TribePower

If you had to accuse my beloved team Tripower of anything, it would be drafting off all the media opportunities in local presses. In a recent article, two members who are not Baby Boomers (those born 1946-64) camouflaged themselves to slip into an article subtitled “Boomers Find Bicycling the Lifelong Path to Fitness and Fun.”




Here are sound bites from those drafting off the Boomers (note the echelon formation):

Kevin b. 1970:


Carol b. 1970:












Here are the Boomers taking the pull:

Bill:







JB:


BJ:

Around Town

I have long had the premonition, or perhaps just fear, of getting shot while I am riding a bike. If this ever does happen, I hope it's the paint ballers in Ipswitch Park who get me and not cross fire from hunting, a domestic dispute or street war.

Ipswitch is the park where you can do all the things that are banned from other parks: paint ball, stunt biking, mountain biking.

SEE Mike Park's Trail Map



The Ipswich kids (I swear they must live in those woods) have been very busy building mounds, diging holes and constructing ramps, half moons, see saws. Quite refreshing to see kids doing the things we used to do as kids. The place is littered with creative projects.

Jerry rolled off this ramp (approx. 10 ft off the ground) and onto a steep A-frame straddling a fallen tree on a CROSS bike. We determined that he has the most "kid" in him perhaps because he has already finished having his kids.






The pothole has been filled! Big thanks to Thomas Johnson with City of Norfolk Public Works for sending his crew to fill all holes on Park Ave from Brambleton Ave. to Va Beach Blvd.

Activist Outing

Not a sexy post but important nontheless. I promised myself I would do more to advocate for cycling in my community. An enormous pothole has been planted on Park Ave. in front on Norfolk State University for at least 2 years. It sits in the middle of a major throughfare and bike commuter route. Just standing there for 10 minutes photographing, I counted 2 bikes passing and dozens of cars. Most of the cars busted a gut in the pothole because it's invisible until you're right on top of it. I hit it on my bike last year and about died.




I reported the pothole to City of Norfolk engineers last July during their "full court press" on potholes month. I called in this one as well as the series of holes on Granby Street northbound near Granby High and the series of holes on northbound Granby beneath the I-564 overpass. Nothing has been done to any of the areas.

I figured I'd pass on this link to the city to see if they have some info to share about future plans for Park Ave. and Granby Street.

Season on

Camp Hilbert mountain bike race was today. Very fun and painful. We met afterward at Capital Ale House in Richmond with none other that Jeni (left front), promoter of the next weekend's Dismal Dash Time Trial.

After suffering for 18 miles on trail, I'm thinking a flat 40k road time trial does not sound so bad. I can never push myself fully during a time trial, yet I can give maximum effort in a mountain bike race.

Register for Dismal Dash 40k time trial (3/16/08)
Register for Camp Hilbert #2 (5/10/08)