Louis Berardinucci

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Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

"I remember first meeting Louis Berardinucci while on a club ride en route to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn about 8 years ago. I was riding a tandem bike with my girlfriend at the time and later to be my wife. While waiting at a traffic light, we struck up a conversation.

It started with some banter by Louie and my stoker accusing me of all things for not doing my fare share of the pedaling work. Louis also mentioned that back in nineteen twenty something he rode a similar looking tandem bike with his girlfriend, a Worksman bike - an Ozone Park pedigree.

Sometime during the conversation he mentioned his age. Or perhaps it was Alfredo G. who was riding with us who had mentioned such. I could have sworn at that time he mentioned he was 89. Perhaps when you reach a certain age, you stop keeping count. Who knows?!? I reckon it really doesn’t matter. He’s probably having too much fun to keep tabs on such.

I’m sorry to learn that I missed him at this year’s ENY. I was busy riding the century. I would have liked to converse with him some more. I'm sure I'll catch him soon on another club ride. Surely he would have joked with me about how I need to upgrade my single speed bike’s kiddy sized wheels or something similar.

You can learn allot from him about cycling and life in general just by listening to him speak, when he does speak. He’s a soft spoken, charming man. He is also a real inspiration to see while out on the road two wheelin’. Louie can really put the hammer down and motor, trust me. I hope I look as good and am still cycling when I reach half his age!

It’s a great sight to see his photo on the NYCC home page.
(Thank you Joan J. and Tom/Timothy)."

Anonymous's picture
Alfredo Garcia (not verified)
yes, he's LXXXIX

"On Dec. 2005, Louie was honored with lifetime 5BBC membership at a holiday party. He was only 88 then. Several years before, Louie was also honored with lifetime NYCC membership.

I first met Louie, 1993, on joint NYCC(the Manhattan lead)/5BBC (the Brooklyn lead) ""Beach Bum"" rides. Both him and the late John Bermundez (& John's baby daughter) would meet the group at the Brooklyn Prospect Park area before we all headed to the Beach 147th ""Neponsit"" section of the Rockaways.

Louie, like in 1993 as well as today, rode a small wheeled, very compacted frame bicycle. He can really speed it up in those days.

I would see Louie at several 2005-2006 NYCC general meetings and made it a point to sit, chat & have dinner with him. A venerable lifetime member from two bike clubs shouldn't be alone.

Louie came on Peter's NYC Marathon bike ride last year. Met him on the subway. I took a picture of him at the Dunkin' Donuts Bay Ridge start. He was content to ride just the Brooklyn segment & go home. We might see him again on Peter's ride.

It would be nice if someone could write about Louie's life & reminiscences a la 'Tuesdays with Morrie.' Remember, he's only 89..."

Anonymous's picture
Gary McGraime (not verified)
guardian angel

"Louis was on my first club ride approx 12 years ago. He was an elder statesman even back then.

He and I waited quietly and patiently as Irv Weisman, the ride leader, assisted someone who showed up for the ride with under inflated tires and a broken chain. Rather than turn the ""unprepared” newcomer away, Irv dug into the very large bag mounted on his bike, pulled out a floor pump and a chain tool and made the necessary repair..

I could tell Louis had seen this and much more before.

As we started out from the GWB terminal across the bridge and into New Jersey, I noticed Louis has just disappeared and assumed he couldn’t hold the pace and had dropped out.

About 20 miles and three hours later we arrived at the lunch destination, a park. Louis was there sipping a Budweiser and holding a table for us.

It seemed so surreal and to this day, I still wonder if he may have wings.
"

Anonymous's picture
Tony Mantione (not verified)
Luis B.

"What a great relief to see a pic. of ""Luie"". I have been wondering about him.. My experince w/ Luie goes back to the late 70's. when I first joined the club. We would often see him on our rides to Nyack. He was already a senior citezen back then and a wonderful inspiration to us all. I cannot say enough that has not already been said by previous posts.
His favorite thing to do was to ride to ""Philly"" for the weekend. He had several bikes that he would pick up from the streets and repair and use them to go to Philly. leave the bike and come back w/ the train. after several weekneds someone would drive back all the bikes back to his home in Bklyn... I Regret not having had the chance to see Luie this past weekend .. had I known that he would do ENY I would have taken the day off work just to say hello and smoose w/ him just one more time ,, just like old times ...I hope I get the chance to see him soon .... My warmest regards to an ""old"" friend ..
Ciao , Tony Mantione"

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