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TCBC NEWS: November - December 2006
President's LetterI’ve seen the season’s first snow showers, just days after riding in short sleeves, and I have to confess that the thought of rides in sub-freezing temperatures is daunting right now. It’s one thing to start a ride in the morning when it’s in the 30s or 40s and then have it warm up during the ride, but as soon as the temperature falls into the 20s and stays there, it’s a whole different situation. Our fingers and toes may lose feeling, our eyes may water, our breathing is different, and there could be snow and ice on the road. Sometimes, the fluid in our water bottles freezes and it may be hard to see when our glasses fog up. We had a very full summer of wonderful rides, followed by an equally glorious fall, so why could I possibly be thinking about recommending winter rides? For one thing, living in Minnesota, we don’t have much choice in the matter. Some of us enjoy winter sports, but sports such as cross-country skiing are very weather-dependent and local conditions haven’t been so good lately. Another alternative is to ride indoors, but while this can help you stay in shape, it’s clearly not the same as outdoor activity. It is also possible to travel to warmer places to ride during the winter, but for most of us, it’s costly and complicated to actually do this. So if you don’t want to completely abandon bicycling during the cold months, I encourage everyone to give winter rides a try at least once. First of all, I should be clear that I don’t consider winter riding to be the same activity as bicycling when it’s warmer. I approach it with a different mindset and think of it as something to do outdoors (with TCBC friends, of course) that represents a different kind of challenge. I don’t expect to get a serious aerobic workout in winter riding and in any case, for me there is a built-in time limit when it gets really cold, which means rides are not much more than 25 miles or 2 hours in duration. You just have to be able to get past the first 10 minutes or so, when the biting cold can sometimes seem intolerable. After that, we usually warm up and it’s possible to enjoy the ride. I still haven’t figured out why the self-generated wind chill always feels so much colder on a bike than while skiing, but somehow it does. The main challenge becomes getting the right clothing to stay warm enough, but not too hot. Marina Lim provided some excellent tips in the October TCBC NEWS – the only thing I would add is some comments about the bike itself. I ride a heavy mountain bike with fat tires and fenders throughout the winter and sometimes change to tires with studs on them. Not only does this provide the necessary traction, but the added weight of a mountain bike provides a bit of a workout and also slows you down so the wind isn’t quite as chilling. Then when you switch back to your smooth-rolling road bike in the spring, you’ll feel incredibly fast. The best thing of all, though, is the sense of accomplishment when you’ve completed a winter ride on a particularly cold day. It seems like you’ve cheated nature and snuck in a ride when no one was looking. Not to mention the feeling of relief and warmth when you roll back into the parking lot and the cold wind stops. So, I hope to see some more of you out there this winter to join the ever-growing group of “regulars” who go on winter rides. We expect that TCBC ride leaders will once again offer a regular schedule of winter rides, mostly on weekends, but also on some weekdays, so you should have plenty of chances to try it out. You’ll usually find me at Think Spring at 11 AM on Sundays (starting in December). Check for web rides on the schedule too. Charles Breer
DO YOUR PART - VOTE! (For Ride Leaders of the Year, That is)Ride leaders are the heart and soul of TCBC. Now is the time to recognize our ride leaders for the time and effort they devote to making all of our great rides possible. So we urge you to cast your vote for the best three ride leaders of this past year, the best new ride leader and best leader of “C” rides. We will celebrate the accomplishments of our ride leaders at the TCBC annual recognition banquet on Friday, January 19. Again this year, we will be voting in advance of the banquet in order to encourage as many members to vote as possible since not everyone is able to attend the banquet. Here’s how to vote: * Choose your nominees for:
IN BRIEFNEXT TCBC NEWS DEADLINE will be Monday, December 11. This will be for the combined Jan-Feb issue. ON A TCBC RIDE SEPT. 29: “I was riding with Herb Schultz’s group from Faribault towards Waterville. I took a nasty spill on a bridge deck close to Waterville. I was multi-tasking, eating while riding, and I lost control. Thanks to my fellow riders (Herb Schultz, Catherine Fretter, Karen Johnson, and John Avoles), I was well taken care of. They temporarily bandaged me up and then located a clinic and stayed with me until I was patched up. Then they got me back to my vehicle so I could get home and begin healing up. They were all wonderfully helpful. God Bless Them! My lessons learned: don’t multi-task while riding – if I want to eat, drink, or answer my cell phone, simply STOP. Be extra careful using my front brake (the food was in my right-hand/back brake). Also, ride leaders should do what Herb did – carry some basic medical supplies and know how to use them.” (Tim Bischke) AFTON STOP: Selma’s Ice Cream Parlour in Afton, one of the oldest ice cream stores in Minnesota, is for sale. Owner Laine McGee will close for the winter soon and she hopes Selma’s will reopen under new ownership next spring. The shop and the neighboring Run-a-Muk outdoor restaurant are on the market. Many group rides use Afton, usually Selma’s, as a rest stop. How about some TCBCers buying it up? What a great opportunity for retirees! A recent PIONEER PRESS story profiled Mike Heikes, a bicyclist from Fergus Falls who got seriously into biking after a brain injury. He has ridden his bike in every state in the country, and has ridden more than 150,000 miles since 1990. He raises money to provide free bike helmets for kids, more than 2000 so far. ON YOUR RIGHT: This year, a traffic psychologist named Ian Walker rode a bike fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor around streets and roads in southern England, and recorded how closely 2500 vehicles were from him when they overtook and passed his bike from behind. Some findings: drivers passed 3 inches closer to him when he was wearing a helmet than when he was not; the average car passed 4.4 feet away from the bike, the average truck 7 inches closer, and the average bus 9 inches closer; drivers gave him an average of 5 more inches when he was wearing a wig (appearing to be a woman from behind) and not a helmet. (This of course does not mean that cyclists should exchange wearing their helmets for wigs.) Walker was hit by a bus and a truck when conducting the experiment; thankfully he was wearing a helmet both times. COOLING IT: September was the first month since May 2005 to average below normal temps in the Twin Cities, about 1.5 degrees. Since then every month was even or had above-average temps. And by October 12, we had flurries and frigid temps in the Twin Cities and cross-country skiing in Upper Michigan. BikeAzonaNeed a winter getaway or Spring Break? Come join us for one of our BikeAzona weeks in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. For both weeks the rides will start on Sundays and wrap up on Saturdays, February 18-24 and again April 1-7. The routes will be planned for the A/B rider with 50-60 mile days. Some routes will offer shortcuts for self-sufficient B riders or extra miles if you just need to go for more. Rides will start in North Scottsdale or will require a short drive to get out of town and into the desert. All routes will be on paved surfaces or bike trails. Most of the rides will include climbs out of the valley with a sweet downhill return to the ride start. Bring your climbing legs and we’ll offer you the option of the ascent of South Mountain. Want a day off of the road bike? Mountain bike rentals can be arranged, or take a desert hike. How about a round of golf (you’re on your own there) or a spring training game? So much to do and so little time. Rooms and meals will be on your own, though we’ll plan a Saturday night dinner to kick off each of the weeks. Let us know if you need suggestions on places to stay. Want to ship your bike out? We would be happy to have you send them to us or we can help make arrangements with a local bike shop. Hope to see you in Arizona this winter. Kate Kovar and Jim Pederson katekovar@hotmail.com, jimpederson@gmail.com, 480-515-0714 or 763-234-5180. Bayfield Wisconsin biking During September and most of October the Chequamegon
Peninsula around Bayfield WI is an ideal place to bike. The boreal hardwoods
are blazing in their autumnal garb, apple orchards are being harvested, the
clear air makes for exceptional views of Lake Superior and temperatures during
the day are in the perfect 60-70 degree range. You’ll find a modest
network of low traffic, paved county highways, a stretch of smooth tar through
the Chequamegon Natl. Forest and some terrific hills close by the tiny town
of Bayfield. Sand Bay Loop 27miles. Star Route Road 20 miles: Brinks Road NF 236: 40 miles For this ride you may want to obtain Bayfield County
Highway map, free from the bike shop or from the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce.
