Honoring the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11 with a bike ride in Glacier National Park

Most people won't ever forget where they were on September 11, 2011 upon first hearing the news of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers and learning the United States was under attack. Now, on the eve of the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, a small group of dedicated cyclists are about to commemorate the occasion with a bike ride beginning in one of America's most beautiful national parks, while simultaneously raising funds and awareness for Court Appointed Special Advocates in Montana.

CASA Park-2-Park from Up a Creek Films on Vimeo.

55 cyclists from around Montana and across the country are gearing up to ride 400 miles in five days on Park-2-Park Montana, a fully supported tour showcasing some of the most beautiful areas of "Big Sky Country." Gathering this weekend, participants will be leaving St. Mary’s KOA on the eastside of Glacier Park early Monday morning after a blessing from the Blackfeet Elders on their tribal lands. They will ride through the reservation to Browning and onto Dupuyer the first day and Great Falls the second. They ride more than 100 miles Wednesday from Great Falls to White Sulphur Springs and finish the ride Friday at Gardiner near Yellowstone Park.

A local doctor, two nurses and a VISTA supervisor are among the bicyclists who will take off from Glacier Park this weekend. Dr. Michael Hay is riding his multi-day tour. He’s excited about his new carbon fiber bike, but a bit nervous about the ride. Joining him are nurses Heather Lambott and Renee Bonanini. They all work together at the Helena Surgery Center and will be biking together. “I’m bouncing off the walls right now,” said Renee. “I’m like a kid going to Disney World. It’s nine days of endorphins and all for a good cause (raising money for CASA)."

CASA of Montana offers the 15 local CASA programs education and networking opportunities to help volunteers who speak up for the best interest of abused and neglected children. More than 450 CASA volunteers are advocating for more than 1,000 children in the child welfare system. Last year’s ride raised $60,000 for CASA of Montana and local CASA programs. This year’s goal is $65,000.

(Photo, left: Susen Marie and Doug Duguay on the 2010 P2P Montana ride.) Doug Duguay, owner and Sales Manager of BicyclingHub.com, will once again be joining the riders on tour and documenting the experience. Be sure to visit BicyclingHub's Facebook Fan Page each day next week for a photo journal documenting the day's highlights and stay in touch with your fellow riders.

Forecast says: PERFECT Weather for the Cascade to Crown Ride this Sunday, June 26th!

Summer has officially arrived and cyclists throughout the Pacific Northwest are eagerly shedding their rain gear and cold-weather layers in favor of short-sleeve jerseys, SPF 30+ lotion and long rides under blue skies and the sun's radiating warmth. With a forecast of 72 degrees and party sunny this coming weekend, what better opportunity for to enjoy the the upcoming Cascade to Crown Ride this Sunday, June 26th, featuring some of the most beautiful areas of the historic Columbia Gorge?

BicyclingHub.com staff are heading out to the Gorge this weekend to sample some of the lush fecundity of Oregon and its plentiful rain, trees, wet roots, persistent moss and verdant greenery ever-present on this ride. We invite and encourage our readers to join us as we ride from the beautiful community of Cascade Locks to panoramic Crown Point in a fully supported and family-friendly ride environment.

The 15 mile Family Ride route begins along the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. The trail is closed to all motorized vehicles. On the scenic trail riders will pass by Bonneville Dam and Eagle Creek. Be prepared for an excursion to visit Herman the Giant Sturgeon at The Fish Hatchery and/or park your bikes and meander through the Dam Visitors Center. Here you will rest and soak in the sun before returning to Cascade Locks for lunch at Marine Park.

The 50 mile Challenge route will lead the 15 mile ride along the Columbia River Highway State Trail. Merge on to Hwy 84 past Bonneville Dam taking the first exit to Warrendale and on to the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. The route will pass by cascading waterfalls such as Horsetail Falls, Oneonta Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Latourell Falls and Multnomah Falls. The Highway climbs up to Crown Point and breaks at The Portland Women's Forum.

Crown Point is clearly one of the CROWN JEWELS of Oregon's landscape. To discover and climb to the top of this beauty--enjoying views of the Columbia River, moss-covered trees, old stone walls, exposed rock, the shaded canopy of the Old Historic Highway, as well as the iconic Multnomah Falls, all by BIKE? Some of the best miles a cyclist could ever hope to spend in two wheels.

