Michigan Bicyclist Magazine-Winter2010

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The League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit statewide organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of bicycling. Our mission is to promote bicycling and increase the safety of bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan. Michigan Bicyclist is a benefit of membership in the League of Michigan Bicyclists. Michigan Bicyclist Magazine is published four times a year as part of the League’s continuing efforts to informMichigan bicyclists.

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MICHIGAN BICYCLIST
In This Issue:
• Michigan Bicyclists Unite in 2010
• Lucinda Means Advocacy Day • Michigan Bicycle Summit

• Grand Rapids & Traverse City Named Bicycle Friendly Cities • And More

Winter 2010

World Bicycle Records set at Ford Human Powered Speed Challenge

uick Release
The League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit statewide organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of bicycling. Our mission is to promote bicycling and increase the safety of bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan. Michigan Bicyclist is a benefit of membership in the League of Michigan Bicyclists. Michigan Bicyclist is published four times a year as part of the League’s continuing efforts to inform Michigan bicyclists.

By  DANTE LANZETTA, LMB Board Chair Connie Ramsey had broken a spoke. Of course, it was on the cog side of the rear wheel. She and her husband, Vern, who never rode far ahead of or behind her, were awaiting a SAG when I happened to pedal by. I guess I thought I was doing what Boy Scouts used to call a “good deed.” More likely, I needed a socially redeeming excuse for carrying spokes, a chain tool, and a cog remover on a sagged ride. Connie and Vern were grateful and, as always, gracious. Needless to say, I didn’t know I was “rescuing” two people who thought nothing of riding from Detroit to Ann Arbor, or Lansing, or Flint, Toronto, Chicago, or Washington, DC (and back), and had taken a train to Seattle and ridden back. All these were self-contained touring, without touring company guides or fancy accommodations. I also didn’t know that they had been active, long before I even thought of group or club riding, in the Metro Council of American Youth Hostels, the group I joined later. By then, they had fallen among more formidable company. Vern says of their first ride to Flint and back with the Wolverines, “I was never so glad to see Eight Mile in my life.” But, as with everything they did together, they also said, “We can do this!” — and so they did. Vern, slim, tall and ripped at 72, was the original athlete; Connie cheered him on. Later, the roles reversed. If you’ve been lucky enough to ride with them, you know about their amazing gift for coaching. Even today, Vern encourages me to do a long-deferred sea-to-sea ride. If I had the guts, I’d want to do it with him. Charlene McNary started cycling to help her avoid diabetes, which runs in her family. Ten years ago, she started Sisters Cycling as a 50-woman team in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour-de-Cure to fight diabetes. Connie and Vern were there to coach them, from experienced rider to novice. Connie even ran bike repair classes in their garage. (I also didn’t know Connie was an Effective Cycling Instructor.) She (and Vern) became a mainstay of the successor Sisters Cycling Club. But that was no big thing for Connie. She played the same role in everything she did. Of particular significance for us, Connie represented the Wolverine Sports Club at the Lansing meetings that created the League of Michigan Bicyclists. If not for Connie, we might not be here today. Connie sewed a sampling of their many tour patches onto jackets that now commemorate See Connie Ramsey, cont. on next page

Michigan Bicyclist

Editor, Art & Design: JOHN LINDENMAYER Copy Editor: DANTE LANZETTA Cover Photo: COLLEEN DALGLIESH Letters/Comments/Advertisements may be directed to: [email protected] Visit our web site for contact information, advertising rates and much more. www.LMB.org Copyright © 2010

Printed on 100% Post Consumer Waste

LMB Directors
Region 1: Region 2: Region 3: Region 4: Region 5: Region 6: Region 7: Region 8: Region 9: Region 10: Region 11: Region 12: At Large: At Large: At Large:

STEVEN ROACH MICHAEL SPROUL DANTE LANZETTA, Chair JIM CARPENTER, Vice Chair PAUL ALMAN RORY NEUNER MICHAEL BOERSMA, Treasurer BARBARA SCHMID, Secretary DAVE KINDY VACANT MICHAEL SHEEAN CHRISTINA RIDDLE FRED DORE DAVE DUFFIELD PHIL WELLS

LMB Tours

ANNE BELANGER, Tour Director - Sunrise Adventure FRED DORE, Tour Director - MUP JIM DOUGHERTY, Ride Leader - Shoreline West MARY DOUGHERTY, Ride Leader - Shoreline West

Staff

RICH MOELLER Executive Director [email protected] JOHN LINDENMAYER Associate Director, Webmaster [email protected]

416 S. Cedar St. Suite A Lansing, MI 48912 (888) 642-4537 | (517) 334-9100 (517) 334-9111 (fax) | www.LMB.org 1 MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

League of Michigan Bicyclists

Connie Ramsey with daughter, Constance Montgomery, and grandson, Zackery.

