Guest Post: Riding With Famous People in Mill Valley
A Note from Fatty: Allison and Dave seem to have serious intentions on taking over my blog. Here’s their awesome ride report from last weekend, hanging out with WBR superstar Katie Bolling, along with Ted King and Joao Correia.
Even before the Trois Etapes Giro invitation happened, World Bicycle Relief had planned a fundraising ride with Joao Correia in Mill Valley, California, a few towns over from us. David had registered to ride and I had offered to help as a volunteer. Katie Bolling would be there in person, as would Jennifer Schofield of World Bicycle Relief, who is coordinating details for the Trois Etapes Giro.
We arranged to meet up Katie and Jennifer the day before the ride for coffee and some Trois Etapes chitchat.
Katie, Jennifer, Allison, and David. Note to self: never be photographed next to women who cycle a lot. It’s not slimming.
We talked about how great it would be to do a Team Fatty – World Bicycle Relief event in the future (would love to hear everyone’s ideas on that) and then confessed that we had not realized this was a race until after the plane ticket was booked. David shared his apprehension about what appeared to be a highly competitive event. Riding those stages is one thing, racing them is quite another. He naturally has the same worry that many of us would have… it’s a team competition and you don’t want to let your team down.
Jennifer and Katie did their best to assuage his concerns. Not sure it worked.
The next day we had perfect weather for the WBR ride. The amazing Dave Thompson and his son Rob drove up to ride as well. I feel the need to mention the fact that Mr. T. has gotten seriously fit (and svelte). There is no stomach sucking in required these days. His sweet son Rob continues to light up a room with his smile, and since I saw him last year, seems to be making great progress. We had fun conversing in Spanish, and I must say, he is quite the ladies’ man.
All the other women were getting their hands kissed by Rob except for me. Feeling left out, I commented that “I was married, not dead.” That netted me a few kisses at last.
YannB, with his fiancé Karen and daughter Isabella, joined us to see the riders off. Yann snapped this photo after Ted King came over to talk with us…or was it after we went over to corner talk to him? He was in town for the Amgen Tour of California and graciously came out to support World Bicycle Relief the day before. How awesome is that?
I was so excited excited to get the photo with Ted and the rest of our gang shown above, at least until the time came that I shared it on Facebook and several people made comments assuming he was my son. You know who you are. Really, my son? Ted King is 31. Rune is 10. Thanks for making me feel really old.
I cannot tell you how nice Ted King is. He seems to be an amazingly grounded and cool guy, and of course I would be proud to be his mother… except for the fact that I am far too young.
He shared with me that in addition to World Bicycle Relief, he focuses much of his own philanthropic efforts on organizations like the Krempels Center that are dedicated to helping with life after brain trauma. His dad had a stroke, so this is a personal area of passion for him. As you might imagine, he was very impressed with Dave and Rob. Then again, who isn’t?
As for the WBR event itself, it was a 25-mile ride with about 3,300 feet of climbing, some of it right along the California coastline. David joked that he got dropped by Joao and Ted at the first stoplight. I think he was joking (?). He did at least get to do part of the ride with Katie.
David trying to make Katie feel taller above Stinson Beach.
The ride also included a fabulous post-event pizza lunch, with ice cream, beer and other goodies. I had to leave before most of the riders (and the food) arrived, but from this online photo album I saw afterward, clearly a great time was had by all!
Katie, David, Rob, Dave and the Buffalo Bike
Katie and Joao.
So this was an inaugural WBR event for Northern California. David and I would love to see it become annual, or some variation of it. Who’s in for next year?
Otherwise, think good thoughts for David as he trains hard these next few weeks. You’ll be hearing his first-hand account of the Trois Etapes Giro experience upon his return sometime in mid-to-late June.
Assuming of course, he survives.
Comment by yannb | 05.16.2014 | 4:05 pm
Was great seeing you guys there last week. Still bummed I wasn’t able to join in on the fun. I didn’t know about Ted’s other philanthropic activities, that’s very cool. I can vouch for DavidT’s sveltness. I’m hoping to get down in weight a bit more before he, ChrisD, SteveB and I do rockwell relay in a couple of weeks.
Definitely count me in for next year’s WBR event.
Comment by Ted King's Mother | 05.16.2014 | 4:13 pm
Take over? Never. Borrow briefly? Perhaps.
