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TCBC NEWS: June 2006
WATERMELON RIDE RETURNS
WEEKEND ON WHEELS 26WOW 26 is scheduled to take place in scenic and fabulous Menomonie, Wisconsin, from August 11-13, 2006. This year's routes will mimic last year's, with scenic vistas, quiet country roads, and many many cows. On both Saturday and Sunday, we will again have a trail route open of 10-40 miles. Regardless of your riding choices, the legendary WOW rest stop food will keep you going (or slow you down, as the case may be!). A banquet will be held Saturday night, featuring delicious food in a casual, air-conditioned environment. Celebrate your achievements and be social with your TCBC pals. Lodging will again be offered at UW-Stout, and rides on both Saturday and
Sunday will depart from Phelan Park, in Menomonie. Breakfast is included
with Stout lodging. We may also have a group rate at a Menomonie-area hotel
-- check the TCBC web site for updates. Complete information on the weekend
-- including registration forms -- available on the TCBC web site at www.biketcbc.org/wow.
Register today, and make your plans to join us! IN BRIEFTHIS NEWSLETTER, named for years now the ACTIVITY NEWS, will now be called the TCBC NEWS…. NEXT NEWSLETTER DEADLINE will be Monday, June 5…. RIDE OF SILENCE: A May 7 article in the PIONEER PRESS discussed the upcoming ride on May 17, mentioning that TCBC was organizing the Twin Cities ride of a growing “international movement to stage annual bike rides to honor the memories of cyclists killed by motor vehicles….” More than 200 cities around the world were planning May 17 events. From MNDOT 2004 bicycle/motor vehicle statistics on crashes, the leading cause for both bikes and motor vehicles was failure to yield the right of way (except for those accidents with no clear contributing factors). Second-highest cause for bikes was disregarding traffic control devices. From 2001-04, Minnesota averaged 7.5 bikers killed from vehicle collisions. ERIK’S COUPONS: From January through mid-April, NEW TCBC MEMBERS were unwittingly send an outdated Erik’s Bike Shop discount coupon sheet in their New Member Packet. Erik’s has graciously stepped forward and requested all their stores to honor the coupons SAA 1290-1291-1292 through July 31, 2006. BIKE TRAILS AND ROUTESST. PAUL: The new power plant being built along the Mississippi near the High Bridge makes it necessary to close off part of the Samuel Morgan Trail along the river. Trail users will need to take the parallel path along Shepard Road until fall, when it should be finished. EAST RIVER PARKWAY RECONSTRUCTION: the parkway will be closed to all traffic, including bikes and pedestrians, between Arlington Street (near Appleby Hall) and Norris Hall from June 1 till the end of August. Major reconstruction work will be done on the roadway, due to last year’s storm-related washout. COMO AVENUE SE: Como is blocked to all traffic near Dinkytown between 22nd and 23rd Aves while a railroad bridge is being replaced. A detour is offered. The road is expected to be reopened by late July, with roadway work continuing till October. GRAND ROUND: a recent article in the PIONEER PRESS highlighted the biking/walking/driving route that follows the parkways in a big loop around Minneapolis. The full route is 53 miles, was named a national scenic byway in 1998, and is the only urban national byway. The trail along Victory Memorial and Webber Parkways in north Mpls was recently paved and good for biking. The Midtown Greenway offers a nice shortcut, sort of, across the middle of the loop (except the eastern unfinished section). There is still a 2 ½-mile gap in the northeast section, where bikers can use streets such as Stinson and 15th Ave SE. LILYDALE PARK TRAIL: A paved trail along the Mississippi will cover some of the territory between Harriet Island and where the Big Rivers Regional Trail begins near the Yacht Club (parallelling Water Street). This $300,000 extension may start this fall and might be finished by summer 2007. Lilydale, Dakota County, and the National Park Service will be coordinating it. ELM CREEK PARK RESERVE: A new Visitor Center should be finished by fall. While construction continues, the center’s parking lot and a segment of the bike trail will be closed. A detour will be provided. Also, there is road construction with the Hwy. 610 project along the park’s southern end, which should be done by summer 2007. - by Doug Nelson League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructor TrainingLast September, TCBC sponsored two ride leaders to become League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors (LCIs). In a four-day trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lisa Austin and Julie VanMersbergen became authorized to teach the League’s curriculum relating to the safe and effective use of bicycles as transportation. The League’s BikeEd programs focus chiefly on the use of a bicycle as a vehicle. On the roads in most states, including Minnesota, bikes are treated as vehicles under law. Simply knowing how to ride a bike is not the same as knowing how to operate a bike safely and legally. BikeEd programs focus on safely sharing congested roads and trails with other users of these throughways. Students also learn important safety maneuvers, crash avoidance techniques, and even basic bicycle maintenance. As LCIs, Lisa and Julie are reaching out to TCBC and other organizations to share these courses with the Twin Cities and Minnesota cycling communities. As a member of the State Bicycle Advisory Committee, Lisa presented at the Bike Expo in March. Julie is working with several community organizations on