What can we say about the weather this past weekend - Hot! Hot! Hot!  Over the weekend, Valero had three great rides and spent plenty of time out in the heat.  We have a number of events planned this weekend to help you continue your training program for the Hotter N Hell and Ride to the River rides.  We also have a Cruiser Bike ride planned to help you enjoy the great city of San Antonio at night from the seat of yo' bike!  And, oh yeah, the Tour de France starts this weekend...

 David reports on the Oklahoma City - Tour de Cure. They came from all directions - at least from all directions in San Antonio, these intrepid travelling Velo Valerians, to drive up US-281 and IH-35 to join fellow Velo Valero teammates from Ardmore Refinery, Bob Finley, Captain, and Scott Moeller.  Our first stop was the same as last year - Risiky's Steak House on Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards Historic Area of Ft. Worth.  The plan was for everyone to meet for lunch at the traditional spot, and we still have not figured out how Tammy and David G. ended up going through Glenrose, and then Stephenville on their way to Ft. Worth, but at least they made it to the ride start on Saturday morning.  With Tammy and David on the road, the rest of us had a nice, relaxed lunch, and we got the traditional photo of Chuck with our server, although maybe it was a new tradition after all.

Saturday morning dawned intensely clear and warming fast, with the prevailing South wind building.  From the start, there is a very nice slightly down hill and downwind run that tends to put you in a good mood for a good ride.  Bob rode with David G, Tammy and I for about a mile before he realized that the fast group was quickly moving into the distance so he took off to catch them.   I was able to stick with Tammy and David until we got to the into-the-wind rollers, but pretty soon picked up a tow from some friendly Oklahoma Bicycle Club riders.  Unfortunately, they stopped at the first rest stop, so I pushed on alone for the next couple of miles before temporarily trading the head wind for a cross wind.

The left turn onto Hwy. 4 puts you back into the wind, and I was hoping for some nice downhill before the climb up to the next rest stop.  In this wind, there was no coasting, just pedaling, so I decided to experiment with getting down into the "drops" since I don't have aerobars.  My aerodynamics were so much better that I actually picked up about 2 mph, but I still need more practice in that position since I am not that comfortable there.  I was back on the "hoods" when another rider passed me and I was letting him go until I saw Tammy and David in the distance ahead.  I got back into the drops and went after him, and was just getting on his wheel when we caught up to Tammy and David.  This rider, with no "on your left" to David, crossed over into the fast traffic lane and I don't know how the pickup truck missed him because I was still on my side of the white line and felt the wind of the pickup's mirrors as he went by! 

I was feeling pretty good at this point, so pulled ahead to give the duo behind me a little respite, but as soon as we started up the hill toward the rest stop, they passed me and then I found out that Brian was also back there when he also passed me on the hill.  I followed them into the 17 mile rest stop, which was also my turnaround point for the 30 mile ride.  Tammy, David, and Brian soon headed out on the 48 mile route and I now had my downwind and downhill run back North on Hwy. 4!

I had a pretty uneventful ride back in, finishing the 30 miles with a 15.2 mph average which is pretty good for me given the relatively light training schedule I have managed this year due to family obligations.  When I finished, I found Debbie cheering me on across the finish line, along with Heidi and the kids.  That felt really fine, let me tell you!

I picked up my camera and some water and joined the other Valero folks at the finish line to cheer our remaining riders across the finish.  Next to come in was Scott from Ardmore who was maybe the first to finish the 48 mile route, and about 5 minutes later, Bob crossed the finish, definitely the first of the 100K group to finish. 

Somehow, I missed Chuck's finish - the sun's glare was vicious and I had a hard time seeing the camera's screen.  Sorry, Chuck.  At one point, we had a virtual Valero parade crossing the finish line with Tammy, Brian, David, and Mark in close succession.

It always amazes me how Tammy rides so effortlessly.... Breezing across the finish like she had only been around the block and not 48 grueling miles in the heat and wind!  The next to finish was Andrea from her 100K.  A little while later, we learned that PJ had sagged in, probably as a result of unforeseen complications related to the heat, wind, and it being her first long ride after newly prescribed non-performance enhancing medications. 

After partaking of some food and air conditioning, we all headed back to our respective accommodations for some rest before re-assembling at Jazzmo's Bourbon Street Café in Bricktown for dinner and libations.  After dinner, we celebrated Heidi's birthday with cake and singing.

The trip home, at least for Chuck, Debbie and I was uneventful, but I am pretty sure that this weekend, a good time was had by all.

The group from San Antonio, except Bryan, Bob, and Scott are MIA.  Click here to see all the OKC pictures.

Next year I plan on getting Heidi a few more drinks in her. Maybe I can get her to dance on the bar with me at Coyote Ugly's for at least one song. Or get a ride on one of the Harley Hogs at the motorcycle ralley in OKC next time around. After all I'm not called "Wild Thing" for nothin. :)

 Carl Reports on his Saturday and Sunday Training Rides in San Antonio

Saturday's ride started in Helotes next to Roger Soler's and the historic John T. Floores Country Store.  There was a decent showing at the ride that included some of the usual Saturday riders like John Tenison, Allen Green, Dave Shore and Stella and Luis Rocha.  Also riding with us were Mr. Klesse, Candus Percy, Alice and several team members from team SEB including their team captain Steve.  If you have not heard team SEB before, they were the highest per capita fundraising team for last year's Valero Bike to the Beach ride.  John, Allen and a handful of other riders did the 56 mile route out to Castroville and back, Steve and his team SEB members along with a couple of other riders did the 23 mile out-and-back route.  I did the 40 mile route with Mr. Klesse, Candus and Alice.  We had a great ride through the mostly flat roads southwest of Helotes.  There were a few loose dogs on the route that included one black lab that chased me at close to 20 miles per hour and decided not to chase the other riders in my group.  One example of taking one for the team.  After the ride, several of the riders joined in a celebration lunch and a welcome cool down at Floores Country Store.

Sunday's ride was a casual 25 mile ride from Freetail Brewery off of Loop 1604 and NW Military HW.  The ride included Richard Nagao,  Derrick and Teresa Triche(she did 36 miles - way to go!!!).  The route took us up the hills on Babcock Rd to Scenic loop and then into Helotes for a much welcome rest stop at the Starbucks, my second of the morning, on the corner of Bandera and Hausmann Rd.  We finished the ride just before 10AM.

This weekend, we will be offering three training opportunities so plan on joining us for at least one of the following rides so let's get the party started.

 On Friday - John will lead the ride form Bulverde Community Center wheels down at 7:30am Bulverde - Spring Branch - Kendalia Ride: We ride from Bulverde Community Center on Amman Rd. at Bulverde Rd. The physical address is 1747 E Ammann Rd., Bulverde, Texas 78163. Route choices are 51 miles via Kendalia, or 32 miles via Spring Branch, Rt. 311 and Smithson Valley Rd.

 On Saturday - Carl will lead the ride from Freetail Brewery wheels down at 7:30am. Options for this ride are from 25 to 55 miles.  All routes will go out the same way up Babcock Road and the shorter route will take Scenic Loop to Helotes and back to Loop 1604 via Hausmann.  The longer routes will go down Scenic Loop to Boerne Stage to the Valero Station at Boerne Stage and I-10.  From there the medium distance route will start heading back down Old Fredericksburg and the longer route will continue heading north to Boerne before heading back. Maps will be provided at the ride start.

 On Sunday - Carl will lead the ride from Judson High School wheels down at 7:30am.  The ride will include a stop in New Berlin for tacos.  From this location, riders will have the option of riding the shorter 38 mile route or the longer 51 mile route. Maps will be provided at the ride start.

WOW! The Teddy Bear is going to be putting in some major miles during the holiday weekend.  There's a rumor he's even planning on doing the Cruiser Bike ride...

First Friday Cruiser Bike Ride!

On Friday, July 3d, we are planning yet another installment of our First Friday downtown Cruiser Bike rides!   We'll begin at the highway underpass near Sam's Burger joint at around 08:00 pm, hit our usual haunts (Alibi's, Bluestar Brewing Company, etc.) and then end up at the VFW on the fabulous new Museum Reach of the San Antonio Riverwalk.    See downtown San Antonio the way it was meant to be seen - at night, from the seat of your bike, with your cycling buds at your side!

For more details, click here.  Send an e-mail to peter.ray@valero.com if you plan on joining.

Group shot of some of the Cruiser Bikers last Christmas at Beethoven Hall

 From David Sloan: For all of you that love road trips, I have created a Velo Valero team for the Ft. Worth Tour de Cure that is scheduled for September 12, and starts and ends at Texas Motor Speedway on the Northwest side of Ft. Worth. 

The ride is on a Saturday, so that leaves Saturday night for having a good time in Ft. Worth.  The pirate themed rest stop last year was so much fun that I almost got left behind by the rest of our group!!    

Click Here to register for the Fort Worth Tour De Cure ride.

David, Lucho, and Glennis waiting for the Fort Worth Tour de Cure ride to start.

See you on the road!

- Andrea, aka Wild Thing

Weekend Schedule for June 27^th:

On Saturday a fairly good sized group of riders is heading to Oklahoma to participate in the Oklahoma Tour de Cure scheduled for the 27^th.  Still time to register and join in.

