Cycling West Early Spring Issue - March 2023

CYCLING WEST

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Early Spring/March 2023 Issue; Volume 31 Number 1; Issue 240

Contributors: Chuck Collins, Tom Jow, Erica Tingey, Charles Pekow, Dave Iltis, Steven L. Sheffield, Peter Abraham, Erica Tingey, David Ward, Jake J. Lee, Jay Hudson, Nancy Clark, Gene Hamilton, John Roberson, Roz Newmark, Gene Hamilton, Fuzzy Nance, Garth Frandsen, Kate Wilhite, Bryan Jewkes

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BIKE COMMUNITY Why Black Cycling is the Next Big Thing in Bikes

By Peter Abraham

Recently I attended, for the second time, the All Clubs LA weekend in Long Beach, California. It’s three days of events — rides, seminars, a black tie gala — that welcome cycling clubs from all over. The weekend is anchored by clubs in the Black Cycling community, and over 350 cyclists came in from all over the country.

I believe every community should be represented on bikes: every ethnicity, every sexual orientation, kids, men, women, everyone. But I want to focus for a minute on recreational cycling and the Black community, which has a unique story in the United States and a unique set of road blocks that have prevented their participation in a number of sports.

When I attended and spoke at this event last year — screening an episode of my HBCU cycling documentary series — I realized, looking out across the ballroom, that there is a defined Black Cycling culture in the US. That’s now a thing. But seeing the dramatic growth and tangible

energy at this year’s All Clubs weekend showed me that Black Cycling is quickly picking up steam. The momentum is real. Not only that, but

Continued on page 6

Cover Photo: Riders on the La Sal Loop road during the fall Moab Century Tour.

Photo courtesy Skinny Tire Events

Some of the 80 members of the KRT/QRT club that traveled out from Philadelphia. Photo by Peter Abraham

MOUNTAIN BIKING

The History of Carbon County Mountain Bike Trails

tion, as Luke, Fuzzy, Matt, and a fellow named Alan Peterson (builder of Alan’s Alley) continued working on what they believed to be a worthy cause. The Big Wednesday Group Rides became a weekly event, and ridership started growing.

By Fuzzy Nance

In May of 2017, the Bureau of Land Management issued a press release saying they’d “spent the last two years building and mapping” the “Wood Hill Trail System”. The

folks who had been building and riding those trails since 2002 loudly laughed at the absurdity of that claim. Here’s the actual history of Luke and Buster’s Mountain Bike Trails, and the culture they created. In September of 2002 Luke the Pitbull moved to Carbon County

with his human, who everyone knew as “Fuzzy”. Luke was 8-years-old and had spent much of his life in the Bicycle Shops and on the Trails of the Wasatch Front. He was a Singletrack Trail Dog through and through. It didn’t take long for him to get bored with the dirt roads on the mesa above Price, and in early October, he decided it was time to start laying in what would become Luke’s Trail. Fuzzy, being a little dense, took a while to catch on, but before long he acquired some trail building hand-tools and the two worked earnestly through that Winter and had about 2/3 of today’s Luke’s Trail section finished by Spring.

During the Summer of ‘03, Luke and Fuzzy spent all their spare time on that mesa, finishing out Luke’s Trail and extending up the Mead’s Rim section to what would become the starting point of Floating Rocks. Floating Rocks named for the large boulders on spires that could be seen

across the ravine. 2003 was also the year that Luke and Fuzzy founded the Price Area Singletrack Society (PASS), a riding club that would eventually become known throughout the West for its renegade attitude and annual Trailfest event. That August, PASS held its first official Group Ride; a trail rides up to the town of Kenilworth and down into Helper for the Helper Arts Festival. Fuzzy and Matt Huff were the only attendees, but you’ve got to start somewhere.

Fuzzy thought that involving the local land management agency would be helpful in accelerating the trail development, and against Luke’s better judgement, met with BLM’s Recreation Department to talk about the project. The BLM’s agents stated on the record that the agency had no plans to develop trails in the Wood Hill area and would not tolerate illegal trails. That already mentioned renegade attitude kicked in and became a source of motiva-

In 2004, a young rider named Ben Kilbourne needed an Eagle Scout project. Ben worked with Luke and Fuzzy to design and build Ben’s Switchbacks, a somewhat brutal zig-zag climb up the side of what would become known as the Dead Dog Mesa, a mesa taller than Wood Hill on the East side of Mead’s Wash and overlooking the Carbon County Airport. Luke and Fuzzy spent much of the Summers of ‘04 and ‘05 putting in The Dead Dog Loop on top of that mesa, so named for the massive dog whose grave under the Dead Dog Rocks (huge boulders on the spine-bridge in the middle of the loop) had washed-out over the years. Rebuilding and dedicating that grave was an important part of the project. The Dead Dog Loop has developed a fairly hardcore following, as it’s a more technically demanding ride than much of the Wood Hill trails and is separated from those trails by the Mead’s Wash drainage.

In 2005 Luke, a life-long confirmed bachelor, became a father. Buster, Son of Luke was born. When Buster was only 3 months old his feet were almost as big as Luke’s, and that was a sign of what was to come. Luke was a big, healthy 75lb ADBA papered American Pit Bull Terrier, and Buster’s momma was a shorter but similar weight Pitty. By the time Buster was 2-years-old, he was 120lbs and a full hand taller than Luke. Luke was about ready to retire, and so Buster started joining trail work days, preparing to step into his

Fuzzy Nance working on the Reno’s Rim Trail. Photo by Fuzzy Nance

Buster the dog on a Carbon County Trail. Photo by Brian Jewkes

father’s proverbial shoes. In time he also became the official Greeter in Fuzzy’s bike shop, Bicycleworks.

In Spring of 2006, PASS put on its first “Trailfest” Mountain Bike Festival. That first year only drew about a dozen riders, but it was the beginning of what would become a considerable annual rager. Emery County’s MECCA had been conducting the San Rafael Mountain Bike Festival for many years, a family-oriented weekend of touring the San Rafael Swell by bike. PASS decided to conduct a slightly more hardcore event, and not quite as family-oriented. Micro-Brewery beer sponsors and Huffy-Toss competitions kept things a little rowdier, which seemed fitting for the Carbon County vibe. PASS held Trailfest a couple of weeks before MECCA’s festival each year so people could easily attend both, and members of both clubs supported each other’s events. The Mountain Bike scene really started growing at that point.

In 2007 PASS established a relationship with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), and taught Trail School with IMBA’s Trail Care Crew. Luke and Buster had designed the route for a connector trail from the top of Luke’s over to Mead’s Rim, so Trail School was taught building the trail named IMBAtween. Trail builders from as far away as Taos New Mexico came to build, learn, and enjoy the comradery of digging in the soil together. Many friendships were formed that endure still today.

In 2008, a PASS member named Kaylum Paletta was working as a counselor for the foster-parents system and had a group of kids who had been sentenced by the courts to service hours for delinquency. Considering these kids were actually sentenced due to their parents being convicted of Contributing to The Delinquency of Minors, Kaylum didn’t think they should be put through the humiliation of picking up trash along the highway in public, so he petitioned the courts to let them do trail work. The petition was granted. Kaylum, Buster and Fuzzy scouted out a return trail from upper Lukes to Alan’s Alley, and the kids spent their weekends building the trail they named Del Quincy (a play on “delinquency”). Years later a fellow named Bill started saying he built the trail, and renamed it “Bill’s Trail”, but everyone who matters knows who really built it. Those kids are grown now, some with families of their own, and have every right to be proud of the trail they built. For many of them, it was a turning point, and it matters.

Later that year, good old Luke passed away at 14-years-old. The

founder of the Carbon County Singletrack movement and original member of PASS was laid to rest alongside his namesake trail, in the spot where he and Fuzzy shared many a lunch in those early trail building days. His grave is marked by a large stone with his name carved into it, a stuffed animal (which he loved), and his collar around the tree shading his resting place. Many people riding his trail stop to pay respects and throw beads into the tree to thank him for starting it all.

In 2009, Buster and Fuzzy put in the section called Therapy, which runs from the top of IMBAtween South to the BLM fence line. It’s a fun, fast, technical downhill that quickly became a favorite. Joe Dyer then helped continue the line South along the edge of the mesa with “Smokin’ Joe’s”, and then Pete Kilbourne (Ben’s dad) helped put in “Knot Pete’s Rim” to finish what would become known as “The Main Loop” back to the Luke’s Trail original starting point.

The name “Knot Pete’s Rim” was Fuzzy’s little joke with Pete. Pete was employed by a certain Federal resource management agency and had real concerns with being outed as contributing to what was, at that point in time, still an “illegal trail”. Since he was nearing retirement, his concern was justified, but Fuzzy being the insensitive jerk he was still wanted to name the section “Pete’s Rim”. Pete wasn’t having it and stated emphatically “It’s NOT PETE’S RIM!!”, and so the trail

was named. Pete has since retired happily with no repercussions from his renegade activities. His trail runs along the edge of the mesa above the Coves neighborhood and makes for a perfect finish to the Main Loop. About this time Buster and Fuzzy had begun scouting Bull Mesa, which was just behind (West of) the Carbon County Golf Course and Country Club. The first section they put in was entirely Buster’s design. It forked off of the main Jeep Trail directly above the Driving Range, North to the mesa’s edge, then around the edges back to the gas well road. It would be the first section, named “Driver”, of what is now called The Country Club Trails. This was just the beginning of Carbon County’s second Trail System designed by great Trail Dogs.

In 2010, Joe Dyer and another crazy Irishman, Josh McCarrell, worked with Buster and Fuzzy to build a section they named Shamrock and Roll, which came off the top of Floating Rocks (above Kenilworth) and looped up and around what’s known as the Spring Glen Rim. It’s a fabulously technical section that took a lot of rock work and adventurous planning and is another favorite of those who like a challenge.

In 2011, Buster adopted his little brother Reno, an undersized Pit Bull who was rescued from dogfighting in Idaho. Reno was only about 45lbs and looked even smaller next to the massive Buster. The two were inseparable, and over the next several years, they worked together diligently to continue the Country Club Trails through 3 Wood, 5 Wood, and Out of Bounds. These trails above Gorley Wash give an epic view of Consumer’s Canyon and the Book Cliffs beyond. The cliff line on the South side of Bull Mesa offered an opportunity for a marquee section. It’s an easily ridable and photogenic but spooky sheer cliff, which Buster and Reno absolutely loved. The first long section was named Cliff Burton (after the late Metallica Bassist), because it’s in a rock band and is really high (wink).

As the Country Club Trails were taking form and gaining ridership, Buster began showing signs of slowing down. He didn’t like long work days and the hot sun anymore, and

unfortunately in 2017, we found out why. He succumbed to the cancer that had been growing inside him for some time. His grave is at the South end of Therapy, the first trail he designed, across the Wood Hill Mesa from his father. Luke and Buster are interred on what is their monument to the joys of Singletrack.

Little Reno eventually recovered from the loss of his big brother and mentor, returning to Bull Mesa with Fuzzy to continue building the South Side of the Country Club Trails. Reno’s Rim, which runs from Cliff Burton to the West end of the mesa, is a tricky, technical, incredibly fun area that alternates between singletrack and ledges, and then loops back to connect with Out of Bounds. The loop, and a nice little campground named Camp Reno (just above his Rim Trail) were completed in 2019, not long before Reno joined Buster and Luke in Trail Dog Heaven. Reno’s grave is in the West corner of his namesake campground, with a view of the canyon his trail follows.

In more recent years, a select few dedicated souls have taken up

the cause. People like Jordan Steele, Dustin Carlson, TJ Christiansen, and others have taken up the movement started by Luke and Fuzzy and Buster and Reno, and continued the tradition that makes Carbon County Singletrack a unique and soughtafter thing. More trails, features and trailside art continue to be added, and the movement continues to grow.

Carbon has a NICA High-School racing team, and the local Travel Bureau advertises the trails as a destination. The joys of tight, twisty, winding trails will live on forever thanks to the spirit that inspired these trails in the first place. The spirit of freedom, and unbridled passion for dirty fun.

The impact that Luke, Buster, and Reno had on Mountain Biking in Central Utah cannot be measured. If it weren’t for their adventurous, energetic efforts, it wouldn’t have happened. Carbon County, and Mountain-West trail lovers in general, owe them a huge hug and a head rub. God Bless Luke, Buster, and Reno. God Bless the Trail Dogs. …and God Bless Carbon County.

Fuzzy Nance on Therapy, about 10 years ago. Photo by Garth Frandsen

Black Cycling -

Continued from page 3

this community is arguably the most culturally relevant group of people on bikes. Even if you’re not a cyclist, you see the swagger, energy and cool factor of these clubs. It’s visible and energizing.

Black Cycling has hit the tipping point and is now poised to transform cycling at both the recreational and competitive levels. Here’s what I’ve learned as someone who’s worked on diversity initiatives for decades and specifically in bikes for the past four years:

1. A huge number of riders in the Black Cycling community just picked up a bicycle during the pandemic. These folks are new to bikes and unencumbered by what has come before. Clubs like Kings Rule Together/Queens Rule Together (400 members) in Philadelphia and the Black Watts Cycling Club (70 members) in New Jersey have gotten really big just in the last two years. The growth has been driven by new cyclists who are not necessarily enamored with, or even aware of, European professional racing. That’s not a cultural reference point for this community in the same way it is for someone like me who’s been around the sport for decades.

2. The passion of these new cyclists and clubs is unlike anything I’ve seen. The KRT/QRT club in Philadelphia brought more than 80 people out to California for this one weekend. That’s pretty staggering, and I can’t think of an example like this in traditional cycling clubs, with this kind of growth and commitment to travel. The co-founder of the Black Watts club came out from New Jersey, and I met cyclists from Washington DC, Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte, Boulder and New York. The reason they showed up is that the All Clubs event welcomed them with open arms. Traditional cycling events typically don’t reach out to diverse clubs with intention like this.

3. Black culture approaches cycling like they have music, basketball and everything else: with their own spin, their own community and their own vibe. It’s fantastic to see a historically white, tradition-bound sport get an injection of culture like this. It makes me think of NBA basketball in the 1950s, before Black players had arrived in large numbers, compared to the same league in the 1970s, after Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Julius Erving had transformed the game. Could American bike culture be in for a similar reset? I sure hope so.

4. Black Cycling culture is inclusive and welcoming. I walked into the ball room for the black tie gala on Saturday night and saw that of the 350 of us in attendance, maybe 20

were white. At first I felt uncomfortable — Do I belong here? — but that only lasted a few minutes. As soon as we started talking about bikes I realized that all cyclists share a love of endorphins, adrenaline, gear and community. These personality traits make it likely that you will connect quickly and intuitively with others in the bike community, no matter their age, skin color, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. So immediately the crowd felt gracious, familiar and fun. We bantered about group rides, kits, saddles, climbing, Strava. The things all cyclists talk about when they’re in a group. We were all there together to celebrate the joy of cycling. This is why the bicycle may be the best cultural bridge ever created. And like Rahsaan Bahati, a co-founder of this event, told me, “Hospitality has always been part of Black culture.”

