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Saturday, June 30
Giving credit where credit is due
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 30 Jun 2007 11:31 PM PDT
 The Adventure Cycling Association is once again asking touring bicyclists to nominate deserving folks for its four annual bicycle travel awards.
There's an award for the person who does the most to help touring bicyclists, the most helpful bike shop, the person who has contributed to the overall success of bicycle touring, and the most prominent Adventure Cycling volunteer.
If someone comes to mind, go to the awards program at Adventure Cycling Association.
They didn't have these awards when my friend and I rode our bicycles cross-country in 1984, but I was thinking who I would nominate from 23 years ago: more »
Day 49 - Another day off; hanging out in Santa Fe
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 30 Jun 2007 12:45 AM PDT
 SANTA FE, N.M. - I seem to keep repeating this in my journal -- "this place reminds me of Annapolis."
Of course Santa Fe doesn't really remind me of Annapolis, but there are aspects that are similar. Same with Taos, Ouray, Ste. Genevieve.
Santa Fe is steeped in the Hispanic culture, Annapolis isn't. Annapolis sits on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Santa Fe sits at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The similarities? Neither are the largest cities in their states, but they are the state capitals. Both have campuses of the liberal arts St. John's College. A large part of their economies are based on eating and drinking and partying downtown ... more »
Friday, June 29
Zabriskie and Vande Velde picked for Tour de France rosters
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 29 Jun 2007 01:59 PM PDT
 Following up on Thursday's post about US cyclists picked for 2007 Tour de France team rosters, Team CSC has chosen David Zabriskie and Christian Vande Velde.
Pending further changes, six US cyclists will race in the 2007 Tour de France.
Team CSC did not pick Bobby Julich for this year's Tour; T-Mobile chose neither Aaron Olson or Canadian Michael Barry.
Zabriskie is the US time trial champion and finished 5th overall in the week-long Dauphine Libere earlier this month, surviving the many climbs of that bike race. A teammate, Fabian Cancellara, is the world time trial champ. ... more »
Don't bet against Versus for Tour de France viewership
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 29 Jun 2007 12:47 PM PDT
 OK. There's no Lance and no Landis, but we still have Levi for this year's Tour de France bicycle race.
Even so, broadcast media watcher MediaDailyNews says the Versus cable network is in for a "rough ride" with this year's Tour de France broadcast ratings, what with no clear American favorite and the doping scandals that are ripping apart cycling.
Versus has scheduled 17 hours of daily Tour de France coverage from the July 7th prologue in London to the July 29th finish in Paris. The usual suspects will be behind the microphones: Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen are returning as the main commentators, and Bob "Tour Day France" Roll and Al Trautwig will host the extended prime-time replay. ... more »
New Pacific NW bike ride: High Pass Challenge
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:59 AM PDT
Are you looking for the end-of-season challenge to test your bicycling fitness? If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you might consider the High Pass Challenge presented by the Cascade Bicycle Club.
Offered by the Seattle-based bicycle club for the first time in 2007, the Challenge is a 120-mile, one-day bike ride that features 7,500 feet of elevation gain.
Cyclists will begin in Packwood, Washington, between 7 and 8 a.m. on Sept. 23, and climb Independence Pass, pedal past Spirit Lake and arrive at the Windy Ridge Viewpoint of the Mount St. Helens blast zone in the national monument. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 48 - Like being south of the border
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 29 Jun 2007 12:15 AM PDT
 SANTA FE, N.M. - Most of the day, I felt that I was no longer cycling through the US, but had slipped south of the border. The Hispanic culture here, mixed with Native American, is very strong.
For instance, after Penasco, we followed a road that reminded me of cycling in the Alleghenies because he rose and fell like a rollercoaster. We passed through some towns, such as Las Trampas, that had a mission older than most of the Colonial era buildings back home in historic Annapolis. ... more »
Thursday, June 28
US cyclists on 2007 Tour de France team rosters
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 28 Jun 2007 01:04 PM PDT
 Pro cycling teams are announcing their rosters for the 2007 Tour de France as the race starts in London in a little more than a week.
