Cycling Progressive Dinner

A League of American Bicyclists publication gave the splendid idea of doing a progressive dinner by bike. If my cycling friends didn't enjoy beer with food so much, this might be a great idea for us.

With a little help from your friends, a progressive dinner might be just the thing to add a little spice to your cycling life. Wow. That looks really good. I'm suddenly feeling hungry.

What is a progressive dinner, you ask? A progressive dinner is one in which each meal course is held in a different location. For example, the churches at Michigan Tech held a campus ministry progressive dinner. Appetizers began at my church, we moved on to the next church for the main course, and had dessert at yet another church. It was absolutely wonderful and kept the evening interesting.

It would be great fun to find some cycling buddies who lived in fairly close proximity of each other and hold a progressive dinner where everyone would bike to the different locations. How fun!

Cycling Advocacy: Exercise the Power of the Word

What is National Bike Month without a little advocacy? Today is a great day to pick a cycling topic that needs the attention of your local government, or even the state or federal government, and write your representative(s).

I first heard about a clearance law when I was reading a blog by an American girl who was living in France. I thought it was a spectacular idea and wondered why a law like that didn't exist here. After more searching, I found that many states have already incorporated the 3-foot pass law: a passing vehicle must allow three feet of clearance between the vehicle and the bicycle.

My state currently does not have the 3-foot pass law, and I have started an email/letter writing campaign this week to find out if this is currently in the works and to demonstrate my support for it.

My first email was sent to the League of Michigan Bicyclists:

Hello –

It was recommended to me to contact you regarding the 3-foot pass law – requiring three feet of clearance when a vehicle passes a bicycle – that many states have incorporated. I have read quite a bit about this and I would like to know if someone is currently working on this in Michigan. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Diane U.

LMB reply:

We have discussed the 3' foot law with legislators. The current law says that motorists must give safe distance when passing. Our legal experts and the legislators believe that putting the measurement of 3' in the law would then end up with lawyers arguing whether they were 3'2" or 2'10" away when they passed.

Obviously if a motorist strikes a bicyclist, they did not give a safe passing distance. Our legislators are more comfortable with a law that provides penalties for hitting a bicyclist, a vulnerable user law similar to the construction worker law.

States that have the law have not seen the gain they had hoped from it. One state, Arizona, has the 3' law, but in the same state you must give motorcyclists 5'. My experience in riding in states that have the law is that there is not difference on how motorist treat you. The real problem is that we need to educate motorist that they need to share the roadways with other legal users. Passing any law without education is useless.

In this case we have a law that says motorist must give us safe passing distance. What we need is education campaigns. Think about this, the federal government runs motorcycle safety campaigns, seat belt safety campaigns and my favorite, deer safety campaigns just to name a few. They run a campaign each year to protect 50 million deer, but they do nothing to protect 35.6 million tax paying citizens.

At this point we are focusing our efforts on the vulnerable user law and working on ways to educate motorist on sharing the roadways.

I would encourage you to join LMB (www.lmb.org) and become part of the voice that is working to improve bicycling in Michigan.

I replied suggesting, in short, that the state require that drivers show the same courtesy to cyclists that is required of motorists when passing a police car that has someone pulled over.

I also acknowledged that education is necessary; however, there are many drivers who will do the absolute minimum that is required of them. I also mentioned that it is legal for a motorist to share a lane with a bike, which I'm fine with in certain situations, but it's not necessary in most. Now that I have gotten more information regarding the idea of interest, my next step to contact my local representatives.

National Bike Month tip of the day: write an advocacy letter to your representative about a cycling cause that concerns you.

From Prozac to Road: Cycling for Happiness

It is amazing how a vigorous ride to school sucked all the stress out of my body. I would sit in my 9 a.m. class with a runner's high and not a care in the world. I also felt an incredible sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. This is a far cry from what I used to experience in my daily life.

Ten years ago, I was an overly-stressed, directionless student searching for accomplishment. I was the only Russian major at Michigan State University and I joined an intramural floor hockey team, the MSU Running Club, the MSU Equestrian Team, and I worked 30, sometimes 40 hours per week.

