Blennerhassett Bicycle club June 2009 newsletter
June 2009 Newsletter of cyclists from Parkersburg, Marietta, Vienna, Belpre & Williamstown Editor: David Mays 2009 Club Officers President John Pellegrin bikeinwv@verizon.net (304) 428-2790 Vice-President Greg Garrett gagarrett@gmail.com (304) 488-5287 Road Captain Ben Kuhlman (304) 485-0133 Secretary David Mays (304) 684-3464 dmays42@frontiernet.net Treasurer Ken Bowen (740) 423-6477
Club Meeting Thursday June 4th 6 PM City Park near the Tennis Courts
Local Activities Made for Successful
National Bike Week
By Roger Sheppard and David Mays
It was a foggy morning for a bike ride many local riders reported they rode to work or school on Friday May 15th during National Bike Week. The Mayor of Parkersburg was among those participating. Mayor Robert Newell joined more than two dozen other cyclists for breakfast at the Farmers' Market tent located on Market Street in downtown Parkersburg. Food was provided by the Blennerhassett Hotel and was coordinated by City Development Director, Ann Conageski. The event got a lot of publicity ahead of time and live coverage by WTAP-TV, the local NBC affiliate, that morning on its "Daybreak" program. The day concluded with refreshments at Parkersburg Bicycles.
Jon Leavitt, daughter Carrie and son Joshua Ready for ride to school and work on Bike to Work Day.
Mayor Newell is committed to making Parkersburg more biker friendly. One project being developed under his guidance is a 6½ mile bike path across Parkersburg. One end starts near Southwood Park, goes through 5 of the city’s 6 precincts, through City Park and several residential neighborhoods ending up at Emerson Elementary School on 36th street. The route is still being fine tuned and will be announced officially in the coming weeks.
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After your first day of cycling, one dream is inevitable. A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go. You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow. ~H.G. Wells, The Wheels of Chance
Volunteer Coordinator Needed
The BBC needs a volunteer to coordinate activities for their annual ride across the North Bend Rail Trail. Traditionally this ride is done during the month of July. A suggested date for this year is July 18th.
The coordinator collects names of those planning on joining us for the trip and also those folks that can help transport bikes and riders to the starting point at Wolf Summit ( just west of Clarksburg on Rt. 50). In the past, riders and those providing transportation have met in the parking area of PCC for an 8 AM departure. The ride needs to start from Wolf Summit by 9 AM.
The group ride usually makes two or three brief snack stops along the way and also has a Dutch treat lunch in Pennsboro. The total time for the 70 mile ride and stops runs about 8-9 hours. Once riders make it back to the Parkersburg end of the ride they are on their own to find their way home.
"There's something about a man on a bicycle that brings out the worst in a dog" Gene Sloane.
How to Deal With Bad Dogs By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka of www.RoadBikeRider.com
Dog attacks are high on the list of cycling fears. Maybe you can’t stop Fang from giving chase, but you can outsmart him if you know how dogs think—assuming that stinkin’ mutt even has a brain!
Know dog psychology. The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal off the section of road that they consider their turf, you no longer pose a threat to their ancestral instincts and they lose interest. Incidentally, this is why you’ll rarely be chased by a dog you encounter way out in the boonies. He’s not on his turf so he couldn’t care less about you.
Know dog tactics. Dogs want to attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter. Even one who sits up in his yard ahead of you may wait till you pass before giving chase. You can use this to your advantage in the next tip because it gives you a head start.
Sprint! You often can outsprint Fido when he’s more interested in fooling around than in actually attacking. You can tell his intent by how hard he’s running and his expression. An easy gait with woofing and ears and tail up,o problem. A full-out sprint with ears back, tail down and teeth out, problem. Still, the territorial gene can save you. If the road is flat or downhill, stand up and sprint to get past the dog’s invisible boundary.
Guard your front wheel. When a dog sees you coming, he might make a beeline for your bike, then attempt to turn up beside you. The danger here is that his poor little paws will skid on the pavement and he’ll plow into your wheels. If he hits the front one, you’ll crash. Sprint so that you move forward faster than he expects, and give him a margin for error by steering farther into the road—if traffic permits!
SCREAM! Most dogs know what happens when a human is angry with them. A sudden shout of “No!” or “Git!” or “Stay!” will surprise Fluffy and probably make him hesitate for just the second you need to take the advantage. If he’s hard of hearing, raise your hand threateningly as if it contains a rock. Outlaw mutts usually have had experience with bad things flying at them when a human makes a throwing gesture.
Play douse the Doberman. If you see big, fast Prince up ahead and know that he sees you, sprinting might not work. Especially if the road is tilting up. Take out your water bottle. Just having it in your hand may make him stay away. If he does come near you, give him a faceful and a loud yell. This distraction will slow him down, though he may come back for more. Just don’t distract yourself and ride off the road.
