We love you, Dads!

(Happy Father’s Day to my soulmate and father of my amazing children… you’re a wonderful dad, Shaun!)THIS SUNDAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU, DADS!
Dads are remarkable people – combining the best of provider, protector, and person we most admire in one exceptional human being. That warrants some extra love this Father’s Day, June 18th, don’t you think??

(Upper right and center left photos courtesy PotoMBA)
THE FUTURE OF MOUNTAIN BIKING LOOKS GREAT!
Last weekend, Shaun and a handful of Team volunteers set up a support station at the PotoMBA’s Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day event… and shared the joy of cycling with a knee-high crowd of cuties.
Boys and girls of all ages learned trail skills, rode obstacle courses, enjoyed toured trail rides, and picked up great swag from an incredible group of Sponsors. Our Jr. Hometownie t-shirt giveaway was an especially big hit. (Marley Simpson, pictured center with mom, was the artiste behind the awesome t-shirt artwork.)
Shout out to Team Hometownie Jacob Henriksen (at right) for having the foresight to bring extra kiddie helmets for children who came without head gear. They were put to good use!
Overall, we’re thrilled to say that the future of mountain biking is looking just grand!
(We met up with Team Hometown’s Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, whose son plays on the Team)
HEY, BATTER-BATTER-BATTER… SWING!!
In fact, we did swing by the Brighton Bulldogs’ U9 Travel Baseball game last weekend to cheer on the Team that Hometown Bicycles is proudly sponsoring… and we learned that the attention span of a 2-year-old and a 9-month-old adds up to approximately 2.9 minutes, so we sadly didn’t stay long enough to see our favorites win 17-11!
Congrats, Bulldogs! Click HERE for the Team’s game schedule.
TEAM NEWS: THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
In last weekend’s Island Lake Challenge Spring Mountain Bike Race, 9 Team members – Leslie Cook, Mark Lang, Olga Negrut, Joe Ostervik, Roger Pelkey, Doug Queener, Brien TerBush, Linc Wherly, Steve Wortley and John Wyatt – laid some definitive claim on what amounts to Hometown’s “backyard”.
We’d like to congratulate Olga “ The Rocket” Negrut, who took home the gold in Expert Women, Roger Pelky, who also powered to 1st in Sport Men 60-65, and Linc Werhly, who podiumed at 3rd place in Beginner Men 50+. (Thanks, Jack Riddle, for capturing it all on camera!) Job very well done, Team!
SAVE THE DATE: 7/1/17! HOMETOWN’S JULY JUBILEE
Next week, you’ll hear all the glorious details about this first-of-its-kind, biggest ever, Hometown summer celebration, but in the meantime – I’m telling you – you really want to mark this one on your calendar!! JULY 1ST: Think American, think family, and think “one for the record books”… (stay tuned!)
TODAY: FLAT TIRE FIX SUMMER CLINIC
Our “Emergency Bike Repair” Clinic and “Flat Tire Fix” Clinic are primed for your immediate benefit, addressing quick, on-the-go fixes and how to handle the dreaded flat:
• Thursday 6/15 (Flat Tire Fix)
• Tuesday 6/27 (Flat Tire Fix)
• Thursday 6/29 (Emergency Repair).
NO CHARGE for these HANDS-ON CLINICS.
TOMORROW (6/16): TRAMPOLINES & PUPPIES
Hang out with Hometown at Sky Zone Trampoline Park of Brighton at their annual Summer Bash on Friday, June 16, 12pm-5pm, where Shaun will be running our tire toss game!
As a fundraiser for the Livingston County Humane Society, there will be adorable animals for snuggling and adopting, plus a fire truck and police car for kids to explore, face painting, balloons, food trucks, coupons and swag from local businesses, raffles, and giveaways. Think about the fun you’ll have with your kiddies!! Click here for info or, better still, come out and help us support a fellow business that’s supporting our community!
TOMORROW (6/16): YOGA FOR EVERY BODY
Good news for your overworked, under-appreciated cycling muscles – Ashley of Tocca Massage & Yoga is bringing her insanely popular Vinyasa Yoga class back to Hometown!
Held in our Community Room, this 3-week, Friday morning fun class starts June 16th at 9am. It’s all about dynamic movement and stretching, not perfection and freaky, double-jointed pretzeling. Whether it’s your first or 500th class, you’ll gain immeasurable benefit from this ancient art made user-friendly. $10 per class. Email ashley@toccamassage.com with questions.

