|

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Meeting
Place

---TCC-19th and Mildred
---Steilacoom Ferry Dock

24th and
Pacific

Paradise Bowling
Alley - 127th &
Pacific

Swasey Library for
car podl to Bainbridge
Island

Point Defiance ferry
landing

EE erica ons

Happy New Year, everyone! |

TOURING CAPTAIN
RACING CAPTAIN
BICYCLE ACTION
NEWSLETTER

‘

PRESIDENT “ LISA LORAN
VICE PRESIDENT FRED KNOX
SECRETARY GAIL BRANFELD
TREASURER STEVE NEWION

Miles
Destination

Anderson Island - bring
lunch and money for
ferry

10-30 miles

Bill Davidson Frame
Shop - Kent 1 hill
50 miles

Parkland-Orting-Puyallup
35 miles:

Chilly Hilly warmup
25-30 miles

Vashon Island - slow,

let's-take-it-easy ride

will include stop at

Wax Orchards for cider
25 miles

“y

634 North Howard Tacoma,WN. 98406

GARY SINGLETON
MARK OVERFIELD
KAREN HERTZOG

472-4820 582-7762 752-2393 565-3859 565-2181 474-6590 565-1124 588-0681

Dan Feldhaus
597-7661 (days)

Richard Walters
472-1860

Carol Rushton
537-3888

Steve Newton
565-3859

Mary Ann Wilson
383-4220

Here's a letter 1 wrote to my parents a couple of years ago. See if you

remember the ride!
. October 17

What a magnificent ride! Maybe I should withdraw my statement that the
Pacific Northwest is not as beautiful as the East. It's just that it can't be
seen from a car. Nothing can be seen or heard or felt from a car. Don't even
spend the money trying.

During the night I thought I was getting a sore throat. When I saw that
sunrise, 1 decided that the ones who get sick are those that stay home and baby
themselves. So 1 wheeled my bike out of the closet, filled the
water bottle, packed a liver and cream cheese sandwich with
green onions, had a minor scrap with Amber over the whereabouts Good equipment should .
of my wool scark, and was on my way. fee! as if it’s not even

It was my first tour with the Wheelmen.

"Your tire pump's on upside down." :

"What do you mean, it's upside down! This way I can grab not feeling it in your
it and swing it at dogs!" wallet

"you sound like a veteran cyclist already."

It was fun. There was a blowout before we even got start-

ed. Paul's bike. This was his first ride also, I guess; said
he hadn't had his bike out all summer. With my pressure guage
and Frank Weldon's spare tube it was fixed in no time and we
were off.

All the hills came at the start of our.route. I did
every one of them, but not without just about killing myself.
It will be awhile before I'm in any kind of shape to climb
the hills easily.

The folks in the club are from every walk of life. No u ¢/ Quality two conversations are the same. Rosanne is a general practice = eauioment attorney. A divorce case she is presently handling seems to = ; wei gh very heavy on her mind. I know she's thinking about it, the way she pedals along, and it's all she talked about at Ret _— fc lunch. She majored in Russian in undergrad school, and ideas oR cL were passed about touring Russia on our bicycles in 1980, when the Olympics are held there and restrictions on foreigners are not so great. Who knows? Perhaps it will come about.

Frank Weldon is the president of our club. He keeps the back of his van full
of bicycles and pulls out the one he wants. Today he and Lisa rode a tandem. There
was a minor accident when he let Lisa take over the front. We don't worry when
Frank breaks down because he could rebuild a whole bicycle right out there on the
side of the road!

Most of the time I fell to the rear with Jack. He's our tour guide, and rides the rear to be sure there's nobody in trouble or getting lost. He's quite a fel- low. Been in the area 50 years, I think, and maps out all our routes for us.

Now that's the way to tour! Jack knows everything. Every old railroad route from

the turn of the century and which trains came through at what time, what house

was where and now it's torn down, never did get up the nerve to hop a freight train

to Yakima with the older boys. What a guy! He showed me a place called "The

Jungle" where men stayed during the depression who had nothing to eat, no place

to sleep. He and his friends used to walk through there to go swimming and one —~

there. And that means

@ at discount prices.

(206)
474-6590

“(BICYCLING WITH MARY ANN) cont:

morning a lady called out to them wondering if they were hungry and needed some breakfast. Jack can see an apple tree or a raspberry patch a mile away. He'd go pick those apples if he didn't have to wait for us guys.

Jack collects antique dolls. The oldest and most beautiful in the world.

He collected old women's clothes, too, so when a doll came with no clothes, he would have his mother make a dress for it with the authentic fabric. 1 was dis- appointed to learn that he sold all the old clothes recently. He's quite given up collecting now. in fact, and just enjoys the things he has. "It was a form of insanity, you know", he told me and I nodded my head because I knew.

