Vinnie Baylerian | Hometown Bicycles

Free Bike Fitting Clinic THIS Saturday with Pro-Motion Physical Therapy!

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Shaun

The Hometown Leadership Team is off to CABDA!

CABDA (Chicagoland Area Bicycle Dealers Association) is an association that promotes advocacy, best practices, education, and social events for Independent Bicycle Dealers. The CABDA Expo Midwest will take place on February 12-13 in Chicago and our Hometown Leadership Team will be in attendance, learning about tons of cool bicycle stuff! Those lucky dogs!
Because so many key staff members will be out of town, please be aware that Hometown will be CLOSED from Tuesday, February 11th through Thursday, February 13th, and will re-open at 10 AM on Friday, February 14th.

Our Winter Clinic Series continues!

Come out to the shop to learn the ins and outs of caring for your bicycle at our informative winter clinic series. For all skill levels!

All clinics are held on Saturday mornings in Hometown’s Community Room. There is NO COST to participate. Clinics are one hour unless otherwise specified.

Bike Fitting Basics: Saturday 2/8 from 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Guest speaker, Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, will cover bike fit that maximizes efficiency and minimizes discomfort. Learn about the mechanics of your body, and how it interacts with your bicycle. Vinnie is a certified Level 2 Clinical BikeFit Pro.
Sign up HERE!

Bike Maintenance (After the Ride Care): Saturday 2/15 @11:30 AM
In this second of a two-part clinic, we’ll talk about how to care for your bicycle AFTER you come back from your ride. We’ll show you what you need and how to use it.
Sign up HERE!

Flat Tire Fix: Saturday 2/22 @11:30 AM
This clinic covers everyone’s favorite — flat tire fixes! Bring along your wheel for some hands-on practice, or use one of ours.
Sign up HERE!

Emergency Bicycle Repairs: Saturday 2/22 @11:30 AM
This clinic is hands-on! We’ll cover quick, on-the-go bike fixes to help you avoid a long walk home.
Sign up HERE!

Where to Ride in Michigan Potluck: Saturday 3/14 from 5:30-7:30 PM
Details coming SOON!

Saturday, February 29 from 6-8 PM

Hometown’s “Winter Sucks” Soup Competition

Who’s fed up with winter? Show of hands! WE ARE! If you’re not fed up, there’s something wrong with you, and you need soup even more than the rest of us!

Whip up your favorite batch of warm-our-bellies soup and come chow down at Hometown Bicycles as we vote on THE most delicious soup in town.

Read all about it and sign up HERE!

Meet our new Ride Coordinator: Neal Glazebrook (Part One)!

Tell us about your role as Ride Coordinator. What are some of your goals for this year?
I am excited to take on this role. Last year, I was asking many questions about rides and events, and sweeping and leading rides even in my first year on Team Hometown. With this role, I now have the direction to act on improvements and adjustments to the Team and processes. I am heavily involved in our community and am looking forward to having the Team as partner in helping our community be a safe place to bike and recreate in.

I want to build our Team and promote our rides and events in new ways. I am, with my operational and marketing backgrounds, going to bring some efficiencies and benefits, and get us set up for a successful path to the future of the Team and Hometown as a whole. I want us to have our old school Hometown feel, have a great inclusive environment, make great friendships, see our Team up on more podiums and in the news. I will work with each one of you to make that happen.

Where is your favorite place to ride? And do you have a favorite ride/race in Michigan?
My love is mountain biking, although I will rock out some gravel frequently and touch the tarmac a few times a year. With that in mind, I would have to say my favorite local place to ride right now is Highland Rec. Following “Mudman 2019”, Iceman is my favorite race. I have never had that much fun on a bike!

How did you first get involved with Hometown? What made it feel like a good fit for you?
My first interaction was at the Doc May ride in 2016. It was my first ever ride with a group of people and what got me to start to dive deeper into group events. I enjoyed that ride, my interactions with the Team Hometown members on the ride, and with Shaun at the bike corral that day.

