Thanks to nicomachus

From The Bike-O-Sphere

• First brevet of the year (Adventures of Crazy Biker Chick)
• The PROgram (Belgium Knee Warmers)
• Trip report part 7 (Derek Pearson)
• A chair inspired by bicycles (Bicycle Design)
• Davis Bike Church (Bicycle Diaries)
• Thanks, Sarah (Bike Month In Alaska) (Bicycles and Icicles)
• A fix for douchebag drivers? (Bike Commuters)
• I need your advice on going car-free (Bike Commuters)
• It’s All In the Details: How to be Fast on a Fixed-Gear (BSNYC)
• Magazine editor blames bike lanes for Portland fatalities (BikePortland.org)
• Last day to enter to win the Raleigh One Way
• Cargo Coolness (Copenhagenize)
• Tim Jackson / Masiguy in the hospital (Cyclelicious)
  
• The wave (Dave Moulton’s Bike Blog)

• Join Me for the Inaugural Fat Cyclist Triathalon (Fat Cyclist)
• In praise of lower gears (Limited Warren T)
• National Bike Month — Congressional Resolution (Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club)
• More madness… (Scenic Route)
• Sticking with snow (Up In Alaska)
• A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Bicycles (Urban Velo)
• Can I Ride It To School? (Yehuda Moon cartoon)
• Most Wanted Posters (Yehuda Moon cartoon)

In The News

• MUSKOKA, ON, CANADA: High Falls Road bicycle lane project a go
• JUNEAU, AK: Bicycle club hosts celebrations during National Bike Month
• THE GREEN GUIDE: Bicycle misadventure

(Jason sez: Please welcome the first — but not the last! — essay by our newest contributor, Jenn Clunie. When she’s not riding ridiculous distances, Jenn is the Program Manager of the New York Bicycling Coalition. Welcome, Jenn!)

That’s me in the background

In my continual quest to push my endurance, stamina and (some would argue) sanity to its utmost limits, I set off at O’DARK THIRTY this past Sunday morning, April 27th, to accomplish my first 300K Brevet, presented by Adirondack Ultra Cycling. For those unfamiliar or yet to be initiated into the world of LSD (Long Slow Distance), let me offer a quick definition supplied by RUSA:

Randonneuring: Randonneuring is long-distance unsupported endurance cycling. This style of riding is non-competitive in nature, and self-sufficiency is paramount. When riders participate in randonneuring events, they are part of a long tradition that goes back to the beginning of the sport of cycling in France and Italy. Friendly camaraderie, not competition, is the hallmark of randonneuring.

It was a bit of a cold start when the six hardy souls rolled out of Schuylerville 4:15am Sunday morning to temps hovering around 40 degrees and light rain. Cycling in the pitch dark, except for the too-dim wattage of commuter lights (note to self: next time, bring your Nightrider HID, no matter how heavy it is) offered an almost surreal experience as fog and mist swirled around our tires and projected eerie shadows back up at our lights. Being able to take over the roads all the way to Fort Edward was an empowering experience for cyclists all too often forced to hug the curb or take our chances with the treacherous objects lying in the shoulder as cars whiz by and refuse to share the road. Having that extra room to navigate proved especially fortuitous when I made the mistake of getting too close to the white line so slick with rain I hydroplaned straight into a crevice between the line and shoulder theretofore unseen in the darkness and it took all of my bike-handling skills learned on the trail to bring that front wheel back and stay upright. “Ahhhhh!!!! Whoa. That was close. Thank GOD I’m a mountain-biker. Everybody awake now?” :)

Luckily, the first hour and a half of dark rain yielded to muted daylight and cloudy skies; when the sun broke through around noon (?), we finally started to shed layers and dry off. It turned out to be a beautiful day to ride one’s bike and for those who cried “uncle” when they saw rain in the forecast, I’m sorry they missed out. The ride around Sacandaga Lake was astoundingly beautiful, especially when we climbed up to Hadley and enjoyed a brief peek at the overlook before continuing onwards to Corinth, Moreau, rural Saratoga county and finally back to our home base in Schuylerville.

Gorgeous!