CLINIC: TEACHING YOUR BODY TO BURN MORE FAT
Tapping on her Degree in Nutrition and Bob Seebohar’s revolutionary Metabolic Efficiency research, Hometown’s Amy Gluck is coming back next week with a topic to intrigue ANY athlete – a way to train your body to burn fat for fuel, instead of using quick-access carbs. It can be done!
In her talk about Metabolic Efficiency Training, you’ll learn what it is, how to do it, and the enormous benefits to be gained… like no more GI distress at competitions, never hitting “the wall” again, and turning yourself into a lean and efficient, fat-burning machine! NO CHARGE!
REGISTER NOW FOR “TEACHING YOUR BODY TO BURN MORE FAT”
Tuesday, June 20 from 6-7pm – or – Thursday, June 22 from 6-7pm
AMY’S BLOG: June 15, 2017
The inspiration continues… ! Hometown’s tri clinician, Amy Gluck, is tapping on her years of top-level IRONMAN training and competition, and the life-altering accident that put her passion to the test, to share something soul-stirring in the form of blogging about her recovery, her training triumphs and challenges, and her personal mission to get back to IRONMAN. From her 6/15/17 installment:
“At the park, I SQUEEZED into my wetsuit. They’d made me gain 40 lbs. in the hospital – I was 120 lbs. upon admission and they discharged me at 160 lbs. – but they did not offer to replace my wetsuit! With my wetsuit all zipped up, my lungs felt crushed. As I started swimming across the lake, my goggles fogged up and I had to stop and tread water to clear them out. By the time I figured out where I was going and put my face back in the water to swim, I was so out of breath after treading water and being suffocated in my wetsuit, that there was no way was I was going to swim back to the shore! What was I going to do? I was in the middle of the lake with no oxygen coming into my lungs.…” READ ON
Amy’s full blogs are posted HERE on our website.

JUNE 25: TOUR DE LIVINGSTON KICK-OFF RIDE
Add it to your calendar, Hometownies! It’s an annual tradition for Hometown to lead off this pre-Tour teaser of one of our favorite events ever – the Tour de Livingston. Ride with us!!

A SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING EVENT, SANS SHAUN
Sadly, Shaun missed out on putting the green at what turned out to be a wonderfully successful Charity Golf Classic for the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. The keynote speaker, Greg Kelser, was warm and engaging, and the light showers cleared up in time for a beautiful day and evening. But Hometown was still proud to contribute with a bicycle donation for their silent auction, which was won by an architect with four children ranging from ages 7 – 14. So, the bike will get a lot of love, the Parks benefited, and that makes us happy.
KIDS 4TH OF JULY BIKE DECORATING CONTEST
More than just an upbeat group of community-minded people, the Brighton Optimist Club is 100% about “bringing out the best in children.”
We are absolutely geeked to be partnering with these big-hearted folks with an event that combines kids, bicycles, patriotism, and a community parade! Check out the flier at left and click HERE for further details.
HOMETOWN BICYCLES UPCOMING SHOP RIDES
THURSDAY SOCIAL A.M. ROAD RIDE (6/15)
10:00AM (meet at 9:45) from Hometown Bicycles
This friendly road ride takes the back entrance to Island Lake and explores park roads. The plan this week is to ride 1-1.5 hours at a 10 mph average pace. Ride whatever bike will work for the pace and your desired exercise level. This is a NO DROP ride (a support rider will be the last person back). Check back for ride confirmation/changes due to weather.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (6/16)
9:00PM (meet at 8:45) from Janowski Field Trailhead (301 Peters Rd. in Milford)
Join us for an INTERMEDIATE pace forward/backward loop night adventure at the Milford Trail. We roll from the Janowski Field Trailhead (301 Peters Rd – between GM Rd & Commerce Rd). Charged lights are required for this ride. We will re-group throughout the trail. Mountain and Fat Bikes are encouraged to join this ride. Check back for ride confirmation/changes. Don’t forget your bug/tick spray!
NO SUNDAY GRAVEL GRINDER THIS WEEKEND
In observance of Father’s Day… but be sure to check out our Dad’s Day ride below!
SUNDAY TAKE YOUR DAD MOUNTAIN BIKING RIDE (6/18)
4:30PM (meet at 4:15) from Hometown Bicycles
As a tribute to Father’s Day, the Beginner Friendly Mountain Bike Ride leaders would like to encourage riders to bring their dad out for a 1.5 hr trail ride on Sunday. We’ll ride from Hometown Bicycles to the back of Island Lake and explore 9 – 15 miles of the Island Lake Mountain Bike trails, splitting into a couple of groups. All levels of riders are welcome at this 1.5 hr pace. This is a NO DROP RIDE – which means we will have a ride support person at the end of the last group. Mountain and Fat Bikes are encouraged.
MONDAY BEGINNER FRIENDLY ROAD RIDE (6/19)
Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical Therapy
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
Come join the Hometown Bicycles crew for this NO DROP ride. Road bikes only please. We’ll travel towards the back of Island Lake, then head through the park roads to the well-known “Green Dumpster” and back – approx 12 – 15 miles. Those ready for more will group up to do more mileage to satisfy their cycling need! Expect a 12 – 17+ mph pace to accommodate riders’ skill levels. All level riders are welcome – we’ll split into groups according to experience and speed, with a sweep to bring up the rear.
Please make sure you have some experience riding the bike you bring to this ride and are comfortable with the way it handles, including basic shifting and braking, for the safety of all. Beyond that, our friendly ride support are delighted to share tips on how to make the hills easier and the flats faster – just ask!
TUESDAY GRAVEL GRINDING 101 WITH ‘CYCLODAN’ TRIBBLE (6/20)
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
This ride from Hometown Bicycles covers 13+ miles of pavement, dirt trails and gravel roads between 12 – 13 mpg average. We’ll ride the back of Island Lake, enjoy some gravel (a few hills just for fun!), pop onto some paved roads, and grab a dirt trail back into ILRA. Expect a few “puddles” of sand. Nothing our gravel, adventure/mountain/fat bikes can’t easily handle! Standard road bikes (skinny tires) are not appropriate for this ride. All levels welcome – NO DROP RIDE (a support person will be the last rider).
WEDNESDAY HAMMERFEST / SON OF HAMMERFEST (6/21)
This is a DROP RIDE!
6:30PM (meet at 6:15) from Hometown Bicycles
SON OF HAMMERFEST (for those that would like to build up to the original Hammerfest):
NO Son of Hammerfest this week, but if you’re prepared to ride at warp speed…
HAMMERFEST:
Bring your “A” game, and see if you can stay on this crazy train of talented individuals as they push each other to find new limits. You’ll want the fastest road bike you own, as the pace averages 20 mph through 2 laps (40 miles) of the roads of Island Lake. Expect the flats pace to range 24 – 28 mph!
For ALL SHOP RIDES, be sure to FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK for ride confirmations and updates!
(Photo cred: Yoga pic at left courtesy Ashley Knuth of Tocca Massage & Yoga)
FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN
Hey, Hometownies! Mark your calendars for these fantastic fitness programs running right here at your favorite bike shop:
CARDIO DRUMMING | Wednesdays at 6:45PM
$5 class fee / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf
Click to learn more
DYNAMIC YOGA | Fridays at 9:00AM (starting June 16)
$10 drop in – With Ashley Knuth of Tocca Massage & Yoga
Click to learn more
ZUMBA | Mondays at 6PM & Thursdays at 9:30AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Leslie Barrett
Click to learn more
Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.
– Bob Bitchin
Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: 4th of July, Amy Gluck, amy's blog, Ashley Knuth, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinics, bike decorating contest, bike rides, bike shop, bikes, Bob Seebohar, brighton bulldogs, Brighton Optimist Club, Brighton Rec, celebration, charity golf classic, cycling, cyclists, Dad's Day, emergency repair, Father's Day, flat tire fix, fundraiser, giveaways, group rides, Hometown Bicycles, HometownBicycles 1st Annual July Jubilee, Huron-Clinton Metroparks, Island Lake Challenge MTB Race, Jack Riddle, Jacob Henriksen, Jr. Hometownie, Linc Werhly, livingston county humane society, Marley Simpson, metabolic efficiency training, mountain biking, Olga Negrut, PotoMBA, ProMotion Physical Therapy, road ride, Roger Pelkey, Romanian Rocket, Shaun Bhajan, shop rides, silent auction, Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, summer, summer bash, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, Tocca Massage and Yoga, tour de livingston kick-off ride, trail ride, travel baseball, Vinnie Baylerian, wetsuit, yoga class | Leave a comment »