Content Highlights - Flagstaff Biking Organization
Transcription
Content Highlights - Flagstaff Biking Organization
Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaffbiking.org Spring 2008 May 11th - Sunday Bike Bazaar in Heritage Square 9am to 3pm May 12th - Monday 7:30am - Kick-off Commuter Ride from City Hall May 13th - Tuesday Martin and Jack’s Excellent FUTS Adventure Cruiser Ride - Starts at 6pm May 14th - Wednesday Bike to Breakfast Day! 6:30am - 9am Town Hall Meeting-City Hall 6pm-8pm May 15th - Thursday Bike to School Day! Awards and Bike Movies at the Orpheum Theater - 6pm May 16th - Friday Bike to Potluck Cyclo-bration at Thorpe Park - 6pm See page 6-8 for complete details on Bike to Work Week. Content Highlights 3 Life According to Jack by Jack Welch A Word from the Man by Dave Needham 5 Spring Trail Program Highlights by Anthony Quintile 4 10 Commuting to school and work on bikes: Priceless by Lizette Melis Mountain Biking by Max Wason 12 11 Even band geeks can trash now and again by Laura Barron IMBA Sending a Trail Care Crew to Flagstaff 5 May 2-4 Open up - More to read inside... Enjoy! Page 2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Notes From the Editor Event Highlights Commutation Nation It looks like spring has finally arrived. After what seemed to be one of the most interminable winters in years, the sun is out, the wind has started to blow, and the roads are clearing up. In a few weeks, the trails should start to open again, bringing another wonderful season of mountain biking. This also means another opportunity for Trail Days. April Bike to Work Week Every year, the calendar fills up with things to do, both the “have to’s” and the “want to’s.” How we decide which is going to get us out the door is a very personal decision for some, trails that we all love to use, sort of an inner connection to that particular trail (or even section of trail). For others, it’s a chance to meet up with folks that we may only see at a Trail Day function. A yearly reunion of sorts. Or maybe it’s at every scheduled Trail Day. Or every other one. Spring also means the return of flowing water in Flagstaff. It’s always a special time of the year for us when Upper Lake Mary is filling up, Schultz Creek is flowing (like a real creek), and there may even be some water in the Dry Lakes. This usually leads to a wonderful explosion of wildflowers in all of our meadows and hillsides. When the trails are tacky, the wildflowers are in bloom, the weather is warming up, and all the little critters start coming out, that’s when you just can’t beat living in Northern Arizona. It’s a great time of the year for us all. 26 Soar into Spring Bicycle Rodeo 11:30am-4pm - Foxglenn Park May 2-4 Subaru/IMBA Trail Crew Visit See page 5 for details. 8 Safe Kids Rodeo 8am - noon – Pine Forest Elementary 11-16 Bike to Work Week Check for upcoming details at flagstaffbiking. org. 20 Safe Kids Rodeo 8am - noon – Thomas Elementary June 7 National Trail Day Ft. Tuthill to Kachina trail/ To Be Determined Contact [email protected] for more info. 15 Pancake Ride - Father’s Day Schultz Creek Trailhead July 12 So, when you are done with this issue of Biopic, get out there and enjoy the outdoors! It’s waiting for you… Loop Trail Date Grant 26 Ft. Tuthill/To Be Determined Contact [email protected] for more info. AZ Trail Day with ATA and NATRA contact: [email protected] Humphrey’s trail parking lot Contact [email protected] for more info. Visit www.flagstaffbiking.org for complete details and for upcoming events throughout the winter and spring. Grant Dunstan is an avid cyclist, dabbling in road riding, mountain biking, and the newly discovered world of the singlespeed. He helped to start the Trips for Kids program in Flagstaff with his wife, and enjoys showing the kids our wonderful trails. come visit us at Spring 2008 We could only call it a great success. Nearly two thousand people registered as bicycle commuters during the 2007 Bike to Work Week. Many were diehards that have logged in since 2002 when Flagstaff Biking Organization began the worksite challenges. Many were new faces, and pedals, including many students. The best complaint heard from a chagrined B2WW cyclist? “My favorite FUTS trail was lousy with other cyclists…” Bummer Dude. The competition for the Breezer commuter bicycles and daily prizes was intense and it let us know we would have to up the ante this year and run the challenge longer. Hundreds of people took part in the Sunday parade and Kick-Off and Cruiser rides. The bike sale at the Bike Bazaar raised nearly $1000 for Flagstaff Biking Organization. I met the neatest bike commuters at the breakfast stops and at Bike to School day. It was Great. And yet… We know we could do better. Our hope is that B2WW shows people how fun and easy it is to ride to work, school, or errands. But the number of cyclist spiked on Wednesday during the Bike to Work Challenge, and then dropped off Thursday. The number of participants has leveled off at around 700 over the past three years… it’s time to Crank up Participation. Hm. How do we elevate commuter enthusiasm all summer, even all year? Each spring should invite a new group of employee and student commuters to try out the cycling options on expanding trails, paths and designated bike routes. How can we get them out there? For the diehards, we know Flagstaff is bikeable yearround. We know our commuting helps us feel great, keep fit, save gas, save money, save air quality and reduce city costs for everything from building parking lots to widening roads, and loads--that is, obesity-related diseases. We diehards have been out there in the snow and dark of winter. Okay… some of us are freaks, but still. Six months a year the cycling in Flagstaff is fantastic, not just doable. So how can we maintain and increase Flagstaff’s cycle-commuting enthusiasm? Queue… Bike to Work Week Challenge: 2008. Some changes… We’ve given the worksite challenge a tune-up. We’ve upgraded the grupo and Cranked it up. Would you like to advertise in the next issue of the Biopic? The challenge will run 4 days, not one--no more ties. We are shuffling the sizes of the worksites to entice greater participation and opportunities to win the Breezer commuter bicycles. There will still be great daily raffle prizes, but this year we are challenging your worksites contact Kim Duncan continued on page 7... www.flagstaffbiking.org * 928.863.0293 Volume #3, Issue #2 Page 3 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Life According to Jack Good exercise, personal independence and lower costs are the benefits I would list if asked to enumerate the advantages of using my bicycle as a means of transportation. I would also add “satisfaction” as there is a pure kind of pleasure in being able to conquer a challenging bicycle commute. But, sometimes the prospective pain of getting someplace has a higher price than I am willing to assume and rather than riding on through that monsoon lightening storm I’ll shelter myself in a covered bus stop, attach my bicycle to the front carrier and pay the reasonable fare to be safely transported to my destination. I have NAU friends who use their bicycle to keep their campus schedule intact by riding between