kUDOs for cyclists everywhere!

Reflection

As much as I want this blog to be filled with smiles and cheers and happiness today I want to take the time to remind everyone to take a moment and reflect on who you are and what you have done in your life. Right now there is a lot of fear and sadness just from the news headlines and that is all we see as it is in our face. But remember to think of those who we don’t hear of or friends or loved ones who we can see or visit or speak to just to say “hello” and reflect on life.

I went back to school 2 years ago and one of the assignments was to look at my life and see what one thing I wanted to change. The one thing I realized was deep down I was a very selfish person not only for myself but also with regards to my family. I realized that I had been doing so much for myself and my family but not doing anything to share with others outside our little circle. I was gaining new knowledge and had years of knowledge and experience but I was keeping it all inside and I decided I wanted to change that. This was the period in my life when I decided to be more outgoing and do more for the one thing I love the most – cycling. I chose to reach out to families that I saw at the local bicycle retailer I worked at and interact with them more than just “selling” them things as one thing that I loved to see was smiles from families from the joy of cycling. I shared my experiences of cycling and racing and the ups and downs and saw many eyes light up with shared interest and thoughts of trying something new. I had already raced Belgian Waffle Ride and was racing in the Quick n Dirty Summer Series and I shared my trials and tribulations from those events with all that would listen and months later I would hear “thank you” from many families and new friends as they took my experiences and made them their own or for their family.

This is the main reason I started this blog as in San Diego there is an amazing cycling community and I have met many new friends because of this. But the amazing thing is I continue to find new friends as this community continues to grow and each of us has so much knowledge to share with each other with helps to build strong bonds between each other. Just yesterday someone I have recently become friends with helped another friend with learning how to set up her cycling computer as we could not figure out how to upload the route for our ride. And someone who has become a good friend due to cycling adventures helped me with some duct tape knowledge as I tore a hole in my sidewall and of course did not have my plugs or a tube so I needed some way to limp my bike a few miles back home. The duct tape did not completely fix the tear but it did allow me to pump and ride and pump and ride to at least make it to my home and swap bikes to head back to finish the ride.

So today, and continuously in the future, take the time to say hello to someone new whether it is on a ride or at a brewery or when grabbing a cup of coffee. I find it very easy to speak to those that are already in our cycling community however the trick is to just find someone random to say hello to and strike up a conversation and share your thoughts and knowledge in anything and make sure to take the time to listen to them as well. You never know who you will meet and what they have done to impact this world and you never know what knowledge you could get from them to better your own life. Just look at this happy smiling group of dirty riders below and just imagine the knowledge that each individual has that can be shared and make a difference whether small or huge in someone else’s life!

Image courtesy of Niels Vande Casteele via Dirt Division

kUDOs for all cyclists what does it even mean?

So the title for this blog was something that I had thought about when I was selected for the kUDOs award at 2019 Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR). I understood the thought process behind the Hardman and Hardwoman awards and also behind the kUDOs award (which I still appreciate) but deep down I really felt that even though select individuals are chosen for the kUDOs award that it should really be shared with everyone. There are many riders on the course who in their own little way bring happiness and joy to those around them but more importantly just take the time to say hello or ask how someone is doing when being passed or passing someone or just taking the time to ask if a person not on their bike is in need of help. It is these little things that I feel makes many riders kUDOs winners and the reason I feel that all cyclists, especially those entered into the BWR, deserve a pat on their back whether they won the race, did not finish, could not finish, or was the Lantern Rouge. I give lots of credit to Sunceray Chamblee Rickard for her accomplishment as I can only image the spookiness of coming through Questhaven and around Double Peak in the dark – I have always heard there is a ghost walking the woods in Questhaven and I really don’t want to meet her.

My 2019 BWR buddy Terry and my mentor Casey taking a pie break while training for 2020 BWR and other crazy fun races and events.

