deCycles Appalachian Mountains 2009
Milestones & Achievements
Trip Route: Bloomington – Front Royal, VA – Asheville, NC – Bloomington, IN
States visited: 7… Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee
Total Miles: 1701-mi including 14-mi on New River (1325-mi in 2008. 2007-mi in 2007)
Riding Days: 19-riding days, 4-rest days
Average Miles/day: 89.5 mi/day (83-miles/day in 2008. 95.6-miles/day in 2007)
Longest Distance: 137-mi Day 4: Portsmouth – Gauley Bridge (142-miles in 2008. 138-mi in 2007)
Longest Day: 8.33-hours (Roanoke to Sparta)
Shortest Day: 47-miles and 2.52-hrs on bike (Paoli - Bloomington)
Week #1 Mileage: 72, 76, 112, 137, 14 on New River, 100, 65, 101 (677-miles)
Week #2 Mileage: 100, 85, 66, 120, 58, 99 (528-mi)
Week #3 Mileage: 79, 135, 92, 88, 56, 47 (497-mi)
Centuries: 8 separate days (112, 137, 100, 101, 100, 120, 99, 135)
1000-mile mark: Fancy Gap, NC on Day 13, the earliest day ever on deCycles
Highest temperature: 102-degrees at base of Newfound Gap Smokie Mountain NP
Lowest temperature: Upper 50’s early morning on BRP
Average day temps: Upper 80’s, lower 90’s
100-degree days: 1-day……Base of Newfound Gap
Double Triples: None in 2009, 5 in 2008 (Triple digit temps with triple digit distances)
Rainfall during ride: None, just a short drizzle at a break on the BRP
Prevailing winds: SSW, several early morning winds out of the east
Total City Escorts: 14 … Bloomington (2), Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Charleston, Front Royal (2), Charlottesville, Roanoke, Gatlinburg, Manchester, Lexington, Louisville (2) (11 in 2008)
Total Flat Tires: 77-flats on the road (88 in 2008, 136 in 2007)
Flat Tire Queen: Erica Coffey, Signe White, Miriam Kerler (3-flats each)
Flat Tire King: Joel Mickleborough (6), Cody Brinson (6). Jaime Murdock had 10-flats after just 3-days
Total Tumbles: 31 … two-riders combined for 7-tumbles (22-crashes in 2008, 60 in 2007) Clip-in falls not counted
Worst Injury: Jaime Murdock (elbow), Makaley Six (pre-trip knee injury), Chip Houze (off-bike ankle injury)
Crash King: Joel Mickleborough (2)
Crash Queen: Erica Coffey (5)
Scariest moment: Two multi-bike crashes on Day 3 between Cincinnati and Portsmouth
(Codey, Cricket, Makaley in the first paceline crash in morning.
Jaime, Ken, Mackenzie in second paceline crash later in afternoon)
Downhill Crashes: Max Walter, Bo Henderson, Nate Price-Preslaff, Jacob Buhr (all mid-teen boys)
Most Difficult Situation: Exiting BRP and pedaling 15-miles uphill on SR 21 to Sparta, NC
Saddest moment: Three riders leaving trip: Jaime Murdock, Makaley Six, Chip Houze
Grease King/Queen: Allie Hetrick
Leave Behind Champ: A few male riders as a group
Longest Climb: 24.31-miles Steepest Climb: 14% incline for 1.5-miles on Sheed Rd and W. Fork Rd near Zeller home in Cincinnati; 14% incline for .5-miles leaving Kentucky Statehouse in Frankfort, KY on SR60.
