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Bicycles benefit in national parks and WA's national forests

While no entrance fees make it a good week to pay a visit to a national park for a bike ride, mountain bikers in Washington state are getting access to trails in two national forests for a couple of months before all-terrain vehicles.

The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees this week to celebrate National Park Week.

Normally, entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is $15 for private cars and trucks and $5 for anyone entering by foot or bicycle. Those fees won't be charged April 16-24.

While many roads into and through Mount Rainier are closed for the season, the Carbon River Road, above, is open year-round only to bicycles and hikers …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/17/bicycles-benefit-in-national-parks-and-was-national-forests/

A fan's collection on German track cyclist Walter Rutt

If you're interested in the history of track cycling, you might enjoy checking out Bernd Wagner's website on Walter Rutt and the Rutt-Arena.

One of Germany's great track cyclists of his day, it's likely that he competed against America's Major Taylor on the world circuit in the early years of the 20th century. Both cycled in the grueling six-day races and other track competitions in Europe, Australia and the U.S.

Both also had velodromes built in their names. The Rutt Arena, built with an investment from the retired cyclist, was completed in 1926 in Berlin. Later, Indianapolis built a velodrome …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/16/a-fans-collection-on-german-track-cyclist-walter-rutt/

“Due consideration” for bicyclists and pedestrians threatened

An organization of state highway departments wants to erode a federal directive that would put bicycle and pedestrian traffic on an equal footing with motor vehicles in state and metropolitan transportation plans.

The League of American Bicyclists issued an “action alert” Friday morning asking bicyclists to contact their state transportation department chiefs to ask they reject the recommendation.

The group, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), is asking the US Department of Transportation to withdraw its guidance that says bicyclists and pedestrians be given “due consideration” in comprehensive planning ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/15/due-consideration-for-bicyclists-and-pedestrians-threatened/

Frontier Airline's new baggage policy favors bicyclists

Airport security screeners might notice a lot more biker's tans on passengers passing through Frontier Airlines gates as the carrier announced the removal of flat fees for bicycles on Wednesday.

The change means that bicycles will be charged as standard baggage — in some cases that's free. That's a big change in an airline industry where some carriers have begun charging as much as $175 for a bicycle in recent years.

What the Frontier announcement means in dollars and cents is that customers flying under the Classic or Classic Plus plan can include their bicycles as one of their two complimentary checked bags. Economy passengers would pay $20 if the bike is one of their first two checked bags ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/14/frontier-airlines-new-baggage-policy-favors-bicyclists/

Bicycling the Civil War battlefields; more than a dozen rides and resources

This week we mark the 150th anniversary of the bombardment of Fort Sumter, regarded as the opening salvo of the Civil War.

Over the next four years, we'll probably be the ones bombarded with memorials and re-enactments of the famous battles in what filmmaker Ken Burns called “the greatest war in American history.”

If this encourages you to visit one of the battlefields, you might want to consider doing so on a bicycle. I found that riding my bicycle in those places gave me a better feel for the human scale of the battle and the horror faced by the soldiers.

Pedaling the roads around the Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields, I was shocked ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/13/bicycling-the-civil-war-battlefields-more-than-a-dozen-rides-and-resources/

Following the “Silk Road” by bicycle

Cycling Silk 2011 Trailer from Kate Harris on Vimeo.

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Two Canadian women are in the midst of a 8,000-mile bicycle journey from Turkey to India on the fabled Silk Road.

Kate Harris and Melissa Yule are childhood friends whose sense of adventure and curiosity about the world already had put them on the Silk Road through China and Tibet.

Now they've added a sense of advocacy to their travels across 10 countries. They're describing their bicycle trek as a “field research expedition exploring transboundary conservation in the mountains along the Silk Road.”

Along the way, they're talking with scientists and observing the problems of climate change, poverty and loss of wild animals in wild places ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/11/following-the-silk-road-by-bicycle/

Unidentified road kill in western Washington; Update: It's a long-tailed weasel

Since taking up bicycling, I've become knowledgeable — though by no means expert — in quite a few fields. Among these are bicycle parts and maintenance, physical fitness and conditioning, highway design, fabrics, aerodynamics, weather prediction (quite easy in the Pacific NW) and road kill.

One of the unexpected low points of riding a bicycle along rural roads is witnessing the carnage of the wild kingdom. I've seen many species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. But this little fella was a first for me. Can anyone identify it?

An estimated 1 million vertebrates are killed on the road by motor vehicles every day. At that rate, it's no surprise that we bicyclists would see a lot of them.

Although I haven't done any statistical analysis, the possum …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/11/unidentified-road-kill-in-western-washington-update-its-a-long-tailed-weasel/

First “Hell of the North” win for a US-based cycling team

Some persistence and luck helped Johan Vansummeren win the 2011 edition of the Paris-Roubaix cycling classic on Sunday. It marks the first time a cyclist for a US-based team — Garmin-Cervelo — has won the epic race.

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Vansummeren survived the falls, punctures and broken chains that plagued others in the peloton as they battled each other and the 27 sections of cobblestone roads spread throughout the 160-mile course. The race is considered one of the toughest in pro cycling.

In the end, the Belgian cyclist attacked a small group that included a hard-charging Fabian Cancellara (Leopard Trek) who finished in second place …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/10/first-hell-of-the-north-win-for-a-us-based-cycling-team/

Car-free street events in California on Sunday

Los Angeles and San Francisco are throwing street parties on Sunday, and motorists are not invited. In fact, cars and trucks are strictly forbidden.

The two cities are hosting ciclovias on Sunday. The events call for closing down several miles of roadways, transforming them into a carnival-like atmosphere where bicyclists and pedestrians can enjoy the streets without the threat of motor vehicles. Streets for people! Party on!

This is the second such event in Los Angeles; in San Francisco it's a monthly event throughout the spring and summer. The name, ciclovia, was coined in Bogata, Colombia, where some 70 miles of streets are closed on Sunday and holidays and bicyclists and pedestrians are encouraged to roam freely ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/09/car-free-street-events-in-california-on-sunday/

Bicycling couple to ride the rails to roads less traveled

Bicycle travelers Russ Roca and Laura Crawford are going to ride the rails to discover more paths to pedal.

The two are setting off from their temporary home in Portland to discover and document the benefits and hardships of combining train and bicycle travel.

Leaving in May, they're calling their trip “Big Adventure, Small Wheels: A Rambling Journey Across America on Bikes and Trains.” It will be updated at their The Path Less Pedaled website.

Along the way they'll be shooting video for a film they want to show to policy-makers ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/04/07/bicycling-couple-to-ride-the-rails-to-roads-less-traveled/