AWBF Slideshow

Thursday night ride

Thursday night ride is on. Meet at the clubhouse. We have an agenda, chips and beer. Bring your own beer. JS

Bike for sale

From the desk of Charlene Guenter...

I am the bike's second owner. It was from the 70's. It used to be set up as a road bike. I took it to Natural Cycle to get the following done to have it converted to a single speed commuter bike. This was about 4 years ago.

Flat Pedals
Straight Bars
Newer tires
27 inch wheels
Original paint

Asking $150 obo

The size is about 58cm (same as my bike) and it looks great. It should be available for viewing at ABES headquarters this weekend. Shaun, Gavin, others? JS

Roller Racing Finale?

There was some casual talk about possibly having an ABES contingent attend the Roller Racing Grand Finale at the Belgian Club in Winnipeg next Wednesday night. Anyone interested? Add it to the agenda for Thursday Night's Ride.

Long and awesome (twss)

One great ABES event is over and waaay off in the distance another approaches. After the spring ride, Krahn Barn Kermesse, alleycats, 24 hour race, back 40, motox cross, road rides, track races, and a variety of unknown and unmentioned good times, comes Southern Cross. I just saw this video and loved it. Enjoy. JS

2009 Chicago Cyclocross Cup from Heather Jurewicz on Vimeo.

AWBF Report

That was awesome. A lot of good people and bike fun.

The group ride was a chance to check out the town, play knockdown games and try to climb the hill. It was a good to see so many bikes on the roads. Some would call it witnessing.

From the desk of race coordinator Myron Dyck...

Yesterday's alleycat race featured 8 teams. It was good to see the country mouse/city mouse cultural exchange with the teams. It made the race more enjoyable for the folks venturing south of the Perimeter. Some highlights of the race included Shaun's Shooting Range (way to go lil' dude!!), Steven and Gavin getting cherried and lectured by a cop. I think it was the ghost of Chief Bob Mart. But they adhered rules of alleycat (the first rule of alleycat is that you don't talk about alleycat-classy moves gents!!). There were several teams who did not follow the third rule of alleycat (we all know what the second rule is) READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. Several teams arrived at the finish line and were resent out to complete the race because they thought they knew what they were doing, but really they didn't. Falling victim to this false sense of acumen were the DFLers David and James...way to go...I guess. But, in the end the race was won by a team of minstrels, lead by the wiley local on vocals Paul B. and backed up nicely by Daryl B. and Jon G. They rode a clean race, which allowed them to avoid any 5 min. additions, and Pee Bee got a 30 sec. shave for his uncharacteristically wrathful behavior in the knockdown. Congratulations chaps, now go write a song about it. All-e-cat...alle-cat.

Here are the full results :

1. Paul, Jon, Darryl 2. Ben, Jeff 3. Chris 4. Gavin, Steven 5. Bruce, Charles, Kurt 6. Matt, Albert, Dan 7. Lorne, Victor, Evan 8. James, David

Thanks to all who came out. I hope you had a good time. MD

Thank YOU.

The trio of Darryl the secretary, Jonny good times and Paul the navigator won with a clean ride.

Ben and Jeff took second place.

Huebner slipped to third with some bad math. Cheer up Chris. I'm sure you'll have better luck at the roller races.

Gavin and Steven won prizes for being cool under pressure.

James and David took the DFL distinction and won some flawed pottery for a flawed effort.

I'm not sure what the total attendance was (40-45?) but we had 28 registered for the roller races which was a highlight for many. It proved to be entertaining and painful. 3 of the 4 finalists were ABES (funny/awesome). I was lucky enough to race a tired Huebner in the finals for the win.

Big thanks to Tim Woodcock (who brought the bikes) and Erick Oland (who brought the roller racers). That was awesome. You guys are awesome.

Dave Epp brought a couple of unicycles. Nick showed off his skillz.

David's (109) rink dogs were awesome as usual. There was a two way tie for dogfest champion - Evan and Joshua both ate 9 - impressive. The chips were plentiful. You could usually see a giggle of children around the chip buffet table. Big props for Sawatzky and Son's Electric. Proud sponsor of this event since it's inception.

We were able to watch the basketball game in the chapel between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. After 5 years of loosing on the final day of the regular season, Duke finally won a game dominating a decimated Tar Heels team that won the tourney a year ago.

Thanks to all that contributed to this great day.

A slideshow with a comprehensive collection of photos will be put up soon'ish.

Good times boys and girls. Well done. JS

AWBF VIDEOS

Just a few select vids from yesterdays Altona Winter Bike Festival...

Shaun versus Cindy...



Gavin versus DNB...



Charlene versus Jon...



Semi-final #1...



Semi-final #2...



The Championship...

Thursday Night Ride report

Watching Gavin/chatting.















Steve B. and Lorne discussing strategy pre-race.














Gavin during his ultra fast first lap. New course record at 56.57 seconds. Nice work Faurschou!











Thursday Night Ride was actually the inaugral Village Time Trials at the Hiebert/Sawatzky yard in the Village of Altona. 5 riders braved the extremely warm weather conditions to race the four lap timed event. The first two laps qualified you for your final laps position and after the first two it seemed as though Gavin had an insurmountable lead. Blazing around the short track in a blistering time of 56.57 seconds (obliterating Johnny S.'s old record of 1:11.43) he was poised for victory. The second set of laps proved a bit sloppier as the riders chewed their way through the course and by the time Gavin emerged as the last racer of the night things had become decidedly messier. But, even with Steve B.'s consistent set of laps Gavin was able to hold of all challengers and be crowned Village Time Trial Champion.

Gavin 2:13.10
Steve B. 2:16.24
Dan K. 2:30.68
D-Shaun 2:36.15
Lorne 3:15.28 (Ed. note: Lorne's first lap was run IMMEDIATELY after chugging a beer.)

