Please email me with any information that you would like to see posted. Mail Link

Newsworthy

Back to Top

Recreational Rides

Recreational Rides

Sunday 28 June - Amelia Earhart Century

35, 62, or 100 Mile Routes starting in Atchison, KS. For more info call 800-234-1854 or email tours@atchisonkansas.net or Website www.atchisonkansas.net

Weekly Rides           "The Weekly Stories based on Saturday Longview Ride"

Saturday Longview 2 Level of Rides 10/30 Miles

The 1st ride starts at 7:45 AM from Longview College Recreational Center Parking Lot - Very Social! Just 10 miles around Longview Lake approx. speed 12/13 MPH. The 30 mile ride starts at 8:45 AM. Approx. 17 to 20 MPH. Rides go all year provided the temperature is above 45 degrees!

Sunday Dog Ride - Medium/Fast!

Leaves JP Coffee Shop at 8:30 AM. I heard this is a good ride from a number of sources!

Tuesday Lee's Summit Ride

Starts at 6:00 PM from up the street at the Church parking lot near the Amtrak Station in Lee's Summit.

Wednesday Bike Shack Ride

Starts at 6:00 PM from the Bicycle Shack.

Thursday Night Ride

Shack and the gang meets at Mr Goodsense at I-470 & Lakewood Blvd. Medium/Fast ride - usually 23 miles wanting to make it 40 miles to Buckner and back. 1 Group of Very Fast Riders and a slower group of Price Chopper riders.

Back to Bike Rides

27 Jun - Tour de Lakes

Our ride was replaced by an estimated 800 Riders on the Tour de Lakes leaving from Longview College at 7:00 AM. The one thing I could definitly say about this ride was HOT! VERY HOT!
Because of the Hot weather and the fact that I hadn't ridden this far all year I decided to start fairly easy. Reggie Kelch luckily made the same decision so I had someone to ride and rotate with. We easily rode through hundreds of people till we caught up with the DOGS and had them to ride along with. Feeling like we had ants in our pants we took off just a hair faster and left them till we caught up with some tri-athletes. Their riding was quite smooth so we stayed with them awhile. It wasn't long till we saw the group which took off really fast made up of some more fast riders along with Ben Simon and John 3:16. I couldn't believe my eyes - How could we have caught up with this group of riders? So we sped up once again and joined the back of their group. (We later found out that they had stopped to fill some water bottles..) Now that the truth be known, my ego was placed in-check with reality.
When we got to Lake Jacomo we all stopped to fill up and cool down (Except for John 3:16 and Ben Simon) We stayed there awhile as I probably downed about 2 more water bottles. Now I was sure I was going to throttle back and take it easy. I rode away thinking Reggie and I would ride together again, but Reggie was much faster on the Jacomo Hills and I could soon see that he was way out in front of me. After making a few wrong turns and ending up somewhere in downtown Lee Summit - (Nice HOT day to add even more miles to my diminishing capacity.) I finally dragged back into the college parking lot where I immediately downed a few more bottles of water and ate about a half a watermelon and lay in the shade trying to recover.
John 3:16 was there and said that Ben and Reggie had left for home. It looks like John 3:16 and Ben Simon were most likely to have been the 1st two back from all the riders that took off for the long course. Quite impressive considering the temperature. Reggie was also rode quite strong and was probably very close to the next to arrive. Not bad considering he started out slow. This story would have been written sooner - but I needed another day to recover! Later.....

20 Jun - A 26 MPH Day in Head-Wind? WOW!

What Luck! The 1st ride was very Hot and Humid and I thought it was just going to be blistering hot by the 2nd ride. But what happened was clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped making for perfect riding conditions once again. Once again a large number of "Super Engines" came out again so I didn't even entertain trying to hang on once we left Casey's. The neat thing is - many riders are getting stronger and staying on front a little longer. (Information provided by others - I was off the back by County Line) I heard of a couple of "Personal Bests" again - I think John Tye mentioned he had a new record. Now how can this be - as there was a Head Wind down County Line Road? Anyhow, to those who are getting faster and enjoying it more - Congrats!
When I mention the names of those who came in with the 26.0 - I'm sure it won't surprise anyone. There was Jeff Winkler (Cat 1 Racer with St. John's), Adam Miller (Has Cat Up to 3 and will be celebrating his 1st Year of Riding a bike in July!), Kent Woermann (Cat 4 Racer with the Bicycle Shack - 4th at State last week!) Craig Morris (Cat 3 Racer with the Bicycle Shack and wears neat socks!) and Eric Burch (Cat 4 Racer with the Bicycle Shack - who seems to be riding incredibly strong right now.) Quite a few "normally on the front, but got dropped today riders" came in next and a few of them had those fast "Green" Jerseys on....
By-the-way, come out to Longivew on Friday to see Pro/1/2/3/4 riders race. Friday at 5:45 PM Cat 4, 6:40 PM Cat 3 and 7:40 PM Pro/1/2.
On Saturday at 7:00 is the Tour De Lakes Ride out of Longview College and in Lee's Summit starting at 2:00 and ending at about 8:30 PM are numerous races near 3rd and Main St. - Hope to see you there either riding or watching and cheering on "Friends of the Saturday Ride". I might even cheer for Adam Miller or Jeff Winkler even tho they don't wear the correct color jersey.... Later....

13 Jun - Story of Wearing People Down

With turnouts this large it's hard to mention names of riders who have gone to their personal "Next Levels" of fitness. Over 50+ Riders again on both rides thanks to almost perfect riding conditions. With all the green racing jerseys in the parking lot I thought the return from Casey's was going to be blistering fast. But what happened was - many of those racing at the Missouri Road Race Championships on Sunday were going to go easy. And all the way back there was going to be head wind. These conditions caused probably the largest "FRONT" group to turn on to County Line Road that I had ever seen. Now it was just a matter of the "SUPER" Riders to wear down people and slowly over time spit them off the back. That's what started to happen but there was still a somewhat large group as far down as 150 Hwy. Eventually I dropped (Thanks to Eric Burch forcing me to take a pull....) and I would have to wait till I got back to the college to get "The Story". It was after the dam that the action picked up and eventually Adam Miller, Matt Maher and Eric Burch were the only ones left standing - coming in, in the order that I named them at about 23.9 MPH. Sounds slow in comparison to some rides - but all we had was headwind all the way back. So it was actually quite brutal out there. So there's your PODIUM as once again the strength at the front just gets stronger and stronger as about eight riders came in just seconds behind. Awesome day! Later.....

6 Jun - A Who's Who of Speed!

Great Weather - Great Turnout - Do we expect anything less?
What was the return from Casey's? A Who's Who of MO SPEED. Just to give you an idea of just how fast the ride was - Here's a couple of Names that I don't think we ever see dropped (Steve Auchterlonie, Tim Colfield, John 3:16 and others). So who caused this train wreck? Coming in at 25.9 MPH in not the best of conditions wind-wise was Jeremy Pych, Adam Miller and Kent Woermann. Very close but NO CIGAR was Brian Bradley followed by Eric Burch. Brian and Eric have been riding very well if you bother to look at the Bike Shack Racing Team website and notice their latest results. As long as these guys keep coming I doubt I'll ever see the front again but it's worth hearing their stories! My one question for Steve Auchterlonie - how did you get dropped? Aren't you one of Missouri's fastest time trial riders?
And on another note - much further back than you "front runners" there was some "SPRINT" action going on - AS Mark Cavendish Sweeney stole a last minute Sprint Victory from an unexpecting Mike Neven and Renae Weaver. Great ride today.... Later.....

30 May - Very Fast Despite the Wind!

As beautiful as it was this morning I was barely well enough to make the 1st ride. I'm glad I did as I saw a great turn-out.
Reggie Kelch called and said the ride back from Casey's actually started out slow (21-ish) and a large group made it to County Line. Eventually the "Power-Houses" Phil Todd, Adam Miller, Ben Simon, Craig Morris, Tim Colfield and John 3:16 left a trail of "Wan-a-bees" behind. Reggie and Jeff Winter who made up a "B" group of about 8 to 10 riders kept the front in sight almost all the way to Raytown Road. They finally shed the riders that were with them and finished at 23 MPH but no longer saw the front group. It sounds like Adam Miller is riding very well as someone mentioned that he is riding like Jeremy Pych. IF anyone has more details - please tell! Later.....

