from Jamie

Missed the ALDOT Public Comment meeting Nov 8?

Don’t worry. You didn’t miss much.

They purposely hold these meetings on the QT, with an itty bitty ad in the public notices section of the paper. Who ever looks at that?

They haven’t written the updated plan yet. They may take our input if enough people provide feedback.

PLEASE don’t give up now.

That’s what they’re counting on.

What we need is a few folks to go to the website and send comments into Mr. Doolin. Copy your state representatives, mayor, the local paper, county commissioner, and planners.

http://www.dot.state.al.us/docs/bureaus/Transportation+Planning/swtp_home.htm

Look through the 2000 plan and suggest policy about non-motorized transportation to encourage, enable and make safer biking and walking as transportation.

http://www.dot.state.al.us/transplanning/

Tell how much the following would help!

Big Bike Routes Signs, shoulders, sidewalks, better signals to cross roads, wider lanes, NO rumble strips.

Better Driver’s Ed that discusses sharing the road with bikes.

(There are more talking points below.)

I’m sure YOU have a few opinions on this!

bike fixin at manna house

Hi, I'm doing it again,

come fix bikes with me this weekend! I will be hangin' at manna house from 3pm to 6pm fixing bikes for xmas. Join me, and assume the position. If anyone comes this time we will figure out food maybe...

knock on the back door or call me, jim, thats jim spagnola at 256-348-5189

peas

Rising Demand for Oil Provokes New Energy Crisis

With oil prices approaching the symbolic threshold of $100 a barrel, the world is headed toward its third energy shock in a generation. But today’s surge is fundamentally different from the previous oil crises, with broad and longer-lasting global implications.

Traders at the New York Mercantile Exchange Thursday, where the price for a barrel of crude oil settled at $95.46.

Just as in the energy crises of the 1970s and ’80s, today’s high prices are causing anxiety and pain for consumers, and igniting wider fears about the impact on the economy.

Unlike past oil shocks, which were caused by sudden interruptions in exports from the Middle East, this time prices have been rising steadily as demand for gasoline grows in developed countries, as hundreds of millions of Chinese and Indians climb out of poverty and as other developing economies grow at a sizzling pace.

“This is the world’s first demand-led energy shock,” said Lawrence Goldstein, an economist at the Energy Policy Research Foundation of Washington.

read more here

Pedal Power How-To

Keep hearing how "HIGH TECH" it is here and there are more engineers than blah... blah... blah... wouldn't it be nice if they took a day off from making bombs and made something useful?

Bike Hugger · Pedal Power How-To: From the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology, at Humbold University, check the Pedal Power How-to, guides, articles, and examples. Like this pedal-powered washing machine. Also see the the commercial HPG and HPT (human power generation and trainer) from Windsteam technologies for all sorts of uses.

Buy Nothing Day Nov 23rd

This November, environmentalists, social activists and concerned citizens in as many as 65 countries will hit the streets for a 24-hour consumer fast in celebration of the 15th annual Buy Nothing Day, a global cultural phenomenon that originated in Vancouver, Canada.

You can celebrate this “you weren’t born to shop” event in Seattle, on bikes of all types, by joining the Cargo BIke Ride on the 23rd at noon.

huntsville has a bike path

yes I saw it yesterday with my own eyes a brand new bike path!!

Lager replaces Pimms in bike polo revival

Rachel Williams
Monday November 5, 2007
The Guardian

Bike polo in Brick Lane.

Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi

The pre-polo social scene on Brick Lane is not one the regulars at Cowdray Park would recognise. There are no designer frocks or upturned Ralph Lauren collars, and the scruffily hip spectators choose cans of lager over champagne and Pimms. Yet urban bike polo, which has sprung up in cities around the UK, has an unexpected heritage to rival that of its equestrian cousin.

Inspired by street players in New York, the new breed of enthusiasts are reinventing a sport that - despite its inclusion at the London Olympics in 1908 and the hundreds of teams that existed in its heyday in the 1930s - is largely forgotten in Britain. Six months after four friends got together at a basketball court in east London, dozens of would-be players frequently now turn up on Sunday afternoons.

Article continues

In Portland, Cultivating a Culture of Two Wheels

PORTLAND, Ore. — Susan Peithman did not have a job lined up when she moved here in September to pursue a career in “nonmotorized transportation.” No worries, she figured; the market here is strong.

“In so many ways, it’s the center,” Ms. Peithman, 26, explained. “Bike City, U.S.A.”

Cyclists have long revered Portland for its bicycle-friendly culture and infrastructure, including the network of bike lanes that the city began planning in the early 1970s. Now, riders are helping the city build a cycling economy.

read more here

oil

Bike Hugger · Single Speed Mode:

From BikeHugger
Mark built up the Modal in Single Speed Mode this week. There are lots of bike geek details to share and I’ll cover what I can and add a travel report from Texas this weekend.

One of Davidson’s specialities is S&S Coupling travel bikes and Mark has traveled with them more than 30 times, all over the world, in various configurations. From Mark’s experience, Davidson’s direction, and creative input from me, we began working the Modal Concept in May of this year. The Modal is a travel bike that folds and toggles between single, fixed, and geared modes.



The concept isn’t presenting anything particularly new, but gathers various parts and ideas into a unique bike that I can travel with and ride in a city or a long tour. The bike switches modes with Paragon dropouts, a second set of bars, and cable split-stops.
Hinge v. Couplings

As our readers know, we’re into folding bikes and Dahons. The Modal is a different bike for a different purpose. I’m using it for longer rides and trips when I want a full road bike. For business trips and urban mobility, the Dahons are outstanding.

There are tradeoffs. Where the Dahon is heavier than the Modal, the Modal case is heavier and travel weight is about the same at around 45 pounds. I’ve also traveled with Sci-Con cases and the drawback to those is TSA and airline reliability. It’s very liberating (both in time and money) to check a bike as luggage and not have to wait for oversize to come out, hope that it wasn’t crushed, and that TSA didn’t unpack and repack it for you.
Single Mode Details

For the Modal to work, it’s built as a road bike with two sets of bars: one has shifters and other just brakes. I’m simply removing the derailleur, releasing the chain master link, swapping out the Paragon, changing the bar, and connecting the cable stops. After a few adjustments, the bike is ready to ride. The beauty of a single speed when traveling is fast rear wheel in and out. There’s also very little to break in transit.

* 39 x 16 gearing with a chain-ring protector replacing the 53 chain ring
* Ksyrium wheels with adaptor spacers
* One position derailleur hanger
* Carbon fork starnut adaptor thingy — don’t know the actual name, but this part replaces the expanding bolt method on some carbon forks with a star-nut style. If I need to drop the fork and for swapping bars, it’s way easier.

Due Props

The modal was designed by Mark V with help and advice from Bill Davidson. Building the bike was a group effort from the crew at

Elliott Bay Bicycles.