A view from the top of Crown Point. Widely regarded as one of the most scenic viewpoints in all of the Gorge and definitely east of Portland, one can overlook the Columbia River see almost all the way to Hood River on a clear day and the city of Portland to the West. "It was the most beautiful ride I've ever done," comments ride organizer Aaron McBride when he and his wife Andrea were scouting the route for the first time. "The greenery, the smells, the sound: it was so QUIET. It was all that is Oregon."

Put on by the bike gurus at Pedal Nation Events, the ride benefit The Lions Club Of the Columbia River Gorge, whose volunteers provide diabetes education, recycling of eye glasses and hearing aid collection and distribution, and promote music education in the schools. This energetic group of seniors has found a way to use their free time and resources to give back to their community.

Sticking around after the ride? Make a day of it! After the ride take a lazy trip down the river and catch the view from the perspective of another wheeled vehicle - The Sternwheeler! There are two options for the cruise. Early finishers can climb aboard the 10:00 am Brunch Cruise, or relax on the ride and catch the second Landmark Cruise at 2:00 pm. Make this a day you and your family will never forget and take advantage of the discounted Sternwheeler Fare.


Register today or arrive early at Marine Park for day-of registration (look for the new Sacajawea statue!), and enjoy the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge in the best way possible – by bicycle.

The Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway Corners Oregonian Hedonism: Bikes, Artisanal Booze, Fresh Food

By Guest Columnist Ellee Thalmeimer, Cycling Sojourner

Photo, above: fields for the honey bees.

What makes the 132-mile Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway so completely ‘Oregon’ that it has little bits of ‘Oregon’ bursting from its quivering seams?

Well, for one, it’s the first state mandated Scenic Bikeway in the country. This brilliant idea smacks heartily of Oregon. Only such a bike-loving state would curate its shining-gem cycling routes and polish them with infrastructure and informational resources. Photo, left: bike paths of Champoeg State Park.

Way to put your money where your mouth is, Oregon. Investing in cycle tourism is plain savvy because people are staycationing in the new economy, cycle tourism boosts economic development of the best kind, and the state capitalizes on/facilitates the surge of interest in cycle touring and bike packing.

Moving on to the second reason the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway will slap you upside the head with Oregon-ness. The mostly flat, pastoral three-day route winds south of Portland into the heart of the Willamette Valley past a medley of things that many Oregonians prize: vineyards, hops farms, fruit orchards, and hazelnut farms.

Oregon gets way geeky (borderline neurotic) on its beer, from hops to table. Plus, the Pinot Noir production is the region’s princess. (Once I had a resident of Piedmont, Italy say to me in his deep accent, “You’re from Oregon, eh? Really good Pinot Noir.”) And, if you hit the route during the right time of year, be prepared to eat some of the fresh local fruit and produce that Oregonians value so highly. Photo, right: Fruit orchards.

Speaking of hedonism, I have some must-stop recommendations for the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway:

The Butteville Store a couple of miles from Champoeg State Park (the start of the Bikeway) is the oldest consecutively running store in Oregon – since 1863. It serves decadent Tillamook ice cream to needy cyclists and has a lovely outdoor seating area. Want to know how nice they are? Diane, the owner, mailed me my cycling glove that fell on the floor. That’s sweeter than her ice cream, darn it.

Photo, left: Diane at the Butteville Store. A couple of miles off the route, Cheryl at the Independence House in Independence, Oregon (a bit south of Salem) makes it her personal duty to overindulge weary cyclists with decadent snacks, breakfast, and night caps.

What I didn’t get to try- but totally wanted to - was the new Rogue Brewery tasting room, the Rogue Farms Micro Hopyard, and its attached lodging, the Rogue Hop n’Bed, outside of Independence. The facilities are actually on the working Coleman Hops Farm. Being seven miles away from Independence, I could see this being a sweet side trip. The Hop n’ Bed is not particularly fit for cyclists as there is nowhere near to buy food nearby! But, they might let you use the kitchen if you bring your own stuff. Let me know what you find out.

Ankeny Vineyard is in between Salem and Albany on the route. With its tasting room a mere 10-15 yards away from the route, how can you not stop? Its reserve Pinot Noir is delish, and the tasting room is located on the actual vineyard that produces their grapes. The grounds are fully loaded with ridiculously picturesque crannies to sip your newly popped bottle. Photo, right: The route becomes a little hillier and forested outside of Eugene.

