“Hey everyone - it’s Ben Gura checking in again from the STIHL Tour des Trees. We wrapped up this amazing ride on Saturday (which I'll have another update on), but I wanted to catch you up from the days prior. Talk about a great pedaling – lovely weather and scenic riding.
Day five was a blast. It was a short 57 miles from Green Bay
to Sturgeon Bay. The day started with a once-in-a-lifetime tree dedication. The
City of Green Bay and Bartlett Tree Company had acquired a very special tree. What made this tree so special? Well, it actually derived from the
only surviving tree from ground zero. While cleaning up the rubble at the World
Trade Center in New York after 9/11, the workers found a pear tree that was
still alive. It was the only tree that survived the attack. Only a few trees
have been grown from the cuttings of the tree and it is very special for a city
to receive it. The dedication in Green Bay took place at a park near the Fox
River and the library. The City had commissioned a beautiful memorial for the
people from Wisconsin who died in the 9/11 attacks. It really was something to
see and will be a great place to visit.
The day’s riding was uneventful – a few nice rolling hills
and a view of Green Bay. We had an early stop in Brussels and then a stop at
the home of a Tour rider’s friend, for a nice ice cold beer. Lunch was served
at a park right of Green Bay just north of Sturgeon Bay. We got into the hotel
so early my room wasn’t ready. But I took advantage of the time by doing some
laundry. We only get two jerseys so we need to wash them every couple of days.
Some people wash their clothes in the sink while others wear them in the shower
to wash them. I’m a fan of the guest washing machine that the hotels have. I
also had time for a soak in the hot tub, a trip to McDonald’s for a
cheeseburger and ice cream cone, and some more carb loading. We had a tasty
outdoor dinner and enjoyed a polka band while we relaxed a bit. The evening’s
activities capped off a wonderful day.
Of course, after a short day you have to make up some miles
and day six did not disappoint us on that; it was a short 120 miles to Port
Washington. I knew this was going to be a long day so I made sure to be up
early and ready to roll. A taco truck feed us breakfast burritos, which was a
welcome change from our standard breakfast before we rolled out at 7 a.m. The
day started with some long climbs out of Door County but as we made it to Lake
Michigan things leveled out. We had a slight headwind but I had a good group of
riders that I worked with for the whole day. When you get a group of cyclists
together that are willing to share the work of the ride, they can cover miles
quickly. Our group ranged from 5 to 10 riders throughout the day. We would each
take a turns “pulling” the other cyclists for a few miles then drop back into
the pace line.
Sorry for getting my cycling nerd out but there are a few
terms that you learn when pack riding. A pace line is a group of cyclists
riding in a line. They ride about 3 inches to 3 feet behind the rider in front
of them – and obviously, the closer the better. “Taking a turn” or “pulling” is
when you are the lead cyclist in the group. The lead rider splits the wind for
everyone else. This helps the other riders rest while the lead is pulling. A
good “pull” will set a pace that is comfortable for the group and they stick to it
without speeding up or slowing down. In our case it was 17 mph. After the
leader pulls, they move to the left and fall to the back of the pace line. When
you are not in the front you work about 30% less than the lead rider. It’s the
best way to get a lot of miles done quickly.
Our day ended around 3 p.m., with 8 hours in the saddle, just
before a severe rainstorm with hail hit the hotel! At dinner we had
presentations from The TREE Fund, and the rider awards were handed out. After
dinner I had to stop for a slice of pizza. For some reason I have been hungry
all week…could be the 500 plus miles on a bike?
All for now, and I'll catch you up on the finale soon!”
