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February 8, 2010
Win copy of cyclist Saul Raisin's book
In April 2006, young American cycling phenomenon Saul Raisin crashed while racing in France.
At first, his biggest worries were broken bones and road rash. But a few days later, he suffered swelling in the brain and slipped into a coma. He underwent emergency brain surgery and spent months recovering.
A doctor told him he might never walk again, and that he would have to adapt to a new life, one where he might need a wheelchair.
“I told him that I would run one day,” Raisin says. “And do you know what? Run I did. I ran all 26.2 miles of the New York City Marathon and I’ll keep running.”
Raisin’s fight back to health is an inspiring story, told in his book “Tour de Life: From Coma to Competition,” co-written by Dave Shields.
“When I was in the hospital I told my friends and family if I was to ever live a normal life again that I wanted to give back and help people like me,” Raisin said by phone recently. “That is why I wrote ‘Tour de Life,’ to share my story with others to let them know that they are not alone … Even in the worst of times, never give up hope and fight to the finish. Take your given talents and use them to the max. Do not take no for a answer.”
“My book is about the power of hope and miracles do happen.”
Raisin lives in Dalton, Ga., where he’s now preparing to run the ING Georgia marathon on March 21.
He’s been to Austin several times. “I love Austin,” he says. “The cycling community is one of the best in the country.”
For more information about the Raisin Hope Foundation, which advocates for people with traumatic brain injuries, go here. For more information about his book, go here.
I’ve got a signed copy of “Tour de Life” to give away. Just post here why you need the book. I’ll pick a winner later this week.
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February 7, 2010
Sign up for trail building school
Want to learn to build a sustainable mountain biking trail?
The International Mountain Biking Association is sending a team of trail experts to Austin next week to teach volunteers how to build trails that last a long time and require minimal maintenance. That helps reduce trail damage, protect the environment and make the trails more enjoyable. Besides leading the Trailbuilding School, Chris and Leslie Kehmeier of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will meet with land managers and work with IMBA-affiliated clubs and members to improve mountain biking opportunities.
Here’s the schedule:
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
Please RSVP for Saturday’s Trailbuilding School here https://www.imba.com/civicrm/event/info?id=4&reset=1.
For more information, contact Hill Abell at hill@bicyclesportshop.com.
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January 15, 2010
Sign a get well card for Road Rash blogger
Our friends over at Bicycle Sport Shop miss Austin American-Statesman employee and Road Rash blogger Jason Whaley almost as much as we do, it appears.
They’re creating a get well card for Jason from the community, and you can include a personal message by going to their Web site.
Jason was driving home Dec. 29 when he was struck by another car. He’s still hospitalized with broken bones and a head injury.
Jason, your bikes miss you! And so does the cycling community!
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January 14, 2010
Cyclist remains in ICU after hit-and-run
UPDATE JAN. 20:
From Mariel’s sister Christine Mentink:
“Mariel is going through a bit of a rough patch this week and last. Part of recovering from brain trauma is going through storming, and she is experiencing quite a bit of it. During this process, Mariel cannot have a many visitors or noise around her and cannot be moved much. Her physical therapy is also extremely limited because of storming, so she has been very immobile the last 20 days since the accident and hopefully that changes soon. Once storming subsides and some troublesome brain fluid subsides (another small setback), the family hopes to move her out of the ICU and to a Chicago rehabilitation facility. Our mom and many relatives live in the area, so it is a better location for her during recovery. So, at the moment, we’re in a waiting period and anxious to start seeing more dramatic progress. However, she is heading in the right direction and we are thankful for that.
Mariel’s friends have put together the following site to try to help her with the costs incurred during this process. It is www.supportmarielmentink.com.”
A 24-year-old woman remains in intensive care at Brackenridge Hospital after she was struck from behind while riding her bike home early New Year’s Day.
Mariel Mentink was pedaling west in the 4700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at about 2:30 a.m. when she was hit. She and another cyclist were riding home after a late-night group bike ride to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
The driver fled the scene.
Mentink, a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University who worked as a bike delivery person for Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches in Austin, was wearing a helmet and lights when she was hit.
“That helmet was the difference between life and death,” says her sister, Christine Mentink.
Mentink suffered multiple skull fractures, brain trauma and broken bones in her neck, back, hip and leg, according to her sister. She’s undergone three surgeries. She’s not in a coma, but is medically sedated to reduce the pain.
“She can open her eyes half way and we think she’s tracking people,” Christine Mentink says. “We don’t know how much she’s perceiving because she can’t speak or move.”
Mariel Mentink is the youngest of four siblings, “the baby and the favorite” in a family of urban cyclists, her sister says. She’s an avid seamstress who was trying to start a business selling hats for cyclists at local bike shops. She has a degree in graphic design.
“She had a car that didn’t work, so her primary mode of transportation was her bicycle,” Christine Mentink says.
Two benefits are being planned to help cover Mentink’s medical expenses.
Social Cycling ATX is planning an event Feb. 5 at Red 7, 611 East 7th St. (No details yet.) Another is planned for 5 p.m. Feb. 25 at Shangri-La, 1016 E. Sixth St. It one will include live music, raffles and donations.
The family is also setting up a fund to help cover medical expenses. I’ll post that information when I get it.
The cyclist who was with Mentink when the wreck happened thinks a gray SUV or pickup truck hit her. Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is asked to call the Austin/Travis County Crimestoppers at 472-TIPS.
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January 12, 2010
Help plan Austin's first bike boulevard
I traveled to Portland a few years ago to find out why it gets such rave reviews from cyclists.
I walked across a downtown bridge and watched hundreds of cyclists zip past me in their own bike lanes. That city is geared toward cycling, from plenty of bike racks to the special lines and boxes painted on the pavement to alert motorists that cyclists frequent the area. Some streets — dubbed bike boulevards — even discourage cars and encourage bikes through the use of speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic calming devices.
Now Austin is planning its first bike boulevard.
A meeting — the second so far — is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Pease Elementary School, 1106 Rio Grande St.
The Austin Bicycle Plan and draft versions of the city’s Downtown Plan and Great Streets Master Plan all identify Nueces Street — from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Third Street — as a bicycle boulevard or bicycle/local access street.
At the first Bike Boulevard Open House in December, some participants suggested designating Rio Grande as the boulevard, instead of Nueces Street.
The League of Bicycling Voters, an advocacy group that promotes cycling in Austin, rejects the Rio Grande plan because it is hillier and doesn’t offer the same connectivity to key facilities — such as the Lance Armstrong Bikeway — as Nueces. See the League of Bicycling Voter’s suggested plan, including a map with proposed facilities, here.
The Jan. 13 meeting will cover pros and cons of each proposal.
The final meeting in the Bike Boulevard Open House series is scheduled for Feb. 24.
For more information go here.
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December 20, 2009
Last minute cycling gift idea
Here’s an excellent last-minute gift suggestion for your cycling buddies — a cycling jersey that says “Don’t Run Me Over.”
Or choose one that says “Slow Down” on the back and “Thanks” (in reverse) on the front. Also nice? One that says “3 Feet” on the back and “Thanks” on the front, or one that says (infiniti symbol) MPG.
Cool!
The jerseys sell for $59.95 on the Share the Damn Road website here. I like the website’s motto, too: “Fed up with Rude and Incompetent Motorists?”
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December 7, 2009
Help Austin plan its first bike boulevard
Austin’s going to get its first bicycle boulevard — a shared roadway optimized for bicycle traffic.
The conversion of a stretch of Nueces Street to a bike-friendly street with less motor traffic is part of the Austin Bicycle Plan, approved by the Austin City Council this year, and the draft Downtown Plan.
Want to help design it?
The first — and most important — planning meeting is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9 at Pease Elementary School, 1106 Rio Grande St.
Additional meetings are set for 6 p.m. Jan. 13 and 6 p.m. Jan. 27.
Bicycle boulevards create a sense of place and are comfortable and attractive to pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicle users through the installation of signs, markings and traffic mitigation devices, according to Nadia Barrera, the city of Austin’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator,
The meetings will help determine where traffic mitigation devices will be installed.
To learn more about bicycle boulevards, check out these websites:
- http://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/newsletter/99-4/bicycles.php
- www.bicyclinginfo.org/faqs/answer.cfm?id=3976
- http://www.nycsr.org/nyc/video-view.php?id=39
- http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/09/27/another-model-berkeleys-bicycle-boulevard-network/
For more information, call Jason Fialkoff at (512) 974-7060 or email him at Jason.fialkoff@ci.austin.tx.us.
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December 3, 2009
Bikes For Kids
Remember the feeling you got as a kid, when you got a brand-new bike?
The freedom! The independence! The thrill of pedaling down the street, away from home, off on a great adventure!
The JB & Sandy Morning Show on radio station Mix 94.7 hopes to raise enough money to provide 800 new bikes, helmets and locks to needy kids in the Austin area this season. So far, though, fund-raising is off to a slow start, says show host JB Hager.
“In a couple of weeks we may be in a complete panic,” he says.
Over the last 13 years, Bikes For Kids has given away about 12,000 bikes. (That’s Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, above, helping at the giveaway last year.)
One presentation stands out. About three years into the program, JB & Sandy gave bikes to eight kids from a family who had just immigrated to Texas from Viet Nam.
“They were all riding around the parking lot, talking in broken English about how back home getting a bike is like getting a car,” Hager says. “It was pretty neat.”
The disc jockeys started the program six months after starting their radio program in Austin.
“There are lots of great charities that give kids what they need — coats, blankets, school supplies and food,” Hager says. “We asked ourselves ‘What do kids really want more than anything?’ Most kids’ coolest moment, especially during the holidays, is getting a brand-new bike.”
I still remember the bike I got for Christmas one year — purple with a sparkly banana seat. It was beautiful!
Donate to Bikes For Kids (or nominate a recipient) online here or stop by one of the following locations to do it in person:
- Friday, Dec. 4, 6-10 a.m., H.E.B. Four Points, 7301 N. FM 620
- Saturday, Dec. 5, Noon-2 p.m., Southpark Meadows, 9600 S. Interstate-35
- Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7-9 a.m., H.E.B., 600 W. William Cannon
- Wednesday, Dec. 9, 6-10 a.m., Freescale Oak Hill, 6501 W. William Cannon Dr.
- Wednesday, Dec. 9, 3-7 p.m., Freescale Parmer Lane, 7700 W. Parmer Ln.
- Friday, Dec. 11, 6-10 a.m., H.E.B., 10710 Research Blvd., Ste. 200
- Saturday, Dec. 12, Noon-2 p.m., University Oaks, 201 University Blvd. (IH-35 & University Blvd.), Round Rock
- Monday, Dec. 14, 6-10 a.m., Whataburger, 2740 E. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park
- Tuesday, Dec, 15, 7-9 a.m., Whataburger, 6301 W. Parmer Ln.
- Wednesday, Dec. 16, 7-9 a.m., Whataburger, 2011 Ranch Road 620 South, Lakeway
- Friday, Dec. 18, Distribution Day, 6-10 a.m., Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St.
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November 27, 2009
MS150 registration opens next week
General registration for the National MS Society’s 2010 BP MS 150, taking place April 17-18, opens next week.
It’s a new registration process this year. Priority registration for individuals raising $1,000 or more began in October, followed by registration for top teams in November.
Now it’s time for the rest of us. General registration takes place online at www.ms150.org on two days — Wednesday Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 5. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and will remain open on each date until a pre-determined limit has been reached.
Proceeds from the ride help the 20,000 people affected by multiple sclerosis in 174 Texas counties.
I did the ride a few years ago and had a blast pedaling from Houston to Austin.
For more information, check the FAQ here. www.ms150.org
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November 23, 2009
Who pays for bike infrastructure?
The city of Austin’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Programs fields questions about how bike infrastructure is funded all the time.
So often, in fact, that they’ve come up with a slide show to explain it.
Check it out Where.Does.the.$.go.ppt">here.
“The short answer is that if you have a job, pay a utility bill and live in Austin (i.e. pay property tax/rent), you are paying for the maintenance and construction of City of Austin roads. Gas taxes and registration fees goes to pay for state controlled roadways and highways; which bicyclists don’t tend to use as often,” says Nadia Barrera, Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator.
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November 20, 2009
A ciclovia, in Austin?
Imagine temporarily shutting down a city street to motor vehicles and letting cyclists, skaters and runners take over!
Austin officials took the first step toward doing just that, approving a resolution Thursday directing the city manager to work with the community to create a “ciclovia” as part of the 2010 Bike Month activities in May.
“Ciclovia” is a Spanish term that means “bike path.” Ciclovias are especially popular in South America. Every Sunday and holiday since 1976, cities like Bogata, Cali and Medellin block streets to motor vehicles. Bikers, runners and skaters replace cars and trucks, and exercise instructors lead outdoor group aerobics and yoga classes.
The idea is to promote physical activity and health.
In the U.S., ciclovias have taken place in Cleveland, El Paso, Chicago, Portland, Miami, New York City, San Francisco and Wayne County, Mich.
Officials haven’t decided where an Austin event might take place. First, they need to round up volunteers and get help from neighborhoods, says Nadia M. Barrera, Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator.
Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
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November 19, 2009
City of Austin gets Bicycle Friendly Business award
This just in from the City of Austin:
City of Austin receives prestigious national Bicycle Friendly Business award
Austin, TX - The City of Austin can now count itself as one of the best businesses in the country to work for if you are a bicycling commuter. The League of American Bicyclists announced 45 new Bicycle Friendly Business award winners at the end of September, including the City of Austin.
The BFB program recognizes socially responsible organizations who promote healthy, green workplaces that encourage employees to ride their bikes. The City of Austin is currently the only city in Texas to receive the award and is one of only three government entities in the nation designated.
BFB businesses make bicycle friendliness a core element in the workplace and use innovative tools to promote bicycling as an easy and fun option for transportation and recreation.
“There are a lot of very simple, effective and creative ways that companies are finding to get people back on their bikes, and we recognize those efforts with our BFB awards,” said League President Andy Clarke.
The City of Austin offers a variety of programs and facilities to promote cycling as an alternative commuting solution. A bike share program through the Austin Energy Climate Protection program called City Cycle allows employees to check out bikes and ride to meetings or appointments. There are also locker room and shower facilities in many city buildings to assist commuters.
The PE Bike program is a free fitness initiative for employees to attend indoor cycling classes and a League bicycle education component, Traffic Skills 101. The training is held in-house and led by City of Austin League certified instructors. Over 150 employees have completed the seven-hour training since the programs inception in January 2008. This all helps City employees be better stewards of the roadways, whether driving a bike or a car.
Mayor Lee Leffingwell will receive the award this evening at City Council during Proclamations. On hand to present the Bicycle Friendly Business Award is the Executive Director of Education for the League, Preston Tyree.
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Bicycles banned on Manor road
Did you read that Manor has adopted a city ordinance banning bicycles from a half-mile stretch of Brenham Street, also known as Blake Manor Road?
That sets a terrible precedent for cyclists.
Ban bikes from a rough stretch of public road in Manor today and who knows what roads will be off-limits to cyclists tomorrow.
“From our perspective … banning any legitimate road user from public infrastructure is never the correct solution, as it sets an ominous precedent for us all,” Lane Wimberley of the League of Bicycling Voters wrote me in an email. “The correct response is to figure out what needs to be done to accommodate the legitimate demand.”
City leaders adopted the ordinance on Oct. 21, saying they had concerns about safety and liability because the two-lane road is cracked and in bad repair. BikeTexas, the Austin Cycling Association, and the League of Bicycling Voters all say the solution to bad roads is not to ban cyclists, but to fix the roads.
Enforcement will begin at the end of the month at the earliest. Violators can be fined up to $200.
Read the entire story in the Austin American-Statesman here.
This is discouraging news.
Bicyclists are tax payers and have a legal right to the road. To ban them is wrong.
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November 3, 2009
LA doctor convicted of assaulting cyclists
Cyclists are paying close attention to a road rage case in Los Angeles, where a former emergency room doctor was accused this week of assaulting two cyclists by driving his car in front of them and slamming on the brakes.
One of the cyclists crashed through the car’s rear window, breaking his nose and shattering several teeth. The other suffered a shoulder separation and road rash, according to coverage by Velo News.
Christopher Thomas Thompson was convicted of six felonies and faces up to 10 years in prison in the case. The doctor, who has no prior criminal record, will be sentenced Dec. 3, Velo News reports.
The case stems from a July 4, 2008 incident in which the cyclists were riding up a two-lane, dead-end street in the Brentwood subdivision of Los Angeles where Thompson lives. Thompson and the cyclists exchanged words before he stopped his car in front of them.
Thompson was charged with two counts each of assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury as well as reckless driving causing specified injury and mayhem, according to Velo News. He was also convicted of misdemeanor reckless driving in another case.
Thompson’s argument? He said the cyclists were belligerent and bikes are inherently unstable.
Bikes unstable? What about the doctor? (That’s him above, in an Associated Press photo taken by Mel Melcon.)
Thoughts anybody?
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October 24, 2009
LiveStrong shadow ride in Baghdad
Check out these photos from Army Major Scott LaRonde, who is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, and recently organized a bike ride there to raise money for the Austin-based Lance Armstrong Foundation. He’s also organized a 5K run this weekend to shadow the LiveStrong events taking place here.
LaRonde says 23 cyclists participated in the 50-mile ride through Victory Base Camp. He organized the events to honor his father-in-law, who died of cancer earlier this year.
“(We had) only one crash, very minor, a bit of road rash, no one got lost, lots of us got tired and we took a ton of pictures and some video,” LaRonde wrote by email after the ride. “Coming in to work today … was hard.”
The cyclists rode as group most of the way, but broke up for several hill sprints and a 4-kilometer time trial.
“We had all skill levels, several who were competing to win the above mentioned events, and several who biked 50 miles for the first time in their lives,” LaRonde wrote.
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October 22, 2009
Good news cyclists: Safe passing ordinance approved
The Austin City Council has approved an ordinance requiring motorists to give 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user.
That’s great news for Austin cyclists, who have long believed that existing laws don’t have enough teeth to help keep them safe. Police rarely cite motorists who injure or kill cyclists, and cycling proponents say the new ordinance could help turn that around.
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a similar statewide bill earlier this year, saying that motorists already are subject to penalties when they are at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly, whether it is against a vulnerable user or not.
As a regular bicycle commuter, I’m all for any legislation that makes motorists more aware that cyclists have a legal right to the road. (Yes, we’re considered vehicles, and as such have every right to be there.)
I know, I know. Cyclists break the law. They run red lights, they cruise through stop signs, they hog the road and slow down traffic, they bully people off sidewalks. I’m exhausted by these arguments.
Yes, some cyclists break the law. But motorists also break the law. Every time I ride my bike to work I see motorists rolling through four-way stops, speeding down neighborhood streets and making illegal turns.
Both sides are guilty. All we can do to improve the situation is obey the law ourselves.
Now, thankfully, that will mean motorists giving a reasonable berth to folks on two wheels.
I’m also tired of the argument that cyclists don’t deserve to be on our streets because they don’t pay taxes. That’s flat wrong. I ride my bike and I certainly pay the taxes used to maintain our city streets.
What cyclists don’t fund, at least on days they don’t drive their cars, is the gas tax. But that money goes to state and federal highway funding, not to city streets, so it’s a moot point.
Besides, most cyclists also have motor vehicles, so most of us do buy gas and fund those systems too.
The new city ordinance takes effect Nov. 2.
And motorists, relax. The law won’t protect cyclists who are injured or killed while doing something illegal, like blasting through stoplights or veering into oncoming traffic. If a vulnerable road user is breaking the law, that’s a defense for the motorist.
I’m all for enforcement of the law — whether it affects motorists or bicyclists.
Buck up everyone. Take responsibility!
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October 21, 2009
City installing experimental street markings
Coming soon to a road near you: Painted street markings and signs designed to help cyclists and motorists co-exist more peacefully.
Based on the response from an earlier blog about the city’s proposed 3-foot passing ordinance, we could use a little cooperation.
The City of Austin and the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research are partnering to study four experimental bicycle transportation devices — shared lane markings called “sharrows,” colored bicycle lanes, signs and bicycle boxes.
Installation of the devices begins today (weather permitting) and should be finished by the end of October.
The signs and markings should remind motorists they are driving on routes heavily used by bicycles.
They include:
- Bicycles May Take Full Travel Lane signs: Northbound Lamar Boulevard, from Lamar Square to Barton Springs Road; and southbound Pleasant Valley Road, from Lakeshore Boulevard to 7th Street.
- Bicycle boxes: Southbound Shoal Creek Boulevard at Anderson Lane; and northbound and southbound lanes of Speedway at 38th Street.
- Colored bicycle lanes: Northbound San Jacinto Boulevard and Duval Road; and westbound Dean Keaton Street at Interstate 35.
- Shared Lane markings (“Sharrows”): Guadalupe Street and Lavaca Street, between Cesar Chavez Boulevard and MLK Jr. Boulevard.; 51st Street from Interstate 35 to Airport Boulevard; eastbound and westbound Dean Keaton Street at Interstate 35 and between San Jacinto and Guadalupe Street.
The Mayor’s 2007 Street Smarts Task Force and the 2009 City of Austin Bicycle Master Plan recommended the study. Depending on results, the City of Austin may keep the devices in place beyond the current experimental timeline.
For more information on the City of Austin Bicycle Program, go here.
