- Volume 52, No. 3
- August 2019
President’s Corner
By Bill Leahey, MHCC President
Here Comes Century Weekend 2019
fter a rainy spring and early summer,
A
warm weather conducive to long rides on a bicycle has finally arrived.As I write this column on July 7th, the US women won the World Cup 2-0 over the Netherlands, stage 2 of theTour de France was playing out, and Wimbledon was in full swing. Good thing I got out for a terrific ride in Saratoga county in the morning, so I could be a couch potato all afternoon.
The beautiful roads of southern Albany County will once again host the annual Century Weekend.
Club’s signature annual event based again at Altamont Fairgrounds
only $50 for MHCC club members and $60
Did you ever wonder how many members are in your cycling club, how many of them ride in a given month, and what kind of rides are being scheduled? And, what are the most common sites for rides to originate from? Well, the board is concerned with those questions, as the most common complaint we hear is that there aren’t enough casual rides on the schedule.
- t’s only a few short weeks now until
- for non-members.Also, this year there’s a
special offer for casual riders who only want to do the 12 mile “Piccolo Century”: $20 through September 5! After September 5 registration prices increase for all rides—so
I
MHCC’s annual CenturyWeekend, and if you haven’t registered yet, time is running out! CenturyWeekend is a ride event for everyone including 12, 25, 50, 62.5, and 100- register now and save some cash. mile routes that show off the best of upstate NewYork scenery. Follow up your rides both days with a catered lunch from the awesome Four Corners luncheonette.Then relax, trade stories about your rides, and enjoy a complimentary craft brewed draught from Brown’s Brewing inTroy (for adult riders only).
Plus, this is MHCC’s 50th Anniversary
(1969 – 2019: Can you believe it?), and we want to celebrate. So all registrants for any length ride will be given a pair of MHCC 50th Anniversary socks when they return to the Fairgrounds after their ride – you have to check in at the registration desk to get them! Socks will be also available for sale at the postride check in desk as well for non-members,
So at the June 12th board meeting, Christian Hess provided a data analysis of the rides completed in 2019 up to June 12 to get a handle on these questions.There were 119 rides, 3890 miles ridden, and 982 riders. Out of 119 rides, 51 happened in Albany County, and there were 27 rides each in both Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties.
This event is also one of the best ride deals for your money. Ride both days for an advance volunteers and other MHCC registration price through September 5 of
Continued on page 2
Continued on page 4
Check for up-to-date ride information at:
mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org/calendar/rides
Adventures Along the Cumberland GAP with Bill Little: Page 8
THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
President’s Corner
By Bill Leahey / MHCC President
page will direct new or casual riders to the library. We have also decided to add a regular Wednesday morning rail trail ride named WednesdayWanderings, and our inaugural ride was July 24th led by yours truly.The
So Dave, Bob, and John created a new Ghost Bike, and on June 24, the old bike was removed, the site was cut, landscaped with crushed stone, and the new bike was installed. On Sat June 29, Dave, Bob, and John led a ride from Niskayuna to the Ghost Bike.You
From Page 1
No surprises there. If you add the Sport,
Tour, and Multipace rides, they comprise 88% of the rides.And, Casual rides represent 11% of the total. This confirmed that the complaints about lack of casual rides have some merit, and if the club wants to attract new members, and grow the membership from it’s current 640 number, this has to change. plan is to add a regular Saturday morning trail can read about this in more detail in Dave’s ride after we get theWednesday ride up and running.These rides will be promoted on Facebook, and other social media platforms, to better serve the needs of our club casual riders, and new riders.An email has already been sent out to ride leaders, asking to help out with these rides, as it’s difficult to get casual riders to lead rides, per Eric Randall. One recent past event that needs to be mentioned was the MHCC team ride for the Tour de Cure in early June, lead by Andy Swartz. The team consisted of Andy,Anne Boehm, David Ray, Dave Liebschutz, Ron Stefanski, Jackie Hill, Charlie Shopsis, and Bob Duncan.Team MHCC raised $6400. Thank youTeam MHCC! Another noteworthy event was the 15th anniversary David Ryan Memorial Ride, organized by Dave Kraus, Robert Preville, and John Gillivan. David Ryan was killed by a speeding teenage driver on Riverview Road in Vischer’s Ferry, and there’s been a Ghost Bike at that site since the tragic event.The bike had become rusted, and the site was overgrown. article in this issue. Finally, we’re very close to our Century Weekend, on September 7 and 8. The starting point will again be the Altamont Fairgrounds. Co-Chairs Bill Little and Chet Lasell have the planning well in hand, and more participants than in the recent past have already signed up on BikeReg. Bill Little’s article in this issue will fill you in on the details, but I want to appeal to you to volunteer for this event. Instead of paying $50 to ride, you can volunteer for either Saturday or Sunday for a 4 hour period, and you can ride free! Plus, we’ll feed you lunch on both days!
