Member of the Month for October 2016

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Mark Miller, who is US Air Force retired, has been an outstanding ride starter for SAW for a number of years. His retirement has afforded him more time to ride with the club on weekends and with friends during the week. His experiences with the club have resulted in solid friendships and an education from experienced members on how to be an effective and efficient cyclist. Like most of us, he still feels like a newbie to cycling, and regrets not starting this sport at an earlier age. 

Mark enjoys riding at Fort Davis, Durango, and Tucson. Cycling enables him to reap the benefits of fitness and friendships. He also enjoys buying bike gear and viewing God’s beautiful creation as he rides.

You can catch him at one of our many club rides. One of his favorites is Big Joshua Creek, which he describes as a ride that "hurts but has everything in order to improve as a cyclist”.

Say hello when you see Mark on his Specialized S-Works Tarmac. He is currently saving up for a brand new Tarmac--so it might be a little more difficult to catch him in the future.

 

Member of the Month for September 2016

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Daniel Martinez is our newest Board member, VP of Social Events. He's been a club member and Rider Education Series Ride Leader since 2012.

Since joining the club, he has completed the Tour for Children, San Antonio Rock & Roll, the Fiesta Wildflower Ride, the Easter Hill Country Tour, and the Bike MS: Ride to the River. He considers the Ride to the River to be the most challenging ride he's experienced thus far.

Daniel also likes baseball and is an avid fisherman. He works for Southwest Airlines and enjoys traveling extensively with his wife Sandra.

Be sure to thank Danny for all the fantastic events our club members enjoy during the year. He will be riding either a carbon GIANT or Schwinn, but maybe in the future you might see him in a SPEEDX Leopard AL.

Member of the Month for August 2016

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If you've participated in our Rider Education Series in the past 3 years, then you've likely met Bernard Mendoza. And, if you participate in our Reading and Riding 100 ride, you might see him at one of the rest stops. He is serving as our Rest Stop Captain.

Bernie has been riding bikes for 30 years. He's been an avid road and trail bike fan. His passion for riding has brought him to small Dauphin Island in Alabama and Santos and the Alafia River State Park in Florida. Closer to home, he enjoys riding his mountain bike at Pedernales Falls State Park. He and his wife, Carrie, also enjoy Austin's Veloway, which is a 3-mile loop for skaters and cyclists. They also enjoy Madrone Trail at Canyon Lake.

He's participated in several triathlons, including a half Ironman in Austin, Galveston Tri Festival, and Splash Town.

Bernie, who is a Baylor graduate and is employed at the University Health System, loves his 3 bikes: a steel Centurian road bike, a hard tail Schwinn Moab mountain bike, and a carton Trek Domane road bike.  

One of his favorite SAW rides is Cibolo. If you run into him before or during the ride, be sure to ask him about one his many varied cycling experiences. 

Member of the Month for June 2016

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Kelley Martin attended high school in Hawaii and Florida, but has lived most of her life in San Antonio. She started cycling in 2007 and joined the Wheelmen in 2008 as a substitute ride starter.

Since discovering her passion for cycling, Kelley has completed the Seattle To Portland Ride and participated in the Easter Hill Country Tour and Hotter'N Hell 100. She also briefly raced with a women's cycling team in Texas.

When she's not on her bike, Kelley stays busy with running, raising two teenage boys, and selling real estate.

Kelly is one of our regular ride starters. You can find her on her Cervelo R3SL at rides like Toutant Beauregard and Boerne.

Member of the Month for May 2016

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Shelley and her husband of 21 years, Andrew, have two children (18 and 20) and one dog (another one on the way!). She loves running and spending time with her family and dog.

Since moving to the United States in 1996, Shelley and her family have resided in Chicago, Dallas, and San Antonio, where they have lived for the past six years. 

She is currently employed with Baptist M&S Imaging Center in Schertz as a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist.

In 2007, a spin class instructor was looking to form a team for the MS 150 in Dallas. A friend talked Shelley into joining the team and training for the event by using an old mountain bike that was gathering dust in Shelleyʼs garage. During her very first organized training ride, Shelley fell in love with riding by experiencing 18 miles of fresh air. After joining her first bike club, the Plano Bike Association, she started participating in the weekly rides. She also took a few cycling vacations in Cape Cod, Taos, and Florida Keys.

We are all fortunate and grateful that she decided to join the Wheelmen upon moving to San Antonio. Her favorite, all-time ride is our Sunday Latte Ride. Her words: “I could do the route over and over and never get sick of it. In fact, sometimes I venture out and do it on my own. I love the route, LOVE the people that I ride with, and, of course, I love the Latte's!!”

She loves riding her Trek Madone 5.5, but admits that it is “getting up in age". She will eventually look for something newer and lighter. When you next run into Shelley on one of our club rides, be sure to offer a suggestion for her next bike!

Member of the Month for April 2016

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Martin Rice has been an avid recreational cyclist since 1990. He joined SAW in 2006  and has contributed to your club by serving as its Ride Chair in prior years. Having lived in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi before retiring as a Career Forester from Georgia-Pacific Corporation in Arkansas, Martin has never stopped growing. In addition to cycling, his interests include gardening, which led him to become a member of the Comal Master Gardeners, and running, which he's been doing since his days in college. He's also competed in a number of triathlons. 

Martin and his wife, Donna, have participated in numerous century rides and have taken part in many organized events. Together, they have cycled extensively ‘Down Under’ while residing in Australia and have participated in multi-day cycling tours in the US,  France, and Italy. His quest to seek new terrain has not diminished--his future plans include organizing a week-long tour of Wisconsin with a number of fellow Wheelmen for this coming August.

You're likely to run into Martin if you frequent our Cibolo ride. The board encourages you to say 'Hi' when you see this Member of the Month pedaling his Seven Axiom!