Omaha & Cinci Mayors Shine, UniHammer News and !!

07-20-2004, 08:26 AM

- In Cincinnati, well connected civic powerhouse, Steve Shaw, who set up
our meeting with his friend, the Cincinnati Mayor, had this to say about
yesterday's Cincinnati NBG Day:

We met this morning with Mayor Charlie Luken who read and presented the
Proclamation and expressed his whole hearted support for the goals of
the NBG. We had two television station cameras present. No newspaper
folks, but I plan to send them a photo and a short story. Mayor Luken
tried out Marshall's Rowbike and we got news footage and photos of his
ride.

Don Burrell from OKI ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ] )attended as well. He then led
Victor and I across the Ohio River over the "Purple People Bridge" a
bridge that was destined for demolition, but was saved by private
interests to provide a pedestrian/cycle bridge from Cincinnati to
Covington, KY. We then headed West on Route 8 along the river, ending
at the Anderson Ferry, a small flat boat ferry that regularly runs
between Ohio and KY, just 8 miles from Downtown. After refreshments at
the convenience store and review of Victor's directions, Victor set off
into the sunset toward Indiana, while Don and I headed east back to our
jobs and desks. I was tempted to ride off with Victor instead, but
rationality returned too quickly.

Marshall has a bum hand and does not think he is quite ready for the
hills of Ohio and Indiana, so he is not travelling on to Indianapolis.
I may advance my trip to leave tomorrow, depending on the schedule of
the rest of my family. I'd love to catch up with Victor along the
roadway and enjoy a few beverages and stories one night.
========================================

To which Marshall added this when he sent the great photos you can see
at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Attached photo's of the Mayor and us accepting the proclamation and the
Mayor riding my RowBike. He told me that riding my bike is almost
exactly like using the rowing machine at the gym he goes to for his
workouts and that he would definitely be thinking about getting*one for
his fitness regime.

I had a flare up of my 'not so' old friend Arthur I. 'Tis in my right
hand and it would have been*very painful to continue on to Indy. When I
was on the trail one of the bikers I talked to told me of a special set
of gloves that he had seen that were similar to the ones gymnasts on the
uneven parallel bars use to hold onto the bars. An upside down J
that*would take*a lot of the stress out of my fingers and knuckles where
I'm affected most. Have any of you readers out there heard of these
gloves and know where I could get a pair?

Anyhow this Mayor's Ride for the NBG has been one of the best
experiences of my life and I and going to try my best to help the cause
in my area here in Lower Michigan. I am going to try and get Friday the
30th off work to join all of you in Chicago for the conclusion of this
years ride. I know that the RowBike will never replace the bicycle in
its many forms but it is the best exercise machine I have ever used and
will never see the garage sale where all the other exercise equipment
I've*bought over the years has ended up. Steve Shaw didn't get a chance
to ride my bike in Cinci but said he was interested in getting one for
upper body*conditioning maybe rowing every other day on a RowBike. If
you see me on the trail any of you readers out there, you're welcome to
take the*King Crewzer*for a test ride.

Be Safe I've got to Row *

*Marshall

- We also met the Omaha, NE Mayor yesterday. His scheduler, Betsy
Garbacz, was not only a joy to work with but she stayed in contact with
our two riders to make sure they would be kept appraised of any last
minute scheduling changes that might come up. And both Don Loomis and
Robert Craddick, who is joining Don for his ride to the Des Moines
reception he has helped to build, as per the next paragraph, really
enjoyed meeting Mayor Mike Fahey.

- I caught up with Lorna Davros today. Scheduler for Des Moines Mayor,
Frank Cownie, she is Big Power and knows who to call for what when
things need to be done right away. And when Robert Craddick told her
could get 80 Bratwurst sausages donated by Lewrights Deli for a
barbecue he wanted to do at City Hall to honor Don and the NBG, she
fully embraced the idea. She saw it as as a great way to help her
Mayor, new this year, to be seen by his constituents as an aware part of
the Quality of Life community out her way. Before long she and Robert
were also able to make Thursday's reception a part of the Annual
RAGBRAI, the celebrated week long bike tour of Iowa, by tieing a ground
breaking for the Riverwalk to our arrival in town. So with Lorna's
help, Don, Robert and the Mayor himself will ride their bikes to the
dedication ceremony that is planned.

- UniHammer Pounds Rides Bike into Ground

Heard from the UniHammer yesterday! Patrick Thomas called me from 9,000
feet as he was nearing the top of Rabbit Ears Pass. We only talked for
a few minutes before our connection vanished but I did find out that he
had recently left the town of Steamboat Springs with not only the new
air seat, bike shorts and backpack that Davis, CA bike coordinator Tim
Bustos, had sent to Riley Polumbus from the Chamber there, but he was
also taking on the Rockies with a new unicycle. If you ever seen this
guy pedal, you will understand why this happened. I keep using the word
'fury' but no other word can better describe what his pedaling motion
looks like when he is moving along at a mere five miles an hour.......

In the little time we had, he told me, just as he had started to dread
the replacement of yet another spoke, another broke and soon nine or 10
failed all at once just as he approached the Steamboat city limits. He
laughed as he described the spectacle he must have made for. His bike
wobbled and swayed as he said he must have looked like the town drunk.

But having been in contact with Riley, he made it to the bike shop she
had recommended, And yet as the Sore Saddle people started relacing his
wheel, they found several stress fractures in the bike's fork. Before I
could find out where he located a replacement unicycle, we got cut
off..........

Patrick spent more time making sure I knew how immensely grateful he was
to Riley, Tim, the bike shop and all the others who had helped him than
talking about the particulars of his ride but I also remember him
saying that he wanted to make the town of Kremmling (elevation 7.362)
before nightfall!!

- If you are thinking about riding for us next year, wait until you see
the truly epic slide show, over 200 pictures, we just loaded. They are
of the DC to Pittsburgh relay connection. When U see it, you will know
why organic farmer, Troy Bogdan, can't wait to do it again and why
Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy made yet another trip on it just before he
congratulated this year's riders. Troy did a great job of capturing the
beauty and rich history that he and Nick Hein rolled thru every day. You
don't want to miss this:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
e=Pittsburgh2004

- And id you're really feeling adventurous or just want to see more
great photography, do get a look at Skot Paschal's 2003 Arcata to Napa
run: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
or his 2004 Boise to Salt Lake run:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
e=Boise-SLC2004

THX for all of U!!