Bike Sharing in Hilly and Rainy Seattle?

You've heard of Zip Car - the car sharing company in Seattle and other major cities. How about a bicycle-sharing program? They're thriving in places like Paris, Barcelona, Montreal, and even Denver where a pilot project is due to "go live" next year. But in hilly and rainy Seattle?Pearson Cummings with King County's Parks and Rec Division says the county is just trying to get locals used to the concept: "What will they use a bike sharing system for? Will they use it to go to their dentist office during work. Will they use it to go get grociers? Do they think bike sharing will work in the city?" King County, along with the Cascade Bicycle Club, the city of Redmond, and Vulcan held a Bike Share Expo Tuesday in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. Three bike-sharing vendors were on hand to talk about public bike systems. There are a lot of questions still to be answered such as how much would it cost, and where would the bike stations be located. If Paris is any indication, lots of people like riding the public bikes down Paris's one big hill. As for getting the bikes back up that hill that's usually done by trucks.

Chain Fail

SRAM, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a voluntary recall of the SRAM 10-Speed Chain PowerLock connector links.
SRAM reports that the PowerLock outer connector plate could crack during installation or early use, causing the chain to separate and leading to loss of bicycle control and possible injury. For this reason, SRAM is recalling and replacing all affected SRAM 10-Speed Chain PowerLock connector links.
In a document issued Friday to SRAM dealers, the company detailed the safety issue, rate of occurrence, and how to identify recalled PowerLocks connector links. The company was careful to note that only 10-speed PowerLocks, not chains, are targeted in the recall.
PowerLocks stamped with “M” and “N” date codes are the targets of the recall. The date code letter is stamped onto the end of each PowerLock outer plate, near the pin. Affected PowerLock connecter links include:
• Individually packaged, aftermarket PowerLocks,• PowerLocks included with aftermarket chains, and• PowerLocks installed on SRAM chains on new bikes could all potentially be affected.
The date code letter is stamped on each of the 2 outer plates on a PowerLock, so both connector link outer plates need to be checked for affected “M” or “N” date codes.
SRAM noted that the safety issue (cracking of the outer plate) typically happens upon installation of the PowerLock or during first use. The company also noted that the issue was discovered internally at SRAM, and that the recall originated internally out of concern for quality and customer safety. SRAM is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to initiate a full consumer recall, which will be soon announced to the public.
Cyclists with PowerLocks affected by the recall should stop riding immediately and return the affected chain to a SRAM dealer for confirmation of the date code and a free replacement PowerLock.
SRAM 8- and 9-speed chains and PowerLinks are not affected, nor are 10-speed chains. The defect is limited to 10-speed PowerLock connector links only, at a rate of roughly 2.5 connector plates out of 1000.

Fresh pics

Rock out with your.....

Playing the Sunset on the 14th........... can't make it cuz I'll be @ Crankworx. Playing Cop Suey on October 5th. Hells Yeah! It'll make for a nice music block after Motorhead on Friday and Mastodon on Saturday.







That's a total of 16 minutes and 18 seconds that you'll never get back.

The good life................

Trail Closure

Duwamish Trail to be Closed Next Week for Repairs

SEATTLE—the Seattle Department of Transportation is repairing the Duwamish Trail where sections have been damaged by tree roots and general deterioration.

The trail will be closed between SW Idaho Street and SW Brandon Street from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, August 3 and 4, and may be closed 24 hours a day on Wednesday through Friday, August 5 to 7, if it cannot be made safe for trail users after work hours.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will be detoured onto West Marginal Way SW. Advanced warning signs have been provided along with a notification board at the ends of the trail.

Why Lebron will not win a championship

MFG Season Passes now available
MFG Kick-Off Party at Brouwer's Cafe
Who’s excited for cross????
The MFG crew has been working ‘round the clock in preparation for theseason, and we are now ready to offer season passes for 5 of 6 of our races.The season pass grants you entry to:

9/13: uBRDO Kick-off Cross, Kirkland
10/4: Starbucks Gran Prix, Issaquah
10/10: Cross Clash
10/31: Lincoln Park CX, West Seattle
11/15: Woodland Park GP, Seattle

The season pass is $100 ($50 for juniors) and is available now. Once you sign the waiver to purchase your season pass, you won’t have to sign another waiver for the entire season! We will mail you your series race number by September. Additionally, you will receive a ticket for free entry and complimentary buffet dinner to the MFG Kick-off party at Brouwer’s Café on Wednesday,9/9/09 from 7-10pm. Tickets to the party are limited to the first 50entries, and after that will not be available. Here are the details:
Where: Season passes available at for racers 21 and over racers at Brouwer's Cafe,400North 35th Street. Brouwer’s Café is open noon to 2 am every day and tickets are available as of today, July 28th. (206) 267-1200 How:
Payment by check or cash only (no credit card) made out to Low Pressure Promotions, LLC. Sign a waiver one-time, and you’ll be set for the season.You’ll receive a ticket to the Kick-Off party; limited to the first 50 registrants. Under 21 registration: Minors will not be allowed to enter Brouwer’s Café, even to purchase a season pass. If you are under 21 and would like to purchase a season pass,please email: zac at mfgcyclocross dot com
See you soon! Terry

Thank God for the Helmet

Firefighter charged with shooting at bicyclist
Josh Boatwright • July 27, 2009 12:33 PM

ASHEVILLE — An Asheville firefighter charged with attempted first-degree murder after witnesses said he shot at a bicyclist, made his first appearance today in Buncombe County District Court.

