Administrator and author of Biking Bis. Currently live in the Seattle area; previously Texas, California, Maryland, Georgia and Ohio. Own a Lemond road bike for light riding and Rockhopper for poor weather riding and touring.

Most commented posts

  1. How to enforce 3-foot passing law to protect bicyclists — 51 comments
  2. Washington state lists parks with bike/hike campsites — 20 comments
  3. 10 longest rail-trails for bicycling — John Wayne Pioneer Trail in Washington leads the list — 19 comments
  4. Indiana town says “No” to bicycle tourism — 18 comments
  5. Are bike path bollards an unnecessary hazard? — 17 comments

Author's posts

Bike trail news: Spruce Railroad Trail on Olympic Peninsula

Bicycling advocates are celebrating the alternative chosen by the Olympic National Park for improvements to the Spruce Railroad Trail that runs along the north shore of Crescent Lake.

The 3.5-mile trail will be upgraded to an 8-foot-wide asphalt trail with 3 feet of adjacent gravel shoulders so it’s accessible to all types of bicycles, as well as pedestrians, equestrians and people in wheelchairs.

In addition, both of the historic railroad tunnels will be reopened as part of the trail and a new segment will be built near Lyre River to bypass …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/15/bike-trail-news-spruce-railroad-trail-on-olympic-peninsula/

Bicycle trail news: Grand Ridge Park near Issaquah

There’s some good news for mountain bikers seeking better access to the more than 9 miles of trails in Grand Ridge Park near Issaquah.

King County Parks is getting public comment about a new parking lot to served the 1,800 acres of wildland in the Grand Ridge Park and adjoining Mitchell Hill Forest.

Presently, parking is available at either end of the Issaquah Preston Trail — at High Point Way to the east and Sunset Way in Issaquah to the west. …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/15/bicycle-trail-news-grand-ridge-park-near-issaquah/

Smoky mountain bike trails in Cascades

Smoke from the wildfires stretching from Wenatchee to Lake Chelan is drifting westward through the passes and settling on the western slopes of the Cascades.

I discovered as much when I headed up to North Bend on Thursday to ride my mountain bike down the Middle Fork Trail along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.

At first I thought there was still a morning mist in the air. When I rolled ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/13/smoky-mountain-bike-trails-in-cascades/

Finding a companion for your long-distance bike tour

“We were completely different backgrounds — she’s a liberal Seattle Democrat — but we got along famously. We didn’t talk politics — when you’re trying to survive the wilderness, politics is low on the list.”

Maybe members of Congress should take a bicycle tour — a very long bicycle tour — together.

At least, that’s …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/13/finding-a-companion-for-your-long-distance-bike-tour/

Bicycle theft strikes gold-medal winner Kristin Armstrong

When Olympic gold-medal winner Kristin Armstrong of Boise opened on Tuesday two bicycle boxes used to ship home her racing bicycles she used in the Summer Games in London, they were empty.

One — the Felt DA time trial bike — is valued at about $30,000. The other — a Felt F1 road bike — …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/12/bicycle-theft-strikes-gold-medal-winner-kristin-armstrong/

Arizona cyclist dies after falling from bridge in LOTOJA bike race

Sad news from the 206-mile LOTOJA bicycle race where a 42-year-old Arizona man swerved to miss a pothole, lost control of his bicycle, and catapulted off a bridge 35 feet to his death in the Snake River.

Robert Verhaaren of Mesa, Arizona, leaves behind a wife and three children; the family had recently flown to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/10/arizona-cyclist-dies-after-falling-from-bridge-in-latoja-bike-race/

Inaugural Camp Challenge charity bike ride for Camp Korey a success

Thanks to everyone who donated to my efforts at the first ever Camp Challenge charity bike ride to raise money and awareness for the Camp Korey in Carnation, WA.

Personally, I raised $385 in donations — $360 in online donations and $25 in cash. That exceeded my goal of $300. Overall, the event raised more than $90,000 in personal and corporate donations.

The free camp is located on property formerly owned by the Nestle company and serves children with life-altering medical conditions. I’m familiar with Camp Korey …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/09/inaugural-camp-challenge-charity-bike-ride-for-camp-korey-a-success/

3-day weekend bicycling the John Wayne Pioneer Trail

When my wife texted me last Friday that I should take advantage of the sunny fall weather with a Labor Day weekend bike trip, she didn’t have to repeat the offer.

I got to spend a spectacular weekend up on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, a rail-trail that starts at Cedar Falls east of Seattle and rolls all the way to the Idaho border.

Of course, I didn’t go the full length. With a late start on my touring bicycle on Saturday, I was lucky to make it to that first campground at Alice Creek. It’s a 50-mile ride from home. …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/07/3-day-weekend-on-john-wayne-pioneer-trail/

First new mountain bike trail in a decade opens on Tiger Mountain; updated

A new trail that connects the summit of Tiger Mountain to the Preston Railroad Grade trail opened this week.

The 1.5-mile trail is the first new trail in more than a decade on the mountain overlooking Issaquah.

[Update: Saturday, Sept. 8 — This is an awesome trail that features a dramatic start at the Tiger Mountain summit. I checked it out on Friday, and had a difficult time pulling myself away from the breathtaking view…

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/06/first-new-mountain-bike-trail-in-a-decade-opens-on-tiger-mountain/

California bicyclists await governor’s signature on 3-foot bill — again

For the second time in as many years, a California law requiring motorists to give bicyclists 3 feet of space when passing is sitting on the governor’s desk.

Gov. Jerry Brown, noting objections, rejected the bill last year. The state bicycle advocates pushed the bill through again in 2012 with some changes that they hope …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/06/california-bicyclists-await-governors-signature-3-foot-bill/