HOLE IN THE HEAD GANG
Race Across AMerica 2008 4-person Mixed Team
Meet the Riders and Crew
MICHELE HOPKINS, Racer
Edwardsville, Illinois
A college volleyball player, Michele continued playing the game until the mid 90's when she could no longer endure the jumping. She started cycling in 2004 and has enthusiastically channeled her athletic efforts towards 2008 RAAM.
Edwardsville, Illinois
A college volleyball player, Michele continued playing the game until the mid 90's when she could no longer endure the jumping. She started cycling in 2004 and has enthusiastically channeled her athletic efforts towards 2008 RAAM.
VIRGIL (BUTCH) MOEHSMER, Racer
Ellisville, Missouri
After suffering a heart attack in 1992, Virgil began cycling, which he credits with saving his life. Although he's had bypass surgery in 2000 and in 2007 and numerous stents, he has continued his love of competitive endurance cycling. He was a RAAM qualifier 3 times and was first in his age class in the John Marino Competition in 2006. He has also participated in BMB, BAM, as well as most of the UMCA events.
Ellisville, Missouri
After suffering a heart attack in 1992, Virgil began cycling, which he credits with saving his life. Although he's had bypass surgery in 2000 and in 2007 and numerous stents, he has continued his love of competitive endurance cycling. He was a RAAM qualifier 3 times and was first in his age class in the John Marino Competition in 2006. He has also participated in BMB, BAM, as well as most of the UMCA events.
STEVE COTTRELL, Racer
Des Peres, Missouri
A retired high school wrestling coach, Steve was a triathlete, winning or placing in his age group in many events. He became an avid endurance cyclist once his knees would no longer enable him to compete in triathlons or biathlons. He has won or placed in his age class in numerous UMCA races and has done BAM as a solo and team member.
Des Peres, Missouri
A retired high school wrestling coach, Steve was a triathlete, winning or placing in his age group in many events. He became an avid endurance cyclist once his knees would no longer enable him to compete in triathlons or biathlons. He has won or placed in his age class in numerous UMCA races and has done BAM as a solo and team member.
LEE VAN NORMAN, Racer
Ballwin, Missouri
Lee is the newest member of the Team. He raced motorcycles for over 15 years before he began mountain bike riding. In the past two years, he has also started competition criterion racing. His varied bicycling interests enable him to ride nearly year-round.
Ballwin, Missouri
Lee is the newest member of the Team. He raced motorcycles for over 15 years before he began mountain bike riding. In the past two years, he has also started competition criterion racing. His varied bicycling interests enable him to ride nearly year-round.
JOHN HOPKINS, Team Manager, Sponsor, & Assistant Crew Chief
Edwardsville, Illinois
John is also relatively new to the world of cycling, having started bicycling with his wife, Michele (Team Racer) in 2004. They ride or Spin together; and John rides with the the Team on their training rides.
Edwardsville, Illinois
John is also relatively new to the world of cycling, having started bicycling with his wife, Michele (Team Racer) in 2004. They ride or Spin together; and John rides with the the Team on their training rides.
FRED VAN NORMAN, Crew Chief
Valley Park, Missouri
Fred is Lee's father and Virgil's uncle. A biker himself, Fred has crewed for two of Virgil's BAM (Bike Across Missouri) events; as well as Virgil and Lee's Tejas 500 events. Fred loves sailing and had a beautiful trimaran while living in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Valley Park, Missouri
Fred is Lee's father and Virgil's uncle. A biker himself, Fred has crewed for two of Virgil's BAM (Bike Across Missouri) events; as well as Virgil and Lee's Tejas 500 events. Fred loves sailing and had a beautiful trimaran while living in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
JANET MOEHSMER, Assistant Crew Chief, Assistant Manager, Webmaster
Ellisville, Missouri
Janet is Virgil's wife and has been his crew chief/SAG support for all of his endurance bicycling events (Steve often races with Virgil, so she has crewed for him as well).
Ellisville, Missouri
Janet is Virgil's wife and has been his crew chief/SAG support for all of his endurance bicycling events (Steve often races with Virgil, so she has crewed for him as well).
BRENDA VAN NORMAN, Crew, Nutritionist, and "Mom"
Valley Park, Missouri
Brenda is Fred's wife and Lee's mother. She loves to cook and plans to keep the Riders and Crew well fed, clothed, and rested during RAAM. An avid card player, Brenda also designs jewelry.
Valley Park, Missouri
Brenda is Fred's wife and Lee's mother. She loves to cook and plans to keep the Riders and Crew well fed, clothed, and rested during RAAM. An avid card player, Brenda also designs jewelry.
JOE SWITZER, Back-up Racer
Highland,Illinois
Joe has been training with our team for several years and is ready to step in if we need him. He has been participating in local bike races, as well as the Sebring 12 and 24 hour race. In spite of freezing rain & fog in 2008, he rode his bike to the top of Haleakala (Maui) for the second time (the first being in 2007). He will be the 2008 manager for the the Mississippi River (Alton, Illinois) Time Station.
Highland,Illinois
Joe has been training with our team for several years and is ready to step in if we need him. He has been participating in local bike races, as well as the Sebring 12 and 24 hour race. In spite of freezing rain & fog in 2008, he rode his bike to the top of Haleakala (Maui) for the second time (the first being in 2007). He will be the 2008 manager for the the Mississippi River (Alton, Illinois) Time Station.
