Cherokee Riders

Coach Andy demonstrates “Pace Line” concepts to the team…..

I was very pleased to have been able to take “my” team to Carmichael Training Systems for a cycling skills camp. The only bad thing was so many of the riders missed it. Still, I think everyone had a great time.

We started the morning with a short ride to a nearby school with a large ball field complex. There we rode around on the grass and worked on basic skills. The team practiced riding slow, riding one-handed, they tried to pick a water bottle up from the ground while still on the bike (I’ve only been able to do it  once in two years!), pacelines, drafting, group riding etiquette, hydration, food/nutrition intake management…. whew!

The team takes a well-earned break…

We could have hardly asked for better weather. The temperature was in the mid 60s, and it was a mostly sunny day. After the morning ride (10.25 miles) we had a tasty lunch at a local eaterie- Pescados (I had a shrimp buritto which was huge!). Some of us over-ate and paid for it on the afternoon ride (I only ate half of my buritto, so it wasn’t me). There were no “technicolor yawns”, but it was close! Talk about a lesson well learned! LOL, what a waste of a buritto that would have been! The afternoon ride (climbing and decending skills) was also 10 miles.

Andy coaches Marvel through a decending turn….

The team learned climbing skills, how to set up a decending turn, s-curves, taking a curve when you cannot see around the corner, braking, shifting, staying safley in your lane, group safety, etc.

The whole day was instructive and a lot of fun. There were only a few falls, and they were on the grass while riding slow so no injuries! Hooray!!! The riders who missed the training missed a whole lot of fun too!

Elias follows Andy around a turn….kind of looks like Andy being chased by a bear!!!

At 20.2 miles, it was also our longest team ride yet. Andy and his fellow coach Tristan were both great. What a great day!!!!

Marvel wves at Elias while

“resting”…

The 2013 RTR Ride Calendar.

Slowly but surely the team is getting ready for the ride. We now have a schedule for the ride itself. We still have challenges. It has been a lot harder this year to get the team together for group rides. The good news is that the team has better bikes this year. Also, the Cherokee Nation has a lot of “alumni” riders, so there will be some very experienced riders this year.

One of our rides…

Our RTR riders go to Brevard,

NC this Saturday for a “training camp” at Carmichael Training Systems. This is always a great experience. That’s about all we have time for now. Sadly, we’ve already had an injury. One rider had a crash and separated her shoulder. She will miss about two weeks of training, including this weekend. Still, she is healing nicely and we will endeavor to persevere.

NC chapter president Anne Rogers talks to the meeting.

On March 16th the 2013 EBCI RTR

The RTR Riders (2013 and Alumni) were joined by two others who have also traveled the Trail of Tears- Ron Cooper (hiked the Northern Route in 2011) and Dale Stewart who traveled the “water route” in 2012.

team met the National Trail of Tears Association North Carolina chapter for a presentation. The NC chapter of the NTOTA has donated $5,000 to the ride to sponsor a rider! We are very grateful. NC NTOTA is also providing riders some training at significant places where we

Dale Stewart talks about canoeing the trail…

train like the Cowee Mound between Bryson City and Franklin, NC. For example- “Cowee Town” was a huge population center extending from near the Tennessee state line in Graham County, NC south to the area around Talula Falls, GA. This would have essentially been a town 80 miles long! NC NTOTA members have volunteered to meet with the team and discuss places like this and others.

The RTR Riders (2013 and Alumni) were joined by two others who have also traveled the Trail of Tears-

Ron Cooper, a Comanche from OK, talks about his hike along the “Northern Route”.

Ron Cooper (hiked the Northern Route in 2011) and Dale Stewart who traveled the “water route” in 2012.

Later that afternoon  the team had it’s first team ride! The team was joined by alumni riders Jeremy Wilson, Chi Sawyer, Tatsi Nelson and yours truly.

practicing “Pacelines”.

They are getting familiar with team riding!

Jeremy and Chi watch protectively…

Here’s the photo without text.

…and a photo of the 2013 team and guests…

The sad truth of a bad bike fit…..

We will have a meeting on March 14th to discuss bikes, rides and training. The meeting will be held at the EOC IT Conference Room on the 1st floor at 5pm. Please try to be there. All “alumni” riders are also invited.

We will also hand out videos to the riders who missed last weeks meeting. The videos are a more or less complete introduction to road bike concepts and issues related to group rides and riding in the mountains. There is also a section on maintenance.

A diagram of road bike components.

We will continue introducing the new riders to bike components, terminology, things to consider and training goals. We will also have a class on simple bike maintenance and also on how to fix a flat tire by changing the innertube.

We will also cover the importance of a proper “fit” with bikes and riders. An excellent explanation of why bike fit is important can be view at the web page of Dr. Paul Abbott Jr. (Vail-Summit Orthopaedics). Please visit this page for tips on how to adjust your bike and other tips and explanations. Another good source is available at about.com and the sports medicine page there.

Here are some common complaints and possible solutions:

Knee pain is a frequent complaint among cyclists. Knee pain is usually associated with a seat position that is too high or low or far forward or back. An improper cleat position can also cause knee pain.

Examples of how bikes are fitted for different riding styles.

• A seat that is too high will cause pain in the back of the knee.
• A seat too high will also cause your hips to rock side to side, which may cause discomfort.
• A seat that is too low or too far forward may cause pain in the front of the knee.
• Improper foot position on the pedal, or improper cleat alignment, can cause pain on the inside or outside of your knees.
• Individual anatomy may also result in knee pain. Cyclists with slight differences in leg length may have knee pain because the seat height is only adjusted for one side. Shoe inserts or orthotics can help correct this problem.
• Another cause of knee pain is using too high a gear. Try to use a gear that allows you to pedal quickly, from 70 to 100 strokes per minute.

