Monday, June 29, 2009

Nacho Ride is Tuesday.

Click here to find out more from my blog on the Nacho Ride or click here to go to the Nacho Ride web site. It's always a great time for cyclists at any level. Come join us.

Lincoln Trail Trek 2009

Brittney did a great job of covering Trail Trek on her blog. Click here to check it out. Even the above photo was lifted off her blog. Thanks Brittney for the heads up!

NUMB bicycle tour 2009

NUMB is being covered by Roger from the Nebraska Trails Blog. Check his blog as he posts from the road.

Tragic Boating Accident this weekend at Branched Oak Lake - 2 dead.

Two men died Sunday morning in a boating accident on Branched Oak Lake Northwest of Lincoln. Read the full story on Omaha.com.

National 4-H Shooting Competition Was In G.I. Over The Weekend.

This shooting event drew 4-H'ers from across the nation to Grand Island. Find out more here.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Prairie Spirit Trail Ottawa to Richmond Ks.

This morning I hit their rail-to-trail at about 10 till 6. It's called the Prairie Spirit Trail. This trail goes from Ottawa to Iola, and this morning I went from Ottawa through Princeton then on to Richmond and back to Ottawa.

Unless you have an annual pass it's $3.50 per day to ride the trail. But well worth it, there is water & restrooms.

I love this trail and Princeton and Richmond are so charming. I was done by 9am and logged 28.55 miles.

Kansas sunset.

Snuck out for a few minutes and took a lap on gravel around the section and got to witness quite a sunset last night. 4.35 miles.

Friday, June 26, 2009

This is so cool!

Thanks Brent!

I put a ad on CL a couple of days ago offering to trade the use of my canoe for a chance to borrow a bike rack for the weekend.

Brent stepped up and offered me his. Now we're loaded up and ready to roll. We're headed to Kansas to visit family and I'll try to squeeze in a quick ride on a rail-to-trail they've got down there.

Hope you have a great weekend and get to spend some time outdoors. And be sure to be at Trail Trek Sunday in Lincoln. (scroll down for details)

Star City Bike Path Lost & Found.

These are the forgotten treasures I ran across on my commutes this week.

The ride home was much less eventful than the ride into work this morning. Had a tough wind going East. Otherwise it was a good ride. Today's miles = 20.34

Critical Mass Tonight at 6:00

Anyone on a bike ("bike" is used loosely) is encouraged to be there. Unfortunately, I'll be on the road. But a shout out to everyone that rides tonight! Here's the lowdown:

For God sakes, be careful!

This cyclist wrecked right behind me on the John Dietrich Trail this morning.

He didn't get hit by the pick-up, but it was a near miss. All three of us could have prevented the accident.

On the trail I caught up to him fast and passed him easily. He was just tooling along probably at 11 or 12 mph, I was at around 17 mph. About 100 feet after passing him I crossed the street where he wrecked and saw the pick-up pulling out of Aramark Uniform Services about a block down the street. Otherwise there was no traffic. A moment later I herd a click (his bike hitting the ground) and a thud (the cyclist) as well as the pick-up stop and door open.

The driver got out and offered a towel to the victim. I turned around to see pretty much what you see in the picture.

The cyclists didn't see the car till it was too late and slammed on the brakes and did a endo. He hit his chin on something and will need stitches. He seemed ok otherwise, his teeth were fine and so was his bike.

I gave him a band-aid. (always knew there was a reason I'd been carrieing a first-aid kit I've never needed, for 4,000 miles, I'm such a geek huh?)

I and the driver made sure he was ok and he called for a ride. I think he was pretty embarrassed.

What went wrong?

1. I didn't yell "car" back to him. In my defence he was pretty far back, but I should have made the effort.

2. The driver didn't have his lights on. It was pretty light, it happened about 6:45am, but he still should have had them on. You'd be surprised how many people don't!

3. The driver wasn't looking down the trail for cyclists.

4. The victim didn't look for traffic. Or yield at the crossing. (note yield sign) My money is that he probably was going to blow through the intersection just like he saw me do. (bad idea, always ride like your alone)

5. He didn't have any lights on his bike, much less a helmet.

Ultimately it was the cyclists fault, but if any of the 3 of us would have been safer it wouldn't have happened. And I'm no cycling safety expert. Especially after this post I'll probably be the next to get clocked. That's the way karma works, isn't it? But still, I'm very sorry I didn't yell "car" to him.

Otherwise it was a rocking (but steamy) commute. I lost 6 lbs. since Sunday night. Could have something to do with that funny phobia I have about dropping a deuce anywhere but home, or it could just be the lack of TDN pie.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Warm commuting week. And deforestation underway tonight.

Monday I had a meeting in Wahoo so I couldn't ride to work.

Tuesday was something like 99' with a heat index of 118' thinking that the commute to work and the Nacho Ride would have made it a 40 mile day and maybe been too much. So, once again I drove.

Finally on Wednesday I rode and today I did too. Even though I was wet to the touch I couldn't help but envy the kids in the spray park and neighborhood pools.

