Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Rain Free Days And Other Random Synaptic Firings

Yesterday’s “rain free” afternoon provided the opportunity for me and the Big J to get out and have a good ride checking out the proposed bike path through our local town of Waynesville. (I’m using a new find, MapMyRide, to provide the link to this route.) Big J, a former century rider, is getting back into shape after some significant time off the bike. Our recent weather has included very humid, hot weather resulting in significant thunderstorms and heavy rains in the afternoons so after work riding has been at a premium. Yesterday’s upper 80’s to low 90’s enjoyed lower humidity so the storms didn’t materialize. We took the opportunity to review again my suggestion for a route through our fair town with the goal of being as accessible as possible for the widest range of ages and abilities. Living in the mountains certainly provides some challenges in devising a mostly flat course but I think we’ve gotten about as close as we’re going to on this particular project. I’ll have to check with Big J. later today and get his post ride impressions as he broke off from our route early to head home and we didn’t do the post-ride Gatorade debrief.

Ecovelo, in a June 22nd posting,  referenced a comprehensive 2008 report published by the Rails to Trails Conservancy and Bikes Belong that addresses “active transportation” issues. The report is a significant effort at bringing the many sides of multi-modal/active transportation together. It is full of important useful information for cycling advocates to use in working to improve the cycling/pedestrian infrastructures of their home communities. It is a long read but definitely a recommended one. I found it to be an inspirational piece that included numerous examples of how improvements can and do work.

 New Laptop Brings Challenges

A great deal of my time recently has been spent in making the transition from XP-Pro OS to Vista OS as I bring my new Dell Studio 17 on-line. Thus far, I’m surviving the change. Making all the tweaks and changes involved with moving data, programs, etc. from one platform to another is never fun but to add the learning curve of adjusting to Vista, Office 2007, and other new programs has been a bit much to chew off. I’m actually typing this post rather than using my newly acquired Dragon dictating software.

DellSTudio17

I’m looking forward to using the enhanced features associated with this model’s multi-media capabilities. Now, if I can just find the time to learn that new video editing software that I added…

Heading For The Woods!

My “better half”, Kathy, and I are intending to head into the woods for along weekend tomorrow. We’ve not had an opportunity yet this year for some “quiet, contemplative, restful, good eating, good sleeping, great reading” camping. We hope to fix that tomorrow by taking Zeke and Orla (our two Labs) and heading into a “no cell phone, no data connection” national park for some “get away” time. I do plan on taking the Fuji with me and am hopeful of some riding time on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I will be taking my Sony camcorder and will hopefully get some footage for a later post of the ride.

Until later,

- Zeke

Friday, June 19, 2009

New Rides Released, Miscellaneous Thoughts…

Many of you know that the Ride Across America started this past week. This event is quite the ultra-cycle endeavor for those of  you unfamiliar with it. My first time following it was last year. There are multiple categories of racers. It is truly a marvel to watch. My friend, Jim, at Cycling Experiences is doing a good job of keeping his blog updated with the latest from RAAM. Also, at Jim’s blog, you will find a very interesting Tour of Discovery that he is following. Two events of cyclists crossing America on 2 wheels and you can follow all of it thanks to the latest and greatest in technology. If you’ve ever wondered about SPOT (no – not the dog!), check out Mr. G’s Tour of Discovery as he is making great use of that GPS locating technology.

For cyclists and non-cyclists alike, Alan on Eco-Velo has a very nice post (June 17th) regarding using bikes for transportation/commuting. He taps back into some of those good old feelings we all used to get when riding as kids. Check it out HERE!

Please send some good energy to our west coast friend Kent Peterson as he participates this Sunday in the Seattle LiveStrong event. Kent will be riding sans hair as he pledged to ride with a shaved head if his supporters raised sufficient funds. Well, $1100.00 was sufficient. So, hairs off to Kent!

Now about those rides…

Thanks to Michelle post sharing this listing!

