Whidbey Island

Steve had been stationed on Whidbey Island during his Airforce years. If there is a more beautiful place to ride a bike, I haven't seen it.

Bow Washington and south Day 1

High noon, near Bow. Sky with blue mountains.

Puget Sound.

My riding buddy, Steve Fox on his beloved Easy Racer.

During breakfast in Bow Steve called Pat and Don, old riding friends. A half hour later they joined us for our first twenty miles. Everyone in our little group was over 70--and looking good! You don't see fatties on bikes. Health tip: if you want to lose weight, skip the diets--they don't work anyway. Eat whatever the hell you want and get yourself a bike!

Deception Pass. The "rapids" are caused by the Pacific Ocean rushing into Puget Sound. We stopped at a roadside view spot several hundred feet above the water. Even there you could feel it. The sense of immense power here is tangible.

It's been a long and beautiful day. Rest time. more soon.

Location: Oak Harbor, Washington

Campus, University of Washington

R&R in Seattle. Tomorrow Steve Fox and I will enter the Pacific Coast bike trail near Anacortes, Washington.

Paulsbo, Wa. below, A Norwegian themed town (Paul's place)

Kate Nunes, our Warm Showers hostess in Paulsbo. She and her husband had cycled across the USA on a triplet with their 5 year old daughter!

Oyster Bay in Bremerton. We left Paulsbo very early and managed to reach this spot before the fog burned off. Fog is definitely the cyclists friend.We spent a restful day here.

Location: Seattle

Beachcomber Bayside

This review is for out-of-towners. If you live in Humboldt County and you ride a bike you've already discovered the two delightful Beachcomber coffee shop/cafes and maybe you're a regular, like me. If not, you now have another excuse to visit Humboldt County, California on your next bike tour. The two Beachcombers, 20 miles apart in Trinidad and Bayside, make tempting stops as you head down the coast. Heading UP the coast? It's going to be You vs. the Northern Pacific Trade Winds every single day all the way to Alaska.

Shouldn't you should pull into the nearest Beachcomber--both are very bike-friendly with multiple racks and parking options--and reconsider? Order lunch ("Beloved Bean Bowl"), an aromatic light blend coffee, (not burnt blend) and treat yourself to a freshly baked pastry. Then spread out your maps. To the the south is (was?) San Francisco. Have you really had enough of San Francisco? Do you really expect to find a better city to the north or in any other direction? Heading south the wind would be at your back, for a change.

There isn't a better Beachcomber; both have freshly made goodies every day served by a delightful all-female staff who totally get what a coffee house is all about: a place to hang, veg, study, eat, meet, surf and schmooze. In a word, this place has Gemütlichkeit. It's not a place to rush through with a paper cup of luke warm instant Folgers. Nevertheless, the "no paper cups" policy initially provoked a brief chorus of whining from locals. It's amazing what folks won't give up to save the earth.

Anyway, you're going to love this place. And since it's a block from my house, you might see my Rans Stratus parked outside. There's plenty of space for you too on one of the nearby bike racks.

Location: Old Arcata Rd,Arcata,United States

2012 Kinetic Sculpture Race, Arcata Plaza

Arcata Bike to Work Day

A Plaza gives a town focus and brings people together. On "Bike to Work Day" a bunch of intrepid commuters showed up at the Arcata Plaza for a ride around town.

Suddenly a leader emerged and we were off!

We rode out to the Arcata Bottoms and then back to the Plaza. Proving? That Arcata richly deserves its newly won "Silver" status as a bike-friendly community.

Back in town Brio French Bakery was serving hot coffee and delicious goodies.

We parked our bikes outside.






Outside on the plaza we met two future cyclists. Their father is from Arcata, their mother is from Mongolia.




Further down the Plaza we met this Arcata cyclist. Need a poem? Just ask.

If you do plan a Plaza try to fit in some palm trees and a statue of president McKinley.

Supercar

BOLTBUS: Portland to Seattle WITH YOUR BIKE for $1!

Can you believe THIS?

Chico Wildflower 2012

The Stratus XP was too big for the fork rack I built so I took off the front wheel and simply put the bike down on a rubber mat. Double click a photo for a slide show. 

Traveling east from Arcata on Rte 299 I drove along the Trinity River. That's the Trinity Alps in the background. 

