Dec - vbc

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The Wheel Truth
Vancouver
Bicycle Club
December 2015
Online at www.vbc-usa.bike
One Bike Rider’s Pre Holiday Thoughts and Thanks
Hopefully, you are reading this by December 1st and finding some holiday cheer in my words. Due to
editorial demands (and she can be very demanding at times), these thoughts were actually compiled
Nov 12th, just after one of the best VBC member meetings ever. Thus, I am thankful for:
* the appearance of a synergistic biking community developing in Vancouver and SW WA. The
November club meeting brought together principals from WA Bikes, Bike Clark County and the
Wheel Deals Bike Shop at Open House Ministries, so each could share thoughts and plans for biking.
Their information was very encouraging regarding Clark County and state-wide biking, and I am
thankful that VBC is contributing to this effort through club charitable giving, plus direct volunteer
support, and member efforts on RACC each May.
Funding Finally
DriBarz
2016 Election Slate
December Ride List
Event of the Year
How to Get…
Chill Out
VBC Business Friends
Tom Terrific
Silly Photos – Send to Laird
Welcome
New Members
George Loyd
Carol Traa
Corrie Veenstra
* the enthused VBC member ride participants who come out each Friday to keep me on the road,
and also the decent weather we enjoy through the NW winter months. I know it may surprise some,
but the past few years, we have completed over 80% of the Friday Rides with no rain, snow or
slippery conditions. The fresh air and exercise are wonderful, and post-ride café chatter is enjoyable.
* the support I received as VBC president over the past eleven months from three experienced,
knowledgeable and personable VBC Board members. Without the assistance rendered by Jan
Verrinder, Dennis Johnson and Dan Stanton, I would have failed miserably as your VBC pres. As it is, I
filled the space acceptably. [Ed. Note: Thanks~ but not true, Mr. Prez. You did the job admirably.]
* and finally, as a ‘serious’ bike rider I have to give thanks for the magic two talented, knowledgeable
individuals shared with me in designing my new, custom-fitted bike. Dennis Funk and Dave Levy
with Ti Cycles took me in hand and set me up on a bike that is pure magic, when compared to my
many vehicles previously employed.
Although there were back pains and adjustments in the beginning, Dave provided a custom frame
that now enhances my riding style, and Dennis installed a collection of components that are perfect
in form and fit. I am thankful that I can now unsaddle after a ride pain-free, and I love the Shimano
electronic shifting via arthritic hands.
As we close the year with the holiday season, I hope you all have some pleasant thoughts and things
to be thankful for, biking or non-biking related. Enjoy the season, and perhaps I will see you on a
Friday Ride in December and the coming year.
Dick Gordon, VBC Prez
Start time= depart time. Arrive early to sign
in, chat, and be on the road ROLLING at the
stated start time. Eat, have your bike in
working order, bring flat repair items, water,
snacks, $, cell, emergency ID. Contact your ride
leader with questions. Have fun!
PIR Bike the Lights Night
Dec. 8, Tues.
VBC & BCC Joint Ride
--AND--
Bikes VS Cars
Kiggins Theater, Dec. 4, Fri.
A documentary from
Copenhagen, San Paolo, and
Los Angeles
January Club
Meeting
Annual Ride Leader and
Volunteer
Appreciation Night
Pizza, Fun, Awards
Will there be silly pictures?
Will it be fun? (yes! yes!)
Who will win the
2015 Outstanding Service
Award?
Come and find out.
January 13 at 7pm
Bortolami’s Aero Room
2nd floor
In the building behind
Bortolami’s Pizzeria
9901 NE 7th Avenue
Connect. Give. Lead. With VBC.
Ride Calendar
Our RACC Ride
Chit Winner
LAIRD CLOW!
Want more information about us? Find us online at www.vbc-usa.bike
Ride Descriptions
NW Events Calendar
Buddies List
Maps & Cue sheets
Contact Us Info
Silly pictures
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Our Sponsors
News You Can Use
2
Good People Make Great Decisions
Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a Street
Funding ordinance Nov. 2 to “provide reliable,
dedicated, long term funding for streets, including
pedestrian, bike and accessible infrastructure.”
