in age group

Ken Polidan: 1:43:17 for 53rd overall and 9th in age group

Mark Straszheim: 1:47:13 for 76th overall and 18th in age group

Terry Bandstra: 1:48:35 for 82nd overall and 20th in age group

Chris Doubek: 1:51:08 for 89th overall and 23rd in age group

Wendy DeWent: 2:04:39 for 130th overall and 6th in age group

50 Mile Race:

Geoff Burr: DNF due to a flat tire

MOST Tour 2013

Rick A. Borns — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:06:53 +0000

Brief Description

The West Michigan Coast Riders are pleased to present this exciting Summer cycling tour on June 23, 2013. The MOST Tour is an enjoyable ride on flat to gently rolling terrain in Muskegon and Oceana Counties. The tour goes along Lake Michigan and passes by inland lakes, beaches and fruit farms. Come join us for our ride at one of the best times of the year.

Starting Point:

Montague, MI (see Active.com registration for registration and directions)

Routes

The MOST Tour offers four different routes 25, 50, 66 and 75 mile routes. These are all supported by maps, road markings and SAG vehicles.

Lunch Snacks and a Watter Bottle

The registration fee includes lunch, food stops and a water bottle. Lunch will be made available at the main SAG Stop from 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Food stops will be available by 9:00 a.m. Water bottles will be distributed to riders at registration on the day of the ride.

Safety

Cyclists are expected to follow all traffic laws. Ride with traffic, and never more than two abreast. Cyclists should ride single file when motorist or other cyclists approach from the rear. If you need to stop, move yourself and your bike completely off the pavement. All riders must wear a helmet.

Preparation

Riders should make sure their bicycle is in good working condition prior to the event. We strongly suggest that you bring a pump, patch kit, extra tube, on the road tools and water bottle on the ride.

Questions & Registration

Click Here To Register at Active.com. Please call Breakaway Bicycles at: 231-799-0008 Or e-mail wmcoastriders@gmail.com

Click Here for a Registration Form that you can download, fill out, and mail in.

A Thank You To Some WMCR Riders

Jeff Sobolewski — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:16:15 +0000

Just writing a thank you to the few (WMCR) gents I rode the 36 mile Barry Roubaix with.
It was a fantastically icy ride, and made very enjoyable by teaming with these guys to pull through the masses, stay safe and really make the day complete,

We didn’t know each other, or share other experiences, but I will remember my first Barry Roubaix and how fun it was, with your guys in mind.

Wish we had an opportunity to have a beverage afterwards!

Thanks, you represent well.

Jack
Spidermonkey Cycling
Chicago

The 5th annual Barry Roubaix “Killer Gravel Road Race” – March 23, 2013

Rick A. Borns — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:32:48 +0000

The 5^th annual Barry Roubaix “Killer Gravel Road Race” took place today in Hastings, MI with nearly 3,000 racers “taking over” the town. Rick Plite’s (race promoter) decision to move the race start/finish to Hastings was a great idea as the race has outgrown the Yankee Springs State Park. There was much anxiousness about the course conditions, but the conditions turned out the be EXCELLENT – there was no mud whatsoever since it stayed near freezing all day. I don’t even need to wash my bike – unbelievable – considering the quagmire that the course would have been if the temperature was just 5 degrees higher. There was quite a bit of packed snow and ice on the course, but the Barry County Road Commission spread a thin layer of sand over the icy sections and that precaution made a big difference. There was a good showing of WMCR members and – as far as I know – there were no major mishaps by club members. There was plenty of carnage on the course though – I heard about some pretty spectacular crashes on the ice, at least one fractured collar bone and one racer that was taken out by a deer. (Believe it or not)! Due to the uncertainty about the course conditions, I made a poor decision and broke the “cardinal rule” of “thou shalt not change your bike setup right before the race” – and paid the price. After arrival in Hastings, I decided to swap my (very heavy) Kenda Klondike studded tires for some super-light Specialized Tracer Pro CX tires. And, about 5 miles into the race, my front tire developed a huge aneurism, so I had to stop to see what the issue was. I was shocked to find the tire bead coming off the rim – luckily I stopped before the tube started to extrude out the side and cause a blow-out! I let all the air out of the tire and was able to get the tire bead and tube back in place and somewhat pump the tire back up with my mini-pump. I then (cautiously) raced 30 more miles with an under-inflated front tire (pretty sketchy considering the conditions). I estimate that I lost about 5-7 minutes on the side of the road – pretty disappointing, but considering what happened, I was actually happy just to be able to finish!

Here are the WMCR members that I was able to find results for; I apologize in advance if I missed a few members. (Check out the team-work between Jim & Matt!).

Jim Dewent 1:58:07 for 12^th in class

Matt Vander Sys 1:58:08 for 13^th in class

Austin Schouman 1:59:41 for 6^th in class

William Schouman 2:01:09 for 9^th in class

James Plichta 2:02:52 for 36^th in class

Rick Borns 2:03:26 for 41^st in class

Lori/James Gomez 2:11:44 for 9^th in class

Chris Doubek 2:22:10 for 62^nd in class

Randy Knapp 2:31:27 for 111^th in class

Ken Wilson 2:40:27 for 85^th in class

Geoff Burr 2:45:53 for 86^th in class

Kevin McWilliams 2:53:55 for 140^th in class

Mark Straszheim 2:55:09 for 141^st in class

MHP’s The Ride 2013

Rick A. Borns — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:07:18 +0000

The WMCR club membership came out in force for the 2013 edition of Mercy Health Partner’s “The Ride”. The event was a success again this year with over 500 riders participating in the event. About 30 club members participated and over half of the top 25 heats were ridden by members of the club! The Ride was the first race for the new WMCR Expert / Specialized racing team and had a great outing – the team placed 3^rd overall by riding 142.36 miles over the course of the eight 25 minute heats! The competition was tough for the men’s overall team ranking – less than 2 miles separated the top three teams! The WMCR racing team also raised $625 in donations for MHP’s H.E.A.R.T. (Health Enhancement and Rehabilitative Therapy) Center. The “Breakaway Too” team was composed primarily of WMCR members and also took top honors in the Mixed Team category by riding 123.32 miles. However, the “badge of courage” medal goes to the one-man team that went by the name “Me, Myself & I” (aka Matt VanderSys). Matt did not need any team members – he rode all 8 heats himself for a total of 120.35 miles! All in all, it was a great way to get “warmed up” for the new cycling season and raised a lot of money for a good cause. Let’s shoot to have an even bigger WMCR contingent at the 2014 edition of The Ride! By the way, all the results are posted on the MHP website if you care to check the final standings: http://www.mercyhealthmuskegon.com/theride-mhp