Bike Kill V, Chaotic Bicycle Olympics in Brooklyn

Bike Kill V, the annual chaotic bicycle Olympics event organized by Black Label Bicycle Club, took place in Bed-Stuy, Booklyn last Saturday. There are a bunch of great photos of it from Ana Coppola (above photos) and Konstantin Sergeyev.

Sylvenya has some video of the event here, here & here

Bike Commuting Encouraged

"Bike Commuting Encouraged October 31st, 2007 @ 9:42am by Jayme West/KTAR `
`Carpool Wednesday' in the Valley. But if you're in a car full of people stuck in traffic, you might look with envy at commuters on two-wheelers.

One of those is Jeff Zimmerman, who traded four wheels for two a long time ago and now bikes the 17 miles from his Tempe home to his Scottsdale office.

`Ninety percent of the trip is on the greenbelt, on the Indian Bend Wash and McCormick Ranch greenbelt,' said Zimmerman. ``It's just heavenly, the greatest ride you could possibly imagine.'

Zimmerman said he was inspired by a near-death experience -- ``having cancer that had about a two percent survival rate.'

Not only is Zimmerman riding a bike for his health, but also to save money and help the environment -- `one less car on the road.'

He has a group of guys who bike with him. ``

It's a great time for talking, and we race a little bit,' he said. If you think it would take too long to bike to work, Zimmerman said think again. ``You could actually probably get on your bike and get to work in less time, or at least the same time, as it would to drive your car.' He sees a lot of people biking, on all types of bikes. ``It's great to be on the trail and see people of all shapes, all sizes, all abilities. If I can do"

Suicide bomber kills 28 police officers in Iraq - International Herald Tribune

"BAGHDAD: A suicide bomber on a bicycle killed 28 police officers in Baquba on Monday as they prepared for their morning training routine, the Iraqi authorities said. The blast also wounded 20 other people, including 7 policemen who were severely injured and a woman and her baby, the authorities said.

The attack was one of the deadliest on Iraqi security forces in some time. No group took immediate credit."

more here

Velib: bicycle + freedom on city streets

Velib: bicycle + freedom on city streets: "Velib: bicycle + freedom on city streets The French capital has been enjoying the success of the Vélib’ adventure since summer 2007, and the urban rent-a-bicycle-for-next-to-nothing fever has caught the rest of Europe

(Photo: Ruipereira/ Flickr)
An invasion. A flood. On 15 July 2007, more than ten million bicycles were installed in 750 bike stations all over Paris, arousing the curiosity and finally the enthusiasm of the capital's citizens. A month after the scheme was launched, the millionth cyclist customer was celebrated.

The Socialist mayor and his cronies are delighted at their unexpected success. The small public transport revolution owes much to the concept of Vélib’ - an abbreviation of 'vélo' (bike) und 'liberté' (freedom). Renting a bike costs next to nothing, with a symbolic fee of one euro for a day's subscription, five euros for seven days or 29 euros for a year."

Bicycle Cycling Tips & Stories--Missouri Bicycle Federation

Bicycle Cycling Tips & Stories--Missouri Bicycle Federation: "Since starting in St. Louis in October 2003, the Ghost Bike movement has gain momentum. Ghost Bike projects have sprouted up in Wisconsin, Seattle, Chicago, New York, Kansas City, and many other places. Wikipedia has an article about the Ghost Bike phenomenon.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first covered Patrick Van Der Tuin's Ghost Bike project in November 2003. That article has disappeared from the Post-Dispatch's archives but it reproduced in its entirety below.

Patrick's original Broken Bikes-Broken Lives page is here. Photo of the original Ghost Bike on Holly Hills Boulevard, dated 28 October 2003, is here.

St Louis Today Roadside displays focus on plight of bicyclists Published:
Monday, Nov. 17 2003
Bicycling enthusiasts locked 15 mangled bikes to street lamps and sign posts in the area where riders where struck by cars. By Greg Jonsson Of the Post-Dispatch When Patrick Van Der Tuin saw another cyclist hit by a vehicle while riding in a bike lane on Holly Hills Boulevard a few weeks ago, it was the final straw. He decided the time had come for an idea that had been in the back of his mind for a while. So one night, a twisted bike, painted ghostly white and sporting a 'Cyclist Struck Here' sign, appeared at the site where the woman was"
more here

fixed gear theft in Huntsville

Make sure you have a lock and use it if you ride fixed gear, even though that's a good idea for all bikes. I'm probably going to start doing that more even though I like to think my saddle and deep bullhorns deter thieves. Mack had his relatively newly acquired fixed gear stolen, and Jim had his stolen when he hadn't had it for long. These were pretty nice bikes but not new bike shop ones.

So if you see that red Peugeot that used to be Jim Lovell's, maybe sprint up behind the rider, knock it off, stomp on it, and take the bike. Or call the police or Mack or something. It's a 27" frame with a flip flop rear wheel and an iffy lockring. There are drop handlebars and 2 brake levers with only the front connected to a Mafac racer when it was stolen. It's something like 52-16 gearing and has toe clips/cages/whatever and was stolen tonight.

coffee shop ride

Does anyone want to do a group ride involving the new Stearn's Coffee? There is no bike rack that I saw. There is already a group ride that sometimes occurs on Monday and Wednesday mornings from Olde Towne, but hopefully at least 1 ride there could appeal to people who don't go to Olde Towne on principal. Also, they're going to be trying to make coffee that will be good enough for tall Jim, Jaime, Morgan, etc. They open tomorrow and open at 6 every day, so maybe yall would be up for a really early ride that would allow the bike commuters to still get to an 8 or 9am job? I'm good for any morning time on Monday and Wednesday, though.

Pedal Pushers Online | Grow Your Own Bike: Can a bike made from Bamboo end poverty in the world? Ask David Ho!

Pedal Pushers Online | Grow Your Own Bike: Can a bike made from Bamboo end poverty in the world? Ask David Ho!: "Grow Your Own Bike: Can a bike made from Bamboo end poverty in the world? Ask David Ho! There are those amongst us who talk, and those of who do. The later being those who actually make changes and enable progress, the ones who with ideas, change the lives of others. David Ho is one of those people. He is a quiet mannered gentleman with a passion for science, cycling and... oh yeah, saving the planet along with its people. Slacker... David Ho may not have set out to save the world, but he may have made a giant step in that direction."

Manna House bike fixin'

Tonight I will be opening up around 6PM

I'm just verifying this with youz guyz

Call me to RSVP so i can gauge how much pizza n beer to get. Thanks!

Jim spaggggg 256-348-5189

busy weekend ! starts today

• Tonite 6:30 pm Critical Mass SE Corner Of Courthouse, Dress up if you like and try to bring a light. We will be screening B.I.K.E. from this years Bicycle Film Festival after the ride tonite. See mean Jim or Robert for details and direction. Blood Sacrifices are not required but appreciated.
  

• Saturday 7pm bike fixing fest @ Manna House To RSVP or to find out more about Manna house's bike donations, email Jim S at bello.velo@gmail.com

• 2:30 pm Sunday Vintage Ride

An article on bike safety.

