June 19, 2009
Volume 2 | Issue 13
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Ciclismo TV: Andrew Conway on Cycling and Fatherhood
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While at the Farmers Market in Lexington Mass this week, Lauren and
Andrew C snuck off for a few minutes to talk about Andrew's experience
biking with his 3-year-old and 5-year old.
Click here to see the video
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Father's Day Photo Contest
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Dear Cycling Friends,
 We all have our dad to thank for so much in our lives; in my case my Dad (Jim) provided the initial sparks for my cycling passion and my entrepreneurial drive. I definitely got his calves! When I was in the 6th grade, my Dad got matching bright green Schwinn Varsity 10 speeds for both of us. He and I would go for a spin along Southern NH back roads or we would bike to the Keene Country Club for a game of tennis, another one of our shared passions. He could always beat me at tennis but by high school I was tiring him out on the hills!
As my passion for cycling grew, my dad proudly passed along his father's classic racing bike, a red ZEUS with very narrow tires. While in high school my passion for long distance rides surpassed his more recreational interest in the sport, he would always be available to pick me up by car just in case my 50 mile loops became more than I could handle or escort me to races in Southern, VT. I'll never forget when he picked my friends and I up in Maine when we could not quite finish our 2-week bike camping trip. When choosing to go to Cornell he accepted that my decision to go there was based on the fact that the riding in Upper New York State was "gorgeous".
In addition to providing the spark for cycling, he always understood, supported and embraced that my life and career options revolved around cycling. He and my mom have always been hugely enthusiastic and involved with Ciclismo Classico-- My mom was more the sales and marketing (working the table with smiles) dad clearly operational (setting up, fixing and making sure everything is running perfectly). My dad not only fathers me but everyone else in our office! What would Ciclismo be without Jim?
Over the years my dad has not only joined many Ciclismo Classico tours as a guest but he has led a few of our NE tours and even rode two Pan Mass Challenge rides. At 74 years old, he is a very strong rider yet on a group ride loves and embraces his role as the sweep cyclist and will always provide the best company for any straggling rider. After years of riding his heavy steel Peugeot, he just got himself a new carbon bicycle---Now if he would just shift out of the hardest gear! We still take regular rides together including our Father's Day ride with our family along the Minute Man National Historical Park's Battle Road. Thanks Dad!
In this issue of the Pasta Times we would like to thank and salute all the dads in our lives and share how cycling has been the spark and bond between us! For fathers day we hope you enjoy your favorite ride with your family and friends. Just make sure they treat you to ice cream!
Happy Fathers Day!
 Lauren Hefferon |
A Tale of Two Clarks
Father & Son tackle the PMC Bike Across Italy Trip
 Besides sharing the same name, Clark McDermith, 49, and his son also have passion for biking. Whether it be mountain or road, this father and son duo jump at any opportunity to bike and travel together. Clark and his son, Clark W., 16, hail from the tiny New England town of North Berwick, ME, located about 40 miles south of Portland. In 2008, Clark decided to take his son on Ciclismo Classico's PMC Bike Across Italy - a 9-day trip that pairs together spectacular cycling, delicious cuisine and Italian culture with the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC). They enjoyed their experience so much, they've signed on to do it again this year!
The Pan-Mass Challenge, now in its 30th year, is a two-day, 192-mile bike ride from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown, MA. The PMC has contributed more than $239 million to lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since its inception in 1980.
Clark and his son were gracious enough to let us interview them about their cycling, PMC involvement, and father-son relations. Read on to find out what they had to say!
Ciclismo Classico (CC): How often do you bike together?
Clark McDermith (CM): It depends on whether or not we are training for a ride. During the summer, we try to get out at least once a week. Usually, it's a 20-mile ride to get breakfast or a trip to the beach. Since we're training for our upcoming Ciclismo trip, we've been riding the same distance about three to four times per week.
CC: How did you start biking together?
CM: A few years ago, I bought Clark his first road bike. Before that, we would both ride mountain bikes together. About four years ago, when my son was 12, we did Trek Across Maine, which was a 3-day ride from Bethel, ME to the shore. We did it with my son's friend and his father. It was a very enjoyable experience for all of us, even if the weather was a bit crazy at times. Even though we went in June, one of the days was so cold we had to wrap baggies on our feet to keep them warm!
