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Thursday, May 31
Mercer Island update -- Where is enforcement; what is a stop?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 31 May 2007 02:59 PM PDT
 (Updates bike stops)The Mercer Island police department has been kind enough to get back to me regarding where they're targeting stop-sign enforcement and what bicyclists should consider as a full stop.
Mercer Island police Cmdr. Leslie Burns says the department will concentrate its enforcement actions at locations where they get the most complaints.
For bicyclists running stop signs, that's been at 84th Avenue SE and SE 24th Street (the entrance to Luther Burbank Park) and the four-way stop at SE 24th Street and West Mercer Way. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 19 - Abe born here, honestly
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 31 May 2007 12:46 PM PDT
 We pedaled over to the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site today, just up the road from Joel Ray's Lincoln Jamboree. Yee-haw!
The park ranger giving the tour said, "As far as we know, this is where he was born." Sounding a little cagey? Over in Springfield yesterday we had stopped in the Lincoln Homestead State Park, a woman in the office said, "Older ... more »
Petacchi and Di Luca at Giro d'Italia stage 18
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 31 May 2007 09:24 AM PDT
A recurrent theme of the 2007 Giro d'Italia is becoming Alessandro Petacchi wins the stage and Danilo Di Luca retains the lead.
It was true again on Thursday for the essentially flat, 126-mile race from Udine to Riese Pio X; Petacchi posted his fourth stage win of the three-week Giro and Di Luca accepted the overall leader's pink jersey for the 10th time.
As Di Luca holds a gap of 2-minutes-24 -- or more -- over the field, it's beginning to look very likely that he'll hold the pink jersey all the way to the finish in Milan on Thursday. ... more »
Mercer Island: Blow those stop signs and get a ticket
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 31 May 2007 08:33 AM PDT
 Google imageMercer Island is warning that police officers will issue tickets to bicyclists who don't stop at stop signs on the island.
It's part of a crackdown that is also to involve ticketing motorists who unsafely pass cyclists, particularly on the twisting Mercer Way loop around the island.
The island has been the stage for conflicts between bicyclists and motorists for years. Situated in Lake Washington between Bellevue and Seattle, the island is a thoroughfare for bike commuters passing through on the I-90 bike lanes. A narrow road that encircles the island is a popular loop for cyclists out for a spin. ... more »
Wednesday, May 30
1984 Bike Tour: Day 18 - The fragrance of good home cookin'
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 30 May 2007 02:09 PM PDT
 HODGENVILLE, KY. -- We thought nothing could smell sweeter than the good country air of the Kentucky bluegrass country, until we left Bardstown.
We had just finished an unsatisfying lunch at a shopping center deli in the hometown of composer Stephen Foster (My Old Kentucky Home), when we caught the fragrance of good home cooking in the air. Bruce said, wherever ... more »
Simoni wins on Monte Zoncolan; Di Luca hangs onto pink in Giro
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 30 May 2007 08:47 AM PDT
 Two-time Giro d'Italia winner Gilberto Simoni beat the field Wednesday on the mountaintop finish at Monte Zoncolan, one of the steepest climbs in Europe.
Riding with two other cyclists on the final stretch of the climb, Simoni put overall leader Danilo Di Luca into difficulty but couldn't finish him off as Di Luca struggled across the line in 4th place, 31 seconds behind Simoni.
The day's highlights played out on Monte Zoncolan, merely a 6.2-mile long climb that averages an 11.9% gradient, with a maximum of 22%. The mountain came at the finish of the 88-mile Stage 17 that started in Lienz, Austria. ... more »
Tuesday, May 29
1984 Bike Tour: Day 17 - Not everyone welcomes bicycle tourists
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 29 May 2007 11:51 AM PDT
 HARRODSBURG, KY. -- What did I say about bicycle touring and the kindness of strangers? Forget it.
