Two weeks plus one left!

That is - three weeks until Cycle Oregon. Two weeks for any last bit of training and one week of packing and pacing. 19 days before heading to Sutherlin. 9 days left before the "10 day forecast" can be checked and re-checked ad nauseam.

Cram it in!!!!!

Hopefully you have made that appointment to have your bike serviced (unless you do it yourself) and have ordered anything you need online to ensure you get it. It looks like a few of the LBS in Portland have begun to put out some of the cold weather gear, so if you need those replacement arm or leg warmers - there are probably some better choices at the local shops than a month ago.

Tick-tock!!

One Month Away...

Alas - Cycle Oregon 2011 is now 31 days away. The final sprint is now ON!

This last month you may find yourself doing a lot of frothy pacing - just eagerly awaiting the time to arrive! These last thirty days will travel quickly, so it is time - today - to put together the "must do this month" list so that come the morning of September 10th, all there will be to do is toss your bag into the car, strap the ride to the roof, hit the local coffee place for a jolt, and get thyself to Sutherlin STAT.

Over the years my list has evolved a bit, but here are 10 critical items that need attention in the next 30 days (some sooner than others):

1. Preview the weather

Yes, I realize predicting this a month out is near impossible around here, but you can take a look at the years past for a sense of what to expect. Look for patterns of weather in each town around the time the ride takes place. Use this information to narrow down/expand your packing/shopping list.

2. Make a shopping list and get 'er done

Need a new duffle? Need to pick up a wool jersey? New arm warmers? Leg warmers? Make a list now and start shopping. Buying online? Do it soon to ensure the gear you need arrives on time and you have a chance to exchange if needed.

3. Go over your ride of choice for mechanical issues

If you do your own maintenance, now is time for the 100% go-over. Fine tooth comb your steed. Check the tires for embedded glass, etc that can cause a flat. Need new tires? Get 'em now. Mechanically check everything. Check headset tension, pedals, fasteners, cables, etc. Better to do it now than have something fall out and cause a failure on day 1. Clean and lube your chain. If you don't do your own bike maintenance, get your bike to the local shop for a full tune ASAP as they can be busy this time of year.

4. Replace your patch kit(s)

If your patch kit is old, get a new one for the week - just in case.

5. Do a "test pack" of your gear

Bought a new duffle? New tent? Sleeping pads, etc? Make sure it will all fit in your duffle. Get together all the gear you want to take and pack it. Still not sure what to bring? Cycle Oregon has a great packing list you can print out. Edit it as you see fit for your needs. Weigh your bag to make sure you are not over the 65lb limit.

6. Make your duffle unique

There will be hundreds and hundreds of duffle bags in camp each day that all look (or are) the exact same. Yes, you will have your rider number tag on the end of it - but so will everyone else. A better way to play the daily "I spy with my little eye" duffle hunting game is to attach something colorful and/or garish on the outside handles like ribbon, duct tape, etc. Have a ridiculous looking tie you will never ever wear? Cut it in half and tie one section each to the ends of your duffle in tight knots.

7. Visit the bank

In camp there will be locals selling things. There will be handy local kids willing to carry your bag for a tip (Sherpas). The beer garden. Pizza. Local eateries, shops, and tours. Smoothies. Etc etc. Bring some cash in small bills for these things. Particularly for the sherpas - tip well. They pool tips for things like school equipment, etc. Plus getting up a 6AM to haul many 60 lb bags among a lycra clad crowd deserves a handful of bucks!

8. Assess your training

Time to face the mirror about your fitness. Are you there yet? Time is just about out. You do not want to do a lot of heavy riding and tearing up your legs the week before the ride. That is the rest week. Your fitness is not just about "I rode hundreds of miles" on a bike. Anyone can ride along for a lot of miles. What about other training you have (or planned on being) engaged in? If you are "there" with your fitness, great - you will do fine. If you are not - well believe it or not you will do fine too. Maybe not as "fast" but hey - this is vacation and not a race. If you feel the need to step it up a notch - you have three weeks left. Don't hurt yourself in the final week.

