NEWSLETTER Late Winter Club News

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1 NEWSLETTER Late Winter 2016 Club News HELP NEEDED: One of our members, Bruce Hollenbaugh, is looking for someone to pilot his tandem bike. He has been dealing with injuries for the last couple years and hasn't ridden outside, only on a home "fixie" and in the the gym. He wants to ease back into outdoor riding and is hoping that some of our members would consider piloting his tandem, maybe miles to start. Weekends are best, but here are also weekday times that might work for him. Please contact him at: gannettpeak@gmail.com or Thank you!!! We have 3 new board members: Joe Collins, Steve Groh, and Phil Notz. See full list of board members on the last page. Joe Collins is taking over as webmaster. See what he's done at Phil Notz has taken the lead on shopping for a club jersey manufacturer. Refer to the s you have been receiving about these. There are options for shorts, two different fits of jerseys, and other garments. More details to come on We had our January and February meetings at our new location: C. B. & Potts on Horsetooth. The room is modern, spacious, and quiet.

2 Club meetings will now be the fourth Thursday of each month at C.B. & Potts through April and then Social Rides on the third Thursdays through the riding season. Tuesday rides will now be aimed at riders comfortable with a pace of around 12.5 mph, and an optional "challenge" route will also be offered. Joe Collins and Susan Metzger will lead these rides. We believe that there is a substantial desire for this type of ride. So if you've shied away from riding with the club because you worry that you can't keep up, please try the Tuesday rides again. We promise a more relaxed, less speedy experience. If you're struggling to keep warm on these remaining winter outings, you might want to check out this article: Thursday and Saturday rides: We want to make sure that those riders who prefer a more moderate/intermediate pace should not shy away from these rides. Doug Fogg is trying to encourage more moderate riders to come to these rides and form sub groups. These would consist of riders who are worried about keeping up with the advanced lead group. These more moderate riders are still expected to be self-sufficient in that they can change their own flat tires and carry their own water, but riders in this mph range should definitely show up and ride together. There are likely to be more and more intermediate riders who can choose to take a more relaxed pace on the same route that the mph riders do.

3 Meet the FCCC Board of Directors In this section, we will highlight one member of the Board in each newsletter. This issue highlights Gary Crews. He answered a few questions so that we can get to know him better. What is your history with the FCCC? I believe I started riding with the FCCC about four years ago as I was looking for a club that did longer and more challenging rides than my bike club at that time. What is your current position on the Board? I was recruited about a year ago (Winter 2015) to take over the position of Secretary. I remained in that position until the fall of At that time, I took up the vacancy for the treasurer, which is my current status on the Board.

4 What do you do when you're not bicycling? I enjoy downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, backpacking, camping, and climbing. I have been a printing/direct mail sales rep for over 30 years, and I office at home, which allows me to sneak out on lunch rides throughout the year. I have two boys, 15 and 17 years old. What inspires you to ride as much as you do? I just love to ride as to me it has always been a way of life and a true passion. It allows so much freedom and you can cover so much distance and see so many things in a relatively short time. My favorite type of cycling is self-supported touring, which truly gives you that complete freedom all you need is a small piece of ground to sleep at night and an occasional store to restock on food provisions. What are your aspirations for the club? I would like to see the club grow and attract riders of all abilities and ages. FCCC is such a great club with such wonderful members we certainly do not want to be the best kept secret in Fort Collins.

5 What Keeps You Riding? Because so many of our members are over the age of fifty, Joe Collins thought it might be fun and interesting to interview a couple members for each newsletter in answer to this question. So this second time, we have answers from Ray Hanson and Steve Groh. If you would like to provide your answer for next time, let me Susan Metzger know at smetzger725@yahoo.com. Steve Groh What keeps me riding is the certain knowledge that the suffering on the route will be rewarded by a steady stream of endorphins at the end of the ride. Often wet, sometimes shivering, and always dirty, I strip off my kit and toss it into the laundry feeling so much more alive than I had earlier in the day, sitting at my computer debating with my lazier self as to whether or not I should ride. Sometimes the better angels lose the argument, and I am poorer for it. But they keep fighting, and I usually make the majority of the rides (at least after ski season). The promise of slowing the aging process, still getting faster and stronger, is a potent drug as well. Looking around in the group at so many others who are older and fitter is inspiring; it affirms the validity of so much recent scientific data proving the merits of healthy exercise. It is that sense of common suffering that makes the ride a little easier. An encouraging word on the road or a thoughtful draft from a stronger rider reminds

6 me that there are rewards greater than physical fitness. There is a kinship in the club, which is rare. So many other group rides are cutthroat hammerfests, but our rides strike a sublime balance between pushing the limit and caring for each other. I consider freedom of association one of my most precious rights, and what keeps me riding is the sense of belonging I feel to this wonderful club. Steven Clay Groh Ray Hanson The usual answers of fitness and weight control come to mind. But my foremost reason for cycling is just plain fun. Whether I'm mountain biking, road cycling, running errands, or riding across the country, I enjoy riding. The joy ranges from the scenery I'm riding through, to the people I meet along the way, to overcoming the physical and mental challenges of riding in whatever inclement weather Mother Nature throws at me, or when I face tough terrain. I know that to maintain our rights to cycle on streets, roads, and trails, advocacy groups work hard on our behalf. I try to support some of these groups through

7 membership and financial support. I'm a member of Bicycle Colorado, League of American Bicyclists, and Adventure Cycling Association. Ride safe, eat often, Ray Hanson Joe Collins, Webmaster joe@jmcollins.org Gary Crews, Treasurer garyc@cpcsolutions.com Martin Ditzel, Recreation Ride Director martin_ditzel@netzero.com Amy Ehrenberger, Vice President aehrenbe61@gmail.com Doug Fogg, President DougFogg@gmail.com Steven Groh stevegroh@msn.com Board of Directors Contact Info Susan Metzger, Secretary and Newsletter Editor smetzger725@yahoo.com Phil Notz phil.notz@yahoo.com Guy Turenne spilunkr@aol.com

8 Fort Collins Cycling Club Mission Statement The mission of the Fort Collins Cycling Club is to support and encourage recreational road cycling enthusiasts in the Fort Collins area with year-round activities that promote safety, education, and participation among all levels of cyclists. From the Editor I apologize for the simplistic layout of this newsletter. When I upgraded to Word 2016, I lost the advanced WordPub formatting I had in the 2011 version, and I'm having trouble with my upgraded Adobe InDesign program as well. (aaarghh!) I hope to have things worked out for the Spring version. Speaking of which, if you come across a bit of news or an article that you think the whole membership would like, please forward it to me. This can include unusual photographs, stories, and anything that you think would be valued. Thanks! Susan smetzger725@yahoo.com