5. Young Black cyclists now see bike racing as a sport they have a right to participate in. I recently met Jelaani Davis, who works at the Rapha Clubhouse in Santa Monica. He is evidence of the change that is coming to bikes and bike racing. A nationally ranked triple jumper in his final year of eligibility on the UCLA track & field team, he’s also diving passionately into bike racing. He’s got a coach, he rides with pro racer and L39ion of Los Angeles team founder Justin Williams and he fits in MTB races and fast group rides between UCLA track meets.

At 23, I’d call him part of the “postJustin” generation: he’s aware of what Nelson Vails, Rahsaan, Justin and the St Augustine’s University HBCU team have done. He knows about Major Taylor and he sees the sport becoming more diverse. Jelaani looks at bike racing and says, “There’s a place for me here. I can do this.” I’m not sure he would have said that even five years ago. I expect to see a lot more young and diverse bike racers in the near future, and it will be a huge positive change for the sport of cycling.

6. The bike industry is mostly unaware of Black Cycling and slow to jump on board with the movement. There were only a handful of brands in attendance at the All Clubs event, but good for the ones I did see there: Zwift, Strava, Giant, Brompton, USA Cycling, Serious Cycling and the People for Bikes non-profit. This lack of commitment is representative of brands in many industries with leadership that is stuck in their traditional bubbles and unable to see customer trends. It’s unfortunate because the Black community is waiting with open arms for industry outreach. Black Watts co-

founder Chad Bennett told me, “One of the frustrating things is how we are ignored. Nobody is marketing to us. Our members are brand new and buying bike bags and flying across the country. That speaks to the passion in this community.”

In 2017 I rode my first gravel race, The Belgian Waffle Ride, and I immediately saw the potential for

that kind of racing. If you were paying attention back then, you knew gravel was going to get huge. I feel the same way about the Black Cycling movement and its power to make bikes accessible and welcoming for all communities, ethnicities, gender orientations and ages. I believe that the All Clubs weekend will grow into a national movement with thousands of members. Like Black Watts co-founder Chris Harvell told me, “Cycling is better

when the door is open to everyone.” I couldn’t agree more.

Peter started racing bikes in high school and has continued to ride his entire life. He also runs the Abraham Studio (ABRHM.com), which works with purpose-driven brands in sports, technology and healthcare to find their voices and tell their stories. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

HBCU cycling team pioneer Finote Weldemariam (right) and to train with pros Dante Young, Justin Williams and their teammates. Photo by Peter Abraham

One of the group rides finished at the Korean Bell in San Pedro, California.

Photo by Peter Abraham

Members of the Black Watts Cycling Club in Orange, New Jersey. Photo courtesy Black Watts Cycling

Five Ways to Get Ready to Ride this Spring

focus on Zone 2 cardio-somewhere between 80 and 90% of your cardiovascular exercise should be low to moderate intensity. Some great winter cardio options include walking, jogging, riding a stationary bike or elliptical, or cross-country skiing.

2. Strength training: Strengthening your core, lower body, and upper body will help you on the trail. Incorporating exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, pushups, pull-ups, dead bugs, and rows into your routine will build strength, improve balance, and help prevent injuries.

3. Plyometric training: Plyometrics involve explosive movements, such as jump squats, box jumps, and star jumps. These kinds of exercises can help improve

your agility and power, which are important for navigating technical terrain. Be especially careful to start small if you’re not used to plyometric training.

4. Balance and stability training: Practicing single-leg squats, yoga, and Pilates can help improve your balance and core stability. This will lead to increased control on technical sections!

5. Mobility training: Mobility exercises can increase your flexibility, which is important for preventing injuries. Add some hip stretches, hamstring stretches, shoulder stretches, yoga, and foam rolling to increase your mobility, flexibility, and posture.

Taking some time to get your body ready for mountain biking will

pay huge dividends when it comes to endurance, power, agility, control, stability, and motility. These exercises will not only improve your chances of an injury-free season, but they can significantly increase how much you enjoy riding.

Erica Tingey is the head coach of Women in the Mountains, a mountain bike skills coaching company for adult women. She and her coaches hold clinics in Park City and St. George, Utah. For more riding tips and clinic information, follow @womeninthemountains on Instagram and check out her website, womeninthemountains.com

By Erica Tingey

If you live in a colder climate, we hope you’re finding ways to enjoy winter! Even if you love snow sports, now is a good time to start preparing your muscles, bones, and joints for spring mountain biking. Let’s face it - as we age, our bodies may not be quite as forgiving as they once were. You can improve your chances of an injury-free riding season by keeping it strong and active during the off-season. With all exercises,

be sure to warm up, start small, and increase slowly. Below, we’ve listed five types of exercises you can work on - video examples are available on YouTube and other streaming platforms. If in doubt, check with your primary-care clinician before starting any exercise program! Even 20 minutes a day will help you get off to a better spring start!

1. Cardiovascular training: Mountain biking requires good cardiovascular fitness, so incorporating cardio training into your off-season routine is essential. Remember to

Erica Tingey prepares for the season using a workout ball. Photo courtesy Erica Tingey

Erica in the middle of a plyometric jump. Photo courtesy Erica Tingey

Plyometrics are great preparation for the cycling season. Photo courtesy Erica Tingey

SPEAKING OF SPOKES

Riding in Sweden

Bijou in hand, for Stockholm.

By David Ward

I told my daughter I could live in Sweden. Stockholm, at least, where we have spent most of our time during our two visits to Sweden. It is a beautiful, green, forested region with scenic blue lakes, rivers, bays, and inlets. Everyone speaks English and speaks it well. And you don’t need any cash, just a credit card.

My daughter, Jessica, who works for the State Department (Foreign Service), obtained a position as the administrative aide to Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan and moved to Stockholm in January. Being the owner of two dogs, and only being able to take one with her during her flight over, my wife, Karma, and I decided to take her other dog, Bijou, over for her and make a vacation of it. So, about a month after Jessica departed, we hopped our flight,

That was the start of my love affair with Stockholm and Sweden. It was February, so it was mostly dark and cold. But being a lover of snow and cold, that suited me just fine. Karma talks of being cold the whole time we were there, but I loved it. During our stay, we mostly engaged in indoor activities, of course, but spent a lot of time walking to metro and bus stops and trundling between museums and various tourist sites. During our time outside, I noticed a lot of Swedes out commuting on bikes despite the wet, freezing conditions. But Stockholm is great at melting and sanding their streets and bike paths, bicycling is a ubiquitous mode of transportation, and the Swedes are hardy. We loved Sweden so much, we decided to head back in June to experience a Swedish summer. This time, it was warm, generally in the 80s, and mostly light. A very late

dusk would simply slip into dawn. These conditions are an invitation to cycling, so naturally, the day after I arrived, I sought out and rented a bike, an aqua blue Merida road bike equipped with a Shimano Ultegra component set. And I was so glad I did.

Sweden is very bicycle friendly. All major and busy streets had designated and often separated bike paths. One of the items for this visit was to visit Gotland Island, home to Karma’s great grandmother. So, I rode from Stockholm to Nynashamn, about 40 miles south of Stockholm, and met up with Karma and Jessica to take the ferry to Gotland. I was amazed to find a designated and often separated bike path till I was well out of Stockholm and nearly half way to Nynashamn. Everywhere I rode in the urban Stockholm area there were excellent bike paths anywhere the streets were at least somewhat busy.

I was also amazed at the riding skills of the average bike commuter. I consider myself a good bike handler, but I found I was slowing before and being more cautious than most others. The Swedes are clearly comfortable on bikes, whether passing someone coming in the opposite direction on a narrow pathway or navigating the trickier intersections. And most cyclists I saw were commuters, using their bicycles as an inexpensive (and Sweden is expensive), convenient and efficient mode of transportation. I was a rarity, at least in urban Stockholm, in my Lycra and on my sleek road bike. Most bikes I saw were journeyman bikes, designed for just getting around.

We were in Sweden for 17 days and while there I managed to put in 226 miles. That may not seem like a lot in two weeks, but it was interspersed with museums, tourist sites, and other vacation activities. I was, after all, there with Karma and visiting Jessica, so this was no cycling trip. And one thing we quickly learned about Sweden: It is expensive. My rental fee was 3200 kronor ($330) for two weeks, so my riding cost about $1.50 per mile.

And it was worth every krona.

As mentioned, my first ride was from Stockholm to Nynashamn. It was a nice ride all the way, but especially lush and scenic once I cleared the metropolitan area. This part of Sweden is mostly flat and rolling, and I really enjoyed the rolling, winding road. I just always love anticipating what waits over the next hill or around the next bend.

In Gotland, after spending a day of sightseeing, eating, and relaxing in Visby, the port city, we jumped in our rental car and headed south to Silte, where Karma’s great grandmother, Annie Rasmussen, was christened in the village’s small Lutheran church. Through a serendipitous string of connections, we also located Annie’s natal farm, Stenbro, and Karma even met a very distant cousin who told

David Ward in Stockholm. Photo by David Ward

A bike path in Stockholm, Sweden.

Photo by David Ward

A bike path in Hagaparken, adjacent to an inlet from the Baltic Sea.

Photo by David Ward

The southern tip of Gotland Island, Sweden. Photo by David Ward

The outskirts of Stockholm. Photo by David Ward

CYCLING AND THE LAW

Do I Have to Stop at a Stop Sign or Not?

By Jake J. Lee

For years, we’ve received questions about the obligations of cyclists at intersections. And for years, unfortunately the answer was: do what a car does. However, in many circumstances and for many reasons, what a car does, doesn’t always make sense for a cyclist. One example of this is what to do at a stop sign when there are no other cars. A car would have to stop. But does that really make sense for a cyclist?

Utah Representative Carol Moss fought to give cyclists the right not to stop for 11 years without any success. She was tragically close in 2018 when she got approval from the House Transportation Committee, and it passed on the House floor with a vote of 58-11. From there, she got approval in the Senate Transportation committee. Sadly, the bill died on the Senate floor because the session ended before it could get a final vote.

However, in 2021 she was victorious. House Bill 142 sailed through the Senate floor with a vote of 28-1 and became law under Utah Code § 41-6a-1105. Now, this code section permits a cyclist approaching a stop sign to proceed through the intersection without stopping at the stop sign if (1) the individual slows to a reasonable speed; and (2) yields the right of way to: (A) any pedestrian within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk, (B) other traffic in the intersection, and (C) oncoming traffic that poses an immediate hazard during the time the individual is traveling through the intersection. In common speak, that means that if the intersection is clear, cyclists no longer have to come to a complete stop. They can roll on through.

her they knew they had cousins in America, but nothing beyond that. It was a satisfying and meaningful pilgrimage for Karma.

At Stenbro, I unloaded my bike and headed about 35 miles to the southernmost tip of Gotland. The road wound and rolled through several small, traditional communities, each with its anchoring Lutheran chapel. Such a universal scene, small towns and villages anchored down physically, culturally, and spiritually by the chapels of the area’s predominant religion. Personally, that is something I find comforting and both endearing and enduring.

I love having access to a bike when traveling because of the exploring I can do. Back in Stockholm, I began to explore with a late afternoon ride from Vasastan, the area of Stockholm where Jessica lives, across the bay and out to the eastern most end of the island of Lidingö. I had scenic views riding along the shore, ending with a beautiful view

Does this new law apply to stop lights?

The bill had previously contained a provision that allowed cyclists to roll through stop lights when there was no traffic. However, that provision had to be removed to obtain sufficient votes to pass the bill. As of now, Utah Code § 41-6a305(7) requires a cyclist to come to a complete stop at a red signal and wait 90 seconds before entering the intersection if there is “no other car who has the right of way at, passing through, or approaching the intersection” and no pedestrians are trying to cross in front of you.

What does the law say about intersections without stop lights or signs?

Remember that a bicycle is considered a vehicle. With a few exceptions, a cyclist has the same rights and obligations as any other vehicle. Utah Code § 41-6a-1102(1). Therefore, you would do what a vehicle should do in this circumstance. The operator of a vehicle approaching an intersection not regulated by a traffic-control device would yield the right of way to any vehicle that has entered the intersection from a different road. Utah Code § 41-6a-901(1). When several cars approach an intersection from different roads at the same time, the operator on the left yields to the vehicle on the right. Utah Code § 41-6a-901(2).

What about other states?

Idaho and Colorado also have stop sign laws. But they are a little different than what we have in Utah.

Idaho has a long-standing law. Under Idaho Code § 49-720(1), a cyclist is supposed to treat a stop sign as a yield. Specifically, “a

of a pasture with grazing sheep sloping in the dusk down to the bay.

In my remaining time, I managed several more rides. One took me south and east. This started with me riding to where we had rented kayaks that morning to see if they had found, or someone had turned in, my lost wallet. The answer is no, and I suspect it is sitting at the bottom of the bay we had kayaked in. That’s another story. But I extended that ride to head a little south and then east on another island, then looping back around along the southern shore. I found where all the Swedes hang out after work, sunbathing, dipping, and swimming in the cold Baltic waters.

On another ride, I discovered the beauty of 28” tires when riding on the gravel paths along the verdant west shoreline of a long inlet reaching to the north. There were trails winding all the way to the end, and I really found how lovely it was to bike these trails that ran right

bicycle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection.” However, you must stop at a red light and yield to all other traffic. Once you have yielded, cyclists can proceed through a steady red light with caution. Idaho Code § 49-720(2).

Colorado on the other hand, has a new law effective as of April 13, 2022. Under Colorado Code § 42-41412.5(2)(a)(I) and (b) a cyclist approaching an intersection with a stop sign shall slow to a reasonable speed (10 mph or less) and yield the right of way to any traffic. Once done, cyclists can proceed without stopping. However, if required for safety, you must stop before entering the intersection.

When a cyclist approaches an intersection with a red light, you must stop and yield to any traffic. However, once you have yielded, you may cautiously proceed.

For now, we count these as great wins for the cycling community. As our community becomes better educated about the law and is more vigilant about making sure they abide by it, the law is continually becoming more cyclist friendly. We hope to see many more legislative wins in the future.

Jake Lee is the managing attorney at UtahBicycleLawyers.com. He is an avid cyclist and devotes his legal practice to helping cyclists injured in motor vehicle collisions by no fault of their own. Jake sits on the board of the Utah Association for Justice and with them works to create and pass legislation that benefits Utah cyclists. Utah Bicycle Lawyers also have lawyers licensed in Idaho, Colorado, and California.

along the water’s edge. This stretch also featured several parks and historic sites which made the ride more interesting. My bike presented me with such a comfortable ride that I am converted to going to larger tire widths as my current tires wear out.