Charles Alexander Diez, 42, apparently fired at the Asheville man after arguing with him about riding his bike on the busy road with his 3-year-old child in a bike seat behind him, Asheville Police Capt. Tim Splain said.

Diez's case is set to be heard on Aug. 17 in Buncombe County Superior Court.

Diez was driving his car off Interstate 40 at Exit 55 at about 11:24 a.m. Sunday when he saw Alan Ray Simons and his wife riding bikes up the road with Simons' 3-year-old son behind him in a bike seat, he said.

“He decided he needed to tell them he thought it was unsafe that they would do that and have their child out there in an area where they had a lot of traffic,” Splain said.

Diez stopped his car and confronted Simons near 1360 Tunnel Road. When Simons began to walk away, Diez shot at him, Splain said.

The bullet blew a hole through the outer lining of Simons' helmet and went straight through both sides of it, but he was not hit.

Simons and others who witnessed the incident took down Diez's registration plate number and called police.

After consulting with the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office, police charged Diez with one count of attempted first-degree murder.

“A matter of an inch or less in either direction would have meant that bullet could have easily killed Mr. Simons,” Splain said.

Buncombe County Sheriff's deputies found Diez's vehicle at his home on Rowland Road in Swannanoa and arrested him. Diez was not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol at the time of the shooting and has no prior criminal record, Splain said.

He has been employed by the Asheville Fire Department since February 1992, according to interim Chief Scott Burnette. Diez has been placed on paid leave during the investigation, Burnette said.

Diez was being held today at the Buncombe County Detention Center with a secured bond set at $500,000

ON DECK

Roslyn MTB Festival
July 25-26, 2009 Downtown Roslyn - Roslyn, WA
Presented byRoslyn Cyclery
Big time racing in a pint size townRoslyn is home to much more than "Northern Exposure"; some of the greatest mountain bike terrain also lives here. Many of us got a taste of it in the days of the WIM series, leaving our appetites whetted for fun challenging terrain in a dryer climate. The Indie Series is excited to add Roslyn to our 2009 lineup and we know you are going to love it!
CROSS COUNTRY * POKER RUN
The Roslyn MTB Festival is a community event with all proceeds going to the Roslyn Library. The entire town is excited and ready for mountain bikers to take over the town.
2 Days of Family Fun
REGISTRATION, ALL RACES & CAMPING IS LOCATED AT THE COAL PILES 1 BLOCK EAST OF MAIN STREET - WATCH FOR SIGNS - YOU CAN'T MISS IT.
Schedule
SATURDAY
9:00 AM
Poker Run & Fun Ride
$15.00
SUNDAY
Cross CountryCourse: Approximately 4 1/2 miles with about 800' of climbing per lap.
Categories & Fees:

9:00 AM
Beginners (Categories #18 - #27)
2 laps
11:00 AM
Sport, Clydesdale (Categories #10 - #17, #28)
3 laps
1:30 PM
Open, Expert (Categories #1 - #9)
4 laps

Note: race promoters reserve the right to modify and/or consolidate classes and categories as needed.
Registration
Day-of registration opens at 7:30am and closes approximately 10 minutes before race start.
DirectionsDriving Directions: From 1-90, take exit # 84 (Roslyn, HWY 903). Go north towards Roslyn, approximate 2.5 miles. The start/finish, registration & free camping is located 1 block east of the main Hwy thru town--very easy to spot, watch for signs.
LodgingFree camping is available at the race site in downtown Roslyn.
Race ContactRoslyn Cyclery at 509-649-2863 or Dan Norton @ jackandanathotmaildotcom

I could do this all day.

Cyclocross Expo

1st Ever Northwest Cyclocross Expo!
Seattle Cyclocross is pleased to announce the first Northwest Cyclocross Expo Sponsored by New Belgium Brewing

This is not only a celebration of everything cyclocross, it’s an opportunity for riders to look at equipment, talk to manufacturers, and meet racers. Where else can you go and ride bikes from Redline, Raleigh, Kona, Giant, Ridley and more on real cyclocross terrain? Rather than talk about which bike is better or handles the conditions better, why not just come out and ride them all?

