Cranksgiving Omaha

If you can't ride

2011-11-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Some of you are out there saying, "Look. Its November. I want to help, but I don't ride in this weather." Well good news for you! The Omaha Food Bank (now Food Bank for the Heartland) has set a clever virtual grocery store. Take advantage of the Food Bank's purchasing power. Grab food items with your mouse and run them over the scanner. You will need to have a PayPal account for now to donate. (Who doesn't have a PayPal account?!? Its almost 2012.)

Thanks and stayed tuned for more details.

In case you were wondering ...

2011-10-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, Cranksgiving Omaha is on.

November 12, 2011 at Bike Masters (129th/Fort Streets)

More information is coming, but putting the date on your calendar is step one for now.

A hearty bunch

2010-11-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

Up until mid-week, we were pretty sure this year's Cranksgiving was going to smash pretty much any standard we'd set through the first three editions. We had good buzz, lots of interest and beautiful weather.

But it's Nebraska in November, so when things went south weather-wise on Friday, we tempered our enthusiasm a bit. Luckily, we had a lot of people more than willing to ride when it was chilly and wet, and we did, indeed, break a record.

We'll probably amend the numbers a bit on Monday or Tuesday, but here's what we have right now:

35 riders (down a bit, obviously)
More than 1,345 pounds of food (our second-highest total, but with the smallest turnout)
More than $1,200 in cash donations (WAY past last year's total of $658)

Despite being light on riders, which we knew was going to happen, we managed to blow away last year's fundraising total. As a reminder, the Food Bank can turn our $1,000 in cash into more than $9,000 of food. That's a huge, huge impact, people. Thank you to those who gave their time and effort, and to those who helped us reach such a huge number.

And we had prizes, too. The two prizes below were raffled off, with all proceeds going to the Food Bank. (Thanks to Bike Masters for the bike and Chrome for the jersey.)

Chrome Coveted jersey: Mark Stursma
Origin 8 Cykle 3: Martin Bixby

And here are the category winners:

Women's geared

Suzanne Wilson (her third golden crank)
Angie Eikenberry
Julie Harris

Men's geared

Larry Wilson
Tim Campbell
David Randlemann

Men's single-speed/fixed

Mike Douglas (his third golden crank)
Lucas Marshall
Tom Solberg

*We had no women's single-speed/fixed riders, and no trailer-class entrants this year.

So that's that. Thanks again to all of our sponsors (they're listed on the sidebar to the right), and thanks to our volunteers, riders and contributors. We can't make this happen without you.

If you have pictures, please send them our way and we'll update this post - bredemske at gmail.com

Here's a nice wrap-up, with photos, from The Biking Fools.
And here's another, from Paul Neuberger.

Finally, mark your calendars for next year: November 12, 2011

Yes, it's going to be cold

2010-11-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Bundle up, and keep in mind you don't have to ride all over tarnation to get what you need. We'd rather have you present and having fun on a shortened journey than at home with a cup of hot chocolate.

Mmmm ... hot chocolate ...

Last-minute details

2010-11-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

True to form, Saturday's weather could well be a mixed bag. The current forecast calls for mid-30s and a 30 percent chance of snow showers.

Pretty awesome, huh?

This is, of course, after the forecast said 42 and sunny, 55 and sunny, 50 and sunny and, finally, back to 42 and sunny. Sigh.

So yes, we may have some snow flying around. But we've had that before - during the first edition of Cranksgiving Omaha in 2007. If snow isn't your thing, please don't cancel your Cranksgiving plans.

Though the idea of Cranksgiving is a race, the main objective is to raise funds and supplies for the Food Bank. If you don't want to embark upon a snowy odyssey, you can take your grocery list, roll down to Target (one mile away), shop in comfort - heck, stop at Starbucks - and roll back whenever you see fit.

Sure, you won't be eligible for the podium, but keep in mind what podium-winners get: old, spray-painted bike parts on a rope. Your odds of getting something cool in the prize drawing are much better than winning old, spray-painted bike parts on a rope.

But you can't win either of them if you're not there. See you Saturday.

Cranksgiving is Saturday!

2010-11-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

Well, we're just a few days away from Cranksgiving Omaha 2010. Thank you in advance to those who plan on riding, volunteering or donating — you make the event go. All the planning in the world won't matter if people aren't willing to support the cause.