While I was experiencing serious sleep-deprivation (couldn’t get more than 3 hrs. the night before–nerves/anxiety/excitement?) and started throwing coffee down the hatch at every Stewart’s checkpoint to jazz myself up, I don’t recall feeling really physically fatigued until ~174 miles in. Considering my longest ride to date was the ADK 200K 27 days prior, I felt this to be a major breakthrough. Even more notable: managed to ride the entire course in my first 2 chain rings, even the bitch of a hill around mile 165 that brought me to granny last month. Dig deep, push, and…you’re up! You’re there! Let’s GO! Clearly all that spring training “Belgian knee warmer style” with my racing friends who kick my butt each and every time we ride together has paid off.

191.51 miles in 11:59 hrs ride time, 14:25 hrs. time out on the road. Not too shabby, considering our slow start in the darkness, 2 flats, 9 control checkpoints/stops and needing to stop at least half a dozen times to fiddle with my front brake that kept rubbing against the rim (grrr).

Yes, I’m tired. Yes, I’m sore as hell. I woke up Monday morning and every joint, sinew and muscle fiber in my body ached. But knowing this exhaustion was well-earned makes it somehow all worthwhile.

As Steve Young says, “The principle is competing against yourself. It’s about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before.”

I was downtown today visiting the members of my union who work at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. As I left the hotel, I came upon a Falun Gong protest at the Capital building. I didn’t have my regular crappy camera, but I had my crappy phone camera:

UPDATED BELOW

I recently went on a nice little trip to Canada via Amtrak train, and decided to get to the station via bike. I took my “backup bike,” a Trek MultiTrack I picked up at an anti-war garage sale for $20 to use while my main bike was in the shop. I locked it up to a sign with a medium-quality cable lock and nothing else, and wished it luck.

While I was in Canada, I imagine a pair of bolt cutters made quick work of the cable, and when I returned I was greeted with this sight:

It was only a $20 bike, and I was un-stranded by Rochester’s reasonable public transit system, so I’m not too saddened by the loss. I had added an odometer, bottle cage, and kickstand to the backup bike, but nothing fancy like a new seat or an array of lights. The lock and helmet actually had more sentimental value than the bike itself, but I’ll always have the memories behind them.

I figured the bike would make its way to some other city and I’d never see it again. However, this post on Craigslist gives me hope that we’ll soon be reunited:

Wish us luck.

UPDATE: Unfortunately for me, “backup bike” was sold to a new buyer this morning at R Community Bikes. The group doesn’t buy bikes, they only accept donations, which makes this story all the more puzzling. Did a bike thief have a change of heart? Who knows! More if it develops . . .

UPDATE 2: RUDY! says in the comments: “Ah, maybe your bike was removed for being illegally parked (is there such a law) and subsequently donated?”

I had the same thought. I’m trying to get a hold of the manager at the Amtrak office – I may have to drop by in person if Amtrak headquarters doesn’t give me the contact info. Before I parked my bike, I asked the staff on hand about where to put it, and they recommended that spot. Who would steal it and go through the trouble of donating it – an Amtrak groundskeeper? The city? The feds?

Photo by Eric Breitung

From The Bike-O-Sphere

• 2-post day! (Derek Pearson)
• Trip Report Part 4 (Derek Pearson)
• Wanting… and Trip report part 5 (Derek Pearson)
• Batavus Cargo Bike in Los Angeles (Bicycle Fixation)
• Lunch gitter and why do they stare? (Bike Commuters)
• Mused and Confused: Pondering the Nature of Cycling (BSNYC)
• Not Just Great Transport: Bikes Save Lives! (Carectomy)
• Fort Collins bike library opens (Commute By Bike)
• The fastest way there (CommuterPageBlog)
• Forget the $3400 motor bike (Commutr)
• Portland goes Platinum (Cyclelicious)
• CycleAware Stow Away backpack (Cyclelicious)
• On road and cyclist rage: Wheels are evil (Cyclelicious)
• BikePool a hit! (Eco-Friendly Bicycling Photographer)
• 2008 RAWROD: Take it Easy (Fat Cyclist)
• Ah. Bikeness. (KC Bike Commuting)
• Familiar Faces in New Places (Raleigh Commuters)
• Chrome Dually Messenger Pack (Urban Velo)
• Coupleafewthings Monday (Veloquent)
• There Are Too Many Cars (Yehuda Moon cartoon)

In The News

• NEW YORK TIMES: It’s All About The Bike
• PORTLAND, OR: League honors Portland as top bicycle-friendly community
• SAN JOSE, CA: Bikes to be rolling down Highway 9 soon in bicycle lanes
• ST. LOUIS, MO: Bicycle, Bicycle
• FORT MORGAN, CO: New bicycle club

After a powerful Earth Day sermon that echoed many of the themes in Michael Pollan’s recent call to each individual to do something about climate change, and included a mention of the Rochester Chicken Club (of which I am a proud member–watch my personal blog for more on that topic), I came out to find this on my parked bike.

