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From left: Henri Dumont, Gunther Breismeister and Madison Johnson, all 11, obtained JAM grants this yr that can assist them advance their goals of changing into skilled cyclists. The trio is seen right here on the first relaxation cease of the Grand Fundo Journey, which raises cash for the grants, as they undertook a 29-mile experience in Cummington.
CUMMINGTON — With 20 miles down on a 29-mile experience, Madison Johnson, Henri Dumont and Gunther Breismeister have been feeling good about cruising via.
Because the trio of 11-year-olds cooled off on the first of three relaxation stops, arrange at 20-mile intervals for the 12th Annual Grand Fundo Ride in Cummington, they have been feeling impressed. For Gunther, evaluating his creating power and velocity from this yr to final yr was encouraging. For Madison, it was being amongst so many different enthusiastic cyclists.
And for Henri, it was breaking a milestone.
“I personally am loving this expertise,” Henri stated. “That is positively the largest experience of my life thus far, and it’s actually inspiring, as a result of now I wish to do a ton extra using.”
Henri had solely ridden 25 miles in a single shot earlier than Sunday. He stated that he and his mates have been planning on making it a pleasant, spherical 30 earlier than they acquired off their bikes.
The trio have been amongst over 350 entrants to the experience, which organizers say is extra an endurance take a look at than a race. The cyclists started their morning at 9 a.m. on the Cummington Fairgrounds, situated at 97 Fairgrounds Street, the place contributors might embark upon three routes: The 29-mile “Mini-Fundo” experience, the preferred 55-mile “Grand Fundo” and the 80-mile “Journey Route” for diehards seeking to take a look at their mettle.
There are additionally child rides for six and 12 miles alongside the routes.
As Alec Donahue, occasion organizer and co-founder, defined, the routes are supposed to be cheap for folks of all talent ranges. Donahue, knowledgeable bicycle owner himself, stated that the occasion was good for highlighting the world close to Cummington the place he has skilled for years.
“The gravel rides are a great way to get plenty of sorts of cyclists out,” Donahue stated. “One factor I actually like about that is that we are able to showcase what the hilltowns are — we stay proper close to right here and we love using right here a lot.”
Donahue can also be one of many namesakes of the JAM Fund, together with fellow skilled cyclists Jeremy Powers and Mukunda Feldman. The fund goes towards giving grants starting from $150 to $500 to aspiring younger folks hoping to become involved in cyclocross actions. The “Fundo Journey” is supposed to generate cash to supply the grants.
Madison, Gunther and Henri have been three of this yr’s 21 recipients. Every of them had one thing completely different to place the cash towards: Gunther will use his grant cash to pay entry charges for races, together with the USA Biking Cyclocross Nationwide Championships. Henri hopes to purchase a pair of shaded glasses that can assistance on summer season rides. Madison will most likely put a few of her cash towards a brand new bike pc to trace her miles.
The three younger cyclists have been additionally appreciative of the group they’d on the race. Having the ability to observe and discuss with extra skilled riders is a serious profit, they stated, and you’ll be taught quite a bit simply by being there.
“I can actually go as much as anyone and speak about bikes and it’s not bizarre,” Madison stated, smiling.
“It’s completely different than once you’re in class,” Henri added.
“Yeah!” Madison stated. “Like I acquired this actually cool bike and so they’re like … ‘nice.’”
“Nobody actually understands,” Henri stated. “And you then come right here and everybody’s so good.”
The youngsters have massive aspirations for his or her biking. Gunther is wanting ahead to making an attempt to beat his time at nationals this yr; Madison can also be hoping to beat hers. Henri is seeking to rating his first journey to the nationwide championship.
Every of them has one other aim in frequent, too, that extends past themselves — to encourage their youthful siblings. Henri has two twin brothers, Finn and Tristan, every 7 years-old. They participated within the 12-mile children experience.
Gunther’s sister Alta is 9, and simply beginning to experience too. And Madison’s youthful sister Charlie, who’s 5, likes to sustain together with her sister though her bike is larger than she is. Madison’s different sister, Harper, 9, doesn’t have the biking bug but, she stated.
Kellie Harrington, a monitor star who graduated from Pittsfield Excessive Faculty in June, participated within the experience Sunday — she’s a two-time recipient of a JAM grant, having obtained one this yr and final yr. She stated the occasion was a good time for the biking group to rally round.
“To have 300 folks out on bikes, all being tremendous type to one another and sharing that is actually unimaginable,” Harrington stated. “It’s only a nice environment, and it’s so superior that everybody got here out.”
Ari Daube-Valois was using for his fourth yr, however this was the primary time he was trying the 80-mile journey experience. His plan was to tempo himself and eat plentifully at many of the relaxation stops, with designs to devour three fluffernutters earlier than departing the primary cease.
Ari Daube-Valois takes a break as a part of his 80-mile “journey route” on the twelfth Annual Grand Fundo Journey.
Samosas made by Sangar Common Retailer in Windsor on the subsequent upcoming cease could be a deal with, too he stated. The third and ultimate cease was loaded with baked items, stated Kathryn Donahue, one other of the occasion’s organizers — basically “jet gasoline” to complete the experience.
Daube-Valois stated it was good to be out on a comparatively breezy 75-degree day for the experience — he remembers final yr’s sweltering 90-degree forecast for the race. However even nonetheless, he had a troublesome experience forward of him.
That is precisely what he was in search of.
“It’s similar to an added degree of problem,” Daube-Valois stated. “The truth that the common routes are supposed to be carried out on a daily gravel bike, however the journey route even pushes the boundaries of that. It’s type of meant to be robust … the journey route was simply the chance to problem myself that I needed.”
Those that completed the race would return to the fairgrounds for meals, video games and music, together with a water slide, a cotton sweet machine and a snow cone machine.
And whereas the race itself is an opportunity for cyclists to gauge their skills, Kathryn Donahue stated the JAM Fund program was meant to keep up a convention of handing down classes — and equipment — from one era to a different. The younger riders have entry to suggestions and recommendation from skilled cyclists like Alec Donahue through this system that extends far past the experience itself.
“It’s mentorship for biking, nevertheless it’s additionally mentorship for being individual,” Kathryn Donahue stated. “Being community-minded, serving to different folks out.”
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