2008 start/finish line for the OKC Tour de Cure

 Also, on the Saturday John Tenison will be leading a ride: Meet us across the street from Floores Country Store for a 7:30 AM ride start. Choose a 23, 40, or 56 mile route (click on your favorite distance for a map) and enjoy the countryside between Helotes and Castroville. It will be sunny and hot by the end of the ride, so be sure to bring sunscreen and plenty of fluids. 

Sunday 6/28 Funday Casual Ride Series

  Carl "Teddy Bear" Crawford, will lead the ride on Sunday. Please plan on joining me for another installment of the Sunday Funday Casual ride series starting at the Free Tail Brewery located at the corner of Loop 1604 and NW Military HW (Next to the windmill on top of the hill).  Wheels down at 7:30AM.  Maps will be provided at the ride start with options of as little as 25 miles and as many as 51 miles.  Please contact me at carl.crawford@valero.com to let me know if you will be riding on Sunday.

2009 Hotter N Hell will be held on Saturday, August 29th, in scenic Wichita Falls.  Click here for more details. There are still spots available at the Burkburnett Training Facility if you don't have a place to stay. Don't hesitate in reserving your space as these are filling up fast. Complete the HHH HOUSING REGISTRATION FORM to reserve one of the 20 beds that I have reserved for the team.

Several folks take advantage of the cheap prices at the 2008 Hotter-N-Hell Expo

There are still several remaining Tour de Cure events, and the team will be traveling to several of these locations. There will be opportunities to carpool and share hotel rooms for those wanting to save a little money. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the remaining events, and I will do my best to help as much as possible. Check out the calendar of events for upcoming tours.

Great looking group from the 2008 Del City Tour event.

On September 19^th the ADA will be holding their first Houston Tour de Cure. If you think this is a ride you would like to participate in don't hesitate to register while to cost is only $15. Early registration ends on June 26^th and the price will jump to $25. Remember Velo Valero is currently a National team for the American Diabetes Association, and you are only required to raise the minimum for one event and pay registration for the other riders in which you participate. However, these are fundraising events for those struggling with diabetes. Any additional fundraising would be extremely appreciated and will help us reach the $100,000 requirement to remain a National team. Click here to register

Currently I'm in the process of trying to find a hotel that will offer a rider discount for those traveling to Houston to participate in this event. Once all of the details have been finalized I will add them to the calendar. Currently it's still a work in progress as we are still a several months from the ride.

Velo Valero MS Ride to the River Kickoff: We had a great turnout on Saturday, the 13^th with 45 riders in attendance. It seems to be normal conditions these days to ride with the wind as it was again with us in all its glory. As though it was laughing in our face testing our endurance and desire to finish and not give in to it. We pushed hard on the pedals to maintain a snails pace. It didn't seem to let up much and I prayed for a break at every turn. The break did come and we reached 24 mph on the back stretch heading for home. Only to turn smack dab right back into it again. Not that I think the wind is ever a good thing, it did take my mind of how hot and humid it was. The return trip back to the park was a bit challenging as the traffic in town picked up substantially. All in all we had a great ride and jumping into the pool afterwards felt fantastic. (wish we could do this after every ride) As I'm sure most will agree, this is going to be a fantastic location for the overnight. The resort looked great, the pool was cool and refreshing, the river is only a stones throw from the finish line, plenty of cool spots for relaxing after a long day in the saddle, and loads of hotels to accommodate everyone. This training ride really got me all geared up and ready to get started. I'm sure this will be one of the best MS rides ever.

David's 30 miler turtles taking a break. Be sure to check out the rest of the click here for more pictures from the ride.

In closing I wanted to say thank you to all those who seem to always be there to help the team stay on the road and keep our wheels moving. T

Those on the Board who spend so much of their free time either helping new riders, putting the maps together for the training rides, riding the new routes in advance to make sure the route is safe, and specially for leading so many training rides during the year. Without their support, we would not be able to provide 4 training rides a week. You are awesome!

In addition we had two organizations who helped over the weekend for the kickoff training ride on Saturday:

The San Antonio’s National Multiple Sclerosis Society Office: One of the best organizations that I have ever had the opportunity to be associated with. They have a lot of fantastic employees, and I now consider them to be part of my extended family and friends. Special thanks to Tony Ralf and Cindy Rodriquez who providing SAG support this weekend and waiting on us slow pokes as we battled the wind. And how could anybody forget about Lisa Shaw. She is a bubbly blonde, and it only takes meeting her once and you will never forget her. She is always in a good mood and ready to do whatever it takes. I must say for as short as those legs are they sure can get her where she wants to go. She is a great cyclist. Sorry you have to get up so early Bal.

The Valero Motorcycle Marshals: These two-wheeled wonders are just as dedicated to their rides as we are. They travel to help a lot of other organizations and provide assistance to whatever the cause is that needs help. Including both the Tour de Cure and the Bike to the Beach cycling events. They have assisted the Velo team on several occasions this year, and I look forward to them helping me find my way again in the near future. I’m a little directionally challenged and seeing them on the route is such a relief. Not only because they are there if I need help, but I know I’m on the right road.

The next time you see these folks at a ride, please take a few minutes to say thanks and to let them know we all appreciate everything they do to ensure that we have an enjoyable and safe ride.

Lookout Oklahoma, here we come.

Andrea

Long Beach Tour de Cure

Received this updated on the Long Beach "Ship to Shore" Tour de Cure from Alan Dedman, who works at the Valero Wilmington Refinery.

This ride this year started from a new venue, the legendary RMS Queen Mary cruise ship in the Port of Long Beach; the route would take us through Long Beach and over the Vincent Thomas and Gerald Desmond Bridges and then Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Well I arrived at the starting area nice and early around 05:30 and had plenty of time to get ready as the start time for the 60 mile event wasn’t due to go until 07:00; tents and registration areas were still being set up by the large contingent of volunteers. One area that was receiving a lot of attention was the breakfast bar, fresh fruit, bagels, juice and coffee was already on display. I bypassed that area having already had breakfast and some really strong coffee prior to leaving the house.

As the time got closer to the registration area opening, I made some last minute checks on my bike, oiled the chain and derailleur and then wiped off the access, clipped my GPS system in place, then I decided to put on arm and leg warmers as the lighter it got, the more I could see that this was going to be a day for some extra clothing. The marine layer cast a gloomy light over the harbor, and knowing that we were going to ascend the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the weather could only get worse, generally what happens is you finish the ride, then the weather improves and the sun comes out makes everything look good.

At 06:00 I decide to go and register, I see one other Team Rider, Jim Leary; he’s collecting his registration package including his bib number and a ticket for a T-Shirt. I get into the 60 Mile line and await my turn, which doesn’t take that long, I get my number and other stuff and go back to my car and pin my number to my jersey, “121” clear for all to see.

I return to the registration area and I’m informed that we have a tent, or a canopy, for our fund raising efforts, plus the number of volunteers that have come out to help.

Valero Volunteers at the Ship to Shore Tour de Cure

As time passes a few more Team riders show up, and after some general chit-chat we notice that the start time is fast approaching, and the set start lanes are beginning to fill up so myself and a couple of other riders decide to get in our mileage lanes and prepare for the 07:00 start. Well the advised start time arrives and we still haven’t gone anywhere, we’re receiving the customary pre-ride speech from the organizers, and then a thank you speech from the Mayor of Long Beach, which is all very nice, but what you really want to do is get the show on the road.

While we are listening to the speeches, I look across to one of my team mates, and notice he’s tearing the top off a package, and up pops this pink stuff. I thought it was a strawberry pop tart, wrong, it turns out it’s a package of SPAM, yes that SPAM. This guy is going to climb a lot of hills and he’s consuming spam. I ask him what he thinks it will do, and he replies that it is full of carbs and protein. I ask him if he’s also seen the sodium content as well, to which he says that’s alright I need that to. No sooner has he finished his sachet of SPAM, when he opens a South Bay Nutrition Bar, this guys an eating machine, he’s smiling away and telling us that he has more packages of SPAM and bars.

At last the speeches stop and we’re off, only 30 minutes adrift, but at least we’re moving. It must have woken up a young lady in the 30 mile section, as she went to get ready to start and fell to the ground, fortunately not into our moving lane. We ride off the grass and onto the road, and the speed picks up to an acceptable rolling pace. This is when problems generally occur, people out for the first time, not aware of their surroundings, and with very light riding skills. Then there are the serious riders who just want to clear out of the area and keep them, the inexperienced riders,  as far away as ever, the sooner you put distance between them and yourself the better it gets, and you can relax a bit.

 We exit onto Queensway then make a right onto Shoreline riding on part of the Long Beach Grand Prix track, actually we go over the Grand Prix Finish Line and on up to Oceangate  and make a left turn and head for the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The traffic lights on this section of road are certainly out of sequence, no sooner you start and think you’ll make the next set, when they change and the group you are riding with come to a disgruntled stop. We know it’s quiet and even with no traffic coming from either direction; there are a lot of riders up front just waiting on the next guy to make the move. By the time everyone has had time to look at one another to see who’s going to make the move the lights change and we’re off again. We repeat this scenario about three times before we actually arrive at the first of many intersections where the local Police were manning the intersections. As we approach them the traffic signal is showing red, they wave us through, great at last we can get into some speed.

There is a short climb approaching the bridge over the 710 Freeway then downhill for a short distance before we hit the first of the 2 bridges. The Gerald Desmond Bridge is a decent climb, which is stretched out a bit but manageable, as you climb this section, looking to your right you see several of the Berths, all too familiar to those who work in this area.

