Fear and Loathing in Granjeno

Tuesday night marked a low point for me. I saw the Team McAllen Cycling ride heading west on the Military Highway near Bryan road. Why was this a low point? Don’t I love to see more cyclists on the road? Yes, I love to see cyclists but I hate to see hypocrisy, stupidity and riders in danger.

Here is what I saw. I saw a SAG vehicle with flashing lights in front of a group of riders. There was another vehicle beside them in the fast lane and two more vehicles behind them in the traffic lane. The riders were all over the road, 3 or 4 abreast in a pack, not a line. Traffic was backing up behind them as the SAGs were blocking both lanes. There was even a rider without a helmet.

Which should I address first? the hypocrisy? the stupidity? or the danger?. Hypocrisy and stupidity are some of my favorite targets so I’ll start with the danger. No sense in playing favorites. It was 6:45 and the ride was heading out to ride on heavily trafficked roads. They were blocking all of the lanes when there was a serviceable shoulder. There was a rider without a helmet. When the SAGs block traffic it angers drivers. They are not likely to respect cyclist later when the SAGs are gone. They also will do whatever they can to get around the SAGs and they have no idea there are cyclists hidden behind the vehicles. What is the point of blocking both lanes of traffic on a road with a 60 MPH speed limit? The riders were going 12 mph.

Let’s now address hypocrisy, the stupidity will become obvious. Helmets are required on all TMC rides. There was a rider without one, He should have been told to go home. Safety Tips from TMC. Ride as far to the right as safely possible: never more than two abreast. Well, there were a lot more than two abreast and they were way out in the traffic lane. The TMC says they educate motorists about cycling and safety issues. They Promote and practice safe cycling techniques. They encourage and support public facilities and programs including bike paths, bike trails and educational courses. The motor vehicle codes say only emergency vehicles can have flashing lights. No vehicle but a police car may block an intersection. What about the two by two? staying to the right and not impeding traffic? If the SAG is impeding traffic in support of the riders the rider are impeding traffic. How about using the bike lanes we have? Get a clue here. Promoting safety? What the hell is safe about riding in a group at night? The winter night rides are held downtown because there is hardly any traffic. The spring/summer night rides start at six so you can be home before dark. Bikes in traffic after dark is an accident waiting to happen, more than likely fatal.

I was in Granjeno with two other riders the same evening. We were riding easy partly in the shoulder and partly over the white line. A big Ford F150 beeped his horn at us. We wondered what is problem was. He wanted to turn into his driveway and was impatient for us to vacate the last ten feet before his turn. This is three riders, not really in the way, on a quiet road. If this is the reaction we get what do you honestly think someone stuck behind a motorcade on a busy highway is going to think? I have clients and friends tell me how they have been stuck behind the TMC motorcade and wondering if there was an accident or what. When they find out it was just a bike ride, I apologize and try to make them understand this is an aberration and not a normal situation.

Should I address the stupidity? Where’s the sport in that?

"Crashes? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Crashes"

What a year so far. It seems like a crash a week these days. Some might say crashes are a good thing, natural selection at work. I might even have said that myself but that is a flippant response to a serious issue. Crashes do happen and they come in all sizes. There are the catastrophic bike meets car crash. There is never anything funny in that unless the bike wins. As if THAT is ever going to happen. There are the bike meets animal crashes. The bike wins more often and there is often cause for humor. There are the bike meets stationary object crashes. These are funny when you are not on the bike meeting the object. Then of course there are the bike to bike crashes. Funny? sometimes, when no one gets hurt, but usually just stupid.

After the shock passes, the Band-Aids are passed out or the meat wagon leaves, it is time to gain value from the crash. The local bike club has posted news of several crashes. Unfortunately the posts only ask for prayers or laud the SAG. Crashes should be handled like 12 step meetings. Crashers should stand up (Figuratively will work if literally unable to stand.) and say “Hello my name is Buckwheat and I crashed.”

Now that we have our dear friend Buckwheat admitting to crashing, let’s try and find out the underlying causes of his crash. Was he just reckless for a moment? Is this a behavioral pattern? Was he even to blame? Was it an act of god or close contact with a chevy? Once we have discovered the reason for the crash we can move on to treatment.

Treatment is easy. Apologies all around if you caused the crash. Laugh a little if it was really funny and no one was hurt. Most of all discuss how to avoid repeating the crash. So far this year crashes have been caused by:

Bad cleats (broken collarbone)

Running off the road and coming back on (multiple road rash cases)

Getting a drink and being blown of the road by a gust of wind (shame)

Trying to adjust a bike magnet while riding (shame and roadrash)

There have been others I am sure. I am not the clearing house for crash rumors. In fact, if I am slandering anyone by posting an unsubstantiated rumor, please stand up and tell us all what really happened. Inquiring minds want to know.