Back injuries will also haunt many cyclists, which isn’t really surprising given how they’re hunched over their bikes for long periods of time. Posture is everything and it’s important to get this right and not put strain on the lower back.
Neck pain is another common cycling complaint, and is usually the result of riding a bike that is too long or having handlebars that are too low.
Foot pain or numbness is often the result of wearing soft-soled shoes. Special shoes designed for cycling have stiff soles that distribute pressure evenly over the pedal. This also helps you pedal more efficiently. Foot pain can also be caused by using too high a gear, which results in more pressure where the foot meets the pedal.
Hand pain or numbness can be prevented by wearing padded cycling gloves that provide cushioning. You should ride with your elbows slightly bent, not straight or locked. Bent elbows will act as shock absorbers and help absorb the bumps in the road. Changing hand positions on the handlebars can also reduce pressure and pain.
Final note Remember that it is important to fit the bike to the rider not the other way around. As we age, we are less flexible so you will be more comfortable in a more upright position. Consider a professional bike fit to improve comfort and performance.
Dr. Abbott joined Vail-Smmit Orthopaedics in 1993 and has made the Vail Valley his home. Although he is a surgeon, he believes his most important job is to educate his patients about their problem: What it is, how they got it, how to get rid of it, and how to keep it from coming back. He prides himself on how often he can prevent surgery by the use of physical therapy, judicious use of medicines, and alternative medicine. He looks at surgery as a last resort. If surgery is necessary, however, he possesses excellent skills and has pioneered arthroscopy techniques.

Motion Makers won the bid for bikes for the team. The team is now being fitted for their bikes! This is very exciting. For the first time, we are buying “gender specific” bikes. Bikes for women have a slightly different geometry and very differnt seats (I forget why). These bikes are also upgrades over years past- that have “compact double” cranks. That’s a good thing!

Hugh

Gerri Wolfe Grady

I’ve been doing spin class with Skye Littledave for the past few weeks and continue CrossFit. Haven’t been able to get on my bike for a month due to the weather & Sean’s surgery. My bike (a mountain bike) needs some adjustment on the derailleur, but I can still use it. At CrossFit we’ve been doing deadlifts, double-unders (I do singles), sit ups and other core work. I can’t wait to get on my bike – hopefully this weekend. I think I have someone to work on my derailleur. Yee Haw!

I received my congratulations call for the 2013 Removal Riders team while siting in the waiting room at Memorial Mission Hospital to hear about my husband’s heart cath & stent. I was so elated to receive the call, but my celebration was short-lived as I soon learned that Sean would have to undergo open heart surgery to bypass the deadly “widow maker” blockage. Now that Sean is recovering at home, I can celebrate and plan my training. I really appreciate the encouragement that I’ve received from Skye Littledave, Jeremy Wilson, Sheena Kanott and Hugh Lambert! The 2013 Ride will be an incredible fitness achievement and a personal odyssey of enlightenment and I am honored to be a part of it.

The 2013 EBCI RTR Riders-
Front Row- Gerri Grady, Kate Cooper, Tighe Wachacha
Back- Joeseph Owle, Dakota Brown, Marvel Welch, Elias Huskey

Seven riders have been chosen for the 2013 RTR Ride. there were over two dozen excellent applicants and the quality of the applicants made the final decisions very difficult. The 2013 RTR Riders have been chosen. They are Dakota Brown, Kate Cooper, Gerri Grady, Elias Huskey, Joseph Owle, Tighe Wachacha and Marvel Welch. We will be posting bios, photos and other updates soon!

A press release will be available soon, as will biographies for each rider. We are all very excited by the excellence of all of the applicants, especially those seven who were chosen.

Bicycle fittings will begin with a week and the team should be on the road training by the end of February. Keep your eyes on this blog for more news!!!

This year we accepted twenty

The 2013 RTR Ride is coming!

applications. We have selected twelve finalists. The finalists will be interviewed next Monday (Jan.  28th) so we will know who the 2013 RTR Riders are by 9pm that evening (hopefully). You can see the offical RTR Ride map here- http://remembertheremoval.cherokee.org/MAP.aspx.

Please keep your eyes on this page for more updates. We will be announcing the new riders soon. We will also keep you advised on upcoming training events and other items of interest.

Hello! Here is the new application to be an RTR Rider in 2013. RTR bike application2

The RTR Ride is sponsored by the Cherokee

The 2012 RTR Riders at Blyth Ferry Memorial Park.

Nation & The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Remember the Removal ride is a 3 week, 950 mile bicycle journey from New Echota, Georgia to Tahlequah, Oklahoma following the Northern Route of the trail of tears. While on this ride, you will retrace the steps of your ancestors as they were forced to march through the wild into an unknown land. You will in some ways get to relive a part that terrible experience and yet celebrate the human triumph of our people. Learn and utilize traditional Cherokee values to reconnect with your heritage, culture and tradition as you follow the path of ones that came before you.

Eligibility requirements:
 You must be at least 15 years of age to ride.
 You must be an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
 The ride is completely supported and funded, and open to any enrolled member that is interested and physically able.
 You must be willing to commit to 4 months of training leading up to the ride and the 3 weeks for the ride itself.
 Must be willing to raise money to cover all remaining costs for the trip.
 Must be willing to commit up to 40 hours of education specific to Cherokee history and values.

If you have the desire to take on this life changing opportunity, apply today!
**Note**: Only a limited amount of slots are available and riders will be selected through an application process and panel interview.
For further information, please contact Tara McCoy (7:45 to 4:30) at 828-554-6783. For more information, pictures, and blogs from past riders go to cherokeeriders.net.