The first opportunity to hear about Globalbike’s recent trip to Africa is coming up soon on April 6th in Spartanburg, SC. Come check it out!

What: Ride, Climb, Transform Presentation by Globalbike. Hear about the trip, 115 bicycle giveaway, ride from 500k ride from Nairobi, Kenya to Marangu, Tanzania, and climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. See the amazing photos and video of the trip. Participate in the panel discussion and interact with the participants. Oh, and also enjoy some good food and beverages. We’ll present on what we have accomplished and what we plan to do next.

When: Wednesday April 6th at 6pm

Where: The Hub Bub Showroom in Spartanburg, SC

The suggested donation is $10 to cover the cost of the food etc.

Photos for Sale: We’ll  have the professional quality photos of the trip by Carroll Foster of Hot Eye Photography for sale. He’ll have samples, you can order prints at the event.

T-shirts: To help continue to raise money for Globalbike endeavors, we encourage you to purchase a Ride Climb Transform T-shirt. Go to the Globalbike organization website and go to the donation page. Donate $20 and in the subject line, say T-shirt and include the size. If you pre-order by 3/28 we’ll have your shirt ready for pick up at the event.

Other Events: If you miss this opportunity, there will be other chances to see the presentation. We’re currently planning events in Greenville and Asheville.

Wow, after nearly 3 weeks away, Simon and I are back from the Africa trip. There is a big chunk of missing time on this blog as we were away, but hopefully you kept up with the trip at www.rideclimbtransform.org Overall, it was a fantastic and amazing trip. There was so much to experience, the words and photos don’t even begin to scratch the surface. The 115 bicycles we gave away on the trip are already helping the recipients achieve their goals to make the world a better place. It was very motivating and moving for me to visit so many organizations that are doing such good and important work. The role of the bicycle in that part of the world is profound. They are truly an integral part of the nuts and bolts of how things run there.

a visit to "Alive and Kicking" a soccer ball manufacturer funded by charity

On our ride we visited the soccer ball manufacturer called “Alive and Kicking”. They are funded by charity and make balls by hand in their factory in Nairobi. Most of the soccer balls we saw while on the road in small villages were not real balls at all, but bundles of plastic shopping bags that had been tied together into a ball shape by twine. This company makes balls to supply to communities for free.

waiting at the Kenya - Tanzania border

We spent a lot of time here at the border crossing from Kenya to Tanzania. Apparently the officials smelled an opportunity to charge us a tariff for the bikes we were bringing into the country. Many hours of negotiations ensued. We eventually were able to continue after paying $200.

Anyway, this is just a quick post. There will be many more photos, videos, and stories that come out of this trip. We are working with several media outlets to expand our reach. So keep your eyes open here and at www.rideclimbtransform.org for more news as we sort through all the material we brought back from Africa and in my case, get rid of the flu I got on the plane on the way home.

In the mean time, the team has been racing hard while Simon and I were gone. It will be good to join the group in upcoming events.

Globalbike Kilimanjaro Initiative

The Globalbike Kilimanjaro Initiative website is up and running. Check it out for our blog entries from Africa and to follow our progress via GPS. Click here to go to the site.

Press Release:

Nairobi, KENYA (February 11, 2011)– From 21 February to 4 March 2011, by reason of a unique partnership between Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private and public sectors, a group of 11 cyclists will ride 400 kilometers from Nairobi to the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, where they will be joined by 25 climbers and make their way to the “rooftop of Africa” at 5895 meters. Read More…

The First Photo of our new kit from Velocé Speedwear. It’s in the country and will be on our backs soon!

Our New Kit from Velocé Speedwear

So, it’s been a while since I updated the team blog. Each of the things farther down in this post are worth their own page. I know, I’m off the back, so let’s play catch up. Racing wise, it is has been the quiet time of year. Finally a break from a busy race schedule, but behind the scenes, things are in full swing preparing for the 2011 season. I’ve been spending a lot of time making everything happen. It turns out there is a lot more to do than first meets the eye, even for a small team like ours. The good news is that things are coming together and the start of racing is right around the corner. Between my own training, my day job, duties to manage the team, and preparing for our trip to Africa in February, let’s just say I haven’t had much spare time. It’s all good work though and I am excited to do it all.

Update Wise, there is a lot to communicate…

The trip to Africa is happening! Simon Bennett and I from the Elite Team will be joining some of the Globalbike Board Members for a fantastic adventure that I believe will be transformative for the organization, the recipients of the 110 bicycles we will be delivering, and ourselves. It is a big production, but we’ll be riding some of the bikes from Nairobi in Kenya down to Tanzania. We have several events and bike giveaways planed on route and we will also be making an ascent to the summit of the highest peak on the African continent – Kilimanjaro. For me, it will be the first time I have been able to see the important work that Globalbike does first hand, up close and personal. There will be much more info coming out about the trip and how you can follow our journey. We are hoping the media that comes from the trip will lead to great exposure for the organization.

Welcom New Sponsor!

Welcome a new sponsor – Hydro One Beverages. Team Globalbike has forged a strong relationship with a fantastic new sponsor. Hydro One Beverages is a SC based company that makes healthy beverages that really work. They have 15 products that range from the “Bode” sport drinks (pronounced Body), to the “RevD” sugar free drinks, to the “True” green tea line. This company is growing rapidly on a platform that we really don’t need all that crap in our drinks to make them good for us and good tasting. You should really check them out at their website. We will have product available for tasting at many events this season. Stop by, grab one, and start on your path to better health.

Team Video to appear on The Sufferfest Videos. I hope you had the chance to check out some of the video I shot from my handlebar during cyclocross season. The makers of the Sufferfest series found the video and asked if they could include some of the footage in their latest creation – Local Hero. This time of year, even those of us in the best climates end up on the trainer every once and a while. The Sufferfest videos are fantastic workouts to keep you busy, entertained, and working hard while riding indoors. The videos feature first hand footage from people like me and footage of the biggest races in the world. You’ll feel like you are right in there, trading attacks with your heroes. Check them out here and watch the trailer below.

Team Camp. We managed to get all of the new team together over a weekend in January to get in a little riding, have some fun, and get to know each other. Icy roads left over from the snowpocalypse event in January meant the riding was a bit tenuous as we dodged the slick spots in the shade. More fun was had sampling sponsor product. Thankfully the products from Hydro One helped to re-hydrate after a night of sampling the excellent products from another sponsor – RJ Rockers Brewery. I’m really excited about the team this year. We have a great group of guys that are ready to race hard for a good cause. One of the events of the weekend was for Boyd to take on all comers in Arm Wrestling. Noah was the first victim.

Team Camp Arm Wrestling from Josh Whitmore on Vimeo.

Team Globalbike is now a registered “Domestic Elite Team”. USA Cycling created a new classification of team to help bridge the gap between a regular USA Cycling Club and the increasing cost and demands of becoming a UCI Continental Team. For Category 1 racers only, the new classification will help guarantee entry into the nations big Pro/1 races such as those on the National Race Calendar. This is an exciting step for us as we continue to try to make the baby steps towards becoming a UCI Continental team. Little by little we are making the kind of progress that will ensure stability and success when we reach that level. Check out the new classification on the USA Cycling website.

Have you ever wanted to own your very own custom painted bicycle? I’m not talking about any regular paint job here, I’m talking about a one of a kind piece of artwork! Check out this this bike that is on sale now on Ebay. This is a fundraiser for the Globalbike organization.

View the bike here

including crash, flat, trip to the pits, and great comeback!

Cyclocross National Championships Masters 35-39 from Josh Whitmore on Vimeo.