If you tried to view the 11/29/07 update on the advocacy page and found nothing, it is because the entire site has been moved to another host name. I’m now uploading to the new host and the page should load correctly.
–Corrie
Check out the latest on this project on the advocacy page.
A stakeholders meeting at the Asotin County Aquatic Center on Thursday, taught me a great deal about how these projects get done–mostly, how slow grind the gears of bureaucracy. It would bed nice if we could just make a correction this intersection happen over night. Among the concerns, how to handle traffic flow during construction.
The good news is that everyone seems very knowledgeable and very positive about the need for this work. I’m pleased that bikes are even being considered, but even more than that, we seem to be high on the list of considerations.
You’ll find a pdf with three alternative plans from the last study done in 2004. These are just ideas at this stage but you’ll find them interesting even if you don’t see paths explicitly marked.
–Corrie
If you read RoadbikeRider’s page of tips for warm toes and still have doubts about winter cycling, you might need more encouragement.
Try this IceBike home page for lots of information on gear and technique for riding on ice and snow. They are crazy. It says so on the web page. Should you belong? There is a mailing list as well.
So this touring thing is pretty cool when the company carries the luggage . . .Here are more ways to get your mind off the fact you’re spinning your wheels on the trainer indoors. Ugh.
Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More :: statebicycletour/index
2008 Across State Bicycle Tours
Here’s a list of some of the top multi-day sponsored bicycle rides for 2008, listed by state. Most rides include mechanical support, medical support, meals, sag vehicles, and provisioned rest stops.
If you don’t drink Gatorade you probably have another favorite sports drink. Arguably Robert Cade created that market. Listen to the story at NPR or read the AP story. –Corrie
Robert Cade, Inventor of Gatorade, Dead at 80
by Greg Allen
Morning Edition, November 28, 2007 · Dr. Robert Cade, the man who invented Gatorade, has died. Cade created Gatorade at the University of Florida in 1965 as a way to both quench players’ thirsts and replace carbohydrates and electrolytes lost through sweating in the intense Florida heat. He succumbed to kidney failure. He was 80.I think this is the same video used yesterday as an illustration of irresponsible, risky, cycling. No argument. –Corrie
Sclipo: Learn how to navigate thru New York Traffic from the pros.
Learn how to navigate thru New York Traffic from the pros.
This is a video of a Alley Cat, which is a bike messenger race. The video is taken from the helmet of one of the racers. You will see all the tricks they use to get thru the city faster than anyone else. Don’t stop, don’t brake, don’t fear, just pedal like a SOB!!
–Corrie
So, some drunk out there may have my number and there’s really nothing I can do about it. Still, I’m likely to keep riding. Alan Durning’s post on Gristmill , an envirnonmental blog, thoroughly addresses this question.
Here’s a quote I’d like you to consdier:
. . . as many as half of car-bike crashes are the cyclist’s fault: the cyclist ran a stop sign, made an illegal turn, rode against traffic, or otherwise broke the law.
This is an excellent article with lots of supporting links. It considers not only safety risks but health benefits and addresses the safety gap between US and European cyclists.
–Corrie
The first stakeholders meeting will be held Nov. 29th. Apparently we have all been interviewed and now we are being brought together.
Read an update on the Advocacy Page.
–Corrie
On Friday Doug and I road south of Asotin.. A fellow on a mountain bike left the boat launch about 10 minutes ahead of us. We caught up with him just South of Asotin. He was riding on the left side of the road. His presence became a threat to us riding on the right when we encountered northbound cars. I don’t feel comfortable correcting someone’s cycling, but riding the roads is dangerous enough without cyclists making it more dangerous by riding erratically or incorrectly.
If you haven’t read Bicycling Magazine’s current issue, you might want to look at Special Report: Fixing America’s Broken Traffic Laws.
Or maybe you shouldn’t. You might not want to get on a road bike ever again. These Sonoma County cyclists were killed while cycling safely. 700 cyclists in the US die each year. Yes, die. While the figure below seems to show a decrease in bicycle deaths since 1975, the article challenges this trend pointing out when more cyclists are on the road the accident rate is reduced.
Despite all the advocacy efforts in Sonoma County, CA–the focus of the report–cycling is still dangerous. Apparently the key is changing the culture to recognize that bicycles belong.
Such countries as the Netherelands have much reduced bicycle accident rates–but then about half the population cycles or walks. Turns out being a cyclists makes you more aware of cycles on the road and therefor more careful. Duh.
Riding on the wrong side of the road won’t help. Double Duh.
I should have handed this guy a club card and asked him to visit the safe cycling section of the advocacy page. Triple Duh!
Read the article in Bicycling and then visit Organizations on the Advocacy Page to see what groups have to say about improving cycling safety. Be sure to check out the video at the top about what Berkley has done to make cycling safe.
–Corrie
Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More :: Biking in wilderness forbidden, even in Marin County
Biking in wilderness forbidden, even in Marin County
by Gene Bisbee at 05:00AM (PST) on November 24, 2007 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
Argue as he might, Steven Gravenites couldn’t convince the federal judge in San Francisco earlier this month that he should be found innocent of possession of a bicycle in a wilderness area.
The 45-year-old mountain biker and well-known Marin County, California, wheel-builder was fined $60 but was able to reclaim his bike. Rangers had taken as evidence for illegal trail riding in the Point Reyes National Seashore in June.
