Following are brief news bits of interest to the cycling community. If you have heard of something that your fellow cyclists should know of, please email the information to 'glen' at this website, and I will try to post it.
You've probably noticed this site has grown stale. Unfortunately, the miserable economy forced me to move out-of-state, so I can no longer properly maintain this site or update the Take a Bike books. Those books are overdue for updating .. which is your opportunity!
Do you enjoy biking AND writing? Are you interested in trying your hand at running your own business? (No, you won't grow rich doing this - but the tax benefits for running an independent business help to make it more worthwhile. And since the hardest part of running a business is getting established - you've got a huge head start.)
The public recognizes my books as THE guides to bicycling in the Denver area and points beyond. Ddistributors are already in place, and stores (such as REI) order books without any effort on your part. If you're a go-getter, you could easily amp up sales, or monetize the website.
If you are interested, or would like more information, email Glen @ this website. We can work out an arrangement that would suit you, depending on the interests you have. I do return to Colorado regularly and can consult with you in person at those times - and would give you assistance at other times.
Wouldn't it be great if we could make bicyclists a force to be reckoned with when it comes to politics, to funding, to safe and sane roads, and more? Of course it would - or why would you be visiting this site?
Well, now you have a chance to help that happen. A grassroots organization is trying to get cyclists of all sorts - recreational riders, commuters, single-track supermen - to join to make their voices heard. If they can get one million people to identify themselves as concerned bikers, the politicians will have to pay attention.
Now for the good news - you don't have to go out of your way to help! You're already on the web, so just click over to PeopleForBikes.org and make a pledge "in support of a better future for bicycling—one that is safe and fun for everyone. " Isn't that something we can all get behind?
Bicycling Magazine/ Bicycling.com has unveiled their list of the top US cities for bicycling. Boulder took the #3 spot, behind #2 Portland and -- Minneapolis?! (Great riding, maybe, but not during their winters!!)Denver came in at #12, and Colorado Springs ranked #18.
More plaudits to Denver, as they recently implemented a program where people can grab bikes for short-haul trips inside the city. If you subscribe, you can pick up a bike in one of the approved locations, and drop it off less than a half-hour later for no extra charge. Read the article here
When's the last time you visited a museum? Maybe not since they had an exhibit that 'spoke' to you, that celebrated things you care about, or that reflected your priorities.
In that case, I've found an exhibit for you! The Longmont Museum and Cultural Center is offering Bicycles! 150 years of gears through July 3. They have over fifty bikes, along with other goodies (jerseys, pictures, etc.). Among the bikes displayed are an early 'boneshaker', bikes with wooden wheels or a bamboo frame, one with 140 spokes, and one of the original 'woodies' (a precursor to the mountain bike). Check their website for more info.
I've heard from Nicki, a BikePaths fan, that the East Boulder Trail is no longer functioning. She tried it the other day, only to find 'No Tresspassing' signs, barbed wire, and oil company fences.
Do you know of a trail that's gone defunct? or one that has opened up, and needs riders to keep it from getting lonely? Email glen at this website to let me know, and I will share that information with the community. That way we can all be up on the latest news!
The four non-metro titles: Western Colorado Urban Trails; Southern Colorado Urban Trails; Northern Colorado Urban Trails, Mountain Resorts Urban Trails are being closed out. These books retailed for $7 each - now you can purchase any one book for $1, or all four for $2.50 (plus shipping). Don't wait too long - after all, prime biking season is about to begin!
These books are available to charities for free - if you have a plan to get these books into the hands of people who can use them, let me know! Email me at glen at this website. of course, there's a catch - you'll have to cover the shipping (unless your story REALLY moves us, then we can talk further).
The charity offer is good for full boxes. A standard box (70-90 books, depending on the title) costs about $17 via UPS to ship depending on location. A double box runs about $30. Yes, I'll give you the option of mixing titles - eg., ~20 copies of each title in one standard box.
Crystal (a student teacher) sent me a link to an article listing FAQs on bicycle helmets. Interesting reading. Thanks, Crystal!
