Grab your bicycle and helmet, or just simply join us, as young and old are invited to a free bicycle safety and basic maintenance workshop to be held Saturday, July 12^th at the Soule Branch Library. The library is located on Springfield Rd, across from Le Moyne College, and the event will run from 2 – 4:00 PM.

Children are encouraged to bring their bicycle to learn basic bike maintenance and how to change a flat. Learn why wearing a helmet is not only smart, but cool as well (low cost helmets will be available on a sliding-scale basis). Find out from the experts:

• What traffic laws apply to people riding bicycles?
• Can a cyclist ride on roadways or is riding restricted to shoulders?
• What are the proper hand and arm signals?
• Do riders under age fourteen have to wear protective headgear?

The event will take place rain or shine so come on out and join the fun!

This event is made possible through the generousity of the Bike Loft and the partnership of the Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, the County Libraries and the Onondaga Cycling Club.

www.bikeloft.com

The route has only been ridden twice [the old historian was incorrect in the newsletter] since it’s incorporation into our lexicon in 1998. The RL that year said: “Eighty-five miles of rain AND a flat. We were comforted by the thought that it could have been worse, much worse, like the Giro d’Italia of 1909.”
Sure enough, on the second outing we had rain again. In fact, the thundershowers were so heavy in 2001, the last time the Firecracker 100 has been scheduled, that only two people rode the 100-miler. Believe it or not, one person has ridden both of them.

The ride was first described as: “traveling some old NY turnpikes to Bunker Hill and the sauerkraut capital of this glorious land” and later as “celebrate the 4th on Canada Day by visiting Ottawa and Bunker Hill….” Whatever. There are no big hills, the terrain category is flat to rolling, as we roll along the Cayuga and Seneca Turnpikes to Alloway, Dublin and Montezuma.

Now the ride schedule lists this ride as generally Rolling while the web site lists it as rolling to hilly. Neither are correct. Believe it. This is a 1600 foot elevation change in one hundred miles, obviously less on the
shorter options, a 40-miler and a metric century. Flat to Rolling so you can’t use terrain as a whine. The last ten miles are definitely ‘rolling however.

The course will be marked in red, white and blue. The weather forecast is for sunny and warm. Rumor has it that watermelon and snacks await your finish. The weather promises to be sunny and warm so come on out and celebrate the Fourth on the Fifth in OCC’s inimitable way.

Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery,
NY 321, west of Camillus
Saturday, 5 July, 0900
Three mileage options: 42, 62 and 100.

FYI:
474-3801
Rspear1@twcny.rr.com
spearr@upstate.edu

More information is available at the at b.i.k.e.Syracuse, or Dave Baker, 727-0357 or Kat Oot-Coffey, 569-4242.

– Dave Baker

In it: Rugulation of Rides, Trike Town Update, Almost 4th of July Century, As the Pedal Turns, and other upcoming events

• August 17, 2008
• 75-mile loop beginning and ending in North Creek
• 20-mile option
• Register at www.adk.org or call AD at 1-800-395-8080 x14
• $65 ADK member; $75 non-member
• Apres-ride party:  food, drink, prizes and music
• T-shirt to first 100 registrants

Please thank Tim and Sarah Buckles, owners of the Wine House, for putting together the event. www.twhny.com

And, please join us on the 19th. In fact, drop me an email if you think you might attend, wayne.miner@gmail.com

The Details:

Cost: $10 cover at the door of the wine house*100% of the money goes to B.I.K.E Syracuse.

Time: 6:30 * 9:00pm, Thursday - June 19th

Participants: The Wine House, Kimberly’s Ice Cream, Bear Creek Cafe, Lucky Kitchen, Ianuzi Office Supply, Cazenovia Jewelry, Super Cuts

Food: Samples from Bear Creek, Lucky Kitchen, Wine House (Cheeses, Crackers)

Location: 8240 Cazenovia Rd. (Route 92 in the Manlius Commons Shopping Center), Manlius, NY 315-682-0784

Additionally:

• A coupon book from participating businesses given out to each person attending
• Wine Basket Raffle - All proceeds go to B.I.K.E Syracuse.

Thanks for your attention
Wayne

Beginning June 14th, Swain Resort will be offering lift served mountain biking every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm during the 2008 MTB season. We are proud to offer a fantastic venue where mountain bikers of all ability levels can hone their skills in a truly magnificent natural setting. Come experience over 80 acres of insane downhill terrain with some amazing features thrown in for your ultimate enjoyment.

• Dave Knaebel — crit marshals
• Doug Taylor — pace and wheel cars for the road race
• Mike Lyon — road race and time trial marshals
• Jochen Woicke — registration

On other thanks, I think some people fell through the cracks, like Bob Spear, who drove the pace car today, and Wayne Miner, who handled publicity. Others did yoeman work, like Mike Lyon, who was everywhere.

Finally, I wanted to thank Marcello Prattico for all the work he put in this year in organizing the race. The club owes you a sincere and heart-felt thank you.

- Bill Goffe

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/

See also: http://www.bikeleague.org/

As part of our Club’s work in Advocacy, we would like to know if:
- you bike to work
- if you are a regular commuter or this is your first time
- how many miles (round trip)
- and if you didn’t on Friday (or don’t regularly), and assuming it is doable, why

Please send responses to me off list. Your answers will help us concentrate our effort where it is most needed.
Thank you for your cooperation

Gian