Sunday, July 31, 2005

TV coverage of Mike Katz accident

Both KSDK-TV, Channel 5, and KMOV-TV, Channel 4, both had good coverage of the Michael Katz memorial ride today in Creve Coeur, Mo., when Mike was killed last week when a vehicle hit his recumbent bicycle. According to KMOV, about a dozen people cyclists put a "ghost bike," a bicycle painted white, and flowers at the site where Mike was killed.

Both stations had comments from Mike's widow, and the cyclists quoted seemed to have things in the right perspective: Both cyclists and motorists need to be more aware of each other and follow the rules of the roads. The article on KMOV's Web site isn't nearly as good as the segment KMOV aired.

I was disappointed that neither station mentioned that Mike was an attorney for 37 years in Collinsville, Ill.

I had intended to attend, but other things got in the way. I was glad, at least, to have played a role in getting the word out about the memorial.

Roger 0 comments 11:24 PM

Friday, July 29, 2005

Mike Katz Memorial Ride

The St. Louis cycling community will be riding in memory of Michael Katz on Sunday, July 31. Join other riders to commemorate Mike’s life, raise awareness of traffic safety and share stories this Sunday. Riders will gather at 243 N. Lindbergh (the American Optometric Association), where parking is available. Departure for the accident site will be at 4:30 p.m., by bike. It is roughly two miles to the site, and a mile to return. At 5 p.m. there will be an observance at the site of the accident. Riders are encouraged to bring flowers or other mementos to place at the site. The Creve Coeur police and the media have been invited. Parking is available at Schnuck’s, at the corner of Spoede and Olive. For more information, see this PDF file from the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation.

Roger 0 comments 2:18 PM

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

A growing craze

I'm happy to see Hal Leventhal's Bicycle World shop considering a major expansion. The Belleville News-Democrat reported Wednesday that the construction of bicycle paths in Belleville has been good for business, and he is looking into expanding into other health and fitness areas.

Meanwhile, The Cyclery is moving to new quarters in Edwardsville, and folks there say it will be the biggest bicycle and fitness store in the St. Louis area. The Cyclery has been a loyal supporter of the Tour de Stooges ride since its inception in 1997, and I bought my first Cannondale from that shop nearly 20 years ago.

It's good to know cycling in catching on, and I hope it continues to do so even with the retirement of Lance Armstrong.

Roger 0 comments 10:41 PM

Longtime St. Louis area cyclist dies in crash

Michael A. Katz, 65, a longtime supporter of the Gateway Council of Hostelling International and a regular on Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society rides in the past, was killed Monday when a truck struck his recumbent bicycle at 6 a.m. in Creve Coeur, Mo. Details are sketchy because the Creve Coeur Police declined to reveal details of the accident, but you can read more about it at http://snipurl.com/michaelkatz.

The Belleville News-Democrat and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch both had more about Mike in their print editions Wednesday .

Brian Brueggemann of the News-Democrat had a nice article about Mike. Here's the link to the story: http://snipurl.com/mikekatzbnd

The Post-Dispatch ran its obituary on Mike: http://snipurl.com/mikekatzpd

As recently as this weekend, Mike was an active volunteer on the Peach Pedal ride at Eckert's in Belleville. The photo shown here is from the Cycle Across Missouri: An Excursion into Little Egypt ride in June. Mike also played a key role with the Turtles, which like the BABES is a loosely organized group affiliated with the Gateway Council.

Although Mike lived in Creve Coeur, he had a law practice in Collinsville, Ill., for 37 years. Mike's associate, Karl Wulff, said Mike started out in general practice then specialized in consumer bankruptcies in the latter part of his career.

"All of the judges and attorneys who he came across loved him professionally and respected him personally," Karl said.

Mike served as Karl's mentor, and the law firm, Katz & Wulff Attorneys at Law, retains Mike's name even though he retired from active practice five years ago.

"One of the things he taught me was that everyone had the right to representation," Karl said. "He didn't turn anyone away."

A graveside service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road in Chesterfield, Mo. He is survived by his wife, Susan, his daughter, Robin, and his son, Daniel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Shaare Zedek Synagogue, 829 N. Hanley, St. Louis, MO 63130 or to the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, 7012 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63117.

Our condolences go out to his friends and family.

Roger 0 comments 12:05 AM

Thursday, July 21, 2005

I'm a winner

For a while, I thought I would a member of the Bob Roll League in playing Trek's Lucky 7 contest. During my trips to the Touring Cyclist shop in Fairview Heights to play the game, I came up empty, just like Roll has done in the commercials for Lucky 7 airing on OLN's Tour de France broadcast.

Early this morning, I finally decided to play the game online. I won!

OK, I only won a water bottle, but that's a whole lot better than winning a Peak bar.

I credit my victory to having seen Jody Martin de Camilo and her pink bike at the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society ride Wednesday night in O'Fallon, Ill. A week ago, I happened to be in the Touring Cyclist shop when Jody and her husband, Gerardo, came in to scratch card. Jody won a Discovery cycling team T-shirt. By her reaction, you would have thought she won the Tour de France!

She credited me for giving her luck, so I guess she returned the favor.

Roger 1 comments 1:49 PM

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

What the $%$@ is the Post-Dispatch thinking?

In recent years, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has done some very good articles about bicycling, but the Post has lost a lot of credibility in the cycling community in the past week and a half. First, there was the poorly written article about the cycling "controversy" in Jersey and Calhoun counites in Illinois. On Sunday, the Post sunk to a new depth with Dan Martin's Postcards from Mound City cartoon (opens in new window).

I generally enjoy Martin's work, but he totally missed the mark here. Not only could the cartoon be constrewn as anti-cyclist, but he offends the farmers who live in that region. Having grown up on a farm just outside Jersey County, I can tell you the vast majority of farmers in that region are responsible and friendly people. They would not stoop to something that stupid. Most of my riding takes place on rural roads, and I have yet to have a problem with a farmer.

Maybe the Post should take a break from covering cycling until it gets a real grasp of the issue.

Roger 0 comments 1:00 PM

East Belleville Bikeway

Congratulations to the city of Belleville for completing the East Belleville Bikeway. The two-mile trail connects to existing trails to form the Richland Greenway and to the MetroLink Trail. You now can bike seven miles one-way on trails and designated bike routes from the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Third Street to Southwestern Illinois College.

Richland Creek, from which the greenway gets its name, will never be known as one of America' Scenic Waterways, but the trail will become more attractive as the vegetation taken out by trail construction returns and the greenway matures.

The neatest part of the trails are the underpass that takes cyclists under Illinois 159 along Richland Creek and the sculptures in the parks. My favorite sculptures are the one featuring two bicycles and the other portraying a farmer.

Generally speaking, it's an enjoyable ride, but I would like to see a couple of improvements. I'd like to see the city install a crosswalk signal at Main and Sixth streets so users can safely cross Main Street while using the trail. I'd also like to see the city sweep the loose gravel from the Fourth Street alley the trail shares near Hough Park because the loose gravel can be hazardous for road bikes.

Still, I commend the city of Belleville for making the effort, and I hope the greenway will be so popular that municipal officials in St. Clair County will be encouraged to make more accommodations for cyclists.

Roger 0 comments 12:45 PM

Chicago cops send a message to cyclists

The Chicago Tribune (registration required) reports today that the Chicago Police Department is issuing warnings who disobey traffic laws in the Lakeview neighborhood, located on Lake Michigan roughly halfway between downtown Chicago and Evanston.

Police spent six hours Tuesday on bike patrol in Lakeview, giving out 37 warnings to bicyclists for running red lights, riding on sidewalks and going the wrong direction on a one-way street, the Tribune reported. Next month, police will start handing out tickets, with fines that range from $25 to $250.

Closer to home, it never ceases to amaze me how many people ride their bikes on the wrong side of the road in Belleville. From all appearances, the big offenders seem to be children and people who are riding bicycles because they lost their driver's licenses. We in the cycling community need to do a better job of getting out the word on the Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road (pdf file).

Roger 0 comments 12:43 PM

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

East Belleville Bikeway grand opening

Join the Belleville Parks & Recreation Department and Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the opening of the East Belleville Bikeway on Friday, July 15, at 10 a.m.

The ceremony will be held at the North Municipal Gateway Fountain at the intersection of Illinois Route 159 and North Douglas Avenue, with parking available at North End Park. Bring your bicycle to ride after the ceremony; you can ride both MetroBikeLink and the new East Belleville Bikeway from this location. Please RSVP to the chamber at (618) 233-2015.