Jack is stepping down as Tour Captain now. He wants a younger person to take over, someone with fresh ideas, and he'll just ride along. When the dogs chase us out there along the Puyallup river he says "Don't worry, those dogs won't bite you. Most of them are just out for a high old time." I guess Jack knows!

You should get bicycles or a tandem or both. It's so much fun! There are bridges that trolls live under and magical trees from Russian fairy tales.

I told Frank Weldon that the last Newsletter put out by the Wheelmen needed
some work on the spelling and sentence structure, and didn't he need an assistant
editor. 1 thought he was going to hug me! Now if I could just learn to ride my

p
ae yuk,

bike as fast and as well as I write...

thre

3916 100th sw, lakewood, 582-5538

Singl eTon- uber
j SPONSORS
TWC Racing Team

inner hed

on™
The January General Meeting will also be our annual awards banquet. This year,
we will have the dinner on Friday night, January 19th. Cocktails at 6:00,
dinner at 7:00 from the menu. We will meet at Johnny's Dock on the tide flats.
Address is Pier 3.
Please make reservations with Gail Branfeld, 752-2393 by January 15th if you wish
to come to the banquet. Please return form in back of Newsletter so we can make
the awards! Thank you.
Gail Branfeld 752-7393
[COLLEGE BIKES
};COLLES :
19 SPEEDS —~ wiaTor"
SALES SERVICESS PARTS
10 AM - 6 PM
MONDAY THRU SATURDAY
564-1921 ~

If you are interested in having a guest BICYCLE MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS

speaker at your club, school or organ- The second and fourth Wednesday ization, please contact Mark Overfield of each month, starting in

at 565-1124, The subject will be bicycling January, there will be a workshop or an aspect of bicycling of your choice. conducted by Randy Davis. at Frank

Weldon's house (4401 60th Ave. W).
The workshops will be held at
7:30 p.m. The first one will cover :
flat tires and brake adjustments.

third Wednesday of each month at SOUTHWELL’S

Swasey Library

7001 6th Avenue 7:30 P.M. + 5 Schwinn Cyclery

: Vi Nl NI TACOMA, WASHINGTON 98409 >>
ij GR 2-1374

on oe - mA cosmemnnone spre

1978 drew to a close for the Wheelmen with the fifth annual Christmas party by Ruth and Frank Weldon. You shoulda been there! About 25 bikies in yellow rain ponchos toured Fircrest with belt beacons flashing, admiring the Christmas light displays. Hawkeye was only misplaced once!

After the ride we all felt justified in indulging in Ruth's homemade pizza, cookies and eggnog. There were several hours of reminiscing and storytelling as we sat and waited for spring to return. Thanks again, Frank and Ruth.

By the way, our well-lit group received an honorable mention in the Christmas
Light Display Contest. :

Don't miss our annual awards banquet and kick-off dinner on January 19th at the new Johnny's Dock. Get acquainted with the new officers and new and old members. See who will be honored. Attitude adjustment starts at 6:30.

Changing the subject,' this year there will not be a permanent columnist to
do the "Bicycling With ..... "articles. So we would love to have your contributions
to the newsletter. You see, when we were subtly twisting Karen's arm to become
editor, we told her about the vast pool of literary talent in the club, eager to
exercise creative writing skills. So come on!

Share your opinions. Write a letter to the editor. Ask a question. Tell
us your favorite restaurants on bike rides. And, even put a Valentine in the
February issue. If I can do it, anybody can.

dex yo Led,

acd

Our race for next year is already taking shape!
This year, we hope to make it a sectional B.A.R.
race. There are only about ten of these races
on the west coast. For more information, call
Gary Singleton.

Starting in January we are going to start cross-country skiing for our
winter training and just for fun. Sometime in December we plan to buy our
skis as a group to get them for less. If you would like to get into this deal,
let me know. If you know of a place where we can get a good price, please let
me know.

Call Gary Singleton 474-6590

1. Best person to have along when your bike breaks down---choose two

1. Person with worst luck while on their bicycle---choose two

1. Person who had the most problems with dogs---choose two

1. Most cheerful person on a club ride---choose two

1. Most favorite ride ot the year and who the leader was---choose two

P= 6. Most improved racer
Male

Female

1. Most improved touring rider

Male
a Sas

Female

1. Most memorable occurrence at a club function

1. Any special award that you think should be made

Return promptly to:

) Any participating tavern

i WC 27635 Ne Howard, Tacoma, Wa. 98406
) Any Board member

)

A.
B.
Cc.
D. Southwell's Schwinn Cycléry