It's Not St. Crispian's Day But...

 

Three club members, including the President, ventured out this morning. Oh, ironies of ironies, the one member who bemoaned the early start time of 7:00 a.m. actually showed up at 6:55 a.m. only to discover the time had been moved to 7:30 a.m.  But, having achieved one of the three S's (one out of three gets one to the Hall of Fame), he remained steadfast and rode with his countrymen.
Before we started, the President announced that a number of members had concocted excuses to avoid the ride.  Some had to work (when the courts are closed?!), others helped people move (at 7:30?!), and others slept...oh sleep, lovely sleep...nevermind!

And so the President cheered the hearty few with the St. Crispian's Day speech, a speech our dear departed founder would have listened to with glistening eyes.  Here is what our noble President said:
(the non-cousin McG is Westmoreland and the King of course is the Pres)
WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispin's day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

The President said something about memorizing that while watching On the Waterfront and lifting weights. 

The ride went down Hopkins to South Park, around Canalside where Shark Girl was made a provisional member.  See here the President welcoming her with a peck on the cheek (we had to pry her away after that).

Around and about Canalside (Sharp Girl had the music from Jaws playing as she chased after the President) and over to Exchange.  Visited Larkinville and the President started to sing on the stage but thankfully the non-cousin started to howl.  Then to Smith, Hamburg, the Mutual Boat House, Riverworks, and the new bike path along Ohio.  Then along Route 5 to Ridge. 

We ended having logged 17 miles and lot of territory.  The non-cousin and judge-not toasted the President for a job well done.

We few, we happy few...

Another May, another new BGL season.  President Johnman arranged the inaugural ride of the 2013 season which drew Bob McArdle, Jim Lally, Bighead and the President.  Viktor honored the small group with an appearance at the OP Municipal Center but was unable to join the ride due to a knee problem.  Squire tried to talk his master into participating but on this rare occasion Viktor rejected the dog's importunateness (some of you might need to look that one up...).
The ride went immediately to greet founder Ed McGrath.  One could hear laughter from below as some of the riders seemed to start down the Frenchie path...but then Bighead seemed to go too far the other way...

The President swore he saw Msgr. Beasley over the mausoleum laughing with Ed and tried to point them out.  The rest of us just listened and hoped the vision would soon pass.
We re-mounted and did the Greenhill ride with so many trips around the Greenhill loop we lost one another.  Johnman shared a riveting story about one of his childhood athletic achievements in riding around the block with Bruce Koznick...how many times? 
The ride demonstrated a real truth about Ed's life.  He attracted and surrounded himself with great people (some outliers were thrust on him by marrying into the family).  The best part of the ride was catching up with fellow Ed admirers. Enough schmaltz but none of us will deny it.
The ride ended with a parting of ways at Baker and 20A.  We did about 20 miles and the body recalled the effort this morning....which coincidentally included the 10:30 am Mass being said for Ed.
The President announced hopes for a ride over Memorial Day weekend.  The ride may draw well as it looks like Ed & Mary's 1st grandchild, Maggie, may be making her 1st visit to the Promised Land.  Maggie's parents and Maggie's Aunt may be here as well.  Perhaps Johman will be able to educate us on how many Margaret McGrath's there have been in the family...bring a notebook because he'll have dates and anniversaries in there too...but join us in any event.
It seems appropriate to close with this lengthy quote and guess what Ed's reaction would be...

This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

We Meet Again...

