If you live on the Palouse, you may want one of these independent shops to build you a snow bike. Most will be at the Homemade Bike Show in Portland
Alaska snow bicycles
By Fritz
I think we’re all familiar with the Surly Pugsley and it’s well know that Moots custom builds snow bikes. Plenty of other options are available for fat tire bicycles for snow and sand riding.
RAGBRAI is sorta the big one of cross-state rides. This year’s route will not cross Crawford County where a cyclist died and his wife sued the county causing them to banish large group rides.–Corrie
2008 RAGBRAI names host cities for bike ride
by Gene Bisbee at 11:39AM (PST) on January 24, 2008 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa announced the eight cities that will play host to stops on bike tour from July 20 through 26.
The overnight towns on the west-to-east bicycle route are Missouri Valley, Harlan, Jefferson, Ames, Tama-Toledo, North Liberty, Tipton and Le Claire.
RAGBRAI says the this year’s route is 471 miles long.
I’ve been seeing a number of posts about this August’s Olympic cycling events. I’ll send those along a bit later but I thought you might like to know the northwest is putting in its bid to represent the US> –Corrie
Three Pacific Northwest cyclists among Olympic hopefuls
by Gene Bisbee at 04:00AM (PST) on January 25, 2008 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
Good luck to the 34 cyclists chosen by USA Cycling for the Olympics “long team” — the first step toward qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Three make their homes in the Pacific Northwest. They are Kristin Armstrong of Boise, Adam Craig of Bend, and Jennie Reed of Kirkland. Reed, a graduate of Issaquah High School, also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics women’s track event.
Pro cyclist Levi Leipheimer was an automatic qualifier for the men’s road race team, although no “long team” has been chosen for that event. The BMX long team will be named in May.
10 great winter and early spring bike swap meets
by Gene Bisbee at 05:00AM (PST) on January 20, 2008 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
Did you give yourself a new bicycle or new bike gear for Christmas and need to get rid of some old stuff, or are you just looking for bargains?
Either way, the next couple of months are popular times for bicycle swap meets where you’ll find retail dealers or your neighbors offering great prices on bicycles and equipment.
Some of the larger bicycle clubs put together these swap meets, which are sometimes paired with an overall bicycle expo or classic bike show. Here are a few of the high profile ones in St. Louis, Seattle, Baltimore, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, among others (check your local bicycle club for local listings):
Biking and building across the US
by Gene Bisbee at 09:26AM (PST) on January 15, 2008 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
If you’re interested in riding in a charity bike ride, but not this one, check you the list of Charity Bicycle Rides for 2008
Ride your bike. Hammer. Repeat.
No, this isn’t a crude way to maintain your bicycle. It will be the routine for bicycle riders in seven “Bike & Build” cross-country tours this summer.
Participants in the Bike and Build Program collect donations before setting out and ride in groups of about 30. The routes cross 42 states. On days that they’re not pedaling an average of 75 miles, they’re building affordable housing.
Pipe dream
Want to ride for a reason this year? There are hundreds of major bike rides sponsored by big health foundations throughout the US where the top goal is fund-raising, often through a system of pledges for participating bicyclists.
While the individual bike rides are too numerous to mention — the MS150 sponsors about 100 events — here are short descriptions and links to the major sponors. The bicycle ride series include Multiple Sclerosis, Leukemia, Lung, Diabetes, and LiveStrong bike tours. Others, such as the AIDS Lifecycle and Pan Mass Challenge sponsor one event. Here, in no particular order, are some of them:
Jim’s only in his second season of cycling but he knows no limits. Thanks to Jim for this list of tours around the Northwest. Many are from the Cascade Bicycle Club on the coast. It’s kind of nice to see them on a calendar page so I’ve included them on the calendar page unless everyone objects. There are links there as well in the details for each tour. Jim sent them out as a word document which you can download on the calendar page.
Jim include Pedal Around a Glacier, eh which he says takes place probably the second week of September. The date hasn’t been picked yet.
And of course don’t forget to plan in our own tour to Joseph. We rode that in September rather than early October this year. People seemed to like that.
You’d better get to pedaling. –Corrie
Jim McCracken showed up for the New Year’s Day ride and of course our conversation turned to long rides and tours. Linda and I have already sent in our checks for The Oregon Bicycl Ride. But you might be interested in their Washington Bicycle Ride which goes north to Colville from Spokane and back along the Pend Oreille river. We did it with them last year in the reverse direction. Beautiful country and little travel time and expense to get there. This is a great organiziation with many extras. –Corrie
Oregon Bicycle Ride 2008 Itinerary
Tour of Southwest OregonAugust 10 - 16, 2008
OBR presents a brand new route which provides a true sampling of all southern Oregon has to offer. Beginning in Cottage Grove, we’ll ride through pristine old growth forests, tree farms, river valleys and estuaries. Our travels will take us along the scenic coastline, follow the Coquille River past several waterfalls and finish in the rolling grassy hills of the southern Willamette Valley. The route includes some fantastic overnight locations in small towns and rarely traveled scenic roads. Click to view map.
