By Ed Chasteen
Matteo Fornasier flew in from Italy and Elaine Ethier from California to join our ride to Fubbler’s Cove this morning. When a mid-fifties August morning in Missouri comes, magic happens. By our 7:30 starting time, 20 of us have gathered in front of Biscari Brothers Bicycles. Richard Mark and one of his sons mount their tandem. Steve and Sharon Hanson lead the way across the parking lot and over to Brown Street on theirs.
South on Withers Road. Left on Holt Drive to Birmingham Road. Then a right and over the railroad tracks and up the hill and another left onto Ruth Ewing Road. Across 291 Highway and right onto Liberty Landing Road. By this time I’m riding sweep. I am naturally slow, and could do no better than last if I tried. But I don’t try. Riding last I can make sure no one is left behind.
As I’m waiting at the light to cross 291, three boys on bicycles are coming toward me down the hill to my left. They pull up beside me at the light. “Where you headed?” I ask. The light turns and we’re off. Before I hear their response. They turn onto Liberty landing Road with me. Then disappear in the distance.
Rich Groves is waiting for me at the Liberty Animal Shelter after I turn left onto Old 210 Highway. Rich and I have been Saturday morning biking buddies for years. Just the two of us. But now the precious secret of scenic roads and small town cafes has been shared. Michael Calabria was the first to join our two-some. And we became a trio.
Then came a bonanza. It all started when the three of us thought of planning The Greater Liberty Bicycle Ride for MS. We invited other biking buddies to meet us at The Dish to make plans. A dozen or so of us would sit at the round table and eat pizza and dream big. Fifty riders came for that first Greater Liberty ride in May 2003. More than 100 came in May 2004. We didn’t want to wait a year to see each other again. Weekly Saturday morning rides! Year round. Our magnificent obsession.
Today is our biggest group. Rich had driven to the bike shop to tell me he needed air and would wait for me at the animal shelter. We have ridden a couple of miles past the Fountain Bluff Sports Complex when we spot a knot of riders up ahead. An accident! I’m hoping not. But fearing so.
It is! Elaine has fallen. Rich’s car is close. He and Michael ride back to get his car. Elaine has come with Ann Dahl. Ann will wait with her. I offer to wait. “No, Ed, if you wait, you’ll never get to breakfast. You ride on.” Several say this at once. Richard Mark insists on waiting. I feel bad leaving them. But their reasoning persuades me.
I ride out first. But I’m last again before we come to where old 210 meets new 210. Old 210 wound though the hills above the Missouri River, a narrow, twisting ribbon of road offering a panoramic view of the river and croplands stretching into the distance. But 18-wheelers and speeding cars put me in a panic. After being run off the road a second time, I abandoned that route. New 210 cuts through the hills just north of Missouri City. The road is straight; the climb, long and gradual. When I come to the top, everyone is waiting for me to lead them through Missouri City. We make a right, then a left and fly down a steep and winding road into the town of 295 people.
We ride Old 210 through town, past Missouri City School, “The Smallest AAA School in Missouri.” Then past fields of corn and soybeans back to new 210. I see the three crosses, put up at this intersection just days ago, marking the spot where three teenage girls died in a car crash. Rich honks as he passes me. I see two bikes on the rack behind his car. Elaine is with him. Ann, Michael, Richard and his son must be riding. I won’t be last today.
I’ve been at Fubbler’s only a few minutes when all these folks arrive. Hold on! I count again. We have pulled tables together and taken over one of the two rooms in this oasis of small town food and fellowship. I counted 20 at the bike shop when we left. I count 23 now. I spot Richard Bowman. Richard lives in Excelsior Springs and often joins us in route. Richard makes 21. Then I see two faces I don’t recognize. They introduce themselves Thomas Burgdorf and Aaron Sims. Liberty high School students. They are two of the three I saw back at the 291 light. They had seen our group back in Liberty and been invited to join. Their friend’s bike wasn’t up to the trip.
Fubbler’s is not a fast food place. But worth the wait. Owner Tim Heady does all the cooking. A single waitress cares for us. We all take turns introducing ourselves to one another. Matteo is an AFS student, just arrived to spend a year with Richard Mark and his family. Richard’s sons, Sean and Jeff are with us again. Lindal Mark, Richard’s dad, is with us for the first time. Elaine is visiting Ann for the weekend. We urge her to come from California net month to ride the MS-150 with us. She says she will. At least that’s what we hear.
Richard Bowman just bought a new bike from Biscari Brothers, the same model Lance Armstrong rode to win his sixth Tour de’ France. Tyler Kreutner has come from Independence for his first weekly ride. He rode our Greater Liberty MS ride in May. Gary DeWitt has been riding with us most every Saturday since we helped the American Diabetes Association with their spring ride. Gary was the only ADA rider who came. He rode the century in our Greater Liberty ride. Rachel Palos was one of the six riders who rode the century and has come for her first weekly ride. Rodger Suchman is a regular. Brian Leiss and Brian Harvey joined us recently. Mike Forbes is a regular. Seth McMenemy rides like the wind and is always here.
One of five small town cafes is our destination each Saturday. We have become regulars. They treat us like family. And we have become one. I have the privilege of sending out emails each week identifying the café. Come Saturday morning, our assembly gives me the honor of leading. Honors don’t have to last long to be appreciated.
Catricks’ Café-Lawson, Fubbler’s Cove-Orrick, JJ’s-Plattsburg, Mill Inn-Excelsior Springs, Sarah’s Table-Kearney! These are our Saturday morning destinations. Sites of our movable feasts. Places where everybody knows our names.
When I am home and at my word processor to write this story, I learn that we had 24 riders for a brief time today. This email appears on my screen. “I rode with your group down old 210 this morning and chatted with Seth. (I was the stranger who briefly caught up with your lead group but thought it would be a breach of etiquette to get in your drafting line, so I dropped off). Seth gave me your email address and indicated you would have info regarding your riding group’s MS 150 effort. I haven’t decided for sure whether or not I will ride. If I do, Seth indicated your group could benefit if I signed up as a member. My name is Troy Prewitt.”
The first Saturday after Labor Day is always the date for our MS-150 Bike Ride. Many hundreds of us will gather in Lee’s Summit to ride to Sedalia for the night. Then on Sunday we ride by a round about route to Knob Knoster: 150 miles to raise nearly a million dollars for MS. Richard mark is captain of our team. United We Ride, we call ourselves. We had 157 members last year and raised $108, 703, making us the top fund raising team in the Mid-America Chapter of the National MS Society. We’re aiming for more members and more money this year.
You all come. You hear? We need you, Troy.
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