Tonight we're at the Parkview Guest House. When we walked in the front door of the two-story men's-only "guest house," a guy told us to wait right there for the manager who would soon be home from work. We sat in a couple of ... more »
Bicycling the Stanley Stammpede charity ride
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 29 May 2007 10:27 AM PDT
 This weekend, my son and I are riding our bicycles in the Stanley Stammpede, a charity bike ride to benefit the Stanley Stamm Children's Hospital Summer Camp.
The outdoor camp enables children, such as my developmentally delayed daughter, the opportunity to experience a typical week-long summer camp.
In spite of their disabilities, children like my daughter still like to be active and do things that other kids do. At left she's enjoys riding a trike at a recent family camp. ... more »
Garzelli wins Stage 16; no threat to Di Luca's overall Giro lead
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 29 May 2007 09:14 AM PDT
Stefano Garzelli has won the Giro d'Italia (in 2000) and won sprints to the finish; but he has never chalked up a solo finish, until Tuesday.
The Italian caught up with a breakaway about 23 miles from the finish, then attacked them on the Bannberg climb with 18 miles to go. Since the 33-year cyclist for Acqua & Sappone started the day 20 minutes back, race leader Danilo Di Luca didn't see a threat and let him go .... more »
Monday, May 28
1984 Bike Tour: Day 16 - A good welcome to Berea
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 28 May 2007 11:05 PM PDT
 BEREA, KY. -- We didn't make as big a splash as some people upon entering Berea, but we felt heroic all the same and did receive a warm welcome and invitation.
We arrived in Berea about 10 minutes ahead of the Olympic torch. AT&T was sponsoring the torch run through all 50 states on its way to the Summer Games in Los ... more »
Sunday, May 27
1984 Bike Tour: Day 15 -- Hill hell
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 27 May 2007 05:43 PM PDT
 BOONEVILLE, KY. -- We never stop climbing hills. The route heading west crosses one ridge after another. I can appreciate what Daniel Boone and the pioneers had to endure.
We did go through some wide open bottomland nestled between the hills today, though, generally after passing Buckhorn Lake. We saw some cows in pastures today, something we hadn't seen for ... more »
Ricco, 23, wins huge mountain stage; Di Luca controls Giro overall
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 27 May 2007 05:35 PM PDT
The most difficult stage of this year's Giro d'Italia was marked by a 23-year-old cyclist winning the stage and the beleaguered leader gaining time on his rivals.
Riccardo Ricco of Saunier Duval won the Giro's 15th stage, crossing over three mountain passes before the mountaintop finish at Tre Cime Di Lavaredo.
Meanwhile his team leader, Gilberto Simoni, lost some of the time that he had gained on Saturday against overall leader Danilo Di Luca of the Liquigas team. Simoni dropped to 3-minutes-19 behind Di Luca, even though he climbed one place to fourth. ... more »
Saturday, May 26
1984 Bike Tour: Day 14 -- A salute from King Coal
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 26 May 2007 10:03 AM PDT
 PIPPA PASSES, KY. -- Last night's fear and loathing about spending the foreseeable future dodging coal trucks turned out to be a waste of time.
Coal is king in these parts, but even the king gives a holiday to his subjects over the Memorial Day weekend. No coal trucks confronted us today. We could see them parked in gravel parking lots behind ... more »
Garzelli wins stage; Di Luca loses ground in overall Giro lead
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 26 May 2007 09:56 AM PDT
 The early favorites pressed Giro d'Italia leader Danilo Di Luca in Stage 14 on Saturday, as three of them gained time on the Italian cyclist.
Stefano Garzelli won a seven-man sprint at the end of the 119-mile race from Cantu to Bergamo that included former Giro winners Gilberto Simoni and Paolo Savoldelli.
Di Luca finished at the head of a chase group racing into Bergamo in a stage that capped two mountains .... more »
Pro cycling: "Keep 1996 Tour de France title, send back jersey"
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 26 May 2007 08:32 AM PDT
Even though Bjarne Riis admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the 1996 Tour de France, he won't lose the title because of the pro cycling's 8-year statute of limitations.
