2005 Ride Reports
    November 27- CCCC
    Today was more winter like than autumnal. It was 32º, cloudy and still as our small group headed
    out. There was a few inches of snow on the ground so we kept off the bike path. Started out heading
    east, then north to Royalton Center and then south to AJ's for a break. Here there was less than an
    inch of snow on the ground. As we were getting ready to leave Bill mentioned that it was starting to
    rain. This was not good. It was 16 miles back to the coffee shop. We were all dressed for the cold
    but none of us was prepared for rain. Luckily, the rain stopped by the time we got to Fisk Rd. where
    the pavement was dry. Less than two minutes of rain did us no harm. A mile down Fisk the sky began
    to brighten. You could just make out faint shadows. Was the sun going to show itself. Nah!! At least
    there was no wind today. There was a very brief (30 seconds) light shower as we left Newstead
    and entered Clarence. Riding past the christmas tree farm we got some strange looks from people
    searching for the perfect tree. Ended up with 35 miles today. Bill had a flat. Jerry stopped by to
    see how the ride went. The coffee shop was especially comfortable today. The outside thermometer
    read 39º as we enjoyed our lunch.
    Attended:
    Tom Barone - Rocket
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Jerry Hanley
    .
    November 20 - CCCC
    It was a near perfect fall day. Bright sunshine, clear blue skies, 44º and a southwest wind. It
    was the wind that kept it from being perfect. Tom invited some people from a couple of
    local ridings clubs to join us today. Ride master Jerry led us north east up to Tonawanda Creek
    Rd. and then we worked our way south into Akron for a rest stop at McDonalds. We had to place
    our bikes into the wind to keep them from being blown over. It was  slow going on the way back
    due to the strength of the wind. We made our way over to the bike path and rode west through
    Clarence Hollow and down to Gunnville Rd. By now the group had split into three small groups, each
    taking a different route back. Mileage's varied from 28 to 32.5. It was up to 50º when we got back
    but we all ate inside to escape the still blustery wind. A very good ride for this time of the year.
    Jim had a flat today. (View today's ride data at Motion Based.)
    Attended:
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Tom Barone - Rocket
    Craig Maefs - upright
    Walt Nicholson - upright
    Ed Peters - upright
    Kathy Karnath - upright
    Jim Karnath - upright
    Dennis Powell - upright
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Dan Sharpe - Force 5
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    November 13 - CCCC
      It was warm (mid-50's) and windy with light sprinkles at 10 AM ride time.  Forecast was
    for clearing, but we didn't know if there would be a downpour first.   We took a chance.
    Headed east  on the bike trail about 10:15 AM, adopting a "zig-zag" strategy to deal with
    the high SSW winds (and so we wouldn't be too for out if we needed to abort the ride).  5
    1/2 miles east to the trail junction, then back SW 4 miles to Clarence Hollow, then west
    another 3 miles on the Clarence trail to it's Wehrle Rd. terminus.  We then 180'd  east again
    taking Wehrle to Shisler, Tillman , Jones, Billo, and Hiller, turning north on N. Millgrove
    where we enjoyed a huge tailwind to Stage.  East on Stage past the four geodesic homes, then
    south into the wind on Schutt back to Nice, looping back to head west the way we had come.
    Turned north on Shisler then cut west on RT 5 to Kraus.  The 3 miles north on Kraus  back
    to the bike trail was a nice payoff  for all our work -- isolated road, smooth pavement,
    curving downhill, with a tailwind.  About one wind-sheltered mile west on the bike trail got
    us back to the CCCC at 1 PM, just under 31 miles.  The drizzle had let up 10 minutes from
    the start, and the 2nd half of the ride was blue sky. Quite nice despite 20+mph winds as
    the temp was in the low 60's.
      Lunched on the patio, windy but sunny. Turned out to be a pretty nice ride. And the Bills won, too.
    Attended:
    Jerry Hanley  - Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Jim McMaster- V-Rex
    Gordon Walker - Actionbent
    stopping by - Bruce Raines
    .
    November 6 - CCCC
    Mostly sunny, 68º and windy at 10 AM. Headed west into the wind. Rode for about an hour before the
    rain started. The rain had stopped by the time we got back to the coffee shop, but not before we were
    soaked to the skin. Jerry and Sam came up to say hi.
    Attended:
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Jerry Hanley
    .
    October 30 - CCCC
    An absolutely beautiful fall morning. Blue skies, sunny, 48º and breezy.  The forecast was calling for
    some stiff winds later on today. With this in mind we decided to head west into the wind and have a
    tailwind on the return half of the ride. Made our way over and up to Tonawanda Creek Road. Hit the
    spot where the road was washed out and had to walk the bikes around the barricades. Lots-o-traffic
    on Transit Rd. so we had a little wait to cross. Picked up the Amherst Canalway Trail at New Rd. Took
    a break at Veteran's Park. Continued on to Niagara Falls Blvd. and then north into Wheatfield. Rode
    East on North Tonawanda Creek Rd. with the wind at our backs. At Transit the group split. Some took
    the short ride back. The rest rode on to Rapids before turning south towards Clarence Center. The
    wind was brutal as we rode down Goodrich Rd. Ended up with between 33 and 37 miles. Either way we
    had an excellent ride today. Enjoyed a nice lunch out on the patio. (View today's ride data at Motion Based.)
