Sunday, February 26, 2006

Tour of California press coverage

UPDATED 2/27/06: As many of you cyclists know, it's been hard to find coverage of the Amgen Tour of California coverage in your local newspaper. There's a reason for that: Your paper probably didn't get stories or even results from the event from the wire services until Sunday night, the final night of the ride.

There was a discussion I chimed into over at the Cycle-Licious blog: "So much for the Lance effect". I have a bit of expertise in this area since I deal with wire service copy every day at my job of design editor of the Belleville News-Democrat.

Fritz, the guru of the Cycle-Licious site, asked whether there are different levels of subscription that are available to newspapers and other news sites. The short answer is yes. Here's the long answer I gave him and that he asked me to share with you:

The Associated Press has various levels of service for its members.The more a paper is willing to pay, the more stories it gets. At the Belleville News-Democrat, we get the bulk of the stories AP sends, but not all. Larger newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, etc. and sites like ESPN subscribe to the highest level of service, while small papers get bare-bones service. AP also tailors the service so papers get stories of interest for their states. Since we're near St. Louis, we subscribe to the Illinois and Missouri wires. Because there is interest in George Hincapie in South Carolina (He lives in Greenville, S.C.), newspapers in that state get Tour of California stories.

Unfortunately, I suspect AP editors think there isn't enough interest in the Tour of California for most papers that subscribe to our level of service, hence those stories aren't going out on that sports wire. (The News-Democrat did receive an AP story Sunday night, and we ran a brief in Monday's Sports section.)

The smaller wire services -- Reuters, Knight Ridder/Tribune, New York Times, Washington Post/Los Angeles Times, etc. -- also can tailor their services, but not to the extent AP does. I'm still surprised Knight Ridder/Tribune isn't sending stories on the Tour since Knight Ridder (which owns the News-Democrat) owns at least four papers in California that are covering the event, including the San Jose Mercury News. (Knight Ridder/Tribune also sent a Mercury News storyon the tour Sunday night, but it was the only one the News-Democrat received during the eight days of the race.)

Perhaps if another American besides Lance Armstrong wins the Tour de France or plays a major role in the race this year, maybe the AP editors will wake up and realize that there are some elite American athletes participating in an event that draws thousands of spectators. It will be interesting to see how AP handles the Tour of Georgia now that Lance won't be in it.

Roger 2 comments 10:36 PM

Tour of California recap

Congratulations to Floyd Landis for winning the Amgen Tour of California today. He finished 29 seconds ahead of fellow American David Zabriskie to win the eight-day event along the Pacific coast. George Hincapie took the sprinters' green jersey, while Levi Leipheimer took the King of the Mountains jersey. Bobby Julich's Team CSC won the team championship.

From what I've seen, the broadcasts did improve greatly during the course of the race. The camerawork was awful for the prolouge and Stage 1, but improved greatly during the course of the week. VeloNews' Friday mailbag was filled with complaints about the coverage, most of them valid, but some readers were simply gratefuly the event got coverage at all. I'm sure the coverage of the event will improve next year.

Besides the racing, the highlights of the event were the incredible scenery of California and the Specialized Angel. Sure, the Angel was a marketing ploy, but it was a successful one because Jana Ireton got a lot of exposure. Some dismissed her because of her ties with Specialized, as opposed to the Tour de France devil, who does it for the fun of it, but I find the devil to be a bit on the self-aggrandizing side.

The lowlight for me was the green jersey segments by Clif bars. While I admire Clif's efforts to make the race as environmentally friendly as possible, I found Dylan and Paul's spots rather annoying -- even more annoying than Bob Roll's pronounciation of Tour DAY France.

Roger 1 comments 7:33 PM

Thursday, February 23, 2006

More on the Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California passes through some of the state's best scenery on Stage 4, from Monterrey to San Luis Obispo. You can see some of the scenery here, including a cool video clip of a couple of cows chasing the cyclists. Don't worry, the cows are behind a fence.

I had the privilege of visiting the Monterrey area a year and a half ago and visited Point Lobos. You can see some my photos from my Point Lobos visit here. You'll have to scroll down a bit to get to the photos.

I watched ESPN2's coverage of Stage 3, the individual time trial, and I thought the camerawork was greatly improved from those from the Prologue and Stage 1. The images were much clearer, and the photographers did a great job of keeping up with the action.