Every year we have an FAQ of sorts before the event to better explain things. Here it is:

Time: The race starts at noon, but you need to be there around 11:15 to check in, sign the waiver (in which you promise not to get killed — or at least not blame us for it) and get your bike ready. The shopping list will be distributed at 11:50, and the Le Mans start is at noon. You'll like the Le Mans start. It's fun. Really.

What's this gonna cost me?
Whatever you spend on the items on the list. There's no entry fee. The items will cost around 20 bucks, probably. We will have a raffle this year, so if you want to win a bike or a sweet, sweet Chrome jersey, you'll need more cash. Everybody who rides Cranksgiving gets one ticket toward the raffle. If you want more chances to win, you'll have to go above and beyond. We'll fill in those details on Saturday.

What do I need to bring?
You'll need, at a mininum: A bag to carry your stuff, a helmet (required — no exceptions) and some money.

How do I collect all of this?
Your list will have 10 items to buy. They need to come from 10 different stores. You can do that in whatever order you please. As long as you have 10 receipts when you come back, it's no problem.

Are there different divisions?
Yup — geared, fixed/single-speed and trailer, for both men and women. The trailer division will be scored by weight, not time like the other ones. Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each division.

About that trailer division ...
The idea of the trailer division is to carry as much stuff as possible. In 2008, the guy who won had more than 200 pounds in there. So yes, get multiples of things if you're feeling the urge. And if you buy stuff that's not on the list (like super-heavy laundry detergent or something like that), you won't get credit. But that doesn't mean you can't buy it (wink-wink, etc.)

You mentioned prizes.
We have a generous group of companies/individuals who have agreed to donate some bike-related goods. Those sponsor prizes will be handed out through a random drawing. Prizes from riding fast will be different, though still cool.

What if it's cold?
Right now, the 10-day forecast says a high of 52 on Saturday. But we're in Nebraska, and it's November. It could be anything.

No, really cold!
Dress warmer.

Snowing?
Better ride fast. And if snow isn't your thing (whose thing is it, really?), nobody will bat an eye if you get the list, run down to Target (less than a mile away) and bring back all of the stuff. Or if you donate $20. We don't expect you to have a miserable day on the bike.

What are we going to do afterward?
Hang out, give out prizes and eat. We'll have two or three kinds of soup and maybe some cookies. You're welcome to bring food to share with the masses as well. Just shoot me an email — bredemske at gmail dot com to let me know.

Can I donate something if I can't make the ride?
Yes, you absolutely should! There's an online form here, or you can drop by Bike Masters and give it to them. If you make an online donation, please type CRANKSGIVING OMAHA in the comments/special instructions field

How will this whole thing work?
You'll check in, preferably around 11:15 so we can get you signed in, then at about 11:50 you'll get your shopping list. At noon, you'll hop on your bike and ride. Whenever you get back, you'll check in and weigh your bag. After that, you're done. Grab some food. At 3 p.m., we'll pull tickets for the raffle. Do feel free to hang out, too. Bike Masters has been kind enough to host us, so check their stuff out.

Is this a family-friendly event?
Yes, to a point. My three-year-old son will be wandering around the shop, probably stacking cans and stuff, but that's about it. If you're thinking of bringing kids, keep in mind the nature of retail in Northwest Omaha. Lots of strip malls, and a reasonably large amount of traffic. For that reason, we ask that all participants be experienced riders. You don't have to do thousands of miles each year, but you need to be able to handle yourself on a busy street.

I think that's it — email or post a comment if you have other questions. I'll try to get 'em answered pronto. And thanks for being a part of what could be a pretty cool event.

Almost time ...

2010-11-02T21:08:00.001-07:00

We're about 10 days out from Cranksgiving Omaha 2010. So far the weather looks good, the sponsors are lined up and excitement is high.

What we're looking for right now is volunteers to make some soup. We traditionally have a beer/cheese soup and chili. For chili, you can make your own recipe - we'll dump it all together. For the beer/cheese, we'll send the recipe and dump it all together.

You'd need to make a double batch of whatever you choose. And you can certainly choose - we just need five people for each kind of soup.

Interested? Drop Rafal a line - rafald1 at yahoo.com

The fund drive

2010-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last year, Cranksgiving Omaha raised more than $650 in cash donations to the food bank. Through special pricing, programs and grants, each dollar donated to the food bank can buy $9 worth of food.

That means our $650 was worth more than $5,800 in food. And that's on top of the 1,800-plus pounds of food collected in the race.

Though the fortunes of many have improved since last year, there's still an overwhelming need for donations. We can beat last year's totals. We can do more. This year, we're aiming for a $1,000 cash donation and 2,500 pounds of food delivered. We can do it. You can help.

