Spokespeople: McHenry County's cycling community invites you to take the ride …
By JAMI KUNZER jkunzer@nwherald.com
It’s just like riding a bicycle. a lot. Every summer, bicycle fanatics see the country, or at least the state, from the seats of their two-wheelers. for them, it’s a way of life. And they’ve become like family – chatting, pedaling, eating and camping as they roll through bike tours that can span for days or even weeks.
“The general public, a lot of them don’t even know these rides exist,” said Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists.
In Illinois alone, roughly 20 one-day bike tours take place monthly either as recreation or to raise money for charity. And several more longer tours start in the state or pass through it.
Trails can be crowded on the weekends, so riders often look for something different, Barsotti said. The tours give them the opportunity to ride on rural roads and have safety in numbers, he said.
And there’s plenty to see beyond those handlebars.
Just ask bill Bellman of Crystal Lake, who was one of 50 people to bike across the country last summer as part of the “Across America North Tour.” he blogged about his journey at bammi83.com and is now writing a book.
“It was much more than a bicycle adventure,” he said. “It was kind of a human adventure. one of the things I thought when I got back is, ‘I need to share this with people.’”
Semi-retired as a chemist, Bellman now rides up to dozens of miles daily, mainly “for fun.”
One of his favorite tours – the Grand Illinois Trail and Parks – takes riders on a six-day journey in mid-June through Galena and various state parks. They’ll travel anywhere from 40- to 75-miles each day.
With room for up to 160 riders, the tour filled to capacity in February, though riders can be put on a waiting list.
The most famous, the first, and one of the biggest tours is the RAGBRAI – the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa – which draws roughly 20,000 people for a seven-day ride in late July.
“It’s this city moving across one side of Iowa to the other,” Barsotti said.
Tours of this nature offer relatively inexpensive vacations of sorts (the RAGBRAI costs $140), along with camaraderie and of course, exercise.
“I just got my second new hip, and you get aches and pains as you get older. or if you don’t have them, they may be coming,” said 60-year-old Bob Mauch of McHenry, president of the McHenry County Bicycle Club.
“This bicycling is one of the most body-friendly activities you can do and still get a real good workout,” he said.
The club hosts one of the biggest bike tours in the area – the Udder Century Invitational – next Sunday, June 6, beginning at Donley’s Wild West Town in Union.
At least 1,500 riders are expected to ride anywhere from 31 to 100 miles that day throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
Rest-stops along the way will provide riders with food, drink, even volunteers to make any needed minor bicycle repairs. at the end of the day, participants are treated to a pasta dinner at Donley’s.
The event is the roughly 120-member bicycle club’s only fundraiser.
Members get together to ride at least three times a week and take part in longer rides, including camp outings, once a month.
They range in age from their 30s and 40s to one rider who recently celebrated her 80th birthday. Most riders tend to be in their 50s and 60s, having perhaps more time to take part in rides after retirement.
The average rider tends to be about 50 years old, Barsotti said, though a larger variety of people are riding every year for both social and physical reasons.
“I think people are realizing bicycling is a great way to stay in shape,” he said. “It’s like a fountain of youth.”
Having cycled most of his life, Mauch joined the club about two years ago. Riding with other people, he said, he’s more apt to push himself or not even notice the extent to which he’s exercising.
“I used to think going from my house to Moraine Hills and back, 7 to 10 miles, was a big ride,” he said.
Now, he goes 25 to 30 miles several times a week, though members can go at their own pace or opt for shorter routes.
“It’s surprising what you can do,” Mauch said.
After she retired as a physical education teacher, 63-year-old Mary Winkel of wonder Lake thought, “Now what I am I going to do? I’ve been running around for 34 years.”
She found the bike club online, joined in 2001, and has become vice-president.
She likes how welcoming the club is to people of all ages. “They open the circle to include you,” she said. “It’s not like, ‘Here comes another newbie.’ They’re willing to take you under their wing and show you all they know about biking.”
When she first rode 25 miles, Winkel said she went home and took a nap. now she can ride 100 miles in a day.
Members typically stop off to eat together on their weekly rides, which to Winkel, is all part of the fun.In the winter, they often hike, cross country ski and snowshoe together, she said. Members also are able to take advantage of the area’s many rural and scenic trails and roads, which make the rides even more “invigorating,” Winkel said.
“You always have somebody to ride with, fast, medium, slow,” she said. “You’re never out there by yourself.
“They just open up their arms and say, ‘If you want to bike, great!’” she said.
MORE RESOURCES
Join the ride: for information on the League of Illinois Bicyclists, as well as a list of tours, go to bikelib.org. If you click on “Maps and Rides,” you’ll see basic information. The site will direct you to mikebentley.com for a listing of Illinois Bicycle Rides for 2010.
Udder joy: for information on the McHenry County Bicycle Club or to take part in the Udder Century Invitational, go to mchenrybicycleclub.org. The event starts June 6 at Donley’s Wild West town in Union. Registration goes from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Routes are 31, 51, 62, 75 and 100 miles. those riding 100 miles must be on the road by 8 a.m. Cost is $27 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children 6 ad under.
So it’s a race you want, huh? June 6 is the wonder Lake Lakeside Criterium, a 1.3-mile course with four 90-degree turns that winds through wonder Lake to the lakefront. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and closes 15 minutes before the start of each race. a USA Cycling license is required, but a one-day license can be purchased. to register online, visit bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10983.Just ask bill: bill Bellman of Crystal Lake was one of 50 people to bike across the country last summer as part of the “Across America North Tour.” he blogged about his journey at bammi83.com and is now writing a book.
Six-day ride: The Grand Illinois Trail and Parks ride is full, but there is a waiting list. Visit bikelib.org/maps-and-rides/rides/gitap.
See Iowa from your bike: Learn about the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa at ragbrai.com.
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Spokespeople: McHenry County's cycling community invites you to take the ride …
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