Recovered from the Tour de Gap

I think we are finally recovered from all the planning and implementing of the 2008 Tour de Gap. Now that we can catch our breath, we are already looking to next year's event. Which leads us to some questions. Are there any things that stood out to you about this year's Tour de Gap? What did you like? What would you like to see done differently? Were there some volunteers that were especially helpful to you? We would love to hear what you have to say!

Tour de Gap Pictures

Generally, I have my camera with me at all the events I attend, but for some reason on Saturday the camera never made it out of the bag. If you have some pictures from the Tour de Gap that you would like to share, use the email link at the bottom of the page and send them to us. Until then you can find some great pics of the event at http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jul/26/heated-competition/ . There is a gallery of shots at this link as well as a short video clip.



Check back throughout the next few days for more Tour de Gap posts.

Tour de Gapped Out!

The 2008 Tour de Gap happened today. It was a hot day out there, but lots of riders came out to ride and have fun. Thanks to everyone who helped, sponsored, and rode. More info about the day will be coming, but for now I am Tour de Gapped out and plan on sleeping for about the next 48 hours. Come back and check here for updates in the next day or two, and until then, if you were one of the 70 mile riders your race results are posted at http://www.cadencesportsonline.com/ . Check it out.

Tour de Gap This Saturday!

Can you believe it? It is time for the 2008 Tour de Gap! Come on out and join us this Saturday, July 26 at the Old Settler's Reunion Grounds in Buffalo Gap. There is a distance for everyone, from a nice 10 mile ride up to a 70 mile race. There will be prizes awarded to the top 3 in each age category of the 70 mile race, and raffles for all the other routes. For the top 70 milers, there will be heart rate monitors, cycling shorts, or sunglasses. The raffles will have all sorts of various, fun, cycling items. But...to have a chance at any of them, you have to come out and ride! It costs $30 to register the day of the ride, and that registration fee will go directly to the Food Bank of West Central Texas. Talk about a great deal! You'll have a fun ride and help people who need it. Oh - as an added bonus, children age 14 and under ride free with a paying adult. Just remember that the key word is with. Kids need to ride with an adult. And, of course, helmets are required. No helmet - no ride.

Registration starts at 6:30 am. Lining up for the ride and all those pre-ride announcements everyone needs to hear will start at 7:50am. Then the first route will be off at 8am! There will be plenty of rest stops along the way as well as food when you finish. Yum!

We're looking forward to seeing everyone out there!

Hometown Crew on Podium!

A big congratulations to Claire, Luke, and Gary on their results at the USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championship. They all did great and two of them made it onto the podium.

In the junior women 10 & under age division, Claire brought home 3rd place. In the junior men 13-14 age division, Luke placed 10th. And in the beginner men 40-49 age division, Gary brought home 5th place. Wow - way to go, guys!

We'll get some pictures posted from nationals as soon as we can.

Tour de Gap Hotel Rates

Thanks to the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, anyone coming from out of town for the Tour de Gap can take advantage of some special hotel rates. Just tell them that you are in town for the Tour de Gap. Here are the hotels that are participating:

Abilene Whitten Inn, Expo 840 E. Bus 20, 325-677-8100; 800-880-7666
Restaurant and Lounge, Outdoor Pool
$79 Flat
2-cooked-to-order breakfasts per room

Abilene Whitten Inn, University1625 Hwy. 351, 325-673-5271
Airport Shuttle, Outdoor Pool, 2-Wheelchair accessible rooms
$79 Flat
Continental breakfast

Best Western Abilene Inn & Suites 350 I-20 West, 325-672-5501
Outdoor Pool, 4-Wheelchair accessible rooms
$89.99 Single/Double, $94.99 Triple, $99.99 Quad
Continental breakfast

Civic Plaza Hotel 505 Pine St., 325-676-0222; 800-588-0222
Restaurant, Outdoor Pool, 2-Wheelchair accessible rooms, 1-with roll-in shower
$65 Quad
2-cooked-to-order breakfasts

Regency Inn & Suites 3450 S. Clack, 325-695-7700; 800-676-7262
Restaurant and Lounge, Airport Shuttle, Outdoor Pool, 2-Wheelchair accessible rooms
$69 Flat
Continental breakfast

If you are coming in from out of town for the event or know someone who is, give these hotels a call!