The business of my life was coupled with huge insecurities, shyness and fear of people I didn't really know, and a strong dislike for myself. I lost all motivation to show up for class and work. I reluctantly went to work, I skipped class, but I did manage to get to my equestrian team carpool the mornings of competition. One morning, as I was heading to East Lansing down I-69 at 5:30 am, I found myself bawling, literally bawling the whole 40-minute drive. It was about that time that I spent an incredible amount of time in bed and miraculously lost 20 pounds. Anyone who knows me knows that 20 pounds doesn't just melt off of this body.

Before I knew it, my relationship with the MSU Equestrian Team was mutually terminated, I dropped out of the Running Club, floor hockey ended, and I quit going to classes. I just couldn't handle . . . anything.

When I was 19 and living in California as a Private in the Army studying Russian, I simply wanted to die. That thought came to a climax at the implosion of my Spartan life and I didn't only have thoughts and hopes of suicide, but I was actually trying to figure out how I was going to do it and I was searching for the strength to complete it.

I had reached a point in my life that was filled with nothing but complete emptiness and loss of hope. I had emotional outbursts and fits and simply lost any control I might have had. I ended up in the emergency room twice because I had no idea where else to go and I felt nothing but the incredible turmoil going on inside my mind. That turmoil had spread beyond my mind throughout my body culminating in physical pain.

The emergency room nurses directed me to a psychologist who I met with a couple times and ended up absolutely hating. I skipped my last appointment with him (I think I had three) and left it at that. Shortly thereafter, I read an article that listed all of the symptoms a woman might feel from premenstrual syndrome. Wondering if this was what I was truly suffering, I cut out the symptoms and took them to my family doctor. I told her that I was experiencing all of these. They weren't things like "cramps," but things like excessive crying, stress, unusual weight loss, etc. We cycled through Paxil, which only made my suicidal tendencies stronger, and then began a several-year relationship with Prozac.

Life was still difficult, but Prozac took away my suicidal thoughts after one or two months and put me in a mindset that allowed me to eventually go back to school to obtain my Associate Degree graduating with a 3.8 GPA, and achieve independence. I spent many years going on and off Prozac. I remember the feeling of euphoria I would sometimes get while on it. The last time I used it, I lived in Appleton, WI in 2005. I took it for several months under the advisement of my doctor.

In January 2006, I moved to Hancock, MI for a new job. The lead ultrasound tech taught me how to cross country skate ski and I did it religiously through the end of April. When the snow was no longer there, I decided to take up trail running and train for my third marathon. The goal was to run Detroit in the fall. In May, I met someone who would change my life in such a profound way. She invited me to go mountain biking at Michigan Tech. I met her one Saturday morning in late May to go for my first, real, mountain bike ride.

For the next two weeks, I alternated riding with running and continued to get exercise four days a week, like I did during ski season. I started exploring more of the Tech Trails and enjoyed mountain biking so much that, by the third week, running had suddenly disappeared from my life altogether. The rest of the story begins with second post of my blog.


Bicycling maintains my emotional well-being these days. It also causes random giggles on the trail and even on the road.

I have been Prozac-free since 2005. I quit my job last year, not because I couldn't handle it, but because I detested certain aspects of it and felt a need for change. I wanted to make a difference that I couldn't make in my present position. I decided to become a doctor.

If I hadn't begun cycling, I probably wouldn't be embarking on this newest journey in my life. Truth be told, I never thought I was smart enough to be a doctor. Now, I realize that it is something I really do have the capability of becoming. Many of my riding friends are either PhDs or MDs, one is both. My cycling friends who aren't of these credentials are highly accomplished folks in other careers. All are inspiring, intelligent, community-minded people.

Cycling has changed me physically, in the sense that I am healthier, stronger, more confident, happier, and emotionally stable. It has also changed my social life as this sport is the glue that holds my social network together. I am inspired by cycling and cyclists on a daily basis.