The goal: Take Care of What We Have
 Expand mobility and safety programs, including
Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program
 Improve pavement conditions [Yes!]
 Fix major substandard streets
 Replace outdated, worn-out signals and other street
system assets
 Restore medians and right-of-way landscape
maintenance – Pride of Ownership
 Increase sweeping of major streets
On Tour de Mac Ride in 2013 when we worked with the city to
restripe MacArthur, the mayor told us then of the slashed
budget (during the economic downturn) for infrastructure.
Warm Winter Riding
Winter is coming but don't put away that bike! A challenge? Sure, but keeping that fresh air regularly pumping
through your lungs throughout the colder months can be just the magic to wipe away the gloom of short days, colder
temperatures, and drizzly afternoons.
No doubt one of the main reasons riders bail on winter road biking is the wind chill that bites at your digits especially if
it gets a little wet. One of your local VBC members--that's me—has developed DriBarz, a road bike fairing aimed at
keeping your hands warm and dry on winter rides.
How do DriBarz differ from other bar-mounted hand protection products? First, they uniquely block wind to your
hands without trapping them. The clean, aerodynamic design leaves you full use of the handlebar. Tops and drops, as
well as the hoods are all still accessible. The cowlings which attach quickly to your road bike handlebars also prevent
moisture accumulation which can drive chill to the fingers even further.
We are excited to offer a limited number of the DriBarz bike fairings for this 2015 winter season. We utilized
manufacturing technologies that allow us to produce them on a trial scale. As popularity grows we will transition to
higher volume methods on certain parts. Units will become available for sale at DriBarz.com around mid-December, in
time for the holidays.
---Many thanks to our local VBC inventor extraordinaire, Jay Small for contributing this note.
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership
Road Captain
Assistant Rd Captain
Webmaster
Editor
Members-at-Large
We will elect
4 of them
Mick Heither
Gus Harmon
Julie Hawthorne
Steve Trinkle
Anita and Tim
Cannell
Bret Heither
Joe Cote
Vicki Nier
Jan Verrinder
Dan Stanton
Dennis Hatton
Dennis Johnson
Ken Wallberg
VBC 2016 Election Slate
Come to the January meeting and cast
your vote.
DriBarz
and toasty
fingers
3
December Ride List – Ride Calendar online. (Bold type indicates weekend rides)
1 Cruiseliner & Starliner, Tour de Friends
2 Earthquake, Mini Quake
3 Cruiser with Friends, Non-Throb Thigh Thriller
4 Salmon Creek Brush Prairie
5 Gran Fondo West 5 paces
NEW
6 Two Bridge Loop
7 Frenchman’s Bar Park
8 Cruiseliner & Starliner, Tour de Friends, Get Lit & Ride
9 Earthquake, Mini Quake
10 Cruiser with Friends, Throbbing Thigh Thriller II
11 Salmon Creek Brush Prairie
13 North Ride
14 Frenchman’s Bar Park
15 Cruiseliner & Starliner Express, Tour de Friends
16 Earthquake, Mini Quake
17 Cruiser with Friends, Non-Throb Thigh Thriller
18 Salmon Creek Brush Prairie
19 Gran Fondo West 5 paces
20 Two Bridge Loop
21 Frenchman’s Bar Park
22 Cruiseliner & Starliner Express, Tour de Friends
23 Earthquake, Mini Quake
24 Cruiser with Friends, Throbbing Thigh Thriller II
25 Salmon Creek Brush Prairie Check with Dick
27 North Ride
28 Frenchman’s Bar Park
29 Tour de Friends
30 Earthquake, Mini Quake
31 Cruiser with Friends, Non-Throb Thigh Thriller
Give ‘em the Bikeyface!
“The Must-Attend Event of the Year” (Bicycling Magazine)*
Waste Connections Annual Bike Build
Thursday, Dec 10, 5pm, 3000 Columbia House Blvd Entrance off
Grove St, turn L into the parking lot entrance far northeast corner.
