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o n Evan Truesdale and Krystal Caronongan ride near Campus Lake at SIU. Both are experienced cyclists who work at The Bike Surgeon in Carbondale. ul N e w t Pa

42 Life & Style : Summer 2013 story by Joe Szynkowski photography by Aaron Eisenhauer Tour and Paul Newton de

Enjoyed by many, but untapped by most, Southern offers some of the best cycling experiences in the Midwest

Adventure does not always require a passport and a plane ticket. As many people young and old have found, the region is a hotbed for some of the most challenging, rewarding cycling experiences the nation has to offer. It is adventure at its finest, and it is right here in .

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Cyclists make a sharp turn on Grassy Road during the Great Egyptian Omnium.

t is a phrase that resurfaces “The beauty of cycling is that it is non- Events like the Great Egyptian Ominum as resolutely as the weekend impact and it is very easy on the body,” and Tour de Shawnee help show off the warriors who infiltrate local she said. “It is great cardio and it really has area’s versatility, history, and natural bike trails after spending their a lot of benefit for any population, from beauty, “Southern Illinois is a really good work weeks obsessing over their kids up to seniors.” cycling community,” said longtime rider next adventure. Its words combine Nevitt, who is also the Harrisburg Chad Briggs. “Being able to go right to form a statement both powerful and Township Parks and Recreation Director, outside your door and ride the hills we puzzling: Mountain biking is the best-kept has biked in locations across the country. have in Southern Illinois is just perfect.” secret in Southern Illinois. She grew up in Madisonville, Ky., Briggs is a member of Southern Illinois Why the secrecy? What is holding back and then lived in Florida for 25 years. University Cycling Club and The Bike the masses from enjoying the calf-blazing During her time in the sunshine state, Surgeon team. He fell in love with cycling climbs and resonant beauty of the region’s she took a trip to the Shawnee for a during his childhood in Iowa, and rode in mountain-biking landscape? Those are biking adventure. “I just kept coming his first lengthy event when he was questions uttered regularly by local cycling back,” she said. “The mountain biking is 13 years old. He encourages riders of all enthusiasts, who spend their free time phenomenal.” skills sets to hit the trails and roads, and to both climbing on their high-performance Count Nevitt as a local who is in on the join a local club. mountain bikes and dotting leisurely down secret. One such club – Conti Cycling of the region’s hilly roads. “You’ll hear people say it all of the time, Mount Vernon – is enjoying its city’s The area may not have the mountains the mountain biking here is amazing,” she recent efforts toward improving the of Colorado – or any mountains at all – said. “It is a hidden gem and is such an cycling experience. Along with the but it features some of the best climbs in untapped resource.” various signage improvements Mount the Midwest. Hidden from many, maybe, Vernon has invested in, a trail is planned but not from the diehards who work so Amazing landscape to extend from Lincoln Park to Veterans hard to enjoy every square inch that For anyone doubting the national Memorial Drive, west to Wells Bypass. Southern Illinois has to offer. notoriety that Southern Illinois has “There was a desire there for more in generated within the cycling community, terms of cycling,” said Ron Neibert, ‘An untapped resource’ the proof can be found whizzing by Mount Vernon’s city manager. Local trails aren’t hiding from Rebecca on Main Street in Marion during the Wyatt Nevitt. The master trainer and criterium stage of the annual Great Get involved weight management coach seeks them out Egyptian Ominium. Carbondale native Evan Truesdale and uses them to prepare for competitive Riders come from as far away as has competed in numerous local events, events – like the half ironman she is slated Arkansas and Oklahoma to compete including the Ominium and the Ardie to participate in this fall. “There are so in the two-day event that has gained Miller Memorial Belleville Bicycle many nice spots to ride in the Shawnee,” serious traction among competitors, Race. When racing for competition, she said. “From Eagle Mountain to local businesses, and within the cycling Truesdale prefers his Specialized Shiv. “It One Horse Gap, there is a lot of good community. is an absolute demon,” he said. “It is climbing.” In Alexander County, the Tour de rocket-ship fast. Its frame is designed Nevitt individualizes her personal Shawnee is becoming a fall-time classic, purely for speed. I have set some personal training services with a pre-program with nearly 300 cyclists participating records on it.” fitness assessment for each client to annually in the event that sends riders Truesdale knows his bikes. Not only establish baseline measurements and body through Horseshoe Lake in Olive a competitor, he is also a sales associate composition. She says cycling is essentially Branch and Mound City National and mechanic at The Bike Surgeon a universal way to get into shape, and uses Cemetery, among other breath-taking in Carbondale. He works tirelessly to the activity extensively. sights. promote the sport he loves, as well as the

44 Life & Style : Summer 2013 area he considers one of the best fitted for their new bike, a for mountain biking. process that can sometimes take He said the trends of what’s up to a couple of hours. “We hot and what’s not in terms of look at body position and take cycling equipment and gear a couple of different metrics to is related to what people are measure the human body,” he seeing on TV. “During the spring said. “We just want to make sure classics period of professional you get the most out of your cycling, people are looking at riding experience.” riders and trying to see what kind Truesdale has been getting the of bikes and other equipment most out of his riding experience they are using.” The full-carbon for years. Some of his favorite road bikes, the Specialized cycling spots in Southern Illinois Tarmac and Specialized Roubaix are the wine trails, while his have been popular items at local favorite climbs are the Smiley shops this season. Hill climb in Makanda and the Spending $1,000 on a new Balk Knob climb. “Those climbs bike is out of the question for give you a feel for what the avid riders. But Truesdale urges professionals are doing,” he said. cyclists of all ages and skill sets “So many people around here to remember a much cheaper have no idea the caliber of riding accessory for a safe, enjoyable that we have.” ride – the helmet. What a secret. “Helmets have saved my life a couple of times, I’m convinced Joe Szynkowski is a freelance of that,” said Truesdale, who also writer for Life & Style. Read more Cyclists make their way along Tunnel Hill State Trail in Tunnel Hill. advises riders who are looking for work at www.joeszynkowski.com The former railroad tunnel, which gives the trail its name, stretches a new bike to get professionally or follow him @JoeSzynkowski. more than 500 feet.