9. Stock up on spare tubes and maybe a spare tire

Run a special tire size other than 700c? Get a spare and bring it in your duffle. If you are riding ISO 349 or 406 or 650c size tires - or anything other than the "typical roadie" size - spares will probably NOT be available to you on the ride should you need one. Ditto that for tubes. Recumbent riders - unless it is a 700c wheel equipped recumbent you are likely ON YOUR OWN for spare tubes and a tire should the need arise. Plan accordingly.

10. Schedule your massage

A real treat while on Cycle Oregon - getting a massage. You may not know, but you need to schedule this NOW if you want a massage. If you think you can do it once you arrive in camp - think again. Take a look at the maps and decide what days you really might want the luxury that is a Cycle Oregon massage - then go here and send a few emails to set up a time. You can always show up and maybe someone will have cancelled or you can get in for a no-show... but it's a gamble.

Well, those 10 cover the main ones. Here's to counting down the days!

ICE Ergo Mesh Seat & Headrest - Icing on the Cake

The ICE B1 is a great little ride. I was saddened by the news that ICE has decided to discontinue it. A folding recumbent that is very easily adjustable on the fly and ultra comfortable is quite rare. With the absence of the B1 from the market I don't see another easily found commercial recumbent that fits the needs of the "does it all with aplomb" category. That is really a shame. Maybe the future we will see the return of an ICE two wheeler.

Anyway, what better thing to do than make an already awesome bike even more awesome? This is exactly what happened when I swapped my "regular" ICE mesh for the new ICE "ergo mesh"design. Holy smokes it does make a difference - in looks, ride, and utility! To make the seat 100% complete I installed my spare ICE headrest.

The side padding of this new seat mesh truly adds a lot of comfort - it is easy to get centered in the seat and relax. There is a secure feeling that comes from settling into this new seat. You will also note in the image above the holes in the top of the cover - for adding flags. Since this will mainly be going on trikes from now on, that is a nice thing to have. The stress points for the cover where it attaches to the frame are very beefy - I foresee zero issues with wear on this cover.

To add to the awesomeness, the top of the seat has an incorporated pouch, with a waterproof zipper. The pouch is not big enough to swallow the likes of a Road Morph pump, but the smaller Morph pumps would fit for sure - as well as a spare tube, your keys, phone, spare cash, tins of Altoids, energy bar, or other small items. This is a real welcome addition - there are always small things around you need to carry. :)

Throwing the headrest on is a pure bonus - I have been enjoying the seat at the second recline adjustment point, so a headrest is not really necessary. However, when the seat is tipped back it is a welcome addition. Like everything else on ICE recumbents, the headrest is easily adjustable with a simple compact tool. Hard to know what I might try to add or tweak next - this is easily the most comfortable two wheeler I have been on. Full on Zen-cruising comfort - attained.

The Trike Wins

Well, I have been putting in more and more local rides on both sets of wheels. With the completion of the Cycle Oregon Weekend I am just about to call it - for me, hands down, the trike simply wins and provides the best overall cycling experience I can imagine. While I do still enjoy riding on two wheels, the more time I spend riding my trike the more the glossy sheen of two wheels fades.

Part of this journey is in discovering what type of rider you are. I am not a racer type. I am not built for it, nor do I really desire to be one if I could. Acceptance of that fact is quite an enlightening and freeing experience. For those who want to always be like Lance - thats OK - I imagine you would not be caught dead on a trike to begin with. For the rest of us....

Cycling is more about the fun of rolling down the road - wether that be fast or slow. For others who want to race, or chase the rabbits, that is fine, go forth and do so. But nothing kills the great buzz of riding a bike faster than trying to always ride like someone you are not.

Having found the inner purpose, on to the wheels. Riding the trike has allowed me to ride with more relaxation and sense of freedom than ever. On that platform, the entire horizon is the movie screen. The feeling of safety of the road is better. No worries about slow speed wobbles. Venturing into unknown territory where the steepness of the climbs is a mystery is no longer a fearful thing. Bring it all on.

On the Corsa I just cannot say the same. It is a lighter ride, and I can climb most of the local smaller hills faster on it, but that speed increase comes with a large sense of discomfort. Cars are closer to me when they pass. There is always a bit of wobble present. The rearview is less steady. Having to stop and start at lights, etc is a real hassle after doing the same on a trike. It is simply amazing how much energy goes into balancing two wheels.

I do still enjoy the swooping feeling of carving a nice downhill on two wheels - nothing can compare. But getting there has become too enjoyable on the trike. I have to wonder if the days of keeping the two wheeler are numbered. A few seasons might have to elapse before the ultimate decision is made to sell it off or not but for now, the trike simply wins hands down.

Week Long Cycle Oregon Maps - My New Porn

In anticipation of the 2010 Cycle Oregon, I like to pour over things that really don't need much attention at this point like lists of items to pack, route to camp, scouting Google Earth, etc. But some of the most fun is in looking at the detailed maps. These images you are about to see are like porn for Cycle Oregon attendees. Commence the drooling!

Where is that lunch break? How far up that mountain until a water stop? What type of hell am I in for on what day? Which psychotic climbing days should I have my evening massage sessions scheduled after? All these questions and more can be answered by staring for long hours late at night at the detailed maps of the ride.

The ride is not till September, but the staring at the maps begins tonight. Lets take a look at them together, shall we?

Day 1 - Not too bad here. Get the hard stuff done early in the AM, have a rip roaring time for 4 miles (over in a flash) on a steep downhill and then commence medium spinning grind mode all the way to Enterprise. The reward here: Terminal Gravity Brewery. BEER baby. And GOOD beer with good food to go with. This is the altar where many cyclists will drink to the beer gods on the evening of day 1.

Day 2 starts off great with some nice cruising terrain. Thats good too in order to work off the libations from the previous nights celebration. Follow that with what could likely be the best downhill of the ride into the Columbia River Gorge followed immediately after by the long grind of the Rattlesnake Grade. Ouch - that will be one fast downhill and one loooong uphill. Think I'll be hungry by the lunch stop? Oh man. The rest of the way into Clarkston was made for recumbent bikes and trikes - what goes up must go back down. Oh yes.

Day 3. The perfect example of how hard work in the morning will pay off huge. After mile 21, I will be long gone at high of a speed as I can pedal. Really hope the AM bugs are gone so the recumbent grin is not too full of gnats. See you at lunch. Make that a Brunch for the recumbent folks.

Nice day to get up at the literal crack of dawn and go for a spin to enjoy the countryside and sunrise. Then commence doing nothing the remainder of the day except relaxing and taking in the sights.

Day 6 looks easy, but hmmmm - there be some steep "rollers" mixed in there at various intervals. They lay in wait to suck the life force out of cyclist daring passage. Looking forward to this day even though it will be a long one.

Stay in camp or go out for a loop ride? Will have to decide this later, but the return section along the river  may be too serene to pass up.

Ahhh... the last day. Take some time and cruise on into the fini- holy mother WTF?!?! Yes. A ladder to the sky. This will be an epic day. I am really certain that on this day I will be happy to be on the trike - even if it's a bit slower going up the hills. See those two "viewpoint" icons at the false peaks in the sky high section? I can tell you already what the view is - its me lying on the side of the road in a fetal position. Thank goodness the remainder of the ride is all downhill after mile 62 - the legs will need every mile of the remainder to recoup just to allow standing to change clothes!

When it is all said and done though - the real sadness sets in when the finish line is crossed and the reality hits - its over for 2010. The countdown in the sidebar to your right keeps ticking closer to the ride start, and even after all 7 days, regardless of the difficulty, it is always a bit sad to realize a full year has to again pass until the next Cycle Oregon.

The Cyclist Breaking Point

Everyone has a breaking point. For me as a cyclist - every driver that gets just a bit too close when they don't have to pushes that internal meter just a bit. The article here is an example of one cyclist who was pushed just far enough to finally take action into his own hands.