I first officially met Shaun and Dawn when I applied for a Service Manager position at Hometown. I was impressed with their shop, but things did not work out for me to take the position. Over the years, we talked off and on about opportunities and they always nudged me to come ride with the shop and join the Team.

I really saw the value of the Team and the community environment they created in 2018 when I participated in Tour de Livingston for my second year. I restored a 1968 Sears & Roebuck 10-speed to ride my first ever century in loving memory of my dogs Milo and Monte who had passed away just a few short months before. Monte’s passing was the first sign that Hometown was the place for me. Out of the blue, a package showed up from Hometown. Dawn and the team had sent us a Christmas ornament that had Monte’s name with a rainbow bridge on the other side. My wife and I were beside ourselves; the compassion shown by Hometown blew us away…

… to be continued in Part Two in our next e-newsletter…

Coffee or tea?
I drink TONS of coffee… tons.**

**He’ll fit right in, folks.

Team News!

On January 20th, Paul Wrona(below left) and Cooper Coatsworth(below right) attended the 2020 Tour deTroit MLK Memorial Ride in Detroit. Approximately 50 riders gathered at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center on the campus of Wayne State University to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy.

The ride was a nine-mile loop that included sights of some of Detroit’s historic churches and buildings, the remnants of Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Hall (TCF Center), the amazing waterfront park, warehouse district, and the Dequindre Cut trail.

Great job representin’ Hometown, guys!

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: bicycle, bicycle clinics, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinic, bike clinics, Bike Fitting Clinic, bike shop, bikes, CABDA, Cooper Coatsworth, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Hometown Community Room, Neal Glazebrook, Paul Wrona, ProMotion Physical Therapy, Ride Coordinator, Sati Circle with Dawn Gaden, Team Hometown Bicycles, Tour deTroit MLK Memorial Ride, Vinnie Baylerian, winter sucks soup competition | Leave a comment »

Hometown Business Forum for Women FITNESS Entrepreneurs NEXT Thursday!

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Shaun

Women’s Entrepreneurship: FREE Fitness Forum!
NEXT Thursday, August 22 from 6-8 PM

There will be food, there will be fun & there will be fellowship with like-minded women!

Spend the evening with inspirational women who embarked on very personal journeys to become fitness professionals and entrepreneurs! In this Q&A session, they will share their successes and failures, ideas and strategies, highs and lows, and much more!

If you’re getting started as a new fitness instructor or business owner, you won’t want to miss this forum!

Topics to be covered:

Where should I teach?
What should I expect in terms of startup cost?
What is my target client base, and how do I find them?
How do I increase attendance?
What are the best ways to market myself?
When do I throw in the towel and when should I persevere?
Competitors — friends or foes?
And much more!

SIGN UP HERE!

In recent weeks, we introduced you to two of our panelists, Jenny Schild with Body Within and Leslie Barrett of Zumba with Leslie Barrett. This week, meet our next panelist, Martha Soraruf who operates Cardio Drumming Hosted by PURE Fitness & Nutrition: Powered by Arbonne.

We know many of you have seen (and heard!) the supercharged cardio drumming classes going on at Hometown! Over the past 3 years, Martha has been motivating students with her infectious energy.

As an elementary school teacher, she never envisioned becoming a business owner — the shift occurred about 7 years ago when she became an Arbonne consultant — which led Martha to be able to enjoy teaching both kids AND fitness-focused adults!

Martha loved Arbonne products so much that she wanted to share them with everyone she knew. And then she attended a drumming class where a friend turned to her and said, “You should teach this.” The next week, she started practicing and, within a month, she held her first class in her friend’s basement.

“I haven’t looked back since. I get to combine the best of both worlds — Arbonne and cardio drumming,” shares Martha. “I love what I do — all of it. I provide a service but it serves me as well. I’ve become a person who takes risks and tries new things, for better or worse.”

Martha also does personal training and is a brand new Pound instructor. Meet this jack-of-many-trades next week… and be sure to bring your questions!