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Lance Armstrong talks Leadville on the big screen
Brace yourselves, cycling fans. It’ll be all Lance Armstrong all the time around here for the next few days.
Besides the LiveStrong Challenge and all that entails this weekend, you can watch Lance on the big screen Thursday when a panel discussion of the Leadville Trail 100 bike race airs at area movie theaters.
The seven-time Tour de France champion, along with six-time defending Leadville Trail 100 champion Dave Wiens, cycling coach Chris Carmichael, and other elite and amateur cyclists, will discuss training, conditioning tips and the personal challenges they faced in the grueling race in the documentary “Race Across the Sky.”
Armstrong won the race this year, despite a flat tire in the final 10 miles of the race.
The Leadville Trail 100 began as a running race 27 years ago to draw tourism to Leadville, Colo. A mountain bike race was added in 1994 and now draws some 1,000 cyclists. The course includes 14,000 vertical feet of climbing on dirt trails, mining roads and Forest Service roads.
The discussion was recorded in Durango, Colo., on Oct. 20. It airs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Tinseltown USA Pflugerville, 15436 FM 1825; Cinemark Hill Country Galleria, 12800 W Highway 71, Bee Cave; Cinemark Southpark Meadows, 9900 S. Interstate 35; Cinemark Cedar Park, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park; and Metropolitan 14, 901 Little Texas Lane. Tickets are $12.50 and are available at the box office or online at www.FathomEvents.com.
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October 20, 2009
Council votes Thursday on safe passing ordinance
UPDATE 2:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22
Austin City Council just passed the 3-foot safe passing ordinance.
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a statewide Safe Passing Bill earlier this year, but Austin could adopt its own version of the law this week.
On Thursday, the Austin City Council will vote on an ordinance to require motorists to give 3 feet clearance when passing a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user, such as a motorcyclist, pedestrian, tow truck operator or emergency worker.
Cyclists (and non-cyclists) can register their support (or non-support) for the ordinance now at any of the kiosks in the atrium of Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St. The ordinance is item number 30 on the agenda; it likely will be heard between 10 a.m. and noon Thursday.
“Just like the police officers feel safer and are safer because of the Move Over Bill, the Safe Passing Bill in time will make it safer for vulnerable road users,” says Robin Stallings, head of BikeTexas, a non-profit organization that supports all things cycling. “Right now, 1,000 vulnerable road users per year are killed in Texas. About 950 of those are split between pedestrians and motorcyclists. About 50 are bicyclists.”
Now, Stallings says, laws are vague, and few motorists who kill or injure cyclists are indicted. “If motorists can’t be prosecuted, then officers don’t want to write the tickets,” he says.
No charges were filed recently when a car hit a tandem bicycle from behind, killing two riders outside of San Antonio.
The law won’t protect cyclists who blast through stoplights or veer into oncoming traffic, either. If a vulnerable road user is breaking the law, that’s a defense for the motorist, Stallings says.
“This isn’t that the motorist has all the responsibility, but they have to take some responsibility, just like if you’re a gun owner you have to take responsibility to keep that gun away from children,” Stallings says. “If you’re going to drive a car, that’s a dangerous weapon if used improperly.”
“Bills like this remind us that we can become way too cavalier … we’re eating breakfast, texting, changing the radio station while we drive, and it’s just not OK to do that.”
The language in the Austin ordinance is nearly identical to language of the bill that passed almost unanimously in the Texas legislature, before Gov. Rick Perry vetoed it. “It’s a really solid piece of legislation that has been vetted through the most conservative legislators in the state,” Stallings says.
Perry’s reason for the veto? “An operator of a motor vehicle is already subject to penalties when he or she is at fault for causing a collision or operating recklessly, whether it is against a ‘vulnerable user’ or not,” he said in a statement.
The states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Colorado all have passed similar bills requiring at least 3 feet of clearance.
“It’s unfortunate. I believe Gov. Perry was poorly advised when he vetoed this bill and it wasn’t in the best interest of Texans,” Stallings says.
Between now and the next legislative session, BikeTexas will push for safe passing ordinances in as many Texas cities as possible, in hopes of improving chances for passage of a statewide law during the 2011 Texas legislative session.
For more information, call BikeTexas at 512-476-7433 or mail@biketexas.org. Read the text of the Austin ordinance here.
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October 8, 2009
7-year-old loses parents in cycling accident
See this photo?
That little girl, 7-year-old Kylie Bruehler, lost both her parents in a cycling accident last week. A truck hit Gregory and Alexandra Bruehler from behind as they pedaled their tandem bicycle on the shoulder of Highway 16 north of Helotes.
Now Kylie is an orphan.
San Antonio Express-News photographer Tom Reel took the photo at a memorial service held for the Bruehlers. You can see a gallery here.
The paper’s metro columnist, Veronica Flores, wrote about the impact the Bruehlers’ deaths have had on the local cycling community and the inconsistency of how police handle auto-bike accidents. She rightfully criticized Gov. Rick Perry, who vetoed a proposed “3-foot law” that would have required cars to give vulnerable road users a wide berth.
Read her excellent column here.
The clincher?
This line: “Some bicycling enthusiasts darkly joke that, when it comes to how bicyclists are treated on the road, they may as well be deer. But deer don’t leave little girls as orphans.”
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September 21, 2009
The "bike to dinner" gang
Now that the summer inferno has passed, my buddies and I have formed our own “bike to dinner” gang.
We tried it first in the spring, meeting up for happy hour and snacks downtown, then pedaling north to get gelato at Teo’s before heading home. So much fun!
We launched our fall season on Friday. Seven of us rode from the Allendale neighborhood to The Triangle, where we ate dinner at Sago, 4600 W Guadalupe St. It took all of about 15 minutes, and we didn’t have to look for a parking space for our car. We just locked up at a rack outside the restaurant. (Note to developers: More racks, please! Also, access to The Triangle could be better. Please keep cyclists in mind when planning shopping centers. Thank you!)
Hopping on a bike and riding to a destination is so much more fun than driving there (as long as it’s not 105 degrees out). We zipped down Shoal Creek Boulevard, reveling in the coolish air, admiring the fading sun and screaming at my friend Sara to slow down because she was going so fast we could hardly keep up with her bionic legs.
At the restaurant, nobody made fun of our geeky bike clothes and helmets. The food was awesome, too.
It was like being 11 years old again. Wooo hooo!
Dates on bikes. You should try it.
What’s your best bike date?
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September 11, 2009
David Byrne talks bikes in Austin; win his book!
For 30 years, David Byrne has used a bike to get around New York City. He even cycles one when he’s touring overseas.
He writes about three decades of pedaling in his new book, “Bicycle Diaries” (Viking, $25.95).
In two weeks he’s coming to Austin to share his thoughts on cycling. He’ll speak as part of a joint panel discussion at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Paramount Theater. Admission to the event, sponsored by Bicycle Sport Shop, the League of Bicycling Voters, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation and the Yellow Bike Project, is free!
Also on the panel? Rob D’Amico, president of the League of Bicycling Voters; Annick Beaudet, bicycle pedestrian co-ordinator for the City of Austin; and urban planner Jana McCann.
Byrne devotes about 34 pages of his 300-page book to biking through American cities like Detroit, Baltimore, Niagara Falls and — surprise! — Sweetwater, Texas. He spends four pages on that West Texas town, where he ate at a steak restaurant, read the local paper and rode through older parts of town. He describes people selling watermelons in parking lots and an American flag fashioned from plastic cups jammed into a chain-link fence.
His assessment? “Most U.S. cities are not very bike-friendly. They’re not very pedestrian-friendly either.”
Then it’s on to bigger digs, like Berlin, Buenos Aires, Istanbul and Manila. An appendix at the end of the book includes tips on bike security, rider safety and clothing. There’s even a list of bicycle activist organizations, and sketches of some funky bike racks he designed for the New York City Department of Transportation.
Want to win a copy of Byrne’s book?
Post on this blog, telling me why you deserve it. Best answer wins.
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September 9, 2009
Gov gets Bicycling's Wheel Sucker award
I wonder if Gov. Perry reads Bicycling magazine. And if he does, I wonder how he feels about his designation, on page 27 of the October issue, as a “Wheel Sucker” for vetoing a bill that would have made it illegal to pass within 3 feet of vulnerable road users in Texas.
“Yet one more ‘bragging right’ that we’re not so proud of here in Texas,” says Leslie Luciano, community relations manager for Bicycle Sport Shop. She stirred the fire after Perry’s veto, Tweeting and vocalizing her disgust with his move and rounding up for support for a similar city-wide 3-foot rule, which was met with approval by the Austin City Council last month. We like Luciano’s spirit!
Here’s the text of the blurb in Bicycling:
“Despite being a cyclist, Texas governor Rick Perry vetoed a bill that would have required cars to give cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians, farm-equipment operators, stranded motorists, motorcyclists, highway workers and tow-truck drivers 3 feet of room when passing. ‘While I am in favor of measures that make our roads safer for everyone,’ he said, ‘this bill … places the liability and responsibility on the operator of a motor vehicle when encountering one of these vulnerable road users.’ If you’d like to tell Perry where he can stick his veto, visit biketexas.org.”
That photo above, by the way? Taken after Perry broke his collarbone — while riding his bike.
Thoughts, anyone?
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August 25, 2009
City to consider safe passing resolution
Earlier this year, Gov. Perry vetoed legislation that would have required motor vehicles to give bicyclists and other vulnerable road users a 3-foot berth when they pass. Now the city of Austin is considering an ordinance that would do the same thing.
The City Council will discuss the item at Thursday’s public meeting. Interested parties can sign up at City Hall now to speak about the issue at that meeting. If you have questions about how to make sure your voice is heard, contact Nadia Barrera, the Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator, at 974-7142.
You can also register your support or opposition to the resolution without speaking by signing in at the kiosks at City Hall, 301 W. Second St.
Eighteen other states — including our neighbor Louisiana — have similar safe-passing laws.
Perry’s veto to the state legislation came as a surprise to many in the cycling community, especially since the governor is a cyclist himself.
Texas law already requires a “safe driving distance” between vehicles and bicycles, but does not specify how far apart they must be. There were 315 bike-vehicle crashes in Austin last year, one of them fatal, according to police.
For more information, go here.
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August 24, 2009
New bike lanes
More progress to report, bike commuters!
We’ve got new bike lanes on Anderson Lane between Burnet Road and Lamar Boulevard, created by putting the street on a “lane diet” and squeezing an extra 5 feet out for cyclists. That’s the new lanes in the photo above, which looks eastbound on Anderson Lane from Burnet Road.
Lots more infrastructure is in the works, too, according to Nadia Barrera with the city of Austin Bicycle/Pedestrian Program.
Perhaps the biggest is the sweeping improvements planned around the University of Texas campus. Here’s what Barrera reports:
“The existing bicycle climbing lane on Martin Luther King Boulevard will be extended to bicycle lanes on both sides of the roadway from Pearl Street to Red River Street. Crews will also improve the crossings of Guadalupe Street at MLK Boulevard by extending the bicycle lane through the intersection southbound all the way to 17th Street.”
Reverse angle (back-in) parking on Dean Keaton Street will give motorists pulling out of a parking space a better view of approaching cyclists. It will also add to parking capacity. And bicycle lanes on Dean Keaton Street from San Jacinto Boulevard to Manor Road will improve connectivity to existing bicycle lanes on Red River Street and Manor Road. On Dean Keaton, the bikeway will be separated from the vehicle area by a “gore area,” — essentially painted diagonal lines.
Gore-separated bicycle lanes are also planned on part of a stretch of Amherst Drive between Duval Road and Parmer Lane, which will undergo a road diet to make space for bike lanes.
“We know that beginner and child cyclists may feel more comfortable on protected bicycle lanes and we hope that this facility will allow for increased use of the roadway by new cyclists and families in the area,” Barrera reports. “This project modifies the roadway to include a left-hand-turn lane and bicycle lanes.”
Summit Elementary, located on Amherst Drive, will participate for the first time in Bike and Walk to School Day in October. To get your school involved, too, contact Barrera at nadia.barrera@ci.austin.tx.us.
Another pending project is a bike lane on Davis Lane from Escarpment Boulevard to Corran Ferry Drive.
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August 20, 2009
Honoring Kevin Underhill
An obituary for Kevin Underhill, the cyclist who died after a crash at The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Race Series, ran in today’s paper.
Read it here.
I’ve heard from many cyclists who were touched by Kevin. Several wanted to know how they could honor him.
Please note this from today’s obit:
“In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Washington Trails Association (http://wta.org/), Friends of Enchanted Rock (www.friendsofenchantedrock.com), and Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (www.txorgansharing.org).”
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August 17, 2009
Cyclist dies after crash at The Driveway
UPDATE at 5:51 p.m.:
By Pamela LeBlanc Austin American Statesman
Week after week, Kevin Underhill stood on the sidelines during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Race Series this summer and watched the cyclists race past.
He peppered race organizer Andrew Willis and other cyclists with questions about bike racing. Thursday, Underhill, 40, decided to try the race himself for the first time.
A few laps into the criterium, held on a twisting, closed-circuit paved track east of U.S. Highway183, Underhill apparently crossed wheels with another cyclist in the back of a pack of about 40 bikers and was thrown to the ground. Two other riders went down in the crash but weren’t injured.
Underhill was taken by ambulance to Brackenridge Hospital, where he underwent surgery for critical head injuries. He was removed from life support and died Sunday.
“Even the physicians say it was one in a million tragic accident — they never had anyone die from a 25-mph bike race,” said Carla Underhill Norris, Underhill’s sister.
Underhill was the youngest of nine siblings and grew up in Seattle, where he had climbed and biked since he was 12. He worked as an electrical engineer at National Instruments in Austin until he retired 12 years ago. Since then, he spent much of his time traveling the world to bike and climb. He had spent months cycling across Europe and Japan, and was planning another trip to China.
“He lived his life going 90 mph, he just did,” Norris said. “He was extremely generous, he would do anything for anybody.”
Norris said her brother never wore a bike helmet — a sticking point with her. “(The Thursday race) was the one time he wore a helmet,” she said. “It saves 99.9 percent of people, but at the velocity he hit the ground, it wouldn’t have mattered if he had a helmet on or not. It was that intense an impact.”
Friends remembered Underhill as an avid rock climber nicknamed Chalkfather who was just getting into competitive cycling.
Rick Sladewski, who summited Mount McKinley and mountains in Ecuador and Mexico with him, described him as a patient, natural teacher who wasn’t easily rattled. “If someone wanted to join the group and were new climbers, we would turn them over to Kevin. I called him our safety officer. You had to adhere to Kevin’s rules for double checking harnesses and everything … He also had a grim determination to get to the summit.”
Christina Jeskey, who climbed around Austin and Mexico with him, said Underhill liked to play games, mentor students, study foreign language and train a lot, sometimes loading heavy sacks of rice into a pack and climbing stairs to prepare for an upcoming adventure. He was also known for his careful use and re-use of things.
“He had a pair of those travel pants with zip-off bottoms, and when he wore holes through the knees he just reversed them and switched legs so the holes were in the back,” Jeskey said.
Underhill was still riding the same bike he bought 19 years ago. His family teased him about it, but he’d replaced nearly everything on it but the frame.
This summer, Underhill had been riding weekly with the Lake Travis Cycling Club. “He was a rider who had a sort of contagious enthusiasm that made everyone want to go longer, harder and faster, and he will be missed,” said James Ezell, president of the Lake Travis Cycling club.
Minna Miller, who knew Underhill through rock climbing, says he had raced his bike in several time trials this summer, and was excited to race his first criterium at The Driveway.
Accidents happen frequently at The Driveway Thursday Night Race Series, which is in its fourth year, but are rarely serious. In the 22 weeks of racing this year, an ambulance was called one other time — for a broken collar bone. Of more than 3,500 race starts this season, three racers suffered broken bones, Willis said.
Holland Racing took over management of the series, which runs March to October, this year. The course is certified by USA Cycling. Cyclists pay $20 to compete. Underhill raced in the Cat 4/5 division, for least experienced racers.
“It’s a strong reminder that it’s a dangerous sport and I think people forget that,” Willis said.
A private funeral will be held in Seattle; a memorial service is being planned in Austin. Underhill’s organs have been donated.
“He died doing exactly what he loved,” Norris said. “There aren’t very many people who can say they did everything they wanted to do in life, but he did.”
pleblanc@statesman.com; 445-3994
The family photo above was one of Kevin’s favorite. It was taken during a recent cycling trip to Japan. He studied Japanese before the trip.
Earlier:
UPDATE from the sister of Kevin Underhill, who died after crashing during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Races:
Carla Underhill Norris, Underhill’s brother, said the death was nobody’s fault. “Even the physicians say it was one in a million tragic accident — they never had anyone die from a 25-mph bike race.”
Underhill was the youngest of nine siblings and grew up in Seattle, where he had climbed and biked since he was 12. He attended the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering. He worked at National Instruments in Austin until he retired 12 years ago.
“He had such a drive to see the world. He just loved to be in nature,” she said. “He lived his life going 90 mph, he just did. He was extremely generous, he would do anything for anybody and it was just a tragic accident.”
He once rode his bike across Europe, and returned in October from another long cycling trek in Japan. He was planning his next cycling trip to China.
In all those trips, Norris said, her brother never wore a bike helmet — a sticking point with her.
“(The Thursday race) was the one time he wore a helmet,” she said. “It saves 99.9 percent of people, but at the velocity he hit the ground, it wouldn’t have mattered if he had a helmet on or not. It was that intensive an impact.”
She said he still rode the bike he bought 19 years ago. “He pretty much replaced everything on that bike 20 times or more,” she said. “The only thing that was the same was the frame. We teased him about it.”
Underhill’s organs have been donated and will affect the lives of at least 10 people, she said.
“He died doing exactly what he loved. There aren’t very many people who can say they did everything they wanted to do in life, but he did.”
Earlier:
Kevin Underhill, the cyclist injured in a crash during The Driveway Austin Thursday Night Race Series, died Sunday after he was removed from life support.
Underhill had been coming to The Driveway for two or two and a half months to watch and ask questions about the races, according to race organizer Andrew Willis.
“He was near the back of the group is all I know,” Willis said of the Cat 4/5 race in which Underhill was riding Thursday. “From riders who saw it, it sounds like he was really nervous and riding really stiff. He got a little freaked out, crossed wheels and did a face plant.”
Forty-three or 44 riders were in the race when the accident happened. An ambulance was on hand and rushed Underhill to the hospital, where he underwent surgery for head injuries.
Family members decided to remove life support for Underhill on Sunday. His organs will be donated.
Accidents are not uncommon at the race series, but usually result in scrapes or bruises. Since this year’s series began in May, three people have suffered broken bones, Willis said. Bike helmets are required.
Underhill was a rock climber and bicycle tourist who had been cycling most of his life.
“He was a really humble, reserved guy and clearly the kind of person who researched things and really got all the info he could before he did something,” Willis said. “He was doing everything right. It was just a horrible, horrible tragedy.”
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August 16, 2009
Cyclist injured at Driveway to be taken off life support
![kevinunderhill2-225x300[1].jpg](http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/austin/fitcity/upload/2009/08/cyclist_injured_at_driveway_to/kevinunderhill2-225x300%5B1%5D.jpg)
A cyclist injured in a crash at The Driveway Crits on Thursday was to be removed from life support, according to the local blog Training From a Barkalounger.
Kevin Underhill sustained a head injury during the Cat 4/5 race and was rushed to the Brackenridge ER in critical condition, according to the blog.
The incident was also reported on austinontwowheels.org.
Driveway series organizers Andrew Willis has posted about the accident on the TXBRA forum at http://txbra.org/forum3/index.asp?page=loader&forumID=15.
Terrible news for the cycling community. Our thoughts go out to Underhill’s friends and family.
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August 13, 2009
Freedom Riders
Bicycle Sport Shop is hosting the Austin premiere of “Freedom Riders,” a documentary about the evolution of mountain bike trail building, at 8:30 p.m. tonight at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress.
Here’s the press release that crossed my desk:
This documentary follows a group of riders as they transcend outlaw status to develop a precedent setting relationship with the United States Forest Service. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club. Tickets cost $10 and are avaiable online, at Bicycle Sport Shop or at the door. Entry fee will include bike valet, refreshments by Real Ale and a chance to win Freedom Riders Merchandise.
“The film shows how important trails are to the mountain biking community and how a dedicated group of riders followed their passion to create history.” says KGB co-founder Sam Pope.
Freedom Riders is the Dogtown and Z Boys of mountain biking. The film artistically captures the evolution of freeriding from stealth trail building to forging a working relationship with the U.S. Forest Service to establish the first-ever downhill specific trail in Forest Service history in the Teton Pass area of Wyoming. The film showcases the freeriding subculture in North America from where it was to where it is now by highlighting how the sport has obtained its legitimacy in the public eye.
Freedom Riders provides a compelling story of a group of individuals who never let their passion die while looking at the rich culture and history behind the sport. From old-school footage of Tom Richey and Gary Fisher to the time, hours and sweat it takes to build a trail to hucking and ripping down singletrack, Freedom Riders isn’t your typical bike porn film, it tells a story - an important one for any bike lover. The film with also feature an original soundtrack by Grammy Award nominee Luke Reynolds of Astral Kids.
Go here for rider profiles and a photo gallery.
Purchase tickets here or at Bicycle Sport Shop, Lamar Boulevard at Barton Springs Road.