I can't condone the cyclists behavior, but I cannot be surprised at it either. As such I am not sure how to feel. While his actions were supposedly "in the wrong" I guess, its a bit refreshing to see someone stand up and not just cower over the white line and let yet another motorist feel like they "win" the car vs. bike battle of the day. Sorry but IMHO there just are some folks who deserve to be threatened with a rock to the face as it's the only thing they can respond to so that they "get it."

In a way I think it is a bigger lesson to drivers: : "Don't f@#k with that cyclist - he just might be a retired Marine ready to smash your skull with a rock!" The real thing to remember is he/she may likely be capable of actually using said rock.

Ten bucks says this motorist leaves cyclists alone the next time.

Everyone has a breaking point and his was clearly reached that day. I would bet that the driver won't mess with cyclists ever again. While he can relish in the fact that the judge found the cyclist "guilty" of the charge, the next retired Marine who wields a rock at his face might be the one to actually hit him with it - wether it is wrong to do so or not. I bet that diver soiled himself though. I would have loved to see that.

I love the picture too - the ex-Marine giving the driver a real good lesson in why being a mid-life-crisis asshat in a Convertible is just not "cool" to anyone.

And I disagree with the "lawyer" who said they could have called the police. We all know that would have resulted in nothing and it is a FOOLS ERRAND to "follow the law" in that type of situation. Now, if threats to CYCLISTS by drivers were actually taken seriously by authorities, I imagine one would not feel the need to crush someone's skull when the opportunity presents itself.

__________________

Cycling For The Ages

My grandfather rode his bike pretty much all the way to the end. He was old - but I respected him more than anyone for his ability to keep going no matter what. He did not ride any event rides or pack lumber home from the hardware store via bike or even commute via a bike. He did it for the pure freedom and health of it. What kept him from enjoying riding his bikes ALL the way to the end though was this: he simply could not ride it any more due to old age and being afraid of falling over and getting hurt.

I wonder if he had discovered recumbents and recumbent trikes at an earlier age (like in his 60's and 70's) he would have rode longer. Of course, there was not much in the way of recumbents or trikes even 10 years ago outside of home builders and very very small niche products. Today the options are many and the quality and engineering of recumbents today is superb.

Right now, were are at the very front of witnessing a new wave of old. More like a tidal wave, actually. Over the next decade there will be a massive amount of Baby Boomers hitting retirement and subsequently their "golden" years. Personally, I do not think that we as a society have fully grasped what this will mean for the economy, healthcare, etc - but I think that it will be good for the recumbent industry - in more ways than one.

As people age - if they desire to keep up with their physical activities, will they move to recumbents when riding a diamond frame becomes too uncomfortable? We will see but I imagine the prospects are good. Trikes in particular will benefit. As a Gen-X'er, I have already flipped to the "dark side" of recumbents and won't likely go back, so I am a recumbent rider for life now. Unlike the previous generation before me I am starting from recumbents - not moving to them due to some physical ailment or other reason to "force" me off of a diamond frame. Likewise, my own children will have 'bents - my oldest already has a used Bike E that has become the primary bike of choice - will she "go back" to a diamond frame? Time will tell - but a very likely trend going into the future will be people starting on recumbents, not the other way around.

Recumbent Bikes or Recumbent Trikes?

I am asked every now and then if I like the recumbent trike better or if I prefer the recumbent bike. I guess the “real” and “safe” answer is, “It depends on the circumstances of the ride.” While this can be true, neither of my rides are race-worthy in terms of weight and I consider myself a recreational rider. Over the last handful of rides I am preferring the trike more and more for everything, even in the face of what many would call a trikes inherent disadvantages.

For my last handful of loop training rides I have done a bit of an experiment on myself. I have taken the same loop alternating between the trike and the highracer. Each time I have kept track of the riding conditions, my total time and average speed. I have also kept track of another important factor - how I felt overall during the ride and how I was treated in traffic.

First, some of the pros and cons are in order as I initially perceive them. On the recumbent bike, I would rate the cons for me as: 

Cons:

Unnerving on steep climbs. (wobble factor)

Traffic passes closer to me. (still not as close as road bikers complain about though)

Pros:

Faster overall.

Hard to beat the jet pilot feel of downhill cornering on a recumbent bike.