EFF Cancer Gravel Classic Ride
THIS SATURDAY at 4:30 PM

Tell us how you really feel about cancer! Come out for the 3rd Annual EFF Cancer ride and help honor those who are battling or have battled cancer.

This ride is 25 miles of mixed asphalt and gravel roads, starting at Volunteer Park in South Lyon. End at Tucker’s Kitchen & Bar for great food and beverages.

This is a FREE event! Let’s raise awareness and have a great time while doing so!

Bagels, Bikes & Brew was a resounding success!

On Sunday, August 10th, Team Hometown Bicycles’ Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian with Pro-Motion Physical Therapy, hosted an event to be remembered! It went so well that we’ll be planning a repeat for those who missed out!

Twenty cyclists arrived at Pro-Motion’s office for coffee and bagels, as well as a tour of the clinic, before heading off with Vinnie on a gravel/road ride and then wrapping things up with a cold beverage at Brewery Becker!

Many thanks to Hometownie, Jack Riddle, for being an integral part of planning the routes and an all-around great help!

Did you know Vinnie is a certified Level 2 Clinical BikeFit Pro?

Bike fitting is designed to fit your bike to your unique body architecture to maximize power, efficiency, and comfort, as well as reduce the risk of injury. A bike fit at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy includes: pre-fit interview regarding your cycling goals, prior injuries, and areas of discomfort while riding; a body assessment, including strength, flexibility, and movement patterns on and off the bike; a multidimensional analysis of your body mechanics based on your continuous feedback and interface with your bike; an exercise program designed to improve deficiencies that present during your physical assessment; and a follow-up consultation.

To learn more about Professional Bike Fitting, contact Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy: (810) 588-4133

In Team Hometown News…

Check out that familiar face to the left — Team Hometown Co-Captain, Joe Ostervik, at the finish line for ODRAM (One Day Ride Across Michigan) on Saturday, August 10th. Not sure he could look any happier, and we are stoked for him!

This fundraiser benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Ride to Cure Program. 2019 marked the 10th year that JDRF has been the beneficary of ODRAM, with nearly $50 million raised for research to deliver life-changing therapies and, one day, a cure for Type 1 diabetes (T1D).

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect as approximately 500 cyclists rolled cross-state to cover 150 miles from Montague to Bay City. Congrats, Team!

Pictured below (left to right): Adam Baranski, Mike Sharpe, Joe Ostervik and Jacob Henriksen.

FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES

Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM$5 drop-in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf |Click to learn more
Power 30 | Wednesdays 7 PM
$5 drop in – With Martha Soraruf | Click to learn more

Zumba | Mondays 6 PM and Thursdays 9:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $60” punch card – With Leslie Barrett | Click to learn more

Zumba GOLD | Fridays 9:30 AM and Sundays 10:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke | Click to learn more

NEW OFFERING
Sati Yoga | Tuesdays 6:30 PM
$7 drop in – With Dawn Gaden, RYT (pictured below) | Click to learn more

Now Hiring!

Service Technicians
Sales

Inquire within — stop by for an application!

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: Baylerians Bagels Bikes and Brews, best bicycle repair, best bicycle service, best bike repair, best bike service, bicycle clinics, bicycle rentals, bicycle repair, bicycle service, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinics, bike rentals, bike repair, bike rides, bike service, bike shop, bikes, Brighton, Cardio Drumming, cycling, cyclists, Dawn Gaden, EFF Cancer ride, fat bikes, fat tire bikes, fitness classes, fitness entrepreneurship, gravel grinder, group rides, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Hometownies, intenSati, Jacob Henriksen, joe ostervik, Leslie Barrett, livingston county, Martha Soraruf, Michigan, ODRAM, professional bike fitting, shop rides, Team Hometown Bicycles, Tresa O’Rourke, Vinnie Baylerian, Walk to End Alzheimers, womens entrepreneurship, zumba, Zumba Gold | Leave a comment »

Lake Trust Credit Union Champions Hometown Incubator Entrepreneurs!