Total Elevation Gain: 152,577-ft (29-vertical miles or 122 Empire State Buildings stacked together). The most climbing in the history of deCycles!! Congratulations everyone! (96,526-ft climbed in 2008 and 56,645-ft in 2007 and 63,167-ft in 2006)
Total Elevation Loss: 152,514-ft (resulting in total elevation gain of 93-ft in 2009)
Most Climbing Day: 13,506-ft from Roanoke to Sparta. Most climbing day in 2008 was 11,347-ft
Most single climb: 4,453-ft from Front Royal to Rattlesnake Point on Day 10
Highest elevation: 5,049-ft on Newfound Gap at NC/TN state line in Great Smokie Mountain NP
Most Descent Day: 13,089-ft in 135-miles from Gatlinburg to Manchester
Longest descent: 41.36-miles from VA state line to Lacey Springs, VA on Day 8
Most elevation loss: 6,501-ft from Newfound Gap to Pigeon Forge, TN
Fastest Downhill: 48-mph recorded by several riders on several descents
Avg. speed for trip: 15.4-mph (Mapman’s computer) 15.5-mph in 2008 and 16.9-mph in 2007
Total seat time for trip: 108.8-hrs for entire trip. 84.8-hrs in 2008 and 119-hrs in 2007
Slowest Speed: 2-mph on countless hills
Fastest days: Paoli - Bloomington: 47-miles @18.8-mph average, Cincinnati - Portsmouth: 112-miles @ 17.4-mph average, Portsmouth – Gauley Bridge: 137-miles @ 17.4-mph average
Slowest days: Charlottesville – Buena Vista: 85-miles @ 12.4-mph average, Sparta - Boone: 58-miles @ 13.1-mph average
National/State Parks: Hoosier National Forest, New River Gorge National River Park, Monongahela National Forest, Shenendoah NP, Blue Ridge Parkway,
George Washington National Forest, Monticello Park, Pisgah National Forest, Great Smokie Mountain NP, Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, Daniel Boone National Forest
Capitols visited: Charleston, WV, Frankfurt, KY
Worst Roads: US 60 from Frankfort to Louisville
Best Roads: Most of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Easiest Mapping Day: Asheville to Gatlinburg on US 441
Hardest Mapping Day: Gatlinburg to Manchester with various opportunities to get lost
Points of interest: Nashville, IN, Cincinnati downtown, WV Statehouse, Front Royal Cardinals Ballgame, Thomas Jefferson Home, Boone resort town, Biltmore Estate & fireworks, Gatlinburg, Lexington Horse Monument, KY Statehouse, Louisville Slugger Museum.
Toll Ferries: None
Toll Bridges: None
Toll Tunnels: None. Escort only through Cumberland Gap Tunnel.
Bike Paths: 2 … Columbus, IN for 4-miles, and north of Black Mountain, NC for 4-miles uphill
College Campuses: University of Virginia, University of Kentucky
Camping Days: None
Museums Visited: None.
Total bike repairs: Usually about 10-15 bikes per day
Total Participants: 82-riders and staff (78 in 2008 and 82 in 2007)
Roster Breakdown: 75-riders, 7 road support volunteers
Riders: 48-males, 27-females
deCycles experience: 45-veterans, 30-rookies
Riders' Home states: Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Virginia, Colorado, Ohio, Texas, Minnesota
Youngest Riders: Simone Allen (13), Joel Mickleborough (14)
Eldest Rider: Bob Bley, 4-trip veteran
Staff Riders: Norm & Cricket Houze, Robin Houze, Bob Austin
Chief Rider/Mechanic: Jacob Sinex (8-trip veteran), Steve Ziemba (2-trip veteran and 2006 Little 500 Champion)
Devotions Leader: Cricket Houze, 16-trip veteran
Group Leaders: Nicole Parker, Logan Wiser, Kevin Toutkoushian, Keagan Vaughan, Sam Zeller*, Sonja Arnesen, Jacob Iula*, Brian Shuchart*, Alison Hunt, John Powers(*denotes veteran group leader)
Work Teams: Chain Gang, Easy Riders, Pedal Pushers, Slow Spokes, Free Wheelers,
Mr. Goodwrench, Dim Rims, Tough Tubes, HubBubs, Mapman, Roadrunners, Racketeers, Dr. Crankenstein, Pumptitudes.