Weekly Rides and More! June 17-24
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For additional upcoming rides, including  non-club major local events,
visit the website calendar: http://plus.calendars.net/blueridgebikes
(Be sure to click on an activity on the calendar
for the details, which will appear inside a popup)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thur: Mostly sunny morning, afternoon showers and scattered T-storms, 40%.
     Lo: 68
     Hi: 87
Fri: Mostly sunny with slight chance of afternoon scattered T-storms.
     Lo: 69
     Hi: 92
Sat: Partly cloudy with afternoon scattered T-storms, 40%.
     Lo: 66
     Hi: 89
Sun: Mostly sunny.
     Lo: 64
     Hi: 85
-------------
Thursday June 18

ABRC-Biowheels Time Trial Series
Asheville Bicycle Racing Club and Biowheels present their Time Trial Series
on Riverside Drive (Hwy-251). Additional Date: August 27.
All races begin at 6:00pm on Riverside Drive (Hwy-251).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A flat, scenic 20K out and back on Riverside
Drive along the French Broad River.
DIRECTIONS TO THE START: From Asheville, take US 19/23 North (or I-26 West).
Take the Marshall Exit onto U.S. 25/70. Go 6.5 miles, then turn left onto
Business 25/70 (signs to Marshall).
CONTACT: Brian Schultz at imanbri@yahoo.com
http://www.abrc.net/events/2009tttrainseries.pdf
-------------
Sunday June 21

PAS BENT CREEK BEGINNER Mountain Bike Ride
Lead by Pisgah Area SORBA members
These group rides depart promptly at 11:00am from Rice Pinnacle parking
lot in Bent Creek. These are easy and social rides. Helmets are required.
Contact Rick Schrader at 828-665-0015 or rschrader56@hotmail.com
+++++++++
HEADS UP !!
+++++++++
Saturday June 27: WOW: Hookers Gap
Weekend On Wheels
Departs 9:00am from MAHEC Family Health Center, located on WT Weaver Blvd
(across from UNCA).
A difficult ride (REI 61) of 31.3 miles, total 2857’ climbing.
Cue sheets: http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/cue_sheets/buncombe/asheville/hookersgap.pdf
Karen Lally 298-5880 or karen.lally@volvo.com
===============
WEEKLY RIDES
===============

********* NEWLY ADDED WEEKLY RIDE **********
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: Biowheels Group Road Rides

Biowheels is a BRBC Business Member: http://www.biowheels.com
These rides begin promptly at 6:00pm from Biowheels, located at 81 Coxe Avenue.
Two Levels: Casual/Intermediate and Advanced. We'll split into 2 groups and
ride about 2 hours. Contact Biowheels at: 828-236-BIKE or asheville@biowheels.com
********* NEWLY ADDED WEEKLY RIDE **********
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: Youngblood Bent Creek Rides

Youngblood Bicycles is a BRBC Business Member: http://youngbloodbikes.com
Rides depart promptly at 6:30pm from Rice Pinnacle Parking lot in
Bent Creek. Routes and difficulty will depend on who shows up.
Contact 251-4686 or info@youngbloodbikes.com
THURSDAY MORNINGS: Fletcher Blue Sky Road Bike Ride
Meet Thursday mornings and depart promptly at 10:30am
for this road ride. Route and meeting place will vary each
week, so either contact John or watch the listserv for this
week's meeting location and route.
CALL OR EMAIL JOHN IF WEATHER IS QUESTIONABLE.
Ride distances vary from 20 to 35 miles, and the ride pace
will average 12-15 mph.
No one will be left behind.
John Loia 696-0877 or JohnL9@mchsi.com
********* NEWLY ADDED WEEKLY RIDE **********
THURSDAY AFTERNOONS: Sunset Mountain Road Bike Ride

This is a show-n-go ride, meaning it may not have a regular attending
ride leader. Meet 5:00pm in the parking lot behind Asheville Brewing
and Pizza, located on Merrimon Avenue. Ride up Sunset Mountain using
low trafficked streets to Town Mountain Road, then up the Parkway to
the first tunnel. Return using the same route.
Contact Rick Hester at 776-4071 or rhester7@charter.net
********* NEWLY ADDED WEEKLY RIDE **********
THURSDAY EVENINGS: Biowheels Trail Rides in Bent Creek