23 May - The Weather Wins! The Weather Wins!

Updated 26 May by Kory Dillman - Added on the end.
This morning was "Biking Heaven"! Who in their right mind wouldn't enjoy a windless, perfect temperature bike ride? We had it all this morning. It was Bicycle Paradise and 50+ riders on both rides would probably agree with me.
Luckily Chris Smedley has taken over the pacing of both rides and gets the respect of all the riders. He was able to control the pace and we kept the speeds down so the NEW riders could tuck in and enjoy! It was awesome rounding a corner and looking back at the very long line of riders. It just can't get any better than this!
I might have to wait for someone to send me an email with details about the return trip from Casey's. Did anyone realize that I was still in the bathroom at Casey's when you left? Anyhow.. I was just one light behind and could still see the long trail of riders in front of me when I crossed 58 Hwy. I might purposely do this again sometime. It was fun to have a string of rabbits sitting out in front. It took me all the way to 150 Hwy and the fact that "Average Joe's " group got stuck at the light for me to catch up. I was surprised how fast everyone is getting (OR how slow I'm getting) because I thought I was going to drop a time or two from this group. I think this is the FUN group! (Sorry Speedsters!) I had a great ride and the group was pretty large which made it fun. I hate to admit it but "AJ" is one heck of a puller!
I spoke with the guys who were already back at the college and it looks like those "GREEN" Jersey's are just too fast - as it was Eric Burch, Phil Todd, Ben Simon, Luke Lininger and Kent Woerman who had left the Best of the Rest scattered like little school girls at a tea party. (I bet that hurt some ego's!) These guys are really riding fast - so congratulate them when you see them! Luke even stayed with Steve Tilford for about 23 minutes in a road race a week or two ago! And Eric Burch is getting great results in ROAD Racing! Where's that Mountain Bike? Kent Woermann seems to be the New Generation of Up-And_Coming racers and of course Phil Todd and Ben Simon need no introduction - as year after year they just are always part of the front group. And for all those riders between the 1st Group and AJ's Group - either be faster or slower if you want to get mentioned in this story...!
Did I mention that we had the honor to see Matt Sweeney this morning - somehow he still felt the need to out-sprint the two girls he was with at the end...! Later.....
Kory's Group - by Kory Dillman
Just like last week, my legs weren't ready when Phil came flying around. It took a good mile or two before they finally warmed up. The front group opened 100 meter gap on me but I was closing in on them going into the big dip on Kurzweil. I could have bridged to them...except for a car that got between us at County Line and Kurzeweil. I had to come to a stop and wait and that was that. So, I waited for the next group back. I don't know any names (Luke's dad was one of them as well as the Velotek woman) but the group of 5 or 6 moved along at a great pace even over the hills and on to the outer road. By the time we reached the light at 150 Hwy, the front group was “right there”. But, they had green and we got red. They rolled away while we sat catching our breath. Our group held together until we reached the dam. Then it slowly dwindled and was down to 3 or 4 by the time we turned south on View High. We arrived at the college with an average of 24.2 MPH. The guys in this group could reach 26 by the end of the season! It's awesome to see 'average Joes' coming along with that kind of speed! I'm still amazed that YOU were left behind. I'm still laughing!

16 May - It's Phil Todd / Ben Simon / Kent Woermann!

And that's ALL I know! I wasn't present Saturday except to see the start of the 1st ride. But I heard that Phil, Ben and Kent broke away and were the first back to the college after Casey's. Waiting to hear from anyone with the details.....
Story by Kory Dillman
The wind was blasting out of the NNW at 20, gusting to 30+ MPH on Saturday morning. That made for a great, almost effortless ride to Casey’s with the pace often spinning up well over 20-25 MPH. The 17 MPH speed limit was literally thrown to the wind! The group stayed together until we turned south onto Kurzweil. Then, the pace exploded as everyone “stretched their legs” for the ride back. The front group, which was moving so fast I couldn’t catch anyone’s name, was trucking along between Gore and 58 Hwy at speeds of 38-40 MPH. A tailwind like that can mean only one thing: a serious battle to get home!
The faster speeds heading out meant we had more time to stand around at Casey’s and chat. That’s great for camaraderie but it also give the legs a lot of time to load up. And load up mine did! The group finally saddled up and headed for home at the designated time. We rolled through the light on 58 and kept on slinking along. The pace never went above 20. That is, until Phil came motoring along. He must have had an invisible fairing on his bike because he seemed to be the only person that could muster any momentum against the wind. Tight on his wheel were Ben, Kent, John 3:16, Rick Krepps, and Shari Woiwood (great to see those two Shackers on the ride!). The new guy who rides for Fairbank Scales was there, too, but I can’t recall his name. D’OH! I jumped in a feeble attempt to latch on - my legs just laughed. Try as I might, there was just no way I was catching that train.My legs came under me on County Line, and I actually brought the front group back into sight before the outer road. I think I could have caught them on the outer road, if only that nasty wind wasn’t blowing (that’s meant to be funny, Ha! Ha!). I fought the wind solo all the way back to the college. Several times I considered sitting up and waiting for the next group but there was no one in sight behind me. So, I hunkered down and put it in time trial mode. I rolled into the college 49 minutes later, or an average of 20.8 MPH. Twenty never hurt so much!
The studs—Phil, Ben, Kent—said that they arrived around 5 minutes ahead of me. That would put their average between 22 and 23 MPH. That’s unbelievable considering the wind. John and the Fairbanks rider came in around a minute to two minutes behind them. Rick dropped on the Outer road and then, turned around at Raytown Road to find Shari. She dropped off the group on County Line Road, before the first hill. I hung out for 10 minutes or so and then had to leave for home, so I didn’t get to see who came in next. Let’s hope for winds from the south this week!

9 May - The Shack Boys Go Fast Enough!

Updated.. See Kory Dillman's Story at the End..Nothing like chilly, windy weather in May to still bring out quite a few riders. With all the Green Jerseys present you would swear racing season was over. With Raytown road being all torn up for repair it was fun to have new routes for both rides. But now it's time to stall, what do you write about when you pretty much ride by yourself? The 1st ride broke up a bit but we had an extremely successful easy, wind aided group ride out to Caseys on the 2nd ride. Leaving Casey's was where the trouble started as the light split the group up right off the back, and a parade of motorcycles coming towards us kept us strung out at the far right side of the road. The group of us that made the light crept along at about 10 MPH waiting for the group that missed the light to come back together. I kept thinking "What's taking them so long?" as there was quite a bit of muscle in the trailing group. Little did I know that some car was giving the bikers a hard time. I don't know what the average speed was by the time we reached County Line, but I'd be willing to bet it was under 15 for the 1st group. Finally we are all pretty much together when we turn on to County Line as the sea of green starts moving towards the front to get things rolling. For some reason, bad cross winds or missed communications, an awful pace line forms that is strung width-wise across the road and it isn't moving all that fast which allowed a whole ton of us "Average Joe's" to hang on longer than necessary. Luckily the shackers got organized and their above average fitness levels left many of us, as we continued to fall further behind. At least this was now much safer for both groups.
I, however fell off in the middle of no-man's-land, wishing I had fallen off earlier with somebody to ride with... Eventually Kent Baker and another rider or two came by. How they got dropped is beyond me as they seemed quite strong. I finally sat up and let them go since I couldn't seem to rotate with them anyhow. Now... if only someone easier would come by, I would have company on the way back. No such luck!
Arriving back at the college, I see this huge carpet of green jersey's. I heard that a group of 8 to 10 made up the lead group. So once again I can only guess some of the names and ask anyone to email me with corrections. Lead group looked to be: Phil Todd, Ben Simon, Tim Colfield, John 3:16, Kent Woermann, Craig Morris, Jim Rank, Kory Dillman, Adam Miller, Kurtis Albrect maybe Reggie Kelch and I know there were at least 2 more bicycle shack jerseys present. Anyhow... it just doesn't get any better than this when you can get on a bike and ride... Later....
Story about the Lead Group by Kory Dillman
How about that slow start from Casey’s to County Line? I was becoming concerned that our average speed would end up being under 15 MPH! Fortunately, things came together and we were able to get the green train rolling. Adding the hill on High Grove/Scherer made for a 17-mile ride. According to my computer, we came in with an average speed of 21.25 MPH. Not too bad Considering the crawling pace for the first 2 miles and the strong NNW winds. I thought the tough climb so late in the ride would really shake things up. A group of 10 of us—Ben, Tim, John 3:16, Kent Woerman, Craig, Jim, Kurtis Albrect, Reggie, and Adam—all stayed together to the base of the hill on High Grove. The hill stretched us out and dropped Reggie…I came close to popping and I overheard Craig mention that an old lady using a walker passed him, but he was back on the train on the descent. Kent and Adam pushed each other and the pace over the top but neither was able to shake the other. We cruised across the bridge and turned up the gradual hill on Sampson with pretty much the same result: the group stayed together with Kent and Adam pushing the pace. Adam was able to open a small gap but Tim quickly covered it. The group tightened up again as we twisted through the traffic circle at Longview and we rolled in pretty much as one big pack. Ben and I were about 25 meters off the back, but that was more because we sat up and started chatting.
We hung out at the college for a few minutes and then 6 of us (Craig, Kurtis, Kent, Jim, guy from Colorado) took off on a 30-mile jaunt around Lee’s Summit—Chipman, Colburn, Blackwell. The ride was intended to be a cool down, but the speeds hung between 20 and 30 for the majority of the trip.

2 May - 24.9 for a Dozen!

Who would have guessed that we would have almost perfect conditions for a Saturday morning ride with the gloom and doom predictions by the weather forecasters? What happened? Did everyone pull up a weather radar and find out that the rain wasn't going to come this morning? What a great turn-out for both rides.
Regarding the 2nd ride on the way out to Casey's..... Sorry "AJ" but there just doesn't seem to be any "Average Joe's" left. With over an 18 average just on the way out - almost everyone who came to ride was still on board when reaching Casey's. Is everyone just getting better? With everyone getting so fast there aren't many recreational rides left in town that would hold your interest. Did I see Mark 3:16 hammering and bridging on the way out to Casey's? It's going to be hard to pick a "Most Improved" rider this year since a great number of you appear to deserve that title!
Now - how did such a very large group stay together so long on the return trip? It felt like the speeds were fast enough that only a select few would be present. But as I looked around, there was still a large number on board going down County Line. It took the last couple of hills to 71 Hwy access road to narrow the group down to 13 riders. You might notice by the title that 12 of these 13 came in with a 24.9 average. Unfortunately, I was the one person who just couldn't hold on and lost it by the dam. It was even hard to tell who were the "Strong Men" in this group. It looked like just about everybody was getting on the front and taking their share of the work. I really don't want to mention names because I know my poor memory will leave to many out - but for those that I forget "SORRY". Front riders I remember - Ben Simon, Reggie Kelch, Kory Dillman, Steve Auchterlonie, Eric Burch, Kent Baker, Kent Woermann, Jeff Winter, Bobby, and a couple of guys I don't know by name. Feel free to send the names of the 3 I forgot. And before I forget another large group came back just minutes later. I heard quite a few of those riders had "Personal Bests". The speeds of the 2nd group would have been near records as late as 2005! Yes, everyone is getting faster! Later.....

