Jason already posted the local news story about the Adore Your City bike ride. I finally got to meet regular commenter Keith, and was surprised by how many people I knew there, since this was my first group ride, outside of a few Critical Mass rides in the past (which are a totally different kind of experience!). There were people from my graduate classes, a former colleague, and Rochester’s Mayor Robert Duffy and his wife.

The first route (map here) was nice and easy, a pretty slow pace and some beautiful scenery along the Genesee River and Rochester’s Corn Hill neighborhood. It took a different kind of cycling with such a large group (about 60), but it didn’t take long to get the hang of it, and it was really fun to be such a large presence on the city streets. Since it was 9 am Sunday morning, we were pretty much the only presence on the streets.

Quite a few people (maybe 10-15?) just did the first route. By that time, I’m pretty sure I was the only one on a seriously heavy city bike, although there were also a couple of tandems there, including a recumbent tandem. Or at least I felt rather conspicuous. The first part of the second route was very familiar, covering ground I’d just ridden a few weeks ago. Once we turned to come down Old King’s Highway, through Durand Eastman park, I still felt strong, but definitely slower on those hills, and I was near the end arriving at the meeting place where everyone was waiting. I finished out the second route at the end with Kyle from Full Moon Vista, who was riding sweep.

At that point we were back at home base for lunch. Except there wasn’t anything really filling that I would choose to eat (I’m vegetarian). I’m not complaining, as I should have confirmed with the organizers whether there would be veggie options. But I needed re-fueling in a big way, and given that I’d already been lagging behind, I decided to call it a day. I headed home and inhaled two plates of pasta. The total? 39 miles for the day, at a considerably faster pace than my usual (and a considerably faster pace than the advertised 12-14 miles/hour).

It was a good ride, for a good cause. But as with any first-time event, there were a few snags. We were scheduled to complete the second route by 11:30. We completed it by about 1:15. I’m told that those remaining did one additional route, for three, rather than the originally planned four, completed routes. It went slow partly because of traffic (there was more on the second route than the first) and because it was a no-drop ride. There were a few flat tires along the way, and the riders were at various speed levels. Also, there weren’t enough restrooms for all of us at Full Moon, so the potty line was loooonngg, meaning we were just standing around waiting for a long time before heading back out for the second route.

I think some of the more advanced cyclists were frustrated by having to wait for the slower. At the same time, we were cycling at a faster rate than advertised, and the intention seemed to be that all levels would be accommodated. I really liked the fact that it was designed to be accessible to a wide variety of levels. While I like riding for recreation and physical challenge, my primary purpose is still transportation (the fact that I also love being on a bike is just icing on the cake).

I’d like to see more people cycling for transportation, and thus the more people that are encouraged to bike, the better, at whatever level. There are quite a few events that promote cycling solely as a sport for those with the time and money to participate. Let’s have an event that doesn’t exclude that part of the community, but that DOES include other portions…those who cycle because it’s the most affordable form of transportation, those who just love being on a bike, those who are committed to cycling as a sustainable form of transportation. Let’s promote cycling for people at all levels…to improve our roads, our air, and our community’s health and vitality.

So, if you’re listening, Adore Your City organizers, first of all, THANK YOU! I know it was a lot of work, and I am really appreciative of the chance to participate. I am sure that everyone has advice for you for next time…here’s mine. Please don’t make the next ride less accessible to slower, less experienced cyclists. Maybe you could have two levels of routes…one faster and more advanced, and one slower and shorter. How about a short training ride beforehand, not for the physical training, but to help people learn about the fine art of riding in a group? And please, pretty please, more potties and some carb-rich veggie food next time?

Keith sent along the following link to coverage of the Adore Your City ride, which took place in Rochester this weekend:

• RNews story

Keith also sent a link to a Bike To Work Day piece on the Today show:

• Bike To Work story

Capital Bike Month officially kicked off Friday here in Albany with an urban ride and the opening of the Dream Wheels art exhibition. Bernie joined me on the Packet Boat (Xtracycle) for the urban ride. This is the kind of riding we do all the time, and it’s always fun to be joined by a gang of other cyclists.

