Author's posts

Using your bike to beat Seattle's commute from hell

If you expect to hit heavy traffic because of this month's roadwork on I-5 just south of the I-90 interchange for the rest of the month, you should really consider using your bicycle.

The Cascade Bicycle Club is doing all the hard work, except the actual pedaling, to help bike commuters find the easiest routes to and from work and the latest information on successful and safe city riding.

The Cascade Bicycle Club's “Survive I-5” website has links to eight route maps on Bikely.com that are appropriate for cyclists making their way into downtown….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/12/using-your-bike-to-beat-seattles-commute-from-hell/

Wiens wins at Leadville; bloodied Landis finishes 2nd

David Wiens, the 5-time winner of Colorado's Leadville 100, set a course record on Saturday as Floyd Landis finished in 2nd, also within the course record time.

The much-anticipated match-up between Landis and Lance Armstrong never developed, however, as the 7-time Tour de France champion didn't show up. There was speculation that Armstrong was training for the race, but his …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/12/wiens-wins-at-leadville-bloodied-landis-finishes-2nd/

Wildfire alert for bicycle routes in Montana; health precautions

There's nothing like inhaling the mountain fresh air on a bicycle trip, unless you're caught downwind from a smoky wildfire.

With 40 fires larger than 500 acres burning in Montana, Idaho and Washington, Adventure Cycling Association is alerting touring bicyclists about road closures on some of its routes.

There are also health threats due to wildfire smoke, and the Montana health department has posted some information about that….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/11/wildfire-alert-for-bicycle-routes-in-montana-health-precautions/

Domke Lake fire

Taken from Lake Chelan. One of many fires burning in Washington, Idaho and Montana in August of 2007

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/11/domke-lake-fire/

SF Bay Area bike advocate dies

One thing we should all try to remember is that all these bike lanes and bicycle paths and the rules that give cyclists the right to use the roads didn't just happen.

They're the result of tireless work by bicycle advocates who hammer away at City Hall, appear before the county board of supervisors or lobby the legislators in the State Capitol.

One of those advocates — Berkeley's Alex Zuckermann — died recently at age 86. He founded the now-1,400-member East Bay Bike Coalition and fought for a bike path around Oakland's Lake Merritt and the right for cyclists to take their bicycles on BART…

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/11/sf-bay-area-bike-advocate-dies/

End of an era: Discovery-sponsored pro-cycling team disbands

Tailwind Sports is abandoning its search for a sponsor to replace Discovery Channel at the end of this season.

After putting two cyclists on the podium in the Tour de France last month, the team that Lance Armstrong made famous will race for the final time at the Vuelta a Espana and Tour of Missouri in September.

That means current members George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Alberto Contador and others are free to find other cycling teams to ply their trade….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/10/end-of-an-era-discovery-sponsored-pro-cycling-team-disbands/

Discovery Channel jersey

Discovery Channel pro cycling team jersey

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/10/discovery-channel-jersey/

On the road in Washington state with a bicycle advocate

If you bicycle around the State of Washington or ever thought of visiting here to ride your bike, you should check out Kent's Bike Blog.

A couple of weeks ago, Kent Peterson loaded up his bike for a loop around Washington. If you check his blog, you'll see that a ride around Washington encompasses rides along coastal highways, high mountain passes, lots of fertile farmland, arid grasslands and just plain desert.

Peterson is commuting programs manager at Bicycle Alliance of Washington, so he thought he'd check in with other bike advocates around the state by bicycle. What a great business trip. Wish I'd thought of it….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/09/on-the-road-in-washington-state-with-a-bicycle-advocate/

The best 12 road bicycling routes in the US

A while back the Gorp.com travel website published its “Top Ten U.S. Road Biking Routes.” I counted 12 on the list, but I'm sure they struggled to whittle the list down to so few.

When I scanned the list, I was surprised and amazed that I'd ridden on 5 of the routes and been very close to 2 others. At first I felt proud, then I wondered if I'm ever going to ride the rest.

I have to agree that they chose some great rides, but I'm not much of a critic when it comes to good bike routes. Any road where there's not a lot of traffic is a great bike route for me. Here's their 12 (starting with the rides I did) …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/08/the-best-12-road-bicycling-routes-in-the-us/

July riding stats: I'd rather forget past couple of weeks


Redmond Derby Days

A wave of melancholy sweeps over me whenever I see anyone riding a bicycle these days. I also get a slight ache in the groin.

I've been ordered off the bicycle twice in the past month by doctors: the first time to get a better reading in a prostate screening exam; and the second time to aid my recovery from a prostate biopsy (don't know results yet).

I'll be free to start riding again later this week. Mentally, I can't wait to start cycling again. Physically, I'm still a little too sore to look forward to climbing back onto the saddle….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/07/july-riding-stats-id-rather-forget-past-couple-of-weeks/