Bi•opic - Flagstaff Biking

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaffbiking.org Fall 2006
Glorious Morning — Artwork by Karen Knorowski
Content Highlights
4
Trips for Kids and
FBO Youth Mountain
Bike Program
by Neil Ross
2006 Trail Program
Join us for the remaining
Fall trail dates
by Mark Gullo
7
by
6
Lake Mary Widening Project
Jan Blackman
Keeping Secret
by Anthony Quintile
8
Come on baby, light my way...
by TC Eberly
The Cycling Counterculture
9
by Dan Cavallari
10
FBO 2006 Highlights
How your membership helps
to support FBO programs.
7
Trail Reviews with
12
the Gnome:
Flagstaff to Grand Canyon
by Dave Herbold
16
IMBA Sending a
Trail Care Crew to
Flagstaff
October 6 & 7
Open up - More to read inside... Enjoy!

Page 2
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
Changes and Improvements at Flagstaff Biking Organization
Event Highlights
If you are reading this, you have probably participated
in some sort of event or activity organized by Flagstaff
Biking Organization. We have always been an “action”
oriented group, and we have focused on getting
things accomplished. We have been wildly successful
with Bike to Work Week, Trail Work Days with the U.S.
Forest Service, SAFE KIDS bike safety rodeos and
helmet program, Trips for Kids and Youth Mountain
Bike Program, the Biopic newsletter and Tour de Fat,
for example. Most of these things have been organized
by a very small group of volunteers or people making
small amounts of money for lots of work.
Recently, one of the most important people to this
organization, FBO’s founder, Geoff Cross, moved on to
bigger and better things. Geoff was mostly responsible
for the day-to-day operations of FBO. We have been
transitioning from an organization run by an individual
to an organization run in a much more formal manner
by a Board of Directors for the past year or so. As part
of this transition, we are creating much more formal
sponsorship packages, more formal budgeting, more
formal decision-making structure, better volunteer
recruitment, better web site: all in all, we are trying to
grow into a tightly run ship that operates efficiently,
effectively and fairly.
We will always make sure that our focus is on the
“product”, the events, activities, programs and
advocacy that help to make Flagstaff one of the best
cycling communities in the country, but we need to
assure that we will have the people and the resources,
financial and otherwise, to succeed into the future.
If you have supported us in the past by volunteering,
sponsoring a program through your business or by
being a member, we THANK YOU, and we look forward
to your continued support. We promise that what you
see from us will continue to grow and improve. If you
have not supported us in the past, and you ride a bike,
(or walk in town, use the Forest Service trails by any
mode of travel, have kids who ride bicycles, etc.), we
ask that you kick down some time and/ or funds to
help us in our mission to make cycling, trails and the
community in general better in Flagstaff.
We are always open to suggestions on how we can
improve, and we will make every effort to try to take
anyone’s concerns into consideration. If you have any
ideas for us, please feel free to contact any of our
Board Members or our Executive Director, Melissa
Grimes, with your input. From its first day, Flagstaff
Biking Organization has wanted to be the voice and
mechanism for all things bicycle related in Flagstaff.
To do this, we need your input and help.
If you want to become a member, go to
http://www.flagstaffbiking.org or call
Melissa at 606-1533 for other options for signing
up. Also, let us know if you are available to volunteer;
we are going to be creating a comprehensive
volunteer list so we can generate more help to do a
better job with our programs and events. If you have a
business that would like to support FBO, or a business
that has supported us in the past, we will have new
sponsorship programs available that will address
various different ways to contribute, with what we feel
is great, high-profile representation in exchange for
your contribution.
Thanks for your past, present and
future support!
Anthony Quintile, FBO Board member
anthony@absolutebikes.net or (928) 779-5969
Take a Kid
Mountain Biking Day on
Saturday, October 7, 2006
Flagstaff Biking Organization, Trips for Kids Flagstaff
and IMBA will celebrate the third annual Take a Kid
Mountain Biking Day on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006. This
is a great opportunity for you to pass your passion
for pedaling on to kids! We will meet at the “Y”
(where Shultz Pass Road meets Eldon Lookout
Road) at 10am. The ride will end at approximately
2pm. Don’t have a bike? We have a limited number
of mountain bikes for kids to use. Please contact
us to reserve your bike. The event is free and fun!
If you would like more information, please contact
Melissa, Melissa@flagstaffbiking.org or
(928) 606-1533.
September
16
Youth Mountain Bike Ride * 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
23
Trail Day: Sandys Canyon
Maintenance of Sandys Canyon
Trail from Lake Mary Road
Meet: Sandy’s Canyon trail head &
Lake Mary Rd
Sponsored by: NATRA
Time: 9am * Details: See page 6
Youth Mountain Bike Ride * 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
30
New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Tire Festival
Wheeler Park * Time: 11am - 6pm
October
6 - 7
IMBA Trail Care Crew Days
Details: See back page
7
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
Youth Mountain Bike Ride * 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
14
Trail Day: Lower Brookbank Trail
Maintenance of Lower Brookbank Trail from
Mt. Elden Lookout Road
Meet at: Lower Brookbank trail head & Mt. Elden
Lookout Rd
Time: 9am * Details: See page 6
Youth Mountain Bike Ride * 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
21
Youth Mountain Bike Ride – 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
28
Trail Day: Fort Valley/Uper Moto Trail
New construction of Fort Valley/Upper Moto Trails
Meet at: Hwy 180 & FS164B
Time: 9am * Details: See page 6
Youth Mountain Bike Ride * 1pm
Contact Neil Ross at 814-9792 for details.
November
11
Trail Day: Pipeline/ Mt. Elden Trail system
Maintenance of Pipeline/Mt Elden Trail system
Time: 9am * Details: See page 6
Visit www.flagstaffbiking.org for complete
details and for upcoming events throughout the
fall and winter.
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 3
Festival Volunteers
Needed
Complimentary Food, beverages, good Karma
and event T shirt
contact Kim @ 928 863 0293 kim@kdid.net or
www.flagstaffbiking.org for additional info.

Page 4
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
Trips for Kids and FBO Youth Mountain Bike Program
Since the fall of 2004,
Flagstaff Biking
Organization has
been offering
guided bike rides
for kids 10 and
over. The FBO
web site describes
the Trips for Kids
mission well: “Trips for
Kids National opens the
world of cycling to at-risk
youth by offering mountain bike rides and afterschool
Earn-A-Bike programs. The goal of our youth
bike programs is to combine lessons in personal
responsibility, achievement and environmental
kids and bikes to the best trails available. With
help from Trips for Kids, Absolute Bikes, individual
ride leaders, and our friends, we have a small fleet
of loaner bikes available for kids who need them.
This summer, we’ve taken groups of local kids
riding almost every weekday, hitting virtually every
piece of single-track in Flagstaff’s forests… and
when the Coconino Forest was closed we went to
the beautiful Sycamore Rim trail in Kaibab Forest
(so well described by Dave Herbold in the Fall 2005
issue). This has been the birth of the FBO Youth
Mountain Biking Program.
As of the beginning of August, we’ve had over
180 kids
r i d i n g
Neil Ross
A longtime mountain biker, teacher,
and fan of Flagstaff, Neil Ross
moved to his mountain Mecca
almost 2 years ago. He, his wife, and
their three dogs are expecting their
first child in December.
bike handling the whole time. We’ve seen riders
get stronger, gain confidence, and tackle trails and
obstacles that they never would have imagined as
we help them reach and expand their limits. Kids
have persevered, worked together, made lasting
memories with their friends and made new friends,
and simply had a blast. In addition to running our
own independent program, we also led rides all
summer for over 315 kids
enrolled in Flagstaff’s
F.A.C.T.S. program. While
some of these kids may
never ride again, we hope
that some will be on the
trails with us for years to
come.
awareness with development of
biking skills and simply having fun.”
The Flagstaff chapter of Trips for
Kids is still going strong, bringing
the joy of bicycling to at-risk youth
from Flagstaff and across Arizona.
Building on this strong foundation,
we started this spring to take our
mission of promoting youth cycling to
a new level. Now the joy of bicycling
is available to all of Flagstaff’s kids,
not just those considered “at-risk.”
With the help of an enthusiastic
teacher and eager volunteers, we began by taking
Flagstaff Middle School students on after-school
rides every Monday this spring. Thanks to some
foresight and a kind donation (thanks, Johnny and
Yakima racks), we have two vans outfitted to carry
with us, in groups as
small as two and as
large as nine or 10.
