It’s directions for my morning commute take me down Lark. Which is interesting since Lark has all those annoying cobblestone intersections. And buses. So I’m not 100% sold on it.

But this is a step in the right direction. Thank you, Google!

(Also thanks to Commute By Bike and Cyclelicious)

This isn’t strictly a bicycling story, but I think it’s a smart way to get more folks out of their cars and onto buses, and to make life a little easier for people who always ride the bus.

Price Chopper AdvantEdge now benefits those who take bus

ALBANY — Participants in Price Chopper’s AdvantEdge customer loyalty program will now find it costs less to take the bus.

Officials from Price Chopper’s owner, the Golub Corp., and from the Capital District Transportation Authority said this morning that the discounts offered on purchases of Sunoco gasoline will now be offered to purchasers of CDTA prepaid bus passes as well.

For every $50 spent on groceries, participants will get $2 off the price of a prepaid pass. The discount is offered on 10-ride, 31-day rolling, and STAR Swiper cards.

“We think it’s the first such arrangement in the country … where a regional supermarket partners with a regional transit authority” to promote taking the bus, said CDTA Executive Director Carm Basile. “Price Chopper has put riding buses on the same level playing field as driving your car.”

Read the rest of the article.

From today’s Times Union newspaper in Albany:

Q: Will there be any provision for bicyclists on the new Route 7 bridge crossing Interstate 87? Unfortunately, I already suspect that there will be none as in many of the recent upgrades. If not, then my next question is how would cyclists cross Interstate 87?

Finally, I understand that DOT holds a number of planning meetings and presentations to the public for upcoming projects. How would the general public and bicycle advocacy groups be aware of these meetings ahead of time?

– Rob Russell, Delmar

A: Good news. Bicyclists and pedestrians were indeed taken into account in preparing for the new bridge, said Peter Van Keuren, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

And you can learn more about it this very night. A public open house will be held at 6 p.m. today at Forts Ferry Elementary School, 95 Forts Ferry Road in Latham.

“As with most of our projects, we look closely at existing pedestrian and bicycle operations and accommodations to discern if improvements are needed,” Van Keuren said. The exception, of course, is on interstate roads where walking and biking are not allowed.

In designing the new Northway Exit 6, he said, accommodating walkers and bicyclists was a high priority.

Read the rest of the article.

Before:
Waterproof. Lights. Don’t over-layer or you’ll sweat inside. Do not let drivers psyche you out.

During:
Go slow. Take it easy. This is not a race. Focus on keeping your bike straight and your breathing even.

Don’t be afraid to take the lane. In fact, take the lane. Trying to ride in the crap at the side of the street is often dangerous. You’re better off holding up the cars behind you.

Pull over every once in a while. This lets the cars get on their way (which, admittedly, it often not very much faster than you were going anyway). More importantly, it gives you a chance to catch your breath, shake the snow off yourself, and appreciate the winter.

Signal your turns. You do that anyway, right?

Be aware of (lazy) drivers who do not clear the snow from their cars. Many of them cannot see out their snow covered windows and will not see you. This applies to cars already on the road, but also cars pulling out of parking spaces. Refrain from yelling into their open windows as you pass by- you need to stay focused on the street ahead of you.

Side streets that don’t see a lot of traffic are nice because there are not a lot of cars on them. But they don’t get plowed as quickly, either.

After:
Get the snow off your bike. A rag is a good thing. Take a hot shower.

First, let me say that I did not have my studded tires on. I will blame the weather people for that. For weeks they’ve been saying “omg blizzard we’re all going to die” and I’ll put on my snow tires. And then it won’t snow. At all. And then I have to take the tires off again. Which means I’ve wasted two hours of my life because somebody on tv lied to me. Sigh. So this time I called their bluff and did not put my snow tires on. More on this later.

I did have waterproof clothes and a ton of lights.

So we start from the bottom of Orange Street, which wasn’t bad. It was less than an inch of snow, really. After a block I turn right and climb a steep but short hill that is all snow. My back tire is slipping but I keep it upright and make it to the top to wait for the light. Studded tires would’ve been nice here, but the hill was short so…

The light turns green and I go left up Clinton. The conditions here are slush-tacular. The bike lane is at least visible, if not clear, and I easily pedal my way up the hill. At one point I think to myself “all you haters can eat my slushy wake” and then remind myself to breathe and pay attention.

I take a left on Lake, which is pretty clear. I cross Central and then take a right on Brandon. Brandon is a little one way street with no traffic. I go two blocks in peace, slowly cruising through the coating of snow and trying to enjoy what winter there is.

Left on Ontario. I have to pull over to let a bunch of cars by. No biggie. The first part of Ontario is a mess, in my opinion. It looked like they plowed it, but all they had really done with turn snow and slush into a layer of ice. I wasn’t having any problem with it, taking it slow and steady, keeping my bike straight and moving forward without any sudden movements. Cars, on the other hand, were not having as good a time as I was. Tires spinning all over the place.

The second part of Ontario, which would be after Madison, had some nice wide patches of fresh snow, so I stuck to that. Downhill past the Playdium, slowly, letting the hurried drivers go do whatever it is they’re in such a hurry to do.

Right on New Scotland I pick up a set of tire tracks. This is like one cyclist unintentionally leaving a long greeting in the snow. New Scotland is pretty heavily trafficked so it was clear enough. I took a left near Sycamore, and so did the tire tracks I was following. Those were some skinny tires.

My neighbor said “doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re on your bike.” I replied, “hell yeah. This is the most fun I’ve had in a week.” And then I banked up the driveway. Strangely enough, the driveway had 3 inches of fresh powder in it.

A really enjoyable ride. There were only two or three spots I thought my studded tires would’ve been nice, but I didn’t regret calling the Weather Channel’s bluff this time. It was also nice to have an excuse to ride slowly, and just enjoy riding my bike, and enjoy winter.

Why are these called “pandas?” Well, ya see, there’s this rad chick who goes by the name faster panda kill kill. She takes rad self-portraits while riding her bike. They are so rad, in fact, that a group was formed to record similar self-portraits cuz, really, just about anyone who has a camera and rides bikes also takes these self-portraits.

Here are some examples

Here are some, done by other people, that I really like

Check out the Flickr group, get out your camera, and have some fun!

A prospective Xtracycle buyer asked the following on the Roots Radicals group (an email list of Xtracycle owners & fellow travellers):

So I’ve got a bike and I’m thinking of getting the Free Radical extension. I’ve got a seven year old and other kid-carrying options aren’t working that great (outgrew the trailer, trail-a-bike is awfully shaky). This xtracycle thing seems like a pretty great solution. However, I only have the kid and/or cargo about half the time. Is it easy to take off the long tail and make it a regular bike and then back again when you need it? Do you just ride the long tail with nothing in it? Do you have two bikes? — Karen

The responses are great (read them here) — and all in favor of just riding the X all the time. I agree. Well, maybe I’ll do this year’s Livestrong Challenge on something else…

‘Nuff said.

I got this photo from here based on a link from here.

Online sleuthing reunites stolen bike and owner

By JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer
Last updated: 1:46 p.m., Friday, January 29, 2010

ALBANY — By rights, Wesley Leubner’s mountain bike should have been gone for good.

Stolen when his Hudson Avenue apartment was burglarized 18 months ago, the $1,200 Cannondale F600 could have been anywhere by now.

“For six months he was scouring all the want ads,” said Detective James Miller, a police spokesman. The 24-year-old former college student’s exhaustive search of local bike shops yielded only similar disappointment.

But then — in further testament to the ubiquitousness of Craigslist — there it was this week, in all its mango orange glory, for sale at the deeply discounted price of $250.

Read the rest of the story.

He’s from the cable company. I tell him we don’t watch much tv and he can understand that doubling what we pay for cable doesn’t make a lot of sense. Then he says, “one more question, where do I go to get a real man’s bike?”

To be honest, the first thing I thought of was something you’d see bombing around London in the 1920s. But I guess that’s just me. I must’ve looked confused, so he explained, “you know, you go to Toys R Us and they have ladies bikes and kids bikes. Where do I get a real man’s bike?”

Ah.

We had some conversation about getting what you pay for. I explained that I paid $500 for my bike when it was new, which may sound like a lot of money to someone who buys a bike at Toys R Us, but I’ve had it for almost a decade. It’s my winter commuter and I put it through hell. It’s worth buying a real bike.

I told him to go to Downtube, because that’s my local bike shop and I’m loyal. I also told him about Klarsfeld’s way up Central. He knew where they were, but it had never occurred to him to go there. I said, “yeah, if you go to a real bike shop, you’ll get a real bike.” He laughed and said thanks.

A week later, I still feel good about helping someone who wanted a good bike.

Learn how to properly lock your bike
Pretty sure I’m on top of this. I have a u-lock and I make an effort to lock both my rear tire AND the frame to something secure.
Start a Commuter Challenge
Sorry to say, probably not going to happen. Although, when Bike To Work Day comes around, we’ll see what happens.
Motivate a co-worker to commute by bike
A guy I work with just bought a single-speed and is looking forward to commuting. If I’m allowed to say so, he’s a little jealous of me.
Join your local advocacy group
What local advocacy group?
Take photos to inspire others and yourself
Do this all the time and love it. A post on this topic is forthcoming.
Setup a commuter zone
That would be the back hallway of my apartment. It’s dirty and smells bad. ha hah.
Practice preventative maintenance
Seriously. I was supposed to check the tired pressure yesterday, but forgot. Will do it tonight. After this rain, the bike is also going to need a little wipe down.
Invest in your gear
Loving the waterproof stuff I got for Christmas. Have new panniers I can’t wait to try out. Lights, warm clothes, they are worth every penny.

The 9.3-mile stretch of the old Delaware & Hudson Railway right of way runs from the Port of Albany to Voorheesville.

Way to go, Albany!

Today’s Times Union newspaper published this story:

CDTA bike plan racks up fans
Authority begins initiative to place bicycle racks throughout Capital Region

By ERIC ANDERSON BUSINESS EDITOR
First published in print: Friday, January 22, 2010

ALBANY — Downtown Albany has perhaps a dozen bicycle racks. But a new effort by the Capital District Transportation Authority could make parking your bicycle far easier.

The CDTA, in conjunction with the Capital District Transportation Committee, is seeking to place bike racks throughout the Capital Region. The racks would be free to public and nonprofit sectors, while private sector businesses and employers would be eligible for a 50 percent subsidy.

“The Capital Region Bike Rack Program works hand in hand with the goals of public transportation: improving our quality of life and reducing single occupancy vehicle commutes,” said CDTA Chairman David Stackrow. “Businesses have the opportunity to expand their client base and improve customer satisfaction by providing close and convenient bicycle parking.”

Read the rest of the story.

(Be sure to read Part 1 before you read this post. It may not help, but it probably won’t hurt.)

