Bay View Bicycle Club March Newsletter

BAY VIEW BICYCLE CLUB

VOL. 18 NO. 2 www.bayviewbikeclub.org February 2006
CELEBRATING SEVENTEEN YEARS OF FUN !!!

The Prez Sez

Mea Culpa! Mea Culpa!
In my twilight years, walking some distance in cold wintry Wisconsin weather to serve the 5:00 AM Chapel Mass at the former Miseracordia Hospital wasn’t much of a challenge. Neither was pounding the beat in my US Army-issued Ft. Leonard Wood boots, as a rookie cop in foot-high snowdrifts during the graveyard shift. Nor was bivouacking in some desolate, uninhabited sub-zero Missouri weather.

But when it comes to cycling the Club’s annual ‘Polar Bear Ride’ on January 1st, from the South Shore Park Pavilion to Bradford Beach, (insanity in it’s barest form) in four layers of clothing, it’s just another notch in Bumpa’s* scrapbook.
There are no Oscars or Golden Globe awards given to the group that continually and faithfully shows up to conquer this particular fifteen miles on a bicycle. And even though the weather proved once again to be on our side with the relatively level and straight route, there’s still a feeling of pride and self-satisfaction to participate in this annual cycling ritual. Yes, I did it! Mea Maxima Culpa!

I might add that the membership turnout for this event was excellent. For those who savored treats at a warm and cozy Bay View coffee shop afterwards, it was most enjoyable and relaxing, even if you couldn’t decipher the tangle of all the happy and noisy conversations!
Didn’t do it this year? Hey, there’s always January 1st, 2007!

The Holiday Party!
I have to congratulate all those members and guests who shared having cocktails and dinner and conversation, not to mention poking fun at each other, at this year’s annual Holiday Party on January 21st at a favorite Milwaukee Third Ward restaurant. Awarding individual door prizes appeared to be a popular treat. If you liked it, let me know – it will be a must for next year.

Of course, we can’t go without saying thanks to our Club’s Social Committee Chairperson, ‘JoJo’ Oroso, for organizing this successful event. We were especially grateful to Father JoJo and his blessing for the forthcoming bicycling season prior to the ‘Roman’ feast!

Which leads me to respectfully urge anyone who has an idea or suggestion for an off season social event to contact JoJo or any other Board Member. We will consider all options.

Winter Fun in Bay View!
Many of you will have received the following information – from Stephanie Harling, affiliated with the Bay View Neighborhood Association - via mass membership email and have personally participated in this event last year. I know that it will be another success for identifying our Club and its mission:

“The Bay View Neighborhood Association with Milwaukee County Parks announces “Winter Fun in Bay View”. The event will take place on February 12th from 1:00 – 4:00 at the South Shore Pavilion. This year there is a Valentine’s theme with a contest for the best-dressed valentine. Participants and guests are encouraged to wear red!

The WFIBV event is designed to bring all the organizations that serve Bay View to one place and let residents see what these organizations are doing and have to offer. The event includes musical entertainment by Fritsche Middle School band, Milwaukee’s own Klement’s Sausage race and the Daley Debutantes Baton and Drum Corp. There will also e children’s activities, a food drive and a fun basket drawing with donations from local businesses. Food and beverages are served and donated by our local businesses. The Bay View community is welcome to this free event.

The BVBC in conjunction with the BV Neighborhood Assoc. seeks to improve the quality of life for BV area residents by leading unique initiatives and partnering with other, existing organizations to achieve community goals.”

Thanks to those who helped out at the booth and shared their bicycling camaraderie with the public. This year’s event was especially noteworthy for the Club as Treasurer Tom Simonson experimented with a PowerPoint presentation of the BVBC “Classic” Ride! It was another ‘Yahoo’ for the Club!

On the Road to Recovery!
Our own Club Hotline Manager, Phil ‘Fatdog’ Fellner, recently had some serious toe and foot surgery and is experiencing some difficult rehabbing. I personally know Phil and he wouldn’t allow for any attention to this matter, so in keeping with his wishes, we all loudly wish him a speedy recovery before he tackles another seven thousand-bicycle mile season. Good luck, Phil!

P.S.: The Quad Cities Cycle Club also recently awarded Phil a plaque for total miles circled around the globe twice. Way to go Phil!