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Shaun

You all know that we’ve been bringing to life a specially dedicated rental space in Hometown Bicycles’ back room – a Hometown Business Incubator, where fledgling business owners can turn their visions into reality. This space is designed to give entrepreneurs a resource-rich home base to launch their businesses, build a following, and get a taste of leasing without overwhelming costs or lengthy commitments.

But we’re not the only ones championing entrepreneurship in our new space!

Lake Trust Credit Union, a company so devoted to supporting local economic development that it formed a Community Reinvestment Team (wow!!!), has enthusiastically stepped into the role of Incubator Title Sponsor. In this role, they will not only generously subsidize the first month’s rent for our first 12 Incubator entrepreneurs*, but will also share a wealth of resources and insights at our entrepreneurship events and programs. Thank you, Lake Trust, for your commitment to local innovation and enterprise!

Get to know the Lake Trust Team that is helping to make our Incubator dreams possible (left to right in Lake Trust shirts): Nicole Dietrich, DeAndre Lipscomb, Rebecca O’Connell, Justin Haun, and (not pictured) Katie Callicutt.

SPONSOR INTERVIEW: Giving entrepreneurs wings!

Tell us why Lake Trust made the decision to be our main sponsor.
We try to help our members in all aspects of their financial life. We’re also very dedicated to our Michigan communities and the small businesses that help foster economic development in those communities. Our Community Reinvestment Team was inspired by the commitment that Hometown Bicycles shares with us to support local entrepreneurs. By sponsoring the business incubator space, we saw that we could help our member, Hometown Bicycles, expand this commitment to the community. And we saw that this was an opportunity for us to support other businesses in Brighton, too.

What are some ways you’d like to partner to create a successful and positive experience for entrepreneurs and new business startups?
Over the last few years, we’ve added more solutions to help entrepreneurs find success. We now offer micro business loans, which is a great option for new businesses who need funding under $50,000 to get started. We also have a new line of Treasury Services that business owners can use to manage their account. But the most important thing we want business owners to know is that we’re here for them through every step of their journey. We love being able to work with our members to help them reach their goals and find success.

What makes Lake Trust unique? How do you differ from other credit unions and banks?
Our business services set us apart from other financial institutions. The decision-making on our business loans happens locally right here in Brighton. We don’t send our business loan applications out-of-state or rely on an automated system to make a funding decision. Our team takes the time to get to know our business members and to learn more about our members’ story, goals, and funding needs.

In what ways do Hometown and Lake Trust share commitment to the community?
Lake Trust and Hometown Bicycles are both Brighton-based organizations who understand the importance of supporting the success of local businesses. Both of our teams share a passion for giving back, volunteering, and offering fantastic service. We, like Hometown Bicycles, live and breathe for the opportunity to provide great service and assist people whenever we can. In fact, we collaborated with Hometown Bicycles last summer for a community service project. Our team volunteered to build 42 bicycles for kids in need and the folks at Hometown helped us with this initiative by offering their expertise.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
You can learn more about our business services on our website. Keep an eye on our blog and social media pages to see how we’re supporting our communities in Michigan.

* Contact Dawn at office@myhometownbicycles.com for details about the Hometown Business Incubator and Lake Trust Credit Union’s amazing Sponsor subsidy.

Baylerian’s Bagels, Bikes & Brew:
Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical TherapySunday, August 11 from 9 AM-1 PM

Join Team Hometown Bicycles’ Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian, for a morning chock full of fun. Kick things off at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy with coffee and bagels, head out on a guided bike ride, and wind down with a beverage after at Brewery Becker.

This will be a 20-mile mixed road and gravel ride that includes some 2-track cross-country skiing paths in Huron Meadows. There will be two groups for the ride: An A group for faster riders and B group for everyone else! Team Hometown’s Jack Riddle will lead the A group and Vinnie Baylerian will lead the B group.

“There will be less time on ‘main’ roads and more time experiencing a little fun character,” states Jack. Sounds pretty awesome, folks!