BGLBC reformulated this morning, May 26, 2012, Memorial Day Weekend.  Fitting restart date in memory of our founder and heart, Ed McGrath.  It was a rather traditional ride commencing and ending at the OP Municipal Center.  The ride was initiated by newly-elected President John McGrath ("Johnman") based on a dream he allegedly had of Ed.  Johnman was actually motivated by the European turmoil with hopes that a ride today might prompt Ed to intervene to cause gold and silver to skyrocket...that kind of celestial market manipulation would please Ed...and allow us more time to bike...
Johnman was joined by visiting son and Democratic operative Kevin McGrath who was a terror on Ed's bike.  Bob McArdle joined and showed incredible talent on the hills.  Joe McGrath ("Viktor") took the ride in easy stride as he has logged tons of miles already this year.  The pasty white effect caused by the suntan lotion was a little intimidating.  In fact, a deer came rushing out of the woods and skidded on its hooves across the pavement as it sought to avoid Joe.  Neil Farrel was the group's backstop largely because he may have seen Johnman almost spill out in the 1st few minutes. Johnman forgot not to turn the bike while looking back...that would have been a rough start...Dennis No Relation McGrath ("McGoo"?) was in fine humor and looked to be in mid-season form.  John Curran ("Bighead"...thanks a lot, Ed) struggled at times to stay with the group perhaps due to the top heaviness on the bike...
We had a very nice 17.5 ride in great weather.  Not too hot.  Lots of sun. As shown below, we stopped to greet and pay respects to Ed who said again: "keep riding my friends".  To honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion (I have to restrain myself in not bringing up the Civil War), we also snapped a picture of the flagpole honoring veterans behind OP Muny Center.  The Handicap signs in the foreground are Ed's way of getting a laugh about how lame we are without him.

Now we'll see who joins us again and when.  But we will keep riding...until we meet again, my friends...

Bull Goose Looney Bike Club announces guest rider

The BGLBC is pleased to announce a guest will be riding with the lads on 1 August. Mike Fitzgerald, formerly of West Seneca, will be in town for the wedding of his cousin, Jack Fitzgerald. Mike is pictured here with provisional member, Ed McGrath. Hopefully, all past and future members will be on hand to ride with the legendary marathoner currently from Boston.

Probationary member John Curran tries to sway nominating committee of BGLBC with press in Buffalo News

Here are this year’s Outstanding Citizens: State Supreme Court Justice John M. Curran, R

us Thompson, Jordan A. Levy, Michelle Stiles, Demeris Johnson and James Nowicki. They deserve this community’s gratitude.

John M. Curran

Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center reached a historic agreement last year on how to combine their institutions.

There were many people who made it happen, but State Supreme Court Justice John M. Curran, who oversaw a legal case related to the deal, certainly stands out among them.

The agreement created a once-in-a- generation opportunity to remake Buffalo’s inefficient health care system, settled a lawsuit brought by ECMC against the state and preserved $65 million in state aid to close Kaleida’s Millard Fillmore Hospital on Gates Circle and to merge its operations into Buffalo General Hospital.

In the bigger picture, it also paved the way for long-sought changes in hospital care in the region.

The judge’s role was especially crucial, considering he had stepped into an acrimonious situation with groups that were at war with each other and that seemed headed for disaster.

But Curran encouraged mediation and, even after talks broke down, he pushed again and again for a resolution he and others believed was in the best interests of the community.

Like a diplomat, he shuttled from group to group during eight hours of negotiations that involved almost 60 people, including all of the hospitals’ key officials, County Executive Chris Collins, University at Buffalo President John Simpson, the leaders of the UB Medical School, a committee of physicians from ECMC and Kaleida Health and an array of lawyers.

In the end, the parties resolved key differences and found common ground.

“This is the most complex thing I have ever been involved with,” Curran said at the time, adding that it also was the most rewarding thing he had ever done.

The recent application of Ned McGrath '08 CHS has been denied by the BGLBC Review Committee.  Although McGrath met the ethnicity requirements, his commitment to the pursuit of excellence was questioned by Doc Fitz, "We have not given up on Ned, but we need to see a hunger that the other members exude"

Patrick McGrath ponders joining the Bull Goose Bike Club.  He meets most of the qualifications, but there is a question about the purity of his ethnicity based on his mothers' heritage.  The beard does not have any red or blonde hair, if you know what I mean.

Doctor Barry Fitzgerald took the boys on a nostalgic tour through the old "First Ward" where many of the boys' ancestors first started their new lives in the US after leaving the 'ol sod.  Fitzs' bike came to a sudden stop when the boys were passing the famous "McCarthys" pub.  Believe it or not, it was Ed McGrath, of all people who persuaded the club members that 7:35 was too early to frequent the great establishment.  Doc Fitz swears we will enjoy a pint or two before the snow flies.

The bull Goose Looney Bike Club was honored to have the Legendary Dick Donovan lead the club through a great ride through North Tonawanda. The Loones clocked about 16 miles that day.

The founding members of many other clubs that subsequently failed pose proudly in downtown Buffalo, confident that the BGLBC will be a success