From the Big Wheel
By RICH MOELLER, LMB Executive Director 2009 will be remembered as a year of challenges. The economy hurt everyone, including LMB. For the first time in four years, we will have a negative financial outcome. Early in the year, I realized this was going to happen. I decided not to cut our efforts to promote bicycling and the safety of bicyclists, but to use the reserves we had built up over the years to carry us through this tough time. In 2010, we will adjust the budget as necessary to continue to carry out our core mission. Another (perpetual) challenge is that bicyclists are a very diverse group. Your belief about what cycling’s main issues are varies dramatically with where you fit in the bicycling community. Realizing that we don’t have the resources or ability to be everything to everyone, John and I try to gauge where our efforts will do the most good. To help us, we seek advice from two groups of LMB volunteers, the Advocacy and Education Committees, which recommend priorities for the League’s efforts each year. As we begin 2010, we are involved in some exciting projects. We are currently developing “What Every Michigan YOUTH Bicyclist Must Know,” an illustrated booklet and a major resource for educating young cyclists. Educating kids is key to the long-term success and safety of bicycling. Teaching an old dog a new habit is much harder than training a pup the right way from the beginning. Although LMB is a statewide organization, it is impossible for our staff to ‘touch’ everything ‘bicycle’ in Michigan directly. Our philosophy is to provide the tools and resources for individuals, shops, clubs and organizations across the state to improve cycling back home. To that end, we are currently developing both an Advocacy and an Education Tool Kit. These will be web-based resources you can use to improve cycling and cyclists’ safety locally. The theme of this year’s Michigan Bicycle Summit, March 27, 2010 is “Providing Tools for a Brighter Bicycling Future in Michigan.” We are delighted to welcome Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, as our keynote speaker. The Summit is meant for individual bicyclists like you, who want to improve cycling in our state. I hope you will join us. On May 26, 2010, all Michigan bicyclists will unite at the Sixth Annual Lucinda Means Advocacy Day. This year, members and supporters of LMB, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Mountain Biking Association will join together to lobby our state legislators on behalf of all cyclists. My new year’s wish is that, though we all come from different cycling backgrounds, we all come together in a united front to promote bicycling and the safety of bicyclists in Michigan. Remember, every day you ride your bike is a great day! Connie Ramsey, cont. from previous page DALMACs, TOSRVs, GOBAs, Wolverine Marathons (200 miles, of course), ACCs, and the very first Peach of a Ride, to name a few. You name the ride; they’ve done it. (You can see why I don’t remember exactly which ride we met on.) Vern says he can’t understand why some folks have made a “fuss” over them from time to time. “We’re just ordinary people.” Well, yes — ordinary people who spent nearly 52 years together, not as a couple, but as a unit. Ordinary people who pooled their income from day one and couldn’t understand couples who fought about money or “couldn’t get along.” Ordinary people who earned the label, “The Honeys,” not just by always addressing each other as “Honey,” but for their outlook on life and the sweetness of their smiles. Ordinary folks who, when their kids started riding ten-speeds, didn’t just join them, but made cycling a ‘family value.’ If you were among the cyclists fortunate enough to attend Connie’s memorial service at St. Stephen’s AME last month — and didn’t already know — you heard just how “ordinary” Connie, and Vern, were — and weren’t. Rev. Dr. Cousin told of his astonishment when he asked the Honeys how they returned from their bike trip to Washington, DC, and they replied, “on our bikes.” But he spoke of his awe when he visited Connie in the hospital and she always tried to cheer him up. No one in the church was the least surprised. Connie was involved with the Campfire Girls, Boy Scouts, Little League, PTA (as president), churches, and her block club. She served 12 years as Detroit Parks Commissioner. She taught aerobics, weightlifting and bike repair. For a time, she worked at Mike Walden’s Continental Bike Shop. She and Vern once rode from Spartanburg, SC to Asheville, NC, ascending 6,650-foot Mount Mitchell. She designed and sewed active wear. She swam, ran, skied and roller-skated. She and Vern raised two wonderful children, and enjoyed grandchildren and a great-grandchild. To get a better picture of her life, read Cassandra Spratling’s beautiful remembrance in the Detroit Free Press at: http://bit.ly/879jNz. (Cassandra and her brother Reggie are among many people Connie and Vern brought into the cycling fold. She rode 2500 miles last year!) Patricia Anstett also wrote great article on the Honeys and their lives and lifestyle about eight years ago, sadly no longer in the online Free Press archive. We, Michigan’s Cycling Community, are diminished by Connie’s passing. Every one of us blessed to have met her and Vern on a ride has glimpsed how great our loss is. Many privileged to have known them, worked with them, and benefited from their kindness and encouragement feel it all the more. Cyclists who never knew Connie or Vern owe these “ordinary” people more than they can realize. As Robert Frost once wrote, “The question he asks, in all but words, is what to make of a diminished thing?” LMB and all of cycling are diminished by the loss of our sister, Constance Ramsey. What we make of our community now, as always, is up to us. Connie and Vern would still say, “We can do this.”
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Michigan Going Bike Friendly
Grand Rapids Gets Award, Cyclists Get Advocate
By BARBARA SCHMID, LMB Region 8 Representative Great news for Grand Rapids – on two fronts! The League of American Bicyclists announced on October 20 that Grand Rapids had earned a Bronze designation in its Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program. Why is that a big deal? Because it confirms that the people of Grand Rapids are committed to improving the city’s cycling infrastructure, riding opportunities, programs and facilities. A Bronze designation shows that we believe in the health, recreational and environmental benefits of cycling. Grand Rapids is one of only three cities in Michigan to earn a BFC award. Ann Arbor has a Silver designation and Traverse City also has a Bronze. Platinum is the highest level attainable. The BFC application process was a long and involved. It included questions involving engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation/planning. Reviewers of Grand Rapids’ application were impressed with the city’s 255 miles of shared-use paths, its 207 miles of Kent County roads with paved four-foot shoulders, its growing bike culture, and a commitment by city officials to improve cycling in Grand Rapids. That leads us to the second bit of good news: Grand Rapids now has its own advocacy group! Cyclists needed a voice in this community. The Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition (GGRBC) plans to be that voice – for commuter cyclists, roadies and mountain bikers. The GGRBC board, which reflects all those user groups, is moving forward with a strategic plan to improve cycling conditions and opportunities in the Grand Rapids metro area. The group has the support of both local cycling clubs, the Rapid Wheelmen and the Western Chapter of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, as well as the League of Michigan Bicyclists. “Our goal is to represent and advocate for bicyclists and bicycle organizations about matters related to safe and accessible bicycling,” said GGRBC Chairman Kevin McCurren. “It’s our desire to develop policies and laws that will help cyclists feel safer on area roadways and develop programs that encourage cycling.” The GGRBC was formed by a handful of people who organized the inaugural Grand Rapids Bicycle Summit, held on April 24, and who filed the BFC application. The group has been meeting monthly for the past year and is making great progress with its organizational structure We will keep you updated about our progress as we complete the coalition’s website, pursue funding sources and develop our long- and short-term cycling initiatives and programs.

Traverse City’s Bike Friendly Award and Smart Commute Success Go Hand in Hand
By MISSY LUYK,  Trail Program Specialist, TART Trails In May, the League of American Bicyclists named Traverse City a Bronze-level 2009 “Bicycle Friendly Community.” The award recognizes Traverse City’s commitment to improving bicycling conditions and its focused investments in bicycling programs and facilities. Judges were particularly impressed with Traverse City’s trail system, cycling events, bike-advocacy groups, Cherry Capital Cycling Club, Boardman Lake Trail Bridge, miles of bike lanes, TART-in-Town bike routes, Safe Routes to School program, Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails’ annual Smart Commute Week (which encourages bicycling as transportation, not just recreation and exercise), and commitment to improving cycling facilities. Fittingly, TART Trails’ Smart Commute Week in June was its most successful ever. Here are the numbers: • • • • 1470 commuters, a 48% increase, attended the free breakfasts. 650 Commuter Cup Team members on 64 different teams averaged 26% smart trips. Participants ‘smart’ commuted over 60,000 miles, and prevented emissions of over 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. In May and June, 1333 riders took BATA on “Try Transit Day” and 15% more residents signed up for the www.NMRide.net web site’s ride-share database. 25 people attended a bike-safety training course.

