Friday, June 30, 2006

Wes Kramer: 1955-1996

Today is the 10th anniversary of the death of my older brother, Wes Kramer. My family and I had hoped to mark the anniversary of his death with a retrospective art show and a full-fledged Web site. Neither has taken place, so this will have to do for a tribute for now.

Wes, shown at left in a charcoal self-portrait he did in 1984 while studying art at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, died on June 30, 1996, when he was fatally stabbed during a dispute at Kirkpatrick Homes in Granite City. Wes had been working at Kirkpatrick Homes as a landscaper and was about to leave there when the tragedy took place.

Wes had never met Terrence J. Esterlen until June 30, 1996. Earlier that day, the two had a verbal confrontation, then the two crossed paths again that evening. For some reason that is unclear, the two got into a confrontation and Wes was stabbed in the left leg, cutting a major artery.

The reason why it's unclear what really happened was because of the shaky quality of the witnesses. The woman who probably knew what really happened changed her story to police at least three times; I suspect she was probably trying to cover her own hide or somebody's else's for some other felonious activity unrelated to Wes' death.

Esterlen was charged with first degree murder, but because of the poor quality of the witnesses, our family and Madison County Assistant State's Attorney Robert Trone decided that it would be better to agree to a plea agreement in which Esterlen would plead guilty second-degree murder and receive a 10-year sentence, which would mean he would spend 5 years in prison. Esterlen's attorney, Bill Walker, recommended he reject the plea and argue self-defense at a trial, but Esterlen rejected his attorney's advice and took the bargain.

It was a difficult decision for us to accept that plea. We obviously thought Esterlen deserved more than a 10-year sentence. But given the quality of the witnesses, we didn't want to take the risk Esterlen would get off scott-free.

While Wes died way before his time, he left behind a wonderful legacy of art.

Wes was a prolific cartoonist, and it became clear during his high school days that he had a true talent for art. He was called up to illustrate Southwestern High School's yearbook, the Triad, with his work. The cartoon at left was published in the 1972 edition of the yearbook.

Karen Darr, the editor of the yearbook wrote: "I am happy to say that I believe this book is one of the best yearbooks Southwestern has ever had. A lot of changes have been made in this year book. For instance, there are an extra twenty pages, many more student information and less copy, and also some fantastic artwork provided by Wesley Kramer. I would like to express a special thanks to him because he was a really great talent and has added a special highlight to help make this book a great success."

Wes went on to get a degree in secondary education from SIUE, but he found teaching high schoolers wasn't his cup of tea, so he worked for a while at Woodlawn Gardens in Edwardsville. Besides having great hands for artwork, he had a green thumb and loved growing flowers and vegetables. His brother, on the other hand, has a real knack for killing plants.

After a while, Wes decided to go back to school to pursue an art degree. Wes left a prolific body of work from his SIUE days, Much of his prints and sculptures from that era were influenced by nearby Cahokia Mounds and the Mississippian culture that once thrived there. At left is a woodcut print called "Illinois Mound (First State)." Many of his pieces appeared at a show at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in 1990, and several of his mound sculptures, which were made from clay, hold a special place of honor on my mantle at home.

Wes also met Sue Norsigian during his SIUE days, they got married, and they had a daughter, Ani. Wes would be rather proud of his daughter because she is a talented artist and musician. I see a lot of my brother in Ani, including modesty about her talent.

After earning his bachelor's degree in art from SIUE, Wes went on to earn a master's degree from Northern Illinois University. It was during this time when he created his "Revolt of the Implements" series. The series of print-collages used imagery and ideas from the art of the Moche civilization of Peru to reflect upon contemporary environment and technological predicaments.

Wes used a single detail from the mural -- an image that can be interpreted to represent a cutting implement or a ceremonial headdress -- as an abstract form. He used colored translucent paper pasted onto the woodcut prints from the detail to represent combined ancient Moche icons with images of modern technology.

Paul A. Harris of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote this in an October 1991 review of the work: "Of course, these inventions that drive our technology also pose ecological threats to us. If the archaeological reading that Kramer cites is correct, this development might have been foreseen by members of a civilization that flourished as much as two millennia before the present.... His fusion of print media and collage is, in most cases, attractively realized. And his blend of ancient and contemporary iconography can be intriguing."