Christian also analyzed:
• Ride distance (mean: 32.1) •Total gain in feet (mean: 1632) •Total gain in feet per mile (mean: 48.3)
All of these ride stats would make a ride very tough for a casual rider, especially the TGIF per mile, which borders on the hilly classification in BikeAbout.We need more casual rides, and need new ride leaders to lead them. Our initial steps to make this happen were undertaken by Bill Little, Dave Kraus, and John Petiet.They mapped some terrific casual routes using the various RailTrails in our area, and looked for casual rides in the MHCC Club route library.There is now a link on the About
MHCC Rides tab named Casual and Bike Path Rides for New Riders that contains a multitude
of these rides.To make these casual rides even more visible, a rotating banner on the web
It’s a great deal, and you can sign up on BikeReg. Currently, we have 22 volunteers signed up, but according to Jude Sagor, our coordinator, we need 60 total volunteers. Please enjoy these beautiful summer months, and I’ll see you on the road.
Bill
Editor’s Note
By Dave Kraus
- it’s been a hard road to get back into shape.
- for these past years. Happy reading and riding
can hardly believe this cycling season is already half gone. It seems like just last week that I was wearing winter gear and coughing up a lung as I tried to get some fitness back after a winter with no cardio. A variety of reasons sent my cycling season
But it has just made me appreciate even more for the rest of this season. being in shape and how quickly fitness goes away if you don’t care for it. I hope you enjoy this issue, and my apologies for it being a bit late.This
I
experience is also making my appreciation last year straight into the dumper, so this year grow for the incredible job John Ceceri did
2019 Club Events Calendar
- RideWith CambridgeValley Club
- Century RideWeekend
- Gravel Gobbler Ride
Saturday-Sunday, September 7-8 Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont
Purchase one ticket and ride both days, explore the beautiful Albany County countryside. See page 1 for full story.
Saturday, November 2, 12 noon S&S Farm Brewery Jefferson Hill Road, Nassau
Watch the MHCC website, Facebook page, and this newsletter for more details as this charity event takes shape.
Saturday, Sept. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
30-40 mile road ride with lunch and brews after at Argyle Brewery.Watch the ride calendar for more information as the ride date approaches.
- The BikeAbout/ August 2019
- THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
- Page 2
Save the Date
• August 17-23 Cycle ADK Ultimate Cycling Vacation
- Loop from Ticonderoga, NY/ http://cycleadirondacks.com/ultimatecyclingvaca tion/
BikeAbout is published five times per year on the 15th of the month in March, May, July, October, and December, by:
• September 12-15 JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes
- Saratoga Springs/ https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Ride/ JDRFNationalRide?pg=entry&fr_id=7736
Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club
PO Box 12575
Albany, NY 12212-0575 www.mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org
• September 22 Cycle ADK Harvester Ride
- St. Lawrence Co., NY/ http://cycleadirondacks.com/harvester/
ABOUT MHCC
The Club consists of over 650 members who live and cycle in the Capital Region of NewYork State. MHCC sponsors road rides for all levels of cyclists within an 80-mile radius of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area. MHCC is affiliated with the League of American Bicyclists.
- CLUB OFFICERS
- TOUR COMMITTEE
- PRESIDENT
- CHAIRPERSON
- William Little
- Bill Leahey
[email protected]
518-961-6001 518-861-8769 518-729-3933 518-369-8401
518-861-8769 [email protected]
JOIN US!
VICE PRESIDENT
William Little
CASUAL & SPORTS RIDE COORDINATOR
Join online at our website at https://www.
Eric Randall [email protected]
518-366-5353
mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org/purchase-mhccmembership. Membership cost is $20 per year per individual.You will receive an email reminder to renew, and you can renew for up to three years on our website.
- SECRETARY
- QUICK RIDES COORDINATOR
Jude Sagor [email protected]
Bruce Curtiss [email protected]
518-587-4408
CONTRIBUTETO BIKEABOUT
- TREASURER
- TOUR RIDES COORDINATOR
Send your submissions and ideas to Dave Kraus at [email protected] deadline for submitted materials is the first of the month preceding the issue date.Articles are accepted in DOC, ODF, RTF, or TXT formats. Photos are accepted in JPEG,TIFF and EPS. Contact the editor regarding other formats.All rights to material published in BikeAbout revert to the contributor following publication.
- Becky Lazorchak
- HenryWilkie
[email protected]
518-482-3902
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OTHER COMMITTEES
Jon Benn [email protected]
518-577-5943
MAPS & REPORTS, CLUB HISTORIAN
- John Berninger
- 518-439-6473
Christian Hess
[email protected]
518-281-0271
ADVERTISE IN BIKEABOUT
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR & RENEWALS, DATABASE MANAGER
Contact our Advertising Director, Robin Obrecht Krumanocker, at [email protected] are accepted as PDFs, with all fonts and images embedded. Commercial advertising rates per issue are as follows:
Terry Peters Te[email protected]
518-428-4069
Joanne Petrozzi-Jones
[email protected]
518-831-1707
Howie Diamond [email protected]
518-441-3519
WEBMASTER
Full Page Half Page Quarter Page
$90 $70 $50
John Petiet [email protected]
518-438-9102
Ex Officio member: Andy Swartz [email protected]
518-322-1858
Buy four ads and the fifth ad of equal size is free.
BIKEABOUT
To advertise on the MHCC website, contact our webmaster, John Petiet, at [email protected]
CENTURY COMMITTEE
EDITOR & DESIGNER
Dave Kraus
Personal classified advertisements for members are free, and are published on the MHCC website. Contact webmaster John Petiet for more information.
518-852-9612
- CHAIRPERSONS
- [email protected]
Chet Lasell [email protected]
518-708-3762
ADVERTISING
ADDRESS LIST
Robin Obrecht Krumanocker [email protected]
We offer our address list on mailing labels for purchase. Please contact our database manager, Joanne PetrozziJones at 518-831-1707 or [email protected] for more information.
William Little [email protected]
518-861-8769
PHOTOGRAPHER
Bob Cohen [email protected]
518-877-5552
- The BikeAbout/ August 2019
- THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
- Page 3
This year’s Century Weekend will once again be based at the historic Dutch Barn at Altamont Fairgrounds.
From Page 1
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
QUICK FACTS
fans.This year’s scenic routes all start and
YOUR volunteer help is valued to make
CenturyWeekend a success on September 7-8.There’s a lot to be done every year! As a volunteer, ride for free and get lunch and a craft brew (for adults only). Consider riding one day and volunteering the other! Family and friends are also welcome to volunteer and donate their free registration to a club member. As of this date volunteers are only needed for the actual ride weekend. To volunteer, just contactVolunteer coordinator Jude Sagor at judesagor@gmail. com or go to BikeReg.com, search for MHCC and register there.
• What: MHCC CenturyWeekend
finish at the Altamont Fairgrounds at the historic Dutch Barn (Brandle Road, Gate B entrance in Altamont).The 100, 62.5 and 50-mile routes will go through the scenic southern Albany County communities of Westerlo, Berne, Rensselaerville and Knox. You can ride one day or both days for a single day’s registration fee–discounted for club members–so pick the one that you like the most and enjoy a lovely fall weekend of riding. Riders doing the 25-mile and 12-mile
“Piccolo Century” rides will pass through the Village of Altamont and its rural surroundings with striking views of the Helderberg escarpment. Full rest stops will be provided at approximately 20-mile intervals for all the ride routes.The rest stops have food, drink, and real bathrooms—no porta-johns! The Century Committee has been working hard since last winter to make this year’s event a fun way to get in a lot of riding with a big group of your fellow riders.
• Where: The Dutch Barn at the
Altamont Fairgrounds,Altamont, NY (Brandle Road, Gate B entrance in Altamont)
• When: September 7 & 8 • What you get: Catered lunch for
all registrants. Complimentary postride craft draught for adults only. MHCC 50th anniversary socks for all registrants.
• Price: For MHCC club members,
$50 (for 50 years!) and non-members $60 until September 5. Day-of registration also available.
BIKE RESCUE DONATIONS
Support Albany Bike Rescue by bringing your used bicycles or parts to donate at CenturyWeekend.ABR is a very important and successful charity returning bikes to the road for those who need them.Your donations are needed and will be much appreciated! Visit them at albanybikerescue.org.
- Bill Little
• How to Register and more
information: Look for the Century
Weekend link on the MHCC home page or go to Bikereg.com and search for MHCC.
Let’s pump up the tires and get riding. See you there!