Tour de Gap Reminder

Just a reminder to everyone that the Tour de Gap is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for July 26 and plan on being out at the Old Settler's Reunion Ground in Buffalo Gap. There really is a ride for everyone, so bring the whole family and help support a good cause. Remember - all the proceeds go to the Food Bank of West Central Texas. So, come on out, have a great morning on your bike, have a fun experience close to home, and help people in our community all at the same time.

If you haven't done so already, check out the registration flyer here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3467325/Tour-de-Gap-Registration-Flyer-2008



Can't wait to see you there!

Group Ride Update

This group ride reminder is courtesy of Tink. Read all about the rides and then pick the one that suits you best. We're always glad to have more people join us!

We now have a group ride for just about everybody and on just about every day of the week. So, you can’t use “no one to ride with” as an excuse. It should also be noted that the value and purpose of a group ride is to share your love of riding with other people. Now if you are racing and competing in events your purpose may be a little different and you may want to ride with a tougher group. If you want a day to ride with others and improve your cycling skills while talking it up a little bit, then there is a ride for that too. Be aware that there are as many reasons to ride as there are saddles in the world. What do you want from your ride? You decide and then come on out!

Monday Morning Shake-Me Wake-Me Group Ride at 6:30 AM from the Zoo for
the easiest ride of the week. Start it out easy and build up. We will ride 10-12 miles at about 10-14 MPH Avg. This was oh so pleasant last week and you can get to work with more energy.
Monday After-Work Afternoon Group Ride at 6:00 PM from the Zoo for easier to moderate riding. Shoot for 10-12 miles at about 10-15 MPH Avg. with some flexibility depending on who shows. I heard this was a great ride last week and I should have been there.
Tuesday “Let’s Twist Like We Did Last Summer Group Ride at 5:30 PM from the Zoo for a moderately faster ride. This group likes to go about 18 miles and averages 14-18 MPH Avg. Twisting all the way. Quite a sight actually.
Tuesday Trails for the younger crowd (and parents if they want to play) out at Buck Creek Trails. Starting time is 7:00 PM. This is a fun way to learn how to ride on dirt trails. It is fun to ride out among the trees and rocks. Tuesday Trails Rocks!!!
Wednesday is Rider’s Choice. Go ride the trails or take a spin on your favorite road. Whichever you need. A little note here about the trails. Richard says they are in great shape. Hoover trail still has some erosion, but fixable. If you are out there riding along and a limb slaps you in the face…well…first, slap it back, and then go get something and trim it off. Trail maintenance is an ongoing process. It never ends because as you probably know, grass and trees grow. Rain supports that process and you need to not further the erosion process by riding when the trails are too wet. That is the time to go do some maintenance and clean up for when the trails are dry and ready for you to go play some more. End of lecture.
Thursday Night Fast Ride at 6:00 PM from Kirby Lake ballpark parking lot (2nd and 4th Thursday of the month) This is a fast ride, 17-18 mph for about 20-25 miles, out Old Coleman Hwy and back. Join the fun and test your legs!

Time Trial Thursday (1st Thursday of the month) will be at Mueller’s Metal on 18 off of 36 like last time.
Registration will start at 6:00 and first rider leaves at 6:30. Bring something for the Food Bank for your entry fee. This is the usual 10 mile loop where you just ride as fast as you can. Just you and the clock and the road.

Crit Thursday (3rd Thursday of the month) Come on out for a criterium course at the parking lot of Shotwell Stadium. It starts at 6:30 PM. If you've never been in a crit, come on out and watch one! This might be the last month for this ride since football will be starting back up soon.
Fun Friday: Get on out on your bike and have fun!
Saturday Townie Ride Meet at Monk's at 8:30 AM and cruise around the downtown area. Check out the farmer's market and just have fun! No, you don't have to have a Townie to participate. Just plan on a nice relaxing pace. Bring the kids and let them ride, too - on their own bikes or in a trailer behind yours!

Wow - that's a lot of options! There's something for everyone so come on out and ride.

Good Luck at Nationals!

Some people we know are heading out of town - to the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championship in Mt. Snow, Vermont!

Good luck Claire, Luke, and Gary! Have fun at nationals. We'll be waiting to hear all about it.

Downtown Townie Ride

Want to join a nice leisurely ride around downtown Abilene? Meet at Monk's at 8:30 Saturday morning and cruise around the downtown area. Check out the farmer's market and just have fun!