25 Apr - 27.1! 27.1! Jeremy Pych and Jeff Winkler!

WOW! A 1st! The Magical, the Elusive, the Odd Number which seemed impossible to reach was reached today! Jeremy Pych, Jeff Winkler with the aid of a nice tailwind and perfect temperatures reached a milestone I was all but ready to give up on. YES! 27.1 MPH from Casey's back to the college.
It started immediately right after we left Casey's when Jeremy, Jeff, Ben Simon and Reggie Kelch took a flying start. Even with very fresh legs and hanging on to Kory Dillman and John 3:16 the foursome were quickly disappearing out in front. Turning on to County Line the magic moment was set in motion. What? Did they disappear all ready? Gone.... I'd have to wait till I got back to the college to find out the news.
In the meantime, us very average Joe's were also having a good ride. Conditions were perfect for both speed and comfort. John 3:16, Kory Dillman hit 26.15 MPH and Reggie was in the 25+ MPH and groups of people came back at 21. Kyle and I were somewhere in between Reggie and the rest of the groups. It was an awesome day for speed!
It just doesn't get any better than this! And on another note - Ben Simon led a very nice ride out ot Casey's and I think we have a new route. Everyone seemed to like the detour out by Raintree. Later.....
Whoops! Almost forgot.... Welcome back to riding Steve Auchterlonie (recovering from collapsed lung).

18 Apr - The One, The Only - Jeff Winter!

No Kidding... Jeff Winter rode today! End of story!

11 Apr - 3 Strikes Your Out - Luckily Only 2!

I didn't really expect anybody on the 1st ride. 38 degrees when I left the house this morning and expecting nice weather in the afternoon. But I either had to ride now or not at all. Lucky for me about 5 other riders were at the college. A couple of New guys (Welcome!) and even Darren Kennedy graced us with his presence and constant humor. He did have a hard time flipping someone off with those clawed biker's gloves. "Live Long and Prosper" was the best flip off he could come up with...
There were quite a few more at the college to start the 2nd ride. It warmed almost 10 degrees on the first round. We kept a nice pace out to Casey's and the average speed was exactly as advertised around 17.4....
It was a little scary to see the horse power that showed up on the 2nd ride (Phil Todd, Dave Reynolds). They said they weren't riding much....? I still didn't get that "RELIEF" feeling tho. We did leave Casey's doing an easy steady rhythm with Kory Dillman pulling steadily on the front. Right before County Line Eric jumped with Kent Woermann chasing. I joined in the chase and before the 3 of us could get together the real horse power was coming. Instantly there were only 7 of us going down County Line Road (Phil Todd, Eric Burch, Kent Baker, Tim Colfield, Kent Woerman, Dave Reynolds and Me). Somewhere, somehow I fell off (Strike One!). But lucky for me Kent Baker fell off to. I jumped on his wheel and he was still strong enough to pull right back up to the pack. Had he not been there I would have been history. Then the last hill prior to the 71 Hwy access road I slipped back again (Strike Two!). And with even a little more luck going my way they hit the red light at 150 Hwy. Seems to be my lucky day.... We now had set in motion a really nice rotating pace line. I skipped a couple of rotations to recover from the chase and then settled in and took my place. It was really smooth and not very difficult. We turned up by the golf course and I thought we were going to rotate all the way in when Phil, Eric, Kent Baker and Tim Colfield powered away. I thought I had something left until I tried a slightly harder pedal stroke and realized "Not Today". I was happy to come in with Dave Reynolds and Kent Woerman since I shouldn't have been there at all. Good thing Phil Todd hasn't been riding....! Stongest today: Phil Todd, Eric Burch, Kent Baker and Tim Colfield. Later....

4 Apr - I thought I saw Steve Auchterlonie!

I guess the strong wind and iffy temps kept riders away this morning. But there were enough out there to have a great ride and good company. The park is open again so we enjoyed the wildlife of going through the park on the 1st ride. Saw about 18 deer... Cool!
We agreed to shorten the 2nd ride and skip the part where we head out to Caseys. Many of us wanted to get back in time to support Chris Smedley whose Father passed away this week. Our prayers and thoughts are with Chris and his family.
The hammering started when we reached County Line Road. This blur went by all of us and rumor has it that it was Steve Auchterlonie. It was so fast, and whoever it was disappeared quickly. Kory jumped up after him and I jumped up to try and catch Kory. Anyhow - the unknown speedster (Steve Auchterlonie?) got away. Maybe there is an electric motor in his hub....
At 150 Hwy Kent Baker joined Kory and me as we rotated back towards the college. When we turned into the headwind by the golf course my legs were cooked and there was nothing I could do but watch those two inch away from me. Despite the wind, it was a great ride! By the way Steve - congrats on your 2nd place Time Trial Ride Thursday. Very impressive time! Later......

21 Mar - It's Grandpa Reggie!

WOW! Wasn't it suppose to rain today? Ended up being a beautiful day for a ride and a number of riders came out for both rides.
On the ride out to Casey's a group of Tri-Guys joined in the fun. So.. it went out just a little faster than advertised but it was fun and a great day to ride.
On leaving Caseys Kory jumped out front pulling the group. Reggie came around and set a mildly faster pace only to have Kory go on an explosive attack that put him way down the road on County Line. Lucky for me, I had never been out front and had fresh legs. Wasn't long before we wheeled Kory in. Now there were 3 of us out front finally working together. Reaching the construction night mare at 150 Hwy we waited 5 minutes or 4 light exchanges to cross. By now everyone was back together. Once we finally got through the light Kory was on front setting the pace again. With Reggie and Kory working up front it wasn't that long till the 3 of us found ourselves out in front. Soon we picked up Eric Burch who was out riding and with his fresh legs he picked the pace up over 30 MPH down Raytown Road. Somewhere near the dam Kory dropped off leaving Me, Reggie and Eric to take it on in. But once again the fresh legs of Eric picked it up and only Reggie could hang on, come around and solo in for Grandpa 1 - Young Guys 0 score. It was only later that I learned that in a dark alley at Midnight, Eric and Reggie met and exchanged currency. The plan was for Eric to be waiting with fresh legs near the end of the ride and lead Reggie in for the victory. And to think I was going to give Reggie credit for a good ride....! Shame! Shame!
On another more positive note, the next group in, made up of about 4 Mark's, learned the art of rotation. I heard they did a great job! Later.....

14 Mar - Four in the Cold!

This will be a short Saturday story. I was the only one on the 1st ride around the Lake and came to the College Parking Lot to see only 3 other people for the 2nd ride. Eric Burch, Kent Baker and Joe were waiting in the cold. I was surprised more weren't there to ride. Despite the cold temperature there was little wind and it didn't feel as cold as the temp indicated. It was relatively easy to get out to Casey's all together - after all there is only 4 of us....
Leaving Casey's Eric and Kent are sitting on the front and so far they are not hammering... Maybe a slow group ride back?
Joe comes around and picks up the speed which Eric and Kent quickly cover. Now that the legs are warmed up and moving it's "Training Time". Joe quickly falls off the back and its Eric, Kent and I going down County Line. Pretty soon I'm on the front trying to let someone come around and notice that it is just Eric on my wheel. We rotated almost the rest of the way back to the college. Right as we turned to bring it on in at the golf course Eric said his legs were cooked and dropped back just a little. He obviously didn't drop to bad as he came in right behind me just seconds back. Once again we have no idea of the speed as no one reset and my computer is still not working. I don't think it was all that fast as I seem to have enough energy to work around the house. Later.....

7 Mar - The Wind is My Friend! The Wind is My Friend!

Unbelievable Temperatures for March so it was no surprise that a large number of riders came out for the rides. However the Hurricane Force Winds weren't making many friends today. The wind made it impossible to stick together as a group. All you had to do was let about a 1 foot gap between you and the bike in front of you and gaps were created. Groups of 2's and 3's came dribbling into Casey's on what is suppose to be a relatively moderate ride out there. And not everyone who left the college made it out to Casey's - between the wind and winter fitness, some were turning around and heading back home.
There was one person, where it appeared the wind wasn't affecting. Tim Colfield seems to already have his A-Game on! Leaving Casey's we had a really nice tail wind and the speeds were really fast (over 30+). But turning and heading West on County Line Road was a very different story. Seemed like the wind was hitting you on the side and out front and anywhere but behind. I attached myself to the front group of Tim Colfield, Reggie Kelch, Craig Morris, Eric Burch and Kory Dillman only to have a very strong gust of wind knock me right off the back. If it wasn't for the front group catching a red light at 150 Hwy I never would have seen them again. Now the problem was hanging on as I was tired after the long chase. In the meantime a friend of Craig's (Chris) had joined the group in front.
Eric turned to go home, Craig turned to go home which left just 5 of us (Tim,Kory,Reggie, Me,Chris) to take it on in. Tim rode off the front and even working together we couldn't bridge back up. He proved to be by far, the strongest rider today and there was nothing we could do about it. Reggie and Chris came in next about 20-25 seconds behind Tim and I followed them in about 15 - 20 seconds later. (Of course, I shouldn't have been there at all.) Then Kory came in a few seconds behind me with a back that was cramping. None of the front group had a working odometer so I don't know what the speed was. All I know is that about 5 minutes later Nathan came in with a 20.5 average. IF Kory figures out his new odometer he might just email me the speed so I can make a guess.... Later....

