THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

BY ROB BOLDT

                 All of us have thought it. Some of us have talked about it in passing conversation. And then some of us boast about it. What, you ask?  " Sheboygan County cycling is extraordinary!" I am one person who is truly astonished by the structure and popularity cycling in Sheboygan County has developed over my involvement with the sport.

                   For my experiences with a bike in Sheboygan County goes back to my earliest memories as a child. I recall playing chicken with my play school friend on my first bike in Sheboygan Falls. A girls bike never the less. And having a head on collision with him that caused him to have major surgery for a torn intestine. I remember going to his house and telling his mom in a panic that I "killed Chad"! A lesson well learned. Don't play chicken with someone with the same intelligence as yourself. But he was one of the individuals that shaped my biking endeavor past and future.

                 I was able to learn a few things from a trail system that had a few jumps in it from one of the neighborhood kids. His name was Ewald but everyone called him "Evil". Evil had had this old Indian MX cycle. And he spent quite a bit of time building jumps for it in a field where Austin Market now sits in Sheboygan Falls. One day while watching Evil he stopped and said "your turn". I was around 9 years old and very much trying to fit in. So I rode to the top and did it. Slowly at first, then quicker and higher as time went on. Like Chad, Evil influenced my cycling.

                When I was in 6th grade I started to ride in competitive BMX races. This was short lived due to no one else in town was riding BMX. And I was driving my mom nuts I'm sure with the drives to the far away tracks. Like Chad and Evil, my mother also influenced my cycling. As it turned out I was lucky that my family moved to Plymouth, I. This is where I was able to get into an organized bunch of kids that all raced. Rick had the half pipe, Mike had the rollers and a starting gate, Surf had the training knowledge, and I had my bike to travel to all these guys houses to have fun with what Chad and Evil taught me.

             Well, years have past. Chad has a family and it doesn't look like he's all to active on his bike. Evil, who knows where he is. The gear heads from Plymouth are still riding there old BMX bikes. One is in California, one in Greenbush, and the others still live in Plymouth. As for myself I have married and have a son of my own. Through the years I would like to thanks all the people who had the most influence to my cycling. The list go's on and is still growing.

             Mike Evenoff, Mikes dad owned Evens store in Sheboygan Falls and we used to ride thru the store on our bikes. Beth Brunkorst is a friend of my mom's and used to bring me on a yearly bike trip called SAAGBRAW. Brett Roe was my brothers friend that had a "real" BMX bike, not a Fleet Farm special. Jeff Casper had the first real road bike I seen, a sage green Panasonic. Later in years Jeff would pass me one day in the Kettles like I was standing still. Humbling for me due to I thought I was a good MTB rider only to find out Jeff was a great one. Chris Shirmister sold me my first road bike, an orange Gitane that Steve Manthey raced cycle cross with. When I was a kid, Steve was a legend. He raced BMX, track, road and dirt. Steve was able to turn his experience into a national team position. "Surf" aka Dave Kastelik is now my brother in law. He was the guy that had all the training knowledge. I would still put money on Surf if he was at the starting line. He was a heck of a sprinter and had the wildest elbows in the pack. Todd Patz was one of the top BMX racers in the state when we were kids. But it was his tricks and ramps that made him unforgettable. I've seem him bunny hop a tennis court net. When he didn't make that hop it was even more unforgettable. Tim "JR" Gabrilse was the first guy to take me on a trail ride. I was able to ride down the hills faster than him however I could not ride up with him. I'm paying him back for that now.

          Bill Neff, man if I could only flash back to the two times he biffed big time with me. One time he cleared an entire road only to nose dive to the tune of a separated shoulder and then the other time he hit a tree so hard he tore the bark off it. Bill was my long time roommate and riding partner that would keep me out until bar close on race days. Tommy Longry was a six footer with the total weight of a thin four foot person. Tommy always rode hard and fast. I remember riding with Tommy and Jeff and only pulling them on the downhill's. And still having Tom say "we'll take it easy, just relax". I have known Mike Spiro for a long time and he is a true gentleman. Mike has always worked hard to succeed in his biking and you can see it when he rides. He's polished. Dave "The human goat" Nagode climbs like no one else in the county for sure! Todd Pribe taught me all about a good lead out will win the race (thanks Todd!). Tom "Doc" Ries is always a team player. Not self serving and most of all a true asset to the sport. At a Sayner, WI race he was able to help a man that crashed hard until help arrived. And then the founders of FAT KATS, Brett Edgerle, Dan Luhman, Mark Badder, and again Tim Gabrelise and Bill Neff. Some are still active, some are gone but all these individuals formed an idea into an organization. The FAT KATS are a social club that had broadened the sport of mountain biking ten fold in Sheboygan County and beyond. John Madson, our own little bionic man. He keeps going and going. And the Bike and Ski gang and all those who helped me in a pinch. Fun times, good stories and great catalogs. Rich Labove was someone I wasn't able to ride with but he has a few Chequamegon awards that I know of. Rich is the Rush Limbo of the Bike and Ski gang that could always tell me what to stay away from due to his own experience. Josh Mcdole is building quite a posse in Plymouth. Paul Weaver has a heart of gold for my road racing. I'm no pro but he treats others and me on his team as such.

         To all the up and comers. Maybe you will be as lucky as me to learn from the people next to you. I realize that these memories will never be replace and will always be remembered. Days go slow and years go fast.

       Remember what I learned from Chad and Evil? Ride hard, but not too hard to kill your friends.                                                                                                   R Boldt

ROB IS STANDING THIRD FROM  RIGHT                                                           Home