Having so much fun does have a drawback though. I've been neglecting my yard. Well, tonight I finally got around to mowing. As you can see the grass was nearly as tall as the 6 foot privacy fence in the background. I know it wasn't very "green" of me to cut down a rain forest, but I'll make it up to Mother Earth by continuing to commute to work by bike.

Yesterday and today's commutes = 41.11 miles.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy.

22 Nacho'ers braved the heat and made the trek to the OED during the time I was there. Including Nacho Ride founder Cub Wolf.

Since Sheriff Robyn was patrolling the One Eye'd Dog Saloon and Cletus 151 was riding drag. I saddled up my steed and with my trusty yellow 6-shooter (squirt gun) I raised a ruckus on the trail out on the lawless Mopac.

Wounds dried quickly and all outlaws rode into that one dog town in good spirits. We were pleased to find that, in the shade of the Mopac Trail, temps were pleasant.

I admit I may have fired off a couple rounds inside the saloon hitting Sheriff Robyn, "...but I didn't shoot no deputy." -Bob Marley

There was talk of Nacho Ride t-shirts that may be coming out one of these days. (very cool!) And of course another $25 drawing for a LBS gift certificate. Be sure to check the Nacho Ride web site to see who won this week.

Hope you'll make time next Tuesday night to join us on another fun filled Nacho Ride. Happy Trails Cowboys & Cowgirls!

Today's Nacho Ride = 20.85 miles

NGPC Family Fishing - This Wed. Night & All Morning Sat.

2009 Family Fishing Nights

Nebraska’s Youth Fishing Program is sponsoring Family Fishing Nights at Lincoln Metro area lakes.

Look for our white Urban Fisheries Trailer, where rods and reels, as well as bait and fishing instruction are available to participants. This is the perfect opportunity for people who have never fished or haven’t fished for years.

All participants ages 16 or older need a 2009 fishing license if they fish at the event.

DAY DATE LAKE TIME

Wed. June 24 Bowling Lake 6-8 p.m.

Sat. June 27 Pawnee Lake 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. Carp-O-Rama MORE HOURS TO FISH!

Take me fishing, you can think about work later.

Find out more at the Nebraska Game and Parks Site. Omaha Family Fishing dates are listed too.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Wahoo Country Music Show Thur - Sun

Just 23 miles up Hwy. 77 is Wahoo. There are sholders so It'd be a great bike ride. Here's the details. Or click here to find out more.

Music by more than 250 talented National and Regional Performers!

Thursday Night's Main Stage Show starts at 6:30 pm!

Open stages Friday, Saturday & Sunday!

Music and Activities all Day Every Day!!

Lots of areas for Jamming and Camping!

Three air-conditioned buildings host stage shows!

The Danciest Dance of the West isFriday and Saturday night!! With Music by The Green River Band,The Midnight Riders, & other artists.

Adults - $15 12 & under Free. See their site for more info.

2009 Lincoln Trail Trek - Huge Bike Event!

It's this Sunday. I'll be out of town. But, hope you'll make it out for a fun way to support the Lincoln Ne. trail system.

Click here for the scoop.

Nacho Ride Tuesday - It'll be warm, but FUN!

Click here or here to learn all about the Nacho Ride.

Riders of all ages (even unborn) are invited.

We start leaving the 84th St. Mopac trailhead, just South of O St. at 5:30. We'll ride 10 miles East to the One Eye'd Dog in Eagle for Nachos or 75 cent tacos and cold drinks before riding back.

It's very laid back. Great for new cyclists. It's really a fun way to spend a couple of hours on Tuesday evenings.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

FAT!!!

That's what the scale says. I weigh every friday morning, but of course couldn't while on the tour. So, it's been 9 days and 395 miles since I've weighed...

And I gained EIGHT AND A-HALF POUNDS!!! I'm blaming it on the pie stop.

2009 Tour De Nebraska

What an epic adventure!

It really is "like summer camp for adults" we had a great time! Ate too much good ol home cooking. And saw some beautiful country at 15 mph. It was hard, but the sense of accomplishment is worth every pedal stroke!

Today's miles = 62.42

My total miles on the 5-day Tour De Nebraska = 334.47

Almost there!

Stopped to catch my breath at Club 81 near Humphrey. Fighting a South wind makes us feel like were earning every one of these last 20 miles.

Lunch hits the spot in Madison!

After 40 miles of hills and rain, we've got 20 more to go today into the wind and with the sun out now we've got heat.

A much appreciated SAG stop on day 5.

West Point yard art.

Some scenery as we roll west on hwy 15 out of town.

Day 5

Stayed inside since there was a 80 percent chance of rain. And it was a good decision. Next year I'll get a tent the don't leak. Ha! We're up and their about ready to start breakfast on the 3 1/2 foot rotating griddle. Waves of hard rain come and go, but once we're ready we're leaving irreguardless. Looking at the radar on my phone, but what diffrence does that make? We're riding rain or shine.
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