Interesting article from our friends at bikeblog:

Normally I wouldn't post an article like this to dissuade someone from biking based on statistics or to undermine the simple FACT that biking is more popular these days of hyper inflation, global warming and wars for that black stuff that made Ol Jed a millionaire. Is Biking Dangerous? It just stinks of that "blame the victim" bullcrap that folks like to utter like parrots when ever they hear about an accident or worse a fatality. The kind of nonsense of people who think bikes are only for exercise. Biking to work is no more dangerous than being a Puerto Rican in NYC with "Road Rage" undercovers who can't distinguish a pair of fingers from a wallet. But there are few good tidbits in here that the author points out.

I will post the whole article so it will be archived forever unlike the NYTimes which will eventually make you pay for it.

Thanks to Astoria bike for posting this.

Freakanomics

October 18, 2007, 11:15 am
Will Bicycling to Work Get You Killed?
By Ryan Hagen
Bicycle commuting is on the rise, as evidenced by the following articles in Treehugger.com , the Boston Herald (Dead link) , and USA Today. But if the idea of hitting the road on two wheels — with little to protect you from cars and trucks but good manners — strikes you as pretty risky, you aren’t so far from the mark.

Per kilometer, cyclists are 12 times more likely than car drivers to suffer a fatal accident, according to Rutgers University urban planner John Pucher and Lewis Dijkstra of the European Commission (the same study found traveling by foot to be 23 times more dangerous than driving, per kilometer). To put this finding in perspective, there were 785 bicycling fatalities on American roadways in 2005, compared to 4,881 pedestrian and 43,443 automotive fatalities that same year.

On the other hand, a Danish study (which was done 7 years ago) found that people who do not bike to work suffer a 39 percent higher mortality rate than those who do. So, assuming you can avoid a fatal accident on the road, biking to work may actually help you live longer.

The risks associated with cycling decrease dramatically when more cyclists are on the road, and especially when those cyclists obey traffic laws. This second point is hammered home in this bizarre but brilliant 1963 bike safety film, “One Got Fat” (the eagle — or is it monkey? — eyed among you will have recognized a clip from this film in the Freakonomics video “Does Sport Cause Crime“).

awesome old video:



One thing “One Got Fat” doesn’t mention is helmet use — helmets weren’t widely used until the 1970s, and controversy remains over how effective they are in reducing bike fatalities. (Full disclosure: I bike to work whenever possible, and wear a helmet, an adherent to what a few cyclists I know like to call the Cult of the Styrofoam Talisman.)

So, Freakonomics readers, just how effective are bike helmets?
---------------------
wow, are we in first grade...like we've only advanced so far as to think about weather to wear a helmet or not.

Something more relevant of a debate...

Christian Science Monitor
article on trying to bring the bicycle back to a city so polluted from new economic growth and car culture hysteria.

Bicycle-safety advocate dies- mlive.com

Bicycle-safety advocate dies- mlive.com

News - City - Another Ghost Bike - Portland Mercury

News - City - Another Ghost Bike - Portland Mercury: "Another Ghost Bike Collision Claims Second Biker in Two Weeks BY SCOTT MOORE With two cyclists dying in less than two weeks, in nearly identical ways, bike activists are turning the tragedies into a call to action. Tracey Sparling died on October 11 when she was run over by a cement mixer making a right turn, crushing her under its massive wheels. While the bike community was still mourning her death, cyclist Brett Jarolimek, a Bike Gallery employee and bike racer, was killed when he collided with a garbage truck that was turning right onto N Greeley in front of him. Both cyclists were apparently following the rules of the road."

Miami - News - The Kendale Bike Massacre

Miami - News - The Kendale Bike Massacre

The Brooklyn Paper: Bicycle rider reads riot act

The Brooklyn Paper: Bicycle rider reads riot act

it is that time of the month again

Critical Mass time!!!!! it is Friday 6:30 pm SE Corner of Courthouse. bring a friend, bring an enemy, bring a hummer owner, bring your bike! Get off your ass it's Critical Mass! Stand for something or fall for anything. ok folks friday night is coming soon time to get the word out.

REMEMBER TO DRESS UP LIKE A CRAZY FOOL!!!!!! PLENTY OF LIGHTS TOO!!!!!

Bike Swap

Peeps,

Lets organize a bike swap soon. Think about it. I am speaking with my contact in B-ham who has over 50 vintage bikes, we may be rounding up a statewide bike swap for sometime early next year, it will be everything bike...advocacy and all. Locally though, lets do it. Ive got bikes to sell and parts to trade..lets make it a show too combined with a film. I know we talked about using Lowe Mill to possibly do this, lets use some other building...Ill be scoping that out while scoping out other scopie things.

put it is your brain!

If we were an actual organization, this would be a fund raising opportunity as well as a "action item" but since we are not this is just one of those many ideas that will probably never happen because we lack cohesive organizational skills that utilize intricate communications patters to amass the proper resources for said action item.

jimspaggggggggggg

News you can use

Hi

Okay everyone, I need help. Saturday Night-Manna House...bike fixing madness. I know people rarely volunteer unless something is in it for them so here you go...I will oder pizzas and buy beer if i can get more than me and clint to fix bikes there. I have over 100 bike that need to be fixed or scrapped, whaddya say?
and for you that fear jesus freaks, there will be none there to spontaneously pray over you..so Jim, you won't burst into flames.

We will talk friday night about it. I'm too edgy right now and I just erased a whole lot of bitching. i'm mad mad at the world, madder than can ever be, madder than Tyler at a restaurant, Madder than Bill going fro the gold, Madder than the SCCC because we did not change the name of critical mass to the "downtown wussie ride", madder than a Democrat that think Nancy Pelosi was actually going to get off her ass and change things, Madder than a black person sharing a joint with a white person and getting caught and going to prison for life while whitey goes home without charges, Madder than the Iyatolah Khommanhi that he did not nuke the US earlier when he was alive, Madder than mother Teresa that the new pope is a complete douchbag, Madder than an Irish person who I just referred to as "scottish", Madder then Al Sharpton that the Geno 6 is such a load of racist bullshit, Madder that the right wing Christians that though President bush was actually hearing directions from God when actually he was having a cocaine induced hallucination, Madder than single mom who has just found out that money for a program that would help her out of her situation has been spend on putting new blinky lights on a missile, madder than a poor country trailer trash learning that he can no longer burn his Wal-mart over packaged plastic bullshit in his backyard, Madder than the same country fucker who just had his license pulled for his Eldorado failing emission tests. Madder than that poor homeless man who has to hold that sign all day because the president pulled 3 billion dollars from federal assistance programs for disabled veterans.

Nation, I am pissed, pissed at the state of america, pissed that so much is wrong yet people choose to lose themselves in video games and internet porn.

So come join me an Manna house to witness my wrath...all in the name of fun.:)

-jim spaggggg

Bicycle With Basket Last Night’s Garbage

Bicycle With Basket Last Night’s Garbage

US trade deficit widens as oil, Chinese imports rise

US trade deficit widens as oil, Chinese imports rise

Bicycle sales boom in US amid rising gas prices

Bicycle sales boom in US amid rising gas prices: "Bicycle sales boom in US amid rising gas prices"

great idea, how come none of you thought of this?