Biowheels is a BRBC Business Member: http://www.biowheels.com
Begins promptly at 6:30pm from Rice Pinnacle parking area, located in Bent
Creek. We'll lead a "social pace" for Intermediate and Advanced riders,
SS and Cross Bikes welcome! We'll also have a challenging route for Beginners,
but no-one will be dropped.
Visit our website blog: "Places we Pedal"
http://www.biowheels.com/
SATURDAY MORNINGS: Gary Arthur Ledges Park Road Ride (33-35 miles)
Departs at 9:00am from Ledges Park, located on Riverside Drive
6.5 miles off of the UNCA Exit on I-26 (Hwy-19/23).
Ride north beside the French Broad River to Marshall, where
we'll stop for coffee and to regroup. The return route will
include Ivy Hill and subsequent roads.
Jones P. Byrd at jbyrdlaw@charter.net
SUNDAY AFTERNOONS: Folk Art Center Road Ride
Departs sharply at 1:30pm from the Folk Art Center on the
Blue Ridge Pkwy. This is a Show-n-Go ride which means there may not
be a regularly attending leader. Call or email Bill beforehand to check.
The route this year will vary each week, distance will range between
25-35 miles. Pace will be about 12 mph. Some of the routes suggested
are the Town Mountain Sunset route, various routes to Black Mountain,
and the Parkway to Elk Mountain or Ox Creek Road, just to name a few.
Bill Crownover 713-8504 or billcrownover@bellsouth.net
********* NEWLY ADDED WEEKLY RIDE **********
MONDAY EVENINGS: Women Only Road Ride

Youngblood Bicycles is a BRBC Business Member: http://youngbloodbikes.com
Departs promptly at 6:00pm from Youngblood Bicycles, located at
233 Merimon Avenue. Ride about 27 miles, pace 12-15mph, rides are led by
ABRC members. Contact 254-4578 or info@youngbloodbikes.com
**** New Start Time ****
TUESDAY MORNINGS: CASUAL Road Bike Ride

Liberty Bicycles is a BRBC Business Member:
http://libertybikes.com/index.cfm
Begins promptly at 9:15am at Liberty Bicycles.
For folks who want to enjoy the company of others.
Ride about 2 hours, 16-25 miles, no-one gets left behind.
No ride in inclement weather or if under 40 degrees & windy.
CALL FIRST.
** EXCEPTION: On the first Tuesday of each month this ride
meets and leaves from Fletcher Park, same time.
Claudia at 274-2453 claudianix@libertybikes.com

That’s about it for now! Have a great weekend and get out and enjoy your local area ON 2 SELF-POWERED WHEELS!

 

Until later,

- Zeke

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Zeke Attends FBRMPO… whew!


Today, I had the opportunity to attend the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting that was held at the Land of the Sky regional offices in West Asheville, North Carolina. As this was my first ever meeting of this particular group, I was quite interested to see how the whole process worked, who would be in attendance, and what would be addressed. I've been encouraged to attend this meeting by our local North Carolina Bicycle Committee member Claudia Nix. Today's meeting was actually a joint meeting of two subsets of the FBRMPO. Sandwiched between the two meetings, was a presentation on Livable Communities. A great emphasis was placed upon multi-modalities of transportation and making communities more livable. Numerous points were made regarding the nature of alternative forms of transportation for those people who either cannot drive or who choose not to drive.

The afternoon session of the meeting addressed numerous projects that have already been discussed and provided for recommendation to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. It became quite obvious that this group of concerned citizens wields significant power in determining what projects might reach the implementation stage of the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. The good news, I discovered, was that, overall,  the committee seemed attuned to the needs of multiple modes of transportation. There were a number of projects approved that included bicycle lanes and walking paths. Significant attention was being paid to closing gaps and sidewalks. Opportunities for public comment were abundant and public input that arrived via e-mail and snail mail were shared with the committee. Present at the meeting, was the owner of Bio-Wheels in Asheville and the committee chair of the Buncombe County bicycle advisory committee. Both gentlemen spoke up in support of the various approved projects for improving pedestrian and bicycle access in Asheville and Buncombe County. One member of the committee, from Biltmore Forest, addressed the two gentlemen and asked them to attempt to get their fellow bicyclists to wear brighter clothing and ride in a single file when traversing the city streets of Biltmore Forest.

