TEAM VELODOX RIDES AGAIN!

Well, by now you've maybe read your email from RAGBRAI Headquarters and have come to the realization that we are IN!!!!!!!

If you did not receive an email from RAGBRAI, you should be able to log in to the registration page and see your wristband number. That's what makes it 100% official.

Let the training begin!

Velodox Bus?

So over the past 3 years we've batted this idea around a few times. Last year we each paid part of a van rental and fuel. We've not purchased a bus for a few reasons:
1. Where do we store it?
2. Maintenance
3. Insurance/Registration

But this might be worth considering if we plan to do this crazy ride again. Here is a posting from the RAGBRAI message board:

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject: Need a Team Bus?
Looking for a simple, solid, affordable team bus?

1991 chevy 59 passenger 366 gas
4 speed automatic recently replaced torque converter
dual batteries
cd player
couch
booth
partially carpeted
custom front bumper
around 139,000 miles on whole bus, less on the motor was replaced by the last owner Calamus-Wheatland Schools unsure of miles
cb radio
runs like a top drove to ames and back 3 hours each way in january 65-75mph without a hiccup

Painted silver and black could use a little paint touch up but very mechanically sound
Registered as motorhome

$2500 OBO


Any thought or ideas? Anyone have a nice big (dependable) van/motorhome/trailer, etc?

You might be on RAGBRAI if...

This was just posted on the RAGBRAI message board, and I thought some of you might find great enjoyment in reading it.

http://forums.ragbrai.org/viewtopic.php?t=2354

Meet the Team: Carla

Here's Carla Schlatter! She's my sis-in-law (Gail's younger sister, to be exact), and a fairly new biker to boot! But, as a life-long Iowan, she's long known about RAGBRAI and is excited to ride for the first time ever. From her email accompanying this picture, "taken on a windy day when I rode a staggering TEN miles before being literally blown off the rode sideways into the grass!!!! Screw that s**t!!!!"

Comments limited

Due to spam problems, we have limited posts for the time being to only users registered with OpenID. All of you should have access as blog authors. If this becomes problematic, we'll move to comment moderation as the next step.

Matt, Chris, if you have other ideas to combat the recent spam postings, have at it!

Bruce

Meet the Team: Tascha

Tascha's a newbie! But, as Larry's daughter, I'm sure she's gotten the scoop on all of us from '07 and ready to rock-n-roll across Iowa. Home is Colorado Springs where she provides personal/executive coaching and team/corporate coaching. Check out her website at InclinedtoGrow (dot) com.




PS: she even pulled a Mooney/Spitzer/Clark/Wellinski/Hendrix/Green and bought a new Bianchi Via Nirone for the ride! (Yes, at some point, each one of those folks bought at least one new bike just because RAGBRAI was in their future.)

PS to Tascha: no charge for the advertising . . . it's the least a guy can do for his cousin.

Greetings!!

Hello fellow bikers!!

I am new to the blogging stuff, but wanted to say a big Hello to everyone and let you all know how pumped I am for RAGBRAI!!! A BIG thanks to my b-i-l, Bruce, for helping me prepare.
See ya soon!! Carla

Meet the Team: Chris

Getting set for his 2nd RAGBRAI, Chris Clark is the team's resident photo maniac. (You gotta agree: he took a picture of pork chop!) He's a consultant to faculty on technology and pedagogy in the Learning Technology Lab of the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Notre Dame.

This photo shows Chris when he hit 2000 miles on bike for the 2007 season!

Meet the Team: Dave

Dave Hendrix is the lightweight of the team (his bike 100% carbon...). He a South Bend lifer, but took some time in Illinois and Colorado. A retired school superintendent, Dave teaches educational leadership at IU South Bend.

Meet the Team: Steveo

Stevo (aka Mysterious BT Collector) hails from Indiana, but now calls Ann Arbor, MI, home. He's prepping for his 2nd ride. He teaches something at Eastern Michigan University.

Meet the Team: Bruce

Another "founding father" of Velodox, Bruce is getting ready to ride his 3rd RAGBRAI. He remembers delivering the Des Moines Register in Kalona, Iowa, when RAGBRAI I took place. (Yes, he IS that old . . . ) Bruce teaches instructional technology courses at IU South Bend.


PS: this picture is witness to his ONLY flat in two years!

Meet the Team: the Real Larry

OK, I couldn't resist . . . Larry by the Phillips 66 station is very cool, but this is the Larry we know and love.

Thanks, Linda! Without your reminder, I would have forgotten this picture even existed . . .

Meet the Team: Larry

Larry Yoder is our driver and team cheerleader! A life-time Iowan (and part-time Coloradoan), he is Bruce's cousin. He joined Velodox in '07 and recruited his daughter, Tascha, to ride in '08. Having personally experienced RAGBRAI without a support vehicle and driver in '06, both Matt and Bruce can attest to the immeasurable value Larry adds to the team!



PS: Ask him why this picture of a Phillips 66 station is so meaningful!

Meet the Team: Matt and Charmelle

OK, here's the first posting of Team Velodox's membership. Matt Mooney is one of the "founding fathers" of Velodox, and this will be his 3rd RABGRAI. He teaches instructional technology courses at IU South Bend.

Charmelle Green had aspirations of riding in 2007, but Ma Nature had other plans. She's definitely a go for '08! Charmelle is the Assistant Athletic Director of Student Athlete Development at the University of Notre Dame.

Just so everyone's prepared, under that helmet, Matt's one bald boy . . .

My new ride

Hi everyone,

As is the tradition with Team Velodox, I have a new ride for RAGBRAI 2008! I just got back from the inaugural ride on my Surly Long Haul Trucker (LHT). What a fun bike. I think this one will be a keeper! Still have some things coming for it (e.g., Surly Nice Rack and fenders), but it's time to ride, so I had to go :-)

The 2007 Team

For those new to Team Velodox, I thought I'd post a picture from the very start of the 2007 ride. This is in the yard of the awesome folks who volunteered to let us camp there in Rock Rapids, Iowa.

From left to right, Chris Clark, Steve Wellinski, Bruce Spitzer, Larry Yoder (driver extraordinaire!), Dave Hendrix, Matt Mooney, and Mark Malaby.

In the next few weeks watch for postings of each of the members of the 2008 edition of Team Velodox.

First Ride . . .

So, the first really nice day of spring, and I decide to do some yard clean up. Still some leaves hanging around from last fall, and I plan on having a really nice yard this year, so I know I need to get those old leaves up and do some other after-winter clean up.

I drag out the lawn mower, put on the bagger, fill the gas, check the oil, grab the iPod, and get started.

But low and behold, not 10 minutes later, Chris Clark rides up on his bike . . . well needless to say, I oh-so-quickly abandoned my yard-work duties, changed my clothes, and off we rode.

We headed up the East Race trail to Angela, over to the Riverside Trail to Darden, then up Laurel into St. Patrick's County Park. I appeared that today was the day for many first-of-the-season rides as we saw a number of cyclists on the same route.

A total of only 20 miles for me (Chris was going to try to get to 30 miles before he arrived back home), but we did enjoy a Red Hook Copper Hook beer after getting back to my house.

For a first ride, it was definitely a reminder that those extra pounds I put on over the winter need to come off, that my butt's not nearly ready for RAGBRAI, and that I really do love riding bicycle.

Entry Finalized . . .

Just so you know I'm trustworthy with your money and our entry, the following screen shot shows our entry finalized with green check marks all around! Lottery results will be posted on May 1, so I'll be sure to be online that day checking carefully. Look for an email with the good news!