It was great to see that five of the top six riders after Stage 3 were Americans. I can't think that will help Americans pay attention to the Tour de France, even without Lance Armstrong.

Roger 0 comments 2:25 PM

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

The Specialized Angel

For those of you who have been watching the Amgen Tour of California, you may have seen a heavenly sight: the Specialized Angel.

In his blog on the San Jose Mercury News' Web site, Sal Pizarro reports that the Specialized Angel -- 29-year-old San Jose model Jana Ireton -- is becoming quite the attraction at the event. Here's his take on the Angel:

"This is a take off of the Tour de France's devil -- a man named Didi Senft who shows up at many stages in a red devil costume -- but it seems fans and the riders are appreciating the appearance of the angel much more."

I definitely appreciate the appearance of the Angel, and so does the Velochimp blog. She's definitely much more attractive than the Tour de France devil.

You can see more of the Angel at Specilized's Web site. Just do a search for "Angel" and you will find more photographs of her. At the photo included here, she is blowing a kiss to cyclist Levi Leipheimer.

And you can see more of Jana without her wings at her personal page.

As for the ESPN2 coverage of the Tour of California, I've been disappointed with the camerawork. There are too many moments of "dead air," when you see the crowd, but no cyclists. I have a new appreciation for the French TV cameramen who provide such great images of the Tour de France.

As for commenting on the race itself, I've leave that up to the experts. You can find keep up with the race on the RSS feeds in the right column of this page.

The Cyclelicious blog has been reporting on the lack of news coverage of the Tour of California. I have to say my publication, the Belleville News-Democrat, has been guilty, too. On the other hand, it's hard to get the race in the paper when our wire services aren't providing the stories.

Roger 2 comments 12:12 PM

Sunday, February 19, 2006

A quick guide to the bike race

The San Jose Mercury News has published a quick guide to the Amgen Tour of California. It's pretty interesting, so give it a look.

Just keep in mind the times listed for the ESPN2 broadcast are Pacific Standard Time, so adjust accordingly depending on where you live.

While you're at it, you can read about the Silicon Valley's love affair with cycling in this Mercury News story.

To keep up with the details of the race, visit the cycling news feeds on the right column of this page.

Roger 0 comments 1:22 PM

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Southern Illinois Trails System

A relatively new Mount Vernon, Ill.-based group called the Southern Illinois Trails System is hoping to develop multipurpose trails in that community.

The group is seeking a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to develop a plan for trails in the city of Mount Vernon that would link the community's Center for the Arts and Historic Village with other parks. The group also wants to link trails in the city with those in the Rend Lake area.

You can download an application for the group at Bicycle Fitness Center's Web site.

Roger 0 comments 2:11 PM

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Save the Katy bridge

Kudos to Enterprise Rent-A-Car founder Jack Taylor for his $200,00 pledge to preserve an old railroad bridge in Boonville, Mo., seen as a key to preserving the Katy Trail corridor.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Taylor acknowledged in a prepared statement that while he does not do a lot of hiking or bicycling, he appreciates "the heritage of landmarks like the Katy Railroad bridge" and said the trail is "worth preserving and improving for future generations."

Paula Shannon of the Save the Katy Bridge Coalition told the Post-Dispatch the pledge raises the group's total commitments to $365,000. The group is trying to raise $1 million to refurbish the old lift bridge over the Missouri River for pedestrian use.

The Katy Trail as it now stands uses a nearby highway bridge to cross the Missouri River. But groups such as the Missouri Bicycle Federation and Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon are concerned that removing the bridge would sever the corridor for potential future railroad use and increase the possibility that landowners would try to reclaim their railroad easements.

Roger 0 comments 3:02 PM

Monday, February 13, 2006

Calling all bicycle filmmakers!

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is reporting the the Sixth Annual Bicycle Film Festival is accepting film submissions through Feb. 28. There is no fee to participate. For the first time, the event is coming to Chicago with July dates to be determined.

The Bicycle Film Festival is a celebration of bicycles through film, art and music. Screenings include a wide range of material from the highly produced feature to the first-time shorts.

Speaking of films, I haven't heard anything about the progress on the Tour de Donut documentary that was being filmed last summer for KDHX-TV, the St. Louis-based public access channel. As a co-founder of the event, I was interviewed for the film, and I'd love to see the final product.

