2004 Ride Reports
December 5 - CCCC
Party sunny, calm and 32º this morning. Headed west out to Transit Rd., north to County
and then made our way up to tonawanda Creek Rd. Very little traffic today. That always
makes the ride easier. Worked our way over towards Akron and then headed back for
lunch. Ended up with just over 25 miles. Everyone wanted to eat outside except Bill. He
said he was going to eat inside. Not wanting to see him feel lonely, we all ate inside. The
conversation once again turned to the subject of winter activities. It looks like we will
be planning some outings once there is some snow on the ground. The temperature was up
to 34º as we left the coffee shop. The sun was out and it felt pretty nice.
Attended:
Bill Glor - ShockProof
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Dan Mangold - mountain bike
Bruce Raines - Club
Tom Barone - Speedmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
November 21 - CCCC
Another pretty decent day. It was party cloudy, calm and 45º as we headed out toward
Akron. Only a few people out on the path this morning. Mostly joggers with their dogs.
Kept up a faster pace than we've been doing lately. Must have been Bruce and Jeff out
in the front. Seemed like no time at all and we were in the park listening to the water fall.
Left the park and headed south to Stage Rd. Made our way over to the Tillman swamp and
up Shisler to Main and Strickler to the bike path. Had lunch out on the porch. Talked about
some possible winter outings. Cross country skiing and/or snow shoeing. All in all a good time
today, even if the sun never came out for very long.
Attended:
Jeff Gardner - upright
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Bruce Raines - Club
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
November 14 - CCCC
The morning was a bit on the cool side, 36º, but the sky was bright blue and completely
cloud free. Just a hint of a breeze out of the south west. Jerry suggested a remote start
and ride through Niagara County out to the wildlife preserves. Normally when we park
at the Rapids Fire Hall we have the parking lot entirely to ourselves. Not today though.
The lot was full and there were cars and trucks parked up and down the road. The firemen
were having their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser. We managed to find a few empty
spots and were soon on our way. We  headed east and then north working our way over to
A. J.'s for a break. Dan seemed to lagging behind this morning. A quick check of his bike
found a broken spoke and an out of true rear wheel. His brake was dragging on the high spot.
Out came the tool pouches and within minutes the rim was brought back to near perfect
trueness. Well at least it wasn't dragging any more. Left A.J.'s and made our way up to
Rt. 77, into Genesee County, and over to the Tonawanda State Wildlife Management  Area.
There wasn't any wildlife scampering about today. This was probably due to the multitudes
of shooters firing away at targets. High power rifles, shotguns, handguns and assault weapons
filled the fall air with blasts, bangs, echo's and the smell of burnt gunpowder. It was truly
awesome. Left the refuge and headed south, crossed "the bridge from hell" and found ourselves
in Erie County. Kept to the back roads that were traffic free and made our way back to the
fire hall. It was one thirty and the lot was mostly empty. Ended up with 30.6 miles today and
hit three counties. Drove back to Clarence Center and had lunch out on the patio. There still
wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun felt great. Hopefully we'll have a few more Sundays like
this. That wouldn't be too hard to take.
Attended:
Bill Glor - ShockProof
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Bruce Raines - Club
Tom Barone - Speedmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
November 7 - CCCC
Partly sunny, 51º and a stiff wind out of the south west this morning. Bruce had his newly
outfitted Volae back for today's ride. He had the entire drive train changed over to Dura
Ace. Now it's probably one of the very quietest running bents' you'll ever hear (or not hear).
We headed west down to Transit and then made our way north into Niagara county. Kept to
the back roads and didn't meet much traffic at all. Stopped on Block church Rd. and checked
out the completed rip rap revetment project. Riding back was a bit of a chore as the wind
picked up some and we were heading straight into it. Ended up with 30 miles today. The
thermometer at the bank indicated 56º as we had lunch out on the patio. The sun was shining
and life was good.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Bruce Raines - Club
Tom Barone - Speedmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
October 31 - CCCC

Halloween ride report:
The parking lot opposite the CCCC looked like a Nader rally -- no one there.  20-30mph
winds with gusts over 40 plus threatening skies kept attendance down to one. Temp was 54 º.