So, we'll start it like this: We (Bryan and Chris) just submitted our $50 donation through this link.

When you submit your information, you'll have a chance to add comments. In that spot, put "Cranksgiving Omaha."

Let's do more. Let's fill the truck.

Out in the wild

2010-10-12T11:33:00.001-07:00

Cranking it up

2010-09-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Hey Cranksgiving types: Don't be concerned by the lack of activity on this blog. We're getting things lined up and fired up for Cranksgiving 2010. We'll have more news here in a few weeks — stay tuned!

And, in other super-exciting bonus news: We're raffling off this bike. More information to come!

Cranksgiving 2009: A new record

2009-11-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Looking at the weather forecast for the next week, I think we lucked out for Cranksgiving this year. We had highs in the mid-50s and a bit of a north wind, but the sun was out from time to time. That's after a bit of snow last year and temps in the low 40s.

Here's a look at the numbers for this year (the totals may be amended a bit on Monday).

54 riders (50 last year)
1,828 pounds of food (1,263 last year)
$658 in cash donations ($20 last year, maybe?)

All in all, it was a great day for the Omaha Food Bank. We had a nice cross-section of riders -- young and old, experienced and new -- and a great vibe at Bike Masters. Best of all, at least for the volunteers, everybody came in the door with a smile on their face.

Well, except for Kaelly Simpson. She rolled her ankle attempting to ... I'm not sure what she was attempting, but it was in the parking lot right after the Le Mans start. She ended up with an ankle sprain, soup delivery and a pair of new socks. Get better soon, Kaelly!

Here's Larry Wilson (on the left) checking in. Larry was second in the men's geared division. Scott Tarry won it -- that's his blue jacket to the right.

Martin Bixby, a three-year Cranksgiving veteran, knows how this whole thing works. He came ready to go with a tape dispenser to secure items to the outside of his bag.

The results:

Men's Geared
1. Scott Tarry
2. Larry Wilson
3. Matt Farnham

Men's SS/Fixed
1. Mike Douglas (back to back titles)
2. Eric Brunt (won in 2007)
3. Rafal Doloto (podium all three years)

Women's Geared
1. Suzanne Wilson (third overall, and won in 2007)
2. Anne Savery
3. Roxy Feagan (second last year)

Women's SS/Fixed
1. Karen Douglas

Trailer
1. Ryan Feagan (he was pretty psyched to finish higher on his respective podium than Roxy)

This year, along with the regular sponsor prizes -- everybody left with something, once again -- we had a drawing for a Chrome Citizen messenger bag. To be eligible, riders had to complete the list and bring back a turkey. Imagine your bag stuffed to capacity, then attempting to negotiate a turkey. Ouch.

The winner, of course, was Martin Bixby. The guy who proved he needed no extra bags now has an extra bag. Congrats!

Thanks is owed to our hosting shop, Bike Masters. Also, thank you to our sponsors (including cookie sponsor Eileen's Cookies. Yeah, that's right -- we have a cookie sponsor) and our volunteers. Cranksgiving can't happen without a very wide group of people willing to sacrifice their time for a great cause.

So, once again, thank you.

Next year: November 13, 2010. See you then.

Last-minute info

2009-11-13T03:52:00.000-08:00

Cranksgiving Omaha 2009 is tomorrow - noon - Bike Masters (129th/Fort).

Registration starts at 11:15, shopping list distributed at 11:50. You need to be signed up by 11:45. If you're not, you're probably going to be stressed out (and possibly late).

It looks like the weather is going to cooperate after all - high in the mid-50s and sunny. Might be a bit breezy, but it's been like that for a couple of weeks now. We should have a great day.

Leave comments or email me if you have last-minute questions: bredemske at gmail.com

A challenge

2009-11-11T09:46:00.001-08:00

Well, we're just a few days away from Cranksgiving Omaha 2009. The weather is looking solid, the donations are rolling in, the food is being accounted for.

As I've mentioned previously, one of the greatest ways to help the Food Bank is with a cash donation. Thanks to grants and various programs, the Food Bank can turn a $1 donation into $10 worth of food.

For an even bigger impact, imagine what $50 can do. At our house, we've set aside $50 to donate on Saturday, and we're challenging others to do the same. We know times are tight, but a little help from the more fortunate can go a long way for the less fortunate.

