New this year will be scheduled meetings with representatives, with scheduling facilitated by BikeMN — probably in response [...]]]>

The second Minnesota Bike Summit has been scheduled for Monday, March 5, in Saint Paul. This event, hosted by BikeMN, brings together people from across the state to talk bicycling amongst themselves, then with state officials and elected representatives.

New this year will be scheduled meetings with representatives, with scheduling facilitated by BikeMN — probably in response to many attendees’ bafflement with the process. (I’m hoping for encouragement for slightly more upscale attire from BikeMN for these meetings as well, but we’ll see. Last year’s crew was occasionally pretty motley, and played right into perceptions of cyclists as a fringe group.)

The 2012 legislative agenda will no doubt be a big part of this event. It’s pretty similar to 2011s, since so little got done last year (in most areas of government, not just bikes!).

I attended last year and provided a lot of coverage of the event. The event is likely to be larger this year, which may serve as a warning to those with claustrophobia — the event site is nice enough, and convenient to the Capitol, but a tight squeeze nonetheless. We had 175 attendees last year. I suspect 200 may require us all to be extra-friendly to one another.

Registration is super-cheap — $10 for BikeMN members, an extra $5 for the unconverted.

I’ll be there. Will you?

At Interbike in Las Vegas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, was named to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community list for the first time. They check in with a Bronze designation, which is an excellent first-time recognition for the city.

As a sometime Saint Paul resident, I will testify [...]]]>

Enough about Minneapolis. Let’s talk about Saint Paul, baby.

At Interbike in Las Vegas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, was named to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community list for the first time. They check in with a Bronze designation, which is an excellent first-time recognition for the city.

As a sometime Saint Paul resident, I will testify to the city’s bikeability. While everyone knows Summit Avenue and the Gateway Trail, the city is also full of hidden gems, like the Battle Creek MTB trails, and the creek-level paved trail. The trails in Hidden Falls and Crosby Farm are often missed by cyclists who know the River Road routes. And let’s not forget the mighty climbs of the city — Ramsey Hill, Ohio, and Springside all come to mind, with the last being the steepest hill in Ramsey County. And can you bike past the House at Pooh Corner in Minneapolis? Nope. Saint Paul, bay-bee. Some of the best rest stops in the city can also be found in the capitol city.

The city’s been working on improving things for cyclists as well — everything from median tests to designating some new bikeways. The Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition has been growing more active as well.

And, in a rare statement, I’ve always been impressed with the knowledge city law enforcement has of bike laws and their enforcement.

I should also mention that La Crosse, Wisconsin, also received designation as a Silver-Level Community, and River Falls received an honorable mention. Hooray for them too. But Saint Paul is home, and I’m glad to see them finally request the recognition they deserve.

This fall, the bike count will take place at 42 locations on September 13 and 14 from [...]]]>

Every fall Bike Walk Twin Cities and Transit for Livable Communities conducts a bicycle/pedestrian count. These counts are a major contributing factor in coming up with modeshare data. It’s also a core reporting element for the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program.

This fall, the bike count will take place at 42 locations on September 13 and 14 from 4:00-6:00 PM. Volunteers are needed to staff these count locations, and, well, count. A map of count locations is available on the Bike Walk website.

Volunteers need to attend a 30-minute training session on September 6, 7, or 8, and also need to have demonstrable counting skills. If you’re available and interested, sign up online to help.

And if you’re doing an event such as these or similar, your butt wants to talk [...]]]>

Mid-June is here, and in the midwest that is the prime season for multi-day bicycling events. These events can range from 2 days (like the already-complete MS150) to a week or more (events like Bike Across Minnesota, TRAM, CANDISC, RAGBRAI, etc.).

And if you’re doing an event such as these or similar, your butt wants to talk to you and make sure you’re prepared.

1. Training: A truism of a one-day event is that if you can usually do between 1/3 and 1/2 of the event distance on a regular basis, you ought to be able to finish. This is true for single-day rides only. Do not rely on such things to do day after day of personal best mileage. You need to put in some serious butt-in-saddle time before a ride like CANDISC or RAGBRAI. Do some shorter hammer rides on weeknights, longer rides at an event pace on weekends. There are many recommended mileage programs online and in magazines. Find one. Follow it.

   This will make the event more enjoyable (maybe) and also not make you a burden on organizers.

2. Bring several pairs of shorts. Do not bring any brand new shorts. Know your chamois. Know that it doesn’t leave bizarre butt pimples and rashes. It’s also best to bring shorts of different brands where possible if you aren’t a berserker brand loyalist or pro rider who is paid to be brand loyal no matter the brand. Different chamois rub in different spots day over day, so if something should emerge as a result of the extended use/multi-day opportunity, you have a backup that won’t keep opening that one sore. Yeah, THAT sore, the one that really hurts.
3. Events like this tend to roll rain or shine, save for the type of rain that comes with sirens and mayhem. Deeply consider your love of your white shorts. Do you love them that much? Wear them in the shower one morning then pose in front of the mirror. How’s the view? This is best not tested in field conditions, for the good of your fellow riders. There are some exceptions, but be absolutely sure that you are an exception in a mind other than your own before prancing in wet white shorts, please.
4. Chamois butter of some kind really is your friend, even if you’ve not used it before.
5. If you aren’t wearing bib shorts, be absolutely sure your jersey back covers down below the shorts waistband. Or, apply some lotion to the area between midback and buttcrack just to be sure. You will appreciate not having a burned waistline area later when trying to sleep.
6. Fiber. Eat it. Nothing is worse on a multi-day ride than having intestinal mayhem as a result of road food. Fiber won’t cure every possible issue, but it helps with many. Packing some Immodium tablets is a preventive measure that may make you someone’s hero (or even your own).

