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ACTIVITY NEWS: January - February 2005

     What's in this Issue?

1. The President's Draft
2. Why Join TCBC? Because...
3. Bicycling 101: How To Be A Considerate Rider
4. Hot Line Expires
5. Weekend On Wheels History: The First Six Years
6. In Brief
7. Trail News
8. Annual Meeting Recap
9. First Bike U Recap
10. Some Upcoming Events
11. Spring 2005 TCBC Leader Training
12. Bay Area By Bike Spring Getaway
13. New TCBC Members
14. Mile A Minute Murphy
15. TCBC Board of Directors and Contacts

THE PRESIDENT’S DRAFT
By Mike Beadles

It was a Very Good Year! Thank You! And Looking Forward to Next Year!

Ah yes, 2004 is a year that will go down in Twin Cities Bicycling Club history as a great one! Let us reminisce. It's been five years now since we've become an independent non-profit club, and we are looking as strong as ever. It is because of the volunteer work of hundreds of people in this all-volunteer organization that this is true. I want to thank each and every one of you! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

Our TCBC Ride Leaders have made TCBC a recreational bicycling club that is to be admired and respected, by leading and participating in a record number of rides this past year. Truly phenomenal! Our club’s leaders offered all kinds of rides – from long rides to short rides, from A rides to C rides, from daytime rides to nighttime rides, from hour-long rides to week-long rides, we have great leaders!! Thank you to our leaders!

I have a special place in my heart for all of our other volunteers as well. I especially want to recognize right now those that have just completed serving on our Board of Directors and have now pedaled on to other things. Thank You to Kay, Liz, and Carolyn! Your optimism, diplomacy and professionalism in Board endeavors will always be admired and appreciated.

Now, let's take a look towards the future. Your newly-elected TCBC Board held a "mini-retreat" on November 29th. It was a fun time, and we had great camaraderie. Your new TCBC Board decided on these specific focus items for the next year - New Members, Education (both within our membership and within the community), Recognition, Outreach, and the 25th Annual Weekend on Wheels this upcoming summer in fabulous Menominee, Wisconsin!

I'm looking forward to the next year with all the optimism and energy that I have seen being shared in the past, and hope you will join with me in the fun in the future as well! See you soon!

WHY JOIN TCBC? BECAUSE…
By Marina Lim

Tired of having moved six times in California, New York, and Minnesota, I wanted to have some fun cycling. Minnesota is fairly flat (read: good for beginners). I began riding in May 2002 on a custom steel frame bike I’d stored for 17 years. I rode and rode and by November that year my new-fangled cyclometer read 1900 miles.

I dropped by County Cycles. “Wow, 1900 miles!” said Ron Kadera, the store’s owner. “Where do you ride?” I beamed, “Around the lake near my house.” He laughed, “You need to get out more. You are going to put a rut in that road.” I pictured my wheels carving an inch-wide rut in asphalt. Indeed it was pathetic that I had ridden the same 7-mile loop for seven months straight. Ron suggested, “You should join TCBC.” A week later I did. It was the dead of winter.

So what does TCBC have to offer? You get to tour the Twin Cities area at cycling speed. Group riding is fun. Do you like to wear spandex? Here is your chance. Aside from lots of rides to choose from, you can meet people and make new riding friends. During rest stops or lunch, join in on lively conversations about the pros and cons of titanium, carbon fiber and new bike components that are on the market. (When I raise such topics at home I get glazed-over vacant stares from my children or worst, a suspicious look from my husband that says, “you aren’t going to buy that, are you?”) If bike component debates sound too complex, you can discuss other things such as: what is a winter bike, where to buy Clif Bars for cheap or, what’s your phone number? There are a lot of single riders in the club.

Scattered throughout the year are one-night classes and the annual Recognition Banquet. At the banquet you can not only feast but also match names from the newsletter to the actual people. If you want to socialize even more there are dinners and weekend trips. Oh yes, and the riding. There are rides of all levels ranging from really fast, really hilly to the opposite: a comfortable social pace on flat terrain. Route maps are provided at the rides. If you are like me and don’t like to read maps, you can play follow the leader.

The annual membership fee is $25 for an individual, $35 for a household (it’s extra for those dinners and overnight trips). It’s a great deal and you can ride and be involved in the club as much or little as you want. Come ride with us. I hope to meet you soon.

BICYCLING 101: HOW TO BE A CONSIDERATE RIDER
By Liz Sands

A basic part of group riding is to ride in a way that makes things easier for everyone else (or at the very least, you should not be making things more difficult for the others in your group!). I won’t claim perfection on all of the items below, but wouldn’t it be a nice New Year’s resolution for all of us to work on these skills?

Be steady: A steady rider maintains a consistent pace. If they do speed up or slow down, they do so gradually. A steady rider also is able to “hold their line” (a fancy way of saying they can ride in a straight line). They can look at the person riding next to them, or look behind for traffic, without their bike veering wildly.

Keep pedaling: Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to ride behind someone who goes: Pedal, pedal, pedal, coast. Pedal, pedal, pedal, coast. When they start coasting, you have to slow down to keep from getting too close to them. Then, after you’ve slowed down, they start pedaling again and you have to hurry to catch up with them. The rider behind you has to do the same thing and the ‘accordion effect’ gets magnified further back in the group. Often times when a rider is going ‘pedal pedal coast’ it’s because they’re in a gear that’s making them go too fast for the speed the group is going. Sometimes the answer is as simple as shifting into an easier gear, which will allow you to pedal continuously.

Don’t lead others into danger: It’s a standard part of ride briefings to ask riders to point out obstacles and hazards. You should also realize that folks riding behind you will be trusting you to ride a safe line around potholes or sand. In other words, even if you have the beefy tires and bike handling skills to ride through a big pile of sand, the riders behind you may not. Or, perhaps your great mountain biking skills allow you to bunny-hop over a pothole, but in the meantime you’ve led everyone behind you straight into the hole.

Communicate: Most of us are aware that we need to give hand and verbal signals for things like stopping, slowing, right and left turns. You’ll make things safer, and less stressful for others, if you also communicate about what you’re going to do in other situations. Let’s say you’re at the front of a large group waiting to cross a busy intersection. You know that you can get across before the next car passes, but that there’s not enough time for the whole group to get through. Rather than just launching yourself across the street, if you say, “I think there’s time for two or three of us to get across - we’ll wait for the rest of you on the other side”, then the others in the group will know that it’s not safe for everyone to go (and that they won’t have to try to chase you down once they are able to get across).

Help other riders: A few years ago I was on a ride and miraculously I was staying with the fast group. Then we got to the largest hill on the route, and I started falling behind. One of the other riders saw my plight, and actually dropped back from the group so that I could draft him and catch back up to the group. I think that’s a much better way to demonstrate how strong you are than dropping everyone on a hill! Try helping someone else out every now and then, and enjoy how good it feels to be someone’s hero.

Here’s to happy and safe riding in 2005!

HOT LINE EXPIRES
By Doug Nelson

The TCBC Hot Line, with its well-known number of 952-924-2443, was set up in 1993 when TCBC was founded, and has been running well since then. It has had options for membership info, special events, and schedule info. For years it has been sponsored by Erik’s Bike Shop, with an option to get info on their services, and we have appreciated their support.

We do track the statistics of how many calls each year have gone in to the Hot Line, and it’s very clear that the numbers have gone pretty steadily downward year by year. We believe this is mainly because of the rise of the internet, and that people are increasingly getting their TCBC info from on-line and by the printed ACTIVITY NEWS.

The TCBC Board has thus decided to cancel the Hot Line soon. It will be disconnected, and no longer be listed in our contact info and our literature.

This notice would be by no means complete without mentioning that the success and operation of the Hot Line has for years been mostly due to one person, known as The Voice. This person has painstakingly had to rework the printed schedule to record the events for each day – and the last two years we have had over 800 rides each, sometimes at least eight events in a day! Besides that, sometimes he would have to re-record when leaders added an event to a date. He would call to the Hot Line sometimes when traveling out-of-state to see if things were okay and to add events. He also has been picking up the messages left by callers at the membership option, asking for newsletters or information – these calls have been becoming very few, but used to be considerable.

You probably know that this unflappable person still has some voice left after being The Voice for years! He will now go back to being simply known as LARRY MILLER, a longtime TCBC ride leader and volunteer in many ways. Always conscientious, always easy to work with, Larry has done an outstanding service for TCBC carrying out a function he really has believed was important. We all thank you, Larry.

(NOTE: Kristine Poelzer and I have helped very occasionally with this task, and we have a greater understanding of the patience and skill needed to do this consistently. Larry had it down to a science – and he still enjoyed it!)

WEEKEND ON WHEELS HISTORY: THE FIRST SIX YEARS
By Doug Nelson

An anniversary worth celebrating is approaching in 2005 – the 25th anniversary of the Weekend on Wheels summer weekend biking extravaganza. Here’s some history to put things in perspective and a look at how the event has changed and developed over the years. I’m using mainly old issues of our newsletter, the MINNESOTA HOSTELER, which I have been editing since then; along with my memories, because I haven’t missed a WOW yet. Quotes are from the newsletter.

Back in 1981, the bicycling/travel group now known as TCBC was a part of the Minnesota Council of American Youth Hostels (AYH). AYH was part of a worldwide network of youth hostels -- inexpensive places for travelers to stay overnight. Different councils had varying emphases, whether it was their local hostels, biking, hiking, sailing, skiing, etc.

The primary activity arm of the Minnesota Council, founded in 1940, was bicycling. But there were far fewer trips than today -- with virtually no winter rides, and only a few weeknight rides between September and April. The 1981 total was 83 bike events held, averaging 19 riders per event! There were some extended trips to places such as RAGBRAI, the Canadian Rockies, the East Coast, and Europe. Most classes of rides were A, B, and C. Fees for day trips were 50 cents for members and non-members.

Helmets on rides were not mandatory. The IRONMAN was by far the biggest event, attracting 2000 riders in 1981. The annual house-to-house Halloween Ride started that year too. Of the names of the Board of Directors and officers, there are only two still active with TCBC – Pete Hawkins and myself.

From the first WOW promo: “This AYH-sponsored event is a celebration of the joy of cycling in some of Minnesota’s scenic countryside. Accommodations, a banquet, and entertainment will be provided as part of the weekend.” It’s unclear where the concept originated; probably from similar rides other states were organizing, such as TOMRV and TOSRV. The full fee that first year for AYH members before July 1 was $25.

The first WOW committee was Becky Jackson, the late Dave Freund, Linda Palsic, and Dave Johnson. Becky wrote: “…We’ve spent hundreds of hours in and out of meetings, finding and making arrangements to stay at a college, writing up literature and publicity, contacting officials, working out a route, establishing a place to start and end the ride, soliciting bike shops, putting up posters, distributing brochures, etc… all carried out by our enthusiasm to offer for the first time a really big, really fun, all-service ride in Minnesota.”

STILL THE SAME TODAY: a marked route, sag wagons, college dormitories, rest stops with refreshments, a big supper and breakfast at the college, entertainment, repair vehicles, a Saturday night drawing for prizes from bike shops, and a hard-working committee to organize it all.

SOME CHANGES: WOW no longer is a round trip from one city to another – we now stay in the same dorm situation for Friday and Saturday nights and ride loops on Saturday and Sunday, so no luggage needs to be transported by the committee. There are mileage options now – back then there were none. And the mileages are a bit less now. WOW used to go to the same city for two years, then another for two years, etc, whereas starting in the 1990’s that became a bit irregular. We now have get-togethers, and sometimes a ride, on Friday evenings.

1981 RECAP: “From questionnaires and comments received, everything was at least satisfactory and at most outstanding.” The mileage was a surprise – the first day to St. Peter turned out to be 113 miles, ending with a big climb up the hill to Gustavus. (The committee miscalculated that one.) A hit-and-run in Bloomington marred the first day – Lucius Putnam and Keene McCammon, riding Keene’s tandem, were knocked down by a car and couldn’t finish the ride – their helmets saved them from a worse fate. Ken Lewis acted as emcee and presented prizes to bikers donated by bike shops. From the Annual Report, “This two-day event was extremely successful with over 200 riders taking part in the premiere event. Future years hold great promise for this trip.”

1982: Another annual event began this year on July 4 – the Roman Candle Ride, later renamed by its popular indulgence, the Watermelon. This was the year Bob Hoffman started leading rides – and Bob and Pete Hawkins and I are the only ones of the 49 people who led rides that year who also led some TCBC rides in 2004.

WOW went to Gustavus again, the mileage was shortened, and it was even more successful. A bagpiper, in costume, played the pipes to encourage bikers as they climbed the sizeable East Union hill, after awakening some bikers in the dorms early Sunday morning by his melodious but unexpected offerings. Gustavus offered square dancing this year. The food and scenery, especially, received raves. WOW T-shirts were available for only $8.00. Heck Remington was the oldest rider at 80. Sixteen bike stores were listed as contributing merchandise for the prize drawing. John Raines rode a type of new bike that was just becoming popular, called a recumbent. The committee stayed the same.

1983: For variety, the committee changed the destination. From the brochure, “We will venture off in a new direction and ride to beautiful St. John’s University Campus….. Terrain is flat to rolling so if you get in shape beforehand you’ll really enjoy your ride.”

Oh yeah?!?!?!?! I remember that year well. It still stands as the hottest WOW ever, in the 90’s both days and no clouds at all. It was exhausting, and we found the dorms had no air conditioning. (Since then, some people bring fans with them to the dorms.) Luckily, St. John’s has a wonderful setting with some amazing buildings, and a well-utilized beach. My map (by Bob Hoffman)

still survives – Day 1 took us 95 miles through Buffalo, Maple Lake, and Kimball Prairie, and Day 2 included St. Cloud, Clearwater, and St. Michael, ending at 88 miles. I got a car ride the last 15 miles, the only WOW I’ve ever been unable to finish. We lost some pounds that day.

Despite the conditions, comments were mostly positive. Mike Madden showed a movie he had made at last year’s WOW. Watermelon was served at the end, which became a tradition. Patches and T-shirt were offered. Bill Boike did the fine art work. New to the committee were Becky Johnson, Dale McClain, and Phyllis Gervais.

1984: St. John’s again, with average temps and a few less miles, so a much more pleasant event. The route up changed and went through Annandale. The route back was about the same, with lunch at Monticello. “The closing of a great day began with a banquet in the Great Hall at St. John’s. The nearly 300 bikers packed the old chapel. After a plentiful dinner and a tribute to WOW by Becky Jackson, Ken Lewis was the emcee at a colorful awards presentation. To close the evening, the Jug Sluggers performed while energetic rider square danced under the stars….. Many volunteers aided the committee’s efforts by preparing maps, artwork for T-shirts, and promo literature; soliciting gifts from bike shops; by manning rest stops, directing traffic and parking cars; driving sag wagon; and countless other tasks.” WOW made a profit for the fourth straight year.

1985: River Falls, WI, became the destination, and this became the best-attended WOW so far. Day 1 went from Woodbury far to the north to cross the St. Croix at Osceola, then down through Somerset to River Falls, with WOW rest stops at Scandia and JR’s Ranch. There were plenty of hills to be found. The dorms worked out nicely, and the U of W’s athletic facilities were open to our riders. One memorable and slightly controversial event was the Pig Roast we had at the college’s outdoor amphitheater. All attending had to walk right past the porker in question as it was being carved and served. This would lead to more emphasis on alternative vegetarian options in future years. (Personally I thought it was great!) It was claimed that Terry Osell went through the food line a number of times. Amy Hawkins reportedly exclaimed “Gross!” repeatedly while looking at the pig. Pete Hawkins acted as emcee and his family received a suspicious number of raffle drawings. A live band and dancing followed.

Day 2 took us south through the beautiful Trimbelle River Valley to cross the Mississippi into Red Wing. The route then headed through Hastings to the end. Somehow, there was a tail wind both afternoons! This year’s committee was Phyllis Gervais, Dale McClain, Gary Hipple, Laurie Robinson, and Joanne Ventura.

1986: WHAT? I hadn’t realized until now that there is nothing in the newsletters about this year’s event. Apparently there was no news and none of us wrote anything. The route was similar to the year before, the weather was good, and we loved the scenery and the hills.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE: More WOW history. Changes are in the wind, so to speak.

1981: August 15-16. Starting at U of M West Bank, going to Gustavus Adolphus at St. Peter. 220 riders, 193 miles. Temperature highs were 78 and 71 degrees.

1982: August 7-8. Starting in Bloomington, going to Gustavus Adolphus. 277 riders, 170 miles. Temps were 91 and 78.
1983: August 6-7. Starting in Coon Rapids, to St. John’s University in Collegeville. 266 riders, 185 miles. Temps were 95 and 97.

1984: August 11-12. Coon Rapids to St. John’s University. 273 riders, 175 miles. Temps were 77 and 85.
1985: August 10-11. Starting in Woodbury, to University of Wisconsin in River Falls. 326 riders, 170 miles. Temps were 72 and 78.

1986: August 9-10. Woodbury to River Falls. 270 riders, 165 miles. Temps were 86 and 69.

IN BRIEF

NEXT ACTIVITY NEWS DEADLINE will be Monday, Feb. 7. This will be for March as we return to monthly issues.

ONLY NEW TCBC OFFICER is Charles Breer as Secretary. The others are continuing on.

RIDE RULES CHANGE: The minimum number of riders needed for a TCBC ride to officially count is now two – one plus the leader. The minimum had been three people for at least a decade.

BIKE ATLAS: Last chance to buy 2 for 1 Minnesota Bike Atlases! $11.95, includes tax and shipping direct to you. Send check to Hostelling International, 622 Selby Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104. Sale ends January 10, 2005.

FOR SALE: 1982 Peugeot 12-speed, excellent condition, $150. Specs: Carbolite frame, Rigida rims, Suntour derailleur, Weinman sidepull brakes, Maillard Helicomatic freewheel. Call Donna at 651-487-3075.

RECOGNITION HIGHLIGHTS: Looks like we’ll have around 140 people over 1000 TCBC miles, a new record. CONGRATS to Sue Blum, who now leads all members with 9 years of at least 3000 miles! Lee Thielman now has 6 years over 3000 miles.

OLDEN DAYS: While researching the WOW history article (we really go way back sometimes!) your editor happened to see a reprinted article about the popularity of bicycling in the Twin Cities from the 1890’s until around 1902, when the automobile started becoming too darned popular and biking declined fast. So some of us think we are tough winter bikers nowadays? Get this: “Every New Year’s Eve at midnight, Minneapolis and St. Paul bicyclists vied for the honor of riding the first century of the new year. In 1900 the competition was particularly keen as citizens of both cities competed to become the first centurions of the new century.” And yes, that kind of century did mean 100 miles – and I am not making this up. So let’s see you plan that for some Polar Bear Ride, Mr. Bob Hoffman! (We missed an amazing opportunity in the year 2000, didn’t we?)

There is a bill pending in Congress which could affect bicyclists. If interested, check http://thomas.loc.gov/. At that site, enter the “Short title” (right to ride). It’s H.R. 2966, the Right to Ride Bill. Or contact Jim at jbenm@earthlink.net.

The Minnesota Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance, bikeped.org, has a listing of East Metro Bikeway Status projects, occasionally updated, including mainly Ramsey County. You can check on openings and closings of bike trails.

Duluth-Superior Bike Map is free, showing off-road trails, on-street signed routes, and plenty of useful info. They are available free at numerous local Duluth outlets and the Sibley Bike Depot.

2005 is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the League of American Bicyclists (founded as Wheelmen), which represents the interests of our nation’s 57 million bicyclists.

Lance Armstrong’s racing group becomes Team Discovery on January 1, after being sponsored by U.S. Postal Service for the past nine years. Armstrong won’t announce his Tour de France plans until next spring. Maintaining the suspense, are we?

GREG LeMOND: The three-time Tour de France winner was pulled over in May in Edina on the Crosstown for speeding, and was found talking on his cell phone. He was later found guilty in Hennepin District Court.

Two major cross-state bike events in Wisconsin were calculated to have a combined economic impact on the state of between $3.7-6.2 million. Surveys found participants had average personal spending of around $60 per day.

Many bicycle tours are having declining numbers and there is concern that baby boomers, as they age, progress to less biking or some other activity (or none), and not enough younger riders are replacing them. The average age of RAGBRAI cyclists is 43 and has been increasing each year.