So far, we have four others who have stepped up. Who's next? You can donate online here or in person on Saturday. If you can't make it on Saturday, please consider a cash donation, especially since it's so easy. Be sure to put "Cranksgiving" in the "special instructions" space on the online form.

Thank you - see you Saturday.

Cranksgiving is Saturday!

2009-11-09T03:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we're just a few weeks away from Cranksgiving Omaha 2009. Thank you in advance to those who plan on riding, volunteering or donating – you make the event go. All the planning in the world won't matter if people aren't willing to support the cause.

Every year we have an FAQ of sorts before the event to better explain things. Here it is:

Time: The race starts at noon, but you need to be there around 11:15 to check in, sign the waiver (in which you promise not to get killed -- or at least not blame us for it) and get your bike ready. The shopping list will be distributed at 11:50, and the Le Mans start is at noon. You'll like the Le Mans start. It's fun. Really.

What's this gonna cost me?
Whatever you spend on the items on the list, that's it. There's no entry fee. The items will cost around 20 bucks, probably.

What do I need to bring?
You'll need, at a mininum: A bag to carry your stuff, a helmet (required - no exceptions) and some money.

How do I collect all of this?
Your list will have 10 items to buy. They need to come from 10 different stores. You can do that in whatever order you please. As long as you have 10 receipts when you come back, it's no problem.

Are there different divisions?
Yup -- geared, fixed/single-speed and trailer, for both men and women. The trailer division will be scored by weight, not time like the other ones. Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each division.

About that trailer division ...
The idea of the trailer division is to carry as much stuff as possible. Last year the guy who won had more than 200 pounds in there. So yes, get multiples of things if you're feeling the urge. And if you buy stuff that's not on the list (like super-heavy laundry detergent or something like that), you won't get credit. But that doesn't mean you can't buy it (wink-wink, etc.)

You mentioned prizes.
We have a generous group of companies/individuals who have agreed to donate some bike-related goods. Those sponsor prizes will be handed out through a random drawing. Prizes from riding fast will be different, though still cool.

What if it's cold?
Right now, the 10-day forecast says a high of 60 on Saturday. If so, that would be the warmest Cranksgiving we've had. If it's cold, dress warmer.

No, really cold!
Dress warmer.

Snowing?
Better ride fast. And if snow isn't your thing (whose thing is it, really?), nobody will bat an eye if you get the list, run down to Target (less than a mile away) and bring back all of the stuff. Or if you donate $20. We don't expect you to have a miserable day on the bike.

What are we going to do afterward?
Hang out, give out prizes and eat. We'll have two or three kinds of soup and maybe some cookies. You're welcome to bring food to share with the masses as well. Just shoot me an email -- bredemske at gmail dot com to let me know.

Can I donate something if I can't make the ride?
Yes, you absolutely should! There's an online form here, or you can drop by Bike Masters and put it in our "Fill The Truck" cans.

How will this whole thing work?
You'll check in, preferably around 11:15 so we can get you signed in, then at about 11:50 you'll get your shopping list. At noon, you'll hop on your bike and ride. Whenever you get back, you'll check in and weigh your bag. After that, you're done. Grab some food. When everybody's back, we'll draw for prizes. Do feel free to hang out, too. Bike Masters has been kind enough to host us, so check their stuff out.

Is this a family-friendly event?
Yes, to a point. My two-year-old son will be wandering around the shop, probably stacking cans and stuff, but that's about it. If you're thinking of bringing kids, keep in mind the nature of retail in Northwest Omaha. Lots of strip malls, and a reasonably large amount of traffic. For that reason, we ask that all participants be experienced riders. You don't have to do thousands of miles each year, but you need to be able to handle yourself on a busy street.

I think that's it -- email or post a comment if you have other questions. I'll try to get 'em answered pronto. And thanks for being a part of what could be a pretty cool event.

A call to arms

2009-10-30T06:33:00.001-07:00

OK, we're about two weeks out from Cranksgiving Omaha 2009. If you've been thinking about volunteering (or donating for that matter), it's time to step up.

Here's what we need:

Setup - 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Event help - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or so (you get free food, just like the riders)

Cleanup - 3:30 p.m. to whenever we're done

You can help out with any or all of it. Or you can donate. Or you can help with food. Just send an email - bredemske at gmail.com - to get started.

Thanks for helping out. Cranksgiving is nothing without the support of the community.

Around town now

2009-10-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

The Cranksgiving donation cans are starting to pop up in bike shops around town. Both Bike Masters and the Trek Store have them. Just drop in a buck or two and watch it multiply into something great for the Food Bank.