As I continue to use my bike, not only as a recreational toy, but as transportation, I take delight that my Prozac-induced euphoria has been replaced by a cycling-induced runner's high that is much better than what any drug can provide. Most of all, I found my sanity in cycling.

Join a Local Bike Club

Many cities or regions are fortunate enough to have a cycling club. While some cyclists are elites and need to ride with fast groups, there are many organizations that cater to riders of all levels. My area is a great example of the different kinds of clubs that can exist:

C4 – University cycling club

Keweenaw Cycling Club – new community club open to families and creating a kids' race team.

Red Jacket – BlueSky Health Cycling Team – adult race team with riders of all levels.

Trekkers – Community cycling club geared toward adults that meets once a week and sends out about three groups of riders: beginner, intermediate, advanced. All gather together for a potluck afterwards.

Bike shops often host weekly rides through the summer as well.

While there will be some discouraging rides for new riders, they are usually quite welcome. Many clubs host no drop rides where the faster riders ride to a certain point and wait for the slower riders, allow them to rest, then move on. Many faster riders have no problem with no drop rides. I like them because it gives me an excuse to stop and drink since I'm not particularly fond of refueling while riding.

Joining club will also give you the opportunity to make social connections with people who share the love of cycling with you. It sets you up for becoming a healthier, happier, and better rider. Spending time with your local cyclists presents many educational opportunities that will help you become a more competent cyclist.

National Bike Month is a great time to get involved with your local cycling club and get rolling!

Comment on The Shoot Out

Sunday, I gave you some information about a ride called "The Shoot Out". Click here to read it.

As part of the cycling community, it is easy to get caught up in protecting our rights. We have a right to riding peacefully and without harassment from motorists and police. This isn't occurring in Pima County. In fact, the right to ride through the local reservation might be taken away.

Cyclists, like motorists, have laws to follow. We are to follow all the basic traffic laws and some additional laws that pertain only to bicycles, like riding as far to the right as practicable, and riding no more than two abreast. Taking the lane is only to be done when moving at the speed of traffic, or the speed limit. I personally think these are reasonable. These laws are necessary to create harmony among motorists and cyclists. If everyone follows their own rule, we have a problem.


Motorists can't share the road if we don't share as well. Sharing is not one-sided.

In the VeloNews article, it is brought to our attention that riders are riding more than two abreast, even through the reservation where the law is single file. Complaints have been made about indecent exposure when cyclists relieve themselves in not very discreet places (not just number one, but number two as well). They offend others and impede traffic.

On the flip side, these cyclists have been harassed by drivers and police. Accidents were caused by police, one case being when the cop swerved his vehicle into the lane of the cyclists (oncoming) causing the front cyclists to brake hard resulting in the middle of the peloton to go down. Bad injuries were incurred. The cop showed no remorse, and reprimand from the police department is unlikely. Motorist's behavior is encouraged by the police with a pat on the back.

I was disappointed in the VeloNews article in the respect that, although the offenses of the cyclists were outlined, the police and motorists seemed to be more to blame. I agree that what they are doing is very dangerous and quite unacceptable, and the job of the police is to, well, police. They are to be the mediators between the offenders and the victims. What I don't like is how my viewpoint never really came up.

I believe that both parties are wrong. We know that the motorists and police simply have to quit harassing the cyclists. It's not just an irritating game, it's a potential death sentence for the cyclists. None of this is important enough to incur a death.

What many cyclists fail to do when they are facing a situation such as the Pima County conflict is look at what they can do to change the behavior toward them. Many residents don't like the cyclists, police included. There have been many complaints about the cyclists, complaints for behavior that I believe is completely unacceptable (read the VeloNews article for a nice survey of the offenses). These cyclists continue to break several laws and have no regard for other traffic on the road, yet they want respect. They want people to like them.

If we, as cyclists, want others to respect our right to share the road, we have to be willing to respectfully share as well. This is something of great importance to consider as we head into National Bike Month.

The Shoot Out

The Shoot Out is a weekly group ride of professional and advanced amateur riders that starts at the University of Arizona. Great idea, eh? One would think.

