Moronacity Cycling Journal » Entries tagged with "Advocacy"
Ghost Bikes Are Sadly Common
The battle between cyclists and drivers continues, and it even worsens in some areas where driving is the predominant mode of transportation, as in Southeast Michigan. With high fuel prices and a dragging economy, the bicycle has become a popular mode of transportation. Unfortunately, many roads were not built with the cyclist in mind; bike lanes are not very common. Therefore, cyclists must share a lane with automobiles, which is the law … Read entire article »
Filed under: Advocacy
Cyclocross at Al Quaal – As If It Didn’t Hurt Enough
Waking up at 7:45 with a hangover and three hours of sleep isn’t exactly the prescribed plan for preparing for a cyclocross race, but I did it anyway. The team carpooled down to Ishpeming’s Al Quaal recreation area for the first race in the UP Cyclocross Series. Having a bottomless pit for a stomach and a sluggish body, I didn’t exactly have high expectations for my performance. I even backed that up … Read entire article »
Filed under: Cyclocross
Social Network? No. Social Hurricane.
One of the interesting things about the Internet is the vast network of people out there. I’ve met a lot of those people through the MMBA. Unfortunately, I’ve met most of those people during races and related social events when crowd hopping is a necessity. For example, I was deliriously happy at the pre-race party for the Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival. Ask anyone who met me. I had a big smile on my face and I was euphoric. I was just so freakin’ happy that I don’t know how to describe it. I knew almost everyone in the room and was highly entertained by those I didn’t really know (thanks Wisconsinites!). One group of people was the Lakeland Area Mountain Biking … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
I Feel Free
A poetry thread broke out on the Michigan Mountain Biking Association forum. Unexpected, but not at all unusual. We’re a different bunch, one might say. I decided to join in on some poetry action in my small, white-flag effort to keep the thread on topic. I wanted to create a representation of what mountain biking is to me on that perfect day flowing through perfect singletrack. This is what I came up with: I Feel Free My free heart flutters with excitement Swooping through long, flowing singletrack My senses are alive and guiding I launch off rocks and hop fallen trees The matte sound of my rolling tires I hear and feel the rolling rhythm My free heart leaps with joy and laughter As the wind dances with the treetops The cool breeze sweetly kisses my … Read entire article »
Filed under: Mountain Biking
Question and Answer
Prelude Before I begin today’s post, I just want to thank everyone for their comments. It makes me very happy to hear from all of you. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
Please Apply, Again!
Yesterday’s IMBA classroom work was quite interesting. Today, we applied what we learned. We built a trail on Michigan Nature Association property attaching to the Garden Brook multi-use trail. The results were interesting. The trail crew. I say interesting, because our IMBA trail crew was quite surprised. Let’s consider the facts: 50 people, quite possibly the largest trail school, ever, and the largest this year, showed up; We are the only trail crew they’ve seen … Read entire article »
Gotta Get Drunk
It took a while to get out the door, but I finally managed to arrive in Copper Harbor in time for the group ride with our IMBA friends. I really wasn’t feeling it, though. I climbed Garden Brook with everyone, and split from the group to ride down the Red Trail. I . . . was . . . tired. I finally discovered why I’ve been feeling sluggish (girl stuff), and decided to just go with it. There is no shame in doing a short ride (short being 90 minutes) when in Copper Harbor. One thing is for sure, the climbing is there. We finished off the evening with a free spaghetti dinner provided by The Mariner North followed by a one-man band in the park on … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
IMBA Ride
Kelly and Collins Bishop are visiting the Keweenaw to conduct the IMBA Trail School in Copper Harbor, this weekend. Forty-five to fifty people will be attending this workshop. Kelly and Collins arrived last night and began their introductory tour of the Keweenaw trails this morning. They had a morning ride at Michigan Tech and an evening ride and potluck with the Keweenaw cyclists this evening at Churning Rapids. “These are great trails,” and “this has great flow” were often heard from Collins throughout the evening. They head up to the Swedetown trails in Calumet, tomorrow morning, for a nice, flowy ride followed by a spectacular lunch at the Michigan House. Tomorrow morning, I will finish my packing and grocery shopping, and head up to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Mountain Biking
The Go By Bike Challenge
I was doing some online cycling clothing browsing and meandered over the Trek web site to check out their clothes. I like Trek clothing because they make cycling clothes that fit curvy, not-so-rail-thin women. That would be me. I never got to the clothing part of the web site, though. I saw The Go By Bike Challenge and took note. It’s a nifty little motivational tool. You pick the reason, or reasons, for commuting by bicycle and estimate the number of miles per trip. Then, you pick how many round trips you do in a week. It estimates how many pounds of carbon reduced, calories burned, and gas dollars saved. I chose to place the widget on my sidebar (to the right). … Read entire article »
Filed under: Commuting
National Trails Day in Copper Harbor
Tammi and Dee raking on the Dancing Bear trail in Copper Harbor. No blog entry yesterday . . . no, I was out making the story happen. It all started at 6 a.m. when I dragged my butt out of bed for National Trails Day. I gathered my gear, had a healthy breakfast, made a healthy lunch, filled the Camelbak, and hopped in the Pathfinder to head for the Ace Hardware in Calumet. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Trail Work