7 Feb- Ben Simon, Tim Colfield Sneak Away!

No surprise that there was a good showing today as the warm 55 + degree Feb morning brought a number of riders out of hibernation. A couple of riders (Ben,Tim) came out of hibernation better than the rest of us.
Leaving Casey's Darren Kennedy took off after a truck to try and get some illegal drafting aid. Of course this looked liked a good idea to me also, so I took off after him. The truck of course turned into a drive way leaving us both out there like rabbits to the hounds. I looked back and saw we had a good jump on everybody so why not give it a moderate college try and see how long I can stay off the front.
I now know that it was a stupid plan as the pack was on me right as we were turning onto County Line Rd into an awful wind. I tucked in behind Reggie and Kory but they fell off leaving Ben Simon, Tim Colfield and Eric Burch with a nice little gap. I figured that I had just one more match to burn and got around Reggie and Kory to go after them. Needless to say I didn't complete the bridge and now I'm by myself Time Trialing just for the workout. Fast forward a little further down County Line and what's this I see? A lone biker fell off... As I get closer I notice that Eric Burch fell off the Ben Simon, Tim Colfield train. Now... can I at least catch him before he turns to go home? With a little more resolve I inch it up a notch - at times it appears I'm closing the gap and at other times it appears I'm further away. I got closer but did not quite make it. (Eric, were you teasing me?)
Back to the boring job of Time Trialing. I look back and someone appears to be catching me. Do I slow down and work with him or use the motivation not to be caught to have a good work out? I hate TT'ng, it jacks with your mind. I finally decide that maybe, just maybe I could make it back to the college without getting caught. (I'm sorry I'm not mentionng the speedsters to much in this story - but I don't see them anymore - they escaped my viewing pleasure.) When I get back I ask Tim how long they were there. (About 2 or 3 minutes - OR if you asked Ben 20 minutes) Unfortunately they were without a working odometer so I'm going to have to make an educated guess. Kory comes in about 40 seconds behind me in 46:09 which is about 22.1 MPH. Subtracting 40 seconds gives me about 22.5. Tim said that they had been back about 2 or 3 minutes before me. So splitting the difference would give them about a 23.7! WOW! NOT bad for Feb. And isn't Ben still recovering from two broken ribs? (If they were back 3 minutes before me, it would be 24 MPH). Reggie came in after Kory and he had a 20.9 - his odometer was working! So my guesses are probably pretty close to accurate. Darren Kennedy who started this mess came in next followed by Gary Young then Mark Breeding and Mark 3:16. Well that's the story as I know it. It was lonely out there today.... Later....

31 Jan - Fast for January

Seven Riders came, after all it was only in the low 30's in the early AM. Steve Hunter, Steve Auchterlonie, Mike Boles, Kyle, Alex, Jeff Winter an Me braved the cold hoping that the predicted warmth would come quickly. No such luck as it stayed cool all the way out to Casey's on the 2nd ride.
Unfortunately as the speed and effort increased upon leaving Casey's the warm wind was blowing in. (In our faces down County Line!) Now we are dressed way to warm and no time to stop and shed any clothing. To say the least I was cooking going down County Line.
Before we left Casey's, Steve A. assured us that he was going to stay in his lower zone of training today. His lower zone seemed to be max-ing my heart rate and appeared to drop everyone but Jeff and me. Jeff was hanging on for dear life, due to his beard catching the wind and slowing him down. (Hey, don't blame the writer, I'm just repeating what he said!) Anyhow... long story short... Steve A. had a Wattage contraption on his bike and figured out that we came in at about 230 Watts and a 22.2 MPH average. Not bad for January especially with the head-wind on Countly Line. Oh... I promised Jeff Winter that I would mention that he took a 30-second pull. For some reason he was annoyed when I counted for him.... Later.....

3 Jan - Warm- So Where Was Everyone?

I am normally surprised at how many show up to ride this time of year. But today I was surprised at how many didn't show up. It was 55 degrees by the end of the 2nd ride, so where was everyone?
6 riders on the first ride and 10 on the second. Not all that bad for January, but a pretty low number for how nice it was outside. The fitness levels aren't very high this time of year so I thought it might even be a group ride back from Casey's. Sorry... I changed my mind and decided I needed to get the cobwebs out and took off. Kory and Jeff Winter came with me and I was glad I didn't have to do it alone. I thought the speed back would be greater with the amount of effort we poured into the ride back, but heck, it's only January. 21.25 was the final tally and we don't even have the wind to blame for slowing us down. Reggie, Gary Young, Kyle, Bert Swift, Shelby and Salty Dog weren't that far behind, as they came back just a minute or so later. 2009 has begun! Later.....

2008 "Year in Review"

If I had to best describe 2008, it would be FAST!
"FAST" because the speeds were just faster than any other year. From 2004 through 2007, the 26+ MPH speeds were reached just 4 times. In 2008 alone the 26+ MPH speeds were reached 15 times!
On Sept 27th Jeremy Pych, Steve Auchterlonie and Adam Miller came in at 26.9 MPH just one tenth away from the ever elusive 27 MPH milestone. This record was achieved with the help of just about everyone from the Bicycle Shack Racing Team as they pulled hard on the front and fell off leaving those 3 to bring it on home.
Jeremy Pych has become our highest profile rider to ride the Saturday ride as he has risen in the racing world and starting in 2009 will be riding for a Cat 1/2 Racing Team out of Springfield.
Adam Miller will probably be the next super star on the bike as he will try racing a little bit more in 2009. He was ranked #1 in the Nation in Speed Skating in 2008.
Steve Auchterlonie, the never aging speedster, upped his game this year and had the most 26+ MPH returns from Casey's, one time going it alone with a pack of Bike Shack Racers unable to reel him in.
Jeff Winkler rode a couple of Saturday rides. He once beat Tyler Hamilton in a race and races with the PROs during Cyclocross Season.
Phil Todd, Jeremy Pych and Jeff Winkler won the 1st Team Time Trial in KC(CAT/1/2) for the Bicycle Shack Racing Team this year.
The writing was on the wall for a very fast year. From the very 1st Saturday ride (Jan. 5th, 2008), Jeff Winter sped in at 22.2 MPH! With more riders staying in shape over the winter I forsee bigger and faster packs. And maybe, just maybe that 27 MPH speed will be reached in 2009.
Even more impressive were the number of Non-Racing Recreational Riders having spectacular years. I saw so many more riders hanging on longer and longer down County Line Road with the "Racing Speedsters".
The getting younger and fitter "Steve Burns" won 3 Gold Medals in the Senior Olympics in the 5K, 10K Time Trial races and the Road Race in the 55-59 age group! He beat the ex-record holder in ALL events that he participated in!
Mark Breeding along with John Tye are hanging on the front pack much further and are close to reaching 71 Hwy's outer road. Making it over the hills on County Line and reaching 71 Hwy's Outer Road is the telling sign that you have jumped to the next level of cycling.Therefore, my pick for the "Most Improved" riders award in 2008 would go to Steve Burns, Mark Breeding and John Tye. Steve has already become a front group rider and Mark and John are just inches away from hanging on.
John 3:16 seems to be the "Ageless Wonder", consistently in the front pack despite the number of days he has spent on Earth! He has even joined the exclusive 26 Club, something I'm still just dreaming about.
Ben Simon is the consistent "Front Runner" of the Saturday Ride. Many of our rides would be much slower except that a pack of riders almost always has to "Team-Up" to catch him as he speeds off the front.
2008 brought more and more riders, as the pack starts to swell in June and stays inflated till about September. But even the "Off" months had more than usual. Jeff Winter is no longer the only lonely soul out there riding when its cold (Unless it's REAL COLD"). With more people than ever racing cyclocross, I guess riders are learning how to dress for colder weather.
All in all, it was a great year and hope to see all of you and more in 2009!

Sat 20 Dec - One in the Cold

Story by Jeff Winter
To the tune of “Me and Bobby Mcgee” I sang “just me and the geese” riding out to the college for the 7:45 start, heart broken not to see Steve Burns, or Steve Godfrey my riding partners for last weeks “Ride in the Wind”. I even called Bert but upon answering the phone he didn’t say hello, but “I’m a Puss”.
I by passed the first loop and just went straight out to Casey’s due to work commitments enjoying an awesome tail wind singing the 60’s tune “where have all the flowers gone” but singing “Where have all the people gone”. I really felt the 23 degree temperature and the head winds on the way back and my singing was replaced by my constant need to wipe off the frozen fog from my “heat shield” (the helmet face covering).
Just for the record I believe my return average speed was a -5mph. It’s a wonder life.....

Sat 13 Dec - 3 Brave the Wind!