If you are interested in more tidbits and posts about cycle touring in Oregon, you can check out my blog which is on the website hub for my cycling touring Guidebook to Oregon due out next summer. I’ll be traipsing all over Oregon on my bike during research and will be sure to have an opinion about it.

Photo, above: more fields for the honey bees.

About the author: Amongst her other talents, Ellee Thalheimer is bike tour guide, wilderness guide, travel writer, Lonely Planet guidebook contributor (and authored the most recent Cycling Italy guide for LP), yoga instructor, LMT, co-founder of a non-profit business alliance called the Portland Society. Follow her Blog as she tours Oregon by bike and compiles her new guide, currently titled Cycling Sojourner: a Guide to the Best Multi-day Touring in Oregon.

All I want for Christmas is to RIDE MY BIKE! 54th Annual San Diego X-Mas Bike Ride Provides Multiple Gifts for All

Instead of flying back home to the snowy East Coast, or remaining in the damp cold wet that defines winter in the Pacific Northwest, I chose to travel south to sunny Southern California and participate in HI-USA's 54th Annual San Diego Christmas Bike Ride from December 26th-December 31st, 2010.

This six day, 400 mile fundraising ride for Hosteling International offered an exciting bicycle tour through the mountains, deserts, and seacoast around San Diego County. With many participants opting to return year after year (some with as much as 40 years of X-Mas Ride history) and an intimate, familial atmosphere, one couldn't think of a better way to ride out (pun intended) 2010 than with fellow cyclists under cerulean blue skies and warm winter sun. And despite the record-breaking and national newsworthy rainstorms that flooded the streets of San Diego (prompting some witty locals to transport themselves around town by KAYAKS rather than bike, car or trolley) just 3 days prior to the start, we were delighted the California sun chose to grace us with its presence...At least, until Day 4 (see below for a short re-cap of that EPIC adventure).

The undulating terrain of California continually astounds and amazes you with every twist and turn. Imagine, to your right, the CA Highway 1 coastline: sweeping vistas of cerulean blue ocean pounding wave after wave upon white sand beaches, craggy outcroppings and rock formations offering shelter and landing places to the sea lions (!) and sea gulls, and million-dollar homes dot the shore line. To your left, mediterrean desert brush, tall evergreens, an occasional palm tree and yucca plants all commingle as your gaze rises ever-upwards to the mountains (and I mean MOUNTAINS!) jutting up to the skyline. The velvety green and brown furrows fold in upon themselves as if they were folds of the Earth's skin, as we quietly roll along her valleys and hills below in admiration of her beauty. Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore....

What to expect? Temps were often very chilly in the morning (30 degrees in the mountains), but hovered around 65 degrees by mid-day; layering options and large jersey pockets (or a small pack) were keys to being prepared and staying comfortable for ever-changing weather conditions. Most days required thin long-fingered gloves and booties at the start and only knickers and knee/arm warmers paired with a short-jersey rather than tights and a heavy jacket. Once you got cranking up the climbs, the arm warmers came off as well (although lightweight shell and/or wind vests were nice to have on the descents to block the chill and protect your core).

DAY 1: December 26: San Diego to Pine Valley (a small mountain village near Lake Morena). 60 miles.

Huevos rancheros for breakfast, CACTUS burritos (a San Diego specialty) for lunch, and approximately 54 miles and 5,000 ft of elevation gain were all served up on Day 1. Sun was with us most of the day but dipped down to about 35 degrees by sunset. It DOES, indeed, get cold in SoCal in winter! Thankfully we have all that climbing to keep us warm :)

DAY 2: December 27: Pine Valley to Warner Springs, 55 miles. A great day of riding. Stop for apple pie in Julian!

Day 2 started out with an ice-covered sleeping bag, frozen toes, 30 degree temps and an 11 MILE climb out the gate to 6,000 ft elevation. Off-season legs and sea-level lungs had me gasping behind riders from Northern California and Colorado who regard 6,000 ft. as "base camp" and climb to 9,000 or 10,000 ft. elevation. Silently, I give props to all the pro cyclists currently training for the Quiznos Pro Challenge next summer and continued ever-upwards. Hot apple cider at the Laguna General Store never tasted so good; nor did the flying descent inland, basking in high desert warmth, or eating 2 slices of famous Julian pie. A taste of all three made the journey deliciously worthwhile :)

December 28: Warner Springs to Palm Desert, 100 miles. Great desert views & riding. Grab a date milkshake!

