Profile Dan Glidden
15 October 2006 | culture, interviews | No Comments
The cycling group, Different Spokes, adds another fantastic cog to the diverse cycling community in San Francisco. The group is a primarily gay and lesbian cycling club that emphasizes fun, fitness, and freedom. I recently interviewed the president of the club, Dave Glidden, and include our conversation below.
Bitter Cyclist: What is Different Spokes and how did you get involved with the organization? Dave Glidden: Different Spokes is the Bay Area’s Gay/Lesbian cycling club. I started cycling about6 years ago and after a couple of years, I tired of riding on my own and DSSF seemed like a natural fit. I went on a ride and really liked the group.
BC: How did Different Spokes begin?
DG: The group was founded in 1982 by a group of riders who wanted to participate in the 1982 Gay Olympics (now called the Gay Games).
BC: When did you become president of Different Spokes and what does your position entail?DG: I became president earlier this year. My job entails leading the board meetings and coordinating the various activities of the clubs. The club has lots of able officers and I make sure that they are supported in what they are doing. In the final analysis, I do what no one else is willing to do — like the news letter.
BC: Is your organization more of a social cycling group? Or competitive/fitness based?
DG: I like to think we span the two. For instance, we have a Tuesday night ride (every Tuesday) which is a short leisurely ride in San Francisco with a dinner afterwards. That would be on the social side. We also have more challenging 60-75 mile rides. For instance, we do Mt. Tam loops from SF and a group of us rode up to the Russian River this summer. A few of us also do the Death Ride every year. We usually have a group participating in the local century rides (Marin, Wine Country, Grizzly Peak, Tierra Bella, etc.)
BC: Your organization puts together many great events all year round. What is the most memorable event you’ve been involved with and why?
DG: The Russian River weekend. We have a group that rides up to the River on Friday ( 82 miles). Other members drive up. The club arranges to stay at one of the resorts in Guerneville and we have a weekend of decide-n-rides up there –everything from a challenging trip like a Coleman Valley loop to a trip to Occidental for brunch. It is a great time to do a variety of rides and spend time together as a group.
BC: Does your organization do any charity work?
DG: Members do individual charity rides like the Surf City century or the Tour D’ Organics. However, our biggest effort centers around participation in the AIDS Lifecycle which raises money for the San Francisco AIDS foundation. In fact, the ALC ride grew out of a ride (the AIDS Bikeathon) which was founded by DSSF. Next year we already have 20 club members planning to do the ALC ride.
BC: What’s the best reason to join Different Spokes?
DG: As cyclists, I think we have so much to learn from each other about training, ride, routes, gear and safety. But, in the final analysis, it’s all about the people and our club is great group.
BC: What’s the best way to get involved with Different Spokes?
DG: First, the URL: http://www.dssf.org. You’ll want to come on one of our rides. I suggest our monthly jersey ride. That is a Saturday ride to Tiburon. It is designed for cyclists of varying abilities. We typically get a about 20-25 riders. We split into three groups and take routes of varying difficulty to Tiburon. There, we all have lunch together and head back to the City. This is our most popular rides for new members. It is very social and an easy way to get a chance to check out the group. The ride is typically the second Saturday of the month. It leaves at 9am (sharp) from the Peet’s Coffee on Market (between Noe and Sanchez).
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