Kevin McCurren (left), Chair of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition, presents Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell with a traffic sign and framed certificate during a press conference, October 21, 2009. Grand Rapids was awarded a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists. Photo by Barbara Schmid



TART hopes people will continue to ‘think smart’ and incorporate smart commuting into their daily lives year-round. “Many people are

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MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

2010 Michigan Bicycle Summit
Keynote Speaker Andy Clarke
Executive Director, League of American Bicyclists

LMB 2010 Michigan Bike Summit to feature National Cycling Advocates  

Andy  Clarke,  Executive  Director  of  the  League  of  American  Bicyclists,  will  keynote  LMB’s  2010  Michigan  Bicycle  Summit,  and  Chris Phelan, founder of  the  Ride of Silence,  will be a special guest.  Come meet and greet  these two nationally known bicycle advocates.    At the Summit, LMB also will present its 2010  Awards for Bicycle Advocate, Bicycle Educator,  Distinguished Service and Volunteer of the Year.      The Summit will run from 9:00 am to around  4:00  pm  at  Peckham  Industries,  next  to  the  Lansing  airport.  Secure  indoor  bike  parking  will  be  available.    An  optional  20-mile  postSummit bike ride will wrap up the day’s events.    The  theme  of  the  this  year’s  Summit  is  “Providing tools for a brighter bicycling future in  Michigan.” During the day, Summit participants  can  choose  among  12  different  workshops,  covering such topics as: Complete Streets; The  Ride of Silence; Bikeability Assessments; Bike  Shops’  Role  in  Advocacy;  Making  Your  Tour  Accessible  to All; and  Bicycling  and the Law.    The  Registration  Fee  of  $40  per  person  includes all materials, lunch and snacks.  For  a  complete  listing  of  Summit  workshops,  i n f o r m a t i o n   a b o u t   p r e s e n t e r s ,   a n d  on-line  registration,  visit  our  web  site  at    www.LMB.org.

“Providing tools for a brighter bicycling future in Michigan”

March 27 - Lansing, MI

www.LMB.org

starting to think twice about getting in the car, and the event definitely showcased locally available transportation options,” said Luyk. “We are looking forward to growing Smart Commute Week and working with the City to raise our Bike Friendly Community status to Silver, Gold or Platinum levels. We’re not done yet!” To learn more about the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community awards, visit www.bicyclefriendlyamerica.org. For more on Smart Commute Week, visit www.smartcommutetc.org Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, formed in 1998 and located in Traverse City. TART works to enrich the Traverse area by providing an interconnected network of trails, bikeways and pedestrian ways

and encouraging their use. TART Trails include a network of trail systems located in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, including the Boardman Lake Trail, Leelanau Trail, TART Trail, Three Mile Trail, and Vasa Pathway. These trails combine to form over 55 miles of recreation and transportation pathways from Suttons Bay to Acme Township. An estimated 200,000 people use the trails annually, while preserving valuable community green space. TART is working to integrate these trails into the community by advocating interconnected bike lanes, bike routes and sidewalks, and to connect them with a developing regional trails system. For more information about TART Trails, visit www.traversetrails.org

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Dollar per Rider Program
As you browse our annual Ride Calendar, you will see several identified as “Dollar per Rider” rides. You may have wondered, “What does that mean?” Put simply, “Dollar per Rider” participating groups have agreed to donate $1 to the League of Michigan Bicyclists for every rider in these events, to help us carry out our mission of promoting bicycling and increasing the safety of bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan. These generous donations help LMB work on statewide issues that affect every bicyclist every day. LMB represents bicyclists at the state capitol, with MDOT, with Safe Routes To School and with other governmental bodies. We help write legislation and react to legislation that may endanger bicyclists. We develop education tools for bicyclists (such as the “What Every Michigan Bicyclist Must Know” booklet) for personal use and for improving the bicycling environment in their communities. The reality of the world today is that it takes money to keep on top of issues and to provide these education tools. Our income is derived from four major sources. Our primary source is the proceeds from the four major tours we run annually. (We also receive funds from membership and contracts with the state.) Contributions are our second largest source of funding. These funds come from both individuals and the “Dollar per Rider” program. We believe the “Dollar per Rider” program is an easy way for thousands of riders each year to support a statewide organization whose sole purpose is simply to improve the quality of their riding experience. We encourage every one of you to ask your club’s or organization’s leaders to make their events “Dollar per Rider” sponsors, to help LMB promote bicycling and the safety of bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan. 6,539 riders participated in these 22 events, resulting in a combined donation of $6,539 to the League of Michigan Bicyclists. We want to thank the following rides and their sponsors for being 2009 “Dollar per Rider” donors to the League of Michigan Bicyclists: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Assenmacher 100 — Genesee Wanderers Bicycle Club Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour — Grayling Rotary Club Blue Water Ramble — Clinton River Riders Bicycle Club Cass River Habitat Ride for Home — Cass River Habitat for Humanity Cereal City Century — Battle Creek Bicycle Club Clinton River Trail Fall Classic Ride — Friends of the Clinton River Trail Colorburst — Grand Rapids Wheelmen Ford Human Powered Speed Challenge — Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Assn. Lupus Loops Bike Ride & Pancake Breakfast — Lupus Alliance of America, MI/IN Affiliate Metro Grand Spring Tour — Downriver Cycling Club Michigan Tour da Pink — Tour da Pink Team Michigan Middle of the Mitten Century — Tri-City Cyclists Muskegon Oceana Scenic Tour (MOST) — West Michigan Coast Riders MSU Farm Daze Tour — MSU Triathlon Club PALM — Pedal Across Lower Michigan Peach of a Ride — Slow Spokes Bicycle Club Pumpkinvine Bike Ride — Friends of the Pumpkinvine Trail Ride Around Torch (RAT) — Cherry Capital Cycling Club Rural Pearl of a Ride — Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance TCBA Northwest Tour — Tri County Bicycling Association Tour de Livingston — Howell Rotary Club Tour Di Lago — Friends Promoting Port Austin

2010 Ride Calendars Now Available
A complete listing of 2010 “Dollar Per Rider” Events can be found in the Michigan Ride Calendar. The Ride Calendar was mailed to all LMB members in mid January. If you did not yet receive yours, please consider joining to have one mailed to you. You can join using the form on the inside back cover or through our website at: www.LMB.org. And please don’t forget that a great way to support LMB is by riding as many “Dollar Per Rider” events as you can in 2010.

