I, too, was a Somerset Wheelman, but in the 1963-65 timeframe. I rode the Tour of Somerville 2 or 3 times as a Junior. My last time, in 1965, when I would have done best, I fell victim to a crash in turn 4 and was not able to catch up with the pack in time to finish well. I was born in Somerville, as well, and frequented "Pop" Kugler's bike shop, trained with Joe Saling, Allen Bell (2-time Olympian), Bob Binetti, and many others. The Frejus track bike I have today (and recently restored), was ridden by a fellow Somerset Wheelman in the mid-sixties timeframe.
Earlier in June I spent my birthday on the Leheigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA, where a met a current member of the Somerset club (no longer called the Somerset Wheelman, however). Had a nice time riding my '63 Frejus on the track and talking about old times.
Pete Rutledge Woodbridge, VA, USA
David Neuhaus wrote:
> Peter -
>
> I didn't race in the '77 ToS, but competed as a Junior in 1974 & '75. That
> was a tough, extremely fast race - I didn't finish either time. I rode with
> the Somerville based Somerset Wheelmen/Schwinn team, who were the sponsoring
> team of the race for years. I still have my team jersey (too small for me
> now!), my race numbers, and even the Peugeot PX-10 I raced on.
>
> I also have a pictures of Sue Novarra on the start line in her '75 track
> sprint rainbow jersey from 1976.
>
> Distant memories!
>
> Dave Neuhaus
> Fanwood, NJ, USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> Message: 8
>> Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 17:21:27 -0700 (PDT)
>> From: Peter Jourdain <pjourdain@yahoo.com>
>> Subject: Re: [CR] Omelenchuk on ebay (120593108115) & Tour of
>> Somerville, NJ
>> To: Amir Avitzur <walawalaoxenfree@gmail.com>,
>> classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, Ted Ernst <ternst1@cox.net>
>> Message-ID: <549788.88631.qm@web33006.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>>
>> Hi, Ted---
>>
>> Ah, the Tour of Somerville, NJ. The 1977 edition was the first genuine bicycle
>> race I ever saw. Home from college in May, I was on a bicyle tour from my
>> native Massachusetts through the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and stopped for a
>> day to visit a college friend in Somerville, who had implored me to catch the
>> race. It was a wicked criterium on a short city street course as I recall with
>> too many riders for the alloted space and several tubular blowouts and
>> flesh-ripping crashes. It was the first time I had ever seen bikes like Basso,
>> Ciocc, Cinelli, and it really opened my eyes to a whole new world of
>> competitive cycling. Wish I had owned a camera back then!
>>
>>
>> Anybody on the CR List ride in that year's event or any edition of the ToS?
>>
>> Cheerio,
>>
>>
>> Peter Jourdain
>> Whitewater, Wisconsin