Dennis B Murphy >>>>>>>>>>

biking

How I got started mountain biking & How I got started racing mountain bikes.
.....I have had a road bike for decades. I own a Puch Pathfinder road bike which I bought from The Bicycle Shop in Muskegon in 1978 (photo). I rode this bike as major transportation all through college as well as summer long rides (such as the time I rode from my house in Muskegon to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, then to my girlfriend's cottage on Lake Michigan then back home via Scenic Drive and North Muskegon. Road riding was big sport then and would fade until Lance brought it back these past seven years.
.....In April, 1998 I decided I needed a new bike and went to Village Bike Shop in Grand Rapids intending to buy a new road bike for about $600.00. I ended up buying an $850.00 Giant ATX750 mountainbike for $750.00 ! It was a cro-moly frame, front shock and foot cages on the pedals (which I was familiar with as my Puch had cages). I started riding trails in the Grand Rapids area and joined the MMBA when I heard about that organization. My first trail ride was at Cannonsburg Game Area. The second trail I ever rode was Ionia Rec Area. After that came other trails in the area such as Yankee Springs and Fort Custer.
In June of 1998, I saw a flyer in the bike shop about a race at Robinette's Orchard. That sounded like fun so I showed up and signed up and DIED on the first lap! Jeez was that tough. I was so very out of shape and left in the dust by the competitors. I went to the promoter desk after the first of two laps and dropped out. He nearly laughed at me.
.....I determined to get in better shape. My employment had a fitness center and I began using that regularly, running the treadmill and lifting weights. I cut back on beer consumption and began to eat more better- resuming a vegetarian/vegan diet again. By spring 1999 I was ready to try racing again and kicked off my racing career with the 1999 Yankee Springs Time. I have been doing some type of racing ever since.
.....Brenden began riding trails with me on his 16-inch bike in 1998 also. He had a Trek Mountain Lion ten speed kids mountain bike. By summer 1999, he moved up to a 20-inch Bianchi Wildcat mountain bike as he turned ten years old. He had been doing the kids races at the mountain bike race events, but we arrived at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills that afternoon too late and missed the kid's race. I told Brenden I knew he could do the trail- he'd been riding it with me the day before anyway. So I signed him up for the 14&under category and he has been racing ever since.

My mountain bike: Cannondale Rush 600

This Tangerine Rush was purchased at Alger Cyclery and Fitness. For 2007, I'd like to add Tangerine Velocity rims

As of April 2008, I now have TWO Cannondale Rush's - identical Tangerine bikes!

Founder's Ale Team Jersey 2008 ........Founder's Ale Team Jersey 2007 ........Founder's Ale Team Jersey 2006

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