Hey would you be so kind as to remove the double “excited” in the caption below the second picture? Apparently I was so excited that I even stuttered writing about it days later. Though more probably, I was still feeling indignant over being mistaken for TK’s mother. Seriously, far, far too young! :-)
Comment by UpTheGrade, SR, CA | 05.16.2014 | 9:43 pm
I am a bit embarrassed now to have offered to ride with David. Given that he rides with pros, and has some serious guns, judging from the photo, I am clearly out of his league. And I was looking forward to a possible ride around Mt. Tam on the road, having only done it off-road before. I reckon he will hold his own fine in Italy – probably pull a Taylor Phinney and drop everyone on the descents.
Comment by AKChick | 05.16.2014 | 10:33 pm
I am just catching up and saw one of my favorite bloggers is guest blogging!!!!
I can’t believe you got to meet and talk to TED KING!!! I love him. He is my tied for No. 1 on my pro-cyclist list with Chris Horner and The Jensie.
Also, I KNEW who that was in the photo and it was most definitely NOT Rune. :)
Very excited to hear about Dave’s Big Adventure! I’m so happy he gets to go have some fun “racing” in Italy. Dave – you will do just fine!
Comment by New Zealand Ev | 05.16.2014 | 10:34 pm
Great post!! So good to see pics and hear about this awesome event. Also I am sure that David will do just fine. I mean look at those leg muscles!!
Comment by Wife#1 | 05.17.2014 | 10:45 am
@UpTheGrade… David says you will keep up if not pass him no problem!
@NZEve… I do! I look at them all the time! :-)
@ALChick – Yes! It was so awesome to be able to meet TK in person and I am looking forward to getting all the “socks hung with care”. Hopefully before Christmas though. LOL!
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Comment by Doug (way upstate NY) | 05.17.2014 | 8:34 pm
That looks like a more fun day then I had sitting inside for graduation!
Hey Katie how about a east coast WBR event? :)
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Comment by SteveB | 05.18.2014 | 5:31 pm
@TedKingsMom: You’ve hit the big time now – you even have troll’s posting about guest posting in your guest post… If you haven’t gotten enough WBR action, remember the Red-Bell 100 at the end of June… Yes, its in Seattle, don’t let that stop you.
Comment by Papa Bear | 05.19.2014 | 8:23 am
@davidh-marin,ca: I know it’s probably late to offer, but I’ll come ride with you in Italy! Of course, you’d have to pay my way, my room and board, and be willing to ride a tandem so I could coast along on the back… Oh, and I’m a true clydesdale at #300, so I hope your quads are up to pulling me up those hills.
So, Where’s my ticket?
Comment by davidh-marin,ca | 05.19.2014 | 8:33 am
So Papa Bear, I’ve got the tandem. If you’re in California we’ll go to Venice,Ca if Florida, then it’s Naples, Fl. Though I don’t discount a ride in Perris,Ca for a little joie de vivre
As for size yours and mine will give us the kinetic energy, we’d have to refer to our rocket scientists to calculate.
Comment by Papa Bear | 05.19.2014 | 9:23 am
@davidh-marin,ca: I’m in Utah (just about 30 min North of Fatty). I also have a tandem, my biggest problem (other than my expansive gut) is finding the motorcycle engine to attach to the bike so I can climb like Fatty!
Have a great time in Italy. We actors say “break a leg” instead of “good luck”, so to a fellow cyclist I will say “break a spoke”!
Comment by BostonCarlos (formerly NYC) | 05.19.2014 | 9:33 am
Katie, I second Doug’s request for an east coast WBR ride! Perhaps in Vermont?
Comment by RodNeeds2Ride | 05.19.2014 | 10:04 am
WBR ride in UTAH! I shall provide the donuts.
Comment by TK's Mamacita | 05.19.2014 | 10:54 am
@SteveB I saw that and cracked up. Yes, truly the big time. LOL!
Comment by Papa Bear | 05.19.2014 | 11:00 am
Right on Rod! By the way, anyone know why the Utah Tour de Donut was moved to Sept?
Comment by Davidh-Marin,ca | 05.19.2014 | 4:26 pm
@Papa Bear. I would like to think that Rod did that just for me, but maybe I’m just becoming to full of myself these days. Either way thanks Rod. Maybe I’ll mark that day as my ‘return’ date. What kind of doughnuts….jelly?
Comment by Susie H | 05.19.2014 | 5:28 pm
I’m in for helping with next year’s WBR event. Keep all of us posted!
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