At least the Union Cycliste Internationale should adopt using an "*" after his name and other cheaters as in:
"* -- Admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs after the statute of limitations had expired, therefore the title remains on the books but means nothing." ... more »
Friday, May 25
7 Hills of Kirkland bike ride is Memorial Day
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 25 May 2007 03:00 PM PDT
Pedaling along Lake Washington Boulevard in Kirkland this afternoon, I stumbled across a series of Dan Henry circles with the No. 7 inside.
Seven hills, count 'em
It reminded me that the 7 Hills of Kirkland bike ride is coming up on Monday. (It also reminded me I had neglected to put it in the Biking Bis bike ride calendar for Washington state.) In its ninth year, this popular ride skirts the eastside of Lake Washington and the inland hills sculpted by glaciers eons ago. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 13 - That's the Breaks
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 25 May 2007 01:48 PM PDT
 BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK, Va. -- There's nothing like a big ol' country-style breakfast to start the day -- if you plan to go right back to bed.
Bruce and I weren't napping, however. Rev. Chuck and his wife served us an extra helping of biscuits 'n' gravy, along with sausage, bacon and eggs this morning. He said we'd need that extra larder to get over "Big ... more »
Who gets 1996 Tour de France title?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 25 May 2007 10:35 AM PDT
 Former Danish cyclist Bjarne Riis said he's willing to give up his 1996 Tour de France title after admitting on Friday to taking a medicine chest full of performance-enhancing drugs.
So who would be worthy to receive it? We might have to go pretty far down the list of finishers to find someone.
No. 2 that year was Jan Ullrich. No way. With 7 Telekom teammates already admitting to taking banned performance boosters, and doctors saying they readily dispensed them, is anyone serious about giving Ullrich the title? ... more »
Di Luca retains pink jersey after Giro d'Italia time trial
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 25 May 2007 09:15 AM PDT
It should probably be no surprise that 2006 Italian time trial champion Marzio Bruseghin won the uphill time trial at Stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia on Friday.
The effort was good enough to win, but not to unseat Danilo Di Luca from the overall lead. Di Luca finished in third place in the 7.8 mile time trial, just 8 seconds behind Bruseghin.
US cyclist Dave Zabriskie (Team CSC) finished in fourth place in the time trial, 19 seconds behind the winner. ... more »
Riis and Zabel admit to doping in 1996 Tour de France
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 25 May 2007 07:58 AM PDT
Racing for Germany's Team Telekom in the mid-1990s must have been something like: "Fill up your water bottle, take your EPO injection, and get back on the bike."
Bjarne Riis, winner of the 1996 Tour de France, is the latest former Telekom team member to admit to doping; he confessed publically Friday to taking EPO, human growth hormone and steriods from 1993 to 1998.
Erik Zabel and Rolf Aldag, two long-time T-Mobile (Telekom) cycling roommates, are disclosing that they doped with the banned blood-boosting agent EPO in the mid 1990s. They're among 7 Telekom cyclists who admitted to doping this week. ... more »
Thursday, May 24
1984 Bike Tour: Day 12 - We meet the Rev at Elk Garden
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 24 May 2007 02:08 PM PDT
 ELK GARDEN, VA. -- "Bikers. Take a Break. Good Cool Water. Welcome."
After climbing in and out Appalachian hollers all day and seeing a sign like that, we didn't need to be told twice to stop for a while. That's where we met the Rev, another unforgettable person on our TransAmerica Tour. ... more »
Di Luca wins mountain stage, takes lead at Giro
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 24 May 2007 11:42 AM PDT
 Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca has been a major force during the first half of the Giro d'Italia, and with a win in Stage 12, he shows that he plans to have a major impact on the second half of the race as well.
Di Luca won his second stage of the Giro on Thursday, and regained the pink leader's jersey, which he will wear for the fourth time during Friday's time trial.