We met at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial on the corner of State and Henry Johnson (the same place that Critical Mass meets). We took a nice ride through Washington Park, then up New Scotland past our soon-to-be neighborhood, past Bernie’s soon-to-be school (#19) and up to Buckingham Lake. At about that point, it started to rain. Bernie was riding on the Packet Boat rather than pedaling, so he was getting cold. We headed back home and met up with Jen and John. Our intention was to go back downtown to see the Dream Wheels exhibit. As we’re not yet totally car-free, we drove down and found it impossible to park. Instead, we went to Stuyvesant Plaza and had ice cream and browsed around the Book House. Not a bad compromise.

Here are my photos from the very beginning of the ride:

Dakota from Troy Bike Rescue on a tall bike of his own creation

Ride leader Claire Nolan

NYBC Program Manager Jenn Clunie (orange jacket), Tom (checkered hat)

Dave (with Mickey Mouse ears), Randy and John

Bernie and I get ready to cruise (Photo by Claire Nolan)

The Packet Boat leaves port (Photo by Perry Woodin)

I took very few photos, but luckily there are many more from:

• Claire Nolan
• Perry Woodin

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

That’s me in the background

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

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

Enjoying a snack on the ride

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

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

Gorgeous!

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

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

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

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

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Dozens of friendly people, all on bikes.

What’s not to like?

Since I moved to Albany, I’ve been working a lot and socializing very little. Tonight, I met a huge gang of fun folks all at once at Critical Mass. Much like Rochester, this CM is a very laid-back affair. All different types of cyclists on all different types of bikes, including two guys on unicycles with 36″ wheels. Amazing!

We met at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Washington Square Park. There were about 30 riders, ranging in age from 1 or 2 to … um … older than that. Experienced. Then again, I was probably in the top 10 in terms of age. When the hell did that happen? Ah well, we pudgy Pillsbury Doughboy types gotta have our day, too, right?

The weather was drop-dead gorgeous. Perfect temps, late enough that the sun was very mellow, a light breeze. It was everything you could ask for in cycling weather.

Before the ride started, we were approached by an Albany cop who was wondering what we were up to. He was alerted by the presence of the Red Bull crew — two young women who travel in a car with a huge Red Bull can, distributing canned joy for free to all takers. The officer was concerned because there was a run/walk happening in the park, and he didn’t want us colliding with the participants. We told him we were about to split, and he couldn’t have been nicer, so all was well. A few minutes later, we were out on the street.

I won’t recount the route, but we covered a decent amount of territory — maybe 10 miles up Central, through Pine Hills, down Clinton through Arbor Hill, up State (which, as Gavin said, “sucks every time”). By the way, if you’ve never been passed by a unicyclist up a steep hill, it’s something to see. One wheel. No gears. Faster than me. Oy!

At one point, going north on Hackett, we spotted another cyclist maybe a half-mile ahead. A cyclist named Carolyn and I hammered up to 22 or 23 miles an hour to catch up to the guy (and believe me, hammering on the Packet Boat/Xtracycle is quite a challenge). When we got there, I asked if he wanted to join us, and he nervously declined. We looked back, only to realize that the entire group was turning off onto another street. So it was hammerfest number two to catch up.

We also went on a tour of all the homes a cyclist named Marylou lives in or has lived in, including her folks’ place. It was very charming, although we didn’t get to meet her parents.

I was happy to import one thing from Rochester — the tradition of yelling “Happy Friday!” to folks along the route. It really seems to have a positive effect on the folks who see us pass by. Plus, I just like yelling in public.

After the slog up State, the mass had split into two groups. A bunch of us waited at the corner of Lark and Madison in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts, which is a hangout for motorcyclists. I chatted with a guy named Louis who struck up a conversation because of my Silver Surfer t-shirt. After a while, the gang caught up and we headed to the Palais Royale. They don’t have food, though, so about half the group went to The Madison instead, where we feasted on pizza, fries, onion rings, burgers, soda and beer.