There's been some talk about ramping up the number of bike lanes being put in this year. It now appears that the city will almost certainly miss its goal, despite the valiant efforts of Councillor Heaps and the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee. The CBC reports:

Just 90 kilometres of lanes have been built so far, with only 15 kilometres added in the past two years.

"It's so much better, and cyclists will tell you that," says Martin Ries, an avid cyclist and bike activist who has worked for years with the Toronto Cycling Committee. "Whenever they get into the bike lane they breathe a sign of relief. Myself included."

Martin mentions a lack of political will that is keeping bike lanes from being placed in wards. This is almost certainly true despite the protestations of the complications due to lane widths, merchants wanting to protect parking and so on. No one said the councillors' jobs were easy, but they can get lots of things done when they are in power.

The evidence is out there that local councillors can really help to push forward bike lanes. The Cosburn bike lane and the new Christie bike lane, for example, were pushed by bike lane positive councillors.

hell o ween alley cat results

The results are in and what a race it was. We had a sprint finish which was won by a nose.

1. mac
2. robert
3. dustin (i hate you) hoover
   
4. tyler (666) brown
   
5. jim (flatted)
6. tommy
7. gabe
8. tonya
   
9. victor
10. todd
11. stewart ( he looked good though)
12. bob ( the baby jesus) malone
13. fred
    

hell o ween alley cat sunday

5:30 start meet @ house of brews.

• organizers: tyler and dustin
  
• please bring your evil and come to the dark side.
• there will be sacrifices, orgies and all sorts of evil to follow.
• lets put the evil back in huntseville!
  
• this is not a faith based initiative.

we have a new friend

pleae check em out at Alabama Cycling News for ride, races and race results
http://www.alabamacyclingnews.com/

ahhh the ladies

more here
and
more here also

friday night ride

lets do it!!! friday night meet @ 5:30 house of brews.

check out this friday night ride http://www.wolfpackhustle.com for inspiration! this is not a faith based initiative.

Wilson + Radcliffe's Wire Lamborghini

"The work questions the combustion engine, celebrates bicycle efficiency and the striking design of the Lamborghini arguably one of the most iconic super cars of all time, as well as Wilson and Radcliffes commitment to clever and thoughtful craftsmanship. Wilson + Radcliffe are deeply passionate about cars and bikes and have seen each other¹s work at various exhibitions over the last few years. Artcars gave them the opportunity to collaborate on this project. Walk the plank commissioned the piece of work for the uk¹s first ART CAR parade that was held in Manchester last recently."

Bike Hackers Get Whimsical With Two-Wheelers

Bicycles, like cars, are chock-full of parts that can be replaced, but simply switching out silver aluminum rims for hot-pink ones is child's play. Welcome to the world of bike modding, where bicyclists get creative and turn their two-wheelers into rolling works of art and artifice.
more here

commuters unite, cycling log

hey,
we have created a group at http://www.mycyclinglog.com it is free and you can keep track of your miles, carbon savings and more. It is free so sign up and join the bello velo group. We will create a page to list these on our site. http://www.mycyclinglog.com/?g=198&p=hsvbike

So what are you waiting for leave a comment when you have done this and send me your code. I will post it here: http://wheels.bellovelo.com/commute.html

oh and not to brag here are my stats:

jgarvin Log Your Rides @ MyCyclingLog.com

The Calendaerem

Dudes and 'ettes

I will put stuff on the calendar regarding when the co-op at manna house is taking place. I know Clint like to come but never knows for sure if I'll be there...so I will just post it on the calender if i know for sure.

Also, to cut down on how many times you may be blessed by Jesus, I may be moving the operation to Saturday. I want to discuss this as well.

Help me change! help me change gosh darnit, I need help i have fallen and I cant get....horizontal...ooooohhh yeahhh baby!

jimspagg

online co-op planning discussion

Guys and gals,

As you know I am looking to build a bike co-op much like those in other big cities. What I am looking for is what will work for everyone else and who will use it.

My contribution to the project would be to provide tools and take my bike shop/co-op expertise to the place along with a slew of used bike parts as well as conservative use of a great van. The place will also function as a hub for education, as well as a satellite for lifecycles.

I do not want this to become job number 4 for me and I want everyone else who is willing to contribute to have just as large of a slice of pie as anyone else in the co op.

Lets start a discussion about this because I am at the end of my rope with ideas for it on my part, after all it is a co-op.

please lets open up a dialogue and get this bitch started!

PS, I did find the perfect space off of Bob Wallace, it's around 600.00 a month, which is about twice what I want to spend..but this place is peeeerrrrrrfect!

jim spaggy

no alley cat today

Hey guys, due to a lack of planning and the planner being out of the country, we are not having the alley cat this week either. Please check out the calendar on the sidebar for other events. From now on everything will be poseted there and will happen regardless even if some stange disease sweeps the nation that dissolves peoples legs.

thanks- jim

thanks bandito burritto

please support your local business's

Activism in Huntsville

in The Huntsville Times

Many people complained about this, and city council members acted.

Al Gore and U.N. Panel Win Peace Prize for Climate Work

OSLO, Oct. 12 — The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded today to Al Gore, the former vice president, and to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for its work to alert the world to the threat of global warming.

read more here

Discrimination of a Cyclist

This Thursday night I had what I experienced as clear and very real encounter with discriminatory treatment. I had spent the majority of my working day confined to the hell of an automobile and spent most of the day driving to various parts of the North Alabama, when I finally returned to home I made the decision to ride bike to dinner partly because I had spent so much time in a car already, and partly to get in a bike ride which I attempt to make each and every night, but mostly because of the fact I have recently enjoyed every opportunity to commute by bike when my car is not necessary. When I arrived at Nothing But Noodles at Airport and Whitesburg drive I must have given the employees working a bad vibe. Was the fact I arrived on my bike with its brightly colored yellow tires wheels, or maybe it was the odd bag I came in wearing strapped from my shoulder across my chest with my yellow helmet and flashing light. Maybe it was my three quarter length pants or my messy disheveled hair I got from the Seven-mile ride. As I sat outside with my bike waiting on my food I begin to noticed more time than usual had passed without receiving my food and many people who had came in after me where receiving the food they had ordered, but I was patent thinking that maybe my particular order took longer than they other orders placed after mine so to pass the time I made a phone call to a friend and finally the owner of the restaurant came out to ask me if everything was OK or if I needed anything; I replied “Everything is OK except I have been waiting on my food for fifteen minutes” , I was not sure if it had actually been that long since I had been engaged in my phone conversation but approximately a minute later I received my food and then realized the time on my phone was twenty minutes from the time my receipt showed I placed my order. As I began to eat my food I noticed people who had arrived three to five minutes after me and where now leaving because that had already received their meals and where now finished.

