Gary Visser’s SRC Journey & SRC History
While I was part of the small group of riders who formed Skunk River with Michael, our sole purpose was to create a “paper” club that could launder appearance and travel expenses of promoters. The amateur issues of the time would prevent any possible way to support the travel and training necessary to compete, but they allowed it to pass through a club to rider. We needed 12 signed members, we met at the Maintenance Shop (converted shop to legendary live music bar in the ISU student union) and a club was formed, mostly of people interested in club rides and touring. Two guys showed up and argued that we needed to be “proud of our geologic heritage” hence the name Skunk River. Never saw those two again.
A guy named Figura crafted the first club logo, the wing/wheel/SRC silver patch. Among the first members were Paul Black, Chuck Pribyl, Ron Ritz, Mike Fatka and myself. We laundered the money, trained in Austin Tx where we met Marc Thompson, riding with Kansas Wheelmen at that time. Allen Kingsbury joined. At the time the Raleigh team dominated with John Allis, John Howard and mostly NE riders.
Minneapolis riders Chris and Kevin Kavale road across the US in record time and begged sponsorship from Kretchmer Wheat Germ, later joining the team as well. We had a guy show up who chain smoked, drove a beater Mustang, and drank, Niki Orleanda who was teaching at ISU. He had been a great rider in Romania in his day, having won a classic his “name in gold letters.” He coaching was very old school and offended those trying to eat and liver for performance, but he knew bikes.
We raced track at Northbrook and Kenosha and the long lost Brown Deer tracks. I knew after the 1976 Olympic trials I needed to find a job and salvage my girlfriend. I raced 1977 and took all my bikes and equipment to the shop and returned what was Michael’s (my first-in-US Reynolds 753 Raleigh Team Pro) all my wheels, Kreitler rollers, wheel covers, gave them all away, I knew it was the only way to quit.
I got a job, stayed with that company 44 years, married the girl Beth who attended the reunion, now 43 years. I won a national championship in sailing and broke a world record in salt water fly fishing. I still have a Colnago frame Ron Ritz painted in Imron for me and somewhat rare Phil Wood hubs. What’s to be learned from all this is the important part Michael played. He was a riding partner, traveled together, learned competitive cycling together. He saw the competitive and market potential of the Bradley’s Jeff and Jacque (Father Mel still road a Peugeot PX10 with Mavic brakes). He gathered sponsors, riders, youth, and women together, way ahead of his time.
Visser