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MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

2009 LMB Donors
Generous contributions from these LMB supporters in 2009 have made it possible for the League of Michigan Bicyclists to continue our advocacy and education programs. These people share our goal of promoting bicycling and increasing the safety of bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan. Their contributions ensure that the voices of bicyclists are heard in Michigan. Donated dollars go directly to education and advocacy, and do not go towards “overhead” costs.

Yellow Jersey Level
($500 and up)
Cherry Capital Cycling Club Clinton River Riders Bicycle Club Downriver Cycling Club Genesee Wanderers Bicycle Club Adam Gordon Rich and Kristy Moeller PALM Steven Roach

Green Jersey Level
($50 - $124)
Doug Arenberg Lyndon Babcock Abe and Rosalie Bangma John Billette Henry Bryan N. Carmody Jim Carpenter Doug Carvell Kevin and Marian Davidson Julie Dean Josh DeBruyn Carl Dewald Frank Eaman Mike Egan Suzanne Fischer Friends Promoting Port Austin Mary Garthe Paul Gauthier June Grabemeyer George Grazul Sue Green Donald Grignani Judy Gruner Joyce Halstead Robert Herbst Melanie Hwalek Arnie and Betty Johnson Carl Jones Paul Lamoureux Jane & Dante Lanzetta Richard Lapinski Jon Levin John Lindenmayer & Sarah Schillio Victor Lukasavitz Mary Lou Mahood Georgia Makens Daniel Massee Sharon McPhail Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Assoc. Bonnie Michalak MI Bicycle Racing Association Cliff and Rhonda Miller Robert Moore Mickey Morris Michael Mowett

Rainbow Jersey Level
($250 - $499)
Grayling Rotary Club Howell Rotary Club Thomas Morris Slow Spokes Bicycle Club

Polka Dot Jersey Level
($249 - $125)
Debbie Bacal Battle Creek Bicycle Club Frank and Judy Beltman David Boyce Todd and Brenda Brooks Arthur Bull Albert Cattell Wendell and Marcia Dilling Friends of the Clinton River Trail Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, Inc. Patrick Harrington David Kepler Shirley Xiao Tao Lai-Saylor Lupus Alliance of America, MI/ IN Affiliate Robert Madsen Oxford Addison Youth Assistance Bud & Gail Preston Dennis Prost William Sherwood William and Marcia Smith Margaret Ward West Michigan Coast Riders

MSU Triathlon Club David Muir Jon Muth Daniel Nolan Richard Oberle Logan and Stephanie Oney Jamie Pallay Leo Paveglio Bill Potere Leonard Provencher Mark Redman Tom Regan John Roby Ricky Rodriguez MC Rothhorn Nellie Simmons Michael TerAvest Lou Therrien Tour de Pink Team Michigan Tri-County Bicycle Association Herman Ulloa David Vannette James Wallace Philip Wells Vincent & Antoinette Winkler Prins Ron Zeeb Rob Zeldenrust

White Jersey Level
($1 - $49)
Linda Ackerman Barbara Appledorn Whitney Becke Cynthia Behe Jack Berghoef Dave Card T J Cook - Gaccione Maryann Daddow Carl Dewald Craig Frizzell Carl Gildner Terrilee Gillanders Gary Gillow Dennis Gingiloski Valerie Grix Richard Harder Robert Herbst

Edward Hessler Gordon Jackson Anne Johnson Mark Johnson Ron King Randall Kopf Sharon Korpal Leonard Lapacz Walter Lehman Georgia Makens Matthew McGough Terry McLeod Clifford Miller Rose Nowak Richard Paielli Doreen Palmer John Pierce Murray James Pyle Doug Queener Barb Schmid Ross Schueller Martin Shubitowski Betty Smith John Stoner Michael Unsworth Larry Wilson John Wood Jessica Yorko John Zalewski Ron Zeeb

Donors are listed as of January 1, 2010. LMB is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your contributions are fully tax deductible.
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World Bicycle Records Set at Ford Track
Written by: MICHAEL MOWETT Illustration by: C. MICHAEL LEWIS Photos by: COLLEEN DALGLIESH

What would you think if you were going along I-75 and saw from your window a bicycle being pedaled at 56 mph? This wasn’t its top speed (nearly 83 mph), just its average cruising speed. A three-day event, called the Ford Human Powered Speed Challenge, brought the fastest human-powered vehicles and cyclists in the world to Michigan this past July. The competition was held on the five-mile oval test track within the Michigan Proving Grounds, owned and operated by the Ford Motor Company in Romeo, Michigan. Twelve world records were set during the weekend, some more than once. More world records were set here in Michigan than at any other similar event in history. (See results next page) The event, hosted by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA), was organized by Michael Top: Greg Westlake of Canada listens to music with the top off his world-record-setting, arm-powered streamlined tricycle. Left: John Morciglio of Waterford, Michigan, on his homebuilt carbon fiber recumbent. He has started a Mowett, an IHPVA mem- business selling these. Right: Barbara Buatois of France awaits the beginning of a world record run with the top off ber and test engineer for her streamlined recumbent.

Ford. Over 50 cyclists from six countries (the US, Canada, Mexico, France, Slovenia and the Netherlands) and over 100 volunteers took part in the competition. These bicycles can average faster speeds for one hour than the fastest top speeds (40 to 45 mph) most top-notch bicycles can reach in a sprint. For instance, Sam Whittingham, a 37-year-old former member of the Canadian National team, averaged over 56 mph for one hour. Barbara Buatois, a 31-year-old amateur racer from France, averaged over 52 mph for one hour. Both are amazing athletes, but their machines helped make these speeds possible. Nearly anything goes in these competitions, as long as it’s human-powered. For instance, the Ford Challenge featured