Pro-Motion Physical Therapy is located at 205 W. Grand River.

New! For our hard core gravel riders, join Jack for a bonus/optional 30-mile pre-ride at 7 AM. Meet at Pro-Motion!

Express your interest HERE!

Gravel Ride + Monkey Loob Mixer with Lyndsay Stiles!

Wednesday, August 14th from 6-9 PM
Join us for a 13-mile Gravel Ride around and through Island Lake and back to the shop! We will then have a Monkey Loob Mixer — demonstration, Q&A about this amazing product, and time to socialize with Lyndsay Stiles, competitive mountain biker and inventor and owner of Monkey Loob, with fellow cyclists.

The ride will take off from our Hometown lot at 6 PM. Gravel, ,mountain bikes or fat bikes are all good — road bikes, maybe not so much for this ride! Helmets required.

Don’t have a bike? Ask about our rental program! We have a fleet of rentals in various sizes.

BYOBeverages for the after-ride festivities!

Let us know you’re coming HERE!

Women’s Entrepreneurship: FREE Fitness Forum!
Thursday, August 22 from 6-8 PM

Our fabulously informative Women’s Entrepreneurship Series continues, this time with a focus on FITNESS.

For new fitness professionals and business owners in the fitness industry (as well as those considering this career path), come spend the evening with inspirational women who will share their business journeys via a panel discussion. Be sure to bring your questions!

There will be food, there will be fun, and there will be fellowship with like-minded women!

Topics to be covered:

Where should I teach?
What should I expect in terms of startup cost?
What is my target client base, and how do I find them?
How do I increase attendance?
What are the best ways to market myself?
When do I throw in the towel and when should I persevere?
Competitors — friends or foes?
And much more!

SIGN UP HERE!

Last week, we introduced you to our first panelist, Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer, Jenny Schild with Body Within. Jenny holds a personal training certification from American Council on Exercise (ACE) and YogaFit certifications. Her specialty is getting people started!

Pictured left: Jenny Schild
Pictured below: Leslie Barrett

This week, meet our next panelist, Hometown’s very own Events Coordinator, Leslie Barrett! Many of you have seen Leslie teaching her Zumba classes at the shop — and that’s because she’s also an entrepreneur who operates Zumba with Leslie Barrett.

As a licensed Zumba instructor, Leslie teaches at multiple locations in the Brighton area. She got her start 7 years ago as an introverted and somewhat timid student in the back of another instructor’s class. As she gained confidence and discovered how life-changing Zumba is, she found herself in the instructor training and began teaching independently of a studio/gym, renting various spots and venturing into corporate wellness programs.

“I love the freedom of being an entrepreneur and being my own boss. I can tailor my business to reflect my own values — integrity, compassion, encouragement — and help others find their own love for fitness through Zumba,” shares Leslie.

Stay tuned to hear who our next panelist is, in next week’s newsletter!

In Team Hometown News…

Doug Lapp is such a good sport — what better Hometownie to share the love of mountain biking with a group of newbies?

Doug volunteered his time to collaborate with Island Lake on Wednesday, August 7th for Intro to Mountain Biking, part of the park’s summer recreation programming. Great job, Doug!

FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES

Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM$5 drop-in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf |Click to learn more

Power 30 | Wednesdays 7 PM
$5 drop in – With Martha Soraruf | Click to learn more

Zumba | Mondays 6 PM and Thursdays 9:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $60” punch card – With Leslie Barrett | Click to learn more

Zumba GOLD | Fridays 9:30 AM and Sundays 10:30 AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke | Click to learn more

Sati Yoga | Tuesdays 6:30 PM beginning August 13
$7 drop in – With Dawn Gaden, RYT | Click to learn more