Post-race festivities adjourned to Grumpy's where the usual frivolity and chatter occurred.

Gearing up for the AWBF

A feature of the AWBF includes home-baked prizes. Cookies, bread, soup, pickles, (pottery) etc. ABES are asked to help provide a prize for Saturdays festivities. Start baking or go to your parents or grandparents and look in the freezer. Thanks. There was also talk of playing crib - so bring the supplies if you are so inclined.

H.E.C. is on the job to fix the technology at The sExchange. Our prayers are with you Paul. JS

AWBF blip

Apparently T.E.D. was unable to fix the satellite. Which is to say unless an ABES has an alternative plan, we will be S.O.L for the basketball game at S.O.L. for the A.W.B.F.

So we won't be able to watch this...

or this...

and this...

Again. Duke has a really good shot at breaking the streak this year too.

Any bright ideas? JS

Village Time Trials

From the desk of the Race Coordinator....

Track conditions are optimal...expecting fast lap times...possibly breaking the course record (2 laps) of 1:11.

The racing will begin at about 9:15 or 9:20. Anybody who shows up at the usual start place will hopefully be redirected to the proper venue (Johnny? A sign possibly?)

Qualification laps will be ridden first followed by the finals. No prizes on the line, just pride.

AWBF updates

The Duke was unable to come to most of the AWBF (aww), but sometimes things have a way of working themselves out. His coaching schedule has miraculously reconfigured itself and he will now be able to attend the festivities (yaa)!

If out-of-towners want to ride the alleycat race solo, it would be a good idear for them to participate in the Super-Happy-Fun Bike Ride to familiarize themselves with the terrain.

Lil' Mia is helping prepare for the weekend...

See you suckers at DSwat'z Village Time Trials. BYOB. JS

Potatoes and Poker

I know this guy. He's my chip guy. He's getting us chips for the AWBF. I love that guy.

Their have been ongoing discussions that suggest that poker may take place after the basketball game at the AWBF. David and DJ are my poker chip guys. JS

A glimpse into the future of the AWBF

The Dyck brothers have put together a delightful race. The following clips are from the ABES Winter Bike Festival alleycat manifest. The completed works will be available on Saturday.

HELL FROZEN (or Slushed) OVER:

A DIVINE BICYCLING COMEDY

You are about to embark on an other-worldly tour a’ la Dante’s Divine Comedy. In this race, you will visit The Inferno and experience the 9 deadliest sins of the bicyclist. Next, you will travel through Purgatorio and rightfully purge yourself of these wretched violations. And, finally, you will arrive cleansed at the ultimate goal, Paradisio, where you will finally be able to bask in the glory of a well-completed task. This venture is not for the faint of heart, so embark if you dare.

THE INFERNO

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here...but you should keep your bicycles."

Wrath “And with their rage they will come after us with cruel bike tread.”

Limbo "These sinned not: but the merit they achieve helps not, since bicycles were not theirs.”

Lust “They let their two-wheeled desires pull Reason from her throne.”

Gluttony “And they took up clods of burgers, bacon and beef with full fist and crammed them into their madly ravening maws.”

Heresy “That Shade kept bitterly blaspheming saying, What art thou and what is that asinine contraption you ride?”

Spendthriftery“Ill-giving, Ill-hoarding, lost in the light of the bike world, and in this spending caught.”

Violence “And turn thy bikes toward the Valley, for draws near the River of Blood, wherein are boiling drivers that live by violence and on biker’s fear.”

Fraud “Tell me who ye are and what breed your bike is made, however loathly and foul it be.”

Treachery “For to thy shame, accursed biker thou! I’ll tell the truth of what thy treachery was.”

PURGATORIO

“And to that second kingdom will I pedal,

Wherein the human spirit doth purge itself.”

PARADISIO

“Arrived I saw me a wondrous thing and rode myself towards its sight!”

Amen.

THURSDAY NIGHT RIDE

That's right gentlemen...we're racing 'round the Sawatzky short track before it disappears!

So head South to the Village this Thursday and we'll do a little racing. Then a short cruise back in what they say will be beautiful weather before adjourning to the closing ceremonies.

9 PM
Altona Village
D. Sawatzky's place

be there

ARE YOU READY?

In anticipation of next weekends AWBF we bring you...more info to come.

Date: Thursday March 4th
Time: 9 PM
Place: TBD
Event details: TBD

Thursday night ride report

Charles, Curt, James, Curt, Giles, and Lorne made it to the headquarters. They rode. There were tales of hill climbing - Lorne claims to have made it 6 times. My knee scope went well and I was self medicating at the clubhouse where we were also joined by Tom, Evan, Paul and Duke. BIG congratulations go to Curt on his engagement and Giles (and Melissa) on their newborn daughter Willow. Great news.

Thanks to all the ABES volunteers that have stepped up to help with the AWBF. Right on. JS

AWBF anticipation

The poster...

The other part of the poster...

The Super-Happy-Fun Group Ride route..

and Urban Velo sent us some magazines to dole out.

Sweet. JS

Thursday Night Ride

The ride is on. Feel free to meet at the ABES headquarters for some fair weather riding. I'll be the whiner, limping around looking for pity. I'm out for the ride but (hopefully) will meet you at the clubhouse.

Still waiting for the throng of volunteers for the AWBF, so the sooner you reply the better your chances of not getting kicked in the A by the A kicker.

PS - I'm also looking for a surly volunteer with steel toed boots who likes to kick.

Sloth video

Nice video by Tom K of the Sloth Cross - 24 Hours of this and that...

I finished with 6 riding laps and 4 movie laps. Middle of the pack. JS