American cyclist George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) and Aussie Robbie McEwen (Davitamon Lotto) did not start Stage 12, presumably to rest up for the Tour de France. American David Zabriskie (Team CSC) is still in the race, making a play for the lead group on one of the climbs. ... more »
More companies that really promote bicycle commuting
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 24 May 2007 08:06 AM PDT
 If you enjoyed commuting to work by bicycle last week, you might to interested to know that there are some companies that support their bike commuters monetarily year-round.
Some bicycle-friendly firms pay a stipend, others reduce health-care charges, while others help pay for, or even give away, a commuting bike.
Here's a list of six companies recently listed in Business Week ("Who's Pushing Pedal-Pushing) and some I've written about in the past. .... more »
Wednesday, May 23
1984 Bike Tour: Day 11 - Fellow travellers, different paths
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 23 May 2007 10:33 AM PDT
 GRINDSTONE CAMPGROUND, VA. -- We hit it all today -- headwinds, rain, steep hills, illness and a opposite direction bicycle tourist who told us how great things were. That last was the hardest to take.
We broke camp at the Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park, packed our damp gear, and headed to the laundromat in town. I tried to fix my front derailleur while my shoes dried, broke the nut, cursed and ... more »
Petacchi wins No. 3 at Giro; Noe still overall leader
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 23 May 2007 10:21 AM PDT
Chalk up Alessandro Petacchi's third stage victory at the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday, credited to a textbook leadout by his team and a big crash at the finish line in Pinerolo.
Among the dozen or so riders going down were race leader Andrea Noe, who quickly got back on his bike and rode across the finish.
World champion Paolo Bettini also remounted to finish after going down, although the crash spoiled another attempt at a stage win. ... more »
Tuesday, May 22
Free bicycle DIY maintenance guide available online
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 22 May 2007 11:52 AM PDT
There's a free, 11-page bike maintenance and tune up guide available online if you're looking for some basic do-it-yourself information.
The Gear Up! 2007 Bicycling Guide is produced by sports equipment retailer Sun & Ski and offers suggestions on when, where and how to lube your bike. It can be downloaded as a .pdf document.
A one-page chart near the front also suggests bike checks and services that should be performed ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 10 - Dickie Boyles, where are you?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 22 May 2007 09:38 AM PDT
 Today, our stupidity almost got the best of us.
After a late start, I had problems with my front derailleur and tried to fix it as a gas station. It was 10 a.m. before we got underway. We stopped for a bite at Newbern, where several log cabins appeared to be under restoration (20 years later, this has become the Wilderness Road Regional Museum... more »
Piepoli climbs to stage win at Giro d'Italia; Noe in the pink
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 22 May 2007 08:43 AM PDT
Italian Leonardo Piepoli powered through an elite group of climbers, including two teammates, on the steep finish at Santuario to win the 10th Stage of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.
Another Italian, 38-year-old Andrea Noe, finished early enough to take the overall lead in the three-week race, becoming the third Liquigas cyclist to wear the pink jersey this year.
American George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), riding in his first Giro, joined a six-man breakaway and gained enough time on the peloton for a while to be the "on the road" virtual leader. .... more »
Monday, May 21
1984 Bike Tour: Day 9 - Tired, tarred and dogged
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 21 May 2007 12:23 PM PDT
 Hills, dogs, tar and lots of miles. What an exhausting day.
We left the campground at 7 a.m. and followed Route 11 -- known locally as the Valley Pike -- right through to the TransAmerica Route in Buchanan and beyond. The roadway is like a trip out of the '50s -- the highway is cement and weathered roadside barns ... more »
Napolitano wins his first Giro stage; Pinotti still in first
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 21 May 2007 11:21 AM PDT
Team Milram pretty much controlled the latter part of Monday's Giro d'Italia Stage 9 for sprinter Alessandro Petacchi.
They chased the breakaway, determined when the breakaway would get caught, perfectly led the peloton through the streets of Lido Di Camaiore, and watched as Lampre cyclist Danilo Napolitano took the win.