CC: How would you describe your father-son relationship?
CM: I'd say we have a pretty tight relationship. Not only do we bike together, but we also have motorcycles.
Clark W. McDermith (CWM): He's a great dad, but I do worry about him sometimes. Usually I'm the one telling him to be careful!
CC: Does anyone else in the family share the same passion for biking as the both of you?
CWM: Not so much. My mom and sister sometimes ride to the beach with us, but biking in general is something special that we both share.
CM: Last fall, our entire family went back to Italy and visited the North West coast of Sicily. My son and I got a lot of good riding in. We did a climb of Erice, which was a 6-mile stretch with an elevation gain of 2,464ft. My wife and daughter took a cab up with their bikes, but we all did the descent together. It was absolutely stunning.
CC: Do you have a memorable moment from the road?
CM: During the first couple days on our PMC Bike Across Italy trip, my son was having a hard time getting up the hills. Our guides, Tyler and Massimo, we so nice and helpful in teaching him how to shift properly, that from that day on, I always saw him at the front of the pack. It made me so proud.
CWM: It was a really great feeling going from being one of the slowest people on the trip to one of the fastest. I really improved my skills during the trip.
CC: What was it like traveling and cycling together?
CWM: It was great always having someone to ride with that I knew. I loved being able to go to Italy for the first time with my dad.
CM: It was fun! Getting organized together and meeting the other people in the group was a great experience. Everyone got along very well.
CC: What was special about traveling and cycling as a father & son?
CWM: The trip felt more like a vacation than just riding the PMC. It was great to be able to take a lot of pictures of just me and my dad since it was the first time I had ever been to Italy.
CC: What were some of the highlights on your PMC Bike Across Italy tour?
CWM: One of my favorite parts was dipping the back wheel of our bikes into the Adriatic Sea at the beginning of the trip, and then dipping the front wheel into the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was pretty rewarding biking from one coast to the other.
CM: It was really great getting to know the other riders and talking to them about their own PMC stories. I also liked the passing of the Cappellino [The Passing of the Cappellino, or hat, is a Ciclismo staple on every tour] every night to someone new. It was a great way to celebrate everyone's achievements throughout the duration of the trip.
CC: Why did you decide to do the PMC Bike Across Italy ride again this year?
CM: We had such a great time last year that we wanted to do it again this year! It's great knowing there are more options out there now to raise money for such a great cause - the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund.
CC: Tell me a little bit about your involvement with the PMC.
CM: For years, I sponsored my friend who was riding. Then one day he asked me if I wanted to ride with him and a couple of my other friends and it became a tradition right away. I started out riding in support of my sister-in-law, who, at 42, was diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, 4 years later, it became a ride in memory of her.
CWM: Last year was my first year doing a PMC ride, and I rode in support of one of my classmates who has a rare form of bone cancer.
CC: What's one of your best memories of the PMC?
CM: Every year, my friends and I would take the ferry back to Boston from Provincetown and share stories of our rides and just have a good time. My three buddies called me from the boat to share their experience. It was a special moment for us - They told me all about their weekend, and I got to tell them all about our Italy version which had ended just hours before. I even got to talk to PMC founder, Billy Starr. Of course, the guys all gave me a hard time about living it up in Italy, but I think they were just jealous!
CC: Any other plans for rides this year?
CM: Actually, we're doing a bit of riding for Father's Day when we go to a soccer tournament for my daughter. We're planning on doing some mountain biking in Vermont with Rails to Trails. It's a great organization that converts out of service railroad tracks into bike paths.
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Treat your Father to a Warm Weather Winter Cycling Adventure
Our three Beyond Europe trips are the perfect solution to those winter weather blues - Save up to 10%
 Break
away from the usual Father's Day gifts like shirts, ties, socks and
cufflinks, and treat your dad to an experience he'll never forget and
make him feel like he's young again. If your father is an adventure
junkie, take him on any of our exotic warm weather winter locales - Chile & Argentina, Vietnam, or New Zealand!
Not only will he be cycling some of the most picturesque locations in
South America, Asia and Oceania, but he'll receive the same stellar
service Ciclismo offers on all our trips.
Alumni save 10% and New Guests save 5% off our available 2009 departures (thru Thursday, July 2): Chile & Argentina - 12/26
Vietnam - 12/19
New Zealand - 11/21
Read on for more details...
