A full rack and some sides

It's the second day of "Bike To Work Week". The cycling commuters here at work are off to a good start. The rack is full and the late arrivals just locked up their bikes to the railing of the parking garage stairwell. If you are interested in joining in on the bike to work challenge just visit the web site http://www.endomondo.com/campaign/nbc2013. Use endomondo to track your rides, earn points and maybe win prizes. My ride in this morning was peaceful. Looks like I will get a nice tailwind heading north to go home this evening. Ride on!

Cranksgiving Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 17th

Cranksgiving Omaha is a little more than a week away.

Cranksgiving will be held Saturday, November 17 at Bike Masters. The function collects donations for the Omaha Food Bank. The fun is a scavenger hunt style event on bikes.

Here's how you can participate:

- Ride in the event to collect food.
- Bring a food donation to the event.
- Make a cash contribution.


VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUT! Perry Mitchell is organizing this event. He needs volunteers for registration, rider check-in, food preparation and food serving, etc.

Tell everyone you know! This event is great fun and serves a worthwhile, community-building cause!!!

Who knows, you might be the winner of the prestigious golden crank!
Contact Perry at perry.mitchell@cox.net for more information on how to volunteer for this event.

Bike Masters is located at:
5265 N 129th
Omaha, NE 68164
(402)964-1080

THOR in the local news

Good news, THOR, our trail work organization, was on the channel 6 news last night. It was fun to see our friends from the Monday Night Ride at Tranquility on TV. Eric Geiger and Roxanne Feagan did a great job with the interview.
The link to the story:
Volunteers Build And Maintain Mountain Bike Trail In Omaha

Check out www.singletracks.com and win THOR a grant!

There is a good trails website called www.singletracks.com . Why do I say it's good? It's one of the best resources I have found on the web to get information about trails I have not visited yet. There are also well written, interesting articles and photograhy about trails. For these reasons alone it's worth checking out www.singletracks.com.

Now there is an even BIGGER reason to join. They will select the two (2) $500 grant recipients on June 1, 2012 based on which clubs have the most singletracks members associated with the club. Each club has a page on singletracks.com but this link says more about this opportunity to win THOR a grant. If you are a friend of THOR, help us win!

First 2012 THOR Trail Day @ Tranquility

Tranquility Park Trailwork, this Saturday, March 10th, from 08:30-09:30AM. Meet at west entrance, 126th Street and Fowler. Tree trimming needs to be done, especially on the NorthHill Descent due to the heavy snow bending the evergreen branches down. Bring handsaw, loppers and maybe a rake. We will walk other sections clearing out of the mow zone (trail corridor) the deadfall and garbage from the high winds. Meet at the Fowler Street West Entrance (Green Placemark on Map)

View Tranquility TH in a larger map

THOR Annual Members Meeting

Date:
Saturday, February 11, 2012

Time:
9:00am until 12:00pm 

Place:
National Parks Service Office
601 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, NE


Agenda:
- successes/challenges of 2011
- plan for 2012.


Other Good Stuff:
Coffee and donuts will be available. If weather permits, a gravel ride will follow.

Save Upper Hixon Forest - La Crosse, WI.

UPDATE - After hearing the public speak on this issue, the La Crosse City Council voted unanimously to recommend park status (no development for housing). The final decision will be made in a session closed to the public on today(1/12). At this time it looks like we will be able to ride and hike up there for the foreseeable future.

Hats off to the people of La Crosse and those that traveled from out of town to respectfully defend this open space.

Save Human Powered Trails - La Crosse, WI

The trails in La Crosse on the bluffs over looking the city should not be lost to a housing development. There are plenty of potentially nice places in town to live. Riding from town, there is a trail providing easy access to the Human Powered Trails. I have a picture that hangs in the garage that shows the view from these bluffs. This place should be for everyone that lives in or visits La Crosse. The La Crosse City Council is considering whether to designate a city owned tract of land on the bluffs above the city, Upper Hixon Forest, as a park or to use the land for housing developments. This petition is to encourage them to designate as a city park. This will protect the land and the shared use trails that have been built there by HPT volunteers. I have worked on these trails with the HPT volunteers. They do a fantastic job of building and maintaining this area for everyone, not just bikers. Please send a message to them in support of the park designation before January 10, 2012. This petition will be delivered to the mayor and every city councilor. The La Crosse trails need your help. Please go to the link below to find out more information and sign a petition to stop a housing development on the LaCrosse trails.
Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/park-not-development

Visit the HPT site:
http://www.humanpoweredtrails.com/

Thanks!

