For your Health, for the World, For our Future.

Taken from the Cycle Works newsletter (click here to subscribe):

3 Reasons to Ride for Life: For your Health, for the World, For our Future.

Your Health

The average person loses 13 lbs. their first year of commuting by bike.

Just 3 hours of bicycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.

A 140-pound cyclist burns 508 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour.

Our World

The U.S. could save 462 million gallons of gasoline a year by increasing cycling from 1% to 1.5% of all trips.

Each U.S. rush-hour auto commuter spends an average of 50 hours a year stuck in traffic.

In 2003, cars idling in traffic wasted 5 billion gallons of fuel.

Our Future

In 1964 50% of kids rode to school and the obesity rate was 12%... in 2004, 3% rode to school and the obesity rate was 45%. (WOW!)

Between 1960 and today the average weight of a 6-11 year old has increased 11pounds

Uncle Sam Jam was worth the wait.

Friday's planned Uncle Sam Jam with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and grand fireworks show was postponed till Sunday due to rain.

Well, tonight was beautiful so 6 of us rode our bikes the 7.5 miles to Oak Lake Park for the festivities. Riding bikes is the way to go and beats the heck out of parking or waiting forever to get out when it's over.

Lots of others had the same idea too. The crowd was huge and the music and fireworks were amazing!

I even made a new friend, after showing this curious little guy my bike lights he decided I was pretty cool and wanted to sit with me while we waited for the show to begin. So while his mom entertained his brother he entertained me. He thought we were pretty neat... At least until the fireworks started.

What a great way to end an awesome weekend. And from the canoe ride, to Seward's bike ride, to the Larry The Cable Guy show, to tonight's fireworks we had a great time! And thanks to eating at home before and after events and finding free outdoor fun. I didn't pull my wallet out once the whole 3-day weekend.

With this morning's commute and tonight's ride to Uncle Sam Jam I racked up 35.11 miles for the day.

A loud night last night = a quiet morning today.

I rode into the office this morning to work a few hours and the city was deader than a door nail.

Lots of fireworks to dodge on the trails to keep you from getting too complacent.

By the time I rode home around noon the trails were getting busier.

Larry The Cable Guy Rocks Memorial Stadium on the 4th of July.

As a way to say 'thanks' to Nebraskans for their support, to fulfill a dream of playing Memorial Stadium, and to set a World's Record for the largest crowd at a comedy show, Nebraska native Larry The Cable Guy offered $6 tickets to the public for an amazing show. We got ours just minutes after they went on sale months ago.The show was taped for Comedy Central.

Larry sky dived into the stadium after a couple of opening acts did their performances and kept us in stitches for over an hour. His show was really great. And was followed by a fireworks show for the crowd of 50,000.

It was the first time for me and our two youngest to set foot inside Memorial Stadium and it was quite an experience!

We all really enjoyed the show and it was a highlight of our summer for sure!

Seward's Firecracker Ride.

Shane and I went to Seward this morning for the Seward Firecracker Ride. Once we got signed in we started by leaving town going North and continued for 20 miles to Hwy 92.

A stiff North wind made us work pretty hard those first 20 miles. The GPBC SAG stop at mile 10 and 40 we're sure appreciated.

Once we turned it became much easier. We rode in a "P" shape and while you were free to choose shorter distances we rode the full 51 mile route. The last 30 miles were a lot of fun and it was a really enjoyable ride.

It wasn't hot, and there was no entry fees.

Just a really great ride. We did it in around 4 hours.

Oh! This is too funny!!!

Ok, we intended to bike to the Uncle Sam Jam Fireworks at Oak Lake. But it's been rainy for the last couple hours and we decided to drive.

So here we are sitting in the SUV waiting to find out if they'll go on, or postpone the show. In the SUV next to us this little boy felt compelled to thoughtfully dry off his parents car. But, as you can see, unbenoitced to his mother he opted to use HER PONYTAIL! It wasn't until he really started pulling before she noticed. Just had to share this moment.

More water than we hoped for...

We took the canoe out to Holmes Lake this morning to meet up with some others, we snuck in a quick canoe ride, but the rain put a 'damp'er on our plans.

That's ok, there is still a lot of weekend ahead of us, and we intend to make the most of it!

Hope your getting some outdoor fun in too.

Stop for new rim tape on the commute.

I worked overnight last night so didn't go into the office till this afternoon.

I made a stop at Bike Pedalers to get some rim tape, since getting the narrower tires I've had a few flats from over inflating the tube and the spokes are piercing holes in the tubes.

The wheels come factory with a rubber liner on the rim to prevent this, but it's pretty chincy. The bike shop set me up with heavy rim tape and a new spare tube for $8. Now, with good rim tape and kevolar tires I should be good to go. Why dosent the factory just raise the price by five or ten bucks on the bike and sell them with good rim tape?

I love Bike Pedalers, while they had it up on the stand they checked the drive train over and adjusted the brakes. Their service is always outstanding.

Today's miles = 20.46

4th of July Firecracker Ride in Seward

Check the GPBC to find out the details on this free group road ride going on this Saturday. Choose from the 22 or 51 mile routes.

Tonight was a great night to Nacho Ride! Turned 4,000 miles.

The weather was awsome and the people even better! If you haven't come on a Nacho Ride yet your missing out!

It's really laid back and fun. Just 10 short miles down the Mopac gets you to the One Eye'd Dog Saloon in Eagle in around an hour. Stuff yourself silly on Nachos or 75 cent tacos. Then cruse back through a peaceful country setting with a fun group of bicycle lovers.

We start leaving the Novartis trail head off 84th St. just south of O St. at 5:30 and riders continue to make the trip as the evening goes on, as riders get off work.

You'll find every kind of cyclists on every type of bike. So, regardless of what your riding or how experienced you are you'll feel right at home. There is no charge to ride, you don't need to be in any club or group or anything. You've run out of excuses, so blow the dust off your forgotten bike and unwind with us every Tuesday on the Nacho Ride!

And as a added bonus the OED gives one lucky Nacho Rider a $25 gift certificate to a Lincoln bike shop! Check the Nacho Ride web site to find out who's name was drawn each week at www.nachoride.com

Tonight riders continued to roll into the OED even after I left. My stab at the number of Nacho'ers tonight is 48.

I rode to work, then home, before riding to the Nacho Ride and back home again, racking up 50.22 miles today. The wind was noticeable going North to work, but made the ride home a blast. The North wind had only a cooling effect on the east-west Nacho Ride. On the ride home from work I turned 4,000 miles on my bike. That's 2000 from 2008 and 2000 so far during 2009. May 28 marked 3,000 miles. That's 1,000 miles in 33 days! Yea :)

.