classes. They are never bothered by the snarl of vehicular traffic, the frustration of finding a place to park or the expense of that activity. Many transport their bicycle via the Mountain Line in the cold morning hours to have it available for campus riding and the trip home during the warmer afternoon. When it’s snowing or icy, I ride the bus. As a retired Jack Welch person on a fixed income I can’t afford to jeopardize my only vehicle in those kinds of conditions. I also know many working people who don’t own a car are bicycle commuters and view the bus as their other equally important mode of transportation. As bicycle riders I think we can all support the Mountain Line because it serves us well as a viable option and just as important - it accommodates the varied transportation need of our whole community. So, you might be asking where is the old guy going with this bundle of information. On May 20, 2008 there will be a city election - one mayor and three city council members will be selected - plus five ballot questions related to the continuation and improvement of our bus system. The citizens of Flagstaff are going to be asked to vote “yes or no” on all five of these important propositions: 401 - Continuation of the Mountain Line Service at current levels, 402 - Purchase of Hybrid buses that are larger and more fuel efficient with fewer emissions plus they can carry three bicycles, 403 - Mountain Line links route between downtown, NAU and Woodlands Village, 404 Bus Service to new areas and 405 - More frequent bus service. has become the champion of grassroots advocacy. Ten years in Flagstaff and he still enjoys the many wonderful bicycle routes and trails. Jack admits moving here was the best decision of his life. I am hoping you will vote yes on all five of the propositions which will only increase our city sales tax by 0.29 cents on every 100 dollar purchase which I think is a very nominal price to pay for important improvements in what is already a decent system. But, the above is only a brief outline of the proposed improvements and I will be glad to mail you a brochure containing more complete information about the propositions. Just call me at 714 0504 or e-mail: [email protected] or check out the Mountain Line web site: www.mountainline2008vote.info Flagstaff Loop Trail – Gearing up for a big year! 2008 is going to be a big year for the Flagstaff Loop Trail. The Coconino Forest Service is in the process of completing the required NEPA (National Environmental Protection Agency) work. This will allow us to build huge sections of the loop this year getting us near the 80% completion marker! We had a very successful Flagstaff Loop Trail open house at the Hotel Weatherford last November with a great deal of interest shown in finding out how to get involved. The answer to that is COME OUT AND HELP BUILD TRAILS! We will have 4 Flagstaff Loop Trail days this year: July 12th, October 11th, November 8th, and 1 day to be announced. If you’re asking yourself “what’s the Flagstaff Loop Trail”? then here are the basics. When completed, the 42 mile trail will circumnavigate Flagstaff, providing access from all areas of the city. The concept is that of an outer wheel surrounding Flagstaff, with the spokes being trails within the city (the Flagstaff Urban Trail System). The wheel will then link to the communities outside the city limits and to the network of Forest Service trails. The Loop will utilize a variety of Forest Service trails, abandoned roads, the Flagstaff Urban Trail System, State Land trail easements and the Arizona Trail. The goal of the Flagstaff Loop Trail is to provide an exceptional multiuse, non-motorized recreational experience close to the urban fringe. The trail will offer improved connectivity within our community while providing a safe and inviting transportation alternative. Go to Flagstaffbiking.org and click on the Flagstaff Loop Trail link for updates and to see the online map. contact: [email protected] Loop Trail Picnic Area Single-Track Trail Trailhead Secondary Trail View Point FUTS Trail Campground Planned FUTS Trail Tank | Spring Lake | Ephemeral Lake Highway Intermittant Stream Major Street Street Wilderness Boundary National Monument Major Forest Road Minor Forest Road Peak Gravel Pit Railroad Power Line Building | Landmark Pipeline Forested Land | Open Land North One Mile 13 May 2007 Page 4 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization A Word from The Man It is not often that people associate law enforcement agencies with education, but this is one of our most important contributions to our community. Representatives from the Flagstaff Police Department can frequently be found distributing information and/or answering questions at any number of public events. Teaching a person how to take steps to avoid becoming a victim, or explaining a law or ordinance so it is not violated is preferred to having to take enforcement action. I enjoy riding my bike around Flagstaff and own both a mountain bike and a commuter. I recently started racing competitively in the “Rock Crusher” category in the MBAA series. I ride my bike to work most days and I particularly enjoy my commute after a snowstorm. During the day I am always observing how cyclists and motorists interact. As a cyclist I’d like to use this article to help educate our community so that as a police officer I won’t need to respond to an accident involving a cyclist. The most common complaints motorists and pedestrians make about cyclists are: 1. riding on sidewalks where prohibited (downtown) 2. riding the wrong way on one way streets (Beaver and San Francisco) 3. failing to stop at Stop signs In 2006 there were 50 accidents involving bicycles reported to the Flagstaff Police Department; of these, 8 involved children. In 2007 this number jumped to 76 with 14 involving children. These numbers may actually be higher since there is no way to track un-reported accidents. In an effort to educate more cyclists and in the hope of decreasing the number of accidents involving members of our community the Flagstaff Biking Organization is permitting me the opportunity to cite a few of the City Codes that apply to cycling. Section 9-05-001-0002Traffic Laws Apply Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Chapter, except as to special regulations in this Chapter and except as to those provisions of this Chapter which by their nature can have no application. Section 9-05-001-0005Riding on Roadways, Bicycle Lanes and Bicycle Paths A. Defines Roadway, Bicycle Lane, and Bicycle Path. B. Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the direction. C. Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except on paths or parts of the roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. D. Wherever one or more lanes of a roadway have been designated and marked as bicycle lanes, bicycle riders shall use those lanes and shall not use the roadway. E. Wherever a path has been provided and designated as a bicycle path adjacent to or near a roadway, bicycle riders shall use that path and shall not use the roadway. Section 9-05-001-0007 Lamps and Other Equipment A. Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500’) to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Arizona Department of Transportation, which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet (50’) to three hundred feet (300’) to the rear, when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on motor vehicles. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500’) to the rear may be used in addition to the read reflector. B. No person shall operate a bicycle equipped with a siren or whistle. C. Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement. Spring 2008 Dave Needham has been a police officer 17 years and is currently assigned to Community Relations. Between racing his mountain bikes for Absolute Bikes and raising 3 daughters, and work, Dave is a busy guy. Currently divorced, he’s looking for a lady friend. Please send picture of bike. Section 9-05-001-0013Riding on Sidewalks A. Where signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall ride a bicycle, skateboard, or play vehicle upon a sidewalk. This prohibition shall also apply to any bicycle, skateboard or play vehicle which is equipped with or assisted by a motor. Signs prohibiting such activity shall be installed at locations as directed by the Office of the Traffic Engineer. B. Unless otherwise posted pursuant to subsection A, a person may ride a bicycle, skateboard, or play vehicle upon any public sidewalk. This section does not permit a motor-equipped or assisted bicycle, skateboard or play vehicle upon any public sidewalk where otherwise unlawful. When doing so, such person shall be subject to the following additional provisions: 1. Such person shall yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians and exempt vehicles. 2. Such person shall yield the right-of-way to all traffic on the roadway when entering a roadway or intersection from the sidewalk. 3. Such person shall yield the right-of-way to all traffic crossing the sidewalk at a driveway or alley. A complete list of Flagstaff City Codes may be found at www.flagstaff.az.gov under the Government tab on the top of the website. When reading the City Code you should note that it provides everyone with a level of expectation of behavior from cyclists. If cyclists obey the rules of the road this will allow motorists to consistently predict how cyclists will ride in a given situation and hopefully provide for a safer and friendlier experience for everyone. Contact: [email protected] Northern Arizona Mountain Bike Patrol Flagstaff Biking Organization, Absolute Bikes, The Mountain Bike Association of Arizona and members of the Absolute Mountain Bike Race Team have partnered with the United States Forest Service, in an effort to create a volunteer Mountain Bike Patrol Program in the greater Flagstaff area. This program, sponsored nationally by the International Mountain Bike Association (I.M.B.A.), is meant to enhance relations between all trail users. The bike patrol, made up of volunteer riders, will provide assistance to any and all local trail users by providing directions, assisting in basic bicycle maintenance, and administering first-aid to injured riders. They will also provide regular reports to land managers regarding changing trail conditions and user trends. U.S. Forest come visit us at Service land managers will be able to make use of this information to identify areas that may need special attention or additional supervision, or trail maintenance. This project comes from a cooperative effort between the agencies listed above, to enhance bike access to the forests around Flagstaff and their official trails. Recent events around the country have resulted in diminished access if not denial of access to many trails for bike riders. This team approach to trail care and use is meant to prevent this from happening in Flagstaff. This effort has also resulted in approval of permits from the Forest Service, and may allow for more mountain bike races to be held in the Flagstaff area in the coming months. www.flagstaffbiking.org Anyone interested in joining this effort should contact F.B.O. or Absolute Bikes for details. Volunteers will be required to complete basic first aid training and a program orientation, which will include goals and philosophy of the program and reporting procedures. Join us in this worthy program. Your efforts will go a long way toward ensuring that mountain bikers will have full access to all trails of Flagstaff for many years to come. Contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Spring Trail Program Highlights Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Training The Subaru/IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) Trail Care Crew will be coming to Flagstaff once again to teach trailbuilding skills, help mountain bikers communicate better with land managers and spend quality time digging in the dirt. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew teach “sustainable” trailbuilding, which means building trails that last a long time and require minimal maintenance. This helps reduce trail damage, protects the environment, and enhances visitor enjoyment. National Trails Day Coconino County and the Coconino National Forest are hosting National Trails Day this year on a new section of trail that connects the Fort Tuthill trail system to Kachina Village. This event is an annual celebration of our trails developed and supported by the American Hiking Society. Everyone is encouraged to join the City of Flagstaff, Flagstaff Biking Organization, Coconino Rural Environmental Corps, Coconino Trail Riders and REI in a little trail construction and a lot of fun. Meet along Old Munds Highway, just off of Highway 89 across from Jackson’s Grill at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 7th. We will work until around 1:00 pm and then enjoy lunch and festivities. Please wear sturdy shoes, long pants. Bring your bicycle helmet and gloves if you have them, otherwise head and hand protection will be provided. Also, please bring water and a way to carry it. Page 5 Giro de la Luna Family Ride JuLY 18 th 10pm - 12am A fun ride on Flagstaff’s Urban Trails. Visit www.flagstaffbiking.org for details The visit will consist of three days of activities. Friday, May 2nd, will be an “agencies only” meeting and presentation at the Coconino National Forest Peaks Ranger District. Anyone employed by any agency, local, state or federal, and those employed by groups working on trails with government agencies are encouraged to attend. The event starts at 9:00 am and runs until 1:00 pm. Please contact Brian Tritle with the Peaks District at [email protected] or (928) 527-8201 to RSVP for this event. Saturday, May 3rd will be an open presentation followed with some field work in the afternoon. Anyone interested in gaining better skills on proper trailbuilding techniques is encouraged to attend. This event has a morning classroom session that runs from 9:00 am until 12:00 at the Peaks District offices across from the Flagstaff Mall. After lunch, we will shuttle over to Campbell Mesa by 1:00 pm for some on-the-ground training. Please contact [email protected] for more information and to register for this day’s event. Sunday, we’re riding! Join Flagstaff Biking Organization and the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew for a leisurely mountain bike ride. We will survey trail features and look at what is and isn’t working along the trails. Mobile Trail Crew Flagstaff Biking Organization will be forming a Mobile Trail Crew. Those interested in spending a few days over the summer riding and doing minor trail repairs should contact Blair Foust at [email protected] or (928) 814-6191. Folks interested in helping with this should have some trail maintenance and repair experience and should attend the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew training or have attended trail training before. This is a good opportunity to help out the condition of the trails while getting in a ride. Contact: [email protected] or (928) 779-5969 Anthony Quintile is an avid mountain biker and motorcyclist, and promotes multipleuse where ever he rides. Through many events and volunteer efforts, he is an advocate for trail building and riding. He is the manager of Absolute Bikes, and can be found there most days. BOB,Freedom, Burley, Croozer, Xtracycle,Ortlieb, Extrawheel, Carry Tubus, Wandertec, and more. BikeTrailerShop.com Located in East Flag. Give us a call: 226.0294 Page 6 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Spring 2008 photo by Geoff Cross May 13th - Tuesday Martin and Jack’s Excellent FUTS Adventure Cruiser Ride - Starts at 6pm The fun continues on Tuesday with an evening cruiser ride at 6 PM led by Martin Ince, City of Flagstaff’s Multi-Modal Planner, and the one and only Jack Welch, Flagstaff’s own community super hero! (Now you know where he goes at night!) We’ll tour the city’s Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) and show you great ways to connect to the workplace and school systems. Meet at the Pay-nTake market and bring all your friends, and your helmet! * Bike Recycling- we will be selling, cheaply, bikes that were donated and fixed up Exhibits on commuting safely, local bike events and programs, and bike art * * and...Our 4th Annual Human-Powered Parade. photo by Neil Ross May 14th - Wednesday May 11th - Sunday 9am to 3pm Heritage Square Downtown Flagstaff Kick off the week with hundreds of your bicycling brethren. May 12th - Monday Events will include: Bike and Gear Swap $5.00 Helmet sales & 50 Free Helmets for Children Bike Powered Live Entertainment Clif Bar and “Fender Blender” Smoothies Make your own Bike Safety Iron On T-Shirt for Kids Come join the mayor, local leaders, and hundreds of your friends for a short “commuter” ride through the downtown to finish in Heritage Square for a free breakfast. Feel the rush of hundreds of cyclists sharing the roads. The gathering at Heritage Square will celebrate the efforts of specific worksites and individuals to improve biking and walking in our community. * * * * * 7:30am - Kick-off Commuter Ride from City Hall Bike to Breakfast Day! Time to dust off your ride, register your workplace and prepare to flood the streets, paths, and bike lanes, with fun loving cyclists. Free Breakfast for cyclists! That’s right! We said FREE! If you’re on a bike, come on by one of the following locations to enjoy a free breakfast on your way to work! Local sponsors have stepped up to the plate this year to serve up hot coffee, yummy food and loads of Clif Bars! What are the most-bike friendly business in Flagstaff? Everyone who rides and registers their participation on the website is eligible for the daily draws. We give away thousands of dollars of prizes donated by local partners. The winners in 2 size categories get new cruiser bikes to use for local errands. All photos not otherwise noted © melissa dunstan photography come visit us at www.flagstaffbiking.org Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Volume #3, Issue #2 As further incentives, we will be providing free breakfast for bike commuters along popular bike routes, provided by local businesses. riders and racers will be going into schools *andLocal talking about the joys of bicycling and try and teach some safe riding while they are at it. Golden Sprocket Award competition will be awarded in two categories, high schools and middle schools. A short film contest is being launched to see what school can create the most innovative bicycle safety movie! We’ll watch it at the Orpheum on Thursday night. * * Awards and Bike Movies at the Orpheum Theater - 6pm breakfast station locations: 6:30am-9am Place City Hall Ft. Valley Late for the Train Beaver St-South Side Park Lot Route 66/San Francisco Street Humphreys St/Sullivan Ave Cedar/Fourth/Locket Route 66/Arrowhead St Beaver St at the FMC Bridge We will finish the week with a collection of bike-related films and presentations of the Worksite Challenge winners and Cruiser bikes at the Orpheum Theatre. What student will win the Short Film Award? Come and find out! Doors and bar open at 6pm. Sponsored by: City of Flagstaff Late for the Train (Jack Welch) Biff’s Bagels Absolute Bikes The Coffee Pedaler Friends of Flagstaff’s Future NAIPTA FMC Seasons Premiere presented by Absolute Bikes to put up some prizes. We’re challenging the worksites to subdivide into groups that are smaller, easier to motivate and track. We’d like to foster intra- and interworksite challenges to bring out some of those un-tapped potential or closet bike enthusiasts… you know, the pale accountant, secretary or IT geek that doesn’t know yet how liberating and addictive the morning pedal can be. We’ll referee the challenges between admin and IT, between Bookman’s and Barnes and Noble, UPS and FedEx. We want to see the obesity epidemic in kids reversed, starting with pedaling to school, not endless couch-time and tv. We will be launching a “Cycle Train” demonstration project at Thomas Elementary, where adults will “conduct” a train of kids on bikes to school. We will host a Bike to Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, a forum for cyclists and city officials and planners to get together to listen and learn to each other. And to top it off, we’re having a Bike to Potluck on Friday to celebrate our successes. So join FBO’s seventh annual Bike to Work Week… join the Commutation Nation and bike to work, school or errands. And don’t join alone. Admit it… it feels good and the more you do it, the better it feels. 