THE LINK Volume I, Issue I July/August 20-16

Board of Directors A Message From Our President • President: Matthew Morse By Matthew Morse • Treasurer: John Trezza

• Secretary: Jill Palmer Let’s Celebrate Accom- view mirror shows just how you who make up the Cyn- • Ride Director: Glenn Page plishments, Look Forward true this has been. ergy Club. Without • Advocacy Director: Penny Page to the Future! From the initial idea and you and our corporate Now that a new riding • Events Director: Jorge Carmona club formation we estab- friends (who generously season, along with some Volunteers Director: AnnMarie Horan lished an executive board donated 12 gifts and a bike • great training rides, adven- that is creating the structure to raffle off at the party), I • Communications Dir.: Joe Jalkiewicz ture rides that are true ad- to help us move forward and truly believe Cynergy never ventures, and more social carry out the mission of the would have gotten beyond events are under way, I club. We started a member- Stage 1. think it’s important for us to ship drive and launched a So pat yourselves on the take a moment to look back new website that is secure back, people! You’ve all and acknowledge what we Our Mission Statement and is expandable to meet done a great job in such a all have accomplished in the The mission of Cynergy is to our evolving needs. We short time---just imagine past year. What started as create a fun, safe and support- even have a new kit on the what we can do in our sec- nothing more than an idea ive environment for cyclists; horizon. And, in the middle ond year! I’m so excited and last July has evolved into to advocate on our sport’s of all this, we still managed looking forward to working behalf and to collaborate with the Cynergy Cycling Club. to complete dozens of rides, with all of you. Our second our communities to foster an Our club name both sym- make many new friends and year is going to be a truly equitable road environment. bolizes our focus on com- have a ton of fun along the great year We fulfill our mission through: munity and emphasizes that way. 1. Group team-style rides that together we are greater than Matthew Morse is President of are led by knowledgeable ride All of this came together Cynergy Cycling Club. Email leaders that observe road eti- the sum of our parts. With with the after-holiday ex- him at [email protected] quette and that cooperate with all of us riding and working together we can accomplish travaganza, which was not motorists only the best one yet, but 2. Training cyclists of all experi- so much more than we can ence levels and ages to under- by ourselves. Even just a also served as a tip of the stand and practice safe cycling quick look back in the rear hat (cycling cap?) to all of technique 3. Advocacy outreach to the non- Welcome to The Link: Your Link to Cycling in Community cycling community on behalf of cyclist rights to access By Joe Jalkiewicz roads equitably and safely I’d like to welcome you and goals for the year cling Club in particular. I Cynergy believes that the ac- to Vol. 1, No. 1 of The Link, ahead. You’ll also get the also welcome and covet your ceptance of the sport of cy- cling in the suburban environ- your new connection to inside scoop on upcoming help. Please don’t hesitate to ment depends chiefly on our Cynergy Cycling Club news rides and special events as reach out and let me know of ability to establish a collabora- and information. This hum- well as “tools and tips” of any interest, skills, and/or tive relationship with our ble newsletter represents the cyclist’s trade. ideas you might have with communities and to adopt a another step forward in our My hope is that you’ll regard to writing for, proof- cooperative approach to our mission “to build a commu- not just find this first issue reading, and laying out The road presence. nity of friends who enjoy of The Link informative and Link. We believe that our focus on riding together for personal entertaining, but that you’ll When all is said and done, safety and team style riding growth and development.” is the most direct way to also want to contribute to its this isn’t my newsletter or the create an enjoyable, excit- The key word is growth and success. There- Cynergy Directors’ newslet- ing and fulfilling experience “community.” In the pages fore, I welcome your own ter. It’s our newsletter. On for our riders. that follow, you’ll hear stories, your own pictures, behalf of the club leadership, straight from some of our and even your own thoughts I invite you all to help us club officers on their hopes on cycling in general and make it the best it can be. cycling with Cynergy Cy- Joe Jalkiewicz is Cynergy Cycling Club’s Director of

The Riding Page The Advocacy Page By Glenn Page By Penny Page

Go for the Flow--Safely We in the Cynergy Cycling Club have a unique Have you ever noticed that the best group rides are opportunity to make a difference in the cycling com- the ones that “flow?” They are smooth from start to munity. With your help, we can accomplish a great finish. Everyone stays together and everyone cooper- deal in areas that promote cycling. ates with each other. You get to the end of the ride and As leaders in the community, we can lend our voic- can’t remember one rider disrupting the pace or run- es and effort toward making our roads safer and more ning through intersections---it’s truly exhilarating. accessible. We can develop programs for children that These are the rides we remember – and it’s no coinci- teach them bike handling skills and the rules of the dence that these are also the rides that are the safest. road. Together, we can build a community that re- If I had to describe in one phrase what the goal of spects our rights and responsibilities as cyclists. We the riding committee is, it is to create the smooth rides can hold seminars for local officials and law enforce- that we all look forward to and that get us home safely. ment that instructs them on local laws that govern cy- Like anything that looks easy, this will take a lot of clists and motorists. hard work behind the scenes. We will train ride lead- If you have been itching to get involved in advocat- ers to a higher standard in Cynergy than we have ever ing for this sport that we all love, or if you would like done before. We are going to give our ride leaders to lend a hand to herd kids on a beautiful spring day, more support and visibility. In fact, they will get to let me know. I look forward to hearing from you! wear special jerseys identifying them as ride leaders. We are also going to reach out to everyone in the club Penny Page is Cynergy Cycling Club’s Director of with more rider-training classes than ever before. If Advocacy. Reach her at [email protected] you want to improve your riding skills, you have joined the right club. I volunteered to help with the ride committee for one simple reason: I like cyclists a lot, and I want eve- Upcoming Events ry one of my fellow cyclists to get home safely – pref- erably having had a wonderful time. With the talent  Spellbound Century II Charity Ride to ben- and commitment of the people in this club I think we efit the Rancocas Valley Little League have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference Saturday, July 30, 2016 to the cycling community and to each other. Spellbound Brewing, Mt. Holly We continue to need volunteers to serve as ride Cost: $40 individual rider/$35 team (15-member min.) leaders and trainers. If you would like to get involved, Registration: just let me know. And don’t worry, we will train you. http://www.active.com/mount-holly-nj/cycling/ spellbound-century-ride-2016?mailingId=f203c325- Glenn Page is Cynergy Cycling Club’s Ride Director. 6aa3-4adb-8a7c- You can reach him at [email protected] 5765545f969e&recipientId=61303FEE-3EB0-41C1- B917-0016E263B751  Giro de Vino Sunday, August 21, 2016  Campfire Night

Saturday, October 8, 2016  After-Holiday Extravaganza Saturday, January 14, 2017

Under the Helmet: Matthew Morse By Joe Jalkiewicz and Karen Oglesby THE LINK: When and how did you get started in cycling? Virtually all of us know Matt Morse as the founder of MM: My first real foray into cycling started in 1990, Cynergy Cycling Club. But there is so much more to when I purchased my first mountain bike, a Giant Matt than carbon, spandex and ride leading. Herewith, Iguana---one of the originals. I was living in an area we open the debut installment of “On the Hot Seat,” a of upstate New York where mountain biking was regular Q-and-A feature spotlighting members of the popular. I caught the fever and away I went. The Cynergy Cycling Club, with Mr. Morse himself. fever went away a year later when I moved to Phila- delphia. I rode for a while, but I slowly lost interest. THE LINK: So tell us, who is Matt Morse outside Around 2009 I started to get the fever again to ride, of cycling? mainly because of the new cycling movement that MM: Well, I was born in New York City, where I was beginning to take hold and also simply as a way grew up in Queens. I lived in Philly for 17 years be- to keep my legs fresh for ice hockey. I had pur- fore I moved to Marlton in 2009. I live in Kings Grant chased a new mountain bike but at the time there with my wife, Karla, and son, Kerry. We also have were very few places to ride. I had moved to South two great dogs, two great cats and one shy turtle that jersey and the trails that I wanted to ride were a long we keep trying to get to come out of his shell. distance away. Based on that, it made sense to pur- THE LINK: What do you do for a living? chase a road bike and the rest as they say is history. MM: I’m a school-based social worker and part-time outpatient therapist. THE LINK: When and how did you get started in cycling? THE LINK: What else do you enjoy besides cy- MM: My first real foray into cycling started in 1990, cling? when I purchased my first mountain bike, a Giant MM: Ice hockey, the Philly craft beer festival with my Iguana---one of the originals. I was living in an area family, and hanging with the dogs. of upstate New York where mountain biking was popular. I caught the fever and away I went. The fever went away a year later when I moved to Phila- delphia. I rode for a while, but I slowly lost interest. Around 2009 I started to get the fever again to ride, mainly because of the new cycling movement that was beginning to take hold and also simply as a way to keep my legs fresh for ice hockey. I had pur- chased a new mountain bike but at the time there were very few places to ride. I had moved to South jersey and the trails that I wanted to ride were a long distance away. Based on that, it made sense to pur- chase a road bike and the rest as they say is history