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August 11, 2009
Rogue trails on Balcones Canyonland Preserve land
I’ve gotten so many emails after Sunday’s article about rogue trails in the Barton Creek Greenbelt Wilderness Park that I thought I’d give people a place to get their opinion out here. (To read the full article, about the struggle to balance the needs of hikers, bikers and endangered species on public lands, go here.)
First, I’d like to say that I’m a cyclist myself. I specificially made an effort when I wrote the article NOT to unfairly blame mountain bikers for all the problems. I also made an effort to include the bikers’ side of the story, pointing out the whole Forest Ridge situation.
What I couldn’t do was change the facts. And the fact is that a mountain biker was caught with a saw cutting an illegal trail there in April. I also couldn’t change the fact that some of the land managers and biologists say bikers are contributing to the problem.
In the very least, I hope the article raises a warning flag to whoever is cutting illegal trail — whether they are mountain bikers, hikers or flying trapeze artists — that they are risking access to the greenbelt for the rest of us.
Now, sound off!
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August 5, 2009
City bike program update
I’m still out of town, so here’s an update from the city of Austin Bike Program folks:
“Summertime means that public works crews are resurfacing and reconstructing streets.
Seal coats cure better during the summer. That means that your Bicycle Program staff is working like crazy to take advantage of all the new striping and getting bicycle facilities in where they can. Keep your eyes peeled for new bicycle facilities in your area over the coming months.
- Martin Luther King Boulevard: A climbing lane on Martin Luther King Boulevard headed eastbound from Lamar to Pearl Street. There is also an improved sidewalk for those of you who like to walk your bike up the hill.
- Lacrosse Avenue: Bicycle lanes on Lacrosse Avenue from Natick Lane to Escarpment Boulevard. A concerned citizen submitted this request, and since there was existing bicycle lanes on both sides of the gap, and the roadway was wide enough to simply add a 5-foot bicycle lane, this gap on Lacrosse Avenue was eliminated.
- William Cannon Drive: Bicycle lanes on William Cannon Drive from Interstate 35 to Pleasant Valley Road. This roadway is constructed of concrete.The Bicycle Program worked with the Signs and Markings Division to pay for a stripe removal vehicle to remove the existing stripes and add new ones that included bicycle lanes.
- Latta Drive: Bicycle lanes on Latta Drive from Convict Hill Road to Islander Drive and from Nairn Drive to Davis Lane.
- Mary Street: Dedicated bicycle lanes (without parking) on Mary Street from Congress Boulevard to the Union Pacific railroad tracks (near Lamar Boulevard). With the cooperation and feedback from the Bouldin Creek and Zilker Neighborhood Association, the Bicycle Program and the Transportation Department were able to work out a parking and bicycle facility solution that met the needs of all users of the roadway.
Besides facilities, the Bicycle Program is launching a new promotional campaign, including a public service announcement featuring Lance Armstrong. The next phase? Highlighting commuting by bicycle.
Research for innovative facilities is continuing. The Steck Avenue reconfiguration from Mopac to Burnet Road is under way. Stakeholders are invited to a meeting to discuss the reconfiguration at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Pillow Elementary School Cafeteria, 3025 Crosscreek Dr.
Additionally, the sharrow, colored bicycle lane, bicycle box and bicyclists “use full lane,” research by the Center for Transportation Research is going well. The research team is busy watching video of bicycle-motor vehicle interactions at the chosen locations before the devices are put into place. The Bicycle Program hopes to have these devices in place before school starts.”
Stay cool out there, and keep on riding.
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August 2, 2009
Lance to race Leadville 100
The tune-up is done. Now Lance Armstrong can focus on the really tough race — the Leadville 100.
He’ll trade skinny tires for knobby ones for the grueling 100-mile, out-and-back sweat fest.
The race starts in Leadville, Co., elevation 10,200 feet, at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 15. It features steep climbs, serious descents and 14,000 feet of elevation gain.
Seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong raced it last year, finishing second to six-time Leadville 100 champion Dave Weins by about 2 minutes. Cycling coach Chris Carmichael says Armstrong will race again this year, and I’m betting he’ll have fire in his belly this time. (Read more here.)
Last year, Wiens finished in 6:45:45; Armstrong finished in 6:47:41. The third place finisher was more than 30 minutes back.
Armstrong’s not the only Austin cyclist who’ll be racing. Hill Abell, owner of Bicycle Sport Shop, is planning to compete. His goal is a little more human: He wants to finish in a very respectable 10 hours. Check Monday’s paper for a feature about Abell, who’s done a lot for the Central Texas mountain biking scene.
Good luck!
Learn more iabout the Leadville 100 here.
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July 28, 2009
Women's bike clinic on Saturday
Sometimes, it’s just less intimidating to learn in a women-only environment. On Saturday, the Austin Flyers Women’s Racing Team will host a women-only cycling clinic at Texas Orthopedics, 4700 Seton Center Parkway.
The day starts with a morning skills and demo session, followed by on-road lesson. Cyclists will break into small groups to practice cornering, bike handling, hills, gearing, group rides, etiquette, pace lines and safety. During lunch, cyclist and attorney Brad Houston will discuss the rules and rights of cyclists on the road. In the afternoon, participants can choose from two of three break-out sessions: Core, Stretching and Strength Training, Equipment and Maintenance; or Training and Racing.
Cost for the clinic is $65 and includes coffee, pastries and lunch. (Discount to Austin Flyers Club members.) Reserve a spot at bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=8806. Online registration closes at 8 a.m. Thursday. Email austinwomenonbikes@gmail.com if you have questions.
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July 21, 2009
Win "Training Plans for Cyclists"
Thinking of riding the Ride for the Roses this fall? Dreaming of a cycling tour through Italy? (I am!)
You need a copy of “Training Plans for Cyclists,” by Gale Bernhardt (VeloPress, $21.95). And you can win it right here.
Just post at the end of this blog why you deserve the book. Then email your snail mail address to pleblanc@statesman.com. The person with the best answer wins the book.
The over-sized paperback is packed with training plans for people planning to ride centuries, multi-day tours or mountain bike races.
Bernhardt, who coached the USA Triathlon team at the 2004 Olympics and served as chair of the USA Triathlon National Coaching Committee for five years, puts training in plain English. The book includes sections on nutrition, bike fit, gear and training intensity. The bulk of the book is devoted to workout descriptions.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment Categories: Triathlon, cycling, fitness books
July 11, 2009
Win "Zinn and the Art of Triathlon Bikes"
Need to know how to ship your bike to the next triathlon? Wonder what body position will give you the best aerodynamics on a tri bike? Want some help installing a third brake lever on your aero bars?
Triathletes, take note. I’ve got a copy of the most excellent “Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes: Aerodynamics, Bike Fit, Speed Tuning, and Maintenance,” by Lennard Zinn ($24.95, VeloPress). It caters specifically to triathletes, and covers everything from bike tuning and maintenance to equipment choice and upgrades and shipping a bike safely from race to race.
Want it? Post here, telling me why you deserve it or need it. Then email your snail mail address to pleblanc@statesman.com.
The 340-page oversized paperback is stuffed with illustrations, tips and exploded views of components. It even tells you when you’ve got a problem best handled by a bike shop pro.
Good luck! I’ve only got one copy!
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July 8, 2009
Lance Armstrong documentary in the works
More than the usual crowd of cameras are focused on Lance Armstrong as he makes his Tour de France comeback this year.
It seems Hollywood is training a hopeful eye on Austin’s favorite cyclist. Sony Pictures Entertainment sent a crew to France to track Armstrong’s every move.
The filmmakers say it doesn’t matter if Armstrong wins, that his cancer-patient-turned-sports-hero story makes great footage no matter how his return to racing after a 3.5-year hiatus turns out. But they’ve got to be secretly smiling at the 37-year-old cyclist’s performance so far in the world’s biggest bike race.
So far, they’ve filmed Armstrong training with Team Astana, crashing and breaking his collarbone during the Vuelta Castilla y Leon (bet they loved that!), and getting a surprise visit from a drug tester.
What do you think? Would you go see the movie?
Read more about it here.
(Above: Lance Armstrong during the first stage of this year’s Tour de France. Photo credit Associated Press.)
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Should bike helmets be required?
I know bike helmets are a hot topic in Austin. Remember the push a few years back for a law that would require cyclists to wear one?
People got fired up, arguing over the merit of such a law. Some said it would discourage folks from cycling. Others said it would keep those who cycle safe. Many said they wore a helmet but didn’t want anyone telling them they had to.
It seems like everyone’s got an opinion, so I was intrigued when I saw a Consumer Reports article that said more than half of Americans don’t wear a helmet when they’re biking, even though they see the value of wearing one to prevent injuries. Read the report here.
The online report includes recommendations for fitting a helmet, tips for bike safety, and bike helmet ratings for kids.
So far, we don’t have a helmet law in Austin. Still, I wear a bike helmet every time I get on my bike. I don’t trust the motorists.
What do you think?
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July 2, 2009
Tour kickoff party at Mellow Johnny's
Oooooo, cycling maniacs. This is it. The Tour de France kicks off Sunday, with our own Lance Armstrong back in the saddle. Can he make it number eight?
Who cares? (Well, I do.) It’s a reason for a party, and Mellow Johnny’s, Armstrong’s Austin bike shop at 4th and Nueces streets, is brewing up a big bash to mark the occasion.
The shop will host a Tour launch party complete with Euro-fan costume contest, a bike parade featuring the Austin Bike Zoo, and a podium photo booth where you can fake a triumphant victory shot complete with yellow jersey, champagne bottle and podium girls. You’ll get a chance to paint the streets like a real Tour fanatic or make your own Tour poster at a craft table. Mellow Johnny’s own Publicité Caravan will shower fans with trinkets, samples and swag. Plus, there will be hourly raffles for chances to win cool bike gear.
French-inspired food including crepes and french fries will be served, along with beer, wine and champagne sold by Royal Blue.
Just like being in France!
The party runs from 6 to 11 p.m. The store will stay open until 9 p.m., when the festivities move to the parking lot, with Stage 1 viewing on the Alamo Drafthouse’s big screen.
Anyone want to predict how Armstrong will do in the Tour this year?
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June 26, 2009
Louisiana passes 3-feet law to protect cyclists
UPDATE: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed this bill into law. It goes into effect Aug. 15.
Gov. Rick Perry last week vetoed a 3-foot bill designed to protect “vulnerable users” like cyclists. Louisiana lawmakers are trying to get a similar bill approved in their state.
The bill would require motorists to leave a “safe distance … of not less than 3 feet” when passing a bicyclist, according to an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Read it here.
The bill, passed 37-0 by the Louisiana Senate, also would require a summary of the new law in driving manuals and installation of signs to make motorists aware of the need to share the road.
The bill has been sent to Gov. Bobby Jindal for approval. If it becomes law, it will go into effect Aug. 15 and would be known as the “Colin Goodier Protection Act,” according to the article. Goodier, a fourth-year resident surgeon, was killed last summer in Iberville Parish while training for a triathlon when his bike was struck from behind by a truck.
Break the law and you would face a fine of up to $250. And get this — motorists who “harass, taunt or maliciously throw objects at or in the direction of any person riding a bicycle” face fines of at least $200 and up to 30 days in jail.
Wish we could be more like Louisiana!
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Urban Assault Ride last-minute details
The wackiest event on your weekend fitness calendar? The New Belgium Urban Assault Ride, of course!
Some 1,500 cyclists have registered for the June 28 pedal-powered scavenger hunt, which promotes cycling, health and sustainability. The race started here in 2003 and is now staged in 10 cities around the country.
Packet pickup is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Opal Divine’s, 3601 S. Congress Ave. The race starts at 8 a.m. Sunday at Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Bergman Ave., east of Interstate 35.
Pairs of cyclists bike all over the city, plotting their own course to checkpoints where they complete physical and mental tasks. Obstacles change every year and at every event, so riders never know what to expect. The first team to hit all the checkpoints and cross the finish line wins a pair of New Belgium Brewing cruiser bikes.
This time, official checkpoints include the Rowing Dock, 2418 Stratford Dr.; Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St.; REI, 601 N. Lamar Blvd.; Ozone, 3202-C Guadalupe St.; RunTex, 422 W. Riverside Dr.; Jack and Adams, 1210 Barton Springs Road; and Rogue Running, 500 San Marcos St. Three mystery checkpoints are also on the agenda.
I did the race a couple of years ago and found myself performing on the stage at Stubbs Bar B-Q Restaurant (that’s us, below), pulling my husband on an oversized inflatable duck in Lady Bird Lake, and jousting on a bicycle.
For more information, go to www.urbanassaultride.com.
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June 19, 2009
Gov vetoes safe passing bill
UPDATE from Bike Texas:
“Dear fellow Texas cyclists, We are stunned. After passing SB 488 through both houses of the legislature with overwhelming bipartisan margins and responding to every legislator’s concern with information or compromise, Governor Perry killed the bill today. In spite of the huge number of phone calls in the span of two very intense hours, Governor Perry vetoed the Safe Passing bill, SB 488. Thanks to all of you who responded to the BikeTexas Action Alert today and called the Governor’s office. We are extremely disappointed with the Governor’s action. In our view, this reflects a cavalier attitude on the part of the Governor toward the deaths of the 1000 vulnerable road users that are killed annually in Texas. It is well known that Rick Perry rides a bike on the streets and on the trails. Unfortunately, ordinary Texans do not have a security detail to shield them from motorists who drive dangerously. BikeTexas strongly disagrees with the reasoning stated in the veto message from the Governor below. Law enforcement, prosecutors, AAA, AARP, Texas Motorcycle Rights Association and Texas Towing and Storage Association joined BikeTexas in supporting SB 488 because they also believed this bill could have saved lives. We will keep you informed regarding the next steps. Please stay tuned. Respectfully, Robin Stallings Executive Director BikeTexas”
Cyclists take note.
The Texas Bicycle Coalition just sent out an action alert, saying that Gov. Perry plans to veto the Safe Passing Bill and asking cyclist to call and insist that he allow SB 488 to pass.
Here’s what the Coalition’s email says:
“Every cyclist in Texas must call Governor Perry today and insist that he allow SB 488 to pass! The governor mistakenly thinks that the bill puts all of the responsibility on the motorist. There might be time to save the bill if you hurry and make the calls. This is the most important call we have ever asked you to make. Our lives depend on it.
BikeTexas was notified at 12:30 pm CST that Governor Perry plans to veto the Safe Passing Bill. This veto can happen within the next couple of hours TODAY. We need every cyclist in Texas to call NOW and tell the Governor to pass SB 488. More than 1000 vulnerable road users in Texas die every year. This bill will save lives!
You must give the bill number.
CALL both phone NUMBERS:
(512) 463-4375
(512) 463-2000 Governor’s main switchboard until 5 p.m.”
For more information about the bill, go to http://www.biketexas.org/content/view/1115/881/.
The bill requires that cars and light trucks give “vulnerable road users” like cyclists a 3-foot berth when passing. It also requires heavy trucks a 6-foot berth.
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June 8, 2009
Riding Bastrop-to-Buescher
I pedaled the undulating road linking Bastrop and Buescher state parks on Sunday. Have you ridden there?
The road dips and climbs for 12 miles through the pine forests connecting the two parks. Shade covers nearly the entire route, which makes it a good one for summer, which definitely has kicked in. The route is hilly, but the hills are relatively short. Just when your quads start screaming for mercy, it’s time for a lovely, holler-with-glee downhill.
I’ve ridden the route a dozen or so times, but this time (for the first time ever) we belly flopped into the swimming pool at Bastrop State Park to cool off afterward.
And that pool! It took us a couple of hours to ride to Buescher State Park and back, and we’d worked up a good sweat by the time we finished. We shucked off our bike clothes, yanked on swimsuits (never leave home without one!) and plopped into the pool, which is shaped like an enormous bowl. It’s deep in the middle, too — 8 feet at maximum depth. We paddled around until our core temperatures dropped enough that we wouldn’t melt the seats in our truck, then dragged ourselves out of the water.
It takes about an hour to get to Bastrop State Park from Austin. Admission to the park is $4 a person, but I’ve got a State Park Pass. The $60 annual pass gets you into all Texas state parks for free, so it’s well worth it for me and my husband. It’s $4 to get into the pool for adults, but you get $2 off per person with the pass.
Bastrop always feels like a mini vacation to me, because the scenery is so absolutely un-Austin-like, with all the pine cones and needles. I’ve been going there since I was a kid.
Then it was on to the Roadhouse, just outside the gates of the park, for a late lunch. They’ve got great burgers, but our waitress forgot to turn in our order. Ack! We nearly gnawed off our fingers waiting an hour (!!!) for our lunch to appear. Thumbs down for service, thumbs up for ambiance and food.
(That’s me and Chris above, post bike ride.)
And thumbs up for another great Austin day trip.
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June 5, 2009
Lance's baby is Tweeting!
We know Lance Armstrong is a Twitter maniac, posting all kinds of interesting — and not so interesting — details about his life on his Twitter account.
He’s a veritable Captain Twitter. At last count (and the number is increasing by the moment), he had 986,611 followers.
But check this: Lance and girlfriend Anna Hansen’s day-old baby son Max apparently has his own Twitter account!
A couple of hours ago, Max had about 300 followers. Now, at 1:27 p.m. Friday, he’s up to 671. (Geez, it’s taken weeks for me to get that kind of following on my Twitter account!)
Max’s first post came this morning: “just had my 1st night of sleep ‘out here’. Quite an contrast.”
And this just in: “hanging out with my mom and dad. they seem pretty cool but they keep staring @ me”
Just not sure what to think about this. Discuss…
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May 30, 2009
Real Ale Ride Rocks
My ragged team of cycling buddies sweated up and down some luscious Hill Country rollers this morning during my new favorite cycling event - The Real Ale Ride.
Honestly, what could be better than cruising around Central Texas on a bike for 50 miles, then rolling into a brewery parking lot for beer, BBQ and ice cream?
Nothing.
Which is why this morning’s ride with husband Chris, Charlie McCabe of the Austin Parks Foundation and none other than Mr. Road Rash himself Jason Whaley was so much fun.
Top 5 things about the ride?
Crossing the cool, clear Guadalupe River.
Smooth, low-traffic Hill Country roads.
Drafting off my husband for about 35 miles
The screamin’ downhill where Chris hit 46 mph (and I squeezed my brakes to death)
Pickle juice for all. (Just kidding! I hate pickle juice. Does anyone like that stuff?)
Here are some scenes from the ride:
![band].jpg](http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/austin/fitcity/upload/2009/05/real_ale_ride_rocks/band%5D.jpg)
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Win a trip to watch Lance in France
How does a trip to Paris to see Lance Armstrong race in the Tour de France sound?
I thought so.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is giving away round trip airfare for two and lodging with a view of the Eiffel Tower in its first ever “See Lance Race in France” sweepstakes.
The trip will be July 19-26.
To enter, you have to make an $11 contribution to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. (That marks Armstrong’s 11 Tour appearances.)
To enter, go to www.livestrong.org/lancechance. Deadline to enter is June 11 and the winner will be notified on June 17.
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May 29, 2009
Gearing up for Real Ale Ride
Yahoo! It’s packet pickup time for the Real Ale Ride, which I’ll be doing Saturday out in Blanco.
Haven’t registered yet? You can still sign up for $65 at packet pickup, from 3-6:30 p.m. today at Bicycle Sport Shop Central, Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road, or at the event site in Blanco on Saturday morning.
I’ve never done the ride, but expect it to be hot and hilly. I’ve signed up for the 50-mile route, but 15, 30, 65 and 80-mile options are also available.
I’d do a longer ride, but then it would take too long to get to the barbecue, beer and music at the finish. I’m also thinking of sneaking over to nearby Blanco State Park afterward to hop in the river. It’s one of my favorite places to swim!
A few notes from the organizers:
- Parking will be available near the brewery at 231 San Saba Court. Look for signs and volunteers who will guide you to the appropriate area.
- Arrive no later than 7 a.m. Waves will start lining up at 7:15 a.m., and the 80-mile group will depart at 7:30 a.m., followed by the shorter-distance groups.
- Hydrate! Bring your own water bottle. In an effort to be a green event (yay!), organizers we will not hand out water bottles, although NUUN tablets and Pickle Sport Juice will be available at aid stations.
- Cut Off: 80-mile riders must be at rest stop 4 by 10:15 a.m. to continue or will be diverted to 65 mile route. No shame in taking the shorter route — this is a hilly ride.
- A Specialized Cross Trail bike will be raffled off at noon. Tickets are $5 at packet pickup.
- Music starts at noon Saturday, with entertainment by the Piney Grove Ramblers and Cooper’s Uncle.
- Upgrade for $75 to the Premier Package (which includes a special food line, port-o-lets and keg) through Friday at packet pickup.
- For more information go to http://www.realaleride.com/.
- Whole Foods, Sixth Street at Lamar Boulevard
- One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road
- City Hall Plaza
- Bike Texas, 1902 E. 6th St.
- Mellow Johnny’s, Fourth at Nueces streets
- Wheatsville Coop, 3101 Guadalupe St.
- Bicycle Sport Shop, 517 S. Lamar Blvd.
- Freewheeling Bicycles, 24th St. and San Gabriel
- Orange Bike Project and Longhorn Po-boys, Speedway between Dean Keeton and 21st St.
