Thursday July 1 come on out to the PGP Thursday Night Mountain Extravaganza, located at the Pacific Grand Prix-31001 144th Ave SE for some FUN!!

This week the prizes include:

1. From Hammer Nutrition $50 ($40 for Seasoned Rider / $10 for Beginner)
2. One pass to the Pacific Grand Prix Karting course (1 for beginner, 1 for Seasoned) (If you like to go fast, this is a fun way to do it.)

The course is approximately 2.5 in miles long in woods surrounding the PGP facility and includes double track, single track, and rolling fun. We have two categories (men and women combined) Seasoned Riders and Beginner.

The cost is $10. We have been starting at 6:45, for both Beginner and Seasoned. Beginners are doing 2 laps (each lap around 18-20 minutes) and Seasoned are doing 4 laps (each lap around 13-18 minutes). Come out and fine tune your mountain biking skills.

http://www.buduracing.com/pdf/pgp%20thursday%20night%20mountain%20bike%20summer%20series.pdf

Seattle residents and workers:Tell us how you “Walk, Bike, Ride”

Can you leave your car at home for day-to-day errands?
Do safety concerns make you think twice about bicycling or walking?
Are transit options working for your commute?
What would make it easier for you to get around car-free more days of the week?
When it comes to getting around easily without a car, the City of Seattle wants to know what is – and what isn’t – working for you. The Bicycle (2007) and Pedestrian (2009) Master Plans help guide the city’s improvements for biking and walking, and Mayor Mike McGinn is currently updating the Transit Master Plan.

Join us to learn more about these plans and talk with representatives from the Department of Transportation about where you think there is the most trouble – and the most potential – for transit, pedestrian and bicycle enhancements.

Date: Tuesday, June 29th
Time: 4-6pm
Place: REI (222 Yale Avenue North – served by Metro buses 8, 25, 66)

These things happen

On Deck....

Fluidride Cup DH #2 – Mt Hood Ski Bowl, June 25-27
Posted June 9th 2010 at 11:51 am by Simon Lawton
Round 2 of the Fluidride Cup Technical DH Series is just around the corner. Petr and the crew at Hurricane Racing are hard at work clearing the snow from the top of the track, and dialing in the woods sections at the bottom of the course. We are using a new practice schedule so be sure to read the following closely in order to be there at the right time.

PRACTICE TIMES:

Friday: 11am-4pm All Categories

Saturday: 8am-12pm Cat 2/3 - 2pm-6pm Cat 1/Pro

Sunday: One hour of practice prior to racing. Times to be posted at event.

LIFT PRICES:

Friday-Sunday $34

Saturday & Sunday $22

Sunday Only $10

Racers will be required to purchase lift passes after registering. All passes will be purchased at the ticket window. We will no longer issue tickets at registration. All racers must have a lift pass in order to practice – Lift passes are not included in the registration price. Big thanks go out to Kirk at Ski Bowl for the special lift pricing.

Additional Info:

Mt Hood is a big track, with more than 1400 vertical feet of drop. The tracks at Ski Bowl start at the tree line with lots of rock, and descend into some great NW style woods at the bottom. Pro Purses in the Men’s DH will go ten deep, with the winner taking away $500.00. The Loeka Women’s DH will pay 3 deep, with the fastest woman taking home $250.00. As usual, we’ll have prizes for category winners, and lots of drinks and snacks to keep riders charging. The series is decided by the rider with the most points in their best three races, including the final at Mt Hood, so if this is your first Fluidride Cup of the year, you are still in contention for the overall series. See you there!

Put on the Goggles

Federal Report

Today, the Federal Highway Administration released their 15-year status report on the National Biking and Walking Study, the third update to a 1994 federal assessment of bicycling and walking as transportation. The study—which shows some growth in bicycling and walking and decline in fatalities—is significant because it will impact the distribution of federal funding and the growth of pro-walking and biking initiatives like Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School.

The stated goal of the original National Biking and Walking study was to double the walking and biking mode share from 7.9 percent to 15.8 percent in the U.S. According to the 15-year status report, biking and walking has only increased to an 11.9 percent combined total. Biking only makes up a small part of that at 1 percent or around 4 billion trips annually (up from .7 percent in 1990).


