TWBC Newsletter — January 1978
F
F
I
C
E
R
S
| PRESIDENT | DAN FELDHAUS | 597-7661 (days) |
| VICE PRESIDENT | TOM WEEKS | 759-0111 |
| SECRETARY | MARY ANN WILSON | 383-4220 |
| TREASURER | STEVE NEWTON | 565-3859 |
| TOURING CAPTAIN | MICK COLE | 572-5280 |
| RACING CAPTAIN | GARY SINGLETON | 474-6590 |
| BICYCLE ACTION | FRANK WELDON | 565-2181 |
| NEWSLETTER | MARY ANN WILSON | 383-4220 |
| Date / Time | Meeting Place | Miles / Destination | Tour Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 12 noon |
24th and Pacific | Tacoma Area Frostbite 20+ miles |
Mick Cole 572-5280 |
| Jan 8 11:30 AM |
24th and Pacific | Brown's Point — stop for lunch in Federal Way 30 miles |
Katy Wiegman 272-8198 |
| Jan 15 10 AM |
VIP's in Nisqually I-5 exit 114 |
Tolmie State Park — bring lunch for a picnic on the Tolmie State Park waterfront 20+ miles |
Frank Weldon 565-2181 |
| Jan 22 10 AM |
24th and Pacific for car pool |
Lower Green River 19 miles |
Tom Weeks 759-1154 |
| Jan 29 10 AM |
Swasey Library for car pool to Bainbridge Island | Chilly Hilly Warm-up 25 or 33 miles |
Steve Newton 565-3859 |
| Feb 5 8:30 AM |
Tacoma Mall for car pool to Millersylvania Park | Millersylvania–Olympia 35 miles |
Steve Lay 572-5380 |
Barbara Burk will be leading rides every Saturday as long as there is sufficient interest. She has led several rides which were enjoyed by those participating. Anyone interested should call her at 564-6525 on the Thursday before the ride.
634 North Howard • Tacoma, WN. 98406
Not as many riders turned out for the Christmas Light ride as we had the year before, but it was every bit as fun.
Frank led off from Manley's in Fircrest on a sparkling clear night with eight galloping reindeer — Jack, Steve, Phyllis, Bob Dahlke, Chris, Roseanne, Mick and me. (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen! I've been reviewing the names of the reindeer all season so I can recite them for the little kids.)
We all had our lights, and there were no accidents in the darkness, except I knew my wheel or something was rubbing, but couldn't see it in the dark. Mick discovered the rear wheel rubbing against the chain stay. The result of a mishap on the way home from Barbara's "Lake Tapps" ride early in December. Mick's bike rack pulled loose from the car out near the North Levee Road. We gave up trying to fix it in the freezing cold. Everything was dismantled and thrown into the trunk at my suggestion, including the bicycles.
Trying to explain to Chris what is always holding us up as the two last riders becomes ridiculous. But next month there will be a story about what Chris does to his rear wheel!
We followed strings and strings of lights through Fircrest. If one sees just the lights, they are very beautiful; but I can ruin it for myself by seeing the light patterns in relation to the architecture of the home. Most often, the one design conflicts ruinously with the other. I'll go back to seeing just lights in the dark. Pretend that the angels strung them in the wilderness for eight wandering reindeer.
Ruthie's party was such fun! More elves and reindeer arrived. Katy, Barb, Weldon, Mark and Elaine.
The conversation is always so interesting. We discuss nutrition as we fill up on Ruthie's wonderful cookies and eggnog punch; turn the table and the conversation becomes the automobile. Bicyclists discussing the automobile as the most inefficient form of transportation. Are there any immediate alternatives, with the less-than-satisfactory public transportation available on the West Coast? We've arrived at the best short-term solution by car-pooling among ourselves.
Katy and I briefly discussed the more risqué side of Russian history. Forget the baffling politics and war stories. Let's step inside the intriguing court of the Empress Catherine. Peter, her husband, Paul, her son, the brothers Orlov, and Potemkin, come to life again as we marvel at the Romanov strain of insanity.
