Cullman Cycling

The Tour 2011

2011-10-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

Cipo Visits Tour

2011-07-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

The Tour is upon us, SuperMario paid a visit to the Tour de France. Its all about the celebration of the race, just for a while we can all forget all the controversies and enjoy the STARS.

Emails are trickling in about the date for the Tour, always in October and always a STAR or two.

SuperDave Linked to Ferrari

2011-04-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

After much speculation it appears that SuperDave may be linked to notorious cycling coach Michele Ferrari. "Daves been on the gas the past couple seasons so it all makes sense", according to a cyclist who wanted to remain anonymous. This file photo was taken in Bologna which shows SD towering in the entourage.

SuperDave sightings have been few and far between over the past two years. The Doctor operates out of Monaco which would explain why no one has seen the rider. When interviewed last year Dave explained that his fitness was the result of hard work and a new natural milk formulation in his recovery drink.

In The Last Days

2010-03-26T20:19:00.001-07:00

http://TheGrandVia.blogspot.com

The Final Days

2010-03-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Its time for an update to the Cullman Cycling Blog, I have consolitated this blog into a new one http://thegrandvia.blogspot.com. No reason to not leave this one here for a while but there will not be an updates (I dont think).

Kashmir

2010-01-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

How about some music to get the blog going as cycling season approaches. This should be labeled "Live from Bennetts House" after one of my favorite websites. We have been learning about recording music and how with the right set up there is no need for renting a recording studio. You can get some cool effects in an old house.

So much time has been traveling around the Southeast to swim meets lately, but well worth it. Those upcoming cycling training races thank goodness conflict with some pretty big swimming events during the month of February.

Trans World Rowerami

2010-01-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

Cullman had some very special guests pass through town. Anna and Christopher Rowerami are cycling around the world and decided to spend the night in Cullman.

They are originally from Poland but are currently calling London home. Very experienced in bicycle touring this is their first trans world tour, having done many bike tours thru Europe and the UK. They were really decked out in with state of the art bikes and equipment. Laptops, GPS, cell phones and etc. Still roughing it and camping for the most part. Anna and Christopher are members of an organization called "warm showers" which networks travelers around the world to homes where they can stay and of course take warm showers. It was great to meet them and hear some of their story and agenda, I have to admit bike touring to me is something you do slow and relaxed with not much agenda. They were serious and maybe a little over the top for my idea of touring.

I must be showing some age because I struggle with the use of technology. I love high tech stuff, but its kinda like in the Tour de France and the use of radios. In some ways its great for safety etc., but then you think back to the day when it wasnt available and the racers did just fine. In touring whats wrong with pulling out a Michelin map of France that showed every back road never knowing whether it was paved or really there untill you rode down it. Somehow on a map you always underestimate things. Technology helps us get there quicker and more efficiently but I guess thats not what you always want.

One of my favorite books is "Miles from Nowhere" a book about a couple who cycles around the world. Back in the day before modern technology they took two years off from life and began an incredible journey. Its a great book and inspired me to do a couple of tours, one across Europe and another in southern France. A bicycle is the best way to travel.

Toone de Cullman 2009

2009-11-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

. The results are in:

Brian Toone
Omar Fraser
Scott Kuppersmith
Sammy Flores
Jacob Brewer
Darryl Seelhorst
Kevin White
Greg McCreless
Wes Douglas
Robert Vachon

Women:

...1. Amy Gravlee
...2. Katherine Herring
...3. Katie Curtis

A beautiful day for a bike ride, the peleton cruising through Cullman County.

The 15th Tour de Cullman lived up to all its epic fun. Sixty riders headed out at high noon on Sunday. In a nice envelope Brett and Brady Barker lead the riders on Moto 1 and Moto 2 and bringing up the broom wagon was the Branham MotorSports team van. The pace was monitored for the first 20 miles by the motos until the nature break just before the Chamblees Mill bridge. The riders were lead out and the pace soon picked up with a definite selection being made at the top of the first climb. The above photo shows Toone, Fraser, Kuppersmith, Flores, Brewer, Seelhorst and White cresting the first climb. The hammer went down leaving the peleton shattered all over Skyball Mountain.

On the descent off the first climb the riders rode down to Joy road which is known as the "Meat Grinder" for its hand full of short steep climbs. Leading on to the final climb of four miles, Toone, Fraser and Kuppersmith separated themselves and it became evident that this was The Selection.

Brian Toone educated us all on cycling and dropped the very strong riders on the climb up for the KOM. He crossed the summit with Omar Fraser 1:00 back and Kuppersmith at 1:15. The Tria/Donohoo team pulled off the hat trick, they have ridden so strong over the past three years and capped it off with this epic victory.

Rehashing the race on the top of Skyball Mountain.

2009 Tour de Cullman King of the Mountain, Brian Toone.

Amy Gravlee dominated the women's division, proving why she is so successful in racing around the Southeast. Amy was in control from the first climb and rode solo up Skyball Mountain to another trophy as the women's KOM. She was followed by two newcomers to the ride Katherine Herring and Katie Curtis.

The Masters trophy went to Sammy Flores who finished fourth overall in the GC.

Most Aggressive went to the SmithLock Team who made a valiant effort and put Omar on the Podium. The team is lead by Alabama cycling icon James Hall.

Bill St. John took the Cullman trophy in a sprint up the final 200 meters of the climb.

Arthur Patrick won a trophy for being one of the original riders of the Tour de Cullman. Arthur raced around the Southeast and competed in The National Road Race in the 1980's. He also was winner of the Race Across Alabama and had a cult classic race with James Hall.

The 2009 Tour de Cullman was very successful and was composed of probably the best collection of riders in its history. I say collection and not fastest (it was) because its success is bringing all cyclists together for a day and riding together promoting cycling. The beauty is the diversity of having a very elite racer riding with an 18 year old exchange student from Germany.

Secret Training

2009-10-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

My training this past weekend for the 2009 Tour de Cullman consisted of traveling to Nashville to attend the 30th Anniversary Reunion show for The White Animals.

Anyone who attended a college or university in the South during the 80's remembers the band. To me their music captures the feeling of those old daze. During most of the show I had flashbacks of Lee's Tomb and them playing to a packed house with a line outside waiting two blocks long.

I love the Don Henley lyric, something about a "Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac". There was a lot of grey hair in the crowd and nobody pounded those long neck beers quite like they did 20 years ago. The show was a way to go back in time for a night and relive a few thoughts. Several people brought their teenagers, including myself. Pretty cool to share something across a generation.

Course Primer

2009-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Most of this video has been previously released. Added new music and production. If you have done the Tour de Cullman you will recognize most of the footage and if not it will be a introduction to the course.

Savouring The Tour: 15 Years of Glory

2009-10-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Like any good Italian red, the flavours of The Tour de Cullman linger long after the glass is sipped. It's not just a super day of bike racing, its role as the finale demands a savoured experience. As the sun sets on another season of bike racing...

We can reflect with a few photos of the very first Tours, as we head into number fifteen. Its always been a clash of the titans for the King of the Mountain, from the very first it was epic.

Richard Prewitt was the King for the early Tours, his first victory was in '94. He came back and won it again. The above photo shows a battle between former champions of Alabama bicycle racing. Arthur Patrick raced with the best at nationals in the day, shown sprinting up the final 200m of the climb up Skyball. James Hall can be seen unsuccessfully trying to stay attached to the surge of "Big Daddy Big Gears" and "Smokey the Beast".

After the climb as every year the ride is replayed. Richard Prewitt won the tour several years then disappeared.

Shane Emplaincourt drops the hammer! He is shown above in one of the most dramatic Tours, playing the field like a master. Sucked in behind all the egos, he waited until it all fell into place and easily dropped the contenders on the final step of Skyball. Jacques Emplaincourt told me that this was one of Shane's greatest career victories. Shane went on to win many Tour de Cullmans with his streak only to be broken by none other than "Country Al" Mittlesdorf.

SmithLock Confirms for the Tour

2009-09-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

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Team SmithLock lead by Alabama cycling legend James Hall, has confirmed for the 15th Tour de Cullman, Sunday November 1st 2009. A much anticipated show down between the SL team and the Tria-Donohoo team who is attempting a Tour Hat Trick.

A 60 mile bike course traveling through Cullman and Blount Counties includes the 4 mile accent of the infamous Skyball Mountain. The mountain known not only for the Tour de Cullman's King of the Mountain Trophy but also the folklore of Bigfoot sightings.

Nizza!

2009-09-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Nice or Nizza as they say in Italian is the hub of the Riviera. This is the second part of the previous post which is mostly a travel blog. I am a little off base but its hard to get to the preparations part without talking about getting there.

Finally on the plane my chartered flight headed out across the ocean. It was a non-stop from JFK to Charles de Gaulle in Paris. I booked it well in advance and in the day was the cheapest way to fly to Europe. I studied the Let’s Go travel books put out by Harvard Press. The books were designed for the student traveler who had no money. One of their books was how to travel to Europe on 25 dollars a day.

I was already a couple of days late on my original itinerary but if it all went well I could still make it to southern France with a day to spare before the race. I can remember people telling me that when traveling to Europe you wanted to depart from the USA so that you arrived abroad in the morning. This was to help with the jet lag and your own internal clock. Of course we didn’t leave like we were suppose to and would be arriving in Paris at midnight.

As we approached Paris the captain broadcast to look to our left and we would see the City of Lights then to our right Charles de Gaulle Airport. The next comment was we would not be landing at Charles de Gaulle because they would not let planes land after midnight therefore we would be landing at Orly. I really didn’t know anything about international travel and airports; I just wanted to be on the ground after eight hours. Everyone on the flight seemed a little upset about the news so I asked the guy next to me why the fuss and he said it was because Orly was now mainly a freight airport and at this hour there would be no buses or rail into the city.

I would never take a charter again after this experience, the flight was so inexpensive compared to the major airlines but you were really at their mercy with the delays and then not even flying into your destination. I had originally planned to be in Nice by now but instead I wasn’t even on the ground yet.

We landed safely and the fun was just beginning. We did the outside deplaning which took me by surprise, and ended up not that bad but the 200 yard walk across the runway to the terminal, that was a little strange. Once inside the airport it was a very cool terminal almost like something out of an old science fiction movie, the terminal was definitely dated. Everything inside was closed so no coffee food or anything. Customs was a breeze. Walking through a deserted ancient airport was my welcome to France and Europe.

