The Way We Were

 

Hi, Mr Peabody..where are we going tonight?

Tonight Sherman I have set the Way Back machine for the year of 1999. 

Oh boy ..this sounds like fun... the moments leading up to Y2K...and the feeling of quite possibly the end of the world as we know it..

You are most certainly right Sherman. And one young enthusiastic fella decided if the world was going to end he was going to send the Michigan mountain bike scene out with a gigantic metal induced mushroom cloud bigger than anything that has ever been scene in the state..

Oh this is going to be swell!

The year is 1999, Miscene has a handful of great series going on spring flinging both on road, off-road, Time trials, cross country events cx races..multi sport events.. Duo Athlons. Tailwind, Fun Promotions, Cone Azalia Yes sir  Young Sherman. There was an event for everyone and one every weekend from April 1st to December 11th.And to the shigrin of todays bearded fella., the world was thriving without gravel, and the bicycle industry was healthy...The Lance effect was just getting juiced up. And we were set for the stage of the golden years...And with that players were assembling. And at the head of a cast of characters is a young hungry lad name Jer Walker. Jer had been a bike shop employee while attending eastern Michigan, having done a brief stint at Planet Cycle, 

Jer Walker

The predecessor to the Toyoda Great lakes squad, Saturn Planet Cycle 

Jer took his knowledge closer home to the Ann Arbor area, as sales/manager to Great Lakes cycle. he would use this as the platform 

Jer having much knowledge on how to roll the sponsorship and pro deal dice after having had a two year stint with Cannondale and Saturn automotive along with the Planet Cycle team he was primed to go to the next level.

In the winter of 1998 he secured some great co-sponsors, like  Sram, Mavic, Profile. Mongolian barbecue. Jogmate, Giro, Shimano footwear, Smith optics and a Pro look set of threads by Voler  The team would look great. 

Archer, Karew, Roe, Foshag, Parker, Walker, Wilson, Wellesley 

Now he needed riders. This wasn’t an open invite, nor was it a gateway for dominance with every hot shoe in the scene. Jer chose riders for there personalities as well as there results...and he stuck to a very limited budget...The later was mainly due to the equipment. This wasn’t your run of the mill. Here’s the 22% off dealer cost free box of clif shots and two pair of socks sponsorship. This was The Big enchilada, zero cost, bikes. Equipment clothing ...he did this all without ever whoring himself out or sending the shop into bankruptcy. Sad most who will read this never got a taste of the salad days...Some of the riders were a pull over from the year before and others were new but became an integral part of the squad. Gordon Roe, Jamie Parker, Tom Archer, Robert Foshag.. Jason Karew..national champ Shelley Wilson, Bart Wellesley 

Addison Oaks XC 1999

Version two from left to right

Shelley Wilson Bart Wellesley Gordon Roe Jer Walker. Justin Koch (mechanic ) Jamie Parker, Tom archer, jay karew.....MIA.. Robert Foshag

Yankee Springs TT 1999

Jer was one the first to go and get kicked in the nuts on National CX level...going up against the likes of Tilford, Bart Bowen, and the McCormick bros, he did it all on a Foshag flowed cobbled together Nishiki road frame with welded on.. in the back of a bike shop Canti mounts

Jon Mesko, Foshag, JB Hancock? and Brian Sheedy Hudson Mills CX-2000

The group was a solid mix of good people, fast expert/elite riders..it wasn’t held to a standard of the  Number of wins, and overall results..it was a tough time to be racing mountain bikes..as the fields in nearly all classes were often 30+ riders. If The Alpine boys were the style for the road scene Jers group was the it for the mountain squad..it paved the way for more teams to follow. 

But running team like anything else is a major job. And trying to race, live a life and be a good person Jer handed the reigns down to a teammate. Ultimately it would morph into the Midwest Cannondale squad, and Still remained some of the original members, and a few moved on for other ventures. Jamie Parker would go on to Wheels in Motion Kona and have a good run at the Elites. Foshag would move south to Saturn of Toledo, Jay Crew would head west.. Tom Archer would move over to the road with Ford Giant.. Lathrup .Jer Walker would move on to other ventures. Gordo Roe would help uncle Bobby out with Tailwinds on a weekend basis..Ultimately The legacy of another great squad only lives now in the closets of those that still have the jersey.