The Italian was one of the cyclists who set up right behind Petacchi. The other opportunists included .... more »
Sunday, May 20
1984 Bike Tour: Day 8 - Natural Bridge seems so unnatural
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 20 May 2007 11:04 AM PDT
 We bolted from the campground without breakfast, and coasted all the way down to the town of Vesuvius. For westbound riders, this is one of the hardest climbs on the TransAmerica Route.
The guidebook says 200 people live here, but we didn't see a soul. Vesuvius is bisected by the Norfolk Western RR, and it looks like both halves were ... more »
Arvesen takes Bettini at finish; Pinotti still leads Giro d'Italia
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 20 May 2007 10:41 AM PDT
Norwegian cyclist Kurt-Asle Arvesen slipped past Italian Paolo Bettini in front of a 21-man breakaway to win Stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday.
Discovery Channel's George Hincapie found himself in the break that escaped from the peloton in the Apennines early in the day. Although he and teammate Jose Luis Rubiera couldn't turn that good luck into a ... more »
Saturday, May 19
Landis, under oath, denies doping
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 19 May 2007 07:44 PM PDT
Floyd Landis finally got to the witness stand on Saturday to testify -- I assume to no one's surprise -- that he did not take performance-enhancing agents to win the 2006 Tour de France.
The surprise is that Landis was present, but unaware, when his business manager made that infamous call to Greg LeMond threatening to make public the story that LeMond had been sexually abused as a child.
Apparently they were sitting apart at dinner on Wednesday night, and Landis saw Will Geoghegan make a short phone call. Soon thereafter he got a call back but didn't answer it. Later, Geoghegan appears shaken up and tells Landis what he did. ... more »
1984 Tour: Day 7 - Climb a mountain, meet the Cookie Lady
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 19 May 2007 12:48 PM PDT
 This is by far the most difficult day of the trip. We rode through rolling farmland, struggled up switchbacks to the Cookie Lady's Bike House, then discovered the Blue Ridge Parkway is not level.
This is the part of the trip we should have been training for all spring, but I don't think even that would have prepared us for ... more »
Petacchi nails another Giro win; overall leaders unchanged
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 19 May 2007 11:04 AM PDT
Italian sprint specialist Alessandro Petacchi scored his second stage win at the Giro d'Italia bike race on Saturday, beating a crowd that included Norway's Thor Hushovd and Italy's Paolo Bettini.
That marks 21 Giro wins for the bicyclist known as "Ale-Jet" since his first in 2003 and emphasizes the fact that he's definitely recovered from a kneecap injury he suffered ... more »
Friday, May 18
1984 Bike Tour: Day 6 - Rest day; mailing gear back home
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 18 May 2007 01:00 PM PDT
 Six days into our TransAmerica bike tour, and we're already taking our first day off. The first five days have been a shakedown cruise -- the last days of training and the first of our trip. I feel that our journey begins in earnest tomorrow.
After lolling around our hostess' apartment for a while, we boxed up some clothes to send back home. I sent back an extra sweater and other clothes that only filled space and added weight to my panniers. ... more »
Breakaway succeeds at Giro d'Italia; slight reshuffling of leaders
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 18 May 2007 12:34 PM PDT
This hardly ever happens, but sometimes the breakaway does stay out in front until the finish line.
Two cyclists celebrated that rare good luck on Stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia on Friday, when Colombia Luis Felipe Laverde (Ceramica) won the stage and Italian Marco Pinotti (T-Mobile) took the leader's pink jersey.
It marks the first time in the 2007 that a member of the Liquigas team -- primarily Danilo Di Luca -- didn't don the pink jersey at the end of the day. Di Luca sits in 3rd place overall, 4-minutes-12 in back of Pinotti ... more »
Seattle area bike commuters hit the road for Bike to Work Day
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 18 May 2007 09:26 AM PDT
 Sunny skies, crisp temperatures. What's not to like about a bicycle ride on a day like Friday in the Puget Sound, even if you are commuting to work?
Thousands of cyclists took to the streets in the Puget Sound this morning to participate in the 2007 Bike to Work Day.