Just like I had been informed on the plane there no buses and the gate to the city by metro was locked. The only way into the city was by taxi. Someone put a call in and the taxis started trickling in one by one. Most of the passengers from the flight were on a tour and their buses had rerouted and picked them up. The remaining 50 or so of us couldn’t get on those nice big luxurious buses so we just waited our turn to grab a taxi. My next dilemma was that most taxis would take no more luggage than what would fit into their trunks. I of course had my bike packed in a box which no way would fit into a European taxis trunk. Thru my terrible French language skills I negotiated with one for a ride into the city for an extra charge. We strapped the box on the trunk and he charged me for an extra person. What a deal.

I never had an attitude toward the French and what was supposed to be their attitude towards Americans. It did seem that all this was way too complicated. I had just landed in Europe and my budget of $25 for the first day was blown in 10mins.

The taxi ride into the city was longer than expected I kept wondering if we were taking the long way. I kept asking and the driver acted like he didn’t understand, something about he kept smiling made me nervous. I tried to explain my desire to find an inexpensive hotel, I was really nervous about staying in Paris. Like New York hotels can be very pricey. My original plan was to fly into Paris arriving in the morning and leave the same day by train to the Riviera. Hotel and the word inexpensive do not go together in Paris or New York. All my plans were a thing of the past, my objective was to make it to Southern France for the race.

The taxis finally stopped and he helped me unload all my gear which was a backpack and a bicycle packed in a box. I was amazed at how active the streets were around where we were for 200am, the hotel was pretty run down and I had no idea what part of Paris I was in. I went inside and got a room which of course was on the fifth floor and no elevator. There was a fairly attractive woman sitting in the lobby which surprised me at this hour. She spoke to me which I had no idea what she said but I thought was very nice. Later I learned that I was actually in the red light district and the woman was a prostitute that worked for the hotel.

I did not sleep well that night I kept thinking about how to get to the train station and making all the connections I needed to. I will never forget early in the morning lying in bed listening to the French garbage men shouting at each other. It all got me at that moment, all the sudden I felt like I was on another planet. I was in a place where people were speaking another language and how was I to communicate. Just one of those feelings where you feel lost and a little scared for a moment.

I got up early to get my bearings so I headed down to a café. Somehow the taxi driver did me right I was close to a train station and most importantly the Gare de Lyon. This was where I needed to be to head south to Nice. The train ride to the Riviera was a long one. Thirteen hours so my plan was to book a couchet so I could sleep on the train. The train left at eight pm so I would arrive in Nice around eleven am. The train went thru Lyon hence the name of the station; it made stops in Marseille and Toulouse.

Having to be out of my room by ten presented a problem. Traveling with a bicycle is hard to describe especially when it’s packed in a box. I couldn’t unpack anything because I was not at my destination and I had gear and equipment strategically placed in the box. It’s very awkward to carry around and taxis don’t want to deal with them. I walked thru busy Paris streets for what seemed like a mile or two with my backpack on carrying the bike box. I spent most of the day in the train station, waiting for my departure time of eight pm. The fantasy all day was just to get on that train to the Riviera, I felt like once on the train I could relax somewhat and hopefully get some sleep.

When it became time to depart I learned that I had to check my bike box in the baggage car. I tried to bring it into my cabin but at the point of being thrown off the train, I checked it. One of the warnings that I had read was when traveling in Europe always try to carry everything on with you and do not let them check your baggage. On trains that have many passengers or heavily traveled routes, the baggage is transported on a separate baggage train. Which means your baggage notoriously doesn’t arrive when you do.

I made it to my cabin which was shared with a French family. I got the top bunk and got under the blanket and closed the curtains. That was the best night sleep I had in days. When the train stopped in Marseille it woke me up and I looked out the window. It was so beautiful I had never seen anything quite like what I was seeing. The train was perched on a hillside overlooking Mediterranean the blue green waters were incredible. On the other side of the train were the Maritime Alps. The sun was out, now this was more like it.

I will post more later from travel and racing, below are photos and notes.

I always tell people if I had to imagine what Heaven is like it has to be like the French Riviera. Its absolutely breathtaking, something about the mountains, the Bay of Angels, the blue green ever so clear mediterraian, fruit trees, weather,architecture and of course the smell.

Nice is the hub of the Riviera and The Negresco is the center of the whole thing. It is one of the most famous hotels in the world and is know for its pink dome. I took the picture above with my twin reflex. I scanned it from a glossy copy so it has some distortion. The Promenade des Anglais runs in front of the Negresco, you can sit on a bench or in a cafe and watch the people while sipping campari or an espresso with a lemon peel.

I originally stayed at Les Cigales, which is a nice hotel two blocks off from the beach. On the Riviera prices are so steep along the promenade, you go in a few blocks inland and stay for $35 a night. Cigales was one of those and very convient to the race start and le plage.

In my later races I stayed at La Bagatelle, which is on Cap Ferat. It is about 10 miles from central Nice but is just incredible. The hotel is half way between Nice and Monte Carlo and inexpensive. It is owned by a German woman who has some interesting rules. One is a daily manditory cocktail hour for all guests. She likes for all guests to visit and it was fun. You have to attend if you stay at the hotel and she serves her homemade madarin orange wine. It was more like a liquer so it burnson the way down but is so good. The trees that she makes the wine from are on the property. I definitely got softer the last few years I did the race.

The view from my room at Bagatelle. A couple of miles down the road is Eze, the ancient mountain top village where the Paris-Nice time trial finishes. Also the Madone is close where Lance did his preparations every year for the Tour.

Who is this guy? I know every crack in the road on the Promenade des Anglais. A 20+ mile run in Heaven! The City shuts down for sporting events, citizens of Nice lined the road for the whole course.

Is that a pink De Rosa? On the descent from Gillette. The bike course has a 10 mile descent back thru a valley into Nice. It was spectacular but painful.

This has been some rambling filler for the blog now its time to start focusing on the Tour de Cullman 2009.

Tour Preparations

2009-08-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

I love the Dakota Building...its architechture and history. I took this picture early in the morning with a twin reflex.

This is not about the Tour de Cullman other than the date will likely be the last weekend in October. I am a true believer in preparations, if you prepare properly you have nothing to complain about race day. Do your homework no matter how you finish you can say you did everything you could to prepare. I love the equation that's involved in any event that brings you success. To me its a combination of psychology and physiology. It’s all about confidence.

I was very fortunate a few years ago in my preparations for the World Triathlon Championships to spend significant time before the races in France to train on the actual routes and get acclimated to the climate and time changes. The first year I was not so fortunate. I had been racing successfully as an amateur and thought it was time to test myself internationally. Early in the sport of triathlons Europe began to offer the best races not only for prize money but also prestige. I think with their history of bike racing the sport there brought sponsorship and support that was not in the United States. The first true world championships took place in Nice, France, which quickly became the richest race and the most prestigious.

The race took place in early October and I had qualified during the summer. The plan was to travel over to France with a quick stop in New York. Some very creative promoters dreamed up a great race the weekend before in New York City. The swimming from the Statue of Liberty, cycling around Manhattan and running through central park. It was immediately sold to TV and became a big money race for the pros. The race ranks up there on the memories list, a huge race broadcast on NBC billed as The New York City Triathlon. I thought I had made the big time.

For the swim start we were ferried out to the Statue of Liberty and the course was to cross the Hudson River to Battery Park. It was two miles into the dark waters to our bikes, only a huge 25' red balloon to guide us to the landing. I will never forget passing through a "soft spot" in the water during the swim. Later a native who told me no one swims in the Hudson river said I really didn't want to know what that was, glad I was in the zone because I hit several spots during the swim. The swim went well and I came out of the water in the lead pack with a great 2 mile time.

On the bike we rode down the West Side Highway to the George Washington Bridge and made a loop through Manhattan. It was incredible to ride in the city with the traffic stopped for the race. We biked in to Central park and ran around the park for a 7 mile run. The race ended at Tavern on the Green. There were thousands there at the finish and although I had a total meltdown on the run I finished a respectable time and a place I won’t mention.

I was totally baked and beaten. All that was in the back of my mind was my flight to Europe the next day and the race one week away in the Maritime Alps. I hobbled over to the refreshment tent and unfortunately ran into a couple of female pros that I should have been hiding from. You make friends on the race circuit along the way, seeing each other at races and sharing the fun. I forgot I made a promise to these two that I would go out dancing with them after the NYC race.

I was known for my sleeping habits before and after races, I caught a lot of grief because I would be the first in bed the night before an event and then after a race I wanted to just go back to the hotel and lay in front of the air conditioner and recline.

I won’t name any names but the fun began at the post race party and we all had a great time. After several beers I was informed that I needed to shower because we were heading out on the town. I think my flight to Paris was leaving at 900am the next morning. What was that dance place called? The Odeon...they had done their research, it was a happening place and it didn't get really going till midnight. I felt like I had knives in my legs. Every time I mentioned that I really needed to turn in because I was leaving early in the morning another drink mysteriously showed up.

Somehow that night I made it back to my hotel. Race days were always long days, typically you got up at 400am the race started at 700am you raced all day maybe got a nap in and partied that night, it was a tough weekend. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself I could sleep on the plane that actually being tired would help me sleep for the 8 hour flight. I would like to say I got in bed early but I don't know I think I got 30mins sleep to get up and leave by 600am to make my flight.

The real fun began on Sunday when I was supposed to leave via JFK and my flight was delayed. Nothing like the security today but on international flights you had to be early. I was on the plane and after sitting for what seemed all day we were informed that our flight was cancelled because of mechanical issues. The passengers were told that we would be deplaning and taken by bus back into the city and staying at the luxurious George Washington Hotel.

I don’t even remember where the hotel is or was but it was interesting to say the least. I was so exhausted and I remember checking in and falling asleep only to be awakened by the fire alarm. Monday morning I was standing on the sidewalk at 3:00 am wondering about my race and if I might actually make it to France.

To be continued...

I did make it to the race. Some illegal pacing going on behind me in Nice, France. This was my first World Championships. I learned so much on how to prepare.

The Badger and the Cannibal

2009-07-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

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What does Eddy Merckx and Tom Oliver have in common? They both climbed Mount Ventoux...We write so much about Tom's son Austin who just happens to be racing at the Nationals this weekend for Juniors, what about his dad?

Tom wore his Cullman Cycling kit with honor as he crossed the summit of Mount Ventoux. He was in France part of the Trek Tour de France Experience, from what I understand the riders ride the stages before the actual Tour de France professional race. What a great concept and I am sure experience.