As I mentioned before, it is still our hope to get a retrospective exhibit of his work somewhere in the St. Louis area. Much of his work is sitting in my mother's attic, hidden from public view. The work really needs to out in the public, and I am determined to get it out there.

As I think about Wes on this 10th anniversary of his death, I think of his art, of course, but I also think of his dry sense of humor and how he introduced me to many great comic geniuses, such as the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, Monty Python, "Saturday Night Live" (the original cast) and -- yes -- The Three Stooges.

Wes, we miss you, but be assured your legacy will live on.

Roger 9 comments 1:20 PM

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

More on Phil Smith

The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., published a story about cycling acquaintance Phil Smith today. It turns out Phil was on a cross-country bike ride from Seattle to Washington, D.C. The Washington State Patrol and prosecutors will meeting meeting this week to determine whether charges will be filed.

The article has some interesting bits about Phil, so I encourage you to read to story.

Roger 0 comments 7:33 PM

Monday, June 26, 2006

Bicycle tragedies far and close to home

Today, I pass along word of two bicycle deaths.

One took place near Washington state, a long way away from my home here in Southwestern Illinois, but it was one that hit close to home.

Philip Smith of Banner, Wyo., was killed Sunday in a bicycle accident Sunday south of Davenport, Wash. The Associated Press reported that Phil was heading south on Highway 38 when he was struck by a vehicle. Details are sketchy in the AP story, but AP did report charges are pending in the accident.

I got to know Phil -- a friend of Bubba Barron, the owner of Bubba's Pampered Pedalers -- on Cycle North Carolina in 2002 and SAGBRAW in 2003. Phil -- like Bubba -- was a bigger-than-life character, so it was no accident that Phil and Bubba crossed paths.

Phil wasn't afraid to let you know what he thought, but he was most definitely an entertaining man. My account of the 2003 SAGBRAW ride includes a photo of Phil. Since we were camping less than two miles from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, you can imagine what he was wearing while entertaining the people being pampered by Bubba. Yep, a cheesehead. It didn't matter that he was living in San Francisco at the time. He had to do what the local do.

The second took place in New Melle, Mo. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this:

Jeremy Rowlatt, 47, of Ballwin, was killed at 5 p.m. Saturday in a hit-and-run accident in New Melle. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Rowlatt was riding his bicycle on Highway T, about a mile south of Highway D and north of the entrance to the Lake Sherwood development. A red Chevrolet pickup driving south on Highway T struck him and then fled the scene, a patrol spokesman said.

Police later arrested Earl Anderson, 38, of Overland, on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

It will be interesting to find out whether prosecutors will file more serious charges against Anderson.

Roger 2 comments 2:00 PM

Sunday, June 25, 2006

St. Louis date for Ditty Bops Bicycle Tour

St. Louis BicycleWORKS is reporting that the Ditty Bops have set a date for their St. Louis stop on their 2006 Bicycle Tour. The show is scheduled for Friday, July 28, at the Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th St. in the Soulard neighborhood St. Louis.

The Ditty Bops are riding their bikes across the country as part of the tour, and they're keeping a journal of their travels. They're putting in some serious miles, and they just left Salt Lake City on Saturday. Amanda and Abby are filling us in with interesting tidbits about the sights they've seen and the food they've eaten along the road. From time to time, they draw comic strips of their adventures, appropriately called "Rumble Strips."

It will be interesting to see where they'll eat in the Midwest, given their tastes lean toward vegetarian/vegan fare.

Roger 1 comments 3:39 PM

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Upcoming low-mileage rides

If you're looking for a ride where you crank out a lot of miles at a blistering speed, these are not the rides for you.

But if you're relatively new to the world of cycling or if you're a veteran who's looking for a short, easy-paced ride, here are a few St. Louis-area rides for you:

Tour de'Belleville: Belleville Neighborhood Associations and the Belleville Parks and Recreation Department are putting on the Tour de'Belleville on Friday, July 14. The ride begins at 9 p.m. and will involve a 7-mile tour through parts of the city. Faster riders can do the circuit twice. The cost of the ride is $15 and includes a T-shirt that you must pick up from Beatnik's before the ride because the T-shirt will serve as your ride ticket. The registration deadline is Friday, July 7. Helmets are required, lights are optional, and alcohol is prohibited. The registration form is available in a PDF document. Proceeds will be used to purchase a speed monitor to help make the city's neighborhoods safer. The Belleville News-Democrat published a story with more information about the event in its Thursday edition.