This story may continue forever, should we discuss the Houses of Hapsburg, Bourbon, Tudor, etc. But Frank ended with a silly manuscript about Productions Management, and a few stories of his own. Buyer vs. distributor. Bicyclist vs. bicycle salesman. An unending theme in our computerized vs. computer society. I didn't want to go home.
Christmas day was a blank for the bicycle. It stayed chained to the radiator. After being at my brother's house all day, I couldn't leave without taking one child with me. Little Sarah is tiny three and would fit in the bicycle seat just perfectly for the next day's ride. I hesitated, thinking she might not like to leave her Christmas toys behind.
"Sarah, won't you miss your Mommy in the morning?"
"I'm sure that she won't cry," she said.
So, I had my own little Christmas doll for the night and when she woke up in the morning, she was still smiling! We had a nice breakfast and dressed warm for Frank's ride. Mick affixed the seat to his bike and carried Sarah, while I rode behind to watch her.
We can't say too much about the ride, because it's Frank's surprise, coming up January 15th. Sarah loved every bit of it. She settles back and sings to herself while she enjoys the scenery. In the afternoon, she fell asleep, and we had to keep shouting at her and singing "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" to keep her awake.
(continued)
(BICYCLING WITH MARY ANN) cont:
I wish I knew what her impressions were of the ride. Little ones see things so much differently than we do. All she told her mother was that Jack gave her a piece of candy and that there were lots of people there, including Ken!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Bicycle repair classes begin the second Tuesday of January at Frank Weldon's house. They will continue the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Frank's house: 4401 60th Ave. West, Tacoma (Fircrest) — 565-2181.
Come equipped with your basic tools and tire repair kits. Your bikes, too!
DUES — Are your dues due? If there is a name label on this newsletter, to the left of your name is a date. This is the month that your membership dues should be renewed. If you are not a current, paid up member, please pay your dues so that we can continue to send out this "Newsletter". Dues can be paid either at Club Meetings, or at Southwell's Schwinn Cyclery. Checks may be mailed to the Tacoma Wheelmen's Address.
The January General Meeting is the Club's Annual Awards Banquet, to be held at the elegant Cliff House this year.
If you wish to join us for the dinner-meeting on the evening of January 18th, please call Gail Branfeld, 752-2393, by January 15th.
Cocktails will be at 6:00 P.M., dinner at 7:00 P.M. A map showing directions to the Cliff House is adjacent to this article.
Hopefully, everyone has returned the Questionnaire to Gary Singleton which appeared in the November and December Newsletters.
See you there! Wednesday, January 18th — 6:00 P.M.
Gail Branfeld 752-2393
- Jan 7 — 1:00 PM: Cyclo cross or training ride
- Jan 8 — 11:30 AM: Wheelmen's Sunday Ride
- Jan 28 — 12:00 PM: Cyclo cross or training ride
We ride every weekend and most days of the week. All rides start at Singleton Cycle. If you want to ride, call 474-6590.
Well, so far we have 20 racers for 1978 and more on their way. Our youngest is 12, and the oldest is 45. The others are of all ages in between.
Francesco Moser won this year's World Championships. He rides for the Benotto team. Mark Pringle from Seattle took 10th with Dale Stetina taking 23rd. Connie Carpenter (USA) took second in the Women's Road Race.
The Tacoma Wheelmen would like to plan a Bike Show at a public location such as the Tacoma Mall. If anyone knows how we would go about staging such a display or whom we can call for information, please let Gary Singleton know, or contact any member of the TWC board. Thank you.
We are presently working on having our Daffodil race on the grounds of U.P.S. for the criterium and McChord Air Force Base. The dates are April 29th and 30th.
4401 60th Ave W, Tacoma
Frank Weldon is having a meeting at his house at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, February 8th. This is for every club member who is interested in planning a Touring Schedule for 1978. We're hoping to see the long-time members, as well as our newest ones. Anyone who doesn't come, cannot complain about our Tours in 1978!