THE LINK: How would you describe your pas- sion for cycling and what motivates you to ride? MM: I ride for several reasons, actually: fitness, the camaraderie of group rides, and the chance to feel connected to the world around me, which I don’t feel when driving a car.

THE LINK: What cycling experiences have im- pacted you most, and why? MM: I broke my hip three years ago in a cycling accident, and that caused to me to rethink what cy- cling means to me. Prior to the accident many of my thoughts were about me and about how I could get stronger and faster as a cyclist. After the accident I had to start all over again. That meant learning how to go slow, reacquainting myself with the rules

of the road and hanging out with new-to-cycling rid- ers. I also had time read up on , to work on a website and newsletter. During this time I experienced a shift from focusing on my personal goals to building a cycling club that was about the group and group goals and not just about just individ- ual goals. It started to make sense to me that we could all work together to reach our goals. By the way, it also gave Karla and me the chance to start riding to- gether.

THE LINK: What changes have you seen in cy- cling since you began riding? MM: There are far more cyclists on the road than ever!

THE LINK: What do you think are some of the big- gest challenges facing cyclists today? MM: We are always faced with these challenges: The steady increase in motor vehicles on the road, getting educated about the rules of the road (which also goes for motorists), group riding and poor road conditions. It’s always unsettling when someone gets hurt.

THE LINK: As a veteran cyclist, what are your thoughts on how to become a better rider? MM: Keep up to date on the rules and keep practicing your skills.

THE LINK: What’s your current ride? MM: A 2010 Giant Defy 1.

THE LINK: What do you enjoy most about riding and why? MM: The camaraderie and community that cycling brings. I never would have met all these wonderful people if it weren’t for cycling.

THE LINK: What's on your cycling "bucket list" right now, and why? MM: A group ride in Italy. Just the idea of riding along the Italian countryside seems like an amazing life dream.

THE LINK: As President of Cynergy Cycling Club, what is your vision for 2016 and beyond? MM: I would like to see Cynergy Cycling Club be- come a role model for safety. I would also like to see us increase our number of League Cycling Instructors and advocate on behalf of cycling. Most of all, I really want to see us build a strong and vibrant cycling community and have fun doing it!