Want a can at your establishment? Send an email (bredemske at gmail.com) and we'll get one to you, pronto.

Crank up the money machine

2009-10-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

The online donation link is live here, and also to the right. Donations made via PayPal are quick, secure and convenient.

Remember: Cash goes a long way for the Food Bank. A $10 donation can buy around $100 worth of food.

On the donations screen, there is an option to "add special instructions." In that space, type CRANKSGIVING OMAHA, so we can add it to the tally.

Sponsor update: Twin Six, Ergon, Bike Masters and Midwest Cycling are on board. More to follow.

Out in the street

2009-10-03T05:57:00.001-07:00

Look for these around town in the coming days. We'll have a second version out, too. If there's interest, we'll print up another batch for sale. All proceeds go to the Food Bank.

Fill The Truck

2009-09-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it's getting on October, which means fall is in full swing. That also means the holidays are looming. For many of us, that means a time to gather with family around the table and share a meal.

For for the less fortunate, the holidays are a time of stress and worry, with little-to-no room in the budget for anything special. Organizations like the Omaha Food Bank can ease the burden, but they need help.

You can help.

Join us on November 14 at noon for Cranksgiving Omaha 2009 — a bike race/ride to benefit the Omaha Food Bank. It will be held at Bike Masters in Omaha (129th/Fort Streets) rain or shine, snow or ... well, what's worse than snow?

Details on how the race works are on the sidebar to the right. Once again, we'll have homemade eats on hand (with standard and vegetarian options).

New for this year is a push called "Fill The Truck." It's our dream at Cranksgiving Omaha to supply enough food for an entire day's worth of donations. That number is big. Really big. But we can do it with your help.

For every dollar donated, the Food Bank can purchase around $10 worth of food. Now think about a $10 donation, and how quickly that could add up into something really big, and really great.

Even if you can't make the race, consider a cash donation. We'll have donation boxes at bike shops and businesses all over town. Please consider helping any way you can, whether riding, donating or volunteering (just email me: bredemske at gmail dot com).

Let's Fill The Truck.

Fire it up!

2009-09-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Planning for Cranksgiving Omaha 2009 is underway. If you're a sponsor and want to help, drop a line. If you're a volunteer and want to help, do the same.

Otherwise, stay patient. We'll have more info soon.

1,263 pounds! (updated)

2008-11-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hey, I just got an email from Heather at the Food Bank. Our final number was 1,263 pounds of food and supplies. After filling up the big blue barrels the Food Bank provided, Bike Masters had to get a few boxes out to carry the rest to to the van. That's pretty awesome.

I should mention our overall winner, Lucas Marshall (center, with third-place finisher Rafal Dotolo on the right). He was at the first stop before some people left the parking lot, and ended up ditching last year's winner, Eric Brunt, in the Kum & Go parking lot after Brunt flatted less than five minutes into the race. Ouch. Lucas wrote about his race here, and has photos here.

Jennifer Limpach (center) was the women's winner, followed by Lisa Vignolo (right).

The single-speed/fixed winner was Mike Douglas (right), followed by Stephen Osberg.

And, finally, there's the story of trailer-class winner Mark Stursma. He pulled more than 200 pounds, and got all of the goods in the door with only a few seconds to spare (trailers had a 3-hour time limit). For his efforts, he took home a Heath bar cheesecake made by my mom.

We owe quite a bit of thanks to the riders, volunteers and sponosors who made this a success. The weather (wind chill in the 20s) no doubt kept a few riders away, but to be able to donate 1,263 pounds to the Food Bank is always a good thing.

Results: (apologies for butchered names)

Geared men
1. Lucas Marshall
2. David Randlemann
3. Rafal Dotolo

Geared women
1. Jennifer Limpach
2. Roxanne Abbott (but since she was gone, we stole her silver cassette)
3. Lisa Vignolo

SS/Fixed men
1. Mike Douglas
2. Stephen Osberg
3. Jon Hood

Trailer
1. Mark Stursma, 203.8 pounds
2. Jason Johanning, 60.9 pounds (and a case of Fat Tire. We thank you.)
3. Bob Brindamour, 59.7 pounds (and a kid in the trailer)

Video: here.

Next year: November 14, 2009. Mark it down right now.

First numbers

2008-11-15T16:09:00.000-08:00

1,200 pounds this year, though it'll be confirmed by the Food Bank on Monday. Thank you to all who rode, donated and volunteered. Your efforts will make a big difference for those who need it most.