The bad news, I was to discover, from this meeting was that my home county was very poorly represented at the meeting. In fact, the committee chair announced that representatives from Haywood and Waynesville have missed two or more meetings and were therefore being dropped from the quorum count. The only county representative present at the meeting was Commissioner Skeeter Curtis. The town of Maggie Valley had received committee approval of one project to build a sidewalk along Moody Farm Road. There were no other projects for Haywood County mentioned and, unfortunately, this committee is now planning projects into the year 2014 and 2016.

For those interested in such things, this particular post is being prepared in Dragon dictating software version 10.1. I have recently purchased this in order to see whether the accuracy and quality of the program has improved since the earlier versions. My past experiences with the Dragon ended in frustration because the software could not understand my Southern Appalachian mountain dialect. I'm pleased to say that this version so far seems to be doing much better. So there you have it for now, a real-time report on my experiences  attending the French broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting today.

 

Until later,

-- Zeke

Friday, June 12, 2009

An Advocates Work Is Never Done!

The League of American Bicyclists website is reporting that two Republican members of Congress have have written to President Obama suggesting removal of all funding targeted toward bicycle projects and programs. The cycling projects are a few of the many cuts proposed, which also includes eliminating the Office of the US Treasurer. You may read the full letter to President Obama from Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and Eric Cantor (R-VA) by clicking HERE! 

While there are likely some feasible and realistic cuts suggested in the letter (Funding for purchase of brand name products?), cutting the funds for alternative non-motorized transportation and the Safe Routes to Schools program seems, to me, a short sighted view of the world to come.

Until later,

- Zeke

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Haywood Advocacy Group Holds Second Meeting

The newly forming Bicycle Advisory Committee for Haywood County, NC held its second formative meeting today at the Gateway Club in Waynesville, NC. The luncheon continued last month’s efforts at bringing together interested cyclists, who want to make a difference in how their local community responds to the needs of the cycling community. A total of 14 individuals met at the noon hour to bring focus to the direction the group will take.

After introductions were made, the group reviewed a number of pamphlets and other literature from other areas where cycling infrastructure is somewhat more advanced. Member Cecil “Zeke” Yount proposed an agenda that included the following:

  • Selection of a group name keeping in mind the proposed nature of the group and enhanced placement on search engines for website and internet activities. The name BicycleHaywoodNC was selected. Yount later purchased the proper domain names to go with the group’s new name.
  • Consider pieces of legislation currently in the N.C. Legislature and provide feedback to N.C. Bicycling Committee representative Claudia Nix. Most of the feedback related to one specific legislation in which any cycling accident involving death, personal injury, or property damage in excess of $500.00 would be mandated to be reported. The language does not indicate what form the report should take and to whom the report should be made. Members pointed out that in a recent motorist/cyclist incident, no citation was given to the motorist even though clear evidence showed him in the wrong and despite his having a remarkably bad driving history.
  • Suggestion of an evening event in downtown Waynesville or other location in the county was discussed as a way to encourage greater participation in cycling by the local population. Tate recommended tying the event to the “Million Bikes Day” that is coming up. Yount reported to the group that he discussed with the head of the Downtown Waynesville Association steps to be taken to have an event on Main St.
  • Time did not allow for discussion of a proposed bike route through Waynesville.
  • The group agreed to keep the monhtly meetings at the noon hour and on Tuesdays. Yount and Leatherwood will work out reservations with the Gateway Club.

New Rides Released!

(Please note these rides are primarily in Buncombe and Madison Counties.)