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MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

two-wheeled, three-wheeled, tandem, World Records set at the Ford Human Powered Speed Challenge and arm-powered designs. Several Romeo, MI, July 17-19, 2009 vehicles had no windshields and riders used only battery-powered cameras to Cycling Time Miles Average Rider’s Rider’s Record Hr:Min:Sec Ridden Speed Name Nationality navigate. Getting rid of the windshield and lying flat on your back reduces air One Hour Distance 1:00:00 56.3 56.3 mph Sam Canada Man Whittingham drag. The previous one-hour record One Hour Distance 1:00:00 52.2 52.2 mph Barbara France holder, Damjan Zabovnik from Slovenia, Woman Buatois was circling the track pedaling backOne Hour Distance 1:00:00 20.8 20.8 mph Greg Canada wards using a mirror to see forward. He Arm Powered Westlake had the highest speed of the weekend, 66 100 KM Time 1:07:02 62.1 54.2 mph Sam Canada Man Whittingham mph over 200 meters, the fastest anyone’s 100 KM Time 1:12:15 62.1 50.3 mph Barbara France ever cycled unaided at low altitude. Woman Buatois Racers competed in a time-trial 100 Mile Time 2:33:29 100.0 39.1 mph Hans Netherlands format, racing one at a time without the Man Wessels benefit of drafting, tailwinds, motors 100 Mile Time 2:48:45 100.0 35.6 mph Ellen Netherlands Woman van Vugt etc. The track was recently rebuilt and Six Hour Distance 6:00:00 233.3 38.9 mph Hans Netherlands repaved with asphalt. It is flat all around Man Wessels with banked curves. The new track Six Hour Distance 6:00:00 187.0 31.1 mph Ellen Netherlands helped contribute to the record speeds. Woman van Vugt For some cyclists, pedaling 100 miles, a century, might be a relaxing all-day event. Some packs of racers at the Avita Blackbear 100, from Gray- with an interest and the patience to create these works of arts. Greg Westlake, a 23-year-old Canadian Paralympic champion, ling to Oscoda, have finished in under four hours. At that event, Dave Johnson from Olivet has pedaled a streamlined recumbent bicycle to used arm power to go a world-record 20.8 miles around the track in a course record of three hours, 38 minutes. Johnson was one of the one hour. He uses prosthetic legs to walk when he’s not cycling. His competitors at the Ford Speed Challenge. Rick Wianecki, an engineer three-wheeled vehicle was built by Mike Sova and Ivan Samila from from Okemos, built two streamlined recumbents raced at the competi- Toronto. He later set a world record top speed of 43.7 mph over 200 tion, including Johnson’s. Hans Wessels from the Netherlands set a meters, faster than most Olympic cyclists on a velodrome. So just how fast can these vehicles go? Two months after the event, new 100-mile world record of two hours, 33 minutes, representing an at another competition hosted by the IHPVA in Battle Mountain, average speed of over 39 mph. Even more amazing, Wessels kept going, stopping only once, keeping Nevada, Whittingham went 82.8 mph and Buatois 75.4 mph over 200 up his nearly 39-mph speed to travel a record 233 miles in the six-hour meters on a flat five-mile stretch of closed-off desert highway. These category. Not far behind him, Ellen van Vugt, also of the Netherlands speeds were possible because Nevada’s elevation is higher and its air was setting three women’s world records in the 100-kilometer, 100-mile drier than Romeo’s. Human-powered vehicle racing is a little known niche in bicycle and six-hour events, averaging over 31 mph for six hours. Across the state, recumbents have grown in popularity. Riders racing. It has been featured a few times on the Discovery Channel. receive a speed benefit from the smaller frontal area and reduced wind There are no gimmicks; no drafting or pacing is allowed, nothing but resistance. Recumbents also diminish neck and back problems associ- human energy. There are few sponsorships for riders. Each competitor ated with road-racing bikes. Members of the IHPVA have gone to the is driven only to set a world or personal-best record. Amateur athletes, extreme with carbon fiber shells designed with nearly 1/10th the drag former Olympic cyclists and college students all compete at these races. In 1914, aerodynamic shells were banned from International Cycling of an ordinary bicycle. Some of the vehicles can weigh in at as much as 60 lbs, hefty by most bicycle standards, but a great deal faster. Gearing Union (UCI) bicycle racing. The recumbent design was banned in systems can consist of standard bike parts, but rearranged to double or 1934 because its inherently faster design was allowing amateurs to triple the gear ratios to produce high gears. Most of the components are beat professionals. The modern-day human-powered movement was borrowed from existing bike tech. The frames and shells are unique, started in 1974 by a college professor who challenged his students to hand-built by college engineering students, artists, and nearly anyone See World Records, cont. on page 14
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Answers to Questions from Our Readers:
By SARAH W. COLEGROVE & TODD E. BRIGGS We recently received two emails asking about various Michigan laws as they relate to bicyclists. Phil W. inquired, “When is it acceptable to ride two abreast?” Thomas B. had a query about the bicyclist’s right of way in intersections. Our responses to both questions: road. It may seem dangerous to move toward the middle of the street, but the left edge of the lane is the best position for a left turn because you don’t have to look back while turning. You can concentrate on the traffic from the left, right and front. If you are turning left from a left-turn-only lane, ride on its right side or in its center, depending on the width of the lane and the amount of traffic. Don’t let left turning cars behind you pass you on the right. You may have to cross more than one lane to reach the left-turn-only lane. Cross one lane at a time, and always look back to convey your intention to drivers for safety. As a practical tip, if it is rush hour or the roads are congested, it is acceptable to turn up onto a sidewalk and make the “left turn” as a pedestrian or a bicyclist using the sidewalk. Just cross according to the signals and, after you have reached the far side of the road, safely move out into the street and become a roadway bicyclist again. Left-turn signal – The left-turn signal for a bicyclist is to extend the left arm and hand horizontally (no bend in the elbow). Use the turn signal early and deliberately. Straight Through an Intersection. Going straight through an intersection is fairly easy. You have the right of way. Be sure, however, to stay out of a right-turn-only lane. If the lane is marked for both through traffic and right turns, ride near the lane’s left side until you get through the intersection. Make sure right turn traffic passes you on the right. Sidewalk Rules. Rules for the operation of a bicycle either on a sidewalk or in a pedestrian crosswalk are found in MCL 257.660c. The statute states that a bicyclist riding on a sidewalk or in a pedestrian crosswalk has all of the rights and responsibilities applicable to a pedestrian using that sidewalk or crosswalk. It also states that a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a pedestrian crosswalk shall yield the right of way to pedestrians. Bicyclists are also required to “give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.” An “on-your-left” is always appreciated and appropriate. The statute also states that a person shall not operate a bicycle on a sidewalk or pedestrian crosswalk if that operation is “prohibited by an official traffic control device.” Some local municipalities have their own rules. An East Lansing See Q & A, cont. on next page
Sarah W. Colegrove and Todd E. Briggs are lawyers in private practice. In addition to helping athletes injured in bicycle and sports-related accidents, they concentrate in the areas of civil litigation, including personal injury, real estate, probate and corporate law. Todd and Sarah are competitive cyclists, triathletes and adventure racers. Each has competed in many state and national running, biking and triathlon competitions, including the Hawaii Ironman where Todd has gone sub-10 hours. You can read past articles from Sarah and Todd on our web site at: www.LMB.org/pages/Resources/Legal_Info.htm. You can contact them at: Briggs Colegrove, P.C. 660 Woodward Ave., Suite 1523 Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 964-2077 Fax: (313) 961-2345 [email protected]

Riding Two Abreast – When is it Appropriate?
According to Michigan law, bicyclists may ride two abreast. Specifically, Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 257.660b states, “Two or more individuals operating bicycles upon a highway or street shall not ride more than 2 abreast except upon a path or portion of the highway or street set aside for the use of bicycles.” While it is allowable to ride two abreast, that right is limited by subsequent MCL 257.676b, which states that a person “shall not block, obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the normal flow” of vehicular traffic upon a street or highway. So, if a bicyclist is blocking or impeding traffic, he or she may be cited for a civil infraction. If it is rush hour, it may be wise (and safer) to ride single file or choose a different, less-traveled, route.