The US-based Discovery Channel pro cycling team is sending a squad led by California's Levi Leipheimer, winner of the Tour of California in February. He'll be joined by US road champion George Hincapie.
The rest of Discovery's international cast is comprised of Alberto Contador, Vladimir Gusev, Egoi Martinez, Benjamin Noval, Sergio Paulinho, Yaroslav Popovych and Tomas Vaitkus... more »
Day 47 - Flat, but not Kansas anymore
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 28 Jun 2007 07:38 AM PDT
 TAOS, N.M. - We've covered almost 3,000 miles on our cross-country bike ride so far, and I don't remember any place as unique as this. I almost feel like I'm in a different country. Much of the area sits on a plateau, so its flat like Kansas. But it's arid, so there's only dry brush around. Also, the houses don't look ... more »
Wednesday, June 27
Tell Kentucky official your dog-attack stories
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 27 Jun 2007 08:34 AM PDT
 If there's one thing that Kentucky is known for among cross-country bicyclists, it's the dogs.
When my friend and I rode through there on our TransAmerica bike tour back in 1984, I remember pedaling some rural areas where the baying hounds would telegraph our passage right on down the road.
Barking isn't the problem, however. It's the chasing and biting.
Kentucky's bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Tiffani Jackson, wants to learn more about this problem. Adventure Cycling Association notes in a recent edition of "Bike Bits" that she wants cyclists to contact her about about cyclist-dog encounters "so I can start to show people how big of a problem dogs are here in the state." ... more »
Day 46 - Back and forth over the "Divide"
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 27 Jun 2007 08:23 AM PDT
 ASPEN GLADE, COLO. - This is rough terrain, and we crossed back over the Continental Divide and bicycled in and out of New Mexico today. We're still making progress to the Pacific, though it doesn't seem so.
We said our goodbyes to Gunter and Elsa (they said they didn't want to hold us back, although I doubt this because they set a torrid pace), and pedaled south on Route 84 to Chromo. Nothing much going on here except a second breakfast. After leaving the mountains, we're in some high plains here. A landmark, Chromo Mountain, we watched approach for more than 10 miles. We passed it on our right, and continued over the New Mexico border... more »
Tuesday, June 26
Day 45 - This drink tastes better than Gatorade
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 26 Jun 2007 08:25 AM PDT
 PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLO. - We hooked up with a German couple on the road today who taught us about a new health drink, although we have yet to try it while cycling.
We packed up early at the hostel in Durango and took off. Anymore, I always feel better being back on the road, no matter how much I needed a rest day. Today we're following a new map behind the clear window in my handlebar bag. We're long-finished with the traditional Bikecentennial maps -- that route veered north somewhere after Pueblo. We're on the Great Parks South Bicycle Route Extension map. ... more »
Monday, June 25
Top reasons why people don't ride a bicycle
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 25 Jun 2007 08:42 AM PDT
Why don't more people ride bicycles?
According to a survey conducted in Washington state, it's because they never learned to ride in the first place or they don't know how to ride in traffic.
Those results from a telephone survey surprised the state Department of Transportation official who sought the input as part of the state's effort to update its 12-year-old bicycling and pedestrian plan. ... more »
Day 44 - Using a pickup instead of bikes to Mesa Verde; bad move
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 25 Jun 2007 07:31 AM PDT
 DURANGO, COLO. - Note to self: If you're touring by bicycle, stay on the bicycle.
We've just returned from a strange and troubling adventure involving our reliance on a pickup truck we borrowed for the day. We're all safe and sound, but it could have turned out much worse.
Bruce and I had planned to take today off and take a $25 guided tour to the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, about an hour's drive away...
more »
Sunday, June 24
How far can you ride your bicycle in 24 hours?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 24 Jun 2007 10:00 AM PDT
 Forget about the dishes in the sink. Forget about mowing the lawn and posting your blog. Forget about sleep. If you had 24 hours, how far could you ride your bicycle?
More than 400 bicyclists met at the National 24-Hour Challenge last weekend near Grand Rapids, Michigan, to seek the answer to that question. It was the 24th meeting for the event.