Weekly Rides and More! June 10-17
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For additional upcoming rides, including  non-club major local events,
visit the website calendar: http://plus.calendars.net/blueridgebikes
(Be sure to click on an activity on the calendar
for the details, which will appear inside a popup)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thur: Cloudy, afternoon showers and scattered T-storms, 60%.
     Lo: 65
     Hi: 83
Fri: Partly cloudy with afternoon scattered T-storms, 50%.
     Lo: 63
     Hi: 81
Sat: Partly cloudy.
     Lo: 64
     Hi: 81
Sun: Mostly cloudy.
     Lo: 63
     Hi: 81
-------------
Wednesday June 10


BRBC Officer Meeting
Meet 6:00pm at Jason's house; Refreshments provided by Jason.
This meeting of the current officers to discuss upcoming advocacy
programs that the club plans to support, as well as additional
projects and miscellaneous items.
Contact Jason for directions: 674-6342 or Jason@mountainhomecare.com
-------------
Thursday June 11


SPRING FAT BURNERS: Roan Mountain
Departs sharply at 7:00am from the Ingles on Merrimon Ave in North Asheville.
We’ll  drive/carpool to the Burnsville start, which will be near the courthouse
on town square.
Begin the ride at 8:00am from Burnsville town square. The route will be
Mike Ward's modified reverse Roan Moan route. This is a beautiful ride
with lots of climbing!!
http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/cue_sheets/yancey/burnsville/roanmountainfatburner.pdf
Wes Garbee 274-5315 or wgarbee1@charter.net
These rides leave by 8:00am and we try to be back by 6:00pm. These are not races;
these are all day leisure rides to shake off the winter doldrums. All rides are about
100 miles and have 7-8,000 feet of climb.
-------------
Saturday June 13


WOW: Terry's Gap & Little River
Weekend On Wheels
Begins 9:00am at Fletcher Community Park, located on Howard Gap Road in Fletcher.
A moderate ride (REI 76) of 51.5 miles, total 2486' climbing. We usually make a
stop at the Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock and enjoy some snacks out on their back
deck/patio, which is nestled under the trees and very cool/shaded.
Cue sheets: http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/cue_sheets/henderson/fletcher/terrysgaplittleriver.pdf
John Loia at 696-0877 or JohnL9@mchsi.com
-------------
Tuesday June 16

SPRING FAT BURNERS: Madison County
Departs sharply at 7:00am from the large parking lot in front of Office Depot,
located at Innsbruck Mall on Tunnel Road (behind Burger King).
We’ll carpool/drive to my friend Harold Phillips' home in Petersburg for the
8:00am start of this ride. This is his route:
http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/cue_sheets/madison/marshall/madisonfatburner.pdf
Wes Garbee 274-5315 or wgarbee1@charter.net
These rides leave by 8:00am and we try to be back by 6:00pm. These are not races;
these are all day leisure rides to shake off the winter doldrums. All rides are
about 100 miles and have 7-8,000 feet of climb.
++++++++++++++
HEADS UP !!!
++++++++++++++

Thursday June 18: ABRC-Biowheels Time Trial Series
Asheville Bicycle Racing Club and Biowheels present their Time Trial Series
on Riverside Drive (Hwy-251). Additional Date: August 27.
All races begin at 6:00pm on Riverside Drive (Hwy-251).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A flat, scenic 20K out and back on Riverside
Drive along the French Broad River.
DIRECTIONS TO THE START: From Asheville, take US 19/23 North (or I-26 West).
Take the Marshall Exit onto U.S. 25/70. Go 6.5 miles, then turn left onto Business 25/70
(signs to Marshall).
CONTACT: Brian Schultz at imanbri@yahoo.com
http://www.abrc.net/events/2009tttrainseries.pdf
===============
WEEKLY RIDES
===============
THURSDAY MORNINGS: Fletcher Blue Sky Road Bike Ride

