2009 archive

13 new bicycle friendly communities named

Are you lucky enough live in a Bicycle Friendly Community?

The League of American Bicyclists named 13 more cities to its esteemed list, bringing the number nationwide to 108.

And as an added bonus, the League named four states — Washington and Wisconson (silver) and Arizona and Minnesota (bronze) — to its newly launched Bicycle Friendly State program.

Here are the 13 new states on the Bicycle Friendly Community list …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/04/13-new-bicycle-friendly-communities-named/

Leipheimer and Armstrong finish 1st and 2nd at Tour of the Gila

You might think the odds that someone could beat Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer in an uphill stage finish are about the same as a 50-1 horse winning the Kentucky Derby.

Well, Mine That Bird won at Churchill Downs on Saturday and Phil Zajicek, 30, won the final stage of the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico on Sunday.

Leipheimer and Armstrong, teammates on Mellow Johnny's bike shop team for this year, did finish 1st and 2nd overall in the five stage Gila bike race; Zajicek finished in 3rd overall …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/03/leipheimer-and-armstrong-finish-1st-and-2nd-at-tour-of-the-gila/

Picturing the history of GAP bicycle trail in Pennsylvania

Bicyclists who achieve the Eastern Continental Divide on the Great Allegheny Passage this year will be rewarded with murals of historical scenes from the trail.

The murals, by artist Wayne Fettro, are installed on the rail-trail underpass of MacKenzie Hollow Road in Pennsylvania.

The picture above is just one of dozens of photos that make up a 3D viewing experience at PhotoSynth.net.

The four panels grace both sides of the east and west entrances of the underpass at the 2,392-foot elelvation summit for the trail in Somerset County …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/03/picturing-the-history-of-gap-bicycle-trail-in-pennsylvania/

Mural on Eastern Continental Divide

Murals by artist Wayne Fettro are posted at both entrances to the Eastern Continental Divide tunnel on the Great Allegheny Passage. This view is captured from a 3D view at Photosynth.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/03/mural-on-eastern-continental-divide/

Why the rain doesn't stop bicycling in Pacific Northwest

MayValley2

Back in the years before I moved to the Pacific Northwest, a rainy day like today would have kept me indoors. Not anymore.

Here's a small club ride I ran into along rolling May Valley Road between Issaquah and Newcastle on Saturday morning.

Why do you find so many bicyclists out on a rainy day on the first weekend of May? Here are some reasons:

— If you're going to ride your bike here, you have to do a lot of riding in the rain. I never heard this saying until I got here: “There's no bad weather for bicycling, only bad gear.” …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/02/why-the-rain-doesnt-stop-bicycling-in-pacific-northwest/

10 Urban Assault Rides brewing up this summer

Ten major U.S. cities are targeted for urban assault this summer and fall, but don't bother to warn the Department of Homeland Security.

These Urban Assault Rides are hosted by New Belgium Brewery and are basically bicycle scavenger hunts for two-person teams.

The contests along the 20- to 25-mile routes are based on skills that have little or nothing to do with everyday bicycling: bike jousting, keg walking, inflatable slides and human wheel-barrows.

The 10 cities and the dates are: ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/01/10-urban-assault-rides-brewing-up-this-summer/

Leipheimer wins ITT at Tour of the Gila

Three-time Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer won the individual time trial at the Tour of the Gila on Friday, solidifying his overall lead.

Unofficial results show Leipheimer beating Tom Zirbel of Bissell by 53 seconds and Lance Armstrong by 1:23. Other top five finishers were Philip Zajicek of Fly V and Rory Sutherland of Team OUCH.

The ITT accounted for Stage 3 of the five stage bicycle race based in Silver City, New Mexico. The 16.15-mile course out-and-back course left from the town of Tyrone and featured two climbs …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/01/leipheimer-wins-itt-at-tour-of-the-gila/

Where to find Bike-to-Work Day information

Happy National Bike Month everyone.

May is the month when alternative transportation advocates try to steer more people into bicycle commuting. It's not a bad idea, considering that it cost on average 54 cents a mile to drive a car last year.

The highlights of the month are National Bike-to-Work Week from May 11-15 and Bike-to-Work Day, either May 14 or 15, depending on where you live. After that, the idea is that people have seen the light and will continue bicycling through the summer and into the fall.

It will be worth your time to check out the Bike-to-Work events in your area. The League of American Bicyclists has a list of Bike Month Specials in cities across the nation. If you don't find your city listed, check out LAB's searchable database to find the website of your local bicycle club.

Here in the Seattle area ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/05/01/where-to-find-bike-to-work-day-information/

New and improved Bike Sundays begin this week along Seattle's Lake Washington

Car-free days for bicycling along Lake Washington Boulevard in Seattle return this Sunday, but the event is better than ever this year.

Renamed as Bicycle Sundays, the event is scheduled on 19 Sundays from May through September this year. That's every Sunday except July 5, 26, and August 2.

In previous years, the lake-side road was closed to cars two or three times a month on alternate Saturdays and Sundays. This year the city upped the ante to just about every Sunday …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/30/new-and-improved-bike-sundays-begin-this-week-along-seattles-lake-washington/

Bicycle sights and sounds along the Great Allegheny Passage

While the amazing bicycle stunts video from Danny MacAskill has hit more than 3 million views in less than 2 weeks, here's a YouTube video that reminds us that there's pleasure in keeping two wheels on the bike trail.

This just released 2:35-minute video shows what bicyclists can experience along the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage rail-to-trail that rolls along between Cumberland, Maryland, and McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

Completed in late 2006, the GAP has brought new life to small communities in western Pennsylvania and created an outlet for bicycle tourists who want to take an extended bike tour along a well-maintained route that's free of traffic …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/30/bicycle-sights-and-sounds-along-the-great-allegheny-passage/