Sometimes we forget about who's behind the scenes working hard making things work for someone else (Austin's dad) my hats off to Tom Oliver....Job well done!

De Rosa Project

2009-06-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

A few years ago when I first got into bicycle racing I began searching for the ultimate road racing frame set. My mentor Jacques told me that whenever in Europe I must go see the "House of De Rosa". Ugo De Rosa had hand built bicycles for Eddy Merckx and was considered the master and a true artist of hand built bicycles.

I was traveling on a cycling/camping trip in Europe soon after and I ventured to the House of De Rosa in outside Milan, Italy. What was interesting at the time, De Rosa was still working out of their original factory which was located at their farm outside Milan. As usual I was totally lost when I got to Milan and after a day of wrangling with Italian, English and French I found the proper road to their home and shop. The thing I will never forget was wandering through the country side and seeing pink roses beautifully painted on a mail box and post. That's when I knew I had reached my destination. The De Rosa family lived on a small farm north of Milan and their shop was actually in a converted barn behind the main house.

On another post I will get deeper in to DeRosa, but I was amazed how easy it was to just walk into their factory and home. Much of what Jacques educated me on started making sense about their passion of building bicycles. The whole family was involved in every aspect of the company. They lived, breathed, ate, drank, building the finest handbuilt bicycles. They were great hosts and welcomed me like I was the most important person to come visit them. Ugo's son Christano spoke good English and explained how they loved seeing cyclists and especially Americans, and rarely did they have visitors which amazed me.

Ugo did most of the talking with Christano translating. He educated me on the differences of their frames, never knocking a competitor but just stating why they did certain things. An example was the use of nickel versus brass on brazing. De Rosas are known for their smooth welds and perfect lines. Each bike is inspected by Ugo himself before it leaves the factory.

The whole experience was incredible and one of those things in life which cost nothing but you were educated and experienced something that you could not put a price tag on. Of course I left the factory with my wallet a little lighter. I was measured and had a custom De Rosa Professional built. With their building to such perfection they were of course six weeks behind on building frames, so my frame arrived in the USA two months after my visit.

Below are some before and after pictures of a De Rosa I am currently restoring. The bike originally was a green and white two tone which was common for the bikes, I decided to paint it Molteni orange like the Merckx frames. I am going to restore it with Campagnolo Super Record which would be the correct vintage for the age of the frame. We are fortunate to have a great painter here in town who did a fantastic job. I bought the decals and he did a great job of clear coating them after painting the frame.

The before shot showing the fading green and white, not bad considering the frame is 20 years old. The tubing is Columbus steel, but not SLX. Many of the bikes of that vintage were SL/SP combination which provided superior strength to weight ratio.

The after shot, sporting Molteni orange and vintage decals. The frame spaced 126mm which identifies the age and the fact it was built for probably 6 speed. Note the "Beefy T" fork a De Rosa design trademark.

I will try to post some pictures as the bike comes together. I am trying to keep it as vintage correct as possible.

Skyball (X3)

2009-05-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day in the blistering humid heat, nine bikers set out for a triple assault on Skyball Mountain. There were several rides done locally but most of the local cycling scene decided to stay away from this ride.

The tempo from the go was a little fast thanks to Austin, who's in the middle of training block preparing for a stage race next weekend. James Hall and Chris Rossi fell right in with Austin so for the rest of us it was going to be a long day.

We rode down Highway 31, and turned on "Racehorse Johnson Parkway" one of the most beautiful roads to cycle on in Alabama. RJP heads toward Skyball Mountain and is the road used in the Tour de Cullman. The road unfortunately rolls up.

We turned off RJP and began the first climb up the mountain. The road just seems to go up into the sky and actually is one of the steeper grades on the mountain. We all survived that pretty well and of course Austin and James disappeared over the horizon.

Recovering from the first climb, the second part of the ascent which is about a mile straight up takes you over the mountain and down the back side into the town of Nectar. With one climb of Skyball done its time to do the second assault.

From Nectar we back tracked to Joy road and began the second ascent of Skyball using the now famous climb used in the Tour de Cullman. I think we all felt this climb and had some nice thigh busting action as we ascended over the twisting one lane road that gets harder as you get closer to the top. This version of the climb is the longest which is 4 miles.

Just when we were all about pop you somehow make it to the top for the completion of the second ascent. We then back tracked and reversed back down the mountain to begin the final climb, number 3. We reversed what we had just done and climbed back up the mountain on the back side.

This was the roughest part of the whole day and the climb went slowly. I was struggling but moving forward and for some nice motivation, could hear the rumble in the background of some violent weather on the way.We all made it to the top for the third time and regrouped for our ride back to Hanceville. I think for everyone it was a lot of fun but also some really brutal climbing and a great challenge.

The photo above shows Billy Faulk in the CCC kit, he was very generous and not only did the ride but provided support and refreshments on top of Skyball.

We reversed our ride out and returned on RJP and Highway 31. About the time we hit Garden City it started pouring down rain and lightning. The only thing close to enjoyable was the 40 mph tail wind we had as we hammered up 31. It got a little more fun with the bolts of lightning were hitting all around and you could see about 6 inches in front yourself.

Mr. Faulk showed his generosity again by providing us with some nice refreshments and a cookout at his house in town.

Some decals were made for the survivors of the epic ride. There will be a few more that attempt and survive the triple assault so we have a badge waiting for them.

Skyball Triple Assault: A Mans Ride

2009-05-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

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Eddy wont be with us Monday but it will probably be a similar effort to chasing the King over 80K of mountain passes or bergs laden with pave.

We are riding from Wallace State (front parking lot) at 2:00. Hopefully we will have a few surprises and some refreshments on top when we finished. Going to be fun!

Eddy the phantom blogger could be there since no one knows who he is.

Club des Cingles du Mont-Skyball

2009-05-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

There have been many ascents of this fabled mountain as we now approach 15 Tours de Cullman. Never have we indulged in the personal suffering that precedes acceptance into the elite club of climbing Mt. Skyball three times in one day...until now. This Memorial Day we thought we’d better get some cyclists from the "team" into a rather exclusive club of climbers.

The Club for Crazies

Our new club will be modeled similar to the one of Mont Ventoux. There are many similarities between the two mountains such as the three approaches to the summit. Great races have been won and lost on the slopes of the Skyball just like Ventoux.

The Club des Cinglés du Mont-Ventoux, to use its French title, was started in 1988 by Christian Pic and has over 2,100 members: just over half are French, followed by Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and the US. Joining the club is simple: climb to the summit of Mont Ventoux three times in one day, once by each of its three access roads.

On paper the membership route looks tough. It’s not the 100 kilometres that’s the problem – it’s the fact that half of this is climbing. The classic route from Chamblees Mill is 21 kilometres at an average of 7.5%, from Nectar the same, and the third ascent is 26 kilometres at a merciful 4.7%. Skyball is 1,912 at its summit and the vertical distance for each route is 1,610, 1,570 and 1,220 respectively for a total of 4,400 of climbing over 68 kilometres. Cinglé in French means ‘crazy’ and has the synonym fou, ‘mad’. The Club des Cinglés du Mont-Skyball is literally a club for mad crazies.

2010? Next year we can take it to the next level of the club and do three plus a fourth ascent utilizing an unpaved logging road, and get a pin to wear on your jersey. Maybe we will do like Ventoux and some crazy can try to set a 24 hour record for attempts.

More details soon.

Cullman Cycling

2009-05-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

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Since the last post I thought I better get back to cycling. For some reason when you post a picture of a female and mix in cycling I have to delete a bunch of comments posted by readers. Its all fun, sometimes you wonder what the Blog is about anyway.

I selected a few pictures from the past week or two.

This picture is called "Pain Locker"...for obvious reasons. It was taken at the Cullman Spring Classic with Austin and Country Al laying down the law. I wondered if CA would really work for Austin or if it came down to it he would drop the hammer on his own team mate.

You know we like to poke at SuperDave but I have to admit hes been riding better than I have ever seen him. I would like to say he was sucking some wheel etc., but it more accurate to say he was hammering with two very strong riders. Even though they were dropped from the lead group they blew away what was left of the peleton. The white jersey is James Hall of Team Smith Lock who had a team mate in the break and in the CSC kit ubermaster Chris Rossi.

One of our road marshalls was none other than Bill St. John. Pretty sweet ride! Bill hosts the CSC and as always, a very premier event.

The pictures below are from a training ride we did this past week. This goes back to how you meet the most interesting people through cycling. We had a couple of guests so where do you take them? Skyball Mountain. Hopefully these guys will be back for the Tour de Cullman this fall. They got a little primer this week.

Warren St. John was in from New York for a tour with his new book (somehow he escaped without me getting a signed copy). Chris Ullrich was in from California for the upcoming AMA SuperBike races at Barbers Motorsports Park. Both these guys ride very strong.

On the foothills of the famous climb. They didn't get to see it all but climbed to the top of Skyball Mountain.

Almost to the top enjoying the nice weather and calling for the team car. I think we lost a rider along the way.

European Update Please!

2009-04-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

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Leading up to and during the Cullman Spring Classic this year one of the more mysterious and famous Cullman Cycling Blog readers was in Europe. I remember during the Classic commenting to a fellow rider about getting a text message from Paris. I was getting text messages wanting an update on how the race was shaping up and my current position.

Modern technology is amazing sometimes. I remember back in the early 80's following Paris-Roubaix or the Tour de France and there were no live feeds or anything resembling that. We would read results in USA Today or the NY Times two weeks after the race if we were lucky.

Now there is such a huge controversy from the old pros about "Race Radio", which there was never in the day. The best review I read recently was from an old pro and whether they should allow them in pro cycling. He said the use of them was 50% yes and 50%no. Strategy with them doesn't always seem fair but it seems overwhelmingly important to use them now because of safety.

"Give me an update....please!" Runonce trying to be patient at a Paris train station.

Definitely a mistake to discuss cycling with an Italian. Seems to be a disagreement over a triple versus a compact crank set.

"Country Al" Bashes 'Em Again!

2009-04-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

The inferno was lit early, actually Friday night.