Meet Thursday mornings and depart promptly at 10:30am
for this road ride. Route and meeting place will vary each
week, so either contact John or watch the listserv for this
week's meeting location and route.
CALL OR EMAIL JOHN IF WEATHER IS QUESTIONABLE.
Ride distances vary from 20 to 35 miles, and the ride pace
will average 12-15 mph.
No one will be left behind.
John Loia 696-0877 or JohnL9@mchsi.com
THURSDAY AFTERNOONS: Sunset Mountain Road Bike Ride
This is a show-n-go ride, meaning it may not have a regular attending
ride leader. Meet 5:00pm in the parking lot behind Asheville Brewing
and Pizza, located on Merrimon Avenue. Ride up Sunset Mountain using
low trafficked streets to Town Mountain Road, then up the Parkway to
the first tunnel. Return using the same route.
Contact Rick Hester at 776-4071 or rhester7@charter.net
SATURDAY MORNINGS: Gary Arthur Ledges Park Road Ride (33-35 miles)
Departs at 9:00am from Ledges Park, located on Riverside Drive
6.5 miles off of the UNCA Exit on I-26 (Hwy-19/23).
Ride north beside the French Broad River to Marshall, where
we'll stop for coffee and to regroup. The return route will
include Ivy Hill and subsequent roads.
Jones P. Byrd at jbyrdlaw@charter.net
SUNDAY AFTERNOONS: Folk Art Center Road Ride
Departs sharply at 1:30pm from the Folk Art Center on the
Blue Ridge Pkwy. This is a Show-n-Go ride which means there may not
be a regularly attending leader. Call or email Bill beforehand to check.
The route this year will vary each week, distance will range between
25-35 miles. Pace will be about 12 mph. Some of the routes suggested
are the Town Mountain Sunset route, various routes to Black Mountain,
and the Parkway to Elk Mountain or Ox Creek Road, just to name a few.
Bill Crownover 713-8504 or billcrownover@bellsouth.net
TUESDAY MORNINGS: CASUAL Road Bike Ride
Liberty Bicycles is a BRBC Business Member:
http://libertybikes.com/index.cfm
Begins promptly at 10:30am at Liberty Bicycles.
For folks who want to enjoy the company of others.
Ride about 2 hours, 16-25 miles, no-one gets left behind.
No ride in inclement weather or if under 40 degrees & windy.
CALL FIRST.
** EXCEPTION: On the first Tuesday of each month this ride
meets and leaves from Fletcher Park, same time.
Claudia at 274-2453 claudianix@libertybikes.com

Until later,

- Zeke

Friday, June 5, 2009

Early Morning Musings…

Forgive me, dear Reader. I’ve been away. It has been a week since my last post. I’ve been in a dark, dank place these last few days. The joy of the songbirds as the morning sun rises has been absent for me. The glare from the monitor has been harsh and uninviting. You see, my “better half” finally convinced me to remove my waterbed. She’s been “encouraging” me to drain that bastion of warm encompassing water for some time. In fact, I haven’t even slept on it for 3 or 4 years now as we had moved it to our guest room. Sure, I’ve looked at it longingly from time to time as I passed by the open bedroom door. Yes, I’ve envied Herbert and Rosie, our two cats, as they wintered through on the warmth of that glorious queen sized floating piece of heaven. But, there is a time for all things and the time for waterbeds has passed me by. The new antique brass trundle bed now occupies the space of the bedroom. HerberNewBed Somehow Herbert has accepted it as a place of comfort and willingly snuggled into a corner for his frequent naps. I sensed it was time for the Chicken of Depression to migrate; to move on, to release me from its shackles. (Note: this opening was not paid for by any known pharmaceutical company although any offers of sponsorship would gladly be considered.)

In fact, I already feel pretty good. The first wafts of freshly brewed coffee are just now locating me in my overstuffed, messy home office. The overnight rains have turned into early morning showers and they have NOT dampened the enthusiasm of the songbirds. Herbert and Rosie have greeted me warmly this morning and rid themselves of several pounds of hair as they wound in and out of my legs in first light of day greetings. My wife has stirred and is starting her daily rituals of heading to work and the “Zekesters” abode is coming to life again. Only Zeke and Orla, the two Labs, continue to spend the early day in a somnambulant state.

HA053009_LnclStop06

The real reason for a lack of postings here over the past week has been because I’ve been trying to catch up since my trip to Washington, DC and our latest HonorAir flight. What a great honor that was to accompany 100 WWII Vets to see their Memorial. For those interested, images are available at Waynesville Rotary’s website.  Click on the HonorAir project link on the home page.