A sailboat on wheels might have worked better than a bicycle today. The 3 brave sailors who faced Mother Nature's angry blow were Steve Burns, Steve Godfrey and Jeff Winter. Did anyone see my disc wheels go by? Later.....

Sat 6 Dec - Kory Dillman sings "One is the Loneliest Number

Story by Kory Dillman
As Three Dog Night reminds us, one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do. I showed up Saturday morning to find no riding partners. I was running a little late and thought that maybe I missed the start. Rather than try to chase anyone down from behind, I decided to ride the loop backwards. That way I could meet them coming and then turn around to ride back with them. But, alas, I looped the lake without seeing another cyclist. Weenies!
With the MO CX Championships on Sunday, I rode the first loop only. Average speed was 17.6, for what it’s worth.

Sat 29 Nov - Mr. Winter Rides Again!

WOW! 3 Brave Souls - Kory, Bert and Jeff brave the elements on the 1st Ride! Bert uses the excuse he has to go to work and Kory uses the excuse he has to save himself for Sunday's Cyclocross race so, aided by the tune “I’m Mr. lonely” Jeff Winter rides on.... "What’s that honey you want me to hang the Christmas lights today? Are you kidding!*@#? Do you know what the temperature is outside!" Later.....
Update 1 Dec
Looks like Kory Dillman made the correct decision. In saving himself for the cyclocross race on Sunday he finished in 3rd Place! Congrats.....

Sat 22 Nov - 4 on 1 and 3 on 2 and NO Winter!

I walked the dog and caught the riders that showed up. On the 7:45 AM Ride there was Bert Swift, Jared (from CO), Rich and Kory Dillman. The 8:45 AM ride saw Jared, Kory and Steve Burns. What no Jeff Winter? Yes... 29 degrees and cold and still 4 riders on the 1st ride and 3 on the 2nd. If I find out anymore news about the return I will post it.
Story or Poem by Kory Dillman
The Frozen Bunch
Here’s a story of four diehard men
who set out to prove that they are nuts
each of them was dressed warmly
but they still got cold; maybe they’re just putzs
--------------------------------------------------
Here’s a story of four sworn cyclists
Who wouldn’t let 25-degree temps slow them down
They were four men riding all together
Yet they were still f-ing cold
--------------------------------------------------
On the first ride they went round the lake
And maintained constant speed
Then on the second ride, Rich traded places with Steve
The strong winds broke their will So they cut it short
bypassing the turn to Casey’s!
----------------------------------------------------
The Frozen Bunch, The Frozen Bunch
That’s the way we became the Frozen Bunch.
---------------------------------------------------
The Frozen Bunch is: hailing all the way from Loveland, Co…Jerod Dawson; proving the Bicycle Shack is more than just a bike shop, Burt Swift; out on a day that kept even old man Winter(s) away, Rich; riding on balloon tires too big for even a cross bike, Kory Dillman; and, proof that real men do wear pink, Steve Burns. Overall average for second ride 17.8. The thought to “race” back never even crossed our minds, so we didn’t reset computers.

Sat 15 Nov - Cold, Snow and Mr. Winter Himself!

Story by Jeff Winter - Because who else would it be?
Filled with anticipation and hope - knowing I wasn’t going to be riding alone this morning (because I received a phone call from Bert Swift Friday night), I waited in the parking lot for the start of the 7:45am ride. Not to be disappointed Bert descends 3rd street dressed for the occasion (23 degree wind chill with strong north/west winds)….But was this it? What about Bob?
Bert and I complete a full loop (yes I made sure he cut no corners I even escorted him home), then I head back to the college knowing that just because there is a little sleet/snow mix someone would still be coming out… NOT! Let me tell you its lonely at the top (I have a good imagination and I’m delusional), I see Mike, Lyn, Keely & Fluffy playing in the front grass at the college I now I know that a dog with 6” legs can out sprint me, cause he does a 100yd dash in about 8 seconds so I’m shocked back into reality…. Out to Casey’s I felt like a pro again aided by the strong N/W winds, determined to beat my last weeks 15.6mph return trip I lay down in my aero-bars poised to strike…Wow my feet hurt today, and it’s colder than last week, the sleet is stinging my eyes, and I’m really hungry. How am I going to explain a 14.7mph return trip to my friends (I had a 14.8, but lost it at the finish)….I know; I can say I took it easy resting for tomorrows dog ride that meets at JP’s coffee shop at 8:30am! Mike, please don’t post my speed in the headlines again that was not very nice!
Mike adds: "Whoops, I forgot to read that last part about NOT posting in the Headlines... Sorry..."

Sat 8 Nov - Cold!

Story by Jeff Winter - Because it was too cold for Me!
The 7:45 first loop had 4 brave souls going against the elements, a 33 degree start and strong North/West winds greeted Kory, Bob, Glad (Gladamier), and Jeff.
Kory must have felt good because he led us around counter clockwise in hopes that the wind wouldn’t be so strong that way (Kory it’s a circle!) Anyway the pace was an untraditional 17.4mph getting us back to the parking lot with 25 minutes to spare before the 8:45 ride! NOT GOOD when its this cold, Kory has another good idea for us to circle around the JP coffee block taking us approximately 5 minutes each lap to keep warm, this worked great, but Kory had to head home due to a cycle cross race tomorrow & Glad’s feet were frozen leaving just 2 of us (Bob & myself) to “SAIL” out to Caseys.
“THE RACE HOME” -- Remember those “STRONG NORTH/WEST WINDS”? I’m not a mathematician but I do believe that 33 degrees - 25mph headwinds = 15.6mph. That much pain for 15.6mph! Was it worth it? YES! And we hope to see more “Brave Souls” next weekend! And some “FUN FACTS”: When a 40 point buck races across Raytown road in front of you and you're close enough to “smell him” that is too close. AND... When Bob doesn’t wear any head covering or shoe covers does he get cold? I don’t know because he never complained! Taking a hot shower as soon as you get home from riding in temperatures like this causes intense pain to your feet!
Thanks for the story Jeff....!

Sat 1 Nov - Our Ride in London!

About 20 to 25 riders braved the London Fog of Kansas City and blindly rode on. Visibility was poor as we rode through the cloud that had fallen to earth. Luckily the temperature was comfortable. This was more like a rolling train of noise as you couldn't see much around you. Please keep talking so I know where you are.....
OK enough of that.... The return from Casey's was into head wind but there was enough strength on the front to keep us moving quickly. Every time we even hinted of slowing down, Ben came around and kept the speed up. We all loved it, as it lessened the amount of time we had to spend in the wind. (Well, except for John 3:16 - seems like he was on the front every time Ben came around and had to gather the strength to stay on board.) Anyhow, by 150 Hwy there were 6 left on the front. (Steve Auchterlonie, Ben Simon, Adam Miller, John 3:16, Steve Burns and I, was there too!) We all stayed together until Steve B. fell off just a few hundred yards before the ride was over. He stayed long enough to be included in the front group of 6, because a few seconds back just doesn't matter enough. Average speed back 23.4 which isn't bad for the conditions. Steve A. and Adam Miller sprinted for some imaginary finish line - so I guess one of them would have won if it was a race.
I'm not positive, but this might be the largest group we've had in November.
The unluckiest rider goes to Reggie Kelch, as he flatted just a few yards after leaving Casey's.... Bummer.....! I think he was being punished because he was scaring little kids on Halloween....

Sat 25 Oct - It's Reggie and his Worm!

Cold! Cold! Cold! And still they come! 3 New faces on the 1st ride and a couple of new faces on the 2nd ride. I guess they are making winter clothing better this year! You can usually count on 1 rider when it's under 38 degrees. Yes.. Jeff Winter I am talking about you! However... this year Jeff shows up and he has company to ride with. About 15 riders appeared on both rides despite the cold. We even had a visitor from Washington DC (He even rented a bike from Chris)
With the cold and wind I thought it just might be another group ride back from Casey's. After all who could get motivated in this weather? I hopped on front right from Casey's riding mildly hard and waited for someone to come around so I could sit on someone's wheel. I could see their shadows below me, so I know they were there. Hello.....! Anybody want to come around? When I turned on County Line I sat up and moved over. We had a group of about 8 and I was scared I spent to much time on the front. But turning down County Line there was a strong cross wind and it was relatively easy to sit in. Mark Breeding finally worked his way to the front and set a really nice pace. Then Reggie and Jeff Winter started taking turns and a hill or two later there was just the 3 of us. We got stuck at 150 Hwy for a light but we must of created just enough lead that we were still the only 3 there when it turned green. Now it was just a matter of smooth rotations to take us home. When we turned by the golf course to head back to the College there was a strong head wind. For some reason, Reggie must have greased his body or something as he kept picking up the speed. Needless to say, Jeff and I were very content to just sit in and let Reggie take us home... Thanks Reggie!
I was suprised to see that the average was only 21.8... That's the most tired I have been at that speed - maybe the cold and the wind got to me. A minute or two later came a group of four (Mark Breeding, Mark 3:16, Fighter Pilot Jeff and I forgot the last person (Sorry)) Email me and I will get his name in the story....
Oh yeah... Reggie had ridden the whole ride with worms on his bike. Do you think he was going to stop and fish? Later....

Sat 18 Oct - Large Group Ride OR Chris Goes to the Next Level!

