Volunteer Showcase

	Name: Gene Charbonneau and Betty Cochran Nickname: Fish Hook, Betty How long have you been volunteering for RTR? Gene – 18 years; Betty – 15 years. What roles have you played as a volunteer? Gene – a.m. and p.m. signs, aid stations; Betty – aid stations. What is your favorite RTR memory? A snow storm that caused ice on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain Park where we had to bus all of the riders from Estes Park around to Granby. Why do you keeping coming back each year? Since we are both retired it is our mini paid vacation to see Colorado. To make new friends and visit old friends each year. What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Bring your camera and enjoy the scenery. Be friendly with everyone. What do you do in your spare time? Gene – fishing and bowling; Betty – bowling and gold. Both – volunteer for Department of Wildlife, state parks, and the Malley Senior Center. This keeps us pretty busy in our spare time! What Colorado town is your favorite? Rico, a small town we had never been to before, located in a valley with Aspen trees growing up both sides, beautiful. The whole town came out (all 12) and set up a big food tent for cyclists and staff. Chama, New Mexico, was a hoot. It was the first time that Ride The Rockies went out of Colorado.

	Name: Jill Colby Nickname: Sag 7 How long have you been volunteering for RTR? This will be my 13th year on staff. (I rode for three years before I became a volunteer.) What roles have you played as a volunteer? My first two years I did baggage (back when we unloaded the trucks ourselves without any community help!). Since then I have been a Sag driver. What is your favorite RTR memory? After 12 years there are so many I can’t just pick one. But when I think about RTR I usually reminisce about the camaraderie of all the hard-working volunteers and how much fun we have together. Why do you keeping coming back each year? I keep coming back because of the people I work with. They are wonderful people – hard working, kind and caring, and lots of fun! What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? I would tell them to ride safely and enjoy the tour – it’s always a beautiful route and riding a bike is the best way to see it. What do you do in your spare time? I like to ride horses and go camping and fishing. What Colorado towns are your favorite? I love all of Colorado, but some of my favorites are Kremmling, Telluride, Montrose, and Crested Butte.

	Names: Jeff and Donna Groves How long have you been volunteering for RTR? We can’t believe it, but this will be our 10th year. What roles have you played as a volunteer? Jeff began as an aid truck driver. He enjoyed getting to know all the aid station workers and the early morning riders. He turned the aid truck into a large sag vehicle on multiple occasions when needed. Donna began as an aid station worker and flagger. She enjoyed this time getting to know many of the volunteers. She’s worked as a Sag driver and enjoyed getting to know more of the riders. Most recently both Donna and Jeff have been working as a team on the a.m. sign truck. What is your favorite RTR memory? The slide show that Worm puts together. Geezm you meet the guy and have no idea about the depth of his emotions – a total softie! Why do you keeping coming back each year? There is always something new and different every year. The only thing that doesn’t change is the camaraderie of the volunteers. It’s the best working vacation ever. What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Be safe and enjoy the ride. What do you do in your spare time? This past year we’ve stuck together while dealing with some family changes. We enjoy golfing, walking, playing cards and just time together. Jeff’s been working on more diving certifications and Donna just isn’t working. She’s been growing a relationship with the local library and enjoying days of non-stop reading. What Colorado town is your favorite? WOW there are so many to choose. We always love finding ourselves in Salida, Montrose or Leadville.

	Name: Jim and Patricia Gilman How long have you been volunteering for RTR? Patricia – 15 years! Jim has ridden for 15 years and this will be his first time volunteering which makes him a Rookie! What roles have you played as a volunteer? Patricia – I have worked aid stations and road marshaled. Apart from riding, Jim was a riding medic for 14 years. What is your favorite RTR memory? Patricia – Probably the military precision with which we moved over 2,000 riders, bicycles, and baggage from Estes Park to Granby the year the blizzard closed Trail Ridge; Jim – Successfully riding Independence Pass. Why do you keeping coming back each year? We must be crazy! The camaraderie of the volunteers and the chance to enjoy our beautiful state. What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Jim says to get in as much saddle time as possible. What do you do in your spare time? Hike, snowshoe, read, theatre, music, travel, and enjoying our brilliant grandchildren.