Now consider this: there seems to be quite an anti-cyclist attitude by the local police. In fact, an accident was even caused by the actions of a police officer: crossing the double yellow line in an attempt to stop the peloton for breaking a traffic law.

Now, for those of us who ride the road for training or commuting purposes, who are concerned about the safety of cyclists, and who support laws that are designed to protect our well-being, we might become a little irate at seeing this news regarding the police-cyclist interactions in Pima County.

Ride Strong has provided us with a video on their blog and some comments from local cyclists. Their video can be viewed below.



But wait! There's more! OH, there is so much more that I am going to let you read about it at VeloNews: Legally Speaking with Bob Mionske - Shootout at the UA Corral.

Now that you have seen the video and read the VeloNews article, what do you think? Who is wrong in this situation? What needs to be done? Please share.

I will let you know what I think in tomorrow's post.

Michigan Bicycle Laws

Sometimes, bicycle laws are a gray area. Even when there are clear laws on the books protecting the rights of cyclists, law enforcement may shift any blame to the cyclist. In many cases, law enforcement is more than happy to protect cyclists' rights, but motorists feel cyclists have no rights, and most of the time, motorists don't even know that there are laws giving us rights.

That may be a bit of a confusing paragraph, so let me sum it up. If you ride on the road, know your rights. Click on the League of American Bicyclists link to the right to help you find information for your state. Michigan law is summed up below.


In general, cyclists should follow the same laws as motorists.

State of Michigan: What Every Driver Should Know
Bicycles and Mopeds pp 105-106, pp 107-108 of the .pdf

Much of the advice about motorcyclists also applies to bicycle and moped riders. Bicycle and moped riders are allowed to ride in a traffic lane, but must stay as far to the right as practical, obey traffic signals, not ride more than two abreast in a single lane, and must ride in the same direction as other traffic. Bicyclists entering a roundabout are encouraged to ride in the center of the lane, traveling at or near the speed of circulating traffic. Motorists who encounter bicyclists in a roundabout are urged to use caution, be courteous, and share the road.

A bicycle or moped ridden after dark must have a front headlight and rear reflector. But these may be hard to see. A person riding a bicycle on a sidewalk meant for pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and sound a horn or bell before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.

Watch the side of the road for slow-moving bicycles and mopeds without reflectors. Be ready to dim the headlights. While it is safer not to, you may drive beside a bicycle or moped in the same lane. Leave plenty of room. A rider may turn sharply to avoid something in the road or a door being opened from a parked vehicle.

The Michigan Vehicle Code does not require vehicles such as go-peds and electric scooters to be registered. Some municipalities have outlawed the use of go-peds and electric scooters on roads and sidewalks.

Although the law only requires moped riders under age 19 to wear approved, properly fastened safety helmets, all moped and bicycle riders should wear them as well as reflective clothing.

State of Michigan: What Every Driver Should Know

MDOT: Mackinac Bridge

How can my bicycle group get across the Mackinac Bridge?

Answer:
Bicyclists are not allowed to cross the Mackinac Bridge on their own. The Mackinac Bridge Authority will transport your group across the bridge in Mackinac Bridge Authority vehicles. The fee is $2.00 per bicycle.

If you are traveling northbound, there is a phone at the south end of the bridge. Instructions for using the phone are posted in the phone box.

If you are southbound, please go to our service window in the administration building and ask for assistance. The administration building is located on the north end of the Mackinac Bridge on the east side of the toll plaza.

The service is provided on an as needed basis. If you need additional information please call us at 906-643-7600.

MDOT Frequently Asked Questions: Mackinaw Bridge


The Mackinac Bridge Authority will transport your group across the bridge in Mackinac Bridge Authority vehicles for $2.00 per bicycle.

League of Michigan Bicyclists

YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY
Section 257.612.1(a)
Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited.

Section 257.612.1(d)
The vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

MANDATORY SIDE PATH
Section 257.660.3
Where a usable and designated path for bicycles is provided adjacent to a highway or street, a person operating an electric personal assistive mobility device may, by local ordinance, be required to use that path.