A bit higher off the ground = better perception of safety.

Lighter weight. (about 10 pounds)

Comfortable and stiff power transfer.

Carries momentum better

For the trike, I would rate my initial cons and pros as follows:

Cons:

Much heavier overall than my recumbent bike.

Loses momentum much faster when hitting an uphill.

Climbs slower.

Some boom flex

Lower to the ground = perception of increased vulnerability.

Slower overall average speed.

Possibility of tipping at high speed.

Pros:

Climbs come very easily. (no balance needed)

More comfortable overall.

Go-cart feel on downhills due to low CG

So looking at my initial list - it would seem that the trike loses out overall. But actually the tike is a real winner. Many of the cons simply do not play out for me when I look at the real data from my rides. Granted, with more training and ride time as the season gets going, my attitude might change, and the “right tool for the job” rule still applies. But for an overall everyday steed for fitness, cruising, and organized rides it seems hard to beat a trike.

My average speed on the highracer has been 14.10 MPH in rolling terrain. On the trike, I expected my average to me much lower, but I found on the exact same loop under similar conditions it was a total of 13.14 MPH. That is less than 1 MPH slower on average. And since I am not racing for any sort of trophies here, that number is simply to small for me to care about.

The real shocker of this is that the “disadvantages” of the trike were less of a factor in reality. Despite the heavier weight of the trike, my total average speed was not that far off and the climbs did not seem any harder when riding them. Indeed, the climbs via a trike are more enjoyable than my highracer, as I have no worries about falling over or wobbling along with traffic approaching from behind. No matter how steep the grade gets, I can trike up the hill without wobbling. I can easily keep an eye on who and what is behind me in my rear view mirrors. Should the grade get too steep I can simply pull off the side of the road and rest. No unclipping. No “arte-Johnson's” to worry about. 

Climbs on the recumbent bike get much hairier and more unnerving the steeper it gets. I have had my share of stalls and falls climbing on a 2 wheeled ‘bent when trying to tackle really steep grades. The steepest climbs on a trike are only limited by gearing and wheel traction. Adding traffic to the mix only makes it worse on a 2 wheeler and even more of my energy gets expended being nervous.

I noted above the “perceived” safety of the two rides. I have many years on my 2 wheeled ‘bents and feel quite comfortable on them in most situations including traffic. Immediately when seeing a trike, one thinks it has to be more dangerous on the road since it is so low to the ground. I admit to sweating bullets on my first trike ventures into traffic. I have since found that the myth of “that can’t be safe on the road” is just not true for trikes. I would go further to say that I actually feel safer in traffic on the trike. 

It is common for road bikers to complain about getting “buzzed” by traffic with not much elbow room. It is less common on a recumbent bike - people in their cars typically give a wider zone when passing a recumbent bike. On the trike, it is not uncommon for people to give me and entire lane width when they pass. Now, if some tool driver is not going to see you - they are not going to see you no matter what bike you are on or how far off the ground you are. You are toast in such a case.

When riding, I do not try to take up more road space when on one bike than another. I might actually take up a bit more road space when on the recumbent bike - as I don’t want to get forced off the edge of the asphalt and have a spill. On the tike I can hug the line or even ride with my right wheel over a bit. Should I need to bail off the road I can do so safely on the trike. The total width of the trike is less than 4 inches wider than the width of me sitting on the highracer, so the width is a perception and not a real difference. I imagine the perceived width is more by the car driver. I feel this is true since people give more room to the trike simply because they think it’s wider AND because it’s so low to the ground. 

Think of this - when you are approaching something in your car, and you can gauge the distance of that object from your rearview mirror, you feel more comfortable getting closer to it. This is the problem road bikers face - their profile is the perfect height to allow a driver to play a “how close can I get” game, since the driver can easily gauge the distance from their passenger side mirror or hood from the biker. This is true even when the car is moving at a good speed. On a recumbent bike that game is not so easy. The unfamiliar shape and profile makes playing the distance game harder, and as a car approaches the profile of a recumbent starts to disappear below the level of the cars mirror or even the hood on a taller vehicle. To compensate a driver will drift out to keep the biker in view or slow down significantly.

