Why We Ride: For Tiffani Alane Baker

It’s the little things that remind Clinton Baker of his wife, Tiffani Alane, who passed away on Feb. 5.

The U.S. Army staff sergeant will be watching their favorite TV show … House … turn toward Tiffani to say something … and remember she’s not there. Car trips with their daughters, Natalie, 7, and Katelyn, 5, are even more difficult.

“We always liked to be around each other and as long as we were together we were happy,” said Clinton, who will be riding in Pelotonia in honor of Tiffani. “That was especially the case when we were driving – and now there’s no one to talk to. It’s tough.”

Clinton and Tiffani grew up in Mount Vernon and attended the same high school. Tiffani was two years ahead of Clinton – but that didn’t stop him from eventually working up the courage to ask her out on a date.

“Initially I thought she was out of my league, that she was too cute to talk to a guy like me,” he said. “It was a small school and we ran in the same circles and were friends for a while at first.”

Friendship blossomed into romance and they were married a few years later on Aug. 5, 2000. Tiffani was 21, Clinton was 19. Many family members and friends were leery of the couple getting married at such a young age – but there’s no stopping true love.

“We got married a little before I’d recommend it for most, but it really worked out for us and we were happy,” he said.

Soon after their wedding, Clinton joined the Army – and he served in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. After he returned home, Clinton was reassigned temporarily to recruiting and eventually wound up in charge of the recruiting office in Galesburg, Illinois.

“I got there in April 2008 and my wife was diagnosed with cancer in August 2008,” he said.

The cancer started in her appendix, had spread and was in the latter stages. Clinton requested – and was granted – a transfer and was reassigned to the Newark, Ohio recruiting station so he and Tiffani could be closer to their families and she could be treated at The James. The Army, he said, has been incredibly supportive and understanding.

“We had a whole roster of people supporting us,” Clinton said, adding this helped the two of them get through all the surgeries, procedures and chemo treatments, especially as Tiffani’s condition got worse and she grew weaker.

“Everybody took a day to spend with the girls and help (Tiffani),” he said. “She always had help.”

And through it all, Tiffani’s courage was an inspiration to Clinton and everyone else who knew and loved her.

“When they told us it was Stage 4 and life threatening, she said I have to fight this as long as I can for the girls,” Clinton said. “It was all about beating it for the girls or if she couldn’t beat it to hold on for as long as she could so the girls would have a longer memory of her.”

To build these memories, the Bakers went on family trips, to the zoo, to Washington, D.C., to visit friends and relatives.

“When you’re 4 and 6 years old the day-to-day life gets really fuzzy really fast, so we wanted to make some more lasting memories for the girls,” Clinton said.

And one of the memories he said he’ll be sure to keep alive is Tiffani’s caring spirit and generosity. She was the type of person who, when she saw a problem, did whatever she could to fix it.

“She saw the world the way it should be and tried to make it that way,” Clinton said.

Through his wife’s illness and in the months since she passed away, Clinton also stood strong and did whatever he had to do to support his wife and two little girls. And now, as a single parent, he’s still doing whatever it takes for Natalie and Katelyn.

“I’ve gotten a lot of praise from people, but that never made sense to me,” he said. “I never felt like I did anything above and beyond. I felt like I was barely hanging on, but I guess the key was staying busy … You focus on what needs to be done. I could sit down and think about how miserable I am, but in the end dinner still needs to be cooked.”

10 things about Clinton…

Favorite ride

Along the Kokosing River trail

Dream ride

Anywhere peaceful, but not too many hills

Current Pelotonia bike

A Schwinn Tourist

Dream bike

Any nice road bike

Favorite movie

We Were Soldiers

Favorite band/singer

Metallica

Favorite TV show

House

Favorite book

We Were Soldiers Once … And Young

Favorite athlete

Chris Spielman

Favorite post-ride meal

A good burger

Building a Better Bike Path

There’s an interesting article in the Dispatch today about efforts in Mount Vernon, Gambier, Hilliard and Grove City to connect their communities with bike paths. This is progress.

Bike paths in and of themselves are good – but what’s needed to make them great is to include them in the overall transportation infrastructure so we can get anywhere and everywhere on our bikes.

In the article, a Gambier official said the goal is “to draw people off the trail and into the downtown.” See, they get it.

I only have one question: Where the heck is Gambier?

Olentangy Trail Update

Riders beware and be prepared: A portion of the Olentangy River bike path remains closed, which is kind of annoying, especially if you don’t know about it until you get to it. If you’re riding north, the closed part starts right after Ohio State. Follow the detour signs to Neil Ave. and then High St. – and back onto the path. It’s not too bad. If you’re heading south, the detour starts just below Weber. Same deal: follow the detour signs to High and then Neil and then back onto the trail. From the looks of all the construction – it could be a long time before this portion reopens.

