this post by mark kerlin would probably have gone by, unnoticed by many.  and yet that is not correct.  underappreciated by the average mid-atlantic rider, language is the basis of so much that we do.  maybe part of the reason the revolution is not coming along as nicely as we had hoped is that you all are having problems expressing yourselves.  look at kerlin...

Riding track bike.
Looking down fiddling with toe straps.
Crash into back of parked car.
Broke three teeth, bent fortk. Larry Black bends fork back, bike then rode
better than before.
I recommend Dr. John Martin Turner, DDS at 1800 Eye St., NW.

this is beautiful free verse.  you think i'm kidding, but i'm not.  check it.  on the second line, the words seem to lollygag, the syllables flowing easily, one into another, like a stream meandering, or a stoned courier weaving around in traffic.  you can picture the beautiful spring day, just out spinning on the bike, and then, wham!!!!  the third line is blunt, stacatto, matter of fact.  reality hits you in the same way the rider hits the car.  the damage is severe, and yet there is a silver lining.  and the lighthearted referral in the last line leaves one knowing that the rider has moved on with life.  many messages may be taken from this text. 

so with this we initiate the racing union poetry contest.  we are fleshing out the details, but we have actual prizes and we think we have an actual poet to use as a celebrity judge.  you must submit your poems by email to poetry@racingunion.org.  there are no formal rules.  express yourself as you see fit.  please avoid being profane simply to be profane: this is a family oriented blog.  we'll post updates as we accumulate prizes and might even have a brief interview with the celebrity judge.  be sure to provide some sort of contact info.  any anonymous poems will be deleted.  you may use a pseudonym, and we will publish the poem with that, so long as we can link the poem back to you.

and now to kick things off, after reading the second half of kerlin's email, with it's considerably less poetic description of a race mistake, i offer a haiku interpretation of his day in reston. 

overcooked the corner
too much speed, too little tire
not brave, but reckless.

two wheel drift.  Uh oh….
muscles the bars over.  too much!
pavement and skin meet.

see kids, it's easy.  now get there and see what you can do.

- - - posted by scott

this past sunday, josh, our current tzar of the racing union ministry of culture and entertainment, made an official state visit to the racing union bunker, deep below the plaza de la revolucion.  his principal purpose was to help restore the glory and utility of a beautiful pinarello he had picked up.  i'm not sure of it's age but the slx tubing andcomponent group give a rough guide.  it has a sweet four color fade and a very old dura ace groupo, including dura ace downtube shifters.  this bike is very much the new-old hotness.  regrettably, i had left my camera at a super deluxe and maximally fun bicycle birthday party that mikhail (our current tzar of making up crappy excuses for why he worked so hard for his teammates and then they couldn't come through and seal the deal) threw for his son nils the day before so i cannot pass along pictures.

but luckily josh got some shots and sent them along.  and here's the main point of the post.  i need help from the people.  josh and i sort of broke down a bunch of parts of the bike to make sure everything was working well.  it was all good except for the bottom bracket.  i don't really think this is a problem per se, but i am very curious about it.  the derailleur cables are routed through a small metal bracket welded to the bb shell.  they were obviously intended to be cable guides, but this seems like a very poor design.  the friction of the cable rubbing against the bb shell can't be good.  i know this was an intened feature.  for example, you can see, if you look carefully, that the bottom bracket has a small plastic sleeve around it.  you can see the two a's from the end of the word "dura" and the start of the word "ace".  if you've worked on old bikes or bought old parts, you'll recognize the sleeve: it's part of the old dura ace bottom bracket and keeps the water away from the bearing assemblies.  it predates the current cartridge system.

here's another look from a veyr similar model that josh pulled off ebay...

so here's the question: should these cable guides be refitted with small routing tubes, with the cable running through the tubes and the tubes running through the metal bracket, to prevent the derailleur cables from wearing themselves or the frame down from rubbing back and forth?  I'm thinking about the old gore "ride-on" cables that came with small sections of bright yellow, hard plastic sleeve to prevent the gore membrane from getting crushed.  does anyone have first hand experience with this?  any suggestions?  i assume people ran these configurations for years so maybe it's not an issue.  any and all help is appreciated.

