Hi All!

Yesterday we had 47 riders decide that the gorgeous spring weather was much too nice to be spent indoors, so they turned out to spend the morn wandering about the Ahwatukee Foothills. Why do we offer a route map for that ride anyway? We should just point the pack in the general direction we are headed, and let 'er rip. Special thanks to Bob Beane for standing in as ride leader and Jane & Paul for riding sweep.

Monday 2/18/02 8:00am Desert Breeze Park. For you night owls or early morning email readers-- we are indeed still holding our Presidents Day Peleton. The rumors of John Arle's demise have been wildly exaggerated, it was only a mild case of death. He promises to be back on his bike for next week's Sunday morning Spin Cycle adventure. Our holiday spin will be slightly modified from the original plan. Well, actually, we are going in the opposite direction. We head to the southeast on the now infamous Germannalupe Loop. Mileage options 33 miles or 42 miles. Breakfast will be pack choice, at either Ripe Tomatoes or Crackers. (Ride leader will be yours truly, who reminds John that he now owes her big time.)

Saturday 2/23/02 8:00am Kiwanis Park. The Tour de Sue takes us down to either Queen Creek or Riggs, with route options of 25 miles or 35 miles. Breakfast is Bruegers Bagels, southeast of Chandler Blvd & Rural.

Tid bits...

Yesterday, at a road race down near Casa Grande, 27 riders-- over 25% of the pro level riders, were disqualified from the race. Why? They broke one rule. They crossed the centerline in the roadway. That rule is so strongly upheld in racing that breaking it results in immediate expulsion from the event. No questions asked, no excuses, nothing-- out you go. They are teaching cyclists a powerful message. Make a poor choice when riding and there will be a price to pay. Remember the cost always when you ride. Ride aware, know and follow traffic laws, always wear your helmet.

Ride safe.

Hi All!

Thanks to Mike Litecky for dragging himself down to the park and leading our pack of 29 riders on Saturday. OK, he rode in his jeep, but he still gets points for acting as ride leader when he had the plague! The fast pack discovered the never ending construction on Queen Creek east of Arizona Ave is still going strong. Bill Johnson's breakfast service was the traditional old west kinda thing, "Ya'll will get it when it's ready". All seemed to survive the adventure and made it back to the park intact.

Coming up...

Saturday 2/16/02 8:00am Kiwanis Park. Bob Beane takes us over to his backyard, to the Ahwatukee/Foothills area. Several options of miles and climbing (or no climbing!). Breakfast is Perkins, northeast of Chandler Blvd and 54th St.

Monday 2/18/02 8:00am Desert Breeze Park. In addition to Spin Cycle's normal Sunday morning pedal, John Arle is offering up a special holiday adventure for all you lucky dogs who get President's Day off. They head over to Phoenix with the goal to pedal on as many streets named after presidents as can be found. No one ever said John's routes are boring! Breakfast will be somewhere on the way back that serves food.

Saturday 2/23/02 8:00am Kiwanis Park. We head out on the Tour de Sue, which is a loop to the southeast with options on either Queen Creek or Riggs. Mileage 25 miles or 35 miles, no climbing. Breakfast is Brueger's Bagels, southeast of Chandler Blvd and Rural.

Tid bits...

Thanks to all who assisted with the Hungry Dog Crit last Sunday and congrats to Mike Pierce who entered the race and did us proud by taking 4th place for his field.

Ride safe.

Arle's Eleven

Despite the Laveen Country classic and an east valley crit race, eleven riders maintained the spirited tradition of the Spin Cycle. This mission through Sun Devil country then out into Mesa on Rio Salado Parkway required some special teamwork with the winds ripping viciously from the northeast. These eleven carefully chosen cyclists blended together as one, knifing their way through the elements. Naturally, there was the obligatory flat within the first mile of the trek. Chad crunched right through a fresh beer bottle road kill to produce the early morning break. We have to credit Paul for sounding the call, "GLASS", like a prairie dog on sentry; but it was not soon enough for Chad to avert the chards.

The advanced group charged ahead managing to maintain 20 mph directly into the headwind on Rio Salado. The "mature" riders maintained a much more reasonable pace as we calmly discussed (cussed) the air movement. Everyone was delighted with our turn back to the south at Westwood High, as we sailed easily down Extension to Ripe Tomatoes. We lost the estrogenous contingent at breakfast as Jean, Joni, and Ann continued on their way along with Bill. The remaining gentlement managed to restrain themselves from overtly atrocious behavior at breakfast, although all of us admitted we'd been thrown out of better places than Ripe Tomatoes. All kidding aside, Ripe Tomatoes was great to us and we all enjoyed a very nice breakfast. We were a little worried about Owen and Tim eating all of their "Mexican breakfast" since we were going to have to draft off them on the way back ... but what the heck, it was windy anyway.

Glenn won the final sprint beating out Chad and Carter. According to Glenn it was pure power and domination. My impression from the other two was that they didn't give a sh..ucks. When all was said and done, it was another good morning with friends on bikes.

Next weekend is another 3 day stage event for those of you with President's Day Monday off work. Saturday, of course, is Saturday Cycling with Sue from Kiwanas Park. We'll follow that with the McKellupe Loop (map attached) on the Sunday Spin Cycle from Desert Breeze, and cap it off with the President's Day special edition of the Spin Cycle from Desert Breeze. This one will be a route into Phoenx hitting as many President streets as we can find. Sure we'll hit a couple of Roosevelts (there were two of them you know), Washington, Van Buren, Filmore, and several more. Yes, we may even hit Lincoln (no pun intended). See you there.

As always, it is you that makes the Spin Cycle a great place to be.

Hi all!

The combination of threatening skies, a parade, and a crit race reduced our pack to 33 riders this morning-- but the clouds seemed to hold our traditional McKellips head wind to a minimum, so a ripping time was had on the route this morning. It was great to see some of our "once in awhilers" out again. Jon Carpenter not only got himself there today, but brought us a newbie, his cousin Richard, who used to be a bike mechanic! Newbies like this we need!!

Coming up...

Saturday 2/9/02 8:00am Kiwanis Park. Well pardners, it's off to the southeast we head on a loop with a coupla mileage options. Breakfast for ya'll is that dang cowboy place, Bill Johnson's (don't forget to wear your chaps-- they look really slick with bike shorts!), northwest of Elliot and Arizona Ave.

Saturday 2/16/02 8:00am Kiwanis Park. Bob Beane leads the gang somewhere. Plan on riding your bikes for awhile, eating someplace, and then going back to the park. More details will possibly follow, if Bob ever gets back on-line!

Tid bits...

"Laws are a pledge that citizens will do justice to one another." Do ya know who said those words? Aristotle! Betcha he never could have imagined our society today and how laws enable us to live together. There was some grumbling amongst the pack this morning over the issue that Tempe police are currently actively citing law breaking cyclists. We should be hip-hip-hooraying for this! The right to ride on the roads with autos is a privilege that we must hold dear and adhere to the rules that apply with the highest level of responsibility. The price to not do so is extremely high-- much higher than the $100 citations that are being handed out. Every time we mix it up on the road ways with vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds more than us and travel two or three more times our rate of speed-- we risk all. Live to ride another day. Stop at traffic lights. Yield at stop signs. Look, then look again, before crossing lanes of traffic. Some of our guardian angels are getting a little over-worked, give 'em a break.

Ride safe.