It's easy to describe the 1st ride today... COLD! Really COLD! Somehow at least 15 riders still came. By the 2nd ride it was already warming up to just regular cold and a larger group gathered. It was a nice ride out to Casey's and the return started rather easy. Eventually things started speeding up and a 1st group formed with Reggie, Steve A., Tall Brian, John 3:16, Eric Burch, Jeff Winter and I was there and so was Chris. Yes... Chris Smedley conquered the County Line Road hills and was with the 1st group at 150 Hwy with a 24.8 average! After sitting for at least 3 lights because of a weird traffic situation, we were eventually joined by everyone who came on the ride. It was actually fun to be just one big group again for the rest of the trip back. Because everyone finished together for the most part - and there are just to many names to mention, I will just say "Great Ride" and congratulate everyone for a ride well done. Of course a few of the "Super Stars" broke off at the very end of the ride and raced to the imaginary "Finish Line". But this is one time they won't be mentioned because for the most part it was about the whole group coming back together that was important today! Later......

Sat 11 Oct - Group of 7 Crack 26!

WOW! I show up to the Saturday Ride and I don't even know half the people there. This hasn't happened since the MS150 Riders joined in a few years back. What great weather! And how extremely strange not to see a sea of green Bicycle Shack Racing jerseys. They must all be doing Cyclocross Races this week-end. Even on the 1st Welcome Ride at 7:45 AM - 4 Velotek riders came to the front and kept a really nice even welcome ride pace around the lake. Thanks! And I wish I could give more credit to you all - but there were just to many NEW faces to learn all the names.
Rick Pysher brought a group of New guys to the ride. There was Brett Spencer, Hal Shapiro, Frances Fields, Frank Dreiling and a couple who finished in the first group on the return. Hey... not sure if Rick is in the Mafia or something, but you should have seen those guys jerseys! Black must be in! Welcome to the ride and hope to see you return. Hey.. can I borrow that Pinarelo Prince and the Johnny Mellow jersey?
The return from Casey's as I am told, was some impressive, smooth rotating pace line riding and maybe some aid from a pretty good tail wind. To be honest, without the Sea of Greeen Bicycle Shack jerseys present, I thought for sure I'd be sitting on the front. How wrong could I have been?! The 7 Super Stars today are: Steve Auchterlonie, Adam "Speed Skater" Miller (might as well write those 2 guys in for the rest of the year), Rick Pysher, John 3:16, Mark Cole, Blake Spencer and Jared. They came racing back with a 26.2 MPH average! Rick, did you mention that one rider didn't rotate? Needless to say I won't mention any names because I'm jealous that I wasn't there wheel sucking or not!
Also impressive was the triathlete Brian who missed the front group by being in the wrong place out of Casey's. Riding alone in the wind he was the next one in at 24 MPH. I should have come in right after him, if it wasn't for Chris Holloway from St. Louis pulling the 2nd group up to me at the very last minute and some "un-American" cheesy type using his group effort to sprint around and get me at the line. Since this was such a low thing to do, I won't mention Matt Sweeney's name! Later.....

Sat 4 Oct - What? ONLY 25.0!

The Title says it all. The Saturday Ride has come so far with so many great riders that 25 MPH seems like an average day at the office for the front group. Actually, the conditions were not perfect for speed so the 25 is actually quite fast. Only Jeremy Pych, Ben Simon and Eric Burch were able to complete the journey at that rate of speed. The 3 Superstars of today's ride easily out-distanced the rest of us. Tim Colfield and John 3:16 came in next followed by Jeff Winter struggling by himself in the wind. A couple of NEW guys almost caught Jeff and we were glad to have them on the ride. Mark from Rolla, MO and Brian a triathlete who recently did the Iron Man in Germany.
But... The real winner today was the Weather! We are having week after week of perfect conditions to bike in and we are still drawing 30+ riders into October which is rare. AND... the exciting News of the day according to Chris Smedley was that the newspaper or news magazine "Pitch" has decided that we have the BEST Recreational Ride in Kansas City. If that is true, than WOW! I know for a fact that we have the friendliest people to ride with and we all make everyone feel welcone. So the honor goes out to all of you! (Even Matt Sweeney!)
Just one last final note... Randall has started the "Karaoke Kool-Down" which is just one more easy lap around the lake while singing songs from the last half of this century. Feel free to join in! Later.....

Sat 27 Sep - New Record! New Record! New Record! 26.9!

Spectacular Ride Today! Perfect weather and a record to boot!
The 1st ride started in two waves. The Rec riders than the Bicycle Shack Racing Team in full force following picture taking by Doug. There must have been 25 of the Bicycle Shack Racing Jerseys going around the lake today. It really looked awesome as the wave of green crept up the road while Doug sitting in the back of a pick-up truck clicked away.
The sea of green continued on out to Casey's on the second ride where this huge group just stayed perfectly together. There was no doubt in my mind that the speed back was going to be fast. I wasn't to sure about a record since there wasn't a strong tail wind. Needless to say, I stayed out of the way of the "Big Boys" and sat up and let them fly by right from Caseys. Reggie did the same and then set the pace that eventually brought in the "B" group and those who dropped from the "A" group. I couldn't wait to get back and find out the speed. It was Jeremy Pych, Steve Auchterlonie and Adam (Speed Skater) that had just set the NEW standard. The bar was definitly raised as those three came in at 26.9 MPH! It only took them 37 Minutes and 36 seconds to make the trip back!!!
Those three get the glory as the New Record holders, but there were a lot of contributers to that record. Quite a few of the team took really hard pulls on the front before being shucked off the back. And I would really love to give those guys credit but there were too many and I don't know all their names.
Mark 3:16 mentioned that the "C" group even came in with a 21+ average. Now that's a ton of people flying back....! Awesome!
PS - Randall gets the American Idol Biker award today as he pelted out some great lyrics on his return journey! Later.....

Sat 20 Sep No Records But What a Great Day to Ride!

I always say "What a Great Day To Ride!" But this time the weather made that saying seem like an understatement! It truely doesn't get any better than today as a number of riders came on both rides.
The horse power was really there today for some impressive numbers on the way back from Casey's. But.... there was just enough wind to keep existing records safe from breakage. With power houses like Jeremy Pych, Phil Todd, Steve Auchterlonie, Adam (Speed Skater), Ben Simon, Eric Burch, Kory Dillman, John 3:16 and more, it was an easy decision for me to rationalize an easy day and let them go. I had been sick all week and didn't ride in what had to be the best ever riding weather of the whole year so I didn't want to press my luck by riding hard today. So... I did something very unusual for me. I let the whole group ride by and attached myself somewhere in the middle of a bunch of riders. I saw Joe, Matt Sweeney, Chris Smedley taking pulls on the front. Finally Reggie got on front for quite a long time while going down County Line Road. I have to say this pack was really moving along quite smoothly. Finally Reggie moved over and encouraged some rotation. I was still quite a ways back but eventually I was working towards the front. The hills on County Line were now starting to thin out this pack but what was left seemed quite smooth. Now there was just Joe and Randall left to take their turns before I was up. They picked it up ever so slightly and Randall started his pull on a hill. He moved over and I started rolling. I was up there for a minute or two, moved over as Jeff Winter went by and I expected to see about 10 or 15 more riders go by - but there was just Jeff and me. We started rotating every couple of minutes when I looked up and saw a pack of Bike Shack jerseys. How could this be? We aren't really killing ourselves back here but it appears that we are gaining. I tell Jeff that I almost wish I didn't see them because I'm comfortable and don't really want to chase "Rabbits". The group ahead (Eric, Ben, Kory, Kurt, John 3:16) had fallen off of Phil Todd, Jeremy Pych, Steve Auchterlonie and Adam and now hit the red light at 150 Hwy. Jeff and I joined them there. They were doing a rotating pace line and I thought I would just hang off the back as I didn't want to put to much effort or concentration in my ride today. I would fall way back and catch up and fall way back and catch up. Which explains why Jeff and I were catching up. The pace line rotation they had going was very jerky and probably wasting a ton of energy. Even hanging 10 feet or more off the back I wasn't losing ground which just shouldn't happen when there are stronger riders in a pace line in front of you. Anyhow... when we got back I had to find out about the front group's speed and found out that Jeremy Pych and Phil Todd came in at 24.8 with Steve Auchterlonie and Adam just seconds behind. With that much talent on the front and under 25 tells me there must have been more wind than I thought today. Really hard to tell to much about the wind when you're not hammering. Later.....

Sat 6 Sep Eric Burch Rounds em Up and Takes em In!

I thought the weather would scare them OR the MS150 would take the rest - but the weather stayed nice and a dozen or more came out for both rides. At Casey's we discussed a compromise and decided to rotate the whole group back to the college in one great big rotating pace line. Eric coached us the best he could, attempting to smooth the undulating pace line. And it looked like he succeeded as it slowly smoothed out. But the rolling hills down County Line and gravity took its' prisoners one by one until there were only six left. (Steve Auchterlonie, Eric Burch, John 3:16, Chris Holloway, Kory Dillman and Reggie Kelch) Gravity also took me but I was lucky to catch a break as the group got stalled at 150 Hwy. I was back and surely I can hang on now that the road is flat. But... I had heavy, tired legs and soon I was welcome no more as the 6 inched away and there was nothing I could do. Reggie fell off and it was the both of us chasing. He had some reserves and mustard'd enough strength to claw his way back. I was alone again... and would have to wait till I got back to hear how it all played out on the front. I was shocked to hear that the speed back was 24.4 because it didn't seem like it was moving that fast. And I was also surprised to hear that in the final drive to the finish it was only 3 (Steve, Eric and John) that pulled into home together with the rest following seconds behind. Tomorrow is the "Tour of Champions" ride meeting on the Plaza and I think I will have to pass. But it's a great ride and hope you can head out there!