- - - posted by scott

just got a series of message from sim over in the south of france.  he just got a cushy gig covering a series of races including flanders.  he sent along some nice pictures showing some of the details of the race.  the text is from his emails...

cobbles: "And here's one for the fine people of DC.  If my memory serves me right, people are often complaining about pot-holes in DC and about the state of VA roads.... "

museeuw's super pimp'd ride: You thought Museuw had horse power?  Sure he did... and still does!  Check "da-man's" sweet, fuel guzzling, non-ecological Audi beast...Shuv that in your Eco-friendly pipe and smoke it.  No doubt about it, this one is on steroids...No need for a license plate on this bad boy... if you can't figure out who's car it is... well.... enough said.

and finally, a cake celebrating the event.  i broke out some shots detailing the details.

this one isfor rudy vercaine, the last flandrian in virginia.  when your country has an equally solid traditionat cycling and at sweets, well, you've got to roll hard.  and these guys roll hard.

and once you're done with the cakes, the kids can take the decorations and have little pretend races.  what's not to like.  i declare this union approved.

you can email sim here and reach him on the web through his workplace here.

- - - posted by scott

The Harrisonburg Crit was held on Saturday, April 28th.  The pros raced at 4:45, but I was there for the Cat 5 race.  Meanwhile, I took some pictures of some of the other races.

Here are some of the women racing (above), and the Men's 3/4 race (below).

 

 

 

That's me before (above) and during (below) the Cat. 5 race.

-- posted by Chris

 

This just in from the state of the art broadcast studios at Racing Union’s Ministry of Culture and Entertainment:

 

 

Broadcasting in life-like clarity to the latest and most technologically-advanced high definition televisions throughout the Racing Union (including those made from re-purposed produce containers by loyal workers in our tropical industrial cooperatives), film critic Comrade Peanut brings us news of three cycling movies playing in the occupied Washington, DC area over the next few weeks.  All members of the Racing Union Cinema Appreciation Society (RUCAS, not to be confused with RUCCAS, the Racing Union Commuter Climactic Alert System) are strongly encouraged to attend these films.

 

 

 

It is not too often that cycling movies are exhibited publicly, and it is especially rare that three cycling-related movies are showing within the next few weeks, so Comrade Peanut cannot emphasize enough that it is of the utmost importance that we citizens show our support. 

 

The first of the three movies is “24 Solo,” which was best described on the D-20 list by Artemis Racing’s Evelyn Egizi: “This movie is absolutely incredible! Even if you don't mountain bike, this movie appeals to anyone who appreciates bike racing or an inspirational story. The documentary follows Chris Eatough, 6-time World Champion of 24-hour solo mountain bike racing in his attempt for a 7th World title. If you heard the news stories after the race last year - the finish was more than dramatic...”  For more information about the film, you can visit its website at: http://24-solo.com

 

 

The film was made by Arlington-based documentarian Jason Berry, who also made the award-winning documentary “Off Road to Athens” (about mountain bike racers trying to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens).

 

Although one showing of “24 Solo” has already happened, there is another screening on Friday, April 27^th at 9:30pm at the Arlington Cinema n’ Drafthouse.  The movie is expected to sell out, but you can reserve tickets through: http://www.grippedstore.com/index.php?cPath=2_6

 

Also, there’s “The Flying Scotsman” (http://www.mgm.com/sites/theflyingscotsman/), opening in theatres on Friday, May 4^th. 

 

       

 

“The Flying Scotsman” tells the story of Graeme Obree (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Obree), who broke the world hour record in 1993 on an unconventional self-designed bike made from scrap metal and washing machine parts.  His record was broken shortly afterwards, motivating Obree to make another successful attempt to regain the record. 

 

 

The part of Graeme Obree is played by Jonny Lee Miller (best known for his role as Sick Boy in the family classic “Trainspotting”), and the film will be screened locally at the E Street Cinema in Downtown Washington.  It’s a limited engagement (possibly for just one week), so Peanut recommends being careful so as not to miss out on this movie.