EXCEPTIONS TO FAR RIGHT
Section 257.660a
A person operating a bicycle upon a highway or street at less than the existing speed of traffic shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except as follows:

(a) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

(b) When preparing to turn left.

(c) When conditions make the right-hand edge of the roadway unsafe or reasonably unusable by bicycles, including, but not limited to, surface hazards, an uneven roadway surface, drain openings, debris, parked or moving vehicles or bicycles, pedestrians, animals, or other obstacles, or if the lane is too narrow to permit a vehicle to safely overtake and pass a bicycle.

(d) When operating a bicycle in a lane in which the traffic is turning right but the individual intends to go straight through the intersection.

(e) When operating a bicycle upon a 1-way highway or street that has 2 or more marked traffic lanes, in which case the individual may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of that roadway as practicable.

2-ABREAST RIDING
Sec. 257.660b.
Two or more individuals operating bicycles upon a highway or street shall not ride more than 2 abreast except upon a path or portion of the highway or street set aside for the use of bicycles.

PARKING A BICYCLE ON A SIDEWALK
Sec. 257.660d.
(1) An individual may park a bicycle on a sidewalk except as prohibited by an official traffic control device.

(2) An individual shall not park a bicycle on a sidewalk in such a manner that the bicycle impedes the lawful movement of pedestrians or other traffic.

Entire Law
LMB Bike Advocacy Center

The Feminine Face of Cycling

I live in a cyclist-dense community. Two small communities connected by a bridge over a canal contain one university cycling club/racing team, two community cycling clubs, and an adult cycling team. Allow me to briefly plug these groups:

* Copper Country Cycling Club (C4) - Michigan Tech's cycling club and racing team
* Keweenaw Cycling Club - Still in the beginning stages, the KCC is a new cycling club that is also starting a kid's competitive cycling team.
* Red Jacket - BlueSky Health Racing Team - A group of close-knit riders who fell in love with the camaraderie brought about by the impromptu Red Jacket cyclocross team.
* Trekkers - Started as a group of adults getting together for adult fun time. It evolved into what is now a large community cycling club with Monday night rides and potlucks.

These two small cities have more cycling clubs than many large cities. What makes them special is that they are not just cycling clubs, they are communities. The people in these clubs spend a lot of time together because the lifestyle of cycling is what brings them together. What makes all of this even more special are the familiar faces you find around any random corner and the conversations waiting to be had by bumping into one of these people.

I ran into three of my fellow cyclists within five minutes of each other at Michigan Tech today. What was even more unusual is that the four of us are all women. I couldn't help but smile as I walked through campus thinking about the good fortune I had just experienced. The masculine face cycling originally presented itself to me as was transforming into a symbol of feminine strength and means.

Today's occurrence may not be of much significance to you, but it is of great importance to me. I greatly admire the female cyclists in my community because they are my role models. Men have Lance. I have Bobbie, Heather, Kathy, Lori, and Melanie, to name a few. These are women who have allowed cycling to play a significant hand in their lives while juggling what life throws their way: school, work, relationships, travel. Most of them can identify with me. To see three of them doing what I do: going to school, some commuting by bike, is a great motivation.

Another Year Older

Yesterday was my thirty-first birthday. I had the pleasure of sharing it with another cyclist who was celebrating his twenty-first birthday. Our mutual friends arranged for all of us to have dinner and beverage down in Marquette. It was a great evening followed by a morning of the obvious consequences of birthday embellishments.

The part I appreciated the most was the opportunity to spend a fun evening with people I have come to know over the last two years because of cycling. Our paths cross frequently in the bike shop, on the trails either riding or building, and in the local brewery.

I think this was my best birthday yet!

Cycling Forums

The Internet is a pretty addicting little tool. Many of us have spent hours, if not days, surfing the web with endless information at our fingertips. I spent one whole night last week surfing through the backwards chronology of the English monarchy on Wikipedia.