Eventually, that group broke up and I rode up Madison toward home. On the way, I ran into Tom, one of the CM riders. He said a bunch of cylists were at Mahar’s on Madison, and he offered to show me the way. Eric, another CMer, joined us, and we met up with the gang at Mahar’s, which is really worth visiting if you’re into beer. And pretty cool even if you’re not.

After Mahar’s, it was off to Randy’s House Of Bike Porn. This is a lovely house just a few blocks north of where I’m living. It features a basement with maybe 30 bikes — tall bikes, tandems, every kind of road and street bike. It’s amazing. Some of us sat outside and chatted while the rest ogled the bikes and took them for test rides.

All in all, it couldn’t have been a better intro to this part of Albany’s bike culture.

I think I’m going to like it here.

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photo by Whittiker Owens.

Last sunday I was lucky enough to find myself in Rochester, with friends, a bicycle, and a boombox. Unfortunately I am back in another state now, but the cruise goes on in Rochester, check them out on wednesday nights:

www.flickr.com/photos/whittikerowens/2404142061

Well, in a little behind-the-scenes conversation at Team RocBike, Jason actually accused us of having become…motorists (due to the paucity of posting here of late). Jack, as is his right, responded with righteous indignation.

I, however, did not. Sad to say, my winter months were full of more driving than cycling. My excuses? I took on an extra teaching gig in the ‘burbs, necessitating several 13 hour days with no way to be everywhere I needed to by bike (or bus) commute; I have a 17-year old daughter who required (until she recently got her license) rides for herself, her trumpet, and her 20 pound backpack to various musical performances and events throughout the 7-county area; and, well…I don’t like to bike on ice, which is mostly what we had throughout January and February. (p.s. if you think I’m exaggerating about the length of my days, the weight of DD’s backpack, or the locations of her performances…I’m not.)

So now I atone for my sins (and you get to help!). I’m participating in the Adore Your City bike ride and community service project to raise funds (and do some physical labor) for Rochester’s “Clean Sweep” project. I have to raise at least $180! Please consider sponsoring me through PayPal, at my45thyear@yahoo.com.

Our friends over at Full Moon Vista are organizing the ride. Registration deadline was April 1…I don’t know if they’re still taking riders or not, but give them a call if you’re interested in riding yourself!

Here’s to much more riding in April!

We again had an unseasonably warm Cruiser Ride this past Wednesday. I provided the music mix (including Wilco, They Might Be Giants, and Bonobo), Joey provided the speakers, Brian brought the Latin blood, Kristine and Karen brought the walkie-talkies for comedic effect, and Professor Jack schooled us all with his cycling knowledge.

Here are some pictures from the event. I don’t post items in nearly as timely a fashion as Jason does, but hey, they end up here eventually.

Joey, Brian, and I met a little after 7 at Dog Town. We talked about bikes and worked out the definition of the term “Fred.”

We brought our bikes right into Monty’s Krown and had some beers. The practice of combining night cycling with alcohol has obvious flaws, which we ignore.

Here we are pulling back onto Monroe Avenue after riding some side roads. Note that Jack is the most visible.

This marks either the second or third Cruiser ride in which we’ve used the footbridge over 490 that ends in a fun ramp.

We ended the ride at Lux, with ample outdoor seating and bike parking.

What fun! We stick out so much as a group that we no longer get ID’d at bars. If Jason was with us, they’d probably even let him in for a change!

We had a lovely Buy Nothing Bike Ride yesterday! It got off to a slow start as Ted’s bike trailer sound system had some audio problems, but as we waited we were filmed by an RNEWS videographer for a brief report they did on the local cable news channel. Jack Spula gave a rousing interview.