On one ride, intending to navigate the circumference of this north reaching inlet, Google maps led me astray, taking me on a few kilometers of trails more suited to a mountain bike than my fatter tired road bike. I was actually headed to church, intending to complete the circumference of this inlet after our meetings, and thought I was going to be late, thanks to the rugged trails I was navigating, but managed to arrive just in time to change. I did complete the loop after church, including enduring some afternoon rain.

It rains a lot here, and on another ride I really got dumped on. Shortly after starting out, it really poured for about 15 minutes then settled into a

MOUNTAIN BIKING There is More to Grips Than Color

By Tom Jow

When shopping for a new bike, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the latest and greatest. What’s that new suspension system and how much travel does it have? How many gears does that new electronic shifting set have? How many watts will that new aerodynamic wheelset save? Is the color of those grips going to match the bike? Are the grips going to “what?!”

I will freely admit that I selected the current grips on my bike because they match my bike. I will also admit that as someone that can tolerate a large amount of dysfunction on a bike that my hands are not happy all the time. To all you readers out there, if your hands hurt, it does not have to be this way.

Selecting a pair of grips for more than just color, however, will be a little challenging. A visit to the Competitive Cyclist website shows sixty (sixty!) different grips. They come in different diameters, ranging from about thirty to thirty-four millimeters. Some have shape to them; bulge in the middle, tapered down from lateral to medial, flared with a platform on the outer end. There is a choice of material too; rubber or foam? With all these choices how is a person to choose?

steady rain. I had forgotten my rain jacket so sheltered under a tree during the downpour. I wasn’t far from my daughter’s home, so I went back and grabbed my rain jacket which was especially useful the rest of that ride. But I have to say, it was especially refreshing to ride in the rain which enhanced all the colors and scents.

I loved riding next to this inlet, so on my last trek, I rode along the west side with its parks and historic sites, then through some interesting

If lightweight is the criteria, then foam grips are the lightest of all. As a material foam is also kind of cushy. The shock absorption of foam works well for many riders. Foam, however, may not work well for smaller hands due to the slightly larger diameter. In general, small hands tend to like small diameters. Having a little shape to the grips can be a good thing. A slight taper from the end or a small bulge in the middle can add some cushion without greatly increasing the diameter. A tapered end will also slightly change the angle of the wrist. Some riders may benefit from some support for the palm and wrist. For these riders there are grips with a platform on the outer end that can be adjusted to reduce strain on the wrist.

Unfortunately, the only way to find a pair of grips your hands will like is to try them out. There are no demo programs for grips, but friends can be a good source for recommendations. Also, with lock on grips they are easy enough to borrow from friends. Keep in mind there is also a “for better and for worse” concept in grip shopping; what works for one hour doesn’t necessarily work after three. So yes, there is a need to spend time testing grips but if it means more time on the bike then the better.

Got a bike question? Email Tom at runnerrunner.rider@ gmail.com

residential area all the way to the north end. I retraced my route and then pedaled on to the shop where I had rented my bike.

It’s hard to explain how much I love riding, and especially riding and exploring. And Stockholm and Sweden especially exhilarating, scenic and exciting. I have fallen in love and hope to be back several more times while Jessica is there.

A mountain bike grip with palm support. Photo by Tom Jow

Tapered, Large diameter and Small diameter grips (top - bottom).

Photo by Tom Jow

Riding an Antique Bike

NUTRITION

The Athlete’s Kitchen: Chocolate and Athletes

Is there a best time of the day to eat chocolate?

If you are destined to eat a treat, such as chocolate cake, enjoy it earlier in the day, as opposed to indulging at 8:00 p.m. when you are tired and lack the mental energy needed to stop yourself from overindulging. You are going to eat the chocolate eventually, so why not enjoy it sooner than later?

By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD

During a long bike ride, I snack on chocolate to boost my energy. After a hard workout, chocolate milk is my go-to recovery food! How bad—or good—is chocolate for me?

By Jay Hudson

It’s easy to rent a bicycle, but it is likely you won’t find an antique. You can find, rent and ride one at “CYKEL UTHYRING” outside the city of Turku, Finland, not far from the capitol city Helsinki. Riding in Finland is not that difficult in most of the country and the backcountry roads are not carpeted with advertising and American fast food joints. They don’t demand a polished bicycling handling technique. In 1994 my wife and I had visited the family of an exchange student who had taken her High School senior year to study English and customs here in America.

I have found that the best way to see a country is to get on a bus and go to the end of the line. It’s cheap and if you sit near the driver, he will act as a tour guide. The other best way to see a country is to rent a bicycle. You can stop where you want, spend as much time as you want, experience the tastes, smells, costumes and practice saying “thank you” in the native language. All this avoids following a hired tour guide, keeping up with his “I’m over here” flag on a pole and missing most of what she says.

I could have rented a modern bike, but I wanted to see if I could feel what a Finnish rider felt when she went shopping for bread or wheat or milk when WWII was hot and she had to keep an eye open for incoming bombs, saboteurs, spies, threats to simply daily living.

I wondered who owned my rental bike in 1944, could she get safely from her home to the fields to find a missed potato for her hungry family. Was the bike used by a patriot in a ride-by killing of a known enemy sympathizer? When gasoline was severely rationed and people had to walk or depend on my rental bike for common daily details, did they cherish the bike not for its recreational value but for survival?

I looked for evidence of survival on my rentalbike. Were there repairs because parts were unavailable? Was the paint color unvaried during the war? Were there graveyards of abandoned bikes or was every broken bike saved because the owner of my rental valued every part for a future event unimagined. Perhaps the original owner laid on a blanket beside a slowly moving stream enjoying company during a lull in the fighting.

I didn’t care if the bike creaked, if it was scratched, handled roughly or seemed unworthy. I only hoped I would not be the cause of its true retirement. Its life was not over!

May the next renter feel its history, its untold stories and it’s truly named “antique”.

Most athletes love chocolate in any form: candy bars, chocolate chip cookies, squares of dark chocolate. Over 60% of all US candy sales are chocolate-based. But how good—or bad—is chocolate for our health? Is it as health-promoting as we want it to be? What about all the sugar and caffeine that comes with the chocolate? Is dark chocolate a far better choice than milk chocolate? Below are answers regarding chocolate and your sports diet.

Is dark chocolate really a “health food”?

Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees. Like all fruit, the cacao bean is a rich source of healthprotective phytochemicals (flavonoids) that are antioxidants and fight inflammation. Roasted beans are used to create cocoa. Two tablespoons of natural cocoa powder (the amount in one cup of homemade hot cocoa) offer the antioxidant power of 3/4 cup blueberries. Impressive!

The darker the chocolate, the better in terms of health-protective flavonoid content. Unfortunately, dark chocolate has a bitter taste, and many athletes prefer milk chocolate; it’s sweeter. That said, epidemiological surveys of large groups of people indicate those who regularly enjoy chocolate of any kind consume more flavonoids than nonchocolate eaters. This reduces their risk of heart disease. For example, in the Netherlands, elderly men who routinely ate chocolate-containing products had a 50% reduced risk of dying from heart disease (1).

Shouldn’t we stay away from sugary foods, like chocolate?

The US Dietary Guidelines recommend a limit of 10% of calories from refined sugar per day. For most athletes, that’s about 200 to 300 calories of carbohydrate (sugar) to fuel muscles. The better question is: What nutrients accompany the sugar? For example, “sugary” chocolate milk comes with high quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, and other life-sustaining nutrients. When used as a recovery fluid, it is far healthier than a sports

drink, which is just sugar, water, and a dash of salt.

What about sugar spikes…?

Chocolate has a high fat content. Fat slows the rate sugar enters the blood stream and thus reduces the risk of sugar spikes. The Glycemic Index ranks from 0 to 100 the blood glucose response after consumption of 200 calories (50 grams) of carbohydrate (sugar, starch). Gatorade ranks high on the Glycemic Index (78), M&Ms rank lower (33), and dark chocolate ranks even lower (23). Given most of us—well, some of us—don’t eat 200 calories of sugar from just one food at one time, a preferable ranking is the Glycemic Load, based on a standard serving of the food. For example, the Glycemic Load of a standard serving (8-ounces) of Gatorade is 12, chocolate milk is 3.5, and an ounce of M&Ms is 3.

What about chocolate milk for post-exercise recovery?

Chocolate milk can be an enjoyable and nourishing treat that boosts intake of nutrients important for athletes. It has a low glycemic effect and is unlikely to contribute to sugar spikes Drinking chocolate milk after a hard workout effectively refuels and repairs your muscles, boosts your blood sugar, and replaces electrolytes lost in sweat. It’s a nutritionally preferable choice to a carb-only, sugar-based sports drink (2). And it is yummy chocolate—with purpose and meaning, and no guilt!!!

How much caffeine is in chocolate?

The amount of caffeine in chocolate depends on how much cocoa powder is in it. Milk chocolate is only 10 to 20% cocoa, regular dark chocolate is 50-69% cocoa, and strong dark chocolate has more than 70% cocoa. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the higher the caffeine. That said, the 20 milligrams of caffeine in an ounce of dark chocolate pales in comparison to the 200 mg. in a mug of coffee. Chocolate’s energy boost comes from sugar, more so than caffeine.

Is chocolate fattening?

Like any food that is eaten in excess, chocolate can be fattening. That said, data from 13,626 adults (>20 years old, nondiabetic) suggests chocolate consumption was not associated with obesity.

Believe it or not, eating chocolate cake with breakfast might actually help dieters reach their weight loss goal. Research (3) with 193 adults on a reducing diet suggests those who had cake with breakfast had fewer cravings for carbohydrates and sweets later in the day. By front-loading their calories, they were less hungry and less likely to stray from their diet plan. They ate either a 300-calorie protein-based breakfast or a 600-calorie breakfast that included protein plus chocolate cake (or another dessert).

In the first 16 weeks, both groups lost an average of 33 pounds per person. But in the second half of the study, the no-cake group had poor compliance and regained an average of 22 pounds per person while the cake-eaters continued to lose another 15 pounds each. By 32-weeks, the cake eaters had lost about 40 pounds more than their peers. Does chocolate make for a more sustainable diet?

The Bottom Line

By no means is chocolate the key to a healthy sports diet, nor is eating lots of dark chocolate preferable to snacking on apples and bananas. It’s no secret: chocolate contains primarily nutrient-poor calories from sugar and fat. A Hershey’s Bar (43 g) has 220 calories—of which about 40% are from 21 grams of added sugar and about 55% of calories from fat. Hence, you want to enjoy chocolate in moderation, so it does not crowd-out other nutrient-dense foods. But even if you are a weightconscious, health-conscious athlete, you can balance chocolate into your overall wholesome sports diet—and add a taste of pleasure to your day.

References:

1. Buijsse B, Feskens EJ, Kok FJ, Kromhout D. Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Arch Intern Med. 27;166(4):411-7, 2006.

2. Lunn WR, Pasiakos SM, Colletto MR, Karfonta KE, Carbone JW, Anderson JM, Rodriguez NR. Chocolate milk & endurance exercise recovery: protein balance, glycogen and performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 44(4):682-91,2012.

3. Jakubowicz D, O Froy, J Wainstein, M Boaz. Meal timing and composition influence ghrelin levels, appetite scores and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults.

Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for info.

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids and a favorite of atheletes. Photo by Dave Iltis

Jay Hudson (left) rode an antique bicycle in Finland. “I wanted to see if I could feel what a Finnish rider felt when she went shopping for bread or wheat or milk when WWII was hot and she had to keep an eye open for incoming bombs, saboteurs, spies, threats to simply daily living.” Photo courtesy Jay Hudson

MOUNTAIN BIKING Got Traction?! How to Ride Slippery Trails.

enough weight on your rear wheel so you can apply power without spinning out while also keeping enough weight on the front wheel so it doesn’t come off the ground. You do this by sliding forward and back on your saddle and by hinging forward lowering your chest towards the bars.

If you slide and/or hinge a little too far forward your rear tire will spin out on the climb (your front tire may have had 60 units of traction while your rear tire needed 65 units). If you don’t slide and/or hinge enough your front wheel pops up and you loop out.

The timing of your power output is extremely important too. There is a slow, steep up and over rock move on Amasa Back trail in Moab that requires all of my power and I need as much traction as I can get to not spin my rear tire.

BikeMaps.org Helps Researchers Track Bicycle Crashes

Development of safety policy has long been plagued by the lack of adequate information about crashes. No databases are complete, as police, hospital and insurance reports are most likely to include only incidents that get reported, which disproportionately involve those involving autos and serious casualties. They also under-include incidents on trails and parks and near misses. Researchers have long been trying to get better data. The latest attempt to find more inclusive data comes in a study in Vancouver, British Columbia published by the Canadian Geographer.

The researchers relied on BikeMaps.org, a tool for self-reporting incidents, crashes, and thefts. “These new data sources can supplement the gaps of traditional datasets, for example by providing more granular incident details and increasing the amount of data available for safety research,” says the study, Spatial Variation in Bicycling Risk Based on Crowdsourced Safety data (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cag.12756).

While self-reported data are incomplete, just like the other sources, they did turn up some patterns: the old and the young were more likely to get hurt than those aged 30-49. And riders were more likely to get hurt if they fell off a bike than if they collided. Riders were more likely to suffer injury riding downhill or on streets with parked cars.

The project acknowledged that it did not compare its data with other findings, and they could reflect the biases of those self-reporting using BikeMaps.org

By Gene Hamilton

Here in the Mountain West, we have amazing sunny weather that leaves our trails hardpacked with a thin layer of sand on top. We aren’t exactly blessed with the tacky, loamy dirt of the PNW. This lack of traction limits your control, speed, and confidence.

The main things you need traction for while descending are braking, cornering, and slippery surfaces (off-camber, wet roots, ice, mud, gravel, etc.).

When climbing you need traction for power production and to get through roots, rocks, technical sections, and steering.

Here are the proper strategies to minimize the effect of slippery conditions:

I originally got this idea from motorcycle coach Keith Code and then one of my students taught me a better way of explaining it. Keith Code uses dollars, my student’s motorcycle coach used units of 100. So, at any given moment, your tires have 100 units of traction to use as you are riding. If you exceed 100 units, your tires will slide and you will likely crash or at least get a good scare.

Strategy 1:

Learn to be aware of how many units you are currently using and/ or how many units you are about to need. If you exceed 100 units bad things are going to happen!

If it feels like you are using 100 units of traction to get across that off-camber section of trail you have no units left to slow down with. Therefore, if you brake on that offcamber you will probably slide out and crash.

Strategy 2: “DON’T brake on off-camber!”

Greg Minnaar yelled during one of my courses with him years ago. He is right, brake BEFORE the offcamber and/or after the off-camber. When you brake on off-camber you are rolling the dice. The steeper, looser or more slippery the off-camber is more traction is required to ride it. Do you have enough traction? Or will your tires seek the path of

least resistance and slide down the off-camber?