Bicycle riders of all levels will be able to look at, touch and try out everything from Northwave shoes, Thule bike racks, Kore components, Limar helmets, Selle Italia saddles, Shimano components and more. Additionally, Cycle University will be on hand holding training clinics and cross demos for riders of all abilities.

Come on out and meet our special guest, Ryan Trebon, the dominant rider on the American scene, who will be holding court, signing autographs and talking with young riders about the excitement of cross racing.

Seattle Cyclocross will be on hand to pre-register racers for the upcoming season, answer questions about the racing series, and share a burger and a beer with you.



>> When: Sat. August 1st 2009

>> Where: South SeaTac Park

Ballard Chamber of Commerce to sue Cascade Bicycle Club

We learned yesterday that Cascade Bicycle Club and the City of Seattle are being sued by a coalition of Ballard industrial businesses, industrial associations and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. The lawsuit appeals the city's plans to complete the "Missing Link" of the Burke-Gilman Trail, a project that would improve traffic management and allow for improved safety and access for all users -- pedestrians, bicycles, cars and trucks -- through the corridor.
We are deeply disappointed that the suit has been filed, especially given that the prior decision was unequivocally in our favor. In these times of economic turmoil, it's disappointing that the Ballard Chamber of Commerce will waste its members' dues, while improved safety and access in the community are once again stalled.
The appeal process will also likely cost Cascade tens of thousands of dollars, but we will not give up this battle for safety and access for all. Your financial contributions will help make a dent in those legal fees. Please give to the Burke-Gilman Legal Fund today.

Way to go - assclowns.

ON DECK!

busto

is going to be glad to see me. i think. bringing coffee, should be something we can make money to drink off of...i hope. SOOOOOOOJJUUUUUU makes me happy and drunk. 2 weeks and i am out.

Check your bank accounts!

I know there are some bicyclers on the board so I'm sending a warning to anyone who has ever done business with Bike Nashbar. I noticed four unauthorized purchases on my credit card. A Google check shows that many folks who purchased bike equipment through Bike Nashbar had the same four purchases listed. They are all from the same firm. Either Nashbar was hacked or they sold the info including credit card numbers to those people. I called all the scammers and had the fees reversed. If you bought anything from Bike Nashbar ever there is a chance you will be getting these purchases assessed. Profitggl.com - $39.95 each month forever. Fedgrant - $7.95 each month forever. NetworkAgenda - $9.95 once Reb-Mill - $2.29 once Here is the site:

http://www.complaintsboard.com/?search=Nashbar

detailing the situation. My Nashbar purchase was one time about a year ago. The fees started showing up in May. I still have not heard a thing from Nashbar. Additionally, they send me a monthly catalog and weekly emails. They have a "discontinue literature" feature on their website. I have filled it out three times and they keep coming. I changed my address to the Seattle Jail and they keep coming. Ironically, they have good products and a good price and fast shipping. Even with that I will never do business with them and suggest nobody else should.

Rider Down

One dead in car-bike collision near Aurora Avenue North

Seattle police traffic collision investigators at the start of the fatal collision scene at Aurora Avenue North and Dexter Way North. (Casey McNerthney/seattlepi.com)

A bicyclist was killed Wednesday night after colliding with a car on an Aurora Avenue North off-ramp.

The man was struck about 10:20 p.m. in the southbound lanes of the Dexter Way North off-ramp. The driver was taken to Harborview Medical Center with minor injuries, Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Helen Fitzpatrick said.

The driver may have been impaired, but police did not offer many details Wednesday night.

"We do have somebody in custody, but again, traffic collision investigators have not even started their investigation yet," police spokesman Mark Jamieson said immediately after the collision. "I anticipate they'll be out there for several hours at least while they investigate this."

The Dexter Way North off-ramp and some southbound lanes of Aurora Avenue North were closed early Thursday morning.

Medics were initially called to Dexter Way North and Aurora Avenue North. It was not clear if the cyclist had been on Aurora, but it is legal to ride there. For more information, click here.

The riders age and name were not released early Thursday.

The Dexter Way North off ramp was closed early Thursday morning while police investigated a fatal collision between a bike and car. (Casey McNerthney/seattlepi.com)

A Call to Action

We need your help to expand mountain bike access in Washington State. Like most non-profits, we are struggling in the economic downturn and are at risk of losing future trail projects that we've worked so hard to develop.
From now until July 15, the Evergreen Board of Directors will match every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $14,600. Help protect and create mountain biking opportunities by donating to Evergreen today and help us reach our goal of raising $29,200 through this challenge.
The last few years have been a time of growth for Evergreen and mountain biking in Washington. We've been instrumental in developing projects such as:
Mid Fork Snoqualmie, North Bend.
Duthie Hill, Issaquah/Sammamish (in progress).
Paradise Valley, Woodinville.
I-5 Colonnade, Seattle. Even more exciting are the projects that we're working to develop such as the South Fork Snoqualmie area and the Kent Skills Park, to name just two. In the coming weeks we'll go into detail about the projects we're developing and the advocacy work we do. Today, because we're asking for your financial support, we want to provide you with answers to two questions. 1) Why does Evergreen need my donation? 2) Where does the money go?
Why Does Evergreen Need My Financial Support?The short answer is that the current recession hit us at a time of growth and new opportunities. Evergreen has always been a very efficient and lean operation, so when our sources of revenue are impacted, there isn't much fat available to trim, and our only option is to reach out to our generous supporters and ask for help. Evergreen receives support from four major sources. Our bread and butter has always been membership dues and donations from individual mountain bikers. This portion of our financial base has remained stable, but now it needs to grow. Our second revenue source is skills classes such as our popular Bootcamp program for new mountain bikers, and this program remains strong. Our other two sources of revenue have been significantly impacted by the economic downturn. Corporate support is down, as many of our generous business partners are forced to cut back. Government funding through grants is also down sharply as many trail programs are being cut at the state and local levels. Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), State Parks, and King County have had to cut programs that Evergreen has been involved with.

Where Does the Money Go?
There are two separate ways Evergreen spends money. The first is projects such as Colonnade and Duthie Hill. Funding for these projects comes from grants and government agencies, and does not come from our operating budget or membership dues. In the case of Duthie Hill, we received two grants from King County to build the park. In addition to the grants, we will also be launching a Duthie-specific fundraising program similar to what we did at Colonnade. The second category is Everything Else Evergreen does, and we do a lot. John Lang and Jon Kennedy are your program staff and they work hard to run an ambitious organization on a lean budget. We only spend about 15% of our operating budget on overhead and administration. I'm going to go into detail about how your Evergreen office staff spends their time. It is important to us that you know what Evergreen does and how hard our staff works, so that you can determine for yourself that we are deserving of your support. We could ideally use another staff person to fully exploit all of our opportunities, but right now our focus is on preserving the capacity we currently have so that our current projects can be sustained.
John Lang, your Executive Director, is responsible for:Fundraising
Grant research, writing and reportingCorporate sponsorship developmentTrails project contract negotiations Outreach
NewsletterAdvocacy alertsWebsite developmentCorporate outreachMembership Development/Support
Member supportBike shop outreachTrailhead eventsRace community outreach Events Planning
24 hour raceEvergreen film nightAnnual meeting/partyAdvocacy
DNR trail building standardsDNR Sustainable Recreation Work GroupDNR Reiter ForestDNR Snoqualmie Unit Advisory Committee (SUAC - Tiger Mountain)Issaquah recreation planningRedmond recreation planningSouth SeaTac trails issueWilderness issuesOlallie Classification And Management Plan (CAMP)McDonald MountainProject Development
Redmond dirt jumps Redmond trail opportunitiesParadise Valley Conservation AreaTacoma Mountain Bike ParkColonnade phase 3 feasibilityKent Mountain Bike ParkSouth Fork Snoqualmie - phase 2Current Project Oversight
Duthie Hill Mountain Bike ParkColonnade drainage projectSouth Fork Snoqualmie - phase 1Olallie mountain bike trailsPartnerships/Planning with Local Mountain Bike GroupsFinance and Administration
Budgeting and monthly financial tracking Supervise staffSupport board of directors at monthly meetings
Jon Kennedy, your Communications Director, works on:Advocacy
Tiger/local DNRSnoqualmie Unit Advisory Committee (SUAC - Tiger Mountain)South SeaTac and South Correctional Entity (SCORE)MTB guidelines on DNR landsWhatcom Trails Coalition supportReiter ForestDNR Recreation Advisory CommitteeGeneral advocacy response and issuesEducation
Bootcamp
Manage team scheduleManage instructorsWeb postings and outreachManage attendee issues and PaymentsFacility relations with State ParksProgram development Member Outreach & Development
Member services Fundraising Communications
Monthly newsletterWebsite updates and managementAdvocacy AlertsForum monitor/replyEvents Management and General
Evergreen also has Mike Westra, Project Manager, and Josh King, Crew Chief. Both Mike and Josh are funded from project-specific budgets and are not supported through Evergreen's general operating budget.As you can see, this is a lot to do for two people, and it's highly productive work. Any one of the advocacy, trail development, or land manager opportunities and issues can take years to move forward. If we take our eye off the ball, for even a moment, we may miss out on a new trail opportunity or risk losing an existing riding area. It is slow, hard, sometimes frustrating work, but as Evergreen has demonstrated through our recent successes, it is important and worthwhile work. If we bring in enough donations to keep doing what we are doing, we will get more places to ride throughout Washington.

Donate Today and Leverage Your Investment!The Evergreen Board of Directors has committed to matching each donation up to $14,600. On top of that, Evergreen further leverages your money through government matching grants and the power of you, our volunteers. Please donate by July 15 and see your donation doubled through our matching challenge. Help us meet our goal of bringing in $14,600 that will be doubled to $29,200 so that Evergreen can keep creating and protecting mountain bike opportunities. If you have already donated during this matching challenge, thank you! Your gift will help ensure that mountain biking in Washington has a bright future. You will continue to receive this series of emails that provide a look under the hood at the workings of Evergreen. There are three ways to donate:
Click here to securely donate online with a credit card.
Mail a check, made out to Evergreen, to 418 NE 72nd Street, Seattle, WA 98115. Please include your mailing address and email so we can send you a tax receipt.
Call the Evergreen World Headquarters and pay via credit card. (206) 524-2900 Thank you for your ongoing support!
Sincerely,
Justin Vander Pol, and the entire Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance Board of Directors

Cyclefest Outdoor Cinema

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Location: Warren G Magnuson Park, on the lawn next to the theaterRain or Shine! (Tour screening will move inside to theater if it rains)
Family Treasure Hunt & Bike ParadeRyan Leech ShowStreet Sprint Racing
Plus the Tour de France on the Big Screen, under the stars…Free!
Join Cascade Bicycle Club and fellow cyclists at the biggest Tour de France inspired festival on the west coast! This annual family-friendly event is a great place to relax with your buddies over a summer picnic. We've lined up some new events to make Cyclefest the go-to summer blockbuster bicycling event in Seattle!
Kids kick off Cyclefest this year with a Magnuson Park Bicycle Treasure Hunt! Following the hunt, kids can strut their stuff in the kids’ bicycle parade. We have also lining up a very special attraction this year - Ryan Leech, world-class Norco mountain bike stunt rider. Later in the evening, racing action heats up with head-to-head road sprints by some of the fastest sprinters in the area!
Great brews will be on tap in the New Belgium Beer Garden to wash down tasty food from Seattle Sausage Company and Athena's Gyros. At dusk (approx 9:15 p.m.), the racing takes off with one of the Tour de France's most exciting stages shown on a 15' x 20' inflatable screen. Stage 16 from Martigny to Bourg-Saint-Maurice is guaranteed to be exciting, with a finish in the high mountains!
While you're at Cyclefest, be sure to also check out the fun booths and a very special Tour de France Poster exhibit, presented by Alliance Francaise de Seattle. As always and just like the Tour itself, attendance is totally free!
Cyclefest Schedule of Events
6 - 10:30 p.m. Beer Garden & Food booths open6 - 8 p.m. Bike Art table & Treasure Hunt6:45 - 7 p.m. Kids Parade7 - 9 p.m. Cycle University Street Sprints 8 - 8:30 p.m. Ryan Leech Show 9 - 9:15 p.m.Drawing & instant prizes9:15 - 10:30 p.m. Tour de France on the big screen
Ongoing: Bike safety checks by Bothell Ski & Bike; Tour de France poster exhibit presented by Alliance Francaise de Seattle; drawing to win a new road bike; food booths and New Belgium beer garden.
Enter the Cyclefest Drawing
LAST year's prizes included:
2007 Lapierre S-Lite 500 road bicycle (value $4,000)Lapierre bicycles are ridden by the Pro's in the Tour de France. The 07' S-Lite 500 is an outstanding bicycle that features a full Shimano Ultegra group and other top level components. And one lucky winner will get their hands on one tonight!
FSA RD-600 wheelset (value $800)
Two passes to the sold-out 2008 RSVP
Drawing tickets will be sold at the event - $5 each or three for $10 - just look for a ticket seller or stop by the Cascade booth.