Seattle resident Craig Ragsdale, 29, learned he could set the course record by covering 502.6 miles. Just as amazing, 67-year-old Dave Thomsen of Austin, Minnesota, bicycled 403.9 miles. ... more »
Day 43 - By bike and train over San Juans
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 24 Jun 2007 09:49 AM PDT
 DURANGO, COLO. - I can't imagine a better day bicycling, even though it did include several hours on a narrow gauge railroad.
The climb up Red Mountain Pass is a monster. It's a 13-mile ride from Ouray and rises from 7,706-foot elevation to 11,018 feet. It took us 3 and a half hours, partly because of the climb and partly because of the scenery - which we were all too happy to admire as we caught our breath.
We climbed switchbacks out of Ouray, which was surrounded by lofty cliffs, and followed the roaring Uncompagre River, which had cut the hell out of these mountains .... more »
Saturday, June 23
Apology nearly knocks me off my bike
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 23 Jun 2007 09:29 AM PDT
The other day, I finally topped the climb near my house. I paused to let the motorist in the oncoming lane make a right turn from the 3-way stop, as I prepared to make a left.
He made his turn. I started into the intersection, but the guy following him slid along behind him and we were on a collision course.
"Yo yo yo yo yo!" I distinctly remember yelling "Yo" five times. (In times of crisis I seem to revert to Rocky Balboa speak, as in "Yo, Paulie".) He stopped, and I pedaled on through. About a half block away, I hear the car approaching and it is slowing down... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 42 - Fellow travelers in stunning landscapes
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 23 Jun 2007 09:01 AM PDT
 OURAY, COLO. - You never know what fellow travelers you'll find when you break camp in the morning.
After leaving the Elk Creek campground we rode along the Blue Mesa reservoir shore and crossed a bridge to Sapinero, which is more of a cafe and filling station than a town. We stopped for another breakfast there. When we were getting ready to spin off, we met a group of college-aged folks who were walking from West to East to protest nuclear weapons ... more »
Friday, June 22
Falling tent injures riders on Ride the Rockies
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 22 Jun 2007 08:55 PM PDT
 Bike riders at the 2007 Ride the Rockies will surely remember this as the Earth, Wind and Fire tour.
The earth would be the four soaring mountain passes they crossed in 7 days of cycling. The 1,000-acre wildlife blaze the cyclists passed Wednesday would be the fire.
And the micro-burst that blew down a large party tent, injuring three to five people, on Thursday at the Aspen encampment would be the wind. ... more »
No support for cyclists in Great Divide Race
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 22 Jun 2007 10:45 AM PDT
 Photo by Aaron Teasdale
Adventure Cycling AssociationNo support vehicles. No support crews. No calling anyone on a cell phone. No prizes. Few paved roads. What the hell kind of a bike race is this?
It's the Great Divide Race, the world's longest mountain bike race and arguably the most grueling.
Twenty-four mountain bikers set off from Port of Roosville, Montana, on the Canadian border on June 15 to tackle the 2,490-mile route to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, at the Mexican border.
They're following the stunningly beautiful and remote Great Divide Mountain Bike Route charted by the Adventure Cycling Association. It's pretty much all dirt road and trails criss-crossing the Continental Divide, with 200,000 feet of elevation gain along its course. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 41 - Up and over at Monarch Pass
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 22 Jun 2007 07:44 AM PDT
 ELK CREEK, COLO. - This is one of those days that I'd been looking forward to ever since we started planning the trip. We crossed the Continental Divide under our own power at the 11,312-foot Monarch Pass. I knew all along we could do it; I just didn't know how hard it would be.
Now, sitting at the hot and dry Elk Creek National Park Service Campground, I realize that we must have been in better shape than I realized. Bruce says it was easier than the hills in Virginia and Kentucky .... more »
Thursday, June 21
Coming to terms with boutique owner's bicycling death in Albany
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 21 Jun 2007 11:19 AM PDT
 Friends of an Albany, New York, boutique owner and fashion designer are raising funds for statewide bicycle training programs in her memory.