The organizers of the ride had taken the precaution of covering the expansion joints on the bridge, thank goodness, I had visions of my front or rear wheel getting caught in one of them grooves, and taking a tumble. One other problem though associated with the covers, was that they had only covered about a 6 or 8 foot section, so you had to be careful about who you had at the side of you before you went through the cone markers.  There were some unstable riders there who should have started at a later time to complete their shorter distances but I suspect they started with us to buy a little extra time.

 Having crested the bridge it’s a speed fest, downhill, easily reaching 30 M.P.H., plus until it levels out a bit before the next short ascent on a fly over at the base of the Terminal Island Freeway as we ride on to the Vincent Thomas Bridge. I keep pace with a husband and wife team on a tandem, and then pass them, hoping they’ll jump on my wheel to draft a bit. They remain with me until we arrive at the base of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, then I gradually begin to pull away, climbing the bridge section, passing quite a few riders, before I find a group of strong riders who I decide to ride along with.

Staying with this group, we ride on to Gaffey Street sweeping down at speed for a brief time and then a right hand turn onto Front Street, which eventually becomes Harbor. We cycle past the Cruise terminal and onto Ports of Call, where we make a left into Ports of Call, then out again past the Fish Harbor and back onto Harbor and then joining Pacific as we pass Fort Macarthur rolling onto to Paseo Del Mar.

We as a group are beginning to talk to one another, just briefly, exchanging a few words but nobody has any idea about what lies ahead on 25^th Street. What we are about to hit is Anchovy Hill, now we were told or informed on the route sheet; which I didn’t have, that this is an 8% grade. My GPS informed me it was 17%. I really didn’t care what grade it was, it’s just that it got me out of my pedals and I just pedaled for what I was worth, and my wheels were just about turning. At this point there is no thought about stopping and walking up, because if you stopped you had no time to unclip from the pedal and put your foot down, you would just fall.

Out of our lead group, three of us crested the climb together, and as we crested it there was a Traffic Cop holding traffic up for us to give us a clear run down on Western. We didn’t speed away, instead we maintained a steady pace and allowed a few others to catch up, and it’s always good to ride in a group of strong riders.

At this point a rider from Pasadena, John had decided to keep me company and we began to take turns up front pulling the group along. Western is now getting faster as we progress along and onto the Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills. The Tandem group have caught up with us and there is also a young rider on a single speed managing to keep with up with us, how he got up the hill I don’t know, but he’s doing well now.

We are gaining elevation all the way now, and the more elevation we gain the cooler it gets, because we are now getting into the heavy Marine Layer, may even have been low cloud, but whatever it is it’s getting damper by the mile. We are now on the Palos Verdes Estates, and the Pacific Ocean is on our right. I can imagine the scenery would have been breathtaking, but the view was obscured by the low visibility. I have removed my sunglasses as they serve no purpose whatsoever, the lens is soaked and they are more of a hindrance than a help.

I am now getting a good soaking, and I have another friend, it’s a rivulet of water that refuses to fall from the rim of my helmet. It runs from left to right and it’s becoming a distraction and I need to concentrate on the road and the group. I do for brief time, and then my attention gets drawn back to this damn drop of water. This distraction eventually departs the rim as we go down a fast section of road into a sweeping left hand turn. One of the group has misjudged the turn and he is now fighting to recover as he gets closer and closer to the curb; I’ve done that myself and it’s like the curb begins to pull you in, that’s scary. He eventually ends up hitting it but fortunately staying upright on the bike and recovering. He got so close to the curb that he managed to catch a bush in his derailleur. As he is riding on, trailing this branch with leaves and stuff on it, another rider tries to pull alongside his rear wheel to try and trap and free his bike of the unwanted piece of shrubbery. Before the other rider can give him this help the thinner part of the branch becomes wrapped in his cassette and he has to stop and physically remove it.

We ride on leaving him to his repairs; I’m now wondering about where the Rest Stop or SAG stop as it is commonly known in cycling circles is. I could do with a brief stop, just to get rid of one of the bottles of electrolyte I had earlier consumed. I’m not uncomfortable and still feeling really strong.

As we progress along Palos Verdes, we suddenly come across the SAG stop, the problem is we’re at speed, in the mid 30’s when we come across it. So I decide that in the current conditions, wet on a slick surface, it’s too risky to myself and others behind me to suddenly try and slow and pull in, I apply more pressure and get a bit more speed and just press on. I’ll complete the ride without the stops. I’m now alone, the rest of the group who where behind me managed to make the stop.

After a mile or so I find myself with another group of riders and keep pace with them. We come to a break in the road and have to make a left turn, which happens to be the longest climb of the ride. I’m with a young rider who has left his slower companion behind and is powering up this incline. I keep with him for a while. As we climb the visibility gets worse on the switchbacks as we approach Marymount College.   The climb starts out at a 5% grade and peaks at a 9% grade, but the distance between the two points is telling, and the young rider I’m with is pulling away but not too far I can still see him ahead of me, about 50 yards or so, and the visibility is now getting worse, and with it is the dampness.

My jersey and shorts are saturated once more, but I don’t notice the discomfort that much as the climb is taking all my current thoughts and concentration. Eventually we get to the top of the climb; the young rider peels off to join some of his club friends, who have stopped to give assistance to one of their riders who has what appears to be a flat. At this point the visibility is down to about 20 or 30 yards and I’m now beginning to descend. My speed is gradually picking up and I’m not sure of what is ahead of me having never ridden this road. I am now at Miraleste, and my speed is in the high 20 to low 30’s and fortunately the visibility is getting better and better, I can afford to relax a bit and just coast at this speed, I have nobody behind me or in front of me, and the road is just fine, no acute turns just a smooth left or right as the descent continues.

As Miraleste ends, the route markers indicate I need to turn right, and I’m back on Western, again this is all down hill, the Marine layer has disappeared and it’s warming up some, even though there is no direct sunshine it’s getting warm. My clothes are drying out as I ride on, and I’m feeling very good. My GPS tells me I have about 20 more miles to ride to the finish. I am now coming to the end of Western and make a left back onto Pacific and the return of the initial start of the ride, although I know we won’t be riding back over the bridges.

Still riding on Pacific my speed is now broken up by the numerous traffic signals, so it’s hard to get any sort of constant speed above 20 M.P.H. The route is now going back past Ports of Call, and under the Vincent Thomas Bridge to join Harry Bridges, which ironically goes right past my office and then joins Alameda.

At Alameda my original riding companion, John eventually catches up to me, and states that he has been keeping with this fast group which has now taken the lead. These were the guys that I left at the top by Miraleste to assist their riding colleague. As we proceed on Alameda we go past the Valero Refinery and on into Long Beach. On Anaheim we cross the Los Angeles River and just over the bridge past West Coast Choppers to 10^th Street where we make a right. Staying south on the street takes us right back to the Queen Mary and the Finish line.

My net riding time for the 59.51 miles was 3:20:23 at an average speed of 17.8 M.P.H. my top speed was 37.6 M.P.H, and I burnt 3,453 calories, most of which I think was spent on the 3,670 feet of climbing.

I had a great time, even though the weather wasn’t the best, a new route is always fun and meeting new faces on the ride even better.

Thanks to all of you who donated, to this very worthy cause, you have made a difference to somebody that really needs it. They will remain faceless to all of us but it is nice to know, especially when I’m on the road riding in my Tour De Cure colors, that motorists will pull alongside of you or make an effort at a traffic signal to say “Thank you, for riding for us.”

Once again thank you and God bless you all!

Alan the Brit

Looks like Alan can hardly wait to start the ride.  Click here for more Long Beach Tour photos.

- Andrea

The 2009 Valero Ride to the River will be here before you know it. Let's keep riding and by October we will be a lean, mean, cycling machine...

This Weekend's Ride

Saturday, June 13th the ride will start from Gotta Ride Bikes at 7:00am, 28604 IH 10 W, Boerne, TX. (By Fair Oaks Ranch. Exit I-10 West at the Fair Oaks Blvd. exit. Go through the 4-way stop sign and the bike shop will be on your right). Gotta Ride will open early if anyone needs to make a last minute puchase before the ride.   Click here for phone number and directions to Gotta Ride Bike shop

Summer is here and so is the heat. Remember to drink plenty of liquids the night before, during the ride, and after.

Click below for Ride maps -

Gotta Ride Long Route (77 Miles)   Gotta Ride Medium Route (55 Miles)  Gotta Ride Short Route (21 Miles)

Kickoff Ride for the Ride to the River

Don't forget about the ride on June 20th. Meet us in New Braunfels at the Schlitterbahn "Resort at the Rapids" (park at the Lincoln Street lot near the Office) for Velo Valero's kickoff training ride for this year's Bike MS Valero 2009 Alamo Ride to the River, followed by relaxation at the resort. The resort has locker rooms available, a pool and river access, so plan on bringing swimsuit and hanging out with your fellow riders. Feel free to invite friends and family members to join us after the ride. Ride starts at 8:00 AM. The ride will include part of the MS route. Please email me at wildthing@cshull.net if you have any questions. Or visit the calendar of events for further details.

The Tour de Cure is Now Something for the History Books, But We Still Have Some Fundraising Work to Do, My Friends!!