Spring on the Trinity. 

A few of the 4,000 riders. 

In addition to cloth maps we had well marked turns throughout the ride. I was green. 

Some riders were color coordinated. 

A few riders were pet coordinated. 

We headed out of town through walnut orchards. 

Some riders pedaled as fast as possible all day long. 

100 years ago California had a great train system. Chico still has a train. I do wish it ran over to the coast. Train travel is definitely the civilized way to go. I can see myself getting on in Eureka (the way people did 100 years ago), putting my feet up, opening a New Yorker and a half a day later getting off in Larkspur on San Francisco Bay. I'd take a folding bike. 

Nobody leaves the Wildflower hungry. 

I followed the Trinity for much of the ride home. Wouldn't you? 

Why Cycle

A tip of the helmet to D. Nelson for this dreamy video from Holland. This is what your town--and your life--could look like if cycling was a social priority.

Chico Wildflower Ride

I'll be one of 4,000 cyclists heading over to Chico, CA. in the morning for the Wildflower Ride. I'm taking the Rans Stratus without the fairing. Chico is in California's central valley where it can get hot even in April.

News and photos soon...

Kids bike program wiped out

Over the weekend some humanoid(s) stole all 8 of the bikes shown in this video. The Alice Birney students had worked to restore these used bikes all semester and completed a bike safety course. They were set to ride in Eureka's Rhodedndron Parade, the Tour of the Unknown Coast, and Bike to School Day. Their reward for finishing the bike education course: they would get to keep the bikes. Now they have nothing.

If you have a geared 20" or 24" used bike sitting around please consider donating it to The Alice Birney students. Their bike education teacher, Melanie Williams, would be your contact: mwilliams@bikesthere.com

The bikes haven't turned up and may never be recovered. I'm not going to let it end there. These kids worked hard for their bikes and they deserve to ride them to school. Happily, other people feel the way I do and the Humboldt community has pitched in to help out. The kids have already received a few used bikes, a great lesson in the power of community organizing.

 I sent a check. If you'd like to join me in putting these kids back in the saddle it's:

THE ALICE BIRNEY BIKE FUND

℅ Adventure's Edge

125 5th St.

Eureka, CA. 95501

These kids deserve bikes. As for the thief (thieves?), he, she or it has earned a place in the Social Biking Blog Hall of Shame and a chance at some felony jail time. 

Spring in Humboldt

It's hard to stay off the bike at this time of the year. I took these two photos on a recent ride. 

Arcata Bottoms. Snow on peaks to the east.

Camel Rock, a favorite surfing beach. 

Last Roundup for the Cattrike Musashi

When Cattrike decided to discontinue its sole two wheeler, Sandy Earl snapped one up. Then she got creative. As Sandy put it, "nothing fanatical is worth doing unless you're really fanatical." So here we have what could be the world's only pink Musashi--right down to the water bottle, grips, trim, rims, cranks and chain links.

Unlike many short wheeled recumbents, which leave the rider to balance precariously on top of a high bar, the Musashi frame bends in the center to accommodate the hips, a human centered design that lowers the center of gravity. It's a fast, comfortable ergonomic bike and Sandy couldn't stop smiling. More on this remarkable woman soon.

Spring Ride to Trinidad

We had a break in the rain on Saturday with more rain due on Sunday. My cycling group headed north to Trinidad.

Break time with The Latte Warriors. We have 45 members and no rules.

Trinidad harbor was smooth as glass but I've seen 30 foot swells here. The lighthouse has a plaque commemorating the many fishermen who lost their lives sailing out of this port. You can walk around Trinidad Head (background) in about an hour. Watch for seals below the trail and an occasional whale.

If California has a more picturesque seaside town than Trinidad, I haven't seen it. Note to bike tourists: for God's sake get off the freeway and cycle ALL of Scenic Drive. I don't care where else you've been in North America or any other continent. Scenic Drive tracks  a ledge several hundred feet directly above rock strewn Pacific beaches. To put it mildly, the views expand from that perspective, especially if you're on a bike. You will make stops where you can almost see the curvature of the earth.

Spring was happening in the Arcata bottoms but I could feel the storm gathering over the Pacific.