64-year-old Heinz Stucke is the Guinness Book’s World Record holder for the most traveled person – he has biked through 192 countries on his three-speed machine and plans to visit more.

Elm Creek Park Reserve Winter Recreation Area is home to the metro area’s first Nordic ski trail with snowmaking, the 2.5-k Valley Trail, lighted until 10 PM. The Visitor Center is being rebuilt. Parking there is free in winter. No state ski license is needed, but skiers need to purchase Hennepin County passes.

TRAIL NEWS
By Doug Nelson

I’ve come across plenty of trail news since the last newsletter! Maybe these will help brighten up your winter as you think about checking these out in the spring or later.

MPLS MIDTOWN GREENWAY: For a couple of years now, the Greenway heading eastbound has stopped at Fifth Avenue, the only at-grade road crossing between the end segments of the trail. The section heading east from there to Hiawatha Avenue was opened this fall, and it’s 1.5 miles of nice blacktop, nearly as wide as a road. Some sections of the Greenway leave room for a potential track/LRT right-of-way next to it, but this section doesn’t, as it fills the bottom of the trench. From Fifth Avenue (where you can park on the street) you pass under 14-15 bridges until the right-of-way reaches 28th Avenue, and then a trail leads straight east along 28th to Hiawatha. There are exit ramps up to the intersections at Park, 13th, and 18th. By the time you read this, the Sears across the trench is scheduled to be demolished, and this part of the trail will be detoured until spring, when it will have its grand opening.

HILL IMPROVED: Water Street from Hwy. 13 in Mendota down to the Yacht Club along the Mississippi was repaved this fall, and a nice bike path was put in along it. This is important because: it’s a steep hill and that improves safety, and it’s a crucial connection to where the Big Rivers Trail starts at the bottom of the hill and leads south to the Mendota Bridge and beyond, connecting to the 494 river crossing. Actually, this means it is connected to the new 35E river crossing near the top of the hill, so you can bike for miles in several directions on trails, only crossing a few roads and not having to bike along any.

GOOD DUPLICATION: A new trail is finished from where 54th Street crosses Hiawatha, south of Minnehaha Park. It leads southeast by the old Mines building a mile or so to the Fort Snelling area. It parallels the bike trail running directly along the Mississippi to Fort Snelling Park, but by using the new trail to connect to the Mendota Bridge, for example, bikers won’t have to climb the big hill by the historic fort.

GATEWAY TRAIL: the next trail bridge is being planned to cross County 12 near Mahtomedi, also improving safety. And Hwy. 36 in North St. Paul will be reconstructed, affecting parts of the Gateway, which may need rebuilding.

THEODORE WIRTH PARK: the mountain bike trails there are scheduled to be finished by next June, built by volunteers. About four kilometers are done. The total project should be a main loop of about 7 K’s of mostly intermediate single-track trail, plus another 1-k expert loop. See www.morcmtb.org.

HUDSON BRIDGE CROSSING: The I-94 bridge across the St. Croix at Hudson was undergoing plenty of construction much of the year. It was finished in October, and the bike trail/sidewalk across it is redone and is a nice crossing. From the Minnesota side, the trail starts at the corner of 8th Street North and Quinlan, near Crocker Park, just one block east of Hwy. 18, just south of 94. The trail heads for the freeway and goes right next to it across the river, on the south side (the opposite from how it used to be). There is a 4-foot wall between the sidewalk and the freeway, and a 7-foot railing along the river side. On the Wisconsin side, the trail has a 180-degree switchback (slow way down!) to go north under the bridge, then rejoins where the old sidewalk leads into Hudson as it did before. From the start to the boat ramp parking lot next to Edina Realty is 1.3 miles. From there it’s a short distance north along the sidewalk to the intersection the Dairy Queen is on, where bikers can go various ways. The two states did a nice combined project! Our routes that used this bridge can now resume.

AFTON ADVENTURE: Washington County park planners are trying to design a bike trail along or paralleling the St. Croix, linking Afton with Afton State Park, St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, Point Douglas Park, Hastings, and Prescott. Public meetings have shown divided opinions about building a trail corridor through some private land, which might be necessary. Meetings will continue. Most of an abandoned railroad line along the St. Croix was snatched up by private landowners in the late 1970’s to prevent a trail being built.

MANKATO TRAIL CONNECTION: An important 3.5-mile connection opened this summer in Mankato. Now bikers can ride from the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail (39 miles to Faribault) to the Red Jacket Trail (8 miles to Rapidan), using the new North Minnesota River Trail between the river and downtown. Before this, biking between them involved much traffic and many stop lights. One end of the trail ends on the north end of the city at the parking lot for the Sakatah.

CENTRAL LAKES/LAKE WOBEGON TRAIL: Only four miles of the 121-mile corridor has not been funded for construction, near Sauk Center. The 55-mile segment from Osakis to Fergus Falls was completed last summer. Osakis is also planning a 25-mile bike loop around Lake Osakis.

CUYUNA LAKES TRAIL SYSTEM: This is a new network in the planning stages, which would use paved and unpaved trails to connect Brainerd and Aitkin.

ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
Summarized by Doug Nelson

TCBC held its Annual Meeting for 2003-04 on November 13, and around 60 people attended the event in Brooklyn Center, beginning with another delightful dessert potluck.

