Mention Sandy Yarrow and I immediately hear her unique and contagious laugh. It’s a metaphor for her direct and unfettered style in general. No needless intonations, just the predictably low "huh huh huh". This what-you-see-is-what-you-get former club president is gutsy but terse, opinionated but easy-going, generous but reserved. She packs a punch that’s more powerful than it may appear.

In 1995 sandy was looking for people to ride with after a few years of mountain biking, which she and a girlfriend had gotten into a few years earlier. They were cycling buddies, both being doctors’ "widows" until her girlfriend ditched the doctor and found a new man who had more time to spend with her. Alas, Sandy was buddy-less. She had done the Party Pardee ride and saw a sea of Wheelmen jerseys after the ride. She met Neil Bos, John Hockenbury and a couple of others who encouraged her to do the Tuesday ride. She finally made it and was "horribly slow". But she continued to go out, eventually graduating to the Thursday ride, which she found very difficult. But everyone was so nice and congenial she quickly became hooked.

She began learning more about cycling as she and other new members followed Ken Bell, the shepherd. If Ken weren’t at a ride the group would "baa" in grief.

In her first year with the club Sandy did some "ordinary" volunteering. She also quickly evolved in her riding, completing all five passes of the Death Ride. She’s also a Davis Double veteran, describing it in her pared way as "really hot". She loves the camaraderie of the club and, like so many, appreciates the light-hearted bantering that seems to be part and parcel of the group.

She grew up in Southern California, where extended family members still reside. Her Mom says she was a "good kid". This very succinctly describes the woman who in her matter-of-fact manner is a good-hearted soul. Although too humble at times, telling me her "list of accomplishments was very small and not very interesting, unlike many of our other members", she is very life-involved. Her interests, which have had to take a back seat to cycling, include snow and water skiing, hiking and backpacking. What I didn’t know is that as a child she worked in the horse stable owned by her parents, where she pitched stalls and eventually became a riding instructor. In Auburn, where she raised her own children, she also owned horses until moving from that property.

Sandy has been in nursing for 28 years, spending her entire career at Sutter Roseville Hospital (formerly Roseville Hospital). Her choice of professions was really quite a fluke. She was encouraged to be a nurse’s aide and took the job as a temporary one. What she thought would be a breeze turned into a real "eye-opener", giving her experience she had not anticipated. In spite of her surprise she realized she was good at what she did, so in 1972 she went to Sierra College to obtain her Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) training. Eventually she got her R.N. from American River College. She works in TraumaNeuro Intensive Care. It is here where she has seen people stricken down in the prime of their lives. "Health is so valuable. All the money in the world makes no difference if your health is compromised." She feels strongly about taking care of herself and encouraging others to do the same. "The club is such a healthy outlet, both mentally and physically. If you have problems at the beginning of a ride they seem to dissolve by the end of it. If you get dropped during a ride, it’s a chance to be alone to think and sort through things." (I can vouch for that.)

Sandy and her husband, Jim, have been married for fifteen years. Between the two of them they have five children and eight grandchildren. "Grandkids are great," she says. "They are so much fun to be around." She’s looking forward to the day she can retire fully. "I got a good taste of it when I was off after my leg surgery. I like reading the paper in the morning and watching CNBC. I could do very well at it." Jim retired in 1999 (for health reasons) but hopes to do some consulting in the future. Sandy just hopes to retire and cycle.

Her term as president in 1999 came about after a struggle between Geno and her over who should run. She and others wanted him to run, but he stubbornly resisted. After much persistence he said he would be vice-president if she were president. A Sandy-like entrance through another new door, bold without fanfare. Now she says she has to watch herself, the office having gotten into her blood. "I’ll be going on and on about something and my husband will say ‘I thought you weren’t the president anymore’."

