Ohhh, maybe I could have won this touring bike

If only I had signed up, maybe I could have been the winner of this Casual Agent touring bike from Vicious Cycles in New Paltz, New York.

Instead, the Adventure Cycling Association drew the name of Chuck Bailey, a longtime member and resident of Friday Harbor, up in the San Juan Islands in Washington state.

Well, you couldn't find a more deserving person, I guess. Chuck has been bicycle touring since the '80s and even led a few Adventure Cycling tours, including TransAmerica tours in 1992 and 1995. He used to own a bike shop in California and has worked at Island Bicycles in Friday Harbor for the past seven years.

Through all that, he's only owned three bicycles and only one saddle, a well-worn Brooks with 250,000 miles on it.

Chuck also gets to ride an Adventure Cycling tour for free; he's probably going to do the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage trip. With all of his experience, I wonder if they'll put him to work.

Feel left out? In January 2008 Adventure Cycling will award a free trip and a Co-Motion Americano bicycle, valued at $3,600. There are also monthly prizes. Check out how to register at the Adventure Cycling bike giveaway page.