In fact, the television news report got our message out and infuriated far more people than our ride did. We didn’t do any protesting or leafleting during our trip around town - we basically just wished everyone we saw a happy Friday. Some folks left early, some stayed late, and in solidarity we laughed and froze and had a great time!

We huddle to stay warm as we wait for the sound system to arrive.

Jack Spula rides beside the river!

The sound system played mostly anti-consumerism and James Brown tunes, but with a wider variety than we heard at October’s mostly Queen songed ride.

During the ride, we violated our own belief systems and bought some fair trade organic coffee at Abundance Coop.

And we feasted on veggie dogs at Dog Town, where my bike commuting buddy Caitlin and others joined us!

Tonight we had a very cold and wet cruiser ride with extremely low attendance, and it was a real blast. Jason’s posted a summary of the evening, and here are some photos to go along with it.

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Many cyclists, including Fritz and Fatty, are writing about things they’re thankful for on this Thanksgiving weekend.

Well, I’m pretty grateful to have gone slowly insane over the past several months. The latest symptom? I wrote earlier today that:

You may have a cycling addiction if you’ll ride an hour through the pouring rain to take a picture of a gorilla dressed as the Statue of Liberty.

I came home soaked from that ride. My non-waterproof gloves and non-waterproof balaclava and non-waterproof jacket were wet all the way through, as were the layers beneath them. It was about 40 degrees, and I was happy with the ride but also happy to put on my jammies and eat our family Thanksgiving dinner. Jen and the boys and I eat Thanksgiving dinner the day before the actual holiday because we always travel on Thanksgiving Day to see family. So I shoved in turkey, corn pudding, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, popovers, apple cider, brussels sprouts, and chocolate cream pie. I was (ahem) pleasantly full afterward.

The thing is, tonight was a Wednesday Night Cruiser Ride. Adam was going. Jack and Liz were going. Julie was going. And almost no one else was going. It was going to be a Team RocBike ride, and I had been looking forward to it for days … until my afternoon ride and my huge meal and the long time it took to put to the kids to bed.

At 8 p.m., our meeting time, I was in my jammies. It was still pouring rain outside, and even colder and windier than before. I checked my cell phone’s voice mail, because I’d heard the phone ring while we were putting the kids to bed. It was Jack, saying, “We’ll be a few minutes late, but we’ll be there!”

The next thing I know, I’m putting on warm clothes and then the same wet outer gear from before and rushing out the door to Monty’s Krown, where I caught them all just in time. We rode through the rain to Julie’s house, because she didn’t show up, and we took a picture on her front porch. Then we rode to Kristine’s house. She bailed, too, and wasn’t home when we got there, but arrived as were setting up the picture in front of her house. Then we rode to Boulder Coffee Company, where we passed the time drinking hot chocolate and chatting and listening to music on open mic night. And we saw Caitlin! (Look for Adam’s pictures in a future post.)

So on this Crane Family Thanksgiving Day, I’m thankful for my insanity, and for the fact that Adam, Jack and Liz are apparently nuts, too.

I think there’s something special about a bunch of quasi-socialists riding to the mall on bikes on busy shopping days to wish everyone a happy Friday. And of course, we’ll be gently confronting people about mindless consumerism. We’ll have leaflets, a bike trailer sound system, and a route that takes us through all the major strip malls and shopping centers in Henrietta.

For those in Rochester who’d like to promote this event, here’s a PDF of a flyer for you to paste up all over town!

This Wednesday join us for a fun-filled Cruiser Ride through Rochester neighborhoods. Cruiser rides are laid-back moving social gatherings with music, lights, and all sorts of bikes, and all are welcome! Some of us will be dressing up as super-heroes this week, and we encourage you to do so as well, but costumes are optional. Be sure to bundle up as we approach the colder season!

Last week’s Halloween Ride was a huge success. Special thanks to Joey Mac, Karl, and Brian for organizing these awesome events.

Wednesday, November 7th, 8:00pm
Meet outside of Monty’s Krown
875 Monroe Ave, Rochester, NY 14620