- The Peddler and Texas Culinary Academy, 119 E. North Loop Blvd.
- Shoal Creek Boulevard at Far West right of way (across from Northwest Park)
- Music City Cycles, 6301 W. Parmer Lane, No. 504
- El Chilito, 2219 Manor Road
- Political Pedal: 4:45 -7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1, City Hall Plaza. Ride bikes with mayoral and city council candidates, Police Chief Art Acevedo and local cycling advocates. The basic ride starts at Austin City Hall and finishes at Uncle Billy’s Brew and Que, 1530 Barton Springs Road. Bikes and helmets are available, but you must call Scott Johnson at 389-2250 in advance to reserve one.
- Shiner Ride: Saturday, May 2. Cyclists depart from Austin and ride 100 miles through small towns and scenic byways on the way to the historic Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. Rest Stops every 12-20 miles will be stocked with food, drink and cheering volunteers. The ride is rain or shine. For more info, http://www.shinerbash.com/index.php?page=rideinfo.
- Bike Commuting 101: 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, REI Austin Downtown. Learn the basics of commuting in Austin, from what kind of bike works, what clothes and tools you need and how to find a route that works for you. Free. Instructor Preston Tyree doesn’t own a car and after 100,000 miles of urban commuting hasn’t ever been hit by a car.
- Bike to Work Day: 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 15. The best-known event of the month! Stop for free breakfast at the following locations: Whole Foods (6th Street and Lamar Boulevard); One Texas Center (505 Barton Springs Road); City Hall Plaza; Bike Texas (1902 E. 6th St.); Mellow Johnny’s (4th and Nueces streets); Wheatsville Coop (3101 Guadalupe St.); Bicycle Sport Shop (517 S. Lamar) Blvd.; Freewheeling Bicycles (24th and San Gabriel streets); Orange Bike Project and Longhorn Po-boys (Speedway between Dean Keeton and 21st Street); The Peddler and Texas Culinary Academy (119 E. North Loop Blvd.); Shoal Creek Boulevard at Far West right of way; Music City Cycles (6301 W. Parmer Lane, #504); and El Chilito (2219 Manor Road). Additional locations may be added.
- Individuals living in Austin, Bryan and Fort Worth are more satisfied with the quality of bicycle facilities than bicyclists living in the rest of the state.
- Bicyclists prefer no parking on their route, which is logical because parking reduces sight distance. If parking is necessary, they prefer angled parking over parallel parking.
- Men and young bicyclists perceive the bicycle facilities in their community to be better than do women and older bicyclists.
- The commute distance of those who bicycle to work ranges from one-fourth of a mile to 35 miles. The average is about 6.5 miles.
- Bicycling is more common for non-commute reasons than for commuting. Those who bicycle to work tend to be young and environmentally conscious. Also, men are more likely to bike than women, regardless of the purpose of the bicycle trip.
- Fitness and health concerns, followed by leisure, are the most compelling reasons for bicycling.
- The helmet should be level on the rider’s head.
- The front rim should be barely visible to the rider’s eye
- The Y of the side straps should meet just below the ear
- The chin strap should be snug against the chin so that when the rider opens their mouth very wide the helmet pulls down a little bit.
- Move the helmet side to side and front to back, watching the skin around the rider’s eyebrows. It should move slightly with the helmet. If it does not, the fit pads are probably too thin in front or back, or the helmet may even be too large.
- If there is a rear stabilizer, adjust it until it is snug under the bulge on the rear of the head.
- Have the rider put their palm on the front of the helmet and push up and back. If it moves more than an inch, more fitting is required.
- Have the rider shake their head around. (This can be fun!) If the helmet dislodges, work on the strap adjustments.
- Make sure there are no comfort issues that still need to be addressed.
- Not all helmets fit all heads. Use a different helmet if the one you are trying just will not work.
- Portland, Ore.: Check out the above picture, taken in Portland. “What perennially puts Portland atop our list is that you don’t need to know anything about bike lanes or city planning to see that it is a haven for cyclists,” the mag says. “Just hang out in a coffee shop and look out the window: Bikes and riders of all stripes are everywhere.”
- Seattle: “The city council has unabashedly stated that its goal is to unseat Portland as the best U.S. city for cycling. Its 10-year, $240 million bike master plan, passed by a unanimous council vote last fall, may just get it there. Among the objectives: tripling the number of journeys made by bike and adding 450 miles of bike paths.”
- Chicago: Richard Daley, the mayor for the past 19 years and a dedicated roadie, has ushered in a bicycle renaissance, with a growing network of bike lanes, a bike station with valet bike parking, showers and indoor bike racks.”
- San Francisco: “All bike infrastructure projects here have been halted since 2006, when two ‘concerned’ groups sued the city for not putting plans through the environmental impact review process. A judge ruled that the review needed to happen, and the city may not get back on track until 2010. But here’s why San Fran rules: The local bike culture has stood strong, and the number of cyclists increased by 15 percent last year alone.
- Boulder, Colo.: “Fourteen percent of all trips here are now taken by bike — an almost European figure. Perhaps even more telling is that Boulder is raising the next generation of cyclists: The city’s Safe Routes to School program has had such an impact locally that one school reports that 75 percent of its students now bike or walk to school.
- Cycling shorts, jersey and a base layer (undershirt)
- Gloves
- Arm warmers, leg warmers
- Chamois cream for your cycling shorts
- Heart rate monitor and strap if you like to track and record your physiological performance
- Helmet (!)
- Sunglasses
- Cycling shoes and socks
- Bicycle computer to monitor ride distance, time and speed
- Safety pins to pin on your bib number
- Two big water bottles to put on your bike (and maybe an extra for your jersey pocket)
- Fluids: Water, Gatorade or a post-ride carbohydrate/protein mix as recovery drink
- Nutrition/energy bars, gels or bananas to refuel during the ride
- Towel or cleaning wipes for quick clean-up after the ride
- A tool set: Allen keys, tire levers, spare tube and CO2 cartridge in case you have a flat
- Event flyer, printed directions
- Money, checkbook or credit card in case you haven’t yet registered for your ride
- Casual clothing for post-race
- FUN!
- Barton Creek greenbelt — 21.1 percent
- Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail — 20.7 percent
- Veloway — 20.7 percent
- Walnut Creek Park — 9.25 percent
- Park road linking Bastrop and Buescher state parks — 9.25 percent
- Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail — 7 percent
- The Driveway — 5.7 percent
- Dam Loop — 3.96 percent
- Muleshoe Recreation Area — 2.2 percent
- Pace Bend Park — 0 percent
Who out there has done the ride? What can I expect? Are you doing it this year?
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May 28, 2009
Lance (the dog) watches Giro d'Italia
Check out this dog. Yep, he’s sporting a yellow jersey, his name is Lance and he’s hanging out at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in downtown Austin.
Lance (the dog, that is) made an appearance last night at the shop’s Giro d’Italia watching party. A small crowd tuned in as Lance (Armstrong, the cyclist) finished 10th in the 17th stage of the race, 1 minute and 59 seconds behind stage winner Franco Pellizotti. (Check the latest race report here .) The Austin cyclist and seven-time Tour de France winner remains in 12th place in the race, which ends May 31.
Heart of Texas Lab Rescue took in Lance (the dog) after he was attacked by three pit bulls earlier this year. Ray Hebert, of the rescue group, introduced the sweet, fluffy dog to the race-watchers, and explained that he needed $3,000 of surgery after the attack. He’s healed now, with a glossy coat and bright brown eyes, but needs a loving home.
“He needed a name that would bring him strength and courage to go on,” Hebert told the crowd.
Lance (the dog) seemed to approve of the festivities. He may even have gotten a taste of the Italian-themed snacks.
If you’re interested in adopting Lance (the dog), go to http://hotlabrescue.org/. (Not sure if the yellow jersey is included.)
Heart of Texas Lab Rescue is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that saves Labrador Retrievers from shelters, pounds and abandonment and places them in caring homes.
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May 27, 2009
Cyclist hit last Thursday still alive
I’ve gotten several calls and emails from folks who think the 22-year-old cyclist who hit a car in downtown Austin last Thursday night has died.
He’s still alive, according to Austin Police on Wednesday. They are not releasing the injured cyclist’s name.
Witnesses said the cyclist ran a light and collided with a vehicle at the intersection of Fifth and Nueces streets. He was taken to University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
Folks, it’s important to obey traffic laws.
A motorist who runs a light and crashes might not get injured. Chances are a cyclist who does the same will.
Ignoring traffic laws also turns otherwise understanding motorists into anti-cyclist rabble rousers.
I know, I know. Motorists disobey laws too. It doesn’t matter. Let’s do what we can to promote good cyclist-motorist relations.
And best wishes to the injured cyclist.
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May 22, 2009
Witnesses say cyclist hit by car ran light
Witnesses say a cyclist who collided with a car in downtown Austin last night ran a red light.
The 22-year-old cyclist was critically injured in the wreck that happened about 10:15 p.m. at the intersection of Fifth and Nueces streets. He was taken to University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
This makes me nuts. Every time I ride my bike to work, I see cyclists blowing through stoplights. I know it’s tempting to roll on through, but if for nothing other than improving relations between cyclists and motorists, bike riders should stop at every light and every stop sign.
A motorist who hits another car after running a light might not suffer any life-threatening consequences. A cyclist who collides with a car probably won’t be so lucky.
Oddly, the accident occurred just as the City Council was wrapping up a discussion about the city’s proposed new Bicycle Master Plan. Dozens of cyclists showed up for the meeting, voicing their support for improved bicycle infrastructure throughout the city.
I wonder if the cyclist had attended the meeting.
Pay attention, folks.
And keep the injured cyclist in your thoughts.
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Witnesses say cyclist hit by car ran light
Witnesses say a cyclist who collided with a car in downtown Austin last night ran a red light.
The 22-year-old cyclist was critically injured in the wreck that happened about 10:15 p.m. at the intersection of Fifth and Nueces streets. He was taken to University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
This makes me nuts. Every time I ride my bike to work, I see cyclists blowing through stoplights. I know it’s tempting to roll on through, but if for nothing other than improving relations between cyclists and motorists, bike riders should stop at every light and every stop sign.
A motorist who hits another car after running a light might not suffer any life-threatening consequences. A cyclist who collides with a car probably won’t be so lucky.
Oddly, the accident occurred just as the City Council was wrapping up a discussion about the city’s proposed new Bicycle Master Plan. Dozens of cyclists showed up for the meeting, voicing their support for improved bicycle infrastructure throughout the city.
I wonder if the cyclist had attended the meeting.
Pay attention, folks.
And keep the injured cyclist in your thoughts.
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May 17, 2009
More on anti-cycling op-ed piece
My friends and I celebrated Bike to Work Day last Friday by meeting downtown after work for conversation and snacks. (It also happened to be my birthday, which I think is pretty appropriate.)
Besides being a great day to pedal around town (and drop by Teo’s for some pistachio gelato —- yum!), it happened to be sentencing day for convicted bike thief James Clayton, who marked the day with a four-year prison sentence.
Finally, on Friday the Austin American-Statesman published a rebuttal to an anti-cycling article written by local contributor Cindy Stone.
Here’s the rebuttal, by Lane Wimberley, Rob D’Amico and Chris Trickey:
Austin can reap the benefits of being bicycle-friendly Rob D’Amico, Hill Abel and Chris Trickey, LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS Friday, May 15, 2009
On Thursday the City Council will consider an update to Austin’s Bicycle Master Plan, an ambitious and worthy effort that aims to increase the number of bicyclists and make riding safer.
Of primary importance is the plan’s increased efforts to educate the public about bicycling facilities. Public education is crucial, particularly since we have seen recent attacks on the city’s efforts, such as the commentary from Cindy Stone (“Bicycle friendly” should be a two-way street, Friday, May 08, 2009). The article—an inflammatory rant against bicyclists’ efforts to have car-free bike lanes on Exposition Boulevard—contained numerous unsubstantiated statements and falsehoods regarding Exposition and other city projects to increase safety for cyclists in Austin. Contrary to Stone’s claims, the restriping of Exposition to remove parking from bike lanes was a resounding success and a model for balancing the community’s needs. Many residents in the area supported the plan, including the neighborhood association, and the result was car-free bike lanes on a key transportation corridor that still preserved parking on one side of the street for residents (including parking in front of Stone’s house). The plan also added some much needed on-street parking adjacent to a middle-school playfield.
Stone’s contention that bicyclists should carry an ID so that “police can identify their dead body” is crass and only perpetuates the attitude that bikes just need to get out of the way. You may feel that way sometimes riding in your car, but the fact remains that more and more bicyclists pour out on to the streets every day, because it’s an enjoyable, healthy and quick way to get around town. Shoving bikes off to the side just won’t work anymore, so a more sensible approach is to use well-thought-out strategies like those in the Bike Plan update to make things smoother and safer for all of us.
Why do we need bicycles? Simply, they are an extremely economical way to meet many of our city’s goals for a higher quality of life with environmental protection, increased mobility, recreational opportunities and better health.
The Bike Plan update builds on the original plan passed in 1998 and is a comprehensive look at strategies to increase the number of people using bikes for transportation and recreation by providing better facilities like bike lanes, bikeways (on street and separated paths), bike boulevards (streets designed for heavy bicycle use), bike parking and much more. Barriers to bicycle commuting, such as getting past major highways or through more dangerous sections of roadways are key issues addressed, and the plan also outlines goals for how many trips we would like to see taken by bicycle—primarily for commuting—in the coming years.
Projects included can be as big as an extension to the Pfluger Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge to get bicyclists across Caesar Chavez Boulevard and a bike bridge on MoPac over Barton Creek, or as small as extending bike lanes on a particular street. New strategies like “sharrows”—shared lane markings stenciled on the road that encourage better positioning for bicyclists and cars when sharing the right lane—are included, as are many other new ideas, such as Bike Sharing, which are popping up in cities nationwide.
Finally, the plan includes a lengthy list of recommendations from the Mayor’s Street Smarts Task Force, a group of bicyclists, engineers and other stakeholders that met last year to help increase the viability of all modes of transportation, but particularly with an emphasis on bicycle safety. To gain additional input, the city has conducted several open houses, public meetings and reviews by boards and commissions in the past two years leading up to Thursday’s City Council meeting.
So you don’t even ride a bike? This plan is still a big plus for you. In addition to the benefits outlined above, by creating better facilities we help keep traffic moving by providing separate facilities for bikes, which are usually slower than cars, or we can establish clear expectations for when bikes and cars are to share the road. Knowing what to expect and being aware of the rights and responsibilities of all road users are key to avoiding conflicts and crashes between motorists and bikes.
Austinites can work together to make Austin a world-class bicycling city while still balancing the needs for all modes of transportation. We encourage you to find out more about the Bike Plan update at www.cityofaustin.org/bicycle, and at the sites for the key advocacy organizations in town: The League of Bicycling Voters (www.lobv.org), the Austin Cycling Association (www.austincycling.org) and the Yellow Bike Project (www.austinyellowbike.org).
Rob D’Amico is president of the League of Bicycling Voters. Hill Abel is the owner of Bicycle Sports Shop. Chris Trickey is a cyclist.
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May 14, 2009
Mellow Johnny's Juan Big Breakfast Ride
Here’s a new twist to the usual Bike to Work Day free breakfast station …
Mellow Johnnys, at Fourth and Nueces streets, is sponsoring the Juan Big Breakfast Ride.
Visit as many Bike to Work Day stations as you can between 7 and 9 a.m. Friday, May 15. At each location, take a digital photo of yourself with enough detail so it’s obvious where you are.
The ride is all in fun, so ride safe and take the time to thank the station volunteers.
Make your way to Mellow Johnny’s or The Peddler Bike Shop by 9 a.m. to submit your photos. The male and female at each store with the most stops wins.
Mellow Johnny’s is doing a few other things for bike commuters on Friday:
Free breakfast locations:
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Bike to work, get skinny
Need more incentive to ride your bike to work?
According to Trek Bicycle Corporation, the average person loses 13 pounds their first year of commuting by bike.
That’s a lot of crawfish ettouffee, coconut cake and fried catfish — all of which I indulged in during a recent visit to Louisiana.
But wait, there’s more.
Just 3 hours of biking per week, Trek says, can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50 percent. Think how happy you’ll make your doctor (and family) by pedaling more often.
Other reasons to bike, also from Trek?
Forty percent of all car trips in the U.S. are made within 2 miles of home.
Sixty percent of the pollution created by autos happens in the first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can work effectively.
The U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gas a year by boosting bicycle trips just half a percentage point: from 1 percent to 1.5 percent of all trips.
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May 11, 2009
Rebuttal to anti-cyclist article
My jaw dropped when I read an opinion piece by local contributor Cindy Stone in the Austin American-Statesman a few days ago.
It was full of misinformation, ignorance and the kind of close-minded I’m-better-than-you attitude that makes me want to load my bike into a truck and move someplace like Portland, where people “get” cycling as a lifestyle. (Read Stone’s complete article here: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/05/11/0511stone_edit.html).
I believe that motorists and cyclists can co-exist peacefully. But to do that, we need infrastructure that cuts down on bike-car interaction, lots of education, and a population that understands the benefits of riding bikes.
Stone claims that the city’s Bike and Pedestrian program has fanned what she calls “biker wars.” I’d suggest that she’s done that herself, with her spiteful column.
The city’s proposed new bike plan will go before the City Council on May 21. I hope it passes.
Stone’s columnbounces from point to illogical point, never explains what projects she’s referring to, and makes personal attacks on cyclists. It’s also crass. I got knots in my stomach when I read this sentence from her column, suggesting that cyclists be required to carry ID cards: “That way, when some unsuspecting driver runs them off the road, police can identify their dead body.”
And that’s not fanning the flames?
Drivers who are courteous, follow the law, don’t speed and pay attention shouldn’t have a problem with killing cyclists.
Bicycles are vehicles, and they have as much right to the road as cars and trucks and SUVs. Cyclists are also taxpayers, and as such have paid for our roadways.
Motorists who gripe about cyclsts running stop signs or making illegal maneuvers can’t ignore the fact that motorists run stop signs and make illegal maneuvers too. Yes, some cyclists break the law. So do some motorists. (For more information about bike laws, go to http://bicycleaustin.info/laws/tx-bike.html.)
Stone also suggests that the city “Adopt a PR program that emphasizes a two-way street, not merely pushes motorists out of the way to favor bikers.”
She thinks that the city favors cyclists over motorists? Really?
It’s attitudes like these that make it clear why the League of American Bicyclists recently ranked Texas 36th out of 50 states in its annual U.S. Bicycle Friendly state rankings. (See the whole list here: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/bicyclefriendlystate/rankings.php).
Maybe Stone needs a little stress relief. Might I suggest a bike ride?
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May 1, 2009
Pedaling to work ... Snakes in a Creek
In honor of the first day of Bike Month, I pedaled to work this morning.
I try to ride my bike to work once a week. I’ve got an easy commute — it’s about 8 miles each way, most of it on the Shoal Creek Hike and Bike Trail. I live in Allandale, near RM2222 and Loop 1, and the Austin American-Statesman offices are at Congress Avenue and the river. I’ve got trails or bike lanes nearly the entire way.
Two snake spottings highlighted this morning’s ride. The 2-foot slithery critters were swimming in the creek about half a block apart, south of Ninth Street. Also, an osprey landed in a tree along the creek. (Note to self: Never to swim in Shoal Creek.)
It’s like “Wild Kingdom” out there. Over the years, I’ve seen owls, nutrias, snapping turtles, swans, blue herons and one freakishly gigantic (seriously, the size of a dinner plate) frog.
Official Bike Month activities get under way today, starting with a Kick-Off event at City Hall Plaza, 301 W. 2nd St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The City’s Neighborhood Connectivity Division, along with the Austin Commuter Challenge, Austin Cycling Association, Bicycle Sport Shop, Bike Texas, Capital Metro, the Political Pedal, Austin Police Department and the City’s PE Department Program are hosting the festivities.
Another important day to remember? Friday, May 15, is Bike to Work Day.
I want to see everyone out there! I’m already planning to swing by for the free breakfast at Whole Foods downtown location.
Ride your bike! It’s fun, you get your daily exercise in the time you could be stuck in traffic, and it takes cars off the road.
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April 28, 2009
Why ride? Free breakfast and more!
May is Bike Month!
That means the city’s updated Bike Plan heads to the Austin City Council. It also means opportunities to ride with local cycling advocates, learn more about commuting to work on a bike, tons of group rides, and, best of all, free breakfast on Bike to Work Day, May 15.
Austin is one of 23 communities in the United States that has earned silver status in the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community rankings. Nine others have gold status, and three — Davis, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Boulder, Colo. — have platinum status.
What do we need to bump up to gold or platinum status? A lot.
More bike infrastructure, more cyclists, and more plans for the future, says Meghan Cahill, director of communications for the League. We’ve been making progress on that last one. The city has been working on a new Bike Plan, last updated in 1998, will be presented to the Austin City Council in the next few weeks.
Besides plans for new bike routes, it includes provisions for training the entire Austin Police Department on bicycle laws to ensure consistent enforcement.
The plan will be presented to the City Council for possible action on Thursday, May 21. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. To speak at the council meeting, you must sign up in advance in the lobby of City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St.
For a full lineup of Bike Month activities, go to http://www.austincycling.org/bikemonth.