Camping!
In harmonious agreement with the Cream City Cycle Club camping schedule coordinators, the BVBC membership will be cordially offered an opportunity to participate with them in their camping schedule this year. Additional information will eventually be announced at the general Membership meetings and in upcoming Newsletters.

Thanks for tuning in to this month’s edition of the Prez Sez column.

Again, I’m looking forward to representing you, the members, in another sensational bicycling season in 2006. Let me know your thoughts or how we, the Board Members, can serve you better.

Jimmy Mamayek

(aka: jimmysnot)

*Bumpa – my earned, profession nickname awarded to be by my grandkids.

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BVBC OFFICERS

President
Jimmy Mamayek
414-764-3676

Vice President
Dan Krall
414-321-5212

Secretary
Heidi Aponte
262-786-0351

Treasurer
Tom Simonson
262-752-9753

Ride Committee Chair
Kent Kelly
414-423-0236

Social Committee Chair
JoJo Oroso
414-940-2717

Membership Chair
Pauline Ellington

Classic Chair
Sandra “Sam” White
(work 414) 276-4970

Newsletter Editor
Barb Pier
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STANDING COMMITTEES:

Quartermaster
Jimmy Mamayek

Web Master
Ron Santoro

Nominating
Dick Knepper

Volunteer Committee Expo Chairperson
Gil Krueger

and
Tom Simonson

For up-to-the-minute information regarding
rides, special events, and meetings

BVBC Hotline …………414-299-0317

Hotline Manager: Phil Fellner:

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Membership Report
By Pauline Ellington

Renewal time is coming soon. Memberships are due to expire on March 31, 2006. So, it’s time to renew for another year. Don’t miss out on any fun-filled activities. By renewing your membership on time you will not miss any issues of our Newsletter. Since the biking season is just around the corner, you won’t want to miss the schedule of rides that appear each month in the Newsletter. You have the option of having the Newsletter mailed to your home or emailed to you. Also, don’t miss out on any of our social activities.

Below is a link for the BVBC application. Please mail it in or bring it to one of our membership meetings. Another advantage of renewing on time is that you can be included in the Club Roster if you choose. The Roster is printed and handed out at one of our membership meetings. It’s a way for you to keep in touch with others who share your same interests.

Current membership of BVBC is 133 members. 127 adults and 6 children.

Need an application?
Click Here for a BVBC membership application
in Adobe Acrobat printer friendly format

Change of Address?
Please contact Pauline Ellington via e-mail at

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

February

Nancy Kelly	February 2
Brian Burke	February 5
Thomas Sericati	February 8
Del Reynolds	February 11
Steve Fishman	February 16
Lorraine Radtke	February 18
Jennifer Granholm	February 19
Beth Peterson	February 21
Mary Lucas	February 26
Betty Grendysa	February 26
Jim Wenszell	February 27

March

Nancy Karr	March 1
Kimberlee Taddei	March 5
Douglas Irek	March 6
Prati Wojtal	March 6
Clare Beachkofski	March 6
Agustin Orosa Jr.	March 15
Tamara Gibb	March 19
Lisa Meyer	March 21
Pat Butters	March 21
Judy Verheyen	March 23
Byron Verheyen	March 24
Katie Evans	March 26
William Jackson	March 28

The deadline for the March newsletter is March 13.
Articles from any club member are welcome!

Barb Pier

** Let's Celebrate St. Patrick's Day!! **

The BVBC's Social Committe Chairperson, JoJo Orosa, has arranged the following club social event for March 11th
(St. Patrick's Day Parade-Downtown):Reservations have been made to meet at the Buck Bradley Restaurant, 1019 Old World 3rd St., Milwaukee, WI., between noon and 12:30 PM, with a window view of the parade. Main menu will consist of corn beef and cabbage. There is no 'Shamrock Club' 5k run/walk affiliated with this year's parade. Contact JoJo or JimmySnot for RSVP by Thursday, March 9th.

Ride Schedule
By Kent Kelly

So, I presented the tentative 2006 ride schedule to the Board at our January meeting and it will be your turn at our February meeting. I will present the proposed ride schedule; I will cover any ride changes; I will talk about rider points; I will make a pitch for ride leaders; and, I will ask about any special rides (picnic, celebratory event, etc.) someone might want to host.
I'll be there; hope you will also.
Contact me, Kent Kelly:

At our monthly meeting.

By e-mail: (please include BVBC in the subject line)

By phone: 414.423.0236 (home - you can leave a message)

On a ride

Thanks, and, keep spinning.