 

Last but not least, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (http://waba.org), a local free weekly newspaper, and a new bike shop (http://bikerackdc.com) will show the 1979 classic “Breaking Away” (http://imdb.com/title/tt0078902/)  as a bike-in movie under the stars (that’s outside) on Saturday, May 12^th at 8:00pm at Marie Reed Field in Adams Morgan.  There will even be complimentary valet parking for bikes at the adjacent tennis courts.  For more information, go here: http://washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=1318

         

Here is a review of “Breaking Away” from the Internet Movie Database (IMDb):  “Breaking Away is a picture that is better than the sum of its parts. Oh, its parts are wonderful. The writing is sharp, observant, and funny (It won an Oscar!), the acting is superb (how Paul Dooley was nixed a nomination never mind the award I'll never know), and it is a well shot film. But its charms go even deeper. It is the story of four young men in their late teens, who are staring adulthood in the face after a year of leisure in the "small town" of Bloomington, Indiana, and how they deal with watching successful college kids pass them by. It is also about a young man in search of an identity (including that of an Italian bicycle racer), and of a family that is loving and supportive, almost in spite of itself. All these add up to a richly enjoyable, deeply moving family picture that gives us many moments to treasure (a large number include Paul Dooley as the frustrated and confused, but eventually loving father). Like other sports movies (the lead character races bicycles), it has a contest at the end, and like many much poorer ones, it ends with triumph. But we cheer not only for these immensely likeable "cutters," but for ourselves, for being treated to this bittersweet, touching, and wonderful movie.”

 

 

 

On behalf of the Racing Union Cinema Appreciation Society, Comrade Peanut thanks you for your support and hopes that you will join her at the movies.

---posted by josh

 

While Comrade Billington pooh-poohs those of us who like to go roundy-round at Hains Point at noon, we all know he’s just jealous he can’t get away to join us at lunch. 

 

But, change is in the air at the point – our old friend, “The Awakening,” is going to be dug up and moved:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/21/AR2007042101477.html?hpid=artslot.  Apparently, the old guy isn’t owned by the Park Service, but rather by some private entity who’s selling him to a developer trying to create some sense of place in his otherwise sterile suburban development.

 

The plan has met with some controversy, and I can’t say I disagree with the notion that because of the obvious controversy, “no wonder the purchase was kept secret.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402027.html)  Raw Fisher, on the Post website has loads of information (including background on the artist, Seward Johnson -  http://www.sewardjohnson.com/site/index.html), and his column culminates in the suggestion that the developer is “stealing” a treasure:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/04/the_hand_at_haines_point_steal.html

 

Still, it seems like all of this is a done deal.  I just hope it doesn’t screw up the noon Hains Point rides.  It also leads to an obvious question.  What’s going to fill the commemorative void at the point? 

 

A bicycle sculpture?

 

 

Some kind of pop culture reference?

 

 

 

A political statement?

 

 

Maybe something for the kids?

 

 

So what will we look up at as we go roundy-round?  What entity will exist at the point which will cause us to warn our fellow cyclists of clueless tourists trying to make it across the street?  One suggestion is the Titanic Memorial, a distraught woman who current looks out at the Washington Channel amidst the urban renewal mistake that is the SW waterfront.  A contest of sorts is described here:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/25/AR2007042502789.html

 

-- posted by Chris

Anyone catch the Sally Jenkins' column in today's Washington Post about Floyd Landis and doping?  You can find it here:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402594.html. 

One quote from the column which interests me is: "What should be an open-and-shut case has been confused by the sloppiness of the French lab, and the blindly prosecutorial behavior of the World Anti-Doping Agency and its underling, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which threaten to compromise the facts and make the accused, Landis, look like a victim."

OK, yeah, that sounds about right.  But I grew tired of this story not even a week after it broke.  Besides, everything you want to know about doping can be found here:  http://www.racingunion.org/CommentView,guid,fb399aa8-5df9-4b9a-a366-a9ae2d8fdb01.aspx,

here:  http://www.racingunion.org/CommentView,guid,b7221ef0-5b13-432d-83bc-c3a4d42571cc.aspx,

and especially here:  http://www.racingunion.org/CommentView,guid,1ab8bb45-ed7c-474a-bc3d-a12f3b797397.aspx

What's more interesting to me is our local Pravda's view of the sport of cycling:  In the Post's world, cycling is, apparently, almost exclusively about two items:  doping and the Tour de France (it used to be that the drop-down menu for the Post online didn't even have "cycling" as an option.  Instead, they had "Tour de France."  It's true!).  Oh, and don't forget about Lance Armstrong's problems with authorities because of a swimmin’ hole he installed at his dacha in Texas.

But, when it comes to the print edition of the Post (I'm not talking about all those AP stories you can get from the online version), try finding a real story about the Tour of Flanders or the Giro d'Italia.  Hell, you don't even have to go overseas – try finding out how things are going in the Tour of California or the Tour de Georgia.  I dunno, maybe they've run a story about the CSC Invitational.

But, then again, maybe not …

Maybe this critique is unfair since the Post's coverage of sports in general is lacking – unless, of course, it's dealing with every little minutia involving the professional football team which is located near Washington.  And it's probably unfair of me to single out the Post - the local media in general is due for some serious finger-waving.  And there's some bright spots.  But I have, on occasion, noticed a story printed in the Post about local amateur running events; and the Post’s coverage of high school sports have improved remarkably in the past few years.  They’ve even made some attempt at acknowledging the existence of the Washington Capitals. 

So, while acknowledging that it is perhaps a tad bit idealistic to expect the Post to actually cover some of the races in the Washington metro area, I'm wondering:  what’s it gonna take for the Post to cover some local amateur bike races?  Do we need a young super-star from Russia to join the scene here, like Alex Ovechkin with the Caps?  Maybe our own local doping scandal will grab the Post’s attention.  Recreational drugs?  Sex?  What will it take?  Have any suggestions to grab the local media’s attention; put ‘em in the comments section!

-- posted by Chris

enrique penalosa is one of my new heroes...

http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/physically-separated-bike-lanes/

another regrettable indication of the proclivity towards affluence amongst the upper echelons of the management of bicycle racing.  from the uci commisaire's communique on stage 1 of the tour of virginia:

FINES: Sergio Hernandez (#266) – important wearing of numbers. You need to not use handmade numbers. A $39.00 USD fine (30Euros) has been assessed and must be paid to the Chief Referee before the start of Stage 2.

lest there be any confusion about the racing union's position regarding homemade materials, you can verify for yourself that we lead the way by example. 

we tend to look out for each other, our friends and our comrades.  but it is honestly with mixed feelings that i note the passing of comrade yeltsin. 

he had amazing flashes of brilliance and was capable of being among the best populists ever to stride the firmament.  but it's equally clear that as time went by, his flame burned a bit less brightly.  historians will find much to write about him and in 50 years, when the arcing storyline of what was the cccp is better understood, his role will be clearer.  we can probably celebrate the good things he was capable of doing while being mindful that we all have weakenesses.

instead of some stuffy sort of sermon, i suggest we tell anecdotes that show insight into what thre man was really like.  my favorite so far...

http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2007/04/remembering-boris.html

-posted by dear leader

two equally impressive feats in one day.  feat number one: organizing and holding a tour of the tyson's corner area, from a bike rider's perspective, and getting only local community leaders and planners to attend so that they can discuss what they see and what sort of options exist.  amazing.  feat number two: getting the washington post to mention it.  fabb just continues to impress me with the amount of work they do and the quality of their planning.  their ability, as an organization, to focus their efforts such that people who can really make a difference (county officers, planners, represtatives) see the issues and understand the issues is admirable.

-sg

it's a sad day for the return of the union book club.  i had hoped to offer inspiraiton for the masses.  for those who chafe at the yoke of imperialist corporate oppression, a literary balm; for those who thirst for deeper knowledge of the revolution, a heady draught; and for those who yearn to further the union message, a constant companion and source of solace.

regrettably, i have found the opposite.  rather than an uplifting message for young cyclists, i have uncovered a conspiracy.  i can say with absolute conviction that up until yesterday, book burnings had seemed laughably stupid to me.  no longer.  the book being reviewed today is a purported children's book called messenger messenger by robert burleigh with illustrations by barry root.  it is subversive, and a clear violation of racing union thought.

this book appears to defy simple analysis.  it also appears to defy complex analysis.  i attempted to take a cue from roland barthes, and used the tools of structuralist poetics and literary deconstructionism, but found myself no closer to a breakthrough.  it's just not clear what message this treatise seeks to pass along to our youth on bikes.  because i am so unclear on where this book is going, i have attempted a sort of photo essay, in which i document the experience of reading it and the reactions of the union's young pioneers who have perused it as well. 

in the following picture, it's not clear if calvin is cold as in frigid or cold as in "stone cold freak".  i'm not down with the hipsters and their modern urban patois so i think i miss a lot.  even my five year old son thought he was smoking.  and what's with the beirut/haifa street landscape he's riding through.  it's surreal.  he's biking through a war zone with smoke coming out of his mouth.

lest you think the sketchy landscapes will give way to safer suburbs or the relative security of the big city, think again.  apparently a good part of messenger man's job is floating around exceedingly flaky locales and making pick ups and deliveries of non-descript materials.

but messenger man can't do it on angst or urbane cool alone.  no, he needs fuel.  my son took one look at this photograph and asked me if i rode my bike like this, with no hands, eating and drinking, with cars very close by.  i was dumbfounded.  you sort of have to wonder if the guy who drew this picture even knows what riding a bike in traffic is like.  there may be people stupid enough to try to pull this off, but i've never seen them.

if there's any upside, it's that he wears a helmet.  and though this is a positive, like so much else, it just seems to show how out of touch with bike couriers the illustrator is.  we all know that the cool couriers don't wear helmets.  and what's up with the circa-1976,white formula one car in the background?  this is simply a myserty wrapped in a puzzle shrouded by an enigma.

the sole member of the racing union's young pioneers who this was beta tested on seemed to take a shine to it, though he admitted to a considerable amount of confusion regarding the images and text.

attempts to debrief this child were made.  when this didn't go well, attepts to deprogram him from the hipster chic and surrealist guidance that the book contained were redoubled.  appropriate literature was substituted...

but was met with loud denunciations and threats of physical abuse.

so in closing, this book gets no hammers and sickles: the default rating system of the racing union book club.  oh, and formal orders have just been promulgated that...er...um....karl marx has been removed from the racing union young pioneer's official summer reading list and has been replaced with a 24 page glossy stock book called "ultimate nascar", a book about pirates and a book about a robot who is taught to swing on vines by monkeys.  this decision is, apparently, rather set in stone so appropriate orders to local community bookstores should be placed immediately by parents of young pioneers who serve in the vanguard of the revolution.  that is all.

-dear leader

when i run into friends off the bike, they are always busting my chops.  "how's my favorite bolshevik, hmmm?  still mad that about the nexis of cycling and corporate culture?"  they don't know the half of it.  the freedom of cycling is being crushed by an attempt to conflate corporate branding and capitalistic business and organizing principles with the rights of the people to be free, to ride their machines, and not be hassled by the man.  you want to take a good, hard look at the following from the local promoter's listserv...

This weekend at Tyson's we had a possible incident where one of the racers from a team other than NCVC, the promoting team, "volunteered" to help out in transcribing the results and may have attempted to place a teammate's name into a results slot that the officials couldn't identify the rider even though the teammate was most probably a DNF. In our final results, we've listed the rider as a DNF, as had the officials. But the lesson we learned that we're passing on to all our registrars and to you is don't allow persons not associated with the promoting team from "assisting" in the transcribing of the results no matter how attractive an offer of help might seem in the rush to get the results posted.

now i love racing my bike, but it won't take much more stuff like that to put me off permanently.  i can't imagine the motivation for something like this.  i can imagine, fairly accurately, what the person who did this thinks about his fellow cyclists.  i'm not interested in "outing" this individual but i want to tie this together with the material from the top of the post.  given how debased a lot of stuff is now, you can lose perspective.  it seems to me that if people aren't taking drugs to win at the amateur level, or cribbing free laps they don't deserve or altering results, our peers are calling that a victory.  that's not what i would call a victory.  the vision i have for cycling and the social order is considerably more radical than that, but given where people are, we've got a long way to go.

what's the moral of the story?  it can be found here...

George Hanson: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it.

Billy: Man, everybody got chicken, that's what happened. Hey, we can't even get into like, a second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel, you dig? They think we're gonna cut their throat or somethin'. They're scared, man.

George Hanson: They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.

Billy: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.

George Hanson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.

Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That's what it's all about.

George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.

Billy: Well, it don't make 'em runnin' scared.

George Hanson: No, it makes 'em dangerous.

i want to be free.....free to ride my machine....and not be hassled by the man....

-sg

brian finds the best links...

-sg

 

from sim in france...

Coming into the corner he was in the caravan.  Astana car stopped just before the corner to let him by, then saw the other cars coming behind him I guess because he totally gunned it and screached around the corner... sadly this was at just the same time as the ride came into the corner, forcing him to brake a little and change his line.. it didn't work out...Then 2 more guys nearly ran into the back of the Lotto car, the one weaved out to miss it and touched the front wheel of the guy behind him... they did NOT go down.... what a shables..

-sg

 

Perhaps it’s because I have a fondness for local coffee outlets that support cycling, such as a certain place in Arlington ( http://www.javashack.com/homepage.html ), or maybe it’s because my espresso machine at home has spoiled me; but, after the article noting the passing of Kurt Vonnegut, and last night’s hockey scores, I was immediately drawn to this piece on the Starbucks strikers in this morning’s Washington Post:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/11/AR2007041102322.html?hpid=features1&hp. 

 

Despite the fact that some of us frequent a certain Starbucks outlet for chess and various coffee products, this union action is surely worth noting on this blog.  It’s also worth noting that the specific union involved is the Industrial Workers of the World.

 

The IWW.  The Wobblies! 

 

This is the union of songwriter Joe Hill (writer of such gems as “The Preacher and the Slave:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27ll_Be_Pie_in_the_Sky_When_You_Die_%28That%27s_a_Lie%29), Eugene V. Debbs, and Mother Jones.  And, it’s a union that remains faithful to its radical roots with its true support of the rank-and-file, as opposed to those who would purport to represent the rank-and-file.

 

-- posted by Chris

how can you not be pleased by this....

Possible Pilot Program to Bicycle Between Government Center Complex Buildings   The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) wants your feedback. FCDOT is considering a pilot program to have bicycles available for employees to travel from the Herrity and Pennino buildings to the Government Center for meetings, deliveries, etc., instead of driving or walking. Biking this short distance would save gasoline and reduce emissions — you'll save money, get exercise and do your part to help the environment. Send your comments by Friday, April 13, to FCDOT's Bicycle Program Coordinator at bicycleprograms@fairfaxcounty.gov.

it's for real.  even if you're not directly affected, you're welcome to drop a line to the bicycle coordinator and thank them for the innovative approach and the hard work.  you're also encouraged to show a little bit of love to fabb who are continuing outreach and education efforts.  check out the details of their upcoming tour de tysons.  a whole lot different than ncvc's recent event, this will bring together development and policy folks to look at the area from a cyclists point of view: on bikes.  they discuss options and hopefully open some eyes.

-sg

Have bike; Will travel 

 

While the Washington, DC area went back into a return to winter of sorts this weekend, I took my new traveling Dahon break-away bike on its first airplane trip this weekend – to San Jose, California, where it was in the comfortable 70s.  I can report very few problems in transit (although the airline wanted to charge me an extra $80 on the way back for the bike, when it was forcefully pointed out to them that this was contrary to their policy regarding bike cases that are within in the size and weight limit, they relented).  Happily, I also seem to have learned the art of putting together and disassembling the break-away within the time frame the manufacturer predicts.  But before I get into the bicycle-related aspects of my reconnaissance in California on behalf of the Union, a few non-bicycle related matters to put it all in context:

 

Much of the San Jose area where I stayed looked like an office park.  Not necessarily offensive – in some places even nice – but nothing particularly adventurous either.  This is certainly true of the area where Rob – the reason for my visit – works.  Clearly, there’s been a lot of growth here – not too different from parts of Northern Virginia in that regard.  On the other hand, there were some really nice older structures in the downtown area, and in an area of what I think was Santa Clara, which I wandered into while getting (intentionally) lost on my bike ride on Friday.

 

This is why Rob has to always go to San Jose??!

 

Another structure, not old at all, in downtown San Jose was HP Pavilion, where we saw the Sharks play the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night.  Unfortunately, the Sharks lost the game, though it was close and they’re heading for the playoffs anyhow.  We were rooting for the home team, of course, but it’s nice to see a hockey game where you don’t feel too emotionally invested in what the outcome is – it certainly makes it easier to appreciate the good hockey played by both teams.  To this transplant from the Upper Midwest, it’s totally bizarre to see a hockey arena that serves sushi surrounded by large palm trees. Still, the fans there seemed far more enthusiastic then they do here for the Capitals (even when the Caps are playing well).  An enthusiastic sell-out crowd was on hand for the game, albeit in a smaller arena then “The Joe” in Detroit or ScotiaBank Place in Ottawa.

 

 

 

Go Sharks!  (Except for when they play the Red Wings, of course….)

 

In the world of cycling, I was very much impressed by San Jose’s facilities, with lots of various accommodations for bikes in the infrastructure.  Although I remain suspicious of the true utility of bike lanes, there were a number of streets where bikes lanes seemed an absolute necessity in order to legitimize the presence of bikes – for instance, the “expressway” which ran by our hotel.  There were also “shallows” on some side streets, markings on the road indicating that bikes are present but not marking out a specific designated lane for bikes.  I’m pretty sure I spied a few trails as well, though I didn’t ride any.  For the most part (with one exception), I found motorists to be generally respectful of the presence of bikes.  I don’t know if that experience is representative of cyclists in San Jose as a whole, but it’s notable as I was traversing the roadways in part during late rush hour with other comrades on two wheels heading to work.

 

From time-to-time, the topic of bicycles on the Metro system comes up on the Wash Cycle blog, most notably whether the authorities should lift the ban on bikes during rush hour (the answer is “yes.”  See http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2007/02/dr_gridlock_dis.html#comments).  In this regard, it’s interesting to note that the light rail system in San Jose not only allows bicycles on board the trains, they also have a special spot where you can store them.  Very civilized!  When the revolution occurs, this model will be emulated throughout the land.  Although I hasten to note that the light rail system in San Jose doesn’t seem to have the volume of passengers the DC area metro has, it still goes to show that a large metro area can handle such as concept.  The buses out there also have the same kind of front-end bike racks with which Metro buses here are equipped.

 

Cool!  Bike racks on the light rail!

 

In doing my research for the trip, I had hoped to join in on a local group ride.  I found a number of rides in the area, but none on the full day I had free for me and my bike.  So, a local cyclist who spent some time in the Washington area clued me in on a route I couldn’t refuse to try.  A popular ride, apparently, with local cyclists, it was a road which climbs a hill to the east of San Jose – in fact, during the Tour of California, this climb is the KOM for the San Jose stage.

 

 

The route is roughly the reverse of this route:  http://www.bikely.com/cuesheet/route/Calaveras-Loop -- instead of climbing up Calaveras, I was advised climbing the Sierra Road side first would allow for a better descent – not as steep, thus affording a chance to enjoy the scenery more.  The “down side,” of course, is that Sierra is steeper then going up Calaveras.  If I had time, I would have done both on this trip, but I took the advice and took Sierra Road up.  Bikely.com says that the total climb is 674 meters, which puts it at 174 meters higher then the ride up from downtown Luray on Route 211 to the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive.  I think Sierra Road is steeper, however.  (As another point of reference, the Tuesday afternoon Hill Ride, according to http://www.ncvc.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4, has a total climb value of 1650 feets, which works out to about 503 meters.)

Well, Jens Voigt I’m not!  (as if you needed to be told that…)  But, despite that, it also wasn’t quite as hard as I had anticipated.  It certainly would have been easier had there been some Racing Union colleagues there to egg me on – or at least some other cyclists.  None were to be found, until my descent, when I saw a number of cyclists making their way up the other way.  Sadly, the weather wasn’t ideal, either.  Had I been thinking, I would have waiting until later, as, again, my descent found much better weather – towards the city, it was grey and cloudy; towards the east, it was inspirationally blue.  Thus, the second half of the route was much more photogenic on this day, and is where most of these photos are taken.  Some sections reminded me of the Tour de France when it heads through sections of the Pyrenees (this was a Tour of California Stage 1 climb, I hasten to add -- of course -- thatit’s not even close to as high as the Pyrenees). 

 

 

 

Given the proximity to the route to downtown San Jose (I think one could easily do this on a good lunch break), it was surprisingly undeveloped.  Cows and horses were hanging out all over the places, grazing on nice green vegetation (which must turn brown in a month or so, I would think).  There were a few modest farm-type buildings, and a scattering of ostentatious estates, but I was impressed by the relative tranquility of the place.

 

 

 

Before heading down Calaveras when it met up with Felter Road, I took a right and enjoyed some more, er, “rolling hills” before turning around and heading back.  Maybe it was the time of day, or maybe it’s always like this, but I couldn’t believe how few motorists I encountered on this section.  In all, I doubt the full loop was much more then 20 miles, though I added some heading up Calaveras so I’m not positive.

 

Calaveras Road back closer to Piedmont (the cross road in the valley) went through a bit of a gap that felt almost canyon-like in some sections.  Then, flatness.  Maybe it’s all the development, but the valley there doesn’t seem anything like the Shenandoah Valley, which is undulating all over the place.  Well, I had the time, and it wasn’t lunchtime yet, so off I went wandering around the flat valley.  Not being equipped with a map, I just headed up and down urban streets to see what I could see, first back to near my hotel, then past it to what I believe ended up being “downtown” Santa Clara.  It’s odd to me, but I never really noticed any signs telling me where I was.  In any case, I got lost, got re-found again, and headed back to the hotel where I enjoyed a late lunch followed by some nice Peet’s coffee.  I’ll definitely have to use Rob’s job as an excuse to get my bike and I out there again!

 

--posted by Chris

the unholy roleur sent me this link over the weekend along with some hilarious comments.  i found it fairly interesting.  i try very hard to say something when i pass people, and generally try to be polite as well.  i went through a period where if i could see headphones on the person, i wouldn’t bother.  counted it as wasted breath.  i have since changed that, though it's unrelated to this story or something like it.

 

in the link above, i would note that it’s very nice to have a witness who corroborates your story.  we all commute a lot and it has to be a rare event for something like this to happen.  i think there are some interesting issues raised here.  does a pedestrian who is unaware or unresponsive to their surroundings constitute a danger?  would it rise to the standards of endangerment?  one would be quick to assume a role for contributory negligence as well, though you never can be sure.  i've contacted the small army of lawyers we keep on retainer to see if i can get a clear reading on this...

The Racing Union Committee for Physical Culture and Sports Sub-Committee for Bicycle Racing and Event Commission denounces in the strongest terms the capitalist and ill-considered tomfoolery on display here by a misguided individual who has misused and mistreated the general cycling community. Even though the Union wholeheartedly supports the use of bourgeois mechanisms to fight for freedom from tyranny and oppression, to allow innocent and unsuspecting racers to believe that $40,000 in prize money has been acquired for the distribution to winners in a bicycle race is unacceptable.

You will be reminded that the People’s team has already declared this event and venue in perpetuity for the People in its continuing efforts to glorify cycling and two-wheeled transportation. Efforts to illegally and illegitimately co-opt this celebration of Unionist thought and progress is unthinkable and will be met with single-minded and invincible resistance by the vanguard of human-powered locomotion.

Above: Comrade Line at the finish (photo by me)

Below: Comrade Gibbons mid-race; me sporting my new Racing Union kit (photos by Rob)

                            

  

-- posted by Chris