Live Deeper Life -- Bike to Work

I went a few months without biking to work and with the lovely 70-degree weather kicking in around Las Vegas and a new road bike to climb the uphill stead grade of Alta Drive from downtown Las Vegas, I'm back in the bike saddle to and from the Review-Journal newspaper office.

It's stunning how different life is when you drive a bicycle to work instead of sitting behind a car steering wheel.

Biking down the hill to work makes your senses sharper. You literally feel life -- the sounds, the air whooshing by you and even the smells of people's kitchens.

You get to see the rose work of the Rose Man of Alta Drive.

Ride Like Elvis on First Friday

Friday, May 2, 2014 @ 6 p.m.

Start at RTC Admin Building located at
600 S. Grand Central Pkwy., Las Vegas 89106

Join the RTC  for a unique, exhilarating bike ride as we tour Downtown Las Vegas and First Friday festivities. Don your best 70s jumpsuit, curl your lip, and get all shook up!

This 5-mile round trip fun ride will have neat-o prizes for the best Elvis costumes and peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches at the Zappos stop!

A bike valet will be provided at California and Casino Center while you enjoy the festivities.

Have questions or need more information?  Contact:  bikeguy@rtcsnv.com or 702-676-1915.

Winds, Cool Temps Don't Stop Summerlin Cyclists

The Tour de Summerlin drew hundreds of cyclists despite windy conditions and cool temps.

Blinking Man Video

Check out the  Video of the Blinking Man Bike Ride

Blinking Man Bike Ride Rolls Into LV Downtown Saturday Night

The Blinking Man bike ride in downtown Las Vegas is hardly new. But it was for me last night.

The rolling, rollicking "Burning Man" of bicycle rides is part pub crawl, part costume dress-up bike-social that attracts a fun variety of bike-loving folks on cruisers, low-riders and single-speeds. Many of them would not be pedaling on downtown streets if not for the safety in numbers.

There were probably several hundred of us who launched from the Huntridge Tavern off Charleston Blvd. I loved the color and vibe of the whole evening. This gal hauled hula hoops between the pit stops, then put them into action at each stop.

Nothing like the ol' pit stop to take the group photo. Hope the photogs had a wide angle.

There was an amazing array of interesting characters. Like this guy who was biking with his recumbent-riding wife. They were spreading the word about the disturbing number of veterans who commit suicide.

For people who hungered for a munchy, there was this fella with the snack bar on wheels.

One of my favorite characters was Justin, on the right, who took two Schwinn lowrider bikes and put them together by somehow connecting the fronts of both -- without welding them.

This gal's issue was anti-bombs, I believe.

For some reason, there has been a proliferation of guys dressed in Indian garb at the Fremont Street experience who feel compelled to show their ass -- like this guy who was rollerblading and not biking but was naturally just another part of the Blinking Man scene.

Against my better judgement, I even included a shot of myself. Sorry for the non-creative outfit of going as a nerdy newspaper reporter. Hope the blinky light as tie clip and the matching orange bandana/doo-rag as suit breast pocket handerchief gave me an iota of street cred.

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Kudos to organziers Kathleen and great job David Levy on the announcements and schedule.

Schaefer Beer Lives On With Jersey Appearance

On Saturday morning it was time to break out the Schaefer beer jersey.

Michael Weimer, a friend from the Tampa Bay area, gave me the jersey as a good-bye gift when I left Tampa in Nov. 2012. Thank you Michael.

Playing Catch Up

Now and then I like to accelerate on rides and catch up with the young bucks who pedal super fast while wearing their snazzy matching bike jerseys and shorts.

Like here on the way to Blue Diamond on State Road 159 in Red Rock Canyon.

On the way home, I bumped into biking friend Kevin Turchin and his ride with what looked like a Lifetime Fitness ride.

Ciclovia Comes To Henderson; Many Choose Side Trail Over Closed Road

A tip of the bike helmet to the city of Henderson, which staged another ciclovia -- or "Stroll n Roll" as it likes to call it.

Half of a parkway was closed Saturday from 10am to 2 pm at great cost considering all the city police and other staffers who worked the event.

Yet, even the state DOT guy handing out bike stuff like little blinkers, reflectors and tire patches was surprised that so many people who cam for this ciclovia event chose to stroll and roll not on the road but along a paved trail that runs next to it.

 
The city set up tents at three or four park locations along the close parkway.

Great event to close a road for the public. Too bad so many people chose to walk and bike off to the side and not in the road.

Bicycle Bash Festival Pedals Into Tampa

Just like old times -- posting photos showing the bicycle love from the Tampa Bay Bicycle Bash at Cotanchobee Park. Great to see that Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn made a cameo at the bike bash. Fun to see old pals like bike shop owners Adam Beland and Randy Mhyre, bike advocate Uncle Chip Haynes and the rest of the bike crew.

 

That's Chip Haynes of Clearwater who has written books on bicycling and did the first Bicycle Bash posters.

Nice to see Street Fit 360 in the house!

There's none other than Adam Beland of Bicycle Outfitters.

Great to see Mike Olsen of God's Pedal Power.

Bike parking is available!

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn kicks things off.

There's Tim Bustos of the Florida Bicycle Association.

Mayor Bob is chatting with J. Steele Olmstead, who worked his ass off to put on the Bash.

Michael Edgerley is here, checking out the Bike Share people.

Hope Bob and Other Tampa Politicos Attend The Bike Bash Sunday

Congrats to the new SWFBUD -- South West Florida Bicyclists United with Dealers.

J. Steele Olmstead,  a Tampa lawyer committed to bicycle advocacy, worked on the Bicycle Bash festival for Sunday in downtown Tampa and is getting help from a few others to pull off this festival.

The day will be all about celebrating and advocating bicycling in Tampa and Tampa Bay. It's 10 am to 4 pm at Cotanchobee Park, next to the Tampa Bay History Center behind the Forum.

I hope one day the city of Tampa government, which says it wants to improve bicycling in the city, puts on this event.

But for now, please swing by the Bicycle Bash. If you like bicycling, you'll have a great time.

Hey Low Rider

Friday Happy Hour was spent at the amazing Faciliteq building, which I got to know well through this story.

Last night, there was a green insurance firm holding a great event and lo and behold a cyclist on a low rider pulls up.

She Made A Magazine Cover

Look who's on the cover the League of American Bicyclists cover -- none other than Kathryn Reid Moore of Miami.

Henderson Celebrates Bicycling Saturday

It's cool to see a city throw a bicycle event like the Henderson bicycle swap meet on Saturday.

Lots of every day folks looking for bicycles and bike parts.

It creates a bicycle culture in a city and makes biking just another part of everyday life.