You need all 100 units of traction for most corners (if you’re not using approximately 100% you could be cornering faster and more efficiently). Therefore, if you brake hard in that corner you will probably slide out and crash.

Strategy 3:

Brake to slow down before corners. (Once you have cut your speed, dragging your rear brake gently so you don’t accelerate is okay). Do not try to cut speed and change direction at the same time, this is a recipe for disaster as you will overload your tires.

Watch Greg Minnaar or Mitch Ropelato, they do this so well they often look slow as they have slowed a hair more than their competitors at the entrance of the corner. Then they carve their turns and generate exit speed. Sliding may look cool but when your tires are sliding you are scrubbing speed, not accelerating.

Strategy 4:

Brake where you have the most traction. If the last 15 feet of the trail leading into the corner is loose or brake bumped, do most of your cutting of speed before the loose or brake bumped section. If the centre of the trail is loose or brake bumped do your braking on the outside edge of the trail.

You need a lot of traction when climbing, especially when doing “up and over” manoeuvres and when it is loose and steep. This is where weight placement is critical as well as power management. When the trail gets loose and/or technical how you use your 100 units of traction is very important.

If you put too much power into your pedals as you go over that wet root you will spin out (as you needed 180 units of traction to power over that root). Sometimes a soft pedal accomplishes more. Learn to manage your power output.

Strategy 5: Manage your weight placement and power output when climbing technical climbs.

When climbing you have two goals regarding traction, keep

After wheelieing my front wheel halfway up the rock there is a “dead space” as I shift my weight up and forward before my rear wheel gets traction. First, my rear tire has to contact the rock, then, after contacting the rock which compresses my rear suspension, my suspension rebounds, unweighting the rear wheel for a millisecond. So I pause my pedal stroke until my rear wheel is planted before applying power.

When I am in a hurry or thinking about the timing of my power output, I usually don’t make this rock move. When I am in my groove and relaxed it’s actually easy! The timing is so quick you must do it by feel, you can’t think about it. This takes practice!

Going up and over a wet root is similar. Often I need power the whole way, but I can’t power the rear wheel over the root (as I need about 600 units of traction to do that!). In this situation, I stomp on the pedal as I wheelie to give me a little more momentum. Then I back off to 50% power as my wheel is in contact with the wet root and as I feel the rear wheel crest the root I’m back to 100% power.

This is why I love mountain biking these subtle applications of skills challenge me and keep me in the zone.

-Charles Pekow

Is It Possible to Make High-Speed Roads Safe for Bikes?

How can we make biking safer on high-speed-limit roads? The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is going to give a contractor $550,000 and two- and a half years to find out. TRB noted that the higher the speed limit, the more dangerous conditions are for bicyclists and pedestrians. So it issued a request-for-proposals to issue a report on Speed Management Strategies to Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety on Arterials and Higher-Speed Roadways.

Most safety programs for cyclists have focused on low-speed roads. Methods that work on them (speed humps, bumps, turn lanes and reduced speed limits) may not be practical on high-speed roads, TRB notes.

The project will be tasked with reviewing existing efforts and studies and developing a guide for practitioners.

Details: https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay. asp?ProjectID=5340

-Charles Pekow

Syd Jacklin tackles a slippery trail in Whistler, Canada. Photo courtesy Syd Jacklin

BICYCLE TOURING

Wandering Eastern Kansas by Bike

By John Roberson, with help from Roz

My sweetheart and I recently spent 10 days in October touring by bicycle in Eastern Kansas. We rode on repurposed railway grades, dusty back roads and the paved streets of small towns and cities. We encountered interesting people and other animals along the way. We set up cozy camps in pretty places and stayed in cushy hotels, and we ate very, very well. The following is a brief description of that wonderful trip.

Roz is a Kansas girl, born and raised, and for years we have made trips back to her hometown of Lawrence in order to visit with her mother and to connect with old friends. Kansas is a lovely place. It’s always been good to return, and this would be our first trip back since her mother’s passing a few years ago. We planned to park the truck in some convenient spot, wander around by bike for ten days or so, then return to the truck for the ride back home. Along the way we’d ride a few established Kansas rail-trails and spend a few days exploring Lawrence and its surrounding countryside.

It’s normally a two-day drive for us, from our home in Salt Lake to Lawrence, but our destination this trip was the small city of Council Grove, about sixty miles southwest of Lawrence. Once a major stop for travelers on the historic Santa

Fe Trail, Council Grove is also the current western terminus of the Flint Hills Nature Trail, which was our first objective.

The Flint Hills Nature Trail started out in 1880 as the Council Grove, Osage City and Ottawa railroad. It later became the Missouri Pacific (MoPac) and continued to service the communities along its route until its abandonment in the 1980s.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy (a national non-profit dedicated to transforming abandoned rail corridors into non-motorized trails) acquired the rights of way to the rail corridor, then passed those rights onto the local Kanza Rail Trails Conservancy, which over the years has developed more than 60 miles of the route, mostly through volunteer efforts. The route is now a state park maintained by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

We pulled into Council Grove at the end of the day and set up our camp at the trailhead east of town. On the following morning, which dawned clear, cool, and calm, we loaded up the bikes and began our journey east along the trail. We rolled through shady “tunnels” of green, where trees arched over the trail from either side, past open fields and rolling hills covered by some of the last expanses of the Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem that once covered the whole of the American heartland.

The trail itself was a pleasure to ride. The crushed stone surface was smooth and manageable (despite

sometimes having to dodge walnuts, hedge apples and the occasional snake or turtle!) and the old rail grade’s cut-and-fill structure really smoothed out the ups and downs of the rolling hills. It was clear from the start that considerable effort went into the original trail work. Access to the trail was well-controlled with barriers and regular signage, and we passed a couple of semi-developed, public resting spots along the way, each consisting of a pit toilet and a small, covered picnic pavilion (but no tables and no water). We often had the feeling that we were riding in the “off” season. The pit toilets were all locked up and we saw surprisingly few people during the four days we spent on the trail.

During that first day of riding, we passed through the very small towns of Bushong, Allen, Admire and Miller. Though we found no commercial services in any of the towns, each was lovely in its own way, well-kept, quiet, and marked with a Great Plains staple: a community water tank towering over it all. By late afternoon we had covered 40 miles or so and were starting to think about a camp for the night. We stopped for cold drinks and snacks

in Osage City, a fair-sized town just off the trail, after a short, undeveloped section forced us to leave the trail. We passed through town, joined the trail again less than a mile from where we’d left it, then rode on for a few more trail miles before setting up camp on the edge of a fallow field. We fixed our evening meal, shared thoughts and impressions, then settled in for a wellearned night’s sleep, comforted by

the familiar sounds of hooting owls, yipping coyotes, and tiny critters moving around in the underbrush. Our second day of riding took us through the towns of Vassar and Miller (again, no apparent services), onto a short, well-marked, off-trail detour through the countryside to the north, then on to the college town of Ottawa, the largest community on the trail. We replenished our supplies and had a delicious sit-down

Roz makes a wardrobe adjustment. Photo by John Roberson

A Kansas bike tour. Map by John Roberson

Roz rides the

The eastern end of the Flint Hills Trail. Photo by John Roberson

meal at a local cafe across from the county courthouse. We were back on the trail by mid-afternoon heading south and east towards the town of Osawatomie and the eastern end of the Flint Hills Nature Trail. This 20-mile stretch of the trail was especially nice. Its shady “tunnels” of green kept us cool as it ran adjacent to the mellow Marais des Cygnes River.

We approached the town of Osawatomie as the day was winding down. We asked a couple of cyclists we met where we might camp for the night and, as they gave us their ideas, we were joined by an enthusiastic crowd of cyclists out for their weekly evening cruise. They were all eager to share their enthusiasm for the trail and suggested we head for John Brown Park, a mile or so from the end of the trail. What a great group they were!

The town of Osawatomie (from the tribal names Osage and Potawatomie) was founded in the early 1850s by abolitionists from the east. Like their fellow “free staters” from Lawrence, the citizens of Osawatomie were fervently anti-slavery. And like the citizens of Lawrence, they were persecuted for their views by the pro-slavery “border ruffians” from nearby Missouri and suffered from violent attacks. John Brown Park memorializes a battle the took place in 1856 during which a small group of abolitionists, led by the infamous John Brown, were defeated in a battle that cost many local lives and resulted in the destruction of the town. We camped in the park that night and, despite the grim historical circumstances, slept quite well.

We were up early the next morning and back on the road on what looked to be another beautiful Kansas morning. Having completed our first objective by riding the length of the Flint Hills Nature Trail we were now thinking of Lawrence, about 40 winding miles from Osawatomie and the scene of the second phase of our adventure, we decided to avoid the more direct highways to Lawrence and instead backtrack along the trail to Ottawa. We would return to Ottawa by the same trail, but at a different time of day and from a different perspective. On the way out of town we ran into another set of local trail-riders, Jeff and Sarah, who were out for a morning ride. Sarah explained to us why she had a garden rake attached to her handlebars (to brush away spider webs), and Jeff spoke of his on-going efforts to refurbish and donate dozens of old bikes to his community. Nice folks!

The leisurely ride back up river to Ottawa made for a very nice morning and, after another delicious meal in town, we swapped the peaceful, cushy comforts of the trail for the potential hazards of Kansas public roads.

There are roads everywhere in the eastern part of Kansas, and most are either straight runs laid out in a north-south, east-west grid or winding, modern versions of historic ridge-top or river trails. The paved roads are smooth and wellmaintained but often lack meaningful shoulders. The many dirt roads, while inherently slower and often dusty and hillier than the paved roads, were much quieter and so allowed us to appreciate our surroundings and ride at a much less stressful pace.

After winding through the neighborhoods north of Ottawa we found ourselves on dirt roads out in the open countryside. The roads were quiet, and we had grand views all around, but we were into hilly terrain and now had a persistent north wind to deal with. And to add the mix, I had to backtrack a couple of miles to retrieve a forgotten map packet. Nevertheless, we thought it was a pretty nice afternoon to be riding.

Our objective for the night was a Kansas state fishing lake north of the small city of Baldwin. We arrived around sunset, found a lovely site near the lake and set up our camp as the light faded from the day. We stretched our weary bones, had our evening meal, and talked about all the ways we might spend our upcoming time in Lawrence.

We spent the next morning winding our way north on backroads towards Lawrence. Although Roz knew the area well, and together we had explored much of the countryside around the city during previous visits, we were struck by how much things had changed in recent years. Old two-lane bypass roads were now four-lane highways and the ever-expanding suburbs seemed ready to fill every available field and meadow. It was all a bit disorienting. At one point, as we stopped to check our maps, a passing highway patrol officer asked if we needed help! After a very pleasant exchange of ideas, we persevered and soon found ourselves on the familiar South Lawrence Trafficway, a hardsurfaced bike path that runs more than eleven miles along the south and west edges of town.

We had the first of many sit-down meals in Lawrence at a Japanese restaurant on the south edge of town, then carried on into the city’s cen-

tral business district. We checked into the historic Eldridge Hotel in downtown Lawrence for the first of five nights of relative luxury, then set about rediscovering the town we both (Roz especially!) liked and knew well.

Lawrence is a college town of about 100,000 people, home to the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University, as well as all the cool amenities associated with a socially progressive, college town. It was founded in the 1850s by determined anti-slavery immigrants from Massachusetts and was the scene of many violent confrontations between pro- and anti-slavery factions before and during the Civil War. In 1863, many men and boys were killed and Lawrence itself nearly destroyed during a raid by Quantrill and his Confederate raiders.

We spent the next five days riding (and walking) all around town, exploring familiar museums and attractions and eating in lots of different restaurants. Roz visited with old friends, and I found cozy spots to while away the sunny afternoons. We sampled the excellent beer from the Free State Brewery, enjoyed a delightful vegetable korma at the India Palace, and took in the dusty dioramas at the KU field museum on campus. We traveled nearly everywhere by bike, taking advantage of both designated bike paths and peaceful, brick-surfaced neighborhood lanes. One day we rode out on the levees that keep the Kansas River floodwaters from inundating the town during flood times, and on another day discovered the short, but sweet, Burroughs Creek Trail east of town.

Throughout the trip, so far, the weather had been good. The temperatures were a little on the warm side, considering the time of year, but the skies had been blue and the beastly Midwestern winds that had bedeviled us during past tours were kinder to us this time around. We faced no wet weather while riding, but we were treated to an awe-inspiring thunderstorm on the night before we planned to head out of town. The wind howled, torrents of rain fell, and the thunder and lightning put on a steady show for over an hour while we hunkered down in our cozy room at the Eldridge.

We checked out the following morning, said goodbye to Lawrence, and began our trip back to Council Grove. The storm had cleared the air, dampened the earth, brightened everyone’s spirits, and made for perfect riding conditions as we headed south, out of town. We spent the day riding quiet, paved, and graded country roads, passing Lone Star and Pomona reservoirs along the way. Late in the day we were forced onto a stretch of busy highway south of Pomona Reservoir but were back on the Flint Hills Trail again an hour

or so before sunset. It was a relief to be back on the trail where the only sounds were the crunch of tires on the crushed limestone trail base and the calls of birds in the brush and woods beside the trail. We made our camp east of Osage City and enjoyed another restful night’s sleep.

The following morning found us well-rested but facing what would turn out to be a somewhat trying day. Despite the quiet comforts of a familiar trail and the certainty of another beautiful October day, we faced a stiff headwind all day long. It was easier for us to manage when riding through the “tunnels” of green where the foliage lessened the force of the wind, but when we rose up into the open Flint Hills to the west we had no choice but to gear down and plow through. Of course, every bicycle tourist has to face windy conditions now and again, and we took comfort in realizing that, in terms of Kansas breezes, it had been a piece of cake for us thus far. As experienced tourists we knew that whether facing ups and downs, headwinds or tailwinds, rough roads or smooth, it all balanced out in the end.

The winds eventually mellowed, and the late afternoon sun was settling into the west as we arrived back at our starting point in Council Grove, a bit surprised that we had made such steady progress. We had anticipated spending another night on the trail, but instead found ourselves loaded up and ready to head home around sunset. We had a meal at Hays House in Council Grove (reported to be the oldest, continuously-operated restaurant west of the Mississippi) then started out of town.

On the way out of Council Grove, the flashing red and blue lights of

a city police cruiser caused us to stop. Not knowing what to expect we were greeted by a friendly officer who assured us that we weren’t in trouble and that he only wanted to ask us about our trip! We had left a note on our vehicle’s dashboard describing our general itinerary, which the officer had seen. It turned out that he was a newcomer to the area and curious about the trail and its possibilities, which we were happy to describe. It was a nice encounter, and it seemed fitting somehow, given all we had experienced, that there we were, a couple of out-of-towners just off the trail and already extolling the virtues of a local resource that we had come to feel we could call our own.

