Spidermonkey of the Week - Geoff Pomerantz

Soggy, flat-ridden NSC, 2011 edition.  Yet, Geoff is still smiling!

Since I already have the keychain, I suppose it was only a matter time that I was chosen your Spidermonkey of the Week.  In the tradition of George Lucas and Quentin Tarantino, here is my story.

I began my second and current Chicago stint in early 2008.  I was a bit out of shape, again, although this time I had a more obvious if not any less legit excuse – parenthood, and it would take until 2009 before I was serious about getting back on the bike full-time.  Who to ride with was not an issue, as I called John Olin (RIP) to inquire about local rides.  John told me about the Spidermonkeys and from there it was fairly easy.

I’ve known Dean since at least 2000.  We rode together in the precursor to Spidermonkey.  In 2001 I left Chicago to move to London.  Whilst a big city in every sense of the word, London is a fantastic place to ride.  If you’re ever headed there, do let me know and I’ll give you the name of a few good shops, as well as routes to ride.  It was while I was in London that I acquired my Serotta, if not quite in a game of chance then certainly with a bit of luck.  My previous bike had been stolen and while insured, the money was not enough to cover the cost of the latest “dream bike” – an Ottrott.  This already long story short, I struck up a deal with Ben Serotta where I would do some public relations work for him and in return for positive press coverage he would “pay” me with a custom frame, plus fork and seat-post.
 

Geoff with The Cannibal.

Growing up in Miami, Florida, several of my earliest memories involve riding a bike.  My neighborhood was typically suburban and all the local kids went from Green Machines to BMX bikes.  A few (not me) raced, but we all built ramps and practiced our “wheelies”.  By junior high, I was riding to and from school, even though my next-door neighbor’s mom drove the daily carpool.

I rode a bike regularly until like many, I got a drivers license.  By my junior year of college I found myself at the University of Florida, a school I despise to this day.  Still, there was one significant bright spot and it was not the Gators winning the SEC for the first time (mostly because I can’t remember any of it).  I picked up cycling again, this time road biking.  Gainesville, at least then, was a bit of a cycling hub, with many pros or near pros making it their winter training destination and thus was a great place to learn a and experience a hard (fast) ride.

From roughly 1995 – 1998 I lived in Hyde Park and can say that without a doubt the best part of Chicago’s lake path, at least for cycling, has to be from around the Shed south all the way to Promontory Point.  If you haven’t ventured down that way, I highly recommend it.

Those Spidermonkeys I have been fortunate enough to ride with since 2010, have probably heard me tell a tale or three from what had to be one of the worst divorces ever.  I thank you all for listening and have appreciated all the support and kind words you have given me.  With that debacle firmly behind me, I look forward to seeing all of you out and about.  I plan on doing more than just the single event – the North Shore Century, this year and may even squeeze in the odd race.