NICOLE VAN NORMAN, Crew
Eureka, Missouri
Nicole is Lee's daughter and a student at Missouri State University. She played shortstop on an A Select softball team during high school. Along with her grandparents (crew members Fred and Brenda), she has traveled much of the RAAM route and is quite familiar with the navigation and what we'll be facing on the Race.
Eureka, Missouri
Nicole is Lee's daughter and a student at Missouri State University. She played shortstop on an A Select softball team during high school. Along with her grandparents (crew members Fred and Brenda), she has traveled much of the RAAM route and is quite familiar with the navigation and what we'll be facing on the Race.
MILTON HOPKINS, Crew
Austin, Texas
At the behest of his concerned father (John), Milton took up cycling in 2006 at the tender age of --. Uncle Milty, as his peers refer to him, has since immersed himself in the painful world of triathlons, having won first place in the Clydesdale division of his first full event (Quarter Iron Man race at the Lone Star Triathlon in Galveston, Texas earlier this year). With a buoyancy factor not seen or written about since Herman Melville’s time, Uncle Milty ranks high on the ‘top newcomer’ lists of many respected industry insiders.
Austin, Texas
At the behest of his concerned father (John), Milton took up cycling in 2006 at the tender age of --. Uncle Milty, as his peers refer to him, has since immersed himself in the painful world of triathlons, having won first place in the Clydesdale division of his first full event (Quarter Iron Man race at the Lone Star Triathlon in Galveston, Texas earlier this year). With a buoyancy factor not seen or written about since Herman Melville’s time, Uncle Milty ranks high on the ‘top newcomer’ lists of many respected industry insiders.
CLYDE SLADE, Crew
Columbia, Illinois
Clyde is a retired 1999 PBP guy. Now he enjoys self-contained bicycle touring. He's toured about 35,000 miles of off-the-beaten path backroads of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Alaska, Central and South America. Each tour refreshes his appreciation of the good old USA. Clyde has been looking forward to RAAM 2008 with his old brevet buddies (Virgil and Steve). He's sure being a crew member on the team HoleInTheHeadGang will also refresh his appreciation of his self-contained bicycle touring. As he says "The journey is my destination."
Columbia, Illinois
Clyde is a retired 1999 PBP guy. Now he enjoys self-contained bicycle touring. He's toured about 35,000 miles of off-the-beaten path backroads of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Alaska, Central and South America. Each tour refreshes his appreciation of the good old USA. Clyde has been looking forward to RAAM 2008 with his old brevet buddies (Virgil and Steve). He's sure being a crew member on the team HoleInTheHeadGang will also refresh his appreciation of his self-contained bicycle touring. As he says "The journey is my destination."
ANDREW MOORMAN, Mechanic
Edwardsville, Illinois
Andrew did his first mountain bike race at age eleven with his dad and from that day he has been hooked on the sport of cycling. At thirteen he started working in a bike shop at home where he continued to race mountain bikes and also got into doing triathlons. In 2006 Andrew moved to Edwardsville to attend college and continued to feed his addiction of cycling. He started working at another bike shop: The Cyclery in Edwardsville. He has also been doing many of the area criterium races and still riding and racing his mountain bike. Andrew plans to keep all of our RAAM team members machines in top condition for the Race Across America!
Edwardsville, Illinois
Andrew did his first mountain bike race at age eleven with his dad and from that day he has been hooked on the sport of cycling. At thirteen he started working in a bike shop at home where he continued to race mountain bikes and also got into doing triathlons. In 2006 Andrew moved to Edwardsville to attend college and continued to feed his addiction of cycling. He started working at another bike shop: The Cyclery in Edwardsville. He has also been doing many of the area criterium races and still riding and racing his mountain bike. Andrew plans to keep all of our RAAM team members machines in top condition for the Race Across America!
(Photo coming soon)
FRANK KELLER, Crew
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Frank is another PBP guy, having completed it in 1999 and 2003. He has been a team member with Virgil and Steve in Bike Across Missouri, the Iowa World Championships, and the Old Kentucky Home Tour; and he has ridden with them at the Michigan 24 Hour Challenge, Tin Butt, Hotter 'n Hell, and RAIN. He is on hiatus from endurance biking to participate in Marathons in his home state of Oklahoma.
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Frank is another PBP guy, having completed it in 1999 and 2003. He has been a team member with Virgil and Steve in Bike Across Missouri, the Iowa World Championships, and the Old Kentucky Home Tour; and he has ridden with them at the Michigan 24 Hour Challenge, Tin Butt, Hotter 'n Hell, and RAIN. He is on hiatus from endurance biking to participate in Marathons in his home state of Oklahoma.
JUDY COMBS, Crew
St. Louis, Missouri
Judy was introduced to Spinning in 1997, and soon after she became a certified Spinning instructor. Through Spinning she met a lot of local bike racers and became involved in the cycling community. In 2002, she drove a sag vehicle from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park. She has worked in a bike shop, she enjoys watching and photographing criterium racing, and she is always there willing to lend a helping hand. Judy met the Hole in the Head Gang while they were doing their winter training and was thrilled when they asked her to be a part of the crew.
St. Louis, Missouri
Judy was introduced to Spinning in 1997, and soon after she became a certified Spinning instructor. Through Spinning she met a lot of local bike racers and became involved in the cycling community. In 2002, she drove a sag vehicle from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park. She has worked in a bike shop, she enjoys watching and photographing criterium racing, and she is always there willing to lend a helping hand. Judy met the Hole in the Head Gang while they were doing their winter training and was thrilled when they asked her to be a part of the crew.