The route will take the peloton through 25 miles of the Chequamegon National
Forest on a little or no traveled, newly paved road. It passes several lost
lakes (maybe for a short dip?) and continues up to the Moquah Barrens, a
wild area preserved to demonstrate the barren, scrubby ecology that
is the natural course of the high peninsula. Recognition CornerRECOGNITION CORNER THIS MONTH, WE RECOGNIZE: HERB SCHULTZ C RIDE LEADER & INSPIRATION For tirelessly leading countless C rides in a variety of interesting locations, always welcoming new riders, while sticking to the level of the ride and ensuring rider safety, all with cheerful and contagious enthusiasm. This past summer, Herb’s positive energy inspired at least one new rider to renew his addiction to bicycling and become a stronger rider. We encourage any members to pass along the names of fellow TCBC members who deserve appreciation for anything that is worthy of recognition. Just send your suggestions to any TCBC board member or to recognition@biketcbc.org. Trails and Routes NewsGATEWAY TRAIL: Work continues. As of this writing, County 12 is once again open, passing over the tunnel the trail will take under the road, but the trail tunnel is not open. From Jamaca (County 9) to County 15, the trail has been repaved and widened, with a center stripe put in, and can be ridden again. (Thanks for the news, Ron Plinske!) The trail is supposed to be fully reopened by mid-November, weather permitting. MISSISSIPPI RIVER: A new trail to be built in the next five years or so will be part of a 23-mile connection extending from Minneapolis to Elk River. Some parts are already done or run along roads, such as the Riverfront Regional Park and the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. Planning is moving forward on the 7.5-mile part from the Rum River in Anoka to the Anoka County line in Elk River, with a 10-foot asphalt trail running between the east side of the Mississippi and the west side of Hwy. 10. It will connect to other regional and local trails and pass near or through parks. The Metropolitan Council is the final step in approval, expected in early 2007. The trail will be eligible for a variety of funding. Upcoming EventsBONFIRE RIDE: In Britain, November 5 is celebrated as Bonfire Night in honor of the failure of a plot to blow up Parliament in 1605. In St. Paul, Minnesota, we figure: what the heck, fire’s pretty cool. So on November 4, we’re going to ride our bikes and then have a bonfire of our own. (See schedule for details.) Traditionally, the English set bonfires to remember the occasion, and to burn Guy Fawkes (an organizer of the 1605 plot) in effigy. There was also some religious undertones to events prior to the mid-20th century. Because TCBC is a nice and peaceable lot, burning of the organizer in effigy is strictly not permitted, and all are welcome. Those who wish to avoid the whole ‘riding’ thing may join us at about 5:00 to set fire to things over at the firepit near the Como West Picnic Grounds, or contact Julie in advance if you might be willing to stake out the pit and get jiggy with the lighter prior to the ride’s end. (Note that no TCBC insurance is provided for activities involving the bonfire.) REMINDER: TCBC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING We hope you’ll join your fellow TCBC members at the Annual Membership Meeting, where we elect TCBC Board Members, recap the past riding season, and review TCBC financials. Of course, you’ll have a chance to share desserts and socialize with your riding buddies before and after the formal meeting. Date: Sunday, November 5 WELCOME TO NEW TCBC MEMBERSHere is a listing of those who became new members of TCBC since our last listing. Welcome to the club! BAILEY, ANGELA & JEFF MILEAGE LEADERS AND STATSMany records are being set this year. As of this writing, 189 people are over 1000 official miles on TCBC trips, 80 are over 2000, and 39 are over 3000, so we have already broken the group records we set last year. The participation year ends on October 31, so more reports will be added to these totals for the final listings to be discussed and honored at the Recognition Dinner in January. Congrats to so many riders! Please continue to get those trip reports in. WOMEN MEN TOTAL RIDES WOMEN: Angle 181, Nelsen 122, Seleen 120, Mitchell 113, Kovar 109, Evan 108, Dillon 102, M. Miller 92. TOTAL RIDES MEN: Theilman 182, Johnson 177, Franco 175, Irvin 172, McNutt 166, Stifter 146, Nizielski 142, Block 128. TOTAL RIDES LED: Herb Schultz 117, Paul Huntington 109, Kay Mitchell 56, Cindy Hanson and Clareyse Nelson 50, Pete Hall 46, Susan Evan 43, Evie Walters 41, Jim Joy and Joel Stenoien 34. TOP TEN RIDES FOR SEPTEMBER 9/2 All-Club Ride 176 SINCE THE LAST LISTINGS: Angle’s lead remains unsurpassable, with Nelsen increasing her hold on second place. For the men, Thielman doubles his lead over Franco with Miller moving up into fourth. YEARS OVER 1000 MILES: Andy Hartle now has his 15th year. YEARS OVER 2000 MILES: Shelby Miller has reached 10, tied for fifth all-time. YEARS OVER 4000 MILES: Tony Stifter has made 8 to extend his all-time record, and Mark Gregory now has 5. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Angle and Franco have become the 14th and 15th members of the all-time 7000-mile club.
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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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