Roger 0 comments 7:14 PM

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Tour de Stooges registration open

In case you haven't noticed, registration for the ninth edition of the Tour de Stooges is open! You may register by mail or online. Fliers should be available at St. Louis-area bicycle shops in March. The ride will be Saturday, May 6, at McKendree College in Lebanon, Ill.

We had to increase the price for day-of-event registration because of increased costs of operating the ride and the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, which presents the ride. But you can avoid the price increase by registering early!

We've yet to finalize the design of the T-shirt, and we will post the design on the ride's Web site as soon as it's available.

Roger 0 comments 4:17 PM

Give something back to cycling

As I mention on my Philosophy of Cycling page on this Web site, cycling has given me many hours of fun, relaxation and enjoyment. Because of that, I'm obligated to give something back to the sport.

This is your chance to give something back to the sport. Here are a couple of opportunities in the St. Louis area:

HELMETS FOR HAILEY: The Arch Rivals Comedy Showcase is holding a benefit for Helmets for Hailey, a non-profit foundation named for Hailey Beth Kramer (no relation), a St. Louis girl who suffered head injuries as the result of a bicycle accident last June. The event will be at the Comedy Forum, located at 4141 N. Cloverleaf Drive (off the I-70 South Service Road just west of Interstate 70 and Cave Springs Boulevard in St. Peters)

All donations made to Helmets For Hailey Inc. will go to assist Hailey with medical expenses and equipment needed, as well as educational materials and helmets for those in need. The cost is $10 per person (ages 21 and older). Reservations can be made online at www.comedyforum.com.

BICYCLEWORKS: BicycleWORKS would like to get the word out that it needs more volunteers. BicycleWORKS was founded in 1988 by a Shaw neighborhood resident who saw the need to provide St. Louis area youth with the opportunity to develop a skill and to challenge them to test the limits of their abilities.

BicycleWORKS is asking for a Saturday a month at its shop at 4100 Shenandonah in St. Louis because the kids it serves (mostly 5-15 yr olds) need adult attention more than anything else. Most of the repairs needed are simple things such as fixing a flat tire. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The phone number is (314) 664-0828.

Of course, BicycleWORKS is always looking for old bicycles. It accepts donations of bikes, parts, and accessories and can give a tax receipt for donations. It prefers a $10 donation with each bike to replace tires, tubes and other parts on bike it sells.

Roger 0 comments 1:08 PM

Illinois Route 66 bicycle route

The Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader reports a draft of a 368-mile Route 66 bike route through Illinois has been developed, with much of the "main route" not actually on the historic highway.

Options for advanced cyclists, however, provide much more of the route on Route 66 throughout the state.

A "cue sheet" for guiding riders on the Chicago-to-Mississippi River trail in Illinois lists the options for advanced riders, with warnings such as that those sections of 66 are "busier" or "much busier" with motor-vehicle traffic than the roads on the main route in that particular area. The trail is intended for riders of varying abilities.

Much of the route in Madison County uses Madison County Transit trails or connecting bike lanes, which probably isn't a bad idea, given Illinois 157 and Chain of Rocks Road -- an old alignment of Route 66 -- are busy roads.

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, said comments and suggestions for the route, including revisions to it, will be accepted until mid-February. LIB has posted a 9-page PDF map of the route on its Web site.

A tip of the bicycle helmet to Ron Warnick's Route 66 News blog for altering me to this item. Ron was a copy desk colleague of mine at the Belleville News-Democrat for many years, and his site is a great clearinghouse for news on the Mother Road.

Roger 0 comments 12:37 PM

Thursday, February 09, 2006

2006 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival

The Gateway Off-Road Cyclists will play host to the 2006 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival on April 7-9 in St. Charles County, Mo. Formerly known as the Midwest Singletrack Summit, the Midwest Mountain Bike Festival is an annual event that draws mountain bikers, trail builders, and trail building advocates from 14 states throughout the Midwest.

The Kona Bicycles Advocacy Summit will be the highlight of the proceedings on April 7. The festival takes center stage on April 8, complete with night rides on trails. On April 9, the event stages The Epic Ride, which will cover 40 miles of trails on three different trail systems in St. Charles County.

Sounds like a good time for those of us cyclists who are into mountain biking!