A few peaks of sun at the 10 AM start time led to the decision to get some ride time in. (October
has not been good for riding). Headed westward with the idea of breaking up the amount of riding
into the wind. Took the bike path to it's west terminus than jogged northeast through the suburban
sprawl of cul-de-sacs and courts and every other non-through road (and no traffic) eventually into the
open country roads (with occasional mansion) of Green Acres, Kenfield, Northfield, and Sesh.
Saw horses, cows, llamas, goats, and donkeys. Completed a clockwise circle over the more familiar
Cedar, Berghorn, Miland, and Sandhill to the bike path at Utley. West on the bike path back to CCCC
with the trees cutting down on the wind. Could not reach double digits in the open path between the
soccer fields, more like 8 1/2 mph against unabated gusts. Finished with only 23 miles, it seemed longer.
Temp was down to 51º at the finish, but no rain except for a few drops after the bike was on the
back of the car. Overall, not a horrible ride, but one to make one appreciative of the better outings
the past few months and to hope for a few more before the end of 2004.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley  -  HP Velotechnic Streetmachine
guarding the PT - Sam, Welsh Terrier
            (R.I.P. Rip)
.
October 24 - CCCC
Overcast, 46º and calm as we headed out on the damp bike path. Passed only of couple of
people on the trail out to Akron. Stopped at the falls for a break. Headed south to Stage
Rd. and west to Ransom. As we got to Main and Salt Rds. to began to get misty. Riding
north on Salt it started to get a little darker and it looked like the rain was imminent. We
lucked out and made it back to the coffee shop before it started to rain. A light steady
rain fell as we had lunch on the patio. By the time we were ready to leave the rain had stopped.
Attended:
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Bruce Raines - Litespeed
Tom Barone - Aero
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
October 10 - CCCC
  Even with Paul B. unable to ride due to a fractured left hand,  and Don T. in Florida,
we had ten stalwarts gather at CCCC this gloomy morning. Optimists that we are, we
brought our sunglasses along as we started out with the bank thermometer reading 49º.
Once rolling, we were reminded that the chill factor becomes more significant at sub-50
temps. With the season getting short, we agreed on some extra miles, so we headed north
east to AJ's in Wolcottsville in Royalton. Traversing Croop, Miland, Berghorn and Burdick
to a quick stop at the revetment project (where significant progress is showing) we continued
over Ertman to Fisk.  Traveling all these roads reverse direction from usual made them
seem new. A large gathering of Turkey Vultures perched on harvested hay rolls was a rare
sight. We hit AJ's at 14.2 miles.  We checked out a vintage snowmobile show and race in
Wolcottsville, but declined the $ 10 admission.
  We were comfortable as we headed back south on Mann to Foot with a northwest wind
and 51º (where it held).  Still no sun, but close to "cloudy bright" (check your  Kodak box).
We reentered Erie County at the "killer" bridge (slippery when wet).  Once west of Rt. 93
the top guns (Bruce, Bill, Dave, and Steve K) broke away, adding extra miles  and still reaching
the CCCC ahead of the tourist class, which came in from Sandhill on the  bike path, which we
found pleasantly deserted. The short trackers had 31.2 miles.
 With most of the clientele inside, we had the patio to ourselves. Steve K. patiently watched
us enjoy our lunch until the waitress finally decided that "youth must be served".
  The streak of pleasant sunny Sundays was kept alive. Unfortunately not until we were all
home.  In all however, an enjoyable ride.
Attended:
Dave Fleck - Tour
Bill Glor -  Shockproof
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Bill Peek - Hepcat
Teresa Peek - Tour
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Bruce Raines - Club
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
.
October 3 - CCCC
Another picture perfect day today. Totally clear bright blue skies, no humidity, a
bit breezy and 45º as we headed out on the bike path. Met very few people on the
paths and on the roads. Got to Akron Falls Park in no time flat. Had a nice break at
the falls. The temperature was rising so  most everyone started to shed their gloves
and jackets. Jerry led us on a new route after leaving the park. We headed south,
crossed Rt. 5 and turned onto Stage Rd.  Made our way east through the Tillman Rd.
wildlife preserve and back to Main St. and eventually back to Clarence Center. The
roads were in very good shape and the traffic was light. Ended up with just over 30
miles. Everyone agreed that it was a terrific ride. We will most definitely take this
route again. Enjoyed our lunch out on the patio in the sunshine.
