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Rob started riding late in life's journey..but honestly fell in love with it.  My cycling adventure started off mountain biking at Bent Creek and then went from there.  Though road riding is my primary means, I love to ride and race gravel.  Always love to ride with people in new and exciting places.  Of course, I have never told my wife the actual price of any of the bikes so as far as she knows...I have only invested a couple of hundred dollars!

Late to cycling as a passion, Tom only began riding regularly in the early 2000s, commuting pretty much year ‘round in the Chicago suburbs slowing building from hundreds to thousands of miles annually. His racing began in the mid-2000s doing time trials, mostly on the tandem with his wife Robyn (but including 2 USA Cycling Mixed Tandem age group podiums). They moved to Asheville in 2010 after his retirement from his employer of 33 years and were immediately wowed by the area’s great terrain and roads, and its even better cycling community. Generous mentors here helped him gain both the physical and mental discipline and skills for mass start racing, which he pursued wholeheartedly with some age-group success. Though some ‘exciting’ crashes and receding youth have somewhat tempered Tom’s racing aspirations, he still tries to maintain fitness and form and takes on the occasional competitive challenge.

The Queen of Elk Mountain’: That’s the name by which Robyn became known after she completed her 500th lap up and over Elk Mountain (a 5-mile, 1400’ climb). Her best years were 2015 and 2020 when she did 72 & 78 “Elks” respectively. Family responsibilities (aging parent and growing grandkids) have limited her “Elks” in recent years. And Tropical Storm Helene’s devastation of the leafy corridor that was the Elk that she knew has made it difficult for her to see it too often. But Robyn continues to ride every day that she can, inside if not out, to keep as young as possible. She uses her Market Bike for… the markets and other errands… which keeps her car parked most of the time. Robyn’s racing palmares came on the tandem, where she and husband Tom had success in the Mid America Time Trial series 2007-2009 and at the USA Cycling Nationals 2008-2010 (with 2 podiums in the Mixed Tandem 110+ age group). Most recently, a friend has stoked an interest in seeking out and riding new-to-her rail trail conversions. So far: NC, SC, VA, GA & LA. (Previously, she had AR, AZ, FL, KY, IL, MI, MN, NM, NY, OH, TN, UT, VT, WI, MN, OH, NY, VT)