Here are some highlights:
Get on your bike! It saves gas money, keeps cars off the street, whips you into shape, and makes it fun to get around.
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April 27, 2009
Austin cyclist wins Athens Twilight Crit
Austin-based cyclist Heath Blackgrove, a New Zealand native, won the 30th running of the Athens Twilight Criterium this weekend in downtown Athens, Ga. (Thanks for the photo, Brandon Andrews Photography!)
“It’s the biggest crit in America, and I’ve heard a lot of stories about it. So to win the first time doing it, with a crowd like this, is pretty special,” Blackgrove told VeloNews.
The race was part of a series of races held around Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina over nine days. Blackgrove, 28, was one of three cyclists in a breakaway late in the 80km race.
Weather was perfect and turnout was huge, according to the report.
Other Team Hotel San Jose cyclists finished well, too. Carlos Vargas Columbia was 12th, and Sean Sullivan was 39th. Barry Lee got caught behind a crash could not catch up.
Blackgrove is a former Olympian and 12-time national champion in New Zealand. He started cycling in the United States in 2006, initially racing for Toyota-United. He discovered Austin while racing the Austin Downtown Criterium, where he met directors and management for Team Hotel San Jose. He joined Team Hotel San Jose in 2009. He and his girlfriend Sharyon Johns both now live and train here.
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April 24, 2009
Update on cyclist injured on Loop 360
Anthony Kaim, the cyclist seriously injured in an accident on Loop 360 April 11, has been moved from intensive care to intermediate care at Brackenridge Hospital.
Kaim, 28, was riding across the Pennybacker Bridge when he hit something in the road, lost control of his bicycle, hit the curb and then ricochetted into traffic. A car ran over him.
Since the accident, Kaim has undergone surgery to repair five fractured vertebrae. He’s also had jaw surgery and hip/pelvis surgery. He had a tracheostomy, too.
He was on a respirator for a week and developed pneumonia and anxiety issues, according to his wife Heidi. But he has been able to talk a little. He’s even accepting a few visitors.
Heidi Kaim has been writing about his progress at an online site called Caring Bridge. You can read her daily updates at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/anthonykaim.
That’s Anthony and Heidi in the gorgeous photo above.
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April 23, 2009
Unofficial mountain bike trails blocked
When Balcones Canyonland Preserve staffers discovered someone cutting down trees to make a new mountain bike path on preserve land last week, they ordered him off the property and installed cables to block access to the unauthorized trail.
Now Austin mountain bikers are worried that other unauthorized trails in the Scottish Woods area will be blocked. They’ve posted on local cycling chatrooms and peppered me with emails about the incident.
Access to BCP lands by cyclists has long been a contentious issue.
I was referred to Kevin Buchman, spokesman for the city of Austin Water Utility, to find out more. Buchman says unauthorized trail cutting has been an ongoing problem on BCP lands. The city of Austin Water Utility helps manage the property.
“What we’re seeing is bicyclists going out there and saying ‘We want a new trail.’ People are accessing the property at their discretion, cutting down trees and creating the trail themselves with saws,” he says.
It’s currently golden-cheeked warbler nesting season and the land is part of the birds’ nesting area. “They’re very sensitive animals and we have to make sure we are protecting that species and their nesting habitats,” Buchman says. “We’ve got to limit access.”
Last week, Balcones Canyonland Preserve staffers were checking property in the Scottish Woods area of the Barton Creek Greenbelt when they encountered someone with a saw in hand. They told the man to leave the property, but didn’t take any enforcement action against him. They also installed cables to block access to the unauthorized trail.
“We’d blocked it before with the brush they’d cut down, but they were going in there and removing it and continuing to cut down more trees,” Buchman says. “People are not allowed to go on BCP property and cut down trees. It’s against the law.”
Buchman says the agency could cable other unauthorized trails if problems persist. “If we have to, yes, we’ll definitely do that. But that’s not our goal,” Buchman says. “Our goal is not to limit access that’s currently available on the BCP property. Our primary mission for BCP property is to protect endangered species.”
Besides the golden-cheeked warbler, the black-capped vireo also lives on the BCP land.
Local mountain bikers say they worry that access to other unofficial trails in the area could be jeopardized.
“Those side trails are elemental to the Austin biking experience,” one said. “The side trails allow access to terrain you aren’t going to find on the main trail along the creek bed. It offers a place to hone your skill set. It also allows you to escape the crowds that come down to the Greenbelt. The mountain biking scene here is known for good back country technical riding and that’s exactly what exists on side trails.”
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April 17, 2009
First day of BP MS 150 cancelled
The first day of the BP MS 150 is cancelled.
The Houston-to-Austin bike ride, which raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, was supposed to start Saturday. So far, Sunday’s ride from LaGrange to Austin is still on. About 13,000 bicyclists were registered for the event.
Here’s what’s posted on the BP MS150 web site:
“Due to unsafe conditions along the Day One route and in La Grange, we have decided to cancel the first day of the BP MS 150, Saturday, April 18, 2009. At this time we intend to ride as scheduled on Day 2, Sunday, April 19, from La Grange to Austin. We are currently assessing the logistics and route conditions from La Grange to Austin and will continue to update you as those details become available. Please continue to visit this site for updates.”
For updates, check the website at www.ms150.org.
UPDATE
At this time the Lone Star Chapter of the National MS Society plans to have the 25th Anniversary of the BP MS 150 take place on Sunday, April 19 from La Grange to Austin. Cyclists will start at the Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange in the town square (151 N Washington St, La Grange, TX 78945). The ride will start at 8 a.m.
We ask that cyclists find their own transportation to La Grange on Sunday. Due to the minimal parking available we ask that cyclists either car pool or arrange to be dropped off in La Grange. We will be providing both rider and bike transportation back to La Grange from Austin on Sunday evening. We will also be providing transportation from Austin to Tully Stadium in Houston.
Drop Off Information A drop off area is available at Water and River Street in La Grange.
Parking Information
La Grange High School 820 S. Vail Street La Grange, Texas 78945 Map
La Grange Intermediate School 192 S. Vail Street La Grange, Texas 78945 Map
KC Hall 171 S. Main Street La Grange, Texas 78945
Cyclists will be able to park and then ride their bikes to the Court House.
Revisions to the route and new start will be posted shortly.
A customer service area will be available at the Omni Westside Hotel in Houston on Friday, April 17 from 2pm-12 Midnight and Saturday, April 18 from 8am-5pm.
Continue to check our website for the latest updates.
Due to the cancellation of Day One of the 2009 BP MS 150, all standard Day One support services — including rider support, transportation and breakpoints - will not be available. Because of existing conditions along the Day One route and in La Grange, the National MS Society strongly advises riders to adhere to the cancellation for their own safety. The safety of all participants - including riders, volunteers, their supporters and all personnel - is the priority this weekend and the National MS Society will continue to work in the best and safest interests of all our participants.
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April 16, 2009
Last minute MS150 notes
Four years ago I pedaled my bike from Houston to Austin as part of the BP MS 150. (They call it the “150,” by the way, but it’s actually 180 miles over two days. With plenty of hills in the mix.)
It’s a great ride, for a great cause — the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The tradition started in Minnesota as a way to raise money to fight the chronic and often disabling disease of the central nervous system. An estimated 400,000 Americans have multiple sclerosis.
This weekend marks the 25th rendition of the Houston-to-Austin version of the ride, organized by the Lone Star Chapter. The ride will roll no matter the weather.
The final packet pick-up and Expo will take place at the Omni Houston Westside Hotel from 2-9 p.m. Friday, April 17. Bike inspections, mechanical services, cycling merchandise and commemorative merchandise will be available. You can also submit any pledges, pick-up your T-shirt, goody bag and meet with your Champion. A pasta buffet will be available for purchase as the “carb-loading” dinner.
The ride draws 13,000 cyclists, 3,000 volunteers and tons of supporters. Last year it raised more than $15 million to fight multiple sclerosis.
For more information, go to http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/bp-ms-150/index.aspx.
And let me know how the ride goes!
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April 13, 2009
Cyclist hit on Loop 360 in ICU
Anthony Kaim, the cyclist hit on Loop 360 at the Pennybacker Bridge Saturday morning, is scheduled for three surgeries this week but has no brain injuries, according to his wife.
Kaim broke several ribs and his left hip, shattered his pelvis, fractured his spine in four or five places and broke his jaw in three places, Heidi Kaim told me this morning. He’s in intensive care at University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
“I think it’s a miracle he’s as good as he is,” she says. “He’s actually conscious and talking and in his right mind. He’s asking a lot of questions because he is a lawyer.”
Anthony Kaim was riding southbound on Loop 360 when he apparently ran over debris or hit a bump, which caused him to lose control of his handlebars and hit the cement barrier on the right side of the road. He bounced back into traffic on the left and was hit by a car.
“It wasn’t like anybody was at fault, it was just a freak accident,” Heidi Kaim says.
Anthony Kaim is a Category 3 cyclist who rode on the University of Texas cycling team and now competes with the Gulf Coast Cycling Association team. He had recently finished law school and works as a clerk for a Fifth Circuit Judge in Austin.
He is scheduled for two surgeries Tuesday and another on Wednesday.
“He would just want to thank everybody for keeping him in their thoughts and prayers,” she says. “He’s touched by everybody rallying around.”
She’s sure he’ll be back on the bike as soon as he can. “It’ll take physical therapy for a long time. They’re thinking in six months he can be slightly active again. It’ll be maybe a year before he’s able to ride.”
Joseph LaFico was in a group of cyclists about 15 minutes behind Kaim’s pack. When he arrived at the accident scene, emergency crews had closed the roadway.
He describes Kaim as a “very experienced cyclist, definitely not a newbie. Just a good, solid guy who rides under the radar.”
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March 25, 2009
FUNemployed Ride
Lost your job? Go ride your bike!
Bicycle Sport Shop is sponsoring a FUNemployed Ride starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 26.
All you folks who’ve been laid off (and I know more than a few of you!) can spend the morning pedaling around town commiserating about the sorry shape of the economy.
The ride starts at the shop, 517 S. Lamar Blvd., at 9 a.m. and should last about three hours.
For more information call 477-3472 or email socialmedia@bicyclesportshop.com. If you’re on FaceBook, go to the Bicycle Sport Shop page.
One person already posted a note there, saying, “Too bad I have to work.”
Ha!
The store is also hosting a “Women’s Mainteneance Clinic” at 6 p.m. Thursday. Great chance to learn some basic maintenance, ladies!
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March 23, 2009
Why all the Lance bashing?
When word came this morning that Austin cyclist and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong crashed during the first stage of a five-day race in Spain and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, it didn’t take long for the venom to spew.
Want to see what I mean? Just read the comments under the Associated Press article, posted here.
The story says that Armstrong may have injured his collarbone. No word yet on how that could affect his plans to make his comeback at the Tour de France in July.
Immediately the poison started to flow.
“That’s what happens when your head gets SO big you can no longer keep your balance,” one wrote.
“Lancy pants got a boo boo - hey buddy, stand up and suck it up….I see little kids that fall down and get right back up, so whats your excuse? Oh yeah you’re a pansy,” wrote another.
What’s up with that? Armstrong fan or not, I don’t think I’ll ever understand all the hatred that gets heaved his direction. And I’m pretty sure that the folks who are so quick to criticize aren’t as successful as Armstrong is in whatever they do. (Clearly, they’re not good at grammar.)
Love him or hate him, Armstrong’s presence adds to the interest of the worldwide cycling scene. He’s been drug tested repeatedly, and has never failed a test.
So, what exactly is the point of the bashing? Jealousy? Inferiority complex? Hoping to rile up the bloggers? Nothing better to do at work?
Why not just be quiet?
Someone, please explain…
(The AP photo above was taken Feb. 15 in California.)
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March 12, 2009
Soldier Ride
I needed all the extra layers I piled on this morning as I pedaled around Austin with a special group of cyclists.
About 30 veterans, plus another 30 family members and local cyclists, participated in the Wounded Warriors Soldier Ride, shoving off from Mellow Johnny’s at about 10:15 a.m. Some of the riders were missing arms or legs, some had brain injuries, and some just rode in support of those who have served our country in the military. All the veterans used specially-adapted bicycles.
The photo above shows me (looking very cold) with Major David Underwood, who lost his left arm in a bombing in Iraq. He wore a prosthetic that clipped directly to the handlebars of his bike.
We rode south across the river, headed north up Congress Avenue and on toward the University of Texas campus. I had to duck out a little past UT, but the group went on to Camp Mabry, then circled back to the bike shop.
Best part about the ride? Seeing guys who can’t walk climb on a bike and get the same sense of freedom they had as a kid just learning how to ride.
Other highlights? The two women outside Toy Joy toy store on Guadalupe Street waving big ribbons as we pedaled past. People in passing cars who tooted their horns and waved. People on the side of the street who cheered as the soldiers cruised by.
I forgot about the cold and rain because it was just so cool. No matter what you think about the war in Iraq, seeing these guys on their bikes drives home the point that many families have sacrificed a lot for the rest of us.
Thanks to Eileen Schaubert of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop for coordinating the event. You’ll be able to read more about it in my Fit City column in the newspaper on March 23.
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February 18, 2009
Probation for killing a cyclist?
It’s pretty pathetic when the widow of a bicyclist killed by a reckless driver considers two years of probation a “small victory.”
Word is out that a Hays County jury found Bradley Danz guilty of reckless driving when he struck cyclist Adam Raymond, 36, head on while rounding a curve on Mounta Gainor Road in 2007.
“It’s not what we originally hoped for but it’s a small victory in light of everything that happened and I was glad to see that the jury was unanimous in its vote that he did do something wrong,” said Libby Raibstein, Raymond’s wife.
Alvaro Bastidas, founder of Please Be Kind To Cyclists, a grass roots campaign to keep the streets safe for area bicyclists, called with the news yesterday. He was happy to see a driver finally convicted for striking a bicyclist.
Raibstein and Bastidas are right in one way. We’ve seen over and over examples of how motorists aren’t held responsible when they injure or kill bicyclists.
But really, this victory is on paper only.
Because if Fred Weber, first assistant district attorney for Hays County, is right, Danz will receive two years of probation for his crime. He is due to be sentenced next month on the misdemeanor charge.
That’s it?
Danz drives recklessly, kills a bicyclist, shatters his wife’s life and gets a couple of years probation? How can that happen?
A Department of Public Safety report stated that Danz’s pickup truck swerved into the middle of the road as he rounded the curve about 6:30 a.m.
The misdemeanor charge came after a Hays County grand jury failed to indict Danz on felony charges of criminally negligent homicide.
What will it take to make motorists responsible for what they do?
Learn more about Please Be Kind to Cyclists at www.bekindtocyclists.com.
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Check out the new Bicycle Master Plan
Big news, Austin bike commuters. We’re wheeling toward a new Bicycle Master Plan.
The City of Austin Bicycle Program began compiling an updated plan after a series of meetings about a year ago. Now they want to know what you think about it.
The plan aims to get more people on bikes and keep them safe while they’re cycling. It calls for new bike lanes, more signed routes, more off-street paths and more biking amenities.
You can check it out online at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/update2008.htm or see a copy at any Austin area library beginning Saturday.
Then, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, you can comment on it at an open house in the third floor training room of One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road.
Final adoption could take place sometime in late spring 2009.
Neighborhood association members can attend a presentation on the Bicycle Plan Update at the monthly meeting of the Austin Neighborhoods Council on Feb. 25. For more information go to www.ancweb.org.
For more information contact Nadia Barrera, Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator for the city of Austin at nadia.barrera@ci.austin.tx.us or (512) 974-7142 or visit the City’s Bicycle Program website at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/default.htm
Take a look and let me know what you think about it. What’s missing? What do you like about it?
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January 22, 2009
All Lance, all the time
Lance Armstrong is getting a massage. He’s watching television. He’s hugging a baby kangaroo.
Want to keep up with the minutiae in the cycling champion’s life? At http://www.livestrong.com/lance-armstrong/ it’s all Lance, all the time.
You can sign up to follow “Mister 4 Percent Body Fat” on Twitter, and get updates like this yesterday’s note: “Up early watching BBC.” Or an earlier tweet: “Just had a press conf after the race. On the massage table now.”
You can get news updates about the seven-time Tour de France winner’s performance at The Tour Down Under in Australia. You can get exercise tips from dozens of fitness experts, or read the latest nutrition advice. If that’s not enough, you can watch video clips of the Austin cyclist talking about his commitment to fighting cancer, his recent training in Hawaii, or his lactate testing.
Did you know that Armstrong sent a message to newly inaugurated President Barack Obama? You can watch it on the site. Want a demonstration of how to do side lunges to improve strength and core stability? The world’s best cyclist will show you. Want to know more about his training schedule? Check that here as well. Sometimes he even posts personal photos.
Interested? Or is there such a thing as too much Lance?
I’m curious…
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January 10, 2009
Commuter Chicks (on Bikes)
I met the creator of a really cool “bike chick” calendar you should check out. (You need a new calendar!)
Marsha Ungchusri rounded up female bicycle commuters for a 14-month calendar called The Cute Commute Calendar.
The photo above is the cover. Much better than swimsuits on a beach, wouldn’t you say?
The calendar costs $14.99 and is available at Progress Coffee, Pure Austin, Rogue Running, Hot Mama’s Espresso, Whole Foods, Mellow Johnny’s, and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles. You can also buy one by emailing bikeaustin@gmail.com. Calendars can be picked up centrally or delivered by bike in central Austin.
Ungchusri, a commuter herself, made the calendar to help launch and fund a new website, www.gobikeaustin.org, where she hopes to connect all parts of the Austin cycling community, from advocacy and transportation to racing and recreation. It will launch in February.
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January 2, 2009
Mountain biking in national parks
Do you want more mountain biking access in our national parks? Or do you oppose expanded access to mountain bikers in our parks?
You might be interested in the following from the International Mountain Biking Association:
“The U.S. National Park Service has proposed an important rule change that will make it easier for parks to open trails to mountain biking. IMBA urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of the new rule. We have been asking the NPS to make this change since the 1990s — we now enter a 60-day commentary period to make the change official.”
The press release goes on to say that several groups are trying to defeat the proposal, and it will take thousands of comments to ensure the rule is approved.
Critics of the proposed rule worry that the rule change will open sensitive lands to biking, but that’s not true.
“Many trails will not be good candidates for bicycle use,” the association says. “IMBA recognizes that bicycling will not be considered in Wilderness Areas or Wilderness Study Areas, and that many historic parks and battlefields will not be suitable for mountain biking. We also know, however, that shared-use trails have proven successful in thousands of locations, including many federally managed parks.
The most promising properties offer a combination of non-Wilderness lands and underutilized facilities that make them good candidates for expanded mountain biking opportunities. IMBA-affiliated clubs can assist the NPS in identifying the best locations for mountain biking. If the local NPS staff agrees an opportunity exists, our clubs stand ready to provide park staff with volunteer resources.”
None of the National Park Service’s procedures for environmental review will be diminished by the proposed rule change. The proposal states, “As a general matter, the proposed rule provides park superintendents with a more efficient and effective way to determine whether opening existing trails to bicycles would be appropriate in the park unit they manage.”
To send a message, go to the IMBA’s website here
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December 25, 2008
The Unfit Athlete: I'm a cyclist!
Another update from our favorite unfit athlete, who, it seems, is turning into a bicycling junkie. We’re proud of her:
When I started cycling about three months ago, I wasn’t sure I’d keep it up.
The first time I climbed on my bike, I crashed. My legs hurt. I couldn’t breathe.
Not just the first time, but the second time. And the third and the fourth.
Ordinarily, this is where I quit. Pain is not my friend, so why hang around? Not my thing. And, heck, it’s not like one bike ride/jog/swim burns that many calories anyway, right?
And that mindset is exactly why I’ve never been great at exercise.
Every time I’ve tried to get fit, it was to try and look good. Oh, I could spew all the “I just want to be healthy” junk I wanted, but it wasn’t true. I just wanted to fit into smaller jeans.
It wasn’t fun. Cycling is fun.
I like riding around my neighborhood and noticing things I’ve never seen.
There’s the house on Laird with the spider plants draping from a wheelbarrow planter and parakeets chirping through the windows. And the guy renovating a house down the street with just a few friends and an obviously limited budget. And the cute little house with bizarre gargoyle statues in front of it.
Every ride is a small adventure. I’m married with two little boys and three dogs. Adventures are few and far between, you know?
I also like the way I feel when I’m finished riding. I feel healthy and proud of myself.
And then, there’s the unexpected godsend: sleep.
For almost two years, sleep was my enemy. I stayed up all hours, trying to avoid the inevitable tossing and turning I knew my racing thoughts would cause. Sleep was my nemesis, alright, but Lunesta was my best friend. I took it constantly.
Once, my worried husband tried to throw them in the garbage. I lunged after them like a mother bear protecting her cubs. I kept extras in my work bag, just in case he tossed them while I was at work.
Very sad.
Then one night after taking a ride, I thought I’d skip my Lunesta. I fell asleep within minutes. I haven’t taken a pill since.
So you see, this time, I’m not exercising to be skinny. I’m exercising to change my life. I feel better — and I’m getting better. The first time I rode, I barely went a mile. Now I regularly go five miles.
Bottom line: I’m now part of Fit City. I’m a cyclist! I’m an athlete, sort of!
It’s a very odd feeling. I like it.