Peter and Paula’s Battle

Peter Labita was battling depression, a common occurrence for people who have been through what he was in the midst of going through.

His leg throbbed whenever he walked, his face was a swollen, painful mess. He couldn’t talk and definitely couldn’t chew, which meant he had to feed himself through a tube. Peter was also in the midst of four months of energy-sapping radiation treatments.

“I was a mess, just tired all the time,” he said of the ordeal.

It was early 2005 – and Peter had recently noticed some swelling in his jaw. “It didn’t really hurt much, only when I pushed against it,” he said.

He went to see his dentist, who sent him to an oral surgeon, who in turn quickly sent him to Dr. David Schuller at The James. All of these visits took place in one long day.

“From my work experience I was thinking ‘whoa,’” said Peter’s wife Paula, an intensive care unit nurse at Ohio State’s University Hospital East. “You don’t want to jump too far ahead, it may not be extreme; I didn’t want him to panic.”

Paula did her best to stay calm for Peter during each step in the process, but deep down inside she had a feeling it just might be extreme. For this close couple, who biked, hiked and played tennis together, life was about to change. They were in for a test of their individual – and collective – courage.

A biopsy determined Peter did have cancer, as his doctors suspected – and some extreme measures would soon be necessary.

“But Dr. Schuller, right from the start, said ‘this is curable,’” Peter said.

The cure required Schuller and his team at The James to remove the fibula from Peter’s lower left leg and use it, along with a titanium rod, to replace his chin bone – or mandible once the large, cancerous tumor was removed. The surgery took nine hours.

“You can live without a fibula,” Peter said. “But your leg is weaker and has less range of motion.”

The surgery and aftermath took a lot out of Peter, who is 65 and at the time had recently retired after a long career as an insurance agent. He was a deacon at his church, Christ the King, and had just started working toward a master’s degree in pastoral studies.

“Two weeks after my surgery (on Feb. 15, 2005), I went for a ride on my bike,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have, but it was a warm day and I needed to get out on my bike, even if I couldn’t go very far.”

Paula did her best to keep her husband’s spirits up – and her primary strategy was to keep him busy and on some semblance of a regular schedule. Peter didn’t feel up to going to class, but Paula insisted – and drove him there.

“I knew his classmates would be there to support him,” she said. “I also pushed him to stay involved with our church. I knew our friends there would help, that it would keep him moving.”

Finally, Peter turned a corner.

The radiation treatments finally ended after four months, he was beginning to talk again and, best of all, Peter was back on his bike.

“It saved my life,” he said of cycling. “I could throw away my anti-depression medicine; I didn’t need it any more.”

This didn’t mean all of Peter’s problems were over, only that he could see the light and a more normal life at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

There were still problems to overcome. For example, the radiation treatments ruined Peter’s salivary glands. This means he can no longer produce saliva, which you definitely need in order to swallow food. Without saliva, it’s like eating a mouth full of crackers – all the time.

To compensate, Peter mixes applesauce, yogurt or cottage cheese with his food in order to “make it moist.” While this is a functional solution, it has severely limited Peter’s culinary satisfaction.

Pizza with applesauce?  Not so tasty.

Working together, Peter and Paula – who have four children, two grandkids and a third on the way – pressed forward, gradually returning to their former life. Along the way they developed a deeper appreciation for what they share.

“It made me look deeper into myself,” Peter said of his bout with cancer. “It made me more sensitive to people diagnosed with cancer; I feel an obligation to talk to them and help them out.”

He is a volunteer at The James, working with patients going through what he went through – and also working with the medical staff “so they can see things through the patient’s perspective.”

Paula is still working as an ICU nurse.

“Going through this heightened my awareness of our personal relationship and to sustain it no matter what and to enjoy ourselves and not get caught up in what ends up being trivial,” she said.

Peter and Paula are hiking and biking again. Last year they rode the 50-mile Pelotonia route –and this year they will do 100 miles. In 2007 they were part of a group ride that rode the 400-mile Erie Canal route in New York.

“If I had my druthers I’d be on my bike all day,” Peter said. “I’m in a different world when I’m out there.”

10 things about Peter and Paula…

Favorite ride

Peter and Paula: Along the Erie Canal in New York

Dream ride

Peter: Across the U.S.