We can still continue to fundraise until June 30^th. We are currently at $62,500 but why stop now. Let's see how far we can take this. Remember whoever turns in the most money from June 1 - June 30^th will win an XBOX 360. A great item to give as a gift or to use for a raffle for next year's ride. It's not too late to try to reach the next prize level and receive a few great prizes from ADA for your effort.

A small side note: Remember any cash or checks turned in during packet pick up or mailed to the ADA office need to be added to your personal fundraising page manually. The ADA office will not add this for you. Sometime before the cut off date of June 30^th each of you should double check your total fundraising to make sure it's correct. Several team members turned in money and their accounts have not been updated yet.

If you have any questions regarding your fundraising dollars please contact the ADA office at (210) 829-1765 x 6126.

Group photo Velo Valero riders and volunteers (including those incredible Motorcycle Marshalls) -click here to view more great San Antonio TdC photos.  Please send any pictures from the TdC that you would like to share with the team to wildthing@cshull.net.

New 2009 Jerseys

New team jersey rollout is just around the corner. The board is currently waiting on the vendor to complete the website which we will be used to purchase the new team jerseys. A sample of each size will be available at the training rides if anyone is interested in viewing them prior to placing their order. The vendor will take care of the total process and you will pay them directly and they in turn will ship your order directly to you. As in the past there will be a cut off date for placing your order. This date will ensure that we receive the jerseys in time for the big debut for the Ride to the River in October. We do not carry inventory, so please be sure to place your order as soon as possible.

My Adventures 

Several team members have starting taking advantage of the My Adventure page on our website. Like Alan who participated in the Piru Time Trial in April. I hope to see more stories from others in the near future. Please be sure to contact me if anyone has any trouble getting their item to post.  

Also, be sure the check out the Diary of a "Mad" Woman by Debbie Avery. This is something that I think everyone can relate to no matter your age or gender. Debbie is a new Velo Valero team member and is all excited to be part of the cycling community.

Velo Valero Marketplace 

Know someone looking to buy a used bike? There are several posted to the market place and seem to be very good bikes at a great price. All of them have very few miles and are in great shape. Any of these would be a great find for someone looking to save a little cash.

Hotter N Hell

The 2009 Hotter N Hell will be held on Saturday, August 29th, in scenic Witchita Falls. This year the Velo Valero bike team has 20 spots on hold at the Burkburnett Blacksox Training facility @ 20 miles from Wichita Falls. Please complete the HHH HOUSING REGISTRATION FORM to reserve your bed. Feel free to contact me if you need any additional questions.

See ya' on the road!

- Andrea

Thanks to all of you who stepped up during the weekend to make sure our team received a little extra attention. It was nice to have the team tent for riders when they had questions. As there were plenty.

A special thanks to Phoebe. She is going to school and has been extremely busy. Earlier in the year she asked if she could step down because of her busy schedule. I talked her into staying on and help when her schedule allowed.  Without her, I would not have had the opportunity to ride on Saturday. I can't thank her enough for all that she did for us over the weekend.

Also, Grace for taking on the toobers and making all of the arrangements so everyone was able to find their way. She also helped get the team tent and tables from ADA, the VIP parking passes, and provided assistance to two riders who went down on day 1. She made sure their bikes were transported to San Marcos and were able to find the way back to them. One of the riders was on the Velo team. I spoke with her at the hospital on Saturday afternoon. She is doing well and was able to come to San Marcos later that evening to get her luggage and bike. She was hoping to ride on Sunday but was not cleared by the doctor.

Seymour Battle, David Gross, Meagan Lehnhoff, Phoebe McCallum, Patricia Jones, Carl Crawford, John Tenison, and Kirstin Silberschlag, and I stayed after on Friday and where able to get all of the team supplies loaded in the van in just over 1 hour. Without your help, I'm sure Phoebe and I would have been there a lot longer. I was able to get home early and was able to get in a few extra hours of sleep.

Kirstin Silberschlag and Patricia Jones: Even though they were not riding on Saturday, they most likely worked harder as volunteers at the rest stops than us as riders. I know they had early morning duties and worked feverishly during their shift. I'm sure most of us were done way before they were.

I can't forget about John and Chuck. Between the two of you we have been able to provide rides almost every weekend since February. I can't remember a training ride on a Saturday when you were not available to lead the ride. You make sure our wheels keep moving.

Nerissa and Seymour who organized the volunteers. We all know without volunteers this ride would not be possible. It sure was nice to see them out of the route helping riders and being at the rest stop. The baked goods were a big hit. Phoebe even took the opportunity for a little extra fundraising and had a make shift bake sale on Saturday after dinner. I do have one complaint. Not a single motorcycle sag driver took me up on my offer to switch rides. I can't imagine why.

Sylvia, donated a few VTO hats to Bill Miller's for opening early so we could stop by for breakfast. They were extremely thankful and a few of the cooks put them on during their shift. She also picked up the left over milk and donated it to a charitable organization on Monday so it would go to waste.

It really hit home leading the riders out on Saturday morning and having Peter by my side. This was the true moment that the torch was passed to me. I have to say my eyes became a little watery and I felt such pride in all that we have done together to get to this point. I must give most of the credit for the accomplishments of our team to those captains before me. As Peter likes to say "we are a fundraising machine" I simply put in a little fuel to keep it moving. You should be proud of the Velo Valero Cycling team in which you all helped create. Your legacy continues each time we ride and every dollar that we raise.

The past and the present Velo Valero team captains. Monica, Rusty, Terry, Laura, Peter and Andrea

Next on the agenda is the Oklahoma City TdC on Saturday June 27^th.

Thanks

Andrea

After Action Report on the San Antonio Tour de Cure by El Hefe

Received this account of this weekend's Tour de Cure from Peter "El Hefe" Ray, the 2007-2008 Team Captain. 

Well, I am sitting at home on a Sunday afternoon after two incredible days participating in the 2009 San Antonio Tour de Cure.  This was my 8th TDC, and the one I was the least physically prepared for since I've done no long rides this year, and no back to backs. The 52 miles I rode on Saturday was the longest ride I did all year, and I followed that Sunday with 58 miles.   I did a respectable 18.5 mph on Saturday, and dropped to 16.9 mph on Sunday, which officially disqualifies me from the Hammerhead Club.  (In fact, some folks - who shall remain nameless - had the audacity to ask where my training wheels were when I announced Saturday morning that I was only doing the 52...)   And you know what, I don't care.  This was the most enjoyable cycling event I've done in a long time, for a number of reasons -

• Being at the front of the line with Andrea at the Day 1 start, and beginning the ride with her at my side.   She said she got a little misty, and I have to admit I got a little verklempt also - it was really a passing of the proverbial torch.
• Stopping at the legendary Gruene Hall on Saturday for a beer (!!) during the ride Saturday with Teddy Bear, The Hammer, etc.  - something I would never have done the last few years when I was in Hammerhead mode.
• Climbing that last massive set of hills towards the Blanco Hall dorms at the end of the Day 1 ride, and still feeling strong (largely due to many long hours in spin class with Donna, Stephanie, etc.)  I was so worried about bonking or needing SAG because of the lack of training, so it felt really good to finish with a kick.
• Watching Jennifer Owns (aka, J-O) and Valero's very own High Octane band kick out the jams at the Day 1 Lunch tent.   Many of the folks in High Octane are people that I hired, have worked for me, or I've worked with for many years, and it's so great to see them doing something they love - i.e., music - and getting better at it each performance.
• Toobin' down the river Saturday afternoon after the ride, a tradition that started years ago when Rusty "Broken Spoke" Ferguson was Captain, and something that has become a touchstone in my life - I told a number of people that it doesn't really feel like summer until I've toobed down the river during the TDC.  Well friends, I can safely say that summer is officially in da' house!
• Watching at a distance the awards ceremony Saturday, seeing folks like the two Davids - Sloan and Pappal - win the top individual fundraising awards, and then Team Captain Andrea "Too Tall" Shull accept the top team awards on behalf of Velo Valero.   I knew I would have mixed emotions about this since this was the first big team event since I stepped down, but all I felt was pride.   I pushed the rock uphill for two years and built a good foundation on top of what Laura did, and now Andrea, along with new Board Members Grace, Nerissa, Seymour, etc., are bringing new energy and new ideas to the team that will take it into uncharted directions and dizzying heights I never imagined - how can I feel bad about this??   Some of the new things that were done this year - such as separating team member luggage based on color coded tags and having the dorm keys at a special VIP tent - were wonderful, and, to be quite honest, were things I never thought of during my time  (and should have!!)  Way to go Shull - the team is in very good hands!
• Finally, feeling that overwhelming exhiliration and adrenalin as the miles melted away on Day 2, and I approached the finish line at Atkins.  It doesn't matter how many years I cycle, that feeling never gets old.   The first half of 2009 was a tough 6 months for me - incredible pressure at work, a scary surgery for  subdermal skin cancer far too close to my brain for comfort, and a teenage daughter who somehow discovered boys and graduated from high school in the same year.   For a few hours on Satuday and Sunday, I was able to forget all about those things and enjoy the open road and clear Texas skies (and rivers) with the best of friends. 