Roz looks out at Kansas “tunnels” of green. Photo by John Roberson

Cut and fill on the old rail grade.

Photo by John Roberson

The Burroughs Trail in Lawrence, Kansas. Photo by John Roberson

John Roberson enjoying the ride in Kansas. Photo by Roz Newmark

Flint Hills thistle and a bee. Photo by John Roberson

Our camp near Osage City, Kansas. Photo by John Roberson

Cycling on the Flint Hills trail.

Photo by John Roberson

ELECTRIC BIKES

Government Plans for Expanded E-Bike Use

than regular e-bikes and may cut the supply Waterside can offer.

Participants will get quarterly bike maintenance checks. “We’ll see what sort of changes it can make to people’s lives. Will it improve their lives through economics or ability to get around?” Larsen explains. It’s not clear what will happen to the pilot after a year. “There’s no guarantee for future funding,” he says. “We’ve been looking for other sources of funding to expand the program.”

Larsen hopes participants will be able to keep the bikes. “I want to keep the bikes free. It doesn’t feel right to say, ‘here’s a bike you can have for a year, and you’ll be helped for a year’ and then take it back.”

59’31” - Word Art and a Puzzle

Editor’s Note: 59’31” (page 15) is a word and visual art piece by Steven Sheffield. It’s a puzzle too. Can you solve it? Send your solution and thoughts to dave@cyclingutah.com. We’ll reveal the answer next month.

Which States Show the Most Interest in E-Bikes?

Which states show the most interest in e-bikes? Icebike.org, which rates bicycles, checked Google Trends to see how many people searched the web for “electric bike” in 2021. Based on that one criterion, the West is most interested. The states with the highest percentage of the populace doing the search for that term were, in order: Hawaii, California, Utah, Idaho, Vermont, Washington, Nevada, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska (https://www.icebike.org/electric-bike-study/).

By Charles Pekow

Rebates, subsidies, tax credits, loans...Communities across North American are trying to encourage people to use e-bikes in all sorts of ways. Portland State University developed a list of organized efforts in at least 90 communities in the United States and Canada trying to incentivize people to ride e-bikes as of mid-February. The programs involve state, regional and local governments as well as utilities and the private sector. Some states and communities are trying several methods at once (https://docs.google.com/ spreadsheets/d/1C -sYcwLrQFsr8r2A6RiAP2RwGsBNwr1BKOF_ HJvCsVU/).

These efforts range from tax waivers to rebates, subsides, vouchers with a trade-in, lending libraries, and so on. Most subsidy program are capped. Some require users to buy from a local bike shop. Many

on the list are still on the drawing board or if they’ve been approved, haven’t started yet. Some programs use income eligibility requirements or sliding scales.

Many programs in California are in the works. In Berkeley, Waterside Workshops, a local non-profit youth services provider, received a $250,000 grant for a year-long pilot program to provide about 50 e-bikes to low-income residents. Waterside opened an application period in February and within a week, about 300 people applied with several weeks left to go. “It could be a lot more than that,” Executive Director Neil Larsen says. Waterside will select winners by lottery as long as they live in Berkeley and are over 18, with a preference given to households at or below 80 percent of the county median income. Waterside hasn’t figured how the mix of vehicles, which will depend on factors such as how many people need cargo bikes. They cost more

Also in Berkeley, several city councilmembers introduced legislation last year to create rebates for buying e-bikes, which is still pending.

In this past August, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced launch of a statewide Electric Bicycle Incentive Project to help low-income Californians buy e-bikes to use in place of autos. At the time, CARB said it planned to start it “the first quarter of 2023.”

However, in February, CARB Information Officer Melanie Turner said the project was delayed but CARB hopes it starts in the second quarter. “We’re still working on how it will work” and haven’t set a date, Turner said.

“When creating a new program, we can make an estimate about when it the program is expected to launch.

There are many moving parts and while initially it was thought the program would launch in the first quarter of this year, work related to developing the application for the program, developing an outreach plan for the program, and initial delays related to signing the grant all played a role in pushing out the anticipated start date,” Turner replied in an email.

Also in California, Oakland’s plan for a bicycle lending library was postponed. CARB gave the city funding to provide adaptive and electric bicycles to help people with limited mobility and low incomes to get around. It plans a mix of everything from tandems to cargo bikes, tricycles and handcycles. In August 2022, it hoped for a mid-October launch. “We had some delays and are not expecting to launch the program until June of this year [2023],” Oakland Department of Transportation New Mobility Supervisor Kerby Olsen recently stated in an email. A spokesperson for the contractor, GRID Alternatives, told us to email. We did and did not receive a response.

On the federal level, the motor hasn’t been plugged in yet. Last year, legislation to provide a tax credit for buying an e-bike did not get out of committee in either House of Congress. “The E-BIKE Act will be reintroduced this Congress, and the strategy is very much in the works! Ideally, it will be bipartisan this time around, which makes the chances of success in a divided Congress more likely. Nothing is easily done in a divided Congress, but the growing popularity of e-bikes will definitely help,” Noa Banayan, director of federal affairs for People for Bikes, wrote in an email.

-Charles Pekow

Study: E-Bikes’ Place on Public Lands

Now that e-bikes are becoming increasingly common on federal lands, we need to study their effects. The Federal Highway Administration released the study of the first nationwide effort to do so.

It found that electric mountain bikes didn’t significantly affect natural surfaces more than conventional mountain bikes. The report notes that the conclusion reflects only one study and that more research is needed.

We also need to learn more about how e-bikes might disturb wildlife and cultural and historic resources, the study says.

On the plus side, the study says e-bikes “may serve as an effective alternative to motor vehicles and reduce tailpipe emissions; installing charging stations in public lands could power e-bikes using renewable energy sources.”

See The Future of E-Bikes on Public Lands: How to Effectively Manage a Growing Trend: Final Report at https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot. gov/files/wfl-e-bike-final-report.pdf

-Charles Pekow

Cargo Bikes More Economical than Motor Vehicles for Last Mile Deliveries in Urban Areas

Pedaling for that last mile not only avoids creating pollution, congestion, and noise, it can be more economical than electric delivery for urban delivery. Or so a study in Paris suggests. “First and Last Miles by Cargo Bikes: Ecological Commitment or Economically Feasible? The Case of a Parcel Service Company in Paris”, a report published in Transportation Research Record Journal (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360423364_ First_and_Last_Miles_by_Cargo_Bikes_Ecological_Commitment_or_ Economically_Feasible_The_Case_of_a_Parcel_Service_Company_in_ Paris) examined 600,000 deliveries made over two months in the French capital and says that the bike beats the electric light commercial vehicle when near a hub in high-demand areas.

The study notes that the conclusion applies with a high demand for deliveries and that the cost of microhubs can be a factor. It also notes that electric vehicles themselves don’t contribute to urban smog and that trucks will still be needed to deliver to the hubs. Cargo bikes also won’t work for oversize or overweight deliveries.

-Charles Pekow

Taylor Anderson (right) rides a Madsen electric cargo bike during the winter 2023 Salt Lake City Mayor’s Bike to Work Day. Incentives to purchase ebikes are on the rise. Photo by Dave Iltis

59’31”

(Inspired in part by John Cage’s 4’33”)

1996.09.15

37.898798, -122.641095

37.934699, -122.698057

37.939370, -122.660588

37.910515, -122.612684

BICYCLE SHOP DIRECTORY

Southern Utah

Springdale

Zion Cycles 868 Zion Park Blvd. P.O. Box 276 Springdale, UT 84767 (435) 772-0400 zioncycles.com

Northern Utah

Logan Al’s Cyclery / Al’s Sporting Goods 1075 N Main Street, Suite 120 Logan, UT 84341 435-752-5151 als.com

Joy Ride Bicycles 131 E 1600 N North Logan, UT 84341 (435) 753-7175 joyridebikes.com

Sunrise Cyclery 138 North 100 East Logan, UT 84321 (435) 753-3294 sunrisecyclery.net

The Sportsman 129 North Main Street Logan, UT 84321-4525 435-752-0211 thesportsmanltd.com

Wimmer’s Ultimate Bicycles 745 N. Main St. Logan, UT 84321 (435) 752-2326 wimmersbikeshop.com

Park City/Heber

Cole Sport 1615 Park Avenue Park City, UT 84060 (435) 649-4806 colesport.com

Contender Bicycles

1352 White Pine Canyon Road Park City, UT 84060 435-214-7287 contenderbicycles.com

Diamond Peak Mountain Sports 2429 N. Highway 158 Eden, UT 84310 (801) 745-0101 diamondpeak.biz

Salt Lake City Bicycle Center 2200 S. 700 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (801) 484-5275 bicyclecenter.com

Ogden

Bingham Cyclery 1895 S. Washington Blvd. Ogden, UT 84401 (801) 399-4981 binghamcyclery.com

East Bench Composites

Utah Carbon Bike Repair 2374 Harrison Blvd. Ogden, UT 84401 385-240-5265 eastbenchcomposites.com

Level Nine Sports 1273 Canyon Road Ogden, UT 84404 801-621-2003 levelninesports.com

Skyline Cycle 834 Washington Blvd. Ogden, UT 84404 (801) 394-7700 skylinecyclery.com

The Bike Shoppe 4390 Washington Blvd. Ogden, UT 84403 (801) 476-1600 thebikeshoppe.com

Two Hoosiers Cyclery 2374 Harrison Blvd. Ogden, UT 84401 385-238-4973 twohoosierscyclery.com

DAVIS COUNTY

Biker’s Edge

232 N. Main Street Kaysville, UT 84037 (801) 544-5300 bebikes.com

Bingham Cyclery 2317 North Main Street Sunset, UT 84015 (801) 825-8632 binghamcyclery.com

poisonspiderbicycles.com

Rim Cyclery

94 W. 100 North Moab, UT 84532 (435) 259-5333 rimcyclery.com

Monticello

Roam Industry

265 N. Main St. Monticello, UT 84535 (435) 590-2741 roamutah.com

Price Altitude Cycle

82 N. 100 W. Price, UT 84501 (435) 637-2453

altitudecycle.com

St. George Bicycles Unlimited

90 S. 100 E. St. George, UT 84770 (435) 673-4492 (888) 673-4492

bicyclesunlimited.com

IBB Cyclery & Multisport

185 E Center St

Ivins, UT 84738

435-319-0011 ibbcyclery.com

Rapid Cycling 705 N. Bluff Street St. George, UT 84770

435-703-9880

rapidcyclingbikes.com

Red Rock Bicycle Co.

446 W. 100 S. (100 S. and Bluff) St. George, UT 84770 (435) 674-3185 redrockbicycle.com

Jans Mountain Outfitters 1600 Park Avenue P.O. Box 280 Park City, UT 84060 (435) 649-4949 jans.com Mountain Velo 1612 W. Ute Blvd, Suite 115 Park City, UT 84098 (435) 575-8356 mountainvelo.com

Park City Bike & Demo 1500 Kearns Blvd Park City, UT 84060 435-659-3991 parkcitybikedemos.com

Slim and Knobby’s Bike Shop 84 S Main Heber, UT 84032 (435) 654-2282 slimandknobbys.com

Stein Eriksen Sport At The Stein Eriksen Lodge 7700 Stein Way (Mid-Mountain/Silver Lake) Deer Valley, UT 84060 (435) 658-0680 steineriksen.com

Silver Star Ski and Sport 1825 Three Kings Drive Park City, UT 84060 435-645-7827 silverstarskiandsport.com

Storm Cycles 1153 Center Drive, Suite G140 Park City, UT 84098 (435) 200-9120 stormcycles.net

White Pine Touring 1790 Bonanza Drive P.O. Box 280 Park City, UT 84060 (435) 649-8710 whitepinetouring.com

Vernal

Red Mountain Cycle 580 E. Main Street Vernal, UT 84078 (435) 781-2595 redmountaincycle.com

Wasatch Front

WEBER COUNTY

Eden/Huntsville/Mountain Green

Bountiful Bicycle 2482 S. Hwy 89 Bountiful, UT 84010 (801) 295-6711 bountifulbicycle.com

Bountiful Bicycle

151 N. Main St. Kaysville, UT 84037 (801) 444-2453 bountifulbicycle.com

Great Western E-Bikes 40 W 500 S Ste B Bountiful, UT 84010 801-494-9898 greatwesternebikes.com

Guthrie Bicycle 420 W. 500 S. Bountiful, UT 84010 (801) 683-0166 guthriebike.com

Loyal Cycle Co. 15 E. State St. Farmington, UT 84025 801-451-7560 loyalcycleco.com

Masherz

2226 N. 640 W. West Bountiful, UT 84087 (801) 683-7556 masherz.com

REI 220 Station Pkwy Farmington, UT 84025 801-923-1707 rei.com/stores/farmington.html

Trek Bicycle Centerville 26 I-15 Frontage Rd Centerville, UT 84014 801-609-7877 trekbikes.com/us/en_US/retail/centerville/

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Central Valley

Cottonwood Cyclery

2594 Bengal Blvd Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121 (801) 942-1015 cottonwoodcyclery.com

Flynn Cyclery 2282 E. Murray Holladay Rd Holladay, UT 84117 801-432-8447 flynncyclery.com

Hangar 15 Bicycles 3969 Wasatch Blvd. (Olympus Hills Mall) Salt Lake City, UT 84124 (801) 278-1500 hangar15bicycles.com

BikeFitr 1549 S 1100 E Suite D Salt Lake City, Ut 84105 801-930-0855 bikefitr.com

Bingham Cyclery 336 W. Broadway (300 S) Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-583-1940 binghamcyclery.com

Contender Bicycles 989 East 900 South Salt Lake City, UT 84105 (801) 364-0344 contenderbicycles.com

Cranky's Bike Shop 142 E. 800 S.. Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (801) 582-9870 crankysutah.com evo Salt Lake 660 S 400 W Suite 300 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 385-379-3172 campus.evo.com

Gear Rush - Online Consignment 53 W Truman Ave. South Salt Lake, UT 84115 385-202-7196 gearrush.com

Go-Ride.com Mountain Bikes 2066 S 2100 E Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 474-0081 go-ride.com

Guthrie Bicycle 803 East 2100 South Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (801) 484-0404 guthriebike.com

Highlander Bike 3333 S. Highland Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (801) 487-3508 highlanderbikeshop.com

Hyland Cyclery 3040 S. Highland Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (801) 467-0914 hylandcyclery.com

Jerks Bike Shop 4967 S. State St. Murray, UT 84107 (801) 261-0736 jerksbikeshop.com

Level Nine Sports 660 S 400 W Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-973-7350 levelninesports.com

Pedego Electric Bikes 1095 S. State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84111 801-341-2202 pedegoslc.com

REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.)

