Zwift, Wobble Cycle Club, and my Riding Influencers

Child of the Day: Jackline Daniel

Jackie and Lodii smiling through tears at Scolastica Secondary School

Sponsored by Bruce Frambach and Anna Nieto, Matt and Joan Love

Age 15

Ride to Date Scorecard:

• Day: T-5 (launch date is May 23)

• Location: Capitola California

• Today’s Mileage: 0

• Total Mileage: 0

• Today’s Ascent: 0 feet

• Today’s Time on the Bike: 0 hours

• Total Time on the Bike: 0 hours

Even while doing Ironman Triathlons, I didn’t really enjoy nor train hard enough for cycling. My preference was, by far, swimming, and the easiest/shortest discipline to practice on your own was running. Cycling was hard and even more than running- I sucked!

After a very lengthy depression, Bruce Frambach attempted to nurse/nudge me back to health and got me out riding a bit. Slowly as I was no longer able to run or swim (i grieved the loss of swimming for sure) and in addition to paddling outriggers I became a “sort-of cyclist”. Slow, steady and inconsistent, I decided that my training was best done in “spin classes”. Fun, hard, lots of people and great music to be sure, but i made little improvements and as I have said previously, I’m no sprinter. I like to go long……

With Covid, outdoor cycling became more important. Having outfitted my garage with a stationary bike, I still wasn’t fulfilled. Then I found Zwift in November of 2021. I joined the relatively newly formed Wobble Cycling Club, largely with UK members, in January, and Nick Jones convinced me to try Thurs Team Time Trial racing. My world was blown with fun (and endless) routes, a vibrant social community, and my Amazing Armadillos Team Time Trialing team. Every Thursday, Anette Rehnvahl and, later, Brenda Jones coaxed us and coached us. In 2022, I rode 4000 miles indoors. Fun, Friends, and both social and predictable training loads—I loved it! Yes, I continue to ride outdoors (alone), mostly indoors on Zwift.

Being a coach at heart, training on Zwift is fun and easy. No rain, No wind, No cars, no cold, no stop signs and stop lights. I've enjoyed 2 full years of building a base and improving both my output, measured in Watts, and weight, measured in kilograms. (most everything converts to metric because of the Eurocentrism of Zwift.)

I am grateful to all my teammates and the folks who partnered with me to ride long and, at times, fast. If you are interested in eliminating all the excuses keeping you from riding, come with me, get a Smart Trainer, subscribe to Zwift, and join the Wobble Cycle Club! You won’t be sorry!!

Riding at Lake Tahoe with friends Malcolm, John, Bruce

“Zwifty” in the pain cave

The featured ETF child of the Day is Jackline Daniel. Nancy met Jackline when she was 5 years old approximately 11 years ago, and she has been with us since the beginning (11 years). Between semesters at Scolastica Secondary School, she lives with her 65 brothers and sisters at Tupendane Orphanage. Jointly sponsored by “the Loves” and “the Nieto-Frambachs,” Jackline is a very sensitive young woman. I know this because when we do see one another, the joy is palpable until she is aware that our visit is coming to an end. Always, tears flow among all of us, and she is willing to hold us tight, put on a happy face, and soldier on. She loves with ALL her heart and wears it on her sleeve. We love you, Jackline!!

Chip, Jackie, and Me smiling through our tears upon leaving Green Valley School

Bruce and Anna with Jackie

The feeling of attempting something with an uncertain outcome is to feel truly ALIVE!

Child of the Day: WinnLuck Robert Masha

WinnLuck

Sponsored by Becki Eyen

Age 8

Ride to Date Scorecard:

• Day: T-6 (launch date is May 23)

• Location: Capitola, California

• Today’s Mileage: 0

• Total Mileage: 0

• Today’s Ascent: 0 feet

• Today’s Time on the Bike: 0 hours

• Total Time on the Bike: 0 hours

If my favorite fortune cookie says, “Don’t be so afraid to succeed that you are afraid to prepare,” then my favorite original thought is, “The feeling of attempting something where the outcome is uncertain is to feel truly ALIVE!”

While I may have ridden 2500 miles in 3 months, maintained my “engine” (both my beautiful “Ruby” and my own body), said a special goodbye to those friends and family I will sorely miss this summer, and outfitted myself with all the items I’ll need in the rain, wind, and heat, I am feeling the goosebumps and anxiety of knowing I’ll be boarding a train on Tuesday and head into the abyss of pain, pleasure, and unknown.

We will not know if I can actually ride 4000 miles, help on 10 house builds and successfully sleep on the floor for the next 10 weeks! ……. And so, it goes… What pleasure I will feel! What joy! what an unknown!!! Thank you for coming along on the journey!!

