Correct line-up for the photo...

That's Rick, Eric, and Kevin Bailey, l-to-r. Spatially, not politically. This was at the Ellsworth Street Brewery a couple of weeks before the Melon. Eric looks way better without the neck brace.

The Melon, the Flags, and The Long Road

Rick, left, and Eric.

Well, OK, I'm going for some kind of alliteration with the title. I hope it causes different echoes in every reader's mind.

Once again, the Melon turned out to be a transcendant event. Volunteers did come out of the proverbial woodwork; so much so that the riders were very complementary. Many thanks again to those who did double duty!! Another bonus - the Somonauk po-lice didn't have any run-ins with cyclists this year; at least there were no reports/complaints.

We used a unique route marking system - those cute little adhesive flags on the roads. The glue is very sticky, yet the paper flags themselves wear away in about ten days to two weeks. Nice. Next year, now that the route marking crew knows how many flags are in the roll, the markings will be even better.

As some of you may know, NBC member Eric Peterson is... well, a maniac. He's an ultra-distance cyclist, who qualified last year for the Paris-Brest-Paris timed ride.

Particicpants qualify by means of completing rides at distances between 200 and 600 kilometers. There is a group - Great Lakes Randonneurs - which oversees the qualifying rides, and keeps evryone's records straight. The real deal, PBP, is a 1,200 kilometer ride, with a limit of 90 hrs. The clock doesn't stop until the time limit is hit, or the riders' limit is hit. Oh, yeah...it's not a supported ride. The PBP riders, in qualifying and on the actual ride, use touring bikes, loaded with gear and supplies. No outside help. And the clock never stops. No weather breaks; no daylight only mileage.

After Eric knocked off the PBP, he continued to do the long miles/kms. Rick cosaro and Eric were up in Wisconsin, doing a training ride. At 9:30 pm. On a relatively rural road. A woman on her way home from work intersected with Eric's bike; Rick Cosaro kept his cool, grabbed a cell phone, and called in the po-lice. Eric was helicoptered to the University of madion Hospital, where, fortunately, he impressed the staff with his fitness, attitude, and resiliency. Eric was up and about in ten days or so - and riding shortly after that. He did the Melon also.

So, a little commotion for a guy with Reynolds 853 steel in his bones!!

Congratulations On Another Successful Melon

Melon logo/T-Shirt design by Heather Mair


Hey All -
Let's here a long, loud, standing ovation for Meredith Wayant and her Melon Metric Team - Terry Fortman, John Tunnell, and Larry Alvino!! And right along with them, all of the people who volunteered and gave the club a morning, afternoon, or both!!!

More details will emerge as we sort throught the tally of riders. After registration closed, Marty Kotecki and I did the 32 mile ride. We heard nothing but complements from the participants - the route was very well marked, the rest stops were fabulous, there were SAG vehicle all over the course(s), and all of the volunteers were very helpful! Here's an early return:

Just a note to thank you for again sponsoring a great ride Sunday. This was my 3rd Melon 100 Mile Ride and the first with one of my sons. The experience could not have been better on all levels but it could not have happened without the level of planning and coordination you pulled off again.

You never disappoint - the volunteers were tops - friendly - helpful and fun.
The route could not have been better marked better
The rest stops were so well stocked
We saw evidence of many SAG wagons looking out for the riders.
The route map was great but thankfully we didn't really need it thanks to the great route markers.

Thanks again for not only just a ride but a great experience. The Melon Team really knows how to run a ride.
John Wright

Thanks to our dedicated printer, Wally Lindberg, we had a brochure and a set of maps that made registration easy, and navigation was a breeze, due to the map and the innovative route markers discovered by Rick Cosaro. The route itself was marked by members of the Beer & Bike Caucus - the 100+ milers who do a century every month, and ride all winter.

A full list of volunteers will be posted shortly.

Thanks again - and stay tuned for the volunteers-only Thanks-a-Melon picnic!!!