Fifty Plus (50+) - Welcome To the Tour de Mojo

NOTE THE DATE OF ORIGINAL POST

A few weeks ago, our nearest major-ish newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, announced that they wanted runners, walkers, kayakers and cyclists to send in their favorite routes for incluson in their new "Fitness" section of the Sunday paper. On a lark, I sent in a turn-by-turn description of a 40 mile ride I had just done, including (as directed) a brief bit about who I was and my riding story, plus a map of the route. To my surprise, I was chosen as the first contest winner and I didn't even realize it was a contest. I got a $100 gift certificate to a sport shop.

Anyway, I was surprised by the front page (of section 3) spread it was. And I have heard from lots of my friends who opened the paper to see my picture and story. It's fun to be almost famous, and I hope it promotes cycling in the area a bit. My riding group has added "Tour de Frady" to our ride rotation.

You won't be able to read the article as presented, since I had to scan it and do all sorts of things to get it to this point. The top is the map, the middle my pic and story the bottom the actual turn-by-turn description.

Re-working my words, here's how the story starts;
"To 61-year-old Tom Frady of Lincoln, retirement sounds like 'bike tires on a smooth road at 30 miles per hour'.

Yes, Frady is a cyclist. To call him avid is an understatement. He logs close to 8,000 miles a year. There's nothing, he says, like a 40 to 60 mile ride to clear his head and occupy his time. . . . . ."

Anyway, it's all fun. My name was often in the local weekly paper during my work years, but (fortunately) not in headlines like this. I think I'll frame it.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/TourdeFradyfull.jpg

You da man! What are you going to buy with the $ 100?

Nice! The story looks very good, with the long article and map.

http://www.sacbee.com/275/story/1284344.html

Thanks, Tom B, for including the link to the paper's webpage. I forgot.

A. Jet: I haven't really decided. The sports store (Big 5) isn't really big into cycling. I am thinking
CO2 cartridges, a Polar bottle, a wool undershirt and tennis shoes are all possible.

Nice article and Great Pic:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/ScreenShot002.jpg

Congratulations on the prize and the article, Mojo. Perhaps your example will inspire some folks to get out and ride.

Nice article, way to go.

How cool is that! :thumb:

Congratulations! Maybe we better come ride your routes soon.

:beer:

Way to go Mojo!:beer:

Nice photo! And look! You're on the Giant.
A man of redoubtable good taste.
Great job, Mr Frady!

Way to go Mr. Frady - Regardless of what you were in the papers for earlier in you career, I'm sure this one will outweigh all of them - just as it's a much more personal level of achievement.

Contrats!

Fantastic end to what you thought was just a bit of Fun. Wouldn't do that route for a couple of weeks though- It might be crowded.

I used to show Alpine plants on a National scale and at one Particular show- I won a Special award for a Plant. I had to do an interview with the press and I thought it was just a local Newsrag so answered the Journalists questions in very basic language. Turned out it was the BIG National Gardening journal and I sounded like a complete moron who just got lucky and won something. The mere fact that it had taken 5 years to get the plant to Show standard- and I nearly did not show it because I thought it was not good enough- did not come into it.


Luckily- reading your write up and you have done a lot for cycling in your home town. So this weekend- get out on that route on the Giant and in that jersey and just show every one that you can ride at a slower pace "occasionally".

congratulations! Great article and pic... (where's the 50+ jersey??????????) :)

train safe-

I have been away from BF50+ for most of the last three weeks, due to a mini-vacation and some family emergencies, so I was anxious to get back on my Giant and ride with the group yesterday. To my surprise, the planned ride was "The Tour de Frady" as outlined in the above-bragged article.

Ten of us, including 5 from another group (slightly less aggressive) of riders, headed for the hills. At about mile 10, we hit the first real climb of the day, Baxter Grade. Turns out 4 of the riders had never climbed this 1.5 mile 7-8% hill before. Here are a couple of pictures of the climb.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/10-20-08TdfBaxterClimbing.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/10-20-08TdFBaxterSteve.jpg

Those four riders were so concerned about the climb, they left several minutes early so they wouldn't make us wait. The 6 remaining riders caught them somewhere on the hill.

It's often the unnamed hills that are the worst. After Baxter, there is a nice down hill, but it runs into a 2 mile uphill, while not terribly steep, catches many off guard and can be a bit of a slog. I was riding at the rear, acting as sweep, and could hear the three ladies crabbing a bit. Hey, these are three 65 year olds who ride 35-50 miles three times a week. Props to them.

After a potty stop, we settle into a nice line on Dry Creek Road. I was leading and keeping it at a moderate pace, which not only kept us together but it sure looked cool.

A left turn and we are on what is known as "11% Bowman", a short (1/4 mile) tester of a hill. It's short enough to charge if you're feelin' it, which I wasn't, but a couple of the guys took it standing up. More crabbing at the back of the pack.

After another of those unnamed inclines, we make it to Starbucks in Auburn. I ride across the street to a Carl's Jr. for a Coke, as I am not a coffee drinker. From here on home, it's more downhill than up. We make it to Millertown Road (one of my favorites). Again, some of the riders had never been on this road. While they rode it a bit more cautiously than I prefer, I swept again, but heard no crabbing. Here are a couple of pictures.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/10-20-08OnMillertown4.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/10-20-08OnMillertown3.jpg

This is a beautiful road. It gets narrower and narrower as you head down.

Another unnamed incline with a brief respite at the top (I have learned that two of the ladies can't take a drink from their bottles while riding, so we make a couple of quick "waterstops"). Now comes everyone's favorite downhillm several miles of nice twisties. At the bottome, one of the ladies said, "This is a great ride. I was cursing you (me) on the climbs, but it's been worth it."

We then hit "the stop sign" which always means PACELINE!! Two guys take off, followed by one of the ladies. She loses them. I pass her and she falls in behind. Another guy passes us and we hook onto his draft. Now there are four of us. On a slight upgrade the lady falls out. The three of us push at about 28 mph for about a mile. It's always like this.

We regroup for the final leg home, about 4 miles. Most of us hit the cafe for an after-ride Coke. By riding around the block, I clock in at 50.02 miles at my driveway.

It's good to be home and back on the bike.

Terrific article! Thanks so much for the additional pics of others on the route. I bet there will be more and more folks taking that route now that you have shared it with them.