Cycling Tips & Stories

Columnist Ed Chasteen of the Sun-News (Liberty, MO) writes this:

. . . Actually, I expect to behind schedule coming into April. The black ice that lurks about on the road in the Missouri winter has taken me down before.

Without warning I've lost all traction and steering and have fallen hard on my hip and elbow. Nothing ever has broken, but weeks have passed before the pain and soreness left and I could again pedal freely.

The stationary bicycle in my basement numbs my mind. Even in the dead of winter, I prefer the open road, and in an ordinary year, that's where I would be.

But this is no ordinary year. I have publicly committed myself to ride 10,000 miles.

Read the rest of Ed's column here . . . permanent link to article: "Riding 10,000 miles in a year . . ."
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/30/2003 05:44:00 PM |comment on this article

James L. Konski, known as "Father of American Randonneurs", died of natural causes December 17th at age 85. Konski graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in civil engineering and served as national director of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He also founded the International Randonneurs and the Onondaga Bicycle Club in Syracuse, NY.

According to an article on the New York Bicycling Coalition web site, Konski "actively supported the 'good engineering' that resulted in roads and bridges that were safer for bicyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles at very little extra cost. Jim’s research proved that proper road shoulders not only improved safe bicycling, but for 10% more construction cost would extend road life by 20%."

See the article in VeloNews for more information. permanent link to article: "Jim Konski, "Father of American Randonneurs", MU graduate"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/22/2003 05:23:00 PM |comment on this article

Stan and Ann Nelson recently wrote this, in a KCStar letter:

Recently we traveled 99 percent of the trail by car and bicycle and would like to recommend two excellent sources for cyclists: Bicycle Guide to the Lewis and Clark Trail by Tod Rodger and Adventure Cycling's detailed maps, which can be ordered at (800) 721-8719. . . .

We hope others will team up with families and/or friends to experience the trail or a section of the trail -- it can be done in bits and pieces over several years.

You can also find a huge collection of Lewis & Clark-related web pages at LCArchive.org. permanent link to article: "Resources for Lewis & Clark rides"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/19/2003 08:16:00 AM |comment on this article

Too cold to ride outside? How about hooking up your exercise bike to your video game console . . .

The Reebok CyberRider allows you to pedal your way around Playstation games--car race type games, for instance.

A hobbyist came up with a more home-made solution when he made an exercise bike interface to Tron . . . permanent link to article: "Bike + video game = ?"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/13/2003 07:46:00 PM |comment on this article

Missouri and Kansas are poised to play an important role in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Atchison, Leavenworht, and Kansas City are planning a massive celebration on the 4th of July, 2004, called "Journey Fourth". Lewis and Clark celebrated the 4th of July, 1804, near what is now Atchison, Kansas.

Atchison is planning to open a new hike/bike riverfront trail in time for the celebration. Kansas City is planning to open a riverfront site used by Lewis and Clark, and Fort Osage (approx 15 miles east of Kansas City, MO), established by William Clark in 1808, will be the site of a new $3.9 million visitors center.

In May 2004, re-enactors will launch their keelboat from St. Louis. They will re-enact Lewis and Clark's original timetable, arriving in the Kansas City area in late June.

The re-enactment and associated activities will be the focus of national and international attention. According to a Kansas City Star article, "National planners estimate that 25 million travelers will hike, bike, drive or paddle in Lewis and Clark's path during the bicentennial."

MoDOT is planning to have a signed Lewis and Clark bicycle route in place by 2004. It will likely be followed by thousands of cyclists. The route has not been finalized yet, but the preliminary plans are to follow the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Booneville; then Hwys 41, 65, 224 and 24 to Kansas City; FF, 45, and 59 to St. Joseph; and K and 111 north of St. Joseph. Details will follow as they become available.

Two Kansas City-area cyclists rode the complete Lewis & Clark route in small chunks, 1998-2002. Their web site has a journal, route descriptions, and maps. permanent link to article: "Ride the Lewis & Clark Trail"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/13/2003 12:25:00 PM |comment on this article

Charles Hansen wrote a fascinating account of his trip across Missouri. He flew to St. Louis, rode the Katy Trail to Booneville, then on-road to Kansas City, where he took Amtrak back to St. Louis.

Read the complete story, including details of his route from Booneville to Kansas City, on the Charles River Wheelmen page. permanent link to article: "Riding across Missouri"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/10/2003 10:49:00 PM |comment on this article

From the day after Thanksgiving until the day before Christmas each year an invisible dome comes down and settles over our town, extending out in all directions as far as I can ride on my bicycle, endowing every person I meet and every place I go with a Camelot quality.

Read the rest of this essay by Liberty, MO, cyclist Ed Chasteen in the Platte County Sun-News.

Note this tidbit: a new bike trail is being built around the perimeter of the new developments [in Kearney] back toward Liberty on Highway 33. permanent link to article: "Cycling from cafe to cafe in the northland . . . "
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/08/2003 12:27:00 AM |comment on this article

Kansas City Kids Obesity Project is holding a town hall meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 29 at Jack Reardon Civic Center, 500 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan. The meeting is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The meetin'gs purpose is to discuss and find ways to solve the problem of childhood obesity and its causes, poor eating habits and inactivity.

The event will bring together children, pediatricians, chefs and fitness experts to discuss child obesity and educate participants about its dangers, especially for 9- to 13-year-olds. Presenters will describe simple things children can do to lower their risks for obesity, such as drinking more water and fewer soft drinks, playing outdoors more, and spending less time with computers and televisions.

In Jackson County, 16 percent of 5- to 20-year-olds are overweight, and 27.3 percent are obese, according to a WIC study.

Registration is required and limited to the first 300 persons. To register, call (816) 983-6908. Registrations must be received by Jan. 22.

See the full story in the KCStar.
permanent link to article: "January meeting to combat childhood obesity in KCK"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/05/2003 09:27:00 AM |comment on this article

I have just posted a cycling map of Jackson County, Missouri, that covers all of the southern part of Kansas City (south of the river) and surrounding areas.

It shows many of my own favorite routes and shows many of the best ways to get around difficult obstacles in the area, like freeways and the Blue River Valley. It also shows many continuous routes using only quiet neighborhood streets.

See the Jackson County bicycling maps online on my web site. permanent link to article: "Cycling map of KC area online"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/02/2003 11:46:00 AM |comment on this article

University of Kansas professor Joseph E. Donnelly studies how people lose weight and maintain their weight loss.

The best way to maintain weight loss is to exercise, Donnelly said, adding, "There is nothing that is even a close second." His research suggests a target goal of burning 2,000 calories a week, which equals about five hours of exercise a week. (2000 calories is approximately 40 miles of bicycle riding.)

Donnelly also suggests eating 35 servings of fruits and vegetables per week. Eating 35 servings of fruits and vegetables a week, as federal guidelines suggest, gives a person a lot of nutrition without a lot of calories, Donnelly said. "You get to feel full, and you get to chew," he said.

Craig Weinaug, a participant Donnelly's study, started riding a bicycle to work, a jaunt of almost six miles. On weekends, he often adds 125 to 200 miles on his bike.

"They encourage you to find something that you can adopt as a permanent thing that you like to do," said Weinaug, 50. "I ride unless there is ice on the ground or it's raining."

Read the entire story on the Kansas City Star's web site. permanent link to article: "Regular exercise key to maintaining ideal weight"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/02/2003 09:39:00 AM |comment on this article