	Name: Mary Garthe How long have you been volunteering for RTR? My Alzheimer’s is acting up. Anywhere between 14 and 17 years. Do we count the times we rode it? Let me count my pile of pins. What roles have you played as a volunteer? I’ve had fun being a road marshal and working in an aid station. What is your favorite RTR memory? The year that Anastazya and I dressed in various costumes and wigs to enhance our road marshal assignments. Why do you keeping coming back each year? The camaraderie, the beautiful sights and sounds of Colorado, and of course the excitement and inspiration of the ride and riders! What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Just relax and enjoy and expect the possibility of anything and everything to happen. What do you do in your spare time? I’m an escort for Happy Hearts Tours, working at losing 10 pounds, oops, now it is 20 pounds. I’m still working on becoming a famous artist someday…And I love staying in touch with friends. I also volunteer for other bike rides, like Bubba Fest in Florida and West Shore Line Tour in Michigan. And I stress over not being adequately computer literate. What Colorado town is your favorite? I can’t choose. That’s what makes Colorado so fantastic – the variety. It’s fun to visit, from unique mining towns like Leadville, to sophisticated towns with street-lined boutiques like Durango. It’s all fun. Other: Thanks to Anastazya for acting as my secretary. What would I do without her?

	Name: Pam Hughes Nickname: Pam (or in the early year, Ripper) How long have you been volunteering for RTR? Since the first year, except for year nine, so that would be 22 years! What roles have you played as a volunteer? Over the years, I have done most every job formally listed as well as a couple of unlisted ones, such as getting a.m. signs up in the morning, or working with the Tour Director to re-route the tour around fires, and riding the path with a hand-held radio all day long to take care of any problems on the path. These days, I usually work p.m. signs and take care of various problems that occur behind or near the end of the day’s riders. What is your favorite RTR memory? The year my oldest granddaughter, Erika, came along. Having never been to the real mountains before, it was great showing her the beauty of Colorado. Also, working Rest Stop 1 with Hugger Marge the first two years she volunteered! Why do you keeping coming back each year? The family-like camaraderie that exists among the tour team…I miss everyone the rest of the year when I am at home in Florida! What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Train ahead; ask a volunteer, we are here to help; ride safely at your own pace and enjoy the tour! What do you do in your spare time? These days, I play with my grandkids (9) when I am not at work or helping my elderly Mom. I travel whenever I can fit it in. Unfortunately, my bike tires are flat and the frame is dusty…I sure wish I could find the time to spin again!! What Colorado town is your favorite? Leadville! The scenery from the downtown in all directions is absolutely beautiful; the loop around Turquoise Lake is one of my favorite rides; exploring the Leadville cemeteries is most interesting; breakfast at the Golden Burro, and best of all, the people of Leadville always make Ride The Rockies folks feel so welcome!

	Name: Bob and Bev Beehler Nickname: Bob and Bev, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa How long have you been volunteering for RTR? 2008 with be our 8th year. What roles have you played as a volunteer? We usually work at aid stations but have also done some marshalling. What is your favorite RTR memory? Worm’s presentations at “family night” for staff members each year. Why do you keeping coming back each year? We enjoy being part of the excitement the event generates as it moves around the state. Being cyclists ourselves, we enjoy helping, meeting, and associating with other cyclists. Having worked on the event several years now, we have made friends among the event staff that we enjoy seeing and we have fun being part of the unique RTR family. What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? Don’t underestimate the value of conditioning before the event. The better shape you are in at the start of the ride the more you will enjoy it! What do you do in your spare time? We love to take part in outdoor activities such as cross-country skiing, hiking, backpacking, and biking. We have participated in some organized bike events but also like to bike tour on our own. We love our “new” used VW Eurovan, as it is extending our basecamp travels throughout the US and Canada. Our four grandchildren provide us with great joy and we enjoy spending time with our two sons and their families. What Colorado town is your favorite? We have been able to find interesting things to see and do in just about all Colorado towns. We enjoy the mountains and have a preference for mountain towns.

	Name: Dave Jackson Nickname: The Hook How long have you been volunteering for RTR? 18 ½ years. What roles have you played as a volunteer? I drive the MEET Wagon, I also play baggage boy along with aid station duty and marshalling. What is your favorite RTR memory? The Big SAG from Estes Park to Granby via I-70. Why do you keeping coming back each year? Being part of the best bicycle event in the world and to celebrate another year of life. What piece of advice would you offer a first-time RTR participant? First timers – have fun and be ready to work hard, but it’s worth every minute of pain. What do you do in your spare time? I make night lights – or as some people call them, entry lights from junk and broken lamps. What Colorado town is your favorite? Montrose.