Local Kid

Tyler Farrar is a sprinter in the language of cycling, meaning he prefers the straight and flat to the up and down. Keeping things level is a trait that has proved helpful during a year in which he has had to navigate through some of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
On Saturday, the 2002 graduate of Wenatchee High School will become the first Washington native to participate in the Tour de France. He is one of nine riders for the Garmin-Slipstream team. The selection, which officially arrived last week, fulfilled a dream for the 25-year-old, who began competitive riding when he was 12. "It's probably the biggest race in the world," Tyler Farrar said. "It's pretty exciting I get to do it." Yet that happy news came nine months after he rushed from his current home base in Ghent, Belgium, back to Wenatchee after his father, Ed, was in a serious accident while biking to work. Ed Farrar, a local orthopedist and cycling enthusiast whose love for the sport helped get his son interested, was hit head-on by a car that had crossed lanes while the driver searched for a dropped clipboard, according to a report in The Wenatchee World. Ed Farrar suffered life-threatening injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Tyler Farrar spent most of the winter in Wenatchee helping care for his father.
When Ed Farrar returned home in January, Tyler returned to Belgium and racing.
"This is my job," Tyler Farrar said. "When the time comes, you have to get back on it."
After narrowly missing a spot in the Tour last year, making that team became the goal for this season. He essentially clinched a spot when he finished second in two stages of the Giro d'Italia last month.
"I've kind of known for a while now that as long as everything kept going OK that I would probably be doing the Tour," Farrar said in a phone interview from Spain. "I've been training to prepare for it." While cycling may seem from the outside like the ultimate individual sport, teamwork is actually a vitally important aspect. "Everybody has a job to do," Farrar said.
Farrar's job is to sprint, to set the pace on the flat stages and try to earn a stage win.
By nearly winning in Italy, he proved he was ready for cycling's biggest race. "It kind of showed that I had the speed that was necessary to win [a stage]," he said, "so I'll take another crack at it here at the Tour." Farrar is the first to admit his sprinting acumen means he's never likely to win the whole thing at a race like the Tour de France. "You have what you are good at and what you are not so good at," he said. "I happen to be really good at sprinting. But, no, I don't think I'll ever be able to be competitive in the mountains ... That just selects a different kind of rider."
Farrar is in his second season with Garmin-Slipstream, a team that has taken an outspoken stance as being drug-free, ordering what Farrar calls "strict in-house testing" on top of the regular tests conducted by race officials. Farrar says that attracted him to the team.
"Cycling has had its share of scandals over the year, and I don't want to become involved in that," he said. "I've always been a clean rider, and now I know all my team is. I don't have to worry about them doing something stupid that is going to bite me, too [entire teams are penalized when a rider tests positive]." Farrar got hooked on cycling when he was a young kid in Wenatchee. Both parents were avid riders, and "I knew by the time I was 14 or 15 I wanted to be a pro bike racer," he said. By 18, Farrar had made the U.S. National Team and knew being a pro was a realistic goal. Family lore has it that Tyler was just 8 when he fell in love with the Tour de France during a trip to France to visit an aunt while the race was going on. That's when he decided he wanted to return someday as a rider. Today, he laughs when that story is brought up and insists he doesn't really remember the trip all that well. "Maybe it sunk down into my subconscious," he said. Starting Saturday, he'll get to experience the real thing on his bike. His mother and father, meanwhile, will be forced to watch their son's greatest moment on TV from home. Though his dad is doing well, Tyler said, "he's just not ready for a trip of that size yet."
Maybe his father — like his son had to do — will just have to wait an extra year to make that trip to France.

On Deck

Sad Days for Missy the Missle

Former world downhill champion Melissa “Missy” Giove and two alleged co-conspirators were arrested in New York Tuesday, charged with plans to distribute some 400 pounds of marijuana.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested the 37-year-old Giove, 26-year-old Tamara Geagly and 30-year-old Eric Canori north of Saratoga Springs, New York. Earlier unconfirmed reports that investigators had also seized some $2 million in cash appear to have been inaccurate.
Agents were alerted to the distribution conspiracy by a police informant. Giove, a resident of Chesapeake, Virginia, reportedly flew to New York, met with the informant and took possession of a truck containing the marijuana soon after.
Giove was later followed to Canori’s home where the contents were unloaded. An unnamed police official said that it is believed the marijuana was intended to be distributed in the New York City area.
The three are being charged with federal drug violations and could face up to 40 years in prison and $2 million in fines. Existing federal drug statutes call for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in such cases, although recent Supreme Court rulings have granted considerable latitude to sentencing judges, particularly in cases involving first-time offenders.
Giove, also known as "The Missile," earned a total of 14 NORBA national downhill titles, 11 UCI World Cup victories, two overall World Cup titles and the world championship in 1994.
Apparently aware of Giove’s competitive background, DEA agent John Gilbride felt compelled to offer the observation that “drug trafficking can lead you downhill fast."
Giove is not the first American downhill racer to have been charged with a marijuana-related offense. Giove, however, faces penalties far more serious than those handed down to 2000 world champion Myles Rockwell, who was arrested in 2004 for operating a sophisticated hydroponic system used to grow 52 high quality sinsemilla plants in his home in Colorado. A state judge sentenced Rockwell to 30 nights in jail, permitting him to spend his days as a free man, and ordered him to attend a drug rehabilitation program

A picture is worth 1000 words

I got the cheese and wine........

DH beats TT any day

For Immediate Release
June 15, 2009

Work on Burke-Gilman Trail Starts Today, North of the U of W
SEATTLE—SDOT paving crews will begin work today on the Burke-GilmanTrail north of the University of Washington, from 36th Avenue NE to NE 50th Street, and plan to complete the work by 3 p.m. on Friday June 19. They will close the Burke-Gilman Trail from 37th Avenue NE to NE 50th Street 24-hours a day. A detour will be provided on 39th Avenue NE, which will be closed to motor vehicles except for drivers headed for destinations within that area.

