Quite possibly the hardest portion of our trip so far. Emmett and Dave are tired and ailments are starting to set in. Fink has a huge gash on his leg that required minor medical attention; meanwhile, the very energetic Peixoto is attempting to sleep twelve hour days and ride the other twelve! LOL!!
In order to make the Wichita Clinic on time, Dave and Emmett will have to pick up the pace and turn a 5-day trip into a 3.5 day trip. This means 150 miles per day (unless we leave Denver directly after the hard-fought handball clinic in that handball town) in heat and wind.
Tired, but no loss of ambition, The Team takes on the challenge. We left Denver just after the clinic and punched out 60 miles before the day drew to a close. Night riding isn't safe, but the Toyota Tundra Pace Truck made for very safe conditions!
El Team battles through scorching 95 degree heat and 50 mph wind gusts through Kansas en route to Wichita
El Rock pushes through exhaustion to Wichita; Fink takes the opportunity to darken his tan on this lonesome and wind-swept highway in Western Kansas
Toto- WE ARE IN KANSAS NOW!
Wind and heat helped and hurt the team and we busted loose 183 miles in the first full day of riding and exactly 191 the next day. Luckily, we had the 30 to 50 mph wind gusts at our backs, but the boiling heat made it very tough on these riders. The last thing they wanted to do when they pulled into Wichita was to play handball. Luckily, WPH friend Curtis Creed was there to take the Team in and supply food, drink and rest before the 9am clinic the very next day.
Curtis Creed takes in the team and offers up some grub!
Curtis Creed poses next to the WPH Toyota Pace Truck just before the 9am YMCA Handball Clinic.
GQ Models, or bike riders?
"What a clinic !! The boy's wore EVERYONE out. The exhibition game between the two of them was awesome. DF spent quality time with one of our promising players (Gary Kasitz) - I had told Gary that if he attended his game would improve - now I'm sure of it. And Emmett spent quality time with our 60 year old (Randy) explaining the proper stroke from beginning to the follow thru. Got a picture of George Stevens & Russ Meyers presenting the $1,000 check to the boys. Hope to see you at the Nationals. Thank you very much, Curt." - Curtis Creed on The Team's Visit
DF and EP receive the check from Handball Fanatics Russ and George; DF/EP with a fewof the Wichita sparring partners. These guys played for 4-straight hours and wanted more!!!
El Team in Old (Downtown) Wichita with 18 time City Champion Gale and fellow baller, Gary
The Wichita YMCA Clinic completed at 2pm and The Team was on the road at 2:30pm and cranked out 97.6 miles as the sun was going down.
Where is The Team headed?
Kansas City here we come!
The Team pulled into Kansas City on Sunday morning after 196 miles (over a day of off and on riding). We quickly rode to St. Louis, MO to watch Dave Chapman play Marty Hogan in a Hands vs. Racquet match. Meanwhile, I flew home to California from STL (before the infamous match) to gather more supplies; rejoining the Team at DC's home for relaxation and training leading up to the 4-Wall National Championships.
The Bike tour will resume after the USHA Nationals, June 16th thru 22nd. We will post updates from the tournament right here, as DF and EP hope to play each other in the finals in both singles and doubles.
On May 19th, 2008, two world class athletes and personalities known simply as The Team embarked on a 3000 mile/25 city Bike Tour starting in San Francisco, California and potentially ending in New York City to promote and play the extreme sport of handball across the Heartland of America. The Team is comprised of the devastatingly handsome and sublime professional musician, Emmett Peixoto, who is also the #2 ranked world handball pro and his eccentric side-kick, and strangely lovable best pal, David Fink. Fink is currently ranked #7 in the world (with a bullet), according to the World Pro Handball Rankings. The Team made stops in: San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Grass Valley, CA, then rode across the Nevada Border making stops in Reno and Elko, Nevada to play ball. While in Utah, the Team played handball in Salt Lake City (4 and 1-wall) before riding to Grand Junction, CO to play Fronton Handball and 4-wall handball with the locals. The Team will not only impart their vast handball knowledge, prodigious handball talent and charm in various handball clinics and exhibitions, but will also be playing in the 2 most prestigious events on the handball calendar The USHA 1 and 4-wall Nationals.
The Team is riding across America to raise money for professional handball and production costs for a youth instructional handball video.
To sponsor or donate to the World of Pro Handball and the Toyota Tundra Bike Tour, please contact us at weplayhandball@cs.com : Dave Vincent, C/O WPH, Box 208, Rough and Ready, CA, 95975
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