Why Bicyclists Hate Stop Signs

In a recent post on Cyclelicious, Fritz linked this article. I thought it was worthwhile to post here, even though it was written several years ago. (Click on each image for a larger view of the page. Read left to right.)

The most important line in this article, in my opinion is: "Indeed, traffic flow is improved where cyclists do not come to a complete stop, for drivers need not wait long for the bikes to clear the intersection." Could you imagine the uproar by drivers who would have to wait for 35 - 50 cyclists to each stop at all the stop signs in Payson Park on a Monday or Thursday night ride?

Serious Cycle Training Comes to Maine

SERIOUS CYCLE TRAINING COMES to MAINE


I was riding south east down Rte 5, just outside Lyman, around 8AM this morning. I was enjoying the Rte 5 generous break down lane, the flat road ahead, and a bit of tail wind. The arm warmers were on, and the Fall season was in the air.

Coming up to me, going north west, in the opposite lane of traffic, was a sight to behold; never before seen by myself during my many biking miles in Maine. On the opposite side of Route 5 was a motorbike motor pacing a cyclist, both going at a clip of about 25-30 miles pre hour. The cyclist was wearing a team kit, which I couldn’t identify, with a lot of orange color. Their was no doubt this was a motor pace event. The motor bike was a few feet ahead of the cyclist, very deliberately in the break down lane, and they were a pair. They had come up from Biddeford [apparently], and were heading north west. I had sighted the biking equivalent of a mountain lion sighting. You’ll have to believe me, no photos are available. I was there, I saw it. Serious cycling has come to Maine.

Russ

A New Monday Night Record

Kris reported 50 riders on this week's Monday Night Ride - a new record! Thanks to all the riders that showed up for this historic event!

The apres ride hosted by John Tabb was also well attended.

Thanks to all for making these apres rides happen. They were enjoyed by many this summer. Don't forget that next week it's back go Forest Gardens. (We hear we have been missed there!)

Richard Hutchins

Many you know Richard Hutchins as the tall lean rider that's hard to keep up with on many of the group rides, especially when the road turns upward. But some might not know he is an artist first and a cyclist second. (Or at least we presume it's in that order.)

Russ found this great article in the current issue of Portland Magazine. It's been scanned, cropped and posted here for all to read. (If you have a hard time reading it, just click each section for a larger view.)

A Flat is Just a Flat

A poem by Al Carp:

Riding down the street one day I get a flat

Got it, changed it; that was that

Picked up some glass: pain in the ass

But heck, a flat is just a flat

Next day just a quick spin

Another day another flat

Was this one a rock, or maybe a pin?

Is Middle Road almost done?

Five weeks? Two weeks or maybe just one?

Well heck, a flat is just a flat

Tomorrow comes another day

What’s going to get in my way?

A broken spoke! What can I say

Get pissed off, throw my bottles in the bay!

Toss my bike across the lawn, not in the mood to play

Screw it, a flat is just a flat

Today nothing can go wrong

Put on my headphones, listen to my favorite song

Riding down 88, careful not to hate

Wankers yelling from their cars

Then just like that

Damn! My eighth friggin' flat!

New Mavic wheels, Vittoria Tires too

Five hundred bucks down the drain

No more feeling blue

Gonna save me some hurt and pain

Ain’t even gonna talk about the month of rain

What happens next?

I ride down Tuttle Road, some redneck throws crap at me out his window, get honked at, almost run off the road, hit damn unmarked new road construction and trash my new “indestructible ksyrium overpriced piece of crap rear wheel” have to go pay $225 for a new one plus buy a new cassette and chain, have to miss my ride today because it takes extra time to change them out 'cuz mavic ships with Japanese hubs (and who puts Japanese hubs on an Italian frame?), can’t get a date because I am pissed off all the time because I am spending so much money on my bike, have to go back to school next week and spend my time writing stupid poems about my flat tires!

Look What I Found

This photo is on the reader gallery section of Velo News:

http://www.velonews.com/photo/62836

Dana

Ride Updates and More

Starting Next Thursday, August 28th, ride will leave at 5:30pm

Ride Monday, Aug 26th will be the last 6pm ride of summer.

After that Monday rides will leave at 5:30 (No official ride the following Monday due to Labor Day, but if folks want to show up at 5:30pm and ride by all means do.)

Tuesday Womens's ride and the Wednesday ride (from South Portland High School) will start leaving at 5:30 after Labor Day and continue until mid-September.

Saturday rides continue at 8am.

Monday's and Thursday rides will continue into November, weather permitting.

Now that we are heading into fall it is time to start up the Sunday morning rides again. They were such a blast last year.

Here is how they work: each week a different club member designs a route and lead the ride. Usually they leave around 10 from the shop but they don't have to. Longer rides or departing from other locations are acceptable.

So dig out your maps or go to MapMyRide.com and design your dream ride, then pick a Sunday in the next 2 or 3 months and send start time location and approximate distance to me (kris@gwi.net) and Dana (dmcewan@maine.rr.com) so we can post information in newsletter and on our blog site.

Also it is time for our Annual CCCP End of the Year Party which we want to do in September this year. We are looking for someone with a yard and friendly neighbors to host it. CCCP will pay for expenses and food will be potluck. Date of event is flexible.

Don't forget that Loon Echo is coming up Sat, Sept 20th:
http://loonecholandtrust.org/html/hike_n__bike_trek.html

and Cadillac Challenge century on October 5th:
http://web.mac.com/zorbathegeek/Cadillac/Home.html
(A group of us are talking about going up to Bar Harbor Sat 4th and staying in a motel or rent a place then riding on Sunday. Let me know if you might be interested. These are the 2 prettiest centuries in Maine!)

A special thanks to Greg Fisher, Richard Hutchins, Russ Boisvert, Rick & Shannon Goduti, and Bryan Lewis for hosting the last several apres rides in their back yards. This has been a nice touch to our fun Monday night rides. This week ends the apres ride series and will be hosted by John Tabb. Meet at the shop after the ride and we'll ride together to John's, who doesn't live far from the shop. After Labor Day we'll head back to Forest Gardens for the apres ride festivities, where we hear we are missed by the bartender.

Mt. Washington Climb

Club sponsor and fellow rider, Dan Emery, climbed Mt. Washington on Saturday flying the club colors. Below are photos of Dan's climb. One is at about 6000 feet and the other is of him on the final climb of 22% grade. He claims it was a great ride. His goal was to make it to the top without getting off the bike, which he managed to do. Congratulations!!

Olympic Men's Road Race

In the event you need a little entertainment during a 6 1/2 hour recovery period following a hard ride, or perhaps some distractions while on the trainer during the off season, click on the link for the full coverage of the Men's Road Race in Beijing. (Note: select the Road Race, not the Highlights.) Beware, I understand there is no commentary to the video, though I haven't seen it yet to know. I'm going to save it for a rainy day.

Enjoy!

Dana

Saco Crit - August 23

Hey Community Cycling Club of Portland Members and Friends!

The folks at SMCC are looking for volunteers for the Saco Crit to be held Saturday, August 23rd. If you are interested in volunteering at all, either all day or part of the day, check out the information here:

http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=107997;article=11524;title=Southern%20Maine%20Cycling%20Club

Dana

Sunday Coffee Ride - 8/17

During last week's coffee ride Russ spotted Fog Cutter Coffee Shop on the corner of Blackstrap and Route 100. I had heard about a coffee shop in that area but didn't know where it was.

So we decided that this Sunday we should go check it out. We'll leave the shop at 8am and head that way via some method of Blackstrap Road, which might include Brook and Mountain Roads too but we'll see how everyone is feeling that morning.

So mark your calendars and plan to set your alarm (if you need one) to be up and ready to ride for some Sunday morning Joe!

Dana

Sunday Morning Coffee Ride!

Meet at Back Bay Bicycle at 8am Sunday morning. I'm suggesting two routes to choose from:

1.) Prout's Neck loop with a stop at Scratch Bakery, either before or after the loop ride. (The upside to Scratch is the pastries for breakfast - yummy! The downside is there is no seating.)

2.) Ride to Maine Roasters Coffee in Yarmouth. After fueling on caffeine we'll ride out Rt. 115, down Rt 9 to Blanchard and Skillings onto Blackstrap to Portland.

Feel free to chime in as to which direction you'd prefer to take. We can also take a poll at the shop in the morning. For those who are not up for a ride longer than to the coffee shop and back, you are not obligated to continue on for a longer ride.

Hope to see you in the morning!

Dana

Olympic Cycling Coverage

If you are planning on watching Olympic Cycling you should be aware that the road race might be postponed due to smog:

http://cyclingresults.net/2008/08/09/breaking-news-olympic-road-race-could-be-postponed-due-to-smog/

And to think the Chinese government was offended when cyclists showed up wearing masks....

Weekend Ride?

It's been far too long since I've been on my bike and I'm pining for a ride. Anyone planning a ride this weekend? The weather looks like it's going to be a little better than the week - not much but a little. We should at least make the Sunday coffee ride happen!

Dana