Join The Movement

Omaha Transportation Master Plan Meeting - September 15th

Last night we were able to hear and see what the city has planned to make Omaha a more “bike and pedestrian friendly” city. To help with the citizens show of support, there were special buses and bike rides scheduled prior to the Public TMP Meeting.

It was awesome to see and be a part of the multitude of bikes that pulled up to the Scott Conference Center last night. Dave, Dale and I rode from Bike Masters at about 5:30 so we could get there in time for the 6:30 start. I was interested in how they showed studies and measurements to weight which transportation projects would give the most return on the 750 million dollars budgeted. Now they want input from the public on what they think the priorities should be. I’m still trying to find out how to do that online but they might not have that portal ready yet.

There was a great turnout for this meeting. It looked like close to 300 people to me. I know I’m concerned about how I’m going to get around when gas is just too expensive.

The whole 2 hours of the meeting is embedded here if you'd like to hear and see for yourself:
Video streaming by Ustream Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine Street, on UNO’s South Campus

Attitude Adjusted

This post is not about adjusting my attitude at Clancey's Pub. I work at 116th and Miracle Hills Drive in Omaha, Nebraska. I try to use my bike as transportation a couple times a week. The perfect weather is making that real easy right now. Today I took some extra time on my ride home to take a few photos of my route from work to home. I'll also mention a few strategies to get home safely and easily.

Once I leave for home I don't look for the shortest route. I'm riding behind the strip mall starting here at Clancy's and there is no traffic.

An extra 1/2 mile is not too far for a flat and low traffic route. But there are a few short climbs. Here is were I climb the 'grassy knoll' to cross the papio creek by Huber Chevrolet.

Normally I would ride the Big Papio Trail from Dodge to Blondo but that has been torn up all summer. Looks like the work to get this trail back has made some recent progress.

Riding west on Blondo Sidewalk to 117th Street.

Using Google Maps or something like it is a great way to plan your route.

Here I cross 120th at the lights on Stonegate Drive. Once across, this street has speed bumps to keep the traffic slower.

When the trail is dry I take a single track shortcut. Here is where I cross Maple and ride up a small hill to the Ice Rink parking lot.

This where the fun level is kicked up a notch - Single Track Dirt. Some would recognize this to be the 'Ice Loop Climb'.

But there is always an end to the dirt. This is the entrance to my neighborhood riding west.

Calories Burned: 200 X 2
Miles ridden: 9.8
Auto Cost Saved: $4
Time Spent Outside: 30 Min. X 2
Attitude Improvement: Priceless

Longest 16 mile ride ever

Omaha With Lights - this is the theme for an annual bike ride in Omaha called the Owl Ride. Greg and I helped Dale with Bike Masters support for this ride. We got there early and got setup with a good parking spot for the Bike Masters van. We had some time to take a short ride over the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge to get a look at the flooded river. Seeing 1800 bikes in one place with blinking lights is quite an experience. Prior to the start people were bringing their bikes up to the van to have minor adjustments and tires pumped up. Greg and I noticed the bike pumps were getting quite hot. We waited for most of the riders to get rolling. Then we rode in the back of this huge pack of riders to watch for those needing help. Dale pulled his BOB trailer loaded with tubes and tools for support. This was a well-run event and everyone seemed to be having a great time. The ride home in the Bike Masters van was quiet. We were tired from what we decided to call the longest 16 mile ride ever.

Click below to see a few photos...

Bike Masters at 2011 Owl Ride

Wind at our backs!

Tomorrow at this time I'll be getting ready to ride with some friends on at 25 mile ride from Springfield to Elmwood, Nebraska. Oh yeah, then we have to ride back but that's only another 25 miles. Looks like we'll have the wind to our backs so that will be nice.

There is still time to donate and I'm a little short on my commitment. Just click the link if you want to pitch in. Paul's Tour de Cure Link

THOR Prez on IMBA Blog

Our THOR leader, Roxzanne Feagan, on the IBMA Blog...

This is a fantastic post on Roxy's outlook on trails and advocacy. I like this.

Also in local trail news…

Last night after work I did some trail recon to make sure the north side of Tranquility was not too soft to ride. I've been looking for conditions where riding would help smooth the trail a bit. But the new trail seems to dry really fast. Last night it was nice and soft like clay but not greasy. The pipe work we did in the gully bottoms was still looking great but that dirt was too soft to ride. After the "GO" text Mike and I met up on the north side of Tranquility at 6PM. With both of us riding it we got in a good ten or so laps of tread wear on the new section. I would say it's going to be a little smoother anyway. Thanks Mike. We found "maintenance by bike riding" can be fun.