Attended:
Bill Peek - Hep Cat
Teresa Peek - Tour
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Richard Uschold - Stratus
Bruce Raines - Club
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 26 - CCCC
We were blessed with another outstanding day again, weather wise. Bright clear blue
skies, no wind, no humidity and 56º as we headed east on the bike path. Passed a few
people out walking their dogs and enjoying the morning. Took a break at the falls and
then headed out down Indian Falls Rd. Bill hit 42.1 mph coasting down the big hill. He
never touched his pedals until he approached Bloomingdale Rd. I hit 42.8 on the Lynx
and I was pedaling like crazy. Go figure. Since it was such a gorgeous day we decided
to extend the ride and go north into Niagara County. We rode to the end of Cedar Rd.
but instead of crossing "the bridge from hell" we took a left down Koepsel Rd. This
road doesn't look like it would go anywhere but bruce assured us that it did indeed
go somewhere. it was at this point that Tom asked Al if he'd like to try out the Aero.
They switched bikes and rode down to rt.93. Getting off they discovered that both
the Aero and the Django had thrown their chains off the front sprockets. After a
few minutes of fiddling around the chains were back on and we were ready to continue
the ride. Before starting out again, Tom asked me if I'd like to ride the Aero. Our cleats
are different so I wasn't able to clip in. After finding a comfortable position for my
feet I started to accelerate some. Looking at the computer I saw 19.6 mph. I didn't
feel like i was pedaling that hard so i kicked it up a notch. Looking at the readout again
I saw 23.4 mph. Wow this bike flies, imagine if I was clipped in and had the seat adjusted
for my leg length. Now I see why the Aero is such a popular model with the go fast crowd.
I bet if fast Ed Weiss knew what this bike was capable of he have one for himself.
Meandering down the back roads we soon came to the revetment project on Block Church
Rd. We stopped here for a short break. When we got to Salt and Rapids Rds. the group
split. Tom, Bill and Bruce stayed on Rapids heading west and the rest of us went south on
Salt. We ended up with just over 33 miles and they got in just over 41 miles. Lunch on the
patio was excellent as always. This was  one of the very best group rides we had all season.
Attended:
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Tom Barone - Aero
Bill Glor - Shockproof
Bruce Raines - Club
Al Pyra - Django
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 19 - CCCC
Blue sky, lots of sun, a bit breezy and 47º this morning. Started the ride at the Rapids Fire
Hall. Very little traffic all the way out to Wolcottsville. A little too cool for ice cream at
AJ's. Rode through the Tonawanda State Wildlife Management Area as well as part of the
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Passed quite a few shooters sighting in their guns at the
numerous firing ranges along Bartel Rd. The temperature was up to 67º while we dined on the
patio at the cafe. Pictures
Attended:
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 18 - Ellicott Creek Trailway to the Erie Basin Marina
Blue sky, lots of sun, a bit windy and 52º this morning. Headed out among a lot of joggers
on the path. Worked out a problem with Steve's derailleur cable. Got down to the river in
record time with the tailwind helping some. It was the annual Niagara River clean up day.
Didn't seem to be as  many volunteers as we usually see. Got down to the Hatch at about 12:30
and had a nice lunch watching the sailboats out on Lake Erie. Had a headwind on the return trip.
Ended up with about 45 miles on the computers. Pictures
Attended:
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Jack Hailand - Stratus
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Dave Fleck - Sport
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 12 - CCCC
It was a bright sunny late summer day, a cool breeze and good roads. We followed the Akron trail
to the Akron Falls, then instead of turning left coming off the hill Jerry and Bruce led us straight
through the stop sign. All of us  other than Tom Barone, that is, Tom made the left turn, and departed
from the group, as he had to drive to Springville to attend his grandson's football game. It was
a nice change, we rode up to Tonawanda Creek Road then wound our way through country roads
back to the Clarence Center Cafe. Bruce broke off from the group as we were going too slow for
him. He felt the need for speed on his new oxblood colored Volae. A sweet bike.