The Cascade Bicycle Club was looking for 10,000 people to ride to work. Cities across the nation were looking at similar numbers on a day when gasoline prices set a record for the fourth straight day. ... more »
Landis drug hearing; LeMond charges witness intimidation
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 18 May 2007 05:00 AM PDT
Floyd Landis wanted a full and open hearing to defend the accusations that he doped during the Tour de France so the public could judge the veracity of the evidence against him.
What viewers got on Thursday was a tawdry peep show that had little relevance to the accusations, but revealed much about the depths that each side would sink to gain an advantage.
It happened when three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond was called to testify about a phone call he'd had with Landis soon after the doping allegations surfaced last year. ... more »
Thursday, May 17
Seattle Bike to Work Day forecast: wear layers
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 17 May 2007 04:09 PM PDT
 It looks like Friday's Bike to Work Day weather forecast in the Puget Sound calls for sunny skies with a 100% chance of spinning bike tires.
You can check for weather updates here (and this being Seattle, I encourage it), but there's no rain forecast until early Saturday. Temperatures range from a low of around 45 Friday morning to highs in the 60s during the day with increasing clouds.
If you plan to join the projected 10,000 people who will bike to work on Friday in the Puget Sound area, here are some things to check..... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 5 - Discovering gravity the hard way
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 17 May 2007 12:20 PM PDT
 Our Bikecentennial guidebook calls this the rolling Piedmont of Louisa and Hanover counties. Contemplating the issue of gravity on the porch of Kent's Store, I decided I'm carrying too much stuff.
These might be called rollercoaster hills, but they aren't as much fun as an amusement park. I speed downhill at top speed, cross a creek, then begin the uphill ... more »
Forster wins stage; Di Luca retains Giro d'Italia lead
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 17 May 2007 12:16 PM PDT
The Giro d'Italia returned to a bike race for the sprinters on Thursday as Germany's Robert Forster (Gerolsteiner) won by charging out the pack and holding off Thor Hushovd in Frascati.
Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca held onto the pink leader's jersey; cyclists for the Liquigas team have held onto the overall lead for the entire bike race so far.
The 107-mile Stage 5 routed the peloton from Teano to the outskirts of Rome with a fairly level course that saw just one climb. ... more »
Tip your helmet to these notable San Francisco bike commuters
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 17 May 2007 07:40 AM PDT
 The San Francisco Bay Area celebrates Bike to Work Day today. I'm struck by a group of remarkable bike commuters and especially one in particular.
She is Kerri Kazala, 47, of Mill Valley who pedals 50 to 60 miles a day roundtrip to her job at a medical treatment center in Daly City.
She is one of nine bike commuters honored from each of the Bay Area's nine counties as Bike Commuters of the Year. More about those bicycle commuters and San Francisco Bay Area Bike to Work Day is available at the 511.org website. ... more »
Wednesday, May 16
1984 Tour: Day 4 - Give me cycling or give me death
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 16 May 2007 01:33 PM PDT
 I jumped out of the sack before 6, but we still didn't leave until 8. Three packets of instant oatmeal for breakfast. It's still friggin' cold (see Bruce in sweater, left).
After pedaling around Ashland, we headed up some narrow roads to Scotchtown, the home of Patrick Henry. We ate an early lunch there and met the groundskeeper, an old guy in beatup overalls. Talking to him about how long ... more »
Floyd Landis trial now live and on replay -- really
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 16 May 2007 10:37 AM PDT
The US Anti-Drug Agency vs. Floyd Landis is now available in live video streaming and with video replays of previous testimony.
Simply, follow this link to the Floyd Landis case website, then follow the instructions there. On Wednesday, viewers were directed to a login page at Courtroom View Network where they logged one using a "Username" and "Password" provided on the Floyd Landis website.
I'm not repeating the username and password here, because they're different than the ones offered initially on Monday and might change again. However, problems encountered on Monday appear to be resolved. ... more »
Di Luca for the stage win and overall lead at Giro d'Italia
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 16 May 2007 09:48 AM PDT
Danilo Di Luca prevailed on the 10-mile climb into Montevergine Di Mercogliano at the end of a rain-slicked, 95-mile Stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday.