The century day to end all centuries. Where else can you enjoy a sweeping 12 mile, 4,000 feet descent named Montezuma Grade that constantly tugs at your heartstrings, pulling you between the desire to stay aero and pick up more speed around the next switchback, and sitting up to enjoy the magnificent views? Mountains, desert, trees and sea all rush before your very eyes as the wind whistles between your helmet and adrenaline courses through your veins. Beyond "WOO-HOO worthy," as my friends in Albany, NY might say.

Once the descent run-out shoots cyclists along CA S-22 and CA Highway 86, the desert basin and the blue horizon of the Salton Sea beckons riders on the right; those lured by the hopes of a quick dip will quickly discover that unless they intend to be pickled, they'd best search for a less briny bay. By the time we hit the Anna Borrego Desert State Park, the morning's cold-weather gear was stripped off to reveal pale arms, pale legs and beaming faces. (Is this REALLY December 29th?! And we're riding in SHORTS?!) Fresh orange and lemon groves, date farms, and palm trees ushered us into Palm Desert, where the ride organizers were thoughtful enough to arrange shorts and a jacuzzi soak at the end of the day. Life on 2 wheels is good.

Day 4: December 29: Palm Desert to Hemet, 64 miles. "Head winds build character. "

Mama said there'd be days like this. After 3 days of riding and blissful sunshine and dry skies, we rolled out to battle pouring rain, 30 MPH wind gusts strong enough to knock you right off the bike. Several riders had crashed along the highway; due to dangerous conditions and chance of overlapping wheels, drafting was not an option. The giant windmill farms to our right were cranking along to gather both the wind and the rider's flagging energy; as I pedaled along at 4MPH, battling to stay upright, I became increasingly convinced their low hum was the will to live being sucked right out of me. Two crashes, gravel paths and cyclocross-worthy terrain, flooded roads (the rumors were true! if only I had packed snorkel gear!), flat tires and one endo over a curb--hidden by cascading water flows--later, we arrived in Hemet soaked to the bone, bruised, shivering and thankful to be alive. Three hours later, after laundry was done and sushi was eaten, we declared it to be an EPIC day.

Day 5: December 30: Hemet to Fallbrook, 50 miles. A fantastic ride along oak tree shaded country roads.

Taking pity on her children, Mother Nature decided to return the sun and strike the sky blue once more in preparation for the day's journey to Fallbrook. Reports of more flooded roads forced ride organizers to post an alternate route that diverted us from De Luz Canyon; not to be deterred, some riders persevered regardless and had the time of their lives.

Photo above: High-five on Day 5! Little did we know then Chris already had the engagement ring in his jersey pocket for his proposal to Christina later that day...

Photo above: The newly engaged couple. Chris proposed to Christina in De Luz Canyon in the middle of the bike ride: first time in 54 years THAT's happened on the San Diego Christmas Bike ride! Somehow I doubt that's the last time this power couple is going to make history together.

Day 6: December 31: Fallbrook to San Diego, 55 miles. Soak up the sea air as you ride along the stunning San Diego Coastline.

Riding alongside the San Diego beachfront on New Year's Eve, smelling the salt of the ocean and feeling the warm of the sun on our back as we pedaled along, was a sublime experience for participants. Once again, CA Highway 1 Coastline shows us the very best California has to offer.

During the Christmas Day dinner put on by the Point Lomas San Diego Hostel, I browsed trough their lending library and was immediately drawn to volume of short stories by Miranda July entitled, No One Belongs Here More Than You. 7 days later, back where I started from and yet simultaneously freer, happier, and forever changed, I can state with utmost certainly that book could not have been more aptly named for this two-wheeled journey.

While the sweeping mountain vistas, challenging climbs--and even more rewarding descents--and stark beauty of the desert make the Christmas Bike Ride all worthwhile in and of themselves, it is the riders present and the sense community they build during those 7 days that make this journey truly memorable. I am honored to have gotten the chance to meet, know, laugh, and pedal with each and every one of the 80+ participants.

Am now back in Portland...and still dreaming of warm sandy beaches, the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean, and a faint citrus smell of orange and lemon groves wafting in the California breeze. Hope to see many of you on the 55TH ANNUAL Ride in Christmas 2011!

Park-2-Park 2010 Raises $62,000 and Awareness of CASA Programs in Montana

Nearly 40 riders pedaled through the Roosevelt arch in Gardiner at Yellowstone Park after completing the 400-mile trip across Montana Sept. 10. Photo courtesy of Ellen Bush, CASA Montana.