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Nice bike! Here’s how to maintain it So you just picked up your shiny new full-carbon road bike, and you’re ready to hit the pavement. Over the coming weeks and months, your new prized possession will need routine maintenance that you can either perform yourself or leave to a trusted local mechanic. One such professional – Doug McDonald with Phoenix Cycles in Carbondale – gave us these quick maintenance tips to keep your ride rolling for years to come. — Joe Szynkowski

Tune It Up Proper Owner McDonald and his Phoenix employees are hit hard every spring with riders just seeking to Storage knock the dust off their rides, so to speak. A long winter season means Did you little or no riding, and it is important to make sure your ride is up to the leave your ride challenge of an adventure-filled summer. out in the elements “Essentially we just take any problems that they may have over the winter? That’s a had at the end of the last riding season, and get those fixed,” big oops that could cost you big bucks in repair McDonald said. “We true the wheels, lube the chains and costs. make other adjustments.” “We had a young man let his bike sit outside Keeping the chain clean and lubricated is one of the and it got rained on,” McDonald said. “We had to best ways to keep your bike working well, according to do a complete overhaul.” McDonald. “We’ll have people who are frustrated that If you don’t have the space to protect your their bikes aren’t working properly, but they usually just investment, consider renting a storage unit or need to do a little maintenance.” keeping it in the garage of a trustworthy friend.

Specialized Roubaix SL4 Expert Ui2 features a super light and stiff carbon frame, equipped with Shimano Ultegra components, www. specialized.com; $4,100.

Tire Pressure Maintaining your tires can be the simplest — yet most often overlooked — acts of responsible bike ownership. Keeping optimum air pressure levels can help make pedaling easier, protect your rims from damage, prolong tire life, and decrease the odds of a flat. McDonald urges riders to fill up at least once a week.

46 Life & Style : Summer 2013 Adventure for the next generation This is For many avid adult cyclists, it all started back in childhood. They pedaled through Big! neighborhoods and sped down hills. From dawn until dusk, their bikes were the vehicle Innovative study unveils that delivered them into adventure-filled escapes from homework and chores. powerful cycling statistics One local collaboration is making sure that the youth of this generation don’t miss out on similar quests. Camp Ondessonk and the Bike Surgeon are teaming up to create two new adventure programs this summer. The Mountain Biking Adventure program and the Hike, Bike, Paddle and Climb camp are scheduled for June If Trails for Illinois has 23-29 and July 21-27, respectively, at Camp anything to say about it, Ondessonk. it will only get bigger. The Hike, Bike, Paddle and Climb program Making Trails will provide teenage campers the opportunity Count – a first-of-its- not only to experience mountain biking, but kind, comprehensive also hiking, canoeing and rock-climbing in the survey of six Illinois heart of the . trails – recently turned The Mount Biking Adventure program up a slew of statistics will focus more on the basics of mountain related to trail usage, biking. “It is designed for teenage campers user demographics, and to spend the first several days learning riding economic impact. The techniques, bike repair, and practicing on our innovative, ongoing Racers share the road with automobiles during the Bike Surgeon Road Race in the Great Egyptian extensive trail system,” said Jeremy Culpepper, project is a partnership Omnium in Creal Springs. Ondessonk’s camping services director. between Trails for Campers will get to ride a top-of-the-line Illinois and the Rails to Specialized Carve Expert provided by the Bike Trails Conservancy, and Rails to Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit Surgeon, and train with Bike Surgeon owners is aimed at spearheading organization with more than 100,000 Jon Greenstreet and Chris Norrington. economic growth, improved members, and is the largest trails “We are proud to work with the next health and environmental generation of cyclists not only to sharpen their stewardship organization dedicated to creating a skills but to promote responsible mountain “We’re hoping that this nationwide network of public trails, many biking through adopting the International is just the start for us,” said from former rail lines and connecting Mountain Biking Association’s rules of the Trails for Illinois Executive corridors. Visit www.railstotrails.org. trail,” Greenstreet said. Director Steve Buchtel. Camp Ondessonk provides families who face “We’ve got a baseline of financial hardship the opportunity to receive data that provides a sample Trails for Illinois is focused on building assistance for all or part of their child’s summer of how trails are benefiting a statewide trails community that will camp tuition. Information on the scholarship Southern Illinois and the program can be found at www.ondessonk.com/ rest of the state. We want integrate trails and trail experiences scholarship. to study more trails and into Illinois work, play, life. Visit — Joe Szynkowski leverage what we learn.” www.trailsforillinois.tumblr.com. Between mid-July and mid-October 2012, volunteer teams counted the number of trail users and gathered surveys from boxes placed on six state trails. They also distributed and collected trail user surveys, which join the fun included questions about spending patterns. Ondessonk Teen Adventure Program What the surveys turned up is encouraging to not only trails, but the Registration businesses around them. More than one third of trail users bought something Visit www.ondessonk.com or call 877-659-2267 during their summertime visits, with users on average spending more than $30 per visit to an Illinois trial. The Mountain Biking Adventure for boys and “It shows that people are supporting local shops and eateries while they are girls ages 12-15: June 23-29, $525 per camper enjoying the trails,” Buchtel said. The Hike, Bike, Paddle and Climb for boys and — Joe Szynkowski girls ages 12-15: July 21-27, $525 per camper

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