What's happening bike-wise in Seattle this weekend? Just the Dead Baby Downhill, Tour de Fat and Bike Polo Championships.
Recreational bicycle rides also are on tap in the Snoqualmie Valley to the east and in the Tenino and Yelm area to the south.
The Dead Baby Downhill race and party on Friday starts at the Comet Tavern, 922 E. Pike in Seattle and heads downhill from there.
The finish line is not disclosed, but I've read that it's someplace in the Georgetown neighborhood. That's where the post-race party kicks off with live bands, sideshow rodeo, Helltrack BMX and tall bike jousting ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/05/dead-baby-downhill-tour-de-fat-and-bike-polo-this-weekend-in-seattle/
The bike race and cavorting in Seattle is Friday, Aug. 7.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/05/dead-baby-downhill-poster/
When I was a kid many years ago, we used to take family vacations to historical or cultural destinations. But what I really wanted to see were the roadside attractions advertised on garish billboards along the way.
Monkey farms, haunted houses, fireworks stands, and mummified human-remains exhibits beckoned to me from the two-lane highways, but we never stopped.
There are better choices today for those of us who are bicycle fanatics. Here are eight random roadside attractions with a bicycle theme that you can look out for as you drive with the family down the highway. Better yet, these can be pilgrimages you can make on two wheels.
Major Taylor statue — The first and maybe the newest attraction is the Major Taylor statue in Worcester, Massachusetts. The statue in his hometown memorializes the African-American who struggled against oppression to achieve the world cycling championships in 1899, among other honors …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/04/eight-roadside-attractions-bicycle-landmarks-to-visit-in-us/
National parks might seem like natural destinations for family car trips or RV excursions, but they also have many factors that make them ideal for bicycle travel.
The park scenery — be it desert sands, forests, or challenging mountains — can be enjoyed better from a bicycle saddle than from a car seat. And I've found that the National Park Service has afforded bicycle riders some advantages not enjoyed by those in cars.
Probably the biggest bonus for bicycle travelers is the existence of bike-in/hike-in campgrounds in some parks.
I discovered one of these years ago after a long slog into the Grand Canyon National Park. The Mather Campground offers shared campsites for hikers and bicycle riders
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/03/the-10-best-national-parks-for-bicycling/
A suspected drunken driver is facing murder charges in the death of a bicyclist who was competing in a triathlon in Louisville on Saturday.
The 25-year-old motorist was driving the same car in which he was arrested in June for driving under the influence. He's scheduled for an Aug. 18 hearing in that case.
Dead is John Carr, 47, of Owenton. He leaves behind his wife of 11 years and their two children, aged 7 and 5. … The widow … told a TV station:
“When I looked at him in the face, the only thing I could say to him was that 'You took the life of a man and you took the daddy of a little boy and a little girl that needed him. ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/03/dui-suspect-with-record-charged-in-death-of-bicyclist-in-race/
Spring might seem to be the best time to dial in the fit of your bicycle, but some riders may notice that necks and backs begin to pinch a little during long summer bike rides.
For me, it's a sore knee brought on by too many uphill miles on my second-hand mountain bike that I never took the time to fit properly.
While searching for some other bike-related videos, I stumbled across this video (on jump) from YouTube of a bike fit system used over at Veloce Velo in Issaquah. I also found a do-it-yourself system produced by Performance Bicycles.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/02/2-videos-show-different-ways-to-achieve-a-good-bike-fit/
With the 2009 Tour of Missouri coming up next month (September 7-13), the organizers have released detailed maps for all seven stages.
Fans can check out the best street corners for watching the Stage 1 and 7 criteriums in St. Louis and Kansas City or the steepest climbs in the Ozarks on Stage 3 between Farmington and Rolla.
Cyclists looking for a challenge, and who isn't, can use the maps to test their mettle against the pros. I'm thinking that 114-mile ride through the Ozarks would be intriguing. At least one club, Velo Girardeau, is hosting a bike ride along the route from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau. ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/08/02/2009-tour-of-missouri-stage-maps-are-available-online/
Apparently one of the biggest controversies in Aspen, Colorado, this week is whether the city should sponsor a “Lance Armstrong LiveStrong Day.”
Aspen is Armstrong's new home, where he bought a $9 million home to live with Anna Hansen and their less than 2-month-old son Maxwell Edward Armstrong.
At Monday's City Council meeting Mayor Mick Ireland proposed a special celebration to commemorate Armstrong. He told the New York Times: “It seems perfectly appropriate to acknowledge someone who is a part-time resident.”
Others don't see it that way. Councilmember Steve Skadron said it was a cheap way to capitalize on Armstrong's celebrity, and another said the city should focus its support on local athletes.
In an editorial “Enough of the idolatry,” the Aspen Times writes …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/07/31/dust-up-in-aspen-over-lance-armstrong-celebration/
The Centers for Disease Control issued 24 recommendations last week that communities could employ to beat one of the nation's biggest health crises — obesity.
In one instance in the report, the CDC suggested that communities build bike lanes and shared paths to encourage folks to get out on their bicycles.
Here's the report's recommendation No. 17 regarding bicycling:
Communities Should Enhance Infrastructure Supporting Bicycling
Overview
Enhancing infrastructure supporting bicycling includes creating bike lanes, shared-use paths, and routes on existing and new roads; and providing bike racks in the vicinity of commercial and other public spaces. Improving bicycling infrastructure can be effective in increasing frequency of cycling for utilitarian purposes ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/07/31/cdc-backs-bicycle-lanes-and-paths-to-fight-obesity-epidemic/
New York City curbed one of the biggest obstacles to riding a bicycle to work — finding a secure place to park your ride.
The Bicycle Access Bill passed by the City Council on Wednesday requires that building owners provide access to freight elevators for bicycle commuters so they can park their bicycles at work. Another bill requires that parking lots with more than 200 spaces create paid bicycle spaces.
Now, with these laws in hand, bicycle advocates across the country can begin work to get similar bills passed in their cities. It only took 16 years in New York.
Even with passage of the bill, bicycle advocates don't expect an easy ride ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/07/30/new-york-city-pushes-bicycle-access-to-buildings/
Adventure Cycling Association Trail biking Rails to Trails Conservancy League of American Bicyclists
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