Maybe you've heard the news last month - you can now get bike trails and routes from Google Maps! On maps.google.com, enter the points you want to get directions between, and change the drop-down menu that defaults to 'by car', choosing bicycling. Voila!
Credit for this goes to a bicycling advocacy group, which lobbied Google repeatedly to add this feature. The press release says that over 150 areas in the country have bicycling information added. In checks I have made, it is not just limited to major metro areas - but of course it works for the Denver metro area and much of Colorado.
Caveat: This feature is still in Beta mode: it is not complete or comprehensive. Some trails do not show up; others have segments missing. For instance, it shows the trail over Vail Pass but not through Glenwood Canyon. Another example: it only covers about half of the Clear Creek Trail, from Kipling to Twin Lakes; and it terminates the Platte River Trail shy of Clear Creek. Also, I have seen at least one trail that is still only proposed, not in place.
Fed up with paying outrageous prices for gas, only to support countries hostile to ours? Decided to lower your carbon footprint, and to add a little green to your life? Curious about all those lycra-clad bodies that zipped past you on Bike-to-Work Day in late June?
Your reasons for choosing to investigate bicycle commuting are less important than the fact that you HAVE chosen to look into it. If you're not quite sure HOW to ditch your four-wheeled prison for the freedom of two wheels ... luckily, it's not that hard. Visit the commuting for more info.
I need your help! Do you know of any trail closures or detours? Has a new trail opened in your area? or is the above info now outdated? Please email me (see contact info, so I can post it. Keep your fellow bikers in the know!
Is 2011 your year for a major bike ride? Anxious for an adventure? Colorado has quite a list of annual rides, as seen below. Check our rides page for more info and links for any of these rides.
These rides have already come and gone - consider them for next year.
Let me know if I left off YOUR event!
You can use BikePaths.com to find information on bicycling in the Denver metro area or around the state. If there is information you think should be displayed here, let me know - or send me the info, and I'll post it!
A new feature, courtesy of Everyday Health. Now you can get an estimate of how many calories you burned on your bike ride!
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Want to see what some of the trails look like? I have uploaded 130 photos from bike trails throughout Colorado onto the web. You can see them at bikepaths.shutterfly.com . If you have good shots of the trails yourself, you can add your own photographs to the bikepaths collections, or you can comment on the photos already there. If you have a picture I'd like to use in any upcoming editions, you could win free books!
A few years back I composed a Top Ten list on which trails you can escape the crowds. It still holds true today!
Check out the Denver or Colorado reference pages for more specific information on local cycling. Or, check out the writeup of a highlighted trail, the Sand Creek Trail running through Denver, now officially complete.
BikePaths.com also provides general reference for bicyclists, no matter where you live. We are considering expanding our trail books and coverage to other states - if you live elsewhere, have a hankering for cycling, and would like to pursue a sideline business - we want to hear from you!
This page is but a small cog in the pantheon of pages catering to cyclists on the web. Visit our Hot Links page for a wide variety of references to other bike sites (last updated and verified in Feb 2006). And if you want to find like-minded people in the real world, check out the links on our Club Page, both in Colorado and elsewhere in the U.S.
Ever considered doing a bike tour? I can personally recommend it! My touring page gives more information on how to do it, and stories of others who have discovered that "The best way to leave the rat race is to travel at a snail's pace." I have completed five bike tours lasting 16-24 days, and my blogs are available on that page.
... with a little humor.
Chuckle at these pictures of Funny Bicycles - I doubt you'll find them in any store.
Spice up your Out-of-Office auto-reply emails!
Sure-fire suggestions to lighten the atmosphere in YOUR workplace. Do you have the courage to try them? We dare you!
Next, you can spread that special insanity into the world at large!
Have you ever called tech support for your computer? Read the HelpDesk Hall of Shame to hear of the Luddites they have to deal with.
Want a chuckle? Check out what may be the world's worst 'required reading' list!
Be sure to check out the web's last page!