| 20ish Questions with Jim Dickerson |
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Name- Jim Dickerson 
Jim Dickerson on his way to winning the 1980 Hong Kong International.
Team- Great Divide Brewing Age- 57Years Racing- First license in 1975 and raced every year since, with the exception of 1989 when my first daughter was born and we were doing a major construction job on the house. Category/Age Group- Cat II, masters 55+, but race 45+ Type of Racer/Strengths- TT and all arounder... that means everybody comes around me in a sprint! FtC resident Since- 1978, but grew up in Loveland Occupation- Software Engineer for HP Family- Wife, Dot and two daughters, Janna and Emma If you’ve ridden in Fort Collins for any amount of time, I can just about guarantee that you’ve been dropped by Jim Dickerson. He’s one of the founding fathers of the local scene. After 3 decades of racing, he’s still going strong. You’ll see him at the Oval, the TTH ride and of course, his baby, Wednesday Night Worlds. In my opinion he’s one of the classiest riders in town as well as one of the strongest especially for 57 years old. He’s raced and trained with everyone from Dave Paranka, Randy Whicker, Eddy Gragus, to Jon Garcia, Alex Hagman and whether he knows it or now, Chad Haga.
JD- I grew up in Loveland and the state rep used to live there, he got my younger brother and myself interested and then I went to college with Rich Gangl who was racing. So in 1975 I got a license and started racing... the Keystone stage race in 1975 was my first sanctioned race... I ended up second.
JD- I managed the Bike Broker for Chuck Wanner (owner) for about 20 years, most of them at the location where the Steakout is now located. YGR-What happened to that shop and where else was it located? JD- Originally the Bike Broker was on Mason right across from Lee's, then out to Riverside, and when Chuck bought it he moved to Mountain Ave. We closed the shop in the fall of 1998 and I went back to college for a CS degree.
JD- Bill Lorenze and I both wrenched at the Bike Broker and we would do a hard ride on Wednesdays after work. I don’t really know if we started it but then a larger group would start gathering at the shop after work. Eventually it got large enough that starting in town was not a good option. Back then there was only SCVC in Ft Collins and most everyone would show up... Whicker, Holcombe, Miller, etc. riding as hard as you could and leaving dropped riders left for the buzzards! YGR- Roughly when was this and who is this “Miller” you speak of? JD- I am guessing around 1977, we would just name a route and ride it, no set course like rawhide, but always fast... just like now. Brian Miller, one of the "juniors" - Whicker, Holcombe, Miller, and Dave Paranka... all of them very strong.
JD- We used to call the 70’s and early 80’s the pot luck days of cycling... you knew all the riders in town and they were the same folks you had the pot luck dinner with on Friday’s. The only group rides were WNW and the Oval, now you can always find a group to ride with (but you don’t know everyone). Routes are constantly changing... some disappearing because they become un-rideable and others popping up as new routes get paved or become rideable. All in all I would say rides and riding has gotten better over the years.
JD- Tour of the lakes... a stage race with a Masonville road race, TT to Wellington and a City Park Crit. All great courses with a low key Northern Colorado atmosphere. YGR- When did that race run and what were the courses? JD- I think it only ran for a couple of years in the early 80's. The TT was out Highway One to just before Wellington... about 8 miles. I mapped the road race: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/62865976 and crit: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/62866966/
JD- YGR Double Dams
JD- Randy Whicker and Dave Paranka both could do it all and often did so at my expense! A lot of the young guys riding out of the Fort now also impress me … it is just that I am not around them when the going gets real hard!
JD- If I could go do a ride with Randy Black, Randy Whicker, John Holcombe, Mike Haney and the old SCVC crew out to Galeton I would have a big smile on my face!
JD- I have always had both licenses but It has been the local aspect of Colorado racing which makes it great... Yvonne and the ACA have done a lot of great things to support local racers and keeping it growing... USAC has its place, but it is much easier for me to support ACA/BRAC.
JD- Yeah, I am definitely old school in my training habits. I even have the old blue CONI training manual that I look through occasionally. Lots of small ring stuff early to get a nice supple spin, then increase intensity. Oh, and I drink lots of good beer!
JD-I think it is another great tool for the hand bag, but I think you need to use it along with some good common sense and knowing your body.
JD- It is very much the same … just with less miles and intensity than when I was 25. I also incorporate the new tools they have become available but my basic training is very similar.
JD- I think rides like WNW, and the Oval are better than racing, as you are willing to ride till you drop... which is often much more intense than a race where you are more concerned about the finishing place. Because of that I need pay extra attention to rest days and not over do it. I like to have a short conversation with myself before every ride, and figure out what I really need from the ride and then stick to that plan. Riding in a group it is very easy to loose sight of what you need to be doing to improve long term, so figure that out before you start the ride!
JD- Dead Pig then Park Creek, although I did Pennock Pass with Williams, Newman, Hegdal last fall and had a blast.
JD-Skate skiing
JD- I shared the National record for Team Pursuit 50+ (although it was broken a couple years ago), I have had multiple state titles in TT, Crit, pursuit and points race. I was BAR in Cat 1’s in the late 70’s and a couple of masters BAR.
JD-Wining the Hong Kong International Race for the US team in 1980.
JD- I have had a couple of top 10 finishes at the National Championships in the late 70’s early 80’s, rode in the 1977, 78, 80 Red Zinger/Coors Classic. Internationally I raced in Hong Kong and then in Pan AM Championships in Medellin COL (an off year in between the PAN AM Games).
JD-I had a all chrome Masi track bike, that I always will regret selling.
JD- Rist Canyon Stove Prairie loop
JD- Actually I haven’t riding a lot of track... just a few States and National championships. When I raced for Spike they had the Pro Track team so they wanted the masters team to also ride the track. That is when I was on the winning Team Pursuit team, and set the national record for old guys.
JD- I brazed up a cross frame in the 70s when you couldn’t find production frames and raced that in the late 70s early 80s... had a couple of top 20 finishes at the Natz. Back then there was a lot more running involved and my knees suggested I quit cross and I listened to them.
JD- When I met Dot she was racing, she was also the Pres of SCVC for a couple of years and started the Buckeye Road race (another Northern CO favorite) she quit racing in the late 80s but has stayed very active with Ft Collins bike Advocacy, on board for Bike Ft Collins and the Ft Collins Velodrome Assoc. and still rides her bike a ton. Both of the girls ride, but like to put their competitive energies elsewhere... Janna plays tennis for her college, and Emma swims and plays tennis for Poudre. 24. Who should I interview next? JD- How about some young blood... like Skyler? JD-Now for my YGR plug. After thinking about the interview I realized that YGR has filled the void of the Pot Luck...no, the cycling community doesn't get together every week for a pot luck and some partying, but YGR does a fantastic job of keeping the cycling community connected in Ft Collins. WELL DONE! |
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