Goodwrench Team: Jacob Sinex, Steve Ziemba, Cody Brinson, Jacob Buhr, Conner Crowley, Nick Perhala, John Powers, Ian Byers-Gamber
Racketeers: Max Walters, Kevin Toutkoushian
Fitness Leader: Cricket Houze
On-road Supervisor: Norm Houze
Off-road Supervisor: Bob Austin
Cargo Truck Driver: Dan Criswell
Break Truck Driver: Kelly Grant, Jack Kenealy
Equipment Van Drivers: Penny Austin, John Zeller
Sweep Van Drivers: Sherri Strickland, Ashley Strickland Ling
Motorcycle Escort: None
Songleader/concerts: Bob Austin & Cricket Houze
Music Team: Jeff Grissom, Jack Kenealy, Danny Huggins, Helen Han, Norm Houze, Bob Austin, Susannah Lodge-Rigal as lead vocalist
Wakeup Leaders: Keagan Vaughan, Sean Bobay
Mapman: Robin Houze
Cycling Advisor: Norm Houze
Security: Jack Kenealy, Ken Strickland, Chip Houze
Trip Photographers: Norm Houze, Keith Bobay
Trip Videographers: Norm Houze, John Zeller, Dan Criswell, Cricket Houze, Robin Houze
Daily Journalist: Norm Houze
Route created by: Robin Houze
Overnight itinerary: Cricket Houze
Treasurer: Cricket Houze
Medical team: Norm Houze, John Zeller, Lauren Ziemba
Public relations: John Kenealy, Penny Austin, Dan Criswell
Laundry Supervisors: Bob Bley, David Haberman, Bonnie Fye
Facilities Inspection: Dan Criswell, Jack Kenealy, Ken Strickland, Cricket Houze
deCycles Webmaster: Bob Austin
Compliance: Bob Austin
Food Prep: Cricket Houze
Homecoming Banquet: Bob Crowley, Ruth Dube’ & Mr. Lloyd
Web Searches: Penny Austin
Escort Team: Jacob Iula, John Powers, Steve Ziemba, Sam Zeller (Speedboys)
Escort Leaders: Sonja Arnesen, Lauren Ziemba
Sweepers: Jacob Sinex, Steve Ziemba, Ken Strickland
Bloomington Escort: Neville Vaughan, Bloomington Firefighters Unit
Meals Provided:
Unity of Bloomington (Pancake Breakfast & Sendoff)
First Christian Church, Greensburg, IN (Spaghetti supper)
Our Lord Christ The King Catholic Church, Cincinnati, OH (Supper & snacks)
Gauley Bridge Baptist Church, Gauley Bridge, WV (Breakfast & supper)
Marlinton Presbyterian Church, Marlington, WV (Supper & dessert)
Front Royal Methodist Church, Front Royal, VA (Supper & leftovers)
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Charlottesville, VA (Supper & dessert)
St. John’s Methodist Church, Buena Vista, VA (Chicken supper & dessert)
Eastgate Church of the Nazarene, Roanoke, VA (Hot dog supper w/ youth group)
St. Francis of Rome Catholic Church, Sparta, NC (Pot luck supper & dessert)
Acton United Methodist Church, Asheville, NC (Spaghetti supper & breakfast)
Manchester Community Church, Manchester, KY (Burger supper & dessert with concert)
Broadway Christian Church, Lexington, KY (Pizza supper)
St. Paul United Methodist Church, Louisville, KY (Spaghetti supper & dessert)
Robin Houze Family, Louisville, KY (Pancake breakfast by ChrisCakes in Louisville)
Paoli Wesleyan Church, Paoli, KY (Pizza supper & pancake breakfast)
Bob Bley, Paoli, KY (Ice cream dessert before bedtime)
Most % fat reduction: 6.4% Andrew Cambron, 5.0% Simone Allen/Keith Bobay/Erin Markle, 4.6% Cricket Houze, 4.1% Norm Houze, 4.0% Sean Bobay
Average weight loss: 2.9-lbs per tested rider, 7.3-lbs in 2008 and 4.1-lbs in 2007
Scale weight loss: 155.5-lbs for 31-riders
Scale weight gained: 30.5-lbs between 11-riders, 9-riders maintained same scale weight
Biggest losers : Andrew Cambron, 16-lbs. Simone Allen/Jacob Sinex, 10.5-lbs.
