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Cyclo-tourist pushing on in spite of killer bees and thieves

Pan American bicycle tourist Sam Hagler just happened to have his camera running when he was attacked by a swarm of Africanized bees in Argentina recently.

The result is his gripping video posted on YouTube of him pedaling for his life.

Anyone on a long bicycle tour is bound to ride into some misfortune, but Sam had enough bad luck in that one day to last his entire 10,000-mile ride from Paraguay to Arizona.

The former Peace Corps volunteer supports the protection of endangered forests and is raising money through his Ride for the Trees to help fund two non-profits working to save the San Rafael Reserve in Paraguay.

But that bike tour nearly came to an abrupt end in northern Argentina in late January when he stopped at a bridge to take a break and look through the gear on his trailer to find a hammock. That's when a swarm of Africanized bees attacked …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/24/cyclo-tourist-pushing-on-in-spite-of-killer-bees-and-thieves/

Deer wins confrontation with bicycling TV celebrity

Not since former President Bush crashed into some security guards in Scotland has there been so much coverage of a non-competitive bicycle accident.

This morning the news is Today show host Matt Lauer's “run-in” with a deer while riding on Long Island over the weekend. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/23/deer-wins-confrontation-with-bicycling-tv-celebrity/

AfricaBikes on dirt paths in Africa and paved streets in US

A few years ago I wrote about Ferndale, Washington, bike-maker Kona's efforts to create a rugged bicycle for use in Africa for home healthcare workers.

The AfricaBike program was a three-way effort by Kona, Bicycling Magazine and Bristol-Myers Squibb to provide bicycles and medications to several countries in sub-Sahara Africa to provide AIDS/HIV treatment.

This past week I saw in a Seattle Times commuter bicycle review by Dan Nelson that those AfricaBikes (in 1-speed and 3-speed versions) are available in the United States and Canada as commuter bikes.

Checking around, I also learned that the Kona BikeTown project is still going strong and plans to send more bicycles to Africa this year. Since it was launched in 2005, some 3,000 all-steel bicycles have been delivered …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/22/africabikes-on-dirt-paths-in-africa-and-paved-streets-in-us/

Handing out bicycle advocacy “stimulus” money

The bicycle suppliers and retailers who make up the nonprofit Bikes Belong Coalition have been busy doling out grants to reward grassroots organizations that are making life better for bicyclists.

Two rounds of grants have been handed out to 11 locally oriented bicycle advocacy groups recently. Not only is it cool to see that their good work is being supported, but it's interesting to see what's going on around the country for bicyclists.

Maybe some readers will get an idea for grant-worthy projects for their clubs.

The latest are 5 REI/Bicycle Friendly Community grants of $10,000 to $20,000 handed out in collaboration with Bikes Belong and the League of American Bicyclists. Earlier, Bikes Belong handed out $50,000 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/21/handing-out-bicycle-advocacy-stimulus-money/

Find 104 recreational bicycle rides in California here

After receiving well-deserved criticism from a reader about the timeliness of my bicycle ride calendars, I got to work Wednesday to bring them up to date for 2009.

I started with the list of California recreational bike rides and discovered I had 104 listings to update. I checked on all the links and was able to update about 80% with dates for 2009. Many clubs and organizations haven't set dates for their late fall rides yet.

So the California Bike Ride Calendar for 2009 is pretty much up to date. Next comes an overhaul of the Idaho, Oregon and Washington bicycle calendars, in that order.

Updating those California bike ride lists always brings back pleasant memories from when I lived there in the '80s and '90s. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/19/find-104-recreational-bicycle-rides-in-california-here/

Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route ready by winter 2009/2010

The Adventure Cycling Association is planning to make available a series of maps for its newly charted 2,500-mile paved-route along the Pacific Crest by the winter of 2009-2010.

Named the Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route, it runs between Sumas, Washington, on the Canadian border and Tecate, Mexico, through some of the most beautiful scenery in the western US.

The Adventure Cycling staff researched the route last summer. A GIS (geographic information system) specialist will begin mapping the route soon, making it the nonprofit's first to be mapped with GIS technology.

In addition to the on-road route, the final map package will include food, camping, lodging and other services along the way.

In spite of passing through the difficult terrain in the Sierras and Cascade ranges, I'd expect this to become one of Adventure Cycling's most popular routes.

The bicycle route will visit Northern Cascades National Park, Crater Lake National Park …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/18/sierra-cascades-bicycle-route-ready-by-winter-20092010/

Wild Heart Cycling offers self-supported bicycle tours

About four years ago, Ben and Celia Leber put an idea into practice for their Wild Hearts Cycling bicycle tour company that in hindsight makes a lot of sense.

They began offering bike tours in Oregon, California and Vermont that didn't use the customary sag vehicles to carry everyone's gear during the day and pick up stragglers along the route.

The decision had the expected result of making their bicycle tours more eco-friendly and sustainable. It also had the unexpected consequence of making the small touring groups more cohesive and supportive of each other.  

“People relate to each other better ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/17/wild-heart-cycling-offers-self-supported-bicycle-tours/

UW lecturer killed in auto-bicycle collision

A senior lecturer at the University of Washington became the second bicycling fatality of the year when she died Friday of injuries she suffered Wednesday morning when her bicycle collided with a car.

Carol Salomon, 60, was riding south on First Avenue Northeast when a Toyota Prius heading east on North 56th Street struck her.

My condolences go out to her husband, son, and friends, as well as her students who were sitting in class waiting for her to show up to teach that morning …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/17/uw-lecturer-killed-in-auto-bicycle-collision/

Sanchez wins Paris-Nice; Contador 4th

Alberto Contador took the yellow jersey in Stage 1 of Paris-Nice, lost it, won it back, lost it again, and tried valiantly to win it back on the final day but couldn't.

Finishing in first overall of the eight-stage French bicycle race was Luis Leon Sanchez, a rider for Caisse d'Epargne who dug deeply to take the overall lead on Saturday with a 10-mile solo attack.

Although this has to be a disappointment for the Contador, I wouldn't make too much of it. I'm sure he's still the odds-on favorite to lead the Astana…

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/15/sanchez-wins-paris-nice-contador-4th/

One more day for Seattle International Bike Expo

Unfortunately I had limited time to tour around the Seattle International Bike Expo on Saturday. The weekend event is a great way to cover a lot of ground — Northwest bicycling-wise.

The Cascade Bicycle Club's annual show features 150 displays in Hangar 30 and surrounding buildings and tents. There are hundreds of bikes on show and sale, as well as piles of bicycle gear, many organizations touting their upcoming rides and bike tours.

One of the tents had a few leaks and a soggy floor. That didn't seem to bother anyone, however, as this is a gathering of Seattle area bicyclists; we take our moisture in stride.

Seattle International Bike Expo; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Hangar 30, Magnuson Park, Seattle; $8 admission

I got a chance to get close-up looks at some new-style bikes, specifically some offerings from the chainless drive-shaft rides from Dynamic Bicycles and commuter and errand bikes from Civia Cycles. Madsen Cycles had a working display out in the parking lot, where interested folks could ride their utility bikes around.

Moots displayed some of its bicycles, “handbuilt in the Rockies,” and the Oregon Bicycle Constructors Organization had a display area with lots of its members' works.

I had the chance to chat with some bicycling authors while I was there.

Joe “Metal Cowboy” Kurmaskie from Portland was hanging out in the Bicycle Paper booth. The humorist had a 2 for $20 inventory clearance sale for his books. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/14/one-more-day-for-seattle-international-bike-expo/