Diva de Loayza died on June 6 from injuries she received when she was struck by a minivan as she pedaled through a red light. She was knocked over the hood and crashed to the ground on her head; she was not wearing a helmet.
She also carried no identification, and it was two days before her identity was known. ... more »
Robic wins Race Across America; more than a dozen still on course
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 21 Jun 2007 10:36 AM PDT
 Although Slovenian ultra-cyclist Jure Robic rolled across the Race Across America finish line in Atlantic City on Tuesday, about a dozen solo riders are still struggling on their bicycles two days later.
One of them, diabetic Vail cyclist Kerry White, is continuing her ride despite being disqualified with 1,300 miles to go for failing to meet a time cut off earlier this week.
After starting on June 10 for 25 solo men and five solo women, RAAM is winding to a close. Most of the teams, which started June 12, have finished, except for two 2-man teams. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 40 - Running the Arkansas River, upstream
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 21 Jun 2007 06:54 AM PDT
 MAYSVILLE, COLO. - The climbing begins in earnest today, but we start with a long, cold, downhill after crossing the Silver Bridge, touted as the world's highest suspension bridge. The winding road takes us back down to the elevation of the Arkansas River.
Along US 50, huge red outcroppings of rock towered over the road. The river rushed alongside. We could hear it as we pedaled upstream on the gentle grade. Down here we could look up the valleys sometimes and see snow-capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. ... more »
Wednesday, June 20
Special events with Lance Armstrong during RAGBRAI
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 20 Jun 2007 09:27 AM PDT
 Lance Armstrong is riding the entire RAGBRAI bicycle tour this summer and is making off-the-bike appearances at a special event for youths in Spencer and a concert in Cedar Falls.
After the first stage, which ends Sunday, July 22, in Spencer, Armstrong is scheduled to meet with registered youth participants (under 21) on the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. He'll answer their questions about his journey through life ... more »
Ride the Rockies cyclist recovering from car collision; wildfire won't interrupt bike ride
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 20 Jun 2007 07:55 AM PDT
The 22nd annual Ride the Rockies bike ride ended early for a 52-year-old Littleton man when a car made a left turn in front of him as he sped down Rabbit Ears Pass on Sunday.
Meanwhile, authorities are saying that the New Castle wildfire that spread to 1,000 acres Tuesday afternoon won't affect the 2,000-person bike tour.
The cyclist, Kent Lewis, smashed into the passenger side of the vehicle and was taken to Yampa Valley Medical Center where he was treated for cuts and bruises and released on Monday. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 39 - Entering Rockies -- it's all uphill now
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 20 Jun 2007 07:08 AM PDT
 ROYAL GORGE, COLO. - So there I am posing at the side of US 50 with a horned antelope skull balanced on my helmet. Is it wacky altitude weirdness of just giddiness about being on the road again?
Probably the latter. We left Pueblo early and steadily headed toward a line of blue mountains ahead of us. As the morning wore on the mountains grew and finally enveloped us as we progressed into the Rockies. We stopped at Penrose at 21 miles, then lunched in Canon City 15 miles later. About a mile outside this town, we both geared down to our grannies and just started climbing. To quote Dorothy, We weren't in Kansas anymore ... more »
Tuesday, June 19
Wildfire might force detour for Ride the Rockies
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 19 Jun 2007 04:01 PM PDT
Organizers of the 2007 Ride the Rockies might be forced to detour 2,000 bicyclists around a wildfire on Wednesday on the 36-mile stage from Rifle to Glenwood Springs.
The so-called New Castle fire, which started Sunday, has scorched 350 acres about 10 miles west of Glenwood Springs. Some 200 firefighters, with air tanker support, were expected to be fighting the blaze by Tuesday night because it is threatening hundreds of homes.
The route for Ride the Rockies passes right through the fire zone, reports Greg Moody with CBS4 in Denver, and tour organizers were considering two options. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 38 - Just hanging out in Pueblo
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 19 Jun 2007 07:48 AM PDT
PUEBLO, COLO. - We decided to lay around and do nothing for the day. We had covered so many miles the past couple of weeks, we were feeling just plain tired.
