Chains of Friendship: Mother Lode bike club is all about fun

READY TO RIDE are the following members of the Golden Chains Bicycle Club: Back row (left-to-right) Kyle Stock, of Sonora; August Tippett, 14, of Sonora; Tom Dunlap, of Sonora; Robert Leibold, of Soulsbyville; Shelley Marenka-Smail, of Copperopolis; Paul Borean, of Murphys; Mark Gardner, of Lathrop. Front row (left-to-right) David Bowman, of Murphys; Louie Phillips, of Murphys. Maggie Beck/Union Democrat

Membership in the club is $10 per year.

“My goodness, it’s the deal of a lifetime,” said Tom Dunlap, 48 of Cedar Ridge. “No matter how skilled you are, you’ll have a good time.”

The club itself was formed around 1990 and usually meets every week in the spring, summer and fall, and about twice a month in the winter.

Many local competitive bike-riding events will waive their entry fee to members of the Golden Chains Bicycle Club.

“If you enter one of those races,” said Dunlap, “you’ve already recouped your membership fee.”

The engine of this local club is Kyle Stock, 35 of Sonora, who serves as race coordinator, vice president and treasurer.

“This group is all about hooking up with old friends, making new ones, having fun and staying healthy,” said Stock.

Stock and Lisa-Hieb Stock, 28, met at a bike race in Monterey in 2004, and were married last year.

Sometimes the Golden Chains Bicycle Club will conduct their own 10-mile time trials. A more typical ride, said Stock, “is 20-to-30 miles. We’ll get outside for a few hours, have a leisurely good time and stop at a coffee shop.”

Once in a while, a 100-mile ride will take place.

However, said Stock, “those aren’t as often because in this terrain — the Foothills — 20-to-30 miles can kick your butt.”

An added benefit to the club, said Dunlap, “is that people like me, who do like to participate in outside competitive events, can sometimes test ourselves.”

Kyle Stock recently became certified as a professional rider.

“Now if Kyle Stock drops me like last night’s leftovers,” said Dunlap, “than I know I better do more training.”

“We ride, laugh and have fun,” said Hieb-Stock. “There’s no pressure. People of all skill levels enjoy themselves. It’s a nice group to be a part.”