 28.9 miles, a comfortable ride. Pictures
Attended:
Tom Barone - Aero
Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Don Tillett - Shock Proof
Don Nieman - EZ Sport
.
September 6 - Ellicott Creek Trailway to the West Side Rowing Club
Sunny, warm and breezy. A lot of people out on the paths today. It felt good riding down
along the river. The wind helped keep us cool as well as slowed us down. Stopped for lunch
at Rascals. Continued down Niagara St. and turned into the WSRC where Jack gave us
a very nice tour of the facilities. We were treated to an inside look at the world of
rowing. Everything was fascinating, from the training equipment, to the boats, to the
repair shop, to the trophy cases. With the wind at our backs, we had an easy ride back.
Ended up with just over 40 miles today.
Attended:
Rich Rash - Horizon
Jack Hailand - Stratus
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Ralph Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 5 - CCCC
Hazy, warm with a breeze coming from the left. Bruce had his brand new Volae Club
this morning. Jerry had a new route for us to try today. Part bike path but mostly
on the back roads. A bunch of right turns and left turns and some straight ons. Had
a break at AJ's. Ended up with just over 31 miles. Hot and humid by the time we had lunch.
Pictures
Attended:
Tom Barone - Aero
Bill Glor - Shockproof
Bruce Raines - Club
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
September 3 - Fort Erie to Niagara-On-The-Lake
Sunny, warm and dry. The river was almost perfectly flat and a beautiful deep blue. Got going
a few minutes past 10:00. Started out riding the road. Very light traffic. Stopped at the Marina,
the museum and at Niagara Falls for  short breaks. Jerry, Bill P., Teresa and Rich headed back
Niagara Falls. NOTL wasn't as crowded as it usually is. Had a nice lunch at the Epicurean. Everyone
made it back safe and sound. Some fasted than others. Took all of one and a half minutes to get
through customs at 5:05. A very pleasant surprise. Pictures
Attended:
Ed Weiss - Baron
Rich Rash - Horizon
Tom Barone - Aero
Bill Glor - Shockproof
Bill Peek - Hep Cat
Teresa Peek - Tour
Dave Fleck - Sport
Milan Demko - Aero
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
August 29 - CCCC
Attended:
Tom Barone - Aero
Jim McMaster - V-Rex
Bruce Raines - Rocket
Don Tillett - Shockproof
>
August 22 - CCCC
Saw a rare sports car at the coffee shop this morning. A brand new Lotus Elise S2. The
owner was more than happy to give us the lowdown on his new toy. This is quite a machine
and makes the Corvette look like a Cavalier. Tried another remote start today. We drove
up to the Rapids Vol. Fire Co. The firemen their said it would be no problem using their lot.
It was only 50º out but the sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and no wind.
Jerry had a very nice route laid out taking us east and then north. took a break at A J's
in Wolcottsville. Headed up to Rt. 77 and rode to the Tonawanda State Wildlife Manage-
ment Area. Stopped at the first parking area and watched the "Western New York Retriever
Club" conduct a field trial. We were told these were "working retrievers, not show dogs."
We continued the ride through the preserve hoping to see some wildlife. Nothing more than
some geese were observed. Heading back, we stopped on Block Church Rd. and checked out
the progress on the revetment work being done on Tonawanda Creek. Took some previously
untraveled roads back to the vehicles. Ended up with 30 miles today. The coffee shop was
very busy this afternoon and there were only two employees working. Michele was making
the lunches and doing a fine job filling the orders quickly.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
August 21 - 2ND ANNUAL LEWISTON TO YOUNGSTOWN RIDE
All week long the weatherman said there would be thunderstorms Saturday morning. Lucky
for us he was wrong. Dave F. had the sign in table under a portable shelter just in case. It
was cloudy and cool with very low humidity as we gathered in Academy Park. Dave brought
along a case of bottled water for anyone who might need some for the ride. We were off
shortly after 10:00 with the luxury of a police escort. He stopped at every light and held
traffic as we rode from one end of Lewiston to the other. The officer turned off as we
headed up the Seaway Trail along the Niagara River. The clouds were parting and the sun
was starting to warm the air by now. We rode at an easy pace letting everyone take in the
sights. The river was calm and the deep blue/green water was dotted with sailboats. The
road was lined with some very stately old houses and some grand new homes. It seemed that
wherever you looked there was a sight to appreciate. Before long we pulled into the quaint
little village of Youngstown. We took a short break here before continuing north to Fort
Niagara. By the time we got to Lake Ontario the sky was bright and clear. This was turning
into near perfect riding weather. The Toronto skyline was especially well defined today.