The news that a controversial liberal radio talk show DJ -- Alan Berg -- had been gunned down had upset our hosts. Anyway, we just didn't feel right overstaying ... more »
Monday, June 18
Opening the Biking Bis mailbag
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 18 Jun 2007 05:12 PM PDT
 Occasionally I'll get personal email from readers who see something that they think I might be interested in.
Recently I've received email about bike-commuting foreign ministers, bike-parking headaches in Amsterdam, and a request for a good bicycle touring book recommendation.
Ken in North Carolina forwarded the above image to me from BBC showing France's Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development Alain Juppe walking away from a cabinet meeting with his Dutch commuting bike.
"It's a very nice example for government figures everywhere!" Ken wrote. ... more »
20th place finish makes Vino a favorite for Tour de France?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 18 Jun 2007 11:38 AM PDT
 Last week's Dauphiné Libéré, which ended Sunday, is considered a warm-up for the Tour de France.
But the winner of that French bicycling race, Christophe Moreau, isn't the cyclist coming out of the stage race who is being touted as a top contender for the Tour, which runs July 7-29.
It's Alexander Vinokourov, above, the captain of the Kazakhstan-based Astana team. In spite of his 20th-place finish overall, Vinokourov won two stages (a time trial and the mountainous final stage), and wore the leader's jersey for one stage. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 37 - Well-housed in Pueblo
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 18 Jun 2007 09:20 AM PDT
 PUEBLO, COLO. - It's after midnight, and Bruce and I have just finished making basic overhauls and installing new parts on our bicycles. We used the "bicycle workshop" in the shed behind the home of our newfound friend -- a 14-year-old in a house full of biking enthusiasts.
We got a late start this morning from Ordway after our epic ... more »
Sunday, June 17
Country cycling and no rain at Cascade's Flying Wheels bike ride
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 17 Jun 2007 09:45 AM PDT
 The forecast of scattered showers never materialized on Saturday for the Cascade Bicycle Club's Flying Wheels bicycle ride in eastern King County.
Some 3,150 bicycling enthusiasts showed up for the ride, which features hilly routes of 100 and 65 miles, and easier routes of 50 and 25 miles.
The ride that begins and ends at Redmond's Marymoor Park Velodrome is promoted as a warm-up ride for July's Seattle-to-Portland 200-mile bike tour. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 36 - Can't stop cycling
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 17 Jun 2007 09:40 AM PDT
 ORDWAY, COLO. - Most of western Kansas and eastern Colorado was closed this Sunday, so we did the only thing we knew how -- we kept pedaling.
After patching up two flat tires just after sunrise, we rode out of town and back to the flat terrain. Everything was closed in the first town in Colorado -- Towner. Same at Sheriden Lake ... So when we finally got to Haswell, thirsty and parched, there was nothing but bad water and what little water we had in our bottles. No bathroom. No shower. The only store in town was closed more »
Saturday, June 16
Naked Painted Cyclists enjoy the sun in Fremont solstice parade
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 16 Jun 2007 09:43 PM PDT
 In spite of morning clouds, the sun shone in places where it doesn't usually shine on Saturday at the Summer Solstice Parade in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.
About 100 cyclists wearing only body paint and a smile pedaled down the parade route in advance of the official Summer Solstice Parade presented by the Fremont Arts Council.
Although they've faced some rocky issues with the police department over the years, this 16th appearance by the Painted Cyclists seemed to be tolerated by the bike police who were on hand. ... more »
Moreau climbs back into Dauphiné Libéré lead
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 16 Jun 2007 09:14 AM PDT
Frenchman Christophe Moreau climbed back into the lead of the Dauphiné Libéré on the final climb of the day on Saturday's penultimate stage.
While Astana cyclist Maxim Iglinsky won the 120-mile stage from Gap to Valloire, teammate Andrey Kashechkin fell off the lead and into third place... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 35 - Go West, young men!
