Cycling Tips & Stories

Last year Tasha picked up the nickname of “Turbo Tasha” from the other riders, and for this year’s ride, Evanoff took the moniker and ran with it. He had green T-shirts made up at a local store, proclaiming the Evanoffs as “Team Leapfrog” in bold white letters on the front. On the back, their job functions are clearly defined for all riders to see: Brad is the “Main Engine,” Tasha is the “Turbo Charger” and Tatiana, bringing up the rear, is the “After Burner.”

• You can't have too much water!
  
• Pack a meal or two, just in case.
  
• The further you get from civilization, stop at every town that has services.
  
• Pacing is important
  
• Always pack tools and tubes on top for easy access
  
• Camp on the north side of structures. Do not pitch your tent in a drainage area.

The bottom line is that the type of accident is largely dependent upon the type of cyclist. For children and inexperienced cyclists, running stop signs and shooting out from a driveway are the most frequent cause of injury accidents.

On the other hand, the types of accidents that occur to avid cyclists more closely resemble those experienced by motorcyclists than those happening to infrequent cyclists or child cyclists. Three things that likely readers of this column should watch out for are:

1) Drivers that make a left turn in front of them
2) Getting flattened from behind, especially on narrow, two-lane roads as darkness approaches
3) Young, impetious auto drivers

Nonetheless, he says he is not really a bicyclist.

“This trip for me is more about seeing America — by bicycle,” he said.

He noted that by camping along the way and carrying his provisions with him, he was reliving the spirit of early travelers.

“This is the closest thing to riding a horse,” he said.

There is an epidemic of obesity in countries such as the US and western Europe, with current statistics indicating that more than 50% of American adults are either overweight or obese. . . .

It appears that reduced physical activity, rather than increased food intake, is the major culprit. And the difference is about 300 Calories a day, which could be offset by an hour of easy cycling per day.

The National Weight Control Registry is an 8 year old project that has studied weight loss in 3500 extremely obese patients who lost (and maintained the loss) of an average of 60+ pounds. The common factor?? A high level of physical activity with an average weekly expenditure of 2545 exercise Calories in women and 3293 Calories in men (equal to an hour of moderate physical activity per day) coupled with an estimated intake of 1500 Calories per day. . . . Most had failed to maintain their weight loss with other weight loss regimens, and almost universally attributed the success in this program to the sustained increase in their weekly level of physical activity.

Imagine traveling from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico - a distance of more than 2,000 miles - and covering it all on scenic bike trails.

That's the goal of the movers and shakers behind the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), a proposed route that snakes along North America's largest river through 10 bordering states.

The group will cross nine mountain passes, go through four national parks and monuments, overlook dozens of rivers and view wildlife such as bison, elk, deer and antelope. . . .

The main route of the Lewis and Clark trail is 3,254 miles in length, but overall the trail will cover 4,618 miles. The tour is divided into eight sections covering both the westbound and eastbound routes taken by the Corps. The trip ends in Astoria, Ore.

The event started in 1973 with a group of friends who challenged themselves to bike across the state, said BAK director Charlie Summers.

This year, three different routes - A, B and K - will take 906 cyclists about 500 miles in eight days, starting at the Colorado border. There are stops each night along the routes, all finishing in Garnett.

[Pat] Hervey [of Overland Park] has been selected to compete in the Ironman Triathlon on Oct. 18 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The Ironman is the world's premier endurance test and includes a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike race and a 26.2-mile run.

"Believe me, I have no expectation of winning the $100,000, but I am confident I can finish the race. I know what I have to do," Hervey said.

A lot of people pass through Dunklin County on Saturday nights. However, few pass through in the manner of Luis Jorge Obando Ramirez. Ramirez is riding a 10-speed bicycle from Bogota, Columbia and ultimately plans to conclude his journey in Miami, Fla.

Ramirez, a 52-year-old Colombian, is making his fourth such trip. The first time he ran from Bogota to New York and participated in the New York Marathon.

As a commuter cyclist who frequently makes the
bone-chilling ride from Hull to the Back Bay, I do
what I can to protect myself.

I purchased a headlight system with optional flashing
taillight. A neon-green jacket also increases my
visibility.

However, I had a problem beyond visibility: How to be
liked by motorists.

The Mahoneys saw their first recumbent three years ago.

"They looked so different; they kind of fascinated us," Larry said. "A gentleman had one, and let me try it. It took 10 or 15 minutes before I felt really comfortable riding it."

As I ride up to the Mill Inn in Excelsior Springs on Thursday morning, a man and a woman about my age are just coming out the door. They are dressed in biker garb and pulling on their gloves as they step toward their bikes leaning against the wall. Road bikes. With front and rear panniers. Bed rolls lashed to the rack behind their seats. A tent. Camping gear. Maybe a kitchen sink in there somewhere.

"Wow! You're loaded. Where you from?"

Amahia Mallea, Cyclex customer and Mizzou graduate student, is heading home to Minnesota for the summer. The catch....she's doing it by bike. This student of river ecology is following the Lewis and Clark route north to Mandan, ND before heading east into her home state. Self-supported touring at it's purest.