Intersection Law – Who has the Right of Way?
Right Turns. As most Michigan bicyclists know, a bicyclist riding upon the road has the same rights and obligations as a motor-vehicle driver. The most significant difference between the Michigan laws that govern vehicles and those for bikes is that bicyclists must ride as far to the right of the roadway as practicable. At stop signs and traffic lights, the same rules apply to vehicle drivers and bicyclists. Bicyclists must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. MCL 257.612 (1)(d) states that vehicular traffic, including bicyclists, “shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.” Right-turn signal – Bicyclists, like automobile drivers, must use turn signals to alert others on the road that they are turning. Bicyclists must ride in the right-hand lane and, in order to initiate a right turn, the bicyclist should use the appropriate hand signal. In Michigan, the right turn signal for bicyclists is to extend the left arm horizontally and bent ninety degrees at the elbow with the left hand extended upward. (MCL 257.648(2). Left Turns. Left turns are more difficult and dangerous. When making a left turn, bicyclists must yield to motor-vehicle traffic from the left, right and straight ahead. You must also yield to pedestrians, bicyclists and anyone lawfully using the crosswalk. On an ordinary two-lane street, turn left from the left-hand edge of the lane (allowing cars to pass you on the right if necessary). Always listen and look behind you before riding away from the right edge of the
9 MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

Have a suggestion for a bicycle-related legal topic for an upcoming Michigan Bicyclist Magazine? Send suggestions to: [email protected]

Keep the winter months rolling as if the spring were just around the corner!
By SCOTT BENJAMIN, PT, DScPT “How sublime to look down on the workhouse of nature, to see her clouds, hail, snow, rain, thunder, all fabricated at our feet!” — Thomas Jefferson Now that winter is here, we are probably all thinking either about how to stay warm or about going to a warm place. We also may be thinking about biking, where to do it, and what to do to keep in shape during the winter months. Winter is not the time to eat a lot of food and gain 10 pounds while waiting for spring. We need to work in winter to keep our bodies strong, and work out hard so that we don’t waste the spring getting ready for summer. But, we may be asking ourselves, what exercises should we do in the winter? As we have mentioned before, your legs are powered by your spinal nerves. This gives you the ability to work out more intensely and get ready for biking season. If your job requires a lot of sitting and you find your low back, or even your gluteal region, is aching, you need to think about what exercises will keep you in shape. your lower spine, the muscle in your mid-back, and even your shoulder muscles. The “sling” forms a crossing pattern from top to bottom, e.g., from the upper right to the lower left. Transversus and Pelvic-floor Muscles: The transversus is one of the largest stabilizing muscles in the body; along with the pelvicfloor muscles, it keeps the pelvis and hips in place. The transversus is situated in the anterior of the spine; it wraps around to the back of the trunk and attaches to the deep tissues. This muscle can be envisioned as a ‘corset’ muscle, which draws a person’s belly to his or her back. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that also help keep the pelvic joints from shifting around. If you have ever needed to go to the bathroom while driving, but “held it in,” you did so by contracting your pelvic-floor muscles. You may find this funny, but if you simultaneously contract your pelvic floor and your transversus slowly and with control, you can give yourself some pelvic stability. This is a very good exercise while driving, working or just standing. Contract the transversus by pulling your belly button in toward your back and “hold it in” with the pelvic-floor technique to give yourself what we call “pelvic floor stability.” bike trainer or rocking back and forth outside. Work these muscles after you ride or work out on a machine.

Exercise Amounts:
Muscle Name Multifidus Transversus Pelvic Floor Hip Muscles 30 Reps 30 Weights Time 1-5# NA 1-5# 15-30 sec 15-30 sec 30-60 sec

The multifidus (sling system) exercises can be measured by time or by number of repetitions. I would suggest you alternate the reps and time methods for the hips and the slings system. You can work the transversus throughout the day, both when you are sitting and standing. The rule for weights is to work toward 5% of your body weight, whatever that may be; but work slowly and do not push too fast or you will find the muscle will not become stronger, but decrease in function, or even ‘shut down.’

Final Comments:

Back Muscles:

In this edition, we focus on the multifidus muscles, the deep stabilizers of the lower back. The multifidus are the most medial muscles that support the spine and help side flexion and back extension. This muscle system is critical to the stability of your spine. To work it easily during the winter, you can perform what is called a “sling” pattern. (See www.LMB.org for more details) This will work the muscles in

Hip Muscles:

Your hips are important to your winter stability activities. You need to focus on the gluteal muscles, as well as the hip rotators. (See www.LMB.org) The gluteal muscles will help you with walking and, believe it or not, with pelvic control when you are on the

Keep working out three to four days a week, so that when spring rolls around you are not struggling to get out on the road in good condition. Keep active, work on aerobics at least four days a week, and stay active. Enjoy the winter and strive daily for success for your body, just as you do in your life and, come spring, you can raise your output and goals for the coming year. If you have questions, please contact me at [email protected].

Q & A, cont. from previous page ordinance prohibits bicyclists on sidewalks from biking faster than walking speed. Michigan State University has an ordinance that bans bicycle operation on all sidewalks (fortunately many bike paths exist) and an ordinance that requires bicyclists to walk their bikes across pedestrian crosswalks. MSU considers the crosswalk an extension of the sidewalk with the goal “to keep pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers safe by separating them.” The key is to be aware of local laws and ordinances. As always, feel free to email us at [email protected] with your questions and comments. Enjoy the season and ride safely!
10

2009 LMB Tour Report
Our 2009 season benefited from some wonderful bicycling weather. The cooler than normal summer temperatures provided riders with a comfortable environment to enjoy Michigan’s beautiful scenery. The economy reduced enrollment early in the year but, as the summer wore on, bicyclists realized they really needed a good bicycling vacation.