We'll have more pictures soon, plus the story of Mark Stursma, who pulled more than 200 pounds in his trailer. Yikes.

Weather watch

2008-11-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's gonna be chilly for Cranksgiving. That happens sometimes in November, huh?

If riding in the cold isn't your deal, please consider coming to Bike Masters anyway. While you won't be eligible for the golden crank, nobody will complain if you hop on your bike and ride the half-mile to Target at 132nd and Maple, buy everything and come back.

You'll still get soup. You'll still be eligible for a sponsor prize, and -- most importantly -- you'll still be helping the Food Bank.

And if even going to Target on a bike sounds horrible, go there in your car and bring us a couple of bags of canned soup, vegetables or pasta. Again -- helping the Food Bank is the most important part. The ride is just the bonus.

Cranksgiving week

2008-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

The early forecast for Saturday says highs in the mid-30s, which is pretty chilly. But the sun is supposed to be out, it shouldn't be too bad. Dress accordingly and keep an eye on the forecast.

Tidbits:
--We got a big donation on Friday from WellBound Fitness and Health in the form of a stack of one-month memberships.

-- We're set for volunteers, but we may need help with soup. If you'd like to bring a batch or two of soup, let me know. I have the recipe, and I'll email it to you. On Saturday, we'll dump it into a big roaster and end up with a lot of soup for cold riders. bredemske at gmail dot com.

Cranksgiving FAQ

2008-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

We're just about two weeks away from the second annual Cranksgiving Omaha. I've had a few questions tossed my way. Email me (bredemske at gmail dot com) if you have others.

Time: The race starts at noon, but you need to be there around 11:15 to check in, sign the waiver (in which you promise not to get killed -- or at least not blame us for it) and get your bike ready. The shopping list will be distributed at 11:50, and the Le Mans start is at noon. You'll like the Le Mans start. It's fun. Really.

What's this gonna cost me?
Whatever you spend on the items on the list, that's it. There's no entry fee. The items will cost between 10 and 20 bucks, probably.

Are there different divisions?
Yup -- geared, fixed/single-speed and trailer, for both men and women. The trailer division will be scored by weight, not time like the other ones. Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each division.

Prizes? Like the Twin Six stuff?
Ummm ... no. Well, maybe. The sponsor prizes will be handed out through a random drawing. Prizes from riding fast will be different, though still cool.

And if it's cold?
Dress warm.

No, really cold!
Dress warmer.

Snowing?
Better ride fast.

What are we going to do afterward?
Hang out, give out prizes and eat. We'll have two or three kinds of soup and probably some sloppy joes. You're welcome to bring food to share with the masses as well. Just shoot me an email -- bredemske at gmail dot com to let me know.

Can I donate something if I can't make the ride?
Sure -- send me an email and we'll talk about it.

How will this whole thing work?
You'll check in, preferably around 11:15 so we can get you signed in, then at about 11:50 you'll get your shopping list. At noon, you'll hop on your bike and ride. Whenever you get back, you'll check in and weigh your bag. After that, you're done. Grab some food. When everybody's back, we'll draw for prizes. Do feel free to hang out, too. Bike Masters has been kind enough to host us, so check their stuff out.

I think that's it -- email or post a comment if you have other questions. I'll try to get 'em answered pronto. And thanks for being a part of what could be a pretty cool event.

2008 sponsors

2008-10-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Just getting this out there -- prizes are starting to roll in from lots of places. Here's the list so far:

Bike Masters
Olympia Cycle
Team Kaos
Twin Six
Ergon
Mavic/Adidas/Sugoi
Felt
Giant
WellBound Fitness

Wanna be on the list? Send me an email -- bredemske at gmail dot com

New division for 2008

2008-09-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Last year we had a geared and single-speed/fixed division for both men and women. We're adding one more this time around: trailer.

And it's gonna be based on weight. Prepare your knees.

Cranksgiving update

2008-09-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Work is progressing nicely on the 2008 version of Cranksgiving. We're thinking about adding a trailer category so those with an extra set of wheels don't have an unfair payload advantage.

Sponsors are being lined up as well, so if you (or your company) want to help out, drop me a line -- bredemske at gmail dot com.

Remember -- November 15, noon, Bike Masters

Write it down

2008-07-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Cranksgiving Omaha 2008 will be November 15 at noon at Bike Masters. We're contacting sponsors and getting the details sewn up right now, so keep an eye out in the next month or two for more information.

