John Benenate

When considering the lore of Oregon Bicycle Racing, no calculating consideration would be complete without mention of the "Bossen Family racers." Geri Bossen is a leviathan of junior development, event promotion, and family pride. Long having raised and sent off to their lives her own children, (about 30 state champs between them) she now turns to her church community where she has found a whole 'nother generation of young champions for the glory of OBRA.

I was so impressed with one young fellow who rode his toy BMX bike constantly for six hours in the parking lot skirting amongst the carbon fiber wheels and elite muscular attitudes, never applying his brakes-only power sliding around obstacles. The young man was very small with bright eyes and flaming red hair. Periodically he would ride up amongst the Bossen Family Command Center and especially near a tall woman who also had flaming red hair.

He would scream "let me race! I wanna race!"
"You can't race yet, you have to be 10," Geri Bossen would say.
"I AM 10!" the boy would fire back.
"No you're only 4," Geri would answer.
"Well Geri, he actually hasn't had his 4th birthday yet, he's 3," said the woman with red hair.
"I'm 10!!" said the boy darting away as two aero helmeted masters slammed on their brakes just as fast their geriatric reflexes would allow.

This family racing environment is an all to rare gift in the OBRA peloton. Well suited for the officiating, was another gem sitting amongst a field of lesser rocks, Melanie Rathe. Her benevolent style and meticulous mentality made family fun easy while rules and discipline were the order of the day. We also want to thank Mrs. Rathe for her generous donation of clothing to the Kids of b.i.k.e.

Thank you Geri. Thank you Melanie. We had a ton of fun!

John Benenate
Directeur Sportife
Cyclisme Racing Programs
b.i.k.e.
Word-RCB
www.thefixedgears.blogspot.com
www.kidsofbike.blogspot.com