And this week, on my ride to yoga class, where I met my daughter, my new Ortlieb panniers managed the task of carrying our two yoga mats admirably.

I splurged on the panniers after I decided that an XtraCycle is not right for me, at this point. (Sorry, Jason!) An XtraCycle is great if you want to be able to give someone else a ride, but my 17 and 19-year olds aren’t likely to want to be seen on the back of their mom’s bike. And everyone else I might be traveling with would likely ride their own! So, I got the panniers instead; they hold plenty of groceries and are very easy to use. I recommend them if you’re in the market.

Bikes, chickens, and yoga…together here on RocBike.

Jason sez: Here’s what’s happening in Albany during Capital Bike Month. More info is at NYBC.net.

DOWNLOADS

• Capital Bike Month flyer (PDF)
• 50 Ways To Celebrate Bike Month (PDF)
• Ride of Silence flyer (PDF)
• Poster Contest Rules (PDF)
• Safe Cycling For Kids flyer (PDF)

EVENTS

May 1st-31st

“Let’s Celebrate Bike Month!” Poster Contest for kids. Submissions accepted 5/1/-5/28; awards ceremony 5/31 during bicycle safety education class at Guilderland Public Library (see 5/31, below). Co-sponsored by the Guilderland Public Library and Altamont Free Library. Free and open to all children ages 4-17 throughout the Capital District. Prizes & giveaways sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club.

Friday, May 2

5:30 – 9:00 p.m.: Urban Ride & Grand Opening of “Dream Wheels” exhibit at UAG Gallery, 247 Lark St., Albany. Show runs 5/2-5/23. Proceeds benefit NYBC and the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Urban ride departs at 5:30pm from Civil War Memorial in Washington Park (intersection of Henry Johnson Blvd. & State St.). 12-mile route featuring ABC’s Albany Bike Map and proposed bike routes; returns to UAG gallery for Grand Opening Gala.

Sunday, May 4

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Free “Open House” Day and BBQ at SMBA Trails. Team LUNA Chix of Upstate NY and the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association (SMBA) will be co-hosting several mountain bike rides throughout the day for various ability levels on the SMBA trails in Saratoga Springs. [NOTE: You are not required to be a SMBA member to attend this event.] Beginners, intermediates, and experts all welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.saratogamtb.org or contact john@saratogamtb.org or treesawmtb@yahoo.com.

Monday, May 12

5:30 p.m.: MHCC presents “Warm up for Bike to Work Day” Ride. Check your legs and practice your commuting route with the added benefit of increased safety in numbers that fellow cyclists can provide. Meet at 5:30pm at CDTA Delmar Park & Ride (intersection of Route 32 & 52, Delmar) for 13 mile round-trip venture from Delmar to Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Ride departs at 5:45pm. See www.webmhcc.org or contact kjempie@earthlink.net for more details.

Tuesday, May 13

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Legislative Breakfast. LOB Room 211A. Similar to the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Summit, this is an opportunity to learn about the latest state legislation pertaining to bicyclists and pedestrians, voice your concerns, and interact with your local and state representatives. Co-sponsored by CK Cycles. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Friday, May 9th.

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Ride around the Capital. Following the breakfast, there will be a short ride around the State Capital and downtown Albany area.

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: “Tune Up Your Bike Night” and Free Repair Clinics at Troy Bike Rescue, 15 Trinity Place, Albany, NY 12202. For more information, call 518.986.2256, email troybikerescue@gmail.com, or visit www.troybikerescue.org.

Wednesday, May 14

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Bicycle Rodeo for Kids and Families. Free bike safety checks and helmet giveaways for children; one child’s bike will be donated to recipient of “Citizen’s Award,” chosen by Boys & Girls Club (B&GC). Location: Boys & Girls Club, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady. Co-sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady.

Thursday, May 15

5:00 p.m.: Commuter Contest: car vs. bus vs. cyclist. Location: Starbucks to Starbucks (downtown Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza). Fabulous prizes & swag courtesy of Steiner’s Sports. For more information, email nybc@nybc.net.