Some of these kids have
only ridden with us once,
leaving with a smile on
their face; others have
ridden four or five or six
times over the summer,
often together with a
small group of siblings
or friends; a few have
ridden almost every day
they’re in town. We’ve
had kids who’ve never
ridden a mountain bike
before share the trail with virtual pros who raced
all spring. Though we usually limit the riders to age
10 and over, we’ve had younger kids hang tough on
long, technical rides, and even on miserably rainy
epics… in at least one case, showing textbook
This summer is almost
over (and will be by the
time you read this), but
that doesn’t mean that
the fun is over. This fall,
The FBO Youth Mountain
Biking Program will offer
after-school rides every
weekday afternoon and
more ambitious adventures on weekends. Once
winter sets in here in Flagstaff, there’s always
Sedona for weekend trips. Once the snow melts,
we’ll be back on Flagstaff trails for after-school
rides… and then comes another summer of daylong
adventures. We hope to see the program
become a tradition for Flagstaff’s kids (and those
visiting from elsewhere), offering positive biking
experiences for kids of all levels of involvement
and helping to make cycling a part of their lives for
years to come.
For more information about the program,
details about ride times and locations,
and to sign kids up to participate, contact
Neil Ross at Neil@flagstaffbiking.org or
(928) 814-9792.
Come ride with us!
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 5
Developing Safe Kids
Flagstaff Biking Organization was once again privileged
to continue the Safekids’s Helmet and Bicycle Rodeo
Program. While the helmet program continued to grow,
we felt that children needed to know rules of the road
to ride safely in their own neighborhood. To that end,
we shifted our focus from presenting Bicycle Rodeos
on weekends and changed them to where we knew we
would have their attention, their own school.
During the spring of 2006,
eight elementary schools
in Flagstaff welcomed
SafeKids into their
classrooms for a unique
teaching experience, a
Bicycle Rodeo. So what
is a Bicycle Rodeo? At the elementary school we would
set up a mock road course outside, usually on their
playground, complete with street signs and pedestrian
cross walks. After the children had viewed a short safety
video in their classroom and taught the correct way to
wear a helmet (and the importance of wearing one!),
the children would come outside and learn first hand
the rules of the road. SafeKids and FBO provided the
bikes for the event, as well as helmets. In addition, FBO
and SafeKids also did four Bicycle Safety Presentations
at other elementary schools where facilities prohibited
us setting up the actual rodeo. This Bicycle Safety
Education Program has exposed over 1800 children to
bike riding safety in 2006!
Meanwhile, the helmet program continued to grow.
As always, the main mission for this program was
simple; get helmets on kid’s heads. This year, FBO and
SafeKids sold over 900 helmets to elementary students
at below cost and 100 helmets were also sold at below
cost or given away free to children at the Bike Bazaar
during Bike to Work Week. Also, over fifty helmets
were also given away through our Referral Program
where teachers and/or social workers can identify
children whose financial situation would prohibit them
from purchasing one.
Flagstaff Biking Organization was able to subsidize this
growing program due to a generous donation from Kyle
Norris, M.D. of the Summit Center. Our goal for the
2006-2007 school year is to go to even more elementary
schools and present Bicycle Rodeos to even more kids
in addition to increasing the number of helmets on the
heads of Flagstaff’s youth.
If you would like to be involved in this program or would
like to schedule a Bicycle Rodeo at your school, please
contact Melissa Grimes at (928) 606-1533 or
melissa@flagstaffbiking.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Loop Trail?
A. When finished The Loop Trail will be an
approximately 42 mile long trail circumnavigating
Flagstaff. The loop will utilize a variety of Forest
System trails, abandoned roads, the FUTS system,
The Arizona Trail and county trails.
Q. How do I access The Loop Trail?
A. The Loop Trail is divided into 8 segments with
each segment having at least 1 trailhead. Each
passage is no longer than 15 miles making it
possible to complete individual sections. Please
visit Flagstaffbiking.org to view a map or pick one
up free of charge at city hall.
Q. When will The Loop Trail be completed?
A. The majority of The Loop Trail is laid out and
planned, the next step is to complete the N.E.P.A.
process and then the build the trails. The funding of
The Loop Trail will be a large factor as to when the
trail will be finished.
Q. What is N.E.P.A. and how much will it
cost to complete the process for The Loop
Trail?
A. N.E.P.A. is the National Environmental Policy Act.
Please read the following section to learn more
about the N.E.P.A. process
The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969
The purposes of this act are: To declare a
national policy which will encourage productive
and enjoyable harmony between man and his
environment; to promote efforts which will
prevent or eliminate damage to the environment
and biosphere and stimulate the health and
welfare of man; to enrich the understanding of
Flagstaff’s Amazing
Loop Trail Explained
the ecological systems and natural resources
important to the Nation; and to establish a Council
on Environmental Quality.
The congress recognizes that each person should
enjoy a healthful environment and that each person
has a responsibility to contribute to the preservation
and enhancement of the environment.
Q. What does this federal process require?
A. To provide a direction of use that considers some
of the following aspects:
* Beneficial use with the least amount of impact
to the environment
* Input from a number of specialist not limited
to wildlife biologist, watershed planners,
archeologist and the Forest Service recreation
planner etc.
* Preservation of historical and cultural values.
* To find a balance between population and the
resource.
* A timeline for each aspect of the project from
planning to building.
Q. How much will the NEPA process cost
for The Loop Trail?
A. The current estimate as prepared by the Forest
Service is $34,375
Q. How is Flagstaff Biking Organization
assisting the Forest Service with the NEPA
process?
A. FBO is working in conjunction with a number
of entities to raise the funds needed as well as
contributing a large portion itself.
For more information on the Loop Trail project,
Visit: www.looptrail.org or contact the
Project Manager: Dave McKee.
Contact: david@flagstaffbiking.org
David McKee
is a local artist, biker demon
and trail runner.

Page 6
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
2006 Trail Building and Maintenance Program
Balancing new construction
and much-needed maintenance
The FBO Trail
Program has
“ w e a t h e r e d ”
through forest
closures, extreme
drought conditions
and record
setting monsoon
rainstorms this
season, managing
to hold 7 trail day
events since late
April. Our dedicated
group of trailcrew
volunteers and Forest Service representatives have
completed maintenance projects on the following
trails: Elden Lookout, Fatman’s Loop, Sunset Trail (2
events) and the Fort Valley Trail system. New trail
construction has been focused on the reroute of
the Upper Moto Trail, with 4 trail days dedicated
to this brand new, advanced multi use trail. The
completion date of the new Upper Moto Trail is
slated for Spring 07. Work will continue on the trail
throughout the Fall, weather permitting. Volunteer
hours have exceeded 1500 hours so far this season,
with a goal of 2000 hours for the 2006 season.
Anyone interested in volunteering for any of the
FBO trail projects can contact the trail program
coordinator through the FBO website.
FBO created their volunteer trail day program
in 2002 as a way to unite the various trail user
groups (hikers, bikers, equestrians, trail runners,
motorcyclists) with all the Government public
land agencies. These agencies include the USFS,
Coconino County, City of Flagstaff, BLM and
Thanks to our generous sponsors
State Land departments. Since 2002, the FBO
trail programs have coordinated the building and
development of over 25 miles of new and improved
multi-use trails in and around the Flagstaff area.
The vision of the Trail Progam continues to evolve
but the original goals of building new multi-use
trails and maintaining as well as improving existing
trails in the Flagstaff area are still the main focus.
We achieve these goals with the help of our local
government land agencies, an amazing volunteer
group of trail users and YOU! If you use the trails,
join us this season and help make the Flagstaff trail
system even better! The trail program is open to
everyone age 16 and over.
September 23rd
Sandys Canyon
Maintenance of Sandys Canyon Trail from
Lake Mary Road
Meet at: Sandy’s Canyon trail head & Lake Mary
Road
Sponsored by:
October 14th
Lower Brookbank Trail
Maintenance of Lower Brookbank Trail from
Mt. Elden Lookout Road
Meet at: Lower Brookbank trail head & Mt. Elden
Lookout Road
October 28th
Fort Valley/Uper Moto Trail
New construction of Fort Valley/
Upper Moto Trails
Meet at: Hwy 180 & FS164B
November 11th
Pipeline/ Mt. Elden Trail system
Maintenance of Pipeline/Mt Elden Trail system
Meet at: TBD
Please come out and give back to the
trails. Don’t talk about it, BE about it!
All Trail Events start at 9am and will end at 3pm.
