1,263 pounds! (updated)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.