Celebrate Your Independents Festival: BUILD St. Louis and the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation will be putting on a short bike tour as part of the Celebrate Your Independents Festival on Saturday, July 1. The ride begins at 5 p.m. from the Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St. in St. Louis and will tour 6 to 10 miles through neighborhoods with stops at independent businesses for treats and a chance to learn the history of the neighborhoods. The ride costs $2 (free if you're a STLBikeFed member). Before or after the ride, you can enjoy the festival, which is intended to promote St. Louis-area independent businesses.

Moonlight Ramble: This year's Moonlight Ramble takes place Aug. 12-13 in downtown St. Louis with routes of 10 and 20 miles. More than 10,000 cyclists show up for the Moonlight Ramble, the biggest ride of the year put on by the Gateway Council of Hostelling International. The Gateway Council also puts such rides as the Tour de Stooges, the Five-Star Century Series and the Peach Pedal. If you register at the Gateway Council's online store by July 4, you get a $5 discount. After July 4, the cost of the ride is $25 for adults and $15 for children 5-12. A VIP package that includes a cycling jersey and preferred starting position also is available for $100.

Roger 0 comments 2:30 PM

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Cyclist files suit against dog owner

An Edwardsville resident is seeking more than $50,000 in damages from a dog owner and Madison County Transit for a 2005 accident in which his was injured, the Edwardsville Intelligencer reports.

Danny Clayton alleges in his lawsuit that while riding on the Quercus Grove Trail, dogs ran toward his bicycle and knocked him to the ground, causing severe and permanent injuries.

Among the allegations, Clayton and his lawyer contend Madison County Transit:

-- Failed to properly warn the public of the impending danger at that location.

-- Failed to properly secure the dogs in a safe location and environment to keep them from attacking pedestrians, runners, and/or cyclists on the bicycle path.

-- Failed to have the dogs quarantined and/or move them from the location when it had prior knowledge of earlier attacks at the same location.

Personally, I don't see how MCT has any obligation to secure dogs that belong to a private party, although I can see how MCT could be held liable if it didn't contact the dogs' owner, the Madison County Sheriff's Department or Madison County Animal Control about the situation.

As we all know, crazy things can come out of civil cases -- such as the Boub v. Wayne Township case that excluded cyclists as intended users of Illinois roads -- so it would be a good idea to keep an eye on this case.

Roger 0 comments 1:23 PM

Update on injured RAAM rider

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this story about the Race Across America rider who was injured Saturday while crossing the Clark Bridge (U.S. 67) over the Mississippi River to Alton, Ill.:

Daniel Maegerle wanted to be in Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday night, celebrating his completion of - and perhaps victory in - a grueling 3,000-mile bicycle race across the country.

Instead, the Swiss man was in a St. Louis hospital room with broken ribs, broken bones in his back, damage to his lungs and trauma to his liver after a collision with a truck as he rode his cycle into Alton on Saturday night. One minute, he had been enjoying crossing the Mississippi River and a cooling rain; the next he was waking up at Alton Memorial Hospital.

You can read the full story about the Swiss DAMOVO Team rider at STLToday.com.

Roger 0 comments 2:04 AM

RAAM: We have a winner!

Daniel Wyss ended 9 days, 11 hours and 50 minutes and 3,042.8 miles of grueling cycling Tuesday night when he crossed the finish line to win the Race Across America men's traditional solo division.

Wyss, a 36-year-old metal worker from Brig, Switzerland, crossed the line at 10:57 p.m. CDT. In second place in the traditional division is Dino Nico Valsesia, a 35-year-old bike dealer from Borgomanero, Italy. Valsesia has less than 65 miles left to go until he reaches Atlantic City.

To put Wyss' feat in perspective, he averaged 320.3 miles a day. The most I've ever ridden in a week is 520 miles.

Jonathan Boyer, the top rider in the enduro division, arrived in Hanover, Pa., at 8:21 p.m. CDT Tuesday. Boyer, a 51-year-old bike shop owner and former Tour de France competitor from Carmel, Calif., has less than 180 miles to the end of the race. The difference between the enduro division and the traditional division is that enduro riders are required to rest 40 hours during the course of the race in effort to emphasize cycling skills over sleep deprivation.