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 16 Jun 2007 08:17 AM PDT
 TRIBUNE, KAN. - We're walking back from dinner at the Cactus Patch restaurant, and realize we're riding through history. We're in the town of Tribune in the county of Greeley. The next town down the road tomorrow will be Horace. Follow the bouncing ball. What did Horace Greeley write in the New York Tribune? "Go west young man!"
We started heading West early in the morning after a torrential downpour struck at 4:30. We ate and washed up at the church (still open, as promised) and hit the road at 6:45. After a few miles the terrain opened up more than before, if that's possible. ... more »
Friday, June 15
Solo RAAM cyclists spread out over 1,000 miles
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 15 Jun 2007 02:34 PM PDT
The 27 remaining solo cyclists in the Race Across America are all going strong, although they're spread out over 1,000 miles of blacktop.
The men's leader and former champion, Jure Robic, was the first to pass through Marthasville, Missouri, while female cyclist Patty Riddle just passed through Durango, Colorado, earlier on Friday.
In spite of the distance separating them, they all share a desire to overcome rain, wind, heat, terrain, sleep deprivation and just plain exhaustion so they can ride into Atlantic City, 3,000 miles from the start. ... more »
Basso banned, begins training for 2009 season
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 15 Jun 2007 01:29 PM PDT
 One of cycling's most promising stars, Italian Ivan Basso, was handed a 2-year suspension from pro cycling on Friday for his involvement with a blood-doping Spanish doctor.
Basso admitted to "attempted doping," but never carrying through with it. That admission was enough to earn him the ban, which actually expires Oct. 24, 2008, due to previous suspensions.
Considered to be one of the world's top cyclists, Basso won the 2006 Giro d'Italia, and finished on the Tour de France podium with Lance Armstrong in 2005 and 2004. In predicting a Tour de France winner in 2006, Armstrong vacillated between Basso and German Jan Ullrich as his successor ... more »
Astana team delivers 1-2 punch at Dauphiné Libéré and retains overall lead
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 15 Jun 2007 09:07 AM PDT
Tour de France contender Alexander Vinokourov played domestique to Antonio Colom on Friday, helping his Kazakhstan-based Astana teammate over a steep climb and the finish line in Digne-les-Bains.
Another Astana cyclist, Andrey Kashechkin, finished in the main group to retain his overall lead in the 8-day Dauphiné Libéré, considered a prep for next month's Tour de France.
Colom didn't get a free ride to the finish line. The Spanish cyclist worked as part of a breakaway that led during most of the 120-mile Stage 5 that began in Nyons. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 34 - Eating across Kansas
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 15 Jun 2007 07:50 AM PDT
 UTICA, KAN. - How many times have I heard people complain about driving across Kansas because it's soooooo boring?
Chalk up another reason why bicycle touring is the best way to see the country. Kansas, by bike, is anything but boring. For one thing, you get to stop at all the small-town cafes. ... more »
Thursday, June 14
Paris prepares for 10K rental bikes; can DC be far behind?
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 14 Jun 2007 12:54 PM PDT
 We already know that Paris is gearing up for a "free" bike rental program that begins July 15. I was surprised to learn that Washington DC is considering launching its own, smaller scale, automated bike rental program that could get off the ground by the end of the summer.
The District Department of Transportation, working with bus shelter supplier Clear Channel Adshel, plans to install 10 kiosks in the greater downtown area where up to 120 bicycles can be rented. It would be the first such program in the US. ... more »
Tour de France returns to Versus on cable TV for 2007
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 14 Jun 2007 09:33 AM PDT
This is good news. Once again, the Versus cable network is offering nearly around-the-clock TV coverage of the 2007 Tour de France, which runs July 7-29.
The sports network (still OLN in Canada) is broadcasting an average 17 hours a day of Tour coverage, generally starting at 8:30 a.m. (ET) with replays throughout the day and early morning hours.
Cycling fans without access to cable TV will have options on the Internet, such as the live text tickers at CyclingNews and VeloNews, audio play-by-play at Eurosport, and the virtual "tete de la course" updates on maps and stage profiles at the official Tour de France website. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 33 - Don't fence us in; we're rolling
by
Gene Bisbee
on Thu 14 Jun 2007 08:04 AM PDT
 LA CROSSE, KAN. -- We're sitting here writing at our journals at a picnic table that's about 30 miles south of the geographical center of the US.