An elevation map of the completed portion of our ride.

It doesn’t look all that bad when you map out the elevation on the graph above. A few hundred feet of climbing, a couple 4% and 5% grades, but not too bad.

Oh wait, I forgot that there were 400+ pounds of Rotarians on one bike. That’s why it was so hard.

The plan was a simple one: Keep the gears low. Have the SAG wagon stop every couple miles and wait for us to pass. Take a break whenever necessary. Don’t fall of the bike, get crushed by a tractor trailer or keel over from the exertion. No problem, right?

We rode and climbed and rode and climbed. A few miles along, there was our SAG wagon. Pren gave us the mileage count (there was no computer on the bike) and we kept going. We had enough air in our lungs to chat most of the time, and we told each other about our careers, our families, and why we would never, ever, ever, ever, ever volunteer for anything at Rotary ever again. Ever. Really.

Bill and me, smiling through our tears.

You know how when you have a really nice bike seat that’s like a couch cushion and you’ve been riding it for years and then you switch to a hard bike seat with no cushy properties at all and your rear end really hurts? No? Well I do. The seat on the tandem was apparently an unpadded piece of steel, possibly studded with spikes. I neglected to wear padded cycling shorts under my clothes. I never do, because the seat on my Xtracycle is so comfortable that I could bike naked if I wasn’t afraid Marlin Perkins would be overhead in a helicopter with a dart gun.

This bike seat, though, would have been better suited to transporting prisoners during the Spanish Inquisition. A few miles on this thing and they’d be converting to Catholicism faster than you can say, “Fetch the comfy chair!” I could go only a couple miles at a time before I had to stand up and stretch my … um … whatever it is that stretches down there.

Bill, meanwhile, had seat issues of his own. His seat wasn’t actually screwed tightly onto the bike, and it was constantly shifting position, forcing Bill to hang on for dear life like a rodeo rider on a bucking bronco. To Bill’s credit, he never said a word about it. Hey wait a minute — he kept offering to switch seats. Biiiillllllll! (Picture me shaking my fist.)

Another few miles, more hills, Pren in the SAG wagon. Nine miles (halfway there), more hills, Pren in the SAG wagon. Twelve miles, more hills, no Pren, but he must be just up ahead. Thirteen miles, more hills … uh … where’s Pren, exactly? I’m sure we’ll see him over the next hill. Nope. Maybe the next one. Nope. Maybe–

What’s that noise?

At about 13 miles we heard a sharp metallic pinging sound, followed immediately by a rubbing sound. (Excuse all the technical language.) I don’t know about other physical activities, but those sounds usually don’t accompany successful cycling trips. We hopped off the bike to see what was what, but we didn’t spot anything. I thought it might be the rear brake, which I’d had to disconnect and then reconnect when we changed the tire at the gas station back in Part 1. Soon, though, Bill figured it out: We’d broken a spoke and the wheel was becoming less round than is ideal for a wheel. The rubbing sound was caused by the now elliptical wheel wobbling into the brake pads.

I don’t know how well you know Bill and I, but although we’re renowned for our looks, charm, virility and spring-fresh scents, we are not, apparently, known for our brains. “What the heck,” quoth we in beautiful harmony, “it’s only six more miles. And we’ve got no tools! And our SAG wagon is missing! Let’s do it!”

We were entering East Greenbush, which meant a long downhill into the town of Rensselaer before we crossed the Hudson River and reached Albany. Bill suggested we go slowly down the hill, using only the front brake and the gears to control our speed. I did my best. We made it gently down the first hill and up the next.

Well, we made it most of the way up the next hill. At about 14 miles into the trip, we heard, and I quote:

Hisssssssssssss…

I’m sure you’re way ahead of me here, but unless you’ve brought a snake on your bike ride, hissing ain’t great. The wheel, which had been rapidly deteriorating, finally got to the point where it pinched the tube, which popped, letting out the air in our rear tire.

We pulled into the first driveway we came to — a Burger King. We had no means of repairing the bike, and no SAG wagon. Even better, as I might have mentioned earlier, Bill didn’t have the cell phone number of the SAG wagon driver, so we had no way to contact him. Nor did we have any idea where he was. “Maybe he went on to the auction without us,” we thought.

We sat in a booth in the Burger King, where I put on a paper crown while we tried to figure out what to do next. I used Bill’s cell phone to call my wife, but she wasn’t home. While I was calling her, I noticed that the phone was nearly dead. Bill said he’d charged it fully before we left. We hadn’t reckoned on the cold, though, which must have sapped the battery. We probably had enough charge for one more phone call.

It was then that Bill remembered that he had the number for Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, where our fellow Rotarians were having lunch and the auction at that very moment. Also at the meeting was Greg, who had brought his pickup truck for the express purpose of delivering the tandem bike to the winning bidder after the auction. Bill called the Roost, the Roost found Greg, Greg found us, and all was well.

As we crammed into the cab of Greg’s truck, we inquired about the health and safety of our SAG wagon driver. “He’s in the buffet line at the Roost,” Greg said. Ah.

Within a few minutes we were at the club, where we entered to thundering applause. We auctioned off the bike (and many other items) to raise more than $5,000 for various international projects, including ShelterBox, clean water projects, and Rotary’s nearly complete effort to eradicate polio from the face of the planet.

In the days since our ride, Bill and I have received even more money than was pledged to us, which will enable the club to buy a third Shelter Box.

Richard, who won the bike, discovered that in addition to the broken spoke, we’d also bent the axle of the rear wheel. He had it repaired and all is well. He will now be tormenting his teenage daughter by making her ride tandem with him.

My rear end has recovered, and Bill and I are already planning our next adventure. It will probably involve bikes. And maybe weight loss. And definitely cushier seats.

First, some background points that will help make the story clearer:

1. I’m a member of Rotary, and specifically a member of the Rotary Club of Albany. I love Rotary, not least because being a Rotary exchange student in 1991-92 completely changed my life and led to most of what I’ve done since. I also appreciate the way my membership and activity in Rotary helps me have a positive impact in my own community and around the world.
2. Rotary is involved with an organization called ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide. It’s an incredible organization, and you should give them some money if you can, and maybe see if your workplace or school would be interested in sponsoring a box. Right now, they’re on the ground in Haiti providing immediate shelter:
   

3. This year, the Rotary Club of Albany gave approximately $2,400 to ShelterBox from the 2008 edition of our annual auction. That’s enough to buy 2.4 boxes.

And so, the story:

At a Rotary meeting several weeks ago, Charlotte, the president of our club, announced that she had a tandem bike to donate to the 2009 auction. The bike was used by two people during the Cycling The Erie Canal event. These two folks rode the tandem from Buffalo to Albany. When they got to Albany, Rotarians from my club were there to give all the riders rides to their hotels or to the train station. The tandem crew surprised the volunteers by donating their tandem bike for use at our auction. Cool, right?

So now this bike was at Charlotte’s house, and she didn’t have a way to get it the 16 miles to Albany. Either my fellow Rotarian Bill Corbett or I — I’m not sure who gets the blame — suggested that we should ride it. (You make recognize Bill’s name because he’s contributed to RocBike in the past.) I chimed in to say that we should be paid for doing so through charitable donations toward the auction proceeds. Everyone in the room agreed to pay us $16 each ($1/mile) if we rode the bike from Niverville to Albany. We agreed. It was on.

The auction was supposed to happen in December, but a blizzard ended up canceling our meeting, and we rescheduled for January 6. Bill and I met that morning at Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, where we hold our meetings. Another Rotarian gave us a ride to Niverville to get the bike. That person was also going to serve as our SAG wagon in case any problems occurred.

It’s at this point that I would like to make note of one difference between drivers and cyclists. Our club president, who drives from her house to the meeting, told us it was 16 miles. It’s actually 19.4 miles. That doesn’t mean much when you’re driving, but when you’re riding in 20-degree weather up big hills, those extra miles count. And no, 19.4 miles isn’t that far. Bill and I have both ridden farther than that on many occasions. (See here and here for the tale of my most recent long ride, which was also a fundraiser.) But it’s far enough, as you’ll see.

Our first mistake occurred in Charlotte’s kitchen. Pren, our SAG driver, got Bill’s phone number and put it in his cell phone. Then he asked Bill a question that would resonate later on: “Do you want my number?” Bill replied: “No, I’m not going to be calling you.” Foreshadowing, anyone?



Bill and me with the bike in the garage

We encountered the next problem as soon as we looked at the bike — the rear tire was flat. We already knew this, though, so Bill had brought a pump. As it turns out, this was the only useful item either of us had brought along. All of the other useful things that became necessary later on? Not so much.

Bill pumped up the tire, we said our goodbyes, handed over the life insurance paperwork, and prepared to ride to Albany. We got as far as the end of the driveway before the rear tire was flat again. Luckily, the donors of the bike had also donated two brand new tubes. So we got out our tire levers and–

Oh wait, we didn’t have any tire levers. Nor did we have a wrench to take the wheel off. As it turned out, neither did Charlotte or her husband Paul. Not to worry, though, down the road about a half-mile was a gas station. Off we went, pushing the bike. Surely, even in this day and age, a gas station would have a wrench or two, right?

Wrong. The gas station attendant had a screwdriver large enough for a sword fight, but no wrenches. As it turns out, though, the cycling gods were with us, because there in the gas station parking lot was a Snap-On Tools truck. Yes, a truck with every kind of wrench and useful implement known to man was parked at the out-of-the-way country gas station to which we happened to push the bike. Within a few minutes we had the tire changed and inflated and we were pedalling toward Albany.

It was cold that day. Very cold. And windy. Very windy. And I made what can only be classified as a rookie mistake. Having never ridden a tandem before, I told Bill that he could choose his seat — front or rear. He chose the back because, as it turns out, he’s not an idiot. He knew that it would be much nicer to have a very large guy blocking the wind for 20 miles than to be the windshield. (In his defense, he did offer to switch after several miles, but by that time I had warmed to the role and was enjoying being in front. That decision also saved me from the blame for … well, I’m getting ahead of the story.)

In the next installment: 400+ pounds is heavy … we climb and we climb … the SAG driver and the buffet line … axle me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies … we meet the Burger King and obtain his crown … and more!

READ PART 2

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/a-bicycle-built-for-two-lighter-guys-part-1/feed/ 3 http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/bicycle-clubs-of-old/ http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/bicycle-clubs-of-old/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:10:27 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3343

The New York Times ran a piece today on bicycle clubs of yore. Here’s the intro:



The Bittersweet History of Bike Clubs
By J. DAVID GOODMAN

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor bone-chilling cold can keep the members of New York’s assorted recreational bicycle clubs from the swift — or, often, leisurely — completion of their appointed rides around and out of the city. The New York Cycle Club, the Five Borough Bicycle Club and Fast and Fab, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bike club, are some of those that lead outings and other events year round. And while none of these was around at the turn of the last century, each traces its lineage back to the ubiquitous clubs that dominated the earliest years of cycling.