Chile & Argentina - A Ride Full of Discovery through the Andes and the Route of the Seven Lakes
8 Days (+2-day optional post-extension)
Discover
an unspoiled and often less-visited countryside in the Andes and
Chile's Lake District, just north of Patagonia. The area's landscape
has been sculpted over millennia by glaciers and volcanoes and has
created the backdrop for our riding-tranquil lakes, coastal cities,
ancient forests, snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and thermal
springs. By bike, you will explore the Andes, cruise across Pirehueico
Lake and meet the largest group of indigenous people in the area. You
will also have the option to extend your stay on a three-day Santiago
and Chilean Vineyard Tour, including a visit to Chile's capital,
sommelier lectures and three private winery visits.
GET A DETAILED ITINERARY
Vietnam - A Cultural Biking Adventure from Hanoi to Saigon
11 days (+4-day optional post-extension)
Visit
this mystical land where ancient temples, French colonial mansions,
vast white sand beaches and mountain hill towns blend together into one
harmonious experience. Vietnam's stunning beauty is unlike any on
Earth, and the best way to see it is by bicycle! Bustling villages dot
the way on this route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh through lush forests,
dramatic mountainscapes, and pristine seashores. Enjoy boat rides,
talks with local historians (including an anthropologist, craftsman,
historian, and UPI journalist), a visit to a local orphanage, all from
the comfort of premier accommodations along the way. Extend your stay
with an optional 4-day prolific Angkor Wat, Cambodia tour.
GET A DETAILED ITINERARY
New Zealand - Cycling the South Island's Famous West Coast
10 Days (+5-day optional post-extension)
Cycling
New Zealand's South Island is like soaring through a virtually
untouched microcosm of the natural world. The region from Christchurch
to Queenstown offers diverse ecosystems from the mountains of the
Southern Alps to the shores of the Tasman Sea. It's a mystical land
where untamed rivers carve paths through lush rain forests. Lakes and
glaciers bask in the shadows of volcanic slopes and snow-capped peaks.
Excursions include a trip close to Mt. Cook, a hike to the base of Fox
and/or Franz Josef Glacier, jade carving and a sheep farm visit,
kayaking through the rainforest, and of course, incredible cycling on
some of New Zealand's best roads. Extend your stay with an optional 5-day tour to either Milford or Doubtful Sound.
GET A DETAILED ITINERARY
...Or treat him with a closer-to-home New England Getaway Cycling the Berkshires with Bike Friday - September 13-19 7 days Enjoy seven days of scenic riding in the heart of the Berkshires. Our
tour begins in historic Williamstown, MA, "The Village Beautiful."
Choose from several different routes of varying distance and difficulty
throughout Berkshire County as well as forays into neighboring Vermont,
New York, and Connecticut. Be sure to stop and soak up the views of
rolling green hills, tranquil rivers, and rushing waterfalls. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Famous Cycling Fathers
by Andrew Krulewitz
 My father always says that being a good cyclist stems from one's
physiology. I think it's only fitting that my Dad was bitten by
the road-bug after I starting racing five or six years ago. And now, at
the age of 57, his daily mileage is usually more than mine! Father-son
connections abound in amateur cycling-many of them can be found on our
trips!
The sport of cycling also has other famous family pairs,
the most notable being that of Eddie and Axel Merckx. Eddie Merckx,
arguably the best bicycle racer to have ever lived, raced in the
pro-peloton from 1965-1978. During his career he won five Tour de
Frances, five Giro d'Italias, and at one point, won almost half of all
the races that he entered! His son, Axel, also became a professional
bike racer. While he is not nearly as famous as his father, he did
medal in the Olympics, something Eddie was never able to do (because
professional athletes were excluded in his time).
Currently,
Taylor Phinney, son of American bike racer Davis Phinney, has been
making headlines in international cycling. At only the age of 17,
Taylor won multiple US track cycling championships, and this year he
won the Individual Pursuit World Championship. When not competing
against top professionals on the track, Taylor races on the road with
the Trek-Livestrong Development team, which is managed by none other than
Axel Merckx! His father, Davis, won two stages in the Tour de France,
was a medalist in the 1984 Olympics, and over the course of his career
became the winningest American cyclist of all-time, with over 300
victories. His mother, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, won the gold medal for
cycling at the '84 games.