Nashville's "Country Al" scorched the field in a very strong showing represented by Cullman Cycling Club, SmithLock, MedPlan and Team BikeWorks. More details coming soon but the brief results were:

1. Country Al Mittlesdorf

2. David Darden

3. Austin Oliver

The early selection was made consisting Darden, Spence, Country Al, Oliver and Overton

Cullman Spring Classic: It Really Is A Big Deal

2009-04-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

CSC 2009: Ticket to Torture

2009-04-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Spring Classic Preview: The Hard Part

2009-04-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

A week out to the 2009 Cullman Spring Classic, and the roads around Cullman and Blount Counties have been busy with cyclists. The photo below was emailed to me with an unknown rider who was seen on a stealth ride previewing the very technical new course. His kit said something about "Road Racing World" and "Los Angeles".

If Austin is working for another rider from Colorado who is this guy working for or who is working for him next Saturday? Rumor is Country Al will have his California team mates with their mandatory prerace meeting Friday night, What about Goldweber? What colors is he flying? Rossi? Philip Thompson is rumored to be bringing double trouble. Smith Lock will be in force but is this their tactic to finally put a guy on the podium? Or maybe is someone going to keep them off the podium. Smith Lock might be marking this unidentified rider while Austin rides his captain to the the summit of a wicked new climb? Maybe a BikeWorks drone launching an attack in the confusion on one of the dirt gravel roads....I doubt it. Will someone finally find their legs and bring it home for the locals?

Many questions only to be answered Saturday afternoon. Only the finest after the dust has cleared when the peloton and tifosi break bread in celebration of another Spring Classic.

Tuscaloosa Roadside: The Oliver Report

2009-04-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Tour de Tuscaloosa, again being part of the Lance Armstrong Race Series, featured 50 junior riders which is the largest in the races history.

Cullmans own Austin Oliver made a fine showing finishing 2nd in the criterium getting pipped at the line by a half wheel and finishing 2nd in the road race but getting some payback for the crit.

To quote Dr. Tom Oliver:

"Frazier boys out of GA showed up in force and tactically set their guy up for the win but when Austin attacked on the final hill, Frank said he maintained over 500 watts for over a minute and easily dropped everyone he was with except the cat 3 that won. I have no idea what that wattage means, but apparently it’s pretty good according to Frank."

Next for Austin is the Spain Park Crit, then Barber Motor Sports Race. Down the road rumor is that the Boy Wonder will be riding as a super domestic for his Boulder based coach at the Cullman Spring Classic April 18th.

Austin is on a mission for his goal of qualifying for Nationals in Bend, Oregon in July.

Milan-San Remo

2009-03-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

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It is the eve of one of the greatest traditional classics and spring season opener, Milan-San Remo. I just read that Lance Armstrong will be riding in this the 100th version, traditionally he has not done well...always in his preparations for a Tour de France.

My cycling mentor Jacques Emplaincourt once explained the different strategic points in the race where it was won or lost. Turchino, La Manie, Cipressa and the infamous Poggio. Eddy Merckx on every one of his seven victories made the same attack on the La Manie. Each one of these points in the race are small climbs compared to the passes of the Grand Tours but are raced at speeds exceeding 40 km/hr. Survival is making it to the Poggio and the run to the finish after the screws have been tightened on all the tests.

I was San Remo a few years ago and fortunate to ride the last 50k of the race course, I had heard so much about he Poggio and actually was disappointed until I thought about hitting It after 292 km of racing.

Below are a few pictures from our week of training in Cullman. There were several flats this week and a little night riding.

Austin Oliver and Chandler Mountain

2009-03-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Cullman's Austin Oliver competed this past weekend at Sumatanga Training Race #3. What makes this race special is the treat of climbing to the top of Chandler Mountain after a 45 mile road race. Its mountain top finish is a brutal climb of close to two miles which ranks among North Alabama toughest.

The weather was perfect so this years race had a strong field of 65 riders. Austin made the selection only to see 15 guys make an attack on the last lap. He reeled in all but eight on the climb up Chandler Mountain. Very impressive for a 16 year old. The next stop for Austin will be the Tour de Tuscaloosa, March 28th and 29th.

Team BikeWork's "SuperDave" trying to absorb some wattage in Austin's wake.

Spring Training

2009-03-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

The weather was here over the past couple of days, perfect for cycling. With the time changing to Daylight Savings Time its time to be back in the saddle. I think everyones in the same mode its time to put up the rollers and hit the roads. I rode with a couple of Madones Sunday on the Hanceville loop.

The "Tunnel" near Hanceville, Alabama.

Cayce and Mandy sporting their new Trek Madones.

The Spring Classics

2009-02-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

This post probably belongs on another blog. This is how I have been spending my off season in preparation for the Spring Classics. As you can probably tell from the video my wattage may warrant a new powermeter. I am optomistic that I will gain some form over the next couple of months, March has been traditionally my month to turn the corner on fitness.

I have learned alot about guitars. They are kinda like bicycles. You can pay alot for a bike or guitar but its all about the motor. Whether its Eddie Van Halen or Eddy Merckx they can ride or play anything and its still on top.

Not bad for eighth graders!

New Years Day Ride

2009-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

Cullman Cycling Club had a great New Years ride lead by Billy Faulk. It was a little nippy but the sun came out so it ended up being a nice ride. We met at East Elementary and headed south into the headwind, we knew the ride home would be nice with a tailwind. Originally we intended to ride the "Most Beautiful" loop but decided to ride the "Carolina" loop which was a little better at dissecting the wind. The group ended up with 40 miles which was more than I think all of us intended for our first ride of the year. What a way to kick off the new year.

The leader of Cullman Cycling Club....Mr. Faulk

Sonja Robertson took time out from her Mercedes Marathon training to go ride with us New Years. She will be riding a new Specialized in 2009.

Shangri-La

2008-12-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

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I wanted to actually call this the Authors Ride, we were honored to have a well known writer ride with us Sunday. Having read about him and known of him and his works it was great to talk and ride bikes.

"Shangri-La" is a mystical, harmonious valley, synonymous with any earthly paradise. We did a group ride with a couple of out of towners and rode through Cullman's version of Shangri-La. We started at the St. John Farm and rode through Hanceville and on towards Blount County. The route is pretty cool because you leave one of the most beautiful roads around and head into the forest, which the rocky dirt road takes you straight up a small mountain. Its a brutal climb and the only thing that saved us was the rain the night before made the road packed so it wasn't very slippery.

The photo shows "The Shocker" cresting the wall coming out of the forest. He is one of the toughest guys around, this was his first ride since the Tour de Cullman. "The Shocker" is know for being game for anything.

Once in the valley on top of the mountain we passed some horseback riders. They wanted to race but I think we all were temporarily out of gas.

This picture was actually made from the day before. I am struggling with my new camera to get all the settings right. I switched from a Nikon to Olympus digital camera and cant believe the difference in the photos. Its hard to say one is better than the other one but noticeably different.

Cullman Cyclocross 2008

2008-12-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

. ........................."The Hardest of Hard Men" Sean Kelly

The Off Season

2008-11-24T07:14:00.001-08:00

You can always tell when the off season arrives. Some are rding cyclocross others are well.... watch the video.

The Tour 2008

2008-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

I don't even know where to start. This was another great Tour de Cullman. I think the field gets more diverse and definitely gets faster and stronger every year. There is always some buzz who is riding strong.

Before the ride defending KOM Philip Thompson was a buzz word then something about a guy named Omar. James Hall had assembled an incredible group of riders which included a past winner of the Tour. Then there is the Tria boys who are always making their presence known.

The morning started out under very fair conditions and the temperature in the mid 70s. As usual we started our ride in the tourist fashion with a mandatory pace. I estimate the starting group at 60-70 riders (60 signed in). We rode the first 40k and stopped for our traditional nature break.

The riders reassembled with the KOM riders drifting towards the front and the "Tourists" towards the back. Moto 1 soon led the riders over Chamblee's Mill Bridge and a larger than years past, strong group of riders were off the front.

As the group crested the first climb incredibly there were still 10-15 riders in the main group. I could tell that this was not going to be the solo break that Philip Thompson made last year. The riders regrouped and over the next 10 miles Lennie Moon and Timo Stark made several surges that were unmatched and mostly Lennie Moon's.

The selection was composed of Lennie Moon, Timo Stark, Dusty Davis, Omar Fraser, Eric White, Jason Donaldson, Kevin White and Philip Thompson

The locals call the section of Joy Road the "Meat Grinder". It has five short steep climbs and it takes a toll on the legs especially at 25+ mph. On the "Meat Grinder" Lennie Moon worked the field, Timo made several attempts to bridge but Lennie gained distance on every hill and seemed to take more out of their legs.

On the final and toughest climb "Skyball", the lead vehicle thought Lennie might have gone too soon. At one point half way up the 4 mile climb he seemed to fade and Omar was leading the charge in the chase group of 4-5 guys. It didn't last long and Lennie dropped the hammer.

Lennie Moon crossed the top of Skyball Mountain 1:20 ahead of Timo Stark. Timo was closely followed by Dusty Davis and Omar Fraser. Amy Gravlee strong and alone to win the women's
KOM.

Division Winners: Masters; Dusty Davis, Sonya Robertson, Most Aggressive; Timo Stark, Dawn Smith, Cullman; Barrett Hoover, Karen Roberson, Junior; Tyler Wilson

Lennie Moon Sprouts Wings on Skyball!

2008-10-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

Lennie Moon of the Tria Market team blasted the field on Skyball Mountain. He made a decisive move on a very elite field. Amy Gravlee rode solo in the womens field. More details coming.

1. Lennie Moon...Tria
2. Timo Stark...BicycleWorks
3. Dusty Davis...SmithLock
4. Omar Frasher...SmithLock
5. Eric White...VeloCity
6. Jason Donaldson...BooKoo
7. Kevin White...SmithLock
8. Phillip Thompson...Tria
9. David Darden...SmithLock
10.James Hall...SmithLock

Casey's Tour Machine!

2008-10-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Tour Preparations Continue

2008-10-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Cullman Cycling Club enjoyed a nice ride Sunday led by Billy Faulk. The riders did the Carolina loop and tracked some of the Tour route.

Training Boulder Style

2008-09-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

Austin Oliver headed out to Boulder, Colorado for some training and one on one with his coach, Frank Overton. I got a file from one of the training rides and it was a brutal one and of course at elevation. So much for local training rides. Austin will be prepared for the Tour.

Nothing like a giant roast beef sandwich after a tough day in the saddle.

Tour Training Ride

2008-09-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

We had a great crew this past Sunday doing a training ride for the 2008 Tour de Cullman. The ride started at the St. John farm with what was suppose to make the ride a little easier. We headed in a reverse direction of the actual tour but the idea was to ride the critical section of the course, "The Circle of Death". Of course the weather was hot and humid so conditions were perfect for a melt down.