In the 1880s and 1890s, growing middle-class participation in cycling lead to the formation of hundreds of clubs across the United States. The first to form was the Boston Bicycle Club, created on Feb. 11, 1878. The following February saw a club formed in Buffalo, and the first New York City club came in 1880, also in February (something about the cold seemed to drive riders to associate in those days, perhaps for the warmth of the pack).

Read the rest of the article.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/bicycle-clubs-of-old/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/commuting-by-bike-in-winter/ http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/commuting-by-bike-in-winter/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:33:36 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3340 This so-called winter has not been bad for commuting by bike. I’ve only taken the bus on two days, and that was because my mountain bike was in the shop. I thought I’d share some thoughts.



I see winter riding in three big areas: weather, darkness, and traction.

Weather. It’s cold. Dress warmly. The question I get most often is “aren’t you cold?” I reply that I have four layers on and they seem shocked, like it never occurred to them to dress appropriately. Sometimes thermal long-johns under my pants. Warm socks. I bought a little hat that fits under my helmet to keep my ears and head warm, and sometimes, when it’s really bad, I wear a fleece hood. I have some awesome lobster gloves that keep my hands warm. The thing to remember is that your body temperature will increase as you ride.

Snow? Or, in our case, rain? Waterproof clothing is the bomb. I was gifted a pair of waterproof overpants and they are perfect. They don’t have any kind of lining, they go on quickly over my pants, and they keep my pants from getting soaked. It is not fun to be cold and wet, and it’s worse when your wet clothing starts to freeze. This is the voice of experience talking, here.

The only thing I haven’t figured out how to beat, yet, is the wind.

Darkness. It’s dark on the ride in, and it’s really dark on the ride home. The answer? Lights. This winter I’ve been running three different lights on the back, one of which is on my messenger bag. They all flash different patterns. On the front I have two lights, one which flashes and one which is steady. And my monkeylectric lights.

I’m sure I look ridiculous. But at least drivers can see me. It’s so frustrating to see people riding around in black coats with no lights. I can’t even see them. Lights are cheap, people. Get some.

Traction. In the fall I ordered a wicked pair of studded tires, so I’ve been itching to use them all winter. They are really great… when there is snow and ice on the road. They dig right in and I’m not worried about sliding or spinning out, even when braking.

But all we’ve been getting is rain. Monday morning the “big snow storm” was all slush. Running the studded tires on bare pavement is a pain in the arse. They are heavy and slow. Climbing hills will kill you. And the studs are starting to show signs of wear. So it’s worth spending the time swapping them out.

I’ve enjoyed riding this winter. How’ve you been doing?

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/19/commuting-by-bike-in-winter/feed/ 3 http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/18/bike-trail-to-link-schenectady-parks/ http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/18/bike-trail-to-link-schenectady-parks/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:07:16 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3338

The Times Union ran a story today about new trail markings that will link two parks in Schenectady:

Bike trail to link Schenectady parks
New 4.7-mile section will plug gap in biking path

SCHENECTADY — The county will soon embark on more than $2 million worth of new biking trail improvements that will plug a hole in the Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail and will link the city’s Vale and Central parks.

The state Canal Corporation is overseeing a $1.7 million new section of the Mohawk Hudson trail that will link the path’s end at the city’s Stockade section with another piece that ends at Balltown Road in Niskayuna.

The new 4.7 mile section will be marked on existing roadway with signage from North Jay Street to Union College, and then a narrower, off-road trail that runs parallel with the Mohawk River will be widened and provided with better drainage.

Read the rest of the story.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2010/01/18/bike-trail-to-link-schenectady-parks/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/21/qa-on-the-albany-bicycle-master-plan/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/21/qa-on-the-albany-bicycle-master-plan/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:36:34 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3316 Today’s edition of the Albany Times Union newspaper includes a Q&A about the adoption of the Albany Bicycle Master Plan.
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/21/qa-on-the-albany-bicycle-master-plan/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/08/you-know-what-they-ride-bikes-in-copenhagen/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/08/you-know-what-they-ride-bikes-in-copenhagen/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:57:31 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3297

Democracy Now! is covering every day of the climate summit in Copenhagen. The segment below features Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Damon Moglen, who works on global warming for Greenpeace. I’m posting it here because midway through, Hickenlooper talks about bicycling in Copenhagen. He mentions that 30+% of the population commutes by bike now, and the city’s target is 50%.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/08/you-know-what-they-ride-bikes-in-copenhagen/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/07/xtracycle-announces-winning-video/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/07/xtracycle-announces-winning-video/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:29:12 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3295

The fine folks at Xtracycle just finished a video contest to find the best video about their new PeaPod LT child seat. Here’s the winning video:

not big enough b/w fixed from Kate Oshea on Vimeo.

More videos are available at the Xtracycle site.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/12/07/xtracycle-announces-winning-video/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/27/bicycle-comedy/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/27/bicycle-comedy/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:06:37 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3246


Thanks to Utility Cycling for the link

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/27/bicycle-comedy/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/23/a-novel-use-for-an-xtracycle-as-a-tow-truck/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/23/a-novel-use-for-an-xtracycle-as-a-tow-truck/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:18:12 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/23/a-novel-use-for-an-xtracycle-as-a-tow-truck/

Tow Truckin’ from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/23/a-novel-use-for-an-xtracycle-as-a-tow-truck/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/17/leaf-peeping-by-bicycle/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/17/leaf-peeping-by-bicycle/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:08:02 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3233



From today’s New York Times:

It took a few miles to work the kinks out of my legs and churn up the first hill, but the payoff was spectacular. Lake Champlain sparkled blue in the distance, with the Adirondack Mountains rising stately in the background. Lush green hills were peppered with red silos, livestock and a white steeple far off. And then there were the trees, a patchwork of scarlet, orange and yellow that transformed a vista into something so perfect it almost didn’t look real.

• Read the story: “Pedal Peepers In Vermont”

The NYT also published a piece today by a reporter who tried out a pedicab for a day:

• Three Wheels Through the Park
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/17/leaf-peeping-by-bicycle/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/16/ouch/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/16/ouch/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:42:41 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3222


Via FAIL Blog

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/16/ouch/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/03/walk-bike-or-bus/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/03/walk-bike-or-bus/#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:18:17 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3199

The folks over at BikeCommuters.com have a handy chart to help you figure it out.


Visit BikeCommuters.com for a larger version.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/03/walk-bike-or-bus/feed/ 3 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/01/video-thoughts-on-my-bike/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/01/video-thoughts-on-my-bike/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:58:05 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/01/video-thoughts-on-my-bike/

(Thanks to Bike Commuters for the link.)

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/10/01/video-thoughts-on-my-bike/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/30/sweet-yehuda/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/30/sweet-yehuda/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:21:39 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3193

The online cycling comic strip Yehuda Moon is hilarious, and I’m a huge fan of the humor. But I also love quiet moments like this one in today’s strip, titled “Autumn Rains.”


Visit the site for a larger version

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/30/sweet-yehuda/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/25/xtracycle-on-cnns-ireport/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/25/xtracycle-on-cnns-ireport/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:51:02 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3188

Cool!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/25/xtracycle-on-cnns-ireport/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/23/fight-cancer-win-pink-tires/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/23/fight-cancer-win-pink-tires/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:24:38 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3179

Hey gang,

My friend and fellow Team Fattymate Jenni Laurita is auctioning some very cool pink tires to raise money for her second LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride of the year. She already did the Philly excursion, and this fall she’s off to Austin for more riding and raising of cash.

Please visit her Web site for details on how to win against cancer and win pink tires!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/23/fight-cancer-win-pink-tires/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/21/world-car-free-day-is-tomorrow-922/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/21/world-car-free-day-is-tomorrow-922/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:46:11 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3177



Learn more about World Car-Free Day

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/21/world-car-free-day-is-tomorrow-922/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/defying-the-no-bike-policy-in-saratoga/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/defying-the-no-bike-policy-in-saratoga/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:43:54 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3167


Adam Marino locks up his bike at Maple Avenue Middle School last Wednesday, the first day of classes. Photo by CharlieSamuels.com

From The Saratogian newspaper:

Family defies no-bike policy at Maple Avenue Middle School
Published: Monday, September 14, 2009

By ANDREW J. BERNSTEIN
The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The first day of school, already a happy and trying event for any student, saw a little additional stress for Maple Avenue Middle School student Adam Marino.

Marino and his mother, Janette Kaddo Marino, left for school by bicycle on Wednesday morning, as they often do in good weather, despite a phone call placed to students’ homes by school officials, asking parents not to allow students to walk or ride bikes to school.

After a cold reception on Wednesday, local transportation advocates are rallying around the family, and plan to accompany the pair to school today in a bid to bolster calls for a policy change.

Read the rest of the article

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/defying-the-no-bike-policy-in-saratoga/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/biking-tokyos-yamanote-train-line/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/biking-tokyos-yamanote-train-line/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:39:07 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3161


An evening scene in Asakusa, an area in the Shitamachi district of Tokyo. / Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

The New York Times featured this cool story about taking a bike tour along Japan’s famed Yamanote (ya-ma-no-tay) train line. I used to ride this line as part of my commute the second time I lived in Japan. When I worked for Bloomberg TV and Radio in Tokyo, my office was right in the area on this map where it says “Marunouchi Business District.”



Here’s the story:

• No Squishing: Biking a Tokyo Rail Line
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/09/20/biking-tokyos-yamanote-train-line/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/30/fatty-and-me/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/30/fatty-and-me/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:57:22 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3143

‘Nuff said:



]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/30/fatty-and-me/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/28/bicycles-and-civil-disobedience/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/28/bicycles-and-civil-disobedience/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:59:20 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3133 The Guardian is featuring a story today by Peter Walker about the bicycle as the vehicle of civil disobedience. Here’s an excerpt:

So what is it that makes the bicycle and the demonstration such good companions? To me, there are two factors at play.

Firstly, if you’re in a group, there is something undeniably liberating about riding around a city surrounded by cyclists. I’ve never been on a Critical Mass ride, so going to Blackheath was a strange sensation – no longer a vulnerable solo rider lined up against the massed metal forces of the motorised traffic, I was part of an entity too big to ignore or shove unthinkingly into the kerb.