The status report also showed a slight decrease in overall biking and walking fatalities and injuries during that period of growth. In 2008, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities were down 22.3 and 12.0 percent, respectively, from their 1995 levels. Injuries for pedestrians and bicyclists were down 17.8 and 14.7 percent respectively. The report acknowledges that the number of injuries might be low due to underreporting of minor injuries and injuries sustained on multi-use paths.

Though nationally biking and walking account for 11.9 percent of trips taken, they received only two percent of federal transportation funding last year. Before that, biking and walking received less than one percent. The jump in funding was due in large part to the TIGER transportation grants distributed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Though the growth in walking and biking was relatively small, it’s still important. The report highlights the disparity between the size of the walking and biking mode share and the percentage of federal funding. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has already proven to be a proponent of “active transportation” with his pro-bicycling and walking policies. Now he needs to shift a proportional amount of funding to bicycling and walking to back up his policies and help non-motorized transportation grow.

There is a strong correlation between increased infrastructure and increased mode share. Bicycling infrastructure is cheap compared to car infrastructure, but that money still has to come from somewhere. A nine-percent increase in federal transportation funding would have a profound impact on the growth of bicycling and walking.

April Lawyer is Hot Post

This explains it

Off Road Alternate to Seward

Tomorrow night (6/17) at the PGP Thursday Night Mountain Extravaganza (located at the Pacific Grand Prix-31001 144th Ave SE) we have $50 to give away (thanks to Hammer Nutrition) to the Seasoned Rider Group! Each week we have a pass to the Pacific Grand Prix course, and Hammer Nutrition products for both categories. Come on out and have some fun!

The course is approximately 2.5 in miles long in woods surrounding the PGP facility and includes double track, single track, and rolling fun. We have two categories (men and women combined at this point) Seasoned Riders and Beginner.

The cost this week is $10

To view the event flier:

http://www.buduracing.com/pdf/pgp%20thursday%20night%20mountain%20bike%20summer%20series.pdf

Deanna Muller
USA Triathlon Certified Race Director
BuDu Racing - Event Management
www.BuDuRacing.com
Join BuDu Racing on FaceBook
206/920-3983

HLC Moab Trip May 2010 from Kevin Philbin on Vimeo.

Report of Insane Bike/Car Road Rage Incident (Involving Assault With Axe Body Spray)

There's road rage. And then there's absolutely WTF.

Portlander Joe Keshishian called in today to describe a road rage incident he says happened to him on NE MLK and San Rafael. Keshishian says he was crossing MLK east to west on his bike when a black car pulled up so close behind him that it bumped his back wheel. According to Keshishian, the driver then sped around him, flipping him off and zooming past him. Keshishian shouted, "Fuck you!" at the driver and then caught up with him at a stoplight.

Assault with Axe

"He stopped his car and got out, saying, 'You think the road belongs to you, self-righteous prick!' He's holding something in his hand and I realize it's a can of deodorant, that Axe body spray stuff," says Keshishian. "I held up my bike lock to defend myself and he proceeds to wail on me with the deodorant!" Keshishian says the man struck him with the can in the head and arms before pushing him over, off his bike. As Keshishian lay there on the ground, he says guy lifted up his bike and threw it on him before getting into his car and driving off.

Several people saw the alleged assault, one snapping a photo of the car (which is below the cut). Keshishian is shaken up, but okay with just small scrapes on his elbows and a tacoed bike wheel. He filed a report with the Portland police and is expecting to get in contact with a bike lawyer to figure out whether he should press charges.

"He just had this rage, this intense hatred!" says Keshishian.

On Deck...........

Well it's that time again. Round 3 is June 11-13 and we're looking forward to it. We've got a few new little tid-bits to add to the tracks. We should have the Pre-ride videos up after this weekend. We're looking forward to seeing everyone again. Dry Hill sure is quiet between the races, time to make some noise!!
Here's the Schedule

Friday
10am Registration opens
1pm Open Practice (all categories)
4pm Registration closes
6pm Practice closes


Saturday
9am Registration opens
9-1pm Cat 3 & Cat 1
1pm Registration closes
1-5pm Cat 2 & Pro

Sunday
8-9:30am One practice run for all racers
10am Pro Seeding Runs
11am Racing Starts

Awards immediately following racing.