Lunch and refreshments provided at all events.
Raffle prizes and trail T-shirts eligible to all
volunteers. Please wear protective footwear, long
pants, and bring gloves if you have them. Tools and
protective gear will be provided.
For additional information, check the FBO website
or contact: Mark Gullo at (928) 214-0105 or
trails@flagstaffbiking.org.
Mobile Trail Crew
Mark Gullo
has nearly achieved the lofty goal of
local status after 20 years on the trails
and roads of Northern AZ. From his
first taste of dirt at a Sunset Trail event
in 1987 to his current role as FBO’s trail
program coordinator, multi-use trail
advocacy and preservation has been
one of his passions.
The FBO Mobile
Trail Crew
program enters
into it’s 3rd season in 2006. This program combines trail
maintenance with a mountain bike ride or hike since
the trail tools are lightweight and portable.
FBO provides the portable tool kits to the trail crew.
The crew arrives together at a specified trail location in
need of minor maintenance and spends approximately
1.5 hours or more addressing the issues. Afterwards,
the mobile crew continues the ride and/or hike and
arrives back in town before dark. Please contact Mark
if you are interested in helping with Mobile Trail Crew.
We are also considering adding a weekend trail crew
date if there is interest. FBO has a limited number
of positions open this season for the mobile trail
crew program; all interested parties can contact the
FBO website, www.flagstaffbiking.org or trails@
flagstaffbiking.org. Mark Gullo FBO trail coordinator
can be contacted directly at (928) 214-0105.
FBO Bike Recycling Program
FBO will recycle your old, unwanted bikes and give
them a new life for a charitable deduction. For more
information, contact Mark Gullo at (928) 214-
0105 or trails@flagstaffbiking.org.
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 7
Lake Mary Widening Project
As many of you know, about a year ago, Flagstaff had
public input meetings to discuss the widening of Lake
Mary Road. The United States Forest Service (USFS),
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the
Federal Highways Department representatives were
available for presentation and questions with regard
to the widening and improvement of safety turnouts
along the narrow stretch of Lake Mary Road. Following
massive public support, the project was approved.
As many of you also know, the Lake Mary project is
scheduled for implementation in 2009. The following
is an update on that Project.
According to Tom Puto of the Federal Highways
Program, the program that is in place to do these forest
highway improvements is called the Forest Highway
Program. There are three entities that determine what
the priorities are for the Forest Highway Program
within the State. These three entities are the USFS,
ADOT, and the Federal Highways Department. They
meet once a year regarding the priorities. This year
the meeting should be in March in Phoenix. Some
of the criteria for prioritization are: recreation usage,
safety, amount of traffic, and validity of the project.
At this point, Tom states that the Lake Mary Road
Widening Program is still set for 2009. The design
should be done by the fall of 2007. At this point, he
believes they will have about 7-9 million dollars for the
Lake Mary Road Widening Project. He is estimating
that with the hugely escalating cost of construction,
the project will cost around 14-15 million to do the
entire length of narrow roadway. (Of course, these are
estimates on his part.)
According to Mr. Puto, the project that bumped Lake
Mary Road widening project from the initially projected
date was the Big Lake Project. This was always on the
list ahead of the Flagstaff Project and had been on
their list for about 9 years before it was built. The Big
Lake Project ran into cost problems and was not built
out in its entirety. The project was shortened because
they did not have the funds to build it as planned.
This had to do with the rising cost of construction of
approximately 20-25% per year in the last few years.
When asked if it was possible that the Lake Mary Road
project could be bumped from our place on the priority
list, Mr. Puto advised me that although he did not think
this was probable, it was possible. He cited that there
Jan Blackman
has been riding road and mountain
bikes since 1987, commutes to work
and loves the bike lifestyle. She’s on
the Bicycle Advisory Committee and
Parks & Rec Commission because she
believes it is important to get involved
in the community and encourage all
that ride bikes to do the same.
is a project on Highway 260, near Young, Arizona that
one Congressman was trying to get to the forefront
before ours. Apparently, there may be about 1 million
dollars from an outside source (other than the Forest
Service Program) that is available for the project and
that could sway its placement on the priority list.
It appears like the Forest Roads Program will be 7-8
million dollars short to fund the entire project. If we
can find some more funding, this will not only help us
obviously to actually do the project; but it might also
help us when determinations are made to prioritize
projects.
To express your support for this project, contact Rick
Renzi at rick.renzi@mail.house.gov or (928) 213-3434
and let him know you want the Lake Mary Road
Widening Project to proceed as planned.
Contact: jblackman@npgcable.com
Keeping Secret
Things we do everyday you
might not ever know about.
When the final Environmental Assessment for the Fort
Valley Ecosystem Restoration Project was released by
the U.S. Forest Service in July of 2000, it had been
through the numerous review processes as well
as a couple of lawsuits. The plan had initially been
assembled through the efforts of the Greater Flagstaff
Forest Partnership, a group that included the Grand
Canyon Trust, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, among others. Its intent was to
use a community partnership to restore forest health
in the Fort Valley area through prescribed burns,
thinning projects, wildlife habitat protection and trail
and road management.
At the time that this plan was created and decided,
there was no Flagstaff Biking Organization. Many of
the key players in the agencies and organizations
involved have since moved on. To compound issues,
this document is over 180 pages and in some cases
is a bit vague as to specifically what was intended to
be done as a final action. Among the things that have
been accomplished in Fort Valley is the construction
of several miles of new single track by Flagstaff Biking
Organization volunteers and the Forest Service. One
project that has yet to be started is the obliteration
of social trails. (For the record, Flagstaff Biking is not
excited about this proposition, as it will eliminate some
riding opportunities. The up side to this plan is that we
will probably see a net gain of good mountain bike
trail miles in Fort Valley. FBO will not be participating
in this obliteration.)
Secret Trail has been an ongoing part of the
interpretive process regarding the implementation
of the Plan. This trail is slated to become a system
trail (recognized by the Forest Service) with some reroutes
and realignment. Specifically, sections of this
trail pass through a Mexican Spotted Owl nesting site,
and the trail must be moved to protect this endangered
species. (Similarly, Upper Moto is being adopted into
the system, but is being entirely re-routed because
the current alignment is along the fall line and it is
eroding into a ditch.)
As management roles of individuals at the Peaks
District of the Coconino National Forest have changed
Anthony Quintile
is an avid mountain biker and
motorcyclist, and promotes multipleuse
where ever he rides. Through many
events and volunteer efforts, he is an
advocate for trail building and riding.
He is the manager of Absolute Bikes,
and can be found there most days.
and as Forest Service employees have moved on,
information about the implementation of the Fort
Valley plan has tended to be “lost” within the system.
Secret Trail, on several occasions, got lost in this
shuffle. Throughout these changes, we have been
in communication with various administrators within
the Peaks District in order to keep as many trails as
possible by making sure that if they were included
in the Fort Valley plan that they stay in the plan and
become system trails, which is ultimately the best way
to ensure the future of a trail. As it stands, we are
waiting for the opportunity to go out and help flag the
new alignments for Secret Trail, which will extend all
the way to Schultz Tank eventually. The good news
is that now Secret Trail is on everyone’s agenda for
inclusion in the System.
Contact: anthony@absolutebikes.net or
(928) 779-5969

Page 8
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
Come on Baby, light my way…
Although many Flagstaffians will temporarily give up
the bike for the comforts of the heated car come winter,
the late summer and fall are still beautiful seasons to
enjoy Flagstaff via bicycle. Since the 23rd of September
marks the last time that we will experience more than
12 sunlit hours this year and with the approach of the
Equinox and winter Solstice it is important to review
and pay close attention to our bicycle’s dedicated
nighttime riding equipment. First, we should all be
familiar with the law:
ARS 28-817 - Bicycle equipment
A. A bicycle that is used at nighttime shall have a lamp on the
front that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least
five hundred feet to the front and a red reflector on the rear of a
type that is approved by the department and that is visible from all
distances from fifty feet to three hundred feet to the rear when the
reflector is directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on
a motor vehicle. A bicycle may have a lamp that emits a red light
visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear in addition
to the red reflector.
In short, the intent of the above statute is twofold:
1.) To adequately see the road in front of you
2.) To be seen by others on the road including other
bicycles, pedestrians, and automobiles. There are
a number of different ways to satisfy the law and its
inherent goals, it is up the individual rider to decide
what level they need and how much they are willing
to spend on it. As with all things bike related, there
are bigger and better products out there including the
Once completed, the FUTS,
a non-motorized urban trail
network, will interconnect
virtually all areas of the City
and will serve as an important
transportation element as
well as a recreation amenity.