While Davis enjoyed an illustrious
cycling career, his years on the bike have been cut short due to
Parkinson's Disease. As devastating as the situation is, Taylor uses it
for inspiration. He said in an interview that his father's disease "has
given me a sense of what I have and not to waste it because I see what
he had. It gives me a sense of purpose and meaning." Davis Phinney has
started a foundation in his name and delivers speeches across the
country to those afflicted with Parkinson's. |
Ciclismo Dads
Here at Ciclismo, we've got lots of dads and their kids are quickly growing up to be quite the stellar cyclists! See below for some pictures of our proud dads and their kids. Check out our Facebook photo album as more dads upload their pictures.
Davide Marchegiano - EU Operations Manager
Dad Davide and the gang (l-r:Simone, Gabriele, Cecilia) out for a weekend spin
Mauro Rugiero - Financial Director of Operations
Dad Mauro (or is it Santa?) out with Luca for Ciclismo's Jingle Ride
Marcello Bonini - Ciclismo Superguide
Dad Marcello and Gaspare going for a ride around the park
Andrew Conway - Managing Director
Dad Andrew chauffeurs Elsa and Gemma all over Arlington
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Gifts for Dad
 It's that time of the year again, kids (and moms), to make sure your
dad is happy in the saddle. Here at Ciclismo Classico, we embrace all
forms of cycling, and so we've come up with some gifts that run the
biking gamut, just like our customers. While granting him three hours
to ride on Sunday is a great gift alone, we have assembled a short list
of items that sure to make his outings are more enjoyable.
The first gift idea is for the dad who has already logged 40 miles and
is home before the kids get up for school. To help protect his
investment when in transit, we suggest the XPORT bike cover. It shields
dad's bike from dirt, bugs, and rain when perched on the family car.
For the dad who avoids driving and prefers to pedal everywhere possible
- the commuter dad - this next item will let him take all his stuff
along. If you think the milk crate he has secured to his rack by a
bungee cord is nerdy, you're right. The MegaRack Cargo Net securely
holds most items to the rack, easily expands to accommodate large
items, and looks a lot more svelte rolling down the road.
There are also dads who like to share cycling with the family, but
sometimes the kids are too young to ride. If you think a trailer is too
bulky and a rear child seat too risky, this next gift is for you. The Bobike Mini is a child seat that mounts in front of the adult rider,
right behind the handlebars. With the ability to accommodate passengers
from 9-months to 6-years old, your child will be able to ride with you
until he is ready for his own set of wheels!
This next gift is for the dad you have been trying to coax on the bike
for sometime now. We've all been there, attempting to convince our
fathers of the benefits of Lycra. The Endura Firefly shorts will get
him half the way there. They have an inner liner with a full pad and a
stylish baggy shell that will keep him looking and feeling cool.
Finally, this last gift is for the dad who has everything - multiple
bikes, all the tools, Greg Lemond Oakleys, even a whole room dedicated
to his love of the sport. Though we all love an Italian bicycle here at
Ciclismo, most of us didn't start riding on one. Many of us, and this
probably includes many dads out there, started out on a great American
bike - a Schwinn. While the company has floundered in recent years,
they have just released a 70th anniversary edition of their most famous
race frame, the Paramount. Like the frames built in 1980s, it is made
by Waterford out of Reynolds Steel. Moreover, you cannot simply go buy
one of these off the showroom floor, but you have to order it. At $7000
for the frame and fork, it's not cheap, but with the high price comes
custom geometry and one of the best retro-modern steel bikes available
today.
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Great Bike Books for Kids
By Michael Beck, Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee
 We all know how rewarding reading to your kids can be, for parent and
child alike. What better way to instill an early love of cycling in
your child than reading great books about bikes?
We've compiled a list of great books about cycling from around the world, including lots you probably haven't heard of.
Here's one. In Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo and the Bicycle,
Pippo and Tom wish for a practical way for both of them to ride on
Tom's tricycle. Everything they try results in poor Pippo taking a
tumble. Then Tom's friend Stephanie steps in with a clever solution to
the problem.
We've got many, many more suggestions in this story on our website. (We'd love to add more, so please tell us about your favorites!) |
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