It's about 35 miles across the lake at this point, but the city looked a whole lot closer
than that. After a nice visit lakeside, we headed out of the park. Part of the group went
south, backtracking, and the rest of us headed east on a longer route back. Dave led us
through some beautiful country. We passed through apple, peach and plum orchards. The
Niagara County Highway Dept. had been busy all summer repaving this route so as to make
our ride all the more pleasant. It's always nice riding on new blacktop. Dave's route took
us back to the Seaway Trail and down the perimeter road of Joseph Davis State Park. Before
we knew it the group was back at the start, safe and sound. Steve was pleased to have finished
without getting any flats. After loading up the bikes, it was off to Clark's Burger House for
some lunch. Clark's is a 50's style diner filled with classic car memorabilia. It's spotlessly
clean and has a large friendly and efficient staff. We enjoyed a very nice lunch while
listening to Elvis singing in the background. Each of us was given a nice 20 oz. cobalt blue
Pepsi Cola glass. Many thanks to Dave Fleck and Clark's for the great burgers and Pepsi.
This was the perfect ending to a great ride. Thanks again to Dave for all the work he put
into this annual ride. can't wait till next year. Photos
Attended:
Dave Fleck - Sport
Joe Fruscione - Corsa
Dave Levine - upright
Jeff Jordan - EZ-1
Sandy Jordan - upright
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Patty Jaroszewski - upright
Marjorie Fruscione - upright
Brenda Simonson - upright
Sam El-Chehabi - upright
Karen Crissman - upright
Randy Crissman - upright
Ken Willmott - upright
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
August 15 - CCCC
Mostly cloudy, 59º and calm as we headed out the bike trail towards Akron Falls Park. Sara
was showing off her sexy legs at the break spot. Jerry led us back via the back roads of
Newstead. Good pavement and very little traffic. Had a nice lunch out on the porch because
the patio was full when we got there. This turned into an advantage when it started to rain.
We were dry as the patio people sprinted inside. Photos
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Rich Rash - Horizon
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
August 8 - CCCC
Steve continues his quest to be the number one "flat fixer" in the group by adding two
more repairs to his ever growing tally.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
George Waggoner - Rocket
.
August 1 - CCCC
Very gray, overcast, calm and 67º this morning. Did something different today. We drove out
to Akron Falls Park and parked at our usual break spot. Jerry had gone out during the week
and laid out a different route for us to try out. Leaving the park as we normally do, we headed
for the "big hill." Just before reaching the crest of the hill we spotted 4 large bucks off to
our right out in a field not far from the road. Each had an impressive rack and were quite a
sight. Steve had the best speed today hitting 46.7 mph. Heading north we made our way out
to Wolcottsville and stopped at A J's for our break. By now the sun had come out and it was
getting hot. Time for some sunscreen. Leaving this tiny town we headed east on made our way
into the Tonawanda State Wildlife Management Area. There are some Bald Eagles living here
but none were to seen. We took a round about route back to the park, taking some roads we've
never ridden before. There was very, very little traffic to contend with until we got to Rt.93
and Skyline Dr. It took a few minutes before we were able to cross the road. got back to the
park about noon. Headed back to the coffee shop for lunch. By now it was to hot to sit out in
the sun so we ate on the porch in the shade. Steve and Sara came by later. Thanks to Jerry,
we had one of the best rides this summer. Photos
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Bruce Raines - Rocket
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Steve Schultz
Sara Schultz
.
July 25 - CCCC
Cloudy, calm  and 58º this morning. Al and Rosalie joined us today with their new blue Burleys.
Dave was riding his new Volae Sport. Took a slightly different route out Block Church Rd. We
bypassed Fletcher Rd. because of the road construction and headed down Greenbush Rd. instead.