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Jim Wallace - upright
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - HepCat
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Tom Barone - Rocket
    Dave Fleck - R-32
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    October 16 - CCCC
    Overcast, 46º and calm as we headed out east on the bike path. It had rained earlier and the path was wet. Not
    many people out this morning so we pretty much had the trail to ourselves. Took a detour into downtown Akron
    looking for a coffee shop. Found "Mary's Good and Plenty" right on Main St. Parked the bent's on the sidewalk,
    went in to find the place mostly filled with locals. Enjoyed a nice hot cup of coffee and twenty minutes later we
    were on our way again. The wind that was forecast for today had started to blow while we were inside. Rode to
    the edge of town near the park and made our way over to Rt. 5. and down the side roads to our favorite south
    route along the 90 and over to the Tillman swamps. Took Wehrle Rd. west to the bike path and then rode the
    path to Salt Rd. Rode north on Salt and picked up the other trail and then back for lunch. During the ride we
    had four deer and a pair of turkeys cross our path. Saw lots of geese and rode right through a large murmuration
    of Starlings. Ended up with just under 31 miles today. Ate inside today to get out of the wind.
    Attended:
    Milan Demko - Aero
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    October 9 - CCCC
    Well Autumn has definitely arrived. Today was overcast, breezy and cool. The bank thermometer read 44º
    as we headed east on the bike path. Rode straight out to the park for a short stop at the falls. Continued east
    out to Indian Falls and then south on Rt. 77 to Cohocton Rd. Up to this point we were pedaling into the wind.
    Now we had a tailwind as we headed west back to Newstead. Made our way up to Clarence Hollow and rode
    Salt Rd. back to the trail. Ended up with just over 36 miles. Had lunch on the porch. The temperature was
    up to 48º by now and still overcast.
    Attended:
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    October 2 - CCCC
    This morning greeted us with a clear bright blue sky. The only clouds were the remnants of contrails
    that crossed overhead. There was no wind but the air was a cool 50º.  Route master Jerry led us north
    up towards Tonawanda Creek, then east into Newstead, then south to our break spot at McDonald's. We
    had 20 miles at this point. It was warming up quickly and we were up for a longer ride today. We rode
    south west to the Tillman Wildlife Refuge, north on Shisler to the bike path, east to Akron Junction
    and then west to the coffee shop. Ended up with 39 miles. Had a nice lunch out on the patio with the
    sun still shining brightly and the temperature up to 76º. Don took some photos.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Don Neiman - EZ Sport
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - HepCat
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    September 18 - CCCC
    Another very nice Sunday morning. Mostly sunny, 58º with a light westerly wind. Jerry picked a new
    route to get us up to A.J.'s. We headed north, then west, then east giving us a longer ride before our
    break. After leaving Wolcottsville, we headed up Griswald. Instead of turning right on Rt.77, Bruce
    suggested we continue north up to Johnson Rd. This was a nice diversion. No traffic, pretty farmlands
    and it took us into Orleans County. Heading south on Salt Works Rd. we enjoyed the tranquility of the
    Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Crossing into Genesee County, we rode through the Tonawanda
    State Wildlife Management Area. There were geese, herons and turtles out enjoying the day. On the
    return trip we flushed three Ringneck Pheasants. One cock and two hens. These have become a rare sight
    lately. There was also a very large Rottweiler waiting for someone to chase. Bruce must have looked the
    tastiest and the chase was on. Bruce was the victor and the loose dog trotted home to sit and wait for
    the next cyclist to pedal by. We arrived back at the coffee shop with just over 46 miles ridden, four
    counties traveled through, lots of wildlife seen, no flats and smiles on our faces. Had an excellent ride
    today. The sun was shining brightly and it was close to 80º while we dined on the patio.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    September 11 - CCCC
      It was cool overnight, but when we rolled out of Clarence Center at  9:05 AM it was perfect biking
    weather. Negligible wind, bright blue skies, temp in low 60's and rising. We headed west to Thompson
    back over Roll to Old Goodrich and Goodrich to cross RT 5 at the light and join up to the bike trail on
    Gunnville Rd. Ran the Dewey run (paralleling NYS thruway) east.  Pleasantly surprised by wonderfully
    smooth new pavement on Jones. Bruce and Tom led us south of the Thruway for some extra miles on
    Buckwheat on our way to  Mickey D's at 17 miles. Some bee-u-tee-full homes and bucolic farms along
    these new roads!