Here’s another list of gift ideas. Send the links to your friends and family. –Corrie
Bicycle Frenzy » Blog Archive » Perfect Gifts For The Cyclist On Your List
Perfect Gifts For The Cyclist On Your List
Product Review
Are you looking for a great gift for a bicycle enthusiast? Well I have put together a little list of great gifts that any cyclist would love. If you click the links it will take you to the page where you can buy each gift.
Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More :: Last stage for Floyd Landis
www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/21/336…
Note created November 23, 2007
11/23/07
Last stage for Floyd Landis
by Gene Bisbee at 08:07AM (PST) on November 21, 2007 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
Floyd Landis has begun filing appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the last stage in his attempt to regain the 2006 Tour de France championship and overturn a 2-year ban from
Best Gifts Under $25 for Cyclists
Best Gifts Under $25
From David Fiedler,
Your Guide to Bicycling.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
For That Special Cycling Someone in Your Life
The holidays are here, and that means you are looking for that perfect present for a bike lover. Here are some great gift items all under $25 that will certainly make them merry and bright.
Santa can’t afford a bike tour? Try one of these cycling gifts.
http://www.click-stand.com/Click-Stand_Products.html
Road Bike Rider newsletter
. SCOTT’S SPIN
Thanks a Lot
Here in America we’re celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. That’s when you eat marshmallow-filled Jell-O salad, decorate your house in orange and brown, and figure out how to do a 2-hour ride when you should be home hanging the relatives. I mean, hanging with the relatives.
And it’s a time for giving thanks. So it seems like an appropriate moment to do that for something really important — besides the abundance of marshmallows and the theft of a continent from Pocahontas.
I’m talking, naturally, about our sport. Here’s my list of cycling things to be thankful for:
For the list you’ll need to go to the newsletter
I recommend this newsletter though I don’t have a premium subscription to the website.
We’re pretty lucky in the valley. Snow is rare, light, and seldom stays long. The last two years have been bitter cold by our standards from Thanksgiving through Christmas. I pretty much hung up my bike. But most years, I can ride pretty much year around. My worst problem is keeping my toes warm.
Toasty Toes from Roadbikerider.com shares lots of reader tips for keeping your toes warm. Mostly they recommend chemical warmers. I’ve tried them and they work for me as well.
Jim McCracken pushes the envelope. He’s been reading Adventure Cycling and now he sends this email announcing new tours for 2008. Read at your own risk.
–Corrie
|
Dear Adventure Cyclist:
We are very excited to unveil Adventure Cycling’s slate of bicycle adventures for 2008. We believe this is one of the most attractive sets of tours we have ever offered, with a host of new trips, ranging from the easy to the epic. Among our new trips: the California Winter Warmer (based out of San Diego this February); the Great Western Loop (using segments of four classic Adventure Cycling routes and touching on dozens of iconic western landscapes and national parks); Idaho Relaxed, a mellower bike tour for the beginner or the more experienced rider who just wants to take it easy; a Great Lakes self-contained tour (with quite a bit of car-free riding); a new Cycle Montana, threading through the Bitterroot Mountains and the glorious Big Hole Valley; a first-of-its-kind Pedal Pioneers training, to teach you how to organize overnight bike trips for young people; a van-supported TransAm tour; the Golden Circle (riding self-contained around coastal Alaska); Farm Fresh (biking, noshing, and sipping) in Northern California; and a special trip on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route – for the first time ever, riding the Canadian and U.S. sections in their entirety! We will also be offering our fantastic classics and even better versions of newer rides, like the Underground Railroad Celebration Ride, the Southern Arizona Road Adventure (in March); Vintage Virginia, Texas Hill Country, Denali Adventure, Cycle Washington (for the first time in three years), Sierra Sampler, and more! I have been told many times that people live vicariously through the articles of Adventure Cyclist magazine. However, I can honestly tell you that you will get the same thrills by reading the colorful descriptions of this year’s tours (many of them written by 25 year Adventure Cycling veteran, Mac McCoy) at your desktop or laptop. Please enjoy the descriptions – and I hope you’ll come adventure with us in 2008! Best wishes, P.S. If you’re interested in learning how to lead a bicycle tour early next year, check out Adventure Cycling’s unique Leadership Training Course (LTC) that will be held February 8-10 in San Diego. Adventure Cycling Association |
© Copyright 1997-2007 Adventure Cycling Association. Photo by Aaron Teasdale.
When the temps start below freezing and don’t promise to rise into the 40s, I lose interest. How about you? Here’s how to dress.
| Winter has finally reared its ugly head here in the Northwest. However, just because it is winter does not mean that you have to give up cycling. It may take a little bit more motivation to get out and ride when it is cold and gray, but a good ride always does the body and mind good. In order for your winter ride to be safe and enjoyable you need to winterize your bike and your body. It is always recommended that you ride with a partner especially if you will be going to a remote location. |  |
Video Bike Festival 2006 à Tignes
Some great mountain biking scenes in this video. Some of you will, no doubt, think this looks like fun. Shudder.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2432y_bike-festival-2006-a-tignes_events
Jim Langley’s thorough discussion of bike fit starts with the seat. More tips on fit and buying a bike at http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/crank.html.
Level and center the seat: Start adjusting fit by placing the bicycle on a level
surface and checking that the seat is level (photo). A good way to check is to place a carpenter’s level on top of the seat. If you don’t have this tool, place a yardstick on top of the seat and compare the edge of the yardstick to a horizontal sight line, which you know to be level such as a windowsill or the top of a building. While adjusting, ensure that the seat is centered on its rails over the seatpost, too.
Another in the series from Langley’s great web site.
–Corrie
