I’ve been thinking…
Scary, but yes, I do occasionally think. Sometimes even two or three times in one day!
You see… I received the latest Arizona Road Cyclist News, produced by Jack Quinn, and was giving it a read when I stumbled across something that got me thinking. Here, give it a read and see if it makes you think too:
“Old timers still remember when Eric Heiden, fresh from winning five gold metals in speed skating in the Winter Olympics, crashed a borrowed bike in the 1980 Turkey Day Criterium when he hit a pedal rounding the corner by the Memorial Union at ASU. (Incidentally, that day he was riding in a Phoenix Consumer Cycle Club jersey, thanks to the fact that he worked for Schwinn Bicycles, which was then the club’s main sponsor.)”
Did it make you think?
Cool.
Well, it made me think about the early eighties and the fact that Jack’s been around in the Arizona cycling community that along. I’ve been around since the early 1990′s (or the late 1900′s depending on how you wish to look at it) and I always thought that seemed like an eternity. Like the Yoda/Master Splinter/James Earl Jones of the local cycling community, seen-it-all, tell truth-stretching stories of the “old days” to people twice my age type of person. But, if Jack’s been around since at least the early 1980′s, I began wondering… “who’s been around longer”?
So I want to figure it out.
Here is my question to you: Who is the longest licensed Arizona cyclist? Or better yet, and not to exclude the non-licensed: Who’s been riding around Arizona the longest?
Let’s figure out who and VGCN will interview them to get the full scoop and if we’re lucky… a handful of truth-stretching stories.
How about Donnie Williams?
Austin, as I said in my E-mail, my nominations (racers and non-racers) are Sylvia Berlatsky of ABC, Richard Fisher, Bruce Braley, Ralp Phillips, Norm Kibble, and Alan Fischer. — Jack Q.
Thanks for the email Jack. Ralph and Norm are solid picks! If anyone reading this has been licensed for heaps of years, let me know. I think it would be cool to see a photo copy of a USA Cycling license with a “Member Since” date of somewhere in the 70′s.
We’ll give some sort of prize out to Arizona cycling’s longest licensed rider.
Interesting nominations Jack! Norm Kibble may be the longest consecutively licensed rider as I think he still races today… My vote may go with him.
My first sanctioned race was the Squaw Peak Race in the fall of 1970. It was held out in the boonies. It started north on what is now the 51, kept turning right until it circled Squaw Peak, and finished on Lincoln for a complete loop. No traffic control was necessary. As I said, it was out in the boonies back then. I was an intermediate racing as a junior. I think seniors did two loops. At that time, the sanctioning body was ABLA, the Amateur Bicycle League of America. AYH, the American Youth Hostels, was active in promoting cycling events, also.
I held a racing license from 1970-86. I held a collegiate license for a couple of years in about 1992-93. I just bought my first license since then this year. So, I’m sure there are others who have held a racing license through more years, but I’m not aware of anyone who still races who was riding back in 1970. Big names in those days were: Jack Janelle, Karl Hoff, Tom Kelly, Tom Hayes, Karl Broberg, and I’m sure I’ll think of more after I send this. Dave Mann would be an excellent person to consult regarding early Arizona racing. He was a USCF official and state representative of the USCF for several years in the seventies. He also rode in that same Squaw Peak Race as a senior.
Fall of 1970… we may have a winner. Thanks for the story Bruce. I couldn’t imagine a race finishing on Lincoln today…
I’m really enjoying your posts about the old days, especially my old friend Richard Fisher’s. I started as a junior in 1974 with the Phoenix Consumers Cycling Club, and still jump in with the 50+ on occasion (they’re so fast). I raced in over 500 sanctioned events, and won over 100 including 20 state championships. The Eric Heiden story that Jack Quinn remembered is one of my fondest memories. The Turkey Day Classic (started by John Barberi of Phoenix Consumers, who mentored many of us) was traditionally the last big race of the season, and that year it was part of the national point series and on the ASU campus. Many top names attended. Eric Heiden was very popular because of his speed skating medals, and his huge thighs. I was about twenty riders back in the large pack and watched him clip his pedal and go down. Having raced against him in Milwaukee earlier where I saw him do exactly the same thing, I wasn’t surprised. He had a reputation for crashing, and riders on the crit circuit talked of staying clear of him. Still, he was a great representative of the sport. Shortly after his crash, and before the midway double-points sprint (yea, it was a points race!), I launched the winning break with Worlds TTT medalist Mark Frise in tow. Two laps later we were joined by crit specialists Tom Schuler and Ian Jackson. Surprisingly, climbing phenom Bob Cook came accross for one lap before he was ridden off on a sprint lap. We stayed clear, and I finished third. The most memorable thing about that race, for me anyway, was that it was the first time an Arizona rider raced in a skinsuit. My coach; Domenic Malvestuto of Team Strada, asked his sister Anna to make me a skinsuit based on some photos (no skinsuits were available at that time). I wore it, but being extremely shy, I was too embarrased to get off my bike because everything showed through! I felt naked wearing that suit, but boy was it fast! Now skinsuits are commonplace. I was successful at that level thanks to Domenic Malvestuto who brought advanced coaching and racing tactics to Arizona. He had raced in the world championships for Canada, and is responsible for taking several of us from the district to national level.