If not for my negative experience with dinner my ride home involved an experience with a total asshole, which had no attention with sharing the road with me aggressively attempting to intimidate me and force me to the sidewalk. I was on the last stretch of my ride down a section Whitesburg where no alternative route through neighborhood streets was available. I was wearing a light that was brightly flashing to make myself clearly visible to motorist and I was as far right in the right lane as I could be. Most cars passed to the left with no consequence, but this dick head decided to ride at a few tens of feet behind with the high beams of his oversized Dodge Pick up truck with its obnoxiously loud and foul smelling Cummins Turbo Diesel engine; sure his truck is appropriate when there is need to tow 20,000 Lbs., but as transportation to dinner give me a fucking break! After a quarter mile of this attempt to show some kind a male dominance in his oversize truck as if we where two competing dogs this fuck finally passed me on the left side revving his beastly automobile while giving me a stare down as if I where the one with a problem.

So maybe people don’t discriminate against bikers or have clear agendas to fuck with them on the road in attempts to scare them and hinder their use of the road to ride their bicycles. Maybe I am just an asshole who went looking for problems, but it was hard not to notice the many stares I received from other costumers in the restaurant and the lack of service that I received as a customer. I felt as if all the other people perceived me as some degenerate; unworthy to enter the restaurant as if I had bummed or panhandled the money I was using to purchase my meal. Maybe it was coincidence, but I feel certain that many people do walk around with such a mentality about people on bicycles. To any of theses ignorant fucks who think such; there are many highly educated people with college and post graduate degrees who ride bicycles regularly not every person on a bike is some crack addicted convict running around on a bicycle because they can’t afford to sport around in an all-wheel drive Lexus SUV with a estimated gas mileage of 13 miles per gallon. These stupid people need to realize the facts and benefits of the cyclist on the road; as an example the next time the forecasted air quality is fair as opposed to poor they can say thanks to all of the cyclist commuting to work and school every day instead driving cars or they can be thankful that the use of bicycles as transportation slight lowers the demand of gasoline making it slightly less expensive than it could be. On that note of gasoline prices might be some what understandable; if not for the high price theses assholes would really use a lot of it if it where any cheaper, but the fact is the current situation and our consumption of gas is doing nothing more than destroying our environment and making billionaire oil owner even more fucking rich than ever. In conclusion get off my fucking case about riding a bike, stop burning so much fucking gas, kill your fucking SUVs, and get on a fucking bike you ignorant close-minded assholes.

posted by tyler

Are we too selfish to change?

Founds this article at no impact man.

A hundred years ago, waste was considered immoral. Throwing out something that still worked was just plain wrong. What changed that? Marketing. Factory owners wanted to keep their production lines churning and factory workers wanted to keep their tummies full. Repetitive consumption seemed like the answer. Slowly but surely we convinced ourselves that new was better than old. It became ok to throw things out. It became ok to waste. In fact, out with the old and in with the new kept the economic wheels turning. Buying became downright patriotic. The result of this old messaging is that, now, everybody wants the newest iPod, the biggest SUV, a huge vacation. And no one is going to give these things up voluntarily, right? Wrong. Because history shows us that acquisitiveness, a twentieth century phenomenon, is not based on selfishness (which presumably would have been present from the Stone Age). Instead, our consumption arose because of newly-learned social norms and values. So, we can change the message. For many years, in this country, smoking was trendy. Now it’s not. The message changed. When I was young, people threw their wrappers on the New York streets without a thought. Now people sneer if you drop your trash. The message changed. Why wouldn’t the same be true of our use of planetary resources? For many years, as a culture, we thought it was great to get more and use more, and that was the message. People argue that changing course is impossible. You can’t, they say, change human nature. But we don’t have to change human nature. All we have to do is change the message.

lights!! cameras!!! well no cameras just excited

Has anyone tried these out? Made in Denmark no batteries. Reelight

Bicycle Music Video

Long time bike lover and cyclist, Dennis, sends us this sweet and cheerful little music video from Lily Allen. The song lyrics describe a city bicycle ride through Lily’s home town of London. Enjoy!

are you supporting the troops or the war?

World War 2 bicycle safety pamphlet
There was a time when husbanding scarce resources was considered the patriotic American thing to do. See more of this WW2 bike safety pamphlet at FixedGear's Flickr stream.

Before America entered the war, bicycles were largely used as a means of recreation and pleasure, and for riding to and from school by young people. Now they are helping to provide essential wartime transportation as well. More and more people are riding bicycles to and from work, for shopping, for errands, and for other purposes."

National Media Noticing the Urban Bicycling Trend

Apparently unaware of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's assertion that "human-powered vehicles are never going to be the answer," USA Today reports that several large U.S. cities are accelerating their efforts to encourage commuting on two wheels. The article cites New York for the new separated bike lane, and for putting bike racks where cars once parked.

"There's never been so much attention from cities collectively for cycling as a mode of transportation," says Loren Mooney, executive editor of Bicycling magazine. "Cities are recognizing that it is a realistic and inexpensive solution to a lot of different problems - to the traffic issues, to pollution issues, to personal health issues because instead of sitting in cars for an hour you have people out burning calories."

The Associated Press also noticed that cycling is on the rise in New York. But despite the 130,000 daily bicyclists on the road in New York City (more total cyclists than any other U.S. city can claim), less that 1 percent of the total population ride a bicycle to work: more here

another fringe group ( activist)

The nice thing about activists are its about the issues and not who is in charge or who gets their name in the paper. just for reference here is what a fringe group (direct action group) has accomplished. http://times-up.org/index.php?page=tl2 To be fair here is a advocacy group to who mission is to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives. http://www.transalt.org

Helmet aversion, petrol boost bicycle sales

this is what happens when you do not get subsidized gas

HA NOI — The demand for bicycles increased rapidly, allowing the industry to thrive once again after a period of decline. The growth was mainly driven by hikes in the prices of oil and gas, a regulation banning students from riding motorbikes, and a new helmet-wearing regulation.more here

another city and state catch on

maybe if we keep saying it. then it will sink in.

BOSTON - The Patrick administration wants to make the state a friendlier place for bicyclists. The Boston Globe reports the Department of Conservation and Recreation has an $82 million plan to build a network of bike paths across Massachusetts, including one that would allow riders to pedal 120 miles from Lowell to Westfield. But officials caution that funding and bureaucratic snags, as well as opposition from local residents along the proposed bike trails, could delay construction for years, if not decades. more here

mash sf intro 2007

thanks tyler more about this movie here

pic of the day - chicago critical mass from sears building

click image to enlarge - thanks tyler

chevron and burma

another reason to ride your bike

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=44&ItemID=13947

Chevron’s Pipeline Is the Burmese Regime’s Lifeline
by Amy Goodman
October 04, 2007

The image was stunning: tens of thousands of saffron-robed Buddhist monks marching through the streets of Rangoon [also known as Yangon], protesting the military dictatorship of Burma. The monks marched in front of the home of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who was seen weeping and praying quietly as they passed. She hadn’t been seen for years. The democratically elected leader of Burma, Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since 2003. She is considered the Nelson Mandela of Burma, the Southeast Asian nation renamed Myanmar by the regime.