Shanna Armstrong, the only female solo rider still in the field, passed through Athens, Ohio, at 12:53 a.m. CDT today. She has less than 540 miles left to go.

Roger 0 comments 1:01 AM

Monday, June 19, 2006

RAAM 2006 says farewell to St. Louis.

All of the Race Across America competitors who are still in the race have passed through the St. Louis region. Fred Boethling, the final competitor in the men's enduro division, reached the time station at Greenville, Ill., at 1:08 p.m. CDT today. It took about two and a half days for the competitors to pass through Greenville, the Mississippi River at Alton, Ill., and Marthasville, Mo.

Two teams, Beaver Creek-Vail in the men's four-man team competition and Team Type 1 in the corporate competition, have reached the end of the race in Atlantic City, N.J. Daniel Wyss leads the men's traditional division and has passed through Gormania, W.Va. Jonathan Boyer leads the men's enduro division and has passed through Smithburg, W.Va.

Roger 0 comments 7:28 PM

Sunday, June 18, 2006

RAAM Sunday update

RAAM is rolling right along. Fabio Biasiolo and Daniel Wyss, the top two competitors in the men's solo traditional division, have made it to Indianapolis, while Jonathan Boyer, the top competitor in the men's solo enduro division, is on his way to Indianapolis. Team Type 1, the top corporate team, has made it to Smithburg, W.Va., and Beaver Creek-Vail, the top four-man team, has made it to Parkersburg, W.Va.

Meanwhile, competitors are still trickling through the St. Louis region. One of them is famous mountain bike rider David "Tinker" Juarez. He made it to Marthasville, Mo., at 1:11 a.m. today and is on his way to the Mississippi River at Alton, Ill. Only eight of the the 17 remaining competitors in the men's solo traditional and enduro division have made it to the Mississippi River as of this morning.

Unfortunately, a competitor was injured coming out of the Mississippi River time station, which actually is just a cross the river from Alton. Daniel Maegerle of the Swiss DAMOVO team was struck by a vehicle and was taken to a St. Louis hospital. His team decided to abandon the race to stay with him.

You can read about another competitor, Bryce Walsh, at his Web site. David Carter is handling the blog entries for him, and it's an interesting read. Even though Bryce is 29 hours behind Boyer, anyone who competes in RAAM deserves recognition for their feat.

The only woman solo competitor, Shanna Armstrong, is making her way toward Jefferson City, Mo. Both of the four-women teams are on their way to Marthasville.

Roger 0 comments 9:53 AM

Saturday, June 17, 2006

RAAM update

As of the time of this posting, only the two top teams in the Race Across America, Beaver Creek-Vail and Team Type 1, have reached the Mississippi River at Alton, Ill. Both did so about 8:20 a.m. CDT today.

They are moving so fast that they've already completed the 46-mile leg from the river to Greenville, Ill., the Beaver Creek-Vail four-man team made it to Greenville at 10:20 a.m., while the top Corporate Challenge team, Team Type 1, clocked in at 10:24 a.m.

The top solo rider, Fabio Biasiolo, arrived in Marthasville, Mo., at 7:08 a.m. Saturday, while David Wyss arrived there at 8:47 a.m. UPDATE: Biasiolo arrived at the Mississippi River at 11:45 a.m. He's averaging 13.8 mph for the race and averaged 14.95 mph for the leg between Marthasville and the river. Wyss arrived at the river at 1:27 p.m.

Good luck to all the competitors as they pass through the St. Louis Metropolitan Area!

Roger 1 comments 10:23 AM

RAAM: 2 a.m. CDT update

As of this posting, only one Race Across America competitor -- Fabio Biasiolo -- has gone through the Jefferson City, Mo., checkpoint. Biasiolo is averaging 14.06 mph over the course of the race, which began Sunday in California. Biasiolo made it to Jefferson City at 10:52 p.m. CDT Friday and is on his way to Marthasville, Mo.

Only four individuals and two teams have made it through Camdenton, Mo.

Beaver Creek-Vail, the top team, made it to Camdenton at 11:29 pm. CDT Friday. Beaver-Creek-Vail is moving along at a 22.63 mph pace.