Some riders swear by Halt pepper spray that they clip to their handlebar. This stuff works great—if you hit your target. That’s a big if when you and Spot are going different speeds, the air is moving, and you’re trying to stay on the road. Pepper spray stings a dog’s eyes, nose and mouth, but it doesn’t cause lasting damage. It also works on human attackers, but that’s a different story.
Give up and get off. If nothing works and Toodles has the upper hand, dismount quickly and hold your bike between you and those sharp teeth. Swing it like a weapon if necessary, and start calling for help. Someone may eventually come out of a house and yell, “Oh, he won’t hurt you!”
Call the cops. If you are attacked and bitten, report it to the county sheriff or other authority immediately. Include the location, a description of the dog and the owner’s name and address if you know them. Get medical attention without delay. If the dog was rabid, you are at risk of serious illness or even death. Demand proof of rabies vaccination or insist to authorities that the dog be quarantined.
If the same dog accosts you every time you ride the road, report this to the authorities, too. You have a right to use public roadways free from fear for your life, liberty and pursuit of cycling happiness. Keep following up with calls to make sure steps are taken to put PupPup on a rope.
Receive a FREE copy of the eBook “29 Pro Cycling Secrets for Roadies” by subscribing to the RoadBikeRider Newsletter at http://www.RoadBikeRider.com
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A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal. And getting there is all the fun. ~Bill Emerson, "On Bicycling," Saturday Evening Post, 29 July 1967
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Refueling After a Ride
Several websites say we should eat these fancy energy bars to refuel after a ride. Is it really necessary to buy these expensive sources of energy?
You can spend a lot of money on energy bars and other high-tech nutritional products but that’s really not necessary for 99% of the cyclists out there. What your body most wants after any sort of extended ride is two things, sugars/carbohydrates for immediate energy and some proteins to rebuild your muscles that have been taxed on the ride.
The sugars can come from just about anything you like, such as cookies, granola bars, etc. And while you should stay away from fried foods like doughnuts and the packaged foods that are really high in saturated fats, if you’ve just ridden for two hours, you deserve a sweet, so feel free to have something you enjoy.
Your proteins can come from peanuts, yogurt, cheese, etc., and I personally love these “sweet and salty” granola bars that I've discovered in the last year or two. They are like regular granola bars but with a layer of this peanut-butter stuff on the bottom. That seems to hit both of the things I mentioned above in one serving.
Of course a good old peanut butter and jelly sandwich will do the same thing for you.
The Stand-over Test Is Just a Start
Thinking about a new bicycle? The stand-over test, which you may have used or heard about, is a quick, ballpark-only indicator of whether a certain-size bike will fit. It's simply done by straddling the bike and checking the clearance between the crotch and top frame tube. On bicycles designed for road use, you usually want about one to three inches of clearance (depending on the size and design of the bike). On off-road models, which usually have sloping top tubes and long seat posts, more clearance is needed. Look for three to six inches (depending on size and design). There's a lot more to a proper bicycle fit than stand-over clearance and on some bicycles, especially those with compact frame designs, it doesn't tell you enough to judge fit. Be sure to ask us for expert advice in selecting the right size bicycle and getting it fitted correctly, too.
Best Ways to Keep Riding When You Go Away From Home
Headed off on vacation or business away from home soon? Thinking about how to bring your bike along? Taking a bike on a plane is a major problem. First there's the disassembly. Then you have to hunt around for a case or study box to actually ship it in. Then, the airlines are going to sock it to you for as much extra charges as they can due to the oversized shape and the weight of the package, etc. So, obviously, if you are going to travel and want to ride a bike when you get there, you need to find some options other than packing up your bike and taking it with you as checked baggage on a plane.
So what are your choices? Actually, there's a few. Let's review them now - what you can do to find a way to ride when you're away from home.
- Take Your Bike By Car
The most simple option is to drive wherever you're going instead of flying and take your bike with you. And it can work more often than you might think. A six hour drive and a one hour flight to the same city will end up taking the same amount of time door-to-door when you think of the time you chew up driving to the airport, parking, taking a shuttle, going through security, waiting for your plane, actually flying and then securing transportation on the other end. Then repeat all that jazz on the return trip.
Instead, why not take your car so you can also take your bike. That saves you money and allows you to ride something familiar on the other end. It can work out really well.
- Rent a Bike at Your Destination
The next most convenient option for getting a bike when you travel is to find a place to rent one from. Most major cities and tourist destinations will have places where you can rent bikes, and often for very reasonable prices. A simple web search is the best way to turn up options, and you can contact the staff by phone or by email even before you arrive to find out about their bikes and what they have to say about what you're trying to do.
Most have a fleet of hybrids, mountain bikes and road bikes in a variety of sizes, so you should be able to find one that is right for you. Plus, many times locks and helmets will come included, as well as suggestions from the staff for nice places to ride. You can get a bike by the hour, by the day or the week.
- Borrow a Bike
Are you going somewhere that you know people already -- friends, relatives or business contacts? All of these are potential sources for loaner bikes. Don't be afraid to tell them specifically that you're looking to borrow a bike when you're in town. Lots of times people are proud to show off their city to visitors, and loaning out a bike is something that they'd love to help you with in order to make your visit that much better.
