SPORTS
,
f -
Page 11 Friday, August 9, 1985 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor bikers wheel through U.S.
By LESLIE ANNE HAMEL Michigan plhilosophy major - it is
Reed Perkins isn't just spinning his way of life.
wheels. He is going places. Following Perkins took up the sport with th
a three-month tour across the coun- intention of becoming a touring
try, Perkins is not yet ready to slow cyclist, one that rides non-
L down after returning to Ann Arbor. competitively over long distances.
Cycling is more than a sport for this "MY SIGMA Phi Epsilon fraternity
brother, David O'Dell, and I decided
that we wanted to get away, he said.
e "We chose to go to Colorado - to
conquer the Rockies, and to go white1
water rafting. The bikes were our only1
mode of transportation. We weren't:
prepared to spend a lot of money."
y Perkins and O'Dell began their
journey in Battle Creek. They
traveled south, first thinking it would
be more pleasant to approach
Colorado from the bottom up. They
carried everything they needed on
their bikes. Clothes, camping equip-
ment, food, and even a small stove
were packed in bags attached to the
hikes.
"Every day we rode about seventy-
five miles," said Perkins, describing
a typical day.
THE PAIR would wake about 5
a.m., and would be on the road by 6
a.m. Morning was their favorite time,
as there were less people on the roads.
"We would first ride for about fif-
teen miles, then stop for breakfast,"
Perkins said. "Then we rode until
lunch. At about 6p.m. we would try to
find a place to sleep - somebodys
backyard, a ditch, we'd sneak into a
state park - we weren't above trying
anything."
Surprisingly enough, weather
wasn't a problem while on the road.
One night in Kentucky, Perkins and
O'Dell slept in six inches of rain.
"WE HAD a sponge mattress that I
swear attracted moisture, rather than
keep us dry," Perkins said. "We woke
up and dumped our bags that had
been left open over night. They were
full of water.
"The main problem on the road was
the cyclists' all-time worst enemy -
the wind. Cars were rarely sym-
forget that you are on a bike. You th- "PACK riding goes just so much
ink about other things. Food, for faster," he said. Everyone drafts off
example. Ina car, the window can get of everybody else. The air resistance
to be a big, boring T.V. screen. On the goes down"
bike it is just you and the country it-
self." Both Perkins and Mueller admit
Perkins still trains now that he has that cycling has changed their lives.
returned to Ann Arbor, riding thirty- They have found themselves in tune
five to fourty-five miles every day on with their bodies. Perkins has seen
the roads outside the city. There is a the difference in his eating habits, and
'in a car, the window can get to be a big, boring
TV screen. On the bike, it is just you and the
country itself.'
-Reed Perkins, touring cyclist
high interest in the sport in the Ann has taken to eating health foods.
Arbor area, due to the scenic areas "IF YOU eat crap one day, you can
and outstanding bike shops. Dexter feel it in your riding the next," he
and Manchester are two of Perkins' said.
favoite lace to our.Mueller sees it as an incredible
favorite places to tour, exercise in self-discipline.
Cycling is easier in groups. Perkins "You have to force yourself to make
now rides with Ann Arborite and your ride every day, but you feel great
University of Indiana student, Marc when it is over," he said.
Mueller. Although Mueller is a racing As for their ultimate goals in
cyclist and ?erkins is a touring cycling "." ' pes to one day win
cyclist, they can tranug.; I 1r. They the Litte ,,v, wni. e Perkins dreams of
push each other for speed, .,nd take riding along the entire border of the
turns riding in the lead to cut down on U.S. - including Alaska!
wind resistance for the other. But most importantly, both Perkins
MUELLER rides competitively in Bulmor igrtanthy, h kins
Indiana. He has represented his and Mueller agree that hiking is their
fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon in favorite way to stay in shape and to
Indiana's famous "Little 500."The fif- relax. It is a means of escape, a
ty-mile race takes place on a quarter freedom to choose speed and direc-
mile track. About thirty teams of four tion. It is a time to think.
riders each qualify for the 200 lap Wherever the roads and the in-
relay race. According to Mueller, the clination may take them - may the
race is an exciting experience. wind always be at their backs.
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peii
Associated Press pathetic, and pot-holes posed a threat
w hat .i . . . to their equipment.
Doug Tewell watches his birdie putt roll in the hole in yesterday's first BWoredom wasn't a problem either.
found of the PGA Championship in Denver. Tewell finished with a seven- was riding," said Perkins. "You
under par 64.
A page from the Guadalcanal Diary
(Continued fromPage8) P: It's a real convenient term, you D: So it's not necessarily going to
from Marietta." Is getting lumped in know, especially for the press and mean instrumentals on every record
with the Athens crowd bothersome to people who don't care to really listen from here on out.
you? to a band that much - they'd rather P: I don't know. We've always en-
P: Not so much me personally - just listen to the music and enjoy it joyed instrumentals, really. Jeff
probably only because I'm the only without having to think about it. It's [Walls, lead guitar] particularily, is
one that's not from Marietta. I'm just a convenient thing and it draws influenced by John Barry, who did a
actually from Atlanta and I live in attention to us, I imagine. So I really lot of the 007 soundtracks. We all en-
Athens. But the other three - I can't criticize it because of that. And joy that. Except for Murray, whose
believe it does bother them to a for us, we are an American band, strongest point is vocals. He might
serious degree. And that's mainly even though we take a lot of influences feel a little left out. But then the rest of
because we'd never been a part of any from European and American music. us get to show off a little bit.
Athens musical movement. So now for :I can't say that we're strictly
everyone else to put us into that American. D: What question would you like to
movement is kind of - I wouldn't say D: Something that I find unusual in be asked that no one's asked you that
insulting - but it is simply not true. your records is that you are a band you think would endlessly enlighten
We are from the Atlanta-Marietta who devotes a considerable amount of your fans as to what Guadalcanal
area. Marietta is the home base, and time on your records to instrumentals Diary was all about?
there is a difference - there's no - two tracks on an album is quite a P: Maybe I should ask you that.
movement at all in Marietta that I bit for records today. Is there any par- What makes Guadalcanal Diary ap-
know of except for us. ticular reason for that? pealing? But I really don't know the
D: Do you lay a whole lot of stock in P: That's a good question. I think ideal question to ask us. What we eat
the American Music thing that they're it's just that we had two good in- for breakfast might be interesting,
harping about - and including strumentals, and we just wanted them because we all have different tastes in
Guadalcanal in - in the music media? on there. everything. Not just music.