This added about a mile and a half to the ride. Passed a hen turkey with her brood of chicks on
the way back. Very little traffic as usual. We were treated to live entertainment as we enjoyed
our lunch out on the patio.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Al Pyra - Django
Rosalie Pyra - Django
Bill Peek - Hep Cat
Teresa Peek - Tour
Dave Fleck - Sport
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
July 18- CCCC

Attended:
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
.
July 11 - CCCC
Sunny, calm, low humidity and 65º this morning. Headed out towards Niagara County riding the
little traveled back roads of Clarence and Newstead. Took an unplanned stop to repair a flat on
Sara's Rocket. Took the planned break at the Block Church Rd. "Riprap Revetment" project site.
(chosen because of the Port-a-John there) Took a slightly different route back ending up with
25 miles. It was up to 85º when we sat down for lunch. Steve joined us at the coffee shop.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Bill Peek - Hep Cat
Teresa Peek - Tour
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Steve Schultz
.
July 4 - CCCC
Seventy something, overcast and humid as we headed out this morning. The rain missed us by about a
mile. The path was wet and we had to dodge some puddles. Light traffic on the paths and the roads.
More than the usual number of wildlife sightings though. Numerous chipmunks were frolicking on
the trail. Rabbits, finches and one of the largest murder of crows I've ever seen, as well as a garter
snake in the process of swallowing a frog were also out on this summer holiday. Tom "Killer B" had
the fastest time down "the bigger hill" topping out at 50.9 mph. Good run Tom!! Made it back in
time for a nice lunch out on the patio. It was 84º by now. Michelle and her crew were closing at
noon so we didn't hang around as long as usual.
Attended:
Tom Barone - Aero
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Bruce Raines - Litespeed
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
June 27 - CCCC
With perfect weather for biking, we took off shortly after 9:00 with no particular destination
in mind and in no particular rush to get there. Don misread his clock and showed up at 8:00...he
had plenty of time for coffee and to read the paper! Our bikes casually took us to Akron, having
been there just a few times before.  Going up the last steep rise in the park before the rest stop,
Steve S. popped his chain and had to walk the last few yards. When we started again, Steve S.
had a rear tire flat and his derailleur needed adjusting. After some fine tuning, we finally took
off for the Clarence Center Coffee Cafe, but alas, Steve had another flat...not a good day for
him.  We don't know if this was coincidence or not.  We finally made it back to the coffeehouse,
and had a wonderful lunch in the sun on the deck. Jerry joined us for lunch, having driven over
in his classic MG.  Bruce also arrived from his ride in time for lunch.
Attended:
Steve Krytus   Hurricane
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Rick Rash - Horizon
Bruce Raines - Litespeed
Jerry Hanley - 1954 MG (SWEET!!)
.
June 20 - CCCC
Blue sky and lots of sun all day. A light breeze and 55º as we headed north to find some
new roads to ride. Made our way up through Newstead and into Niagara County. Very little
traffic to contend with. Stopped at the store in Rapids for our break. Ended up with 30
miles today.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Jim McMaster - V-Rex
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Don Tillett - Shockproof
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
June 13 - CCCC
Another nice morning. Rode the regular route today. Steve hit 46.7 on the big hill.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Bruce Raines - Litespeed
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
May 30 - CCCC
Couldn't have asked for a more perfect day to ride in the country. Total blue sky, just a hint of
a breeze and mild temperatures this morning. Steve had his new GPS receiver mounted to his new
bike. A lot of people out on the path today.  A few people in the park. The falls was flowing strong
after all the rain last week. Took a wide roundabout route back to the vehicles. Ended up with just
over 32 miles. Enjoyed the sun out on the patio. Dave saved us the table with the umbrella. Our
waitress, Michele, made sure we had everything we needed. Life is good.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Rich Rash - Horizon
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Dave Fleck
  .
May 16 - CCCC
Overcast and about 48º as we headed out. Quite a few people out on the path today. Took
the regular route to the park and checked out the falls. Leaving the park, we decided to try
another way back. Headed north east on Indian Falls Rd. and then south on Tesnow Rd. The
escarpment cuts across steeper here than on Scotland Rd., our usual ride down "the big
hill." Steve hit 46.1 on "the bigger hill." This detour made up for the miles we lost when
the last segment of the bike trail was paved. Dave, Steve S. and his son were at the coffee
house when we got back for lunch. It was sunny and 56º as we enjoyed our lunch on the patio.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Bruce Raines - Lowracer
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Dave Fleck
Steve Schultz and son
.