Help build the bikes, squash boxes, or match helmets to bikes.
Something for every talent level. Contact Ayla at 360-448-6963 or
at [email protected] if you have questions --or just show up.
Pizza, soda, and warm fuzzies will be provided!
A sincere thank you for helping keep this great program alive, Ayla
*Yes, of course, I made that up.
VBC: I just want to ride my bike. It’s fun!
VBC (pondering over coffee or adult bev): But I also want --






Safe bike lanes
Signs alerting drivers that I’m here.
Bike tracks, parks, and off-road paths for those who won’t feel safe on the road (yet!)
Complete Streets Planning Programs with signals that work for cyclists and intersections designed for all, not just SUVs.
Educational programs (including) Safe Routes to School to help people ride for transportation, to school, work or errands.
Clean, lighted, well-maintained roads.
A transit system that helps us combine riding a bike and a bus or train.
VBC: I want a community that sees the connection between people on bikes and --



Health - mental and physical
Quality of life - keeping us active and able to walk and bike easily and safely
Environment - good air and water, low noise
Economy - We truly are “Wallets on Wheels”
VBC: Holy Derailleur! That stuff doesn’t just happen. How do I get what I want?





I join the bike club. I contribute by riding, leading, volunteering, and adding my voice to who we can be as a local recreational
club with goals to educate, encourage, and promote safe bicycle use in our community.
I join and support organizations who have similar goals like People for Bikes, WABikes, BikePortland.org, League of American
Bicyclists, and our own, very local Bike Clark County.
I vote. National level: Our US House just passed a multi-year transportation bill that includes $$$ for the two primary sources
of bike funding: the Recreational Trails Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Our US Senate passed a
similar bill this summer; now they must pass a compromise bill. We’ll watch this one.
I vote. State level: Our state legislature passed a transportation package this summer that included funding for just what I
want. WA Bikes and many citizens contacted legislators. I know who voted FOR (Senators Rivers and Cleveland, Reps Moeller
and Wylie) and who voted AGAINST (Senator Benton and Reps Harris, Orcutt, Pike, Vick, and Wilson).
I vote. City level: Our city passed a street funding ordinance to secure funds for city road maintenance and improvements. It
passed 7-O. (page 2) Thanks Mayor Leavitt and Councilors Burkman, Hansen, McEnerny-Ogle, Smith, Topper, & Turlay!
4
>Three Months and Counting
Winter Bike to Work Day, Feb. 12, 2016, encourages us to hop on the bike and pedal. Yes, in the winter. Why
mention it now? If this will be your first year, you might want to start trying out some gear (see the DriBarz on page 2)
and routes to see what works (or not).
First, like anything else, though, is attitude. Need to adjust yours? The website http://winterbiketoworkday.org/ shows
a worldwide map of all the people who signed up to ride to work on International WRTW Day in 2015. Click on the
snowflakes to see the reasons they listed for riding year round.
Here are some reasons people gave:
Brisk wake up.
Clears my mind.
It’s OK to ride slower.
Helps me keep in shape.
The sunrises and sunsets.
Puts me in a good mood.
No mosquitos or alligators.
Fresh air and nature sounds.
Being awake when I get to work.
Not getting fat during the winter.
Refreshing! Adds color to my cheeks.
Riding in the rain with the right gear is so refreshing!
I feel like I’m playing outside in the rain like a little kid.
It’s a bit of outdoors time every day that I otherwise wouldn’t make for myself.
What’s not to love about riding my bike anytime? I ALWAYS feel better after a bike ride.
I get to feel like a bad-ass when it's really cold and I'm still riding. And I get to smile at all the other bad-asses out there
too.
Also check their FaceBook Page, where we should
post the pic (above) of St. Joey’s last-day-of-the-year
ride when he needed just one more ride credit.
https://www.facebook.com/WinterBikeToWorkDay
A link there leads to bicycle snow plows. That’s right,
take your fatty and get busy, DIYers! Plans are
available online. (Isn’t everything?)