Second, if you’re a solo campaigner in an urban environment then the bike is the mode of transport most guaranteed to get you to your protest on time and – perhaps more important still – give you the best chance of slipping away from pursuing authorities. When I worked for another news organisation in Beijing I’d regularly pedal to meetings or protests, nipping down narrow lanes to shake off the unmarked police cars, which routinely trail foreign journalists in China.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/28/bicycles-and-civil-disobedience/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-the-heck-is-an-xtracycle/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-the-heck-is-an-xtracycle/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:56:58 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3122 Voici:

The Original Longtail | Xtracycle from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-the-heck-is-an-xtracycle/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-does-it-mean-to-fight-like-susan/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-does-it-mean-to-fight-like-susan/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:33:41 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3108

Watch this and Fatty will tell you:

2009 Philadelphia LiveStrong Challenge: Fatty’s Speech from Fat Cyclist on Vimeo.

If you can’t watch until later, this is how you Fight Like Susan:

• Be focused
• Be creative
• Have outrageous endurance
• Be kind
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/26/what-does-it-mean-to-fight-like-susan/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/video-from-russ-and-laura/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/video-from-russ-and-laura/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:47:58 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3068

This is gorgeous.

Ride With Us! from Russ Roca on Vimeo.

More at The Path Less Pedaled.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/video-from-russ-and-laura/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/team-fatty-philly-other-peoples-words-and-images/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/team-fatty-philly-other-peoples-words-and-images/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:46:49 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3054

NOTE: This is a “sticky” post, so it will stay at the top even as new content is added below it. Be sure to scroll down for new posts, OK? Thanks!

NOTE #2: If you scroll down the right side of this site, you’ll see a bold heading that reads “Team Fatty & Friends.” Below this heading are blogs by members of Team Fatty and folks who are fighting the same fight. If you’d like to be linked in the list, please send an email to jason at rocbike dot com. (Thanks to Albany Bob for the suggestion!)

Other folks are posting their ride reports from this weekend. I’ll share them in this post and just continue to update it. Most of these folks are from Team Fatty, but not all. If I can find a story about someone fighting cancer by walking, running or riding at the Philly event, I’ll link it here.


Ready to beat cancer. And yes, the knitted Rasta glove is mine. Photo by Albany Bob

“Albany” Bob Anderson

• “Livestrong Philly”
• Fatties in Hilladelphia
• “getting there…”
• “Livestrong Pics 1″
• “Livestrong Pics 2″
• “Livestrong Pics 3″
• “Livestrong Pics 4″
• “Livestrong Pics 5″
• “Livestrong Pics 6″
• “Livestrong Pics 7″
• “Livestrong Pics 8″
• “Livestrong Pics 9″
• “Livestrong Pics 10″
• Livestrong Pics 11″

Andrea from the Evolve blog

• “Philly”
• “Running, Riding, Meeting Fatty, And Why It All Matters”

Daniel Berlinger

• “Team Fatty – Fighting Like Susan – Livestrong Challenge Philly 2009″

Rhonda Chattin

• “2009 Philly Livestrong Challenge Day”
• “Livestrong Challenge 2009 Summary *The Directors Cut!”

Jason Crane (me)

• “The (bald, chubby) eagle has landed”
• “My first triple century, or, How I learned to stop worrying and love my Xtracycle*”

Ken Durbin

• “Livestrong 2009 Reflections”

Clay Frost

• “Philly Phase One … Century Eve”

Dave from “Game On, Cancer”

• “Livestrong Challenge Eve Part 1 of 2″
• “Livestrong Challenge Eve Part 2 of 2″
• “Livestrong Challenge!!!”

Rebecca from Girl On The Loose

• Pictures

Creighton Higgins

• “Livin’ Strong In Philadelphia With Team Fatty”

Kelly Kavanagh-O’Connell

• “Livestrong Challenge 2009 Philly Ride Report, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Hills”

Kevin Kavanaugh

• Pictures

Matthew Kayes

• “Philly Livestrong Challenge 100″

Lana

• Pictures

Jenni Laurita

• “Livestrong Philly 2009″
• Pictures

Lizzylou

• “That Was A Lot Of Ribbon”
• “Philly Livestrong: Non-ride Part”
• “Philly Livestrong: Ride Part”

Elden “Fatty” Nelson

• “Relaxing In Philly”
• “Livestrong Philadelphia Report Day 1″ (Includes video of Fatty’s and Philly Jen’s speeches at the dinner)
• “2009 Livestrong Philly Report Day 2″

Robert Orler

• “Livestrong Philly”

Samantha from Ribbons For A Reason

“Our Livestrong Challenge”

Joe “CycleChef” Sheridan

• “Team Fatty”

Angie Suttle

• “Philly Livestrong Challenge”

Thad Suzenski

• “Livestrong Century”

10NBC video from Philly

• Windows Media Player video

KYW News Radio Philly

• “Thousands Participate in ‘Livestrong Challenge’ in Montco”

Philadelphia Examiner

• “Fat Cyclist Comes To Philadelphia For Livestrong Challenge”

Stay tuned.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/team-fatty-philly-other-peoples-words-and-images/feed/ 12 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/my-first-triple-century-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-my-xtracycle/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/my-first-triple-century-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-my-xtracycle/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:20:25 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3049

When last we met (see the previous installment, “The (bald, chubby) eagle has landed,” I was in a Barnes & Noble in Somewhere, PA, figuring out where to park the Hotel Subaru for the night.

Albany Bob from Liberty On Bikes! had recommended a particular walled parking lot near the Livestrong Village, so I made my way over there and found a secluded spot near the wall. I jammed my sleeping bag into the back of the car, which is when I discovered that the car is a least a foot shorter than I am. With the Xtracycle also in the back, I had about an inch of clearance from the left pedal and maybe two inches from the handlebars. Sitting up quickly would mean certain death – or at least a badly bruised noggin.

It was 11:30 p.m. by this time. I set my phone alarm for 5 a.m. and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Seconds later, it was 5 a.m. I changed my shorts in the dark of the deserted parking lot, then did my best to brush my teeth and get my contacts in. I drove over to the Doubletree Hotel, where Team Fat Cyclist was gathering for a 6 a.m. group ride to the start line. There were about 30 of us at the hotel, including the man himself — Elden “Fatty” Nelson, whose blog about cycling and about his own family’s fight with cancer had inspired us all to be there in the first place. His appearance was met with a big cheer, and he hopped on his bike and led us away from the hotel. I rode in the back because it was still dark and I had my Down Low Glow blazing. I ended up riding with Fatty for about half the way, which was great. He’s got to be one of the most grounded human beings I’ve ever met. I don’t know how he does it.


A photo of the rollout taken by Jennie Laurita. The woman in the light-colored jersey is Lauren, and I’m just behind her.


Rolling out on The Packet Boat with Philly Jen. Note the Down Low Glow! (Photo by Creighton Higgins)

By the time we reached Livestrong Village and made our way to the start line, the sun had come out and it was looking to be a beautiful day. The rest of Team Fatty was waiting for us at the start line. I’m not sure how many of us there were, but it a big, big gang. Fatty addressed the crowd to many cheers, and then Philly Jen read from the donation page of the person who had won a set of Shimano wheels and pedals. As it turned out, it was Albany Bob, who told me after the fact that he never wins anything. (By the way, check out the very moving work Bob did to the back of his van.)

Because Team Fatty Philly had raised a bazillion dollars, we got to start first. We all crowded up to the start line where the Livestrong photographers snapped a group shot. I rode with Dan, one of the event organizers, and Lauren, who was riding her first event — and who had only started riding seriously a couple months before. Lauren and I decided to stay together because it was her first ride and we were both doing the 45-mile course. As you’ll learn, she eventually dropped me like a bad habit and finished in about half my time.


Albany Bob, Dan, me at the start line (Photo by Lana)


The south end of a northbound Xtracycle (Photo by Lana)


Albany Bob and yours truly (Photo by Kevin Kavanaugh

We rode out on the long, balloon-covered road from the start line, with hundreds of spectators cheering us on. The organizers said more than 6,000 people were riding, running or walking in the event, which is incredible. I’d never ridden in a group that large, and it was a thrill to see hundreds and hundreds of cyclists take to the roads in the morning sunlight.

Later in the ride, I heard that Lance Armstrong has told the organizers every year to make the courses harder and harder. “It’s supposed to be a challenge,” he is reported to have said. I will go into that in great detail in the nasty note I’ll be sending Lance. (Kidding!) All I can say is: The first 20 or so miles were great, and the rest comprised the hardest ride I’ve ever done in my life.

First of all, I rode my Xtracycle**. If you’ve ever been to RocBike before, you’ve seen my bike. It’s a Giant Sedona hybrid with massive tires and a big cargo bike kit on the back. It weighs a lot. A lot a lot. Too much, some might say. To me, riding the Xtracycle was part of the challenge. That’s because I’m an idiot.

Second, I never really looked at the elevation charts provided by the fine sadists at Livestrong. Had I done that, I would have quickly realized that there was no way I could actually ride my bike for 45 miles on the course they’d laid out, no doubt late at night in a dimly lit room with chains and whips and an iron maiden in the corner. This course, you see, was Brutal with a capital “B.” In fact, I think it’s fair to say it was BRUTAL, with a capital-all-them-letters.

Like I said, it was fine in the beginning. Lauren and I stayed together and chatted while we rode, exchanging the little biographies that you trade in those situations. I was feeling fairly tired, and I hadn’t eaten (idiot), but I figured I could make it the 10 miles to the rest stop and load up on food there. That worked just fine. The first rest stop was incredible. Tons of food, water and Gatorade, and even free massages from the wonderful Tobi. I left feeling refreshed and ready to ride.

I think it was about mile 20 when the first big hill came. I live in Albany, and we have some big hills. But not like these hills. You see, here in Albany, the hills have tops. In Pennsylvania (which is Dutch for “granny gear”) the hills defy geography and just continue to go up. And up. And up some more. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but we climbed a hill that had everyone moaning and swearing, and at the top of the hill was a hill. Dan had rejoined us, and the three of us pulled off the road to rest and hydrate and eat for a minute. Lauren and Dan said they were ready to go, and I told them to go ahead and not wait for me.

It was then that I had my big crisis.

I was exhausted. A craptacular night of sleep in the Hotel Subaru, combined with a woeful lack of calories, had me shaking and feeling nauseous. I’ve never bonked, but I wondered if this was what it felt like. And I knew, for the first time ever on my bike, that I couldn’t make it.

That was when I thought about everything that had gotten me to this point. Cancer had hit my mother, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, my cousin, my great-uncle, my friend Travis (who died last year from testicular cancer), my grandfather and childhood hero Bernie Flanders (who passed away earlier this summer) … and most recently my Aunt Linda, who is battling breast cancer right now. She’s been a huge inspiration in my life, because she’s never been afraid to walk her own path, regardless of others’ opinions. I’d also spent several years watching Fatty and Susan fight cancer and rally others to their cause. And I’d been inspired to launch my own jazz raffle by the efforts of Fatty’s sister, Jodi. Moreover, I’d raised more than $2,200 with help from family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers. My Rotary club had gathered around me, too, supporting me with the first grant from the revived charity committee.