Norm Houze, 10-lbs. Logan Wiser, 8-lbs. 22-riders had incomplete data
Testing data: Bioimpedance analysis and scale weight
Triple Crown Awards: 23 of 75-riders … Skylar Grant*, Ian Byers-Gamber, Allie Kress*, Erin Markle, Nathan Haberman, Danny Huggins, Helen Han, Jacob Iula, Laura Emery, Sam Zeller*, Erin Boyle, Logan Wiser*, Alison Hunt, Jake Kuhlman, Nick Perhala, Sonja Arnesen, Jacob Sinex, Norm Houze, Robin Houze*, Jim Capshew, David Haberman, Brad Blakenship, Bonnie Fye (No flats, crashes, and pedaled entire trip; * denotes Triple Crown winners also in 2008)
Riders with flat tires: 39 of 75 riders had flat tires. (39 of 71 riders in 2008 and 50 of 70 riders in 2007)
Pedaled Entire Trip: 58 of 7 -riders. (66 of 71 riders in 2008 and 52 of 70 riders in 2007)
Male Rider of Year: John Powers, BHSS senior and 3-trip veteran
Female Rider of Year: Alison Hunt, IU sophomore and 4-trip veteran
Male Rookie of Year: Ian Byers-Gamber, BHSS senior
Female Rookie of Year: Lauren Ziemba, IU graduate and recent doctoral post-graduate in physical therapy
Most Improved Riders: Ben Cooke-Akaiwa, Rachel Schaeffer
Most Spirited Riders: Brad Blankenship, Keagan Vaughan
Most Courageous: Cricket Houze, Max Walter pedaling with injuries
Fork in Road Award: Robin Houze for outstanding road marking and showing the way
Mapman Award: Jeff Grissom for marking roads, showing the way, and volunteer spirit
Waterbottle Winners: Brad Blankenship, Steve Ziemba, Jacob Sinex, Erin Markle
deCycles Website hits: 10,153 in 2009. 12,029 in 2008
Media coverage: Bloomington H-T and several newspapers in WV, VA, NC, and KY
Maps and topos: Delorme Topo, Mapquest, Google Earth, Google Maps, MapmyRide.com
Addtional Trivia: Rated by Mapman as the 3rd toughest deCycles trip since 1996.
Lowest average temperatures of any previous deCycles trip.
The least 100-degree days in deCycles history … 1. There were 10 in 2008.
The least days with triple digit temps and distances … 0 double triples.
Tied with 2008/2006 with the least rain encountered on a deCycles trip … none.
12-different families had more than one member on the trip, the most ever.
The 2nd least tumbles recorded on a 3-week deCycles trip … 31. 22 in 2008, 60 in 2007.
The least flat tires recorded on a deCycles trip … 78. 88 in 2008.
The 2nd most riders in the Wussie wagon … 17. 5 in 2008, 18 in 2007.
Youngest roster in deCycles history. 2007 was 2nd youngest.
The most experienced road support volunteer team in deCycles history.
The most difficult mapping route in deCycles history. 2007 was equally difficult.
The roster filled faster than any previous deCycles trip … 3-weeks.
The most hills climbed on a deCycles trip … multiple hundreds at least.
The most climbing elevation on a deCycles trip … 152,577-vertical ft.
The 2nd most climbing day in deCycles history: 13,506-ft from Roanoke to Sparta. The most was 15,500-ft on Big Sur California coast in 2004.
The 2nd most triple crown winners on a deCycles trip … 23 of 75 riders. 25 in 2008.
Major Sponsors/Donors:
St. John Associates
May/St. John Family
Bloomington Bicycle Club
Independent Limestone Company
John Zeller Family
Bloomington Chiropractic Center
Norm & Cricket Houze & Family
Robin & MaryBeth Houze & family
Richard & JoAnn Houze & family
Indiana University Student Foundation
Unity of Bloomington
Bloomington Firefighters Union
Gauley Bridge Baptist Church
The Jensen Family
Mike Ives
Ron & Georgeann Brown
The above are businesses, families, and individuals who offered equipment, services, and/or financial support for the ongoing success of this deCycles program. We are grateful for their gifts.
|