Sat 30 Aug – Phil Todd IS "The Man!"

Great weather! Great turn-out! Just doesn't get any better than today. Lot's of NEW people on both rides and glad to have them ride with us even tho they didn't sing while going up the hill!
I knew for a fact that today was going to be impossible for me to hang on to the return ride from Casey's. I saw Steve Auchterlonie on his TT Bike and knew we might be headed towards record speeds despite head wind. What developed immediately was just a little different than I expected tho. Since there was such a large number of riders - I really thought that the stronger riders would string along a bunch of us lesser riders for awhile before they got away. How wrong could I be.... Steve Auchterlonie flew by with Brian Lasswell and John 3:16 stuck on his wheel so fast that even with the help of Eric Burch jumping up and sprinting after them - I was toast by the time I hit County Line Road. Eric who seems to be riding awful strong lately hung on despite the huge effort to connect. A minute or less later Phil Todd came roaring by so fast I didn't have time to react. The front 5 OR "A" Group was now made up of just about the fastest riders that this Saturday Ride has seen in awhile. (Phil Todd, Steve Auchterlonie, Brian Lasswell, Eric Burch and John 3:16) No matter what forms in back of them now has no chance to catch-up! Tim Colfield and Kent Woerman were chasing as Reggie and I were chasing the chasers when Duane Fritchie on a mountain bike and Mark Breeding come speeding by. I missed the back of them but Reggie got the back wheel and I caught onto Reggie's. Yea! A Team of 4 riders and we now have a very good chance to catch Kent and Tim. Why did I want to help pull? Did I forget Rule #1: Duane Fritchie does NOT need help. Was it ego, stupidity, the fact that it was nice weather - well what ever the reason, it was my demise. Riding by myself most of the way back I was finally caught by the "C" group and would have to wait till I got back to find out what happened.
Phil Todd must have shot off the front of a very strong front group as I heard he beat everyone back by at least 45 seconds at approximately 26+ MPH. Steve Auchterlonie was next followed by Brian Lasswell, Eric Burch and finally John 3:16. I heard that Duane Fritchie and Reggie caught up to Kent and Tim Colfield and they made the next group of 4 to come in.... My legs were so wasted that I think I was even dropped from the "C" group and was way to tired to care! Later!

Sat 23 Aug – Record Number of Riders as Rain Holds Off!

First let me say that I'm sorry about the lack of Sat Stories as I was gone for two weeks. I heard that the 1st Sat I was gone (Aug 9th) it rained and there would have been no story anyhow. The next Sat (Aug 16th) I heard numerous different versions of what happened. I heard there was great weather and a large number of riders. Since there was the Bike Shack Time Trial in Buckner the next day a number of Bike Shack Riders came on a Time Trial Bike - NOT to race back on Sat but to get the body use to the position for Sunday's race. So despite the Time Trial Bikes and very fast riders that showed up, I heard that it was a relatively easy ride back in the front pack. Other people told me the ride flew back at very high speeds. So I guess it depends who you talk to as to what really happened. Now for today's story....
No suprise at all that the turnout was poor on the early ride at 7:45 AM. After all, it was raining and there was lightning and thunder. This is where I usually look out the window and turn over and go back to sleep. But I had missed so much riding in the last 2 weeks that I was riding no matter what! So I rode over to find only 1 other person (Scott). As we left the parking lot and started thru the park we saw Mark Breeding's Van. So we turned around and waited for him. 3 of us rode around the lake in very nice and cool weather with just on and off sprinkling of rain. We thought for sure that the next ride would be packed as the rain was moving out and the weather was absolutely PERFECT!
Sorry to have mislead you with the Title of this story - but I was just trying to make you feel bad for missing what turned out to be the most perfect weather to ride in that we had all year. About 70 degrees, little wind, roads dry and the rain was gone! Mark Breeding couldn't do the 2nd ride so it looked like it was just going to be Scott and Me. On the way out to Casey's, Jeff (B2 pilot) joined us and when we arrived at Casey's there was Eric Burch and while we were there, Tim Colfield showed up. Yea! we had 5 riders for the return trip! Because the Summer Breeze Ride is tomorrow (leaving Longview College at 7:00 AM) we decided that we would keep the ride relatively easy and ride together on the way back. Somehow Eric Burch had OTHER plans.....! Speeds slowly picked up and Eric came around on County Line and that ride was flying! We hit the light at 150 Hwy and Tim Colfield starts blaming me for picking up the speed when we all agreed to take it easy. Maybe he was confusing Eric with me since we look and talk alike?
All 5 of us actually stayed together after 150 Hwy until we turned back towards the College by the Golf Course. Eric blasted out of a cannon and left Tim and I in his dust as he showed us what Sprinters do best. (I think he was comparing himself to Usain Bolt at the Olympics.) Tim Colfield blamed his shoes as to the reason he couldn't sprint and I just told Eric that I should get most of the credit since I provided the lead-out...
So there you have it... Another Saturday story with small elements of truth. Later.....

Sat 2 Aug – Very HOT and Still They Ride!

50+ 1st Ride - 60+ 2nd Ride - WOW! Once again weather conditions didn't keep anyone away, in fact even more came out to ride. Maybe we are getting the afternoon riders in the morning. Any way you look at it - what a great big group of good people! And once again the caliber of riders we had out there would make some race organizers envious. There was going to be some serious speed on the way back, weather or not you like it. And no, I did not spell weather wrong. Truth is, when top riders come it usually is because they have a race the next day and don't want to hammer the miles. So good luck to all of you who are racing the Missouri State Crit Championships tomorrow and thanks for coming out!
Now let's get back to the story.... While on the way out to Casey's we had some NEW riders and they were comparing our ride to some other group rides they had been on. Needless to say we over heard that "Will Not Name" ride does the hills faster. There was no need for Kory or I to comment, because they will find out soon enough when the return ride starts. And on another note, that long double pace line on the way out looked really cool when you looked back at it.
I'm going to have to name drop here so all of you know who you were riding with today. Jeff Winkler, Jeremy Pych, Ben Simon, Steve Auchterlonie, Jeff Allen, Duane Fritchie, John 3:16, Woody, Eric Burch, Tim Colfield and maybe a couple more reputable riders that I'm failing to remember were here to set the pace back. Tim Colfield and Jeff Winkler were the two that came in first with a 25 average and about 6 others a couple of yards behind with the same speed. I wasn't with them today because I had to rescue a baby from a burning building. I think I will ask Jeff Winkler for a pair of his socks as I'm sure that those long socks are the secret of his speed. Mark Breeding has started hanging with the "A" group longer and longer as he even made it further down County Line Road today. Congrats Mark! BUT the really BIG NEWS is that Adam's Dad of at least 400 years old according to Adam, Steve hung with the Big Boys today!!! Proving that Senior Citizens on Social Security and barely enough money to buy their son a good bike can become really fit and fast! I really don't want to tell the young and fast racers that Steve thought it was a rather easy ride, because this might stir them up to even ride faster... So, I won't mention it! Congrats again Steve! Just one more thing... thank-you Bike Shack Racers for helping the rest of us Average Joe's reach our own personal bests with your help! Later.....

Sat 26 Jul – Getting Harder to Drop!

50+ had to be the number of riders on both rides despite the very HOT and Humid weather. It was so humid we were sweating standing in the parking lot. Despite the conditions quite a number of riders came out. I guess we are all a little crazy! A very nice controlled pace on the 1st ride where everyone got their socializing out of the way - or so I thought. Luckily, Chris Smedley once again jumped on the front of the 2nd ride and pretty much controlled the pace out to Casey's. Thanks Chris - you have no idea how much that is appreciated! When everyone talks about the Saturday ride vs. other rides - it's really not about the hammer-fest on the return trip they talk about, rather the social aspect of the huge group on the way out to Casey's that distinguishes this ride from many of the others. Today was a really compact group as everyone seems to be more comfortable riding together. This tightness makes the effort so much easier on the way out. Thanks again Chris!
Now the return story.... We had quite a few strong riders in the bunch today and quite a few "other" riders getting strong enough to hang on. This makes for a great big group hammering back. Woody, Ben Simon, Steve Auchterlonie, John 3:16, Tim Colfield, Joss in from Colorado were there to set the pace. Getting stronger all the time are the NEW Cat 5 riders, Ed, Caleb and Kent followed by quite a number of "Rec" riders who are strong enough to hang on if the group is big enough to pull them along. I will have to count myself in the "Rec" category because if it wasn't for the very large size of this group, I would have been off the back to never be seen again....! Many more names should be mentioned like Gary Young and Mark Breeding who are hanging onto the pack longer and longer each week and are just waiting for that moment in time that they make it all the way back.
This "largeness" however is creating some small problems as we try to get into nice rotating pace lines. We now have different fitness levels taking turns at the front so it slows down and speeds up depending on whose at the front. If this ever gets straightened out I think we will see some record speeds on the return. At one point we were at a 26 average which came down to 24.7 by the time it was over. PLUS... what to we really WANT to do? Come back with record speeds as a group? OR Start attacking each other at the end like a race with individual glory? I like both scenarios - the Chess Match at the end when you plan the attack is exciting to witness OR the fast moving train working with perfect precision coming in at record speeds. Either way.. what a great day to be on the bike!
I believe Tim Colfield won the Chess Match today as he timed his attack perfectly and the group couldn't respond.
Oh... and one more thing. Matt Sweeney was 1st Loser today! (A designation that he created meaning the 1st one back from the 2nd group.) OR was it 3rd group? Later....