And that was when I knew that there was no turning back. I got back on the Packet Boat (my Xtracycle) and rode as far up the hill as I could go. Then I got off and walked the bike up the hill. Have I mentioned that it weighs a lot? Pushing it up hills really stinks.

I reached the second aid station and looked around for Lauren and Dan. They weren’t there, although Lauren later said they’d waited for me for quite a while. Who knows how long I’d stood at the bottom of that hill weighing my options?

The rest of the ride was a mixture of pedaling and walking, punctuated with wonderful conversations with my fellow riders. I chatted with Rob from Long Island, a member of Team Fatty who told me he’d played in a charity golf tournament the week before to raise money for autism, inspired by a family member who was diagnosed with autism. And here he was on a hot summer day, riding through the hills of eastern Pennsylvania.

I met Rhonda from Virginia. She’d seen cancer rip through her own family, and decided it was time to change the odds.

I was passed by a cyclist who turned to me as he passed and said, “This is where I quit last year!” Then he let out a whoop and pedaled up the hill. I interviewed him later for the audio piece I’m working on, and he broke down as talked about his dad’s fight with cancer.

That’s what the Livestrong ride is like. Every time you think you can’t possibly make it up one more hill, you find another wonderful person with a story that puts strength in your legs and stamina in your heart. Like the Holland and Wilson families, who both live at the top of big hills and who decided to hand out water to the riders as they passed. Or like the hundreds of volunteers who cheer on the riders, make the food, give massages, and congratulate you every step of the way. or the doctor who works at the one of the aid stations and bring his interns to do the same.

By the end of the ride, I had nothing left. The last few miles were a climb to the finish line, and I was sagging on my bike with my head hanging to one side. I was determined to ride the last few miles, and it took everything I could muster. The amazing thing was that as I struggled up the hills, rider after rider passed me and said “Go Team Fatty!” These people didn’t know me, and most of them didn’t know Fatty either. But they believed in the cause and were inspired by Team Fatty’s efforts.

And I made it up the hill.

I rode past the balloons and cheering crowds and PA announcer, and came to two of the other great moments on my ride. Standing at the finish line was Fatty, who I would later learn waited for every member of Team Fatty to finish. And right behind him was Albany Bob, who’d waited a long time for me to get there. That was a great moment, and a great gift from two very good guys.

The ride was, by far, the hardest physical activity I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve ridden farther, but never over a course like that. But it was also one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever been given. To be a part of a larger movement, of people united by no thought other than doing good, of people drawn together by one family’s amazing story — that is truly something worth doing. Thanks, Fatty.

* As everyone knows, Xtracycle miles are like dog years. Thus, my 45 miles counted for 315 miles.

** Please note that I love, love, love my Xtracycle. It revolutionized my approach to cycling, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was hard to ride on this course because (1) I’m not in good shape; (2) The course was brutal; (3) My Xtracycle is built on a very heavy Giant bike, so it weighs much more than an Xtracycle built on a lighter bike (my wife’s, for example).

(I’ve been making an audio recording of the trip, too, so look for an episode of the RocBike Review after the ride.)

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/24/my-first-triple-century-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-my-xtracycle/feed/ 17 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/the-bald-chubby-eagle-has-landed/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/the-bald-chubby-eagle-has-landed/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:41:10 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3043

So I’m in Philly. Well technically I’m in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, home of Montgomery County Community College and the temporary home of the 2009 LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride – Philly edition.

On my way out of town this morning, I stopped by Eastern Mountain Sports because they sell Sigg bottles and I needed two new ones for the ride. The guy at the counter said, “You’re heading to Philly, right?” Apparently he’d visited RocBike.com and recognized me.

(A small aside: A woman named Paula in Albany has a Surly Big Dummy! My son Bernie and I were at the Downtube and saw it. She came out and noticed my Packet Boat and we chatted. She also knew who I was from reading this site. Paula agreed to become a contributor, too. Which, with the RocBike Curse, means she’ll soon stop writing about cycling completely. Sorry, Paula!)

Anway…

I arrived here in PA about 4 p.m. and headed straight for LIVESTRONG Village, the assemblage of vendors and nonprofits who surround the registration area. Recent rains had turned the ground into what Team Fatty Philly Captain “Philly Jen” described as a “mosh pit.” But everyone was in good spirits, and I saw several other members of Team Fatty while I was registering. The registration process was very efficient. According to one person at the site, there are more than 800 volunteers signed up for today and tomorrow to make the whole event run.

I got a nice bag o’ swag — hat, t-shirt, messenger bag, water bottle, and maybe a few other things that I have yet to dig out of the yellow LIVESTRONG bag. By the way, if you don’t like yellow, I recommend avoiding these rides. Everything is yellow.

The Team Fatty event at the Doubletree Hotel was running until 5 p.m. I made it with minutes to spare, just in time to meet Philly Jen (who saw me walk in and yelled “Jason!” — I guess there’s a shortage of chubby bald guys on our team) and another guy from Albany who wasn’t either Bob or me. Nor was he anyone I’d seen before. Small world. Apparently the Doubletree had booted out half of Team Fatty citing “water damage” on two floors. Rumor has it that the damage was more likely caused by overbooking, given that Team Fatty was booted out of another hotel owned by the same company at another recent Challenge ride. Sounds like the airline industry.

In search of some way to kill the hours between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m., when we all meet for breakfast, I drove around a bit. I found a park advertising a free concert at 6 p.m., so I followed the winding road back to the park … where a small sign said, “Concert Canceled.” I decided instead to eat dinner. I tried hard to avoid a chain restaurant, driving around until I spotted a big sign for Bombay High Indian Cuisine. I pulled in to the plaza to find that the highway sign and plaza sign had been installed, but the seats, tables, lights, kitchen and staff had yet to arrive. Sigh.

I ended up eating sushi at Benihana. I can’t believe I just typed that, and if you ever tell anyone, I’ll deny it. After three years in Japaan, I’m a real snob about Japanese food, and Benihana to me is like the Taco Bell of Japanese food. But I ate it and was grateful for some air conditioning and green tea.


The author at Barnes & Noble, delaying his date with the Hotel Subaru

I’m typing this in a Barnes and Noble because I’m staying tonight in the Hotel Subaru, and it doesn’t have wi-fi. In fact, it no longer has XM radio either, because some damned squirrels chewed through the antenna cable. I must say, the Hotel Subaru seemed much more inviting when I was tossing my sleeping bag in the back of the car this morning than it does now. Not least because my Xtracycle is also in the hotel’s one room, and it’s a very big bike. There’s a lovely thunderstorm now, too, so if this is my last blog entry, you’ll know why.

(I’ve been making an audio recording of the trip, too, so look for an episode of the RocBike Review after the ride.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/the-bald-chubby-eagle-has-landed/feed/ 5 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/off-to-philly/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/off-to-philly/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:56:21 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3041



]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/22/off-to-philly/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/20/xtracycle-riding-mom-turns-to-twitter-after-drive-through-denial/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/20/xtracycle-riding-mom-turns-to-twitter-after-drive-through-denial/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:26:41 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3037


Photo by USA Today

By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY

Sarah Gilbert stepped off her bicycle long enough to send one angry tweet via Twitter— and it’s changed the way one fast-growing burger chain treats bike riders.

The 35-year-old blogger, freelance writer and mother of three doesn’t own a car. She gets around usually bike-friendly Portland, Ore., on a custom-made stretch bike that fits all three of her boys, ages 2, 4 and 7. A bumper sticker boasts: “One less minivan.”

But after biking last week into the drive-through of the local Burgerville— an eco-conscious burger chain that even recycles its used cooking oil into biodiesel — she tried to order four cheeseburgers.

No go. She was refused service at the drive-through for, of all things, ordering from a bike. Never mind that the environmentally friendly restaurant chain spent $185,000 on wind energy credits in 2008 to compensate for the electricity used in its 39 stores and at its corporate headquarters.

When Gilbert got home, she sent out a huffy tweet followed by a pointed letter to the chain, which she posted on her blog, cafemama.com. By the next day, the company apologized. In short order, the Vancouver, Wash.-based chain, with locations in Oregon and Washington, revamped its policy and will announce a new bicycle-friendly drive-through program on Sept. 8.

Read the rest of the story.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/20/xtracycle-riding-mom-turns-to-twitter-after-drive-through-denial/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/19/livestrong-update/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/19/livestrong-update/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:43:48 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3032

I made my second goal ($1,926) a couple days ago. Today, the Rotary Club of Albany, of which I’m a member, gave me a check for $250. With some additional donations, my total for this ride is now at $2,216! Here’s a photo from the Rotary meeting. That’s Bob Stone presenting the award certificate:



There’s still time to donate and get in on the big jazz raffle, but you have to act NOW: http://philly09.livestrong.org/jasoncrane. A full list of prizes is on the donation page.

Thanks so much for your support. RocBike’s own Bob Anderson will have photos, and I’ll have audio from the ride, so look for a post-race story soon. Fatty will be there, too, so maybe I’ll get to meet him in person. Huzzah!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/19/livestrong-update/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/the-time-she-is-running-out/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/the-time-she-is-running-out/#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:13:09 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3024

As you know, my goal is to raise $1,926 dollars for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride. The ride takes place in Philadelphia on August 23. With 9 days to go, I’ve raised $1,646. If my math is correct, that means I need $280 to make my goal.

I’ve got tons of cool prizes to give away, all jazz-related, including:

• A meet-and-greet package with the Strickland brothers (E.J. and Marcus) as they each release their new CDs. The package includes:
  • Two tickets to the double-CD release party at the famed Joe’s Pub in Manhattan on August 21
  • Autographed copies of both CDs
  • A meet-and-greet with Marcus and E.J. at the show
• Tickets to see Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller, vocalist Steven Santoro, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at beautiful Tanglewood in Lenox, MA, on Labor Day weekend
• Tickets to see Dave Brubeck in western Massachusetts on Oct. 17
• Autographed CDs from Patti Wicks, Jo Lawry, Mike Melito, and many more!
• LP reissues of classic jazz recordings!
• A Big Box o’ Jazz CDs from the fine folks at Braithwaite and Katz!
• And more!

How do you get in on the action? For every $5 you donate at my LIVESTRONG page, you’ll get a raffle ticket. The more you fight cancer, the better your chances of winning.

I’ll draw the winner of the Strickland package on Tuesday, August 18 (and the deadline for donations for that prize is 10 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17).

I’ll draw the rest of the prizes on August 30, and the winners will be announced on the August 31 episode of The Jazz Session.