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeSaturday, August 9 - Arrive in Cottage Grove
- Registration Day & Orientation
Cottage Grove is known as the “Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon”. Arrive early and ride the 20 mile covered bridge tour route. There are seven bridges along the route, including Dorena Bridge, Stewart Bridge, Mosby Creek Bridge, Currin Bridge, Chambers Railroad Bridge, Centennial Bridge, and Swinging Bridge.
I’ve integrated Joe’s and Carol’s items into one list. I’m not really certain I understand everything on the list but it is a start. I think we need to establish some time lines. How soon do we need to arrange for the park? With NORBA? How many forms do we need?
But the list is better organized now, I think.
–Corrie
Lots of pretty homely Santas in this event, Santa Winter Rampage, from the Chicago Bike Winter Schedule. These guys have made winter cycling an art form. I’ll wait ’til spring thank you.
Merry Christmas! –Corrie
Carol has worked up an idea of the work that goes into putting on this event. You can read it here.
If you are an organizer, your skills are needed. Or perhaps you might volunteer to help with some of the items on the list. I can prepare packets and pick up swag for example, but I don’t want to be the guy giving orders on race day.
–Corrie
The latest tour for Lance Armstrong is a USO tour of US military bases in seven countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.Armstrong is joined on the Road to Kabul by biking buddy Robin Williams (both at left), comedian Lewis Black, Kid Rock, Miss USA Rachel Smith, and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan.
Devil’s Slide is the club’s only USA sanctioned event. It is a mountain bike race at Hell’s Gate State Park south of Lewiston. Rider’s say it is an excellent course. Over the years running the race has fallen on Joe Wagenbrenner of MAMBA.
Joe has resigned and will be out of town January through February and MAMBA feels they should stay focused on trail building and promotion.. Sadly, that means he won’t be able to help anyone taking over. It is likely that the race will have to be cancelled for 2008.
The prospects aren’t good within the club for finding a director. This makes it look unlikely the race will resume under our auspices. We would like to see it continue with or without us. We are prepared to lend a hand in future editions or continue to sponsor it ourselves if we can find a director.
We appreciate your past participation as well as current interest and suppport. Please send comments, thoughts, and applications to trcboard@twinriverscyclists.org.
–Corrie
Dinner and a movie on New Year’s Eve is not really an official club event but it has been a tradition for a number of years. We usually have an early dinner at Rooster’s in Clarkston around 5. After dinner, many of us go to a movie at Nez Perce Plaza together.
Debbie will take care of arranging a group table but she needs to know how many are coming. Please fill out the form and submit it.
See you New Years Eve and don’t forget the traditional New Years Day bike ride. It is a bike club, you know.
–Corrie
Gene Bisbee posted this update this morning. He’s listed contributing blogs including us.
–Corrie
Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More :: Great response to Biking Bis link-challenge for flood relief
Great response to Biking Bis link-challenge for flood relief
by Gene Bisbee at 08:53AM (PST) on December 13, 2007 | Permanent Link | Cosmos
Thanks to everyone who took up my link challenge to raise money for the flood victims along the route of the 200-mile Seattle-to-Portland bike ride.
I pledged to donate $5 for every blog that linked to a story I did about the Cascade Bicycle Club’s flood relief drive for residents of Chehalis, Centralia and surrounding Lewis County. With 11 links, the grand total was $55. With a surprise matching grant from Ms. BikingBis, that’s $110. (Overall, the flood relief drive has raised $23,500 as of Thursday morning.)
I so enjoyed the Adventure cycling rides for next summer, I wanted to share this notice from RoadBikeRider.com. They are called second summer tours ’cause you don’t have to wait til the northern hemisphere warms up.
Now if I can just keep Linda from seeing this . . .Corrie
Maui Original Sport Edition | New Zealand | Oregon | The Andes | California DreamingWelcome to Second Summer Tours, the cycling diversion from the harsh realities of North American winter. Escape to exotic destinations to ride your bike: free from cold, snow, and layers of gear. If it sounds like paradise, that’s the whole idea.Second Summer Tours offers special custom group/club tours; as well as special projects for businesses within the cycling industry. Let Second Summer Tours handle all the details of organizing your next business conference or retreat.
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.
A bike ride and a bowl of chili on a crisp fall afternoon. Sweet.
Join us for the regular 1 pm start on Sunday, Oct. 28th and come to the Rosetti’s at 4:30 for chili. If you’d like to bring something, please call Linda at 758-9303.
-Corrie
Sunday, Oct. 21st 1 pm at Dippel Road on Tammany.
Visit Adopt a Road page for more information on this year’s event. You can let us know you’re coming by completing the Volunteer Form, but you can just show up too.
Bring a bike for a post event ride.
–Linda