Now on a trike, it is near impossible to gauge the distance effectively. The profile of a trike disappears quickly from view of the driver. To keep a trike rider in view a driver must sweep WAY out and go around. Thus, on roads where I do not have a dedicated lane I get huge space on the trike. Add to the fact that some drivers may think you are handicapped and not some “elitist cyclist” and you get lots of space. No car driver wants to hit a poor handicapped person. Elite roadies seem to be fair meat for some drivers though. But I honestly believe that 99.9% of drivers are NOT interested in killing someone with their vehicles - however - when you allow a driver to easily gauge their distance from you they will often try to squeeze by even if it is unsafe.

So, for me, the trike is winning the contest so far. Comfortable. No balance. Full concentration going to power to the pedals and surroundings. Cars pass with wide margins. Kids point and wave. I will keep tabs through the season.  The performance of the trike has been very good to my surprise. I am not astronomically faster on the highracer, even with a 10 pound weight difference between the bikes. I imagine if I were on a super light recumbent I would feel differently, but that is not my case. In the meantime I know that over time I will only get faster on both sets of wheels as the season progresses and be able to complete my rides with relatively comparable times.

Ride on!

Moments Of Cycle Oregon

The Things I Like Most About Cycle Oregon

With the 2010 route announcement party tomorrow the 4th, I had some time today to think about my past Cycle Oregon experiences. It’s important to note - the great part of Cycle Oregon is that it’s an experience. When returning home from Cycle Oregon, you will routinely have people come up to you and inquire, “Hey man, how was your trip.” No. This is not a “trip.” A trip is what you take to the grocery store for sour cream. An experience is something else entirely. Only when you are far removed from the creature comforts of the daily routine do you have a Cycle Oregon experience. People who would call it a “trip” are just not in-the-know.

Now, don’t get me wrong here, experiencing Cycle Oregon is not like roughing it in the Gobi Desert without water or shelter or something. In camp and on the ride there are all kinds of comforts. Beer Garden. Main Stage. Bands. Local entertainment. Beer. Local activities and wares. People from all over to meet and talk to. Pizza. Beer. Great food. SAG vans. ODS rest stops with food galore. And beer at the end of the day at the “Beer Garden” (did I mention that?) 

Hey, where else but on Cycle Oregon can you ride 85 miles, then eat a lot of awesome food, get a great massage, stay up late listening to great bands and entertainment while meeting new friends, drink enough beer together in your small group to construct a “beer-needle” and then go to bed? Wake up the next day at 6AM. Repeat. Epic Win.

But on a Cycle Oregon - especially if you have never been - you will have moments. Times realizing that you are so far removed from any comfort zone. Questioning your decision to come. In tears of joy and agony at the same time. In those moments you simply cannot flee to the warm fuzzy protection of the familiar. It might be on a monstrous climb as you are getting passed by seemingly everyone. On a quiet stretch where you suddenly realize you haven't seen another rider for who knows how long. Or in camp at night when you look up to a sky full of more stars that you have seen in years. Those are the moments when you know - this is no trip... those are the very best parts of the experience.

 A few of the innumerable moments of Cycle Oregon:

... getting your tent set up upon your arrival to camp and soaking it all in for the first time.

... when you taste chocolate milk at the end of day 1 and its like tasting it for the first time ever.

... realizing you have not used a cell phone for 4 days and you never missed it.

... having to be woken up by the massage therapist at the end of your 10PM appointment because you fell asleep.

... eating breakfast outside under a tent at 6:30AM with your hands wrapped around a hot (and rapidly cooling) cup of coffee.

... having your picture taken with the locals in town.

... reading the daily CO news to see what the day has in store for you.

... reading all the notes and things people post to the info board.

... realizing that you have been and are going to places that you would likely never go to if you were not on Cycle Oregon.

... feeling the rush of the downhill coast into camp after a full day of climbing.

... wondering if the climb you are on will ever ever ever ever end.

... loading up on pizza, smoothies, dinner, ice cream, beer...and still being hungry.