For more information on the
Flagstaff Urban Trail System,
please contact Martin Ince,
Multimodal Planner, at
(928) 226-4850 or email at
mince@ci.flagstaff.az.us.
Planned
FUTS and
Other Trail
Projects
Existing FUTS
Planned FUTS
Planned Single Track
Existing Single Track
NORTH
1
Miles
Flagstaff Metropolitan
Planning Organization
July 2006
Loop Tr
Observatory Mesa Tr
Rio North Tr
rechargeable battery packs and super-duper multi lamp
options; but, for the majority, the simple will suffice.
Let’s start with the basic options first. The battery
powered incandescent headlight and LED tail flasher
is the most popular and flexible combination for a
number of different reasons. First, they run on batteries,
alkaline or rechargeable, are extremely reliable (until
the batteries run out), and the incandescent headlamp
will typically use a standard, replaceable, lamp. This
pragmatic combination varies widely in cost but for
most casual riders, a combo unit featuring a regular
filament incandescent and a three LED combo taillight
will provide safe and legal riding.
The next step up from the standard incandescent
headlight will take us into the world of HID and halogen
lighting. HID and halogen bicycle lights are fairly
similar in design to their incandescent cousins but the
gas-filled lamps operate at a much higher temperature
and are able to produce many more foot-candles while
consuming a scant bit more energy. The variations on
these lamp-sets are as numerous as the choices in
incandescent and although one may pay a few extra
dollars for the upgraded lights, the increased visibility
can make it more than worth it on a dark moonless
night. The higher end HID and halogen sets will
frequently use lightweight lithium ion cells instead of
heavier nickel metal hydride batteries but one can also
still find halogen and HID’s that operate on alkaline and
Santa Fe West Tr
San Francisco Tr
Ponderosa/ JW Powell Tr
Highlands Tr
Fort Valley Path
Sechrist Tr
Route 66 Tr
Pine Knoll Tr
Arizona Tr
Lone Tree Tr
JW Powell Tr
Winifred Ranch Tr
North 89 Tr
East Flag TI
Timberline Tr
Fourth St Overpass
Mall Tr
Loop Tr
TC ‘Hot Tommy’ Eberly
has never raced a competitive bike
race in his life, he likes to think that
thinking about racing is almost as
good as actually doing it.
rechargeable household batteries for convenience.
The most recent major technological addition to
bicycle lighting is the high output LED headlight. A
clear version of the widely accepted taillight LED has
been used for years in clusters to function as a primary
headlight. Unfortunately, even with advances in lens
and reflector technology, the LED is generally just not
quite bright enough for all but the most casual headlight
user. Hence, the development of the high wattage LED.
Three watt and five watt LED’s have now replaced their
woefully inadequate brethren and are now decent
substitutes for most incandescent and some HID or
halogen sets. The consumer will generally pay more
for the advanced technology, but the advantages of a
light-set that will not burnout while consuming very
little battery power may be well worth it to you. These,
like the HID and halogen lamps, will typically feature
multiple brightness levels and will frequently come
with a rechargeable battery pack that mounts on the
bicycle.
The final type of bicycle lighting is actually a category
and it encompasses all of the above mentioned variants
with one caveat: No batteries. The solid magnet
generator or dynamo as it is frequently called, has been
in use for decades and is much more prevalent on the
bicycle racks of Europe than here in the States. The
dynamo uses a variety of methods including sidewallmount,
bottom bracket-mount and hub-mount to
transform the rotation of the petals or tires into
electricity. This electricity is then run through wires on
the bike to power either headlights, taillights, or both.
The most common dynamos on the market will produce
up to 6 watts of energy and will run every type of
lighting system mentioned above. They work in almost
all climate conditions and are virtually maintenance
free since they rely on the operator to provide power
through pedaling rather than batteries. This is of
course the cause of the biggest drawback for dynamos;
the lights stop when you do. Dynamos should almost
always be used in conjunction with a rear reflector or
rear LED to supplement the generator when stopped
at an intersection. Without supplemental illumination,
automobiles may not be able to see bicycles stopped
from the rear. With some form of supplemental
illumination however, dynamos provide a great way to
bike safely at night without having to use disposable
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 9
Under the Banner of Doping
Our church, the church of cycling is obviously flawed as
are many churches of religion which have concealed,
promoted and perpetrated far more grotesque and
obscene activities compared to doping. Just like the
loyal patrons of these religions marred by transgressions
still find connection to their god, we must keep our
connection to the sport of cycling through what we know
in its beauty and fundamental glory found with each and
every stroke of the pedals.
The architects of a cycling fan’s heart: Fausto Coppi
(who freely admitted to using drugs), Jacques Anquetil
(who also never hid the fact that he took drugs), and
Eddy Merckx (who tested positive more than once in his
career) et. al. were dopers......it has always been crazy
that way. So, if these are the founders of modern cycling,
what do you expect? Look at the roots of sport and its
gladiators. Paul Kimmage wrote about the culture of
doping in cycling with true grit in his book: “A Rough
Ride” and then Willy Voet in: “Breaking the Chain”. But
the fact is the public has always wanted to see people lay
it on the line and make the ultimate sacrifice. We all know
cycling is dangerous, just ask Joseba Beloki, but evidently
that’s not enough. Not even Paris Roubaix will satiate our
appetites. After you make the typical sacrifices: time,
career, sometimes family, what’s left to give; a piece of
your soul (and maybe your life as with Tommy Simpson),
and that’s doping.
Billy Corgan’s line from the Smashing Pumpkins sums it
up well: “with every chemical you trade a piece of your
soul”. We all have the choice to make that trade at some
point in our lives... it is inevitable. It may be plagiarizing a
term paper or putting a little too much octane in your tank
at the lawn mower derby. It is all on different levels and
different playing fields, but it is the same moral issue. To
knowingly cheat... and then to file that information away
in the recesses of your brain like a piece of lead shrapnel
that slowly contaminates your blood, and ironically, if
the toxicity is sufficient, effects your conscious memory
with maladies such as Alzheimer’s. We poison ourselves
to the point of forgetting the black market trades we’ve
made. How much we poison ourselves is up to us.
Ultimately I believe we poison ourselves to feed the ego.
So do all clean riders have control of their ego? No, but
hopefully they can avoid Alzheimer’s. If my theory is true
Barry Bonds won’t be able to remember his home run
record.
Cycling is not immune to this dilemma nor is the stock
market. From Marco Pantanni to Martha Stewart we all
have to make THE DECISION. Do we knowingly cheat?
Being a father I aspire to instill the love and confidence in
my boy that will provide the basis for security and stability;
the nemesis to the soul trade. If our younger generations
can see that it is ok to be who we are, do our best and be
happy with ourselves... wouldn’t that be great? This may
run counter to the megaton media blitz our children (and
ourselves) are exposed to that conveys the ideal man and
woman as people who use the Ab-blaster and Dexitrim
like we used the jungle gym and raisins growing up.
Who We Are and Why We Matter:
The Cycling Counterculture
About three weeks ago, I found myself in a sort
of precarious position. A friend of mine had read
something I’d written—always a bad start—and had a
few contentions to my ideas. The piece I’d written was
in regards to cycling as a counterculture in American
society and how it acts as a sort of catalyst for those
ideals that can be directly or indirectly tied to the
concept of a counterculture. Not surprisingly, she
disagreed rather vehemently with my contention, and
thus the battle ensued: is cycling a counterculture, or
is it simply a collection of obsessed hobbyists? And
more importantly, does it really matter?
For the sake of clarification, let’s define a
counterculture as a group that holds to certain ideals
or a certain lifestyle that is in some way oppositional
to that of established norms in society. As verbose
as that sounds, it boils down quite nicely: folks who
live their lives differently from the majority. In that
regard, cycling, in and of itself, has not proven itself
to be anything more than a hobby. But, consider
the Flagstaff cycling scene and everything it
encompasses. It has its own factions—Team Hobo,
the Mutants, the Racers, the Fixies, the Townies,
the Commuters, and so on—and each faction has its
own personality, its own distinct style. These are the
beginnings of counterculture, but only the very tip of
the iceberg. What else is necessary?
The very idea of counterculture hinges on one idea:
choice. A member of a counterculture must make
a choice to live in opposition of cultural norms—i.e.