Adam Goldweber set the tempo early but powered it down after the first climb, obviously not wanting to show too much. Austin Oliver, James Hall and St. John hammered on while the rest of us struggled or faked it over the next series of climbs.

Once on Joy Road aka "The Meat Grinder" the group was coming back together. One of the riders who showed up with New York plates on his car had a flat(was this one of our mystery bloggers...Eddy, glish, Nekid Cowboy? well his legs sure didn't look like Runonce!). Adam stopped to help and the rest of us including Mandy and Sonja pedaled on towards the four mile climb to the top of the mountain.

We all rode to the top of the mountain except the New Yorker. I was feeling like maybe we weren't being a good host, we did later make contact with him. He had missed a turn and ended up riding down highway 160 and thankfully surviving. The downside was he had to climb over SmokeRise to get back to Cullman, he probably got in a good 70 mile ride instead of our 50.

A New Triad!

2008-09-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to ride with these three svelt riders this past weekend. What I thought was going to be an easy ride through the country side turned into a little hammer session. To top it all off it rained on the way back. I got a little worried when they all commented on how they enjoyed riding in the rain. Reminded me of a couple of brothers that ride in town that are the toughest guys I have ever met.

The cycling scene is changing in Cullman. Not so many years ago we only had a few females that rode bikes, now we have quite a few. Sonya, Lisa and Mandy all are training for the Tour de Cullman and they aren't doing the short ride. Could get interesting on the slopes of Skyball. I doubt any brown envelopes will be passed, the Cullman division is getting more interesting. Which one makes it to the top first?

Preview

2008-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

The Womens Division

2008-09-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

I think these babes on bikes were way ahead of their time. Singlespeeds! They were more hip than they thought about 35 years ago. Looks like they were out for a little training ride in preparations for a tour around town. Be a good test if anyone can identify these girls?

Tour Preparations

2008-09-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

With the 2008 Tour de Cullman approaching the training rides are picking up around the mountains of Cullman and Blount counties. The official date for this years ride will be October 11th. This past weekend a group of riders went out for a leisure ride up Skyball Mountain. It was plenty hot and with hurricane Gustov moving in the wind added to the fun.

This years Tour will feature several junior riders. I have a hard time calling them juniors because they are strong as most the seniors. Bicycle racing is having some growth with all the young racers.

The Oliver Brothers, Keaton and Austin.

Runonce

2008-08-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

Its interesting sometimes to think about some of the readers of the Cullman Cycling Blog. Its mindblowing that people read it all over the world. The magic of the Internet.

Runonce has been a faithful reader and contributor since the first post. We have known each other forever and its always great so see her comments. I try to contribute some ideas to her bicycle and triathlon training in exchange for her consulting on linguistic projects.

A collegiate rower in the Ivy League, Runonce has transferred that developed power and endurance into cycling.

She is known now days for her developmental rides with the beginners on Monday from her local shop. Runonce rides a brand new Trek Madone.

"45 miles and some chocolate milk."

Tour de Cullman 2008

2008-08-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Look for an announcement of the 2008 version of the Tour de Cullman. Hopefully the date will be set by Labor Day. Right now it is looking like it will be Saturday October 18th. That is an off weekend for the BamaCross series, so as always our North Alabama's race of "Falling of the Leaves".

Alabama State Championships

2008-08-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

?The Future of Cullman Cycling

The Cullman Cycling Club was well represented at the 2008 Alabama State Cycling Championships. Austin Oliver lead the charge with a 2nd overall in the 15/16 boys road race. The race was held at a new course outside Hartselle in Morgan County, which has some of the smoothest roads but also some of the most challenging climbs in Alabama. Adding to Cullmans palmares Austins brother Keaton finished 2nd in the 13/14 boys road race. Keaton's first official race....is there something in the genes? Keaton was outsprinted by Nathan Spence of Team Bikework's, SuperDave's Edwards team from Huntsville. Tyler Wilson added to Cullman Cyclings effort finishing strong in his first ever Alabama State Road Race. According to Tom Oliver the Cullman kits were well represented.

The womens race.....is that Amy Gravlee of TeamMedplan? Amy doing what she been doing all year...Riding Strong!

Adam Goldweber wearing a BBC kit trying to lobby to ride in the womens road race.

This picture tells it all. A future champion with a past Alabama State Champion. Rumor is there was some stategy being discussed for the 2008 Tour de Cullman. Some alliances?

ENOUGH SAID

2008-07-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

Cullman Cycling ...Italy...De Rosa...does it get any better than this?

Goldweber digiuna nell'uniforme con CUORE!

2008-07-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from a road race in Memphis showing Adam Goldweber representing Cullman Cycling Club.

Not satisfied with his performance, but just in the field.

Once again, Adam in the CCC Kit in Memphis. Finished and FINISHED!!! according to Adam.

"The Race of Truth"

2008-07-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Austin Oliver wins the state time trial. Simply put "The Race of Truth".

The Cullman Cycling Club junior team put on quite a show at the Alabama State Time Trial Championships. Austin Oliver won first in 15/16's. He has been fine tuning his position and becoming a serious threat in any time trial or road race. As all the greats will tell you, in order to be a great tour rider you must be a great time trialer. Looking good for the boy wonder.

This is a race recap from Austin discussing his new training program and coach:

"Frank told me to keep my HR at 185-190 for the first 3 min then go as hard as I possibly could for the rest of the way. I got my HR up to 200 and kept it there for the entire time trial. Only once or twice would it drop down to 199 or 198. For the sprint finish I got it up to 206! It was awesome but one of the most painful things I've ever done. They separated us by 2 min and I caught my 2 min man before we got to the halfway point. That kid came in 2nd and I ended up beating him by about 4:40! Frank gave me good advice on how to go about doing it because I felt really good. It definitely hurts more but it paid off."

I like that part about a HR of 206. The US Developmental Camp and a coach are showing a changed man in the Cullman cycling community.

He's Back! Austin returns from camp.

2008-07-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

. Austin Oliver has returned from camp. After several top junior finishes this spring and early summer, Austin earned a spot at the Lance Armstrong/USA Cycling Developmental Camp. I haven't had a chance to visit with Austin and hear all about the camp but there will be a future blog with photos I hope. Its really exciting for a guy his age to be so serious about his cycling. I am a big believer in being exposed to events like this camp, it helps you tremendously down the road. He will be a changed man and much more confident about his ability racing.

"Something Special"

2008-06-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

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Chi è la bambina sul De Rosa! È quello un Idolo?

There was plenty of cycling in Cullman this past weekend. Saturday we rode the Blountsville loop via Racehorse Johnson Parkway stopping for lunch and then returning through Walter. Some or our Cullman cyclists will be heading to Italy for a tour within a month. We tried on Saturday to imitate a typical European touring journey by riding 20-25 miles eating lunch then riding another 20-25 miles. Unfortunately we ate at "Something Special". They have been is business for many years according to the owner. Their specialty was pulverized chicken salad. I think the Italian ristorante at any given crossroad will be divine compared to our lunch adventure.

Sunday, The East Cullman Peleton had a couples ride. The ride began at William R. Faulk's house and we rode to Hanceville and back via the tunnel route. It was a great turn out with several new riders. By the number of people riding I think there is alot of interest in riding, but most people seem to have gotten off to a slow start this year.

Austin Oliver "Burns" The Tour of Atlanta

2008-05-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

"To defeat those armies, we must prepare the way to reach them in their recesses, provided with the arms and instruments which enable us to accomplish our purpose."

General William Tecumseh Sherman

Austin Oliver raced a very successful 2008 Tour of Atlanta. He raced all five days completing the stage race. Austin competed not only in the Juniors (hes 15) but also in the Cat 4/5.

Austin punching it on the time trial. He made a strong showing finishing in the top 20 averaging over 25 mph. This was his first time trial!

Austin impresses me the most with how serious he is about his sport. He was prepared and organized going in to the Tour of Atlanta. Above he is warming up getting that heart rate up and the blood flowing.

Austin was proactive in the race. If its not happening you make it happen. He was a one man show against the Frazier Cycling Team from Georgia. Austin finished 3rd in the Junior Crit.

In the stage featuring a 50 mile road race, Austin stayed with the lead pack of 4/5’s until ~ 2miles to go he, he came in with the second group still finishing 24th. He beat all the juniors except one. Most of the Frazier boys got dropped on first lap.

"I think tactically he learned a lot and feels like he got a tremendous fitness effect."

Tom Oliver

Tour of Atlanta

2008-05-21T20:41:00.001-07:00

Cullman's own Austin Oliver heads to the Tour of Atlanta today. He did his final preparations this week in preparations to compete in the junior division. The stage race will run Thursday through Monday.

Austin dialed in his position on a time trial bike, to hopefully help him in the TT part of the stage race. There will be a couple of road races and criteriums included in the five day event.

We will all be watching for results on the internet as Cullman's Boy Wonder takes on the Tour of Atlanta.

Team MedPlan

2008-05-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Riding under the sponsorship and direction of Kelly Bownes, Team MedPlan cycling team was formed in 2008. Not only a super team of women's cycling but a great group of women. Team MedPlan has a very active roster for the 2008 season which includes 15 riders on the racing team, 10 Cat 4 developmental riders and 5 club members.

They can be seen out training and racing in the best looking kits around. I think it really shows Kelly's attention to detail which is exemplified in her success in and out of the peloton. Imagine forming a cycling team and making it all work. That's the magic. Its not only the support and logistics, but also the underwriting of it all. Kelly has done so much to promote cycling in Alabama and the Southeast. There is a huge need for more people to get involved in supporting cycling.

This past February the team held its training camp in North Georgia with 100 percent participation. The MedPlan girls have been a major factor in the southeast women's racing series this spring, all the way from the Sumatanga training races to the very elite Athens Twilight Criterium. The team will be racing most weekends this season in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Mississippi. Expect to see them on the Podium!

The "Diesel" taking a pull with Amy Gravlee in tow.

Team MedPlan doing it again at the Chattanooga Criterium.

This is my favorite, worthy of the Daily Distraction Page of Pez Cycling News.

Anniston Criterium

2008-05-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love this photo because it shows how fast these guys are going at it. 40mph to be exact. The above photo shows Rahsaan Bahati of the Rock Racing Team leading a lap of the criterium.