Roger 0 comments 2:47 AM

Random thoughts on the music world

First of all, congratulations to U2 for winning the Grammy Awards' Album of the Year and Rock Album awards for "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." U2's song "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" was named Song of the Year, while "City of Blinding Lights" was named best Rock Song.

Actually, my favorite song from that particular album was "Yahweh." It's not a song that will win awards, but it has a message that reached me.

I've always been a fan of rock music that makes you think, as opposed to rock that makes you want to live out your adolescent fantasies. That's why it was good to see U2 drop a bomb on the competition this year.

I was reminded of U2's superiority on Super Bowl Sunday when I saw the Rolling Stones' less-than-stellar effort at the halftime show. In 2002, during the halftime of the St. Louis Rams-New England Patriots Super Bowl. U2 put on a soid performance filled with symbolism honoring the victims of 9/11. While I admire Mick Jagger's ability to prance around a stage in his 60s, the quality of the Stones' sound didn't come anywhere close to matching U2.

While I'm on the topic of music that makes you think, read this article about Belleville native Jay Farrar: "Jay Farrar rebuilds a no-frills Son Volt." Farrar was part of the alt-country band Uncle Tupelo and is back on the scene with Son Volt's latest album, "Okemah and the Melody of Riot."

I have a lot of respect for the Farrar family. Jay's older brother, John, makes a living in a difficult genre to make a living -- jazz. Their late father, Pops Farrar, raised them right in the ways of music.

Roger 0 comments 12:19 AM

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

HB4907 clears obstacle

Earlier today, the Illinois House Local Government Committee approved HB4907, the bill intended to overturn the effects of the Boub v. Township of Wayne ruling on Illinois cyclists and the development of bicycle facility. The bill passed by a 6-4 and now goes to the full House for consideration.

The bill provides that a person riding a bicycle is an intended and permitted user of any highway in Illinois except for a highway on which bicycle use has been specifically prohibited by the Department of Transportation or by a local public entity acting in compliance with the Code provision regarding the regulation of bicycles. It also provides that the new language does not create liability for any public entity for the creation of, the existence of, or failure to remedy any specified type of condition that caused injury to a person riding a bicycle, if that condition meets the standard of care required for a passenger car.

Nevertheless, the Illinois Municipal League and other local governmental groups oppose the bill, which means it will face a stiff challenge in the House and the state Senate.

Last year, a similar bill, HB2390, narrowly passed the House and failed to get out of a Senate committee. The bulk of metro-east lawmakers -- Reps. Daniel Beiser, D-Alton; Tom Holbrook, D-Belleville; Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville; Ron Stephens, R-Troy; and Kurt Granberg, D-Centralia -- voted against the bill last year. Reps. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, and Wyvetter Younge, D-East St. Louis, were the only metro-east lawmakers to vote for HB2390.

If you don't know who your state representative is, you can find out through the State Board of Elections. Once you know, Illinois bicycle advocacy groups want you to contact them and urge them to vote for HB4907.

Roger 0 comments 10:17 PM

Monday, February 06, 2006

League of Illinois Bicyclists continues the fight

The League of Illinois Bicyclists today has posted information about HB4907, the Illinois House bill that would remove the barriers created by the Illinois Supreme Court in the Boub v. Township of Wayne case.

Groups such as the Illinois Municipal League and the Southwestern Illinois Council of Mayors contend the bill would increase highway construction and liability issues for community, but LIB and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation disagreed. LIB says: "HB4907 does NOT burden local governments with new expenses or maintenance requirements. Restoring a fair 'duty of care' to bicyclists does not force local governments to maintain roads to a higher standard than they already do. It merely makes them equally responsible to bicyclists for poor road conditions that are dangerous to motor vehicle drivers. And history in Illinois and the country has shown this to be a minimal liability risk."

The Federation says the House Local Government Committee may vote on the bill as early as Wednesday and is urging cyclists to contact lawmakers on the committee. Lawmakers from the metro-east counties of the St. Louis metropolitan area on the committee are Reps. Wyvetter Younge, D-East St. Louis, and Daniel Beiser, D-Alton.

