Located in the City of Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada We are a group of female & male road bike riders who meet informally to ride the roads in southeastern Manitoba.
Our goals are the same, we ride because it improves physical fitness, reduces blood pressure, controls cholesterol and for some weight loss.
What really happens is that we build relationships with people outside our normal peer/age group
We have solved many world issues, built up broken relationships, shared our good and bad times and many good laughs at the expense of each other.
Founded by Rudy & Sue Nikkel, Virlon Unruh, Jac Siemens, Curtis Rempel, Paul Harakal who started riding with Rudy & Sue in their quest to prepare for a cross-Canada journey in 2003.
Since then we added riders Rob Sidorchuk, Hans Epp, Dr. Darren Reimer, Jason Hiebert, Ron Janzen, Marcel Jodin, Shannon & Dale Sawatsky, Randy Fender, Royden Loewen, Jason Rempel on more regular rides.
All age groups youngest at aged 21 to those of us over 50+
Ride each Saturday longer ride (60 – 100 km), Sunday shorter ride (50 – 70 km)
Meet at Water Tower rest stop in Steinbach.
We generally leave at 6 or 7 am — it is cooler in the morning, the traffic is light, the wind is quieter and get home by noon so we have the rest of the day with family or work
Rides average speeds are between 25 – 32 km/hr depending to time of year & who is riding
Destinations differ by weekend including longer rides to Woodridge, Richer, Deacons Corner, Dugald, St Malo, Winnipeg, Grunthal, Kleefeld, New Bothwell, Landmark just of name afew
Rides on Saturday generally include a stop for coffee & waffles in Kleefeld or pan fries in Woodridge or oatmeal in Richer.
Riders also participate in other events like Hans in run-bike events, Darren Reimer & Shannon Sawatzky in triathlons as well as other rides like the Paul Harakal, Ron Janzen, Jason Rempel, Rob Sidorchuk and Jac Siemens participating in rides like the MS ride, MCC ride and the Muddy Waters Century (100 mile) Ride.
It isn’t true that all cyclists shave their legs — some aren’t allowed to.
All riders will ride on their own during the week to build stamina for longer rides.
In spring the rides are shorter (Kleefeld 36 km) and grow in length to the longer rides over the spring & summer.
Last ride last year was November 11th to Winnipeg, this year the first ride was March 18th to Kleefeld.
Ride in most weather conditions from extreme like cold or too hot, to heavy rains and been caught in hail once. Worst ride was leaving Woodridge May 14, 2005, temp was a great 21 degrees Celcius and a wind at our backs, 10 km down the road the rain hit, by the time we got to Marchand it was 12 degrees and La Broquerie it was 7 degrees and wet. We hadn’t dressed for rain or cold. Took most of 3 days to warm up.
Riders will ride between 2,500 km to 7,000 km each per year depending on time commitments
Hazards include stones thrown by passing vehicles, vehicles passing to close or just not paying attention and rubbing wheels with the rider in front of you, bugs getting into eyes, ears & nose, spandex that’s ready to let go.
Things learned on rides is how to ride in a pace line with the lead rider blocking the wind for the riders behind riding in the leaders draft, the first time one experiences that it is just amazing, we learnt how to eat and drink during a longer ride to keep from bonking.
We all carry tubes to fix flats, small tools and air pumps, everyone stops to help when one flattens or needs some sort of repair.
We have few rules, but all riders must wear a helmet, obey rules of the road and in general travel as fast as the slowest rider.
Each ride has times that we sprint or travel faster for certain distances, then wait up for the other riders and continue along the route.
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Red River Century Ride for Diabetes
July 29th, 2007
Enjoy quiet country roads that wind along the Red River, passing through Lockport, Lower Fort Garry, Selkirk and East Selkirk.
Choose between 2 routes! The “Metric Century” ride consists of 100 KM, or the “Double Decade” route at 20 KM.
Registration fee includes snacks, beverages, and Ride T-shirt. In the evening, enjoy your dinner with lots of entertainment at the Banquet. All this for a $40.00 registration fee and minimum $200.00 in pledges. You can register online at either of the following links or call the JDRF office at 953-4477.
Olympia Cycle at 326 St Mary’s Rd will provide FREE bike check ups to all riders one week prior to the ride. Please check out their website at http://www.olympia.ca/community.htm for more information.