Annual Omaha Neighborhood Clean-Up...

... Set to Begin April 9th

Omaha citizens can now find out when and where this year’s Neighborhood Clean-Up will be available for their neighborhood by calling (402) 444-4636. The highly successful Spring Clean-Up Program will begin April 9th and will be conducted at events on six Saturdays during the months of April and May. Spring Clean-Up dates are scheduled for the following Saturdays: April 9th, April 16th, April 30th, May 7th, May 14th and May 21st. There will be no Clean-Up dates after Memorial Day this year.

For more information see this City Of Omaha link .

The 50 mile ride

If I followed the directions correctly, this map shows the 2011 Nebraska Tour de Cure Route. Hope there is a light breeze from the SSW on May 22nd.

View Tour de Cure Nebraska 50 Mile Route in a larger map

Sunday Snow Trail Ride and other stuff...

The conditions for my somewhat fat tire bike with studs were great today. Aaron rode from his place on his cross bike to meet up for a Sunday snow trail ride at Tranquility. We got half a lap in and we found Todd W., also on his new cross bike, out enjoying the nice end of February weather too. We all headed up the north side of Tranquility.


The conditions were not quite as perfect for the cross bikes. Great to get together for a short ride anyway.

Yesterday the Bike Masters team made a nice showing at the Trek Up The Tower race. Thanks for getting us together on that Dave!



My slow eleven minute time was about the same as last year. But I did not feel quite as devastated at the finish as I did last year.

After hanging out with the crew downtown we attended the Annual THOR Membership Meeting held at the National Park Service building. Great to see everyone there. Congratulations to Roxy for getting voted in to the President seat. It's going to be another great year to be a THOR member.

THOR Annual Membership Meeting

Time: Saturday, February 26 · 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Location: National Park Service

601 River Front Drive

Omaha, NE



From Facebook Event...
The annual meeting agenda will include an overview of the 2010 goals and what was achieved as a club and at each trail system. New goals for 2011 will be discussed. Voting for chair positions will take place. More info as well as meeting agenda outline to follow via email and the THOR website.

Update from Nebraska Tour De Cure

Get ready to ride! Each rider that registers between now and February 4th will be entered to win one of two $25 Visa Gift Cards! Winners will be drawn at random on Feb 7th. So if you are thinking about doing this don't delay, register today!! Link to TourdeCure

Public Meeting for Road Project for 120th St. - City of Omaha

Last night there was a public meeting at Sunny Slope Elementary School to present plans for widening 120th Street from Roanoake Blvd. south to Stonegate Dr. I met Dave N. there and we listened to presentations from the city planners and the engineering firm hired by the city. It was an open forum meeting with about 40 people in attendance. Dennis Bryers of the city planning parks division fielded questions about the bike path work in conjunction with the street expansion project. There were questions from the audience about access to little league and soccer. The intent was to keep that access open. There were also questions regarding the time frame of the project. Here is a quick summary of information from this 120th Street Expansion Meeting.

• Scheduled
  to start in 2015 at the earliest (if budgeting allows).


• Project
  should take less than 2 years.


• They
  are 30% complete with project planning and in the environmental study
  phase.


• The
  road will be closed to attempt to complete the project as fast as possible.


• The trail in this project currently does not connect to Big Papio Trail (D. Bryers mentioned this would happen after the completion of this project).

The engineering firm working for the city on this is Schemmer. They had large drawings of the current project design on the walls of the gym. There was a Public Comment Form that attendees were encouraged to fill out to express there comments and concerns in writing. This form would be sent to:
City of Omaha
Public Works Department
Jon T. Meyer
Design Division
1819 Farnam Street, Suite 600
Omaha NE 68183
Jmeyer@ci.omaha.ne.us
Ph. 444-4191
After the meeting was over, Dave and I took a minute to go find Dennis Bryers and thank him for approval of the Tranquility singletrack trail expansion north of Fort Street. Dennis mentioned that with the snow outlining the trail, it was easy for him to see what had been accomplished. He seemed impressed with the work that was done this past fall. For more info on the singletrack trail north of Fort St. click here.On this presentation they talk about Section 6f and 4f properties in the area. We were happy to see Tranquility Park and Mountain Biking mentioned.