Meet WinnLuck Robert Masha, age 8, at Nariva Academy, located at the foot of Mount Meru. She is the daughter of my dear friends Robert and Cristina (Molell) Masha. Robert walked up Kili with Chip and me and made about 115 ascents of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Cristina keeps a beautiful home that has been a “work in progress” (the Tanzanians have a saying used frequently — “Polé Polé” meaning “slowly”) where Robert, one brick at a time, is building a guest facility and expanded kitchen for the time when he transitions from guiding. Cristina is a wonderful seamstress! Winnluck has only just turned 8 years old and is a wonderful student! She is very disciplined, like her father, Robert. (We have met Cristina once — she may be equally determined— she is a wonderful cook and made a delicious dinner including fresh, warm, sweet cow’s milk)! Winnluck, her father says, is kind and respectful — he witnessed once as a 4-year-old, she waited patiently in line till all her classmates rushed in line to be served lunch before she asked for her turn. In Tanzania, much more is expected of kids than in the USA. The baby, Shamara (3), rides the bus to school. Her name is “Fearless” in Swahili. Winnluck is largely self-disciplined and completes her homework and house chores without being asked. I think you’d agree with me- she is ADORABLE!!

The Robert Masha family

Robert on the top of Kilimanjaro in an Outrigger Santa Cruz Pirate shirt

Chip and me crossing “the kissing rock” (Mount Kilimanjaro)

Playing "the Short Game" while Going Long

Child of the Day: Lusia Leonard

Age 15

Nancy Bushek with Lusia

Ride to Date Scorecard:

• Day: T-7 (launch date is May 23)

• Location: Capitola, California

• Today’s Mileage: 0

• Total Mileage: 0

• Today’s Ascent: 0 feet

• Today’s Time on the Bike: 0 hours

• Total Time on the Bike: 0 hours

My friends are finally catching up to me and retiring! HOOORay!!! I’m so happy for them, and yet I’ve had many years to think about retirement. I’ve discovered that when you become an adult (regardless of age, it's about the responsibility), a person successful in life transitions from short-term thinking to longer-term thinking. The responsibilities of adulthood and the necessary regimentation of living in the community almost demand longer-term thinking and actions consistent with long-term objectives. Child rearing, mortgage-paying, and career building all serve as examples of performing for longer-term results. Much different from being a child or young adult.

Some of us make that transition more smoothly than others. Ironically, upon “retirement” (again, age isn’t the issue, but rather approaching “the end” seems poignant), we, by the grace given us, might be able to transition once again back to our “short game.” I've watched many of my friends hold onto “the gal that brought them to the dance,” but as was pointed out to me years ago, that which provides success one year will not be the necessary skills or effort later in your career or life to continue success — new skills and vision are needed.

Transitioning to the short game can be summarized quickly for me: I now seek pleasure, shun conflict, and look inward for satisfaction, not outward. And yes, this can be painful, as we CAN let go of what used to work! Playing the short game is all about self-satisfaction. Had I thought of this in my 30s, I would have felt guilty and lazy!!!

Taking advantage of the opportunity to realize a lifelong goal and realizing that I “ was never born to be a sprinter”——-in anything, I will try to ride 4000 miles this summer. Yes, I’m crazy, or maybe just unique. For this very mediocre athlete (I use that term “athlete” loosely), it means, as my friend Craig Davis has once said, I enjoy anything that is ARDUOUS. (yes, he went to Yale) For a guy my size and ability, I've known that my best advantage is either to try something no one would attempt or at least attempt something painful. That’s just me.

Another friend conjectured that my “life’s work” or joy is Educating Tanzania Foundation. He was only partially correct, because as it relates to ETF and our kids, friends, and family in Arusha, Tanzania is not an end in itself— ETF for me IS ALL about pleasure!!! (even though educating a child is a 12 -15 year project).

And so I’m going long for the kids in ETF, which will give me pleasure. And that’s how I play the short game — by going long.

Today’s child of the day is Lusia Leonard, whom our Executive director, Nancy Bushek, my daughter, met shortly after the death of her brother when she bravely went to Tanzania to volunteer in Tupendane Orphanage, from where many of our children have come and where there are 40-70 children (when the sponsored kids come “home” between semester).

Lusia was 4 years old. We have met her family. She has a smile that could light up a city. Smart, disciplined, and yes beautiful now as a young woman, Lusia is an excellent student and makes us all so very proud. Nancy fell in love upon meeting her and they have been “Dadas” (sisters) for the last 11 years. Lusia attends Scolastica Secondary School. She’s a bright light in our life.