3285 E. 3300 S. Salt Lake City, UT 84109 (801) 486-2100 rei.com/saltlakecity

Trek Bicycle 247 S. 500 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (801) 746-8366 slcbike.com Salt Lake Ebikes 1035 S. 700 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84105 (801) 997-0002 saltlakeebikes.com

Saturday Cycles 605 N. 300 W. Salt Lake City, UT 84103 (801) 935-4605 saturdaycycles.com

SLC Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 328-BIKE slcbikecollective.org

Level Nine Sports 2927 E 3300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84109 801-466-9880 levelninesports.com

Sports Den 1350 South Foothill Dr (Foothill Village) Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 582-5611 SportsDen.com

The Bike Lady 1555 So. 900 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84105 (801) 638-0956 bikeguyslc.com

Wasatch Touring

702 East 100 South Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (801) 359-9361 wasatchtouring.com

South and West Valley

Bingham Cyclery

10510 S. 1300 East (106th S.) Sandy, UT 84094 (801) 571-4480 binghamcyclery.com

Electrify Bike Co.

3961 W 9000 S, Suite H West Jordan, UT 84088 801-997-0550 www.electrifybike.com

Go-Ride.com Mountain Bikes 12288 S. 900 E. Draper, UT 84020 (801) 474-0082 go-ride.com

Hangar 15 Bicycles 762 E. 12300 South Draper, UT 84020 (801) 576-8844 hangar15bicycles.com

Pedego South Jordan 651 W South Jordan PKWY South Jordan, UT 84095 801-206-9202 pedegoelectricbikes.com/dealers/south-jordan

Hangar 15 Bicycles 11445 S. Redwood Rd S. Jordan, UT 84095 (801) 790-9999 hangar15bicycles.com

Lake Town Bicycles 1403 W. 9000 S. West Jordan, UT 84088 (801) 432-2995 laketownbicycles.net

REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) 230 W. 10600 S. Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 501-0850 rei.com/sandy

Salt Cycles 2073 E. 9400 S. Sandy, UT 84093 (801) 943-8502 saltcycles.com

UTAH COUNTY

Northern Utah County

Bike Brothers 374 W Ruger Dr Saratoga Springs, UT 84045 801-687-8425 bikebrothersusa.com

Bike Peddler 3600 Ashton Blvd Suite A Lehi, Utah 84043 801-756-5014 bikepeddlerutah.com

Eddy’s Bicycle Barn 550 W State Rd #2 Lehi, UT 84043 801-503-7872 eddysbicyclebarn.com

Fezzari Bicycles 850 W. 200 S. Lindon, UT 84042 801-471-0440 fezzari.com

Hangar 15 Bicycles 1678 East SR-92 Highland/Lehi, UT 84043 (801) 901-6370 infinitecycles.com

Pedego Electric Bikes 4161 N. Thanksgiving Way, #205 Lehi, UT 8411184043 801-405-7383 pedegoslc.com

Timpanogos Cyclery 665 West State St. Pleasant Grove, UT 84062 (801)-796-7500 timpanogoscyclery.com

Trek Bicycle Store of American Fork Meadows Shopping Center 356 N 750 W, #D-11 American Fork, UT 84003 (801) 763-1222 trekAF.com

Utah Mountain Biking 169 W. Main St. Lehi, UT 84043 801-653-2689 utahmountainbiking.com

Southern Utah County Al’s Cyclery / Al’s Sporting Goods 643 East University Parkway Orem, UT 84097 435-752-5151 als.com

Hangar 15 Bicycles 1756 S State Street Orem, UT 84097 385-375-2133 hangar15bicycles.com

COLORADO

Fruita

Colorado Backcountry Biker 150 S Park Square Fruita, CO 81521

970-858-3917 backcountrybiker.com

Over the Edge Sports 202 E Aspen Ave Fruita, CO 81521

970-858-7220 otesports.com

IDAHO

Boise

Bob’s Bicycles 6681 West Fairview Avenue Boise, ID. 83704

208-322-8042

www.bobs-bicycles.com

Boise Bicycle Project 1027 S Lusk St. Boise, ID 83796

208-429-6520

www.boisebicycleproject.org

ARIZONA

thundermountainbikes.com

CALIFORNIA

Box Dog Bikes

494 14th Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-431-9627 boxdogbikes.com

Tour of Nevada City Bicycle Shop

457 Sacramento St. Nevada City, CA 95959 530-265-2187 tourofnevadacity.com

Dr. J’s Bicycle Shop

1693 Mission Dr. Solvang, CA 93463

805-688-6263 www.djsbikeshop.com

Custom Cycles 2515. N. Lander St. Boise, ID 83703

208-559-6917 harloebikes@icloud.com

facebook.com/Custom-Cycles-1071105139568418

Eastside Cycles 3123 South Brown Way Boise, ID 83706

208.344.3005

www.rideeastside.com

George’s Cycles 312 S. 3rd Street Boise, ID 83702

208-343-3782 georgescycles.com

George’s Cycles 515 West State Street Boise, ID 83702

208-853-1964 georgescycles.com

Idaho Mountain Touring 1310 West Main Street Boise, ID 83702

208-336-3854

www.idahomountaintouring.com

McU Sports 822 W Jefferson St Boise, ID 83702

208-342-7734 mcusports.com

Ridgeline Bike & Ski 10470 W. Overland Rd. Boise, ID 83709

208-376-9240 ridgelinebikenski.com

Spokey Joe’s Bikes & Gear

2337 S. Apple St. Boise, ID 83706

208-202-2920 spokeyjoe.com

TriTown 1517 North 13th Street Boise, ID 83702 208-297-7943 www.tritownboise.com

Rolling H Cycles

115 13th Ave South Nampa, ID 83651 208-466-7655 www.rollinghcycles.com

Victor/Driggs

Fitzgeralds Bicycles

20 Cedron Rd Victor, ID 83455

208-787-2453 fitzgeraldsbicycles.com

Habitat

18 N Main St, Driggs, ID 83422

208-354-7669 ridethetetons.com

Peaked Sports

70 E Little Ave, Driggs, ID 83422 208-354-2354 peakedsports.com

Idaho Falls

Bill’s Bike and Run

930 Pier View Dr Idaho Falls, ID 208-522-3341 billsbikeandrun.com

Dave’s Bike Shop 367 W Broadway St Idaho Falls, ID 83402 208-529-6886 facebook.com/DavesBikeShopIdahoFalls

Idaho Mountain Trading

474 Shoup Ave Idaho Falls, ID 83402 208-523-6679 idahomountaintrading.com

Pocatello

Barries Ski and Sport

624 Yellowstone Ave Pocatello, ID 208-232-8996 barriessports.com

Element Outfitters 222 S 5th AVE Pocatello, ID 208-232-8722 elementoutfitters.com

Element Outfitters 1570 N Yellowstone Ave Pocatello, ID 208-232-8722 elementoutfitters.com

Rexburg

Shed

East Main St Rexburg, ID, 83440 208-356-7116 sledshedshop.com Twin Falls

Epic Elevation Sports 2064 Kimberly Rd. Twin Falls, ID 83301

epicelevationsports.com Spoke and Wheel 148 Addison Ave Twin Falls, ID83301 (208) 734-6033 spokeandwheelbike.com

Cycle Therapy 1542 Fillmore St Twin Falls, ID 83301 208-733-1319 cycletherapy-rx.com/

Salmon

The Hub 206 Van Dreff Street Salmon, ID 83467 208-357-9109 ridesalmon.com

Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum

Durance 131 2nd Ave S Ketchum, ID 83340 208-726-7693 durance.com

Power House 502 N. Main St. Hailey, ID 83333 208-788-9184 powerhouseidaho.com

Sturtevants 340 N. Main Ketchum, ID 83340 208-726-4512 sturtevants-sv.com

Sun Summit South 418 South Main Street Hailey, ID 83333 208-788-6006 crankandcarve.com

The Elephant Perch 280 East Ave Ketchum, ID 83340 208-726-3497 elephantsperch.com

NEVADA

Boulder City All Mountain Cyclery 1601 Nevada Highway Boulder City, NV 89005 702-250-6596 allmountaincyclery.com

ELY

Sportsworld 1500 E Aultman St Ely, NV 89301 775-289-8886 sportsworldnevada.com

Las Vegas Giant Las Vegas 9345 S. Cimarron Las Vegas, NV 89178 702-844-2453 giantlasvegas.com

Las Vegas Cyclery 10575 Discovery Dr Las Vegas, NV 89147 (702) 596-2953 lasvegascyclery.com

NEW MEXICO

Bosque Mobile Bicycle Repair Albuquerque, NM bosquemobilebicyclerepair.com

Fat Tire Cycles 421 Montaño Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87107 505-345-9005 fattirecycles.com

WYOMING

Jackson Area Fitzgeralds Bicycles 500 S. Hwy 89 Jackson, WY fitzgeraldsbicyles.com 307-201-5453

Hoback Sports 520 W Broadway Ave # 3 Jackson, Wyoming 83001 307-733-5335 hobacksports.com

Hoff’s Bike Smith 265 W. Broadway Jackson, WY 83001 307-203-0444 hoffsbikesmith.cm

The Hub 410 W Pearl Ave Jackson, WY 83001 307-200-6144 thehubbikes.com

Teton Bike 490 W. Broadway Jackson, Wyoming 83001 307-690-4715 tetonbike.com

REI

974 West Broadway Jackson, WY 83001-9475 307-284-1938 REI.com/stores/Jackson-Hole

Teton Village Sports 3285 W Village Drive Teton Village, WY 83025 tetonvillagesports.com

Wilson Backcountry Sports

1230 Ida Lane Wilson, WY 83014 307-733-5228 wilsonbackcountry.com

WESTERN STATES

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Calendar Guidelines:

Listings are free on a space available basis and at our discretion.

Submit your event to: calendar@cyclingutah.com with date, name of event, website, phone number and contact person and other appropiate information.

Let us know about any corrections to existing listings!

BMX

RAD Canyon BMX — South Jordan, UT, Indoor and outdoor BMX racing. Location: 5200

W, 9800 South, Practice Tuesday 6:30- 8:30, Race Thursday, Registration 6:00- 7:00, Race at 7, May through September (practices starting in April with additional practices on Tuesdays through May), Dallas Edwards, 801-803-1900, radcanyonbmx@radcanyonbmx.com radcanyonbmx.com

Legacy BMX — Farmington, UT, Indoor bmx racing at the Legacy Events center 151 South 1100 West, Farmington, UT., Practice

Wednesday 6:00- 9:00; Race Saturday, May through September, Kevin , 801-6981490, kevin@klikphoto.net lrbmx.com radcanyonbmx.com/Rad_Canyon_Legacy_

Outdoor_Schedule_2014.pdf

March 10-11, 2023 — USA Cycling Collegiate

BMX National Championships, Bakersfield, CA, Chuck Hodge, 719-434-4200, chodge@ usacycling.org usacycling.org

May 7, 2023 — USA Cycling Elite BMX National Championships, Tulsa, OK, Chuck Hodge, 719-434-4200, chodge@usacycling.org, usacycling.org

Advocacy

Bike Utah — UT, Utah’s Statewide Advocacy Group. They work on education and other bike related advocacy., Jenn Oxborrow, 385-831-1515, jenn@bikeutah.org bikeutah. org

Salt Lake City Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee (MBAC) — Salt Lake City, UT, Meetings are the 3rd Monday of the month from 5-7 pm in the SLC Transportation Division Conference room., Salt Lake City Transportation , 801-535-6630, bikeslc@slcgov.com bikeslc.com

Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Committee

— Salt Lake City, UT, The SLCBAC committee works to improve cycling conditions in Salt Lake County and is an official committee. Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month from 5:30-7:30 pm and are held in Suite N-2800 of the Salt Lake County Government Center, 2001 S. State St., Salt Lake City, UT,, Helen Peters, 385-468-4860, HPeters@slco.org bicycle.slco.org

Weber Pathways — Ogden, UT, Weber County’s trails group. We are committed to the idea that a non-motorized network of public pathways significantly contribute to our community’s economic vitality and quality of life., Mark Benigni, 801-393-2304, wp@weberpathways.org, Rod Kramer, 801393-2304, rod@weberpathways.org weberpathways.org

Mooseknuckler Alliance — St. George, UT, We accept all types and styles of riders; most importantly we want people to ride their bikes and enjoy doing it. Most of us love riding our bikes in all types of weather and in multiple disciplines. The Alliance is located in Southern Utah and has group rides to help people get out, meet new friends, and most importantly, have fun riding their bikes., Lukas Brinkerhoff, 435632-8215, lukas@mooseknuckleralliance.org mooseknuckleralliance.org

Mountain Trails Foundation — Park City, UT, Park City’s Trails Group, Charlie Sturgis, 435649-6839, charlie@mountaintrails.org mountaintrails.org

Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee — Salt Lake City, UT, Volunteer to help build the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. (801) 485-6974 or visit our web page., Dave Roth, 801-8245339, bonnevilleshorelinetrail@gmail.com bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org

Parley’s Rails, Trails and Tunnels (PRATT) — Salt Lake City, UT, PRATT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, run by volunteers. The mission of the Parley’s Rails, Trails and Tunnels (PRATT) Coalition is to assist city, county, state and federal agencies and other public and private partners in completing a multi-use trail along I-80 via Parley’s Creek Corridor and the Sugar House Rail Spur to connect the Bonneville Shoreline Trail with the Provo/Jordan River Parkway., Juan Arce-Larreta, 801-694-8925, parleystrail@ gmail.com, parleystrail.org

Provo Bike Committee — Provo, UT, Please join us every first Thursday of the month at 5 pm at 48 N. 300 W. to help make Provo a more bicycle-friendly community., Heather Skabelund, 971-404-1557, bikeprovo@ gmail.com, Aaron Skabelund, 385-207-6879, a.skabelund@gmail.com bikeprovo.org

Dixie Trails and Mountain Bike Advocacy — St. George, UT, Cimarron Chacon, 970-7593048, info@groraces.com dmbta.org

Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance — St. George, UT, Southern Utah’s road advocacy group., Craig Shanklin, 435-674-1742, southernutahbicycle@gmail.com southernutahbicyclealliance.org

WOBAC - Weber Ogden Bicycle Advisory Committee — Ogden, UT, Josh Jones, 801629-8757, joshjones@ogdencity.com

Idaho Bike Walk Alliance — Boise, ID, Idaho’s Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Cynthia Gibson, 208-345-1105, cynthia@idahowalkbike.org idahowalkbike.org

Greater Arizona Bicycling Association — Tucson, AZ, Arizona’s Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Eric Post, president@bikegaba.org, bikegaba.org

Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists — Phoenix, AZ, Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Bob Beane, 623-252-0931, cazbike@cazbike. org cazbike.org

Wyoming Pathways — Wilson, WY, Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Tim Young, 307-413-8464, , wyopath.org

