Nothing to do with Cycling. Just a Crazy Story.

Skeleton Lake of Roopkund, India. The Surprise Is What Killed Them …

http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/05/24/an_indian_lake_surrounded_by_hundreds_of_ancient_skeletons_the_surprise.html

 

Clint Mortley Wins Sugarhouse Criterium

Here is a podium shot.  We hope to publish more details shortly.

 

 

 

 

A Couple of Ride Options for Memorial Day

John Summers would like to put a ride together a ride on Monday morning in about an 80 mile range.  He needs to wrap this up by midday so departure will be fairly early.  If you are interested, please contact John to work out the details.

john@klim.com

 

Also, from Bart Miller, an invitation to join a group of the Idaho Falls guys for a Memorial Day Century.  Here are the details:

Meet at Hillview/Subway gas station in Ririe at 8am. This will be unsupported so bring money for food if needed. Ride at your own risk. The route will be.... leave gas station...go to Shelley (water stop at gas station)....go to Osgood Butte (water stop)....go to Roberts....go to Menan (water/food stop at gas station)....back to Ririe Hillview/Subway.
This will be a Fun Ride about 18-20 mph with no attacks.

bart@gofastweb.com

 

 

From Bart Miller. An Invitation to Sam Krieg's Birthday Ride. Saturday May 25th. Pocatello

Saturday morning 5th Street Bagel Shop 8am. Pocatello, ID.

Ride will LEAVE at 8am sharp.  

All Riding is NEUTRAL except for KOM CLIMBS.
This is the first annual Un-supported and UN-Official Gran-Fondo in
Pocatello. Please come ride at your own risk. The roads are OPEN and the
course is NOT marked.  Please bring map or ask any questions. I will try and
put a few ARROWS on the road at Major Turns, but I don't promise.

I am tentatively calling it Bagels to Brewery.  This is a RIDE at your OWN
risk ride.  I take NO responsibility for anyone getting lost or suffering.

It is my favorite ride here in Pocatello. There is water at the Gas Station
in INKOM and at the BASE of Scout Mountain and Summit.  Bring a few dollars
if you want to buy something at the Gas Station.

KOM will be scored by Strava so bring a GPS or your smart PHONE with the APP.

Please feel free in invite anyone and come along.  It will be an amazing
ride.  You can't get dropped because the group will stop briefly at the
summit of each major climb (3-5 minutes) and also on Pebble, Crystal, and
Scout you can just U-TURN when the group comes by.  The ride can easily be
shortened by skipping 1 of the major climbs or by just only riding a partial
climb or taking a shortcut.  You can skip PEBBLE and wait, You can skip
Crystal, You  can skip Scout.  Honestly you could just ride Rapid Creek and
skip all of the major climbs.  It shouldn't be that hard to get back in the group.

The ride Will Travel over ..AMI HILL and DOWN Rapid Creek over ..HOOT
OWL(TAX-Day) hill.. To PEBBLE.. but we will use the climb on the left to
approach and the gravel road that cuts over to PEBBLE(see map)....  Then we
will head back down to INKOM stop at the Gas station.  Next we will ride to
Crystal and Finish with Scout.  

 I will have a very special prize for the KOM, QOM, and KOM (Masters 45+)

Sam Krieg
208-232-2054

Tour of California Winner Tejay van Garderen sees a responsibility to keep cycling on the straight and narrow

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/news/tejay-van-garderen-sees-a-responsibility-to-keep-cycling-on-the-straight-and-narrow_287613

 

Rebecca's Private Idaho

Just wanted to bring to your attention that registration for Rebecca's Private Idaho http://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com is open to the public for registration.  It looks like a killer ride and I imagine there will be a lot of good riders there plus it is right in our back yard.  It originally started as a invite only and this is it's inaugural year.  

Tar Warning for Websters' Road

As many of you know, the county was very generous in their application of tar when they resurfaced Websters’ Road late last summer.  This was not a big problem over the winter, but now on warm afternoons, the east-bound lane is almost unrideable.  At the least, you will be dealing with heavy-duty tar removal project from that shiny bicycle.

Crusher not getting any easier. Cyclingnews.com

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/crusher-not-getting-any-easier

 

A Couple of Links from Matt Allred

From KSL.com, bike crash by motorcyclist:

 http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25023417&nid=1017&title=have-you-seen-this-unbelievable-bike-crash

 

Complaint story on KSL.com on law-breaking cyclists.

 http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25016151&nid=148

 

Matt is the Western Editor for snowmobile.com

www.snowmobile.com

 

Love it or Hate it, This is the Safety Letter

Cyclists:  Long term recipients on the distribution list have seen variations of this letter before.  It usually draws a range of feedback from “amen to every word you said” to “don’t tell me how to ride a bike”.  Our goal for the Rexburg TNR is to accommodate a range of experience and abilities. Safety has always been a top priority.

     Over many years of Tuesday rides in Rexburg, we have maintained an outstanding safety record with only a handful of serious accidents and injuries.  We have never had a mass pile-up. To keep a big group reasonably safe, there are a few issues of basic cycling etiquette and courtesy to keep in mind.

    If the group is riding in one line, ride in that line.  If there are two lines, ride in one or the other, not in between the two.  If there are two lines and you are on the left, at the end of your turn on the front drop back on the left.  If you are on the right, drop back on the right.  Don’t try to cross over.  Don’t drop back through the middle of the group.  When your turn is over, get out of the way.  If there is a single line, you generally want to drop back on the side which is more exposed to the wind.  If you don’t know which side that is, you are fine to drop back on the left.    

     The efficiency of a paceline comes from finding an optimum pace and maintaining it.  If riders accelerate every time they hit the front, the group expands and contracts like an accordion.  It burns a lot of energy for no good reason and lowers the average speed.  If you are in a paceline, accelerate gradually if at all (generally not at all) when you go to the front.  Don’t pull too long.  If you are slowing down, you have pulled too long.  A short pull at a constant pace serves the group much better than a pull that accelerates at the beginning and fades at the end.  Use common sense whatever you are doing.  Be aware of the riders around you.  Ask questions if you are not sure about something.

     Don’t cross (overlap) wheels with the bicycle in front of you unless you have to do so very briefly to avoid sudden braking.  (I am not talking about an echelon in a cross wind, which is a different situation).  Hold your line.  Don’t weave, swerve, or dart in or out.  Don’t brake suddenly.  If you are at the front and have to traverse a busy crossing like a divided highway, make sure the entire group is across before you resume speed.  Point out obstacles (potholes, road debris, dogs) especially if you are at the front. 

     If you believe your own riding is above reproach (mine is not) do what you can to help other people to be better riders.  There are many fine cyclists among the Tuesday riders, but for a group ride to be successful, you have to be able to trust every single member of the group.  The skills you develop riding in a group will improve every aspect of your cycling.

     Please help by passing on this message.                                                                                                                                                            Dave