Chip Makes The St. Pete Times Today

A few weeks ago I mentioned a terrific bicycle book authored by my Clearwater pal Chip Haynes, a Pinellas County planning department graphic artist, a superb bicycle maker and all-around velo man who also crafts the fliers for the Bicycle Bash by the Bay. Well, Jeff Klinkenberg, a St. Pete Times features writer known for spinning literary slices of Florida life, today did a nice feature on Chip and that book Chip wrote -- The Practical Cyclist.

That's Chip in the photo on the left, chatting with Steve Swiger of the Seminole Heights Bicycle Club at the 2008 Bicycle Bash by the Bay.

Check out Jeff's story on Chip right here and don't forget to visit the Chainwheel Drive bike shop at 1770 Drew St. in Clearwater at 12 noon on April 18 for a book signing. I read The Practical Cyclist and it's a wonderful read.

SHBC Helps Make Old Seminole Heights Home Tour A Success

One of the best local neighborhood Tampa events is the Old Seminole Heights Home Tour. And the Seminole Heights Bicycle Club was there to help folks visiting the 10 homes via bike and show them the bike tour tailored for today's tour.

Here is all-around terrific bicycle guy Jim Shirk, who mapped out the bike tour for the OSH Home Tour, in front of the SHBC tent.

This is where bicycling rocks. It was not a bicycle event, per se, but a cool neighborhood event where the bicycle was mixed into the event to play a great role.

We filled a few tires, cleaned a few chains and adjusted a few bikes while making new friends along the way.



Local Seminole Heights cyclists had a great time checking out the homes via bike.

Enjoy The Home Tour By Bicycle Today

One of the best local Tampa events is the Old Seminole Heights Home Tour, which is today from 11:30AM to 5 PM.

While most people do the tour by trolley, some people bring their bicycles and pedal to see all 10 houses on the Tour. Jim Shirk did a masterful job linking the houses along a bike tour.

I will be at the Seminole Heights Bicycle Club tent and table at the Tour headquarters at Hillsborough High School. Come and say hi.

Spring Classic and Ride Set for April 19

Tim Butts at the St. Pete Bike Club tells me the Spring Classic is set for April 19.

It's the 21st Annual Spring Classic and ride through the scenic and lightly travelled roads of northern and eastern Manatee County starting at Tony D’s at 304 7th Street W in Palmetto (just north of Bradenton).

There will be well stocked SAG stops on each marked route and all pre-registered riders will get a quality T-shirt. After the ride there will be a post-ride party with prizes and a great lunch.

Registration before April 13 is $30, after that it will be $35. Register online at our Club’s web site stpetecycling.com or download a paper registration and send that with a check to St. Petersburg Bicycling Club, PO Box 76023 , St. Petersburg , Florida 33734.

“Day of” registration begins at 7 am. The 60-mile ride starts at 8 am, the 35-mile ride starts at 8:10 and the 25-mile ride starts at 8:20. Go to stpetecycling.com for more information.

A Slice Of Bicycling

Slice of bicycling today.

I was filling my water bottle at Panera Bread in new Tampa when a restaurant worker -- he looked about 17 or so -- came up to me and informed me, "Lance Armstrong was here three hours ago."

"Is that right,?" I asked the kid with the peach fuzz on his upper lip and the saggy khaki pants. "And the Panera Bread fairy is arriving right now with wings for you to fly away to a job that is more intellectually stimulating."

He smiled and went back to cleaning tables.

SHBC's Family Ride This Morning

We had about a dozen cyclists for this morning's ride.


I met Jose at the Tampa downtown twilight crit last Saturday and he has lost a ton of weight thanks to bicycling. He made his maiden SWHBC Family Ride this morning.


Bicyclists of all ages come to the family ride.


Club riders bike up the Alps of Seminole Heights off Lake Roberta.


Just around the corner from home.

Boy Crossing Street With Bike Struck By Car

From the St. Pete Times:

Boy, 5, hit by car while crossing street on bike

TAMPA -- An afternoon bike ride turned into a trip to hospital for a 5-year-old boy struck by a car while trying to cross the street, Tampa Police say.

Kashi Weaver was riding his bike on the south sidewalk of N. 33rd Avenue, where he lives, when he rode out into the street in front of Robert Schoepflin's 2006 Hyundai Sante Fe.

Schoepflin, 61, told detectives he wasn't able to stop in time and hit the boy on his right side knocking him off the bike.

Weaver was taken to Tampa General Hospital and suffered a broken leg and head injuries that aren't life threatening, police said in a release.

No charges have been filed against Schoepflin at this time.

-- Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer