More Tulsa Tough Photos

Hey, kid! Get offa my lawn!

I just added a few to the Picasa Web Album, including this one. It's my favorite from that day. And in truth, I can't say whether the guy is yelling at me or my subject! I didn't even notice him until the prints came back. Another fine example of serendipity.

This was taken with the Yashica Electro 35 GT, a fine rangefinder camera from the early 1970s. I used Kodak black and white 400. The mini-lab scanned the photos and I did post processing on the jpegs in Zoner Photo Studio 13.

Tulsa Tough Photos

I wandered around the Tulsa Tough criterium circuit this morning, catching one of the women's races, the kid's race, and more.

This TPD officer will hereafter be known as "Officer McFriendly". He threatened me with three hundred dollars worth of tickets for driving on the wrong side of the road as I went around a barrier at an intersection about 150 yards from his air-conditioned cruiser. I was trying to find where to park, and by having the temerity to ask a question and forcibly extract him from all that air-conditioned comfort, I made Officer McFriendly somewhat cross. Regardless, I've given him the coveted Dick of the Day Award.

I took this photo after finding a parking space on the opposite end of the course, and I watched in wonder as car after car drove around the barrier, some to unload cargo, bikes, and passengers, while others were equally puzzled about the parking situation. Officer McFriendly - welcome to Tulsa, ya dick.




























This is Cry Baby Hill, a tough climb for a criterium as racers hit it again and again. It has a street corner turn right in the middle. That makes the pack stretch out like a rubber band and eventually, it snaps. But the people who party on Cry Baby Hill may have snapped some time ago.

There are more photos over on my Picasa web album.

I volunteered as a mechanic on the Tulsa Tough century ride again this year. I was in Ochelata, hardly more than a wide spot in the road just south of Bartlesville. One of the volunteer firemen said that the town has a little over 400 residents.

Mary would love it!

I...um...borrowed...that cowbell up above. I'll make good use of it.

Also, the full photo set is available in my Picasa web album. These are reduced from the originals, and if anyone should want an original, full-size photo, please let me know.

High tech/low tech

You just never know what you may encounter on Oklahoma's back roads. This hot rod rolled by in almost complete silence. Imagine that, a hot rod with real mufflers! The shot came out as an accident. I was shooting continuously as the car rolled by and caught the old car and carbon fiber bike by sheer chance.

Tulsa Tough Photos

Oops!

I forgot to post a link to my Tulsa Tough photos on my Picasa Web Album. There are 126 photos in all.

Enjoy!

LINK

Tulsa Tough News!

This arrived today!

Announcing New Support Programs for 2009!

Tulsa Tough has introduced three new support programs for 2009. We're sponsoring tour riders, other tour ride events, and clubs. That's right! We want to support you and we want you to help us spread the word about Tulsa Tough. Get the details here.

Ride Registration Now Open

Ride registration is now open for all distances from the 100 mile Deuce Challenge to the 8 mile Townie ride. Tulsa Tough has fun for the whole family. Details on the kids program will be announced soon - registration is not yet open for the kids bike program or races.

Speaking of races, Tulsa Tough is part of USA Cycling's National Race Calendar, meaning the top Pro teams in the US will be right here fighting it out on our high speed, spectator friendly courses. So enjoy your ride and make plans for great evening entertainment.

Why wait? Make plans and register now.

Of course, I clicked on the links. The Kid's Challenge hasn't been finalized, but there's this exciting bit of news - sponsorship - for non-racers, clubs, and events:

Tulsa Tough has introduced three innovative new programs for 2009. Our goal is simple, we want you to spread the word about Tulsa Tough and our great tour rides. So whether you are a first year local club member, RAGBRAI die harder, or event director we want your help. Of course, we'll do our part. Apply now, we'll be announcing our sponsorships on or before March 15, 2009. Application deadline is March 13th for all support programs.

Supported Events

Funding is tight for everyone but we need more great touring events! What to do? We're looking for ten great tours to support with $500 each. We'll list your event on our website and we'll probably attend. We want you to list us on your website, let us put a flyer in your registration packet and tell your participants about Tulsa Tough.

Apply here.

Supported Clubs

We're looking for a few, okay 10, cycling clubs. Here's the deal.

Tulsa Tough commits to the following:
TT makes a $250 contribution to your club (up to 10 clubs)
TT recognizes your club as a Supporting Club on our website
TT provides a link to your club on our website
TT provides t-shirts to your sag driver(s)
TT provides gas money for your sag driver(s)
TT provides lunch & snacks for your sag driver(s)

Each club commits to the following
Club provides link to TT on your website
Club provides TT with contacts for your club members and permission to e-mail them (we're not spammers)
Club provides one central contact person as coordinator for our TT Club program
Club provides one manned sag vehicle for our tours on Saturday and one on Sunday
Club's sag volunteers commit to attend TT training meeting(s)

If you're interested, apply now.

Supported Tour Riders

Do you like to travel and ride your bike with diverse groups of people? Do you talk a lot? Is the only thing keeping you from attending the next tour ride your number of vacation days? We want to help support that habit.

We are seeking 8 tour riders (get lost racers) who plan to participate in prominent cycling tour events. We'll give you a Tulsa Tough jersey and $250 for event entry fees, etc. We want you to write about your experiences so we can publish them to our website, we want you to interact with others at the event and tell them about us, we want you to be yourself take pics and have fun. We even have helmet cams if you're the video blogging type.

Sound good? Apply now

Tulsa Tough

(CycleDog Photos)

It's been an interesting weekend.

Saturday, I was to work providing mechanical support for the Tulsa Tough on the century route. Jordan and I were to be in Ochelata. First, I forgot my box of parts and supplies. Oh, I had the tools, pump, and work stand, but no spare tubes, cables, etc. A quick call to Mike Schooling remedied that, though Mike did call me a dimwit but in a nice way. As it turned out, the only business we had was inflating a pair of tires. Jordan said he needed more 'action.' I think that sometimes the best action is no action.

Then the Ford's charging system light came on. I figured my alternator wasn't charging sufficiently, but the light went out on the way home. I thought that meant it charged the battery - until the engine quit a few miles later. Apparently, when the light goes out, it means THERE ISN'T ENOUGH VOLTAGE TO RUN THE IDIOT LIGHT ANYMORE, YOU IDIOT!!! It says this in the manual but it's in very tiny print. We called my friend Wade. He came up to US75 and SH20 and picked us up. I took the battery out since I had lots of tools on hand, and brought it home to charge. Then Lyndsay and I went back up there in her SUV to install the battery and bring the car home.

I can be thankful for one thing, though, and that's the fact that the system could have shut down somewhere out west of Ochelata where cellphones and radios don't work. We'd still be out there. It's the definition of desolate.

I gave serious consideration to hiding in the closet with a pillow over my head for the rest of the evening.

Sunday morning saw better organization. I transferred my equipment to Lyndsay's Blazer, being certain to include the parts box this time, and checked the map for the third or fourth time to be sure I knew how to reach the Keystone VFD. Jordan originally wanted to go along. He was to help me with the rest stop, then after it closed, we'd go to the start of the Tulsa Townie. He wanted to ride it with the kids he'd met at the BikeEd events. But he had a going-away party for a friend last night. All that free floating teen angst kept him up very late, so he couldn't find the energy to get his eyes open this morning. I pushed off alone.

At the VFD, we set up the sun tents and arranged tables. We iced down the drinks. Our amateur communications volunteer (sadly, I've forgotten her name and call sign) came over to tell us that a storm was bearing down on our location accompanied by 70mph winds and golf ball size hail. With a wary eye on the dark, ominous clouds, we hurried to finish setting up the rest stop. One of the firemen opened the truck bays and we hustled to move equipment inside. Last to go would be the tents. We collapsed the first one, but before we could get the other one down, the wind picked up and the hail arrived.

Sure enough, golf ball size hail stones slammed into the tent and the ground. A few were closer to baseball size. Big hail stones are very dangerous as they fall at one hundred miles an hour. These things can kill you.

So we were afraid to leave the dubious safety of the sun tent, at least until lightning was less than a mile away. Then the idea of standing directly under a bunch of aluminum tubing seemed just as precarious as the hail. One of the volunteer firemen put his helmet on and ran to the firehouse. Others put folding chairs over their heads. I used a clipboard.

We waited for the storm to pass. As soon as it did, we went about clearing off the twisted wreckage of the tent and began to anticipate the arrival of the first riders. It was not to be. The radio net announced the approach of another line of storms. The century riders were diverted east along the 100K route rather than west toward us. Most of the group decided to go backward along the route in order to look for stragglers and see if any assistance was needed.

The rain arrived along with high winds. Some low-lying areas were flooded and debris covered much of the road in places. I encountered a lone cyclist, Neal, who'd been separated from his group and somehow had continued west rather than east. Neal is from Enid. He was riding his first century. We loaded his bike into the Blazer and drove toward Tulsa. If Jordan had accompanied me, there wouldn't have been room for Neal and his bike. So it was a perverse sort of blessing that Jordan stayed home.

Driving was an adventure. At times, visibility was only a few feet and we crept along at a bicycle pace. Once, it was so bad we had to pull off the road and wait. I thought to put the Blazer inside a bay at a car wash, but apparently I wasn't the only one with that idea. Every bay was occupied.

And I did something very stupid. I drove through a flooded area, one that was probably too deep to cross safely. If the Blazer had stalled, we would have been in deep, um, water. I kept the engine revs up and we got through it.

Neal was on the phone with his wife. We met her in a parking lot and moved the bike to her van. They were off.

I drove home through gusty cross winds, the Blazer rolling from the wind forces. My neck and shoulder ached with tension. A cup of coffee and two ibuprofen were very welcome when I got home.

The weather caused the organizers to cancel the Tulsa Townie – the kid's event we'd been working toward since April. And most of the races were canceled except for the final three, I think. I would imagine that between the downed tree branches and other debris on the street, it would take some time to clear. Also, those police officers who were going to accompany the kids were likely re-assigned to emergency duties.

I'm looking forward to going back to work so I can get some rest!

Tulsa Tough: Law Enforcement

I've been told that due to the large number of complaints from area residents during the 2007 Tulsa Tough tours, there will be greater law enforcement presence on area roads this year.

In other words, if you run red lights and stop signs, expect to be ticketed.

Most of the tour riders have nothing to worry about, of course, but the sub-five hour pack riders will have to exercise caution.

Tulsa Tough Kid's Challenge

Skills and Drills Clinic

Sunday, 19MAY2008

This was the final skills and drills clinic for the Tulsa Tough Kids Challenge. The instructors were: Brian Potter, Ren Barger, Richard Hall, and myself. We had numerous volunteers assisting with registration, helmet and bike fitting, and even police officers from the Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office.

Jordan went along for this one too, and it's a good thing he did. Some of the kids in my group had ill-fitting helmets or bikes with minor mechanical problems that required immediate attention. Jordan stepped in for me and kept the drills rolling while I took care of the problems. He's easily approachable. Kids like him. He's a fine assistant to any instructor. And there's no denying he worked hard because he dehydrated badly like I did last week. Just know that I'm proud of him for helping so much on Sunday.

One mother asked if I had an operator's manual for teenage boys. It didn't dawn on me until Monday – when I began writing this – that she was commenting on my son! I had to say that if I could write something like that, I'd have a yacht or an island of my own. Apparently, Mary and I did something right as far as parenting is concerned, but for the life of me, I don't know what it was. “As the twig is bent...” A friend said that by the time they're 16 or 17, we're just along for the ride.

Would it be possible to invite some kids from this year's group to attend next year's 'classroom' events? Perhaps we could solicit teachers to have a writing contest or something similar in order to select the most persuasive kids to assist with our pitch. At their age, peer pressure can work to our advantage.

To that end, we need to keep an idea file for next year. I set a reminder in MS calendar.

We need some people to perform an effective gatekeeper function. Brian said to trust the registrars, but they were perhaps too lenient in allowing some to attend. We had one family show up with their daughter who'd been registered, along with her two younger brothers who most likely were not, but I had no way to verify this. I think they were no older than six and they were a pain-in-the-ass to deal with because they simply would not listen until I bellowed at them. Next year – turn away these very young kids outside our targeted age group. We need to turn away kids who are not dressed appropriately, re-scheduling them for a later session. I had one kid wearing flip-flops. There may have been more. That may be a PITA for the gatekeeper, but it makes our job easier. No one wants to be the bad guy, the one who says 'no' to anxious parents and kids, but it's a necessary function.

I think that we should plan out the classes differently, allowing more time between sessions although that would stretch out the day. The kids need to be rested and fed before class, so maybe schedule two classes at mid-day. Give the staff an hour break over dinner, and have an evening session.

The kids seemed more anxious, hyper, and whiny this time perhaps because it was later in the day. The warehouse was hot and I had a few who wanted to take breaks for water every few minutes. “How many minutes left?” one asked repeatedly. That last group probably hadn't had dinner either and that's sure to make kids cranky. It makes me cranky!

And finally, Ren said she had a temper tantrum due to being so irritated by some of the kids. That didn't really qualify as a temper tantrum. I use Conan the Barbarian as a model. "Kill your enemies! See them run before you! Hear the lamentations of their women!" Now, that's a tantrum! I really need to wear more furs. Where can I get a battle axe?

Tulsa Tough Kids Challenge

This is from Gary Parker, one of the LCIs who participated in each of the Tough Kids Challenge events and taught at yesterday's Skills and Drills Clinic. I was there too, and my post follows......Ed

Dear TaoBIKE Team,

Thank you for your wonderful effort on behalf of the kids participating in today's Tulsa Tough Kids Skills and Drills.

Brian Potter took the lead. The agenda arrived at earlier was very efficient. Four groups of about 20-plus kids moved through the activities quite efficiently. This was due in great part to teacher/coaches Richard Hall, Ren Barger, and Ed Wagner.

Ed's son Jordan participated providing examples of the skills assignments. Several of the Tulsa Bike Patrol were also on hand. Adam was there from the outset with some shop mechanics.

The sequence of events went very smoothly with greater skill for delivery of services being acquired with each successive group.

A special shout-out "Thank you!" to Brian joining me for my bike ride back to the River's Edge at 21st and Riverside.

From the three sessions of helmet fitting through riding in a straight line, stopping-starting and turn signaling, and a big finish with two by two riding of the entire group around the warehouse as they monitored their spacing and speed.

What a great day for Tulsa kids and Tulsa bicycling.

My appreciation to all of the folks that made today's Tulsa Tough Kids bike event such a wonderful happening.

Gary Parker

Jordan and I left early on Saturday morning for the Skills and Drills Clinic. The Tulsa Tough is giving away 300 Trek bicycles to local kids this year. We helped to assemble them and we participated in the classroom portions at several local schools. Jordan was especially valuable because as a teenager, he's closer to the elementary kids ages, and he's more approachable than an adult. I think he enjoyed the attention too.

The LCI cadre did an amalgam of Kids 1 and 2. We held the clinic in a warehouse this year, the same warehouse that we'd used for bike assembly. It offered some advantages since we didn't have to be concerned about the weather. But the floor was smooth finished concrete, so we had to adapt the drills for the reduced traction. Instant turns were out, as well as the rock dodge. That proved to be a good call because some of the kids showed poor bike handling skills on the serpentine course, and naturally, some were overly aggressive. Fortunately, no one fell and we didn't have any collisions.

The first group was a the largest with about 75 kids. It was important to stay on message and keep track of time. Brian had allotted 15 minutes for each section, along with a 5 minute break at the mid-point. It was a challenge to keep the kids focused and get all of them through each drill several times so they could develop some proficiency. I talked with one parent and described it as “trying to herd cats.” For the most part, the kids were focused and attentive.

The Tulsa Police Department sent 5 officers from their bike patrol unit. These folks were wonderful! They helped with helmet fittings, stopping drills, and even acted as pedestrians at one point. I'm not sure if the kids paid more attention to the instructors or the guys in uniform, but there's no doubt in my mind that the police officers were very effective in a bicycling education role. (We talked briefly about the IPMBA and LAB's Road1, but that's a subject for another time.)

There were some heartbreakers too. One boy was worried because his mother wasn't there. “She never comes to anything with me,” he said. I could hear the hurt in his voice. One girl had broken her arm the previous weekend and was in a hand-to-shoulder cast. She very gamely wanted to participate, but we were worried that she wouldn't be able to control her bike and she could fall, re-injuring the arm. I had to tell her she was excused from the class. She had tears welling up in her eyes. At least she has a new bike even if she can't ride it yet.

We had a few kids with learning problems. They required more one-on-one instruction, and we worked with them as we could. But we had two kids who didn't know how to ride a bike at all. The parents were told at the classroom sessions that we did not have the time or staffing to teach beginners, yet they signed up to get that free bike anyway. Some parents gamed the system too. They arrived at the warehouse, received their helmets and bikes, and then disappeared as soon as possible. Perhaps they saw little value in the instruction, but in a perverse way it benefited the kids who stayed because we could spend more time with them individually.

Finally, a word about the volunteers. The LCI group didn't do this alone. The Tulsa Tough operates with a network of volunteers, people who donated their time to unload trucks, assemble bikes, handle administrative chores, and even take out the trash. It truly is a team effort because none of us could accomplish our tasks without the others. A well deserved thank you goes to St. Francis Hospital, the Tulsa Crime Commission, Adam Vanderburg (owner of Lee's Bicycles), and the hundreds of people who worked together to bring this event to area kids.

And we get to do it again next week!

Tulsa Tough Kids...

Kids1 Presentations

Monday and Tuesday evenings, the Tulsa LCI group did Kids1 presentations at Webster High School and Carver Middle School in Tulsa. Actually, we're offering an amalgam of Kids1 and Kids2 in the League of American Bicyclists curriculum because the kids who attend these events will receive new bicycles through the Tulsa Tough program. We want them to be prepared to ride safely.

The LCI group consists of Ren Barger, Gary Parker, Brian Potter, and me for these events. We followed the Crime Commission's “Safe Escape” program which teaches kids how to avoid abduction. Safe Escape is a free presentation they offer to any interested organizations in the Tulsa area, and to be blunt, it's a tough act to follow. We're bland and boring by comparison.

Watching Gary and Ren work with the kids is always enjoyable. They both have the light touch that develops almost instant rapport. Brian does the 'expert instructor' role, and I provide comedy relief. I'm lucky to have straight guys like these.

We watched 'A Child's Eye View' which is a short video on cycling safety produced by LAB. Gary asks the kids to watch for the mistakes the kids in the video make, and they're on it like hawks. He doesn't tell them what to look for – he merely asks, “What did you see?” The kids don't miss much. They tell us of a kid riding on the wrong side of the road, running stops signs, riding without a helmet, and riding out onto the street without scanning for traffic first. Honestly, they didn't miss a single mistake.

I was lucky to have Jordan along on Monday evening. On the drive to Webster, I told him to expect a question about how taking Road1 and learning the rules of the road helped him when he took his driver's license test. Brian called on him during the lecture and Jordan responded very well. Afterward, six or eight kids gathered around to ask him more questions. The LCIs are impossibly old by kids standards, but Jordan is closer to their age and easily approachable. I think he was a bit surprised by the attention.

Today (Wednesday) we get to assemble those new bikes – all 300 of them. Last year, we had an enormous group of mechanics, box haulers, pizza technicians, and other support people. The team assembled 200 bikes in about 90 minutes. I'm hoping it goes as quickly tonight.

In May, we'll do the skills and drills portion and the kids will get their new bikes and helmets. That will be intense because we'll have 3 classes each day. After that, there's a planning meeting for the tech support staff, and the two-day Tulsa Tough event itself. I've been having short nights and long days already, and I'm only peripherally involved in the Tough. Those more centrally involved must be working their butts off!

So if you participate in any of these big events, whether it's a local charity ride or a big racing weekend, take a moment to thank the volunteers. And don't be surprised if you find one of us fast asleep in a chair during a quiet moment.

Registration for Tulsa Tough Kid's Challenge

Registration for the Tulsa Tough Kid's Challenge opens tomorrow, April 7th. Children in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade can receive a free bicycle, helmet, T-shirt, and instruction by completing the Tulsa Tough events. Please note that registration is on a first come, first served basis, and that children registered after the initial 300 will be added to a waiting list.

(From the website)
http://www.tulsatough.com/site/tulsatough/section/19


The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis has once again provided the opportunity for kids to win a free bike, helmet and t-shirt through Tulsa Tough. This year 3rd, 4th and 5th grade-aged children are eligible for the program. To receive the bike children must complete a Safe-Escape class conducted by the Crime Commission along with a bicycle handling skills class conducted by the League of American Bicyclists. Similar to last year, kids will then pick up their bikes on Saturday and participate in a Tulsa Townie ride on Sunday June 1st at Tulsa Tough. All kids events are free. Parents are encouraged to ride with their kids by signing up for the Townie ride.

1. Register on this website.

2. Attend one of three Safe Escape/Bike Ed trainings

Join KJRH anchor Russ McCaskey, Sports Anchor Jason Shackleford and the team from the Crime Commission at one of these presentations:

April 21st 7:00-8:30pm Webster High School 1919 W. 40th St. Tulsa
April 22nd 7:00-8:30pm Carver Middle School 624 E. Oklahoma Pl. Tulsa
April 28th 7:00-8:30pm Memorial High School 5840 S. Hudson Ave Tulsa
Parents are encouraged to attend with their children.

3. Attend one of the Skills and Drills Classes!

Certified instructors will be on hand to teach children bicycle riding skills. Classes are available as follows:

Saturday, May 10th at the Space Center III,
8:30AM Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 9:00-11:00AM Skills and Drills Class 1
10:45AM Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 11:15-1:15PM Skills and Drills Class 2
1:00PM Registration, Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 1:30-3:30PM Skills and Drills Class 3

Sunday May 18 at the Space Center III,
12:00PM Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 12:30-2:30PM Skills and Drills Class 4
2:15PM Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 2:45-4:45PM Skills and Drills Class 5
4:30PM Helmet Fitting, Bike Fit/Check, 5:00-7:00PM Skills and Drills Class 6

4. Participate in the 8-mile Tulsa Tough Tulsa Townie ride on Sunday June 1 at 1PM!

The Tough Kids Challenge, presented by The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis, is designed to encourage physical fitness and introduce youth to lifelong health activities.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Children registering after the initial 300 will be added to a waiting list. The actual bike each child receives will be based on their height and availability, bikes will be available at the Skills and Drills class.

Registration opens Monday, April 7th.

Braze and Bracket at theTulsa Bicycle Club

The Tulsa Bicycle Club graciously hosted Brian and me as “Braze and Bracket” with Mike Schooling as the ringmaster of our improvised circus. We talked about a program called “Go by Bike” designed to encourage people to use their bicycles for utility and commuting, rather than just recreation. This was all loosely based on the ideas in the Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge.

In all seriousness (seriosity?) we know that speaking to a bike club is preaching to the choir. They're already experienced and knowledgeable cyclists, but we want them to be a resource for others who are less knowledgeable. Rising fuel costs always put more people onto their bikes in an effort to save money. We want those knowledgeable club cyclists to be informed enough to answer simple questions, yet aware of other resources like the LCI group where they can find information in depth.

All in all, it was an interesting hour that went by too quickly. We used a who-what-when-where format that encouraged questions. Ringmaster Mike kept us on track, because otherwise we would have rambled on far longer.

We also talked about the Tulsa Tough and the kids BikeEd events associated with it, and upcoming Road1 classes on April 26^th and June 6^th.

There was some discussion of the construction at the Haikey Creek bridge (the locally infamous 'FEMA' bridge) and I used that as a springboard to solicit information for the INCOG bicycling advisory group. It's simply not possible for the committee members to be aware of details on every trail and roadway cyclists use throughout the INCOG service area, so we rely on individual cyclists and clubs to provide us with that information.

Tulsa Tough Bikes and Kids

(Forwarded from Adam with his permission to use contact information)

The Crime Commission and Tulsa Tough has secured a location at the Space Center at 38th/Memorial. The facility is a large 10,000 + square foot warehouse with plenty of room, electricity, and restrooms. It will provide enough room for bicycle storage, an assembly party, and skills and drills class. The warehouse location is a secured and safe environment for many young kids that will be eager to learn about bicycle safety and proper riding! The skills & drills Kids 1 is scheduled for Saturday Mary 10th and Sunday May 18th. We will need all the help we can recruit from LCI's and any experienced volunteers that would like to assist. I anticipate we will need around 25 adults.
Please contact me ASAP.

Adam Vanderburg

NIMO61(at)SBCGLOBAL.NET

Tulsa Tough Website Goes Live

Malcolm McCollam just announced that this year's Tulsa Tough website is live. There's lots of good information about the races, the tours, kids events, the festival, and more.

Please note that the race prize list has doubled this year to $150,000!

...and they've added a forum. How cool is that!

www.tulsatough.com

Website design by:
New Medio
301 East Archer
Tulsa, OK 74120
918.592.0884
www.newmedio.com

Tulsa Tough: A paradigm shift

Let me say at the outset, I have a very small role in this. The meeting I'm about to describe is just one small part of a larger effort to bring the Tulsa Tough to area cyclists. My part in that is to assist with the BikeEd program that provides bicycles and education to local kids. I'll very likely help to assemble those bicycles and I'll be out on the road somewhere providing mechanical help along the tour routes. But there's more to the Tulsa Tough, especially the racing portion of the event, and I know very little about that.

So, with those caveats in place, I'll forge ahead.

I experienced a paradigm shift at this meeting. It's always a little bit disconcerting when it happens, but this was nearly a revelation. The sponsors and supporters for the Tulsa Tough are Saint Francis Hospital and the Sports Commission, as well as the area hotel and restaurant association, and many others. That's hardly a revelation. But the idea that hit me, 'gobsmacked' as the Brits would say, is that the Tulsa area has arrived as a cycling city. There's a tsunami of cycling consciousness that joins government, businesses, and individuals, highlighting this city as a cycling mecca. You may think that's an overstatement, yet it's undoubtedly true. We are no longer struggling toward a goal. We've attained it. Sure, there's much more to do, but this was an enormous hurdle to overcome.

We met at Malcolm McCollum's law offices on Friday. Malcolm is one of the Tulsa Tough organizers, a 'big wheel' in the organization. Brian Potter, Gary Parker, and I are League Cycling Instructors. Ren Barger is an LCI too, and she's the coordinator for the Community Cycling Project. Adam Vanderburg, owner of Lee's Bicycles, is the driving force behind the Little 100 race for area schoolchildren. Adam agreed to be the contact person for this group, effectively our committee head. And Carol Bush is the executive director of the Crime Commission.

Having the Crime Commission on-board with the Tulsa Tough and BikeEd may require some explanation. We're working in conjunction with the Carol and the Crime Commission (and as Dave Barry would say, that sounds like a good name for a rock band!) by offering both bicycling education and Safe Escape. The latter is a national program that teaches children how to avoid abduction, empowering both kids and adults. It's a natural fit with BikeEd The program takes 1 hour and is aimed at both parents and children in grades 3, 4, and 5. Three weeknight presentations will be offered at Webster, Carver, and Memorial schools.

The classroom portion of the BikeEd presentation will be offered the same night as Safe Kids. We'll do helmet fitting, watch the LAB video, and get started with the introductory material. Parental participation is strongly encouraged because we can educate both kids and parents.

The 'skills and drills' portion of BikeEd will be offered on 2 weekends, May 10^th and May 18^th. The venue will be announced at a later time.

Jim Beach is organizing the Tulsa Townie, a short ride through Tulsa for the non-lycra crowd and the 'graduation' exercise for the kids. The Townie and all other tours will leave from the West Bank festival area this year.

We will have 300 Trek bicycles this year for the kid's giveaway. In order to receive a bike, they must attend the Safe Kids program, both elements of the BikeEd program, and ride in the Tulsa Townie. Just like last year, the bikes will be available for pickup the day before the Townie. Since these bikes are more complicated than the Schwinns we had last year, the assemblers will need to receive some training. Time and place for that will be announced.

Tulsa People will put out a guide to Tulsa Tough venues for spectators.

We discussed the probability of scheduling conflicts between these events and various other cycling-related events in May. The month is packed full of tours, meetings, seminars, and two holidays. While we attempted to minimize conflicts, it's simply not possible to eliminate all of them. This is a big concern, partly because we don't want to draw people away from their plans, but also because we depend on volunteers to help. As I'm fond of saying, trying to keep a big group of kids focused is like trying to herd cats. It can be stressful and exhausting, but the bottom line is that it's still a whole lot of fun!

Tulsa Tough News

This is good news for women's bicycle racing in Tulsa! The Tulsa Tough is the premier regional racing and touring event, combining several races for the go-fast crowd with two tours for us more sedate types.

Malcolm McCollam posted this to the Tulsa Wheelmen last week. I intended to post it here and received his permission to do so, but as is often the case in our chaotic household, family intervened and I simply forgot all about it. Mea culpa...................Ed

For those not on USA Cycling's distribution list:

Tulsa Tough was recognized as one of the top events in the U.S. this week when USA Cycling awarded NRC status to our Women's Pro 1/2 race. The Tulsa Sports Commission & Tulsa Wheelmen, co-promoters of Tulsa Tough, sought this designation for the women's field only. Tulsa Tough overlaps the CSC Invitational in Arlington, VA, which annually attracts the top men's teams in the country. We saw an opportunity for Tulsa Tough, however, and decided
to more fully develop the Pro 1/2 Women's event. It is a testament to our staff and volunteers that after only two years we have achieved this status, and are excited about taking Tulsa Tough to the next level. Read more, below.

Malcolm McCollam
Tulsa Tough Event Director

* More than $1.2 million is again up for grabs to elite-level cyclists as USA Cycling announced its 2008 National Racing Calendar (NRC) on Wednesday. Entering its 12th season, next year's NRC features 35 events across 23 states and will again crown the nation's top domestic individuals
and teams. Of those 35 races, 31 of them will feature women's events while 28 will include men's racing. Beginning February 19 with the Santa Rosa Women's Grand Prix in California, the 2008 NRC lasts seven months before concluding with the Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic in Grand Rapids, Mitch., Sept. 6-7. The season-long calendar will once again feature the top
Pro-Am races in the nation as both professional and club-level teams will compete in all disciplines of road racing including criteriums, multi-day stage races, circuit races, road races, time trials and omniums. Seven events are new to the NRC including three women's-only events - the Santa Rosa Women's Grand Prix, the Susan G. Komens Cycle for the Cure and the Tulsa Tough Ride and Race. Men will see one new race on the NRC in 2008 with the addition of the Cox Charities Cycling Classic. Other new additions which will feature both men's and women's fields include the AT&T Austin Downtown Criterium, the Louisville Metro Police Foundation Criterium and the Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic. Also included on the 2008 calendar
are four past NRC events that weren't a part of the calendar last season including the Tour of Utah and the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic. Two events that were a part of the USA Crits SE Series in 2007 - the Sunny King Criterium and the Nalley Historic Roswell Criterium - return to the NRC as stand-alone events for 2008. Of the 35 races on the 2008 NRC, 18 are criteriums. The calendar also features 10 stage races, four circuit races, one women's road race, one women's time trial and one omnium. A total of $688,000 is on the line for the men, while the women will be competing for a combined prize list of $523,000. The 2008 NRC also includes three internationally-sanctioned women's events by the UCI - the Tour de Leelanau in Traverse City, Mich. on May 24, the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic in Oregon, May 13-18 and the Commerce Bank Liberty Classic in Philadelphia on June 8. The men's portion of the Tour de Leelanau is also sanctioned by the UCI and therefore will again be part of the USA Cycling Professional Tour. The three UCI women's events, as well as the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the International Tour de 'Toona and the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium, have been designated as Category-1 events - the highest ranking a race can receive from USA Cycling. With a $50,000 prize list for men and $25,000 on the line for women, the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational
Criterium offers the richest single-day purses. The richest men's stage race is the $75,000 Tour of Utah, while the International Tour de 'Toona tops all women's stage races with a $57,000+ prize list. One noticeable change to the NRC model is the absence of six USA Cycling Elite National Championship events. Removed from the NRC for 2008 are the men's and women's road, time trial and criterium national championships - a decision made primarily because of the advantage given to clubs and teams with a greater number of American riders on their rosters.

2008 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar:

2/18: Santa Rosa Women's Grand Prix - Santa Rosa Calif. (Circuit Race)*
3/15: Sequoia Cycling Classic Time Trial - Visalia, Calif. (Time Trial)*
3/16: Sequoia Cycling Classic Criterium - Visalia, Calif. (Criterium)*
3/29: Susan G. Komens Cycle for the Cure - Macon, Ga. (Criterium)*
4/3-6: Redlands Bicycle Classic - Redlands, Calif. (Stage Race)
4/13: Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix - Ojai, Calif. (Criterium)
4/19: Sea Otter Classic - Monterey, Calif. (Circuit Race)
4/30-5/4: Tour of the Gila - Silver City, N.M. (Stage Race)
5/3: Sunny King Criterium - Anniston, Ala. (Criterium)
5/4: Nalley Historic Roswell Criterium - Roswell, Ga. (Criterium)
5/8-11: Joe Martin Stage Race - Fayetteville, Ark. (Stage Race)
5/13-18: Mt. Hood Cycling Classic - Hood River, Ore. (Stage Race)
5/17: Bank of America Wilmington Grand Prix - Wilmington, Del. (Criterium)
5/24: Kelly Cup - Baltimore, Md. (Criterium)
5/24: Tour de Leelanau - Traverse City, Mich. (Circuit Race)*
5/26: Tour of Somerville - Somerville, N.J. (Criterium)
5/30-6/1: Tulsa Tough Ride and Race - Tulsa, Ok. (Omnium)*
6/1: CSC Invitational - Arlington, Va. (Criterium)
6/8: Commerce Bank Liberty Classic - Philadelphia, Pa. (Road Race)*
6/11-15: Nature Valley Grand Prix - Minnesota (Stage Race)
6/18-21: Tour de Nez - Reno, Nev. (Stage Race)**
6/21: AT&T Austin Downtown Criterium - Austin, Texas (Criterium)
6/28: Cox Charities Cycling Classic - Providence, R.I. (Criterium) **
6/29: Manhattan Beach Grand Prix - Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Criterium)
7/3-6: Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic - Fitchburg, Mass. (Stage Race)
7/19: Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium - Boise, Idaho (Criterium) **
7/21-27: The International Tour de 'Toona - Pennsylvania (Stage Race)
7/30-8/3: Cascade Classic - Bend, Ore. (Stage Race)
8/2: Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium - Charlotte, N.C.
(Criterium)
8/3: Hanes Park Classic - Winston-Salem, N.C. (Circuit Race)
8/13-17: Tour of Utah - Utah (Stage Race)**
8/16: Louisville Metro Police Foundation Criterium - Louisville, Ky.
(Criterium)
8/24: Chris Thater Memorial - Binghamton, N.Y. (Criterium)
9/1: US 100K Classic - Atlanta, Ga. (Criterium)
9/6-7: Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic - Grand Rapids, Mich.
(Criterium)