Classic Ride Pride
By Sandra White

We would like to make this year's BVBC Lake Country Classic Ride better than ever! This year we are adding a 100-mile route. Let's make the Classic something we can all be proud of. We need you to volunteer your time and talent to accomplish that. It will not work with only a handful of people. When I say, "we need you", I mean every single one of you reading this Newsletter.

It was wonderful to see how many people enjoyed our Ride last year and they want to come back this year. We need to get the word out to many more people. Our most urgent need is for volunteers for the Promotion Committee. This Committee will place print and web site ads; create and distribute Ride brochures; submit articles to local newspapers; create and display posters and signs; do everything possible to announce our Ride to as many people as possible. The more people we have on this Committee, the less work it will be for any one person. The more the merrier! We also need volunteers for the Sponsorship Committee, who contact businesses for sponsorship donations.

Please sign up now to help on the Committees listed below. You can sign up for more than one position.

Promotion

Sponsorship

Ride Routes

SAG Support

Route & Safety

T-Shirts

Registration

Rest Stops

You may write your name on the Sign-Up Sheet at our February membership meeting, or you may contact me, Sam (Sandra) White and tell me where to place your name on the sign-up sheet. I will be happy to provide Committee duty details too. Call Sandra at: work #414-276-4970, or email. or at home #262-673-7686. Please volunteer now, rather than later, so that we are not scrambling to find volunteers at the last minute.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

March Meeting
By Dan Krall

The annual March meeting of the Bay View Bike Club will be held, as usual, on the third Monday in March. The exact day is the 20th and we will be meeting at the Wheel & Sprocket store in Hales Corners! One of their fine staff will probably give a presentation on how to fit on a bike. I know that I don't fit on my bike too well, hmmm, too many donuts this winter? Naaa. They will see to it that you know where your knees are supposed to be, whether you are leaning too much or not enough and other important particulars. They may even surprise us with more information than we bargained for. I have been assured that there will be specials for us to spend our money on after the meeting (Special Bay View Bike Club Pricing!!!!!!) Come and have fun with the rest of us bikers, and support a great backer of our Bike Club.

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Volunteers Needed For the
Wheel & Sprocket Bike Expo-April 7, 8, 9

To promote Bay View Bicycle Club to the Milwaukee-area cycling public, the club will again have a booth at the Wheel & Sprocket Bike Expo which this year is scheduled for April 7, 8, & 9 in the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, the same place as last year.

The Bay View Bike Club’s booth will include a new computer displayed PowerPoint presentation featuring both the Bay View Bike Club and the annual BVBC Lake Country Classic.

Bike Expo will be open from

noon-9 PM on Friday, April 7;

10 AM-7 PM on Saturday, April 8;

10 AM-5 PM on Sunday, April 9.

Volunteers are needed to staff the booth. There will be three 3-hour shifts on Friday: noon-3 PM, 3 PM-6 PM and 6 PM-9 PM; three 3-hour shifts on Saturday: 10 AM-1 PM, 1 PM-4 PM and 4 PM-7 PM; and one 3-hour and one 4-hour shift on Sunday: 10 AM-2 PM and 2 PM-5 PM. There should be two club members scheduled for each shift.

This is a great opportunity to help the club and at the same time be in on the excitement of THE LARGEST SINGLE CYCLING EVENT IN WISCONSIN, to quote W&S.
Send an e-mail to the BVBC Bike Expo committee indicating what day and time you prefer.
Bike Expo Committee;
Tom Simonson
Tom Nelson
Gil Krueger

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We would love to host a Bay View Bicycle Club Gathering!

We're located on the High Falls Flowage of the Peshtigo River (Rt. 141 North to County Road X, West) in Marinette County. There are several delightful rides awaiting your club - on lovely country roads, with possible stops along the way at some of the waterfalls on Marinette County's "waterfall tour", or perhaps mountain biking along the Iron Snow Shoe Trail snowmobile trail (which runs right past our front door and is closed to summer/spring and fall ATV traffic), or perhaps something even more ambitious toward Nicolet National Forest.

We have 13 two bedroom condos, all newly built and beautifully furnished. There is a king bed in the master bedroom, and two twins, or a queen bed, in the second bedroom, as well as a sleeper sofa in the living room. Each has a private balcony or patio with seating for six, a 27" color TV with DVD, CD and VHS player, a gas fireplace that turns on with the flip of a switch, and a fully equipped kitchen, including a full-size refrigerator with ice-maker, a dishwasher and microwave.