Roger 0 comments 2:18 PM

Monday, July 11, 2005

Angry motorists in Jersey and Calhoun counties

Once again, motorists are expressing their frustrations with bicyclists. The people of Jersey and Calhoun counties, two rural Illinois counties on the edge of the St. Louis metropolitan area, are complaining about cyclists who clog their roads and don't use bicycle trails when they are available.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch article published today is seriously flawed. The responses from the cyclists and tour leader quoted in the story are buried deep in the story. The reporters and editors who handled this story should have made an effort to get the cyclists' side of the story higher in the story. You would think that the editorial staff of a major metropolitan newspaper would know people don't always make it to the end of the story. The lead of the story also assumed that the roads were originally built for cars, trucks and farm equipment. The farm equipment portion probably is correct, but there is a strong possibility many of these roads were first created during the horse-and-buggy days.

Nevertheless, there are some valid points here. For example:

Pennie Pohlman recalls a recent Saturday when more than 100 participants in a charity bike ride converged on her tiny hometown of Brussels. What she saw that day on the winding Calhoun County roads leading from the Brussels Ferry into her village frightened and angered her.

"(Bicyclists) were riding three abreast and sometimes stopping on the shoulder of the road" holding up vehicle traffic, said Pohlman, who was working at the Red and White grocery that day. "We have a lot of bike riders come through here, and I'm sure it's because the countryside is very pretty. But it's infuriating to see what they're doing because they are so inconsiderate."

Riding three or more abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads. Don't believe me? Then read the section of the Illinois Vehicle Code pertaining to bicycles. While I attempt to educate cyclists of that fact on the map for the Tour de Stooges, I know people ignore that. I think all of the groups that lead organized rides in the St. Louis area do a horrible job of educating cyclists of the rules of the road. For example, here's what Trailnet's Trailnetiquette Safety Tips has to say on the subject:

By law, cyclists must ride to the right except when the road is too narrow, when turning, when avoiding a hazard and may ride two abreast if not impeding faster traffic.

The problem here is that Trailnet makes absolutely no mention of the fact that riding three or more abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads.

As for people stopping in the road (other than for a stop sign, of course), that's a definite no-no. The organizers of most multiday rides I've been on have done a great job of telling people to pull off the road if they are stopping to rest or to make a repair. I need to do a better job of informing people of that next year on Tour de Stooges, and I hope other ride organizers do the same.

Another complaint cited in the Post article involves people who ride on the Great River Road instead of the Vadalabene Bike Trail:

Brussels resident Matt Meyer said he frequently sees cyclists pedaling on the shoulder of the Great River Road near Grafton instead of using the Vadalabene Bike Trail a few feet away.

Once, Meyer stopped a rider and asked him why he didn't use the bike path.

"He said, 'I have just as much right to use this road as you do,'" Meyer recalled. "I understand that the paths get crowded, but they're not using them at all."

While technically, Illinois cyclists aren't required to use bicycle paths adjacent to roads, it might be a good idea if they do. But cyclists aren't completely to blame here. People have a tendency to throw out their beer and liquor bottles on the trail, leaving lots of shattered glass. As of last year when I last rode the trail, much of the trail that is off-road was in poor condition with broken pavement and cracks. I can understand why many people on road bikes avoid the trail.

Alton cyclist Ron Mayhew also was quoted in the Post-Dispatch:

Mayhew said problems often arise when amateur bikers who are unfamiliar with group events join ranks with more seasoned riders. "They don't have a clue as to what the rules are for bike riders sharing space with cars," Mayhew said. "Sometimes you get people riding three or four abreast right down the middle of the road."

Once again, the reporters and editors showed their ignorance of cycling. The overwhelming majority of people who do group rides are amateurs. The proper word here would have been "inexperienced." But Mayhew, generally speaking, is correct, although my experience has been that more "seasoned riders" sometimes ignore the rules. Here's some more from him:

Mayhew said the wise solution would be for both bikers and drivers to do their homework. "Lots of (drivers) don't know what the rules of the road are, either," said Mayhew, who recently co-founded the Alton-based Riverbend Cycling Club. "It's an education issue."