2007 Bike to Work Week results: Cyclists can discuss issues of concern with city leaders and planners. Bike trail options will be demonstrated, discussed and you can ask questions about Flagstaff and bicycle commuting. Speakers to be announced soon. The worksite challenge winners of the Breezer Bicycles: Small Worksites: 2007-NAU Honors Program 2006-Biff’s Bagels 2005- ProRiver Outfitters & Absolute Others: AZ Engineering, Wildcat WW TP. Large Worksites: 2007 & 2006 Flagstaff Medical Center Emergency Dept. May 15th - Thursday Bike to School Day! * Commutation Nation, continued from page 3... To find out more about this year’s B2WW, what’s new, what’s familiar; and how you can help, check our website: flagstaffbiking.org/bike-to-work-week/. Town Hall Meeting-City Hall 6pm-8pm We are once again encouraging parents to ride with their kids to school or in the case of high school students: leave the car at home for a day. Cycle Train will only be at Thomas Elementary – “Presented in a collaborative effort with FBO and the Safe Kids Coalition” Page 7 May 16th - Friday Bike to Potluck Cyclo-bration at Thorpe Park - 6pm To wind the week down, we are hosting a potluck at Thorpe Park’s Ramada, starting around 6:00 PM. Bring your own table service and beverage, and a dish to share. Let’s see who is most creative in delivering a tasty comestible via bicycle! There will be a large BBQ for those wishing to grill. If weather allows, we may show a biking movie. FBO would like to thank our generous sponsors who make this event possible: City of Flagstaff, Sam’s Club, Flagstaff Medical Center, Emmitt Barks Cartography & Absolute Bikes. Visit www.flagstaffbiking.org for details on Bike to Work Week. 2005-Lowell Observatory The Arboretum 2007 Fun Facts: * 1874 people logged in all week * 763 Individual Participants * 123 Worksites Registered * 14,388 Miles were Logged * Average Commute: 7.7 miles * Longest Commute: 35 miles We conserved about 850 gallons of gasoline; or 4,500 pounds of carbon were spared. Thanks to FBO board member Susan for the Bike to Work stats. Contact: [email protected] the Bike to work week Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Spring 2008 Breakfast stops Map Cedar / Fourth / Locket 180 ve. rA A d ce MeAd dr. y rd. e Fort vAll n. nAvAjo dr. n. Aztec AgA ss lone tree rd. II II II FrA sAn FrA nsic o st . AgA ssiz st. st. BeA ver n rd . Milt o A II nt II sA II I II II I I II II I I II II I huntington dr. I IIII II IIIIII IIIIII IIII rise entep rd. www.flagstaffbiking.org johnson Ave. ow he Ad Av e. Route 66/Arrowhead St. e. Av I e F I . come visit us at ler n dr IIII IIIIIIII IIIII III I I Beaver St. -South Side Park ILot II II Route 66/San Francisco Street II II II II II II II sAn II II tA F II e Av II e. II II But I II ler II Ave II . II I But II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II nsic o st . iz s t. rr nyo sAn ken dri ck s t. Bo City Hall Ave . BeA ver st. Ave . e. A r cA tA F e hA ve. st. en rey s Asp Ave . II I II I I e. 1st Ave. itze n. sw Birc e. huM ph rry e. 4th Ave. e. 2nd Ave. sul nit or d. rd . tec n. A z e Av che e. 6th Ave. e. 5th Ave. e. 3rd Ave. . . rpe rd n. tho dAl n. s wit zer livA cAn nA yon v e. hun dr. t Av e. Fin e Av e. elM Ave . n. 4th st. Humphreys St. / Sullivan Ave. sAn n. isABel st. ois dr rd. n. center st. 180 u tourq orpe n. west st. Forest Ave. n. 1st st. oAk Ave. n. MAin st. cedAr Ave. n. eAst st. rd. e. dorthA Ave. Ft. Valley Late for the Train Beaver St. at the FMC Bridge n. th cedAr Ave. Ave. Butler Ave. Map design by rebecca Murans Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization FBO Members Creating Believer ($500 and above) David Bednar Jim Gibson David Kumasaka John & Deb Ledington Douglas “Leigh” Campbell Extraordinary Memories Associate ($250 - $499): John Bogen Christie, Sam & Dennis Buchika Agnes Drogi Leonard (Len) Garrambone Kenton Harman Paul Kuefler Elson Miles Kip Moyer Joanne Steigerwald Stephen Ward Jack Welch Karen Whitten Sustaining ($100 - $249) Joel Agena Lou Arminio Carl Bigler David Blanchard Tim Bonatus Alexandra Carpino Melissa & Grant Dunstan Bob Gaylord Denise Hudson Marc Johnson Roabie Johnson David Laing Stephanie McCarthy & Anthony Quintile Chuck McDougal David McKee Wayne McLellan Annabelle Nelson Kevin & Paula Rand Midge Steuber Anita Switzer Duffie Westheimer Program Sponsors Bike to Work Week: New Belgium Brewing Company City of Flagstaff Sam’s Club Flagstaff Medical Center Emmitt Barks Cartography Absolute Bikes Safe Kids Program: Coconino County Safe Kids Coalition Trail Day Program: REI, Inc. Northern AZ Trail Runners Association Biff’s Bagels Youth Moutain Biking Program: Absolute Bikes FBO would like to thank our members for their financial support which makes our work possible. All memberships are annual and can be renewed by mail or via credit card on our website. If you have any questions regarding Melissa at 606-1533 or email her at [email protected]. Thank you! membership, please call Page 9 kdeventdesigns.com Page 10 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Spring 2008 How your membership and donations further cycling in our community Are you tired of hearing about how long it takes to get things done? Help us speed up the * process. Coordinating a regular volunteer trail program requires resources to be successful. Advertisements, lunches, incentives all add up but help make the events fun. Big turnouts = new trails. Putting on a fun and productive large-scale event costs roughly $1,000. Facilitating the outreach, design and implementation stages of our 42-mile Loop Trail is an * ambitious endeavor. Driving this project in a timely manner will require an investment from our organization. * Financial resources enable us to make Bike to Work Week have lasting impacts. Regular programming funds are required to support efforts like bike recycling, Safe Kids, and Trips for Kids - initiatives that are designed to provide fun healthy opportunities for kids. * An organization with a huge number of paid members has a loud public voice that guarantees significant influence with agencies, grant bodies, and elected offficials. * To fulfill our mission requires both grassroots support and full-time, professional focus. Effectively advocating cycling interests requires constant vigilance. Supporting ($50 - $69) Susan Amon David Anning John Benson Brad Bippus Chuck Budden Pamela Cady Ken Collier William Culpepper Mark Daniels Bret Dooley Paul Drumheller Edwin Goff Ellen & Tom Grabarek William Grauel Richard Hall David Hayes Bradley Heck Susan Hueftle Darrell Kaufman Eric Keefer Paul Kiehne Gisela Kluwin Christopher Kuehl Karen Lynn Tami Masuoka Lizette Melis Kurt & Sara Meyers Bill Miller Bonnie O’Donnell Tobin & Christi Purslow Family ($70 - $99) Robert Radford Matt Roberts Tim Rynn Aaron Seifert Tim & Erika Steffen James & Heidi Sullivan John Tingerthal Casey Woodford Alan York John Zimmerman Basic ($20 - $34) Angela Abel John Bertko Jan Blackman Charlie Bongo Jaemi Bowers Warren Cronmiller Letty David Judy Draper Kim Duncan Cory Fagerholm Art Farmer Ellen Furr Mark Giesecke John Gordon Lila Hope Greer Mark Gullo Joan Hadden Tom Holden Jay Holt come visit us at www.flagstaffbiking.org John, Lisa & Bekah Coe Ann Eagan Mark, Joanne & Ryan Geiger Haydee Miranda Hampton & George Koch Alexender Koss Mike Lebec Sharine Sonny Tony Spinelli Mike Thompson Regular ($35 - $49) Sam Hull Joel Kefuss Kurt Knittle Karen Knorowski Christine Krosnicki William Kunkle Greg, Pam & Blake Landers David Lash Chris Latham Lisa Levine Dara & Troy Marino Jay McCallum Kaj Miller Dave Needham Jeanne Neff Robert Pearce Cindy Perger Paula Pluta Cosmic Ray James Riley Jerry Robertson Michael Sanders Leo Schlinger Susan Slasor Bruce Steinhaus Ray Topham Jeni Turgeon Bruce Walker Scott Waxman Edward White Todd Barnell Jason Dosch Sharon Ferrier William Gallen Charlie Hawk Joan Kandel Art Keith & Megan Gavin Deb Linda Anne McKinnon Rick Mineweaser Joe Murphy John Neff Tyler Sedone Ben Sheridan Julie Taylor Douglas Thomas Penny Trovillion Page 11 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Volume #3, Issue #2 Commuting to school and work on bikes: Priceless As soon as the snow melts and the roads stop being ice