Suncoast Trail Parking Lot Looks Good

Today I checked out the Suncoast Trail and you'll notice the parking lot is nearly done at the start of the trail. A guy in the truck at the parking lot said he expects folks to start striping parking spaces soon.

Lose Your Chains

A couple of friends sent me this CNN story about bike chains being replaced by a carbon fiber belt drive.

Snowbird Bicyclists Infiltrate Flatwoods

A marauding band of Snowbirds from Michigan swooped into Flatwoods county park's loop and terrorized the loop goers today.

The snowbirds are back!

Armstrong-signed ISM Bike Saddle To Be Auctioned Off

Steve Toll, creater of the ISM saddle, went to Interbike in Las Vegas this fall and had one of innovative bike seats signed by Lance Armstrong. Now that seat will be auctioned to benefit the Children’s Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla..

Thw Armstrong-signed Adamo Racing Saddle will be available at a silent auction Nov. 21-22. Anyone wishing to bid on the saddle may call Ackerman Jewelers of Tampa, the sponsor of the event, at 813-961-7321. Credit cards are accepted.

Steve says the item is especially memorable because Armstrong signed it on Sept. 25 at Interbike -- the same day the seven-time winner of the Tour de France further outlined his return to bike racing and announced plans for his developmental team.

His goal is to focus world-wide attention on the LiveSTRONG Foundation and its fight against the disease. Cancer kills more than seven million people each year, more than 70 percent of them in low- and middle-income countries, according to the International Union Against Cancer.

Steve says he was at the trade show to promote Adamo saddles when we learned Armstrong would sign autographs in the Oakley Booth. I convinced Dave Bunce, our operations commander, to wait in line with me. Dave had met Armstrong several years ago when he assisted John Cobb who improved Armstrong’s racing aerodynamics. We hoped Armstrong would remember.

Excited? You bet. Dave said he felt like a school girl while we waited.

The chance to get Armstrong’s autograph was unexpected, so the line was short and moved quickly. Within 10 minutes, we were introducing ourselves to the cycling legend.

I had rehearsed some things I wanted to say about our saddles, about their comfort and the lack of pressure cyclists feel when riding on one. I had been briefed by people who have worked with him in recent years on what aspects of the saddles he’d want to know about most, like pressure readings for example. I’d have about 3 minutes to make my point.

When the time came, the only thing I managed to do was to ask for his autograph on the saddle and tell him it was for the Children’s Cancer Center. He immediately agreed. All the other points I wanted to make were forgotten, and even though I had a camera in my hand, I forgot to take his picture.

If you’re interested on bidding for this unique collector’s item, please call the store at 813-961-7321.

Bicyclist Killed Near Dog Track Was a Tour de Pizza Employee

Bill Addler, owner of Revolution Bicycles in St. Pete, informs me that the 20-year-old bicyclist killed in front of the Derby Lane dog track on Gandy Avenue in St. Petersburg was a worker at the Tour de Pizza pizzeria in the Publix shopping center on 40th Street and 38th Avenue.

Here is Bill's email to me:

"The young 20 year old that was killed in front of the dog track, you all may have met him, his name is Frank and he worked for Matt at Tour De Pizza. I just learned this myself today from Matt, and he informed me what had happened. (Matt is the owner of Tour de Pizza).

"Frank was a good kid and a very good employee for Matt. You may have seen his bike out on the bike rack at the pizza place (brown fixed gear). Unfortunately he was not wearing a helmet which may or may not have saved his life, we will never know.

"But I would like to think it would have. In fact we just had a guy walk in today with a Cannondale that was split in half after swerving to avoid a young girl on the bike trail near 83rd ave. He ran right into a post and crushed his helmet; he however survived to ride again (with new frame, fork, etc)."

Listen, every bicycle fatality is a major jolt. If you go out and bike on the roads around here, I strongly urge -- wear a helmet, bike with traffic, comply with traffic laws, don't run red lights, have white and red lights when biking at night and bike defensively.

Looking For The Sun

Another overcast, soggy but warm day in the Ellicott City-Baltimore area this morning as I stroll through the woods along Patapsco River. Here are this morning's visual highlights.

It's Hiking Stories Today

Bicycling is as natural as walking for me so the time away from Tampa in the Baltimore area has been spent hiking and hoofing the woods along the Patapsco River. I forgot how much I enjoyed traipsing through leaves and trees and along trails in the late fall when the trees are nearly leaf-less and their stark vertical grayness dominates a stroll.

So I bring you a few of the sights from this morning's jaunt in the Ellicott City area.