Bike Swap Meet - Saturday!

Yep, it's that super fun day for bike lovers when they close down 4th Ave from 6th St to the underpass for us all to geek out on bikes, parts, clothes, you name it-if-it-is-bike-related. Saturday, November 14th, from the crack of dawn to high noon or so.

El Grupo always has a presence, and like we did last year, we will be providing bike valet parking for all those who choose to ride their bikes to the event, and don't plan on selling it. We will watch your bike for you between 6am and 1pm so you can shop, haggle, what-have-you with no worries. We will be located in the fenced-in park on the EAST SIDE of 4th Ave BETWEEN 7TH & 8TH ST. Just look for the VW vanagon and the El Grupo banner!

So, for all EG riders, friends and parents, we are asking for your HELP to staff the bike valet parking in between 6am and 1pm. ALL RIDERS MUST WORK MINIMUM ONE HOUR!! We will have a sign up sheet starting Wednesday at the clubhouse when we will all be patching tubes for PBAA all day, yeah :) The earlier you sign up for the hour you want, the more likely you will get it!

Looking forward to seeing you all out at the Bike Swap on 4th this Saturday!


OH YEAH AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR WORKTRADE DAY TOMORROW. YOU MUST BE AT THE CLUBHOUSE TOMORROW AT 10AM TO NOT HAVE TO PAY TO GET IN. DON'T BE LATE. ETIENE AND FERNANDE YOU GUYS NEED TO SHOW UP. YOU TOO RICARDO

SilverBell Century Success

The food table shivers when we approach.

I can't image that we help GABA's overall food budget at all. I have to imagine at some point we might get a talking to . I mean Ricardo ate 3 pieces of sandwich by himself and left with the 4th in his mouth.

Getting ready for the day, making Daniela proud.

Look Mom were stretching!!

THANKS GABA!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet again the Greater Arizona Bicycle Association came through and offered El Grupo another amazing day.

I rode 95 miles with Julia, Donovan, Amy, Ricardo, Connor and Milo. So just 10 more and it would have been El Tour. I think we all know we are ready now and as long as nothing crazy happens we should be just fine.
Which way do we go?

Travis and his team had a land mark day. Most of his team has been cycling for less than 6 months on the team, and don't you know they rode 90 miles!!!!!!!!! That's pretty amazing and to top it off they did it not too much slower than my team. So 67 mile El Tour riders, heads up there will be some fast youth out there.
Travis showing us where the food goes.


Alex Strickland, Nippy and Nelson rode with the super fast team and realized that if they can stick together and work as a team they have a real shot at going Platinum.

Rachel rode her longest ride ever and I think even wore down Dave Bohm. Thanks for all the help Dave!!!

THANKS GABA FOR A GREAT RIDE!!!!!!

El Tour is in less than 2 weeks.

Start getting ready for it today. Drink water, sleep well, eat good food, and get pumped!!

Ignacio

Kathleen's Request

All right team this is a must. Kathleen has sent me this message and I want everyone to act on it.
Hi Guys,I entered 20 images in the photo contest...all but a couple focused on El Grupo.Look under the categories of Youth, Biking and Walking, Advocates in Action, Biking and Inspirational.Maybe you could do a blog post and encourage folks to go and vote.I'll share any winnings....how about a bike trip to Italy!!!


Hi once again....Would you please let all the BICAS folks know to go to the site to vote on the images....they are my/our identified non-profit to get the goods if any of the photos are selected. The 10 photos with the most votes "by the people" are put before the judges for the final vote. All of the info is below with the link.Tag words to look for will be mostly "youth bike racing".They have me listed as "Kathleen D. (Tucson, AZ)Most of the images are in the Youth and Inspirational categories with some in each of the other ones listed below.There are multiple ones of Max, Logan, Avery, Igancio......and a few from Show Low.Thanks.....it would be soooo great to win one for the gipper!We ARE SO going to get that bus!!!!K

http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/


SO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GABA Silverbell Centruy

This Sunday the 8th we are going to ride with GABA again on a ride they call the Silverbell Century. The starting location is at River and Craycroft and they are saying the the event starts at 7am. So I should think that if we meet at the clubhouse at 6:30 am we can get there in a reasonable time.

MEET AT CLUBHOUSE 6:30AM SUNDAY.

Remember when we are on GABA rides we are guests and need to be on best behavior. There will be great food stops along the way, so no worries there.

Just please be ready for a long hard day. This is an attempt to simulate the intensity of El Tour so put your shorts on knowing that a hard day awaits.

Lets have fun with it and I will be excited to hear about everyones adventure.

More info can be found here: http://www.bikegaba.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=376&year=2009&month=11&day=08&Itemid=34&catids=37

El Tour Work Trade - IMPORTANT!

In order to do El Tour (and not have to pay full price for entry) we have the opportunity to do work trade with the PBAA and for the first time this year, with Ben's Bells. All riders between the ages of 13 and 18 must put in 10 hours of work trade, PLUS contribute $20 in donation to charity. This is something that El Grupo will expect you to come up with...either on your own, asking friends or relatives, teachers, etc. to support you in this ride. As for the work trade, here are your options, starting with next Monday, Nov. 2nd.

Monday, Nov. 2nd at Bens Bells (University & Euclid, Geronimo Plaza) from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Please be on time as we will receive instructions by Jeanette at the start. Painting beads, lots of fun!

Monday, Nov. 9th at Bens Bells - more of the same, 3:30pm to 6:30pm

Saturday, Nov. 14th at Bens Bells- 6am to set up for "indoor el tour" before you head over to the swap meet

There will also be opportunities for packet stuffing and patching tubes, and Nelson is looking into this. More on this to come. But please mark down the next two Mondays for Bens Bells to hang out and paint beads together.

There will NOT be shop hours this next Monday as we will all be at Bens Bells.

Questions? don't wait to ask!

Practice Time Change

This Sunday the 1st of Nov. practice will begin at 8am.

PRACTICE STARTS AT 8AM THIS SUNDAY MORNING!!!

THAT IS ALL..

IGNACIO

Pablo's Broke Bike

About three weeks ago during a training ride of about 50 miles, Pablo and his bike decided to break up. It was one of those uncomfortable break ups where to the two people really still like each other and care for each other but they know it just can't be. Like marshmellows and peanut butter you know you want to eat them together all the time, I mean that fluffy nutter stuff is crazy good, but you just know it's not right.

This is what happened to Pablo. He loved his bike. Called it Sarah. Raced it. Loved it. Took her everywhere he went, we even got it painted for him. Hell he got upset if you touched it. I mean it was love. But it was not meant to be. She was too old for him, and just not ready for that kind of relationship.

So on a ride of 50 half way through, Sarah, the bike, decided to call it quites. She let go right where the head tube meets the downtube. It happened in a rip the band aid right off kind of moment too. No one saw it coming and he was devistated. There were no prior arguments, no tiffs to forshadow the break up. Just one big nasty, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!

I was right behind them when it happened and really it was all at once. Just a loud pop and it was over.

So if anybody has a 56 cm frame that needs a partner, well we are looking. He is still single and looking for a partner. We recently were introduced to another however she too was damaged and not ready to go.

SO WE ARE IN NEED OF A 56 CM FRAME!!!!

Please feel free to contact me at anytime if you have something, and I do not care if it is aluminum, carbon, ti, or steel. Just something the kid can ride.