Roger 0 comments 1:43 AM

Friday, June 16, 2006

RAAM approaching St. Louis

Fabio Biasiolo, the leader in the men's traditional solo division of Race Across America, arrived in Camdenton, Mo., at 6:47 p.m. CDT today. It is 58.7 miles from Camdenton to Jefferson City, the next time station, and it's 74.9 miles from the Jefferson City time station to the Marthasville time station.

RAAM officials had estimated the first solo rider would reach Marthasville about 1:05 a.m. Saturday.

As of the time of this posting, Biasiolo is the only rider to reach Camdenton, and only four had arrived at the previous time station in Collins, Mo.

Roger 0 comments 7:19 PM

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Race Across America reaches Midwest

As of this morning, the leaders of the solo divisions of the Race Across America have reached Montezuma, Kan.

Fabio Biasiolo, the leader of the men's solo traditional division, reached Montezuma at 8:51 a.m. CDT, Marko Baloh, the leader of the men's solo enduro division, reached Montezuma at 9:09 a.m.

In the team competition, the Beaver Creek-Vail team arrived in Alamosa, Colo., at 9:10 a.m. today. Only one solo woman, Shanna Armstrong, remains in the race. She arrived in La Veta, Colo., at 4:39 a.m. today.

The leaders of the men's solo division and the 4-person team division are expected to arrive in the St. Louis region early Saturday. The lead solo rider is expected to reach Marthasville, Mo., about 1:05 a.m. CDT; the Mississippi River at Alton, Ill., about 6:30 a.m.; and Greenville, Ill., about 12:10 p.m.

The first team is expected to reach Marthasville about 3:25 a.m. CDT Saturday, Alton about 6:55 a.m. and Greenville about 9:10 a.m.

If you want to go out and see the riders, don't expect to see a big peloton. The riders are stretched out over hundreds of miles and will be arriving at the time stations over the course of two or three days.

Just a reminder: This year's team competition includes Team Type 1, which consists of cyclists with Type 1 Diabetes. The cyclists are raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. On Saturday, the team will make a stop at the 3-on-3 Soccer Challenge at the Metro United Sports Complex in Collinsville, Ill. The team will be at the event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and people can enter a contest for a $3,600 Litespeed racing bicycle and other prizes.

Roger 0 comments 10:33 AM

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Chicago's Master Plan

While browsing through the Borders store in Fairview Heights, Ill., tonight, I saw these headlines blaring from the Chicago Tribune:

CHICAGO'S MASTER PLAN
DON'T DRIVE. JUST BIKE.
City peddling new proposal for 500-miles network of paths to be finished by 2015

This wasn't a small story nestled on the bottom of the Metro section. This was the main centerpiece on Page One.

According to the Tribune, the new Bike 2015 Plan wastes little time on breezy rides in the park. Instead, the city's Department of Transportation is bent on getting people to bike to work, to school, to stores and to mass transit stops, cobbling together a 500-mile network of designated routes.

The Bike 2015 Plan has two overall goals:

• To increase bicycle use, so that 5 percent of all trips less than five miles are by bicycle.
• To reduce the number of bicycle injuries by 50 percent from current levels.

I encourage you to read both the Tribune story and visit the Bike 2015 Plan Web site to learn more about the program.

Could the same thing happen in St. Louis? With a little forward thinking, it could.

The trail system in Madison County is a big step in the right direction. The trail systems makes it easy to go from town to town or to a major destination such as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The rest of the St. Louis region is behind the curve. While many of the region's trails are fine for recreational riding, many of them don't go anywhere that would be useful for commuters or people running errands.

The Metro-East Parks and Recreation District wants to solve some of that on the Illinois side of the river. The district received a $500,000 grant from the state of Illinois for work on a trail that would link Troy in Madison County with Scott Air Force Base. Other proposal can be found in the district's strategic action plan (PDF file).

On the Missouri side of the river, the Great Rivers Greenway District is working on plans to make trail corridors that would help connect Missouri communities. Bike St. Louis is a network of bike lanes and bike routes within the city of St. Louis.

While the region is concentrating on trails, cyclists still have to use streets and highways to get to most of the places they're going. Bicyclists and motorists need to learn to share the road, and motorists -- and bicyclists -- need to follow the rules of the road.

Roger 1 comments 8:27 PM

Saturday, June 10, 2006

No Brighton ride for me

It looks like I won't be making the trip to Brighton, Ill., on Sunday for the Bicycle Fun Club's As the Crow Flies ride.