      After the break we took Linda for her first trip down "the big hill" where she reached 32 mph with a
    big grin.  Got the adrenaline going at the bottom of the hill when we encountered mud pies in the road
    resulting from construction in the laying of water pipes along the road.
      We went north to  Martin, waved to the golfers, then cut back south to join the bike trail at Clarence
    Center/Barnum for a shady ride back to CCCC where we solved the world's problems over haute cuisine.
    Finished just under 35 miles. A good time was had by all. And the Bills won, too. (J.H.)
    Attended:
    Tom Barone: Aero
    Jerry Hanley: HP Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold: Rans Stratus
    Jim McMaster:  Rans V-Rex
    Linda McMaster: Burley Hepcat
    Al Pyra: Burley Django
    Bruce Raines: Volae Club
    .
    September 10 - Ellicott Creek Trailway to the Erie Basin Marina
    We gathered at the North Forest parking lot at the start of the trail.  The lot was packed when I
    arrived, so I expected the trail to be crowded with bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers. The weather
    was cool, probably low 60's, but sunny with no clouds or wind.  We  set off on a leisurely pace a little
    after 9:00, and the trail wasn't too crowded after all.  The river was smooth since there wasn't much
    of a breeze.  We passed a couple of recumbents, but I didn't recognize them, and they apparently did
    recognize us either.  Our arrival at the Hatch was too early for lunch, so we rested and  had a light
    snack. After a bit we headed back, but our return trip was not as slow.  All in all it was a beautiful day
    for a bike ride. (S.S.)
    Riders:
    Steve Schultz- Grasshopper
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Rich Rash - Horizon
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    .
    September 4 - CCCC
    Mostly cloudy, 58º and light wind out of the north east. Rode up to A.J.'s on the back roads through
    Clarence and Newstead. Continued north from Wolcottsville and then east towards South Lockport.
    Turned south and made our way back to the coffee shop. Rode at a faster pace today. The roads were
    nearly deserted. There were only 8 or 9 vehicles that past us on our 38 mile ride. It was great having
    the roads to ourselves. Had a nice lunch out on the porch.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    September 2 - The Great Welland Magical Mystery Tour
    Today was one of those days when things just don't turn out like you think they would. It started
    out with the trip across the river. There was not one single vehicle in front of me as I crossed the
    Peace Bridge at 8:35. Pulling into the customs plaza I saw that not only weren't there any lines,
    there wasn't anybody at any of the booths. I was the only one there. This has never happened to me
    before at the Peace Bridge. It took all of 20 seconds to pass through customs. One of the great things
    about the people in our riding group is their tremendous flexibility and willingness to go with an
    alternate plan should conditions warrant. Today's condition was the wind. The forecast called for a
    windy day with gusts near 30 mph. This would make for a fast ride up the river, but a tedious ride
    back. We discussed this for about a minute and decided we should ride west into the wind and come back
    with a nice tailwind. This was a perfect time to ride the Friendship Trail as a group. A few of us
    waited at Anger Ave. while the rest drove down to the parking lot next to the Peace Bridge. We headed
    out at 9:15 riding along the shore of Lake Erie, past the old fort for witch the town was named. Parts
    of the trail are blacktop and parts are concrete. The concrete sections are wide and as smooth as could
    be. It was a real treat to be riding on such a nice surface. We passed some newer homes along the lake
    as well as some older cottages. Reaching the western edge of the town the paved trail ended at the edge
    of a woods. Through the woods we rode on a hard packed dirt pathway. There were a couple of wet spots
    that were easily avoided and a few small tree roots to ride over. All in all it wasn't bad at all to ride
    through. This 8 acre woods was the site of the long gone Erie Beach Park. Large concrete blocks line
    the path. 100 years age these blocks supported some of the rides that were here. Exiting the woods
    the trail ran past some more cottages and modest homes before picking up an abandoned rail bed. Riding
    along this part gave us some relief from the wind and also provided us with a lot of shade. Some of the
    sections were so heavily treed that it seemed like we were riding through a tunnel. There were a lot
    of people out riding, walking and jogging. One local cyclist joined us for most of the ride to Port Colborne
    where we arrived about 10:55. Al led us down to a little restaurant in the old section of town. We decided
    it was too early to stop for lunch so we just used the facilities, took some pictures. Heading north, we rode
    through the town of Port Colborne to pick up the trail that runs along the Welland Canal. The group got
    a little spread out at one point near the trail head. Regrouping at the visitor center we found us missing
    a rider. George was nowhere to be seen. Tom backtracked a couple of blocks but had no luck finding him.