Yes, it is. And those of us who lead group rides need to take the first step.

Roger 0 comments 11:58 AM

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Tour de Donut 2005

The results of the 2005 Tour de Donut have been posted. Here's the link to the adjusted time after the 5-minute doughnut bonuses have been assessed:
http://www.bebikeclub.com/tourdedonut/2005/results.html#Donut_Bonus_Order

Congratulations to Dave Atchison, who won the men's under-50 title by eating 18 doughnuts for an adjusted time of 12 minutes, 30.53 seconds. Cara McCauley of Asheville, N.C., came all the way to Staunton, Ill., to eat just one doughnut, but she still won the women's under-50 time in 1:13.40.

A special round of applause goes to Kathleen Michael of the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society. She ate 10 doughnuts and had an adjusted time of 1:24.16, good for third place in the women's under-50 division. I knew Kathleen had a shot at the title: She has all the skills needed to contend in an event like the Tour de Donut.

As for me, I came real close to blowing off the Tour de Donut this year, even though I had already paid for the ride. Friday was a crazy night on the Belleville News-Democrat copy desk, and I knew I was going to in for an interesting evening Saturday with only three or four hours of sleep if I traveled to Staunton.

But then I remembered I pretty much had to be there. I already told Jim Klenn, who is making a documentary on the Tour de Donut, that I would be there so he could get some race footage of me and some additional comments about this year's event.

I ate 10 doughnuts, but my riding time was horrible. I started out reasonably well because of the adrenaline that comes with riding in a big pack of cyclists, but the lack of sleep and the stress from work got to me on the final 10-mile leg after the second doughnut stop. I really enjoy the Tour de Donut, but I don't know if I will be there next year if I have to work back-to-back nights.

Still, the Boeing Employees' Bicycle Club and the city of Staunton deserve a lot of credit for putting on a great event. I'm still amazed how the event has grown since I helped create the ride in 1989 for the Mid-America Bicycle Club.

Roger 0 comments 2:32 PM

Friday, July 08, 2005

Bicycle racing action in St. Louis

For those of you in the St. Louis area who cannot get to the Tour de France, you can see some bicycle racing this weekend.

The St. Louis Cycling Club is putting on the Cougar Crit on Saturday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Tour de Soulard on Sunday in the historic Soulard neighborhood in St. Louis. The SIUE event starts at 9 a.m., and the Tour de Soulard starts at 11 a.m. For more information, visit the St Louis Cycling Club's Web site..

For the rest of us, there is the Tour de Donut on Saturday in Staunton, Ill. Registration is closed for the event, but I'm looking forward to giving it my best shot.

Roger 0 comments 12:42 AM

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Threat to Katy Trail

The Kansas City Star today published an interesting story about controversial plans to tear down the railroad bridge at Booneville, Mo.

What makes this controversial is that the bridge is part of the old railway corridor that makes up the Katy Trail. Like many other rail-to-trails project, the right-of-way being preserved in case it is ever needed for railroad use again. Many believe tearing down the bridge will make it impossible to use the corridor as a railway again, thus meaning the land now used for the trail would revert to private owners.

Roger 0 comments 2:40 PM

Saturday, July 02, 2005

An American in Yellow ... and it's not Lance!

David Zabriskie of Team CSC finished two seconds ahead of Lance Armstrong to win the first stage of the Tour de France today.

In the big scheme of things, Armstrong will be the big winner because he put most of his main rivals a minute behind him. What was amazing to see was Armstrong catch Jan Ullrich with about 4 kilometers left in the time trial.

But equally impressive is the fact four of the top six riders after the first stage are Americans. In addition to Zabriskie and Armstrong, George Hincapie finished fourth and Floyd Landis finished sixth.

Zabriskie, 25, became a professional in 2001. He won a stage of the Vuelta a Espana last year while a member of the U.S. Postal Service team, and he finished fifth in the World Championship time trial. To learn more about him, visit the Team CSC profile or his Web site.

I won't be writing much about the Tour de France here. You can visit the Tour's site, the Outdoor Life Network or visit many of the sources on the news feeds in the right column for much moreknowledgeablee analysis of the race.

Besides, I need to focus on the Tour de Donut next weekend!

Roger 0 comments 12:23 PM