Paula: The Allegheny Passage (Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh)

Current Pelotonia bike

Peter: Trek 470

Paula: A Trek

Dream bike

Peter: An all-carbon Giant

Paula: I don’t know

Favorite movie

Peter: The Princess Bride

Paula: Star Wars

Favorite band/singer

Peter: David Benoit

Paula: Sarah Brightman

Favorite TV show

Peter: Lost

Paula: Maverick

Favorite book

Peter: The Firm

Paula: All the Harry Potter books

Favorite athlete

Peter and Paula: Lance

Favorite post-ride meal

Peter: Pasta with a lot of sauce

Paula: Chinese food

Have Bike, Will Travel

I had to go to Washington, D.C. again – and this time I took my bike, which had never before visited our nation’s capital and was anxious to see the sights.

Did Abe ride a bike?

I actually stayed in Olde Town Alexandria, which, as you can tell from the “E” in “Olde” is quite historic. It’s also right on the river and the Mount Vernon bike trail passes through town. It’s a great trail; head north and you go past the airport, along the river, over the bridge – and right into the monuments and mall. Head south and you ride along the river to Mount Vernon, George’ home.

On Sunday, the trail was filled with people, hundreds, maybe thousands of people – on bikes, running, rollerblading and pushing baby carriages. On Monday morning, bright and early, it was empty and I headed south to Mount Vernon.

There's a spot on the trail, just north of the airport, where people gather to watch the planes come in low and loud - it's very exciting

As much as I love riding around Columbus and central Ohio, it’s always great to ride and explore new rides and routes and cities. And it’s great that DC is so bike friendly, let’s hope this national trend continues.

From First-Aid Volunteer to 180-Mile Rider

Dustin Arnold didn’t have very much to do at the first Pelotonia ride.

This was a good thing, as Dustin was one of our first-aid volunteers.

“A couple people with sore muscles came by, but that’s about it,” he said. “We were basically urging people to drink a lot of fluids.”

But Dustin saw enough to get hooked on Pelotonia, and this year he will be riding the 180-mile route – and drinking lots of fluids.

Dustin was a first-aid volunteer at the first Pelotonia

“I was also a volunteer at the opening ceremonies (on the Friday before the ride),” the 24-year-old Columbus resident said. “And that’s when I decided I wanted to ride. It was fantastic to see so many people all out there for a cause and everyone was so passionate and had so much enthusiasm. It made me want to be a rider.”

Right now Dustin has plenty of time to train – but not for long.

He is a graduate of Dublin Coffman High School and Miami University (Ohio) and has a degree in zoology and environmental science. But after a couple years as an environmental consultant, Dustin decided to go back to school and recently earned his nursing degree from Mount Carmel College of Nursing.

He just passed his nursing boards and is looking for a job. Dustin would like to work in either critical care or the emergency room. In other words, he likes action.

“Yeah, I’m not one for a desk job,” he said.

But he and his father, Matthew, are ones for cycling.

“My dad was a bike racer,” Dustin said. “He raced around here and at state championship races and all sorts of races.” The two often ride together.

Dustin and his father often ride together

Dustin was itching to get out on his bike all winter, and spent many an hour in the basement, on his trainer – which as anyone who has ever ridden a trainer can tell you, takes a lot of will power.

Now that it’s warm out – he’s out riding. And so is his dad, who is helping Dustin train for Pelotonia.

“I think everyone should get involved (in Pelotonia),” Dustin said. “If you can’t ride, being a volunteer is great and once you see the event you’ll be so impressed and want to stay involved. And maybe it will encourage people to get more active and start riding. Riding is such great exercise and a key to leading a healthy life style.”

And as a new, certified member of the health-care profession, Dustin knows what he’s talking about when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

10 things about Dustin…

Favorite ride
Rails-to-Trails, from Springfield to Cincinnati

Dream ride
France

Current Pelotonia bike
A Cannondale touring bike

Dream bike
I have to do some research

Favorite movie
Edward Scissorhands
Favorite band/singer
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Favorite TV show
The Simpsons

Favorite book
Breakfast of Champions

Favorite athlete
Ken Griffey Jr. and Lance Armstrong

Favorite post-ride meal
A big bowl of spaghetti marinara

Me and 200 of My Closest Friends Go For a Ride

Today is the first day of spring – and also marked the official kickoff of the 2010 Pelotonia training season. About 200 riders met at Pelotonia World Headquarters and Restaurant early this morning, to have a bite to eat, hang out for a bit and eye up all the great bikes people were riding.

Let's go for a ride!

The ride was hosted and led by members of Pelotonia Cycling Team powered by roll:. Our friends from roll: were on hand to lend a hand with maintenance issues before the ride and then provided sag support. We also got free samples of Muscle Milk, which, I think, is milk that gives you more muscles. I had a bottle, but I’m not sure if it worked.

And then we were off.