    We waited for about 10 minutes before entering the trail head. This first section backtracked on itself
    for awhile and took us past a point that we passed on the way up. We found out later, when we caught up
    with George, that he entered the trail at this point instead. The ride up the canal was a lot different than
    what we had been riding. Now we were out in the open with the wind at our backs. Before long we were
    at the edge of the City of Welland. Now it was lunch time and we asked a local for a nice place to eat.
    He was on a bike and offered to guide us downtown to a couple of restaurants there.  We chose the one
    with an outdoor eating area. The tables were large and had umbrellas. There was also a nice parking area
    for the bents. The place was called The Venice. It was similar to both the Epicurean and the Clarence
    Center Coffee Cafe. The food was all right and it wasn't overpriced. After lunch we headed back to the
    canal and began our return trip. Parts of the canal have bike paths on either side so we chose the side
    opposite the one we rode up on. There hadn't seen any lake freighters earlier but there was one now.
    It was Russian. A couple of people on deck waved and shouted something to us as we pedaled on by.
    Just before getting back to Port Colborne things started to happen. We were regrouping near the point
    where the trail back tracks on itself. Tom decided to take a side road and meet up with us at the trail
    head. No sooner did the rest of us start up the trail when some invisible force snuck up and knocked
    George off his bike. He went down hard, hitting his face on the blacktop. His glasses were pushed
    into his forehead opening up a gash above his left eye. It's wonderful having an MD along on your rides.
    Dr. Dan quickly got George lying down in the shade and began to treat his injury. Twenty minutes later
    the bleeding was stopped and George was on his feet again with a makeshift bandage and his glasses
    mostly straightened out. Arriving back at the trail head we found that Tom had left, thinking we had gotten
    ahead of him. The return ride on the Friendship Trail was going along nice and smooth. There wasn't as much
    traffic on the path and we had the great tailwind pushing us along. When we hit Pleasant Beach Rd. we
    found workers there finishing up a barricade fence. We were told the trail was being closed because someone
    from the town of Stevensville had deemed this section unsafe. It was closed all the way to Ridgeway. This
    three mile section of the old rail bed was just paved this summer. The landscaping was done and it looked
    to us to be perfectly fine. Now we had to take to the roads. The detour took us down towards Sherkston
    and through some very nice farmland. There were acres and acres of soybeans on both sides of the road.
    The trail was open again at Gorham Rd. in Ridgeway. Continuing east we reached the unpaved section that
    runs through the woods. About halfway through, the path was blocked by a large tree that had blown down.
    We had to pick up the bikes and carry then around this obstacle. This short portage took us past some large
    foundations and concrete stairs that led to the old park's roller rink. Seeing this gave the whole scene
    sort of an ethereal feel to it. What is now nearly covered by brush and mature trees was once Buffalo's
    playground. I found some history and photos about Erie Beach Park that describe and show what was once
    here. The rest of the ride was uneventful. It was 4:30 when we got back to our vehicles. Ended up with
    just over 61 miles. A little less than we would have had if we had gone up to Niagara-On-The-Lake like we
    originally planned. There's no way to know how the ride would have gone if we followed the river past the
    falls. I do know that we had a memorable ride, one we'll be talking about for awhile. Special thanks to
    Rosalie for sharing her delicious banana bread with us. (photos)
    Attended:
    Rich Rash - Horizon
    George Waggoner - Rocket
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Tom Barone - Speedmachine
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    August 28 - CCCC
    Mostly clear blue sky, 70º and a slight breeze from the south west as we headed out with
    Sara leading the way. Made our way east to Akron Falls using both the bike path and the
    back roads of Newstead. Very little traffic today. Took a break at the falls which was
    all but dried up. Left the park and rode into Genesee County and the town of Pembroke.
    Had a great ride down the alt. "big hill." Headed north on Scotland to Martin and made
    our way back to the coffee house. Ended up with 30 miles today. Michelle had three new
    entrees on the menu today. The smoked salmon wrap was most enjoyable.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    August 21- CCCC
    Mostly cloudy, calm and 69º as we headed west this morning. Took the bike trail to it's end
    and made our way over to Transit and up to Tonawanda Creek Rd. Rode the Amherst Canalway
    Trail to Veterans Canal Park for a break. Continued west to Niagara Falls Blvd. and north
    into Wheatfield. Rode east through Niagara County until we reached Rapids where we stopped
    for another break. Headed back to Clarence Center in around about way. Ended up with just
    over 40 miles today.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - HepCat
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    August 7- CCCC
    Today was the fifteenth Sunday in a row that we've ridden. It seems like the weather just gets
    better and better each week. Today was spectacular. Temps in the mid  seventies to low eighties,
    low humidity, gentle breeze and totally clear blue skies. We never saw a single cloud anywhere
    during our ride. Jack Merlino stopped by to meet the group. He's waiting for his new Gold Rush
    to be delivered. Mike drove down from Toronto to join us today. Jerry led us on a very nice route
    through Clarence and Newstead. Had our break at McDonalds. Ended up with close to 38 miles.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Andrea Heine - upright
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Mike Maloney- Stratus
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    July 31- CCCC
    Today was one of those rare days when everything (almost) is just about perfect. The weather just
    could not have been better. Temps in the mid seventies, just a hint of a breeze, low humidity and
    bright blue skies. Route master Jerry led us on a wonderful ride up into Niagara County. It seemed
    like we had the roads all to ourselves. There was very little traffic heading north. We had one short
    break to fix a flat on the Stratus before having our planned rest stop at A. A.J.'s. An NFBC ride group
    was already there when we arrived. Part of the group headed back while the rest of us rode out to the
    Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area. The water levels were down but we still saw a number of Great
    Blue Herons. Made our way back through Newstead keeping to the back roads/ (really wide bike paths?).
