Handmade Bicycle Show

By Jim Schroeder

Make sure you set aside a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to attend the North American Handmade Bicycle Show February 27 to March 1 at the Indianapolis Convention Center [Downtown north of Lucas Oil Stadium].

Times are 11am - 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10am - 5pm on Sunday.

Respond with a comment if interested in car pooling - need a ride or offer to drive.

This is a national event. Don't be surprised if you bump into an old acquaintance from a past bicycle tour from who knows where!

Just click on the title to this blog entry to go to the web site for the show.

P.S. Here's a link to a web site seeking volunteers for helping out with the show. Volunteers get in free after a 4 or 5 hour shift.

RAAM Returns to Bloomington

Click on photo for a larger image.

By Jim Schroeder

The Race Across AMerica has issued the 2009 Route, and Time Station 38 is again in Bloomington at the CVS Pharmacy on College Mall Road. We have the unique distinction of being the largest city that the racers and crews visit.

I think we did a grand job our first year in RAAM, and I'm expecting a great turnout of volunteers for 2009.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 23, 7 p.m. to Saturday, June 27, 12 p.m., when crews and racers from many countries will ride through Bloomington in an attempt to complete the world's most difficult endurance event.

Click on photo for larger image and check out last summer's gas prices!

Around the Lake, January 3, 2009

By CE Taylor

Nine riders met at the Sherwood Oaks Church for a ride around Lake Monroe. Greg Alexander, Ron Brown, Tom Whitehead, Jen Miers, Keith Vogelsang, Dan Hickey, Steve Emery, Klaus Rothe and CE Taylor. Greg and Linda Mongold met us on Moores Pike on their tandem. That gave me a chance to get a quick picture.


At Swartz Ridge we met Jim Lang who joined the group for the ride also. I was lucky to get behind the Mongold’s tandem and have a nice draft all the way to the causeway. South of the causeway Greg and Linda once again came to my rescue and gave me another fine draft to the turnoff for Church Lane. After a short rest there we continued on the south leg of the ride. It was during this time that clouds came in and making rain seem more likely. The Alps arrived and slowly passed and I finally caught up with the group at the dam. As we approached Strain Ridge it started to sprinkle. It was almost refreshing. I should mention that Greg Alexander was riding a single speed bike around the lake. He would spin out like crazy on the flats but did pretty well on the hills. He did make the entire route and frankly, I was amazed that anyone could do it. I hope everyone got home before the sprinkle turned into a rain. I did, barely.

I was pleased at the turnout for the ride. What was interesting is that several of the riders today said that they might not have ridden today if there had not been a club group ride. I know what they meant because I felt the same way. I hope other members can come out and ride this winter before the regular schedule comes out for the season. Come out and have fun and get a head start on your mileage for the year.

New Years Day Ride 2009

Eleven intrepid BBC members showed up for our almost-annual New Years Day Ride. Riders included CE Taylor, Tom Whitehead, Diane Taylor, Joe Walker, Steve Emery, Mike Conway, Allan Edmonds, Jennifer Miers, Kathy Cummins, Jim Schroeder, and Dan Hickey. (I hope I got everyone right.) We gathered at the Sherwood Oaks Christian Church parking lot at 2700 E Rogers Rd for a shortish ride. The weather was beautiful, but only in the low 30's. We did a variation of the club's  Fluck Mill Ride, suitably adapted for starting at the church. 

We went south toward the Waterworks, turning off on Ramp Creek. Then we headed west through Smithville, crossing 37, taking Ketcham and Fluck Mill to Victor Pike. We took Church Lane to Schacht Road and then returned by the standard Waterworks route.

The ride as a whole was uneventful. As advertised we maintained a pretty social pace of just over 13 mph. Two or three riders did hanker for more, and at Smithville they headed down Strain Ridge toward the dam.

My GPS recorded 23 miles, including 1.3 miles each way from home to the start of the ride, averaging just over 13 mph, and total elevation gain of about 1600 ft.

Thanks to CE Taylor for organizing the ride and planning the route, which was just about perfect for the occasion. And thanks to Mike Conway for taking the group picture above before we headed out on the ride. The map and elevation chart were producted by Garmin Connect using GPS data recorded on a Garmin 605.