No, you don't have to have a Townie to participate. Just plan on a nice relaxing pace. Bring the kids and let them ride, too - on their own bikes or in a trailer behind yours!

National Qualifiers

Lots of folks from around here participated in at least one of the TMBRA spring series races. For those of you new to this, TMBRA stands for Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association. TMBRA holds a series of races every fall and spring in different venues all over the state. Mountain bikers from all over Texas come and compete in these events. There are several different levels riders can choose to compete in, from the age 10 and under beginner kids all the way up to semi-pro (one level under professional). At these races, if you place in the top few spots in your category, you can qualify for the national race held in July. This year's nationals take place on July 16-20 in Mt. Snow, Vermont. And would you take a look at this! The following list is all the riders from Abilene who qualified for the national competition.

Women Juniors 10 and under
Claire Allen
Maggie Allen

Women Beginner 30-39
Brenda Andress

Men Junior 10 and under
Troy MacDonald

Men Junior 13-14
Luke Allen
Gary Tadvick
Jack Tadvick

Men Beginner 19-24
Baylor Blessing


Men Beginner 25-29
Aaron Andress


Men Beginner 30-39
Len Tadvick


Men Beginner 40-49
Gary Fraser
Jim MacDonald

Men Sport 25-29
Andrew Andress
Josh Brown


Men Sport 35-39
JR Ramon


Men Sport 40-49
Greg Allen


Men Sport 50+
Michael Sparks


Men Single-Speed Open
Jason Frazee


Congratulations everyone! You guys did fantastic! Check back for an update on who is actually making the trip to compete at nationals in Mt. Snow, Vermont.

TMBRA Top Ten

The TMBRA series finished up in May with several of our local people placing well in the overall standings. To be eligible for the final standings, riders had to participate in at least 4,5, or 6 of the 8 races (depending on which category they rode). Here are how the Abilene crew finished. (I only listed those who were eligible for final standings.)

Junior Men, 13-14
1. Luke Allen

Beginner Women, 1-10

1. Claire Allen
7. Maggie Allen

Beginner Men, 40-49

5. Jim MacDonald

Sport Men, 50-99
10. Michael Sparks

X-Bar Shootout

Here are the results for the final race of the TMBRA spring series. It took place at the X-Bar Ranch, just outside of El Dorado on May 18th. Once again, folks from around here had a good showing. Take a look at the results and some pictures from the event.

Beginner Men, 1-10
15. Troy MacDonald

Beginner Men, 19-29
2. Baylor Blessing

Beginner Men, 40-49
2. Gary Fraser
3. Jim MacDonald

Beginner Women, 11-12
3. Claire Allen*

Single Speed Open Men, 1-99
5. Jason Frazee

Sport Men, 15-16
3. Luke Allen*

* Competed in an older age group for this final race

Here's Jason on his first lap of the day.

Greg is still enjoying the ride at this point. His bike had some trouble later on. Luckily, he didn't have to walk too far.

Gary is finishing strong.

So is Troy.

Jason is loving the swag he won.

Great job, guys!

ABC July Road Time Trial

Can you believe it's July already? Only a few more time trials left this season! We had a good night for the time trial tonight. The wind seems to have moved elsewhere for now, so it was just a normal, hot July evening in West Texas. A great time to be on a bike. All right - on to the results:

1. Thomas Talley - 21:52
2. Richard McLamore - 24:06
3. Josh Brown - 24:33
4. Jason Frazee - 24:39
5. Greg Allen - 25:32
6. Paul Patterson - 25:37
7. JR Brock - 26:35
8. John Sharp - 27:12
9. Chuck Patton - 27:15
10. Mike Cornielison - 27:54
11. Allen Wilson - 29:30
12. Travis Crisman - 29:41
13. Baylor Blessing - 29:51
14. Manny Cortez - 32:42
15. Ronny Koehn - 33:02
16. Adam Gerow - 33:09
17. Joel Whittemore - 33:19
18. Larry Ford - 36:02

Prior to tonight, the fastest time trial this season was finished in 23:34. Great ride tonight, Thomas! Must be the helmet. :) It's impressive how much everyone's times are coming down. Keep up the great riding and see ya out there next month!

Tour de Gap Route Map

Here is the route map for this year's Tour de Gap. Remember - there is construction going on, so the 70 mile route looks a little different from years past. There are two different maps. One shows the 10, 25, and 48 mile routes. The other shows the 70 mile race.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3768961/Tour-de-Gap-Maps-2008