We clicked off a lot of miles today, and I am tired and a little sore, but I feel like I could charge across more than 100 miles of Great Plains tomorrow morning ... more »
Wednesday, June 13
81-year-old's inspiring bike tour is a lifestyle; not a one-time event
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 13 Jun 2007 12:08 PM PDT
 If you're looking for inspiration to get on the bike, look no further than Bill Anderson.
The 81-year-old cyclist from Yuma is pedaling the 2,000-mile perimeter of Arizona over the next two weeks to raise money for Yuma's Crossroads Mission, a charity for the homeless.
This would be quite a feat for someone half his age, but for Anderson it's pretty much par for the course. The former boxer, WWII vet and construction executive is an excellent example of how a lifetime of exercise can keep someone active for many years. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 32 - Limping across Kansas
by
Gene Bisbee
on Wed 13 Jun 2007 12:02 PM PDT
 HUTCHINSON, KAN. -- We stopped at a cafe this morning for a long breakfast and fiddled around so we got a late start. Bruce later admitted he just didn't want to get going, given the accident yesterday.
We strapped his bent rim to his panniers and we left, finally reaching County Road 88 and the TransAmerica Route. It was like being delivered back to a ... more »
Tuesday, June 12
Ride for Climate USA bike tour
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 12 Jun 2007 09:00 AM PDT
 It's not unusual for cyclists to keep an eye on the weather during bicycle tours, but Bill Bradlee and David Kroodsma are more interested in long-term climate changes.
That's because the two are talking about those inconvenient truths on their around-the-US bicycle tour to raise awareness about energy efficiency, renewable energy and other solutions to global warming.
The Ride for Climate USA left Boston in late April and is currently making its way across windswept Wisconsin. Along the way, Bradlee and Kroodsma have talked about climate change to school children, climate activist groups, media, and people who they meet along they way. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 31 - Shortcut proves hazardous
by
Gene Bisbee
on Tue 12 Jun 2007 06:53 AM PDT
 EL DORADO, KAN. - We're staying at a motel across the tracks in a town with the unlikely name of El Dorado after Bruce had a close call with an oil tanker truck on a busy highway today.
Bryan, who put us up the night before, suggested we take that road to avoid gravel stretches on the Bikecentennial Route. In retrospect, not good advice .... more »
Monday, June 11
Some of the amazing men and women who Race Across America
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 11 Jun 2007 04:53 PM PDT
I've loved the Race Across America ever since I first stumbled upon some network TV coverage during one of the bike races in the 1980s.
The excellent coverage offered this year on the RAAM website reminds me why I like it so much; the cross-country solo cyclists basically put it all on the line in a single-minded attempt to ride more than 3,000 miles in less than 10 days.
Twenty-five male and five female solo cyclists set out from Oceanside, California, at noon Sunday for the race to Atlantic City. Here's a brief look at some of personalities and what they've been through. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 30 - Kansas is big state to lose partner in
by
Gene Bisbee
on Mon 11 Jun 2007 07:06 AM PDT
CHANUTE, KAN. - Tonight finds us at Bryan and Janette's apartment in Chanute. They're a wonderful couple that Bruce met at a restaurant in town where he was eating. Bryan found me a few hours later as I was riding into town.
That's because Bruce and I got separated today. ... more »
Sunday, June 10
Race Across America -- RAAM -- begins butt-numbing contest
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 10 Jun 2007 12:33 PM PDT
More than 220 bicyclists are setting off from Oceanside, California, to endure the best approach to winning the 3,043-mile Race Across America -- keep your seat in the saddle.
Over the next 8 to 14 days, the cyclists will cross hot deserts, cold mountain passes and windy prairies on their way to Atlantic City. In addition to extremes of weather and cycling conditions, they'll also face their own conditioning and suffer the bizarre side-effects of sleep deprivation. Actually, just 24 men and 5 women are competing in the solo divisions this year. The remaining cyclists are competing in ... more »
Wiggins wins Dauphine prologue; Leipheimer in 2nd
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 10 Jun 2007 11:13 AM PDT
Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins won the prologue in the 8-day Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré on Sunday, finishing slightly faster than Americans Levi Leipheimer (2nd) and David Zabriskie (4th).