Filed under: Hometown Bicycles | Tagged: Baylerians Bagels Bikes and Brews, best bicycle repair, best bicycle service, best bike repair, best bike service, bicycle clinics, bicycle rentals, bicycle repair, bicycle service, bicycle shop, bicycles, bike clinics, bike rentals, bike repair, bike rides, bike service, bike shop, bikes, Body Within Personal Training, Brighton, Cardio Drumming, Community Reinvestment Team, cycling, cyclists, Dawn Gaden, DeAndre Lipscomb, Doug Lapp, fat bikes, fat tire bikes, fitness classes, group rides, Hometown Bicycles, Hometown Bikes, Hometown Business Incubator, Hometownies, intenSati, Jenny Schild, Justin Haun, Lake Trust Credit Union, Leslie Barrett, livingston county, Lyndsay Stiles, Martha Soraruf, Michigan, Monkey Loob, Nicole Dietrich, shop rides, Team Hometown Bicycles, Title Sponsor, Tresa O’Rourke, Vinnie Baylerian, Women's Entrepreneurship, zumba, Zumba Gold | Leave a comment »

Votes are in! We’re Metro Detroit’s #1 Bike Shop!

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Shaun

FIRST PLACE FEELS AWESOME!!! The 2019 Click on Detroit Vote 4 the Best contest ran from mid-June through mid-July, giving members of the Greater Detroit area the ability to nominate and cast votes for their favorite businesses in a variety of categories. Winners were announced the week of July 22-26th and the public has indeed spoken! HOMETOWN BICYCLES WON BEST BIKE SHOP!

We are humbled and proud to be your #1 bicycle shop, out of so many in the running, and can’t thank you enough for your support and votes!

If you haven’t yet visited our shop, make sure to stop in. Say hi, join us on a shop ride, bring your bike in for service, check out our crazy fun bike-related items in the gifts and novelties area, or attend one of our upcoming classes or events!

Speaking of classes, guess what? Our Events Coordinator and in-shop Zumba instructor, Leslie Barrett, took second place in the Zumba Fitness category! This is a pretty big honor for her as an independent instructor not affiliated with a studio or gym — she was up against some pretty big competition. Congratulations, Leslie!

Thank you Hometownies for making us #1 — now get those voting fingers ready for next year!

Meet Paul Wrona – the newest member of our Hometown crew!

Tell us about your new role at Hometown. What are some of your goals for the shop?
My new role is Service Lead. My mission is to make things smoother-easier-faster for the service techs and, at the same time, provide better, more consistent customer experiences. The service team does a fantastic job with diagnosing and solving problems. I want that to come through even more to the customers, so they can appreciate how knowledgeable and awesome the guys really are!

How long have you been part of Team Hometown Bicycles, our cycling team? What’s your favorite part of being on the Team?
I am a new member this year. The best part is the camaraderie of the group rides. I’ve met so many great people this year. My addiction to cycling started 4 years ago when I moved to Brighton and rode the Murray Lake Trail for the first time. Life hasn’t been the same since.

Favorite ride or race in Michigan?
I have not participated in a race… yet. My favorite ride so far was the Tour deTroit. I’m from there originally so it was nice to go back and ride some of the old neighborhoods. Looking forward to the gravel route of the Tour de Livingston this fall!

Tell us something random about you, that we wouldn’t know otherwise.
I’m a SciFi and Space geek – Everything from the Apollo program to SpaceX and Phillip K Dick to Neal Stephenson

Coffee drinker? How do you take your coffee?
Um… I can’t stand coffee. Is that allowed?

Baylerian’s Bagels, Bikes & Brew:
Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical TherapySunday, August 11 from 9 AM-1 PM

Join Team Hometown Bicycles’ Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian, for a morning chock full of fun. Kick things off at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy with coffee and bagels, head out on a guided bike ride, and wind down after at Brewery Becker.

This will be a 16-mile mixed road and gravel ride. There will be two groups for the ride: An A group for faster riders and B group for everyone else! Team Hometown’s Jack Riddle will lead the A group and Vinnie Baylerian will lead the B group. Check out the route!

New! For our hard core gravel riders, join Jack for a bonus/optional 30-mile pre-ride at 7 AM.