The pressure in our time is so great. It starts early. From
the AYSO soccer father who yells to “suck it up” when
his boy has had the wind knocked out of him to the eight
year old beauty contestant’s mother who is counting
calories and considering the U.S. Pork Farmers sponsored
Atkin’s diet for her girl. There is so much pressure in the
world beyond our homes. Perhaps our homes can be a
sanctuary for decompression?
So what does all this have to do with riding a bike? Here
is where sport becomes beautiful again because sport is a
metaphor for our lives. Through it we feel moved to cheer,
cry and change our own lives in ways we never imagined
possible. If you are an avid cyclist do you remember doing
your first 10 mile ride or 20 or 40? I remember my first 40
mile ride and it seemed like a Louis and Clark expedition
in that it was an exploration not of America but of my
own boundaries. This journey certainly doesn’t require
doping. It is vivid, real and clean. That is the romance of
this sport, the essence. This is the unadulterated memory
we must hold on to as we progress through our sport or
career where soul trading may be prevalent. We must
remember what we love about our sport and careers and
what they means to us… so we do not let the memory
haze over with self induced fog.
Contact: velo@aspect1.net
Doug Loveday
resides in Flagstaff with his
wife Tanja and son Tristan. He is
pursuing his Masters degree in
Exercise Science at NAU while
running his coaching business:
www.cyclingperformance.net.
Dan “D2” Cavallari
is a freelance writer, mechanic
at AZ Bikes, and purveyor of all
things two-wheeled.
riding a bike to work instead of driving, going for
a long ride instead of playing a video game, et
cetera—and sadly enough, many of the most crucial
aspects of cycling lie in direct opposition to how most
Americans live their lives these days. I say sadly not
because cycling in and of itself has proven to be a
devious or disgusting thing; quite the contrary, in fact.
It’s the American way of life that seems to be sinking
into a degenerated hole.
In what context is the idea of cycling as a
counterculture important? Certainly it doesn’t affect
the vast majority of folks interested in throwing their
article continued... Page 13

Page 10
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Flagstaff Biking Organization
2006 Highlights FBO Expenses – 2005
Bike to Work Week:
• Over 1800 people ride their bike to work or
school
• 14,286 miles logged during the week
• Bike to School Day increases to include over
200 students riding bikes
• New bicycle safety television ads, courtesy
of Northern Arizona University students, are
broadcasted on Cox Media throughout Bike to
Work Week and the rest of the summer.
Trips for Kids
• Over 100 kids were exposed to mountain biking
whose economic barriers would otherwise
prohibit their participation.
• Trips for Kids Flagstaff supplies the bicycles,
food and guides
• For the second year, TFK Flagstaff partners with a
inner city outreach program in Phoenix and takes
refugee children from Africa on MTB rides.
Safekids
• 900+ helmets were sold in Flagstaff area
elementary schools at below cost
• 100 helmets were given away during the “Bike
Bazzaar” of Bike to Work Week
• 12 Bicycle Rodeos exposed over 1200 elementary
students to bicycle safety via a hands on outdoor
bicycle road course demonstration.
• 4 Bicycle Safety Presentations exposed over 600
children to bicycle safety
• 50+ helmets are given away to children who could
not otherwise afford one
Youth Mountain Bike Program
• The Youth MTB Program starts in April at Flagstaff
Middle School with after school rides.
• The program continues during the summer
offering rides from 9am-4pm every weekday.
• In it’s first year, this youth developmental cycling
program exposed over 100 kids to singletrack
riding, trail etiquette and mountain bike riding
skills since May.
Trail Day Program
• With 7 trail days under our belt, over 1425 volunteer
hours!
• 5 more scheduled for 2006 so we should exceed
2000 volunteer hours!
Pancake Rides
• Flagstaff Biking Organization hosts four pancakes
rides in the Summer of 06
• Over 100 riders enjoy free breakfast trailside!
$2,849.00
$3,313.25
$7,332.89
$5,673.02
$38,287.39
FBO Income – 2005
$4,018.50
$5,300.00
$31,800.00
Programs
Fundraising
Administration
Event Income
Program Sponsors
Memberships
Sales
Grants
Biopic Newsletter
• Flagstaff Biking Organization continues to publish
this cycling newsletter and distributes over 8000
to the public free of charge!
• The Biopic begins to offer advertising to
businesses
• New Art Deco Metal Racks are produced to
display the free publicatioin in local businesses.
• Beginning 2007, this publication will become
quarterly.
Loop Trail
• Flagstaff Biking Organization and Coconino County
obtain a commitment from the Coconino National
Forest to begin NEPA on the Flagstaff Loop Trail
segments and Doney Park trails segments on the
National Forest in 2007
Free-Ride and Downhill Biking in Flagstaff
• Flagstaff Biking Organization, with the help of
Jonathan Wright, begins discussions with the
Coconino National Forest about the potential for
legal free-ride and downhill mountain biking trails.
• The International Mountain Bicycling Association’s
help is enlisted courtesy of a National Forest
Foundation Grant to help educate local Land
Managers on this subject.
Business Memberships
• Flagstaff Biking Organization begins offering a
$200 per year Business Membership.
Individual Memberships
• Individulal memberships to FBO increase and
help us provide bicycle advocacy, youth, and trail
programs thoughout the year.
Sustaining ($100 - $249)
Fall 2006
FBO would like to thank our members for their financial
support which makes our work possible. All memberships
are annual and can be renewed by mail or via credit card
on our website. If you have any questions regarding
membership, please call Melissa at 606-1533 or
email her at melissa@flagstaffbiking.org.
Thank you!
Believer ($500 and above)
David Bednar
John & Deb Ledington
Jim Gibson
Tod Lewis
Associates ($250 - $499):
Douglas “Lee”
Campbell, DDS
Christie Dennis
David Kumasaka
Carl Bigler
David Blanchard
Alexandra Carpino
Geoff Cross
Dave Dobrick
Charels Demilner
Len Garrambone
Bob Gaylord
Mark Gullo
Chad Johnson
Ken Lane
Chuck McDougal
Supporting ($50 - $99)
Mitchell Adair
Susan Amon
Nik Antestenis
Paul Berg
Gay Chanler
Daniel Davidson
Agnes Drogi
Jeff Eisner
Peter Eldridge
Fabian Franco
Melissa Grimes
Kristin Guaziano
David Hayes
Stuart Henderson
Dave Herbold
Darrell Kaufman
John Kelty
Todd Kennedy
Paul Kiehne
David Laing
Brett Larson
Jim Marzolf
Tami Masuoka
Mark Mayer
David McKee
Wayne McLellan
Bonnie O’Donnell
Michael Ort
Neil & Wendy
Ross
John McGregor
Kip Moyer
Anthony Quintile &
Stephanie McCarthy
Kevin & Paula Rand
Jim Schwarz
Tom Sisk
Russell Tweed
Stephen Ward
Jack Welch
Jim Wilson
David & Ellen
Ryan
Michael
Satterwhite
Derek & Kelly
Shields
Tim & Erika
Steffen
Bruce Steinhaus
Anita Switzer
Douglas Thomas
Laurence Whelan
John Zimmerman
Program Sponsors & Business Partners
Absolute Bikes
Aspen Sports
AZ Bikes
Biffs Bagels
Flagstaff Adventure Sports
Bookman’s
Campus Coffee Bean
Cosmic Cycles
Flagstaff Bicycle & Fitness
Late for the Train
Flagstaff Medical Center
City of Flagstaff
U.S. National Forest Service
Rob Lloyd
Duffie Westheimer
Jay Yager
Four Season Outfitters & Guides
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future
Kyle Norris, MD
Pay N Take
Law Office of Luke Mulligan, P.C.
Mountain Sports
NATRA Shepard Wesnitar,
Inc
Teva
Coconino County
Trip Choice
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 11
How your membership and donations
further cycling in our community
*
*
Are you tired of hearing about how long it takes to get things done? Help us
speed up the process. Coordinating a regular volunteer trail program requires
resources to be successful. Advertisements, lunches, incentives all add up
but help make the events fun. Big turnouts = new trails. Putting on a fun and
productive large-scale event costs roughly $1,000.
Facilitating the outreach, design and implementation stages of our 42-mile
Loop Trail is an ambitious endeavor. Driving this project in a timely manner will
require an investment from our organization.
* Financial resources enable us to make Bike to Work Week have lasting impacts.
Regular programming funds are required to support efforts like bike recycling,
Safe Kids, and Trips for Kids - initiatives that are designed to provide fun healthy
opportunities for kids.