risk management and safety programs. One goal of their outreach is to qualify others in the state to become LCIs by getting them the prerequisite course (Road I). Where does TCBC fit in? First of all, Julie and Lisa will be offering an accelerated Road I course to interested Ride Leaders in July – leaders, watch for details on the TCBC Leaders e-group. They are also developing more general opportunities to come for all riders. In the longer term, they hope to encourage others to seek LCI certification, and encourage TCBC and other local organizations to sponsor bringing an LCI Trainer to the Twin Cities to hold the course. For more information on League of American Bicyclists education programs, visit their site at http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/. SOGGY IRONMAN ROLLS ONWell, we needed the rain! This year’s Minnesota IRONMAN was the wettest in years, one of the five wettest in the ride’s 40-year history, with over half an inch of rain on April 30. It rained fairly steadily most of the morning, mostly stopping around noon for awhile, with east winds. These were the worst conditions since the horribly cold but dry ride the day after it snowed in 2002. However, the majority of registered riders were not to be stopped (although plenty probably rode a shorter route than they intended, including yours truly). Around 3000 bikers mounted their machines and took part in the event! The volunteers did their usual superlative job, the signs and maps were great, and the food plentiful. The reassuring part was that the daily low around ride start was 50 degrees, not too bad. It rose to 55 at noon, with a daily high of 59. Fairly average IRONMAN temps. Rain gear was more important than cold-weather gear, but no matter how good your gear, it couldn’t keep the rain (or the sweat) out indefinitely. And millions of worms were crawling across the roads, many of which were impossible to miss with your tires. The committee seemed pleased with how things went and there were many compliments on the event. Surely it will be heaven in 2007! By Doug Nelson THANKS TO TCBC!I received two thank-you notes from the recent Swap Meet that I want to share with all of you. If you have any additional items to donate to CVT <http://www.cvt.org/> please contact Cynthia at CMcArthur@att.net. I'll say it one more time... TCBC members are the best! Valerie Olson ========================= Dear Ms. Olson: The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is so grateful for the donations facilitated by you and the Twin Cities Bicycling Club! Cynthia McArthur told me that you invited her to request donations for her volunteer work with CVT during your annual bike/gear swap/sale on April 15th. Cynthia noted that she was able to pick up lots of useful items, including brand new children's bike helmets (retail $30 each), as well as bike parts that will be used to replace torn, used, or worn equipment such as seats, tires, brake cables, etc. CVT is really lucky that Cynthia has volunteered her time over the years to organize the donation of bicycles for clients, and she's delighted that the Twin Cities Bicycling Club provided the opportunity to for her to pick up these very useful items, which will certainly help keep clients and their children safe on well-maintained bikes. Donated bikes have had such a positive impact on the lives of CVT clients; as you know better than I, they're great for commuting to work and school, exploring a new community, and just having fun. Your gift helps the Center achieve its goal of making Minnesota a community where torture survivors are welcomed, protected, and healed. We are very appreciative of your support. Best regards, Beth Wickum ========================= Valerie and Twin Cities Bicycling Club Members, Thanks for including me in your donations at the swap on the 15th. The helmets & bike parts will help clients at CVT get, & ride, bikes this year. I appreciate your support as the bike volunteer for CVT. Cynthia McArthur WELCOME TO NEW TCBC MEMBERSHere are the people who became new members of TCBC since last month’s listing. Welcome to the club and we hope you are able to participate in plenty of events. ANDERSON, BRETT MILEAGE LEADERS AND STATSA fairly warm winter and a really warm April helped boost our riders up fast in the mileage listings! For rides since November 1, 2005, here are those with the most: MEN WOMEN TOTAL RIDES MEN: Irvin 95, McNutt 67, Joy 63, Franco 58, Nizielski 53. TOTAL RIDES WOMEN: Angle 74, Dust 36, Dillon 30, Seleen 29, Kovar and Nelsen 28. TOTAL RIDES LED: Joy 28, McNutt 19, Evan 16, Angle 15, Blum and Schultz 12. BIGGEST RIDES IN APRIL: Apr 23 76 Tin Man OVER 1000 CLUB MILES: Jeff Johnson has reached it for his 17th year. SINCE THE LAST LISTING: Irvin nearly doubles his lead, with Franco climbing to third. Angle increases her lead slightly and Dillon takes second. |
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TCBC ContactsACTIVITY NEWS is published by the Twin Cities Bicycling Club, formed in
1993. TCBC BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENT: Charles Breer OTHER TCBC POSITIONS TREASURER: Tony Stifter |
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The
4th of July is such a special day to many of us. The Watermelon Ride
is a perfect way to spend a day by being outside with your
family and friends and being active in the community. We
start with a bike rodeo - which is a super introduction for
teaching riding skills to young riders - and we end with a
picnic. So far, we've had 24 years of satisfied riders - many who keep
returning for this special July 4th event. Come and help make this
25th anniversary ride our best ever!