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Bridge work closes May Valley Road bike route

If you like riding your bicycle along scenic S.E. May Valley Road between Newcastle and Issaquah, Washington, then I've got horrible news for you.

The road will be blocked to bicycles and motor vehicles through the end of August at a small bridge that the county is replacing just east of the intersection with State Route 900.

Bicyclists will either have to head north over the pass between Squak and Cougar mountains, or south to East 4th Street in the Renton Highlands. Both routes have higher traffic volumes and a lot more hills than the pleasant ride past the farms and horse ranches along May Creek.

To be honest, I probably ride this route at least 25 times a year and I never really noticed the bridge just east of State Route 900. Built in 1950, it's a short culvert-like affair over a portion of the creek that is so overgrown…

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/23/bridge-work-closes-may-valley-road-bike-route/

If there's a bike lane, bicyclists in Florida must use it

Bike lanes in Florida are no longer places for bicyclists to ride based on their own judgment of conditions at the time.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a bill into law that requires bicyclists to use the bike lanes if they are painted on a road. Failure to do so will lead to a ticket.

There are exceptions, such as when the bicyclist is making a left turn, or if there are potholes, or tire-trapping storm grates, or glass, or fallen tree limbs, or parked cars, or road construction signs, or a dead armadillo or whatever other kind of crap finds a home for itself in a bike lane in Florida.

But what bicyclist wants to explain those exceptions to a traffic cop or to an upset motorist who feels ownership of the road, the whole road, and everything on the road…

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/22/if-theres-a-bike-lane-bicyclists-in-florida-must-use-it/

LiveStrong Challenge faces Seattle's hills and weather

More than 900 members of the LiveStrong army took to the streets in Seattle and the hilly Eastside on Sunday to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

It was the second year in a row that the charity bike ride visited Seattle to raise funds.

Many participants wore the LiveStrong, Mellow Johnny or Fat Cyclist jerseys and seemed reluctant to cover them up with rain gear as a steady drizzle fell on the course.

All the bicycle riders started at the Seattle Center near the Space Needle on Sunday morning and took off on rides of 10, 45, 70 or 100 miles ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/20/livestrong-challenge-faces-seattles-hills-and-weather/

Big finish for Armstrong at Tour de Suisse; “ready” for TdF

As Stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse drew to a close with a final climb on Saturday, Lance Armstrong attacked a group that was chasing a six-man break up the road.

The General Classification contenders reeled him back, but Armstrong proved that there's still plenty of life in his legs.

He emphasized that point on the final stage Sunday with a decent finish in the individual time trial that catapulted him into second place overall, just 12 seconds behind winner Frank Schleck. Aussie Tony Martin (HTC Columbia) won the ITT, and defending champ Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) trailed by 17 seconds.

Armstrong, riding for Team RadioShack, finished 11th at 1:09 behind. He reported to his Tweet followers ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/20/big-finish-for-armstrong-at-tour-de-suisse-ready-for-tdf/

Bike Snob in Seattle

For a bike snob, that Eben Weiss is certainly one popular guy.

About 130 fans of his BikeSnobNYC blog showed up at University Book Store in Seattle on Saturday afternoon to hear him speak and to get autographs of his recently released book.

Weiss is making a tour of the western states to promote the book “Bike Snob, Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling.”

It's a good thing that Weiss bikes regularly, because he needs his stamina. He had just flown in, with his bike, from San Jose where he participated in an event called “Bike Party” that lasted far into the night ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/19/bike-snob-in-seattle/

Chilly weather doesn't stop naked painted bicyclists

Scores of painted bicyclists made the ultimate sacrifice for their art on Saturday when they bared their skin for the brush and spray-can at the Fremont Solstice Parade.

Although the parade celebrates the coming of summer, the temperatures hovered in the upper 50s and a windy drizzle swept off the Puget Sound.

In such conditions, even two coats of body paint won't keep a person warm.

More than a hundred cyclists participated in the parade this year, in spite of the chilly weather. The painted cyclists have been a fixture at the parade hosted by the Fremont Arts Council …..

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/19/chilly-weather-doesnt-stop-naked-painted-bicyclists/

Robic bikes coast-to-coast in 9 days

Slovenia's Jure Robic rolled across the finish line of the Race Across America on Friday afternoon, winning an unprecedented 5th solo title in a span of just seven years.

The 45-year-old completed the 3,005-mile RAAM route from Oceanside, California, to Annapolis, Maryland, in 9 days, 1 hour and 1 minute. That's an average of 13.85 mph for the entire trip, including stops.

He was among 24 men who set out in the solo men's divisions at noon a week ago Wednesday. Ten have abandoned …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/18/robic-bikes-coast-to-coast-in-9-days/

2010 STP is sold out; special late registration on Tuesday, June 22

Update: June 17, 2010 — The days of waiting until the last minute to sign up for Cascade Bicycle Club events — such as the 2010 Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic — are over.

STP sold out in April, 3 months before the July 17-18 bike ride. The club caps registrations at 10,000.

The Cascade blog reports it will reopen a brief late registration beginning at 9 a.m. June 22. Because of the interest in riding and the number of registrations available, Cascade expects the late registrations will sell out within minutes. Repeat, minutes.

Here are the instructions offered by Cascade for the best opportunity to acquire one of these last-chance registrations ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/17/2010-stp-is-sold-out-special-late-registration-on-tuesday-june-22/

RAAM cyclist struck by car; Robic blazes on

A bicyclist riding for a four-man Spanish relay team at the Race Across America is recovering on Thursday after being struck by a vehicle on a Kansas road.

News reports say the driver was distracted by something in the car about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday and drifted onto the shoulder where Spain's Diego Bellesteros was riding his bicycle.

The collision happened on U.S. 254 near El Dorado. Ballesteros was airlifted to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, where his condition was upgraded to serious condition late Wednesday.

Ballesteros is somewhat of a bicycle ambassador ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/17/raam-cyclist-struck-by-car-robic-blazes-on/

Painted cyclists, Bike Snob and Livestrong in Seattle this weekend

Naked bicycle riders, bike snob devotees and the Livestrong Army converge on Seattle this weekend for bike parades, book signings and a massive anti-cancer charity bike ride.

Partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 60s or 70s Temperatures in the low 60s with a high chance of precipitation will greet bicyclists this weekend. The warmish forecast must be appreciated by the Painted Cyclists at the Fremont Solstice Parade on Saturday.

The cyclists covered in paint — and little else — are a long-standing highlight of the parade sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council. Although most people attending the parade expect to see cyclists enjoying a ride without clothing, organizers caution the cyclists to show a little discretion …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/06/16/painted-cyclists-bike-snob-and-livestrong-in-seattle-this-weekend/