Saluting Teamwork

FAST FRIDAY
By Greg Karathanas


I am one of those guys who rides a bike worth more than many cars on the road. It is an incredible machine that is a technological wonder. The material list used to build it could easily be confused with that of a jet fighter. It is my pride and joy. My family knows not to touch it for God forbid it falls over and gets scratched. It stayed in my living room until my wife tip- toed around it for the last time. It is now relegated to a special corner of the garage. When not in use, it's practically a shrine. The rest of my gear is similar. I am the lucky recipient of literally thousands of hours of research and development that went into making sure I have the lightest, strongest, most aerodynamic equipment possible.

The group of men and women I ride with are all similar animals. The team named Fast Friday is an eclectic group of riders and racers who share a passion for the love of cycling and the love of life. It was started by Gary Wolfe. A former soccer player at Cal State Northridge, professional jet ski racer and mountain bike racer, he suggested to his riding buddies that they start a cycling team that would be more than just a race team. There would be no membership application. Just the obligatory release form because it is the real world after all. Only those who check their egoes and bad attitudes at the door are welcome, and even then membership comes by invitation only. Gary felt the desire to ride the road after his father Barry passed away. He was an advocate for cycling way before Lance Armstrong made it cool to don lycra and tight clothes. There is a race in his honor, the Barry Wolfe Memorial that has taken place in Warner Center for the last eighteen years. Fast Friday is one of the event's sponsors.

Beyond the love of cycling, what makes Fast Friday unique is the compassion the members feel for the world around them. I often joke that I ride my bike so I can eat.......as much as I want. The real cyclists out there are not the guys like me. They are the ones who literally ride their bikes so they can eat. They ride their bikes to get to work, to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. The irony of it is they are the ones who usually are on the worst bikes. They could not care less about carbon fiber and titanium. They just want the pedals to keep turning over so they can get to where they have to go, usually to wash our dishes, mow our lawns, or help build our homes. They are the invisible cyclists. Eveyone notices the Lycra-clad crowd in the sometimes obnoxious kits (cycling term for outfits). Few notice the real cyclists. The cyclists whose bikes are not prized possessions but merely tools. Inspired by that, team members have taken the initiative to salvage used bikes. Bikes are then repaired and donated to the people who can use them the most. With a willing group, spare parts are easy to come by.



Fast Friday is also represented on the city of Thousand Oaks, California "BikeSafe" committee. The committee consults various important organizations and the City Department of Transportation. They then promote and teach bike safety, improve awareness through visible safety messages, and participate in the development of new bike routes and paths that will ease the interaction between cyclists and motorists. This becomes that much more relevant with rising gas prices forcing more
cyclists onto the road.

There is no better place to cycle than Southern California in general and the Conejo Valley in particular. Bernard Riis, former Tour de France winner, now Director of Sportif for professional racing team CSC, confirmed this when his team was based in Agoura Hills while preparing for the Tour of California, the most prestigious cycling race in the United States. To put that into perspective, Team CSC (Computer Science Corporation) is the New York Yankees or Manchester United Soccer Club of the cycling world. The area boasts mile after mile of relatively lightly traveled canyon roads with climbs that are as challenging as any in the world. The gorgeous landscape and breathtaking views certainly don't hurt either.

A big misconception about cycling is that it is not a team sport. The sport of bike racing is so much more than just the fastest guy winning the race. When Armstrong won seven Tour de France titles he did it with a collection of the next best cyclists in the world executing a precise game plan with individual roles clearly defined. On a much smaller scale, groups of individuals with the desire to make a difference can accomplish much. The simple concept of how a little thing to one person can mean a big thing to someone else is what inspires those who care. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the money to dole out to shave a few grams of weight here or there, or simply write a check.



It is more than money. It is more than time which is just as, if not more precious, than money. It's about taking the time and money to help others. The stereotype that cyclists are snooty is certainly deserved in some cases, but cyclists can also be team players. I hope that in the future we can dispel some of the myths about cycling and cyclists. The Fast Friday team hopes to make a difference.

Real Sports Heroes salutes the teamwork of Fast Friday. They are impacting individuals, families and communities by repairing and donating bikes, and by working for bike safety.