So please help! DONATE NOW!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/the-time-she-is-running-out/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/bottoms-up-pedals-turning/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/bottoms-up-pedals-turning/#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:07 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3022
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/14/bottoms-up-pedals-turning/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/international-win-for-susan-day-august-23/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/international-win-for-susan-day-august-23/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:00:33 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3020

This is a great idea.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/international-win-for-susan-day-august-23/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/the-difficulties-of-unicycle-jumping/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/the-difficulties-of-unicycle-jumping/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:29:27 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3018
Via FAIL Blog
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/12/the-difficulties-of-unicycle-jumping/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/08/this-looks-lovely/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/08/this-looks-lovely/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:56:23 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3004

I think these two are on to something…


Via http://pathlesspedaled.com/?p=492

Follow their adventures at pathlesspedaled.com.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/08/this-looks-lovely/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/07/fattys-obituary-for-susan/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/07/fattys-obituary-for-susan/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:47:17 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=3000

Fatty has posted a remembrance of his wife, Susan. Like everything connected with this story, it’s moving, heartbreaking and inspiring. The Nelson family has certainly created a lot of love in the world.

Read the remembrance.

And if you want to join the fight, please DONATE.


Image from Twin Six

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/07/fattys-obituary-for-susan/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/06/susan-nelson/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/06/susan-nelson/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:33:26 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2995

Elden “Fat Cyclist” Nelson posted the following on his site:

Susan died tonight (August 5) at 7:25pm. It was a hard, long day, and Susan fought right to the end, for much longer than anyone would have thought she could.

My mom, my sisters Kellene and Jodi, and my Brother-in-Law Rocky were all here to support my family as Susan passed away.

I’ll have more to say soon, but consider this. Susan inspired me to expand the focus of my blog from nothing but bike-related jokes to a serious and pitched fight against cancer.

Then she inspired 500+ of you to join Team Fatty, the largest LiveStrong Challenge Team there has ever been.

And Team Fatty has raised more than $500,000 — a record amount.

Susan’s part in the battle is over, but she didn’t lose. She led the charge. She showed the rest of us how to fight: with determination, focus, creativity, and outrageous endurance.

Now it’s up to the rest of us to Fight Like Susan.

The coordinator of Team Fatty Philly sent this message this morning:

My dear teammates,

It is with deep and profound sadness that I write to inform you the Susan Nelson passed away earlier this evening.

As each of you has shared Susan’s story with your friends and family, and as you have put your heartfelt efforts into Team Fatty, you all have been instrumental in bringing Susan’s fight to the eyes, ears, and hearts of the world.

Susan was unwavering in her battle; she held steady and true. Let us honor her memory by showing the same spirit and determination.

Give like Fatty. Fight like Susan.

Donations in Susan’s memory may be made at Elden’s (Fatty’s) Livestrong page: http://philly09.livestrong.org/fatty

Donations in Susan’s memory may also be made on your own Livestrong page: http://philly09.livestrong.org/jasoncrane

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/08/06/susan-nelson/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/29/the-day-before-the-day/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/29/the-day-before-the-day/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:27:03 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2992

Russ Roca is a man of many bike blogs, including this one and this one and this one, too, all of which have made multiple appearances here at RocBike in our old Links of the Day posts. Now Russ is heading out with his partner Laura on a bike trip.

Not just any bike trip, mind you. Russ and Laura sold or stored all their stuff except what would fit on two bicycles, and they’re going to travel the world by bike for some indeterminate period of time. Cool, huh?

They started a (wait for it) blog to chronicle their travels: The Path Less Pedaled. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Today is the day before they leave, and they recorded a little video from their nearly bare apartment:

Good luck and safe travels, Russ and Laura!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/29/the-day-before-the-day/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/28/a-message-from-fatty-and-susan/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/28/a-message-from-fatty-and-susan/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:28:57 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2986 Fatty and Susan recorded this video a couple weeks ago before the Livestrong Challenge ride in San Jose. Watch it, and then go here to donate to fight cancer. Thank you.
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/28/a-message-from-fatty-and-susan/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/26/featherhead-slings-acid/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/26/featherhead-slings-acid/#comments Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:04:44 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2984

…and other tales from a bike messenger turned drug dealer.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/26/featherhead-slings-acid/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/24/best-title-of-an-xtracycle-article/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/24/best-title-of-an-xtracycle-article/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:06:03 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2977



The Xtracycle Life: How to Make Your Bike a Purse

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/24/best-title-of-an-xtracycle-article/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/22/hes-a-jazzhead-too/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/22/hes-a-jazzhead-too/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:17:22 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2973



I already loved Bike Snob NYC, and now I have one more reason: he digs Coltrane.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/22/hes-a-jazzhead-too/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/dammit/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/dammit/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:56:46 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2967

Fat Cyclist: 7 Grapes, 4 Spoonsful of Ice Cream, 5 Bites of Rice

Fuck cancer.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/dammit/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/a-great-rider-a-better-writer/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/a-great-rider-a-better-writer/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:50:09 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2965 Jill Homer is chronicling her recently completed Great Divide ride on her blog. Today’s story is particularly moving. She is one hell of a writer.
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/21/a-great-rider-a-better-writer/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/viewing-colleges-by-bike/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/viewing-colleges-by-bike/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:28:17 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2956

The New York Times has the story.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/viewing-colleges-by-bike/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/charlie-the-bikemonger-and-his-big-dummy/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/charlie-the-bikemonger-and-his-big-dummy/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:18:57 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2953 This video is oddly compelling. I found it at Everyday Adventures, the official blog of Xtracycle.


Charlie The Bikemonger tours Dorset, Somerset and Devon on a Surly Big Dummy Xtracycle bike. More at www.charliethebikemonger.com.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/15/charlie-the-bikemonger-and-his-big-dummy/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/14/saxo-bank-has-developed-an-invisible-bike/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/14/saxo-bank-has-developed-an-invisible-bike/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:05:07 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2951

…and you can see it here.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/14/saxo-bank-has-developed-an-invisible-bike/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/13/livestrong-fundraising-update/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/13/livestrong-fundraising-update/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:26:11 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2940


Me in my snazzy new Team Fat Cyclist jersey from Twin Six

As you may know by now, I’m riding in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride in Philadelphia on August 23, along with fellow Team RocBike member Bob Anderson. I’m riding as part of Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting For Susan, about which more here.

My initial fundraising goal was $1,000, and I reached that on Friday. As you can see from the photo above, I kept my promise to shave my head. I was assisted in that promise by my lovely wife, who gritted her teeth and took off my hair, 10 years after she shaved my head on stage during a gig on Hilton Head Island. (About which more … uh … some other time.)

My new goal, suggested by Team Fatty Philly head poobah Jen Yuan, is $1,926. That’s the year of John Coltrane’s birthday, and he’s got a big Philly connection, and all my prizes are jazz related.

What prizes, you ask? Well, for every $5 you donate to my ride, you’ll get a raffle ticket. At the end of August, I’ll be giving away autographed CDs, LPs, and more, all quite jazzalicious.

So you can help fight cancer and win cool stuff. Neat, huh?

To donate, please visit my donation page.

Thanks to all of you who’ve donated so far!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/13/livestrong-fundraising-update/feed/ 6 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/09/country-road-take-me-to-work-and-back/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/09/country-road-take-me-to-work-and-back/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:56:29 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2928

I’ve started riding my bike again to get ready for my Livestrong Challenge ride in Philly this August. (Please donate if you can.) This week, after many months, I also resumed commuting by bike again.

I began working for Capital Region BOCES earlier this year, and those offices are farther away than my union shops were. It’s about 8 miles from my house to BOCES HQ, where I work two days a week, and about 12 miles from my house to the school district office where I work the other three days.

Today I rode from home to the school district in Selkirk, NY, and back for the first time, about 24 miles. I took some photos on the way home.

This is my favorite sign in Selkirk:

From 144 Commute

I don’t know who came up with the idea of putting golf balls and rhubarb together, but it’s a classic.

Most of my commute is on Route 144, a primarily rural route through some tiny places such as Cedar Hill. A couple miles into the ride home, I came upon these lions, liberated from either “Guy Park” or “Cuy Park.”

From 144 Commute

As you can see, the structure they now protect is not particularly imposing:

From 144 Commute

Further on up the road is the somewhat secluded site of the Glenmont Job Corps Academy:

From 144 Commute

I don’t know much about the Job Corps, but this comes from the Web site:

Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible youth at least 16 years of age, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.

You can find out more by visiting jobcorps.gov.

Most of the commute looks like this, plus a hill here and there:

From 144 Commute

And here’s a gratuitous picture of the Packet Boat, ready for action:

From 144 Commute

Sprinkled along 144 are forgotten houses like this one:

From 144 Commute

And here’s another wonderful sign. I like the idea of a wrathful Mother Nature:

From 144 Commute

A relic from a bygone error … I mean era:

From 144 Commute

I didn’t even know what this was at first, but it turned out to be a vintage electric car:

From 144 Commute

This is the bottom of the hill at Second Ave and Pearl. This is the start of 3/4 of a mile of climbing, much of it at a 7% grade. The picture doesn’t do it justice:




From 144 Commute

My legs were jelly at the end, but I made it the whole way.

It sure does feel good to be back on the bike.

The rest of the pictures from today’s ride are here.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/09/country-road-take-me-to-work-and-back/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/08/help-annoy-my-mom-oh-yeah-and-fight-cancer-too/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/08/help-annoy-my-mom-oh-yeah-and-fight-cancer-too/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:33:13 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2920


DONATE NOW!


My mom, Sally

As I mentioned recently, I’ve joined Team Fatty for the Livestrong Challenge Ride in Philly on August 23. I’m trying to raise $1,000 for the ride. If I make it, I’ll shave my head. That will greatly annoy my mother, which, while not the main reason for the fundraising, is certainly an excellent fringe benefit.

Last week, my grandfather, Bernie Flanders, died at age 96. He was my childhood hero, and he is a huge reason that I became the person I am. He had cancer, as have so many members of my family. I miss him a lot, but his memory makes me that much more committed to the ride.

All through August, I’ll be raffling off cool jazz prizes — LPs, autographed CDs and more. Every $5 donated toward my ride gets you a ticket (including all donations up to this point). So please DONATE NOW!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/08/help-annoy-my-mom-oh-yeah-and-fight-cancer-too/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/07/jill-made-it/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/07/jill-made-it/#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:12:28 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2917

Jill Homer just finished the Tour Divide! What an incredible accomplishment.

Jill agreed in the past to be a guest on the RocBike Review, but we never quite made it happen. I’ll ask her again, so we can get a first-person account of her amazing ride.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/07/07/jill-made-it/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/30/a-bit-too-serious-about-bike-parking/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/30/a-bit-too-serious-about-bike-parking/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:32:42 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2900

I found this funny note over at the Web site for Found Magazine. Sometimes people take bike parking just a tad too seriously.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/30/a-bit-too-serious-about-bike-parking/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/24/ive-joined-team-fat-cyclist-philly-please-help-me-raise-money-to-fight-cancer/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/24/ive-joined-team-fat-cyclist-philly-please-help-me-raise-money-to-fight-cancer/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:48:20 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2887



Hello friends,

Cancer has impacted:

• My mother, Sally (skin)
• My grandmother Dorothy (colon)
• My grandfather Bernie (bladder)
• My great-grandmother Louise (lung)
• My cousin Denise (breast)
• My great-uncle, Bill (colon)
• My friend Travis, who died last year from testicular cancer

So it’s no surprise that I’d want to fight cancer. And I love riding my bike. That’s why I signed up for the Livestrong Challenge ride in Philly on August 23 as part of Team Fat Cyclist.