Proceeds from this event will go to JDRF and the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
http://www.goodbear.mb.ca/content.asp?view=CHF-517lr
For those who would like to participate as a volunteer for the “Red River Century Ride”, please reply back to this email showing your interest.
Carol Lezack
Hi, I just wanted to let you and the club know about our annual movie premier, sorry for the short notice I hope you can make it out.
Tim Woodcock
Woodcock Cycle Works Inc.
2008 Cycling Movie Premier
Woodcock Cycle Works annual movie premier is a little delayed but it is here again with a new cycling movie and with a new location.
Woodcock Cycle Works with MS Society and Manitoba Lung Association proudly presents to you the 2008 cycling movie premier. In 2008 movie premier changes location to The Park Theatre. Tickets available at Woodcock Cycle Works at 157 St. Annes Rd. (phone 204-253-5896). Tickets are only $10. Get your tickets early because this will sell out again!
Who?
Everyone is welcome.
What?
The Movie – Detour De France
Detour De France is a documentary that follows the 2005 Tour De France through the eyes of three Australians; John Trevorrow, Denis Donoghue and Bill Schwarzenberg. John is a journalist and ex Pro-Australian rider, Denis is a radio journalist and Bill is just there to have a good time.
The film is aimed at the general audience, not just the cycling enthusiast, although anyone with the slightest interest in cycling will enjoy the inside story of the tour.
It touches on the rise of Lance Armstrong and his amazing recovery from life-threatening cancer, how the ‘prologue’ and ‘peloton,’ the ‘break away’ and the nuances of the worlds greatest cycling event. It also takes you through the various countries that the race enters.
http://www.detourdefrancemovie.com/index.php
Before the movie you can fill the pledge forms for MS Bike Tour at MS Society booth, help Winnipeg Harvest by bringing non-perishable food items for their foodbank, find out about Manitoba Lung Association events or just enjoy the pre-movie videos, snacks and meet and mingle with people so be early.
Where?
The Park Theatre, 698 Osborne Street, phone 204-478-7275
http://www.parktheatervideo.com
When?
March 18, 2008. Doors open at 6 PM, movie starts at 7:30 PM
Why?
This year the movie premier marks the end of the winter (hopefully) and movie premier will help to bring it back how the summer days can be.
Also Winnipeg Harvest will be set up with their bins for Non Parishable food item Donation, as well as the Manitoba MS Society will be in attendance to sign people up for their annual MS rides.
I have a brand new super-light triathlon bike for sale. Is there anywhere on your website that I might be able to list it for sale?
Tell Paul Harakal that Paul Harakal said hello. Name you don’t hear very often, other than my dad.
Red River Ride for Diabetes Take 2!
The ride this year will be held July 25th and will be raising funds for Diabetes Research in Children on behalf of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Come out and join us again for a beautiful ride along the north section of the Red River. The ride this year will start and end in the town of Selkirk. Riders will be provided with group guides, food and drink, mechanical support and a celebratory dinner at one of Winnipeg’s finest establishments. The scenic route will include the following historic sites in and around the town of Selkirk:
The Marin Museum of Manitoba
St. Peters Church
The locks of Lockport
St. Andrews Rectory
Captain Kennedy Tea House
Lower Fort Garry
Historic Skinners Restaurant
Check out the website for details or contact me personalyl for more details:
Jonathan McGavock, PhD
Robert Wallace Cameron Chair in Evidence-Based Child Health
Canadian Diabetes Association Scholar
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba
510A JBRC – Manitoba Institute of Child Health
715 McDermot Ave. Winnipeg, MB. R3E 3P4
ph: 204-480-1359
We look forward to seeing you there!
In the winter does anyone in Steinbach hold any spinning practices? Or do people get together to ride their bikes on trainers? I am looking for a group with whom I could train this winter. Can you share any information on such events?
Hi Jane,
Our group has not done anything regular. We’ve usually had a couple of group spin sessions at one of the club members who has a renovated barn that he uses for workouts. I’m not aware of any groups in Steinbach that meet for spinning on regular basis. Two years ago a few of us had a spinning challenge going where we compared stats about our spin sessions (which we did independently at home) – that helped to ease the tedium a bit.
I’ve joined the gym this winter and I think I’ll be focussing on that and cross country skiing. If you’ve never been, the Sandilands is an excellent skiing area, just a 25 min drive east of Steinbach. You can check trail conditions at http://www.sandilands.ca .