I have a couple of blog entries in the "can" right now but I really wanted to go ahead and post something about the Sunny King Criterium. This was my first trip to the race and I was very impressed. There was a stellar pro field and all the amateur races were stacked also.

Austin Oliver, Cullmans Boy Wonder kept his streak alive with a great performance in the junior race. He made the podium with riders from Atlanta and Nashville etc., ever proving he is ever the real deal.

The women's race was very heated with a huge crash that took out several Team MedPlan racers and a few surviving. I spoke to Amy Gravlee Saturday night after the men's pro race and she obviously was a little dissappointed. Her limp gave away alot and the road rash had to be painful. Seems a junior female took out alot of the combined field of 3/4 women and Amy got tangled up in the chaos.

Brian Toone is amazing. I have never met Brian but I know one thing he is an incredible racer. It takes so much just to hang with speed the pros do. There was a very impressive collection of pro racers in the 70 lap event, most of who had just competed in the Athens Twilight Criterium. Brian who rides for the Tria Market Cycling Team was a major player in the race. He made several tactical moves which were very impressive since he had no team support. Here is a very weak photo which I made in the dark of Brian Toone on a solo break.

In this photo he is trying to bridge the gap back to the 10 riders that had made a break from the main field. The main point is that he was a player in the race.

"Country Al" and "Big Larry" made a cigar smoking appearance. They were at Talladega for some motorcycle racing. Al needed to be out there in the bicycle race, I think it had to be eating on him to see the action. I am sure he will be back.

Cullman Spring Classic 2008

2008-04-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

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The 2008 version of the Cullman Spring Classic lived up to its reputation. What started as a warm sunny day in northern Alabama ended like the classics of northern Europe, cold windy pouring rain. All this at the most crucial sector of the race, at the final climb to the top of Prospect Mountain to win the KOM.

Early in the ride the Bicycle Works boys were doing alot of the work, seemed to be some background rivalry going on with the Cullman Cycling Club. The selection was made early and a group of about 15 riders escaped on the first climb up Prospect Mountain. On the rollers through the coal mines the lead group got whittled down to the very elite.

The King of the Mountain in the 2008 CSC was Dusty Davis from Birmingham, who won with a blistering attack on the final acent of Prospect Mountain.

Adam Goldweber won the Masters, ahead of Casey Fannin and Chris Rossi.

Austin Oliver took the Junior title. Above with Chris Rossi showing a little gratitude for some help in the chase group. A first ever for Cullman Cycling Club was Havilah Burton winning the womens race.

SuperDave putting his spin on what happend or didnt happen. Dave is the owner of Bicycle Works in Huntsville and sponsors the Bicycle Works Cycling Team.

Dusty giving his victory speech after an incredible throw down done by Liz and Bill St. John.

Does that say Alabama Wheelmen? James Hall wearing a vintage jersey from those olden daze.

Black Gold

2008-04-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

What does this mean? The Cullman Spring Classic will be massive energy expended for the BLACK GOLD. Here is a cheat of the trophies, prediction is an epic ride for the coveted trophies.

Prospect Mountain

2008-04-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

This a quick video of some Cullman Cycling Club members including Austin Oliver climbing Prospect Mountain. Austin just finished 2nd in the Crit in Chattanooga, he survived the carnage very respectably in the Cat 4 race.

Word is that a flotilla of cyclists will be passing over Prospect this weekend.

Tracy McKay Races Heart of the South 500

2008-04-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

I have known Tracy for a long time, we met about 20 years ago when I was doing alot of racing and he was just getting into endurance sports. My career wound down and Tracy kept going full tilt. He now runs an endurance and coaching company, Transitions Multisport. He does personalized coaching on all levels from novice to world class athletes. I enjoy going by his gym over in Homewood just to escape and touch base with whats going on in the multisport world. Tracy is an incurable optimist, I am not sure I have met too many more dynamic and creative.

What possessed Tracy to compete and finish RAAM (Race Across America) tells you something about him. He also attempted the world 12 hour distance record on the Talladega International Racetrack. This year he is back in the mix having raced and finished the Heart of the South 500 mile bike race (that's 500miles in one stage!). Here are some excepts from Tracy's website. You can read his blog/recap of his race that ended up with Tracy in the hospital after the finish. http://www.transitionsmultisport.com/

"My knees are very sore, my tongue is ulcerated, my ankles hurt and my toes are numb, my ass is cut up pretty good and my eyes are swollen partially shut.....things couldn't be better! really!!"

The Heart of the South 500 is actually 517 miles,starts in Bham, Al. and travels north east into Ga. and back to Bham for the finish

We raced for about 390 miles straight in the rain

We climbed 2600 feet in a 7.3 mile stretch

I was wet and cold during the entire time

The crew told crude jokes and played various IPOD favorites to help pass the time

The "FLYING J" truck stop was a little slice of heaven, it provided warmth, civilization and coffee!!!!

As the night went on and into Peidmont, I acquired double vision...

I found myself with rollers that would lead me to Mt. Cheaha

Then the epic climb! We hit Cheaha at the 400 mile mark...

Every pedal, stroke was accounted for

We reached the top in dark of the early morning

The Buddy Bike

2008-04-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

Now this a good change of pace, The Buddy Bike. While stumbling around one night in Villefranche I had to do a double take. I know I had a couple of Kronenbourgs but this bike has two riders side by side. I just starred for a few moments to try to figure out how you ride it. Sometimes the drawback to a typical tandem is someone has to be in the front and someone in the back, enough said. Maybe this makes sense for a bicycle made for two.

Goldweber Pipped for the Podium

2008-04-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tour de Tuscaloosa 2008

Hard charging Adam Goldweber gets pipped at the line. Goldweber is on the far left front wearing the blue kit of Cullman Cycling Club.

Goldweber e Oliver che Forza!

2008-03-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

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Adam Goldweber and Austin Oliver rode very impressive races in the highly competitive Tour de Tuscaloosa.

Austin worked hard in the chase pack to finish 3rd in the junior 14-15 class, qualifying for the Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Racing Series training camp later this summer.

Austin's class was won by Tuscaloosa VeloCity Cycle Team's Logan in a very impressive solo breakaway.

Recap of Adam Goldwebers race:

The Tour de Tuscaloosa Road Race started on a cool, humid day. The field was a whos who of the Alabama cycling scene. Adam Goldweber, donned his "snug" CCC Kit and represented it well. He rode a smart race on the 40 mile technically difficult course. Biding his time until the last hill, he rode to the front, staying on the 2nd and 3rd wheel. With a little more than 1K to go, Adam went to the front and set the tempo. Riders were moving up and Adam was getting boxed in, nervous but not panicked Adam was on the wrong wheel and moving back. At the 200 meter to go sign, the road opened up, and while Adam got a later start on his sprint than others, he was nipped at the line and finished 5th. Yes Adam Goldweber represented the Cullman Cycling Kit with Forza!

Nissa Socca

2008-03-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was in France preparing for the Nice World Triathlon Championships and while wandering through the "Old City" section of Nice, I discovered Nissa Socca. In the daytime its a garage door at night its an incredible gastronomical adventure. Buried deep in the old city of Nice, its on the ancient rue Ste-Réparate. The restaurant is run by two Corsican Brothers who combine traditional Corsican cuisine with Nicoise of the region. Did you know that pizza was invented in this region of southern France? From what they told me much of the region was originally part of Italy. In Nissa Socca they have a huge brick oven where they do all the cooking. I was amazed that they even boil water in it. The menu is very simple they have a couple of seafood dishes which are fresh depending on the catch, the Nicoise salad which is a specialty of the region, pasta and of course pizza. The locals are there for the chick pea rossoles, stuffed vegetables and ratatouille. On the beverage side the only beer was of course Kronenbourg, the wine is served in large recycled bottles from the caverne de vin a couple of doors down rue Ste-Réparate. Its been on my intenerary many times now and if you are ever in the region you have to go to Nissa Socca.

Tour Preparations

2008-03-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Austin and crew did the Triple Bypass ride which not only passes over Skyball Mountain but also what is known as Hog Mountain. This is a sadistic training ride which no one really enjoys. It was noted that it is getting harder and harder to stay on Austins wheel. He is training like a madman for the Tour de Tuscaloosa. If he finishes first or second in the road race he qualifies for the regional Lance Armstrong developmental camp. I think its in the bag!

Austin Oliver Rocks! Sumatanga #3

2008-03-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

. Austin Oliver hammering up Chandler Mountain

Sprinting to a Top Ten Overall!

Austin Oliver showed why alot of people not just in Cullman are excited. Austin rode a great race today and finished in the TOP TEN OVERALL of the Sumatanga Race Series which in the finale finished on top of Chandler Mountain. This was a brutal climb after a very hard and fast 40 mile road race. Austin stayed in the main pack until after the 4th lap of the road race then the chaos began. On the lead up to the base of Chandler Mountain several attacks took place, Austin countered and began the long steep climb to the finish.

Partie Deux de Sumatanga!

2008-03-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day for racing at Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, Alabama. As the previous week there was a great turnout both locally and regionally. The A race was 50 miles and the B race 40.

Do they know how to have a good time in Cullman or what? The Cullman Cycling Club was out with families and a pre race picnic. On the spread was coffee from Primavera Coffee Roasters in Cahaba Heights. Brett and Havilah Burton made ground fresh coffee with a french press to get the Cullman boys motivated. Also on the table was great sandwiches and homemade cup cakes.

The Cullman Cycling Club riders, Cayce Cherry, Brett Burton, Bill St. John and Austin Oliver, plotting some pre race strategy.

Huge turnout in both races. The racers lining up for the 40 mile B race.

Amy Gravlee had a stellar race and made the selection. Amy looked strong and good in that new Team Medplan kit. She was in the sprint to win the race overall.

Austin Oliver put in another great performance. Austin is a junior racer and finished in the main break.

The race according to Super Dave. David Edwards of Bike Works in Huntsville, giving some post race analysis

AUSTIN POWER!

2008-01-30T18:03:00.000-08:00

.......................Austin Power: Local Man of Misery

Local junior rider Austin Oliver has been hitting the gym in preparations for the 2008 season. Rumor is he will be wearing the CCC kit for 2008, and riding with a new Campagnolo grouppo.

New Years Day Ride

2008-01-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

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After a fantastic New Years dinner and party hosted by the St. Johns we struggled thru a ride more appropriately an artic ride New Years Day. We had a nice group to start the year off right. Austin Oliver worked over the group...a condition that will become familiar. We rode the Bethsadia loop which was a little over 30 miles.