Pedal and Paddle Tour, Montague
Our first tour this year was the first weekend in June. We had beautiful weather both days, with a shower overnight. A total of 61 riders headed out on Saturday morning to explore the Hart-Montague Trail and enjoy an ice cream break at the Country Dairy. They returned in the early afternoon to board buses to take them upriver to canoe and kayak down the White River. Sunday they explored the coastline between North Muskegon and Montague, before heading home.

Sunrise Adventure Tour, Rogers City
The third weekend in June is the traditional gathering time for bicyclists to explore the Sunrise Coast. This year, 129 riders explored the Lake Huron coastline, the Wooden Boat Show in Presque Isle, Black Mountain, Ocqueoc Falls, Metz, Posen and Rogers City itself. Once again, Rogers City rolled out the red carpet for our riders. A highlight this year was a special showing of “November Requiem,” a documentary about the sinking of the SS Carl D. Bradley, directed by our Tour Director, Anne Belanger. Twothirds of the Bradley’s crew was from Rogers City and the shipwreck had a tremendous impact on the community.

Clockwise from top left: Pedal and Paddle participants canoe down the White River through Manistee National Forest • MUP riders in front of Point Iroquois Lighthouse at the entrance to the St. Mary’s River and Soo Locks entrance. • Shoreline West riders pedal into Traverse City • Sunrise Adventure Tour Director Anne Belanger greets riders after a day of cycling the sun-kissed shores of Lake Huron.

berry. As is customary, we had light drizzle for most of that day. This didn’t stop riders from enjoying the trip and sights. During our stop in Newberry, riders participated in a contest to name our mascot, the MUP moose. The name chosen was Myles. From Newberry we returned to St. Ignace.

MUP (Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) Tour, St. Ignace
The third week in July saw 129 riders converge on St. Ignace for the start of the MUP Tour. Many riders took advantage of Saturday or Sunday before the ride to explore Mackinac Island. MUP riders began their loop of the Eastern UP by heading to De Tour Village/Drummond Island. From there, we headed north to Sault Ste. Marie. At the Soo we had a layover day to give riders time to enjoy all Sault Ste. Marie has to offer. (There was also an optional ride that day. After a short ferry ride, riders got to explore Sugar Island.) From the Soo, we headed to Paradise. The next day took us to Whitefish Point and Tahquamenon Falls on the way to New-

23rd Annual Shoreline West Bicycle Tour, Montague to Mackinaw City
In early August, 417 riders took part in the 23rd edition of the Shoreline West Bicycle Tour. This year’s tour included a layover day in Traverse City so riders could explore the area. An early morning rainstorm forced the evacuation of riders to the school in Ludington. Fortunately, the only ill effect was minor damage to a couple of tents. Temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s curtailed swimming in Lake Michigan, but were perfect for riding and sightseeing. As we hugged the coastline, from Montague to Ludington to Frankfort to Traverse City to Charlevoix to Harbor Springs and finally Mackinaw City, riders enjoyed many See Shoreline Report, cont. on next page

11

MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

Bicycle Advocates Join Forces for 2010 Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Day
The League of Michigan Bicyclists, Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and Michigan Mountain Biking Association are pleased to announce they are joining forces for the 2010 Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Day. A traditional bike parade to the State Capitol will kick off the event, which will take place on the Capitol’s north lawn on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, starting at 9 a.m. In recent years, each organization has held its own lobbying day, but this year it is particularly important for us to join forces to push for a new policy for nonmotorized transportation. All three groups will be asking legislators to support laws and policies to make Michigan bicycle-friendly. One resolution, on Complete Streets, is already on the Legislature’s agenda. All bicyclists, on- and off-road, need safe routes to their destinations, everywhere in Michigan. Many other states already have mandated Complete Streets, and LMB, MTGA, and MMBA all believe it is overdue in Michigan. As soon as our coalition of supporters agrees on the language of a bill, we will lobby for its passage. In addition to Complete Streets, Advocacy Day participants will ask their representatives in Lansing to support a number of other initiatives to protect all Michigan bicyclists. LMB will continue to focus on legislation to incorporate bicycle-safety education within drivers education, and on our vulnerable

Bicyclists Unite

May 26, 2010 Lansing, MI

Join LMB, MMBA and MTGA in advocating for better road, trail and mountain bicycling in Michigan.

www.LMB.org
user bills to increase penalties for striking or killing a bicyclist. LMB will also continue to advocate for a ban on “texting” while driving. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months. Details on the agenda and how to register will be posted at www.LMB.org/advocacyday.htm

Left L to R: Thomas Harpstead, Lenny Provencher, Melissa Weipert, Legislative Assistant to Representative Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing), LMB Region 6 Representative Rory Neuner, Shaun Roark, Robert Lovell, Tim Potter and Shawn Livermore at the 2009 Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Day. Right: Advocacy Day attendees on the Capitol steps. Photos by Kirt D. Livernois

12

LMB Advocacy Update
Radio Station Boycott
Greater Media, owners of Detroit FM station WCSX, have cancelled the Deminski and Doyle Show. This past summer, LMB urged cyclists to boycott the DJs and station for their deplorable hate speech against bicyclists. Thank you, everyone who participated in this successful campaign. (http://bit.ly/8cQre4)

Advocacy & Education Toolkits
We are just starting work on LMB’s on-line Advocacy Toolkit. An on-line Education Toolkit is also planned. These toolkits will debut at the 2010 Michigan Bicycle Summit on March 27th, 2010. LMB’s Advocacy and Education Committees offered a number of great suggestions for both toolkits. Please consider joining one of these LMB Committees. To volunteer, or if you have additional toolkit-content suggestions, please email [email protected].

Motorcycle partnership
LMB is pleased to announce a new partnership with ABATE (American Bikers Aiming Toward Education). ABATE asked LMB to add motorcycles to our bill, currently before the State Legislature, to add bicycle-safety education to Michigan’s Drivers Ed curriculum. Motorists treat two-wheelers very similarly, whether human-powered or motorized. We are currently working with sponsors to amend our bill. ABATE is well represented in Lansing, so we hope our cooperative effort will help make this bill law in 2010.