With this said, remember to spread your own kUDOs joy and happiness when you are out in nature. Take the time to smile when you see other riders and say HI and if you can WAVE and if they are pulled over to the side looking at their bike at least ask them if they need help – normally they don’t but at least you offered and hopefully a rider will do the same for you when you are on the side of the trail or the road. Do the same for hikers and dog walkers and riders on horsies. And don’t forget to wave at the domestic and wild animals while you are riding as even though us hoomans may look weird to them I believe in some way they understand us waving at them or saying HI as we pass by – except for the cows who just look at us like we are dumb for riding bicycles especially when at the Mesa Grande intersection in the winter when it is COLD! LOL

My First Blog Post

Image Courtesy of Steve Driscoll / Lift Creative

Yep. It is time for me to share my kUDOs joy with people everywhere. As many of my friends know not only did I complete the Belgian Waffle Ride in 2019 but I was also awarded the kUDOs award. As taken from the BWR website here is the description of what that means:

KUDOS AWARD

The kUDOs award is quite possibly the best acknowledgement a rider of the BWR can receive. The award is bestowed upon the rider (or riders in this case) who exhibit a spirit, a will, an unselfishness, a Belgian hardness, an unwillingness to let anything get in the way of living the full experience… and sometimes these things take on a meaning that transcends the big day’s event and pervades the lead up and the post event formalities…

The kUDOs award is in honor of our fallen friend, Udo Heinz. Udo was tragically struck down by a NCTD bus driver in Camp Pendleton, who took him out from behind leaving a wave of destruction in his path, including seriously hurting or maiming the other riders with Udo. Udo grew up in Germany where he discovered a love of riding bikes and racing cyclocross at a young age. Udo loved to be out on his bike, and he loved the dirt. He had an infectious laugh and a gentle, youthful spirit that always made riding with him a blast. These are the attributes of the kUDOs winners: unselfish, festive, positive, playful and caring. You can’t spell KUDO without UDO!

For me this was a huge surprise as as many know I was actually on a spin bike doing intervals when I started getting random messages congratulating me and I actually did not find out until later that day what the messages were for. And WHAT A SHOCK. Not only was I not expecting this award but when I saw the other award recipients I thought for sure there was a mistake (other award recipients included well recognized names in the cycling scene including Kris Gross, Ryan Dahl, Brian Scarbrough, Alison Tetrick, as well as the Lantern Rouge recipient Sunceray Chamblee Rickard). But nope, no mistake was made and this description of why I was selected for this award is spot on:

KUDOS—MICHAEL MACARE

Michael J Macare loves a good time. He’s not one to turn down a beer, a hug, a ride or a high five. He’s here to bring joy, but even with his predisposition for happiness, the Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride has been anything but joyous for Michael…

Both of the last two years, Michael had shockers (keep in mind, tons of people just don’t finish the BWR). He didn’t finish either event after experiencing every kind of headwind, road block, mechanical and/or physical issue to make finishing a non-reality. Not one to let such silly things get in the way of fulfillment and happiness, Michael dedicated himself to being physically, mentally and equipment ready for the biggest day of his life on the bike. And, as they say, third time is a charm.

While it is commendable to come back, again and again, to finally devour the Waffle, but what matters more is that Michael used his own personal journey to complete the event by engaging with everyone around him with encouragement and positivity. Letting many know, “Hey man, I’m doing this, and you should too, it’s going to be great.

Michael was a regular on the Thursday Rouleur Gravel Rides and all the BWR Recon Rides, as well as all the Gravelstoke rides and his stoke became a staple of the local cycling community.

Udo would have loved riding with Michael!

Well. I am going to keep this kUDOs train going and in 2020 I will be spreading the joy and cheers and inspiration outside of California with my goal to get to Dirty Kanza 200, Steamboat Springs (SBT Gravel), and Rebecca’s Private Idaho 4-day stage race! Follow along on this awesome adventure and if you see me out there let’s share a beer, or scotch, or bourbon, and lots of smiles!