Your butt and fellow riders will appreciate your compliance with these tips.

There was a light crowd last night — early yet in the season — [...]]]>

Last night was the first Thursday Night Lights of the season at the NSC Velodrome up in Blaine. My family headed out to check it out, as it was a lovely evening, and my preschooler is a fan of the track cycling experience.

There was a light crowd last night — early yet in the season — but as the crowd grows, there have been some changes for the 2011 season to be aware of:

• Admission fee: The suggested donation of $2 is now the admission price for adults. Apparently, a lot of people weren’t supporting the racing, and thus the fee is not optional for those over 12 years of age. The fees support the velodrome and the racing and development programs for young racers, so this is still a good deal.
• Beer: The snack shack has been upgraded mildly. Pop, ice cream, pretzels and Peace Coffee all remain available, but there is now bottled beer as well thanks to a new sponsor.
• Prize races: The sponsored ‘prize races’ are back, in which spectators pick a racer to win, and all who pick the actual winner are entered to a raffle to win a fabulous prize. This year, the race organizers are pushing filling out race cards early — before the racers line up, certainly. For prize races whose participants are determined by qualifier heats, this means spectators need to note the winners of each heat to know who’s even an option for their raffle entry.

Last night’s racing was a good mix of newer racers, juniors, and Cat1/2 riders starting the season. Race selection stuck to the basics, with a chariot race being the most ‘complex’ option on the slate — bit early in the season for keirins and Madisons. There were several traditional points races, scratch races, and miss-and-outs.

Definitely make a point to check it out some Thursday, and bring your exact change for admission!

This brings up the important safety question of what to do when the sky lets loose and you’re on your bicycle. Generally speaking, if you know there’s tornado warnings, you shouldn’t be wandering on out to go for a nice ride. That’s [...]]]>

Last night, Minnesota saw some yellow-green skies and golfball-sized hail. Spring has in fact sprung.

This brings up the important safety question of what to do when the sky lets loose and you’re on your bicycle. Generally speaking, if you know there’s tornado warnings, you shouldn’t be wandering on out to go for a nice ride. That’s somewhere between ‘kinda dumb’ and ‘evolution failed,’ depending on the warning and the notice you have, and the sort of ride you’re about to execute.

However, there are days where rain is predicted for ‘after 3.’ You leave at 10 AM, knowing you have plenty of time for some good miles and a stop for a double-scoop waffle cone. You blow a tire, and have to spend a bunch of time stabilizing it with duct tape and a dollar, then you cut your scoop short to a single. And the storm, it seems, is showing up at 2, not 3. In these situations, you need to have a duck-and-cover protocol.

As the sky starts turning green, consider your strategy. Do you know the area? If you’re in the country, is there a town or a gas station nearby? Even if it’s not necessarily in the proper path of your eventual destination, start heading towards the nearest source of shelter. If the sky is putting lime in its coconut, it’s not the time to be concerned about progress to endpoint.

In general, once the sky opens up and is pounding, let alone emitting hail, you should get off the road. There will be some cars who continue in the weather; depending on volume of downpour/hail and visibility, they are dumb. As far as you, on a bicycle, are concerned, the visibility factor is giant. You won’t be able to see or be seen, which can end badly.

Look for some form of cover. In the city, bridges and overpasses can work pretty well. If you’re fortunate, you may be near a shop — or better yet, a cafe. Nearby homes with garages or car sheds may also be an option. In the country, you may have some bridge or overpass options, but often you end up needing to show more creativity. A culvert won’t keep you dry, but it’s a safer place to be (short of flash flooding). I spent one hailstorm in Wisconsin hanging out in a crop-duster shed. If you’re really fortunate, you’ll be near the rural center of action and be able to get in to the town bar. While you may feel weird showing up with your bike and little bike shorts, the locals will typically be welcoming and nice about the fact that you don’t want to be hailed on. Stay away from metal objects, like metal picnic tables, and possibly your bike if you have enough space to put some distance between you and it.

Don’t decide the storm is over too soon. If you have been unable to get into a building situation with wether radio or TV, this can be a challenge. In the situation with the crop duster shed, I was a mile from the rest stop for the event, and I knew there were cookies there (cookies!). I was already soaked. The wind had eased off and the rain was much more sensible. I figured I could make a break for it. About a quarter mile out, POW. Got hailed on. Not recommended. So don’t trust me to give you tips on telling when the storm blew, just try to figure it out and hope.

Be safe out there.