- The BikeAbout/ August 2019
- THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
- Page 4
Cyclists Unite To
Honor Fallen
Colleague and
Friend at David
Ryan Ride
At left, David Ryan’s friend, Bob Preville, answers questions from the media at the ride start. Below, the memorial peloton rides slowly on River Road. From left to right are Marc Kingsley of Cooperstown, Nathalie Lenehan of Schenectady, and Ruth Morrow of East Greensbush.
n Saturday, June 29, over 50 cyclists from across the Capital Region honored the
O
late GE Global Research scientist at the 15th anniversary David Ryan Safety Awareness ride to highlight road safety for cyclists and the installation of a new “ghost bike” in his memory. The ride began and concluded at the Shoprite Plaza in Niskayuna and included a short ceremony and moment of silence in memory of David at the ghost bike location on River Road nearVischer Ferry in Clifton Park. Ryan was a physicist at GE’s Global Research facility in Niskayuna. Originally from England and schooled at Oxford, he was an avid recreational cyclist and outdoor enthusiast who had a bright future ahead of him. On June 29, 2004, while riding his usual training route on the scenic “river loop” through Colonie, Latham, Niskayuna, and Clifton Park, he was struck and killed on River Road just east of the Sugar Hill Road intersection. The driver who struck Ryan, Joshua Paniccia of Niskayuna, was charged, pled guilty to one count of negligent homicide, and served a 3 year prison sentence. This year’s ride also included the installation on June 24 of a new ghost bike at the crash location on River Road by Ryan’s friend Bob Preville, MHCC President Bill Leahey, and club members John Gillivan and Dave Kraus.The bike was kindly donated by Schenectady Bicycle Rescue. (www. electriccitybikerescue.org) Both the ghost bike installation and the memorial ride received extensive coverage from local media including the Schenectady Daily Gazette, theTimes Union, andTV channels 6 and 13.Thanks to all of them for their interest in the important issue of safety for cyclists. Thanks are also due to the Niskayuna and Colonie Police Departments, and to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department for their exemplary assistance with traffic control for the ride and memorial ceremony.
Bill Leahey, Bob Preville, and John Gillivan work on the ghost bike installation on June 24.
- The BikeAbout/ August 2019
- THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
- Page 5
Cyclists gather at the David Ryan ghost bike site on River Road for a memorial ceremony and moment of silence. Paul Winkeller, left, and Walt Klimek participate in the moment of silence to remember David Ryan. Below, Saratoga county Sheriff’s deputies provided traffic
Pausing for a selfie at the ghost bike installation on June 24. L to R: John Gillivan, Bill Leahey, Bob Preville, and Dave Kraus. Below, Rich Shade greets Tim Cleworth at the ride start at Shoprite Plaza. control at the ghost bike ceremony.
- The BikeAbout/ August 2019
- THE MOHAWK HUDSON CYCLING CLUB
Page 6
Second Annual Gravel Gobbler Ride Scheduled for November 2
ooking for that perfect end-of-season event
L
where it’s all about bicycling on quiet country roads with friends and then hanging out to talk about the ride over a beer and fine food? If so, you’re in luck.What you’re seeking exists and it’s the second annual Gravel Gobbler at S&S Farm Brewery in Nassau. Back for a second year with new features, the Gravel Gobbler event is a fun way to wind down the season with your cycling friends while helping others in our community.The ride benefits the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NewYork. Last year’s inaugural Gobbler attracted nearly 100 riders and helped raise $2,400 for the Food Bank. Building on last year’s success, MHCC will host the 2019 Gravel Gobbler on Saturday, November 2. If you participated last year, we hope you will join us again (no way can it possibly snow again two days before the event). If you are new to gravel riding and want to check out this event, we hope you will join us. Please consider bringing a friend to this fun event to experience the great riding and post-ride vibe at S&S Brewery.Trust us, you’ll like the relaxed country atmosphere at S&S as much as we do.The Gravel Gobbler is all about the group ride featuring frequent regrouping stops along each route.We all know bicycling is more fun when you ride with friends and this event emphasizes that fact. The event organizers are also busy adding new elements to make the 2019 Gobbler another memorable experience.We have a new 23-mile gravel route this year with nearly 1,500 ft of climbing.The 38-mile route and its 3,000 plus ft. of climbing remains.The 38-mile route has been described as “perfect,” so we aren’t messing with perfection.We are also starting the 38-mile route earlier this year so that everyone has time to finish before the bar and food service begins at 4 p.m. The new start time is noon.The 23-mile route starts at 1 p.m.We will open the registration desk at 11 a.m. on November 2 so everyone has time to check-in or register. Registration for this year’s Gravel Gobbler is already open at www.BikeReg.com. Just click over there and do a search for–what else?–”Gobbler!”