Last year we had 820 pounds of food and supplies -- we're aiming for 1,500 this time around. Lofty, but doable. See you soon.

Until next year ...

2007-11-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

We delivered 820 pounds of food and supplies to the Omaha Food Bank in our first Cranksgiving. It was a stressful, but rewarding, experience and I can't wait to do it again. Thank you for supporting our efforts. We helped a lot of people in just a few hours -- and our contributions were appreciated.

Oh -- Des Moines got 2,004 pounds this year. Let's go for 1,500 in 2008.

Thanks again,
bryan

820!

2007-11-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

The final tally, according to the Food Bank's scale, was 820 pounds. Wow! Thanks again to everybody who rode or volunteered. I know I've said it a zillion times, but you guys made it happen -- I just lined up prizes and rules.

bryan

huge pic gallery here.

Pics/stats/thanks

2007-11-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

Giving instructions -- we had 43 riders and 8 volunteers beside Chris and I. We had near-perfect numbers and near-perfect weather, with the only complaint being a stiff SE wind.

The LeMans start is underway. That's Eric Brunt out to a lead he never relinquished. And he was on a single-speed.

Some riders ran up the hill with their bikes, others went out through the parking lot.

Brady Murphy, left, checking in. Mike Munson is in the background. Munson had an advantage of sorts -- he went with me on a pre-race test about a month ago. He must have soaked up a few secrets.

From left, Brandon, Rod and Janna checking in a rider.

Our smallest volunteer enjoyed the soup cans the most.

Ryan and Roxy checking in with their loaded BOB trailer bag.

Sean Kennedy has nice technique.

The SS men's winners -- Eric Brunt in gold, Rafal Doloto in silver and Dale Rabideau in bronze.

Women's geared winners -- we had no SS riders -- Suzanne Wilson in gold (she was third overall), Stephanie Vandermeulen in silver and Julie Harris in bronze.

Men's geared -- Marco Vasquez in gold, Kevin Murray in silver and Mike Munson in bronze.

This is either Andres or Camilo Torres. He got a new Crumpler backpack to replace the flimsy little drawstring bag he used. Let me know which one of you it is, guys.

Bob Brindamour pulled his son Ben in a Burley. Each had their own bags of stuff. Bob got a Snickers cheesecake made by my mom for having the heaviest load.

Joe Savoie had a 25-pound bag of flour on his bars. It broke. He -- and his bike -- were covered.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Volunteers loading up the food. We had a LOT of it -- more than 700 pounds' worth.

Nicol Woody giving the high-wheeler a shot. It was a bit too big for her, though.

Thanks to everybody who helped out or rode or even sent a note of encouragement. Cranksgiving was a big success because of your contributions. The Omaha Food Bank will be getting a sizable donation on Monday, and a lot of people will benefit from your generousity.

Thanks to our sponsors: Bike Masters, Trek Store, Highgear, Olympia Cycle, Dave's Decks, Monster Energy Drink, Ergon USA, Twin Six and Bad Lasses. Everybody left with a prize because of their generousity. We look forward to having them back next year.

Thank you!

2007-11-10T19:31:00.001-08:00

We had 770 pounds collected by Omaha Cranksgiving riders today. My hope was for 500. Wow.

I'll post a lot more tomorrow, including pics and a video of Janna riding the high-wheel bike at Bike Masters, but I do want to say thanks to all who rode, helped or sponsored. It was tiring and stressful for me, but worth it in the end. Thanks again.

Edit: Chris posted some pics here.

The current prize list

2007-11-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Water bottles:
27 total -- 7 from Twin Six, 6 from Trek/Highgear, 14 from Clif Shot

T-shirts:
10 total -- 7 from Twin Six, 3 from Bad Lasses

Socks:
12 pairs -- 6 from Twin Six, 6 from Trek/Highgear (in the bottles)

MTB grips
4 pairs -- GP1 from Ergon USA

Cheesecakes
2 -- from my mom. Heath Bar and Snickers

Red blinkies
1 -- from Olympia Cycle

Fenders
2 -- 1 Zefal mudgard from Bike Masters, 1 CKS mtb fender set from Olympia

Hats
1 -- Columbia cycling cap from Olympia

Pumps
1 -- Mini frame pump from Bike Masters

GU
1 box -- 24 pack of Vanilla from Bike Masters

Sunglasses
2 pairs -- Serfas sunglasses from Bike Masters

Recovery packs
3 total -- Three packages with Clif Shot recovery drinks and chews

Instant energy
4 -- 4 six-packs of Monster Energy Drink

Backpacks
1 -- A Crumpler backpack from Bike Masters, $130 retail. Very cool.