Newly elected to the Board of Directors were Katie Angle, Paul Huntington, and Scott Larson. Pete Hawkins was re-elected. Leaving the Board were Carolyn Caswell, Kay Mitchell, and Liz Sands. (At its next meeting, the Board re-elected Mike Beadles, Dave Swaab, and Tony Stifter to continue in their current officer positions for another year. Charles Breer is the new Secretary.)

Membership: there were 1094, of which 242 were family memberships. We had 382 new members last year. Average age of members was 48 for males and 44 for females.

TCBC made a profit again in 2004, with revenues and expenses very close to what was budgeted. The budget was proposed and approved for 2005.

The Watermelon Ride was very successful with 654 riders and 55 volunteers. A nice profit was made.

Weekend on Wheels had about 90 riders. It will be August 13-14 in Menominee, WI, for its 25th anniversary.

Many volunteers were thanked for their service, and upcoming events and opportunities were promoted, as usually occurs.

FIRST BIKE U RECAP
By Doug Nelson, Lisa Austin, and Kristine Poelzer

Our winter series of get-togethers called BIKE U began in early December at a new location in Prospect Park in Minneapolis. About 50 people attended a potluck supper and presentations by representatives of Twin Cities biking advocacy organizations. Speaking and answering some questions were:

Andrew Koebrick, President of the Minnesota Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance: Andrew is a volunteer on the board. The Minnesota Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance operates the Sibley Bike Depot in downtown St. Paul. The Alliance focuses mainly on recycling, refurbishing and donating bikes, and educating cyclists on how to ride safely, but also gets involved in other Bike Advocacy issues. TCBC members are encouraged to join the organization or participate in the Wednesday evening volunteer nights. Benefits of membership include free use of the bike shop stands and tools. For more information visit www.bikeped.org.

Eric Thompson and Denny Thompson (not related) of the St. Paul Bike Advisory Board: Eric is the Bike/Ped Coordinator for the City of St. Paul. Denny is a volunteer on the board, but happens also to work for the DNR. The BAB advises the city on bike projects. Eric and Denny encouraged TCBC members to participate in community meetings when road and trail development is discussed. There are cases when planned trails and bike routes have been cancelled because of community opposition. If cyclists had been present to express their support the projects may not have been cancelled. They also asked for our help in reporting problems or things we like. For example, if we notice a dangerous intersection or a place where some branches need to be trimmed to improve visibility - they want to know! Also if there is a treatment we like - let them know if it works. Eric Thompson, eric.thompson@ci.stpaul.mn.us, 651-632-2415.

Some exciting upcoming projects in St. Paul include bike lanes on Ayd Mill Road, researching options for a North/South corridor trail, connecting Swede Hollow through the Vento Wildlife Sanctuary to reach the bike trail along the Mississippi. DONE – the bike bridge across the 35-E crossing of the Mississippi, repaving of the Lake Phalen trails, the tunnel under the railroad bridge along Lexington Avenue south of Como Park.

Don Pflaum, Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee, is a Transportation Engineer for the City of Minneapolis and holds the position of Bike Coordinator.

Current and future projects in the City of Minneapolis are very impressive, and so is cycling participation. Minneapolis has a city council and mayor that are pro-bike. Several years ago the city council set a goal to improve bike commuting and since then have backed the goal with funding facilities. The effort has paid off; Minneapolis ranked 3rd in the 2000 census in the number of bike commuters.

Among the many projects he listed, Don asked us all for help in testing the new "chevron" treatment on Bryant Avenue parallel to Lyndale in Minneapolis. The road is too narrow for a proper width bike lane. Other cities have used the chevrons to indicate to cyclists and to motorists where bikes should ride. If this treatment is successful it may be used elsewhere. Members of the St. Paul board would like our opinion on it too; if it works in Minneapolis, maybe the treatment can be used on some of the narrow streets in downtown St. Paul! Hopefully being done in 2005 -- Lyndale and Franklin bike bridge, Greenway bike bridge over Hiawatha, Greenway Route from Hiawatha to the Mississippi, Bridge #9 over the Mississippi connecting to the U of M transitway, the Northeast Diagonal from the U up to Roseville. Minneapolis alone plans to spend several million Federal dollars on bike routes in 2005.

Don also expressed that now that we have so many amazing facilities, the challenge now is enforcement of laws and safe biking practices. He asked us to help educate the community on safe biking. There are still too many people riding the wrong way or riding on sidewalks and not obeying traffic laws.

David Gepner, J. Skalbeck and Greg Anderson presented information about the Hennepin County Bike Advisory Committee. All three are volunteers on the board. The Hennepin Committee has an interesting challenge in that the county does not dictate what the municipalities (cities) do. They service as a coordinator and facilitator advocating for bike routes and helping the cities work together. That is why you may see a bike route better in one area over another. Issues arise when multiple jurisdictions need to connect a facility. This is the case with the Cedar Avenue Bridge across the Minnesota River - five entities are working on this project.

J. Skalbeck encouraged us to take ideas from other communities. He took pictures on a treatment on a trip where he was impressed with a curb solution that made more room for cyclists, and now it has been implemented here.

