Cycle season wheels in at Chilly Hilly

By Nick Perry
Seattle Times Eastside bureau

	THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES Hundreds of cyclists pedal off the ferry and start the annual Chilly Hilly Bicycle Ride on Bainbridge Island yesterday
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It's go time: The cycle shoes hitting concrete sounded like a herd of horses when hundreds of cyclists surged onto three chartered ferries bound for Bainbridge yesterday morning. As soon as each ferry pulled into dock and lowered its ramp, the cyclists — many wearing lime-colored jackets, tight pants and wrap-around shades — were off.

The bikes: The trick to riding a unicycle with a 36-inch-diameter wheel is to lean forward going uphill and to descend very slowly, said Irene Genelin, a 19-year-old University of Washington student.

"It's a different way to see the world," she said. "It's fun, you're up higher and you can see things. It's also more of a novelty. People just come up to you and start talking."

THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES Riders push or pedal their bikes up Northeast Baker Hill, the toughest climb on the loop. The ride raises money for the organizers, the Cascade Bicycle Club of Seattle, and several charities.

For Sue and Jackson Weaver of Issaquah, getting the hang of riding a tandem bike took some time — especially as Weaver is left-handed and naturally tries to dismount the opposite side as his right-handed wife.

"The bike-shop guy said that tandeming either makes or breaks a marriage," he said.

Bill and Mary Ann Mundy favored something called a Bike Friday that folds down into a suitcase. It's cheaper for plane travel and works well, they said. They should know: Last year, they cycled more than 3,000 miles from Florida to Nova Scotia on their Bike Fridays.

	THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES Bikes decorate the car deck of a Bainbridge-bound ferry yesterday morning.

Other bikes ranged from high-performance racing machines costing thousands of dollars to mountain bikes that looked as if they had spent more time off-road than on.

At least one rider used his hands to power himself on a specially modified machine.

Special moments: U.S. Navy Senior Chief Rich Dodd decided there was no better place to re-enlist for three more years than at Battle Point Park, 15 miles into the ride. Capt. Mike Neller and sonar technician Garold Munson performed the ceremony as Dodd raised his right hand and swore to defend Americans from their enemies.

THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES With a hand on the Bible, Rich Dodd re-enlists in the U.S. Navy at Battle Point Park, 15 miles into the ride.

Neller said he is "ecstatic" that Dodd is due to become the senior enlisted person on the submarine Henry M. Jackson and will be responsible for managing up to 180 sailors. "A good chief-of-the-boat makes all the difference in the world, and is critical to everything that goes on in the ship," Neller said.

Another person marking a special day was John Arrigoni, who celebrated his 12th birthday yesterday. He is 48 years old but has experienced only a dozen birthdays because he was born Feb. 29 — Leap Day.

"He's pretty muscly for a 12-year-old," said wife Sue Arrigoni, who had little to celebrate herself as she pushed her bike up the notoriously steep Northeast Baker Hill — the route's highest climb — after she got a flat tire.

	THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES Laurion Burchall of Seattle takes an impromptu rest at the finish, exhausted from the ride, which drew participants from a number of states.

Also pushing his bike up Baker Hill was Mike LaManna of Redmond, a first-time entrant who rounded a bend at the bottom and knew what was ahead. "All I saw was this wall of yellow jerseys," he said. "Everyone was stacked up, going up."

Young and old: With striking white hair and a distinctive purple shirt with polka dots, Vic Groening was among the oldest riders, at age 85. With him were his son and daughter, both in their 50s, and his 15-year-old grandson.

"Every year, I forget how many hills there are," said Groening of West Seattle, the uncle of "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening. "85 is not like 84."

"Each year you lose a bit," he said halfway through the route that he has ridden at least 10 times.

In equally colorful gear was Francis Doll, who will turn 11 months old tomorrow. Riding in a bike trailer pulled by his parents, he wore a red fleece suit and a blue helmet covered in fish, frogs and turtles.

"He just grew into his helmet," said mom Denelle Peacey. "We like to keep active as a family, and this is one thing we can do together."

	THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES At 85, Vic Groening of West Seattle was one of the oldest riders in this year's ride.

By the numbers: By 1 p.m., parents raising money for the Bainbridge Island Rope Skippers were all but sold out. They had gone through 60 gallons of chili and soup, 80 pounds of bananas, 115 hot dogs and Polish dogs, 150 baked potatoes and 600 scones and other baked goods at the Battle Point Park lunch stop.

An hour later, at the finish line, the Fort Ward Neighborhood Association reported it had been doling out chili all day without stopping, selling more than 1,000 bowls. The line of customers was still out the door.

The Chilly Hilly helps raise money for the organizers, the Cascade Bicycle Club of Seattle, along with several Bainbridge Island charities. It's also a boon for the young entrepreneurs selling lemonade along the way.

Organizers said that by the middle of last week, more than 1,600 riders had pre-registered from 14 states and Canada. About 70 percent were male. About 38 percent were from Seattle, 8 percent from Bainbridge Island and 5 percent from Bellevue.

The end: "This is the ultimate: eating chili at the end of the Chilly Hilly," said Tommy Brown of Seattle, who finished despite developing cramps at 28 miles.

Groening, the 85-year-old, also completed another Chilly Hilly. He said he has no secrets to staying young enough to do that other than eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning:

"I think the important thing is to get into shape and decide to keep it that way the rest of your life."

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com

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