After almost two weeks of protest, the monks have disappeared. The monasteries have been emptied. One report says thousands of monks are imprisoned in the north of the country.

No one believes that this is the end of the protests, dubbed “The Saffron Revolution.” Nor do they believe the official body count of 10 dead. The trickle of video, photos and oral accounts of the violence that leaked out on Burma’s cellular phone and Internet lines has been largely stifled by government censorship. Still, gruesome images of murdered monks and other activists and accounts of executions make it out to the global public. At the time of this writing, several unconfirmed accounts of prisoners being burned alive have been posted to Burma-solidarity Web sites.

The Bush administration is making headlines with its strong language against the Burmese regime. President Bush declared increased sanctions in his U.N. General Assembly speech. First lady Laura Bush has come out with perhaps the strongest statements. Explaining that she has a cousin who is a Burma activist, Laura Bush said, “The deplorable acts of violence being perpetrated against Buddhist monks and peaceful Burmese demonstrators shame the military regime.”


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, at the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said, “The United States is determined to keep an international focus on the travesty that is taking place.” Keeping an international focus is essential, but should not distract from one of the most powerful supporters of the junta, one that is much closer to home. Rice knows it well: Chevron.

Fueling the military junta that has ruled for decades are Burma’s natural gas reserves, controlled by the Burmese regime in partnership with the U.S. multinational oil giant Chevron, the French oil company Total and a Thai oil firm. Offshore natural gas facilities deliver their extracted gas to Thailand through Burma’s Yadana pipeline. The pipeline was built with slave labor, forced into servitude by the Burmese military.

The original pipeline partner, Unocal, was sued by EarthRights International for the use of slave labor. As soon as the suit was settled out of court, Chevron bought Unocal.

Chevron’s role in propping up the brutal regime in Burma is clear. According to Marco Simons, U.S. legal director at EarthRights International: “Sanctions haven’t worked because gas is the lifeline of the regime. Before Yadana went online, Burma’s regime was facing severe shortages of currency. It’s really Yadana and gas projects that kept the military regime afloat to buy arms and ammunition and pay its soldiers.”

The U.S. government has had sanctions in place against Burma since 1997. A loophole exists, though, for companies grandfathered in. Unocal’s exemption from the Burma sanctions has been passed on to its new owner, Chevron.

Rice served on the Chevron board of directors for a decade. She even had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. While she served on the board, Chevron was sued for involvement in the killing of nonviolent protesters in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Like the Burmese, Nigerians suffer political repression and pollution where oil and gas are extracted and they live in dire poverty. The protests in Burma were actually triggered by a government-imposed increase in fuel prices.

Human-rights groups around the world have called for a global day of action on Saturday, Oct. 6, in solidarity with the people of Burma. Like the brave activists and citizen journalists sending news and photos out of the country, the organizers of the Oct. 6 protest are using the Internet to pull together what will probably be the largest demonstration ever in support of Burma. Among the demands are calls for companies to stop doing business with Burma’s brutal regime.

Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America.

With new racks, city aims to become more bike-friendly

NEWBURYPORT - Start pedaling.

A local environmental group - with help from city officials and local businesses - has installed downtown's first three bike racks in an effort to cut down on the number of cars in the downtown district and increase the number of bicycles.

The racks on Inn Street are small black structures that blend in well with the downtown landscape and can hold two bicycles each. Liss Campbell, co-founder of Seacoast Energy and Environmental Design Coalition, said the racks cost about $250 each.

"As many as we can put up, we will," Campbell said.

more here

does huntsville have a vision or is it blind?

Tried to find a interesting article and found this one here

However this makes me wonder what the "leaders" here have planned. I am speaking of your mayor and her administration. I have seen those green signs with bicycles and numbers on them, downloaded the map or plan and tried to figure it out..... well I am still lost and everyone I ask is too. I really do not think change here will happen unless a couple of things are addressed.

1: The Mayor steps up this would entail having a safety plan and educating the public about bicycles.

2: Bike racks, bike racks, bike racks, this is a no brainer you can not ask people to commute if you can not park and lock your bike( star market understands this) what about the city?

3: Cyclists pull together and actually commute.

I rode up monte sano and there is only one sign "share the road" why not have more signage to educate and make cars aware of cyclists?

The mayor and your city officials are elected by you and work for you. I don't see why they are not held accountable by their constituents.

What do you think? Leave it in the comments.

thanks

A big thanks to Star Market! Thanks for the bike rack!

October 1 -5 is Rideshare Week

Rideshare Week 2007 is a national celebration to promote alternatives to solo commuting. Every day, thousands of San Diego commuters ride the bus, Trolley or COASTER, carpool or vanpool, bike or walk to work, or telecommute.

SANDAG is celebrating Rideshare Week this year by inviting all San Diegans to tell us how they commute to work.

Please take our survey at www.ridelink.org/survey between September 28 and October 31 and you could win one of 52 valuable prizes!

The survey will give SANDAG important information about what types of services to offer to expand options for San Diego commuters.

Rideshare Week will promote a number of commute alternatives:

Monday, October 1: bus, Trolley or COASTER

Tuesday, October 2: vanpool and carpool

Wednesday, October 3: Flextime and telecommute

Thursday, October 4: Bike to work

Friday, October 5: Walk to work

Other Links
http://www.rideshare-directory.com/

Oct 3rd is International Ride Your Bike

Oct 3rd is International Ride Your Bike (or walk) to School Day. Anyone out riding at school times (going & coming), please watch out, help, encourage any kids that are participating. I think Chapman organized something, I hope other schools did too.

Instead of sticking a yellow ribbon on your gas guzzling car, try walking or riding a bike today or any day. This is really supporting your troops. Not an empty slogan.

of course all good things come from ireland

more info for those not yet brainwashed by fear.

Critical Mass is a bike ride plain and simple. The ride takes place on the Last Friday Of Every Month @ 6:30pm at the SE Corner of the courthouse. A Critical Mass is created when the group of riders comes together for those few hours to take back the streets of our city. The right of the people to assemble is guaranteed in the Constitution, and Critical Mass helps people remember that right. The Mass itself has no political agenda, though, no more than the people of any other community do. Critical Mass is open to all, and it welcomes all riders to join in a celebration of riding bicycles. Why? Because bikes are fun!

Sure, as with any community, you'll see people of all types. Some people see Critical Mass as a forum for grassroots political change. Some people see it as a protest against cars. Some people just like to ride. The Mass, however, is just that...a bunch of bike riders. You can drive a car the whole month and ride in the Mass. You can be an anarchist and ride in the Mass. The point of the Mass is the Mass, nothing more. Critical Mass has no leadership. It is a ride where no one is in charge. At any time, riders are free to leave, stay, stop, or even help out. Everyone is responsible for themselves and the Mass.

Once you realize that, you're free to enjoy the exhilaration that is a large bike ride. It's quite a sight to be parading down the street with hundreds of fellow riders, wishing pedestrians and drivers a "Happy Friday"

Huntsville Critical Mass is a community, yet it's also part of a worldwide Critical Mass community as a whole. Critical Mass rides take place all over the world each month, and Huntsville is proud to join in to proclaim our love of bicycles. If you love bikes, and you want to show others how you feel about cycling, come join us!

For more information on the origins of Critical Mass, please see the excellent Wikipedia page on the subject.

one more day.

Critical Mass Ride Tomorrow Night @ 6:30 pm bring a light if you can.
SE Corner of Courthouse

Safe Routes to School workshop news

Hey

I attended the safe routes to school workshop and must I say it was awesome. Let me explain the degree in which SR2S can help even us, in Bello Velo.

First i have made some connections with some state agencies that promote public health. One of the being the health department. Jaime from the department of education and health pretty much okay ed Life Cycles getting a supply of locks and helmets. I just have to write a short proposal and they will throw us some.

As I have been attending public health meetings and such I have really jumped on the bandwagon of cycling safety. For one, I am starting to wear my helmet on a regular basis and second I am much more aware of the illumination factor when riding at night.

I encourage bicycle safety, but not to the anal tunes of the SCCC, i still don't like them. Bicycling should still be fun and we should educated people on safety do they done end up like some of my friends, some of which have been badly maimed in bike wrecks.

Also for the next critical mass helmets and lights need to be addressed as well as safety as a group. We need a few people in key positions to make sure no one turns into a speed bump. So we need the following positions filled:

1. ride leader
2. 2 strong cyclists to stay on the sides with lights...the lights are important
3. a safety person in back who is fully lit (not drunk lit, but lumens lit)

Also the people who are involved more heavily in the events should be wearing helmets just to be a good example.

please reply with feedback so i know wtf is going on wit' all my homies

short j

cruiser vintage ride update

A HSV Times photographer came and took our pictures during the Vintage & Cruiser Bike Ride this afternoon. I'm afraid I didn't get her name, any one know it? so I can thank her & find out when they might be in the paper. We were riding around the Thrasher Fountain & around the new canal part of Big Springs when she caught up with us.

We had several first time attendees today, Bob Lipscomb, Jim from Madison Cycles, & Jim Spagnola, plus some of the regulars. Michelle Eccleston and her son, Paul got to show off their beautiful newly acquired orange folding bike, which turned out to be a duomatic, 2-speed, like my little Peugeot (the1969, duomatic, take-apart from 3rd grade in Munich).

Jim, from Madison Cycles, was riding a pretty red Peugeot road bike, not unlike my 8th grade blue Peugeot 10-speed, which has just been converted to a single speed for me to try out. Clint, Jacqy (Typhoon), Mike Wright & daughter, Mary also came on their tandem.

Some of the neighborhood kids on Adams just happened to have a lemonade stand today; it just added a little extra old-timey feel to our vintage/cruising family-friendly ride. Turned out to be a lovely day for a cruise to the malt shoppe.

We had all kinds of bikes- 10-speeds, a new cruiser, a 60s cruiser, two folding bikes, a tandem, etc. -- some of the bikes were a good bit older than our youngest three riders, and some of the bikes were still in the original owners' hands.

I will schedule another ride for late October. If it's cool/cold, we can substitute the malts for coffee & hot chocolate at one of the local coffee shops near by. (All bikes & cyclists welcome, conversational pace).

I'll download/ upload my pix tomorrow, for anyone interested in seeing them.

inc

Pedal pushing Boston

This is interesting they even hired a bicycle rider as their bike czar! Does the Huntsville Bike Czar ride a bike or commute?

I know when I go to the doctor I always ask for the least experienced one. I like to gamble.

So I will apply this reasoning here too.

Menino mounting bid to make city a bicyclist's dream

Landis stripped of Tour title; appeal uncertain

Landis: 'I am innocent and we proved I am innocent.'
By Charles Pelkey
editor, VeloNews.com
Filed: September 20, 2007
American Floyd Landis has been formally stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after an arbitration panel ruled against his appeal of a positive doping test during that year's edition of the race.


Two of three panel members said this win was dirty.

photo: Agence France Presse (2006 file photo)

Landis still has the option to appeal the case to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the UCI on Thursday formally awarded the 2006 Tour title to Spaniard Oscar Pereiro, the Caisse d'Epargne rider who finished second. Landis becomes the first Tour winner in more than 100 years to be stripped of his title, and he now faces a two-year suspension from racing and an additional two-year exclusion from ProTour ranks.

"This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere," Landis said in a statement. "For the panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case, shows that this system is fundamentally flawed.

"I am innocent and we proved I am innocent."

UCI president Pat McQuaid saw things otherwise.

more here

bike porn day!!!!!!

sends us your porn ( bike porn that is) we have stopped taking massive amounts of viagra and ensure so all is well or is it?

Vintage & Cruiser Bicycle Ride:

Sunday, Sept. 23rd/, 2:30pm
Meet in the front of HSV Middle School on Adams. Please meet 15 minutes before departure.
Conversationally paced ride through the downtown & Historic areas, around Big Springs & off to Sonic for malts.
Families welcome-- kids must be street safe.
Helmets required. Bring snack money.

flyer status

here is where we have flyers now. we should update these next week.
Trailhead
Bandito Burrito
Flying Monkey
Petes Boyz BBQ
Outdoor Omnibus
World Conspiracy
Monte Sano bikers lot.
Olde Towne Coffee

Other places need to be done
The Nook on Bob Wallace
UAH
Vodoo Lounge
House Of Brews
Kaffee Klatsch
BP
Star Market

add to comments and I will update the list.
Also word of mouth is good too.

thursday night art roll

we will meet thursday between 6:00 - 6:30pm @ bistro du soliel bring your bike and help pass out some flyers.

all are welcome !!

still need your help part two with links

we have set a goal of having 100 riders in attendance for the next critical mass ride this month. please email mail us here if you are willing to help out with:

• flyers are located here so download em and print
  
• word of the mouth
• bring 5 people
• loan a friend a bike
  
• www.myspace.com/criticalmasshsv
  

any other ideas or good ideas put in the comments.
email us at bello.velo@gmail.com to help out remember this is your ride.

need your help

we have set a goal of having 100 riders in attendance for the next critical mass ride this month. please email mail us here if you are willing to help out with:

• flyers
• word of the mouth
• bring 5 people
• loan a friend a bike
  

any other ideas put in the comments.
email us at bello.velo@gmail.com to help out remember this is your ride.

Time's Up 20th Anniversary Party!!

NYC's most loved environmental activist group is having a party to celebrate 20 years of great service

Time's Up 20th Anniversary Fundraiser Party
www.times-up.org


Music By:
Japanther
Team Spider
DJ Suggested D

Video By:
Glass Bead Collective

Friday, Sept. 28,
8pm-late,
49 E. Houston St,
Sliding Scale: $10-$1000

Against overwhelming odds, Time's Up Environmental Organization is
celebrating its twentieth year. Come celebrate twenty years of
achievements and support the future of our environment at our 20th
Anniversary Fundraising Party. Thanks to the steadfast devotion of our
volunteers and supporters, we are happy to announce that nonpolluting
transportation and environmental awareness are at an all time high and
continue to rise. Check out our 20th Anniversary Timeline for more
information about the journey and how you can get involved.

To download a word file with a timeline of Times Up activities...visit my .mac account page here

Links of the week

B.I.K.E.
Bikes Belong
The Unapologetic Mexican
Crazy Guy On A Bike

A Sports Show for New York’s Weekend Warriors

The Tour de France it is not.

“Hold up your bicycles, four inches from your chest,” Mike Dee, camouflage and dreadlocks standing in for yellow jersey and helmet, bellows like a drill sergeant to a scrappy platoon.

“Now, repeat after me,” he commands. “This is my bicycle.”

“This is my bicycle,” the chorus shouts back.

“Without my bicycle, I am useless.” More shouts.

“Without me, my bicycle is useless.” Shouts, and grunts.

more here

Sunday Alley Cat Result

1st place: the man the king of the Alley Bill Battle
2nd Tyler ouch Brown
3rd Dustin taller than most with no last name.

Truth in Comics

Thanks to our friends at state of the day

mountain biking

For those of us who think ripping through a trail is silly I'd like to enlighten you on the pleasures of getting lost in the woods on a bike.

I'm not one of those tall seat posted super zoot full suspension circus freaks, but I sure do love challenges in biking. I think the idea of having a bike with over 3 logical gear combinations takes the fun out of mountain biking. Thats why I prefer my single speed full suspension moutain bike.

Tonight I biked down the hardest trail ever with my single-speeder and aside from watching it roll down the hill without me on it, it was very challenging. For those of you who are not familiar with mountain bike trials or trials riding, it takes an awesome amount of skill to leap with a 38 pound bike over a boulder, but it can be done.

So with that said, I think we should include SORBA in our efforts to love biking more. The idea of getting those SUV driving full-suspension bike riding freaks may be our bride to mutually understanding each other.

Well....can never really get why you'd want to drive a war machine.

jim "I got more bikes than dykes" spagnola

Alley Cat Race This Sunday

Alright all you wanna be racers. This month's alley cay race will be this Sunday at 5:30. We will all meet in front of The House of Brews and the race will be a bit different than usual. It will be at various school campuses around town, but don't worry if you don't your way around UAH or Calhoun etc.... I have made it easy enough for everyone to find, even Jim G. If you have friends or anyone who might be interested, please tell them about it. If you have any questions or concerns, too bad bitches!

Daley to check out Paris' bike-rental idea

September 5, 2007

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

A Paris program that allows residents to rent a bicycle on one side of town and drop it off miles away could be duplicated in Chicago if Mayor Daley has his way.

Daley is so interested in the bike drop-off program and its potential to promote energy conservation, he's planning to stop off in Paris to discuss it with his counterpart there on the way back from Italy.

The mayor plans to travel to Italy today for the second time in three months -- this time to deliver a speech on how to move cities forward.

Daley will join the prime minister of Egypt, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres as featured speakers at the 33rd annual forum "Intelligence on the World: Europe and Italy."

The mayor's trip will be paid for by a management consulting firm with headquarters in Milan.

Teenager riding bicycle dies after being hit by car

A Valley teenager has died after being hit by a car.

DeKalb County authorities say 15-year-old Jeramy Burt was injured Sunday evening when his bicycle was struck by a car.

The wreck happened on County Road 322 in Henagar.

The victim was flown to Huntsville Hospital around 4:30.

Huntsville Hospital confirmed that Burt died today.

'I want to ride my bicycle'

in case you all have not sold all you belongings and gone for a really long ride well shame on you chickens shits!

Sophomore cycles cross country

By Kaleigh Maher, news editor
Posted on September 4, 2007

Over a five-year period, approximately 5 to 8 million people in the United States will experience at least one night of homelessness, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This summer sophomore Anne Dreyfuss experienced 70 while riding her bike cross country to raise money for affordable housing causes.

“I got to experience not having a home for two months, living with everything I had in one little bag,” she said. “There are people in the country who have to do that every single day, and it’s a hard lifestyle.”

Dreyfuss was one of 30 participants ages 18-25 year olds to bike cross-country from Providence, Rhode Island to Seattle, Washington with Bike and Build, an independent nonprofit organization.

“We were like one big dysfunctional family by the end of the trip,” she said.

read more here

Thousands walk and bike with the mayor

still not here:)

By Peter Smith
psmith@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal Louisville Ky.

About 4,000 bikers and walkers took off from Waterfront Park this morning in the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Toyota Hike & Bike.

Officials say it's the largest crowd yet for the twice-yearly event, now in its third year.

Participants arrived in foot-powered vehicles of all types for the 15-mile event -- from racing-quality bicycles, some with trailers in tow, to tricycles to an old-fashioned high-wheeler bike.

They brought plenty of water with them as temperatures pushed toward the eighties on the sunny morning.

read more here

Two cyclists die when hit by truck on rural Baldwin County road

9/4/2007, 10:34 a.m. CDT
The Associated Press
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (AP) — Two bicycle riders were killed when they were hit by a pickup truck whose driver lost control on a curve on a rural Baldwin County road used by cyclists, state troopers said.

Baldwin County Coroner Jim Small identified the victims of Monday's accident as William Frederick Imle, 48, of Daphne and Archie Leroy Clemons Jr., 46, of Spanish Fort.

State troopers said a preliminary investigation revealed Patrick Blake Young Ballard, 19, was coming in the opposite direction just before 9 a.m. Monday when he lost control of the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado on a curve and struck the bicyclists. The Silverado then crashed into a ditch and overturned, ejecting Ballard and his 17-year-old female passenger.

Both were taken to University of South Alabama Medical Center for treatment. The passenger was treated and released. Ballard, who was hospitalized Monday for injuries that weren't considered serious, was no longer at the hospital Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Trooper spokesman Cpl. Joe Piggott said no charges were filed and the accident remains under investigation.

The accident occurred on Bromley Road, a rural stretch that links Stapleton to Spanish Fort and is marked with signs urging drivers to share the road with cyclists.

"Apparently it's a popular bike route," Piggott said.

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Information from: Press-Register, http://www.al.com/mobileregister

friday nights critical mass

more photos here

19 bicyclists arrested after rally turns into melee

Officers watching the event in downtown Minneapolis say they were attacked, escalating the confrontation.

By Joy Powell, Star Tribune

Last update: September 01, 2007 – 12:51 AM

Police arrested 19 bicyclists, including three juveniles, after a protest ride took an ugly turn in downtown Minneapolis Friday night.

About 200 bicyclists were riding on La Salle Avenue, with two officers monitoring the protest that called for reduced reliance on automobile transportation. The ride was also linked with weekend protests of next year's Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities.

more here

and if you really want to get pissed check these out.

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/012358.php

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2007/09/018338.php