2007 Team Photo

Earlier I posted the unofficial version... Here is Mark's final cut.

Land Park Plagiarism

If I could write like this, I would... Here's Michael Hernandez's write up about his Land Park win... Good race, Mike.

For immediate release

Grand Rapids Community College Alumni Sets Record for School’s Top Cycling Result
Berkeley, California
March 25, 2007

According to Dennis L. Guikema, Grand Rapids Community College alumni, Sunday was supposed to be a day of catching up on paperwork, eating lots of food, and recovering from a hangover, but all that would change with a surprise phone call.

“I was polishing off my second plate of food at the Thai Buffet when I got the call,” Guikema reported. It was his former teammate Alden Tanaka telling him to get his ass to the University of California Berkeley campus as quickly as he could. There was a collegiate race, including a field for alumni of any college or university.

An admitted adrenaline junkie, Guikema hurried home to change into his cycling kit, put on his race wheels, and time trial the three miles to campus. Aldan had already filled out all but the signature on Guikemas' release, and Guikema had just enough time to pin on a number and get to the start line as the official finished giving prerace instructions.

“The field was small, but quick,” Guikema said gasping for air shortly after the finish. “Throughout the race my hangover was pounding the inside of my skull, and I felt that I would puke reconstituted Thai food across the streets of downtown Berkeley, but I had a job to do and my community college to represent.”

Guikema astonished all by winning many of the primes in the race, taking home armloads of really bad tasting recovery drinks, socks for his girlfriend, and “Belgian Butter” for his ass.

Like most cyclists, Guikema was full of excuses following the finish. “I would have won it if....” (ed. note: the next half hour of tape was accidentally erased, loosing Guikema’s very well articulated reasons for victory alluding him.)

Guikema was honored to represent Grand Rapids Community College by splitting the podium of the current collegiate national champion team, UC Davis. Guikema’s former teammate, Judd VanSomethingorother took the win while another Aggie, racing in a suit and tie, earned the bronze.

“I would never have had this great result if not for the support of my BPG teammate Uthman Rey and my girlfriend Trish Hylton, cheering me on,” Guikema announced on the podium to the cheers of hundreds of thousands of fans.

Proof....

My off-the-front move in the Merco Road Race a few weeks ago didn't produce the desired roll-of-the-dice effect of falling into a break-away.... but at least I got this cool shot of me off the front of an NRC race. Thanks to Larry Rosa for the photo.

A worthwhile break....

I like to promote the art and work of friends... at least when it is this good. Check out this photo journalism piece by my friend Jakob Schiller who is living and working in New Mexico. It is about an underdog girls' basketball team from a small town of 550 people that makes it to the top despite the death of their coach during the season. (Sounds like a Sherman Alexie novel w/o the humor.) Good stuff. Well worth the 10 minute break you'll get from doing things you really should be doing. Click HERE to watch.

Hot start to the year but a cold photo shoot

The 2007 season is well underway, and it has been a great start for the BPG/Montano Velo Cycling Team. The biggest news is that our team is the highest-ranking NRC amateur team in country after three weekends of National Race Calendar events! Brian Buchholz gets the lion's share of the props for these results!

Meanwhile, work has been busy, and I would rather be training than blogging, so there haven’t been many entries... I’ll try to change that. But at least I can offer some shots from last evening’s team photo shoot at the Port of Oakland. It was chilly. Thanks to Mark Estes for taking the official photos and to Etienne for these sneak previews. And props to Etienne, Martin, and Steele for the delicious sushi dinner!

Welcome to the newest Guikema!

Quin Henry Guikema is in the house!!!!! My brother Tom and his wife Janel had a baby boy last week. Don't ask me his weight, height, etc... I don't care about the stats... I just know he is the smartest and cutest baby on the planet. (Actually he's in a 3-way tie w/ my sister's two kids.) See for yourself....