    Ended up with a little over 38 miles. Saw more bicyclists out riding today than any other time we've
    been out this year. Had a wonderful lunch out on the porch. It just doesn't get any better than this.
    Attended:
    Richard Uschold - Stratus
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - HepCat
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Linda Mannz - Django
    Bob Silkes - upright
    Leah Silkes - upright
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    July 24- CCCC
    Mostly sunny, calm and 68º as we headed north for some ice cream. The plan was to visit "Udder Delights",
    known as one of the very finest ice cream shops in western New York. We've talked about this ride for
    the last two years. Today was to be the preliminary ride to find a suitable route that would keep us off the
    more heavily traveled roads and be short enough so all of the Sunday riders would be able to comfortably
    handle the distance. The ride out to Gasport was uneventful and we arrived at our destination about 10:30.
    Unfortunately they don't open unit noon. Richard had ridden from his home in Tonawanda and had to be
    back by 12:00 so he headed west on Rt.31 while the rest of us stood in the parking lot deciding what to
    do next. We could follow the original planned route or we could detour up towards the Erie Canal and
    see if anything over there was open. During this brief discussion a woman came out and began trimming
    the shrubs next to the walk up window. I walked up the driveway and with my most convincing look of
    disappointment on my face I mentioned how I had led this group of cyclists all the way from Clarence
    Center just to try their gourmet ice cream. Without a moments hesitation she went back inside. A half
    minute later she returned and said we could have hard ice cream if we desired. None of the soft ice
    cream machines were ready for use. I relayed this information to the group and we eagerly parked the
    bents and began to look at the menu. All the ice cream is homemade and most of the 25 choices had
    interesting and unique names. The woman who was still doing the yard work told us that "mom" has
    developed over 700 different flavors over the years. Needless to say the ice cream was outstanding.
    After expressing our thanks and appreciation for serving us we headed east to our next destination.
    Royalton Ravine County Park. This is another place we've talked about riding to but hadn't yet. It's
    nothing like the county parks in Erie County. There is just one shelter and one comfort station. The "A"
    riders wanted to keep going so they didn't stay long. Jerry, Dan and I wanted to check out the trails
    and see the ravine. A 10 minute walk into the woods got us to the suspension bridge over the creek.
    There wasn't much water flowing but it was very tranquil and scenic. Leaving the park we noticed that
    the sun was gone and it was cooling off some. It looked like it might rain, but that can't be. The weather
    report said the rain would be around late this afternoon or early evening. About 12 miles out from the
    coffee house it began to sprinkle lightly. We cut the original planned route short and headed back.
    Bill, Tom and Bruce had taken a longer route and ended up with about 42 miles. The "B" riders had
    about 39. The coffee shop was very busy but the wait for food wasn't long. Next time we head out
    to Gasport for ice cream we'll have to start the ride later or else take a longer route so we arrive
    after 12:00.
    Attended:
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Richard Uschold - Stratus
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    July 17- CCCC
    Hazy sunshine, humid, calm and 78º as we headed out this morning. Linda had her brand new Burley
    today. Bruce split off to ride at a faster pace. The rest of us stayed on the bike path to take
    advantage of the intermittent shade along the way. Checked out the new section of the path in
    Clarence Hollow. Stopped at the New York State Wildlife Area on Shisler Rd. walked along the
    walkway out to the end and back. Got back on the path and rode out to Akron and then back to
    the coffee shop. Ended up with just over 35 miles. Never saw a drop of rain all morning. It did
    rain a bit as we finished up our lunch out on the patio. Tom Barone and Jeff Gardner were there
    enjoying the food.
    Attended:
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - HepCat
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    July 10- CCCC
    An absolutely beautiful morning. Lots of sunshine and 68º as we headed north on our ride. About
    4 miles into the ride we split into two groups. The "A" riders went east while the "B" riders kept
    on a northerly route. Had our break at McDonald's. The "A" riders ended up with 30 miles while
    the slower group ended with 28. Had lunch on the porch because it was so hot out on the patio.
    Attended:
    Steve  Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - RoadE AT
    .
