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The Seminars are over, but a lot of the information presented lives on, right here.
It's a wrap for the 2005 FreeWheel Seminar Series
in Tulsa!
WHAT and WHEN? The party's over for this year ...
Seminars began in Tulsa on February 24th. The final seminar occurred on April 28th, and what
a series it's been. From "What the Heck is FreeWheel?" to "How to Box Your Bike," the five seminars
presented information that will be put to good use by all who attended.
Though the series is complete, we've attempted to capture some of the essence of
each presentation on this page for the benefit of those of you who couldn't attend and for review
by those who were fortunate enough to be in the audience.
We'll add more information here as the presentors share materials from their sessions and,
ultimately, we'll be adding much of this information to the FAQ pages on this site. There was so
much good information shared, we just have to capture some of it and share it with current and
future FreeWheelers!
For now, read through what we've been able to capture from the seminars so far. It's an
interesting colleciton of cycle touring information with a little something for everyone. I'll
venture that everyone, old hand and newbie alike, will find something new, different, or
interesting in what we've been able to capture below. Thanks to everyone
who made this year's seminar series a success; hat's off to Tom Brown who organized the series and
to the volunteer presenters who shared their knowledge and expertise - Tour Director Libby Stalter,
TBC bike-fit expert Bobby Williams, sports nutritionist sloan Martin, TBC "Ride Czar" Richard Hall,
local vet Carolyn Fairless, camping queen Monica Wright, and packing magician Nickie Hall-Hensley!
Hidhlights from the 2005 FreeWheel Seminar Series ...
February 24th -
FreeWheel Kickoff: Libby Stalter, Director of FreeWheel, introduced an eager audience to FreeWheel
and answered lots of questions related to this year's event. Don't miss future events so you'll have
all the info you need to prepare for and enjoy FreeWheel 27!
March 8th -
How to Choose a Bicycle & Fitting a Road Bike: Tom Brown, of
Tom's Rivertrail Bicycles, was ill, but the Tulsa Bicycle Club's Bobby Williams filled in with a discussion
of bike selections and a great presentation on setting up your bike to get you in the ballpark of a great fit!
Bobby's obviously done this a few times, and the information he shared will help all those present get their
current bike or a new "ride" set up for maximum comfort and efficiency.
Bobby identified a couple of sources he's relied on in developing his bike fit technique. For information
on seat positioning and leg angles, he used information from the bicycling section of
Endurance Athlete's Edge (1997) by Marc Evans. This material leans toward the tri-athlete,
and Bobby has modified the technique to fit road riding.
For handlebar positioning suggestions, Bobby relied heavily on information from The Lance Armstrong
Performance Program" (2000) by Chris Carmichael, Armstrong's long-time coach. This book has a brief section
with a wealth of information about seat and handlebar positioning. Sorry we missed you!
March 24th -
Nutrition for Cyclists: Sloan Martin enthralled a large group of would-be FreeWheelers with
the latest info and advice for maximizing our cycling performance through modern nutritional science.
She shared valuable information for long-distance bike riders and taught us that "carbs are not our
enemies!" We've posted a synopsis of her presentation here
(click here).
Riding Technique or Why Doesn't that Rider just get Out of Everyone's Way? Richard Hall,
VP of the Tulsa Bicycle Club, presented a wealth of information to the large group of cyclists attending
Thursday's event. He shared reflections of his own experiences on FreeWheel and recommendations to
assist new cyclists in preparing for an enjoyable and safe riding experience. We've posted
Richard's presentation here, so take a look at
it and explore the list of internet sources he's provided for information on safe and sensible cycling.
From lane positioning to verbal warnings and hand signals to helmet fit, Richard provided the group a
good foundation as we continue our preparations for FreeWheel 2005.
April 12th -
Got a Flat?: Tom Brown provided a demonstration of how to fix a flat to break the ice at
the April 12th seminar. As with all of the seminars to date, valuable knowledge is interleaved with
experiences from FreeWheel's past.
Bad Dog!: Local Veterinarian, Carolyn Fairless, shared tips for dealing with dogs on the road.
We've posted her presenation here
(click here) in the event you didn't attend. She educated the group on what
the dog's thinking and how cyclists might best respond. In general, Carolyn's advice is maintain
your pace and ride on, perhaps with a stern "Git!" thrown in for good measure!
Camping Equipment for FreeWheel: When Monica Wright
speaks, people listen. And listen they did the night of the 12th; and they learned, and they laughed;
heck, they had a great time! Monica's presentation was entertaining and informative; you just couldn't
have listened to her presentation and not found some tidbit that will serve you well on FreeWheel!
Notes from her discussion are posted here
(click here).
Nickie's FreeWheel Packing Demo: If you missed Nickie's FreeWheel Packing Demo, then
you're the poorer for it! How did she get all that stuff into those little bags? Nickie Hall-Hensley
unpacked her FreeWheel bags onstage no holds barred; from home-made rain gear to the "Corn Starch
Shuffle," Nickie shared her expertise, thoughts, philosophies, and annecdotes from participation
in FreeWheels over the past 26 years.
We were alternately awed and guffawed! If you've never seen this demonstration of efficiency
in packing, you definitely want to catch it next year! It's a treat ... lots of information and lots
of fun. You can review
Nickie's packing list on the FAQ tab of the FreeWheel web site.
April 28th -
FreeWheel: The rest of the story: Libby Stalter, OKFreeWheel Director, hosted a well-attended
question and answer forum at this last seminar of the 2005 FreeWheel Seminar Series. FreeWheel veterans
shared their experiences with those considering FreeWheel for the first time. It was an entertaining
and informative session. We'll provide some of the questions and answers here over the next couple of
weeks for the benefit of all.
How to Put Your Bike In a Box: Tom Brown, proprieter of Tom's Bicycles at 68th & Peoria,
demonstrated how to properly "box your bike." This was valuable information for those planning to take
the bus to Paris for the start of FreeWheel. Tom advised getting a box soon, before the rush that
generally occurs during the weeks leading up to FreeWheel. Local bike shops will box your bike for
a modest fee or you can do it on your own. Tom emphasized, frequently, the need to not forget any of the
parts as he bagged anything he took off the bike and included the bag in the box in the end.
Boxes will be flattened and carried on the luggage truck during FreeWheel so that they'll be available
in Caldwell at the end of the week. Be sure to label your box clearly. We'll put together a list of the
key steps and considerations for boxing your bike and post it here in coming weeks.
WHERE?
FreeWheel Seminars will be presented at Tulsa's OSU Center for Health Sciences, 1111 West 17th Street,
Center for Advanced Medical Education, Room D007 (Merkel Auditorium), from 7pm to 9pm. This is just
east of Southwest Boulevard on 17th street. See maps at the right for directions to the
Center in Tulsa, parking, and the room location on the Center campus.
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