Don’t crash, Please, It is never a good thing when it happens. But if you do crash, stand up and tell your story. There are a lot of rookies out there that don’t have a clue. I once ran into the back of a parked car while trying to check my derailleur. Once you have heard that you are not likely to do anything that stupid. Let’s all try and help each other out and not be enablers.

My name is Speedo and I have crashed.

A Flatlander Heads for the Hills

Funny things cross your mind when an nice easy ride meets a brutal headwind. Some friends and I rode in the Easter Hill Country Tour this past weekend. If you are not familiar with the ride it is three days of fabulous scenery and hard riding. This year we rode 210 miles in 3 days and climbed close to 10,000 feet. Friday was supposed to be an easy ride and it might have been except there was a 20 mph headwind the last 30 miles (70 total) that turned every little hill into an Everest. This is when I started thinking.

The next day was a 110 mile ride with 5800 feet of climbing and, thankfully, nearly as much descending. The first climb was much harder than it should have been and I started having doubts. The funny things started crossing my mind as well. It occurred to me that I was not the strongest rider, the youngest, oldest, fastest, slowest, best or worst looking and I might not even be having the most fun. In fact I was pretty much right smack in the middle with no shining qualities to set me apart from the crowd. at this point I really had to wonder what I was doing facing a climb I was not sure I could even get over, Condor’s Nest.

The wind from the previous day was back, slightly less forceful but painfully apparent. I managed the first two pitches and had a small epiphany. This climb was doable. I got buffeted around in the rock chute at the top and there was a chip seal and crosswind induced shimmy when I hit 45 mph on the final descent but I did it and by god it was fun. Well, fun in a very painful sort of way.

So what is the point in these challenges? Your friends may tell you that you rode well and they are absolutely sincere but there are hundreds of other riders who don’t even know you were there. There are no awards or medals and no record is kept of your finishing times or accomplishments. It is a deep personal reward for me, and for the friends I ride with. Randy is too big to be climbing but he does it and is thrilled to finish. Tad was in the worst shape in 15 years and finished the 110 with little complaint. We all rode our best for ourselves and succeeded. That is the point in doing these rides.

It should also be noted that Tad had another reason to finish. A cycling friend, Carl, is undergoing treatment for colon cancer and Tad dedicated the ride to Carl, in some small way we all did. Even though Carl is a stranger, he is a cyclist and that makes him family.

Sheep and Wolves

Group dynamics are complicated. Sometimes they seem no more than Brownian motion, particles moving randomly in liquid. Cycling is more animalistic, sheep and wolves. Sheep seldom show individual initiative, they follow the call of complacency. They mow the grass down to it’s roots with no concern for what’s to eat tomorrow. Sheep will stampede, a headless entity with the ass end trying to be the head end. Wolves show individual strength but this is deceptive. Wolves work together. The wolf at the head of the chase is not the one in charge. The one that comes up last and takes out the throat of the prey is the Alpha.

Complacency is the issue here. Sheep do the same rides over and over with a desperation never to be dropped and left alone. Suck a wheel even if it puts you on the centerline. Wolves go out in small groups or alone and avoid complacency. Draft is nice but not an entitlement.

Be a wolf. Go out and ride when you find the chance. Ride with friends who have the same goals. Discover new routes, don’t be afraid of the wind or going out with out a SAG. Take nothing for granted and screw complacency.

Today is a good day to die. Don’t waste it.

It only takes a second.

Here is a disturbing letter I pulled from Velo News. It brings to front the reality of riding on the same roads as motor vehicles and hopefully is a reminder, albeit gruesome, that we are not alone out there. Even with the tragedy of this accident, the three basic rules of cycling come into play.

Keep your elbows bent. Don't cross the wheel in front of you. Pay attention.

These are not rules you apply one at a time, no one rule is more important than another, all of them together form the core of what makes a good cyclist. They will not make you invincible, life has a way of intruding into the best of plans, but they will help. Could these rules have prevented the accident? Maybe, probably not. It was an exciting early ride over familiar roads. Construction and traffic contributed to the accident but the crossed wheel was the initial cause.

The lesson to be learned is that we all have to be alert at all times. Just because there is a group on the road does not mean we can forget about traffic. There is no safety in numbers and no excuses.




Dear Fellow Riders,
This year winter in North Utah was quite tough and very unpredictable for riding on the road. Finally, Saturday morning was the first promising morning for a group ride.

My good friend and neighbor Paul Moote, from Mad Dog team, sent me an e-mail about a group ride and I sent his message to my buddies. Bill Corliss met Paul and I at my house and Paul drove us to the meeting place in Lehi. We were planning a very nice 90 mile ride by Utah Lake, to Eureka and back through 5 mile pass.