Now I need YOUR help. Please visit my fundraising page and donate whatever you can to help me in the fight against cancer. And if you can make it to Philly on August 23, you should also consider signing up for the race yourself.

DONATE NOW!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/24/ive-joined-team-fat-cyclist-philly-please-help-me-raise-money-to-fight-cancer/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/22/team-fat-cyclist-at-the-livestrong-challenge-ride-in-seattle/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/22/team-fat-cyclist-at-the-livestrong-challenge-ride-in-seattle/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:55:21 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2884

Elden “Fatty” Nelsen has posted some great photos, videos and stories from this weekend’s Livestrong ride in Seattle. Please visit his blog to read about the weekend. And make sure to donate to the cause, OK?

WIN SUSAN!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/22/team-fat-cyclist-at-the-livestrong-challenge-ride-in-seattle/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/19/war-on-drugs-war-on-mountain-bikers/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/19/war-on-drugs-war-on-mountain-bikers/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:45:47 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2877



Pot bust nabs bike star
Major marijuana probe results in arrests in Saratoga area

By LEIGH HORNBECK, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, June 19, 2009

ALBANY — The major drug bust of a thriving marijuana operation in Wilton this week nabbed two colorful characters: A one-time champion mountain biker and a budding filmmaker on a spiritual journey.

A federal judge set bail for the pair Thursday afternoon.

Police set up a sale between a confidential informant and former star mountain biker Melissa Giove.

Read the rest of the article.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/19/war-on-drugs-war-on-mountain-bikers/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/18/warm-weather-commuters-checklist/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/18/warm-weather-commuters-checklist/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:24:55 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2871



I learned about the fun blog Bike Skirt from an issue of Urban Velo magazine. On Monday, Elisa (pictured above) posted a good checklist of items every summer bike commuter needs. Check it out, and tell ‘em RocBike sent ya.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/18/warm-weather-commuters-checklist/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/17/cyclist-runs-in-to-the-back-of-a-bus-in-schenectady/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/17/cyclist-runs-in-to-the-back-of-a-bus-in-schenectady/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:57:50 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2869 From today’s Albany Times Union:

SCHENECTADY — A 62-year-old bicyclist suffered minor injuries after accidentally running into the back of a CDTA bus on State Street this afternoon, city police said. The man was pedaling behind the bus near Clinton Street and rear-ended the vehicle when it pulled over around 1:25 p.m., Sgt. Eric Clifford said.

The crash tied up downtown traffic for about 20 minutes, Clifford said. He said the man was taken to Ellis Hospital for observation.

– Paul Nelson

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/17/cyclist-runs-in-to-the-back-of-a-bus-in-schenectady/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/15/the-tour-divide-its-fun-to-listen-to/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/15/the-tour-divide-its-fun-to-listen-to/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:17 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2862

I’ve already mentioned that Jill Homer is riding the Tour Divide this year. The Tour Divide is a 2,745-mile self-supported mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

MTBCast posts a daily digest of the riders’ call-ins from the trail. It makes for some fun and fascinating listening. You can listen at MTBCast or subscribe using iTunes or your favorite RSS reader using this link.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/15/the-tour-divide-its-fun-to-listen-to/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/12/shes-off/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/12/shes-off/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:28:53 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2831



The wonderful Jill Homer is ready to begin the Great Divide ride — 2,700 miles along the Great Divide. Her post from yesterday lists several way to follow her along her route. She’ll also be blogging whenever possible.

From all of us at RocBike.com: Good luck, Jill!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/12/shes-off/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/10/saratoga-cycling-accident-the-reporters-response/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/10/saratoga-cycling-accident-the-reporters-response/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:20:24 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2825

As I wrote here and here, there was a recent cycling accident in Saratoga Springs, north of Albany, that was featured in the Times Union newspaper. You can read my note to the reporter in the previous post.

Here’s the response I received from the reporter, Dennis Yusko:

Hi Jason: Thank you for writing. You make a valid point about the placement of the helmet reference. I guess it was in this particular story because he suffered a head injury, and because police made a point of it when discussing the case. Anyway, I’ll think about it more next time I write because of your note. In the meantime, feel free to go to our Saratoga Seen blog and post what you feel under the story there. It might generate some discussion.
Dennis.

If you’d like to take Dennis up on his suggestion, visit the Saratoga Seen blog.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/10/saratoga-cycling-accident-the-reporters-response/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/jill-on-the-range/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/jill-on-the-range/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:53:21 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2819 The deliciously insane Jill Homer is about to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Race. North to south along the Rockies. No, that is not a typographical error.

Follow her exploits — if you dare — here.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/jill-on-the-range/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/update-saratoga-cycling-accident/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/update-saratoga-cycling-accident/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:27:17 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2815

This story of course notes that the bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. Which I’m sure is what caused the motorist to fail to yield the right of way.

Vehicle charges likely in bicycle accident
Bicyclist hospitalized after Saratoga Springs accident

By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, June 9, 2009

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A 30-year-old man was taken to the hospital with head injuries on Sunday after he struck a car while riding his bicycle on Broadway, police say.

The man, who police did not identify, was riding north at 1:22 p.m., when he hit the rear passenger door of a vehicle turning left into the parking lot of Lillian’s restaurant, Lt. Matthew Veitch said.

The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet and was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Veitch said.

The operator of the vehicle, who police would only say is from Vermont, will likely face charges of failing to yield the right of way, police said.

“The investigation is ongoing and charges are anticipated,” Veitch said.

This article is available at the Times Union site.

I sent a follow-up email message to the author of the piece, Dennis Yusko (dyusko@timesunion.com):

Hi Dennis,

As a local cyclist, let me begin by saying thanks for covering any bicycle stories at all, even when they’re accidents.

A quick question: Why is it that the cyclist’s lack of a helmet is mentioned before the motorist’s failure to yield the right of way? (I might go further and ask why the helmet is in the story at all.) Surely the cyclist’s lack of a helmet is not what caused the driver to hit the cyclist. Shouldn’t the charges against the driver come first?

Helmets are great, but every cycling accident story tells the reader whether or not the cyclist had one, as if this had anything to do with the cause of the accident.

Thanks again for your time and for paying attention to cyclists.

All the best,

Jason

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/09/update-saratoga-cycling-accident/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/08/another-bicycle-accident-in-the-capital-region/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/08/another-bicycle-accident-in-the-capital-region/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:02:13 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2784 Does the Times Union have a new bicycle accident beat?

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A 30-year-old man was taken to the hospital with head injuries on Sunday after he struck a car while riding his bicycle on Broadway, police say.

The man, whom police did not identify, was riding north at 1:22 p.m., when he hit the rear passenger door of a vehicle turning left into the parking lot of Lillian’s restaurant, Lt. Matthew Veitch said.

Read the rest of the article.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/08/another-bicycle-accident-in-the-capital-region/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/cyclist-hurt-in-schenectady/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/cyclist-hurt-in-schenectady/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:35:30 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2778

The Times Union just posted a story about a collision between a cyclist and dumptruck:

Cyclist seriously hurt after collision with dump truck in Schenectady

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/cyclist-hurt-in-schenectady/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/rocbike-in-the-top-50-at-londoncyclist/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/rocbike-in-the-top-50-at-londoncyclist/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:46:15 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2774

I received this message this week:

Hey guys,

I don’t know if you have heard already through the grape vine but you are in the top 50 bike blogs as rated through looking at things such as number of comments, alexa rank, etc. Congratulations!

I look forward to hearing more from you in future.
Andreas
(londoncyclist)

Ain’t that cool? Thanks for everyone’s support!

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/06/05/rocbike-in-the-top-50-at-londoncyclist/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/31/news-from-fatty/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/31/news-from-fatty/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:34:30 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2764 Be sure to read this post from the Fat Cyclist all the way to the end.
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/31/news-from-fatty/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 15:02:10 +0000 Bob Anderson http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/ i have serious problems with ALOT of things,
one being the photo size selection on WP,
so to view pictures while I’m struggling on WP,
visit me @ Liberty on Bikes! .

SO BACK TO OUR TOPIC.
For those that are LCI certified, by-the-book cyclists,
I ‘m sorry to offend, but it’s something I naturally do….

There’s been alot of debate lately on every blog on:
cyclists running red lights,
cyclists running stop signs,
cyclists passing cars on the right at red lights
(which happens to be my everyday doing)
and cyclists needing to abide by all laws.

UMMMMMM, wait for it….
NO!
There I said it!
I’m not irresponsible,
and I certainly don’t advocate breaking laws,
or pose a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ rule.

I ADVOCATE ARRIVING TO HOME/WORK ALIVE!

And until motorists respect other roadway users,
I’ll ride on the offense.
Passing stopped cars on the right?
It’s safer for me to start the green light up front,
rather than be in the middle of rush hour traffic
trying to pass me while I start off ten cars behind.

When it’s bumper to bumper and at a stand still,
and there’s a wide shoulder onthe right?
SORRY! I’m gonna get on that and keep moving!
Who’s going to sit behind a tailpipe waiting in traffic?
You’re an angry motorist? Well then, get a bike!
Surprisingly, in town you can beat traffic!

Lastly:
- a bad cyclist will do less harm than a bad driver.
- since driver’s are unwilling to share the road, and
abide by the laws, I WILL DO WHATEVER I NEED TO
SURVIVE. The laws were not written for cyclists safety.
- If motorists want us to abide by ALL traffic laws,
THEN I’M TAKING THE WHOLE LANE LIKE A MOTORCYCLE!
oh wait, they don’t want THAT.
- So it’s a double standard? Yeah, I’m not buying what they’re selling.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/23/running-the-reds-the-elephant-in-the-corner/feed/ 8 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/21/housatonic-man-prepares-for-200-mile-race/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/21/housatonic-man-prepares-for-200-mile-race/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 19:24:16 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2726 This story is from The Berkshire Eagle, the local paper in my hometown area:

By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff

Thursday, May 21

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Until a few weeks ago, Charles Spirydowski’s longest bicycle ride was about three miles — a jaunt he took with his daughter.

This week, the 37-year-old Housatonic man will attempt a 200-mile ride over the course of three days to raise money and awareness for emergency medical services personnel who’ve died in the line of duty or from a job-related illness or injury.