Hennepin County has published a extensive bike route map. Internally they also have produced a "gap map" where gaps in bike routes are studied. For more information on Hennepin County projects or to request a map contact: www.co.hennepin.mn.us, click on the "Environment, Property & Transportation" menu then select "Transportation". There you will find a link to "Bikeways & Trails". We were told an updated map is coming out January 2005.

All speakers expressed the importance of cyclists getting involved in the decision-making process for road and trail construction. They all told stories of projects that did not happen because bikers were not present at community meetings to express their interests. All encouraged TCBC members to get involved in their organizations by either joining or seeking positions on their boards.

It was wonderful to hear how many trails and improvements have been finished recently and are (or soon) being worked on. We thank the presenters and the attentive audience, who had plenty of questions and could have used another half hour or so. Afterwards, people stayed for awhile talking with each other about how to become involved. All of the presenters were very appreciative to be invited to speak to TCBC members, and they look forward to returning next year for another update.

The next BIKE U event is January 2, featuring Statewide Advocacy Organizations.

SOME UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY 2: WINTER BIKE U EVENT: Statewide Advocacy Organizations. Details in the last issue. Potluck at 5 PM, program at 6 PM, at Prospect Park United Methodist Church in Mpls, at 22 Orlin Avenue, near University and 280. See December recap article in this issue.

JANUARY 22, 2005: TCBC RECOGNITION BANQUET in Golden Valley. Details in this issue.

JANUARY 24-28: PRE 3RD ANNUAL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY RIDE. A short quiz for those of you with early cabin fever: The week before the Jan. 29-Feb. 4 Texas Ride I will be: a) looking out the window waiting for spring, b) watching “Leave it to Beaver” reruns, c) checking my inner tube inventory, d) all of the above.

If you answered YES to any of the above, join me for a PRE 3rd Annual Texas Hill Country Ride in Marble Falls, TX, the week before the Fredericksburg ride. There are no upfront costs. You will be responsible for your own transportation, meals, and lodging. Marble Falls has numerous motels and restaurants.

We will be riding from Mon-Fri, Jan. 24-28. We’ll start our rides each day from my sister Teresa’s house in Marble Falls, with starting time at 11 AM. Our routes will vary in length from 30-60 miles. This will be a regular TCBC A/B ride. The 3rd Annual Ride begins the next day, Jan. 29, about 53 miles southeast of Marble Falls. For more info, call Susan Evan at 612-729-1441 or e-mail bikersusan@hotmail.com. See the March 2003 and March 2004 newsletters for articles on previous Texas rides.

JANUARY 29 – FEB 4: 3RD ANNUAL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY RIDE. Join us for some early spring miles in the Texas Hill Country. This year’s ride is headquartered in historic Fredericksburg, and each daily ride will start and end there. The Hill Country is known for its scenic green rolling hills, granite outcroppings, clean streams, and rivers flowing through fertile valleys dotted with peach orchards and grape vineyards. You’ll like biking the rolling hills on low-traffic roads as we explore the surrounding area.

You’ll also enjoy your time off the bike in this quaint historical town as well. Fredericksburg was settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800’s. Many of the original stone buildings have been preserved and converted into interesting shops, restaurants, and B&B accommodations. Of course, you’ll enjoy riding with a friendly group of TCBC members.

They will be A/B rides with distances of 30-65 miles, depending on weather and our level of prior conditioning. Maps and cue sheets will be provided. Limited to 25 riders. To reserve your spot on this ride, contact Katie or Jim Angle at 612-869-3194, kdiaz@mpls.k12.mn.us or Bill Corty, 612-378-4890, wmcorty@yahoo.com.

APRIL 2-9: BAY AREA BIKE TRIP. See separate story.

SPRING 2005 TCBC LEADER TRAINING

If you've been thinking of becoming a TCBC ride leader, here's your opportunity. Enrollment is now open for this spring's TCBC Leader Training, which consists of one full day of class on Saturday, April 2. Any current member in good standing is eligible to participate as long as he/she pays the fee, agrees to lead a minimum of two rides this season for TCBC, and agrees to abide by TCBC rules and customs. The TCBC Leader Training Course focuses on preparing candidates to lead safe, lawful, fun, and interesting rides. Subjects covered include how to organize, plan, map, advertise, and lead a bike ride for TCBC, plus a variety of related subjects. Strong emphasis will be placed on the rules of the road, traffic laws, bicycle safety, and risk management.

The total cost is $40, but it's possible to recoup the entire fee by leading four rides for TCBC this season, which ends on October 31, 2005. Three rides will get you a $30 refund and two rides $20, but that's the smallest refund offered. The refunds will be made in November. To register, send a check for $40 (made out to TCBC) to: TCBC Leader Training, c/o Pete Hawkins, 3008 County Road I, Mounds View, MN 55112. Be sure to include your current address, home phone number with area code, and e-mail address if you have one. Candidates will receive a letter of acknowledgement and further details by March 26. Phone Pete Hawkins at 763-786-3792 or e-mail him at pmh@peoplepc.com if you have further questions.

