Teaching + Cycling = Bliss!

Occasionally I have the chance to combine my passions of teaching and cycling. (If I added any other passion to the equation it would be illegal!) Thanks to the support of Trips for Kids, I am able to bring my Oakland students to the trails of Marin County for a wonderful day of exercise, fresh air, community building and FUN!

This time around, we were joined by a camerawoman and reporter from Channel 7. The coverage was GREAT! Here's a link to the video and transcript.


Everyone can check out the great pictures posted here.

Thanks to Marilyn, Michael and the TFK volunteers. Huge props to Les, Nargis, Jamiel, and Lorri for sharing your day, car, and love with us last week! And if any of my students have stumbled across this blog, congrats (both on your cycling ability and web research skills… now quit being so nosey!)

Go Trish! Go!

At the beginning of 2001 I was emerging from 6-months of hell. Shortly after my mom passed away from leukemia and my marriage dissolved, my dear friend Skeeter reached out and signed me up to train for a half Ironman triathlon with Team in Training. (It was a mandate, not an invitation.) I did the race in honor of my mom, and I used the training to springboard my return to bike racing after a 12 year hiatus. It was a transformative experience. My life is in a very different and much brighter place now. Friends, like Derike and Nargis, who I met through the training five years ago, are still close in my life.



When my girlfriend, Trish, mentioned that she was considering joining Team in Training and participating in the Treasure Island Olympic Distance Triathlon in November, I promised to offer all the support I could. And... part of this support is to encourage (or shame) you all into supporting this important cause. The money donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training goes to fund cancer research and to support patients and their families.

Any size donation is welcome and meaningful. You can donate by clicking this link, or email me and I'll let you know where you can send a check.

Although Trish never had the opportunity to meet my mom, Barb Guikema, she is honoring her memory through her training, fundraising and participation in this triathlon... and that means the world to me. I would also like to congratulate/encourage Alex who just completed an Ironman with Team in Training and Deborah, who will be doing a marathon with TNT in December!!!!

Stolen! Rock Lobster

Up-Date... The rock Lobster came home! The story is here... Sad news: my bike was stolen. Saturday, September 23, 6 PM, from my home in North Oakland near the DMV off of Claremont near Telegraph.

This photo is of team bikes w/ the same paint and logos (only 10 made).

Here's the 411:

Rock Lobster road frame. Custom made. Tall. White with black letters ("Rock Lobster" on the down tube; "RHVilla/Montano Velo Cycling Team" on the top tube). Frame defect/repair visible at the back of the chainstay.

Mavic Ksyrium wheels with Vredestein tires.

Easton stem, fork, seat post.

Campagnolo Record grupo (10 speed, converted from 9 speed)

Crank Brothers pedals

This bike is my baby... I would gladly offer a reward for the return.

Frankie 'fesses up

I'm sorry to hear that Frankie Andreau, a fellow Michigander and pro cyclist, used EPO, but I have a lot of respect that he broke the code of silence and confessed to it. Here's the NY Times article from Tuesday.

Pictures from the Carrera de San Rafael

photo: Trish Hylton

I've never had so much fun going to a race that I didn't even finish! The celebrations outside of Big Red was the perfect capstone to a great season. Thanks to everyone involved with RHVilla/Montano Velo Cycling Team!

photo: Myong-jae Kim

A Big Red RV + kick ass team + keg of beer + boomin' sound system = one hell of a block party! Check out the rest of the pictures here.



More good photos at AbbiOrca.com

Sadly... another cyclist killed

Sadly, another member of the Bay Area bicycle racing community has been killed by a motorist, this time by a drunk driver (already toasted by noon when the rider was hit). RIP, John Peckhman.

Here is a memorial page from John's team, Alto Velo.

The final race of the season + team vanity

Two weeks ago the mighty RHVilla/Montano Velo riders and sponsors gathered in front of the camera. Props to Jay Ganadan from Jay Studios for taking such great shots and for being so much fun to work with!

Here are a few links to...
the gallery
a team photo
and a rider/sponsor team photo

Also...

Saturday is our last race. (Both a sad fact and a welcome break!) The whole team will be there and we'll be bringing our rolling party, Big Red. More info here.

Catching up...

I’ve been away from blog-land for a while, and I’m not going to invest much time right now catching up… but there are a few things that I’ll let you know about real quick.

1.) I’m teaching again! I missed it. After two years of being out of the classroom, doing everything from racing my bike in the Caribbean to being a founding principal of a charter school, I’m back. I’m working at Ralph J Bunche High School, an alternative public school in West Oakland. More on that down the road.


2.) My team’s website is finally coming together. Check out my bio page… just as corny as you would expect. From there you can follow links to the rest of the site.

3.) Finally I have some very sad news. Earlier this week I learned that Nicole Tucker, a student from my early years of teaching at Merritt Middle College High School became a victim to the rash of violence that plagues Oakland. She and her boyfriend were murdered, becoming the 94th and 95th Oakland homicides this year.

Nicole was a student in my class all four years of her high school career. She loved English class, especially working on projects. She was well liked and will certainly be missed. RIP Nicole.