And, because no bike ride I do is complete without some sort of story, I give you the following.   Well, we had just consumed massive amounts of pizza Saturday night at Valentinos, and I was walking back to the dorm with Veronica, D2, and Guido.  We were in the San Marcos square, which is home to a number of bars and other student haunts.   I was wearing my favorite Hawaiian shirt, a shirt so loud and electrifying it supplies power to the CPS grid when I'm not wearing it.  Well, we're walking down the square, when a slightly tipsy, heavily perfumed, and very blonde co-ed walks by in a more muted Hawaiian shirt.  She says to me, "That is a great shirt!"  Without missing a beat, I reply, "Do you want to trade?"  To my surprise, she answers, "Yes!"  Well, we swap shirts,  She disappears into one of the countless bars, and we continue walking back to the dorm.  (I'm sure a slightly hungover co-ed woke up Sunday morning with that shirt on, looked in the mirror, and started screaming, "OH-MI-GOD!!")   Somehow, these sorts of things always happen to me when I'm doing a ride.  Whether it's catching Angie's baby or nearly getting pecked to death by vultures, something always seems to happen when I get on my bike and do a ride with this team.  And you know what, that's not a bad thing.   One of my favorite songs is Bonnie Raitt's "Angel From Montgomery", where in one verse she sings -

But how the hell can a person
Go on to work in the morning
To come home in the evening
And have nothing to say

The great thing about Velo Valero is you get to ride with good people for truly great causes, and I guarantee you that you will always have something to say when the ride is over.  Hope to see many of you on the road in the second half of this year, as we all work hard to prepare for the first ever Valero Ride to the River on October 3rd and 4th.

- El Hefe

P.S.  For the record, I did not use training wheels on this ride!

Pausing on the bridge in New Braunfels on Day 1, a long way from work and posing in my legendary Floresville Peanut pose

Rehydraing on Day 1 at the legendary Gruene Hall

J-O (aka, Jennifer Owens) belting out a tune with Valero's very own High Octane band during the Day 1 Lunch

El Hefe last summer in the Hawaiian shirt he no longer owns

It's time to get the party started

Just a word of caution to all. Over 30 signs were either moved or taken off the course during last year's ride. Please be sure you study your routes prior to the ride since the 80 mile route for day one has a small change do to road construction just past Rest Stop 6. Additionally on both the 50 and 80 mile routes, there are a few spots where the road has been damaged due to the recent rains, so please be careful in those spots.  If you have any questions ask one of the many volunteers along the way. There will be plenty of them around. If you get lost, you can always call the SAG support hotline for help.

FRIDAY; MAY 29TH: A group photo will be taken at the Valero Headquarters in the horseshoe by the main entrance at 7:45am sharp. Volunteers are asked to wear their TdC volunteer t-shirt and riders to be in their team jersey. Please show off your colors for the rest of the day since Valero employees have received approval to wear them to work. (NO JEANS)

The San Antonio Tour de Cure is only days away, and I don't know about you, but I'm getting really pumped!   Our good friends at ADA are working feverishly on the last minute logistics of what promises to be another glorious weekend of cycling in Texas.  I can already feel those rolling hills between San Antonio and Austin and smell that cool, clear water on the San Marcos River!  Here's some last minute info you need to know to have your greatest Tour de Cure experience ever -

Be Loud and Proud!

Valero is once again the largest team with 103 riders and still growing, more importantly, we are the top fundraiser at this point with over $55,439 and lots of off-line dollars are still being accounted for. I want each and every one of you to be loud and proud this weekend! We are going to have a great time with great friends for a truly great cause - it doesn't get any better than this! 

Saturday Start

• Please wear a current team jersey each day you ride in this event.  Please bring your whistle and paste a few tattoos on to show your pride (they are in your goodie bag)!
• Some folks are meeting at the Bill Miller's for breakfast at 6:30am sharp.  

                     Click for map   Bill Miller #47  18195 San Pedro Ave.; San Antonio, Texas 78232 (210) 545-4303 

Need a good laugh today, watch this video. Funny Bike Video

  Ride leader Carl Crawford provided the following write up: The Sunday Funday Casual Ride started from the Freetail Brewery around 8AM Sunday morning.  We had a total of 8 riders that did anywhere from 25-35+ miles that included the hills on Scenic Loop, Cross Mountain and Babcock.  Riders included Peter Ray, Alice Yates, Pat Harrington, Bryan and Heidi Lardizabal, and Michael (Team Broadway) and Neil (Team Broadway).  Congratulations goes out to Heidi for making it up the long hill on Scenic Loop.  She is improving every week and seems to be having a lot of fun along the way – Keep it up Heidi.  Also, Peter added miles to his ride totalling 50 miles.  This was his longest ride since February.  Our rest stop was at the Starbucks in Leon Springs.  Peter made an interesting comment while we were enjoying coffee and pastries in the middle of the ride.  He told Michael and Neil that “riding with Carl is like being on a moveable feast.”  That I cannot deny, I enjoy having fun on my rides and I prefer coffee over GatoradeJ!!!  When leaving to head back to Cross Mountain, I decided to take a little detour into a neighborhood to avoid the traffic and rough road on Boerne Stage Road.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the detour that included no traffic and a nice new smooth road.  After the ride, several of us visited the Freetail for a post ride celebration. 

San Antonio Velo Valero Members Travel to Support our Benicia Plant for the Napa Tour de Cure

Team members Carl Crawford, David Gross and Paige Wright joined by Lindy Mansell (now known as Carl's fiancé) went to Napa to join the riders from our Ca. refineries.  While it rained most of the weekend, we enjoyed a nice visit in mostly the Rutherford region and participated in “Passport Weekend” where we got preferential treatment at 12 wineries.  We opted out of the bike ride as it was cold and rainy.  Several of the Ca. riders opted out as well, but there were several that didn’t wimp out like we did!

David, Page, Lindy, and Carl enjoying the cool California temps.

View from Tres Sabores Winery

If you are interested in encouraging you State Representative to vote in favor of this bill, go to ttp://www.house.state.tx.us/resources/faq.htm#who_rep.

Saturday Tour de Cure Training Ride from Goerke's.

 Saturday morning was perfect for cycling in the beautiful Texas Hill Country!  Clear sky and a light breeze from the southeast that continued to build as the day went on.  There were 28 riders that came out to ride the 31, 46, and 58 mile routes, with a good number of Velo Valero riders sprinkled in.  Kent was there with his brand new cross training bike.  In addition, this ride was also used as a training ride for Tour de Cure SAG volunteer Bill Collins.

The ride started and ended at Goerke's on Weil Rd., which will also be the location of rest stop #3 for Tour de Cure.  After the start, everyone made the first leg to New Berlin store without difficulty, other than Alan having a flat, but from there the maps were difficult to read, and missing road signs meant that some of the riders did pretty much their own route to the finish.  The ride had SAG support, and there are lots of parallel roads in the area so everyone made it back to the finish without any incidents.  The only "complaint" that I heard was that Chuck was disappointed that his ride turned out to only be 52 miles. 

After the ride, a good number of us gathered at Goerke's for lunch before scattering for our other weekend pursuits.  All in all, it was a good day and a good ride!

A few Tour de Cure reminders:

● Get your bike inspected. Most of the local bike shops should be able to do this for you. It's free and we all need to make sure our bikes are in prime working condition for the ride.

●  Did you remember to submit your supplemental registration form by May 1^st?  For anyone looking for transportation for any of the days it's all there. For a small fee they will even transport riders back to San Marcus for those who only were able to ride on Sunday.

● Send your t-shirt size to Nerissa by Friday. This will help the process during packet pickup on the 21^st. Nerissa.muniz@valero.com

● Any riders who are Valero employees need to make sure they have signed up on the volunteer sign up to ensure you receive your volunteer hours.

● If you are an out of town rider and will not be at the packet pickup on the 21^st please let me know. We will have extra team goodie bags available for you in San Marcus. I would just like to know how many we need.

● At the Packet pickup you will need to have the fundraising minimum either online or to be turned in. The American Diabetes Association will not give out the packets to anyone who does not have the minimum raised at that time. There will several opportunities to get your packet if you miss the one at Valero. Check the Tour de Cure website for more information.

● We are currently working on getting information together for those wanting to go tubing in San Marcus on Saturday afternoon (5/30). Be sure to keep a lookout for this information. We will do our best to make sure everyone that wants to go will have the opportunity.

● If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Any of the board member's that you see during a training ride will be able to help. If not they will be able to direct you to someone who can.

 Wednesday Night's Family Friendly Ride

 We had a really good group out for yesterday’s family friendly ride from Bullis County Park.  It was really good to see Glennis Bryce back in the saddle, and she even brought a friend, Christina.  Based on yesterday, Brian had better look out when Heidi gets a road bike because she was really riding like the wind yesterday!  

I had my first flat since getting my new tires back in February.  Andrea, Glennis, and Candus were nice enough to stop and keep me company while watching me give a lesson on how to take your time changing a tube.  Glennis even suggested that we turn an upcoming training ride into a race against time with the race to include removing the rear wheel/tire, deflating the tire, removing and reinstalling the tube, inflating the tire with CO2 or with a hand pump carried on the bike, reinstalling the rear wheel (correctly), and riding on to the finish. 

Sounds like fun, but with the heat fast approaching I think we need to work on doing this indoors or prior to a training ride on the weekend. Look for something in the near future regarding a session or two on changing a flat and simple bike mechanics for the beginner. We have several riders new to the sport and this would be most beneficial to them.

"Many people shy away from hills. They make it easy on themselves, but that limits their improvement. The more you repeat something, the stronger you get."  Joe Catalano

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mother's out there. Hope you have a fantastic day.