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December 20, 2008
Bike giveaway for military kids
Since we got such a good response from readers about that last holiday bike giveaway, here’s some info on another one. (Wow. What’s wrong with some of you people? Did someone forget to put the rum in your eggnog?)
Bikes for Goodness Sake is raising money to buy 533 bikes for children of deploying, deployed, or killed in action troops. The group is teaming up with the Texas Military Forces State Family Program and bike shops in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Temple, San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock, El Paso, Laredo, Weslaco and Corpus Christi. Each child, who ranges in age from 3 to 13, gets a brand new bike, a custom-fitted helmet by a bike shop pro, and a bike safety lesson.
“We believe that a bike is a small but powerful symbol for freedom,” says Mark Smith, executive director of the program. “A bike gives the opportunity for a child to experience the freedom that their parents’ are fighting for. We aim to honor and bring awareness of the sacrifice that these children make in support of their loved ones serving our country.”
It costs $142 for each bike and helmet. So far, about half the bikes have been paid for, Smith said Friday.
In Austin, Buck’s Bikes, 12530 Research Blvd., is participating in the campaign.
The organization gave away 52 bikes to children of Camp Mabry workers this July. “We got such great results that we expanded it to 12 cities and 10 other bike shops,” Smith said.
About 90 of the bikes being given away through the current program will go to kids in the Austin, Temple and Waco area.
To make a donation, go to www.bikesfgs.org. For more information, call 512-468-1953.
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December 19, 2008
Mix 94.7's Bikes for Kids
Remember your very first real bike?
Mine had a fat purple banana seat (remember those?) and big monkey bar handles. I cruised the neighborhood on it, giddy not to have Mom or Dad on my tail, even if it was just for an hour or so at a time.
I stopped by the Bikes for Kids giveaway at Mellow Johnny’s this morning, where radio station Mix 94.7 was handing out hundreds of Trek bicycles to needy families. I wish I could see the faces of the kids who’ll be getting them…
Lance Armstrong made an appearance, riding an itty-bitty bike out of the parking lot where all the shiny new Treks were parked. With fake snow floating from the top of the bike shop and happy people loading bikes into their cars, it just put me in a festive mood.
Mix 94.7 has given away 11,000 bikes since they started the program 12 years ago, according to disc jockey Sandy Rivers of the “JB and Sandy Morning Show.” This year alone, they handed out nearly 1,000 of them to families who couldn’t otherwise afford to give their kids much of a Christmas. Listeners have raised $1.1 million for the program since it began.
“That’s a lot of bikes,” Rivers said. “The community really comes out … especially this year, especially with the economy like it is.”
As of Tuesday, the radio station was $10,000 short of the money it needed to get the bikes. But they reached their goal.
Rivers and J.B. Hager started the program because they felt they had a responsibility to the city to give back. They found a perfect way.
“What was the most important thing when you were a kid? A bike. Our goal the first year was 94 bikes. We did that, and it’s just grown and grown and grown,” Rivers said.
I walked around back, where Kocoa Higgins, 36, was picking up bikes for her three boys, ages 13, 10 and 7. (That’s Kocoa in the photo with her nephew, picking up the bikes.)
“It’s awesome, excellent,” she said. “I had my car repossessed one day and lost my job the next. I was down and out. Thank gosh, they saved me.”
She can’t wait to hand over the bikes to her boys, who weren’t expecting much this year. No doubt they’ll tear down the driveway and revel in that freedom that a new bike brings.
“It’s an excellent program,” Higgins said. “I hope they continue to do it — and one day I’ll give back.”
Thanks, JB and Sandy, for making the holidays special for a whole bunch of Austin kids.
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December 16, 2008
Survey: People think biking is dangerous
Almost 70 percent of people think bicycling is “very dangerous” or “somewhat dangerous,” according to a new study by the University of Texas.
No wonder I see so few people commuting when I ride my bike to work once a week.
Here in Austin, we’re slightly more open to biking that other parts of the state. Cyclists in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio are more worried about vehicle crashes than cyclists in other Texas cities, according to the study, by the Center for Transportation Research and spearheaded by Chandra Bhat, a professor in UT’s Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. The sample included 1,605 bicyclists, age 18 or older, living in more than 100 Texas cities. About half use their bikes for commuting. The others bicycle only for non-commuting purposes.
Transportation accounts for about one-third of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, Bhat says. Within that sector, travel by personal vehicles accounts for nearly two-thirds of those emissions.
Yet only 0.9 percent of all trips in the United States are made by bicycle, and only 0.4 percent are commute trips.
That’s pretty pathetic, considering that many trips taken by car are easily bikeable. According to a 2001 National Household Travel Survey, 41 percent of all trips in 2001 were shorter than two miles and 28 percent were shorter than one mile.
Bhat wants to know why so few trips are taken by bike, and he wants to help develop appropriate and effective strategies to increase bicycling. Through his survey, he found that people who have a more positive perception of the quality of bicycle facilities are more likely to bike to work.
Only about 14 percent of commuter bicyclists say they have bicycle lockers or safe storage rooms at their work place, and 72 percent of commuter bicyclists say they travel on unsigned roadways during their commute.
“The frequency and use of bicycling to work can potentially be increased by having bicycle lockers, bicycle racks and showers at work,” Bhat said.
Two other viable ways to increase bicycling, according to Bhat? Land-use strategies to encourage compact developments to reduce commute distances and education/information campaigns to highlight the benefits of bicycling.
Other survey findings:
The Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration sponsored the study. Results may be used to establish planning guidelines for the design of safe and efficient bicycle facilities and environments in Texas and around the country, according to a press release sent by the university.
Bhat and his graduate students, Ipek Sener and Naveen Eluru, will present the research at the National Transportation Research Board Meeting on Jan. 12 in Washington, D.C.
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December 13, 2008
Mountain biking in Waco
Ever eager to have my butt kicked, I drove up to Cameron Park in Waco this week to check out the mountain biking trails I’ve heard so much about.
It’s part of the legwork for a story I’m writing on things to do in Waco (now that we can’t afford to travel to far-flung places.)
I was pleasantly surprised.
Cameron Park has more than 20 miles of mountain biking trails spread across 416 acres of heavily wooded, hilly terrain along the Bosque and Brazos rivers.
I dragged along pal Marcy Stellfox to share in the adventure. We’re not hard-core cyclists. I do ride my bike to work once a week, but the Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail doesn’t exactly qualify as technical terrain. (Unless you count that patch just up from Lady Bird Lake, where you have to wobble across a streambed and a bunch of gravel.)
We met Park Ranger Kim Jennings, who was decked out in what looked like professional mountain racing garb with a nice Cannondale bike underfoot. Then two of her fellow rangers showed up, ready to tear through the thickets on two knobby wheels.
The trails are mostly single-track. They cut up and down a 100-foot bluff and wind their way through clumps of bamboo (where’s the panda bear?), groves of oaks and cedar, and across hand-made wooden bridges. Gorgeous!
Temperatures were in the 30s, but we were bundled up. As Kim and the other rangers charged ahead, Marcy and I paused (rather frequently) to dismount and walk our bikes up and down some of the sketchy stretches.
A nice thing about Cameron Park is that the trails are all color-coded, just like a ski resort. The easiest trails are marked in green, the intermediate ones are blue, and the expert ones are black.
We stuck mostly to green trails on the way out, cruising through drifting leaves and autumn colors. Then we jumped on a trail called California 65 — a black trail. I got a good workout pumping up inclines, hopping off my bike and walking down the steep and windy parts.
Yahoo! It reminded me a little bit of Walnut Creek Park in Austin, another great place to ride.
The photo above is the aftermath — me wearing red, Marcy in gray.
I’m bringing my husband to Waco to check this place out. He’ll love it, and I want to try a trail called Root Canal.
When you’re done riding, you can stop by the Dr Pepper Museum for a float from the soda fountain. Just rewards!
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December 5, 2008
Don't wear your bike helmet backward
A few weeks ago, while riding my bike to work, I passed a cyclist going the other direction along Lamar Boulevard. Something looked weird.
As she rolled by, it clicked — she was wearing her bike helmet backward.
Egad!
Just because you’ve got a helmet on your head doesn’t mean it’s doing its job. (I am a proponent of wearing a helmet, by the way. It just makes good sense.)
If the helmet is riding too high, the chin strap is too loose or it’s on backward, forget it. It’ll come off in a crash.
The Bike Helmet Safety Institute has lots of tips on proper helmet fit. For detailed information, go to http://www.bhsi.org/fit.htm.
Here’s a quick check list from the institute to make sure your helmet fits correctly:
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December 1, 2008
Lance Armstrong will race in 2009 Tour de France
It’s official: Lance Armstrong will go for his eighth Tour de France title this summer.
It doesn’t matter what you think of Armstrong, or why you think he decided to enter the Tour again. The Tour de France suddenly got a lot more interesting.
Here in Austin, we can look forward to another July packed with yellow ribbons, Tour de France watching parties and a mini-boom in cycling madness.
Bike stores will cheer the surge in sales Armstrong will no doubt bring. We’ll see more Lycra on our roadways. Those who can afford it will head to Paris in hopes of watching Armstrong cruise home on the Champs-Elysees with a glass of champagne in hand.
Some people love to hate on Armstrong. They love to second guess his every motive. No matter what they think of the man, they’re drawn to the sport’s most incredible success story.
At the moment, Armstrong is in the Canary Islands, training with Team Astana. He told the Associated Press today that he will ride in the 2009 Tour de France. Go here to read the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=3737287
I spent the day with Armstrong about five weeks ago, when he went for an 80-mile cruise through the Hill Country surrounding Wimberley. He looked fit and sounded focused. (The photo above was taken that day.)
Clearly, he loves the race. And this time, he’s got more motivation — spreading awareness of his global fight against cancer.
But he’s 37 now. He’s spent the last three years in retirement, although “retirement” for Armstrong included running three marathons and, more recently, racing mountain bikes.
Can his body still take the punishment that the world’s most grueling three-week race will bring? And this year’s route is interesting — the next-to-last day’s stage is a charge up the notorious Mont Ventoux, which Armstrong has called “the hardest climb on the Tour, bar none.”
There’s no guarantee that Armstrong will even be the leader of the Astana team, which also includes 2007 Tour winner Alberto Contador.
We’ll know more on Jan. 20, when Armstrong rolls off in his first elite bike race since he retired — the Tour Down Under in Australia.
I, for one, can’t wait to see how he does.
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November 23, 2008
Wipeout!!!!
Check out this video of a guy named Miles Todd tumbling down a cliff on his mountain bike. It’s been floating around the Internet a couple of years, but is definitely worth a peek:
Todd and two of his buddies were riding some single track trails at Carrizo Gorge east of San Diego on New Years Day 2004 when Todd lost his balance. He fell 10 feet nearly straight down, then rolled over rocks and scrub for another 140 brutal feet into the ravine.
The video made Todd a You Tube sensation. My body hurts just watching it.
You can read all about Todd and the circumstances of the wreck at http://www.mountainbikebill.com/milescrash.htm. There’s even a link to the dialogue of what everyone says in the video. (Warning: As you might expect, it contains curse words.)
Here’s a sampling of what the guys say as they approach the disaster zone:
Eric: “You’re not going to try it?”
Bill: “Look at the penalty for failure, dude.”
Miles: “Sure, I’ll try it.”
The rest is, um, history.
Luckily, Todd survived with remarkably few injuries. Here’s what he reported after the accident:
“i have a broken pinky metacarpal (multiple fractures), and a severely sprained index finger on my right hand. my left wrist is sprained, too, which explains the one-finger no-caps typing. have random stitches here and there, and a whole lot of painful cuts and bruises. am very grateful for my helmet an waterpack for saving my life and my spine. the cuts on my nose and forehead were from my glasses, which broke big-time. after i climbed 150 feet back up to the trail, i had to ride the ten miles or so back to the cars. i’m quite nearsighted, so it made it hard to see the trail very well at all. still, i am glad to have gotten back on the bike right away, because it kept my from stiffening like a board and also helped prevent me from going into shock.”
What do you think? Should Todd have attempted the stretch of trail? What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done on a mountain bike?
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November 20, 2008
America's top bicycling cities
Bicycling Magazine has unveiled its annual list of the country’s best cities for cycling.
And no, Austin’s not on the list.
The usual suspects made it once again:
To read all the nitty gritty details, go here: http://www.bicycling.com/topic/0,6614,s1-2-19-0-0,00.html
On the magazine’s list of most improved cycling cities? New York City, Louisville Ky., and Washington, D.C. It also named Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Boston, Columbus, Ohio and Fargo-Moorehead, N.D. as future best cities.
Austin didn’t make the list of top cities, but at least it didn’t land in the list of worst cities for cycling, like Dallas did. Also on the worst list were Memphis and Miami.
“Dallas boasts a vibrant cycling community, but riding in and around the city requires nerves of steel,” the magazine wrote. “Fast, multilane highways choked with traffic dominate the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex, which some suspect might soon even sprawl over the Oklahoma border.”
Austin does get a mention, along with a couple of dozen other cities that like bikes. Oddly, it names Capitol of Texas Highway our city’s best ride.
Really?
Maybe 10 years ago. But in my book, traffic’s gotten too heavy to make that an enjoyable ride. Factor in the cyclist fatalities that have occurred there and I’ll take my training rides outside of town. My favorite spot is the two-lane park road between Bastrop and Buescher state parks 30 minutes east of Austin. Or some of the two-lane roads near Dripping Springs.
Hey. We’re making progress.
Have you tried the new bike lanes on Barton Springs Road? Checked out the parts of the Lance Armstrong Bikeway that have opened? Been in any of our city’s awesome bike shops? Attended the Tour de Fat bike festival? Ridden the Veloway? Participated in the LiveStrong Challenge? The MS150 Bike Tour? Seen the AT&T Austin Downtown Criterium? Been to the Thursday Night Crit Series at The Driveway? Pointed your mountain bike down a trail at Walnut Creek? City Park? Seen Lance Armstrong cruise by on his bike? Seen the amazing creations of the Austin Bike Zoo? Raced the Dirt Derby cyclocross races in Del Valle? Cruised the Barton Creek Greenbelt …
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November 11, 2008
Pedal Austin's biggest hills on Tour das Hugel
A couple of years ago, I rode part of the annual Tour das Hugel. This weekend, you can ride it, too.
For the uninitiated, the Hugel is a quad-frying bike ride that covers 100 miles around Austin, tackling the most brutal hills the city can dish up. Finishers claim some 11,000 feet of elevation gain. And a lot of pain.
This year’s sweatfest is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Saturday at Zilker Park, under the Loop 1 Bridge.
The route differs each year. On the agenda for 2008? Pedal-powered trips up Jester Boulevard, Beauford Drive, Smokey Valley, Courtyard Drive, Adirondack, the High Road and River Hills. To make sure you really weep, organizers plan the climb up Jester very close to mile 100.
In the biking community, everyone knows those hills. They just don’t normally combine them in one single ride.
Thankfully, the ride is divided into two halves and has several convenient return points. When my husband and I did it, we cheated by cutting out a few climbs — and we stopped at the half-way point. I was still tired.
That year, about 20 of the 60 riders who started the ride finished it all, without cheating.
If you do finish, it’s the equivalent of riding from the base of Colorado’s Pike’s Peak to the summit, and then some. It’s nearly three times the vertical rise of the Vail Mountain ski area.
Rest stops and sag support are provided and the ride is free. Riders are asked to donate their usual ride entry, snack and drink money to Austin Yellow Bike, which will pass a hat at the start. Last year the group raised almost $1,000 for the non-profit.
For more information, email david@skyonic.com or go to http://www.tourdashugel.com/Home.html.
What do you think are the toughest hills to climb by bike in Austin?
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November 6, 2008
Lance Armstrong on making Austin bike friendly
I spent a day with Lance Armstrong a few weeks ago, mainly picking his brain about getting back into bike racing. But on the drive out to Dripping Springs, where he got on his bike and I followed in a truck as he pedaled a quick 80 miles, we had time to talk about a lot of things, including what can be done to make Austin more bike friendly.
“I think the easiest and most logical thing is to try to encourage motorists to be respectful,” the Tour de France champion said. “For most people who are beginning cyclists, it can be scary when a car comes by and gives you a nice clean shave.”
Even for non-beginners, it can be a hair-raising experience.
Armstrong also believes we need more bike infrastructure — specifically more bike lanes, ideally elevated or separated from the main lanes of vehicle traffic — in our city. “If you had the bike lanes, it would make life easier for both (cars and cyclists),” he says.
He considers Portland, Ore., Boston and Louisville, Kent., good examples of bike-friendly cities.
“It really has to be viewed as an investment in the health of citizens,” Armstrong says. “It’s also taking a car off the road. It cuts down on traffic — that’s the environmental component.”
We also, of course, need to work on our manners. And that means people in cars and on bikes.
“The anger between cyclists and motorists — there’s some mental reaction some people have,” Armstrong says. “It’s ‘What’s this bike doing in my way?’ But if it’s a dog, a squirrel, a man on a horse or a tractor, they don’t have the same reaction.”
Armstrong once had a famous encounter with a grouchy motorist near Lake Travis who wasn’t happy to share the road with a bike. But it’s not just in Austin, or Texas, or even the United States with attitude deficiencies.
“This is a problem all over the world,” Armstrong says. “The only place I never had a problem was Asia.”
And it’s not all in motorists’ hands either, he says. “Cyclists also have to be mindful, you can’t always ride two abreast,” he says. “We have to get along.”
Which brings us to the bike commuter portion of our discussion. Armstrong thinks we should do more of it. That’s why his shop, Mellow Johnny’s in downtown Austin, doesn’t sell just high-end racing cycles. It carries plenty of commuter appropriate bikes, and even has showers where bike commuters can clean up before they head to the office.
So, what do you think Austin can do to be kinder to cyclists?
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November 4, 2008
A checklist for your first long bike ride
The Wurst is yet to come!
Hundreds of cyclists will pedal from Austin to New Braunfels as part of the sixth annual Wurst Ride this Saturday. Once in New Braunfels, they’ll head to Wurstfest, where they’ll duck into tents to listen to oompah bands, gobble sausage and sip beer.
It’s one of a number of group bike rides on the schedule for this fall.
To make sure you’re ready for the festivities, we checked with local cycling coach Stefan Rothe for a few tips on how to survive your first big group ride.
As for the Wurst Ride, cyclists choose between a 100K or 42K fully supported route, followed by a post-ride party in New Braunfels. Proceeds benefit the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation. (To register, go to www.wurstride.com.)
Rothe, a 27-year-old Cat 1 cyclist, grew up in Germany and came to the United States in 2003 on a cycling scholarship. After earning a degree in exercise physiology from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, he moved to Austin and started his own coaching business. He now works with beginners, recreational riders and racers, designing training plans, teaching skills and tactics, and doing performance testing.
He’s been racing bikes most of his life. In 2006, he took fifth at the Student World Cycling Championships in Belgium. He now races for Arkansas-based Mercy Cycling Team. Just last weekend he came in third in the individual time trial at the Tour de Gruene. (Lance Armstrong won the event, so he had some stiff competition.)
For more information, go to his website at http://www.rothetraining.com/.
As for that first big ride? He suggests getting all your gear ready the night before, so you don’t need to look for your left cycling shoe at 6 a.m. on ride day. Eat an appropriate dinner the night before, focusing on things like pasta, rice or whole wheat bread, which are rich in carbohydrates. And get to bed! If you’re 100 percent rested in the morning, you can utilize your energy most efficiently. As a very tired bike rider, you won’t enjoy the scenery.
Here’s Rothe’s list of things to bring on the ride:
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October 31, 2008
Cyclists needed for study
Another local researcher is looking for guinea pigs for a scientific study. This time, it’s cyclists.
Ann Newstead, a PhD student at the University of Texas, is conducting a pedaling study and is looking for seniors who actively cycle and those who don’t cycle and are sedentary. They should be between 65 and 74 years old.
Participants will learn more about their leg power and muscle activity while pedaling on a stationary upright ergometer.
The study will require two two-hour visits, about a week apart. During the first visit, participants will learn about the study and practice the pedaling tasks - pedaling at a very fast rate for 3 to 5 seconds and then pedaling at slow, medium and fast cadences for 15 seconds. During the second visit, they will perform the pedaling tasks while Newstead collects information about their power and muscle activity. She will monitor heart rate and blood pressure to ensure safety.
Newstead is a physical therapist and has experience working with people of all ages.
She has a small grant from the American Physical Therapy Association and the Texas Physical Therapy Education & Research Foundation to pay the participants a $25 stipend. Free parking is available near Belmont Hall, where the study will take place.
If you are interested, contact Newstead at NEWSTEAD@uthscsa.edu or call 232-2686.
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October 28, 2008
Bicycle Advisory Council needs new members
Do you have an opinion about bicycle issues in our city?
The City of Austin’s Bicycle Advisory Council is looking for two new alternate members.
The council provides feedback to city staff on important bicycle issues in and around Austin. Members make recommendations on planning, funding priorities, signage and education. In the past, they’ve provided perspective on the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge and the Bowie underpass projects. They’ve reviewed the city’s existing Bicycle Plan and are helping to update it. And they’ve provided input on the alignment of the Lance Armstrong Bikeway through downtown.
“Mostly, they provide a means of communication between the bicycle program and area bicyclists,” says Annick C. Beaudet, project manager of the city’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Program.