The crews will remove and replace areas of the trail damaged by tree roots.

Advance notice was not provided for this work due to an unscheduled rush job that preceded this project. Because of the high level of interest in repairing the trail, SDOT is choosing not to delay the work.

A CALL TO ACTION: On Wednesday – June 24, 2009 various important officials associated with South Seatac Park will be attending the Wednesday Night World Championships to better understand how we are using the park. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate how many mountain bikers will be displaced should the trails be closed. Please show your commitment to saving our trails by attending this event. More information on Wednesday Night World Championships can be found at www.wednesdaynightworlds.com.

On Deck

Another mtb race in Port Gamble via the good folks at Ridge Racing. I'm sure there is probably some road stuff somewhere. Possibly track. Anyone who attended last weeknends Whidbey Island Mudder can't complain about the tight twisty dirt that was to be had. Team DiamondBack Grassroots was in force and made our presence known. Adam, Matt and Paul were all there, rocking the DiamondBack Sortie, as was I.

Paul's Sortie built up to around 27 lbs with 5 inches of travel!!!!!!! Mine is a little heavier as I've focused on downhill + cross country. It's always a little bit of a "In your Face" when you roll by a carbon ulta light hard tail on a bike that you are downhilling the next day!

Anywhoo, I'll be in Whistler all weekend - on the Sortie - prepping for the Black Rock down hill the next weekend that is followed by the Ashland OR Super D (Nationals) the next weekend. Believe that I will see you at Colonnade next week figuring out that last kicker.

Seattle bicycling clubs for disadvantaged kids get rolling

Seattle's Cascade Bicycle Club launches biking clubs — named for African-American cycling champ and pioneer Marshall "Major" Taylor — for disadvantaged kids around King County to promote the activity as a form of fitness, recreation, alternate transportation and independence.
Before joining the after-school cycling club at SeaTac's Global Connections High, Oliyad Beyene had never heard of Marshall "Major" Taylor.
But after a ride through nearby Des Moines Park, the diminutive 15-year-old, three years removed from his native Ethiopia, could tell you one thing: He'd never ridden 10 miles before. Now, thanks to the Major Taylor Cycling Clubs, he had.
"We get to see other cities, and rivers. We exercise and we get to see the neighborhoods," said Oliyad, who joined at the urging of principal Rick Harwood.
"It makes me feel good that I can go somewhere by myself," he added.
Such independence is the driving force behind the Major Taylor Cycling Clubs, a project of Seattle's Cascade Bicycle Club that aims to launch such clubs in disadvantaged areas throughout King County.
"Before the Greg LeMonds, before the Lance Armstrongs, there was Major Taylor," said project director Ed Ewing. "If you grow up in the sport and you are African American, you know about Major Taylor, just like you know about Jack Johnson or Muhammad Ali."
Born in 1878 to African-American parents who'd left Kentucky around the time of the Civil War, Marshall Taylor grew up in the home of a well-to-do Indianapolis family who'd hired his dad as coachman.
Given a bicycle, he learned to ride and did stunts in front of a local bike shop while costumed in a soldier's uniform, earning the nickname "Major."
Eventually, he'd go on to become the first African-American cycling champ and the second African-American athlete — after bantamweight boxer George Dixon in 1890-91 — ever to win a world sports title.
He earned his laurels in the face of what he called "that dreadful monster prejudice" — being refused hotel lodging, banned from some tracks, impeded on others by white cyclists who ganged up to block his path, even attacked by one rider after a race.
But for a time, he was the fastest man in the world's most popular sport, setting seven world records in 1899 alone and setting the stage for other breakthrough African-American athletes such as Jackie Robinson and Althea Gibson.
One recent Friday afternoon, Oliyad wore a T-shirt bearing Taylor's image as he and a dozen fellow Global Connections students donned helmets and climbed aboard their racing bikes.
Oliyad, the youngest son of a single mom raising three kids, still struggles with English, his second language. He likes that Harwood and other school faculty members, including his math teacher, join in on the rides, taking the lead or trailing protectively behind.
"They tell us better ways to use stuff," he said. "They are giving me good tips."
Creating access
As a kid in Minneapolis, Ewing, director of the clubs' program, sometimes felt like the only African-American cyclist of his age around.
Every day, he'd watched his dad bicycle off to work, and weekends meant two-wheeled family day trips around town.
But cycling, he knows, can be cost-prohibitive. "Not all kids have access to it," he said. "It's like golf, or tennis. So this is all about creating access. ... A lot of people don't know how to take that first step."
The program employs several former pro cyclists as instructors and a six-week curriculum that includes safety, mechanics, parking-lot drills and, eventually, field trips to sites such as Marymoor Park's Velodrome.
Once they've provided know-how, project leaders say the focus is on instilling cycling in kids' minds as a real option for exercise, recreation and transportation.
At Global Connections, where more than half the students are on free or reduced lunch, the club's 15 members represent European, Ethiopian, Syrian, Somali and Latino backgrounds. Some were prodded to join by teachers but now energetically show up every Friday. One girl had never ridden a bike at all.
"For them, a bike symbolizes a chance to get out and have fun and to not worry about all the other things they have going on," said Danielle Rose, the project's curriculum chief and fundraiser.
"Are we ready to roll?" asked instructor Dan Harm, a retired pro cyclist, as the group began its third weekly session. "Has everyone done their A-B-C quick-check? Does everyone remember what that is?"
Oliyad and friend Raj Singh, a 17-year-old senior, signal completion of their pre-ride maintenance checks, a list that includes air, brakes, chains and wheel quick-release mechanisms. Harm reviews hand signals and gear ratios for climbing "super-gnarly hills," and soon they're on their way to Des Moines Park.
Two hours later, after a 10-mile ride through the park and a stop to enjoy the Puget Sound view, the riders return. "To end up on a bike trail, at a place where they've gotten to only by car, was pretty cool," principal Harwood said.
Already, even as he traded playful helmet swats with classmate Raj, Oliyad was anticipating the following week's field trip to Marymoor Park, where the two planned to race. He enjoys being part of a group, he said, where half the cyclists on a ride stay behind to help someone with a flat tire.
"We stick for each other," he said. "We're like a team."