If you are reading this blog, it is probably a safe assumption that you spend some of your bandwidth surfing through various cycling forums as well. I am quite guilty of this, especially this winter. Four complete weeks of bed rest dispersed throughout the winter is encouragement enough to click over to my favorite forum and dream of getting outside to ride my bike. I think this has been the cause of my spring fever, which I rarely get because I usually get to enjoy my winters skiing and snowshoeing in good health.

I spend a lot of my Internet time surfing through four cycling forums. The forum I spend the most time with is the Michigan Mountain Biking Association. This is a fun, passionate group of people who never fail to entertain. Even most serious topics get “sent to the Basement” when someone inevitably makes a sick comment sending the conversation into a downward spiral. This group proves amazing, though, as this forum also serves as a major network for riders who want to find others to ride with at various Michigan trails. One of our members moved to Colorado and even guides many the Michigan riders who head out west to be awed.



Team Estrogen is an online store for women cyclists looking for a large selection of fun cycling clothes and accessories to meet their needs. This store is unique in that it also hosts an online forum for women that has become quite the community. There is an incredible contrast between the female-dominated Team Estrogen and the male-dominated MMBA, both offering different kinds of information with the latter providing more humor and politics.



The Red Jacket – BlueSky Health Cycling Team forum is a new forum that deserves my time mostly because I am the forum administrator and a member of the cycling team. The goal of this forum is to provide a common source for local area riders to communicate and facilitate rides and transportation for races and trips. It is also our goal to provide health and training information as topics of discussion. All are welcome to contribute.



Mountain Bike Review is a precious resource to mountain bikers all over the world. It provides user product reviews, photos, and other resources along with an extensive forum. I only use the forum when I am homebound due its complexities. It is a very large forum with a lot of subforums and countless threads. Due to its size, it can be a bit overwhelming, but a lot of information can be found in its depths.

2008 Goals

The sky is blue, the pines are green, the snow is still here. To those inexperienced with life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, one might think it is still winter. Look closer, and one will see that it is over 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the snow is sliding off the roof.


A good sign of the spring thaw, icicles forming as the snow melts off of the roof.

Many of us have already started riding. All we need is a cleared off road and sunny sky to motivate us. With spring in the air, many of us are thinking about the dreaded “T” word - training. Ok, this early in the year, most of us are enthusiastic about the “T” word, and we’re very much looking forward to it.

This is the time of the year when we map out our goals and decide how we are going to meet them. I had already verbalized my goals for 2008 by the end of last year’s cyclocross season. I started out with the bigger goals, then I moved onto the little goals that will help me get there.

My Cycling Goals For 2008

• Podium finishes for all my races in my age group; first place age group finishes for the Keweenaw Chain Drive, Great Deer Chase, and Fat Tire Festival
• Lose fifteen pounds
• Become a stronger climber
• Use the bicycle as my primary mode of transportation
• Include cross-training to balance it all out

Race Finishes

I had podium finishes for all of my races last year except for Ore to Shore, when I took seventh. It is difficult to improve when your goals are the same as your results from the previous year, so instead of stating “I want a podium finish for all of my races,” I raised the bar to achieve first place in all the races I previously placed in. Realistically, I may not achieve the second part of this goal this year, so it’s a great goal to carry over to next year. I am certainly off to a good start.

Lose Weight

Last year, my goal was to lose twenty pounds, and I did it! I gained five back after about a week, and I gained ten more while on antibiotics this winter. I’ve lost the antibiotic weight already, so I’m still down fifteen pounds. In a nutshell, I am at my 2007 cycling weight.

My goal for 2008 is to lose an additional fifteen pounds. My goal was originally twenty pounds, but I feel fifteen is a much more realistic weight loss goal. I currently weigh 170 pounds, and my body loves this weight. Fifteen pounds would bring me down to 155, a weight I haven’t been for over ten years.

Losing this excess weight will do a lot for my cycling. This has been my greatest motivator. I’ve found that putting in at least eight hours a week on the bike helps me to easily achieve weight loss.