in the morning, my husband, twin children and I will start each day climbing on our bikes. I look forward to leaving the car behind and using my own power to get us around town, school and work. Lizette is an Injury Prevention Program Coordinator at the Health Department, a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee and serves on the Executive Board for the Coconino Safe Kids Coalition. and a half from home. It does help that we live in a very central part of town, a block from Thorpe Park. It is easy to get to our destinations and we usually zoom past traffic by taking side streets as much as we can. I have not always been a bike commuter. In fact, I grew up in one of the biggest cities in the world, Mexico City, and biking was only done on weekends in enclosed parks. As an adult I rode sporadically and was always afraid of cars. I worked at NAU for many years and lived two miles from work. Never did I consider biking all that time. I just had too many great excuses and reasons why I needed to drive two miles one way. How could I wear a skirt to work or how could I keep my coffee warm while riding? What would my hair look like after being squashed in a helmet? What would I do about my sweaty self? © melissa dunstan photography Commuting on bike is a simple joy although it takes some preparation, flexibility and organization. Ted, my husband rides with the children in the morning while I go directly to work, about four and a half miles from home. At the end of the day, I ride to school and pick the children up and ride back to our neighborhood. School is about a mile Lizette Melis Two years ago, I decided to give ‘Bike To Work Week’ a try. I did not have any expectations only an open mind about adventure. I thought through every excuse (I simply don’t wear skirts, found a good thermos for my coffee, and change to a clean shirt when I get to work). The week worked out so well, we decided, as a family, to continue riding our bikes to school and work. We ride about seven months out of the year. Most weekends, Ted and I ride to the grocery store and stuff panniers and backpacks with staples. Then we waddle back home. It is always an adventure, not just a run to the store. Commuting on a bicycle keeps me connected to my surroundings, the environment, the weather, the wind and body. I have time to think and sing. I have to pay attention and pace myself. I feel actively engaged in my life. I get to my work place in a good mood, literally glowing. Something worthwhile mentioning is the fact that I get my daily workout while commuting. I do two things at once, which for me means I am beating the system and saving on health club fees. The reward is all encompassing. As a family, we feel empowered and self sufficient. One day at a time, we are doing our part, and the benefits are many—and the price can’t be beat! Contact: [email protected] Voted Best Outdoor Shop 2005 -2007 by the Arizona Daily Sun Readers We support bike to work week 1500 E. Cedar Ave, Suite 52 | 928.779.7888 www.synergytotalfitness.com [email protected] -I S OUTDOOR IF * One coupon per person. Mon-Fri 8am -9pm Sat 8am -8pm Sun 8am -6pm S ! S IT’ BRING IN THIS AD AND R E C E I V E O N E FREE * SPINNING OR YOGA CLASS Open 7 Days A Week T’ US 14 W. Route 66 • 928-779-4521 Downtown Flagstaff - Across from the Train Station Page 12 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Mountain Biking There I was, racing down, boulders flying past me in a blur. I hit the jump and was in the air, and then wham, I was down. My suspension helped absorb most of the downward force, but I still got knocked around a bit. I was back on course, racing down. My body was jarred with the pebbles underneath me. I was racing. I looked ahead to see someone crash ahead of me. My feelings were mixed, happy because I could beat him but possibly sad because he or his bike could have been hurt. I saw that he was okay and I raced on. I was now in eighth place. I came to a flat area that had sharp turns, most of them with berms. I turned on them, my body moving as one with my bike. I went over another one… and my face was in the ground. I had gained too much speed and attempted the turn at too high a speed. I was all right so I got back up and started pedaling again. Luckily, I was a long way ahead of the main group of people and none had even tried to pass me yet. I looked ahead and realized I had a grueling task ahead of me. There was a small hill, about 200 feet long that turned upward so it was significantly steeper for another 200 feet. It went upward again for an even steeper part, but luckily this was only about 100 feet long. I was dismayed but I knew I had to go on. I started up the hill, the least steep part, and took it slow but steady. I was about three quarters up the small part of the hill and was starting to feel the effects. I kept come visit us at Spring 2008 Max Wason on going and soon reached the steeper section. I stopped for about thirty seconds to admire the view, look where the other racers were, and refresh myself. I started off again, feeling invigorated that I was doing so well on my first mountain bike race ever. I looked up and ahead to see my friend slowly making his way up the hill also. I did not try to race ahead to beat him, for I was smart and I knew that I would use up all my energy and would have none to make it up the steepest section. I would beat him on the downhill. I looked up and saw that my friend was trying to make it up the steepest section, but in slow motion, his bike tipped over backwards onto him. I could not help but laugh, because I knew he would be fine. I soon reached him, and as the trail started curving downward, I pedaled vigorously and blasted past him. On the downhill I also passed three other people. I could tell that the race was almost over, and I lost my focus. On a large jump, I landed on my back tire and bounced forward, essentially doing a front flip. I was fine but I saw the four people pass me that I had passed earlier. I was in sixth. I knew I should just try and hold my position as my main priority, but if there was a good opportunity, pass the leaders. I knew that the most of the people were still going up the hill. It would be easy to beat them, as long as my bike or I did not get damaged or hurt. www.flagstaffbiking.org an avid mountain biker for several years, is a student at Northland Preparatory Academy in Flagstaff. Besides biking, Max enjoys rock climbing, skiing, snow boarding, soccer and basketball. I rode ahead in a strangely calm state of mind. I felt my bike’s tires touching the red, sun baked crust that was the soil and my suspension’s travel taking the force of the rocks. I saw the hill drop away and saw the end. I snapped out of my philosophical moment and went blazing down the slope. I was going like I had never gone before. I felt like I was one with my bike, like I knew exactly which tire “hair” would touch which part of ground. I raced past someone, but soon realized that they were doing the marathon race. I saw the end ahead of me, but there were two paths. They were both on gravel. I saw my friend’s dad point one way so I started that direction, but the judges pointed the other way and I knew they were right so I started the other way… but my poor tires could not take it and they slipped under the white gravel. I looked as soon as I got up, and there was no one behind me, so I mounted my bike and got sixth place in my first ever mountain bike race. Mountain biking is what I do. Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Your euro- racer eyewear is only for cycling Veteran racer, George Hincapie grinds out a stage victory at the tour of California wearing his signature Oakley Racing Jacket sun glasses. People can’t stop staring at his cool shades. Hincapie’s epic labors in all of Lance Armstrong’s Tour De France victories helped to cement the Racing Jacket‘s iconic status in this decade’s Road racing imagery. Don’t go overboard, though. Do not, for instance, wear a huge pair of Jackie Onassis windshield sized, tinted face- protector shades unless you are a giggly, extremely stylish 14 year old girl. The mistake we all make is thinking that these guys take these same elements of UV protection-style downtown when they are off the bike. They do not and you, my friend, should not either. There are only two people in Flagstaff who look good in cycling eyewear in any situation. Here’s a hint: it’s not you. Stop making the rest of the world think we are all too good to stick our faces into a pair of aviators or wayfarers. © melissa dunstan photography Also unforgettable are the miles of video of Jan Ullrich Captaining T-Mobile from behind a pair of Rudy Project glasses. To illustrate these points, we enlisted the help of our own Perry Davidson, who actually won a small cash prize and a trip to the Day Spa in the “Homeliest Biopic Writer” contest. We took pictures of him in one of his favorite pairs of racing sunnies which, out of the cycling context, make him look like the drugs just wore Even band geeks can thrash now and again Along side J-Lo’s perky buttocks and Jessica Simpson’s “assets”, the precious fingers of concert pianists have garnered Aflac, and the likes, millions in annual premiums to protect these essential body parts. However, as a flutist-cum-paraglider, I have always opted to risk my uninsured digits in search of extra-musical endorphins. So, ordinarily, descending the harrowing, 13,000 feet of Bolivia’s Death Road, on a mountain bike, might not have been so notable for me. But, after my first foray into full suspension riding left me with a broken left radius, I was out of performing commission for several months. So, I approached my return to the bike with more than trepidation (not to mention the fact that mountain biking has always lacked some of the forgiving comforts that my other adventure sports possess). Many think that rock climbing is a thrill seeker’s sport, but the security of the rope and the harness, defying gravity, is what has always attracted me. Tandem paragliding is much the same. When strapped in, with an experienced pilot at the reins, jumping off a cliff and floating effortlessly, above the clouds, produces as little adrenaline as a well earned yoga savasana. And if tele-skiing a black diamond gets the heart racing, at least a wipe-out on freshies allays one’s fears. But renting questionable equipment from a tourist trap, guiding outfit, in a third world country, so that I could ride on baby heads and gravel, for five hours, down the longest sustained road descent in the world (15,600-2,500 feet elevation), with 2,000 ft drop-offs, for most of the way, felt like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. At our 7 am summit start, despite the full body gore-tex suit that our guide provided, the below freezing temperatures left me wondering if I was terrified or merely shivering. Then, Geoff, a pair of Brits, a fool hearty, German female novice, a testosterone-pumped Argentinean teenager and I hit the trail, with an unusually timid Israeli up the rear (the urban legend, that 5 of the 11 cyclist casualties on Death Road had been his compatriots, made him understandably nervous). Barely 20 minutes into our epic, the first brake failure struck the youngest in our group, and I was thanking Pacha Mama (Incan Earth Mother) that we’d kicked in the extra $20 each, for hydraulic brakes. Just when I’d nearly developed “the claw” from clenching my levers so hard, the terrain provided a brief respite, and we found ourselves climbing for a kilometer, at just above 13,000 feet. Contrary to some down hillers, who prefer shuttle runs, my favorite part of this sport is the quad-licking ascents that favor my wind player lungs. So, now, moving ahead of all but my invincible husband, I Page 13 Pete Alfast has lived in Flagstaff since before you were born. Despite his advanced age and skinny legs, he remains optimistic and passionate about road riding. He currently owns over 40 pounds of lycra and once made a pie out of Hammer Gel. off after his electroshock therapy. Once fitted with some fashionable downtown shades (We believe these are the “How You Doin’?” model) Perry is transformed into someone who represents the recreational cycling community as normal, well adjusted and ready for action on the Patio at the Pay ‘N’ Take. So take it from us here at the Biopic. We’ve traveled the world to bring you these fashion tips, so don’t waste them. Make us all proud and leave your pointy, flashy technical eyewear at home when you head out after your bike ride. Until next time, this is Pete Alfast reminding you to always be true to yourself, unless it somehow inconveniences me. (Sunglasses provided by Smart Specs Optical). Contact: [email protected] Laura Barron professional flutist, yogi, and bicycle advocate, is thrilled to contribute to this month’s Biopic, especially since she helped her husband and FBO founder, Geoff Cross, start Flagstaff’s first Bike to Work Week. gained a little confidence at the wheel and started to have fun. Sure, the hairpin turns, largely responsible for the 24 annual fatalities (until they closed the road to cars in ’06), were daunting. And, the outrageous Andean views were as distracting as they were stimulating. But, in actuality, the hazards on this well-hyped, adventure were over rated. To my great relief, the smooth, well-packed dirt road, wide enough for an 18-wheeler made this a technically tame ride. While I exercised reasonable caution, by staying to the far right of the road to avoid the vertigo-inspiring cliff side, I gradually amassed surprising speed, until I was truly in the Zone. I spent the majority of the morning reveling in the sheer exhilaration of pedaling through these incredible panoramas unharmed. And, by lunchtime, our entire crew had “survived” Death Road, smiling ear to ear, without a scratch. Turns out the only thing that died that day was my fear. Contact: [email protected] Page 14 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Coe’s Law: What We Eat He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. -- Fanny Crosby, 1890 I watch the rocks. From my desk at work, all day long, for a decade and then some, I’ve watched the rocks of Mount Elden out my window. Coe’s Trail, or The John Coe Trail, or even The John Coe Memorial Trail... which is, I suppose a rather fitting, foresighted name for it... because it’s there, precisely, where my ashes will go