A Man after my own heart

Quick Step’s management said Sunday that it would not beg the Tour de France to include Tom Boonen in this year's race.
Boonen, a 28-year-old one-day specialist who was crowned world champion in 2005, is facing up to what could be a premature end to his impressive career after testing positive a second time for cocaine.
He tested positive for cocaine two weeks ago, after winning his third Paris-Roubaix. It was barely a year after he first tested positive for the drug, in May 2008.
That incident did not lead to criminal or sporting sanctions. But Tour organizers, despite Quick Step's pleas, gave Boonen's presence the thumbs-down over concerns of negative publicity.
This time, Quick Step company chief Frank De Cocksaid said the team would not ask the Tour to allow Boonen to race.
"Last year we went to the Tour de France organizers to plead Tom's case. This year there is no question of us doing that. We will not embarrass ourselves again," De Cock told the Sporza television channel.
Boonen, one of the biggest cycling stars of the past decade, was in such demand in Belgium that he fled the country to live in Monaco several years ago. He only recently returned home.
As well as winning notable races like Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, Boonen has also won the Tour de France green jersey, for the sprinters' points competition, in 2007.
News of his latest positive test led prosecutors on Friday to order a raid on his home.
Boonen has since faced questioning and despite the unlikelihood of a sporting ban — cocaine is not forbidden outside official competition by the sports authorities — he could now face criminal charges.
He avoided charges last year only on the condition there would be no repeat of similar incidents inside three years.
De Cock said Boonen's future with the team was uncertain, but he admitted it would be hard to see the former world champion end his career on such a note.
"I put all my weight behind Tom last year, and told him I would forgive him, on the condition it did not happen again," said De Cock. "Now, he's gone and done it again.
"He needs help. It would be a real pity for the sport of cycling to lose Boonen like this."

track, track, trackitty track!!!

First night of the year. Pre-season but racing is racing bitches! Beers won the scratch race which i dont think i did to much to help with. The we had a snowball....mathematics is the name of the game....7, 8, 9 and you can't lose. And I didn't. Then we did the new "wheel" race. essentially a n Australian pursuit. Yeah won that shit too. Points race was good. I felt really well in the sprints. Was trying to set Suggle Puss up for th first sprint but ended up riding him of my wheel to the line. I ended up second in the race and Beers got 4th. I got me some good form right now and using it while I can. gonna do some down time and get ready for crits and the regular track season. that shit got cold tonight though. My nipples were rattlin and shit. chilly, damn cold.

On Deck

Mini Super D @ Colonnade!!!!!!!!
Hey all - We here at the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance were thinking it would be fun to have Mini Super D races every once in a while at Colonnade........entry would be 10 bucks and proceeds would go toward the all mighty Alliance.Winners would gain street cred and could design the course for the next race.We could follow it up with a "pub ride" or urban assault on Seattle.We also plan on having a BBQ on hand to cook up hot dogs,burgers,veggie burgers,fish....whatever you want.I'm using this as a poll of sorts to gauge interest.Basically it would be a cool way to meet other riders, hang out and tell tall tales.Let me know what you think and I'll set it up. Get your race on!
__________________
-- Joshua King

Trail Crew Chief

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

jking@evergreenmtb.org

RCR wins Cat 3 State RR

Luke St. Clair! He had a kid, took 4th in a tt then won the State RR. Next Day finished 6th at Longbranch to win the Omnium.