*
An organization with a huge number of paid members has a loud public voice
that guarantees significant influence with agencies, grant bodies, and elected
offficials.
* To fulfill our mission requires both grassroots support and full-time, professional
focus. Effectively advocating cycling interests requires constant vigilance.
Annual Memberships
Individual ($20 - $49)
Joel Agena
Deborah Allen-Adair
Craig Anderson
David Anning
Joe Armstrong
Shannon Auckly
Bev Barbarisi
Charlie Beadles
John Benson
Daniel Berry
John Bertko
Tom Bida
Josh Biggs
Patrick Black
Jan Blackman
Bill Blume
Charlie Bongo
James Brooks
Katie Brown
Vicki Brown
Mark Buckholz
Pamela Cady
Clint Carter
Carolyn Castleman
Robert Cheesman
Erik Cole
Paul Colf
Ken Collier
Joanne Comer
John Comer
MariBeth Copeland
Marty Coplea
Adam Cornette
WarrenCronmiller
Perry Davidson
Jason Dosch
Mike Downey
Judy Draper
Terry Draper
Grant Dunstan
Ann Eagan
TC Eberly
Aaron Ells
Matt Engbring
Nancy Evans
V Fabian
Cory Fagerholm
Sarah Falzarano
Art Farmer
James Fazio
Kathy Flaccus
Eric Frye
Mackenzie Gardner
Lisa Gelczis
Jesse Gesten
Ronnie Gibson
Dennis Gill
Dan Gittomer
Edwin Goff
Johnny Gompf
Robert Gooch
Ellen Grabarek
Tom Grabarek
Katie Graham
David Grandon
Lila Hope Greer
Joanne Gullyes
Dan Gwinn
Charlie Hawk
Kristen Hayden
Joe Hazel
Ryan Heck
Brandon Hedberg
Judy Henzler
Dave Hicks
Jeffrey Hines
Tom Holden
Carol Horowitz
Rose Houk
Sam Hull
Gary Hurst
Joth Jacobson
Christina Jan
Roabie Johnson
Wendell Johnson
John Kaspar
Gabriel Keck
Joel Kefuss
Art Keith
Erik Kellerup
Brenda Kelly
David Kemp
Chuck Kincheloe
Gisela Kluwin
Kurt Knittle
Karen Knorowski
Karen Knowlton
Ken Koch
Alexandra Koss
Peter Kosso
Klaus Kracht
William Kunkle
Brett Landin
Andrew Lane
Joe Lang
David Lash
Chris Latham
Sal Laughter
Ray Leiber
David Letty
Joshua Lipton
Beverly Loomis
Frank Loro
Doug Loveday
Cynthia Lovely
Tom Mallard
Dara Marks-Marino
Jay McCallum
Stefan Mettler
Kurt Meyers
Mead Mier
Charlie Mikulewicz
Elson Miles
Mary Mohr
Karen Morefield
William Mulkey
Luke Mulligan
Joe Murphy
Melanie Myers
Anber Naughton
Isaac Neff
Jeannie Neff
John Neff
Annabelle Nelson
Stefan Nikola
David Nila
Dan Overton
Cindy Perger
Gary Phillips
Tim Phillips
Patti Pieper
Jason Pilarski
Paula Pluta
Roger Poirier
Craig Prevost
Tobin Purslow
Michelle Qualls
Cosmic Ray
Brian Riebe
James Riley
Jerry Robertson
Jen Robino
Roger Roll
Robin Rose
Mara Saccoccia
Steve Sanchez
Michael Sanders
Ann Sawyer
Gustav Schick
Chris Schildgen
Ryan Schmidt
Aaron Seifert
Katie Sheridan
Nancy Shibley
Jim Silverman
Karen Sinarski
Victor Sternberg
Vicky Stinson
Jim Straight
Steve Sunda
John Sutton
Julie Taylor
Kai Tierney
John Tingerthal
Ray Topham
Nate Tritle
Penny Trovillion
Jeni Turgeon
William Twomey
John Valvo
PaulV aughn
Nick Voichick
Bruce Walker
Ann Walton
Gwen Waring
David Watters
Scott Waxman
Ed White
Joe Williams
Jonathan Wright
Dick Wolf
Jut Wynne
Mark Young
Adrian Zsilavee

Page 12
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
Trail Reviews with the Gnome:
Flagstaff to Grand Canyon
Instead of the hustle that a day of hucking around on
Schultz provides, sometimes I like to take off my pads, set
the Mountain Dew on my SUV’s tire and leave my comfort
zone for a while. On occasion, a real long ride just sets
the mind in balance again. The Old Moqui stage coach
route from Flag to the Grand Canyon can make the most
of a good day… and even two. What it doesn’t offer in
the way of sweet single-track, the 80 mile excursion will
compensate with in grandeur. This route was originally
used (as its namesake suggests) as a stage coach route
from Flag to the Grand Canyon between 1892 to 1899.
Apparently it cost 20 dollars and took about 10 or 12 hours
to complete. These days, it takes about the same amount
of time by bike. Often, it is referred to as a great overnight
excursion in many online reviews and forums yet, with a
steady pace it is a great single day hump of about ten
hours on the long. No matter what your approach, you
will want to consider some type of sag support unless
you plan to ride back as well. There are plenty of options
for a rendezvous along the route. The roads and trails
traveled on this journey are between hwy 180 to the south
and hwy 64 which resides on the edge of the south-rim.
The in between of these two arteries is a labyrinth of FS
roads and jeep trails that make confusion an easy idea;
a competent map will be a must. Additionally, with the
natural aridity of the plateau, water is a concern even
for the most experienced. Although it is quite possible
to portage all the water one will need, there are a few
cattle tanks toward the end of the ride at around 60 miles
which can do the job of refueling if sag support is not your
angle however, you will want to carry a filter and some
iodine tablets. On the trip this review is based on, the
water was nice and swampy with plenty of single celled
life forms for texture. The best seasons to attempt this
ride will be in the fall or the spring. Mid-summer temps
at the lowest elevations of the ride are usually in excess
of 85 degrees and that simply puts a cramp on hydration
at that altitude. Regardless, Plan appropriately.
Start your engines in the crispy morning around 6 or so
after a good cup of coffee. From the get go, the most
important forest service road to note is FS151 (Hart
Prairie Road). To get there, you have two options. First,
you can ride out to the Fort Valley trails and over to
the base of Snowbowl Rd. This will give you a proper
morning single track wake up call as the trails from here
to there are excellent without too much climbing. Ascend
the seven miles to the lower parking lot of Snowbowl ski
park and drop down Hart Prairie (directly downhill). This
will land you directly onto FS151 where you will want to
hang a right. Otherwise, its not out of the question to
simply ride the nine or so paved miles out of town on
Hwy 180 to the beginning of FS151 (mile post 226) which
will be on the right side of the highway. This will get you
to the start of FS151. The route up Snowbowl will drop
you into FS151 about 4 miles in from this and expect that
option (Fort Valley trails…) to add about 2 hours to your
total ride time.
As a major FS access route on the north side of the San
Francisco Peaks, FS151 provides the most prominent road
for the beginning of the ride. It will top out around 8500’
and provides for the enjoyment of scattered aspen groves
along the ride. The peaks will be on your right shoulder.
The route will take you generally north to, and across the
17,000 acre Hochderffer burn at around 22 miles from
town. Here it is easy to get off route as the “official” route
crosses the sparse grassy burn on faded jeep trails that
generally head north across the Hochderffer burn area.
FS514B is the road recommended here although it’s not
the easiest to find and FS418 will take you to the same
general area as well. Essentially, at the burn area, ride
north on the west side of the most obvious hill (but not
on hwy 180) and you’ll be fine. 514B will be nice and
straight once you hit it and it intersects obviously with a
main east/west dirt road in a clearing known as “White
Buffalo” where you’ll want to go right. This essentially
wraps around to FS418 further north and avoids even
more labyrinth FS confusion to the east. Still with me?
The general rule you need to keep in mind is that the flow
of this ride needs to maintain a northward direction. Sure,
sometimes it fades west and sometimes it fades east but
it always fades north. Most of the roads get there. Some
just take more time and this is part of the adventure.
