• Condemnation:  WashCycle (http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2007/06/terry_lynch_sav.html#comments) points to a City Paper article giving an assist to Terry Lynch, the Executive Director of Washington’s Downtown Cluster of Congregations, in the city’s attempt to steal bikes from downtown streets.  The self-righteous Terry Lynch is a contradiction: his opposition to what he deems “abandoned” bicycles on the city streets is all about his admirable goal to make downtown Washington more livable; yet his definition of “livable” is oft-times bizarre.  I recall his successful efforts several years ago to re-route the St. Paddy’s Day 10-K from the city streets of Washington – the real Washington – to the monumental core instead.  Why?  Because he felt the 10-K discouraged people from going to church because of a disruption of traffic patterns.  I still recall his statement that, because beer was to be served at the finish line (It’s a St. Patrick’s Day event, for crying out loud!), the event sent the message that, instead of going to church, people ought to go downtown and drink beer.  Nevermind people who don’t go to church.  Or people who go to church and would like to drink beer too.  Or people who are simply there to enjoy the running.  I shudder to think how Lynch would take to a bike race downtown.  Narrow-minded thinking doesn’t allow for imagining the possibilities, and Terry Lynch demonstrates that.  A bunch of people running on downtown streets, followed by an after-race party downtown strikes me as a great way of making the city streets come alive and more livable, but the Reverend Lynch apparently knows better – just as the Reverend Lynch apparently knows which bikes are abandoned which are not.

• Praise:  A special shout-out to www.GamJams.net.  Several of us Racing Unionistas have enjoyed for some time this newsworthy and notable blog single-handedly created by a member of Artemis who’s love and enthusiasm for the sport of cycling is clear and downright infectious, but its nice to see his acknowledgment (http://www.gamjams.net/2007/06/keeping_tempo_6_3.html#comments) for Racing Union’s efforts to advocate on behalf of all who toil on two wheels:  racers, commuters, and recreational cyclists.  Thanks for the kind words, and back at you, GamJams!

-- posted by Chris