“It doesn’t matter if you’re sprinting for an Olympic gold medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you’re missing the essence of the sport” – Scott Martin
- Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2022
- Weather: Oh boy! It was hot, and awesome!
- Starting Point: Utica, IL
- Departure Time: 0727 CST
- Miles: 42
- Moving Time: 1:51
- Total time: 1:52
- Overnight Location: TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Minooka, IL
What can I say? I was feelin’ it today, FLYING! Not much to say because I only stopped twice. Well, there is actually a lot to say about that.
Yes, I was movin’, but that’s no excuse. I was rollin’ through the one-way stop with my right-of-way, and she didn’t even look. I feathered my brakes just enough to escape lockin’ ’em up and brushed her rear bumper with my hip. Stop number one!
Once I was righted and back on track, I had to collect myself. Stop number two timely took place at the base of a tranquil waterfall. I exhaled and moved on.
From there, it was all about counting my blessings and living my cycling life to the fullest, one day at a time. Today I made the most of it. I was killin’ it!
The Iron & Glass Taproom was cozy and had a friendly “everyone knows your name” feeling. The Schwenk Tank gets noticed, and the conversation invariably turns to why three funny-talking people driving a house are in town.
A soft-spoken and unassuming gentleman with familiar features I couldn’t quite put a hand on wished us luck as he walked out of the room. The bartender poured us a beer and said it was compliments of Mayor Offerman. Yes, the Mayor of Minooka was hanging out with us and bought us a beer.
It doesn’t stop there. It turns out Mayor Ray Offerman is the father of “Parks and Rec” actor Nick Offerman, both proud natives of Minooka, IL. Experiences, that’s what this adventure is all about.
We’re spending the night in a hotel. It will be the first time Kristin and I have a real shower and sleep in a bed that isn’t twenty feet from someone who knew you before you were born in 5 weeks. Good night!
About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Forty-Two—Jennifer Giger (former Wagner) 😉
Jenny has been our German Daughter and us her American family since she gave a bit of herself to us one summer as an au pair. During a formidable period in our children’s lives, Jenny came to America in search of cultural exchange, but our family benefitted the most.
Jenny became a part of our family, and we’ve watched her grow and mature into a strong woman, loyal wife, devoted mother, and enterprising entrepreneur. We’re proud of you, Jenny!
We’re all delighted you found what you were looking for in life! You deserve all the love and happiness the world has to offer.
Here is what Jenny had to say—”Living in Switzerland for 10 years now. I am married and a mother of a son – owner of a café, whichs offer workshops specially designed for women. I am living an entrepreneurial life and right now making my diploma to be a professional systemic coach. I feel the urge to support especially women to find their (inner) voice and how to find ways to overcome hurdles of life authentically.
I’ve known you for 15 years and becoming your au pair was part of my journey to find my true me. I am grateful that we still get in touch once in a while and think one day that we all will meet again:-)
Now seeing Chris making his dream come true I am just so happy for him. He is probably one of the most loyal men I‘ve ever met and supporting his cause is a matter of heart.”
Amount Raised to Date—$8,913
Thank you, Jenny! We miss you so much!
Now off to Portage, IN!
To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.
Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