Learn where Red Mountain is. Know it’s location and
keep it on your left as the terrain changes from the pines
to pinion to grass and you’ll be fine. Occasionally, You
Dave Herbold (the Gnome)
dabbles in all things bicycle mtn, road
and even unispeed (and blogging
about it on onespeeder.com), coffee
and epic rides. Can often be spotted
heading back up the trail when
everyone else is calling it quits.
will see a tattered “AZ trail” marker. These are not bad
to see as they are part of the route however, they are
intermittent and not worth a guarantee. In late spring, the
flowers will be primed for viewing around this area. And
in the Fall… well, it’s the fall. Maybe you’ll get the chance
to see the aspens change. The descent from the higher
elevation becomes a significant ride at around 25 miles
or so where the road begins to drop in elevation over
somewhat technical areas of erosion. It’s fun, enjoy it.
This will bring you into the Tub and Babbitt ranch areas.
This is where the ride bottoms out and the road becomes
pancake flat and smooth. The ranch land seems endless
with plenty of fence and horizon to stoke contemplation.
It’s a good idea to note the prominence of the goathead
thorns in this area. Without sealant (Stans), you’re
guaranteed to be pulling a few tubes. Regardless, enjoy
the view as this ranch area is pretty fun in a big way
like Montana or something. It’s a good time to let the
eyes wander. From this lowest elevation of the ride, the
series of endless 2% grades ascends back up into thicker
pinion forests and to the Moqui Stage Station at 60 miles
in. The station is essentially a dried up brick & clay cistern
once used as a refueling stop for the stage coach. This
point in the ride can be easy to miss as is set off to the
right (northeast) or the road your on by a few yards. The
station is also the entrance to the last segment of AZ
trail. Three miles in from this point is Russell tank and for
this review, it was the only water stop at 60 miles. Again,
it was swampy in mid summer but the five of us on the
ride had no problems with it.
The AZ trail continues its mild climb from here and you
might begin to sense that your arrival at the canyon will
happen soon… and it does. Grandview lookout comes up
in no time and at just about the right time. At Grandview,
the icing on the cake of pain is the last ascent up to the
top of the fire lookout tower. Indeed, although exhaustion
is probable after this ride, it’s absolutely worth it to
climb the 87 stars to the top. The view is a 360 degree
panoramic view of where you started to where you are,
at the edge of one big ass ditch. Grand view is about
80 miles from the Flag depending on your navigational
abilities and that’s about the perfect distance for a beer
and perhaps a bbq. Otherwise, it’s a ten mile jaunt on
hwy 64 to the village. Either way, happy.
Linkage worth using:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/
http://www.absolutebikes.net/
http://azbikes.com/
Contact: gnome@onespeeder.com
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Page 13
The road most traveled.
Embracing pretense for fun and salvation.
Real is easy to find. Real is everywhere. Terror is thwarted
in London. Floyd’s “B” sample is positive. Cycling icon Big
Johnny Kircher is resting uncomfortably after a car hit
him while he was riding on Lake Mary Road .Where does
it end? Isn’t there some appropriate fantasy or blissful
distraction that could give me the respite I need to cling
tenuously to reason in these dark times?
article continued from... Page 9
leg over the saddle and pedaling for a few hours, but
there are important applications that affect anyone
who pedals. Advocacy and trail access, of course, are
two major issues facing all mountain bikers today.
In that vein, it becomes important for all cyclists
to define who and what they are in order to unify
toward a common goal. The label we give ourselves
doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘counterculture,’ but it
does have to be something that suggests we are one
entity with common goals and common ways of life.
Counterculture seems to fit in this situation.
Why yes, yes there is. The answer, for me, lies in the world
of make believe, of childlike play-acting. My friends, I am
a cycling poseur and I couldn’t be more proud.
What’s that you say? You, too, are sick of keepin’ it real?
You, also, would like to indulge in a mostly harmless
fantasy? Fantastic. I’m here to help.
Though I’ve never fooled anyone but myself, I have
assembled a checklist that will allow you to seamlessly
begin acting like a grizzled veteran of the road racing
scene in 7 breathlessly quick steps. Join me, won’t you?
1.) Shave your legs and don’t talk about it. If you are an
otherwise moderately hairy guy and someone points
out that you have no hair on your legs, say, with a
measured amount of snide distain, “Dude, I race
road bikes”, then turn away and go back to drinking
your San Pellegrino. (Women, although you probably
won’t get any attention for shaving your legs, you
must work in the Snide Distain before taking another
sip of San Pellegrino)
2.) Drink San Pellegrino. Any mineral water will do, but
this one seems to carry inexplicable coolness.
3.) Make Dave Stoller proud and speak Italian. Randomly
insert words like “Ciao”, “Bellisimo”, and “Mario
Cippolini” into your sentences. Knowing what any of
these terms mean is completely optional.
4.) Carbon. Make your bike weigh less than your helmet.
Spare no expense. Get a second job if you have to.
Make your kids get careers in the exiting sweatshop
industry. While riding with others, point to your bike
and say, “Do you see that little screwy thing on the
end of my valve stem? Dude, that’s carbon”. (If you
are old enough to have a need for replacement body
parts, make those carbon, too.)
5.) Do not limit your lycra consumption. How can you
possibly look fast if you don’t dress exactly like the
fastest riders? Join a team; get all of the team gear.
Get bibs, jerseys, a wind vest, a rain jacket, arm
warmers, cap, socks, eye patch, whatever, as long as
it is plastered with sponsor’s logos and proudly worn
by actual fast people. If you can get away with it,
wear it to work.
6.) Get a farmer tan. If you are lucky enough to have
naturally darker skin, you can probably disregard
this, but if you are as pale as I am, you should shun
the real tan. Start with a huge bottle of low priced
fake tan lotion. Your “tan” should go from the bottom
of your shorts to the top of your socks and from the
bottom of your jersey sleeves to the top of you team
issue gloves. When you are naked, you should look
like you are wearing some sort of pasty, Euro-chic
weightlifting suit. Will this look sexy? I can’t believe
even have to ask.
7.) Don’t let civilians step to your Uber-Cool image. Our
happy little town is packed full of powerful women
and men who, I am told, ride lots. As a Poseur, you
don’t have that kind of time, but you still have to be
representin’ or all of this is for naught. So, when
some frat boy on his Huffy pulls up next to you at the
stop light on his way back from meeting his Rohipnal
connection, and he wants to see what you’ve got,
you must crush him. He will act like nothing is
happening, then sprint when the light turns green.
Get on his wheel, take a breath, fly by him with your
mouth closed, and keep hammering until you find a
place to turn off and collapse. Vomit in private.
We are not a nation of rebels or anarchists battling for
the right to our own authenticity. We are micro-trend
conformists looking for some graceful sense of belonging
in the parts of the world that fit us best. That being said,
I’m certain that if one were to apply all of these steps,
adding in several personal touches, applying your own
creative sense, and carefully following your own vision,
you could turn out to be just the same as everyone else,
but completely different and oddly unique. I can’t believe
you even have to ask. Ciao!
Contact: perry@summitvelo.com
A more life or death situation hinges on our unity as
cyclists and our notoriety as a counterculture, and
it’s one that has affected many Flagstaff locals both
on and off the bike. As any cyclist knows, there exists
a certain mentality amongst many motorists that the
road belongs solely to them and that bicyclists are
unwelcome. This may seem like a silly triviality, but
here in Flagstaff, where cyclists flock and thrive, it’s
a very real and a very dangerous threat. There have
been deaths very recently as a result of a motorist
hitting a cyclist, not to mention several ‘close calls’
and other frightening stories of aggressive motorists
or traffic accidents involving bicycles. Why does this
apply to the idea of a counterculture? Again, the
idea of unity among those defining themselves as
a counterculture becomes pivotal in responding to
such stories. How many times do we need to hear
about a driver getting slapped on the wrist for killing
a cyclist before it becomes an injustice large enough
for us to unite against?
Maybe defining ourselves as a counterculture is
less important than simply owning up to the fact
that our livelihoods revolve around something we
cherish and something that can be, for all intents
and purposes, taken from us if we do not formulate
a collective voice. Yes, there are cyclists who live
their lives against the norms of society, and yes, the
bike is often the catalyst for such lifestyles, but in the
end, the bicycle is only that unifying thread among
diverse people. While cycling itself may never be
an official counterculture, it can and should be the
impetus for change, the catalyst for those diverse
peoples to unite for what is important to cyclists: trail
access, safety on the roadways, and maybe someday,
the notoriety as a valid and planet-healthy way to
commute. With a collective voice comes power,
and with power comes the ability to implement
change; as a community of cyclists, it seems almost
imperative that we give ourselves a voice, whether
that be a voice of concerned individuals, or that of
a counterculture. And, in the end, aren’t those two
labels really the same thing?