Full disclosure: My husband Chris, who frequently rides his bike to work (as do I), is a member of the council, which has nine standing members and a panel of alternates.
Applicants should have an interest in cycling, particularly as a mode of transportation. They serve a two-year term and may reapply for membership. The group meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the third Thursday of every month.
Applications are due by Wednesday, Nov. 19. For more information or to apply, contact Nadia M. Barrera at 974-7142 or nadia.barrera@ci.austin.tx.us.
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October 25, 2008
Lance Armstrong riding Tour de Gruene
Hoping for a glimpse of Austin’s favorite cyclist? Head to Gruene, home of the Guadalupe River, one of the coolest wooden dance floors in the whole state, and a weekend of bike racing spiced up with German food and oompah bands.
Lance Armstrong, who recently announced his return to bike racing, told me this week he’d be riding in the 25th anniversary edition of the Tour de Gruene.
The weekend includes recreational tours of 14, 30 and 40 miles on Saturday, Nov. 1. Armstrong and his buddy John “College” Korioth, the 2008 U.S. National Road Champion in the 40-44 age group, will compete in the team time trials on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Here’s the official lineup:
Saturday: 9 a.m.: Recreational tours 3 p.m.: Individual 16-mile time trail
Sunday: 8 a.m.: Two-person 27.3-mile team time trial
For more information, go to www.tourdegruene.com.
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October 17, 2008
Bike commuting in the dark
On Nov. 2, we switch our clocks back an hour. That means it’s time for bicycle commuters to light themselves up like Christmas trees.
We definitely don’t want to look like the cyclist above.
My favorite piece of gear when lights get low? My light-up safety vest.
Attractive? No. Effective? Definitely.
I bought it online from a place called LEDtronics for $19.95. It uses two double A batteries, and aside from looking like the uniform for someone who gathers grocery carts at the local HEB, it makes me extremely visible to motor traffic after dark. Go here for details: http://www.ledtronics.com/products/ProductsDetails.aspx?WP=C352K648
I’ve got a few other tricks up my sleeve, too.
I have light-up caps that attach to the valves on my tires. They look cool when my wheels spin.
I’ve got a PlanetBike Superflash blinkie, which I’m convinced is the world’s brightest and most noticeable red bike blinkie. It’s attached just below my seat on the seatpost, so cars see me from behind.
Make sure your rear blinkie is unobstructed when you install it. Sometimes they get tilted too far up or down, or get blocked by a bag. And be sure the batteries are fresh, or it won’t glow as brightly as it should.
I’ve got two white lights perched on my handlebars up front — a blinking one to get me noticed, and a big one to light the road in front of me so I can see. That big one, by the way, requires an even bigger battery. The battery is about the size of a water bottle, and I carry it in my water bottle holder on the downtube of my bike.
I’ve even got a Velcro ankle band that’s made of reflective material. I put that on my right leg, so cars that approach from intersecting streets see me pedaling across.
I was reminded of the importance of being visible when I heard recently from another commuter who was hit by a car while riding to work. A truck turned in front of him and he smashed into its door. Thankfully, besides some lingering aches and pains — and a scar above his eye — he’s doing pretty well now.
The driver of the truck told the cyclist he didn’t see him until his head came through his passenger window.
Yikes! Bike visibility is important!
Wear bright and reflective gear or you may become invisible to cars.
And here’s one more tip: Have someone watch you coming and going on your bike when it’s dark out. They can give you a different perspective on how visible you are to others.
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October 14, 2008
The Unfit Athlete, part 2 -- Riding at night
This is one in a series of occasional blogs by Andrea Ball, a completely unfit reporter who wants to exercise but can never stick to one thing for very long. Right now, she is trying to get into bike riding.
I am the last person in the world who should ride her bike at night. But there I am almost every evening, trekking along the back roads of my North Austin neighborhood.
It’s not like I plan it that way. It’s just the only time I can do it.
Every night, I get home from work sometime between 6:30 and 7. I eat dinner, help the 6-year-old do his homework, tackle the 3-year-old before he can trash the TV remote, help give baths, then throw both kids in bed.
By then, it’s 8 or 8:30. That’s usually when I walk outside, pull out my bike, put on my helmet and hit the road.
I’ve got a headlight and a blinking taillight. I stay on the side of the road and stick to the back streets where drivers generally drive about 20 mph.
Still…
I’m doing everything I can to be safe, but the fact is, it’s dark. Bad things happen to cyclists during the day. Am I asking for trouble by prowling the roads at night? I think so.
I’m not an experienced rider. If someone wanted to run me over, it would take incredibly little effort.
But here’s the bottom line: This is when I can ride my bike. I am not waking up at 5 a.m. just to ride my bike.
Is it worth getting run over just to get a little exercise and stress relief? Obviously not. I’m just hoping the bicycle gods stay on my side.
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October 12, 2008
Tour de Fat will give you a bike for your car!
Ready to give up your car and commit to bike commuting? New Belgium Brewing wants you!
The beer maker, which hosts Tour de Fat, a celebration of all things bicycle, hits Fiesta Gardens in Austin on Oct. 18. It’s looking for someone to sign over their car title in exchange for a hand-built New Belgium commuter bike. (I nominate fellow Statesman blogger Jason Whaley!)
A funeral procession will be held for the winning car.
To apply, go to http://www.followyourfolly.com/pdf/biketrade.pdf.
Besides the bike funeral, Tour de Fat will include a costumed bike parade, rideable art bikes, a slow-down or throw down competition, live music and pancake juggling. For a complete lineup, go to http://www.tour-de-fat.com/city/austin.
Tour de Fat is free, but beer and merchandise proceeds benefit Yellow Bike Project, a non-profit organization that promotes human-powered transportation, runs a community bike shop and educates the community; Austin Cycling Association, which organizes bicycle rides almost every weekend; and Austin Ridge Riders, a non-profit that promotes safe and environmentally conscientious off-road bicycling.
Non-cyclists are welcome, too.
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October 11, 2008
Texas ranks low on list of bike friendly states
This probably comes as no surprise to most cyclists, but Texas ranks low in the League of American Bicyclists first ever Ranking of Bicycle Friendly States.
The non-profit group sent questionnaires to state bicycle coordinators. The surveys covered six key areas: Legislation; policies and programs; infrastructure; education and encouragement; evaluation and planning; and enforcement.
The highest scoring states? Washington, Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon and Minnesota. No big surprises there, although I didn’t realize Arizona liked bikes so much.
And no surprise, unfortunately, with Texas’ pitiful showing.
Overall, we ranked 30 out of 50. We got low marks for lack of a bike master plan and for paltry funding for bicycle projects. Austin did get at least one nod — the league noted that we’re one of their designated Bicycle Friendly Communities.
Washington earned points for its model bike laws, its mapped statewide bike route network, dedicated state funding for bicycle related programs and projects, and an active statewide bicycle advisory committee.
What can Texas do to improve its ranking?
To see the whole list, go here: http://www.bikeleague.org/news/090508bfs.php
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October 10, 2008
Tax benefits for commuter cyclists
There’s a wee bit of good news for bicyclists among all the doom and gloom surrounding the economy these days.
This from an article by Rachel Gordon from the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The bailout bill crafted by Congress and the White House to stop the tailspin of the nation’s financial sector also includes federal tax benefits for people who commute by bicycle.
Starting in January, workers who use two-wheelers as their primary transportation mode to get to and from work will be eligible for a $20-a-month, tax-free reimbursement from their employers for bicycle-related expenses. In return, employers will be able to deduct the expense from their federal taxes.”
No kidding!
While it won’t exactly put a ton of cash in your pocket, it at least legitimizes to a certain degree commuting to work by bike.
Here’s more from the article:
“Bike advocates had been trying for seven years to get such a provision passed, but came up short until Congress rushed through the Wall Street bailout package last week and lawmakers squeezed in pet projects. The bicycle benefit was championed by members of the Oregon delegation on Capitol Hill.
Backers estimate that the federal tax rolls may lose out on about $1 million a year due to the new employer write-off, according to the advocacy group League of American Bicyclists.”
What do you think?
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October 2, 2008
Best place to ride a bike in Central Texas
My favorite place to ride a bike in Central Texas tied for fourth in the A-List’s poll this week.
What’s wrong with you people?!
Haha.
I’ve ridden all 10 places that made the list. The first place winner — the Barton Creek Greenbelt — comes as no surprise. The Greenbelt, which snared 21 percent of the vote, is right in town and packed with challenging terrain. You can hop on at the trail head near Barton Springs Pool and pedal for miles, crossing streams, clattering through fields of “baby heads” (grapefruit-sized rocks) and generally hammering your spine while you try to stay on your bike. It’s a back-to-nature fix in the middle of the city.
I prefer the park road linking Bastrop and Buescher state parks, but that’s just me. (It also depends if I’m looking for a mountain bike route or a road bike route.)
If I’m on a road bike, the park road is perfect — a series of rolling hills on a lightly-traveled road thick with pine trees, toads and sound-damping pine needles. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the park from Austin, and from there you can park near the swimming pool. Pedal the loop around Bastrop State Park first, then hop on the road to Buescher. It’s enough to work your quads, but not turn your legs to jelly. You’ll feel like you’re in the Piney Woods of East Texas.
Other top finishers on the A-List for Best Place to Ride a Bike?
The Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail got 20.7 percent of the vote. Nice, yes, but it gets crowded. You can’t air it out on the trail, either. You’ve got to be wary of pedestrians and baby strollers and other traffic. (I once encountered a motor scooter on the trail!)
The Veloway, that paved loop near the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, tied with the Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail with 20.7 percent of the vote. It’s another good place to ride (watch for snakes and armadillos), but closed loops tend to get boring after a while. But if you’re leery of cars, this is a good place to start.
I love Walnut Creek Park, which tied for my park road for fourth. It’s got lots of manageable trails, including one my husband and I call the “whoop de do” trail. You can lose your self out there in the spaghetti bowl of trails through the woods. That’s a good thing.
Also getting votes were the Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail with 7 percent (part of my weekly bike commute to work); the Driveway with 5.7 percent (check out the weekly crit races!); the Dam Loop (all I have to say about that RM2222 downhill is “Wheeeeeee!”) with 4 percent; and Muleshoe Recreation Area with 2.2 percent.
No love for Pace Bend Park …
Here are the complete results:
Where’s the best place to ride a bike in Central Texas?
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September 26, 2008
The unfit athlete
Pamela LeBlanc is out today, probably on a bear riding retreat. This a guest entry from Statesman reporter Andrea Ball, aka The Unfit Athlete.
Let’s just get this out of the way right now: I don’t exercise.
Not in the city. Not in the country. Nowhere. Sweating, I feel, is an unnatural condition that should be avoided at all costs.
I’m an indoor person. Inside is good. Inside is safe. Inside has food and fans and cable.
So there. I’ve put it out there. Now you will understand the magnitude of what I am about to say.
Earlier this month, I bought a bike.
I’d wanted one for quite a while. I figured it would be good for weight loss and stress. Let’s face it, all reporters can use an outlet for that bubbling rage we experience from time to time.
So I took the plunge and bought a $100 Fuji beach cruiser at Academy Sports.
(This is usually the part where serious cyclists look aghast and reprimand me for not going to a small bike shop where I would pay hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars to have someone mold a fantastic cycle around my squat little body.)
It was a fixed gear bike with 26-inch tires and high handlebars. I’d heard about gears, but I didn’t really know what they were for and, besides, I was just going to be riding around my neighborhood.
Literally 30 seconds into my first ride, I crashed. It was a slow fall, (caused by my inability to turn that humongous wheel away from the curb in time) but one that kind of hurt.
I looked at the bloody scrapes on my leg and hand, watched a neighbor walk right by me without saying a word, then climbed back on the bike.
I rode along the streets near my house. I’d never noticed the subtle hills before. My legs were killing me. I was sweating like a frosted beer bottle on a Sixth Street bar.
The whole thing thoroughly disgusted me, Two days later, I decided I hated this bike. I brought it back. Last weekend I finally bought a $60 Ozone something or other. It has 21 gears.
(Again, this is the part where people freak out and say I should have at least bought a used bike from Craigslist. My answer to this is that if something goes wrong with it in the first few weeks, I want to be able to return it.)
My first ride on this bike was so much better. Gears! I suddenly understood their purpose.
Still, the other day I crashed again. Stupid curbs.
So that’s it. I’ve got some ugly bruises, but I’m still going. I suspect my helmet is going to get a lot of use.
Maybe I should get kneepads.
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September 24, 2008
Bikes and cars: Share the road
I live in Allendale, just a couple of blocks off of Shoal Creek, one of the main bicycle commuter corridors in our city.
The other day, a discussion about bicyclists popped up on the neighborhood list serve. I ride my bike work along Shoal Creek about once a week, so it caught my attention.
Here’s what one woman who lives on Shoal Creek wrote:
“Yesterday at 7:25 or 7:30 p.m. I was at the intersection of Shoal Creek and Anderson, heading south on Shoal Creek. Two cyclists were riding side-by-side in the right lane (not the bicycle lane), taking up the entire right (turning) lane. As the light changed at Anderson (before the intersection was fully clear), they jetted out into the intersection, in front of the cars in the left lane, and kept riding two abreast. At Foster Lane they blazed through the stop sign and kept going down Shoal Creek, two abreast, although a) they were in the right hand turning lane (and it is a “turn only” lane) and b) Shoal Creek narrows to one lane south at that point, which meant they cut directly in front of traffic where there is no merge. I generally defend cyclists and am learning city biking myself, but I was really dismayed to see this kind of disregard for their own personal safety (never mind road rules).”
She brought up another issue, too: “I also wanted to mention to the participants in the Midnight Cruise that they might consider being more mindful of people trying to sleep in the neighborhoods they pass through. This is not downtown; most of us are not awake at 2:30 a.m., and sustained yelling/cheering is not doing anything for public relations.”
I emailed with the woman later, and she told me she’s interested in learning the rules of the road as a driver and as a new cyclist. “I’m willing to admit total ignorance and like to be educated, but really don’t want to deal with the car vs. bike hostility that continually crops up,” she emailed.
She was just one of a number of neighbors who chimed in on the subject of cyclists.
One complained about groups of cyclists, or even single riders, who ignore bike lanes and ride in the middle of the street. “The lack of consideration is pathetic, and honestly, I have seen it many times with a lot of these cyclists,” he wrote.
One said this: “I second the notion that the cyclists are starting to ‘take over’ Shoal Creek.”
There’s a lot of misinformation out there.
For one, a lot of folks aren’t aware that Shoal Creek doesn’t have designated bike lanes. The wide lanes on the sides of the road are for parked cars and cyclists. That’s a tricky combination. If you’re on a bike, you sometimes have to swerve around the cars. That can startle motorists on the road who drive too close to the white line. And it can be deadly for those of us on bikes.
Sometimes taking the lane is the safest and best option for a cyclist. If you try to hug one side of the street, you’re inviting cars to buzz past, too close for comfort. It’s safer to ride in the center of the lane. It’s also legal.
With the economy down and gas prices up, there are more cyclists on the road, and it’s up to everyone — motorists and cyclists — to pay attention, obey the law and share the roads.
I’m beyond tired of the bickering. We’re all taxpayers, we all have a right to use the road, and yes, both sides are guilty of infractions.
It’s frustrating to see other riders blowing through stop signs and ignoring laws. It’s equally annoying to see motorists making illegal lane changes, speeding or rolling through stop signs.
The best thing we can all do is obey the laws and look out for the other guy. Thoughts?
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September 12, 2008
Lance Armstrong racing at Snowmass
Just got this from the folks at Snowmass Village in Colorado. Lance is busy again doing high-altitude bike racing. (He did a race at Aspen this week, too.) Sounds like fun. But what … he’s not doing it solo?
Read on:
Snowmass Village, CO (September 11, 2008) — As if this spectacular weekend in Snowmass wasn’t already superlative — heavy with the tallest balloon in America attending one of the highest altitude balloon festivals in the nation, Colorado’s newest endurance race reported that cycling legend Lance Armstrong will be among the racers at Snowmass this Sunday.
Just days after announcing his return to professional cycling, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will compete as part of a three-person team in the 12 Hours of Snowmass.
Dave Weins, who edged out Lance Armstrong to win this year’s “Leadville 100” endurance bike race also has entered as part of a three-person team. Another top endurance biker, David “Tinker” Juarez, a two-time Olympic rider and gold medalist in the Pan American Games, has entered in the solo division, ensuring high-energy, fierce competitions in multiple divisions.
“We thought this weekend couldn’t get any better, but we were wrong!” says Snowmass Village marketing director Susan Hamley. “We’re thrilled to welcome Lance Armstrong to Snowmass Village, and we’re all going to be out there rooting the teams on.”
The 12 Hours of Snowmass, which sends racers out onto the trails of Snowmass from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14, is part of the prestigious Rocky Mountain Ultra Regional Endurance Series and benefits the Aspen Youth Center and Extreme Sports Camp. The event caps off an extraordinary mountain weekend that also includes three days of hot air balloon competitions over Snowmass.
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September 8, 2008
Lance Armstrong coming back?
Maybe I should have paid closer attention last week when a cycling buddy of mine mentioned that Lance Armstrong rode the Tuesday nighter, a long-time group ride/unofficial race that unfolds on the south side of Austin every week. Armstrong wasn’t just tagging along to look at the scenery, he was blasting along.
But word today from VeloNews took me by surprise: The seven-time Tour de France winner, now 36, might be coming out of retirement and hopes to race in the 2009 Tour de France, according to the biking journal’s website. And just like that, we’ve got reason to tune in to the world’s biggest cycling race.
I guess we should have expected it, if it’s true. Retirement in the sports world doesn’t really mean anything anymore (see Brett Favre and a multitude of boxers who don’t understand what the word means), and Armstrong did crank it up at the Leadville 100 this summer. Armstrong finished second, behind six-time defending champion Dave Wiens, in the 100-mile mountain bike race through the Rocky Mountains. Wiens shaved 13 minutes off the course record, and Armstrong finished less than 2 minutes behind him.
Just last week, Armstrong came in sixth in the Nike+ Human Race, finishing the 10K in about 34 minutes, no matter the 96-degree temperature.
Of course, an athlete like Armstrong must find it hard to coast at anything.
I’m betting Armstrong will add to his collection of yellow jerseys in France next year, if he’s really back in. I’d argue that if he’d raced the tour in 2007 and 2008, he’d already have nine victories, and would be eyeballing his 10th. Instead, we got the Floyd Landis public relations disaster in 2007 and a win from Carlos Sastre this year. I just lost interest, and I think a lot of others did with me.
Apparently Armstrong’s got something left to prove. VeloNews says he won’t collect any salary or bonuses (not that he needs them), and will post his internally-tested blood work online.
Will that silence the critics? I doubt it.
Word of Armstrong’s possible un-retirement (does retirement actually mean anything in the sporting world these days?) ripped through the Austin cycling community on Monday.
Cyclist Ian Dille, who rides with Super Squadra, Bicycle Sport Shop presented by Girling Elite Cycling Team: “Cool. It’ll add just that much more much needed publicity to the sport. Lance is a total celebrity and gets people who know nothing about cycling watching Versus with diehard enthusiasm. Do you think Vande Velde or Leipheimer will ever appear in U.S. Weekly?”
Dille adds that word in the cycling community is that Armstrong is as lean as anyone’s ever seen him. (Maybe it’s all that marathon running he’s been doing?)
And about that Tuesday Nighter last week? Armstrong finished second, and just barely, crossing the unofficial finish line on the wheel of one of Dille’s teammates, Steven Wheeler. Also in on that battle? Dave Wenger and masters national champ John Korioth, whom I wrote about a few weeks ago.
“After Wheeler smoked them, Lance told College (that’s Korioth’s nickname), ‘We need to talk about your tactics.’ College’s reply: ‘We need to talk about your fitness.’ Anyway, as you can see, it’s definitely got us excited.”
Me too. I hope it’s true. I’d be Ihappy to see Armstrong back on the bike and racing. I’ll be watching in 2009.
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August 26, 2008
Cyclists and runners: Can we coexist on the trail?
Did you read David Alsmeyer’s letter to the editor on the editorial page today?
He wrote: “The hike-and-bike trail along Lady Bird Lake has seen increased usage in recent years primarily because of increased density in the central city. The city of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Trail Foundation have been studying ways to increase the capacity of the trail system. The simplest way to relieve overcrowding is to remove bicycles from the trail. In addition to the dust and erosion created by bicyclists, they are not safe for pedestrians.”
He’s right. The trail has gotten more crowded. He’s also right that a simple way to relieve overcrowding would be to remove bicycles from the trail.
That doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. We might as well remove all SUVs from our roadways to relieve traffic congestion.
I’m still a firm believer that cyclists and pedestrians can peacefully co-exist on our hike-and-bike trails. But both parties have to take some responsibility. Walkers and runners can’t travel three or more abreast, clogging the trail to other users. Likewise, bikes can’t blast through, scaring the pants off pedestrians and causing near collisions. The trail isn’t the place to practice speed training.
I’ve said this before: Cyclists should alert pedestrians that they’re approaching. One way to do that is by using a bike bell, which seems to get better results than shouting “On your left!”
Alsmeyer says that bikes cause dust and erosion. I’d argue that pedestrians cause just as much erosion as pedestrians. I’ve seen both cut the corner on designated trails, crushing vegetation and kicking up dirt. As it is, many times more pedestrians use the trail than cyclists. And he blames bikers for erosion and dust?
