Bruce on bikes!

A disturbing report of road rage comes to us from California, via this CNN video.

In all my experiences, and those I've gleaned from fellow riders here in Hanover, nothing remotely like this has ever happened around here. But it does give us an opportunity to strike a cautionary note and stress the importance of being vigilant. In particular, I'm heartened by the fact that a report against the driver in the CNN story had been filed with police just weeks before the accident. As this case goes to trial, that will be a damning piece of evidence against this crazy motorist.

And it underlies the importance of filing such a report if anything like this happens around here. Just as a precautionary measure, here's what to do if you have a dangerous encounter a belligerent motorist: 1) get the license number of the vehicle, and 2) report the incident to the police. Even if your report does not lead to any action right away, it may provide critical evidence down the road.

And of equal importance, this incident reminds us that our own behavior as cyclists is an indirect but crucial ingredient in the delicate balance we maintain with motorists. It is extremely important that the cycling community ride responsibly and obey traffic laws. Yes, it's the right thing to do in any event, but not doing so can inflame drivers and contribute to road rage.

If you haven't been following the three week extravaganza that is the Tour de France, allow yourself a single stage---the final alpine stage on Wednesday, July 23rd. At this point the race has been going for two weeks, and has already seen its first mountain stages in the Pyrenees. There are three brutal alpine stages, with Wednesday's stage 17 the final and toughest of all. There are three infamous HC ("beyond category") climbs on this stage, ending with perhaps the most famous of all, the Alpe d'Huez. While not the highest mountain in the race, this climb is famous for its 21 hairpin turns and unwavering 9% gradient.

In 2002 I had the good fortune to ride this epic climb. The photo of me is taken at the second switchback. The scenery is spectacular, with the alpine view opening gradually as altitude is gained. The view of the valley (see photo at the end of today's entry) was taken near the top; several of the first switchbacks from the climb are visible in the lower left. Yes, the road essentially scales a cliff! Each hairpin is marked with a sign naming past winners of Tour stages on this climb, like this one from the 11th switchback, commemorating five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault, who won this stage side-by-side in 1986 with eventual overall winner, American Greg LeMond:


The story of that battle is beautifully documented in 1986: The Alpe's Greatest Dual. As you ascend, the names of some of the greatest cyclists of the last century are similarly displayed. It's awe inspiring.

In the 2008 race, the top six riders are all within a minute of one another in the battle for the yellow jersey. Once it again, it looks like it will play itself out on the slopes of Alpe D'Huez. So tune in to Versus on Wednesday evening at 8 pm. In the words of the great french climber Richard Viranc, "There will be devastation, and it will be spectacular!"

The Tour de France is the premier grand tour each year, a 23 day marathon that is unlike any event in any other sport. Twenty teams of nine riders compete over 2,212 miles to see which rider can complete the course of 21 individual races in the least amount of time. For those curious about how the race works, VeloNews put together a great introduction, which can be had here:

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/78643/tour-de-france-101

And longtime cycling photographer Graham Watson put together this one-page introduction to the 2008 tour here:

http://www.grahamwatson.com/news/grahamsnotes08.html

Even more briefly, this year's tour has been described as follows (in the VeloNews official Tour guide):


The 2008 Tour starts on July 5 in Brest, with a 197.5 km stage through the hills of Brittany. Encompassing 3,560 kilometers, the 2008 Tour is unique in that there is no Prologue (for the first time since 1966) and no time bonuses. The race will feature 5 mountain stages, 4 mountain finishes, and 2 individual time trials on its counterclockwise route through the Pyrenees and Alps before its finish in Paris on July 27.


Watching the television coverage of the tour is as addictive as it is satisfying. Yes, there have been a scandalous series of doping violations that have soured the beauty of the sport in recent years (in fact Floyd Landis just lost his final appeal a few days ago, so his 2006 title has officially been stripped), but do not let this be a deterrent to viewing Le Tour. The effort expended toward winning every day is extraordinary. The sprints at the end of the early stages are heart-stopping. When the mountain stages come, everything is turned on its head and the race begins anew. It is an absolutely awesome event. Television coverage will be provided by the cable channel Versus, which also streams video online.

For those interested in the Yellow Jersey Century on July 6th, but looking for a shorter ride: you're in luck! Ride organizer Dan Schmitt has added a 37 mile ride option. The first fourteen or so miles of the two ride options coincide, so there will be a good amount of time to enjoy each other's company before the two groups split. The shorter ride is mapped here.

A few words from Dan about this year's event (either ride):

1. The ride starts at 6AM SHARP – after a group photo. Get there early. Parking lot across from Ashland Train Station.


2. All riders should wear a yellow jersey – that is very important.


3. All riders are asked to make a donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation of at least $25. You can either do that by personal check the morning of the event (no cash please). Or (and preferably) by going online to the Yellow Jersey Home Page of the LAF and making your generous donation online. It is easy & quick – and you get a receipt emailed to you by LAF for tax reporting use. The following is the link:
   
   www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=259771&supId=181558937


4. This year – for the first time – there will be two rest stops supplied with Gatorade, water, energy bars & some snacks. These are only on the full century route and will be located at mile 45.5 and mile 73.7 – per cue sheet. Both rest stops are adjacent to stores should you need a restroom or desire to purchase other items. There are also store stops available at mile 28.0 and 95.8 should you need those. Special thanks to Chip Goble of Natures Path for donating the energy bars for our stops & Doug Cole & Shane Cusick of Design Forum for donating the Gatorade & snacks. We also receive support and donations of supplies from Chris Brewer at LAF which we greatly appreciate.