During this period she also got her first computer. "When I became president I didn’t have a computer and couldn’t e-mail. It was a great achievement for me. I think I was the last person to get one." This stark humility contrasts with the accolades bestowed by current president Gene Masuda. "She puts the welfare of the club first and is a major reason why we are involved in so many activities. She spearheads the volunteers to work the Napa Diesel Mountain Bike Races where the club earns money for each volunteer who works the event. She solicits volunteers and works the Wheelmen Booth at the annual Bike Expo and Bike to Work Day. She oversees the design work for the Club Jersey, Sierra Century Jersey and the mileage

T-shirts. She does most of the promotional work for the club. She develops those funny slides we see each year at the Annual Awards Banquet and all the other visual effects. She leads many weekend rides and Zodiac trips. She has a terrific sense of humor and can laugh at herself as much as at anybody else. She is one tough lady and has bounced back from that devastating broken leg to ride like one of the gnarly guys. She is the ‘heartbeat’ of the club and keeps us all in line. She is totally reliable and will do just about anything you ask of her. She has the utmost respect for her peers and Board. And she enjoys a glass of wine or two!"

Her goals are stark but firm. "Just keep improving my cycling," she says. She got the thumbs up from some male co-members this year when she rode with them up to the summit of Mt. Diablo while other female members and I did the annual "Cinderella" ride on the same day. The two rides happen to intersect at one point, and when some of the Cinderella riders were passed by a pack of wheelmen goats led by Sandy the pack shouted, "This is the true Cinderella, right here." It would not be beneath me to harrumph except for the fact that I like her too much.

My first impression of Art was prophetic. He was quiet yet radiated an energy that bespoke his nature and gifts. Unassuming, but conspicuous. And very easy to be around, which my experience tells me is a strong indicator of that person’s respectability. In other words, he’s a heck of a good guy; someone you just might want to get to know better.

Many have heard the resonant compliments regarding his musical talents. If you missed last summer’s Oregon tour (or if you missed the last couple of days of the tour because it rained and you packed it in early) you missed the impromptu blues concert performed by this St. Louis native. He mesmerized a group of culturally deprived cyclists who voraciously snatched up his guitar and voice offerings which will be remembered as one of the best musical meals of the millennium. Ever since that evening under the stars, the Baum aura has shone brightly.

But there are more reasons to admire him. In his work as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), which he has done for the last twenty-some years, he gleans great satisfaction from being "part of the process" of improving clients’ interpersonal skills and communication. He conducts a broad, general practice working with adults and adolescents who are experiencing a vast range of problems such as depression, anxiety and acute situational stress. "Some people have suffered such things as physical and sexual abuse and other traumas. It’s an honor to be able to provide a place for people to talk very personally about themselves, which is what therapy is all about. It’s a tremendous reminder of the universal themes in humanity. I learn much more than I teach." It is especially rewarding to observe the transformations that can take place between partners who may come to him with little hope of salvaging their relationship and ultimately emerge from the process experiencing the joys of a close and successful relationship. In his style he is quick to point out that it isn’t just he, but other resources they may avail themselves of, which contribute to their success. Besides working with individuals and couples he also does group therapy. (Maybe the Wheelmen can get a large club rate.) Art is distinguished enough in his profession to have been asked three years ago to serve on the Volunteer Clinical Faculty at UC Davis in the Department of Psychiatry. In this position he is involved with Psychiatry Residents, Psychology Fellows/Interns and Social Workers, teaching and discussing therapeutic principles and practices. He exudes a zeal and earnestness when talking about his role, and clearly enjoys the opportunity to serve.

When he joined the Wheelmen three years ago he had been doing trail and some commute riding for 15-20 years. Friends in the club encouraged him to join, and in 1999 he completed three double centuries (Davis, Solvang and L.A. Grand Tour) and obtained the "Triple Crown" honor. During Solvang he survived 120 miles of headwind, giving him one of those "accomplishment" experiences. Two years ago he completed 4 of the 5 Death Ride passes, an 85-mile trek consisting of 12,000 feet of climbing. This was a memorable experience not only for the cycling achievement but also because of the camaraderie he felt with Karen Bonnett and other Wheelmen who camped together at Grover Hot Springs.

