This Thanksgiving Day Tom Danielson invited any junior cyclists in the Colorado area to come and share a Thanksgiving ride with Tom Danielson. Over 130 kids came to answer the call and the Danielsons (Tom's wife, mother inlaw and Tom's wife's grandmother!) also stepped up to the challenge and made sure there was parking, an awesome strider course, food, and swag for the kids. Personally I'd say Tom went well beyond the call of duty a professional cyclist does for the public. Hats off to the Danielsons and I hope there is an opportunity for next year. Below is the official press release from the event.

Photos available for download here

Boulder, CO (November 26,2011) On Thanksgiving morning, Garmin-Cervelo pro-cyclist Tom Danielson was up early preparing his front yard for the onslaught of junior riders that had registered for his inaugural Tommy D's Turkey Ride for Juniors. Tom has always been thankful to the professional cyclists that took time to ride with him when he was an aspiring bike racer, and he felt that Thanksgiving was a good day to give back in thanks to those that helped him along the way

While Tom was setting up the special course for the youngest riders, his wife Stephanie and her family were getting the rest of the compound ready. Stephanie's grandmother Dora Wiegart washed the fruit; her mother Christiane Wibracht helped with the junior course, banners and preparing the special giveaways and two brother-in-laws, Will and Ocean Boyd, prepared the lead truck and coordinated the parking. The youngest members of the Danielson Clan, Tom's son Stevie and his nephew Kai Boyd, helped the preparation by testing out theThank you,special course. It was a true family affair.

A total of 130 junior cyclists from ages 2 years old to 18 years old arrived to participate in this inaugural ride. The youngest and most inexperienced stayed on the course designed by Tom on his front yard. The remainder of the riders were broken into 3 categories: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Parents rode in the back so that they would be available for their kids if needed. With the help of local junior racers Lauryn Andre (The Service Course, 15 years old) and Anna Suter (TriBella Team, 15 years old) each rider was brought up to the front to have an opportunity to ride with Tom and have their photo taken with him. At designated spots, groups were lead back to Tom's house as the next group would move forward. On return the juniors were each given a t-shirt, a pie and some Athlete's Honey Milk.

For Immediate Release
November 19, 2011

American Cycling Association
1010 Washington Avenue Suite 200
Golden, CO 80403

Contact: Chris McGee, Executive Director
Phone: 303-458-5538
Email: execdir@americancycling.org

Golden, Colorado. The Club Council, Board of Directors, and staff of the American Cycling Association (ACA) is proud to announce that the ACA will serve as the Local Association in 2012 for USACycling (USAC) for the state of Colorado and eastern Wyoming. This decision was reached at a special Club Council Meeting on November 18, 2011, and ends thirteen years of division for amateur road, track and cyclocross racing in Colorado.

“We are incredibly pleased to be a part of USAC for the first time in over a decade,” said Clint Bickmore, Vice President of the ACA Board of Directors. “We see great opportunity for growth as the Local Association of USAC. With a coordinated race calendar, one set of rider rankings, the increased potential to bring national-level events to Colorado, the integration with collegiate racing, the ability to create exciting ancillary events with the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, and the shared power of two great organizations, this decision will immediately improve the competitive cycling community in Colorado.”

From USA Cycling Monument Email....

Dear Friends,

Many of you have expressed your enthusiasm about the design of the Cycling Monument. Recently, someone asked me why the sculpture looks like it does, and why there are no recognizable bicycles in it?! Though I am as reluctant as any artist to limit a viewer's experience of a piece, I am perhaps more reluctant than most to alienate viewers who might potentially feel some resonance from the work. I've just posted a piece on the logic of the form.

The Artists Statement to that question

The skillful speed and freedom of a painter’s brush making a purposeful mark was the initial vision that arose as metaphor for the total experience of a bike race. The spatial intent of the form was to create a visual bridge between the plain of the park, the mountain backdrop and sky. This vision was held and honed through a 4-year design process, involving adherence to stringent code and engineering requirements for the structure.