Shoreline Report, cont. from previous page picture-perfect scenes, as well as many enjoyable things to do. Highlights along the way included the Cherry Market, “watermelon” hill, the dune climb, Cherry Republic, Old Mission Peninsula, Torch Lake, the Ironton Ferry and the Tunnel of Trees. Each day, riders were encouraged to share their photos, which were shown as a slideshow at dinner. You can see the best of them online at our website. After 23 years, we decided we needed a mascot, so riders chose the cherry. 2010 riders will name the mascot and choose an appropriate logo.

Complete Streets
Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan (HKHM), a broad group of advocates including LMB, is working to reduce childhood obesity in Michigan by improving “active infrastructure” transportation options like walking and cycling. Last month, Representative Jon Switalski (25th District) introduced House Resolution (HR) 187 supporting this concept. HKHM and Rep. Switalski hope his resolution will demonstrate the benefits of active infrastructure to lawmakers and citizens. House Transportation Committee Chair Pam Byrnes (52nd District) introduced the same language as House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 034), the “Complete Streets Resolution.” If the House passes this resolution, it will also be introduced in the Senate. Passage there would put both bodies on record as supporting Complete Streets. These resolutions are extremely important first steps. Please contact your Legislator today to urge him or her to support both resolutions. (See the resolution and list of co-sponsors at www.MICompleteStreets.org). LMB is still working closely with Rep. Switalski to draft legislation to give Complete Streets in Michigan legal “teeth.” We will keep you informed of our progress.

25th Shoreline West Anniversary
In 2011, Shoreline West will celebrate its 25th year of exploring the Lake Michigan coastline. The first tour went from Three Oaks to Traverse City, where it ended with a bicycle parade into the downtown. Over the years, the tour has changed its route, but has stayed true to its mission: providing riders with an opportunity to explore the Lake Michigan coastline by bicycle. Plans for celebrating 25 years are currently under way. There will be three options for the 25th Tour. One will retrace the route of the first tour, from New Buffalo to Traverse City. The second will be a three-day ride from Traverse City to Mackinaw City, and include Mackinac Island. The third will combine the first two, allowing riders to cycle the entire Lake Michigan shoreline from one end of the mitten to its tip. Dates will be August 6th to 16th. Mark your calendars now and watch for more details.

2010 Advocacy Day
This year, the League, the Michigan Mountain Bike Association, and the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance will unite to host Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Day on Wednesday, May 26th. During our Lansing visits, cyclists from all three organizations will lobby their representatives for a unified bicycling legislative agenda. Please save the date and tell all your cycling friends to do the same, as we come together at the Capitol to improve cycling for everyone. (See page 12 for more details.)
13 MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | Winter 2010

LMB Membership Application
World Records, cont. from page 8 build a faster bicycle. The IHPVA was started the next year and speeds have increased ever since. About one major record-attempting event is held every year somewhere around the world. Racers will travel a great distance to race on the best tracks. Back in 1989, IHPVA also hosted an international championship on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in Adrian, where an Olympic cyclist reached 45 miles in one hour. Thus Michigan has had the prestigious honor of hosting two of these top events in 20 years. The goal of the Ford Speed Challenge was to set endurancecycling records, to see how fast bicycles could do 100 miles and 100 kilometers, and how far bicycles could go in one and in six hours. (At the annual Battle Mountain, Nevada event, the focus is top speed.) Most of the records came on Sunday, after periods of rain and high winds scaled back events on Friday and Saturday. Helpfulness among the competitors is a big part of the event. Without volunteers, some of the faster vehicles could not even get started. Crew members tape the two halves of the aerodynamic shell closed around the rider. Then the rider is supported at the starting line before the ‘go’ signal is given. The event was also open to so-called “stock” recumbents, meaning those without an aerodynamic shell surrounding the bike and rider. Stock recumbents are also very fast, even with amateur racers. John Morciglio, a craftsman from Waterford, made two such vehicles that raced at the Romeo event. His carbon-fiber masterpieces are amongst the best in the world. John averaged 25 mph around the track for one hour. He got into recumbent racing after being passed by a recumbent at a local park two years before the competition. It is safe to say that the fastest cyclists in the world this past July were in Romeo, rather than the Tour de France. In fact, many of the racers in Michigan tuned in to watch the Tour each night. Cyclists all want to go faster at some point. Many wonder what a Lance Armstrong-type athlete could do in a streamliner for one hour. Sam Whittingham and Barbara Buatois are both easily Category One-caliber cyclists, with astonishing endurance and power output. The answer could only be learned if Lance gave it a try, training and acclimating himself to the recumbent position and tight confines of a streamliner. Perhaps even Lance himself would have to admit that it is about the bike! Want to see more human-powered action? June 12-13, 2010, the local Michigan chapter of the IHPVA will hold a human-powered rally on the Waterford Hills Raceway course. All are welcome, including riders of recumbents, time-trial bikes, tricycles, etc. This rally has been held for 26 years. Full results and more pictures: http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/FordChallenge2009/

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MICHIGAN BICYCLIST
416 S. Cedar St. Suite A, Lansing, MI 48912 Dated Material January, 2010

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID LANSING MI PERMIT #686

Pedal and Paddle
June 5 – 6

Montague, MI - Saturday morning, cycle 10-50 peaceful miles primarily on the Hart-Montague Trail; return that afternoon to canoe or kayak on the White River. Sunday morning, bike another 20-45 miles past beautiful inland lakes and Lake Michigan shores.

Variable Distances (10-50 miles per day)

MUP (Michigan’s Upper Peninsula)
July 17 – 24
St. Ignace, MI - The MUP Tour will explore the eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. We begin and end at St. Ignace; our mid-tour layover day in Sault Ste. Marie will give you plenty of time to discover its treasures. From St. Ignace, you (and your bike) can also ferry over to experience the magic of Mackinac Island.

334 Miles

Sunrise Adventure
June 18 - 20

15

Anne Harrigan

Rogers City, MI - A three-day bicycle adventure showcasing the pristine natural beauty of northeast Michigan along the sun-kissed shores of Lake Huron. Each day will feature a different loop tour from Rogers City. Don’t miss Presque Isle Wooden Boat Show, Ocqueoc Falls, Black Mountain and 40-Mile Point Lighthouse.

Variable Distances (40-60 miles per day)

24th Shoreline West
August 7 - 14
Montague, MI - Experience the Lake Michigan Shoreline for seven glorious days of riding (three-day option also available). There is so much to see and do that you won’t be able to do it all. From swimming in the lake, to the cherry lady, to the sand dunes, to the sights and sounds of Traverse City, through the Tunnel of Trees, and finishing with a spectacular view of the Mackinac Bridge. Come join us for our 24th year of exploring the coastline of Lake Michigan.

384 Miles

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