Friday, May 16

Bike to Work Day. 6 staging areas with mapped routes and bicycle escorts to downtown Albany; 3 rally points with designated bicycle parking; and a “commuter buddy” program offered to cyclists who choose not to ride alone. Co-sponsored by Downtown Albany BID, CDTA, O.G.S., Sports Signup, Sandwiches to Go, Steiner’s Sports, The Down Tube, Elevate Cycles, Easern Mountain Sports, Steuben Athletic Club, Capital District YMCA and Bruegger’s Bagels. Register in advance at biketoworkalbany.org.

7:00 p.m.: Film showing of “Contested Streets” at Guilderland Public Library (2228 Western Ave., Guilderland, NY 12084). Brief discussion to follow. Free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Guilderland Public Library & New York Bicycling Coalition.

Saturday, May 17

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: “Savvy Cyclist” Road Class. Location: University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, College of Arts & Sciences Bldg. Room 123. This course is offered free of charge and brought to you by NYBC and a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Thursday, May 15th to reserve a space.

Wednesday, May 21

6 p.m.: Ride of Silence (Albany). Start location: Corning Preserve (downtown Albany). 12-mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or email Claire Nolan or Sue Troll.

Saturday, May 31

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Safe Cycling for Kids (and Their Parents) Workshop. Guilderland Public Library. Winners of Bike Month poster contest announced and prizes distributed. Fun for the whole family! For more information, contact Jennifer Ogrodowski, Guilderland Public Library, at (518) 456-2400, ext. 34 or Judith Wines, Altamont Free Library, (518) 861-7239.

From The Bike-O-Sphere

• trip report part 3 (for real) (Derek Pearson at the Xtracycle and Timbuktu utopias)
• Interrupting (Derek Pearson)
• Another Glimpse of Tomorrow… (Bicycle Fixation)
• Fingered (Bicycles and Icicles)
• Don’t overlook bike-friendly Montréal (Bike Commute Tips Blog)
• New Florida Bike Advocacy Resources (Bike Commuters)
• Biria “Easy Boarding Top 3? — Guest Review (Bike Commuters)
• How Much Is Your Commute Saving You and the EartH? (Bike Commuting in Columbus)
• On the road (partly) with Road 1 (Bike Noob)
• Worst of Craigslist: Diaphanous, Intoxicated, Self-Promoting Bike Love (BSNYC)
• How To Get More People on Bikes? (Bike, Chicago!)
• Map Your Route with Myriad Sites (Carectomy)
• Bicycle City: Perfection, Sans Picket Fences?
• Talking mostly to myself (Citizen Rider)
• Grade your bike locking skills (Commute By Bike)
• Major press covers DC’s bike-sharing (CommuterPageBlog)
• Cargo Bike Culture (Copenhagenize)
• Cyclists Live Longer (Dave Moulton’s Bike Blog)
• The Club (Jacquie Phelan’s Weblog)
• Why I wear a helmet (and don’t support helmet laws) (Kent’s Bike Blog)
• Bike to Work week festivities in Durham planned (nicomachus)
• Video Blog: Beach Cruising (Up In Alaska)
• Rocky Start (Up In Alaska)
• Bicycle Man is what I Am (Urban Velo)
• Urban Velo interviewed on Cranksters Radio Show (Urban Velo)
• You Never Know… (Yehuda Moon cartoon)
• Bird in the Street (Yehuda Moon cartoon)

In The News

• WASHINGTON, D.C.: Bicycle-Sharing Program to Be First of Kind in U.S.
• FORT COLLINS, CO: 6-Day Bicycle Races bring fun, excitement to CSU Oval

After an extra week of waiting while my DLG kits were shipped back to california because of a mix up at the fed ex office, they were kind enough to overnight them to me. I installed them in about 5 minutes before work, on my recently acquired and refurbished late 60′s Sears Spyder 5-speed 24″ muscle bike.

I had to wait until my dinner break (around 8PM) to fire them up, but it was worth the wait. I definitely got some weird looks riding around, cars slowing down as they pass to to figure out why my bike was glowing. I didn’t get a stream of comments from people like Jason did, but one lady in a car said, “That’s a good idea!” to which I replied, “It’s a great idea!”

I took pictures on the way home at the end of my shift.

My good camera still has a broken lens so I have been forced to use the little digital point and shoot the last couple of weeks. Best I can do for now. More pics after I get a new lens!