I see there are bloggers out there with more artistic abilities than me. The bone shaker at left is posted at the Trust but Verify blog; the witch on a bike at right was carved up at Velocipete.

I still struggle with the triangle-shaped eyes and nose and try-not-to-cut-yourself phase of pumpkin carving. Later, it's hand out cheap treats at the door, then go through my kids stuff after they'd gone to bed.

My dad always said, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." That advice certainly goes for buying bicycles at "inventory clearance" prices online.

The Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona is issuing an alert about a certain Steve's Cycling Store in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Although the website looks legitimate, the street address houses a Flying J truck stop.

The bicycle shop offers bicycles at extremely low prices -- the entire Trek line goes for $1,000 to $1,300, including a Madrone 5.0. The only problem is, you never get the bike. ...   more »

Maybe it's a bad time to write about bicycle tours in Colorado just after a blizzard hit the state with up to 25 inches of snow last week.

But all the snow will melt, and the passes will open and hundreds of bicyclists will be taking to the high country this summer in two week-long bicycle tours.

I was reminded about the annual Bicycle Tour of Colorado and The Denver Post Ride the Rockies when I stumbled across a blog written by one of the participants in one of those tours.

The Bicycle Tour of Colorado already has posted its dates and host cities for 2007. ...   more »

For those of you keeping score at home, here's the latest box scores on elite cyclists caught up in recent doping scandals:

Tyler Hamilton: The US cyclist's two-year suspension from pro cycling ended Sept. 22. He's mentioned daily as a possible member of the new Italian-Russian team sponsored by Tinkoff Credit Systems and managed by Omar Piscina. No official word yet, though.

Ivan Basso: The Italian cycling star is free to look for another team after quitting Team CSC ...   more »

Motorists who cause bodily injury when they violate the right-of-way will pay a mandatory extra fine in California beginning next year.

While the new law has the good intention of helping to protect cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists, it carries only a $70 fine for violations causing bodily injury and $95 for violations causing great bodily injury.

Let's compare: California motorists who litter face a mandatory fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 for the first conviction.

ABATE of California, a motorcyclist lobbying association ...   more »

Individuals who fix up used bicycles and give them away are getting some well-deserved recognition in Wisconsin and North Carolina.

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin bestowed its annual advocate/educator award to Larry Frostman and Jim Traenkenschuh. The pair have restored and given away more than 500 bicycles ...   more »

This picture is too cool to pass up. It's Greg LeMond riding a recumbent at the Dam2Dam "Thumbs Up!" Bicycle Tour last month in Wenatchee, Washington.

The expression of his face makes him look like a little kid on a new bike.

LeMond was known as an innovator in cycling (remember what aero bars did for him in the 1989 Tour de France?), but he looked a little unfamiliar with the 'bent. Notice the helping hand? ...   more »

TIME Sport International is issuing a recall for 18,000 bicycle pedals.

The ball-bearing cap can fail, causing the pedal to come off the crank and the cyclist to lose balance and fall. At least eight injuries have been reported, according to a US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

The models are: Time RXS Titan Carbon, RXS Carbon, RXS and RXE Bicycle Pedals. ...   more »

Citizen Cyclist. Are you ready to tackle a 121-mile stage in the Pyrenees that climbs the Col de Peyresourde?

If so, then you can saddle up for the L'Etape du Tour, the day when mere mortal, recreational bicyclists can ride their bikes on a route that will challenge the professional peloton a few days later in the Tour de France.

The 2007 L'Etape du Tour is scheduled Monday, July 16. It's Stage 15 ...   more »

The route from London to Paris will be 2,201 miles long for bicycle racers in the 2007 Tour de France, scheduled for Saturday, July 7, through Sunday, July 29.

Along the way, the peloton will pass through Belgium and take a clockwise tour of France. Cyclists will climb 21 mountain passes -- including three mountaintop finishes -- in the Alps (first) and then the Pyrenees. In all six mountain stages are routed, one more than the usual five.

The Tour organizers have saved the best for last, well, next to last. ...    more »

Alan Snel is pedaling his butt off as a bike messenger of sorts. His message is a huge placard fastened to his bicycle that promotes Sunday's Bicycle Bash in Tampa.

Alan explains on his blog, Bike Stories, that's he's the marketing director for Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium and Oliver's Cycle Sports bike stores in Tampa. He must be the director of a staff of one, or maybe he just saves all the plum assignments for himself.

For at least a month, he's been pedaling out to bicycling and other events where people congregate around the Tampa-St. Pete area to display the "Bash Board." That's Alan above, getting coverage from the local Fox affiliate. The sign promotes the Bicycle Bash, 1-5 p.m. Sunday in the plaza at the St. Pete Forum. The bike stores are sponsoring the event.

Alan says he bicycles anywhere from 15 to 85 miles a day ...    more »

This year's Tour de France runner-up Oscar Pereiro is expected to be the star attraction at the 2007 Tour de France route presentation on Thursday.

Beleaguered winner Floyd Landis won't be there; he's busy fighting doping charges. He wasn't invited anyway, as his team folded after tests on his urine samples showed out-of-balance levels of testosterone in his system.

It will interesting to see if Landis is even mentioned at the event ...   more »

Popular UK travel writer Eric Newby died at age 86 last week. The British adventurer, whose travelling experiences stretched back to 1938, at times included a bicycle in his treks.

NPR reported on Eric Newby's death and replayed a portion of an 1988 interview conducted after Newby and his wife, Wanda, had spent a "blustery winter" (is there any other kind?) cycling through Ireland.

After commenting they were geriatric cyclists (he would have been in his 60s), Newby said, "It required considerable guts on Wanda's part ....   more »

The Periscope section in this week's Newsweek (Oct. 30) carries the story of Patrick Sims and warns about the hazards of text messaging while driving.

Sims is the Colorado teen who checked a text message on his phone, drifted into a bike lane and struck and killed 63-year-old cyclist Jim Price. He told the Denver Post:

"That day, that text message seemed important to me. Now I couldn't even tell you what it said. ...   more »

A few weeks ago I reported my awe in the fastest and oldest finishers of the Mt. Diablo Challenge, a bike ride in the East Bay suburbs of San Francisco that gains 3,249 feet in 10.8 miles.

I mentioned some youngsters went up on tandems and trailers, but missed the story of 6-year-old Trey Holterman, the youngest solo bicyclist ever to finish the event.

His proud dad, Gordy, told the San Mateo County Times:

"There was a ceremony afterward, and the host asked a bunch of the kids up onto the stage," Gordy said. "Trey was the smallest kid up there, and the emcee asked him 'Did you go up the mountain on the back of your dad's bike?' Trey said, 'No, I rode myself.' The audience loved that." ...   more »