The Italian was in a group of 20 that battled up the curvy mountain road, and he attacked Riccardo Ricco, Damiano Cunego and other noted climbers in the last 600 feet for the win.
His Liquigas teammate, Enrico Gasparotto, lost the pink jersey to Di Luca after going down in one of the many crashes that marked the rainy stage that started in Salerno. ... more »
Seattle: Ad campaign says "Give 3 feet" to bicycles
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 16 May 2007 05:00 AM PDT
 You may have already seen this ad popping up on billboards and buses in the Puget Sound region asking motorists to give cyclists 3 feet of space when passing.
It's an awareness campaign aimed at motorists and funded in part by a federal grant given to the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation in 2006.
Several states, Texas is the latest, have put the 3-foot clearance law in the books. But the state of Washington has had it in another book for awhile, the Washington State Driver's Guide. ... more »
Tuesday, May 15
1984 Bike Tour: Day 3 - Still a shakedown cruise
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 15 May 2007 11:00 AM PDT
 After another breakfast of instant coffee, Pop-tarts and juice, we followed the campground owner's directions to the TransAmerica bicycle route via the historical Washington-Rochambeau route.
Today was chilly riding. Bruce wore polypro bottoms and tops, sweats, turtleneck, wool sweater, gloves and a hat under his helmet. Yesterday's warmish 80 degree high makes the weather today seem that much cooler.... more »
It's National Bike Week; get ready for Bike to Work Day
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 15 May 2007 05:00 AM PDT
Like the banner says, May is National Bike Month. And Monday through Friday is National Bike Week. Let's go ride our bikes.
The League of American Bicyclists is a clearinghouse to find out about many -- but not all -- of the events going on this week across the US. It's a good place to start looking for events in your area.
One of the biggest draws of bike "month" and bike "week" is "Bike to Work Day." Here in the Seattle area, that's going to be Friday, although bicycle commuter events are happening on different days elsewhere. ... more »
Monday, May 14
Video of Floyd Landis hearing available at end of day
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 14 May 2007 12:48 PM PDT
(Updated) The US Anti-Doping Agency vs. Floyd Landis hearings, which began Monday, will be made available for viewing online at the conclusion of the days' proceedings.
Almost from the start, the Landis defense team has sought total visibility for the process used to try athletes for doping allegations. Making the videos available through Courtroom View Network is the latest manifestation of that. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 2 - First roadside attraction - Shirley Plantation
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 14 May 2007 10:53 AM PDT
 We awoke to roosters crowing Monday morning. They walked down the hill from the house and strutted around our campsite.
Bruce and I climbed out of the tent at 5:45. It took us two hours to get ready, and most of that was just repacking our panniers so that the stuff we'd probably use first was at the top. ... more »
Petacchi gets his 20th win at Giro Stage 3
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 14 May 2007 10:13 AM PDT
 It's been more than a year since Italian sprint specialist Alessandro Petacchi won a stage at the Giro d'Italia, but he did it on Monday without a leadout from his Milram teammates.
Since he injured his kneecap in Stage 3 last year, you'd have to look back to 2005 for a Giro stage win by the "Ale-Jet," who still holds the most Giro wins among active cyclists.
Petacchi won 6 stages of the Giro in 2003, 9 in 2004 and 4 in 2005. Even with his current dominance, he has a long way to go to match the record of 42 Giro wins held by Mario Cipollini, who won his last Giro stage the same year that Petacchi won his first. ... more »
Floyd Landis doping case begins today
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 14 May 2007 05:00 AM PDT
 After months of previews, the long-awaited Floyd Landis Show hits the courtroom this morning at a public arbitration hearing expected to last a couple of weeks at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
Landis will be fighting for his cycling life against charges issued by the US Anti-Doping Agency that he doped during the 2006 Tour de France.
