Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 26 to 36 of 36

Thread: Roadies and Knobbies...

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Moline, IL
    Posts
    11

    Smile

    Nice post!! Now I have a way a you guys can reach out to the roadies.... I have attached a copy of the email that I sent to a group that I had already asked feel free to message me if you are willing to help. Thanks for your time!

    Hello,

    In case there is anyone in this email group that does not know...My name is Manny Martinez and I am the Service Manager at the Trek Bike Store in Davenport. I have just recently been asked by Donnie Miller to head up the Wheel Pit committee. I of course was honored to be asked such a question and said "Yes!"

    The pit of a race is an interesting place. The fact that I am a bicycle mechanic has put me in a few different pits for bicycle races. Most people would expect a very high stress area with so much going on that you cannot keep track. My experiences have been actually quite the opposite and of course it all depends on whose bike you are working and how excited that person is. The Quad Cities Criterium wheel pit should be right on pace with my other race experiences, especially since criteriums allow a free lap for mishaps. Of course there should still be a sense of urgency to get the persons bike going, but in that situation you can make sure your job is done right.

    The wheel pit is precisely that. A pit for wheels. That means the job of the people in the wheel pit is to change wheels and that is it. No adjustments of any kind should be done in a wheel pit. The person comes in you change a wheel and they are gone...that easy. Most people that are familiar with cycling know how to change a wheel in a timely manner and if it can't be done quickly and efficiently the person can normally learn fairly quickly how to do this.

    I am contacting all of you because you have either worked in the wheel pit before, or I feel you would do a great job in the wheel pit (if you are not interested in helping this year, let me know I can delete your name from the email list). I know this race isn't until Monday May 30th and we have plenty of time to figure out who exactly will be helping, but I was hoping to get an early commitment from some people. I would imagine that finding volunteers for Memorial Day could be quite challenging and this is also a reason I am looking for early commitments.

    It looks like in the previous years people would come work for a few hours at a time and after asking Donnie what my day would be like as the head of the Wheel Pit Committee it sounds like I will be there from about 6am until 6pm. It would be nice to have a 6 until noon shift and a noon until 6 shift, but I'm willing to take any volunteer at any time. Please keep in mind volunteering doesn't mean you have to change wheels. If you are not comfortable changing wheels we could still use you for setup and tear down. Whatever you would decide to do would be greatly appreciated!

    There are a few incentives for volunteering! The Quad Cities Criterium will be providing T-shirts for all that volunteer, a free drink coupon, a free sandwich coupon, a volunteer party, and secure and monitored bicycle parking so you could leave your car home for the day if you like. I myself will be supplying all of the Dunn Bros. Coffee you could want during the day and maybe I can buy you a drink after the race.

    Please let me know if you could volunteer. I would like to get this figured out ASAP. After I figure out what volunteers we have, I will be coming up with a sign up sheet so we can decide what time everyone will be showing up and leaving. I am really honored to be in this position and would like to do whatever we can to have the best wheel pit the Quad Cities Criterium has seen! I hope to see all of you on Monday May 30th!

    Thanks so much for your time!

    --
    Manuel Martinez

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Pueblo, CO.
    Posts
    1,178

    Default

    The Hennepin goes to the Mississippi near Rock Island, and then goes east 104.5 miles, acording to the IL DNR. It's not a bad ride, but it is flat, more or less..
    The cannal may go that far, but the bike trail does a tear drop loop in Colona. I thought that was the start/ end. Does the trail pick up again somewhere else?
    I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Geneseo
    Board Position
    Trail Steward - Geneseo Prairie Park
    Posts
    259

    Default

    odd that I never got that email after working the wheel pit for at least the last 3 years... On another not, I'd like to do a hennepin out and back sometime soon. This may not be the year with the arrival of a new knobbyhead this August, but we'll see. Quad Cities out to the feeder canal, up to Rock Falls, camp out then head back. I wou;d think late summer - fall time frame would be perfect. Maybe a fall colors ride?
    ANYTHING can be fixed...how badly do you want it?

  4. #29

    Default

    it does pick up again in Moline near the Green Valley complex. It has had an addition this past year that takes it by the new Rock River bridge and on into Rock Island. I'm sharing what I was lead to understand by the media last year--as far as the new part goes. I haven't personally ridden the new portion, but have been on the older part that is near Green Valley complex. It's nothing to write home about, and for a good distance ride, looping around in Colona/ Green Rock and then returning east toward Geneseo and beyond is a much better ride--IMHO...

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Davenport, IA
    Posts
    31

    Default

    hi. over the last few seasons i kinda realized i like being on the road more than the trail. that's not to say i don't ride trail anymore, because i do. but i love a really long distance pavement ride. focus, breathing, not crashing... all that. anyway, i live in the district of rock island. i've been training to do ragbrai and i ride regularly from my place because it's right by the bike path. if anyone ever wants to ride from rock town to hampton, port byron, and beyond just email me. there's a nice parking lot by my building and everything. jeffreyloder@gmail.com.

    -gringo

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Eldridge
    Posts
    40

    Default

    If anyone is up for a 32-40 mile path and road ride through Hampton, Barstow and Port Byron. Meeting up with some Roadies on 3/30 at 5 P.M. east end of Ben Butterworth Parkway.
    2 routes to choose from or we can just get on path and see where it take us. One more note SIS has been put in the QCBC news letter.
    got bikes, will ride!
    Don Collins

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

    563-340-3476

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Eldridge
    Posts
    40

    Default

    Sorry, but I have to bail on this hook up tonight:( Roadies will still be happy to have you join in.
    got bikes, will ride!
    Don Collins

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

    563-340-3476

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Eldridge
    Posts
    40

    Default

    Riding with the Roadies Wed April 13. Meet at the East end of Ben Butterworth Parkway at 4:30. Ride at 5. This will be a 13-18 mph ride with a no-drop 25-30 mile distance.
    This will be a path and quiet country road ride.
    got bikes, will ride!
    Don Collins

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

    563-340-3476

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Pueblo, CO.
    Posts
    1,178

    Default

    I'm interested in this ride. Can you be a little more specific on the meeting place?
    I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Eldridge
    Posts
    40

    Default

    It typically meet at the very east parking lot near the old IH plant. I'm not sure with the high water that they have been riding from there. I'll do some checking to see if the starting location has changed.
    However, there is a ride Tuesday at 5:30 from Happy Joes in Eldridge, Ia. A Thursday evening ride at 5:30 from the Rapid City, Ill boat ramp.
    got bikes, will ride!
    Don Collins

    To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

    563-340-3476

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Pueblo, CO.
    Posts
    1,178

    Default

    Good thing I had my budy Rodney meet me there or I'd have been riding solo. I didn't know a sprinkle would keep everone away. You all missed out for what it's worth. The rain went past and it turned out to be a good ride.
    I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •