Training Tips from Pre

The Training Philosophy of Steve Prefontaine. So simple... it just might work!

Pan de Muertos

And now, hot out of the oven

Viva Las Vegas - Day Three

Interbike - Day Three

By Day:
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just west of town. 

By Night:

Binions Steakhouse, one the best kept secrets in Las Vegas... a trip back to Glitter Gulch's "glamorous" past.

Viva Las Vegas - Day Two

Interbike - Day Two

The Show - Mandalay Bay Convention Center

Groupies gather at the USA Cycling booth to snap photos of photos of Walt Axthelm, Durango's very own Masters Living Legend.

After a long day on a noisy Show floor, it's time to pick your preferred form of pain relief.

Viva Las Vegas - Day One

Interbike - Day One

Mt. Charleston -11,916 feet

Prominence - 8,241 feet (above beautiful Pahrump, Nevada)

Home to extensive forests of Bristlecone Pine,
and quite ancient ones as you approach timberline.

And some Aspen in a former burn area.

Dutch Treats

Another interesting Multimodal/Complete Streets idea from the bicycle-loving Netherlands!

Can You Count?

Every other year (currently odd years), in accordance with the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, the City of Durango performs counts of bicycle riders and pedestrians. One of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field is the lack of documentation on usage and demand. Without accurate and consistent demand and usage figures, it is difficult to measure the positive benefits of investments in these modes, especially when compared to the other transportation modes such as the private automobile. An answer to this need for data is the National Bicycle & Pedestrian Documentation Project, co-sponsored by and Alta Planning and Design and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council. This nationwide effort provides a consistent model of data collection and ongoing data for use by planners, governments, and bicycle and pedestrian professionals. Having accurate data helps the City of Durango to know how our infrastructure is being used and is necessary to secure grant funding for projects such as sidewalk repair, bicycle facilities, and transit system improvements.

The Multi Modal Division of the City of Durango conducts these counts in the fall of every odd year. The dates used are those suggested by the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. There is generally a series of three different days on which the counts are to be performed. On each day there are two shifts of two hours each. For the sake of consistency, the same 9 locations throughout city limits are used every year that the counts are performed.

To conserve costs and encourage citizen participation, volunteers are recruited to conduct the actual counting. With three days of counting and two shifts on each day at nine different locations, there is a total of 54 slots to fill.

For more information or assistance signing up, please contact Wade Moore at wade.moore@durangogov.org or (970) 375-4952.

Stories From Camp

Click the Image to Read More Easily.

Thank you to Ann Camp for sharing her story.

Excellent Friday Time Waster

100 Years of TDF Bikes
Le blog de velosvintage.over-blog.com100ème Tour de France, 100 vélos, 100 champions...

Le Tour de France 2013 fêtera sa 100ème édition. Pour commémorer la plus grande épreuve cycliste au monde, je vais vous présenter cent bicyclettes et leurs champions qui ont marqué l'histoire de la grande boucle.

The link to this blog was sent to me by longtime cycling and cycling industry veteran, Tom Hoefer, with the subject line of "Friday Time Waster". He couldn't have been more correct. I'd note that there are also nice photos of the bicycle's respective rider and racing jersey. Here's just one year to whet your appetite.

Peugeot-Wolber 1912, Marcel BUYSSE (B), 3 participations

Ska Brewing Jerseys

Fun new jersey designs from the creative Durango brewmeisters at Ska Brewing. Or as they say of themselves, "It Takes Characters to Brew Beer with Character". Now available at their brewery in Durango or boure.com.

Modus Hoperandi

Autumnal Molé Stout

Twinkle Brothers

Stop That Skanking
by The Twinkle Brothers

Captivating lyrics about Ska Dancing (aka Skanking) that are both clever and nonsensical, enlightened and silly... but definitely rhyme.

Mama, Mama, look at sis,
she's in the backyard skanking like this.
Come in here girl, come here fast,
and stop that skanking off your yes, yes, yes.

Mama meet a rooster, she thought it was a dog,
she put it on the table with it's two legs off.
Here comes sister, with a spoon and a glass,
She was scraping out the gravy out it's yes, yes, yes.

Rub a dooba dooba dooba ba day yeah
Rub a dooba dooba dooba ba day yeah

Come in here girl, come in here fast,
and stop that skanking off your yes, yes, yes.

Where I from in Augustine,
a bullfrog was using a sewing machine.
He sewed and he sewed, yet he stitched too fast,
he get 99 stitches in his yes, yes, yes.

Two Christmas Eves, not a soul in the house,
nothing was moving, not even a mouse.
Suddenly I hear, something fast,
it was Santa Claus sliding on his yes, yes, yes.

Rub a dooba dooba dooba ba day yeah
Rub a dooba dooba dooba ba day yeah

Come in here girl, come in here fast,
and stop that skanking off your yes, yes, yes.

*Note: Accuracy not verified, but it seems pretty close to me.
- Drew

Learn to Dance to Ska with Tony Verity at the Sombrero Club in 1964. 

May Flowers

Despite a Dearth of April Showers!

Photos by Lisa Bourey

Frozen Flower Rescue Rangers

Q: What to do when the Durango forecast predicts 17°F for the early morning hours of April 18th?
A: Time to quickly save every early blooming Spring flower in the garden!

Luckily, we know someone trained in floral arrangement.

Ahh, Magnolias... our bush produced 8 flowers, four have opened and we had to cut them all. Last year we vowed to never have to bear witness to a frozen Magnolia flower ever again.

The meaning of a white Magnolia flower is purity and perfection.Who could disagree?

Other meanings for different colors are beauty, perseverance, nobility, dignity, sweetness and love.

Who could not agree??

Plus, Snow Drops with Polka Dots!

Fritallaria ‘Rubra’... it was worth cutting the only stem in the garden as it will not survive tonight's hard frost, but thankfully the bloom will last for a long time in a vase.

Legend has it that a young Jewish girl began to cry when she had no gift to offer Jesus upon his birth. As her tears fell to the earth, tiny flowers sprouted and were called Christmas Roses, also known as Hellebores. Much beloved among gardeners, the Hellebore heralds the coming of Spring, when most of the garden is dormant, by sending up flowers as early as January and continuing to bloom through late April.

Photos and Arrangement by Lisa Bourey

Ohh it's Phat Baby!!!

by Ned Overend

The Steamboat Springs snow bike race was a blast! I won the 50km event and got an extra prize for beating all the skiers. Last year the skiers had the overall fastest time, but this year the snow conditions favored the cyclists.

The course was a tough one - up on Rabbit Ears Pass at between 9,500 and 10,000 feet altitude, with 2500 feet of climbing and 15-20 mph winds. My Strava GPS showed top speeds of just over 40 mph on the downhills and with some turns at the bottom and low knobs on my 4.7 "Big Fat Larry" tires, the bike was drifting and it got a little sketchy.

http://app.strava.com/activities/46581825

The course was soft on Friday during my pre-ride, but by Saturday morning it was frozen solid, then got softer and rougher as the skiers and cyclists wore it down. For sure, having a fast rolling tread was an advantage. Some of the fastest guys out there were on conventional 29er's with 2.3 tires, but they had to hold back on the descents. The 3.8 BFL's that some racers had were probably the ideal tire for that course. Choosing the right tire width and air pressure is the most important factor in snow bike racing.This sport is blowing up! Especially in the midwest, where they have some events with 200-300 riders competing. Its going to be interesting to see how the equipment evolves over the next few seasons.

Vern, God of the Equinox

The Vernal Equinox

2013 March 20, 5:02 AM MDT (11:02 Zulu Time)

And this is what we have to enjoy on the first day of Spring in Durango, Colorado.

Photography by Lisa Bourey

Bicycle Friendly Colorado

Colorado Ranks Fourth in 2012 Bicycle-Friendly State Rankings
League of American Bicyclists move Colorado from 22nd to 4th Place!
From BicycleColorado.org

Colorado ranked 4th this year, joining the top states for the first time since the rankings began in 2008. Colorado climbed from 22th place to where we sit now in just a few short years! The rankings are based on a number of key indicators, including infrastructure and funding that provide on-the-ground bicycle facilities; education and encouragement programs that promote cycling; and passage and enforcement of bicycle-friendly laws that make it safe and comfortable for people of all ages to ride.

The League's release stated, “Colorado exemplifies many of the qualities the League looks for in a bicycle friendly state, including a bicycle commuter mode share that’s more than double the national average, a bike-friendly department of transportation, and a top-notch statewide advocacy group.”

Bicycle Colorado and our members are honored to be highlighted as a factor in making Colorado a great place to ride! Praise also extends to the Colorado Department of Transportation and our Colorado Legislature for actions that have resulted in improved bicycling.

Read more at Bicycle Colorado:
http://bicyclecolo.org/about/2012-bicycle-friendly-state-rankings-pg1282.htm