Bicycle Colorado — Denver, CO, Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Dan Grunig, 303-417-1544, info@bicyclecolorado.org, bicyclecolorado.org

Bike Walk Montana — Helena, MT, Statewide bicycle advocacy organization, Taylor Lonsdale, bznbybike@gmail.com, Doug Haberman, 406-449-2787, info@bikewalkmontana.org bikewalkmontana.org

Salt Lake Valley Trails Society — Salt Lake City, UT, Salt Lake Valley’s natural surface bicycle trails non-profit., Kevin Dwyer, kevin@ saltlakevalleytrailssociety.org saltlakevalleytrailssociety.org

Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (TVTAP) Jackson, WY, Promotes trails and pathways in the Wydaho area of Wyoming and Idaho., Dan Verbeten, 208-201-1622, dan@tvtap. org, tvtap.org, tetonbikefest.org

Bike Orem — Orem, UT, The Orem Bicycle Coalition exists to cultivate a more bicycle friendly community in Orem so that more residents will be able and excited to ride in our community. We do this by encouraging bicycle safety, accessibility, inclusivity, and infrastructure to the community and

its residents. Come join us! Currently we are meeting on the second Wednesday of each month, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at Mad Dog Cycles. The address is 350 North Orem Blvd, Orem, UT 84057, Randy Gibb, 801-222-9577, randy@maddogcycles.com bikeorem.weebly.com

Events, Swaps,Lectures

April 20-23, 2023 — Sea Otter Classic Monterey, CA, Road, Mountain, Gravel, and XC races offered., Sea Otter Classic , 1-800218-8411, info@seaotterclassic.com seaotterclassic.com

May 6-7, 2023 — Park City High School Mountain Bike Team Bike Swap, TENTATIVE, Park City, UT, Benefits Park City High School Mountain Bike Team and the Young Riders Youth Mountain Biking Program. Located at Utah Film Studios: 4001 Kearns Blvd. Park City, UT. Saturday, May 7 8am-5pm and Sunday May 8 11am-3pm. Buy or sell gear.Need a a bike? Need to get some of that old equipment out of your garage? This is the perfect opportunity, and proceeds raised at this event help to fund the Park City High School Mountain Bike Team and the Young Riders organization based out of Park City, UT. To sell your gear you can drop off your bike and fill out the information at Jan’s Mountain Outfitters (1600 Park Avenue, Park City) or White Pine Touring (1790 Bonanza Drive, Park City) during store hours from April 23- May 4, or at Utah Film Studios: 4001 Kearns Blvd. Park City, Utah on May 5, 3-7pm, May 6, 2-8 pm., Lucy Best, 760-815-6043, biglucy2000@yahoo.com youngriders.com

May 15-19, 2023 — National Bike to Work Week, Utah Bike Month, Everywhere, UT, A week to climb out of the motor vehicle and onto your bike on your way to work., None , noemail@cyclingutah.com, bikeleague.org

May 19, 2023 — National Bike to Work Day, Utah Bike Month, Everywhere, UT, A day to climb out of the motor vehicle and onto your bike on your way to work., None , noemail@cyclingutah.com bikeleague.org

May 24, 2023 — Move Utah Summit, Salt Lake City, UT, The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and its partners are pleased to announce the fifth annual Move Utah Summit. As the only event of its kind in Utah, the Summit brings together hundreds of subject-matter experts, including planners, engineers, health practitioners, community advocates, business leaders, and policy makers. How we plan and build our communities has a direct effect on our health and well-being. The Summit provides an opportunity to discuss best practices for improving decision-making related to health, transportation, and land use., Heidi Goedhart, 801-783-8426, hgoedhart@utah. gov, Kaylee Hansen, (214) 636-7495, kaylee@xfactorutah.com move.utah.gov

May 31, 2023 — Utah Bike Summit, West Jordan, UT, The Utah Bike Summit is the state bicycle conference! Summit attendees are directly involved in cycling, planning and development, tourism, outdoor recreation, local business and bike shops, corporate brands, and healthcare., Jenn Oxborrow, 385-831-1515, jenn@bikeutah.org bikeutah. org/summit

Gravel Races

and Rides

March 18, 2023 — True GRIT Epic Gravel Race, National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series (NUE) 100 and Marathon SE, Santa Clara, UT, Epic gravel race 84 miles, Cimarron Chacon, 970-759-3048, info@ groraces.com, truegritepic.com

April 2, 2023 — Galactic Gravel Grinder Cedar Hill, NM, 4 distances. 10 Mile, 35 Mile, 55 mile and 90 miles. Taking place on Gas Field Roads in San Juan County New Mexico, Neil Hannum, 970-759-2126, aztecadventures01@gmail.com, William Farmer, 505-402-3959, gfarmer360@gmail. com, aztec-adventures.com

April 15, 2023 — Wild Horse Dirt Fondo, Delle, UT, The Wild Horse is the West’s backyard gravel race! Distances of 77 or 35 miles and a separate category for ebikes. Witness the splendor of the ancient Lake Bonneville

island ranges and loosen the joints on a beautiful and challenging course!, Robert Kennedy, 319-551-6174, stupidponyride@ gmail.com RideWildHorse.com

April 15, 2023 — Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride - San Marcos, QUADRUPEL CROWN OF GRAVEL, San Marcos, CA, Pain and suffering will commence at 7 a.m. featuring four waves predicated on riders’ USAC categories. The expo will remain open on Sunday throughout the duration of the event until the beers, jeers and awards are distributed for all the day’s heroic efforts., Michael Marckx, 760-815-0927, mmx@ MonumentsofCycling.com belgianwaffleride.bike

April 23, 2023 — Gorge Gravel Grinder, Dufur, OR, Chad Sperry, grinderinfo@breakawaypro.com, oregongravelgrinder.com

April 28-30, 2023 — Montana Gravel Grinder Challenge and Hell Ride, Missoula, MT, Day 1: 9Mile Time Trial -- this route takes you on an out and back up NineMile road, 31 miles total, with a gentle elevation gain on the way out, totaling around 1,300’. Day 2: Southside Road -- A classic Montana ride, the Southside Road loop-- Flat Mullan Road takes you out to the rolling gravel of Southside Road along the river, and back to our start in Huson. 57 miles, 2,200’ of gain. Day 3: Rocky Mountain Roubaix Circuit -- Montana’s famed RMR is the final stage of this 3-day race. These loops total 45.5 miles, gaining around 2k’ of climbing., Shaun Radley, 406-219-1318, montanacyclocross@gmail.com, montanacyclocross. com/events/, thecyclinghouse.com

May 6, 2023 — Volcano Fire Road 120k Gravel Grinder, , Veyo, UT, Fun and challenging ravel race! 75 miles with 6200’ climbing in the beautiful Pine Valley area north of St George. 56% dirt, 44% pavement. Solo or 2x relay. Famous Veyo Pie at the finish line!, Deborah Bowling, 818-889-2453, embassy@ planetultra.com gravelgrinder.com

May 12-14, 2023 — Cascade Gravel Grinder Bend, OR, Chad Sperry, grinderinfo@breakawaypro.com, oregongravelgrinder.com

May 14, 2023 — Co2uT - Desert Gravel, Fruita, CO, The Co2uT chemical equation can be broken down as follows: Co=Colorado, 2=to, uT=Utah. This kick-ass gravel race will take you from Colorado to Utah...and back. Designed by a long-time western-slope local, each route offers mind-blowing, grav-

el-loving terrain, quad-busting hills, breathtaking views, wildlife cameos, epic adventure and of course, fun., Jennifer Barbour, 303-503-4616, jen@teamevergreen.org, Kim Nordquist, 303-249-6168, kim@teamevergreen.org, Morgan Murri, 303-475-6053, morgan@desertgravel.com, desertgravel.com, teamevergreen.org

May 14, 2023 — Dirty Edge Gravel 50K, Fruita, CO, Riding the Dirty Edge will make you realize why 18 Road is world class. With expansive views of the beautiful Bookcliffs you will ride through the endless gravel roads of the North Fruita Desert before attacking the back canyon section of the Edge Loop. This mix of smooth gravel, sporty fun, and gorgeous vistas will make The Dirty Edge a Fruita classic. Racers will feel supported with three aid stations, finisher medals and age group awards. Sunny and dry, springtime in Fruita is the perfect time to experience the desert on a bike. This race is part of the Adventure Fest at 18 Road and includes admission to all of the weekend events!, Reid Delman, 303-249-1112, reid_delman@ geminiadventures.com, Kyla Claudell, 303249-1112, kyla@geminiadventures.com geminiadventures.com

May 19-21, 2023 — Santa Fe Century Gravel Rides, Santa Fe, NM, Gravel Ride/Distance options of Gravelón (55 mile), or the Gravelito (25 mile) on Rowe Mesa, Santa Fe Century , 505-490-6387, ride@santafecentury.com santafecentury.com

May 20, 2023 — Outside Events Wild Horse Gravel, Outside Events Cycling Series, De Beque, CO, Looking to ride some wild west gravel? Ride Wild Horse Gravel this May and choose your own adventure on Colorado’s Western Slope with both a 65- or 30-mile course. Afterward, kick back around the campfire and at the country cook-out for some local music at the High Lonesome Ranch., Tracy Powers, eventsupport@outsideinc.com events.outsideonline.com

May 20, 2023 — Stetina’s Paydirt, Carson City, NV, The old way of all-out racing is not the way at Stetina’s Carson City Paydirt. Instead, the Paydirt consists of two substantial timed segments to keep things competitive without separating yourself from dear friends in the dusty west of Nevada’s desert. In addition to on-bike racing, there are two bonus segments that consist of fun and games back at the post-race festival. Riding a mechanical bull and participating in a

tire-toss competition could be all that separates you at the end of the day., Clemence Heymelot, 707-560-1122, info@bikemonkey. net truckeedirtfondo.com

May 20, 2023 — Dirty Roads 101, Steamboat Springs, CO, Dirty Roads 101 is a virtual gravel riding challenge paying homage to the public lands we ride on! Formerly Gravel Fest, we have now opened this event to the entire gravel community and have shifted the focus to doing a big one-day “classicstyle” ride. The challenge is to ride 101 miles or 101 kilometers using a dirt/gravel road theme on your route., JR , ride@gravelfest. com dirtyroads101.com

May 27-28, 2023 — Mad Gravel, Elbert, CO, Three distances to choose from including: the Sprint (43 miles), Marathon (78 miles), and Ultra (123 miles)., Dave Muscianisi, 303817-6523, events@rattlerracing.com rattlerracing.com/event/madgravel/

May 28, 2023 — Badlands Gravel Battle Medora, ND, Come GRIND across 120 miles, and ROLL over 10,500 ft of elevation gain on the fast and rugged red scoria roads that crosshatch the BADLANDS of western North Dakota., Nick Ybarra, 701.570.9138 nick@ experienceland.org experienceland.org/ badlands-gravel-battle

June 3, 2023 — Mountains to Meadows Grinduro, Mt. Shasta, CA, The perfect blend of pavement, dirt, and gravel roads over 35, 60, or 100 miles of epically beautiful gravel riding in the Lost Sierra. Followed by live music, expo, beer, and awesome food with lots of good people. More than a ride, L&F is a whole weekend of Lost Sierra fun dedicated to raising funds for the Lost Sierra Route., Sierra Trails , info@sierratrails. org grinduro.com

June 3, 2023 — Weiser River Trail Ride, Council, ID, Gravel bike ride of either 48 or 28 miles on the Weiser River Trail, a rail conversion trail. Shuttles from Cambridge or Council. Snacks and Lunch., Ron Hundahl, 208-5661025 , 208-253-4433, octobertrek@gmail. com kotaho.com/annual-bike-ride, weiserrivertrail.org

June 10, 2023 — Truckee Dirt Fondo, Truckee, CA, Three days of activities with a competitive off-road bicycle race featuring the incredible dirt and gravel roads in the Tahoe National Forest, best suited for a gravel/cross bike or a hardtail MTB. 3 course options: 65.1 mi (Long), 58.1 mi (Medium) and 26.2 (Rollout - non timed) + Family Fun Route (15 mi). Benefits the Truckeebased non-profit Adventure Risk Challenge., Clemence Heymelot, 707-560-1122, info@ bikemonkey.net truckeedirtfondo.com

June 10, 2023 — Pine Island Gravel Odyssey Spearfish, South Dakota, 45, 70, 110, 210 mile gravel ride/race, Perry Jewett, 605641-4963, ridgeriders@blackhills.com dakotafiveo.com

June 17, 2023 — Beaver Dam 49er Gravel Grinder, Beaver Dam State Park, NV, Ride the Rim and see the park from a different perspective. Pedal down an old chaining road that runs along the Park’s rim and winds you through Pinyon and juniper trees. Through the small town of Barclay where lunch is served at the one room schoolhouse. The course then swings around

back to the main park road and down into Campground B where we end the ride with a BBQ. The course is subject to change based on weather conditions. 35 and 45 mile options., Dawn Andone, 775-728-8101, cathedralgorge_vc@lcturbonet.com beaverdamgravelgrinder.com

June 17, 2023 — Dirty Dino Gravel Grinder, Vernal, UT, Come get Jurass-kicked on 1 of the 3 amazing routes through the high Uinta Mountains and Dinosaurland. Choose from 32, 59 or 106 mile routes. It’s going to be RAWRsome!, Breanne Nalder-Harward, 801-550-0434, graveldino@gmail.com gravel-dino.com facebook.com/Dirty-DinoGravel-Grinder-103665632203894

June 21-25, 2023 — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, Sisters, OR, Chad Sperry, grinderinfo@breakawaypro.com, oregongravelgrinder.com

June 24, 2023 — Ruby Roubaix Gravel Gran Fondo, Lamoille, NV, Gravel Fondo! See the Ruby Mountains like you’ve never seen them before during this one-day bicycle ride or race beginning and ending in scenic Lamoille, Nevada. Choice of a 20, 36, 62 or full 117 mile loop on pavement, gravel and dirt roads. Ride it or race it!, Ruby Roubaix , 775-389-1862, info@rubyroubaix.com rubyroubaix.com

July 8, 2023 — Ochoco Gravel Grinder, Prineville, OR, Chad Sperry, grinderinfo@ breakawaypro.com oregongravelgrinder. com

July 22, 2023 — The Rift Gravel Race Iceland, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland, The Rift is a 200 km (125 miles) off-road bike race through the dark lava fields in the highlands of Iceland. It traverses the continental rift between North America and Eurasia - a rift that grows one inch every year. The growth is evident with vast lava fields all around creating a surreal landscape. A landscape that is remote, rugged and unpredictable!, The Rift , 011-354626-3332, info@therift.bike, therift.bike

