AlpenaMI

of Alpena, MI

The town of Alpena is a thriving, Lake front community with an abundance of cultural and recreational opportunities. Alpena also enjoys economic development opportunities such as the designation of five Renaissance Zones for commercial and residential development, and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve - the world's only freshwater underwater sanctuary & preserve. In this town is a chapter of the ROMEO club.

Since 1997 this group of virile men have been riding the back roads and streets of Alpena, seeing the sights, enjoying the comradely, burning some calories, and tasting the cuisine of local restaurants.

In late spring, as soon as some of the snowbirds of the group get back from their winter homes, the group would start assembling at the late Bill Ortlieb’s house every Tuesday, 9 am, weather permitting. Bill has the coffee perked and the others take their turns bringing the donuts. After the usual chitchat, begins the planning of the day’s route and then the group was off on their 12 to 20 mile ride. Around lunchtime the ROMEO’s could be found at one of Alpena’s local haunts, enjoying refreshments and refueling for the ride back to Bill’s house.

Founding members of the Alpena chapter of the ROMEO’s are Don Benac, Duane “Bud” Huiting, Ralph Kalish, Wendall Boyd, Ron Pahlkotter, and John Kreft. Recently the group had guest riders; Tom and Otis, from Harrisville, MI join them. Otis, who doesn’t look his age of 83, has been the oldest rider of the group.

“The wives like to have a day to themselves. It is also a day for them (the ROMEO’s). we get a little exercise and get to meet a lot of people. Since Bill’s son gave him the T-shirts, people stop to look and say ‘well. What is that?’” Huiting said.

Ortlieb’s son owns a graphic design, painting and sign shop in Southern Michigan. When he heard of the ROMEO club, he made T-shirts for the men to wear when they are out on their excursions. He surprised Ortlieb with the shirts on his birthday.

“It’s something different. It gets you off the beaten path. It sure makes retirement a lot more fun,” Benac said. The preceding was taken from an article in the Alpena News titled “Look out! The ROMEOs are riding again” by Mary Beth Kline

To spice up the rides and make them more than just a bike ride the group has introduced the treasure hunt to the ride. It goes like this:

“TREASURE HUNT”

Hello ROMEO’s. are you ready to ride?

Are you ready for something on the lighter side?

Have we got some fun for you!

A unique and challenging game to do!

Put on your saber and eye patch, too.

A treasure hunt is what you’ll do.

Listen up as you read Clue One.

Then hop on your bikes and make a run.

As you can imagine a series of clues takes the ROMEO’s all over town looking for where “the wild goose went” and ends at a place to rest and enjoy refreshments.

Alpena ROMEO Club Songs

Song #1 sung to the tune of Oh Christmas Tree

We are ROMEOS / We are ROMEOS / We call ourselves "The ROMEOS" / We like our FOOD / And all drinks go DOWN / We ride our BIKES ALL OVER TOWN / We are ROMEOS / We are ROMEOS / We call ourselves "The ROMEOS"

Song #2 sung to the tune of Jingle Bells

ROMEOS ROMEOS / Biking all the Way / Where's the cheapest / Place to eat / Cause we don't like to pay --- Hey / ROMEOS ROMEOS / Biking all the Way / Pull on over - Take a break / Because we have all day

Biking around the town /On bikes of every kind / Going here and there / Seeing what we might find / A restaurant we will seek / To stop and get a bite / Retired old men eating out / Is really quite a site / Oh --------------------------

The pictures below will enlarge when you mouse click on them (use the back button to return to this page).

THE GROUP 2010, Bike ride on Thunder Bay Ave. Lake Huron & Relaxing at "Teaser" John's Red Roof Hunting Camp Cookout.

“Leader of the Pack”, Wild West Bill Ortlieb passed away on July 31. He was a real sparkplug for the club. He will be greatly missed. Pictured above is a ALPENA ROMEO gift calendar in memory of Bill Ortlieb for July 2010 through July 2011