He remembers riding his first Sierra Century. He had one of those loss of ego moments where he felt "one" with the universe: the scenery was so beautiful and at the same time the ride was so difficult that he arrived at that higher level of consciousness and felt tears running down his face. As a lesser rider I can only relate to this from the runner’s "high" I’ve experienced (on too few occasions, I might add). It was a powerful moment that he obviously relishes, despite a tad of reluctance in verbalizing it.

Recently, he and Larry Mesa rode together out of Foresthill on a club ride. Larry related, "It was such an enjoyable experience, talking to Art and getting to know him better. He is a very warm and open person, and a wonderful listener. I was very impressed by his ease and genuineness with others. Art also really appreciates the aesthetics of a ride, the scenery, the canopies of trees, the smooth roads. And I felt like he was almost setting goals for himself as we rode, by pacing himself and taking it easy but striving to get in even better shape by visualizing the next level. He appears to invite challenge."

Art believes that nothing matches cycling for its aerobic and cardiovascular benefits, not to mention the socializing aspects. "I’ve learned so much from others, and have discovered places to ride I never would have found on my own." He also gives credit to other members who have motivated and inspired him. "One of the first longer rides I went on was led by John Abbe out of Winters. I must have started about twenty minutes ahead of him but he passed me on a hill." The more experienced riders have been very inspirational and "great role models". He recalls spending part of a morning on tour talking to Ernie Isaacs, an "extremely bright and interesting man." At one point they were riding together in the rain. "Most people would have been complaining but Ernie was still pointing out the beautiful wild flowers. He was cautious and alert to hazards, even protective in warning me, but not unduly anxious or negative about the bad weather." Art also appreciates the chance to get out and just "play". "When I first joined the club I didn’t know what anyone did for a living, and no one knew what I did." That ability to just be as you are without getting distracted by career stuff and business talk was a prescription for freedom and fun.

In St. Louis Art was very involved in baseball, playing as a catcher in high school and at Washington University, where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree. His Dad, who was a well-known pitcher in the amateur ranks, most likely stimulated Art’s interest in the sport. He also played some tennis at the mercy of his Mom, whose mean game included a legendary and wicked slicing spin at the net.

Art’s older brother was unwittingly instrumental in nurturing Art’s musical interest. As a young child he heard the music his brother would listen to, which included artists who performed everything from Chicago to Delta style blues. "I think it seeped into my being," he said. He picked up a guitar as a young teen-ager and began playing behind his closed bedroom door, learning on his own and playing by ear. Eventually he emerged from that room and took his guitar and voice to high school parties, the era being that of folk music and "hootenannies". In his early twenties he did some performing in coffee houses and the like, and when he moved to California (garnering his Master’s in Social Work) he continued performing with friends at local clubs. He does less of that now, which is the community’s loss. Perhaps we should kidnap his bicycle and free him up a bit.

Other interests in Art’s life include gardening (he has fruit trees, grapevines and vegetables), canoeing and computers. He also has a music synthesizer at home that he enjoys experimenting with. His diet leans toward vegetarianism, including items such as egg whites and tuna for protein. (But this writer also discovered his respect for Panda black licorice, which he generously shared.) Art also does weight training at the Alhambra Athletic Club, which he says has helped his cycling and his psyche. "It’s totally physical, not mind-oriented or feeling-oriented. Just a great way to unwind and relieve stress."

Art spent the past three years managing his Mom’s affairs long-distance. It was a personal challenge that he feels good about meeting. His Mom died this past September and what I felt from him was that he was at peace with his actions and with her passing.

His personal goal is to continue to be a model to his clients by attending to his own physical and emotional well-being and demonstrating interpersonal and living skills. Moreover, he wants to keep providing a safe place for people to engage in therapy.

Flashing back to last summer’s Oregon tour, I remember watching him methodically and meticulously pack up his camping gear. It was fascinating to me because it was in such odd juxtaposition to my haphazard stuffing style. I remember thinking how patient and deliberate he appeared to be. Others saw it from a different angle, bestowing on him the "Joan Collins Excess Baggage Award". Whether it was laudable or laughable, he left a good impression and a hankering for more good times with the very distinctive Art Baum.