Review: The Ergon handlebar grip

After a few weeks riding with the Ergon Biokork grips my opinion remains the same as it was one minute after putting them on my bike: I'll never go back to ordinary, round grips.

Click above for animation.

In its raw form the bicycle is one of the least ergonomic devices imaginable. We bend ourselves to its needs, folding our body into pretzel shapes for the sake of speed or style. We convince ourselves that the human wrist can somehow manage to support continual jackhammer blows from the whole upper body. We batter away at our perineal arteries and nerves as though they were encased in concrete. We lock our feet in place and torque out our knees. We ignore, tingling, numbness and pain. Something's got to give and when it does it sometimes remains a guilty secret between the rider and his orthopedic surgeon. Until the next time...

If your hands get numb during a ride the problem could be the grips you are using. On an ordinary round grip the heel of your hand gets no support. It's expected to float in air while you hang on to the grip with your fingers. Ergon provides a significant ergonomic advantage: a textured, rubberized support platform for the heel of the hand.

You'll probably find several "contoured" handlebar grips at your LBS. I haven't tried them all but my sense is that Ergon did the necessary research and offers a superior product.

If you're riding a bike for pleasure you may already have switched to upright, seat level handlebars (Ergons don't work with drop bars). Better yet you've added a long wheelbase recumbent or trike, either one of which will be kinder to your body than any upright bicycle. But even if the concept of an ergonomic ride is completely new to you, for the sake of your wrists, add a set of Ergon grips to the handlebars of every bike you own. Then donate your old round grips to The Museum of Archaic Bicycle Junk.

Ergon Grips with twist shifters and bar end mirror

Choose a model to fit your shift mechanisms and specify your hand size (large or small). The whole grip, including the Portuguese cork insert, is recyclable.

The Rans Stratus XP Makes "Bryan’s All Time Favorite Rides" list

If you ride a recumbent you already know about Bryan Ball's excellent "BentRider Online." If you're thinking about getting one, this is the place for thoughtful reviews all kinds of informed research and discussion with other 'bent owners. Much recommended!

Bryan's All Time Favorite Rides covers a lot of territory and many fine bikes. I wasn't surprised that the Rans XP made his list: "The XP rolled fast and handled like a dream at high speeds." Bryan's right: the Rans Stratus XP is certainly one of the best rides I've ever had on a bike. The Sratus XP has superb ergonomics. No neck and shoulder issues, no aching back, no adapting to weird "racing" positions. You just sit back and enjoy the scenery. It's plenty fast too, at least with the stock Primo Racers. However, after multiple flats and one blowout in just 500 miles, I'm moving to Schwalbe Marathon Supremes later this week. I'll have a report on those tires soon.

Bang!

I heard a loud "pistol shot" on Scenic Drive and found this. I tried a new tube + a folded dollar bill but that blew up a few hundred feet down the road. I'm going to add some duct tape and/or rubber strips from an old tube to my bike bag.

So much for the stock Rans tires: this 1 inch Primo Racer blew out after just 500 miles. No nails or glass. The tire was simply worn out.

This is the price you pay in Humboldt County for lightweight, speedy tires. I'm looking at various Schwalbe tires to replace it.

So there I was 18 miles from home with a disabled Rans Stratus XP xl, arguably the longest bike on the road. I stuck my thumb out and the second car, an SUV with a dog in the back, drove me to my front door. Once I pulled off the wheels we were able to fit the frame in the back with the dog. The driver had a mountain bike on a rear rack and said, "I always try to help our fellow cyclists."

Amen!

Greenwheels fundraiser

Greenwheels combined fundraising with some truly great micro brewed beer. Ireland put me off mixing great scenery and great beer (if you expect to cycle over the coastal mountains in a driving rainstorm you might want to skip the Guinness at lunch). But this was Arcata and I was two miles from home on a flat road. And what good are rules if you don't break them once in a while?

Let's be honest: you haven't ever seen a square bike that seats four people. Neither had I. For once, my Stratus drew no stares and I didn't have to answer any questions.

Every pub needs bike parking. This parking space would have accommodated a single car; maybe one or two customers. I headed inside for a delicious glass of Belgian pale ale.

Redwood Curtain Brewing Company, 550 G St, Arcata, CA.!