    July 3- CCCC
    With holiday activities and Paul and Bill still enroute from Nova Scotia, only 6 riders able to
    take advantage of near ideal riding weather. We enjoyed last week's route so much, we ran it
    again. Wind a bit higher, temp a bit lower. Lot's of nice classic cars seen along Rte. 5 on our
    two crossings. Seemed to be no reason to hurry today, we just enjoyed good company and beautiful
    scenery for a relaxing 27 mile outing.  (J.H.)
    Attended:
    Jerry Hanley - HP  Streetmachine
    Dan Mangold - Rans  Stratus
    Jim McMaster - Rans V-Rex
    Bruce Raines - Volae Club
    Sara Schultz - Rans Rocket
    Steve Schultz - HP Grasshopper
    .
    June 26- CCCC
      Solid blue sky, negligible wind, and upper 70's already at AM.  Nice  conditions, but only 5
    riders as Paul and Bill were enjoying pedaling through scenic Nova Scotia, and others took the
    day off after a steamy Ride for Roswell the day before.
      We rolled east on the bike trail at 9:15 AM.  We headed south on Strickler, crossing south of
    Rt 5 for an eastward "Dewey run" paralleling the Gov. Thom E. Dewey NYS  Thruway via
    Tillman, Jones, Bilo, Hiller, and Nice. The Tillman Wildlife Mgt Area was impressive with bright
    greens and still waters against the bright blue sky. Bird watchers logged  sightings of five
    recumbentivs pedalitus in orange, red, purple, white and silver.
      We headed north on S. Newstead for a break at McDonald's at 13.7 miles. We headed east on
    Skyline drive to join up with our traditional post park-stop ride down "the big hill", and back
    through the village of Akron to the bike trail. The two Volae high racers opened up, the rest of
    the pack enjoying a relaxing trail ride back to the CCC as the temp continued upward. Based on
    the appearance of a group of hikers and a fatigued roller blader, biking seemed to be the most
    comfortable transport in the mid-80's heat.
      Final mileage was just 26.8. We  got the one table on the patio with an umbrella and relaxed
    as the temp continued to climb. The temp on my handlebar mounted speedo after lunch was 129
    degrees, which was about 40 too high. (J.H.)
    Riders:
    Dave Fleck - Volae Sport
    Jerry Hanley - HP Velo Streetmachine
    Bruce Raines - Volae Club
    Sara Schultz-  Rans Rocket
    Steve Schultz - HP Velo Grasshopper
    .
    June 19- CCCC
    Mid fifties and overcast this morning. Linda is riding a loaner 'bent unit her new HepCat is
    delivered. Headed north on Goodrich, east on Martin, north on Strickler to Lapp and then
    to salt Rd. Split into two groups. The slower group headed directly to Wolcottsville. The
    faster group took a more round about route up to Niagara County. After a nice break at
    A.J.'s, the fast group took the direct route back while the slower group added some miles
    to their ride ending up with about 35 for the morning. Had a nice lunch out on the patio.
    Attended:
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Milan Demko - Aero
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Steve  Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Tom Barone  - Aero
    Gordy Walker - Jetstream
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Dave Fleck - Sport
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - Django
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    June 12- CCCC
    Bill had his cool new Catrike Speed today. This is one very impressive trike. It's extremely light
    and handles like a dream. Steve and Sara's friend Andrea rode down from Lockport to ride with
    us. It was 76º and just beginning to rain lightly as we left the parking lot. The sky wasn't very
    threatening looking and we thought it may blow over quickly. Heading east down the bike path
    we noticed the sky north of us did look kind of dark so we went south at Strickler Rd. By the time
    we reached Clarence Center Rd. it was a steady rain. Time to head back before it got any worse.
    By the time we got to the soccer fields the rain was really starting to come down. Andrea headed
    back toward home, Dan turned east on the path and headed out towards Akron. He was going to
    get his ride in rain or not. The rest of us got back to the coffee shop. We just passed Herr Rd.
    when a young deer crossed the path about 25' in front of us. It didn't like being on that side so
    it crossed back. It did this a total of five times in a matter of 30 seconds or less. Now it was
    trotting along the path just ahead of us. We turned down Railroad St. and the deer crossed Goodrich.
    Back at the coffee shop we decided to wait out the rain and try to finish the ride later on. An hour
    later everyone but Jerry and I had gone home. The rain did stop and the two of us headed out again.
    We didn't ride a half mile when it started to rain again. Jerry decided to go back before he was
    totally soaked. I put on my rain suit and rode east. It wasn't long before I met up with Dan who
    was on his way back. He did a 180º turn and rode with me most of the way to Akron. We parted
    ways just as the rain stopped and the sky began to clear. Before long I had to stop and shed the
    rain gear because the sun was out and it was getting warmer quickly. By the time I got back to
    the car the roads were completely dry and so was I. Ended up with 32.3 miles.