BAY AREA BY BIKE SPRING GETAWAY

Get a jump on the spring biking season with an exciting and challenging tour of some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s finest bike routes. We arrive in San Francisco on Sat, April 2, and stay for four nights. Enjoy views of the Golden Gate Bridge and sparkling San Francisco Bay from your conveniently located hotel room. Two very different routes take us across the Golden Gate into Marin County and the stunning shoreline of Highway 1 to the towering redwoods inland and the picturesque restaurants and galleries in Sausalito. On Wed, April 6, we will transfer to sunny and cycling-friendly Palo Alto and spend four nights at the lovely Creekside Inn. Three days of riding include one relatively-flat bay route and two routes with long climbs into the Santa Cruz Mountains. The leaders will ride at a slow B pace, and the rides are suitable for riders who have maintained their fitness level over the winter.

I will hold rooms for the trip in my name and once you contact me with your intention to participate, I will assist you in making your reservation. The estimated cost of lodging will be approximately $600 for double occupancy or between $1034-1179 for single occupancy for eight nights. This cost estimate does not include any meals. A trip deposit of $150 will secure you a place, and pays for the transfer of luggage and bike boxes between the cities, the farewell dinner, and miscellaneous trip expenses. After March 15 the deposit is non-refundable. Contact Julie Timm at juliact@earthlink.net or by phone at 763-360-3063 to reserve a spot or get more information.

NEW TCBC MEMBERS

This is the first of what we hope will be a continuing series of lists in future newsletters of people who have recently become members of TCBC. Welcome! Expiration dates for this group are between Sept. 30 and Dec. 31, 2005.

Adams, Jim
Ask, Gary
Belling, Jim
Bergstrom, Mark
Boisvert, Robert
Buboltz, Bill
Cap, Steve
Castle, Randy
Christophorson, Cheryl
Cleaver, Christin
Collymore, Reginald
Deutsch, Linda
Fossum, Clare
Fuller, Glenn
Geffert, Ivan & Bev
Gilman / Montgomery, Bryon & Terrie
Gordon, Steve
Gregerson, Norm
Halverson, Joyce
Irvin, Mitch
Johnson, Bruce
Klaas, Barbara & Paul
Klein, Keith
Leasure / Hill, Bruce & Lauren
Marsh, Paul
McCollum, Michael
Moore, Bob & Jenny
O’Brien, Paul & Deb
Ott, Bryan
Parriott, Linda
Peterson, Brad
Pomeroy, Kem
Robinson, Carolyn & Dan
Rosaasen, Linda
Ross, Craig
Sauber, Collen
Sayre, Robert
Selander, Michael
Shipchandler, Rowzat
Solarz, Leonard
Swenson, Arlene
Thayer, Ella
Thiele / Bryan, Charles & Susan
Tinsley, Greg
Vantine, Ron
Vasilakes, Lloyd
Weidt, David
Wolf, Michele

MILE-A-MINUTE MURPHY

(Copy graciously provided by William J. Johnston, Village Historian, Town of Farmingdale, NY. From the Farmingdale Village Report from Spring 1999)

Friday, June 30, 1899 was a clear but cool early summer day, perfect for a bicycle ride. Charles Murphy went for a ride on his Tribune “Blue Streak” bike that afternoon. When he was finished, Murphy had set a world speed record, and Farmingdale and the Long Island Rail Road were front-page news around the nation.

Hal Fullerton, a public relations official of the LIRR, had known Murphy through their mutual interest in regional bicycle organizations. An idea was jointly developed to have Murphy attempt to set a record with the help of a train. About three miles of planking was laid between the rails of the Central Branch eastward from Farmingdale to Maywood siding. The 29-year-old Murphy trained for two months with dumbbell weights, a jump rope, a stationary trainer, and light road work, all of which contributed considerable muscle to his 145-pound body.

He and Sam Booth, engineer of Locomotive Number 39, had a brief consultation before the one-car train left about 5:10 pm that day. The sole passenger car, crowded with reporters, carried an improvised hood on the rear to shield Murphy from wind resistance. Booth accelerated quickly, but Murphy kept pace. The train pulled briefly ahead, causing Murphy to lose the advantage of the calm air in the hood, but he pedaled furiously to catch up. He covered the measured mile in 57.8 seconds, likely hitting 70 mph at some points. He was hauled aboard the pace coach, with his legs still clutching the bicycle, just before the planked course ended. He had done it, and for the remaining 51 years of his life, he was Mile-A-Minute Murphy!

 

TCBC Contacts

ACTIVITY NEWS is published by the Twin Cities Bicycling Club, formed in 1993.
Mail and checks should be sent to TCBC, PO Box 131086, Roseville, MN 55113.

TCBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT: Mike Beadles
VICE-PRESIDENT: Dave Swaab
SECRETARY: Charles Breer
Mary Derks
Lisa Austin
Pete Hawkins
Katie Angle
Scott Larson
Paul Huntington

OTHER TCBC POSITIONS

TREASURER: Tony Stifter
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Kristine Poelzer
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR: David Erick
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Doug Nelson
SCHEDULE COORDINATOR: Jim Pederson
WEBMASTER: Phil Doi
RIDE STATISTICS: Julie Timm
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Stephan Kieu

Contact ACTIVITY NEWS Editor: Doug Nelson if you have information at 2800 Hamline, #208, Roseville, MN 55113. (651-639-9917) tcbcdoug@mtn.org  Deadlines will usually be during the first week of the month for the next month's issue.

To submit items for the Activities Schedule, send e-mail to Jim Pederson: schedule@biketcbc.org