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Recreational Cycling

Easy Riders – A Chance to Give Back

Spring is coming – soon – we hope!  We’re all looking forward to getting back on our bikes and riding OUTSIDE.  Monday/Wednesday rides start on March 15th (see Doug’s bulletin board posting).
 
Please try to remember when you first started road riding (for me, it was only 6 ½ years ago).  Whoever encouraged you to start, you did it, and enjoyed it.  But, as a “newbie”, someone needed to show you the ropes.  It’s important for RASC to continue to provide that service through our “Easy Riders” group.  
 
We are planning on an “Easy Riders” group on both Monday and Wednesday evenings again this year – and ride leader volunteers are needed.  We need at least 18 volunteers, so each person leads a ride only once every other month (a total of three times over the “Easy Riders” biking season – April 12th thru September 29th).  
 
Please join (or rejoin) the “Easy Riders” leaders group this Spring.  Volunteer by contacting Warren Lopour at:
          wlopour@charter.net
          or 507-288-0359.  
 
Please take this opportunity to give back to the cycling community. Meet some people you wouldn’t ordinarily ride with and get them excited about cycling.  

 

2010 New Year's Day Bike Ride

11 hearty riders met at Dunn Brothers Coffee at 1 PM today for the 7th. annual New Years Day bike ride.  The temperature was 6 degrees and the ride distance was one mile for each degree of temperature.   One rider had a high-tech shoe heater to keep his tootsies warm. More photos can be found here. Photos courtesy of Dave Greymont. Also see below the KTTC interview with Dave Hallaway.

Recent Biking News

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DOG ALERT : Up-to-date map of the locations of dogs who chase bikes !!!

Last Updated: Oct 16th 2009. This is a map of reported cases of aggressive dogs chasing after cyclists in the Rochester and surrounding SE Minnesota area. If you have been chased by a dog while out cycling, please let us know (email: mkoconnor@mayo.edu), or alternatively, place a message on our Bulletin board under the topic: Bicycle chasing dog reports.

Pine Island – borrow a bike Program

Pine Island now has a free borrow-a-bike program at the head of the Douglas trail that is just getting off the ground. It is all volunteer effort and donated bikes.  Bikes are available for those who might like to just do a spontaneous family trek down the trail.

Here are the details: "Borrow-A-Bike for FREE on weekends"

Pine Island's innovative Bike program is open for residents and visitors Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., weather. Bikes of all sizes are available for FREE. Children may borrow bikes with the signed authorization of a parent or guardian. Individual cyclists 18 or older simply register to check out bikes. The program currently has more than 50 bikes in active inventory. Other bikes are in various states of repair, and will be added to active stock as work is completed. The repair efforts have been headed by LeRoy Krier, a volunteer from the local Lions Club. "Without him, this program would be impossible," says Roy Larson, Borrow-A-Bike director. "He has donated countless hours and done an excellent job". To learn more about volunteer opportunities or to donate bikes, contact Larson directly at 507-696-8453.

Road Rage and how you should respond to it.

Here are two articles from bicycling.com that should be of interest to anyone  who rides a bike. If it has not already happened to you, some day you are going to have a negative encounter with a motorist.

What is Road Rage?

How Should You Respond to Road Rage?

2009 RASC Easy Riders

In conjunction with the RASC Monday/Wednesday evening group bicycle rides (which began on March 9th), the Easy Riders routes have been included since April 13th. This is a group road ride at a relaxed pace (11-13 mph average speed) for those new to road riding or for those who are just interested in riding at a non-demanding pace. Full details can be found by clicking on the link below.


NOTE: Due to diminishing length of daylight, on Sept. 7th the start time for this ride was changed from 6 pm to 5:30 pm; and the last evening ride that will include the Easy Rider option will be on Wed., Sept. 30th.

ReCycle Monday and Wednesday Rides for 2009

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The ReCycle evening rides started Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 6 pm and leave from Bamber Valley School (corner of CR 8 and Mayowood Rd SW). The Wednesday ride leaves from Bicycle Sports at 1400 5th place NW, also at 6 pm. Full details and maps of each day's ride are posted on the RASC Bulletin Board.

 

Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota

In case you are unaware, Minnesota does not have a nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization. (It is a long story, but there were organizations that tried [mostly unsuccessfully] to fulfill that role in the past.) It seems there is another endeavor underway to form such an organization. Below are 2 documents that outline the vision for such an organization and ask for input. If you are interested in learning more about this group, please contact Lisa Austin at laustin@visi.com.