Become a Stronger Climber

Most places are fairly flat with some hills thrown in. The Keweenaw is the opposite: many hills with a few flats here and there. It is difficult to find a flat section of road to train on. For this reason, most of the cyclists in my area are very good. Even the mediocre cyclists are good by other people’s standards. We get a hill workout every time we ride. How we use those hills is what separates us.

This year, I plan to tackle the most difficult hills with enthusiasm and gratitude.

Commute

With rising gas prices and my goals of become a better, stronger rider, it makes perfectly good sense to ride my bike to work (6 miles) and school (11 miles). School will automatically give me four twenty-two mile road rides per week. With careful planning, I may lengthen that commute a couple times a week.


Even though there is still snow on the ground, the weather is warmer and some have already begun riding to work and school.

Balance My Training Regimen

Cycling alone can help you achieve a muscle imbalance thus setting you up for injury. This winter, I began incorporating a regular yoga routine along with weight training into my week. The yoga promotes muscle balance by maintaining flexibility while minimizing the possibility of pain and injury. I began an upper body weight training program to strengthen the muscles that tighten the most while cycling. I figure that a stronger upper body would minimize the muscle-tightening that is throwing my body out of alignment, because the added strength would minimize the stress (this is my own theory). It also makes climbing easier.

That’s a lot!

It may seem like I have a lot of goals for 2008. However, I really only have one pinnacle goal, while the remaining goals serve as the plan for achieving that goal. It is much easier to achieve the bigger goal in little steps. The best part? I’m making positive lifestyle changes that will benefit me not only physically, but financially as well.

Cycling and Spirituality

Cycling is unique from other non-motorized sports in that it offers us varied challenges at different speeds. Many of us find ourselves rolling at speeds that sometimes make us a little nervous. It’s not every day that the majority of us ride 35 mph on the road.

Hopefully, all cyclists have the fortune of taking in an extraordinary view at some point in their ride. To feel the sun suddenly warm one’s body on a cool day is divine. Some cyclists have the fortune of feeling God as they view his creation from a perspective they would not ordinarily have had they not gotten on their bike in the first place.


View along the shoreline of Lake Superior at McLain State Park, Hancock, MI, Spring 2007. The Keweenaw is full of natural beauty that brings excitement to many cyclists.

Cycling can be conducive to prayer; not the kind of prayer where you sit down, fold your hands together, and utter some words, no, but to the kind of prayer that lifts your spirit up and causes you to randomly give thanks for the world around you, the kind of prayer that strikes you with awe. That is to feel God.

He is Risen!

Happy Easter! Today is the earliest Easter most of us will ever experience. The earliest Easter can ever be is March 22 and the latest is April 25. The next time Easter will be on March 22 will be 2285! I’m willing to bet that most of us will have passed on by then.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend and continue to enjoy the Easter season. Easter lasts 50 days. Many cyclists in the northern hemisphere, whether they believe in God and celebrate Easter or not, view the Easter season – the bulk of spring – as the time to break out the bike and start riding. The days are getting longer and everything is preparing for rebirth. Soon, the trees will begin sprouting their leaves, weeds will flourish, and cyclists will be hitting the roads and the trails in all their glory. Many of us realize that the squirrels never went away, so they are not a sign of spring. They are a sign that they have been there all this time making those scratching noises on your roof.


Altar at St. Albert the Great, Houghton, Michigan, USA. The Easter Vigil Mass is to begin sometime after dark and end before sunrise. It is to take place at night. The lights are out when the mass begins.

As a Catholic, I had the pleasure of celebrating Mass on Holy Thursday, service on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, and the Easter Sunday Mass. It isn’t just a lot of church. The four days unfold the death and resurrection of Christ. It is four days of worship, reflection, enlightenment, and the gift of the spiritual family – those who are not of blood relation, but who are there to offer love and support when needed, and to share in joy when life is going well. I felt a strong sense of community at my church this weekend.


The Mass begins at the site of a fire. In our church, it was in the basement by the fireplace. It is traditional to start outside, weather permitting. Everyone is given a candle and the congregation processes into the church.