Despite a struggling economy and reported cutbacks on charitable donations by individuals and families, The Sixth Annual Park-2-Park Montana 2010 fundraising event exceeded its target goal, reportedly raising $62,000 to help support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) programs throughout Montana.

According to organizers, participants met their set goal of nearly $50,000 by the start of the event September 6th; since then, another $12,000 has been donated to provide advocacy for abused and neglected children so they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. Funds will be shared with 15 local programs in Montana through mini grants to assist program operation. Programs are currently recruiting new volunteers to speak up for children who are in the state’s court system through no fault of their own. More than 400 volunteers are now advocating for nearly 1,000 children who have suffered abuse and neglect.

Cyclist Troy Charbonneau was the top fundraiser at nearly $9,000, with the support of JCT Construction, Jim and Janet Charbonneau, Cycle Montana and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Deputy Benevolence Association. Helena rider John Morrison raised $6,500 with the help of Platinum sponsors Presidio Insurance and ALPS Insurance. Great Falls attorney Dave Slovak was close behind with more than $5,000 in donations. Kalispell rider Susen Marie Ladd raised more than $4,000 for her fourth CASA ride, most in donations of $100 or less.

New York state rider Steve Suozzo was enthusiastic about the experience. “It was an absolutely wonderful adventure. A life-changing week,” wrote Steve. “The support team was great, and made the event so much more enjoyable. The food, rest stops, lunches and dinners were great fun and well stocked. Bravo to all of you on the CASA team.”

(Left: Park-2-Park Montana 2010 group with the CASA truck at the Dupuyer Community Center. Photo courtesy of Ellen Bush, CASA Montana.) Ride organizer Joe Bryce has announced Sept. 12 -16, 2011 as the scheduled ride dates for next year with a route along highway 89 from St. Mary’s KOA at Glacier Park to Gardiner in Yellowstone Park. The route takes cyclists along the eastern side of Glacier National Park through spectacular scenery along the Rocky Mountain front US 89 through Dupuyer, Choteau, Great Falls, White Sulphur Springs and Livingston before concluding at Yellowstone National Park. Save the date and keep informed along the way at park2parkmontana.org .

Photo taken approximately one mile from the finish. BicyclingHub.com owner Douglas Duguay reminisces, "It felt great riding in a giant pack of riders about to complete over 400 miles for the week."

Mud, Sweat and Gears: when author Joe Kurmaskie sets off to ride his bike, he likes to do it “family style”

…Give or take 3,200 miles and 4 months across Canada

With long summer days and school vacations currently stretched out before us, many parents naturally attempt to share their passion for cycling—and excitement over the 2010 Tour de France—with their offspring. But how does one successfully keep tantrums and tears at bay (at least, for the kids involved)?

Make it a “summer camp on wheels,” Joe Kurmaskie advises. “The trick is NOT to make your kids feel like it’s a stage race, or a job, or something they must inherit.”

Rather than inadvertently instilling the feeling “it’s a [mandatory] slave train, all about daddy’s hubris and ego,” this father of four recommends encouraging children to ride by “mak[ing] it part of the fabric of their family—but not the sole focus. The bike is just the way they’re getting there.” Another secret to success? Act as “a camp director on wheels” and bring fishing poles, digital cameras, and other paraphernalia along—“remember, it’s an ADVENTURE you just happen to be doing on a bike.”


Kurmaskie knows of what he speaks. Dubbed “The Metal Cowboy” by a grizzled, tobacco-stained and blind old rancher with a cane as he was bicycling across Pocatello, Idaho in the early 1990’s, Kurmaskie has propelled himself across North America via two wheels several times—with occasional bike trips to other continents such as Australia and New Zealand to round out his perspective.

Of all his adventures, he feels his truly most epic journey to date was his trip two years ago across Canada, a transcontinental journey with 450 lbs. gear, bikes, and kids in tow. From June to October 2008, Joe (age 42), his wife Beth, and their three children—Quinn, age 10, Enzo, age 8, and Mateo, age 1, traveled from their home in Portland, Oregon across Canadian Rockies to approx 300 miles east of Saskau, at which point early snowfalls prompted them to board a plane to Novia Scotia and pedal 1,000 more miles throughout that Canadian province before returning home.