Andrea

Just when I thought I would have a few free days this month, something comes up and before I know it all my weekends are full. Why should May be any different?

Rider Hotline Reminder: (210) 345-BIKE  Because of the Swine Flu outbreak, please be sure to call the rider Hotline prior to departing for any training rides during the next few weeks. If we have any cancellations, the ride leader may not have time to update the calendar of events on the website. If possible any cancellations will be available on the hotline at least one hour prior to the start of the ride.

Only 32 days until the Tour de Cure  Friday is the last day to turn in your supplemental registration forms. We currently have 91 riders registered on the team and we are still growing. Fundraising is showing no signs of slowing down, but we are still a long way from our goal with not many days until the big San Antonio event....so let's keep the $$ rolling in!

Sorry I didn’t get the blog out earlier this week. Every time I was going to push send, something new needed to be added. Once again, this was the case this morning (4/30). I received an email from the American Diabetes Association informing us that Velo Valero is raked as one of the top fundraising teams in the nation. **WAY TO GO TEAM**

The starting line from the 2005 Tour de Cure - We have come a long way baby!

This Sunday, May 3^rd, we will have a team riding in the 2009 - Yountville / Napa Valley - Tour de Cure. I wish them well and ask for you to keep them in our thoughts and prayers for a safe ride. We all will especially be thinking of Carl "Teddy Bear" Crawford. "GOOD LUCK!"

A few of the 2008 Napa Valley Velo Valero participants

Cruiser Bike Ride This Friday: The fun never ends in San Antonio, the party capital of the universe!   This weekend there is a Cruiser Bike Ride scheduled to leave from the legendary Sam's Burger Joint at 08:00 pm.     The gang will once again visit a wide variety of downtown hangouts, and weave in and out of the festive crowd at the Southside First Friday.

CYCLIST HIT ON BLANCO: I had heard through the cycling grapevine that a rider was struck by a vehicle on Friday while riding on Blanco. I was able to contact his wife and to my surprise I know the family. Our sons were in the same cub-scout den a few years ago. Maybe some of you know him as well. Here is an email that I received from his wife Robin.

Andrea-

Thank you so much for your email! What a surprise and a welcomed one at that!

We are still trying to maintain some kind of normalcy. Brent is a professor at UTSA and was riding his bike to work from our home in Timberwood Park. He's done this 2-3 times a week for years. He wasn't worried about the construction and really has had only a few minor incidents with drivers honking and yelling as he rode. Friday morning he was riding the new sidewalk and as it was ending, he need to get to the south bound lane, he began to cross the northbound lane. From what he says he had plenty of room to get into his lane. Apparently, an SUV was in the space and hit him. He did not go under the truck. I got a call from the officer to come and pick him up and when I got there he had already been transported to North Central Baptist. When I got NCB they were already making plans to transport him as he had significant injuries. After a CAT scan at University hospital, his injuries were 3 broken ribs, bruised upper right lung, a small laceration on his liver, skull fracture and some blood on the brain. Oh, and can't forget about the road rash from head to toe. I can't imagine the injuries if he had been riding without a helmet. I have to say the folks at University are amazing. Brent is doing well. His ribs and head give him the most trouble. He is now at Methodist in the medical center. I will let him know you are thinking of him and know we think of all bike riders when they're out on the roads. It's so scary! Again, thank you so much for the well wishes. It means a lot. Robin Nowak

  BPMS150 Houston to Austin Ride:  The 25^th anniversary of their ride was a little bit of a let down last week. I was so looking forward to the ride and even recruited a few other Velo rides to participate in the event with me. After all it was going to be the 25^th anniversary and it should be a great event. (The two other Velo riders were unable to participate as they were in Dallas).  As most of you have heard by now, it was a total rain out for day one. It's now a one day 80 mile event leaving from LaGrange's town square at 8:00am on Sunday morning. Riders would be coming from every direction, and they eventually engulfed this small quiet town. By the end of the morning nearly, 11,000 riders found their way to the ride start. If that wasn't enough, the entire fleet of cyclist were stuck waiting on the 8:00am morning train that arrived right on time. Luckily Carl and I were well on our way as we headed out at 7:15am to miss the massive congestion. About 10 miles into the ride, I lost my Oakley sunglasses. The wind ripped open my raincoat and picked the glasses right out of my pocket. A fellow rider yelled out and when I found them, they were a casualty of the ride. A car had run over them and the only thing left was the lenses. Folded in half but otherwise still intact. Once again, the wind was a force to be reckoned with, and it was there upfront right in our face the entire way!  Not a single moment of reprieve would we feel during the entire 80 miles. We decided to do the long route and get a break from the wind on the beautiful park road between Bastrop and Beauscher State Parks. It was going to be the highlight of the ride. Well for the first mile or so... Then I realized we are on a road that had been hammered by rain the entire day before. Mud, pot holes, branches, crazy cyclists, and the never ending hills. Hill after hill, one right after the other, this reprieve from the wind had turned into the longest 11 miles of my life. Once out of the park, the wind took its toll on me, and, at mile 50, my legs started to cramp. Carl was a great sport as he pulled all the way to the next rest stop. I was able to refuel and take a few meds.  5 miles later I felt like a new person. The wind died down just a little, cramps were gone, then it hit me...Carl had talked the whole entire way!  He spoke to every single rider that we passed. He would say "Hello, how are you doing, or it's a little windy today". By mile 70, I wanted to duck tape his mouth shut, but he was my ride home from Austin. All kidding aside, we had a great time, even with all the obstacles along the way! The MS Society did a great job as the logistics of Friday and Saturday had to have been a nightmare. I look forward to participating in this event next year and hope that a few of you will consider joining us. Click here to see all of the the pictures from the ride.

Rider on the BPMS150 get's a helping hand. (love the sign in the background)

Velo Valero on the Valero Corporate Web Site 

The Velo Valero cycling team makes the volunteer page on the company website. Click here to see the photo.

Update from El Hefe, Retired Velo Valero Team Captain and Slacker Extraordinaire

 Yes, I was actually seen on a bike yesterday during the Hillfest.    I remembered to bring all my equipment, and even showed up on time.  But friends, I'm really out of practice and it showed.  For 10 grueling minutes I heroically kept up with hammerheads Chuck, Luis, Lori, Scott, and Ray, and then was unceremoniously dropped.  I met up with them again at the C-Store on Scenic loop, and did hang another 15 minutes with them, but was then dropped again.   The ride back to Chase Hill had all the elements of Wes Craven horror film - brutal head winds with no pace line to provide protection from, and all sorts of loose gravel on Cielo Vista where they are resurfacing the road (we probably need to avoid this for a few weeks until the work is done).   Finally, as I was making that final climb on Babcock before turning on to Chase Hill, my chain locked up and I fell over.   But, despite all of this, it felt really good to be back on a bike again!  I can't wait until the Data Center project is over at work, and my weekends are once again free so I can enjoy the comraderie and exhileration of Velo Valero on the road once more!    

- Peter

Best Wishes for a safe weekend,

Andrea

Hopefully all the rain will make for a beautiful ride and not fields of brown. Only 38 days until the Tour de Cure!

Weekend Rides

Tens of thousand of people (and their dogs) will be partaking in the Fiesta events which are well underway with paticipants drinking, eating, and dancing like there is no tomorrow. However, the Velo Valero Cycling Team always seems to find a reason to ride. So this weekend is no exception. We hope that you will find time to join us in at least one of the two scheduled rides this weekend.

Friday Fiesta Ride: Will start from Spetch’s Restaurant with wheels down at 2:00pm. Several route options will be available and of course some of us plan on going to Spetch’s for dinner after the ride.

Just hanging out waiting on a few riders during one of our fun Spetch rides.

Sunday: 8:00am ride starts in Luling and Lockhart BBQ:  Contact David Gross david.gross@valero.com if you are interested.  We can meet at his house at 6:45am  to consolidate into fewer cars or at the Gate for Settlement Inn at Patriot Ranch (IH10 E, exit Hwy 80, go right and it is on the left about 3 miles).  There is an electronic gate and we can park our cars by the pond.  Route will be 39 miles toward Gonzales and through Palmetto State Park.  Followed by a detour to Lockart for some good BBQ! 

David with a few of his favorite wheels.

Before you know it we are going to be heading for Austin with a short layover in San Marcus. We will be spinning our wheels 150 miles, getting up at the crack of dawn, and eating  who only knows how many nasty energy bars along the way. Some people think I’m crazy and ask “Why are you doing this”? We all have different reasons why we ride. For the health benefits, the enjoyment of being outdoors, spending time with friends, and maybe some ride just to go tubing down the river. No matter what the reason, we all are participating in the Tour De Cure because we care. It doesn’t matter if you are a rider, a volunteer, or have donated money; we are all part of a joint effort to raise awareness and money for those affected by diabetes. Currently we have 138 registered riders nationwide, have already raised over $40,000, and are currently participating in 9 Tour de Cure events across the country. We are on our way but still have a long way to go.

Fundraising reminder

The American Diabetes Association requires all riders to have the minimum $150 either turned in on-line or at packet pickup. In addition, all Velo Valero Bike Team members will need to have their rider number prior to receiving the team goodie bag. 

Don't miss your first chance to get your Tour de Cure Packet and Velo Valero Team Goodie Bag: Valero will have an onsite packet pickup on May 21st from 4:00pm - 8:00pm. Located at the company headquarters. Click here for more details.