Hope to meet you at a club ride next summer!
The Red Rock Cyclathon is coming up Saturday, June 4. If any of you would be interested in doing that ride to help send kids to camp, you can register online at http://tinyurl.com/cycle4kids . It is a 128.6 kilometer fully supported ride from Steinbach and we will provide transportation back for you and your bikes.
I would like to invite any of you who may be interested to Oregon for a great week of riding.
http://www.mbsef.org/events/central_oregon_500/
For More information:
centraloregon500@gmail.com
2012 Cycle of Hope
We are looking for cyclists interested in a two week fully supported Ride from Green Bay Wisconsin home to Winnipeg for a wonderful cause and I hope you can help us.
Each year a volunteer group of Winnipeg cyclists work with Habitat for Humanity to organize a two week fully supported 1600km bike ride. The number of cyclists is limited to 50 and each cyclist pays a $475.00 registration fee to cover their expenses and is responsible to raise a minimum of $2500.00 . The funds raised each year by the Cycle of Hope riders build a home for one of the Habitat partner families to purchase. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization dedicated to building safe, decent affordable homes for low-income working families. It is not a giveaway, and not a hand out, but a means for these families to break the cycle of poverty. Habitat Homeowners purchase their Habitat Home with a 0% interest mortgage and they must complete 350 to 500 hours of sweat equity before taking possession.
This year from June 30th – July 14th, 2012 the Cycle of Hope will be cycling from Green Bay Wisconsin home to Winnipeg. We are looking for cyclists to join us on this ride. I was wondering if it would be possible to meet with your club to let them know about the Cycle of Hope and answer any questions they may have about the Ride. If this isn’t feasible would it be possible to forward this email and the attached poster about the Cycle of Hope to your members and if anyone is interested they can contact me directly or Elaine Smith at Habitat for Humanity. For more information about the Cycle of Hope here is a link to the Cycle of Hope site set up by one of the cyclists http://www.robcycles.com/.
I appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
Linda
Habitat for Humanity
2012 Cycle of Hope
Attention: Board of Directors, MIT
Hello,
We are working on the 2012 “season opener” edition of the Amateur Sports News for Manitoba. This paper is provided in local communities free of charge, and is designed to give recognition and encouragement to athletes, coaches, parents, etc. It covers ALL amateur sports, including cycling, gymnastics, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, rowing, martial arts, swimming, golf, etc. You may have seen our papers in your local arenas and recreation centers.
It would be GREAT to include a write up on “Mennonites in Tights” for this issue! This is a wonderful opportunity to submit news and photos about activities, and to promote cycling and your club in particular. You can write about anything you wish.
Ideas for content include information about the history of your club, past or upcoming special events, rides and races, any programs you run, accomplishments and awards received, who can/how to join, and it’s also a great way to recruit volunteers and sponsors. Pictures are always welcome too! A picture can be worth a thousand words ….
There is NO COST to have an article published – just the time it takes to send it to us via email, Canada Post, or even by fax! As for the word-count, we have found the average to be about 600-700 words and 6 or 7 photos; however, there is no actual criteria on how long or short it must be – we just encourage you to write and submit whatever you are comfortable with.
It is best if your write up is in MSWord format or even directly in the body of an email. However, please DO NOT include photos and logos in a Word document, since photographs and logos must be high resolution (minimum of 300 dpi) and .jpg format. Upon publication, we would be happy to send you free copies of the paper featuring your article.
The FINAL deadline for news and photo submissions for this issue is June 3, 2012. The papers will be distributed in Steinbach and throughout Manitoba soon after June 29. If you have any questions at all, or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Laura Clarke
News and Pictures
Amateur Sports News/Minor Hockey News
Young Fitness Inc.
840, 10310 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5J 1Y8
Ph 780-413-9565 or 780-413-9581
Fx 780-413-3314
Email yfinews@telus.net
MIT members might remember the tragic death of cyclist Arne Johnsrud on March 19th 2012. He and I were cycling Highway 12 near the Trans Canada Highway when he was hit from behind by a cement pumping truck.
We will honor his memory with a bike ride from Ile Des Chenes on September 23rd. MCA members are welcome to attend. The Ride will start at 10 am. The distance is 65km. The chosen route is the one Arne cycled regularly. We will stop in Lorette on our way back to visit with his widow.
For more information contact Roger at 204-237-1942