*Women Only
**Men Only

Tuesday Musette

A brief word about links...

You'll notice there isn't a long list of links in the sidebar here at CycleDog. Those I've included have been notable in some way, whether it's the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the information, or wealth of knowledge to be gained. These are not the only blog posts I read. Far from it, in fact.

I use Bloglines to aggregate posts from a wide variety of cyclists, journalists, and businesses. The big advantage for me is that I don't have to fiddle with the code on the CycleDog template, and I can add or remove sources very easily. Bloglines has an “Add via Bloglines” button that goes on the toolbar, making the addition of new blogs a simple affair. Trust me, I like simple. There's less for me to screw up! One other benefit of Bloglines is that it's easy to see if there's any new content without having to click on a bunch of links.

So if you don't see your blog listed on the CycleDog sidebar, please go look in Bloglines.

Training opportunity...

My supervisor came by earlier today to tell me that I may be going to Florida for training on some new test equipment. Most likely this will happen in a few months. I haven't been to Florida since I was 10, so I'm kinda looking forward to it. But the training may be for as much as 2 weeks, and since I'm a homebody at heart, I'm not too keen on that. More as this develops.

Tulsa Tough Do-Betters...

Mike Schooling is compiling a list of do-betters for next year's Tulsa Tough. I've developed a short list of items, but I'm sure there are many more. In fact, if anyone has something they'd like to see done better on a big charity ride or a tour, feel free to add to my list in the comments.

Teach how to hand off water bottles. Volunteers at the the Sunday rest stop opened water bottles and removed the caps. Many bottles were dropped during the hand-offs, and we were lucky that no one fell by running over one. Also, if at all possible, rest stops should be located on uphills or the tops of hills where riders will be going slowly.

Enlist the cooperation of law enforcement. Rumors of mass ticketing followed the event. Did this actually happen? Regardless, riders need to be briefed that all traffic laws are to be followed. Additionally, by asking for law enforcement assistance at some tricky turns or crossings, we reduce the likelihood of over-zealous enforcement of the law by some of our less informed law enforcement professionals, or even the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office.

Test radio and cellular communications from rest stops prior to event. Amateur radio contact was difficult from Ochelata, and cellular telephone was spotty, depending on the service provider.

Develop a webpage to aggregate links that mention Tulsa Tough. I'm using a search function on Bloglines that looks for “Tulsa Tough” in any blog posts. This may be of limited use for participants, but it would centralize the information for media and any other interested parties. Would live blogging offer any PR benefits?

List emergency numbers for each rest stop by responding agency/police/fire/ambulance. Have GPS coordinates for rest stops. Air ambulance services use GPS to locate landing zones. In Ochelata, for instance, emergency response depends on local volunteer firemen and paramedics. We could shorten response time by alerting them in advance of the ride dates and approximate times, as well as having local contact numbers.

Could a course map developed from GPS data provide an elevation profile? One of the bloggers, a Colorado cyclist formerly from Oklahoma, noted with some astonishment that the Tulsa Tough routes included 4000 feet of climbing. Including statistics developed from GPS route information may bring in more cyclists, and in some cases, will discourage those who aren't fit enough. It may be possible to include this information via Google maps, but I'm not proficient in their use.

And finally....

Don't think I've forgotten about my best friend Wally Crankset, wandering alone (maybe) across the Mojave Desert. The story is in outline form. All I need is one day of over-caffeinated inspiration to finish it.

Tulsa Tough: 3JUN2007

This may be my final post about the Tulsa Tough event, though I may provide some links to other related stories over the next few days. Since I didn't attend the kick-off this morning, I missed seeing all those kids on their new bikes. Mike Schooling said it was a very emotional moment, and in some ways I'm sorry I missed it.

Jordan accompanied me on today's trip to a crossroad northwest of Sapulpa, near a bridge crossing Lake Sahoma. We provided mechanical support at rest stop 4, roughly 41 miles into both the metric century and the full century. It's a lovely rural corner of Oklahoma, deceptively close to the city. I don't expect it will stay that way much longer. I sat in my chair, watching a heron wading in the shallows and listening to a couple of hawks. I could hear cars coming from a long way off. It was luxuriously quiet, and I would have fallen asleep quite easily if there hadn't been bike business. Of course, if I HAD fallen asleep, the tiger mosquitoes would have carried me off. Tigers are day active mosquitoes, and they're very aggressive. Jordan and I were sticky with bug spray.

Here's Jordan in the "Chair of Pink". He jumped out of it every time I pointed a camera in his direction.