The first reason is because the weather forecast doesn't look all too promising for a ride: a 40 percent chance of thundershowers Sunday morning.

Secondly, I have to spend the weekend stuffing Tour de Stooges T-shirts in envelopes so they can be mailed. We finally got the second shipment of shirts delivered Friday, much later than we had hoped, so they need to get mailed ASAP. For those of you waiting for shirts, we're sorry about the delay and appreciate your patience.

I kind of wanted to do this ride because Brighton is my hometown, but I can always ride up there some other day and -- more importantly -- visit my mom.

Roger 1 comments 10:34 AM

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Putting cyclists "under my car"

Updated at 3 p.m. Tuesday: Bernie Miklasz, the host of a sports program on KSLG-AM 1380 (1380ESPN) in St. Louis and the lead sports columnist of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, briefly was embroiled in a controversy regarding an anti-cycling remark made on his show.

On his program Friday, one of the other people on the show that day said he would like to put cyclists "under my car."

Today, Miklasz made this statement about the situation at his online forum at STLToday.com:

The comment was made by Max Leinwand who sat in on the Friday show, as he does most Fridays. He works as a producer and writer and editor for Fox Sports Net.

And he will issue a formal apology when he goes on the air Friday - he will do so at my request. The apology will also be posted on the station web site.

I did not make the statement and did not even hear the comment as it was made. As I said previously, I am running a show in a studio where 5 voices are in the mix. Plus, I am continuously online, checking e- mails.

What I want to know is, who is going to be man enough to apologize to me for falsely attributing the comment to me? Who on these cycling web sites will have the decency to acknowledge that they have made a mistake by erroneously identifying me as the person who made the comment?

I have been contacted by attorneys who are prepared to file suit on my behalf. I do not wish to do that and will dismiss the thought as long as a gentlemany request is fulfilled.

We all make mistakes, and so a formal apology to me will suffice. It would be just as appropriate as me asking Max to apologize for making his regrettable comment. He made the comment in jest, but the remark was out of line and inappropriate nonetheless.

The question I have is: once Max issues his apology at my request, will the leaders of the cycling community who falsely attributed the comment to me display the basic decency of admitting their serious error by offering a gentleman's apology?

As a driver, I always treat cyclists with respect. But I won't stand for false accusations - the lies being told against me.

We'll see who has honor, and who does not.

Below is the transcript of the show as transcribed by a member of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation. You can listen to it yourself here: http://archive.streamaudio.com/kslg_am/bernie_miklasz_show%206-2-06.wma. The transcript comes from about 2 hours and 20 minutes into the show.

Miklasz: Adam from his Blackberry e-mails. This is a good one. I like this. Adam I'm praising you in advance

Adam's e mail: "You know what gives me the ass, these people who think they are Lance Armstrong riding their bikes in the middle of the city street like it's their own personal race track. Traffic in both directions must navigate around these people and that really burns my ass."

Miklasz: That's a good one, that's a really good one. Why do these bike riders dress like they're Lance Armstrong? Why? You're not in the Tour de France, you're not even in the Tour de Georgia. You're in Forest Park. Nobody cares.

Other DJ: Respect the bike rider but the bike rider must understand where he belongs on the road ... stay to the shoulder

Voice (speaking at the same time as the other DJ) : Under my car.

While it is regrettable the remark was made by someone on his show, I must give Bernie credit for finding the answers and sharing them publicly and promptly. As best as I can tell, the reason why the quote was attributed to him because the voice did sound a lot like his.

Unlike cases in Cleveland, Houston and Raleigh, N.C., where the radio hosts allowed the anti-cycling rants to rage on, Bernie quickly went on to the next subject once the statement was made.

I've read hundreds of Bernie's columns a lot over the years. Upon retrospect, the comment definitely was out of character for the normal tone of his commentaries. That's why I was careful to present Bernie's side of the story in an earlier version of this post, in which he said he did not make the remark and wasn't sure at the time who made it.

I, for one, regret any role I had in fanning the flames against Bernie. The way he handled this firestorm shows he is truly a class act.

Roger 2 comments 1:21 AM

Monday, June 05, 2006

Race Across America

The ultimate test in ultra-marathon cycling, the Race Across America, takes off for another grueling journey across the United States next week.