Our fearless leader Alex Pratt gives out instructions

We rode in four groups: A (the real hammerheads) to D (the less-experienced riders). I was in the B group, which seemed to be the largest. One of the highlights of rides like this is the social aspect, the chance to meet new people. I chatted with Matthew Henderson, who grew up in Columbus, moved to Kentucky and recently came back to the area. It seems Kentucky is great for cycling, with lots of rolling hills and amazing scenery. He’s going back soon for a 100-mile club ride.

I also rode for a bit with Elliot Gaunt, a member of the Pelotonia Cycling Team. He said his first race of the season is next week in Virginia (which is where he lives), a one-day, 80 miler. He finished seventh last year. Good luck Elliot. We also discovered we had a common interest: Belgian beer, especially Belgian beer you drink after a long day of riding in Belgium. Those monks can really brew some beer!

I didn’t ride with, but met Gary and Marilyn Solomon, who rode a really cool-looking tandem recumbent. It’s much more comfortable, especially for those with back issues, they said, but is tougher to get up hills than a “regular” bike. Gary will be riding a single recumbent in Pelotonia for the second consecutive year.

At the end of the ride, we dined on pizza. I don’t think this was the kind that gives you more muscles – but it was delicious.

This is the first of several Pelotonia group rides – so stay tuned and join us for the next one.

Mmmmm .... pizza!

Here's Gary and Marilyn on their recumbent

In Honor of Dad

Douglas Fowler never had to look very far for a role model and hero.

“I know it’s a cliché when I say it, but when they built fathers; I got the best one,” said the Gahanna resident of his dad, Waymon, 85, who is in the midst of a long and difficult battle with cancer.

“He’s a very strong-willed man, but a very gentle man – he has a real sense of purpose and humor and a real sense of community.”

Waymon’s strength has helped him in his fight against cancer and has always inspired his son to live his life in a similar way … and now to ride Pelotonia and raise money to fight cancer in honor of his father.

Douglas rides in honor of his father

“I would hope I’m the same type of person he is,” Douglas said, adding his religious faith and the joy he gets from cycling are two more key components in his life.

Douglas – who is 51 – was not a cyclist until he heard about, signed up for and began training for Pelotonia. He soon discovered the joys of cycling – and the large community of like-minded peddle pushers in and around central Ohio.

“I fell in love with it,” Douglas said of cycling. “You’re out in nature, it’s so beautiful and an amazing thing to get out on the open country roads and take all this in, it’s an exhilarating  experience.”

And then there are the social aspects of cycling.

“There’s this community of people you don’t know, who when you’re out riding always give a nod or a hello. It’s fantastic; I didn’t know cycling was so big.”

Major Taylor was a world champion cyclist

Douglas joined the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Columbus. Taylor (1878-1932) was an African-American cyclist and world champion in the late 1800s and early 1900s, a time when black men weren’t given much of an opportunity to compete in sports.

Douglas has made some fast friends in the club and has had his speed and endurance tested – and improved – by riding with some of the more experienced members.

“Cycling has really whipped me into shape. And when you couple it with doing yoga and eating better, the benefits are immeasurable … Now it’s a part of who I am now; I am a cyclist.”

Douglas grew up in the Cleveland area. He began his college career at Ohio University and graduated with a degree in physical anthropology from Ohio State. The career path he chose is estate management.

He is also a member of the First Church of God in Columbus – and credits Bishop Timothy Clark with helping him to deal with his father’s illness. “Without his guidance and concern, and my church family, I wouldn’t be able to get through it,” Douglas said.

The inaugural Pelotonia was the first century ride for Douglas, who admits he struggled at times.

“It was amazing, but at times I was wondering if I had bit off more than I could chew,” he said of the ride from Columbus to Athens. “Some of those hills were daunting, but everyone around me was telling me to keep going, that I could do it – and then I thought about why I’m doing this, that I’m doing it for my dad.”

And he kept going.

“He has this amazingly strong attitude and if he’s going to be that strong, than me and siblings have to be that strong.”

10 things about Douglas…

Favorite ride

Pelotonia

Dream ride

Alaska

Current Pelotonia bike

Gary Fisher road bike

Dream bike

I don’t know

Favorite movie

To Kill A Mockingbird

Favorite band/singer

Billie Holiday

Favorite TV show

Anything on the History Channel

Favorite book

The Bible

Favorite athlete

Major Taylor

Favorite post-ride meal

Vegetarian Indian food

We Want You For Juli’s Army

There could be no Pelotonia without the small army of volunteers who do such a wonderful job taking care of – and pampering! – all us riders.

They were amazing last year: helpful, friendly, committed and caring.