Homemade biscuits with ham, jam, cheese and coffee when we got back, all the suffering was worth it!

Tour de Lombardia

2008-01-03T19:44:00.000-08:00

Held in the autumn season in October the Tour de Lombardia is called "the race of the falling leaves" or "la classica delle foglie morte".

A local priest Father Ermelindo Vigano declared Madonna del Ghisallo the patroness of cyclists, which was recognized by Pope Pius XII. The Chapel of Madonna del Ghisallo contains a museum of cycling with some very interesting artifacts, including an eternal flame for the cyclists who have died.

These are some great pictures worthy of Pez Cycling News. Some of our Cullman Cycling Club members were relaxing and riding around Como and got some great shots.

The group climbing up towards the Madonna del Ghisallo.

Now this one is really worthy of Pez.

Cullman Cyclocross 2007

2007-12-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

Two wheels but a lot faster

2007-11-22T03:21:00.000-08:00

Country Al was in town for a little brushing up on his other two wheel sport. Al brought several of the Nashville Ducati racers through Cullman on their way to Barber Motor Speedway for a track day.

We had a great lunch at the AllSteak and then headed down to the St. John farm for some dirt track fun. Country Al impressed me with his passion for competitiveness, I dont think it matters what he is doing its all about giving it everything you have.

Couple of the "Super Bikes" on the way to Barbers.

Al working the crew on the XL100s. Smiling as usual.

BAMA CROSS

2007-11-22T03:16:00.000-08:00

Avondale Park was a stop on the now super popular BAMACROSS series. Cyclocross is becoming a main event on the cycling scene in Alabama. The weather hasn't been quite like the Belgian sleet storms and mud but every bit as brutal as the classic races in Europe.

Bill St. John showing a fellow racer how its done.

The racers coming through one of the faster sections. The Avondale Park race had a field of 100 racers.

The Video

2007-10-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Tria Delivers a One-Two Punch

2007-10-15T03:06:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Tour de Cullman got off to a great start. We had 75 riders which included some old faces and alot of new riders. Conditions could not have been better, the temperature in the low 70s with slight head wind heading out which meant a tailwind on the final climb up Skyball and the ride home.

A special addition to the ride were the guys from California, who rolled in right before the start. This created some nice pre ride drama. From what I understand they had their usual pre ride meeting in the late hours the night before (or early). Leading the group was "Country AL" Mittlesdorf, who has won several Tour de Cullman's.

Brett Barker lead the ride out in the mandatory tourist pace for the first 23 miles. This year he tried to keep a more regulated pace which worked out well. It was "Grouppo Compatto" all the way to the now traditional personal relief zone.

From the break the riders headed down towards Chambless Mill, and the wooden bridge where the KOM competition begins. As the better riders worked their way to the front they crossed the wooden bridge and the pace speeded up. The roads around the bridge are one and a half lane with a couple of good climbs and some twists and turns making it very technical.

As the riders exited the Chamblees Mill sections the green flag was dropped and the gauntlet went down. The riders now on the parkway, there was some panic and jockeying for position. They then turned onto the first true climb on Skyball and the selection was made as they entered the Circle of Death.

In the selection was Rucker Agee, Country Al, Jim Brock, Kevin White, Chris Rossi, Randy Crow, Ronny Smith, Tracy Mckay and Philip Thompson. There were other riders right behind and then a horrific wreck happened as some wheels touched sending Ocie Wade to Urgent Care with some nasty road rash.

Once on the steep grade of the first climb Philip Thompson made a move that would prove to be a supreme tactical move. Looks like the Tria boys had a plan and it was working to Philips advantage. Philip never looked back and motored down Skyball road. When he turned onto Joy road aka "The Meat Grinder" he had 1:00 up on the chasing group as he hammered over the series of four climbs. It appeared that organization was going to be difficult in the chasing peleton. When Philip hit the lower section of the final climb his lead had actually grown.

On the four mile accent up to the finish Philip Thompson increased his lead and crested the KOM with no one in sight. On the final climb, Kevin White, Jim Brock, Rucker Agee and Country Al started the lower slopes together. Jim Brock flatted on the steeper sections of the climb which removed him from the podium. Kevin White crested Skyball 1:42 behind Philip with Country Al at 2:42 back.

In the womens KOM Terri Jones won the overall trophy topping Skyball a very strong 5:50 back. Taking the masters trophy was Amy Gravlee who like Jones finished within the top 20 riders overall. In her first Tour de Cullman Beth Santoro was third.

Terri Jones with her Trophy!

Calm before the storm...

2007-10-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

A view of the upper section of the final climb. Pay dirt is right around the corner. Whether you are racing for the Trophy or just wanting to finish the ride, the end is near.

There will be a steady stream of bicycle riders crossing the mountain on Saturday. You can see the old telecommunications towers about half way up and once you hear the accordion music you know you are near the summit.

Everybody Wants One of These!

2007-10-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

King of the Mountain. The KOM trophy is handcrafted out of a limestone block and has Campagnolo chain rings attached. Usually something like a 54/42 or another massive gear combination to represent the maximum effort to be the first person to the top of Skyball Mountain.

There have been some epic battles especially over the past few years. The 2005 Tour was the closest I can recall with Kevin White out sprinting Xterra World Champion, Casey Fannin. In the 2006 race Jeff Terry dropped a very strong field to take the trophy. Once on the Circle of Death it became a cat and mouse game between Jim Brock, Adam Goldweber, Jeff Terry, David Farabaugh and Jason Donaldson.

The 2006 women's KOM was dominated by Lee Farabaugh. Arguably the best Tour de Cullman field, Lee rode away from the women's division. 2005 women's KOM Elizabeth Fox suffered a mechanical on the Circle of Death, and still finished strong.

Its not all about the overall winners but its becoming quite a feat to be the first person to the top of Skyball.

James Hall showing some form!

2007-09-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Training Secrets Revealed

2007-09-29T05:22:00.001-07:00

Looks like the California boys have been training hard in preparations for the Tour de Cullman. Papa Beezer and the Brown Wonder have ridden several Tours and Cullman Spring Classics. They definitely win the longest travel award, living in northern California. This also shows some of the networking magic of the Tour. TJ Tucciarone who lives in the Oakland area brought Papa Beezer and Brown Wonder to the Tour a couple of years ago. Now they are in the mix and definitely add a lot to the ride. They are known for their preparations the night before the Tour. Usually Al, TJ, Beezer and Brown Wonder have a prerace strategy meeting in Nashville which lasts well into the morning of the ride.

.............................Papa Beezer and Brown Wonder

Three Weeks Out!

2007-09-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

This past weekend North Carolina uber master Chris Rossi was in town. Bill St. John and Rossi are old friends from their motorcycle racing days. He is riding a new Pinarello Dogma built up with campy record and zipp wheels. On Saturday Bill headed up our ride which was a modified Spring Classic route. Myself, Rossi, Bill and Cayce Cherry rode. We ended up with close to 60 miles and a lot of climbing. With the heat and humidity I think its still summertime.

Sunday's ride was a modified Tour de Cullman route, which of course included the Circle of Death. I think all of our legs were sore from the day before, I was trying to slow the pace down. As we made the first climb which is at least second toughest of the Tour and I know the steepest, Bill was showing some good form and attacked. As we crested the top of the first climb Chris made contact and that's the last I saw of them. Nobody seems to want to hear my excuses but I am struggling this year and after 25 years of riding its okay.

I got some great video footage of Rossi and St. John on the tougher section of the final climb to the top of Skyball Mountain. Rossi made the move somewhere on the lower slopes and put the hammer down. I think anyone in the masters division needs to take note. He has been a perennial top 10 finisher in all the Tour de Cullmans he has ridden in. With the new bike he seems pretty motivated.

History of the Tour

2007-09-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Several people have emailed me about the format and some history of the Tour de Cullman. The ride has morphed over the past 13 years into a fun ride with some serious competition thrown in.

The original tour back in 1994 was a reunion ride for a group of former racers, most of who raced in the eighties. The ride was composed of a couple of category 2 state champions, a master state champion, a professional triathlete and a bunch of guys who loved to spend time in the saddle. We all spent many three hour plus rides together around the University of Alabama, so as most cycling people know you formed that unique bond. In the late 80s we all went our separate ways and had to get real jobs.

The idea for the Tour de Cullman came after seeing a few of the guys years later. We talked about getting back together and going riding again. I put the ride together and hosted it at my house in Cullman. The first year we had 12 riders. The plan was to go out for an easy ride then return to my house, have a party and revisit old times and rides.

You know what happens when you get a group of cyclist together. What started out as an easy stroll through the Cullman countryside turned into a 45 mile hammer session. Even though everyone was out of shape it didn't take long for the pace to go off scale. Soon the chatter in our group was we needed a sprint and preferably ending on a hill top. I thought this was suppose to be a fun ride. We ended up sprinting to a telephone pole on top of Stouts Mountain, with Richard Prewitt edging Arthur Patrick by a fraction of a wheel.

After the sprint we took it easy and rolled back to my house. We refueled with lots of homemade pasta, bread and some great beer. Everyone had a great time and it was a unanimous decision that we had to do this every year.

The next year everyone invited someone/networked a little and had 25 riders. The tour also got a little longer and tougher, moving the KOM from Stouts to Skyball Mountain. One thing that stuck in the format was Jacques Emplaincourt telling me that great European races end with an uphill sprint. Everyone enjoyed the laid back competition but also the challenging terrain of Cullman and Blount counties. The second year I added an official King of the Mountain trophy. This seemed to really unleash the beasts and soon I was informed that it became an official underground race.

FORMAT

An important influence of the more recent Tour de Cullmans is the gran fondo rides in Europe. I think you can make the ride appeal to more people and definitely make it more fun by having everyone start and hopefully finish together. One thing I have found is that hobby riders like a challenge and competition. Even the slower riders like the tough route and want to know where they finished in the KOM compared to the elites. The most important thing to me is to have riders of all abilities, male and female, elite to novice. Over the past 13 years it has been an interesting collection of people.

The Tour de Cullman rolls out at noon from my house on the southeast side of Cullman with a strictly enforced tourist pace (less than 18mph). We have a motorcycle escort and a gentleman's agreement is you cannot pass the motorcycle. We ride with support through Cullman and Blount Counties for 22 miles at a very easy pace. When the peleton crosses Chamblees Mill Bridge the motorcycle increases the speed to 20 mph. This is to separate the faster riders from the people wanting to just enjoy the ride and take it easy. A green flag is dropped once we roll onto "Race Horse" Johnson Parkway. At this point you can drop the hammer and go with the riders competing for the KOM or you can continue on at any pace you like.