Leipheimer, the overall winner in 2006, was the last to start the 2.6-mile time trial in Grenoble and finished less than 2 seconds behind Wiggins, who rides for Cofidis.
The Dauphiné Libéré is considered one of the best warm-ups for the Tour de France, which starts in London on July 7 this year. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 29 - Charmed by flat roads, finally
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sun 10 Jun 2007 10:37 AM PDT
 GOLDEN CITY, MO. - Was this a mirage after too many hours in the saddle? We slipped into a couple of valleys after Pennsboro and were climbing out of the second one when I saw something standing up ahead of me in the road. At first I thought it was Bruce, but he was behind me. Then it looked like a tree had sprouted from the pavement. As I got closer, I saw it was a woman sitting astride a horse watching our slow approach.
She called us over just as we were about to pass. There was a birthday party at a farmhouse. Someone offered us a beer, and we could see no reason to refuse... more »
Saturday, June 9
Naked bike ride schedule all squared away for Seattle
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 09 Jun 2007 08:12 PM PDT
 Mike Grenville
at flickr.comA few weeks ago I wrote that Seattle's contingent of World Naked Bike Ride was struggling to find a date for the ride because so many naked/painted-body bike rides were scheduled around the same time.
While many cities chose Saturday for the demonstration, Seattle riders must have been relieved the ride was rescheduled here, what with a constant drizzle and temperatures hovering in the low 50s.
Seattle's official date for its World Naked Bike Ride is July 14, with a corresponding night ride on June 30, Critical Mass. ... more »
Get paid for bicycle touring the East Coast this summer
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 09 Jun 2007 01:08 PM PDT
 Pinch me; I must be dreaming.
The East Coast Greenway Alliance has a job opening for a bicyclist to field-check the 1,250-mile route from Calais, Maine, to Washington DC this summer.
The candidate must have road bicycle experience and be prepared to ride 40 to 50 miles a day while collecting data. The route-checker will spend several days at a time travelling the route and can expect to camp or use hostels to get the most out of the fixed stipend. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 28 - Lazy Louie's Bicycle Camp
by
Gene Bisbee
on Sat 09 Jun 2007 11:15 AM PDT
 LAZY LOUIE BICYCLE CAMP, MO. - The Ozarks are starting to level out, and we were on pace for a 90-mile day when we saw the homemade sign on Route 38 between Hartville and Marshfield: "Lazy Louie Bicycle Camp." It was only early afternoon, but we knew we had to stop; we had told the Cookie Lady back in Virginia that we'd check in on him.
Lazy Louie opened the bicycle camp in 1976, the first year that cyclists started passing through on the Bikecentennial route more »
Friday, June 8
Don't ride your bike at Minneapolis airport; you could be tasered
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 08 Jun 2007 12:00 PM PDT
 A bicyclist tells an incredible story of police brutality after being stopped for riding his folding bicycle away from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport after a flight in September.
Stephan Orsak, writing at his Greencycle website, said he was "rudely accosted, assaulted with battery," and tasered. He says he was complying with all the laws of the airport and Minnesota rules of the road at the time of the incident.
After he was hospitalized for observation, the 135-pound violinist was thrown in jail for 8 hours and eventually charged with six counts of obstructing officers, failure to comply, etc.; the usual charges you'll see in cases like this. ... more »
1984 Bike Tour: Day 27 - Beautiful scenery and never-ending hills
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 08 Jun 2007 07:48 AM PDT
 HOUSTON, MO. - The hills in the Ozarks are bigger, steeper, and harder to climb than I expected. At Carl's Cafe in Eminence, Carl said we'd have to walk our loaded touring bicycles up these hills. No way. We pedaled -- very slowly.
Bruce isn't feeling well this morning, but I don't think that's holding us back. Gravity's doing that. ... more »
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