If you're really bold, you can get on an email list or discussion board of a local bike group and try asking around there. Sometimes if you tell people there that you're coming to town and would like to find a bike, you can get an offer of a nice bike to borrow for a couple of days without even having to come right out and ask. Plus, you may well get an invitation to go on a guided tour or take part in a regularly scheduled ride. Of course, put your safety first and be cautious. Be wary and don't go anywhere that you don't feel completely safe. But this can be a tremendous opportunity to make new friends and have rich new experiences, so don't be afraid to at least ask around and see where it takes you.
- Buy a Bike at Your Destination
If you've got a place you travel to routinely for work or fun, consider buying a bike and keeping it there just for you when you want to ride. A guy I know travels regularly to Philadelphia for work - usually once every three or four weeks to visit branch offices of his company. He keeps a basic road bike and a helmet with a coworker who lives near one of the branches. Whenever he's in town, he's got a bike handy that fits him well, and he's ridden there often enough that he knows the good roads and routes for biking.
It may seem crazy to consider just buying a bike outright to keep somewhere else, but in truth it really makes sense, especially if you plan to stay for an extended period or else will return regularly. Great deals can be found on a used bike via craigslist or other online sources that you can also check out from home, and especially if you're looking at a multi-day visit, buying a bike can be as cheap as renting.
And when you're done with the bike, depending on the situation, you can either just give the bike away or try to sell it, depending on your situation, your preferences and your financial situation.
So in conclusion, even though traveling can disrupt your cycling, just because you're on the road for work or pleasure doesn't mean you can't ride. It just means you've got to figure out the best way to get into a good bike for you on the other end. Think through these options and see which one will work for you.
“Right hook” Cyclists: A term used to describe the practice of cars speeding past a cyclist only to make an abrupt right turn in front of them.
I think they might be the same drivers that go flying past you in the passing lane on the Interstate only to cut across in front of you barely making it to the exit they originally intended to take. (editor)
Map My Ride Article by Kenyon Cox
Did you know that a lot of the local cycling routes are on the web? Surf over to http://www.mapmyride.com/ and “Search for Rides” by location (City, State – Parkersburg,WV).
Try, “Belpre, OH” for a location search, and click on the “Constitution Hill Loop (West).”
This is a typical Thursday night ride from Howes Grove Park in Belpre.
Folks not familiar with the ride can get an idea of the mileage, and, if you've check marked “Show Elevation,” you can get an idea of the hills involved. The site reports total climbing of 381 feet, which I think is kind of low. My legs agree.
If you're looking for common Blennerhassett Bicycle Club rides, look for “BBC” or “Tuesday” or “Thursday” night rides in the titles or descriptions.
Lots of help for the website is available. Look at the bottom of the page, and under “Site Stuff” you can find “Help Guide / FAQ.”
Here's a very short step by step:
Click “Map New Ride” If you already have a default start location, the map will zoom, and center on that location. You can change locations by entering a new City, ST in the “Jump To” entry box. Drop the start arrow that's already attached to your mouse cursor on your start location. If “Follow Roads” tic box is selected (it works, well, by the way) simply click on the road to draw the route line. I sometimes have trouble with on- and off-ramps. Uncheck the tic box, then just click a lot of lines around the turn, and once established, re-check the box and continue. Other markers are available, just click them before you click on the spot they belong. Take a look at the “Hot Dog Route.” You'll see a “P” for parking at Jefferson St. and 36th St. Before I clicked that spot, I went into the Markers, found the “P” symbol, clicked it, then clicked the intersection of Jefferson and 36th. Continue your route, “Undo” works well, and put an “END” when done. Add some description, if you want. Mark it private if you want your own secret training route. Save your ride.
I hope this opens up some new training rides for you, or better yet, I hope that you can develop and share some new rides with the local folks.
Addendum: I use Firefox for my web browser. If you use a different browser, some items may vary.
BBC Membership and Dues
If you have not yet paid your 2009 membership dues, please mail them to the club Post Office box. Even though the club's expenses are somewhat lower now because most of you receive the newsletter by e-mail, the dues are required to pay for items such as club insurance, membership in the League of American Bicyclists, community activities such as the Christmas light display and the club picnic.
Bicycle Maintenance
Do you want to learn more about your bicycle? Do you want to learn how to do some of your own repairs and maintenance? James Coleman found and passed along a web site that offers a free Bicycle Maintenance Book. http://freebikebook.blogspot.com/ The author is Gerry Lauzon who also has his own web page on How to Fix Bikes, http://www.howtofixbikes.ca/ Check it out. You might find it interesting and helpful.
Special July BBC Meeting
There will be a Special Celebrate Summer meeting of the Blennerhassett Bicycle Club Wednesday July 8th. Where? At the North End Tavern. We will meet informally starting about 6:30 PM with a business meeting at 7:30 PM. Mark your busy summer calendar NOW!