The road is smooth and leads up the the first climb of Skyball Mountain where the selection is made. Once you start the first climb you begin the Circle of Death. The circle is roughly 20 miles with several tough climbs and some fast descents. It is also some incredibly beautiful countryside. At the end of the circle you begin climbing the 4 mile accent back up Skyball Mountain. The KOM is on top of the mountain, the 40 mile mark of the ride.

Once the first rider reaches the summit the watch starts and the riders times are recorded. There is a trophy for the overall KOM male and female, masters male and female (40+), most aggressive male and female, and the Cullman division.

The riders celebrate the finish with accordion music and some refreshments. When all the riders have reached the summit we regroup and ride back into Cullman at your own pace. Back in town after the ride, the "Podium" begins at 4:00 with the same format as the first tour; fresh pasta, bread and beer (plenty of other liquids).

Cullman Espoir

2007-09-17T03:14:00.000-07:00

Local rider Austin Oliver is preparing for his first Tour de Cullman. He is the 14 year old son of local rider Dr. Tom Oliver. They can be see on the roads several days a week. Austin has been racing this summer in a few triathlons and has had several great finishes. Tom and Austin competed in the Mountain Lakes Triathlon in Guntersville and also the Frantic Frog in Scottsboro. They both ride Cannondales tricked out by David Edwards of Bicycle Works.

Austin looks like a favorite in the white jersey division and maybe a dark horse in the local Cullman rider division. I know he will be the youngest to complete the whole ride and race the Circle of Death. Look for him on the top of Skyball!

BIGFOOT

2007-09-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

One of the more interesting facts about the Tour de Cullman is the route and climb up Skyball Mountain which passes through Blount County, Alabama. There have been several Bigfoot sightings. Before the first climb of Skyball, The Tour de Cullman passes through a heavily wooded and hilly area called Chamblees Mill. There is a single lane wooden bridge and ruins of an old water powered mill. The road was originally a wagon trail and is on the Streights Raid route from the Civil War. The section of road was made famous during our bike tours for the comments by Jacques Emplaincourt. He said never take the section out because it reminded him of the Arenberg Forrest sector in the classic Paris Roubaix.

In the Tour de Cullman once you cross the wooden bridge the tempo begins to get a little uncomfortable. You know the climbs of Skyball await and on the first climb the selection is made.

Below is an article that describes a history of some Bigfoot sightings on Skyball mountain. The article was published on The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization website.

Report # 1830 (Class C) Submitted by J. B. on Friday, September 17, 1999.

Two separate sighting reports of a creature YEAR: 1975

SEASON: Summer

STATE: Alabama

COUNTY: Blount County

LOCATION DETAILS: These both occurred in Blount county, Alabama. The first sighting was in 1975 about 2 miles from the Chamblee Mill bridge.

NEAREST TOWN: this area is located in a triangle between Blountsville, Hanceville & Holly Pond.

NEAREST ROAD: 2 miles from the Chamblee Mill bridge.

OBSERVED: I myself have never seen a bigfoot. But, I have two reports that were told to me. These both occurred in Blount county, Alabama. The first sighting was in 1975 about 2 miles from the Chamblee Mill bridge.
A friend of mine had just dropped me off after football practice. He was driving home on the road that crosses the bridge, this area is located in a triangle between Blountsville, Hanceville & Holly Pond. He saw a large black or brown hairy figure stepping out of the woods as he was coming around a curve. He was startled and almost wrecked his car. His story later appeared in the Cullman Times, a paper in Cullman, Alabama. He later told me that he never was more affraid in his life. He looked it right in the eye and it stepped back in the woods. The location he saw it at is about a mile from my childhood home.
The second sighting occurred on Skyball mountain some 2-3 miles from this sighting. My brother was driving alone on the road that crosses Skyball mountain. The area has very few homes on the mountain. There are streches of the road that are 2-3 miles before a house is located. The time was late evening around 11 pm or later in August 1991 or 1992. He had just topped a small rise on the road and began to smell a strong odor (he had his window down). He looked to the right of the road and saw a large dark figure walking through the tall weeds that were beside the road. He first thought it was a horse but it stepped out on the road. He described it as 8 feet tall, large, hairy, no neck, coal black eyes and covered in dark brown or black hair. He said it looked dead at him and he stopped his car. He thought about putting car in reverse but instead just sat there looking at it. He said it must of stood there a minute or longer. It smelled awful, it had long arms and large dark hair covered hands. It just walked off in to the woods on the other side of the road and he drove home.

OTHER WITNESSES: The early sighting: He had just finished dropping me off after football practice and was driving home.The later sighting: He was out driving around after taking his friend home.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: late evening hours and late Summer for both events.

ENVIRONMENT: This areas has pine trees and hardwoods as well. A creek is not far at all.

Labor Day Weekend

2007-09-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

The King Lives!

2007-09-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend proved to be some great training and a few surprises. The weekend got off to a fast start with Transitions Multisport proprietor Tracy McKay in town for some recon training. Tracy has ridden in most of the Tour de Cullmans including the first one back in 1994, taking the KOM once.

I tried to hide behind my coffee cup when he knocked on my door. Tracy is sporting a little lighter chassis as he prepares for an Ironman next month. I will try to post a video of part of our ride. On our way thru Hanceville we had an interesting sighting.

Only in Cullman do you have an Elvis sighting

Later during the weekend we rode the Circle of Death loop. As we made it over the first climb and were descending down Skyball road we passed a horse and buggy, then we came up behind a group on horse back.

We had a good group that included Toby Rumbarger, Scott Montana, Casey Cherry and Bill St. John. The ride proved brutally hot with pleanty of suffering and some mechanicals thrown in for some added pleasure.

The highlight of the ride was when we returned to the St. John farm and Bill had prepared us homemade organic smoked sausage, and a couple of nice beers.

Bicycle Touring

2007-09-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

Philip Thompson (Spring Classic Winner) called me Wednesday night and had a special request. He had a cycling tourist staying in his front yard and was helping him find accomodations as he headed north. I volunteered my front yard.

Jeremy Aranoff passed through Cullman, on his way to Canada. Originally my yard was going to be the campground, but it was pouring down rain so Jeremy put up his tent in my brother Oscars garage. Jeremy is riding his bicycle back home to Canada after spending the summer in Alabama. He is an Architech and gave his summer to helping less fortunate in Greensboro with designing and building residences. The program is done through Auburn University.

Having been on two cycling trips, I could relate to Jeremys adventure. He has a great plan of doing 50 miles per day, which will put him back in Canada in two months. Jeremy hopes to get a job in Montreal.

Training Video Footage:

2007-08-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tour de Cullman 2007

2007-08-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

With the 2007 Tour de Cullman approaching there seems to be some activity on the roads in Cullman. Rumor of several teams riding is going around. An email arrived this week, mysteriously announcing a team of eight riders wearing black uniforms.

"We will have a team of at least eight, black jerseys w/skull and crossbones."

Although this is a mass start and finishes with a KOM, there could be some benefit to having team support. The picture below was taken last weekend of three unidentified riders cresting Skyball Mountain. You know its serious when stealth rides are going on in 100 degree + heat.

Earlier in the summer a training ride was headed up with several well known regional cyclists:

In this photo it appears 2006 podium finisher Adam Goldweber is testing the legs of a World Championship contender and an Ironman.

Eight weeks...October 13th.

2007-08-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

Cullman Spring Classic 2007

The 2007 Cullman Spring Classic got underway in perfect conditions as the “A” group headed west and the “B” group headed east from the depart.

Event tee-shirts honored local legend Carson Glasscock

After a 12 mile neutral warm-up through rolling farmland, the racing began in earnest for the A’s. The dial went to eleven as the group approached Prospect Mtn. from the North for the first major selection of the day. The elite group of about eight made themselves known and the defending champion Country Al Mittelsdorf cleared the summit with a small gap. Superdave Edwards, later presented with the coveted “Most Aggressive” trophy, put in a Herculean effort to lead the rest of the pack over the top and into pursuit.

The race route then led the competitors over the hilly and exposed crest of the mountain into a strong headwind for several miles. Race plans were hatched and much drafting and marking went on for miles until the route turned downwind on Highway 91 toward the final test of the
day.

Eventual winner Phillip Thompson, after marking all attacks from the lead group and pushing an amazing pace on the flats, cleared away on a successful solo breakaway. Chasers Mittelsdorf, Brian Sumners and Jay Boles made a crucial error as they rode off course past three DOT-specification route signs, putting an end to their challenge.

So ended the undefeated streak of Country Al in the CSC. The next chase group, including third place man Adam Goldweber, also went slightly past the well-marked turn and gave up their hard earned advantage over eventual second place finisher Chris Rossi when they had to double back to get on course.

The battle for first Cullman Cycling Club finisher was unfolding a little further back. After getting away from Toby Rumbarger, Cayce Cherry and Dave Edwards on the unforgiving crest road, a group including Bill St John and the hard driving Carson Glasscock fought neck and neck all the way to the base of the final climb up the South side of Prospect Mtn. This group also included Elizabeth Fox, the winner of the female trophy. She finished just behind Greg Kennedy, who had earlier slipped up the road to take the moral victory over the rest of this group.

The “B” ride welcomed several new faces from the Cullman Cycling scene along with a strong contingent from the CCC. Their forty mile route led over Mt. Doom and around the local benchmark “most beautiful ride.”

A nice party followed the ride where the competitors swapped stories and nursed their wounds. All but Phillip are looking forward to revenge in the fall Tour de Cullman.

Results for King of the Mountain – 2007 CSC

1. Phillip Thompson
2. Chris Rossi – 05:10
3. Adam Goldweber – 06:11
4. Sloan Bryan – 06:59
5. Greg Kennedy – 09:20
6. Elizabeth Fox – 09:48
7. Bill St. John – 09:49
8. Marty Mitchell – 10:22
9. Carson Glasscock – 11:08
10. Alan Hughes – 17:13
11. Dave Edwards – Same time
12. Cayce Cherry – 18:08
13. Merideth Grimsley – 20:42
14. Toby Rumbarger – 21:57
DNF (off course):
Alan Mittlesdorf
Brian Sumners
Jay Boles