when I die. I’m staring intermittently up at Mount Elden and then back down at my laptop as I write this at my desk after work. I’m trying to recall the story, the one great tale that I should tell you about riding bikes on this mountain... and And still, right now, as it always has since I’ve known it, this mountain compels me: come. If time permits, I will ride its trails home today. And when I die my wife or daughter will spread my ashes there. Climbing among its cracks and crags I’ve found mysterious ancient glyphs and dark caches strewn with potsherd. I’ve skied into its trackless winter backcountry. I’ve struggled to learn to ride my bikes across its rocky flanks, traverse its wind-scoured ridgelines, and descend its dark, verdant faces. I’ve acquired a layman’s grasp of the nomenclature of its geology. I’ve squeezed through dark, narrow passages in its innards. It was there where we first took our daughter out, when she was just a few days old. And it’s there still where she asks to go now when we’re headed to the woods to walk. This working-class mountain owns parts of me, and I think I own parts of it, too. I’ve bled there so many times: abraded an acre of my skin on its rocks, sucked in lungfuls of its dust, eaten it’s gravel and scree. I’ve broken helmets, dérailleurs, chains, rims, seats, sunglasses, shifters, and even bikes upon it. It’s shredded my shorts, tights, gloves, socks, and jerseys. It’s penalized me with a thousand flat tires. Long ago, on its southern face just where the rocks meet the talus, I found a faint trail and rode it, but gave it no name. It is My Trail, a pleasing but only marginally rideable confusion of rocks and logs and trees... there was a time, it seems long ago, when it was perceived as difficult, and in spots as practically unrideable... No more! I’ve seen the Happy Ending to Private Reserve, and I’ve ridden Wasabi, Ginger, and The Pickle. My Trail cannot compare to any of these! But unlike these, My Trail was not built. It was found. I found it because the mountain compelled me: come. Among my friends, My Trail has often been called John come visit us at John Coe a school teacher and summertime bike shop employee has lived in Flagstaff since 1991. He likes to hang out with his wife and daughter, ride bikes in the woods, ski, and watch television. of nature and mankind had played a role in shaping the environment, or something like that. I had assumed I would fulfill the minimum requirements and turn in the requisite short paper. But I became so captivated by the mountain, its evident history of fire and human settlement, its porous soil, and its diverse plant and animal communities, that I was compelled to spend most of the morning walking around, climbing, taking notes, and sitting on big boulders watching the ravens and hawks. During the intervening years I’ve spent a lot of time doing much the same thing. I once saw a lion there, with her kit. I’ve sat near small flowing springs and seeps and watched birds, butterflies, and bees drink and fight and fly away home. I’ve watched huge, complicated waterfalls form and dissipate, both in the short span of minutes. I’ve taken refuge there, huddled under narrow overhangs while riotous storms roiled and lightning flashed close by. Spring 2008 it’s like a filmed montage in my mind. All the memories! Too much to share: the night-rides, the day-long rides, the lost rides, the fast rides, the group rides, the solo rides, the far away rides, the agonizingly slow rides, the rides of discovery, the rides close-to-home, and of course, the rides going nowhere... the poaches, trail-blazes, crashes, descents, and dabs... the tandems, single-speeds, fixedgears, new bikes, old bikes, wrong bikes, fast bikes, fattire bikes, cyclocross bikes, and daily commuter bikes... all of that is only part of an increasingly complex, joyful tapestry of inarticulable experience which has been, is, my Mount Elden story. And then, without warning, these words from Robert Frost are at the front of my mind: I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. I’d never even heard of Mount Elden before I moved to Flagstaff. We met by chance. The instructor for the Elementary Science Instructional Methods course in which I was enrolled at NAU in the Fall of 1991 gave this assignment: Go on a hike on the Mount Elden Environmental Study Area trails; Write about what you observe. I was so new to town at the time that I had to ask a classmate to point out Mount Elden to me, and I used the city map in the phonebook to find my way to the assigned trailhead on North Lugano Way. I drove there in my car, and failed to see the easement between two houses the first time I circled the cul-de-sac. We were expected to spend 30 minutes walking around the area, taking notes on our observations: how the forces www.flagstaffbiking.org Nevertheless, I have not seen the view from every aspect of Mount Elden, nor have I ridden or hiked each and every one of its trails. I have not peered into all of its countless crags, or sat contemplatively atop every one of its innumerable rocks. Much of the mountain remains a mystery to me, undiscovered country right out my classroom’s back door. But I can say this: I am glad to know Mount Elden, and to watch it every day. It is all the better to know it well, or perhaps as well as one can anyway. I will never regret my time on this mountain, watching it. Nor will I ever wish that I’d spent my time elsewhere doing other things. The mountain compels me: come. And that has made all the difference. Contact: [email protected] Volume #3, Issue #2 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization *B;7I;@E?D <EHJ>;J>DDK7B 7J>;HjI7O*7D97A;,?:; ,8H;7A<7IJ<EH7BB9O9B?IJI7D:=K?:;:H?:;I<EH7BBB;L;BI -KD:7O $KD;J> ->KBJPH;;A .H7?B>;7: 7C Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Volume #3, Issue #2 Flagstaffbiking.org Board Kim Duncan David McKee Mark Gullo Anthony Quintile Susan Hueftle Neil Ross Jack Welch Melissa Dunstan, Executive Director Win a Free Breezer Freedom Bicycle!!! Bi•opic Production Register your worksite for the Bike to Work Week Worksite Challenge and you and your co-workers could win one of two Breezer Bikes Freedoms, donated generously by Breezer Bikes, or one of many other fabulous prizes. See flagstaffbiking.org for details in the upcoming weeks. Grant Dunstan, Editor IT’S FREE! Stephanie McCarthy, Graphic Design Melissa Dunstan , Contributing Photographer Comments, suggestions: [email protected] Would you like to Advertise in the Biopic? contact Kim Duncan come visit us at 928.863.0293 www.flagstaffbiking.org Spring2008 2008 Spring Show your support! Volunteer to help with the Bike to Work Week festivities. Your bike conscience will thank you! Contact: Melissa Dunstan at (928) 606-1533 or [email protected]. Flagstaff Biking Organization is looking for 2008 Bike to Work Week Worksite Coordinators. Duties to include the following: Encouraging your coworkers to ride; track participation of coworkers and record mileage; record the total number of employees that worked at your work site each day, bus-drivers and walkers as well as cyclists. Watch our website for further updates and contact susan@ flagstaffbiking.org or 774-5583 for details.