But removing cyclists altogether? Not yet. Cyclists and pedestrians need a safe place to exercise. They need safe routes to cross Lady Bird Lake.
We’re all taxpayers, and we’ve all paid to build that wonderful downtown trail system. That’s why it’s called a hike AND bike trail.
I’m a runner, a walker and a cyclist, and I use the trail for all three of those activities. I just rode my bike to work from Allendale this morning. The last few miles of my commute are on the trail around Lady Bird Lake. That keeps me off busy surface streets like Congress Avenue. I feel safer on the trail. And like runners, I like that short stretch on the trail because it’s pretty — I get to see the lake, the birds and the trees instead of sucking up fumes from passing traffic.
At peak times — just after 5 p.m. during the week and Saturday and Sunday mornings, we need to look out for one another.
I think at least for now that the trail’s big enough for all of us.
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August 25, 2008
Meals on Two Wheels
Leave it to Austin to combine charitable goodness, a hot meal and a good workout in one cool program.
Meals on Wheels and More is starting a bike version of its meal delivery service. On Sept. 15, the agency will launch “Meals on Two Wheels,” sending volunteers on bicycles out to deliver food to homebound elderly and disabled residents of Austin. They’ll deliver food along 12 pre-selected routes.
Just think: The volunteers get a little exercise, the non-profit agency cuts down on gas costs, we send fewer emissions into the environment and some of the most fragile residents of our community still get a healthy, hot meal.
A company that wants to remain anonymous provided a grant to keep a fleet of three specially-designed bicycles with cooler-holding carts at the agency’s headquarters. The program kicks off on Sept. 15.
I think it’s fabulous.
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August 24, 2008
Margarita bike ride
Already plotting next weekend’s fun?
Bicycle Sport Shop is holding a Margarita Ride at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30 starting at the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. The group will ride to happy hour at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, 301 San Jacinto St. in downtown Austin, for free appetizers, $2 draft beers and $5 margaritas. The first 50 riders will get a ticket for a free drink.
For more details, go here: http://bicyclesportshop.com/page.cfm?PageID=983
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August 18, 2008
Ride a bike to Democratic, Republican conventions
Imagine, hundreds of political convention-goers tooling around Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul on bicycles. Could it work?
Organizers of Freewheelin, the largest bike-sharing program ever launched in the United States, hope so. They’ve delivered 1,000 bicycles to Denver, where the Democratic National Convention will convene Aug. 25-28. The bikes will be set up downtown and around and major hotel centers for free use by convention attendees, residents and the media. To borrow a bike, all they have to do is register, head to one of eight bike stations, flash their Freewheelin card and pick up a helmet, bike and map.
When the Democratic convention ends, Freewheelin will do the same thing in Minneapolis-St. Paul, where the Republicans will gather for their convention Sept. 1-4. The idea is to demonstrate the health and environmental benefits of biking.
The bikes are equipped with an onboard computer that tracks and converts distance traveled, duration of the ride, calories burned and resulting carbon offset. The folks heading up Freewheelin say that if all the bikes were used during the entirety of both conventions, they could reduce the carbon footprint by 4.4 tons. And think of the calories burned and gas saved!
A 10-mile commute can save a bicyclist $7.50 in gas and car maintenance costs, according to Bikes Belong, a nonprofit cycling-advocacy group that is teaming with Humana, one of the nation’s largest health-benefits companies, to sponsor the Freewheelin program.
Bike sharing isn’t a new idea. When I was in Paris in October, the city had just launched it’s wildly popular bike sharing program, Velib (http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/). A station just outside our hotel was buzzing with activity, with commuters checking out bikes at all hours. Berlin, Barcelona and Rome have similar programs, and New York and Boston are working to establish their own.
Would a bike-sharing program work in Austin? With the growing density of downtown, I’d like to think so. Besides taking motor vehicles off the road, a bike-sharing program could help Mayor Will Wynn chug toward his goal of making Austin the fittest city in the country.
Those of us who ride our bikes to work already know one other benefit — a smile on our face before we start the work day.
Read more about the cool program here: http://www.freewheelinwaytogo.com/Registration/PreRegistrationWelcome.aspxB
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July 30, 2008
New York police officer knocks down cyclist
Have you seen this You Tube video?
The clip shows a Critical Mass bike ride through downtown New York on July 25.
Critical Mass rides are loosely organized group rides that were originally staged to draw attention to the bike-unfriendly nature of some cities.
To be fair, not everyone enjoys a big Critical Mass rally. Drivers get irritated because some Critical Mass cyclists revel in the joy of clogging intersections and jamming traffic. I find that pretty annoying myself.
But the original intention of Critical Mass — to point out that cities don’t always create bike-friendly infrastructure — is a good one in my book.
Back to the video, which shows a mob of cyclists rolling down the street. Nothing shocking there. Folks on the sidewalk are lined up watching the parade when a uniformed New York City police officer walks toward an oncoming bicyclist and knocks him to the pavement.
Pretty crazy. And it gets even crazier.
According to New York station WNBC-TV, the officer, Patrick Pogan, accused the cyclist, Christopher Long, of steering into him, flinging him to the ground and causing cuts on his forearms. The New York Times reported that the cyclist, 29-year-old Christopher Long, was later charged with attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Luckily, a bystander with a video camera makes Pogan’s claim pretty dubious.
According to Newsday, Pogan is a rookie cop. He’s been reassigned to a desk job pending an internal investigation.
Discuss…
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July 16, 2008
Hit and run bike accidents
I’ve talked to two people in the last two days who were hit by cars while riding their bicycles. Both incidents were hit and runs, and neither case has been resolved.
Greg Keefer was pedaling home from his weekend job as a bike taxi driver for Capital Pedicab at 3 a.m. Saturday, May 3. He was heading east on Manor Road, preparing to turn north onto Cherrywood, when a vehicle struck him from behind, knocking him off his bike.
“I was riding my bike home and the next thing I know I was on a stretcher being asked questions,” he says. “When they found me I was crumpled up on the inside corner across from El Chilito.”
Keefer, an active mountain bike racer who works full-time as a storage analyst at Dell Inc., had four teeth knocked out and broke seven vertebrae in his back. He had surgery June 3 to fuse part of his spine.
His bike isn’t much better. The down tube was cracked and the rear end buckled.
A witness reported that a 1990 green Chevrolet pickup truck drove away from the scene, but police haven’t tracked down a suspect.
“It totally freaks me out,” says Keefer, 33. “I’ve been riding bikes 14 years here and I’ve got a pretty good record … I’m a very defensive rider. I don’t flip people off, I know where I’m at, I know where cars are — I’m like a ninja. But being hit like this from behind — it’s crazy. I don’t even know what happened.”
Keefer’s story isn’t much different than the one Amy McNair tells about what happened to her last month.
She was riding south on South Congress Avenue at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, June 14 and had just passed Guero’s Taco Bar and the Monroe intersection.
“I was in the right-hand lane,” she says. “I just remember riding up and all the sudden hearing screeching tires behind me and knowing that was a little too close. I remember seeing the sky and then the pavement. I stayed conscious the entire time, but when I looked up, the guy had driven off.”
Witnesses described the car that hit McNair as a white Ford Taurus with paper license plates. The car turned onto Annie Street. Police were on the scene almost immediately, but didn’t catch it.
McNair, 26, didn’t break any bones, but suffered scrapes and bruises and is nursing nerve damage in her left glute and a torn muscle in her right inner thigh. Her $8,000 bike is trashed, the wheel and carbon frame broken. Check out this photo:
“I’m really, really, really lucky nothing else happened,” she says. “He hit me dead on, and I flew over his car and not under it.”
“It’s frustrating for me as a cyclist,” she says. “If somebody comes up behind you, there’s no way. I did nothing wrong and couldn’t do anything to prevent that situation because the guy came up behind me. For whatever reason, he decided he could not stop and help me.”
Like Keefer, McNair is an experienced cyclist. She works as a manager at Castle Hill Fitness, where she also teaches cycling classes. This spring, she rode from Austin to Marfa. She plans to start racing bikes next spring.
“This place is great for cyclists, but we have to have people be aware. And you can’t just hit somebody on a bike and drive off,” she says.
True.
It’s one thing if you’re in a car and hit by another car. But if you’re on a bike? Chances of serious injury or death are much greater. And chances of catching the car that did the damage are less.
Keep an eye out for either of the vehicles described above. Either may have front end damage.
And be careful out there.
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July 15, 2008
Cargo bikes in Austin
Imagine: Zipping to the market for groceries. Pedaling to work. Cruising to a concert at Auditorium Shores, all without parking hassles or traffic nightmares.
If you’re going to live down town in one of Austin’s fancy new condominiums, you’ve got to have a bike. Better yet, you’ve got to have a bike with lots of room to haul stuff.
To promote that urban bed and bike lifestyle, Rick Westervelt of Constructive Ventures, the developer behind condo projects including Pedernales Lofts, Saltillo Lofts, Spring, Barton Place, Este and Twentyone24, has unveiled a fleet of cargo bikes.
The bikes, outfitted with gigantic carry-all bins in front of the handlebars, were designed and built in Amsterdam, that capital of bikedom, for transporting groceries, children and pets.
Last night, Westervelt and other bicycling advocates hopped on the rigs and cruised to the new park next to Palmer Events Center. To prove just how useful they are, he filled the bin of the bike he was riding with a box of tools (just in case!) and a cooler full of drinks.
The 7-speed bikes have front caliper brakes and rear disc brakes, plus a pedal -powered generator that runs head and tail lights. They cost about $2,500 each.
Constructive Ventures bought 10 of the bikes as a way of getting people thinking about commuter cycling and urban living. One of the reasons Westervelt gets the whole bike thing is that he grew up in Portland, one of the most bike friendly cities in America.
“Downtown living is new for many people in Austin, so we want to show them how to make the transition to downtown fun and sustainable,” he says. “Running errands on a bike is a big part of this.”
Constructive Ventures will display the bikes at various downtown retail locations — Austin Java (12th Street at Lamar Boulevard, City Hall and 1608 Barton Springs Road), Uncle Billy’s at 1530 Barton Springs Road, Little Woodrow’s at 520 W. 6th St., Progress Coffee at 500 San Marcos St., and the Constructive Ventures office at 2124 E. 6th St. This fall, it will give the bikes away in a series of free drawings. Starting in mid-August, people will be able to register to win a bike at http://www.austincargobike.com.
“They’re weird and a little ungainly, but easy to steer,” Robin Stallings, director of the Texas Bicycle Coalition, said after test driving one of the bikes.
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July 3, 2008
City bike program manager blazes at national time trial
Most days Annick Beaudet is working to improve bicycle infrastructure around Austin. Last week, though, the manager of the city’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Program returned to her bike-racing roots, snapping up third place in her age category at the 2008 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships in Louisville, Ky.
Amateur cyclists age 30 and up raced on a 38-kilometer flat to rolling course at the championships. “It was a blast,” Beaudet says. “I didn’t feel that great, but I pulled it out. I was thrilled to make it to the podium.”
Beaudet, a 38-year-old New York native, has probably spent more time on a bike than in a car over her life. She spent eight years pedaling a one-gear cruiser around Austin and didn’t even get her driver’s license until she was 23.
She’s an avid runner and swimmer, too, and for 11 years competed in triathlon. Among her successes? Third in her age group at the Texas State Tri Championship in 1993; first overall woman at the Lone Star Triathlon in 1994; second place in her age group at the 2002 Capitol of Texas Triathlon; and third place in her age group at the 2003 Capitol of Texas Triathlon. She competed at the 1994 World Amateur Triathlon Championships in Wellington, New Zealand and has finished two Ironmans — one in Nice, France in 1998 and one in Canada in 2004.
In 2005 she turned to bike racing, competing with Team Hotel San Jose. She quit for a year, then joined the Bicycle Sport Shop Austin Flyers last year. Now she’s training with Carmichael Training and has had a phenomenal season as a Category 3 cyclist. She’s currently racing with AT&T - Brain and Spine.
She took second in the 2007 Texas State Time Trial Championship; second at the Fort Davis Stage Race; second at the Fayetteville Stage Race; and third at the Pace Bend Road Race. She’s currently in second place in the Texas Cup Road Racing Series and hopes to win the Texas State Time Trial Title in the Category 3 race on Aug. 2. She’s earned enough points this season to become a Category 2 road racer.
She’s married to another biking buff, Ed Beaudet, who was an expert class mountain bike racer in the 1990s. They have an 8-year-old son named Nicolas, who’s showing talent as a BMX rider.
Beaudet says that during her spare time in Louisville, she checked out that city’s “Freewheelin” Program, administered by Humana Health Care. The company operates three downtown bike stations where employees can borrow a cruiser bike for a spin around town. ”The idea is to promote people to move their bodies during the day, which in turn will make them healthier, which in turn will lower health costs,” Beaudet says.
Oooo. Can’t we get that in Austin?
Beaudet has been an urban planner in Austin since 1996. (Cyclists have her to thank for the paved trail connection from Stratford Avenue to Barton Springs Road at Loop 1.) And talk about Austin street cred. Beaudet appeared in the movie “Slacker” and still gets royalties — about $18 every three years.
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July 2, 2008
More stolen bikes
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the misery of having a bike stolen.
Now three residents of Garden Terrace efficiency apartments in Austin are going through the same experience. Someone cut the cable locks Sunday night and wheeled away the bikes, which the owners depend on for transportation.
Garden Terrace, at 1015 W. William Cannon, is an efficiency apartment complex for single adults who make less than $25,000. Most residents make about $10,000, says Robin Bradford, director of development and communications at Foundation Communities.
The thefts were reported this to Austin Police Department on Monday, but chances of their return are grim. The bikes were parked on a rack in a well-lit area in front of the building. The complex has raised $49 toward buying replacements through a hot dog stand, says Julie J. Benziger, property manager of Garden Terrace.
“These are wonderful guys, they’re just great,” Benziger says. “It’s so unfortunate for them.”
If you’d like to donate a used bike or money to buy another bike, contact Benziger at 416-8300.
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June 25, 2008
Guess somebody does care about the Tour de France
Let’s get back to that Tour de France thing.
Clearly lots of us do care about the biggest cycling event in the world, John. I’m just saying that with all the scandal surrounding bike racing, it’s been frustrating, as a fan, to stick with it. I hate to see the sport - any sport, for that matter - corrupted by doping. It’s discrediting to those who don’t cheat.
But look at the recent track record.
Tyler Hamilton tested positive at the Athens Olympics. (He kept his medal because his second sample couldn’t be tested.) He also tested positive in the 2004 Tour of Spain and was banned for two years.
Remember 2006? Before the Tour de France even started, race organizers blocked a whole slew of cyclists, including top riders Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, who were under suspicion for doping. And guilty or not, we know what happened to Floyd Landis that year.
Last year race organizers booted Alexandre Vinokourov and the Astana team for alleged doping.
I’m a fan. Watching those guys pump up inclines that would put the rest of us into cardiac arrest is beyond amazing. Listening to OLN announcers Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen hyperventilate about the action? Hilarious. Hey, I was even hooked on that reality show that took two normal dudes, trained them up and had them attempt to ride a couple of mountain stages in the Tour. (One made it, one didn’t.)
Those cyclists can do things that seem impossible to those of us who spend most of our bike hours commuting back and forth to work.
I just hate what some cyclists have done to the Tour de France. It’s not fair to the guys who ride clean.
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June 20, 2008
Biking Across the Country
Megan Bentzin is biking across America.
The 15-year-old St. Andrew’s Episcopal School student will shove off from Savannah, Ga., on Saturday as part of a group of 14 young cyclists riding all the way to Los Angeles. They expect to arrive on Aug. 3.
The group is riding without a support vehicle, so they’ll be packing light. Two pairs of shorts and a couple of riding shirts, along with the requisite bike tools and gear, are about all Megan’s stuffing into her panniers. She’ll be picking up mail at post offices in towns they pass through along the way.
Bentzin paid about $5,000 to join the 3,000-mile trip, organized by the Overland summer adventure program. But she’s decided to raise money for her favorite charity — Helping Hand Home — while she rides. She hopes to raise $10,000 for the organization, which serves abused children. To make a donation, go to her website at http://www.meganbentzin.com/
“I’m so fortunate,” she says. “I can go to St. Andrew’s. I can go places. These children have way less.”
The group will ride between 80 and 120 miles a day, with rest days mixed into the schedule. The route will take the group through Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, New Mexico and California.
To learn more about Overland’s programs, go to http://www.overlandsummers.com/.
Megan’s been training hard since March, but is a little apprehensive about the Rockies portion of the journey. She’ll ride a Surly Long Haul Trucker bike. The group will stay in campgrounds, community centers and churches along the way.
Her parents plan to meet her at the finish, as she dips her front tires into the ocean off the Santa Monica Pier.
Here’s Megan:
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June 18, 2008
Stolen bikes
Someone stole my commuter bike from the courtyard at the Austin American-Statesman about two years ago.
Boy, that hurt. I even watched the security film clip, which showed a guy in business attire walking toward the bike rack with a backpack. The camera swings away, and when it swings back the guy is wheeling away my bike. All he left behind was a neatly snipped cable lock.
I still miss that bike, which we called The Bumblebee because of its yellow and black paint job. My husband built me a new one we call The Cheeto for its orange hue and I ride it to work about once a week.
It’s a miserable feeling to have your bike ripped off.
Apparently it happens frequently in Austin. Today’s Campus Watch report from the University of Texas police department lists two stolen bikes — a black and red Specialized Hard Rock Pro and a blue K-2 Firebird — both secured by cable locks to racks outside campus dormitories.
The Kryptonite Lock Company publishes a list of the 10 worst cities for bicycle theft. Guess what? Austin has made the list more than once, and we’re currently in 10th place. To see the complete list, go to http://unbreakable-bonds.blogspot.com/2008/05/top-10-shocker.html.
UT Police recommend using a U-lock with a flat key (not one with a round key hole) to secure your bike. Even better, use a U-lock and a self-locking cable lock, they say. A cable lock by itself doesn’t do much good. And remember to lock your bike to something sturdy that can’t be moved.
If you’re on campus, register your bike’s make, model, color and serial number with UT Parking and Transportation Services. It’s a free service that can be done on-line at http://www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/biking/registration.html.
Look for a lock like this:
Have you had a bike stolen?
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June 17, 2008
Biking in this heat
OK, OK. I’m a wimp, according to some of you because I find it, um, challenging to run in the heat.
At least I do it!
As for peeling off as much clothing as possible, just watch out for sun damage. I think it’s better to go early, before the sun’s up. If you can, avoid running in the middle of the day. Wear some kind of sun protection. And of course, hydrate.
But, onward. How about biking in this heat? Not so bad because as you roll along you actually get a breeze in your face. It’s at the stop signs and street signs that the robe of heat grabs hold.
I ride my bike to work every Tuesday. It’s about 8 miles each way. Mornings, not so bad. Afternoons can be blazing hot. (They’re also up hill for me.)
Most of my commute is along the Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail. I got an e-mail from someone who says they’ve been harassed by homeless people along the trail. They’ve never bothered me.
How about you? What other challenges do you face on your daily bike commute? Has the increase in the cost of gas encouraged you to start biking to work.
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June 14, 2008
Naked bike ride!
It’s hot out. Therefore you might as well ride your bike naked.
Kelly Moore writes to tell me that the annual Austin edition of the World Naked Bike Ride will unfold at 6 p.m. today at Bailey Park, 1101 W. 33rd St. I’m not exactly sure how to explain it, so I’ll let Moore do the job.
“We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians as well as the negative consequences we all face due to dependence on oil and other forms of non-renewable energy,” Moore says.
For more information on what it’s all about, go to www.worldnakedbikeride.org.
Let me know what it was like!
And here is a photo I took yesterday in Matagorda at the Great Texas Catamaran Race, still going on along the Texas Gulf Coast.
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June 12, 2008
Johan Bruyneel in Austin
Johan Bruyneel, a former Belgian pro cyclist who led Lance Armstrong to his seven Tour de France victories as his team director, is coming to Austin to kick off his book tour.
Bruyneel, who writes about his own near fatal crash and comeback as a cyclist, his philosophy on winning, and the cycling’s war against performance-enhancing drugs.
Bruyneel will sign copies of his book, “We Might as Well Win: On the Road to Success with the Mastermind Behind Eight Tour de France Victories,” from 5-7 p.m. Monday, June 16 at Armstrong’s new downtown bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St.
For more information about the signing or the shop, go to www.mellowjohnnys.com.
Watch a cool tribute video about Bruyneel here:
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June 11, 2008
Rock Racing comes to Austin
The 2008 AT&T Downtown Austin Crit blows into town next weekend. I’ll have a guide on how to watch the race and who to keep an eye on in next Monday’s paper.
I made it to last year’s races, hanging out for a couple of hours to watch the cyclists whiz past. The energy level is amazing - people dipping in and out of shops and bars in the Second Street District, gathering on the sidewalks to cheer on cyclists, and making Austin feel like a thriving metro center. And, well, I guess it is.
The event gets bigger every year, and this year organizers are expecting pro racers from 20 countries to participate. Among the teams coming to town for the race are Rock Racing, led by fashion guru Michael Ball of Rock & Republic.
Check out this video to get a taste of what Rock Racing is all about:
If you want more information on the Austin races, go to http://www.attcrit.com/
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