Moronacity Cycling Journal » Entries tagged with "Cyclists"
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Advocacy
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Advocacy
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Commuting
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
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! … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
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. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Cycling
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 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bike Culture
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. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Holidays