April 18 - CCCC
Steve's new  HP Velotechnic Grasshopper finally arrived and boy does it look nice. The fit and
finish is outstanding. It was overcast and 53º as we rode out this morning. The weather forecast
was calling for "a good chance of rain with a possible thunderstorm after mid morning." Well,
it was mid morning and didn't look too threatening, but we decided to ride the roads around
Clarence Center and not get too far out in case it started to rain. After riding about 6.5
miles we were at Clarence Center Rd. and County Rd. It started to sprinkle very lightly so
we decided to head down Martin Rd. to Salt Rd. and make our way back to the vehicles. By
the time we reached Salt Rd. the rain had stopped. Reaching Keller Rd. we turned west
instead of east. Thinking we'd gotten a break, it seemed okay to ride out a little further.
Approaching Utley Rd. the sky began to darken. Sara commented that it was looking
"ominous." We would ride down Utley, pick up the trail and head back. Then it started to
rain again. This wasn't a sprinkle but a light steady rain. Turning west on the path brought
us face to face with a seriously ominous sky. As the sky got darker the wind and rain
steadily grew stronger. Thunder and lightning was in the distance and getting closer. It
kept getting darker and darker. The street lights came on as well as lights in all the houses
we passed. Then it got real dark and real nasty. The rain was cold and stung as the driving
wind got heavier and heavier. Earlier the wind was out of the north east but now it was coming
out of the north west, right in our faces. The air suddenly got noticeably colder and the hail
began to fall. This was definitely not fun. Out in the west the sky started to look brighter.
This was encouraging. It seemed that the storm might pass before we got back to the lot. The
sky continued to brighten but the rain kept up. Not as intense as before but still steady. By
the time we got back to the vehicles everyone was soaked to the skin and shivering cold. My
fingers were so numb I couldn't get my gloves off. I had to use my teeth and it was a chore.
We had only ridden about 15 miles, the shortest ride we had in a long time. Part of the group
headed home a hot shower and dry clothes. The rest of us ran into the coffee shop for something
hot to eat and drink. Michelle kindly offered us clean towels to dry off. Had a nice lunch and
warmed up some.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Jim McMaster - V-Rex
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Tom O'Connor - Tour Easy
Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
Sara Schultz - Rocket
Jim Christ - Tailwind
Dan Mangold - Stratus
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
.
April 9 - Niagara Recreation Trail Ride
Attended:
Bill Glor - Shockproof
Milan Demko - Aero
Tom Barone - Aero
.
March 28 - CCCC
Cloudy and 41º as we headed out down the bike path. Jim from Nunda and Steve from Cheektowaga joined
us today. Took the regular route out to the park. By then the sky cleared and the sun was shinning brilliantly.
Murder Creek was overflowing it's banks and the falls was running as hard as we've ever seen it. There
were class 3 rapids just below the falls. The wind was out of the north east hindering a fast run down the
escarpment. Headed north on Hake Rd. and worked our way back via Martin and Goodrich. Had a nice lunch
out on the patio in the sun. Tom stopped by to see how everyone was.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley -  Streetmachine
Jim McMaster - V-Rex
Steve Krytus - Hurricane
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Tom Jones
.
February 29 - CCCC
Sunny, 48º with a westerly wind 10-15mph. Roads were dry and clear. The bike path is still covered
with snow and ice. Rode sort of a figure eight route today. Alternating riding into the wind and then
with the wind. Ended up with about 24 miles. Steve joined us for lunch on the patio. We were the first
diners out there in a long time. Had to pull the chairs out of the snow. Our servers needed snowshoes
to get to the table. It was very comfortable sitting in the sun. Lunch was excellent, as always.
Attended:
Jerry Hanley - HP Velotechnic Streetmachine
Paul Bigelow - Lynx
Steve Schultz
2003 Ride Reports
2002 Ride Reports