Great Lakes - [IN] Little 500?

Will be driving through Bloomington on April 20th on my way to visit my sister in Adolphus, Ky, and I'm bringing my bike. I know this is a friday, but would there be anything special worth checking out? I do want to get a copy of Breaking Away (you know, purchased in Bloomington) and ride around town some. Saturday would be spent with family, and Sunday I was thinking of the Hillbilly Days in Pikeville, KY (http://www.hillbillydays.com/).

Suggestions of things to catch while I'm in the area?

John Wilke
Milwaukee

nick's english hut for sink the biz & bear's place for a hairy bear.

the road riding is spectacular. i miss it tons. campus is BEAUTIFUL that time of year.

not sure where you can get a copy of the movie; maybe in the student bookstore in the union. that would be my best guess.

not sure where you can get a copy of the movie; maybe in the student bookstore in the union. that would be my best guess.

Hmmmm ... never thought of that. Might be good place to check out regardless.

jw

Little 500 is an awesome event. Too bad you wont be able to stick around and watch the race. I raced Little 5 in 98 and 99, besides the birth of my son, it was the best expeirence I've ever been apart of. Still have scars from the cinder track!! Like 3MTA3 said, the roads around campus are great for riding. Some nice climbs as well. Downtown B-town will be a happening place even on Friday. Walk up Kirwood ave for some cool bars and on college ave. Sink the biz at nicks, on kirkwood is fun but depending on what time you get there, it will be busy!! Enjoy, I wish I could be there!

So I ordered the two DVD set of the history of the Little 500 and it's awesome! I knew that the movie Breaking Away was based upon a real race, but I didn't know that there really was a 'DAVE' who was a townie, that spoke Italian, was a real fast rider, and sung Italian Operas while riding! Then, I also knew that cycling announcer Eddie Van Guyse was in the movie, but I didn't know that he actually rode that race numerous times when he went to school there. THEN I find out that one of the teams recruited another fast rider by the name of Wayne Stetina!! Holy cow.

I'm looking forward to getting down to Bloomington, even if for only an afternoon.

John Wilke
Milwaukee

Little 5 used to be really, really awesome. I went to the race a bunch of times in the 80's, then I used to travel there for the race in 89, 90, 91 time frame.

It was around that time that the cops really started craking down (I was there when they rolled a car something like 20 times and set all sorts of fires in crappy apt complex near the stadium). I always wanted to race it, but I decided to get an Engineering degree...not IU's cup of tea.

During college (Purdue) they set Little 5 and Grand Prix during the same weekend to disuade the mobile party (they used to be on consecutive weekends). I was always on a team for Grand Prix so that meant I missed Little 5.

The race is definitely worth watching.

I used to have a "Roadmaster" plastic race number thingy hanging from my wall. Great college cycling tradition.

So I ordered the two DVD set of the history of the Little 500 and it's awesome! in case anyone else wants 'em: www.little500.net (http://www.little500.net)

awesomeness in 2 dvds.

It was around that time that the cops really started craking down (I was there when they rolled a car something like 20 times and set all sorts of fires in crappy apt complex near the stadium).

That must have been crazy! I see that it was televised on ABC Sports or something and, get this, MTV broadcasted from there (pretty big deal at that time). I dunno why I missed that since I seemed to have caught every other snippet of local races on the evening news on our 40 lb VCR. Pouring over 10 seconds of video, picking out friends - "HEY! THERE'S STU!" I certainly would have recorded a full bike race.

:p

John Wilke
Milwaukee

in case anyone else wants 'em: www.little500.net (http://www.little500.net)

awesomeness in 2 dvds.

In terms of just a cycling DVD set, I think it's really good (and I've got a bunch). It's got rider interviews from the entire period of the race, sprints, crashes ... it's got it all!

:)

jw

Will be driving through Bloomington on April 20th on my way to visit my sister in Adolphus, Ky, and I'm bringing my bike. I know this is a friday, but would there be anything special worth checking out?

If you're looking for a ride around the Bloomington area on that Friday, drop me a PM. We could do a route. Maybe climb Boltinghouse hill (shudder...).

Will try. Hoping to get to Louisville by friday night - 9 hour drive?? :o So will probably ride around Bloomington to stretch the legs. GOTTA get a copy of Breaking Away while in town. I want to get Eddie Van Guyse (the bad Italian in the movie) to autograph it when he's announcing at SuperWeek this year.

Looking forward to the trip!! :D

jw
milwaukee

bloomington is great, im here right now and its the reason why i started riding.

Any tips on what store to try and buy the DVD Breaking Away when I'm in town?

jw
Milwaukee

someone said try the union, but i dont think they would have it. I mean, there IS a mall and stuff.

april 20th is the womens little 500 race. So of course you can check that out. That whole weekend will be pretty intense, especially down town by all the bars.

someone said try the union, but i dont think they would have it. I mean, there IS a mall and stuff.

april 20th is the womens little 500 race. So of course you can check that out. That whole weekend will be pretty intense, especially down town by all the bars.

COOL ! :)

I won't have a lot of time to hang around since I've got to hit Lexington at a reasonable hour, but do plan on bumming around, probably riding a bit.

GOTTA find a copy of Breaking Away actually purchased in Bloomington so I can get it autographed by Eddie Van Guyse (who played the Bad Italian) this summer. :p

jw