The lead group came through at about 9:35 AM. Most grabbed water bottles. None of them stopped. Many bottles were dropped in the exchange and we were simply lucky that no one fell. One guy fumbled 3 bottles one after the other. A water bottle lying on the road can put a rider down very easily.

Repairs today were simple and easy. I didn't have to inflate any tires, so the pump sat unused most of the day, though 2 little boys had a good time playing with it. I adjusted a few saddles, tightened some derailleur cables, lubricated chains and pedals, and tightened one bottle cage. Bidness was slow.

After the initial rush, Jordan was bored. He helped to hand out water bottles for most of the time, and I asked him to walk along the road to retrieve discarded ones. “I get to be the trash man!” he complained, though he wasn't serious about it. I told him to walk across the bridge just to see what's there. When he returned, he said, “There's a HUGE snake under the bridge! It saw me and splashed into the water.” I didn't mention water moccasins. I don't think it would have helped.

Mike asked us to take our stock of tires, tubes, and cables down to the next rest stop after we closed number 4. Jordan and I loaded up the equipment and set off a little after noon. The roads are pretty out there, and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive. We dropped off the stores with Tina, then went off in search of lunch.

It was a lovely morning and the mechanic's work was easy. I had a good time and I won't hesitate to do it again next year. There's this little voice nagging at me, though, whispering again and again. “Wouldn't you like to RIDE one of these centuries rather than work?” I have to give that question some careful consideration.

Tulsa Tough: Another Perspective

I gave up racing long ago, so I haven't covered any of the racing events at the Tulsa Tough. However, SydSpinnin does, and her account of Friday's slippery course is tense enough to make my palms sweat! It's a good read.

(link)

Tulsa Tough: 2JUN2007

More Dummy Me...

I went through my tool list last night, double checking to be certain I had everything I'd need to provide mechanical services at a rest stop on the Tulsa Tough today. Yesterday morning, I spent a few hours working on bikes for the Community Development office. So I wanted to be sure I had all my tools together.

Early this morning, after meeting Wade for coffee, I returned home to load everything into the car and head off to Ochelata. It's a very small town up toward Bartlesville. The rest stop was next to the volunteer fire company and we had the use of their restrooms.

Mike Schooling came by to deliver the box of supplies (tubes, a tire, spare cables, etc.) and gave me a pair of spoke wrenches. I'd asked him to pick up a Park 0.125” (black) spoke wrench as I couldn't find mine. I don't think I ever used it, and it's quite possible I gave it away. Likewise, by circular 'fits-all' spoke wrench was on the missing list, too. Mike gave me one of each from Tom's. I owe somebody for this, but I don't know who.

I wasn't prepared when the first wave of riders came through in a pack of 30 or so. I didn't get any photos. They were rolling at about 20-25 miles per hour, grabbing water bottles on the fly. Only two of them stopped, probably because they were bonked.

As other riders arrived, my mechanic business remained slow. I adjusted a saddle and a pair of aero bars, and tightened one derailleur cable. Then a guy stopped because he needed air. “No problem”, I said. “I'll get the pump.” But the pump was nowhere to be found. Some big dummy who looks much like me had walked right by it this morning, leaving it sitting out in the open in the garage. I'd put it in the middle so I wouldn't forget it. I apologized profusely to the rider, acutely embarrassed for being such a bonehead.

Tina Birch stopped to talk. She was a roving mechanic today. I call her a “wrench wench” because she's been to the Barnett's school, and she probably knows more about fixing bikes than I do. Another rider came in needing air in his rear tire. Tina pulled out her floor pump and took care of the problem. She also took some time to make fun of my ultra-pink recliner chair and the wrenches festooned from my repair stand. On second thought, she decided that hanging bunches of combination wrenches with mini-carabiners was actually a good idea.

There was a crash just west of us that took 2 riders out of the tour. One fell heavily, doing a face plant that cut him badly and took out some teeth, according to the nurse at our station. His buddy scraped up his knee and elbow. I think the first rider was transported by ambulance to a hospital, but I didn't see him go.

Just after noon, the last rider went through and we shut down. I put everything back in the trunk, then hung my 5-gallon trash bucket over the rear carrier. I drove west following the tour route to pick up any discarded water bottles or other cyclist-related trash. Note to self: Tomorrow take TWO five gallon buckets for trash!

I followed the route further toward Barnsdall, encountering only two cyclists. The first was a guy about my age riding a bike that squeaked horrendously. I asked if he was alright and commented on the squeaking. “Do you have any WD-40?” he asked. “I think it's my front wheel.” Tom Brown warned us mechanics that riders will very often diagnose precisely what's wrong with their bikes, and their diagnosis will very often be precisely wrong. I stopped the car, and when I got out I asked if the noise was at wheel speed or pedal speed. He gave me a dumbfounded look, then said he'd carried the bike on his car through the rain yesterday. I spun both wheels and they were okay, but when I turned the crank a horrible squeal came from the chain. It sounded as if it hadn't been lubricated since the Nixon administration, a presidential era well known for it's lubrication. I applied a liberal coating of magical MPHD – an Amzoil product that's a wax-based chain lube – and the infernal squeaking went away.

I saw only one other rider, a woman having difficulty on the hills east of SH11. She seemed pretty well cooked, and I doubted she'd be able to finish the century ride. I didn't offer to drive her to the next rest stop since I know how demoralizing that can be. She soldiered on.

I turned south on SH11 and my cell phone started ringing, and ringing, and ringing. My cellular service is...shall we say...sketchy way out in the sticks, so every time I answered the call was dropped. When I neared Skiatook, the phone worked again. I called home to find that my son was worried that I wouldn't be home in time to drive him to work, so he called me every couple of minutes. He's going along to help me tomorrow, so I can't be too hard on him.

All in all, it was a good day, but rest assured that the big dummy who looks just like me will be sure to put that floor pump in the car for tomorrow's ride!