Roger 0 comments 2:38 PM

Bikeability/Walkability

Trailnet, the non-profit agency that promotes bicycling and walking activities in the St. Louis area, has introduced a new section to its Web site on Bikeability/Walkability. “Bikeability” and “Walkability” are terms that describe how easy it is to get around by biking and walking in our communities. These activities improve our own health as well as that of the environment and our communities.

The section describes tips on how to become a bicycle commuter and discusses Trailnet's Safe Routes to School program.

Roger 0 comments 2:35 PM

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Armstrong, Crow announce they're breaking up

Yes, it's true. Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow have announced they're breaking up.

The Associated Press reported that couple issued a joint statement confirming the break-up.

"After much thought and consideration we have made a very tough decision to split up. We both have a deep love and respect for each other and we ask that everyone respect our privacy during this very difficult time," the statement said.

Not much more can be said beyond that.

Roger 1 comments 2:28 AM

Friday, February 03, 2006

Daley backs license plates for bikes

License plates soon could be hanging off the back seats of millions of Illinois bicycles, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley suggested at a recent gathering of municipal leaders, the Northbrook Star reports.

A spokeswoman confirmed last week that Daley was serious Jan. 20 when he told the 272-member Metropolitan Mayors' Caucus that if a Northbrook legislator's bill to help injured bicycle riders sue towns with hazardous roads becomes law, bicycle license and insurance might soon be required of cyclists.

State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Skokie, is trying to pass a bill that would overturn the Boub v. Township of Wayne Illinois Supreme Court ruling that made bicycles non-intended users of Illinois roads. Right now, Illinois is the only state in which bicycle are non-intended users of roads, and the League of Illinois Bicyclists, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and other cyclists have been seeking legislation for years overturning that ruling.

I think Daley is taking a wrong-headed approach to the legislation. Many people in Illinois municipal governments are fearful the legislation would open them to lawsuits. To get an idea of the arguments communities are using to fight the legislation, visit the Illinois Municipal League's recent General Assembly Update or the League's recent Action Alert.

All the bill is intended to do is to give cyclists the same rights as any other users of Illinois highways. But the League is using the same fractured logic that some people use when they tell cyclists to "get the f*** off MY road." For example, read this excerpt from the Action Alert:

The intended users (the League's emphasis) finance and support the system through the payment of taxes and fees (license and other). Through insurance or other financial responsibility requirements, intended users bear liability for their actions while using the system.

The term permitted users allows others, not operating a motorized vehicle, to use the motorized vehicle transportation system. However, a permitted user has no expectation that the system was designed for their use unless specifically marked, such as a cross walk for pedestrians.

The last time I checked, I'm a resident of Illinois. That means I pay income and sales taxes and share a role with about 11 million other people in maintaining the state's highways. Most of the adults I know who ride bicycles also have a driver's license and pay motor fuel taxes.

At a time when people are being encouraged to find alternative means of transportation -- including bicycling -- to save money, it's disappointing to know I live in a state where a bicycle isn't an intended user of the road.

I'm surprised Daley would suggest an approach, given his previous efforts to make Chicago a more bicycle-friendly city. The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation has put out a call for action to support the current bill, and it's time for cyclists to heed that call.

To get some background on the Boub v. Wayne decision, read the Federation's analysis.

Roger 2 comments 11:28 AM

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Mapping Missouri's transportation future

Take the Funding Allocation Challenge!

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced a new virtual online game to provide feedback on how the Aagency should spend its transportation dollars. A virtual MoDOT Director Pete Rahn walks players through the interactive exercise of allocating funding to various transportation needs. The game challenges players to distribute money for the state's roads and briges, as well as the other transportation modes -- aviation,
waterways, public transportation, rail and bicycle/pedestrian paths.

Those of you who live in Missouri should take the challenge, then let MoDOT know how it should spend your money.

As an Illinois resident who sometimes use Missouri roads, I would like to see Missouri spend a bit more money fixing its existing road. One of the reasons I don't do the Cycle Across Missouri ride often is because Missouri has the worst rural roads I've encountered on my weeklong trips.

While I'm at it, MoDOT also should scrap its ridiculous proposal to charge tolls for the proposed Mississippi River bridge that would link St. Louis and Illinois. I do find it interesting that MoDOT came out with the toll proposal for the Mississippi River project, but it didn't float a similar proposal for Route 364, which crosses the Missouri River and links St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Roger 0 comments 1:15 PM