Another Public Spin Opportunity

Straight off the heels of the Super Spin Ride for Rosita, there's a second spin event slated to take place in Fond du Lac. It's the second annual MS Saturday Spin. This event, hosted by Team Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery will be held Saturday, Feb. 14 — that's right Valentine's Day — from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the center court of Fond du Lac's Forest Mall.

Who else would you rather spend time on the Hallmark holiday with than a group of sweaty cyclists in a mall. I'm not sure who's idea this was. I'm certain Simon Property Group, the owners of the Forest Mall, had some input as a convaluted way to get cyclists, who typically shun shopping malls for the great outdoors, into their facility. Or perhaps it's just one more unique way to spread the cycling gospel to a new group of mall rats.

The principle is essentially the same as the Ride for Rosita. You can ride one hour or all four hours. You'll need to raise at minimum $5 for each hour you ride. All dollars raised will go to support the Wisconsin Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

I will once again be leading a hour of torture. After experiencing some technical difficulties this past Saturday at the Ride for Rosita, I am going to be more prepared with my audio/visual equipment for the MS spin.

Download the registration/pledge sheet here.

Super Spin a Success, sort of

So the Super Spin Ride for Rosita Saturday was a good time. I picked up Tiffany at 7:30 a.m. (that's darn early for a college student any day of the week, especially a Saturday), and we headed over to my old junior high school: Theisen Middle School in Fond du Lac. I'm pretty sure this was the first time I've stepped foot in that building since "graduating" from 9th grade back in 1986.

The gym was pretty much the same as I remember it. My sister's high jump records from 25+ years ago stand to this day. The volunteers who help run the Ride for Rosita each year were the same as I remember them as well: extremely helpful and extremely happy to see us. In fact, I'd say it is this dedicated group of volunteers who make this event the joy that it is. They weight on the participants, making sure everyone has enough to eat (including homemade "power bars" and drink). Oliver Clements and Dave Haase have been behind this event since its inception five years ago, and they, too, go out of their ways to welcome everyone and assist as necessary.

The riders present were a collection of local roadies, mountain bikers, casual cycling enthusiasts, regular spinners and kids from 8-18.

I was prepared to lead the group for one hour, but because Iron Woman Heather Haviland was sick and had to cancel, Doc asked me if I'd lead two. "Sure. Why not?" was my silly response. I spent the better part of two nights last week preparing a DVD presentation to go with hour. Unfortunately, the lap tap on site chokes on DVDs and no one had the necessary cables to connect Decal Dave's MacBook to the projector. I carried on with the first hour as scripted (thankfully I had the forsight to prepare my music on my iPod for this very event). The second hour didn't go so well. I put the iPod on shuffle and the song selection was less than desirable. I'm pretty sure I lost most of the remaining crowd before I even began.

Oh well, Tiffany and I got in about four hours of riding. Jon and Bryan showed up for an hour as well. According to Doc Clements, the event raised $6,000 which will cover the cost of hospital drugs in Rosita for one year. It was a good day.

A gallery of photos taken by Patrick Flood of the Fond du Lac Reporter.
A few photos taken by Decal Dave Hornung and me.

This is frickin' amazing!

Spin for a Good Time and a Great Cause

I will be leading an hour of bicycle spinning as part of the fifth annual Super Spin Saturday: Ride for Rosita Saturday, Jan. 24 at Theisen Middle School, 525 E. Pioneer Rd., Fond du Lac, Wis. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

I will lead from Noon to 1 p.m. with members of the Red Hawks cycling team.

Participants from beginners to pros are welcome to spin for one hour or up to five hours. A limited number of stationary spin bikes will be available, however, participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes and stationary trainer or rollers. A limited number of Kinetic trainers will be available for use with your own bike.

Each participant will be registered in a drawing for his or her choice of a new Gary Fisher 29er mountain bike or a road bike. A variety of prizes will be awarded throughout the day.

Activities are planned for children, including computer simulated racing courtesy of Attitude Sports and Compu-Trainer. All children participating will be eligible for a $250 savings bond.

In addition to your's truly, hourly sections will be led by endurance coach and professional triathlete Heather Haviland, a six-time Ironman finisher; Oliver Clements, a doctor from Fond du Lac; Denny Yunk of Milwaukee’s CZ Velo cycling team; and Dave Hornung of Team Fond du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery.

Super Spin Saturday is a fund-raising event to support United Hearts for Health and its health care efforts in Rosita, Nicaragua. The first group of Fond du Lac medical missionaries traveled to Rosita in 2003. The health care system they found was in a dire crisis. The hospital infrastructure was rotting away, the laboratory facilities were inadequate for diagnosis, dental equipment was inadequate and the infant and maternal mortality rates were — and remain — among the highest in the world.

Since 2003, a new hospital has been built and a new well drilled to provide potable water to the hospital and its patients. Fond du Lac health care providers have treated more than 600 patients in 2007 and 2008. Still, electric power is intermittent at best, parasitic infection in humans and animals is persistent and the lack of medications and supplies inhibit fundamental care.

Participants are required to pay $5 for each hour they ride and are encouraged to raise additional money through pledges. Prizes are available based on amount raised. All checks should be made payable to “United Hearts for Health/Holy Family.”

For more information, contact the Fond du Lac Family YMCA at 920-921-3330, extension 14. You can also download a registration form, including a pledge sheet, here.

U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Headed to Wisco

The U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross has added the Planet Bike Cup in Wisconsin to its lineup for this fall.the race at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie will open up the four-race series at the end of September.

"The addition of the Planet Bike Cup is tremendous for the series. Madison has a great cycling community and the Planet Bike Cup was already a wonderful event. We are thrilled to have added such a strong early season weekend of racing to our schedule,” Bruce Fina, the series' executive director, told VeloNews.

Planet Bike Cup founders Renee Callaway and John Ericsson told Cyclocross Magazine: “We’re excited to have this opportunity to partner with the USGP. It’s an exciting opportunity to highlight Wisconsin cyclocross and bring the best possible racing to the Midwest. We’re excited that the Midwest’s elite racers have the opportunity to showcase how they stack up with the best in the country in front of the home crowd.”

The 2009 series:
Sept. 26-27: Planet Bike Cup in Madison, Wisconsin.
Oct. 24-25: Louisville, Kentucky.
Nov. 14-15: Mercer Cup in Mercer County, New Jersey.
Dec. 5-6: Portland, Oregon.