Peak Performance The View from the Back By Ronald Peak, PhD By Steve Rakoczy

Back Pain: To Exercise or Not to Where Would You Like To Go To- Exercise? Here is the Answer day? We cyclists aren’t all that different from other peo- Remember that line from a computer company TV ple. When our back hurts, our natural reaction is to not ad: “Where would you like to go today?” Believe it or use it. We’re even told by our doctors to rest, and may- not, the year was 1994, the company was Microsoft, be even stay in bed for days or weeks at a time. The and the product was Windows. That ad campaign gave idea, of course, is to reduce the pain and increase mo- me a feeling of being left behind even before the jour- bility. However, according to a new Canadian study, ney had started. But at the same time, it was an invita- that is exactly the opposite of what we should be do- tion to infinity. ing. I kind of feel the same way every time I clip in to The study was conducted at the University of Al- my bike. Where would you like to go today? On Sat- berta on 240 men and women with chronic lower back urday mornings during the riding season, we put our pain. They were divided into four groups of 60. The adventure budget in the hands of Cynergy Cycling’s first group exercised with weights four days a week, ride leaders. Some of us print the route, some of us the second for three days, the third for two, and the download it, some do both. But it wouldn’t surprise fourth not at all. In total, each group followed its exer- me if more than 60 percent of the riders on a Saturday cise routine for 16 weeks. ride just tag along, leaving the planning to Cynergy. The results showed that those who exercised the But that still leaves up to six days of the week for un- most reduced their pain the most. Among those who scripted riding. exercised four days a week, their level of pain de- So how do you choose your route? Think of all the creased by 28 percent. The three-days-a-week group factors you have to work through. Available time (two experienced an 18 percent drop in pain levels, and the hours is hard to come by). Traffic (Commercial? Ru- group that exercised two days a week experienced a 14 ral? Drive time? Daytime?). Terrain (Conquer those -percent drop in pain levels. hills, or avoid them?). With all of those variables in The study subjects reported similar results on their play, be honest, do you simply fall into your old, fa- quality of life (general physical and mental well- miliar 28 miles? Are you like me at the end of a full being), Among the four-days-a-week exercisers, quali- day of work, dodging the wind and the hills, to the best ty of life (QOL) improved by 28 percent; among the of your ability? Or do you go whole hog---come hill or three-days group, QOL jumped 22 percent; and the high water, and wind be damned. two-days group, QOL rose 16 percent. Good for you. I’m going to try to break new "While it could be assumed that someone with back ground this year, discovering new roads that I’ve never pain should not be exercising frequently, our findings ridden before. I’m going to take that after-work ride, show that working with weights four days a week pro- come hill, heat, or wind. I’ll fight the urge to roll into vides the greatest amount of pain relief and quality of my old familiar loop. So when you join me on an un- life," said Robert Kell, lead author of the study and an scripted ride this season, forgive me if you hear, “Nah, assistant professor of exercise physiology at the Uni- we did that last time. Let’s go this way ….” versity of Alberta, Augustana Campus. Welcome to The View From The Back. Through However, it is important to know which specific this column, I’ll try to explore some angles that de- exercises you should do, depending on the problem serve a closer look. I welcome your own ideas of top- with your back, your overall physical condition and ics and issues to explore, to help keep my message other factors. A good idea is to consult with a chiro- fresh and up to date. It’s all part of making Cynergy practor. Chiropractors can examine your back to cor- Cycling Club’s first year the best year of cycling for rectly diagnose the problem and work out a treatment all of us. program that includes exactly the right exercise for Where would you like to go today? your situation. It’s also worth noting that, while this Steve Rakoczy can be reached at [email protected] . study was done with weighted resistance, the key point is that movement itself is beneficial, not just the weights. Unless there is excessive damage to your joints, most exercise programs that involve motion will enhance the healing process. Feel free to reach out to me for additional information on exercising--- including cycling---to enhance healing from back pain. Ronald Peak is a chiropractor based

July/Aug. Ride Schedule Area Cycling Club Websites

 Cynergy Cycling Club: http:// www.cynergycycling.com/  Bicycle Club of Philadelphia: http:// www.phillybikeclub.org/  Jersey Shore Cycle Club: http://  Mondays 6pm from Taunton Forge: Be- www.jerseyshorecycleclub.org/ ginner/Recovery C Ride  Princeton Freewheelers: http://  Tuesdays 6:15pm from Taunton Forge: princetonfreewheelers.com/ B/B+ Ride  South Jersey Wheelmen: http://  Wednesdays 6:15pm from Taunton www.sjwheelmen.org/ Forge: C+ Ride  Team Evesham: https://  Thursdays 6:15pm from Taunton Forge: teamevesham.org/ C+/B and B/B+ Rides  Fridays 9am from Wheelies: C Ride  Fridays 6pm from Shawnee HS: C Ride  Saturdays 8am from Wheelies: All group ride  Sundays 8am: Adventure Rides  Sundays 8:15am: Beginner D Ride

ALL RIDES WEATHER PERMITTING!

Nearby Bike Shops Some Useful Websites...from Cycling to Shopping!  Wheelies Bike Shop: 176 NJ-70 #6a, Medford, NJ 08055; (609) 953-9383; http://wheeliestore.com/  League of American Bicyclists: http://  Danzeisen and Quigley (D&Q): 1720 www.bikeleague.org/ Marlton Pike E, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003;  Bicycling: http://www.bicycling.com/ (856) 424-5969; http://www.dandq.com/  Strava Cycling Tracking: http://  Mount Holly : 1645 NJ-38, Mt www.strava.com/ Holly, NJ 08060; (609) 267-6620; http://  Map My Ride: http:// mthollybicycles.com/ www.mapmyride.com/   REI: 501 NJ-73, #G, Marlton, NJ 08053; Ride With GPS: http:// (856) 810-1938; https://www.rei.com/ www.ridewithgps.com/ stores/marlton.html  Nashbar: http://www.nashbar.com  Sierra Trading Post: http:// www.sierratradingpost.com/  Performance Bikes: http:// www.performancebike.com