Category: Main Page
My son and I will be joining 800 suddenly close and personal friends on the 475-mile Biking Across Kansas tour beginning this weekend.
We signed up for it at least five months ago, and I can't believe the time is here.
Although many of the “across-state” bike tours only chew off a chunk of a state, B.A.K. truly heads from one border to the other. In this case, it's always from the Colorado to Missouri border in hopes of catching the summer's prevailing winds.
Fond memories
One reason we're heading to Kansas is because I have such fond memories of this place from my cross-country bicycle tour 27 years ago. Many strangers offered to help us, take us in, or direct us to free camping at city parks as we crossed the state.
In fact, we were asked more than once if we were part of Biking Across Kansas back in 1984. The annual bike ride dates back to 1975, and we hit the state about the same time as B.A.K. began that year ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/31/go-east-young-men-biking-across-kansas/
Fresh from his hard work for Team RadioShack at the Amgen Tour of California, Matthew Busche won the national road race on Sunday in a photo finish against George Hincapie (BMC Racing).
Earlier, David Zabriskie (left) pedaled to a time trial victory on Saturday at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships held this weekend in Greenville, SC. ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/30/busche-wins-road-nationals-zabriskie-takes-time-trial/
Sad news today from the TransAmerica Bicycle Route.
A 79-year-old cyclist from Bellevue, Washington, died in Virginia on Thursday just a few days into a coast-to-coast group bicycle tour.
The man, James Stocker, was fulfilling a life-long dream to ride his bicycle cross country, according to his granddaughter.
[Services are scheduled at 1 p.m. June 11 at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue, WA.]….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/27/washington-state-cyclist-dies-on-transamerica-bike-tour/
Deep snow in the Cascade Mountains this winter and spring delayed the opening of the Northern Tier Bicycle Route through Washington until earlier today.
The bicycle route follows State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, over the breath-taking Washington (el. 5,477 feet) and Rainy (4,875 feet) passes in North Cascades National Park.
The highway is normally closed due to snow in late November until the spring. This year, state highway snow-removal crews arrived to find the snow 75 feet deep in places.
An April snowstorm and avalanche danger delayed the start of snow removal that took 6 weeks, about twice as long as normal. This year marked the second latest opening of the road …..
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/25/northern-bicycle-route-finally-opens-through-washington-state/
Heading out for a morning bicycle ride, I paused to take a photo of this rather large peloton coming my way on Lake Washington Boulevard in Bellevue.
It wasn't until most of them passed that one of the cyclists told me it was the Phil Liggett bike ride.
I suppose if I had been listening more closely, I could have heard someone saying, “He's dancing on the pedals,” or “The elastic has snapped!” ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/phil-liggett-bike-ride-rolls-through-bellevue/
Last week, Winona Bateman at the Adventure Cycling Association asked me for a quote about why I support the US Bicycle Route System fund-raising campaign.
As usual in those circumstances, I couldn't think of anything too profound to say.
Essentially, I said it “tickles me” to think about future bicyclists being able to follow bicycle-route signs as they travel some 50,000 miles of bike-friendly road. I added:
“And just as intriguing is the idea of mom and pop businesses — bike shops, campgrounds, hostels — sprouting up to cater to these bicyclists who have taken to the long road.” ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/supporting-the-us-bicycle-route-system-fund-raising-campaign/
Washington state leads the list of “bicycle friendly states” for the fourth year in a row in 2011.
Thank goodness the League of American Bicyclists doesn't count the weather in considering bicycle-friendliness..
The League announced the rankings on Monday, noting that Maine has been steadily moving up the ranks over the past few years for a No. 2 finish in 2011.
At the bottom end of the list, West Virginia ranked the least bicycle friendly, swapping places with Alabama which now occupies 47th place …..
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/washington-state-leads-bicycle-friendly-list-in-2011-where-states-rank/
The biggest story in cycling — perhaps all of sports — right now is the “60 Minutes” report on the investigation of whether Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs, such as EPO, during his career.
It's an allegation that has dogged him since his first Tour de France victory in 1999, but it gained renewed vigor last year when former teammate Floyd Landis admitted to doping and charged that Armstrong did too.
A federal grand jury has been empaneled in Los Angeles to look into the accusations, primarily as they relate to Armstrong's tenure on the US Postal Service team.
Prosecutors have called a number of witnesses, including former teammates Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie.”60 Minutes” interviewer Scott Palley said they've been investigating the issue themselves for six months.
Except for the one-on-one interview with Hamilton, much of the information in the report comes from leaked documents and secret grand jury testimony.
In case you didn't see the show, here are the two segments. (Part 2 on jump)….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/23/that-60-minutes-investigation-of-lance-armstrong/
Cyclist George Hincapie is among three former US Postal Service team members who told federal investigators that Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs, “60 Minutes” is reporting in a story to air Sunday.
Hincapie, currently racing in the Amgen Tour of California, was a teammate of Armstrong on all seven of his Tour de France championships.
A CBSNews story on Friday said that Hincapie told investigators that he and Armstrong supplied each other with EPO and discussed using testosterone to prepare for bike races. CBSNews does not reveal the source of the information….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/21/hincapie-told-feds-about-armstrong-doping-60-minutesupdate-armstrong-attorney-responds/
Puget Sound area bicycle commuters — some riding to work for the first time — awoke to clear skies and warm temperatures for Friday's annual Bike to Work Day in the Seattle area.
At commuter stations in Bellevue, the better than normal weather in the Pacific Northwest meant a much better turnout than last year.
Michael Ingram, a senior planner in the city's transportation department, said that 500 bicyclists passed through the commute station at the base of the I-90 bridge (above) over Lake Washington between 6 and 9 a.m.
The story was the same throughout the region …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/20/great-weather-super-bike-to-work-day/
Recent Comments