Sat 19 Jul – Large Group AFTER Casey's!

Thank goodness for overcast skies as it kept the temperature down. Turned out to be a perfect day for a ride as large numbers of riders came for both rides. Both the 1st and 2nd ride had a number of new people and we are glad to have them. It sure looked cool going down the road in the BIG groups.
Luckily Chris rode to the front on the ride out to Casey's and kept a nice even controlled pace till the last few miles. We even had one of the "Wheel-Chair" racers - Brian Mitchell hang on to Casey's. There was a little ants-in-the-pants bursts of speed in the last mile to Casey's - but that's expected as some of the guys warm up their legs for the return and some just have to go to the restroom worse than others.
The return from Casey's started out like it was going to be just one big group ride back. The fearsome racers didn't show as they are resting up for the Missouri State Time Trial Championships tomorrow so the burst of speed right from the start just didn't happen today. But you can trust me when I say the ride was by no means slow. A mile or so down County Line I bet there were still near 20 riders. Joe, Mark 3:16, Gary Young, Mark Breeding, Matt Sweeney and numerous others who I hadn't seen this far along in a ride. Joe even asked why we were going so slow. I had to tell him to look at his speedometer - it's NOT slow the group is large and is just pulling us along. Because of the steady increase of speed near the front, the back was tagging along for a fast and easy ride. Ask the guys on the front if it was going slow and I'm sure you would get a different answer. However, the hills were coming and no matter how easy it is to tuck in and be pulled along on the straight aways, the "Equalizer" called gravity was going to be the obstacle that would finally separate those without their game-face on.
Judgement Day was approaching and I was very confident that I would be in the front group, after-all who was strong enough to separate us without the racers in town? This mis-calculation and over-confidence on my part along with some tactical positioning errors on my part was my un-doing. Why? because there is a NEW Guy in town and he is FAST! I saw what appeared to be about a group of 5 up front (Adam, Kory, John 3:16, Kent and someone else - need help Kory!). I was NOT concerned as Caleb and Ed Hett made some mistakes and were back with me. These two new young-guns are fast so there should be no reason why we can't work together and pull right back up.
Well, let me tell you about Adam... #1 Ranked Speed Skater and a cardio engine to match. He's in the front group and he knows the way back now. And... IF he happens to tire for a moment or two, John 3:16 has been riding really strong and Kory is there to help out. Even IF all things were equal - there are 5 of them and 3 of us. Why did I let myself get in this position? Caleb and Ed were strong and kept us close all the way back but we just didn't have enough.... And from what Kory told me later, it wouldn't have mattered as Adam took off as if he had 6 more cylinders than everyone else in the front group and blasted off the front of the front group. Anyhow... Adam, John 3:16, Kory were the first three back, in that order and I believe they had a 23.8 average which is quite high considering there was head-wind all the way down County Line.
Kudo's to all riders today who showed us how strong everyone is getting. It sure did impress me.....!

Sat 12 Jul – Mike Neven Beats Jeremy and Jeff Winkler!

Wow! What a day for a Saturday morning ride. The early ride was in perfect weather, a little humid, but not that bad… So, where is everyone? What do people know that I don’t? Should I have checked the radar before venturing over?
But.... The second ride got me really pumped. Race organizers would be green with envy to have the caliber of riders that showed up on the second ride. There was Jeremy Pych, Jeff Winkler, Phil Todd on a Time Trial bike, Adam (#1 Ranked Speed Skater), Steve Auchterlonie and his Time Trial bike and they were geared up to lay down the law. If you wanted to play today you were gonna pay today! I couldn’t wait for that bullet train to pull out of the Casey’s Station.
But... then the Rain came! Phil Todd rode home and a number of riders short-cutted their way back. And since I am a “Rain-Riding” W-I-M-P, I knew I wouldn’t be in a position to see how it all played out on the front. My conservative, over-cautious rain riding skills saw pack after pack ride away right from the first few pedal strokes after leaving Casey’s.
I might add that Jeff Winkler and Jeremy Pych were more warmed up than anyone else since Jeremy had two flats coming out to Casey’s and hammered out there to catch us before we left. Obviously an advantage since their legs were already use to hard efforts.! You would think that they would keep their bikes in tip-top shape and avoid flats with their combined experience. But, what do I know?
Back to the story…. Pretty soon, but far to late I decided to get away from people and ride hard just for the training. Somewhere down County Line I found myself latched on to Ed Hett, Hanson and Randall. This might have been the “B” group unless the larger “A” group broke up by now. I’d like to think of it as the 2nd group because that makes me feel better.
Drafting was not a good option because it was as if someone was constantly splashing you in the face with water. So I hovered a little off the back and rationalized that it was safer and made for better training. Randall fell off somewhere and I decided to slow up and see if I could help him bridge back up to Ed and Hanson. I saw Jeremy do this numerous times on the Wednesday night ride, helping riders that have fallen off the pack. Well if it is good enough for him, than maybe it would work for me. I was only able to do this once and I knew I wasn’t going to try it again.
Coming down Raytown Road we see a small group of riders off to the side. There is Jeremy, Jeff Winkler, John 3:16 and Rick Pysher - and it looks like someone has another flat! I know the polite thing to do is to say, “Do you have everything you need? Need any help?” But all I could think of was: “I’m going to beat Jeremy and Jeff Winkler back to the College!” It counts, doesn’t it?
Ed Hett flew off the front before we got back, so it was Ed, Me and Randall that came in after Steve Auchterlonie and Adam (Speed Skater). Who knows how long Steve and Adam were there, as I never did see them since I left Casey’s. So congrats to those two speed-demons and we wish Steve the best of luck in his up and coming MO State Time Trial Championships!
Well if I don’t mention Matt Sweeney in a Saturday story he gets mad. All I can say is: “Wimp!” as he asked someone for a ride home because he was a little wet….! Well at least he won’t be mad since I mentioned his name…. Later….

Sat 5 Jul – Riding Steve A.'s Wake!

Story by Kory Dillman
Is it July or October? Temps this morning were in the low 70’s with manageable due points and overcast skies. It’s was a little humid but definitely not “July” humid. The slight wind from the SSE was enough to be felt while riding south but not really enough to help push the average pace on the ride home—but, don’t tell that to Steve Auchterlonie! What an absolutely perfect day for a ride.
I missed the first ride but understand that the group rode at a decent clip, more around 15-17 than 12-15 MPH.
The second ride set off with 45-50 riders. Steve Auchterlonie, Ben Simon, and Burt Swift showed up riding TT bikes in preparation of the upcoming Missouri State Time Trial Championships. It was clear from the start that Steve was there to “train”. As the group turned south on Ward Road, the pace was quickly reduced by the SSE wind. Steve rolled to the front to help pick things up. The large peloton was sketchy with anticipation of any moves off the front. Despite the animation and positioning, no one tried to break away while on Ward Road.
As the group turned south again from County Line to Kurzweil the pent up energy exploded with Eric Burch, Tim Colfield, and Burt Swift kicking the pace up over 25 MPH. A large group played tag down Kurzweil but no one was able to escape, everyone straggled into Casey’s as one strung-out group.
Coming back from Casey's, Burt lead the charge north and then Steve came flying by, laid out in full aero position. I had visions of Levi Leipheimer as he rolled by on his Specialized TT machine and wearing a Gyro Advantage helmet. He opened a sizeable gap (maybe a 1K) before anyone accepted the task of pulling him back. That’s when the Ben Train came roaring past. This was clearly an express line that was stopping for no one. As we turned onto Country Line, Ben absolutely mashed the pedals pushing the pace to 40 MPH. Steve was back in the pack before the first hill!
By the time we reached the ball fields, the group was reduced to 10 or so riders. I remember seeing Tim Colfield, Tim Barnes, John (3:16), Steve A., Ben Simon, Eric Burch, plus a few others whose names I don’t know including a new rider on a blue Giant (keep an eye out for him; he’s fast!). Tim Barnes made a move at the bottom of the hill, but it was immediately covered by Tim C., Steve, and myself. As we topped the hill, Tim C. stood to make a move and I jumped with him. I shot past him and Tim B but didn’t have enough gas to get away from them (not like I wanted to with the outer road coming up). The three of us opened a small gap that stuck most of the way down the outer road. As we neared the bridge just before 150 Hwy I heard the woomph-woomph sound of Steve A coming fast. He roared past us with a John and the new rider on his wheel. Tim, Tim, and I latched on to the back as the group of 6 sailed through a green light on 150. We were home free!
I (Kory D.) lost focus, perhaps from the dizzying speed, and allowed a small gap to open as the group continued on the outer road. Big mistake considering Steve’s pace. I kept the group in site but was never able to bridge back. I rode the rest of the way solo. But, it wasn’t all together bad because I got to watch the Steve show from a safe distance. He was clearly the strongest (if not to mention the most aerodynamic) rider of the day. And he almost topped the record, coming in at 26.2 MPH. If the wind had been just a little stronger, he might have pulled it off. Kudos to Tim B, Tim C, John (3:16) and the new rider for being able to hang with him. Big shout out to Ben for the incredible pull on County Line Road. His effort was the only reason the rest of us had a chance to ride Steve A’s wake.
Thanks for the story, Kory!