... Seeing more stars that you have seen in years.

... navigating camp in darkness so thick you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

... navigating camp by a full moon that is the biggest and brightest you have ever seen.

... meeting new people from all over the world.

... running into old friends you never knew would be on Cycle Oregon completely out-of-the-blue.

... sitting in a blue room after waiting in a long line to realize there is no toilet paper (luckily a rare occurrence HA!)

... watching a local guy put his finger in a donkey’s bum for the crowds viewing pleasure. 

... rounding the last switchback on a mountain and realizing you have made it to the top.

... welling up at the thought that you have just rode to the top of a mountain - on a bike.

... welling up at the fact that a quick look at your map shows that alas - you are only at the false summit.

... welling up that looking at your map 5 times on the roadside does not change the fact you are still only at the false summit.

... welling up at the thought that there are still three more false summits and 2 more mountains to go.

... finally hitting the mountain peak (for real) and yelling out at the top of your lungs while laughing AND tearing up.

... falling asleep at night to the chorus of snores and quiet laughter and conversation about the days ride coming from outside your tent.

... wandering in the dark to a blue room at 3 AM and seeing your head lamp beam reflecting off the eyes of deer wandering camp.

... navigating camp with the local native residents.

... waking up on day 1 never more excited than you have ever been in your life.

... waking up on day 3 wondering if you are completely crazy for having signed up.

... waking up on day 5 and getting a tear in your eye realizing its the last day.

... riding across the finish line and wondering when you will be able to sign up and do it all over again?!

Sign me up!!

Multi Use Paths - Benefit or Detriment?

If you ask cyclists their thoughts about multi use pathways (MUP’s) you will get all sorts of reaction - ranging from pure happiness to strained disdain on the verge of witnessing bleeding temples. These segregated pathways, intended to provide recreation and safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists, are controversial. At least for some cyclists they are. For others they offer a safe haven, and in my opinion a place for new cyclists to become comfortable with their rides.

Some MUP’s are quite beautiful and can take you to areas you could not reach by car. This is a good thing. Since they are disconnected from the roads they offer a respite from ass-hat drivers, honking cars, and choking exhaust. Often they meander through parks and settings that the poor saps stuck in their cages will never see if they don’t get out and ride or use the path. Some cyclists will complain though that they merely serve to demean cyclists and reinforce the “get off the road!” paradigm that many drivers have. Other cyclists will complain that money spent of MUP’s means money taken away from other cycling infrastructure such as dedicated bike lanes, signage, etc.

It’s true that if you are looking for destination rides a cycle commuter, the MUP is probably out of the way and not going to take you to the store or other regular business. The roads do that job. MUP’s serve different purposes however. Part of the problem comes when the fast hardcore cyclists try to use the MUP as a personal freeway. In such a case these riders are no better than the speeding drivers on the roads who believe the street ROW is their own private autobahn. You simply cannot ride many MUP’s at full paceline speed and then complain about the lady walking her dog who does not respond to “on your left” as you approach at 18 MPH.

The greatest benefit of MUP’s is for beginning and youth cyclists. Not many - save the very hardcore - are likely to take their family brood and youngins out on the same dangerous roads that they brave on their bikes or tikes. While they are learning to ride and to ride responsibly, MUP’s are a perfect place for those lessons. When the time comes, and new riders gain the confidence and desire to actually get somewhere other than scenic beauty, they can start to venture out into the Mad World of auto traffic. 

As such, MUP’s are an ideal bridge to encourage more people to get out on their bikes and ride. A person who starts to use the MUP for weekend recreation rides could very likely be the same person who decides to try bike commuting one day per week once he/she is comfortable on their steed. Maybe they will sign up for a group ride. Ideally they become regular cyclists. Everyone starts somewhere and even the hardcore had a 1st day venturing out on their bikes where they were unsure and a bit shaky. This is all good for cycling in general. People on bikes, no matter where they are riding as long as it is responsible, is a good thing for society. The more riders that eventually get on the roads - after gaining skill and confidence - the more drivers come to accept it.