    Attended:
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    Andrea Heine - upright
    Jerry Hanley - HP Streetmachine
    Bill Glor - Speed
    Gordy Walker -  Jet Stream
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Steve Schultz
    .
    June 5 - CCCC
      Yesterday's Tour de Cure and other summer festivities reduced our group to six eager riders
    from the coffee house today, including newbie  Gordy Walker of Buffalo. We all checked out
    Gordy's ActionBent Jet Stream, never having seen the SWB 26 x 20 bent before. Seems to be a
    good value bike.
      At 9:40AM with the temp already in the upper 70's, our wheels were rolling north on Goodrich.
    We headed east on Martin, utilized the completed Lapp Rd. bridge (no more road blocks to
    transverse) and worked our way north east over Miland, Crego, Kelkenburg and Tonawanda Creek
    before heading south again on Fletcher. Beautiful countryside, no traffic. About 5 left-rights later
    we had worked our way to Rt 93 via Clarence Center. Up the hill with the temp in the low 80's and
    humidity about the same to a well earned break at Micky-dee's at 19.6 miles. Orange juice and fruit
    salad the order of the day.
      We headed west on Rt. 5, and tried out Cummings north to get back to the bike trail for a relaxed
    no traffic ride back to Clarence Center. Turns out Cummings has a pretty good downhill run. Got the
    adrenaline going a bit, the payoff for the pre break trek up the escarpment to McDonald's.
      The trees on the bike trail shielded the wind for a pleasant ride back. Final mileage 28.02, average
    speed 12.8mph. Having had enough UV already, we opted for the shaded porch for our post ride respite.
    A very nice ride today.
    Attended:
    Jim  McMaster - V-Rex
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Steve  Schultz - HP  Grasshopper
    Tom Barone  - Aero
    Gordy Walker - Actionbent Jetstream
    Jerry Hanley - HP Streetmachine
    .
    May 29 - CCCC
    Clear blue sky, light wind out of the west and 56º as we headed east down the bike path.
    Not many people out this fine morning. Took a break at McD's. Rode over to Akron Falls
    Park. Theresa and Bill headed off on a short route back while the rest of us rode down
    into south Newstead. Took this road then that road then over there and back over this
    way for awhile. Made our way around and about till we got to Nice and N. Millgrove.
    Tom and Dave went right on a fast direct ride back to the coffee shop. The ever shrink-
    ing group went left and took a longer more relaxed ride back. Ended up with just over
    30 miles today. Had a super lunch out on the patio.
    Attended:
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Bill Glor - ShockProof
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Bill Peek - Hepcat
    Teresa Peek - Tour
    Dave Fleck - Sport
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    May 22 - CCCC
    Partly sunny, 50º and a slight wind out of the north as we headed out this morning. The
    group wasn't' even out of the parking lot when someone yelled out "Hay Paul, your back
    tire is flat." It wasn't completely down but it was getting there. Dan, George, Dave and
    Jerry eagerly assisted and before you could recite the Declaration of Independence we
    were on our way out to Newstead and lands beyond. Akron Falls Park is now officially
    open and we considered heading toward our usual rest stop by the water falls. Instead, we
    rode out to McDonald's again where we could get some of that world class hot cocoa. Or
    was it hot crapo. After the break we rode Buell St. to Skyline Dr. to Scotland Rd. Sara
    flew like the wind down the "big hill." Rode north to Martin Rd. and past the Dande Farms
    Golf Course. Headed west and made our way back to the coffee shop. Ended up with about
    27 miles today.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Sara Schultz - Rocket
    George Waggoner - Rocket
    Dave Fleck - Sport
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - upright
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    May 15 - CCCC
    Overcast, windy and 51º this morning. Steve arrived with a big box-o-teeshirts to hand out
    to the riders. He had them custom made with the Recumbenteers logo and name on the front
    and the George Carlin recumbent quote on the back. They're a vibrant royal blue with gold
    lettering. Thanks Steve!! Very few people out on the path. Headed east, then north then west
    along Tonawanda Creek Rd and back to Clarence Center with a nice tailwind. A third of the
    way through the ride we were graced with clearing skies and the welcome warmth of the sun.
    Like last week, we found some new roads to ride with new sights to see. Ended up with about
    29 miles. Dave was waiting as we got back and had lunch with us.
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Dave Fleck
    .
    May 8 - CCCC
    You couldn't have asked for a more perfect day for riding. Totally clear, bright blue sky.
    Just a hint of a breeze, low humidity and the temperature near sixty as we headed out.