Have you reserved your dom room yet? If the answer is NO, you only have a few days left. Click here to access supplemental registration form. Deadline is May 1st.

Tour de Cure Natioanl Team Summary

Chris working hard to make sure we have a great meal after the ride. Sometimes I think it's easier to ride, I know they get up way earlier than I do on Sundary morning to cook breakfast.

Easter Hill Country Bike Tour

 This past weekend, the San Antonio Wheelmen hosted the Easter Hill Country Bike Tour in Kerrville.  I went up to Kerrville with fellow Velo Valero members Patricia Jones and Andrea Shull.  It was good to see some of the familiar faces like Terry Glaser (former Velo Valero team captain), Cheryl, Vicki and the other San Antonio Wheelmen that helped get me into the sport of cycling.  The Wheelmen did a great job this weekend!!!!  Friday’s ride was great, even with the wind.  Have you noticed how windy it has been this winter?  With the hills and headwind, it took me a little over two hours to go 25 miles.  Friday’s ride was a little over 48 miles averaging 12.7 miles per hour.  On Saturday, I met Bettina, a good friend that I met on the Bike Ride Across Tennessee that came to Kerrville from Minnesota to do the ride.  We started the ride from the YO Ranch hotel just off Kerrville’s main street for another great day or riding with the wind and hills.  **Advertisement – I am considering doing the BRAT again this year from September 13^th – September 19^th.  If you are interested in a great fully supported 7-day bike ride, please let me know.  This year’s ride will not be as hilly as the prior two rides, but should be a lot of fun.**

Thanks, Carl Crawford

This was a beautiful ride, hilly, but beautiful....   Clike here to see more pictures of the ride.

Velo Valero Mountain Biking Team

See You on the Road!

Andrea

Happy Hump Day!  For your reading pleasure, we have the longest, most action-packed blog in the history of the team. 

 

New Velo Valero Jersey Revealed

 

I’m sad to say we are retiring the current Velo jersey this year. Our jersey is one of the most recognizable team jersey’s out there. However, with time all things must change. It had a good run lasting three years and now it’s time for a makeover. It took a long time with numerous changes and several brain storming sessions to ensure we continued in the footsteps of that famous Velo jersey tradition. I absolutely love it and think all of you will to. Currently we are working on improving the way ordering jerseys will be handled. Once all of the final details are complete we will open up the ordering process.

 

This will also add a little something extra at the start line for the new Bike MS Valero 2009 Alamo Ride to the River.

 

  

           Front                         Back

 

 

Easter Hill Country Bike Tour 

 

Several of the Velo team will be meeting at the ride start at 9:00am on both Friday and Saturday morning. Please feel free to join us and maybe we can get a team picture or two before heading out. As this is an out of town ride, if the weather is bad I might not have time to update the rider hotline prior to everyone heading out on Friday or Saturday. Also, I will update the hotline to include a place and time to meet for lunch and or dinner for anyone wanting to get together after the ride on both Friday and Saturday.

 

I have had several riders ask about car pooling. Please use the marketplace to post your need for a ride or if you can offer a ride to someone. This will allow more riders to see your request rather then sending directly to me. I'm sure there are several times when carpooling would be very much appreciated. Please be sure to contact me if you have any trouble added your post to the marketplace page. Currently there are several folks looking to purchase a used bike, selling a vintage bike, or looking for a team jersey. Keep checking maybe we can work together and help a rider get started.

 

Good Friday Ride

 

 Due to the Holiday weekend we will only be offering one training ride. Seymour Battle has offered to lead a ride on Friday morning, leaving from Floore's Country Store in Helotes at 8:30am. There will be two ride options, 26 & 46 miles. Please be sure to contact him at seymour.battle@valero.com if you plan on riding. Since this is Easter a RSVP would be very much appreciated.

 

Tour de Cure Update

 

 Keep tho$e Dollar$ coming in! There are now less than two months, just 52 short days, until Tour De Cure, and we still have quite a way to go to reach our San Antonio goal of $60,000.  Why is reaching our goal important?  Let me give you some background:

Velo Valero is currently listed as a National Team with ADA.  Along with that comes:

• Recognition for Valero alongside other National Teams and National Sponsors such as AT&T, Gold’s Gym, Wal-Mart, etc.
• Valero logo on Tour De Cure promotional items nationwide
• Benefits for Velo Valero riders that ride in more than one Tour De Cure

In order to maintain our National Team status, we need to:

• Participate in a total of 7 ADA events
• Raise a total of at least $100,000 aggregate across the nation 

Many of you are already raising higher amounts than ever before for Tour De Cure, and that’s GREAT!  Keep doing what you are doing and keep the $$ coming in to add to your total!  If you have not yet started your fundraising efforts, right now would be a great time!   Another way to help out the team’s fundraising is to recruit more riders.  Bring your friends and neighbors into the ride, and ask them to join Velo Valero.  Remember, team members only commitment is to wear the Velo Valero jersey on the ride, and be recognized as a part of the largest and highest fund raising team in South Texas and one of the top fund raising teams in the country! For tips on fundraising go to the local Tour De Cure web site at www.tourdecuresa.org or check out www.tour.diabetes.org I will also be glad to help anyone with questions on increasing your fundraising totals, and can also help you with your personal Tour De Cure web site setup.   We already have 10 team members that are over $500, and 6 have raised over $1,000.  Let’s all work together to reach our team goal either through higher individual fundraising, or through bringing in more team members!  I feel a party comin’ on! 

Final important note: Make sure that your requests for donations are on behalf of your participation in the American Diabetes Association Tour De Cure event.  We do not want to dilute or confuse our efforts aimed at raising money for children’s charities via corporate sponsorships supporting the Valero Texas Open.

 

Currently 78 riders registered and $33,000 raised.

- David

 

Photo Shoot for the 2009 Board oF Directors

 

 

Here is a current photo of the 2009 Velo Valero Board of Directors that was taken on Monday.   CEO Bill Klesse, aka El Hefe Grande, is to the far right.  

 

MIA are -

 

 Kirstin   Laura    Seymour

 

To see more photos of your hard-working Board of Directors, click here.

 

Tall Tales from the Saddle

 

And now for some tales from the road...here's a recap of recent rides by team members.   If you have a story you want to share from one of your rides, send it along with a couple of photos to cycling@valero.com.

 

 LBJ 100

Last Saturday (March 28^th) was the 2^nd Annual LBJ 100 bike ride.  This ride starts and finishes on the airstrip of LBJ's Ranch and National Historic Park located just outside of Stonewall, TX.  If you have never been there, then I suggest you go to tour that wonderful and historic estate, which sits alongside the Pedernales River.  The routes from the Ranch head into the Hill Country (emphasis on "Hills") and are some of the best riding in Texas.  The route options were 10, 32, 45 and 62 miles.

Anyway, last year the temps were chilly with a stout South wind.  Even with that vivid painful memory in hand, a hardy group of us signed up for that beautiful, hilly ride again, with the hope that the weather conditions would be better this year....NOT!!  To quote the LBJ ride director describing the conditions: 

" To those of you who braved temperatures in the upper 30's and NW wind gusts of 40 mph, we send our special gratitude. Over 800 of you registered, and almost 700 of you were there in spite of the conditions! That's dedication so typical of cyclists. Thank you!"

Yep, it was downright frigid, with a brutal North wind!  We were wearing practically every piece of clothing we own just try to stay warm!  Andrea actually had on 5 layers of riding clothes!!  Me, that meant I had to break out the leopard print fleece jersey one more time this year, which isn't fair since it is Spring after all... I am impressed that practically every Velo Valero rider actually rode (except, of course, for Carl "I conveniently forgot my front wheel" Crawford).  Hats off to ALL of our folks who braved the conditions and rode their intended routes, despite the weather.  I want to especially highlight that our ultimate Velo Valero Pink Lady, Stella Rocha, even rode, pink jacket and all, which is particularly impressive given she rarely rides in temps less than 70's degrees!

Here's to a warmer, less windy ride next year! 

- PJ

Stella all bunddled up trying to make it through the bitter cold temps during the LBJ ride.  For more photos from the ride, click here.

Hotter than Salsa Ride Review from Peter and David Gross

 On Saturday, April 4th, I traveled down to Three Rivers, home of the Valero Three Rivers Refinery, to do the 2009 Hotter than Salsa Ride.  This is one ride I've never done with Velo Valero over the years, and felt it was about time I made an appearance.   I haven't done many rides this year because of my crazy work schedule, so I opted for the 35 miler.   (Plus, I was a little sore from doing the Kick Boxing class for the first time on Friday at the Valero Fitness Center...)   I was joined by the two Davids (Gross and Sloan), plus Kerry Lambrecht and Ben Cantu.  The headwind was brutal as started south on 281, but as soon as we veered West and North, it ceased to be a factor and the ride turned extremely pleasant. I broke away from the group and ended up doing the whole ride by myself.  The route consisted of lots of gentle rolling hills, and I think I saw one car the whole day.  (But I did see a whole lot of buzzards and a couple of two-dimensional armadillos...)  As I turned onto 72 heading East to finish the ride, I saw the waters of Choke Canyon over the hills and the towers of the refinery looming in the distance like the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. Adrenalin kicking in, I picked up my pace and sprinted to the finish line.  I ended up with a 17 mph average, which wasn't too shabby considering what I slacker I've been on the bike this year.  This actually earned me second place and a plaque, which I'm now displaying proudly in my office.  (I called my wife and told her I won a plaque, and she said, "I guess John and Chuck didn't do this ride with you...")  I had to head back to town to do some errands, so didn't partake in the Salsa Festival and can't report on that - but from I've been told it's quite the event, particularly if you are a fan of fresh salsa...  (See David's report below...) - Peter

Velo riders pose in from of one of the refinery units

Posing with the other winners in the 35 mile division.  There is absoltely NOT TRUTH to the rumor that I paced behind the 3rd place winner for 10 miles then knocked her over right before we got to the finish line...

