Get in Gear and Take a Ride with the Calumet Crank Club

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Written by Joan Dittmann   

Do you want to get out into the fresh air and burn calories, gain strength and balance, challenge yourself, or slow down to look at the local scenery differently than from a car? Do you enjoy bicycling and think you might enjoy riding with a group? Or, are you interested in getting started bicycling and think that a group might help get your interest in gear? If you said 'yes' to any of these, then you might like to learn about the many varied offerings of the Calumet Crank Club, bicycling club of Northwest Indiana.

The Calumet Crank Club promotes cycling as a leisure and social activity, a sport, and a method of transportation through organized rides, education, and volunteerism. The club has over sixty members, ranging in age from 20 to 70+, and from now into fall, the club offers group rides five days a week, with route distances designed for cyclists of all abilities. Guests are welcome to ride along on any club ride. No spandex? No problem. Most club members started out with basic bikes and street clothes. Participants are, however, required to have a bike in good working condition, and to bring a helmet and at least one water bottle. Bringing a spare tube or patch kit are also recommended.

Several of the weekly club rides start right here in Valparaiso. The ride calendar can be found on the club website at www.bicycling.org. Click on 'Weekly Rides' and then the current month to find the ride distance, starting time and the exact starting location for each ride. Since club members know from their own experience that it can be a little intimidating to get started, the Calumet Crank Club is now also offering rides specifically tailored to new riders who want to give group riding a try. Just go onto the club website to find a ride offered on a convenient time for you, then call Ms. Bobbie Cyzyk at 219-462-6035

โ€œWe want to reach out specifically to those who might want to get into biking, but aren't sure how to, or have some questions or concerns,โ€ said Joann Tomasic, club president. โ€œWhen my husband and I lived in Pennsylvania, we skied and walked up and down hills for exercise. When we moved out here we wanted to continue some kind of workout and started riding on our own. I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid, and was actually kind of nervous biking on the road. I wondered: Do I belong here?โ€ said Tomasic. She was invited to ride with the Crank Club, and appreciated the outreach of friendliness and support that she received from the other riders. โ€œThe club has a policy to never leave anyone to fend for themselves,โ€ explained Tomasic. โ€œNewcomers are generally taken under someone's wing, to explain things to consider when riding on the road or with a group, to be there in case of a problems, or just to chat.โ€ โ€œWhen I first started and was riding by myself, I had a tough time getting on my bike. Now, with the group, I have a tough time ending a ride. You're outside, you feel good, maybe push yourself a little, and enjoy the scenery. Plus - it's addictive going with a group, and it helps pass the time quickly โ€“ sometimes we get there and have ridden twenty miles, and you didn't realize it,โ€ said Tomasic.

Some members have lost considerable weight since joining the club and cycling regularly. I joined the club two years ago after seeing a doctor for knee pain, and being told that, in my case, much of the pain could be alleviated by strengthening the muscles above my knee, and that bike riding was one good exercise to achieve that. I started sporadically riding around my community, but then gave the club's 'Fat Monday' ride a try, and got hooked. I found riding at a designated time and in the company of others to be such a pleasant routine that I was soon riding farther, longer and faster, and looking forward to the next ride. And โ€“ my knees rarely hurt these days.

The Calumet Crank Club's Monday night ride is another good option for novice riders. The ride is on the asphalt paved Prairie Duneland Trail, and goes up to 18 miles, but the distance can easily be shortened to accommodate a beginning rider. The ride begins at 6 pm from the trail head parking lot on Jackson/15th Street, south of Broadway. Or โ€“ try the introductory 1-hour ride on Sunday, May 22, starting at noon from Inman's Recreation Center, on Evans Avenue east of Silhavy.

The club is offering many options of various ride lengths and paces, so there is something for all levels of riders, including weekly time trials for those in training for racing. Guests are also welcome to attend the monthly meetings of the Calumet Crank Club, which take place at the Valparaiso Public Library, 103 Jefferson Street, at 7 pm, generally on the first Monday of each month. At the meeting you can meet some of the members and learn about the club's recent activities and upcoming plans. Whether you're training for a triathlon, or trying to get yourself in gear, you can get support, have a good time and do yourself some good by riding with the Calumet Crank Club. To learn more, visit the Calumet Crank Club website at www.cycling.org, or call Joann Tomasic 219-464-0476 or Bobbie Cyzyk 219-462-6035.

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