    Jim brought along his wife today. Al and Rosalie were both ready to ride with new SPD
    pedals and shoes. Headed east along the bike path. The many cherry trees that line this
    trail were in full bloom and made a very sharp contrast against the blue sky. Most all of
    the trees are well into the "leaving out" process. The early wildflowers are out adding
    some color to the fresh greenery that seemed to be everywhere. We seemed to just glide
    along the path and before we knew it we were at McDonald's. Took a nice break and then
    continued east on Rt. 5 to Crittenden Rd. where we headed south. Rode some new roads
    in Newstead before making our way back to Clarence. The Tillman Rd. swamps looked
    especially alive today. The water was a deep blue, Canada Geese were standing on the
    edge of the road, frogs were croaking and turtles were singing in the distance. Took some
    more new roads getting back to Clarence Center. By this time the group had split up into
    four groups for various reasons and were staggered in returning. Miles ranged from 20
    to 30. Sara met us for lunch. After failing to come to a consensus regarding moving the
    start time to 9:00 or leaving it at 10:00 for another week or so, we compromised on a
    9:30 AM start time for next weeks ride. (photos)
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Linda McMaster - upright
    Tom O'Connor - Tour Easy
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Bill Glor - ShockProof
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Sara Schultz
    .
    May 1 - CCCC
    Cold and windy. Rode 26.5 miles.
    Attended:
    Bill Glor - ShockProof
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
     
    April 17 - CCCC
    At 10:00 we headed east down the bike path. The sun was shining, it was 59º and breezy. At Salt Rd.
    we turned north making our way up to A.J.'s. After a short break we continued east to visit the
    Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area. We observed more waterfowl today than on any of our
    previous rides through this refuge. Made our way over to Block Church Rd. to check out how the rip
    rap revetment project faired after the flood two weeks ago. Except for some of the hydro-seeding
    being washed away everything looked solid. Ended up with close to 40 miles today. The coffee shop
    was very busy but we lucked out and got the big table with the umbrella. The temperature was up to
    70º as we enjoyed our lunch. (photos)
    Attended:
    Steve Schultz - Grasshopper
    Jim McMaster - V-Rex
    Tom O'Connor - Tour Easy
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Dave Fleck - Sport
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    .
    April 10 - CCCC
    Bright blue sky, calm and 46º this morning. Headed east on the bike path. Passed a lot of walkers
    and bikers out enjoying the spring weather. Bypassed the park, because it is closed, and rode up
    to McDonald's on Main St. for our rest stop. Rode south into Newstead and worked our way over
    to the state wildlife refuge on Tillman Rd. Checked out the progress on the new section of bike
    trail next to Clarence Town Park. Rode through the hollow to Salt Rd. and picked up the path back
    to the start. Jerry and Dave swapped bikes for the last mile and a half in. Ended up with 25 miles
    today. The coffee shop was very busy and we had to wait to get a table out on the patio. Steve
    stopped by to have lunch with us.
    Attended:
    Dave Fleck - Sport
    Dan Mangold - Stratus
    Al Pyra - Django
    Rosalie Pyra - Django
    Jerry Hanley - Streetmachine
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Steve Schultz
    .
    March 27 - CCCC
    Mostly sunny, 39º and calm as we headed out this morning. The bike path was clear down to
    Salt Rd. After that point it was still partially snow covered. Rode north on Salt and made
    our way up to Niagara County. Very light traffic. Meandered back to Clarence Center.
    Ended up with about 26 miles today. Coffee shop was closed so no lunch today.
    Attended:
    Bill Glor - ShockProof
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
     
    February 6 - CCCC
    An absolutely beautiful morning. Slightly chilly (30º) but not a breath of wind and a
    cloudless bright blue sky. Tom invited some of his riding buddies from Big Wheels and
    the NFBC to join us today. Ed showed off his one of a kind, custom built 10 speed Aero.
    At 10:02 we headed out and stayed on the roads because the bike path still had some
    snow cover. Riding in a north easterly direction we made our way up to Niagara County
    and into Wolcottsville for a break at AJ's. Took a different route back heading south
    towards Akron and then west to Clarence Center. Joe unselfishly volunteered to ride
    sweep on the way back. He wanted to be there to watch for stragglers and help out if
    anyone had any problems. Ended up with 30 miles today. Not bad for the first day out
    for some of the group. The patio was snowed in so we ate inside. Michelle and her crew
    were outstanding as usual. Everyone enjoyed their food. Jerry stopped by and joined
    us for lunch. The sun was still shinning brightly and it was close to 50º as we said our
    good-byes and headed home. Hopefully we won't have to wait long for another sunny
    dry Sunday.
    Attended:
    Bill Glor - ShockProof
    Ed Weiss - Aero
    Milan Demko - Aero
    Tom Barone - Aero
    Joe - Lightning Stealth
    Bruce Raines - Club
    Harold Rodehaver - upright
    Jim Karnath - upright
    Bruno Perfette - upright
    Richard Schraven - upright
    Paul Bigelow - Lynx
    Jerry Hanley

    .
     
     

    2004 Ride Reports
    2003 Ride Reports
    2002 Ride Reports