It will be the first time that such an arbitration hearing to determine an athlete's future will be open to the public. I'm hoping to read informative first-hand coverage online, and I'll be looking specifically to the cycling press. ... more »
Sunday, May 13
1984 Tour: Day 1 - Dude, where's my campground?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 13 May 2007 10:11 AM PDT
Our first day on the TransAmerica bicycle route started with butterflies in our stomachs, a flurry of goodbyes, and a frantic search for a campground that no longer existed.
My bicycling buddy Bruce and I unpacked the car at the Yorktown Victory Monument, a park that commemorated the surrender of Gen. Cornwallis at the end of the Revolutionary War. You could say it marked the end of the road for the British, and the beginning for us. more »
McEwen wins Stage 2 in classic sprint at Giro d'Italia; Di Luca in pink
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 13 May 2007 10:00 AM PDT
The cycling world might be beset by countless doping inquiries, but for a few moments on the island of Sardinia on this Mother's Day Sunday, everything seemed as it should be.
The Giro d'Italia peloton had chased down a five-man breakaway with about 3 miles to go in the 126-mile stage from Tempio Pausania to Bosa, and the sprinters were lining up.
Italian sprinter Allesandro Pettachi sits behind his leadout riders from Milram, whose speed stretch out the peloton. Taking advantage of the situation are Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) sitting on Pettachi's back wheel and Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) sitting in McEwen's slipstream ... more »
Saturday, May 12
Seattle: Bikes take over Lake Washington Boulevard on Saturday
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 12 May 2007 04:50 PM PDT
Saturday was the first day this year that Seattle closed a 4-mile stretch of Lake Washington Boulevard to car traffic so bicyclists could ride free and safe along the lakefront road (see schedule below for more dates).
I pedaled over and saw all stripes of cyclists taking advantage of the car-free day -- called Group Health Bicycle Saturday & Sunday -- provided through the cooperation of Seattle Parks and Rec, Group Health, and the Cascade Bicycle Club.
Several were strong riders, stumbling upon it by accident, as they incorporate this stretch into their loops around the lake. But the majority were slower recreational bicycle riders ... more »
Time again for that 1984 TransAmerica bike tour journal
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 12 May 2007 10:45 AM PDT
 Those of you who have been regular readers of Biking Bis will know that my friend Bruce and I took off on a cross-country bicycle tour beginning on May 13, 1984.
We each kept journals of our impressions at the time, and I first started publishing those journal entries -- day-by-day -- when this blog started back in 2005.
If you've seen them before, then please pardon my repeating them again. But more people come to Biking Bis every year, and I think some of the touring cyclists among you might enjoy reading our adventures from Virginia to California. ... more »
Teams finish in tatters at Giro d'Italia opener
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 12 May 2007 09:40 AM PDT
The Liquigas cycling team, captained by Italian Danilo Di Luca, won the opening day team time trial at the Giro d'Italia on Saturday on a twisting course around the island of Sardinia.
While teammate Enrico Gasparotto finished first and received the pink leader's jersey, Di Luca will get the same time, putting him 16 seconds ahead of former Giro winner Paolo Savoldelli and the Astana team.
Di Luca has been named among the possible winners of this wide-open Giro d'Italia. The odds-on favorite of the race, Gilberto Simoni, finished 1-minute, 28 seconds behind with the Saunier Duval team. Another favorite, Damiano Cunego, fared better with Lampre, which finished 42 seconds behind the leader. ... more »
Friday, May 11
Redmond: Greg LeMond at Marymoor next weekend
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 11 May 2007 04:42 PM PDT
 Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond is scheduled to participate in next weekend's Tour de Cure activities at Marymoor Park in Redmond.
The one-day bike ride on May 19 is a fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Association. Ride participants who have raised and submitted $2,500 or more by Saturday, May 12, will each receive two invitations to a reception held by LeMond on the evening of May 18.
Although LeMond makes his home in Minneapolis, he makes business trips to the Seattle area about every six weeks or so to visit the |