Individual races take off Sunday morning from Oceanside, Calif., while the teams take off Tuesday, June 13, from the same location.

The defending champ, Jure Robic of Slovenia, will be back for another run, this time in the new Enduro division. RAAM has created the Enduro division this year in an effort to de-emphasize sleep deprivation and stress cycling ability. Enduro division riders will be required to rest for 40 hours over the course of the race at official control points. Those 40 hours will be deducted from their finishing time. RAAM also maintains its Traditional division, in which racers do not receive credit for hours spent resting.

For those of you in the St. Louis area, the course once again goes through the region. According to RAAM's time estimates, cyclists are expected to begin entering the region June 17 in Marthasville, Mo. They go through Wentzville and O'Fallon, Mo., and cross the Mississippi River at Alton, Ill. They'll then continue east to Greenville, Ill., on their way to Atlantic City, N.J.

This year's team competition includes Team Type 1, which consists of cyclists with Type 1 Diabetes. The cyclists are raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. On June 17, the team will make a stop at the 3-on-3 Soccer Challenge at the Metro United Sports Complex in Collinsville, Ill. The team will be at the event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and people can enter a contest for a $3,600 Litespeed racing bicycle and other prizes.

Roger 0 comments 12:05 PM

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Human-powered vehicle race

Whitney Joseph of O'Fallon, Ill., is one of the fastest women on two wheels when it comes to human-powered vehicles.

Whitney, a sophomore engineering management major at the University of Missouri-Rolla, took first place in the women's sprint event last month at the East Coast HPV Challenge in Charlotte, N.C. She helped her UMR team win its fifth straight championship in the event.

In this case, the HPV actually is a recumbent bicycle with an aerodynamic shell. Whitney averaged over 33 miles per hour on a drag strip to win the women's sprint for a second consecutive year.

Belleville News-Democrat columnist Wally Spiers wrote a column concentrating on the fact it was the fact her father, Brad Joseph, was watching her compete for the first time. I was kind of disappointed Ol' Wally didn't write more about Whitney's role in designing and operating the vehicle.

To learn more about Whitney, you can read a student profile posted on the UMR Web site.

Roger 0 comments 9:33 PM

Friday, June 02, 2006

Odds and ends

Go you Southwestern: Congratulations to the girls softball team at my alma mater, Southwestern High School in Piasa, Ill. The Piasa Birds (27-2) defeated Carterville 4-3 in the quarterfinals of the Illinois High School Association Class A Girls Softball State Tournament. They'll play Casey at 10 a.m. tomorrow in the semifinals at EastSide Centre in East Peoria for a shot of reaching the state finals Saturday night. The Piasa Birds finished second at state in 2003.

Shrine Circus Parade: No place loves a parade more than Belleville, Ill. Even though the annual Shrine Circus Parade doesn't kick off until 7:30 p.m., people were on the streets before noon setting up their lawnchairs along West Main Street so they would have a front-row seat for the event. The parade is one of the big social events of the year in Belleville.

Bicycle agenda: It's bright and early for me Sunday morning. The Gateway Council of Hostelling International puts on its Natalie A. Kekeisen Flat-as-a-Pancake century ride on Sunday in New Baden, Ill. Co-ride coordinator Billie Teneau helped me out for Tour de Stooges, so it's time for me to return the favor by helping her with parking at the century. I know I'm not ready for a full century or even a metric century, so I probably will ride a bit up there, then go down to the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society's ice cream ride at Eckert's Orchards in Belleville.

On Wednesday, I'm going to help the Haven House set up a major fundraising ride it is planning in May 2007. Haven House wants to put together a two-day ride in the Ste. Genevieve-Farmington, Mo., area, and I'm going to offer some assistance in the organization's hope to put together a first-class ride. The following Wednesday, I will be assisting the Coal Country Chamber of Commerce it setting up its first Tour de Coal in September in Benld. Ill.

Then on June 11, I probably will go up to Brighton, Ill., my hometown for the Bicycle Fun Club's As the Crow Flies Bicycle Ride. I normally don't go to the Bicycle Fun Club rides on Sunday morning because it's difficult for me to get up early enough after working Saturday night to be fresh for those rides. But this will be an exception because it will give me an excuse to go see my mom!

Roger 0 comments 2:08 PM