I told Father Larry last night, after the Easter Vigil, that things went so naturally. That is a special way of putting it. You see, there are so many events taking place during the Easter Vigil Mass that are not commonplace for any other Masses of the year. There is a lot of preparation and practice beforehand. Things didn’t just go well last night; they flowed. We sang, prayed, laughed, and even had an ice cream social at midnight. It was the very example of what God wants for communal prayer, for the Mass. It is about people coming together and sharing in God’s love.


The Liturgy of the Word is done by candlelight. Afterwards, the church lights are turned on and the candles are extinguished.

I haven’t been a kid for quite some while, now, but I still like to color eggs and put together an Easter basket. I love tradition, which is one of the reasons why Catholicism suits me so well, and I will never think that anyone is ever too old for the Easter bunny, even if he is your alter ego.

I came home from church last night and broke out the egg coloring kit. I sleepily went about the coloring process while dreaming of slumbering in my room. It was worth it, though, to wake up to the colorful, friendly little eggs peering at me out of their basket.


How do you feel about eggs staring at you? They’re laughing at you . . .

The Easter bunny stuffed my basket full of Dove dark chocolates and caramel-filled milk chocolates along with some eggs and jelly beans. It’s the perfect basket fit for an adult!


An Easter basket fit for an adult.

Bike Culture vs. Bike Advocacy

As a member of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, the concept of bicycle advocacy is in my face every day. I’m an active member on the MMBA forums and I’ve learned a lot about bike culture from them. As a blogger, I picked up the term bike culture from one of my favorite blogs: Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

As an advocate of bike culture in a country where the automobile rules and some drivers purposely try to injure cyclists, some successfully do, I was quite unhappy to view some of the comments from Americans in the following thread: Take Back the Bike Culture! Some of the commentaries seem to truly be anti-spandex. They hate their fellow cyclists who don cycling clothes for a training ride or a ride through the woods and place blame on them for whatever and wherever.

I think what fascinates me about Bike Culture is that it is culture. It is not innate. It is learned. It differs from region to region and is influenced by what is readily available to the citizens of any given area. In the United States, our urban bike culture isn’t as rich as it is in cities such as Copenhagen. It’s not about style. Bikes are toys. Some of are desperately searching for ways to turn bikes into transportation while allowing us to look normal.

The fashionable urban cyclists and spandex-clad sport cyclists need to quit bickering and realize that they need each other. We are all cyclists and we all want to be treated as we should by drivers. Fighting amongst ourselves divides us and makes us a weaker advocacy group. Sure, there will be differences among us, but no group is in complete agreement. If we can’t learn to share the roads with each other, how can we expect automobiles to share them with us?

Give It a Week

The first day I took my shiny, new Trek on the trail was a completely new experience for me. It felt so . . . squishy! It was weird! I really didn’t know what to think of it, but I did realize that my riding was more efficient.

After one or two days of riding, someone asked me what I thought of full suspension now that I had it. “I like the bike, but I honestly don’t know what to think of the full suspension. It feels so weird compared to my Giant.”

“Give it a week,” he replied.

Give it a week. That’s one of the greatest pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten, at least where cycling is concerned. I’ve found myself often passing this advice on to other riders.

The interesting thing about cycling is how one becomes so intimately involved with his or her bike. It’s almost sad how cyclists are more in tune with their bikes than with their loved ones. The cyclist can take the bike onto varying types of terrain in varying degrees of weather and know exactly how to react in these different situations to keep that bike not only under control, but successfully performing to the outer limits of sanity and beyond.

Enter new piece of equipment. I knew how my Giant was going to respond in different situations. I also knew that I just couldn’t ride that Giant on certain types of terrain, like the Hairy Toad and Barking Frog trails at Michigan Tech. When I got the full suspension bike, I had to almost relearn how to ride. I wasn’t quite sure how the bike was going to respond and how it was supposed to feel. After a week of gleefully flying through the woods on my new bicycle, I had it down pat! That full suspension bike was my new best friend, and I wasn’t looking back.