PA DH!!!!!!!!!

Rest in Peace

OBRA racer David Oliphant died late Tuesday evening after collapsing just past the finish line at the tradional PIR Tuesday Nighter races in North Portland. On-site medics attended Oliphant until paramedics arrived and rushed him to a local hospital, where emergency room doctors were unable to revive him.

OBRA Executive Director Kenji Sugahara confirmed to BikePortland.com that Oliphant died of a heart-related condition. Oliphant, 47, raced with the Therapeutic Associates/GENR8 team and was an integral part of keeping the team rolling, Sugahara indicated in a statement sent to media.

“David was an excellent racer with a matching sunny personality,” Sugahara said. “With a positive disposition, his teammates called him the glue that holds our team together. We have lost a great competitor and a valuable member of our racing community. David will be dearly missed by all of us. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and teammates.”

Oliphant, a top competitor for many years in the OBRA ranks, was competing Tuesday night in the Cat 1/2/3 race at Portland International Raceway and had been typically active in the day’s breakaways and hot spot sprints. After finishing near the front of the evening’s finale, Oliphant collapsed on the tarmac about 200 yards past the finish line. He was immediately attended to, both by medically trained competitors in the field and on-site staff. EMT and Fire personnel arrived and continued to work on Oliphant before rushing him to a local hospital.

A memorial circuit in Oliphant’s honor is planned for tonight’s Masters race at Mt. Tabor. There will also be a memorial lap at PIR on June 15 at 6:30 p.m. Duncan, Oliphant’s brother, will lead this ride at the front with his friends. Oliphant’s family will be attending. Those wishing to celebrate and remember David are invited.

Better than Follow Me

Go Blackhawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hit-run driver leaves a trail of terror in S.F.

(06-03) 18:54 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The grim numbers for the car-vs.-bicycles rampage in San Francisco tell only part of the story.

Three neighborhoods invaded by one car Wednesday night with a driver bent on mowing people down. Four bicyclists left sprawled on the pavement. Six minutes from start to finish, from first victim to last.

The rest of the story could be found Thursday in the three victims still recovering at San Francisco General Hospital, in the manhunt for the driver, and in the sense of disbelief among residents and workers that such random hostility could shatter their corners of the city.

"It's always very calm here, lots of bicyclists and lots of quiet," Okell's Fireplace salesman Heath McGrail said, shaking his head as he looked out the window toward the scene of the last hit-and-run, at 17th and Missouri streets. "We never have any trouble - unless, I guess, you've got someone hunting those bicyclists down to run them over. It's shocking."

Investigators said the driver had carried out the assaults in a blue Nissan Rogue crossover sport utility vehicle. They said it was registered in Berkeley and was not believed to be stolen, but by late Thursday, there were still no arrests.

The victims, hit at four locations as their attacker wove wildly through traffic, sometimes down the wrong side of the road, were described as men ranging in age from their 20s to their 40s.

One victim was treated at the scene and released. The three at San Francisco General - one in critical condition, one in serious and one in fair - are expected to survive, said hospital spokeswoman Rachael Kagan.

"The two who aren't critical are alert and awake, but they're very shook up," Kagan said. "They are puzzled, certainly perplexed at what happened, and right now they are just focused on healing."

Terror in the dark
The rampage began at 9:43 p.m. in the Mission District, on a quiet stretch of Harrison Street near 23rd Street where houses overlook strips of well-tended flowers and a bike path.

"I heard this big bang and ran outside, and there was a man on the street moaning and curled up in pain and his bicycle on the ground," said Ramon Fernandez, 66. "There were many police who came in about a minute, and then all of us were standing around wondering how such a thing could happen here."

As luck would have it, two San Francisco General emergency nurses were in a house on the block and came out to help.

Melissa Pitts, 31, and Rich Nepomuceno, 33, immediately stabilized the victim, who appeared to be in his 30s, and waited for the ambulances to arrive. His bicycle was in two pieces a few feet away.

"We cut off his clothes to see the extent of his injuries, and it appeared the main injuries were to his face," Pitts said. "He was groggy but conscious."

Nepomuceno, who had bicycled over to Pitts' house just a few minutes before the attack, said he was happy they could serve as first responders, "but it was an awful circumstance."

Speeding along street
Two minutes after the first hit-and-run, the driver mowed down his second bicyclist about a half-block south on Harrison, at a corner with a gourmet coffee shop and other neighborhood stores. This time, resident Aurora Marina tore out of her house in time to see the driver - briefly.

"I saw that this car had hit someone and was going very fast up the street - very fast," said Marina, 56. "There was a man on the ground with blood all over his face and a lot of people coming to help.

"We could tell that the car hit this bicyclist with blood on his face head-on, and then took off. It was crazy."

A couple of minutes later and about 1 mile east, the third victim was struck at 23rd and Pennsylvania streets - a windswept, industrial block practically beneath Interstate 280 that is dominated by stretches of dirt and a Muni bus yard. This victim was only slightly injured and was treated at the scene.

The final crash
The driver then sped several blocks north to the heart of Potrero Hill where, at the corner of 17th and Missouri, he hit his fourth rider at 9:49 p.m., police said. Immediately after the impact, the driver smashed his Rogue into a light pole and a parked Jeep Cherokee at the corner - and then he fled. Police provided only a minimal description, saying he was a white man.

Thursday, there were fragments of glass and blue chunks of car fender strewn on the street.

Police Lt. Lyn Tomioka said all the victims "do appear to be targeted. We don't know if they were known victims, or if it's because they were on bicycles or what the issue was."

Advocates alarmed
Mayor Gavin Newsom released a statement saying the attacks should not shake anyone's faith in the safety of bicycling in San Francisco.

"I'm proud that San Francisco is one of the bike-friendliest cities in the nation," he said. "We will not tolerate violence or rage against cyclists or pedestrians."

Renee Rivera, acting executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, called the rampage "a shocking anomaly." The last time a hit-and-run assault garnered this much notoriety was in 2006, when a driver killed a pedestrian in Fremont and drove to San Francisco, where he injured 16 more people from downtown to the Richmond District.

According to the coalition, the number of bicycling injuries in the city dropped 19.3 percent from 1998 to 2006, even as the number of riders increased.

"We want people to know that our streets are normally safe places to ride and getting safer all the time," Rivera said.

Lint Licker

Appeals put the brakes on Stevens bike park

STEVENS PASS — A pair of appeals may delay the construction of a mountain bike park and trail system at Stevens Pass Ski Area for months — if not longer.

After the U.S. Forest Service approved plans to build the park in mid-April, the appeals filed on the May 27 — the 45th and final day of the allotted time frame — have thrown the project for a loop.

The Sierra Club and Conservation Northwest jointly filed one appeal, and the Tulalip Tribes filed one separately.

As a result of the appeals, the Forest Service will begin an internal review, and will issue a ruling on whether to uphold or deny them by the third week of June.

Sean Wetterberg, winter sports and special uses specialist for the Forest Service in Everett, said that he wasn’t surprised by the appeals.

“These appellants indicated throughout the whole process that they would appeal,” Wetterberg said.

A press release on Conservation Northwest’s website charges that current plans for development at Stevens Pass “do not address effects to wildlife reliant on the area, such as wolverine.”

If their appeals are denied by the Forest Service review, the Sierra Club, Conservation Northwest and the Tulalip Tribes could choose to take their case to court, which would drag the process out into next year.

“The short-term effect of these appeals is that any construction has to be stopped, and can’t continue this summer,” Wetterberg said. “Long term, it might not happen for a long time, or it might never happen.”

Officials at Stevens Pass could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

The facility is slated to be the first chairlift-accessed mountain bike park in the state. The closest one now is at Whistler in British Columbia.

Wenatchee mountain biker Matt Rose, a board member of the Evergreen Mountain Alliance, said the riding community was disappointed by the setback in the park’s construction.

“It’s just going to delay the process, and cost Stevens Pass and the Forest Service a lot more money to go through the process,” Rose said. “It seems to be typical operating procedure for these groups. I have a background in environmental science, and I read all the reports and studies. I thought it was a well-written plan, and it’s puzzling to me what the objections are. But for bikers, it’s absolute and total disappointment.”

Boo.

It just keeps getting better....

Harry Wappler is turning over in his grave....