A few of the top racers from the 70′s who inspired me are: Bill Anthony and Allan Fenyves (sprinting), John Timbers, Mark and Tim Wilson, Bruce Braley, Doug Braly, Tom Nesdill, Tom Hayes, (climbing), Kark Hoff (time trialing), and Tom Kelly (all around), all great athletes who could give today’s cyclists a run for their money! I’ll always remember fondly my training partners from that time; Mike Lynch, Allan Fenyves, Doug Olsen, Tom Hayes, and many others who like me were products of local clubs and who grew up riding Tortilla Flats, Marana, Mining Country, Mt. Lemmon, and Mormon Lake. I actually have a scrapbook of Arizona cycling from the 70′s.
There’s still a few of us around because of our love for the sport.
I’ve had a racing license (ABLA, USCF and now USAC) license each year since 1970. Prior to getting a license I rode many of the “open” Mt. Lemmon hill climb events put on twice yearly by the Tucson Wheelmen.
There are some historic pieces on Arizona cycling that I’ve written floating around somewhere…like the first-ever sanctioned Mt. Lemmon hill climb where law enforcement declared single file only which saw no passing up the mountain. There was also a great Phoenix vs. Tucson rivalry in the early days, based primarily on Phoenix Consumers Cycling Club vs. Tucson Wheelmen.
Alan Fischer
HELLO,
SOME OF YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER ME ALLAN FENYVES’S BROTHER. DOES ANYONE KNOW HIS WHERE ABOUTS SINCE HIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT LAST YEAR IN 2009. PLZ,LET ME KNOW IAIN.
480-225-7033
I was recently informed about this website and enjoyed reading many of the commentaries about cycling in Arizona from years past. I knew many of the individuals who have written the articles or who raced in those days. When I have time in the future, I could add many great stories about those times (60′s and 70′s) along with the people involved.
One of the above writers – Austin King – was curious about old past USCF licenses. I actually still have my racing licenses – both USCF and the earlier ABL of A – dating back to 1963-64 era. The licenses range from the 60′s up thru the 2000′s, 48 years total. Although I live in Colorado now, I have been involved in the cycling community – either NY, AZ, or CO since 1963. I still keep in touch with Norm Kibble, an old and dear friend who still resides in Tucson. And of the above mentioned contributers I remember Alan Fischer, Alan Johnson, and Bruce Braley.
I would welcome hearing from any of my old friends and acquaintances from those early days of cycling. The races I remember most were Mt. Lemmon, Marana, Turkey Day Classic, Tucson Nat’l. Crit, Wupatki Loop and many others. Greetings to all those I may have known over the years. Tom Kelly
————- tkellyrace@yahoo.com ————-
well, i definately was not the first. and alan still thinks he was the best. the other names mentioned are mostly just another arizona rider… with a few exceptions.
but i am afraid you are all wrong with the longest rider suggestions. i don’t know if he is still allive (would be 96yo), but even if not, he definately rode the longest in arizona. his name is wally summers and he was the first rider with international recognition living in arizona.
myself? i had fun on the bike in arizona. pretty hard to deal with the hokey organizers of the seventies though, they were all real creeps! i rode with domenic, he taught me everything one needs to know, if champion is what the ambitions are. nonetheless, i didn’t have what it takes, so i moved to switzerland. here i founded a bike factory, BMC, and then paid other people like tomac and freuler to win races. they did. well, not all of them… what’s his name again? floyd something or other.
bob
I just read Bob Bigelow’s comment, and it is reassuring to note that his personality has not changed. It gives me a sense of stability to know that he is still the same congenial fellow that he was when he had to deal with us “real creeps” who belonged to the “hokey organizers of the seventies.” In Bob, we were able to observe a master at such sophisticated racing techniques as trying to hook and crash competitors in a criterium.
I am glad that he has some kind words about Wally Summers. Wally was already senior figure when I began racing in the 70s. He was an important part of our cycling community whose voice was listened to with respect.