Mountain Bike

Tours and Festivals

March 3-5, 2023 — Sedona Mountain Bike Festival, Sedona, AZ, Held in the heart of Sedona next to trails, bike park, and downtown. Main Expo/Festival area at the beautiful Posse Grounds Park; Bike Demos, Shuttled Rides, a Beer Garden, great Bands, and endless singletrack., Sedona MTB Festival , 928-282-1106, info@sedonamtbfestival.com sedonamtbfestival.com

March 24-26, 2023 — Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival, Hurricane, UT, Ride with us on world-class singletrack at the foothills of Zion National Park. Join us for 3 days of bike festival shenanigans, awesome demo bike & gear, Expo with great food and shopping, bike shuttles, skills clinics, Zion Brewery beer garden, dinner, prizes and more!, DJ Morisette, 435-635-5455, humtbfestival@gmail.com hurricanemtbfestival. com otesports.com

March 24-26, 2023 — BetterRide Enduro MTB Camp, Moab, UT, Multiple camps, see the website for dates, Take your skills to the next level by investing in yourself! Learn the skills

to greatly improve your riding and drills to master those skills. Increase your confidence, skill and efficiently with the most experienced (20 years), effective and sought after coach in the sport, Gene Hamilton!, Ilse Harms, admin@betterride.net betterride.net

March 31-April 2, 2023 — BetterRide Women’s MTB Camp, Moab, UT, BetterRide’s WomenOnly Mountain Bike Camp, Clinic and Skills Coaching covers the same core skills as the co-ed camps in a supportive, nonjudgemental atmosphere. Take your skills to the next level by investing in yourself! Learn the skills to greatly improve your riding and drills to master those skills. Increase your confidence, skill and efficiently with the most experienced (20 years), effective and sought after coach in the sport, Gene Hamilton!, Ilse Harms, admin@betterride.net betterride.net

April 26-September 30, 2023 — MTB The Maze Mountain Bike Tour, Moab, UT, Deep in the heart of Canyonlands National Park. 4 trips to choose from, 4 days 3 nights. Small Groups of 7 or less. Outfitted by professional guides. Camp at the Maze Overlook and hike down into the Maze while viewing vertical uplifts and plunging gorges., Karen Johnson, 800-624-6323, 801-266-2087, karen. holidayriver@gmail.com, Natalie Osborn, natalie.holidayriver@gmail.com, bikeraft. com

April 28-30, 2023 — MECCA MTB Festival Green River, UT, 37th Annual, Held at the John Wesley Powell Museum in Green River, Utah. Registration begins Friday at 1:00 p.m. followed by a warm up ride, refreshments, games and a prize drawing. Saturday is full of all-day guided rides, ranging from beginner to advanced followed by a yummy dinner, games and more fun. Finish up on Sunday with a guided (or on your own) scenic ride. Family friendly., Terri Bennett, 435-749-0755, 435-749-2386, meccabike01@ gmail.com, biketheswell.org

May 11-14, 2023 — BetterRide MTB Trail Domination MTB Skills Course/Camp/Clinic Moab, UT, Take your skills to the next level by investing in yourself! Learn the skills to greatly improve your riding and drills to master those skills. Increase your confidence, skill and efficiently with the most experienced (20 years), effective and sought after coach in the sport, Gene Hamilton!, Ilse Harms, admin@betterride.net betterride.net

May 13-14, 2023 — US Bank Fruita Fat Tire Festival, Fruita, CO, 25th Anniversary festival kicking off the Mtn bike season in CO, world renowned trails, Bike Demo at 18 Road and Downtown Product Expo, and live music, George Gatseos, 970-858-7220, fruita@otesports.com fruitafattirefestival.com

July 9-September 1, 2023 — Glacier National Park Bike Tour, Whitefish, MT, Multiple dates. Each year Glacier National Park and its Canadian sister, Waterton Lakes National Park, deliver among our highest guest satisfaction rates. The mountains are gorgeous, the riding is invigorating, and the scenery is second to none. This is your year for Glacier!6-day tour, 5-nights of lodging, meals include: 4 dinners, 5 lunches & 4 breakfast, all taxes & entrance fees, lunch en route daily, energy food, liquid refreshments, shuttles and mechanical support.,

John Humphries, 970-728-5891, info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com lizardheadcyclingguides.com

Utah Weekly MTB Race Series

Regional Weekly MTB Race Series

May 31-June 28, 2023 — Session Series Weekly Enduro Series, Floyd Hill, CO, A weeknight series ending in a weekend finale, riders check their better judgment at the start for a timed downhill run on the infamous Sluice Trail at Floyd Hill. So close to Denver, but miles away in drops, jumps, and technical downhill features., Jennifer Barbour, 303-5034616, jen@teamevergreen.org teamevergreen.org sessionseries.org

Utah Mountain

Bike Racing

March 11, 2023 — True GRIT Epic Bike Race National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series (NUE) 100 and Marathon SE, Santa Clara, UT, Epic ultra-endurance mountain bike race with 100 and 50 mile options over tough and technical terrain. Course is a 50 mile loop. Finish with live music, vendors and beer garden., Cimarron Chacon, 970-7593048, info@groraces.com, truegritepic.com

March 25-27, 2023 — Moab Rocks, Moab, UT, Incorporates Moab’s best classic and new routes and combines them into a 3-day masterpiece of cross-country and timed descents in a fully supported format., Kevin McDonald, 866-373-3376, info@transrockies. com TransRockies.com

March 25, 2023 — Good Vibes in Santa Clara Intermountain Cup, Santa Clara, UT, Classic Southern Utah singletrack makes up this 6-mile course located in the popular Santa Clara River Reserve trail network. The just under 800 feet of elevation gain is broken up between a couple of techy climbs and punctuated by fast connectors. This is sure to be a ripper of a course that will have you wanting to enjoy the scenery with views into Snow Canyon and Red Mountain., Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@ redrockbicycle.com intermountaincup. com ridesouthernutah.com

April 8, 2023 — 6 Hours of Frog Hollow, Frog Hollow Endurance Series, Virgin, UT, 13 mile long course in the UT desert combines sweet single track, with some technical sections, and great climbs. Great introduction to endurance racing or a great trainer for bigger races. Categories from solo to 3 person, including single speed categories., Cimarron Chacon, 970-759-3048, info@ groraces.com groraces.com 6hoursinfroghollow.com

April 22, 2023 — The Cactus Hugger ICUP Intermountain Cup, St. George, UT, The race will utilize much of the well renowned Jem Trail, which is a rider favorite in Utah for its

fast, flowing nature, as well as sections of the Cryptobiotic and Hurricane Cliffs trails all linked together with some sections of BLM dirt road for an 8.5 mile lap of ripping terrain., Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@ redrockbicycle.com intermountaincup. com, ridesouthernutah.com

May 5-7, 2023 — Soho Bike Fest, USA Cycling Pro XCT, Heber, UT, Cross Country, time trial, and STXC races. Part of the Pro CrossCountry Tour. UCI sanctioned too. Come out and watch the top pros or race your race., Todd Hageman, sohobikefest@gmail.com sohobikefest.com

May 20, 2023 — Three Peaks Classic ICUP Intermountain Cup, Cedar City, UT, Endurance XC, 25-50 miles. 1700’ per lap. 7.8 miles and 500 feet of elevation per lap on dirt roads and the fun singletrack that laces its way through Juniper and Pinion trees., Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@redrockbicycle.com, intermountaincup.com ridesouthernutah.com

June 10, 2023 — Wasatch 50, TENTATIVE for location - TBD, Intermountain Cup Endurance Series, Pending - TBD, UT, Description Pending Location - TBD, Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@redrockbicycle. com intermountaincup.com

June 24, 2023 — Fast Times at Richfield ICUP Intermountain Cup, Richfield, UT, Check back for complete details., Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@redrockbicycle.com, intermountaincup.com

July 1, 2023 — Brian Shredder Downhill, Go-Ride Gravity Series, Brian Head, UT, Downhill, Ron Lindley, 801-375-3231, info@ utahdh.org utahdh.org

July 15, 2023 — El Doce at Pow Mow, Powder Mountain - Eden, UT, 12/6 Hour Endurance Mountain Bike Race at Powder Mountain, Utah. Solo, Duo and 3-4 Teams. 15.2 mi course lap with ~1900’ elevation gain, IMBAdesigned trails., Eric Bauman, 801-399-1773, eric@goalfoundation.com, Reide Thompson, 801-399-1773, reide@goalfoundation.com, eldoceut.com

July 15, 2023 — Soldier Hollow ICUP Intermountain Cup, Soldier Hollow, UT, Margaret Gibson, 435-229-6251, margaret@ redrockbicycle.com intermountaincup. com

Regional Mountain Bike Racing

ID, WY, MT, NV, AZ, NM, CO, MT, OR, WA, CA

and Beyond

March 5, 2023 — Mineral Belt Mayhem Leadville Winter Mtn Bike Series, Leadville, CO, Cloud City Wheelers , info@cloudcitywheelers.com, cloudcitywheelers.com

March 10-12, 2023 — Cactus Cup, Fountain Hills, AZ, Arizona’s Original Mountain Bike Stage race, its history dates back to 1991.

Study Reveals Most People Don’t Wear Helmets Properly, Leads to Call for Mandatory Helmet Legislation, Education

Children are less likely to wear a helmet properly while biking than adolescents or grown-ups, observers in Montreal found. A research team watched 2,000 cyclists across the city in the summer of 2021 to see if an increase in biking during the pandemic affected the rate of helmet use. It discovered that helmet use had increased over a similar study done a decade earlier, despite the addition of bikeshare programs, which generally don’t provide helmets.

But men and minorities were less likely than others to wear a properly-fitted helmet.

The study suggests considering mandatory helmet legislation, subsidies for helmets, and targeted education to children and their caregivers.

Read Factors Associated with Bicycle Helmet Use and Proper Fit: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Montreal Cyclists during the COVID-19 Pandemic at https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/s41997-023-007478 - code-availability.

-Charles Pekow

Federal Highway Administration Announces $800M in Safe Streets Grants

Goodies from Washington under the infrastructure law keep coming. In February, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $800 million for 510 grants through the new Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program (SS4A). Projects include 473 action plan grants to develop roadway safety plans in communities, and 37 implementation grants for communities to enact safety programs they’ve already developed.

Among the implementation grants, Missoula, MT got $9,311,254 for improvements along South Avenue and Clements Road, two corridors with high crash rates. The project includes constructing separated bike lanes and improving access to Big Sky High School, Fort Missoula Regional Park and shopping destinations.

Bernalillo County NM received $6.3 million for the Coors Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Project, which will include installing protected bike lanes for two miles.

The action plan grants are designed to help communities that have not yet developed roadway safety action plans or want to improve existing ones for all road users, including cyclists.

FHWA said it plans to award another $1.1 billion in April.

The Agency noted that bicyclist fatalities rose 5 percent in 2021 over 2020. A study released this month from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that in 2019, injuries to cyclists and pedestrians caused five percent of the economic harm and nine percent of the social cost of traffic accidents (https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/ Public/ViewPublication/813403) and that a “significant number” were caused by cyclist drinking.

In Utah, the six planning grants went to:

•Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization: $320,000 covering 10 cities in Cache County

•Cedar City Corporation: $52.000 for a Cedar City Action Plan

•City of Green River: $79,000 for Safe and Beautiful Broadway

•Five County Association of Governments: $1 million for an action plan

•Mountainland Association of Governments: $ 1 million for the Safety Action Plan Covering Utah, Wasatch, and Summit counties

•Wasatch Front Regional Council: $775,200 for its SS4A Action Plan Arizona got eight action grants totaling $4,776,090; Colorado got 20 totaling $6,088,970; Idaho got four worth $937,900; Montana five for $1,940,545; Nevada two for $3,539,000; and New Mexico four for $1,219,200. Wyoming only got one: Teton County received $480,000 for the Teton County and Town of Jackson Comprehensive Safety Action Planning Project.

For a complete list of grants, see https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ ss4a/2022-awards-action-plan-grants.

-Charles Pekow

Utah DOT Considering Improvements to Bicycle Infrastructure in Summit County

Revisions to Kimball Junction in Summit County UT may include a new bike bridge and other improvements. The Federal Highway Administration and Utah Department of Transportation are considering improvements to the area, which includes the I-80 and SR-224 interchange and SR-224 through the two at-grade intersections to the south of I-80 (Ute Boulevard and Olympic Parkway).

Officials still have to decide exactly what form the revisions will take, if any, but the options include reducing traffic along bike lanes. Currently, multi-use trails parallel 224 and the Summit Bike Share system serves the area. The trails lead to more than 500 miles of paved and mountain bike trails.

Alternatives under consideration involve adding a bridge over 224 or adding a pedestrian tunnel at Ute.

Details: https://kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov/

-Charles Pekow

BICYCLE ART

The World — Bicycle Art from Kate Wilhite

Artist name: Kate Wilhite

Title: The World (from Queer Revolution Tarot),

Medium: Watercolor

Bio: Kate Wilhite (she/they) is a watercolor artist exploring queer identity through light and color. They work with themes of ambiguity, duality, and personal realities. Kate’s most recent project was a 78-painting tarot series featuring locals from the Salt Lake City queer community, and is now focusing on a series about radical authenticity and intimacy. Kate is exploring a new medium this year as a tattoo apprentice and is excited to further their journey of radical self-expression through art making.

Artist statement: My work centers around queer identity and radical authenticity. I use color and light to explore spaces between binaries. My paintings seek to examine questions such as where does the boundary lie between enjoyment and indulgence? When can self-medication become self-harm? Does reality exist? How can one find stability in a world of constant change and impermanence?

At what point does self-expression become a charade? I use co-existing opposites, contrasting colors and values, and a combination of organic shapes and patterns to explore these questions. My goal is to relay universal themes - isolation, selfmedication, constructed identities, etc — through specific snapshots of a particular subculture. I live and work in Salt Lake City, Utah, and my community is a vital part of my work. The queer artist subculture is so unique here. Because the state is religiously oppressive, queer and trans people tend to collect in the city, creating a queer bubble where we can live authentically and safely. I paint people in my community who live between binaries as a way to explore my own identity and to show the world how beautiful queer radical authenticity is.

About the art: The World is a Tarot Card is part of the Queer Revolution Tarot. This is a deck of tarot cards that all people—cis, trans, gay, straight, agender, asexual, etc. can use to meditate on queerness within their own identities.

The World card represents completion, accomplishment, integration, and fulfillment. You have completed a journey and reached a goal that you have long been working for. Look back on your achievements, mistakes, struggles, and lessons learned with pride. All of those experiences brought you here to where you are now. As this journey draws to completion, reflect on your wisdom gained, and look forward to your next journey with fresh eyes and enthusiasm.

Queer Revolution Tarot takes a gender-expansive view on masculinity and femininity that allows viewers to break down gendered terms into attributes present in all people.

Where to Find Kate’s Art: Purchase art through their Instagram @kate.Wilhite or katewilhite.com