One story linked from the FB page:
After seeing a documentary on Ernest Shackleton's
1914 Antarctic expedition, in which men ate shoe
leather to survive in bone-chilling temperatures,
David Peterson felt kind of silly about letting snow
stop his bicycle ride to work.
Look how many people signed up to ride in the winter of
2015. Alaska has 206?? Canada has over 1,000??
And we know lots of people ride who don’t sign up. What is
our excuse here in balmy Vangroovy?
“There was no excuse,” he says. “I've never had to
eat my bicycle.” Can’t argue with that. David has
loyal followers who yell encouragements (wonder
what exactly) and swap the plow duty if he looks
“particularly sad pedaling.”
(You know, you just can’t make this stuff up. It’s that good.)
Patronize VBC Business Friends and Keep It Local
http://www.vbc-usa.com/about-us/discounts-and-benefits/
Schroeder’s Schwinn
Camas Bike and Sport
Salmon Creek Cycle Co
Vancouver Cyclery
360 Physical Therapy
Western Bikeworks
Bad Boyz
Bike Tires Direct
Joseph Kim, DDS
Carl’s Jr
Bortolami’s Pizza
Weir’s Cyclery
5
Trophy Case: Tom
Besides providing rides and other fun activities for members, the VBC also offers opportunities to meet good
people and to make long-life friendships. Here is a story of one friendship.
I met Tom Walker sometime in August of ’07 when he joined me for a club ride that I was leading. Tom is a quiet
person who keeps a low profile, but he is also an ultra-cyclist, constantly challenging and pushing himself to the limit.
In July of 2011, Tom was part of Team AARP Approved, completing Race Across Oregon in 34 hours and 36 minutes.
After racing the RAO, he took his hobby to a higher level. Much higher. Tom challenged himself on the California
Triple Crown (CTC) double century (DC) rides. That’s 200 miles in one day. These rides rank from Medium (5200 ft) to
Radical High (20,000+ ft) of climbing.
It was April of 2012 when Tom caught this CTC “Bug”. These bugs are very contagious and spread rapidly! Cyclists
who have caught this bug have to take at least three “doses” of DC rides in the same year in order to be eligible for
the CTC “prescription” and it is only available in California. He ended up with 3 DC rides for that year.
Three “doses” couldn’t get rid of the bug! So in 2013, he completed FIVE double century rides and became a member
of “CTC Gold Thousand Mile Club” Congrats, Grandpa! (Somewhere in here Tom and his wife Karen became the very
proud grandparents of super kid, Braden.)
In early May of 2015, Tom participated in one of the toughest century rides in the state of California “Tour of the
Unknown Coast” The ride started and finished at the fair grounds in Ferndale, CA. He rode very well and finished the
ride strong.
Tom has completed several “RAMROD” rides in years past. I’ve heard he is going to do that ride again in 2016 if he
can get in. [Ed Note: This is the infamous ride that Lap describes as having such beautiful scenery. To the folks who bite off
more than they can chew, please note that it’s only beautiful scenery if you can quit hanging over your handlebars and get your
tongue off the ground from panting up THE HILLS. It is, after all, a ride around Mount Rainer.]
Tom is also an experienced crewing member for long distance races. He is reliable, easy to work with and…awake!
When he is not riding on his single bike, you might find him cruising on the tandem with Karen or chasing his
grandson around the house to stay in shape.
Tom, it’s always FUN to ride and to travel with you. I’m glad to be one of your friends and thank you for your
friendship. Keep spinning! Keep climbing! --Many thanks to Lap for this feature on our friend Tom. And also for providing
that very fitting lead that could become the new club motto.
Maui
SEND YOUR PHOTOS!
Funny, weird, incriminating, sublime. Laird wants digital
photos for Awards Night. Send to [email protected]
Where in the world is Tom in this
photo? Not Kansas. Not Vancouver.
Give up?
6
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