1. Which Relay link do you want to ride?
Any, but I'll do the Eugene to Arcata .... Thinking about south of Arcata as well....but definitely Arcata to Napa
2. How you found us
Some wild guy wrote me one time and the rest is history....his name might have been Martin and his connection may have been thru Bill Burton of the Arcata Bike Library.
3. Why you want to do this ride
I believe in the purpose and I like the folks I have met and I need/want a goal having to do with long distance cycling.
4. Tell us about your touring experience- if little or none, indicate
many miles have you ridden over the last year:
4,000 last year, mostly 20-70 milers. My trips are mostly restricted to the west coast and I joined a couple of Arcatans to do the 2000 AIDS Ride from San Fran to LA - that was a blast...and I was the only Mayor in the ride til the last day, when rode the last half mile with Richard Riordan..we rode a criss- cross course and it ended up being 450 miles...such a blast. Have done the Eugene to Arcata three times but not since 1988 or so. I used to love single day centuries but I am more mature and a lot less competitive. Now I ride here and there and still have a lot of unfullfilled goals; like bike from Sicily to Ireland...wish me luck!
5. Tell us about your bike
Which one? For the past couple of years I have bought used racing bikes from the local Giant dealer: Revolution Bicycles. The TCRs are compact, aluminum and have carbonfiber forks and seat stems. They're very light and offer an incredible downhill tuck position; I would ride them
constantly if I wasn't so busy. My old favorite is a DeRosa Eddy Merykx replica that I bought (used) 15 years ago - it feels heavy and sluggish compared to the TCRs. Someday I will sell or give my grandkids most of my bikes - the two TCRs, a Raliegh, Glover, and Mongoose mtn bike, and just ride the DeRosa into the sunset...as often as I can.
6. Describe your training regimen
Some mornings and some weekends; rather hit and miss, but improves with a goal.....lucky enough to live in Humbolt County where you can leave your house and ride any length of loop or out and back that you can imagine, without too many cars, and as much climbing as you can stand...this is where Mike Pigg lived and trained and became one of the fastest and strongest bike riders in the world...come up and ride with us and i'll show you ...I ride as often as I can without having my wife leave me. My goal is always to ride 4000 to 6000 miles a year.
7. How are you making time for this
Stop working so much.
8. What are your fears about doing this ride
Careless drivers. Being hungry and thirsty. Melting in the sun.
9. Do you have any special skills that you feel would benefit the Mayors' Ride?
I wish I played the piano but I am not shy and am good at meeting new folks.
10. If you are involved with other non-profit organizations, please tell us about them
City of Arcata is definitetly a non-profit and I have always been involved with invironmental groups and social activist efforts in Humboldt. For instance, I have fund-raised for numerous groups and have given them thousands of gallons of Steelead Extra Pale Ale. Served for years on the Northcoast Environmental Center board and also helped start the Arcata House, which is a homeless and transitional housing program that intervenes for families and individuals who are in need. At one time I belonged to over twenty organizations and still do some of my fund-rasing via music and beer festivals. It would be a huge paragraph to explain here that history and would be better described while on a long bike ride
11. Anything else you'd like to share with us?
A bike ride and a brew -- See also "Why I'm Riding"
E-mail: bornelas@hotmail.comm