The entire group had ridden this route many times. The trip to Lehi took about an hour and 15 min to drive and on the way we were having great conversations, especially about our kids. I have three - two teenage girls and little son - Paul has six kids from 8 years and up to 20 and Bill and his wife adopted their 12-year-old boy from a foster family a little over a year ago. It was a very nice conversation, especially interesting and inspiring to hear Bill talk about his experience with his little boy who went through a real hell in his short life and how Bill and his wife were dreaming on raising this special guy and making the rest of his life special.

Upon arriving at the meeting spot, Bill and I quickly rode to the Coffee shop. Bill bought me a coffee and I promise that it will be my turn to buy after our ride. We came back to the car, changed and by that time all other friends had gathered together; our friends from Mad Dog team with whom Paul and I just raced the 24 Hour of Old Pueblo: Chris with his wife KC and Adam; my good buddy Dave Reynolds and Adam invited a new guy Alan.

The group was a good, strong group of eight and every body was excited for the first long spring ride. We quickly lined up on the road: Paul was first and I was on his wheel. After setting good pace, Paul went to the back and I started pulling the group. I thought that I should keep pulling for a while as the road was narrow with busy traffic.

Then all of a sudden, I was passed by a construction truck with trailer full supplies for concrete framing. The truck immediately went to the right and stopped. The Driver jumped from the truck and yelled something about the accident that took place behind me, I immediately turned around; from this moment on it was absolute nightmare and I'm still in shock as I write this message.

None of you need to imagine it. Bill was on the road, still clipped in to his bike, hands on the bars, helmet on the side, blood from his head and he was DEAD. My good friend had died instantly.

Paul Moote witnessed this tragedy, as he was on Bill's back wheel, in the strong cross wind, with heavy construction debris; Bill rubbed the rider's wheel in front of him and crashed to the pavement, as the Dodge pickup and trailer passed by, unknowingly crushing Bill.

In a tenth of a second, the world lost a great person, dad, racer and mentor. The road was narrow, there was a strong crosswind and construction debris littered what small shoulder was available, so many obstacles could have kept this tragedy from ever happening. The truck was traveling too close to the riders and should have yielded a few feet which could have saved Bill's life.

Our community lost one of the most caring, loving, intelligent persons many of us will be lucky enough to know and call a friend. Bill Corliss was a friend to just about every one he ever met. He was originally from Michigan and was a graduate of the University of Michigan. He worked in the bike industry for over 20 years, working with companies such as Schwinn, Vetta, Sports Instruments and most recently was the Director of Electronics Development for Bell Sports.

Back in the 1980's in Michigan as a member of the Wolverine Sports Club, "Wild Bill" mentored new members to the club and the sport of cycling. He continued giving back to the sport he loved and most recently was a mentor of the Park City Cycling Academy and a member of the Cole Sport Cycling Team. Bill recently placed seventh at the Masters National Championships in Park City. Bill loved the mountains and the outdoors. His hobbies also included Nordic and alpine skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, running, skating and walking his Huskies.

Bill was also very active in bike advocacy. He fought hard for bike lanes and state legislation that would make the roads safer for all cyclists.

This tragedy is a reminder that bike safety and advocacy still needs a great deal of improvement. The Bill Corliss Bike Advocacy Fund has been set up to continue Bill's love of cycling, bike safety and new rider mentorship. Donations can be made at any Frontier Bank.

Bill leaves behind his wife Deb, 12 year old son Jordan, parents Bill and Jessie and two Husky puppies, Boris & Natasha. Bill touched all of our lives and will be sorely missed.
Boris Lyubner
President
The Endurance 100

A Word or Two

It is one thing for auto drivers to be rude. This is almost expected. Not a week goes by when I am not brushed off by a motorist who thinks he owns every inch of the pavement from ditch to ditch. Most of them are just ignorant, some are rude and a very few sociopathic.

What really bothers me are rude cyclists. In this case I’m referring to being overtaken by a group of riders. I’m not your mother, I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. Would it hurt to say “On your left”? While you’re at it could everyone pass on the same side? Why am I suddenly in a mass sprint out in the middle of no where? You could say “Pick it up” “Andale” “Outta my way @#$%” Just please say something. I’ll gladly get out of the way. If you say “Grab a Wheel” I just might join you.

First Post

This is my first post and it will be short and sweet. I don't have a lot of time to waste keeping a blog going. I would prefer to be cycling. I do feel a need to make some of my feelings about cycling, especially local issues, known.

I heard today that the Edinburg Texas Police are waiting for cars to move into the bike lane and then busting them. This is way cool. Now if they would only clean the bike lanes a little more often. Maybe they could have the ticketed drivers sweep the lanes.

Now there’s a concept.