80 th Anniversary CW Club Dinner

[jwc...@aol.com]

Saturday ( 21st) evening at Johnny D's / Parkville world famous Bar & Lounge the Chesapeake Wheelmen celebrated their 80th Anniversary.

 

We did dodge the bullet with the weather.

 

The food was great and we all got to enjoy 50 photo's on the Wall of Fame  capturing CW races and their members racing that went back to 1946.

 

We had a chance to honor those members and friends who passed on including John Hughes, John Grice, Randy Nixon and oh we miss Mike Fitzsimmons.

 

CW founders Clyde Nitz and George Sandruck spent a life time promoting bike racing in the Balto / DC area from 1946 till the early 1970's.

 

We went decade by decade and  gave credit for those club members who excelled promoting big events in Balto - Clyde Nitz, Keith Shuey, Mike Fitzsimmons and of course our surprise visitor Lewis Goldman ( lots of races including The Charles Street Classic ( copied but never duplicated).

 

Thanks to our new MABRA guru Paul Langermann , MABRA Pres for updating us on the new MABRA Championship . And dare I say we talked about beefing up the local TT events to encourage new riders 😁

 

Number one DC area bike racing historian Bill Luecke was there taking notes.

This means he will have something new for us at next years dinner -don't miss it.

We honored our first medal winners from the very competitive 2025 National Senior Games / Des Moines, Iowa.

 

Erika Griffith (long time) Wheelmen member.

3 rd in both the 55-59  women's 5 & 10 K TT. ( those medals are to kill for)

 

Sharon Shellenberger  70-74

3 rd in the 20K Road Race.

 

Reminder - 2026 Maryland Senior Games 5 & 10 K TT's Wed evening May 6 & June 10th - Davidsonville. Post race the medals will be awarded at the gigantic party at the  Parvilla Cycle Shop.

 

Age 50 till infinity ! A Wed evening events that went from 40 riders 2023 to 60 for 2025. Funded by Montgomery Parks & Rec. Nice free swag on race night.

You hot shot local TT USAC riders might turn your nose up to a 5 & 10 K TT. I am laying down the challenge.

These events are the qualifier for the 2027 National Sr Games. 12500 athletes 

 

 

Chesapeake Wheelmen Championship

Winners of the season long club championship perpetual trophies.

Class A   - Chris Barritt

Class B  -  Marlyn Hahn ( capt of our 80+ team - yes we have enough 80+ riders for a team )

Women -  Teresa Ranadive 

 

Winner of our Bike Racing Trivia contest -

Steve Lassahn -Former Maryland State 100 mile Road Championship x2

 

Lots of raffle winners.

 

Anyone who did attend please free to comment ( reply all). I can take it.

Yes - I did have a melt down but that's another story for next year.

 

Attached- 1947ish photo for CW race / Patterson Park.

L-R  George Sandruck - Art Lauf - Jimmy Lauf

Thanks to Joe Sandruck who attended the dinner to honor his dad.

 

Note - George Sandruck on the left is the only rider to have a gear system of sorts. There was a family bike shop that made sure George had all the latest in equipment.

Even with that gears did not become common till the mid 1950's.

 

Thanks for hanging in there.

John Cox

Chesapeake Wheelmen