Introducing Bill Dunning

Bill Dunning, 65, a retired printing project manager and the oldest Chipping, is also the most dedicated biker. He owns no car and never drives. Instead, Bill cycles everywhere on his LED illuminated, 1991 Trek hybrid. He logged 4,600 miles last year mostly on Seattle city streets. An all hours, all weather cyclist, he cuts a stunning figure when wearing six layers of polyester, fleece, lycra and rubberized plastic.

Video: Father-Daughter Skagit County Ride, May 2005

Chippings and Friends,

Here you have it: a rare archival video--shot, produced and edited by Zena McCoy--of the Chippings Father-Daughter Ride in Skagit County in May 2005. Ride participants were Tom and Nicole Yagle, John "JC" and Irene Costello, Dino, Jessie, Lisa and Marie Enell, and Johnny "Space" and Zena McCoy. Zena's three-plus minutes of film, supplied to the Chippings blog by Cathy Wadley (ne McCoy), follows the intrepid cyclists as they cruise through the Skagit Valley burgs of Conway, Edison, Bow and places in between. Note the bucolic landscape, the robust dairy cows, a Hearts tournament and a graphically-depicted plumbing issue with the rented lodging in La Conner.

Three Chips do Chilly Hilly in freezing rain

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND -- Three Chippings braved rain, snow and gusting winds today to finish the 33-mile Chilly Hilly ride, the opening event of the Pacific Northwest cycling season.

Scott Fraser, Bill Dunning and Johnny McCoy endured freezing temperatures, 2,700 feet of elevation gain and a wind chill that froze tears. At the halfway point of Battle Point Park, Scotty and Space retreated to Sanikans to get warm. Bill, bulked up in six layers of clothing, switched on the de-icer on his Trek hybrid.

Despite the adverse weather, the Cascade Cycle Club ruled out canceling the event. "We'll just wait till the roads thaw," a spokesman said. More than 5,000 cyclists registered but many light-weights, including some Chippings, stayed home. (Editor's Note: Some of these Chips think they're ready to ride up Mt. Etna next month.)

Bainbridge residents set up on their driveways to peddle hot chocolate, coffee and cookies and cheer on the numb cyclists. The Legionnaires gave away hot cider. The senior citizens served up chili. And the Chips powered on.

Introducing John "JC" Costello

John “JC” Costello, 62, a Metro bus supervisor and a party line Democrat, rides a red “Scorpion,” a German-made recumbent tricycle from which he flies the tricolor flag of Ireland. In small towns, amazed youngsters cluster around JC as if were Santa on a sleigh. What in tarnation is that?

Introducing Scott Fraser

Scott Fraser, 63, has sold real estate, operated a daycare, piloted planes and driven a bus but it is cycling that really turns him on. On his comfortable Novara, Scott puts on the headphones, rubs down the seat warmer, leans forward on the elbow bars and cruises. He ain’t fast. But he gets there. He does the STP in the rain and the Chilly Hilly in the snow.

Introducing Johnny McCoy

Johnny “Space” McCoy, 63, a retired communications officer, ex-newspaper reporter and poultry keeper, organized several Loose Chipping rides including the 2006 father-daughter ride in Uruguay where disco days alternated with cycling days. Space does cycling navigation the old fashioned way, referencing highway maps written in German, and shuns GPS devices.

Introducing John "Jimma Jamma" Ward

John “Jimma Jamma” Ward, 61, a retired Seattle City Light lineman now on Easy Street, is the Chippings ambassador (il ambasciatore). No matter the place, no matter the language, no matter the person, Jimma opens the door for the most unlikely conversations in English, Spanish, Italian or Czech. Surely, they must be related to his cousin.

Introducing Phil Truncer

Phil Truncer, 59, a golfer, kibitzer and peddler of elixirs for the state of Washington, came late to biking but embraced it as enthusiastically as he took up pinochle. A Rick Steves devotee, Phil keeps his biking gear organized alphabetically in Ziploc bags. This was a great curiosity to patrons of rural Oregon taverns.

Introducing Tom Yagle

Tom “El Tigre” Yagle, 63, an artist, maker of fine furniture and tireless hill climber, brings along a sketchbook and a fine palate that can distinguish between Czech dumplings and Rocky Mountain oysters. Clad in iridescent red bike shorts, Tiger did the rain-soaked Oregon coast and Whidbey rides with nary a complaint.

Introducing Dino Enell

Dino Enell, 63, a retired engineer, a Whidbey Island land commissioner and a guy who can true a bike wheel in a gale, once claimed his knees fell apart after 40 miles. Now he can have a late breakfast of plain oatmeal and still whip off a 100 miles. He did the 2009 STP on a 35-year-old tandem with salvaged parts.

Introducing Tim "BT" Roth

Tim "BT" Roth, 63, a retired state worker, St. Louis Cardinals fan and chronic letter-to-the-editor writer, organized the epic Chippings rides around southwest Washington in 2007 and the Oregon coast in 2010. He specializes in locating low budget motels and wears cycling ponchos that work as sails in high winds.

Introducing Bruce Abdenour

Bruce Abdenour, 61, a retired liquor store manager, rides a swooped-design Schwinn and used to carry his provisions in a trusty backpack. The backpack got ripped off at a youth hostel in Prague. He now has panniers for the Sicily ride. Bruce’s favorite cycle memory is camping in the rain in the Depths of Mordor on Whidbey Island.

Introducing Nicky Jahn

Nick Jahn, 62, a photographer, painter, organic gardener, and grass-fed beef eater, rode a 14-speed Trek the length of Ireland with 40 pounds of camera equipment. At one point on the Chippings 2004 Irish ride, he crashed into a stone wall and soldiered on. He did 125 miles the first day of the 2009 STP, fell into a deep sleep and woke up on the gym floor at Winlock High School.