Team Bacchetta - 2008 RAAM Crew
2008 RAAM Crew Bio - Dennis Cook
Name: Dennis Cook
Wife: Judy
June 30, 2008 will be our 46th wedding anniversary
Two sons One in PA and other in MO.
Three grandchildren. Two in PA and one in NE.
What Bacchetta do you ride/own? Giro 26
How many bikes do you own? 2 Giro and one old Bianchi
Where do you live? Michigan
Any athletic background? None that I’ll admit to.
Favorite or best achievement(s) on the bike or in other sports?
Bike tour with youngest son before his senior year of HS. Happy memories.
Any future bike or other sporting goals? Ride bike to visit my sons and grandchildren. One son lives 700 miles east while the other lives 700 miles west of us. Many others.
Any Ultra crewing experience? RV Captain, Team Velokraft, RAAM 2007
Why did you accept the crewing position for JS’s Solo RAAM attempt?
Want to do whatever I can to assist John in reaching his goal.
Anything intimidate you about crewing for JS’s Solo RAAM attempt? No.
Favorite quote or saying?
What you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done, but he with a chuckle replied;
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he wouldn’t say so, at least not until he tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin, if he worried, then he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing, that couldn’t be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that, at least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he his hat and the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, without any doubting or quiddit.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing, that couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, there are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one, the dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing, that “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.
If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill, then be a scrub in the valley,
But be the best little scrub in the valley or be a bush if you can’t be a tree.
If you can’t be a bush be a blade of grass, and some highway some happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass, but the liveliest bass in the lake.
We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew, there’s something for all of us here.
There’s big work to do and there’s lesser to do, and the task we must do is the near.
If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail, if you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail; just be the best of whatever you are.
If JS screams “MUFFIN!!!” at you at 3 a.m. what would you do? Keep right on sleeping!
If you have crewed for or raced with JS before do you have a fun experience that can be shared?!? NA