While in Washington, I was impressed with what appeared to be miles of bike paths and infrastructure to support cycling, running, and pedestrian activities in and around the mall areas. On that gorgeous mid-spring day, people were everywhere engaging in some type of outdoor activity.

In my May 25th post, I wrote about my purchase of a Timbuk2 Classic Messenger bag. I’m pleased to report that the bag performed exceptionally well throughout the day as we flew to and from Washington. The bag had plenty of room for 4 ponchos, an occasional jacket, sunscreen, cameras, etc. The internal pockets provided secure places for photo ID and some spending cash along with pencils, pens, and a small notebook. The chest strap proved to be a fine place to hang my camera and cell phone within easy reach. I also quickly discovered the joy of being able to simply slide the messenger bag around me for quick access rather than having to go through taking it off and on as I would have done with a backpack. Thus far, I’ll give the Timbuk2 two thumbs up!

I’ve added another piece of digital electronic equipment to my arsenal. I’ve been searching for sometime for an appropriate camcorder to go along with my digital still camera. Sometimes, moving images simply provide a better product to get across a point. I finally “bit the bullet” and settled on a Sony Handycam DCR-SX40 that was on sale at Best Buy last week. The camcorder is incredibly light weighing in at only 10 ounces with battery installed. It has a 60x optical zoom. I opted for flash memory instead of a hard drive or DVD version of the camcorder as my gut feeling was that I would have less trouble over time with recording to flash memory rather than the other modes due to the less than forgiving nature of shockless bicycles. My first ride and recording adventure tended to reinforce my decision as there were some pretty rocky sections of the road I was riding and the resulting video nearly brought on a nauseous state when watching it. I also argued with myself about going the High Def route vs. staying with Standard definition capabilities. In the end, I decided that most of my recording would be for uploading to You Tube or such and that Standard Def was sufficient for those purposes. It also meant I could stay in a price range where I could afford the camera without adding to credit card debt, which is no small matter anymore.

My first task was to mount the camera to my handlebar. My bar real estate was already limited due to my Oregon Scientific heart monitor and my Planet Bike Blaze light. My friend “Big J” recommended a couple of options and loaned them to me to try out. I settled on a Pedco Ultra Clamp Camera Mount from REI. The clamp is very light weight and fit in the space previously held by my light. It has several different options for camera angle and adjustment. Generally speaking, it was a secure connection to the handlebars although I can certainly tell that I’m going to have to fashion some form of tether for both clamp and camcorder.

PedcoCameraMount

There was one particular stretch of road that was very bumpy and the camera began rotating on its screw. I quickly realized that if it came loose, I would not be able to catch the camera without wrecking on the bike. This would definitely NOT be a desirable outcome for me, bike, or camera!

I haven’t yet posted my footage. I’m waiting to get my new Dell Studio 17 laptop up and running. It arrived yesterday and I haven’t had time to even look at it yet. I’m making the jump to Vista so I expect some learning time to be needed before I can get back to fully functioning in the electronic sphere.

I hope to have some footage of a potential bike route through our hometown posted before long. Our bicycle advisory committee has its next meeting this coming Tuesday. I hope to come away from that with some clearer ideas for proposal to our Town leaders. Until the footage is posted, here are two links of the out and back suggested route that I’ve ridden. The ride was made with the following thoughts:

1) It should minimize strenuous climbs in order to encourage use by a wide range of ages and fitness.

2) It should avoid the heaviest traffic counts and should take advantage of residential areas when possible.

3) It should maximize exposure to shopping districts and public entities such as schools and libraries including Town Hall.

Travelling west to east: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2888942

Travelling east to west: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2874588

I used two large retailers as the anchor points for each end of the ride. I comfortably made one leg of the ride within 30 minutes. The eastern end of the ride ties nicely into the town and county’s greenway and is less than 30 seconds away from the Lake Junaluska Conference Center, which offers a 3 mile or so riding/walking path around the lake.

My first cup of coffee for the day is now history and its about time to wish my wife a good day as she heads out to work for the final day this week.

Until later,

-- Zeke