Indoor Challenge Summary The Indoor Challenge ran from November 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006. Riders could use any indoor bicycling equipment. Riders were allowed no more than one break per hour, and no more than five minutes per break. Break time does not count toward pedaling time. On rides of six hours or more, one additional 15 minute break is allowed every six hours. A ride must be at least two hours long to earn points. Additional points are awarded only for full hour increments as follows:   First full two hours in a session 2 points Next full hour (3rd hr) 2 points Next full hour (4th hr) 3 points Next full hour (5th hr) 4 points Next full hour and subsequent full hours 5 points each hour

I rode the last Indoor Challenge with a lot of effort and some success, and because of that some participants have asked questions. I have even received e-mails from people telling me who Caneman really is (they don't know they are “talking to him”). None right so far. Here are some answers.

Who am I? I am Caneman. I am novice at ultra cycling, just learning how to ride distance, hills, and with anything resembling speed. Last year, when I weighed 240, with high blood pressure, and higher cholesterol, I decided to go back to bike riding. I started on a trainer loaned to me by a local bike shop “For as long as I needed it.” On my first outdoor bike ride, I tried to catch a tractor disking a field after harvest. I lost the race. He got to the end of the field before I did. I've done some training since then, and I had some success in the Indoor Challenge. I've come a long way, but I have further to go.

How old am I? I was born on the front side of the first wave of baby boomers.

What I ride? My first bikes were heavy steel Schwinn cruisers. My first was a gift from my Grampa. My second — a gift from my brother, Craig. I was a kid. I didn't know they were heavy or slow. I rode everywhere. I still like the old Schwinns, but ride lighter versions with more speeds. Looking for a larger good Paramount with liberal pay-forever payments. (Like that will happen.)

Where I live? I live in a good weather area. I don't see snow at home very often, maybe two or three times in my life. We get rain. We get wind, and damn, we get heat.

Where did I come from? I was born in a town with, at the time, one of the highest illiteracy rates in the U.S. I learned that in college. I went on to get a doctorate, but don't work in the field.

Why do I ride? To me a bicycle is freedom.

I used to run ultra in the hills, long before it was popular. I learned how to run and how to box in the Buddhist school.

Caneman's 2005-6 Indoor Stats 2,113 points, a record! (Previous record 805 by Bill Ingraham 2005) 71 total sessions Length of session Times 8 hours 38 13 hours 6 16 hours 3 20 hours 3 22 hours 1 One 24-hour session, a record. (Co-held with Martin Dressman who did 24 hours the day before Caneman. Previous holder Paul Zbiek 23 hours in 2005)

Needing a break from my marriage, I joined the army ...at 32. The marriage ended in divorce (there is a God) and the Army ended in a disability. At 42 I was the second fastest in the division. At 43 I could hardly walk. I got a new commander who thought his troops would be the toughest, so without regard for the regs or his men, he ran us in formation, on pavement, and in boots. In no time I couldn't run.

I left the service behind me and took to riding my bike and my horse. Horse died, still riding bike.

Hips got so bad I had one replaced. Most hip replacements are fairly routines, and go well. Mine didn't. The three to five day hospital stay lasted a month. It's a lot better. No complaint. I couldn't ride for a year. I was healing, and I was eating. I got up to 240 pounds on my six-foot frame. My blood pressure went stupid high and my cholesterol was higher. That's when I was loaned the trainer and started my recovery.

I saw what Bill Ingraham did in the 2004-2005 UMCA Indoor Challenge and thought if that old guy can do it, I can too. (Easier said than done.) Slowly I increased my time and mileage on the trainer. In December I entered the Indoor Challenge, but didn't do much until mid-January when I got the medical clearance to “go for it.” With Ingraham's advice and encouragement I went for it. Along the way I met some great people: Paul Zbiek gave me wonderful advice and support in my attempts to break his 22-hour single session record. There was this guy, Dressman the Destroyer, who destroyed everybody — and Zbiek's record — 24 hours before I did. So we share it. It's an honor. After nearly five months, in the last week Dressman and I were within one point of each other. As Dressman and I raced for the finish line I wrote a poem, “The Finishing Line”

How'd I get the name Caneman? The name was given to me by a child in a store pointing out, “Mommy, Mommy, look at the Caneman.” I walk with a cane.

Future Rides: Year-Rounder '06 and '07, Ultracycling Cup '07 and '08, brevets '07, aiming for P-B-P '07. Would like to do RAAM — when ready for it (everybody had to have a dream). Additionally I'll be crewing for others and helping with brevets (good learning experience and give back time). I like to give back one for one: Ride an event, help in an event.

Future Goal: Earning respect of UMCA riders.

Thank you for letting me be part of the UMCA, and for letting me take part in the Indoor Challenge. Hope to see you on the road, and I hope to earn my place among you.