Express your interest HERE!

Shaun advocates for the Livingston County Transit Master Plan!

Team Hometown member, Neal Glazebrook, Vice Chair of the Livingston County Transportation Coalition, invited our very own Shaun Bhajan to speak at this past Monday’s Livingston County Board of Commissioners Meeting.

The Coalition is seeking full implementation of the Livingston County Transit Master Plan. Read it HERE!

“Without the full plan in place, the transit system, including connector trails and bike paths, will likely never come to fruition,” states Neal. “I am helping represent the biking component and other leaders represent segments such as seniors, veterans, and the disabled. There is positive momentum in the county right now and we need to continue to push forward.”

Shaun did a beautiful job presenting to the Board of Commissioners. His comments really struck home with the people there, and a few attendees thanked him for his insightful addition to the pro-Transit Master Plan conversation. You go, Shaun!

Women’s Entrepreneurship: FREE Fitness Forum!
Thursday, August 22 from 6-8 PM

Our fabulously informative Women’s Entrepreneurship Series continues, this time with a focus on FITNESS.

For new fitness professionals and business owners in the fitness industry (as well as those considering this career path), come spend the evening with inspirational fitness women who will share their business journeys via a panel discussion. Be sure to bring your questions!

There will be food, there will be fun, and there will be fellowship with like-minded women!

Topics to be covered:

Where should I teach?
What should I expect in terms of startup cost?
What is my target client base, and how do I find them?
How do I increase attendance?
What are the best ways to market myself?
When do I throw in the towel and when should I persevere?
Competitors — friends or foes?
And much more!

SIGN UP HERE!

Meet our first guest speaker, Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer, Jenny Schild with Body Within!

Jenny holds a personal training certification from American Council on Exercise (ACE) and YogaFit certifications. Her specialty is getting people started!

Yoga, weight training, mountain biking, and long distance running are a few of Jenny’s favorite activities. She never lets her workouts get boring. “I train myself using many different modes. This is reflected in the way I design workouts for my clients.”

“I am truly blessed to have a job where I help people realize their potential.” states Jenny.

We are super thrilled to have Jenny on our panel of experts for this event! Stay tuned next week for the reveal of our next guest speaker.

Upcoming Events at Hometown!

We have all sorts of good things brewing at the shop and in the community — mark your calendars for one or all of the following!

Work Out to Benefit the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Monday, August 5 from 6-7 PM

Join Cardio Drumming’s Martha Soraruf and Zumba’s Leslie Barrett for a donation-based class to raise money for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. No set class fee; just donate what you’d like. All proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Intro to Mountain Biking
Wednesday, August 7 from 6-8 PM
Spring Mill Pond, Island Lake Recreation Area

Calling all beginners! Looking for a new biking experience that goes beyond paved paths? Join the park Explorer Guide, Becca, and Team Hometown Bicycles to gain the basics of this exciting recreation activity! FREE event! Come prepared with helmet, closed-toed shoes, and your own bike. Ages 12 and up. All children under 18 must have an adult present.

Gravel Ride + Monkey Loob Mixer
Wednesday, August 14 from 6-9 PM

Join us for a 13-mile Gravel Ride around and through Island Lake and back to the shop! We will then have a Monkey Loob Mixer — demonstration, Q&A about this amazing product, and time to socialize with Lyndsay Stiles, competitive mountain biker and inventor and owner of Monkey Loob, with fellow cyclists.

In Team Hometown News…

There was an excellent showing by Team Hometown at the 14th Annual Tree Farm Relay on Saturday, July 27th!

Left to right: Congrats to Olga Brinduse, John Wyatt, Doug Queener and Joe Ostervik for their podium finish in Coed Sport!

Sponsored by the Motor City Mountain Biking Association (MCMBA), Tree Farm Relay is a unique 4-person team relay race. The course features lots of hills and passing zones — mega fun!

It’s a perfect race for the beginner looking to see what team/endurance racing is all about and for experienced racers looking to test their skills against rival teams.