See you Saturday.

Plans have been finalized

2007-10-20T12:26:00.001-07:00

Well, mostly finalized. I have some minor stuff to deal with, but we're ready to go.

Items of note
We could still use a few volunteers. We have 5 confirmed right now, but another 5 or more would be awesome. If you were planning on riding, keep those plans -- just bring a friend who wants to hang out in a bike shop for a few hours.

The poster was made by Ben Vankat, a coworker of mine at the newspaper. His work, along with Mallie, has made this site and event look great. Thank them both if you get the opportunity. They're probably tired of hearing it from me.

More prizes have arrived. We now have an awesome Crumpler backpack, two pairs of Serfas sunglasses, a 24-count box of GU, a Serfas mini-frame pump and a Zefal rear mudgard/fender. Oh, and a discount coupon for Shimano winter shoes. Also, Trek/Highear is tossing in six water bottles, each with a pair of socks inside. And, finally -- for now -- my mom will be making a cheesecake. Maybe two cheesecakes; I'm not sure. But they're good. And it'll be tasty after lugging groceries around NW Omaha.

Email me if you have questions or concerns, or if you want to help or donate. bredemske at hotmail dot com.

See you on the 10th.

Loot

2007-10-13T13:30:00.001-07:00

In case helping the hungry wasn't enough incentive, here's a sampling of the prize drawing. Seven Twin Six water bottles, seven Twin Six shirts (one in each men's and women's size, all different), six pairs of Twin Six black team socks and four Ergon GP1 grips -- two large, two small. And our shop sponsors will be adding to the pile, so the odds of winning are pretty good. Total retail on this stuff is nearing 400 bucks.

Green is good. Ergon green is better.

Cranksgiving update

2007-10-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

November 10 at noon -- Bike Masters in Omaha

We're about a month out, and things are coming together quite nicely. Prizes from very generous sponsors are on the way, and I gotta say they're very, very cool. So cool, in fact, I wish I could win 'em. I won't say what they are, exactly, but notice the addition of Twin Six and Ergon as sponsors on the right. You're gonna like what you see. And thanks to Mr. 24 and the T6 boys.

And, obviously, the site has been prettied up a bit. I must thank Mallie for that, because without her work (for free, no less), things would still be quite white and quite boring. So, many thanks to her. Plus, she scored some stuff from Bad Lasses, which is a pretty cool company for the ladies.

Local shops have also been kind to us, so check them out, too. They'll be tossing stuff onto the prize pile, as well.

Here are some answers to a few questions I've seen:
What's this gonna cost me?
Whatever you spend on the items on the list, that's it. There's no entry fee. The items will cost between 10 and 20 bucks, probably.

Can I use a BOB trailer?
Sure, go nuts. I'll give you a time bonus if you use it to bring back an actual turkey.

What if I want to ride a singlespeed or a fixie?
Good for you. We'll have four categories: ss/fixie men, ss/fixie women, geared men, geared women. And yes, there will be prizes for winners in each category.

Prizes? Like the Twin Six stuff?
Yeah, but that stuff will be won in a drawing. Everybody will get a fair, though random, shot at the goods.

And if it's cold?
Dress warm.

No, really cold!
Dress warmer.

What are we going to do afterward?
Hang out, give out prizes and eat. We'll have two or three kinds of soup and probably some sloppy joes. You're welcome to bring food to share with the masses as well. Just shoot me an email -- bredemske at hotmail dot com to let me know.

Can I donate something if I can't make the ride?
Sure -- send me an email and we'll talk about it.

How will this whole thing work?
You'll check in, preferably around 11:30 so we can get you signed in, then at about 11:50 you'll get your shopping list. At noon, you'll hop on your bike and ride. Whenever you get back, you'll check in and weigh your bag. After that, you're done. Grab some food. When everybody's back, we'll draw for prizes. Do feel free to hang out, too. Bike Masters has been kind enough to host us, so check their stuff out.

I think that's it -- email or post a comment if you have other questions. I'll try to get 'em answered pronto. And thanks for being a part of what could be a pretty cool event.

Write it down

2007-08-15T11:17:00.001-07:00

November 10. Bike Masters. Noon.

Bring: a bike, a bag to carry stuff, 10-20 bucks, giving spirit.

Tentative date: November 10

2007-08-13T23:54:00.001-07:00

Heavily subject to change.