Long-distance bicycle touring with “the whole menagerie” is the subject of his latest book, Mud, Sweat and Gears—a story which, Joe says, “culminates everything important in my life: family, and time with them; a gas-free vacation; exploration of another country; relying on ourselves and the kindness of others; what I’m capable of at age 42.” He titles one chapter of his book, “I’m going to miss this body when it’s gone,” reflecting on the amazing shape the thousands of pedal strokes and endless miles of vertical ascents has sculpted his body into, while simultaneously (and preemptively?) mourning its eventual (?) decline. Luckily, Joe says, his wife Beth was there to snap him back into the moment. A high school biology teacher and novice rider, Joe proudly notes her transformation from novice to “Zena Warrior Princess cyclist” over the course of their family journey—all while looking after her 3 children and breast-feeding her 1 year old, to boot.

Another tip from the Metal Cowboy Clan to ensure optimal family happiness: DON’T plan a trip into submission. “Outline where you want to go, bring gear, bring time—and the rest will follow.” There are still some days you might be covering 100 miles in a day, but it may be over the span of 14 hours, with rest stops and sightseeing adventures along the way. Kurmaskie advises, “Throw away your computer and measure your successes and distance in wonder, rather than in miles…and the miles and fitness will come on its own.”

Indeed, Kurmaskie firmly believes kids can be your best training buddy. He fondly recounts the story of climbing Cottonwood Pass, Colorado--one of the highest peaks in the continental U.S.—with his two oldest sons in two three years prior on a father-son bike touring adventure (recounted in Momentum is Your Friend). He somehow found himself “racing” a mohawked young man, sporting a full carbon bike and numerous tattoos, all the while being egged on and rallied by his sons on the trailer: “he’s three switchbacks back, Dad!” “He’s gaining on us, Dad!” Arriving to the top first, gasping deep “Darth Vaider” breaths while waiting for his fellow climber to summit, the young man was greeted by Enzo popping out of the trailer. “Dude! You’ve got another kid on the back!”

Hauling around kids and all that gear, Kurmaskie says, is “like a rolling Bow-Flex on wheels. You get in shape FAST.”

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Does The Metal Cowboy Really Wear Cowboy Boots and Metal Spurs when he Rides?

JC: What kind of cycling attire do you wear on the bike?
JK: “It depends—around town or commuting, jeans or whatever. But I definitely buy into the idea you need bike shorts and bike jerseys for longer rides—they keep things in place and wick away [sweat]. I suit up.” For his journey across Canada, Joe opted to ride in clip-in Shimano sandals and Seal Skin socks to keep his feet dry. Even in the height of Canadian summer (62 degrees), he still wore wool cycling jerseys and layers: anytime they stopped for more than 10 minutes, he would get chilled.

JC: Bibshorts or regular shorts?
JK: “I feel the same way about bibs that I do about texting. Every time I put on a pair of bibs, I start singing Italian opera in a real high voice---Figaro, FIGARO, Figaro!”…but I still wear them. Yeah, I’m a complex and contradictory character,” he laughs.

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Mud, Sweat & Gears is a hilarious and heartfelt book spinning yarns revolving around cycling, humanity, and the husband and wife dynamic that makes this emotional journey a truly three-dimensional epic adventure.

FUTURE PLANS
A bestselling author, performer, journalist, and educator, Kurmaskie is never one to rest on his laurels. He continues to promote and raise funds for Camp Creative, a bike-centric day camp for kids in Oregon, is already hard at work on his next book and calendar, You Might be a Cyclist If…, and has launched a new publishing press, entitled Cadence Press, with the goal of enabling bicyclists and readers to “find your rhythm.” The first book on the docket to be published? Mia Birk’s Joyride: Pedaling to a Healthier Planet, available August 2010.

“My bicycle has also brought me to the innocence and the best in myself. Collectively, my travels have been the antidote for the cynicism that can gather at the feet of complacency and grow in even the must useful and noble life…My love for cycling has helped shape who I am today.”—From Metal Cowboy, "Oh, to be Young and Go Very, Very Fast.” [NOTE: the newly released 10th anniversary edition of Metal Cowboy includes new stories and updates on some of the characters introduced in the original 1990 edition, including whatever happened to the old rancher in Pocatello, Idaho.]

Want more Metal Cowboy? You can now purchase his best-selling books, Metal Cowboy Tenth Anniversary Edition, Mud, Sweat and Gears: A Rowdy Family Bike Adventure Across Canada On Seven Wheels, and Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy And His Pint-sized Posse Take On America online at BicyclingHub.com today.