August 20, 2003

Club geared toward all riders

Cherry Capital Cycling Club offers weekly Monday night ride

Herald contributing writer
      Festooned in bright spandex and clicking around the parking lot on their bike shoes, helmets sparkling in the sun, more than 50 cyclists prepared for the weekly Monday night ride of the Cherry Capital Cycling Club.
      Heading out in waves, many aimed for the Lighthouse State Park 20 miles away. Just another night of riding for these avid cyclists, who are remain undaunted by a 40-mile trip.
      In fact, the pull of the group keeps many coming back for more.
      "If you have others to ride with it tends to get you out on the road more often," said Parker Field, a Peninsula Township resident who has been a member of the club since 1999. "Also, riding with others allows you to learn better what you capabilities are and how to improve them."
      Field often rides with the club three or four times a week, clocking about 100 miles each week. In addition to Monday night rides, he usually participates in the club's weekly rides on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The club also organizes additional special rides throughout the season, such as riding around Torch Lake.
      "I just took up biking in '99, I gave up running and motorcycling and had to replace them with something," he said. "Bicycling is a no-impact sport, the knees are happy."
      The Cherry Capital Cycling Club welcomes both mountain bikers as well as road bikers, hosting events geared to each. Many members like to participate in both types of rides.
      The Cherry Capital Cycling Club has approximately 300 members, though not all members attend the events. The riding season runs from April until after the Iceman Cometh Bike Race in November and the club kicks off the spring season with a trail clean up in March.
      Bruce Bodjack has been a member for ten years, riding in both road and mountain bike events. For him, the social aspect of the club is as important as the biking.
      "It is like having an extended family, it is just wonderful being around a bunch of like-minded people and meeting different professionals you'd probably never bump into," said Bodjack, who rides with the group three or four times a week.
      For more information on upcoming events sponsored by the Cherry Capital Cycling Club, call the club's recorded Ride Line at 941-BIKE or visit their website at www.cherry-capital.com/cccc.