5. For the routes, I have attached the cue sheets and you can review the routes by going to the following links:
   
   Full Century - www.mapmyride.com/route/us/va/ashland/167809856
   
   Short Route - www.mapmyride.com/route/us/va/ashland/93710932
   
   This ride is an unsupported ride so you should familiarize yourself with the route and be prepared to deal with flats, mechanicals and the like. A cell phone is recommended.


6. Lastly, if you plan to attend either ride, please send me an email to let me know. This will help me estimate how many of us will be out there. dtschmitt@hhhunt.com

In what has become an increasingly popular annual event for the serious cyclist, the Yellow Jersey Century is again upon us. This is the ninth consecutive year for this event, which celebrates the start of the Tour de France with a 100 mile ride starting and ending in Ashland. All participants wear yellow jerseys, of course. Participants are also asked to make at least a $25 donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation; donations will be collected at the start of the ride.

This year's ride begins at the Randolph-Macon College parking lot across from the Ashland train station at 6 am (sharp) on Sunday, July 6th. The route heads east all the way to Walkerton, spanning some of the beautiful countryside between here and Tappahannock. The route is posted here. Thankfully easterly routes are far flatter than those to the west. Expect summer temperatures and a brisk pace (do not attempt this ride unless you are confident in your fitness). There will be two rest stops, at miles 45 and 70.

Last year's event attracted more than forty riders. This year's will be even bigger. Vive Le Tour!

There's no question that summer has decided to arrive early this year. This week's heat wave was an inescapable announcement of that fact. And her arrival marks a great opportunity to get on the bike and enjoy the roads in a way that's just not possible in any other season. Too hot? Nonsense. Here's the secret: First light comes at about 5:30 in the morning, and the magic hour from six to seven a.m. is your riding window. It's perfect. The birds are singing and celebrating, the sun is casting long orange rays through the trees, the air is cool (this morning I had to zip up my jersey because of the chill in the air), and best of all there is almost no traffic to spoil the mood. In it word, it's peaceful.

All it takes is a slight adjustment to get to bed a little earlier, and then all this can be yours. After a long spring I find myself (finally) coming into form. What a feeling it is, motoring up a climb in the big ring and still feeling fresh at the top. Or looking down at my cyclometer and seeing an average speed far above what it had been a few weeks ago. With the longer days of summer, use this early morning time for a daily spin and you'll soon wonder how anyone could sleep through this special time of day. And you'll soon reap the rewards of your effort as you come into form. It gives me a chill just thinking about it.

What a day! In between the showers and other dubious weather activity of late, the sun popped out and our little town provided the perfect venue for the Ashland 150 Clunker Cruise. And what a show it was. All manner of human-powered vehicles emerged in a pageant of color, motion, and good humor. At its heart this event was a celebration both of community spirit and the freedom embodied by the bicycle itself. Smiles, laughter, and friendly conversation were everywhere, and pedestrians and motorists (stopped briefly by the police escort at all major road crossings) clearly were surprised and delighted by the passing parade. Will this become an annual event? I don't think I can wait another century and a half!

Special thanks to Joel, Mark, and Kevin at Cobblestone, to the Ashland Police, and to the Reihl family for their post-ride hospitality. And kudos to all who participated and made this event such a whopping success!

Hanover Alert: Four days of rain followed by warm, sunny conditions. If you were a fully developed insect larva, what would you do? That's right, hatch and fly clumsily about, with the aim of landing in a cyclist's eye. So folks, be careful out there. In the last two days I have seen flys, wasps, bumblebees, beetles, and knats, all trying desperately to land in my eyes. My advice: even if it's cloudy, put on a pair of shades!

On the bright side, the riding is fantastic. No arm warmers, knee warmers, tights, t-shirts, long-fingered gloves, or toe warmers. Get out there and enjoy our beautiful county!

Yet another event in the year-long celebration of Ashland's 150th birthday: The Ashland 150 Clunker Cruise! It takes place on Saturday, May 10 at 5 pm starting at Cobblestone Bicyles (102 South Railroad Ave., Ashland). And no, it's not 150 miles. It doesn't even approach 150 km. It's just an easy two-wheeled tour around our fair town, with attitude. The ride will be attended by many locals owning unique or old bicycles. But the ride is open to all; it's a true community-building event. If you have an old bike, get it road-worthy and please bring it! If you don't, I've been assured that any bike will do. And if there's frankly no way you'll be on this cruise, please drive carefully! If you have any questions, just call or stop by at Cobblestone. www.cobblestonebikes.com

Quick note here: The Versus cable TV network has begun its spring "Cyclysm Sunday" programming. The schedule can be found here. Don't miss the infamous Paris-Roubaix, set to air on April 20. Known as the "Hell of the North," this monumental spring classic features 220 km of racing with nearly 30 sections of of cobblestones or pavé, leading to a velodrome finish in Roubaix. Dry conditions mean choking dust (and crashes), while wet conditions mean mud (and even more crashes). It's grueling, it's spectacular, and it's great theater. Look for North Carolina native George Hincape to try yet again to win this epic event.