You can read the rest of the article at the Eagle’s Web site.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/21/housatonic-man-prepares-for-200-mile-race/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/20/ride-of-silence-albany/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/20/ride-of-silence-albany/#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 14:03:43 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2724 A 10 year old boy was riding his bike without a helmet in my neighborhood. He ran a red light and hit a car. And died. Please stop running red lights. Please, please please.

Information about our aptly timed Ride of Silence is here.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/20/ride-of-silence-albany/feed/ 13 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/17/welcome-to-new-team-rocbike-member-bob-anderson/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/17/welcome-to-new-team-rocbike-member-bob-anderson/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 01:40:02 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2701

Jason sez: Bob Anderson is a one-man hurricane on the Albany cycling scene. He’s doing great work with the Albany Bicycle Coalition, and also taking amazing photos of cycling culture for local galleries, and for his blog, Liberty on Bikes! Bob’s inclusion on the Team RocBike roster is long overdue, and I’m glad he’s here. Under the photo is Bob’s sketch of his own biography.



married almost 11 years, 3 kids from 3-8, commute everyday by bike, born in Seattle, lived in golden, colorado & salt lake city, utah, here for 11 years, manager by profession, also a photographer, artist, decorator, manipulator of color/pattern/texture, punk, instigator, prankster, tattoo collector, 80’s trivia master, student of taoism, and agent of chaos.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/17/welcome-to-new-team-rocbike-member-bob-anderson/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/16/yehuda-moon-is-coming-back/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/16/yehuda-moon-is-coming-back/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 12:46:34 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2696

Yehuda Moon and the whole gang from the Kickstand Cyclery are coming back on June 17. Huzzah!

If you haven’t experienced this wonderful cycling comic strip, now might be a good time to catch up.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/16/yehuda-moon-is-coming-back/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/jill-homer-is-insane/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/jill-homer-is-insane/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 01:04:32 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2694

Well, maybe not technically insane. But she sure does take pleasure in things that would kill the average person. And in this case, almost killed her.

Read about Jill’s latest amazing adventure.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/jill-homer-is-insane/feed/ 2 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-second-view-of-veer/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-second-view-of-veer/#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 17:47:15 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2689

Like Ethan, I went to see the movie Veer at the Madison Theater last night. I went to the late show, and was impressed at the size of the crowd coming out of the early show – particularly on a rainy Thursday night. I recognized most of the folks, but there were also some new faces, which was cool.


Also impressive was the organized presence of the Albany Bicycle Coalition (ABC) at the event. I was greeted by a volunteer named Rohan when I arrived. He had stickers, copies of magazines from one of the sponsors, Urban Velo, and sign-up sheets to collect data about the attendees for future recruitment by the ABC.


I thought the movie itself was fun and often inspiring. I’m not sure it’s a great recruiting tool for people looking to attract “just plain bike riders,” given that it focuses on the cycling counterculture of Portland, Oregon, much more than on everyday commuting cyclists. That’s not really a negative, though, because I don’t think the film’s focus is on recruiting. To me, it was a snapshot of the cycling scene in one place at one time. As such a snapshot, I think the filmmakers did a fine job capturing the freewheeling, adventurous and confident spirit of Portland cyclists.


The film also spends some time on the process of lobbying for passage of a new bike law increasing the penalties for reckless drivers who injure or kill vulnerable road users. This footage is split up throughout the film. It’s great to see an organized, professional approach to bike lobbying, even though there’s not much substance to the lobbying segments. For example, there’s no detail on the crafting of the legislation or on exactly how the lobbying occurs. Once again, though, I think that’s probably beyond the scope of the film.


One part of Veer that I wondered about was the amount of time spent on ZooBombing, in which cyclists ride mini-bikes downhill as fast as they can, starting at the top of a hill near the Portland Zoo. Some of the ZooBombing footage is interspersed with an interview with a local police officer. He’s made to look fairly ridiculous as he describes the ZooBombers’ violations of traffic laws in their downhill races. I don’t know, though. From what I could see in the movie (and that’s the sum total of my knowledge about ZooBombing), it looked like the cyclists were flagrantly and dangerously violating the law – riding with few if any lights at night through stop signs in residential neighborhoods. In most debates between law enforcement and cyclists, my experience has been that law enforcement tends to be ill-informed or unconcerned about cyclists’ rights. In this case, though, it’s hard to fault a cop who thinks ZooBombing is dangerous. And it’s odd that the cycling advocates in the film never acknowledge that. (I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments section.)


On the whole, I enjoyed Veer. I found parts of it inspiring, such as the various bike advocacy and training programs for kids and adults. It was also fun to watch people just enjoying a cycling lifestyle. And above all, kudos to Bob from Liberty On Bikes! for bringing it to us, and for everything he’s doing to make Albany a better place for cyclists.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-second-view-of-veer/feed/ 1 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-bicycle-wins-albanys-commuter-contest-for-6th-straight-year/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-bicycle-wins-albanys-commuter-contest-for-6th-straight-year/#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 14:39:37 +0000 Jason Crane http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2685

Once again, a bicyclist beat a car and a bus commuter in the Albany commuter contest. The story and photos are at All Over Albany.

(Thanks for Claire Nolan for the link!)

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/a-bicycle-wins-albanys-commuter-contest-for-6th-straight-year/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/veer/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/veer/#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 14:31:05 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2679 Many thanks to Bob for getting us an exclusive showing of Veer.

Veer is a documentary about the Portland, Oregon, bike scene. It is large and multifaceted. They follow a couple of groups around, from the DIY bike repair shops, to the lobbyists, to the synchronized mini-bike dancers, to the bike chariot racers. There’s a lot, so it’s worth seeing, whether you ride your bike or not.

I think people in Oregon are perhaps too interested in riding mini-bikes (kids bikes) and tall bikes. But at least they’re having fun. And that’s what I think is important. The majority of this documentary is about people having fun on bikes and changing what riding a bike means. They talk about how it’s not just about fitness or transportation anymore.

If Veer is meant to be inspirational and make you think about the bike community in your city, I think it sets the bar unreasonably high. Portland has been building their bicycle community for decades. I didn’t see anyone in that documentary whining about being passed too closely by a car, or crying about a lack of bike lanes. In fact, one guy got a ticket for breaking traffic laws and actually shook the officer’s hand. Cyclists in Portland are responsible riders. In Albany, we’re still struggling to get people (drivers and cyclists alike) to recognize that bikes belong in the streets.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/veer/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/bike-to-work-day-baiku/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/bike-to-work-day-baiku/#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 12:50:17 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2671 It’s Bike To Work Day / My political statement / Is to wear a tie
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/15/bike-to-work-day-baiku/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/13/jungle-coaster-red-light-go/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/13/jungle-coaster-red-light-go/#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 14:17:33 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2661 Last night I rode my new bike to UAG to catch two bicycle movies.

Jungle Coaster was really impressive. The movie starts with footage of them goofing around in Panama. You get to see them jump up stairs two at a time, and then ride all the way down. These guys obviously know what they’re doing. So you can appreciate it when you see the “trail” they rode on to get to the Pacific and they have to walk. Climb. Carry their unis. Ouch. There’s footage of them crossing bridges I would be reluctant to cross on my own two legs, and leaping up onto fallen logs, and it’s really exciting to watch them go. But, no machetes? Ha ha. Everybody really enjoyed it, and half the crowd left when it was over.

The other movie was Red Light Go, which is about alleycat racing in NYC. They introduce you to some bike messengers who are your main characters, and they explain why they’re bike messengers. Then they get into the races. Which scare the crap out of me. It’s super cool to watch these guys careen through traffic, pedestrians, each other, but I’m glad I don’t have to do it. There are no rules, no concern for anybody’s safety. It’s about being a daredevil and winning. And they’re very good at it.

As I was riding home I was thinking about going to the Troy Bike Rescue and building my own alleycat bike. I wanted to treat each ride to work and ride home like a race. Go go go. I was all hepped up on heavy metal and attitude. By the time I got home I had come to my senses. I’ve never even raced in an alleycat.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/13/jungle-coaster-red-light-go/feed/ 4 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/12/tonight-jungle-coast-red-light-go/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/12/tonight-jungle-coast-red-light-go/#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 19:59:30 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2655

Perry Woodin’s “Jungle Coaster” followed by the classic feature — “Red Light Go”
Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark St. (across from Ben & Jerry’s at Jay St.)
Doors open – 6:30
Showtime – 7:00 (Some announcements stated a 7:30 show time. We will have a special “critical mass” video as a warm up while we wait for latecomers.)
Contribution please ($5 suggested) to offset UAG’s costs.

It’s Bike to Work Week
Go ahead, use the full lane
‘Cause you deserve it

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/12/tonight-jungle-coast-red-light-go/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/11/bike-to-work-week-baiku/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/11/bike-to-work-week-baiku/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 19:19:10 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2644 It’s Bike to Work Week
So tell everyone you know
And then ride your bike
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/11/bike-to-work-week-baiku/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/bikes-tulip-fest/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/bikes-tulip-fest/#comments Sat, 09 May 2009 22:38:21 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2642 Saw a LOT of bikes at Tulip Fest. I put some up in a Flickr set.
]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/bikes-tulip-fest/feed/ 0 http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/two-wheels-good-a-bicycle-movie-celebration/ http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/two-wheels-good-a-bicycle-movie-celebration/#comments Sat, 09 May 2009 19:32:00 +0000 Ethan http://www.rocbike.com/?p=2636 Last night I biked to the Sanctuary for Independent Media to catch “Two Wheels Good,” a bicycle movie celebration.

I showed up for the group ride. I watched the people coming and going on their boats.


Nobody showed up, so I took off on my own. It took me about 40 minutes to get there, and I felt like I was “booking.” The Corning Trail was like running a gauntlet of bugs. I couldn’t keep my head up because they’d get in my mouth, nose, and eyes. I could hear them pinging off my helmet, and feel them getting stuck in the hair on my arms. Ew.


The valet parking left a little to be desired. But then, maybe I was just too early. Still, it’s nice to see people’s bikes.


Troy Bicycle Rescue was raffling off this sweet cruiser bike.


Eventually the movies started. They were wonderful. There really was something for everyone. Monty Python. Footage of unicyclists in an ice race in Schenectady. A bit about not doping in bike racing. Women biking across the country, or cutting down mountain trails. DIY bike repair. Everything.

My favorite was “Ski Boys” by Benny Zenga. It made me want to be a kid again. You can watch that one here.

Then the ride home. I got stopped on 6th by some young guys who loved the MonkeyLectric lights on my bike. Perhaps it’s racist of me to say this, but white people do not appreciate the glory of LEDs that make a pattern when they spin around. I rode home alone. Going through Menands was wonderful. The traffic was light, the street lights were on. I just took the whole lane and sped along. I rode with no hands for blocks and blocks, my windbreaker flapping like a flag.

More pics here.

]]> http://www.rocbike.com/2009/05/09/two-wheels-good-a-bicycle-movie-celebration/feed/ 1