Each unit sports a fun decor theme, like Geronimo's, Dragon's Lair, Snowman's Lodge, The Spring Garden, Packer's Place, etc. While bikers will love the furnishings and amenities, plus of course, the central location leading to great rides, non-biking family members can stay behind, enjoying sweeping views of the river and peaceful, tranquil Northwoods relaxation, but still be a part of socializing before and after rides.

Some of the condos are adjoining, perfect for friends who want to be together. There is a central gathering area on the river side, with picnic tables. Coupled with the patios of the ground floor units, it makes a great place to gather for cocktails or group meals.
We're within walking distance of Peshtigo River Resort Restaurant and Tavern, where club members can enjoy breakfast or dinner on their own, or group meals can be arranged. We also have a box-lunch delivery service we've used often for some of our group events. And of course, there are lots of great Northwoods restaurants a nice ride away!

You can see photos of our condos at www.peshtigoriverrentals.com or at our listing at www.cyberrentals.com (under Crivitz, Wisc.). They're the nicest accommodations in the Crivitz Rec. Area - you won't be disappointed.

Our rates are regularly $115/night. We do offer group discounts in April, May and June, and possibly in the Fall. As our rates are quite reasonable, we could also work out a program in which club members are charged regular rates, but a portion of their room rate is returned to your club, making the ride a potential fund-raiser.

We'd love to show you the facilities, if you'd like to check them out!
Please let me know if you have interest, or any questions.
Susan Romanchek
Peshtigo River Rentals

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Phil’s Tips
Submitted by Phil Fellner

Every year about this time many of us have a fight on our hands. The vernal equinox presages brisk wind, usually from the southwest. The gales always seem to fire up just as we're starting to ride regularly again.

Gear down. Many riders hate shifting to the small chain ring on the flats even if they’re bucking a 20-mph blast. But treat wind like a hill. Count each 5 mph of wind speed as 1% of grade. Therefore, a 20-mph headwind equals a 4% hill. You probably wouldn't try to climb it in the big ring. Gear down accordingly in the wind.

Get down. Wind loves big objects. So in a headwind, make your frontal area as small as possible. Grip the bar in the drops. Bend your elbows and keep them in line with your body, not splayed outward.

Think low and narrow. Keep your head down (but eyes up).

Get slippery. A loose-fitting, flapping jacket can increase the effort needed to fight a headwind by huge amounts. Lose the drogue chute in favor of a form-fitting jersey. If it’s chilly, wear layers or tuck a sheet of plastic under your jersey to keep the wind off your chest.

Get shelter. Pick a route with trees, buildings, stone walls or other wind blockers.

Get creative. Find a rectangular course of 4-8 miles and ride it several times. You’ll have to fight the headwind on one leg and crosswinds on two, but you’ll get a blissful tailwind a quarter of the time.

Get tough. Show Ma Nature who's boss by riding straight into the wind to start an out-and-back ride. Grind for a certain distance or time to get a great workout, then U-turn and fly back home like you're motor pacing (assuming the wind doesn't do a 180 with you).

Get a clock. When the local meteorologist predicts high winds, schedule your ride in the early morning or evening. Wind speed is often considerably less at these times.

www.roadbikerider.com

Fellow Cyclist-

Please remember that riding a bike on the road has just as many responsibilities as driving a car. In all the states a bicycle is considered a vehicle and we, as cyclist should obey the rules of the road. The best way to blend in with traffic is to wait your turn at a four way stop or any other traffic control. Most people will give you respect when they see that you want to share the road not own it. Recently with so many people talking on cell phones while driving I would like to suggest that if you want to get there attention I suggest eye contact if that doesn't work look at there front tires to see if they are planning on turning. Most people don't use turn signals when they are talking on the phone.

You should always carry some sort of identification with you in case of an emergency. Most bike accidents are caused by falls usually due to street conditions.
Please remember to obey the rules of the road and be courteous to the drivers by letting them know your intentions by signaling turns and riding in a way as not to impede the flow of traffic.

If you are riding with a group of riders please go single file when you go over a crest of a hill. There is no way that a driver can see you and react if your group is all over the road.

I have ridden my bike to work for over twenty years and I have found that people respect you if you act like you want to share the road.

Charles Sattler
(Quad Cities Bike Club)

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Bring club membership card for discount.