And now, registration for this year’s army of 1,600-plus volunteers is open. If you’re interested in being a Pelotonia volunteer, or know someone who is, you can sign up online at: http://www.pelotonia.org/ride/volunteer.jsp

Running the show is Juli Capani, Pelotonia’s Volunteer Coordinator.  Last year, Juli, a recent Ohio State graduate, was a volunteer and helped out during opening ceremonies in Columbus and in Athens at the end of the 100-mile ride.

At the time, she had no idea she’d be in charge of Pelotonia’s volunteers a few months later.

“I started working at Pelotonia part time in September and was looking for a job – and then they offered me this job,” Juli said. “I’m really excited, the volunteers are so amazing and so many from last year are coming back.”

How do you like them apples?

Juli’s Army includes about 45 Lead Volunteers, who will be in charge of all the different Pelotonia locations. They will meet on a regular basis with Juli over the next several months and – in turn – the Lead Volunteers will coordinate and prepare their Volunteer Team Members.

This year, volunteers will sign up for specific tasks on specific days, which, Juli says, will make Pelotonia more organized and rewarding for volunteers and, in turn, riders.

Some of the many volunteer jobs include: bike management, rider check in, dorm room management, warehouse crew, route signage and motorcycle support. Some jobs, such as first aid and mechanical support, require specific training and skills, but most require a willingness to lend a hand and be part of Pelotonia.

“It was a great experience and a lot of fun,” said Rod Loveless, one of the Lead Volunteers in Athens last year. “When we showed up, we weren’t exactly sure what to do and what to expect, but what happened was everyone was willing to stick around as long as it took and do whatever it took.”

Hey You: “Ooooon your Left”

Now that the weather has warmed up – the multi-use paths in and around Columbus are a lot busier. This is a wonderful, scenic and healthy thing, but it can also be dangerous when all these walkers, runners, cyclists, baby-stroller pushers, dog walkers and rollerbladers don’t follow a few simple rules. Can you say chaos!

I hate to be the rules police, but they really do make sense – and keep us orderly and safe. And, the way I figure it is: the more people who know and follow the rules, the safer it is for me!

So, here we go, the rules – in bold – according to the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks, along with my comments in regular print.

Be courteous and predictable to other trail users at all times. Keep right, always pass on the left, giving audible warning to pedestrians, skaters and other bicyclists. Maintain single file when others are within 100′.

The audible warning thing is a bit tricky. First of all, most pedestrians are wearing headphones – and can’t hear our audible warnings. And, when you do give someone an “on your left,” a good portion don’t know what to do. Some head further to the left, which creates havoc.  Some get startled. And some people actually say “thank you,” which is very nice – and reassures me we live in a civilized society.

After much trial and error, what I now do is say “on your left” in a calm, reassuring voice, with just enough conviction to let people know I’m coming, but not enough to startle them. I elongate the first word, as I think it sounds more soothing and less threatening: “Oooooon your left.”

Bicyclists and Skaters

Yield to pedestrians. Give audible warning when passing pedestrians, skaters or bicyclists. Ride and skate at a safe speed. Slow down and form a single file in congested conditions, reduced visibility, and other hazardous conditions.

The speed limit on the trails is 15 miles per hour – a reasonable limit. Unfortunately, a lot of cyclists, especially, it seems, those with triathlon bars on their bikes, like to go a lot faster – and really don’t like to slow down when they pass someone, even if someone is coming toward them from the opposite direction and there’s only inches to spare. I try to stay at 15 – and many times cyclists fly by me. Please slow down. If you’re that strong and fast a rider and can’t or won’t slow down – get off the multi-use path and on the roads where the speed limit is a lot faster.

Pedestrians

Please stay to the right side of the trail except when otherwise designated. Watch for other trail users. Be especially alert when running. Listen for audible signals and allow faster trail users (runners and bicyclists) to pass safely.

I’m always amazed at how many people walk on the left side of the path – which is the wrong side. There can’t be that many people from England living in this area, can there? Again, I don’t like to be the rules police, but my line of reasoning is: maybe they don’t know the rules and would actually appreciate it if someone politely pointed them out. So, I always say, in a friendly voice: “Stay to the right please.” Unfortunately, most people don’t like being told what to do, even if they are in the wrong and creating a potentially dangerous situation – and don’t respond well to my polite advice. I don’t care, I’m going to keep saying “Stay to the right please” in a nice way. Maybe it will eventually sink in.

If I’ve missed anything or if you have any more trail stories, issues or safety tips, post a comment or send me an e-mail: swartenberg7@gmail.com. In a future post I’ll talk about the rules of the road for the road – and how to follow them and be safe.