  Grace Batres joined us after sleeping a little longer than intended.  She did the 20 mile ride and wasn’t too far behind us as we finished the 35.  There were over 30 salsas to be tasted.  All were good, we had some face sweating going on about ½ way through the tastings.  That is a lot of chips and salsa.  Only one contender for each of the Restaurant and Commercial categories.  Amateur entries were abundant.  Several of us voted for the Cranberry Chipotle which was excellent and a nice change from all the HOT salsas!  - David

Recap of the Saturday Morning Helotes Ride 

Fellow Velo member David Keith added his two cents as he joined us for our Saturday morning ride that started in downtown Helotes. 

It was a beautiful day for a ride.  It started out a little chilly, but it didn’t take long to warm up once we started rolling.  This was my first time to ride a route leaving from Roger Soler’s in Helotes, and I must say it was a great route.  On a scheduling note, we had a lot of company at the ride start, as The Marketplace at Old Town Helotes takes place on the first Saturday of each month – looked pretty interesting, and also added an opportunity to get some food before and after the ride.

Chuck had planned the 40(ish)-mile route to be an out-and-back to Rio Medina, but Stan Lear suggested to me that we could do a little more of a loop by heading south on Talley Road to Potranco, then heading over to Rio Medina and back up 471 from there.  That made the 40-mile route more like 47, but it was still an enjoyable ride.  That also gave us a few “decent” hills (“decent” meaning that we had to work to get up them, but we weren’t openly questioning Stan’s ancestry or legitimacy by the time we got to the top).  I really didn’t know that there was a road within 100 miles of San Antonio that is as flat and open as that section of 471, though!

We also had 2 new riders join us Saturday, Frank and “Gunny”.  Gunny and I rode together most of the way, and he told me that they had attended the Tour de Cure rally ride at Timberwood Park a couple of weeks ago.  They’re both pretty new riders, so they decided that they needed to tap into Velo Valero to get the benefit of group rides with seasoned riders.  Glad to have you on board, gentlemen!

David at the Day 1 Finish Line of the 2008 BIke to the Beach

Pedal Power Wildflower Ride and the Sunday Casual Ride

Andrea

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

Spring is in the Air and We have Lots Of Rides Scheduled 

Please check our Calendar of Events to see all the rides we have scheduled.  We are now doing weekday training rides, along with training rides and team events on the weekends.  Click here for all the details!  Some great rides coming up are -

• April 4 - Hotter Than Salsa
• April 10, 11, 12 - Easter Hill Country Tour
• April 19 - Fiesta Wildflower Ride
• May 30, 31 - Valero Tour de Cure

Funday Casual Ride 

  Received this update from from Team Treasuer and Carl "No Wheel" Crawford, who is leading a series of Funday rides on Sundays (the next one is scheduled for Sunday, April 5) - 

Sunday the Funday Casual Ride started from the parking lot in front of Freetail Brewing Company Sunday morning a little before 9AM.  It was pretty cold at the start, but the winds were very light.  Riders included Seymour Battle, Grace Batres, Luis Rocha, Pat Harrington and myself (yes, I did not forget anything - shoes, front wheel).  The route was a total of 28 hilly miles that included Babcock, Cielo Vista, Cross Mountain and Scenic Loop.  This was the first time this year that I took Cross Mountain and after taking this road, I realized that it was a lot better alternative than Boerne Stage to Scenic Loop – less traffic.  After the ride, Nerissa Muniz and Nichole Campbell meet a few of us for lunch at the Freetail.  Have I ever mentioned they have great food and beverages? 

Capitol 10K

Congratulations go out to fellow Velo Valero members Nerissa and Nichole for completing the Capitol 10K in Austin early on Sunday morning! 

Fitness buddies Nichole and Nerissa at last year's Fiesta Wildflower Ride

Share Your Photos and Stories with the Team

The My Adventure’s page is a place where team members can share stories and tall tales from the activities they participate in that are not cycling events with the team. You must be a registered member of the web site to post photos and forum entries. Click here for more details regarding the My Adventures page.

Update on River Road in New Braunfels

I received a phone call on Saturday morning indicating that the middle part of River Road is being paved. The road surface is passable, but extremely rough.  Due to tubing season and road contruction, rides down River Road will be suspended until the Fall as we get ready for the new Bike MS: Valero Rider to the River.

See you on the road!

 Andrea

Greetings and happy Spring!  Lots going on, so let's get right to it...

LBJ Ride and Board Retreat

The LBJ 100 ride is being held this Saturday (March 28th) at the historic LBJ Ranch in Johnson city.  This year's event will once again start and end at the historic home of our 36th President, and it will include some of the most scenic riding the Texas Hill Country has to offer.   As an added bonus, Lucy Baines Johnson will be leading a 10-mile ride around the historic ranch beginning at 11:00 am that will include such landmarks as the "Texas White House" and the Cattle Barn.  Wheels up at 09:00 am!

PJ falls for a man in uniform at last year's LBJ 100

Afterwards, team members will be heading to Blanco State Park for a little cool down.  All team members and their friends and families are invited.  We just ask everyone to bring a covered dish to contribute to the meal.  The team has rented the big pavilion for our get together.  Please RSVP to andrea.shull@valero.com by 2pm on Friday so that we have a rough estimate on those participating. For more details, click here.

Team members hanging out at last year's spring retreat at Blanco State Park

Weekday Rides 

Now that the days our longer, our schedule of weekday rides has resumed!  We have two standing rides on Wednesday nights you can participate in.  

• The Hillfest takes off from Mays Elementary on Chase Hill Blvd at 5:45 pm.  This is a hilly, fast-paced ride.  (There's a rumor that El Hefe made an appearance last night, and huffed and puffed his way for a grand total of 20 miles.)
• The Family Friendly Ride starts from Bullis Country Park at 6:00 pm and goes for 20 to 25 miles.

For more details about each of these rides, click here.

Tour de Cure News You Can Use 

To say last weekend's Rider Rally in Timberwood Park was a success would be putting it mildly. The TDC committee anticipated around 120 riders would participate in the event. Over 220 of us started the long hilly journey through the best that the hill country has to offer. There were a few bumps along the way, as should be expected. This was the first time for this event and a lot of unanticipated incidents. A few SAG drivers got lost as with several riders, more folks needing picked up than the Cool Cats could handle, and the rider who in her own words put it, "I tried to impersonate superman and failed". One of the Velo Valero team members was taken to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution after falling and injuring her neck. I spoke with her a few days ago. Other than severe pain, a very bad sprained neck and the guilt for not being able to finish the ride, she is good spirits and hopefully will consider riding with us after a full recovery. She has been told to take it easy for a few weeks. We wish her well and a speedy recovery.

On a personal note to the new riders on our team who participated in the Rider Rally. My hat goes off to you for coming out and joining us for this event. It was a very difficult hilly route.  Monster hills right out of the park, three big hills on Blanco, those same nasty hills on the way back, and not an easy map to follow. Please do not feel frustrated if you were not able to finish. I know some of you are new to the sport and maybe thinking to yourself, "what have I gotten myself into?"... Trust me, don't give up. Join me on the family friendly rides during the week if you can or on one of the easier route options on the weekend rides. With time, you will fall in love with the sport like I have. It will take a few rides under your belt to get comfortable with the sport, and, also, please consider doing a spin class if you can. This will give your training a big boost! Please do not hesitate in contacting me if you have any questions or need help with training.

New member Jana showing off her new bike at the Rider Rally on Saturday

Currently we are at $24,024 and 76 registered riders. We still have a long way before we reach our $60,000 goal. WOW! I can't believe the number of riders on our team. I'm hopeful that we will reach our goal and break 100 riders for the event.

I would like to send out a special Thank You to the Valero Federal Credit Union. After the bake sale, Board Member Nerissa Muniz asked if they would be interested in supporting the team. We received a generous $250 donation toward our team’s fundraising effort. Next time you are in the bank and see Sean Murphy or Keary Lambrecht (Keary is a Velo Valero team memeber), please thank them for the donation. It was greatly appreciated! 

Be sure your $150 minimum fundraising commitment has either been submitted online or is available to be turned in at packet pickup at Valero Headquarters on May 21st in order to get your packet. More information will be available once we are closer to the event. All Velo Valero team members will need to have their TDC rider number prior to being able to receive their team goodie bag. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting me at andrea.shull@valero.com. 

Need a dorm room in San Marcus on Saturday night, a ride back after day one or day two, purchase additional meals for guest?  Don’t hesitate in completing your Supplemental Registration Form by May 1st. Please contact Lori Hawkins at LHawkins@diabetes.org or (210) 829-1765 x 6124 if you have any questions or miss the deadline. 

For more information on the 2009 Valero Tour de Cure, click here.

To see Tour de Cure events Velo Valero is participating in across the country, click here.