Contact: d_cavallari@yahoo.com

Page 14
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Fall 2006
Gear Junkie
Wing Nut Hyper 3.0
“Just get a Camelback or something to carry your water
and tools.” When you are just starting to mountain
bike those words can be good advice and bad. As you
walk into a bike shop and ask to see their selection
of “Camelbacks” you can be shown any number of
different brands of hydration packs all referred to as
a “Camelback” (Camelback is actually a brand and
what they mean to say is ‘hydration pack’). Using a
hydration pack for mountain biking allows you to carry
lots of stuff, which is very important to us in Arizona.
Monsoons, spring and fall storms, and warm dry
summers keep cyclists on their toes.
Enter: Wing Nut Gear’s Hyper 3.0.
www.wingnutgear.com - Not
just another hydration pack.
I bought my first Camelback in
1995 along with everyone else
at that time. I hated how it would
hit me in the back of the head on
any descent. I quickly bought a pack
by Ultimate Design that would sit lower
on my back and had a much better waist belt that was
much more like a backpack. The weight of the water
and ‘stuff’ in the pack sat lower and felt better on my
back. After that pack fell apart I tried several other
brands including 2 other Camelbacks, but did not
really like them very much. Then, Randy Mason told
me about the Wing Nut pack. I checked them out on
the Internet and ordered one right away. The features
were great: (pulled directly from their website)
* Lightweight sail clothe water resistant fabric
* Waterproof zippers
* Lowrider harness system : “The Lowrider System
is a fully adjustable harness system designed
to ride lower on the back for better weight
distribution while riding. By lowering the load, you
also lower your center of gravity, which improves
your balance. Lowering the weight also reduces
upper body fatigue and back strain caused by
the improper fit and poor positioning found on
traditional hydration packs.”
* Huge side ‘wing’ pockets for easy access
* Compression lacing
The day it showed up I loaded it up and immediately
went for a ride. And when I say I loaded it up here is
what I put in it: 2 tubes, tire pump, shock pump, space
blanket, rain jacket, several assorted bars, and a 100
oz. bladder filled to the top with water. In the side
John Benson
A gear freak his whole life, he has
been riding and racing mountain
and road bikes since 1988. Now
working in bicycle product
development with manufacturer
VooDoo Cycles.
wing waterproof pockets I put my multi tool, patches,
extra 5mm allen key with duct tape wrapped around
it, sunglass chamois, cell phone, any my wallet. I used
the mesh side wing pockets for many gels and other
food. There is even a little pocket on the shoulder
strap I used for Chap stick as well as a safety whistle
incorporated into the sternum buckle.
As I took off riding I had to make several
adjustments to the harness to fit my
torso comfortably. The lowrider harness
is very easy to use and adjust. The weight
of the water and gear sits neatly at my low
back and prevents my back from being sore
by carrying weight too high or too low. To quote
the company’s website: “The Sculpted back panel
allows airflow between you and the pack.” I found
that to work pretty well but the best part is that it does
not have a lot of extra padding and material to add
weight. The bladder pocket is separate from the main
compartment and loads from the bottom. Ideally, this
allows you to load the bladder without emptying the
whole pack. Well, it works most of the time. I have had
trouble stuffing a full bladder into a full pack. Actually
I can’t stuff a full bladder into a full pack because the
nylon fabric separating the compartments is thin and
there isn’t a stiff separator to retain the shape. The
zipper at the bottom is also a problem with mud, but
they have since moved that to the top of the pack.
The Wing Nut Pack is designed with the hose port
mounted lower on the back panel, which routes your
hose under your arm, which points the valve directly
towards your mouth. I chose not to route the hose this
way and ran it over my shoulder instead. I just like it
better this way. The compression cord on the outside
holds helmet, rain gear, or whatever else won’t fit
inside and also serves to keep the loaded pack secure.
I have ridden with it in the rain many times and my
stuff is always dry on the inside.
So if you can’t already tell, I REALLY like this pack. It
holds an amazing amount of stuff and is by far the
lightest pack out there with this number of features.
I would recommend it to any cyclist looking for a
reliable fully featured hydration pack.
Contact: john@voodoocycles.net
Thanks to Dr. Kyle Norris
During the kickoff to Bike to Work Week, Kyle
Norris, M.D., was recognized by Flagstaff Biking
Organization for his dedication to children’s bicycle
safety. Over the past three years, Dr. Norris has
contributed funds to the SafeKids Helmet Program,
making it a reality. Since his involvement with
the program, over 2000 helmets have been sold
at below cost to Flagstaff’s youth and over 200
have been given away to other children whose
economic situation was an obstacle to owing one.
We would like to thank Dr. Norris once again for his
kind donations and for helping us keep Flagstaff’s
children safe!
Can you Help?
Flagstaff Biking Organization is in need of the
following items. If you have any of the below you
would like to donate to our organization, please
email Melissa at melissa@flagstaffbiking.
org or call (928) 606-1533. All donations are
tax-deductible as we are a 501(c) 3 non profit
corporation.
* Laser printer
* Fax machine
* Copy machine
* Laptop computer
* Enclosed trailer
* Small office space
* Volunteer time
Or if you have other items that you think may
be useful to our organization, please contact
Melissa.
come visit us at
www.flagstaffbiking.org

Volume #1, Issue #5
Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization
Page 15
Coe’s Law: The Gospel of John
In the beginning there were always bikes. Kids
bikes, newspaper bikes, BMX bikes.
As kids, my friends and I, we
lived on our bikes.
But, there was a moment. And in that moment I
changed. It was, to borrow an evangelical term, a
moment of conversion. I don’t really know what it was.
And I don’t even know how it began. Not exactly.
This. This must be where it begins: Late one autumn
afternoon, probably sometime in the early part of 1985,
I took a drive, with the windows down and well above
the speed limit, through Papago Park between Tempe
and Phoenix along on the Galvin Parkway. Back then it
was just a lonely, twisty paved road to almost nowhere:
the zoo, Legend City, a couple seedy go-cart tracks,
and the wax museum. As a seventeen-year-old kid I
drove out that way a lot just to get out and drive.
On this particular afternoon I distinctly remember
noticing something moving along the base of the
buttes. It wasn’t a hiker, or a climber, or a horseback
rider. It was a guy on a bike. A long, tall, dark-blue
bike with fat, cruiser wheels and big silver handlebars.
He was riding, standing up off the saddle, along the
horseback riding trail that still-to-this-day encircles
those small mountains, in and out of the many little
arroyos that run off the rocks.
How powerfully the image of that anonymous guy
riding that anonymous bike hit me. I can recall that
I knew, in that instant I knew that that, that whole
riding-on-dirt-between-cactus-and-rocks-on-a-bigfat-tired-bike-with-wide-silver-handlebars-thing
was
for me. It clicked in my head almost audibly. It made
sense, got me excited, made me desire an experience
like that of my own. And so I pursued it.
And ever since, it has always been the easy, natural,
pure passion for riding that has attracted me to those
with whom I ridden regularly over the years. And it is
their influence that continues to reveal itself in how
and where I ride, and what I have to say about bikes,
to this day. I am a product of their influence.
I was not drawn to riding mountain bikes, nor was
I taught how to ride mountain bikes, because I was
shown the evils of the automobile, though those same
sins are abundantly clear to me now. I was attracted
John Coe
You can often find the author
spending time with his daughter,
riding a bike or watching television.
He’s lived in Flagstaff since 1991
and occasionally writes about
cycling for newspapers and
magazines, most notably Bike.
to bikes, and quickly grew to crave riding, because of
the way my cycling friends lived, and rode, and spoke
to me about their passion. It is my hope to pass on my
own passion in much the same way.
Many of the best evangelists I know are cyclists.
We each, we true believers, bear this burden as an
obligation. But it is an uncommonly light burden,
considering its import. Indeed, because we so love
what we do, we tend to welcome its weight on our
shoulders.
So, we must remember: we do not tell others about
the inherent goodness of the bike by telling them, so
much as we do by living and riding what we believe
in front of them, easily, naturally, and with that pure
passion that drives us out the door and into the woods
because it simply a good time to go ride.
Contact: john.coe@gmail.com

Volume #1, Issue #5 Bi•opic : A semi-regular publication of Flagstaff Biking Organization Fall 2006
Flagstaffbiking.org Advisory Board
Pamela Cady
Mark Gullo
Jon Kircher
Tod Lewis
Melissa Grimes, Executive Director
Bi•opic Production
David McKee
Anthony Quintile
Neil Ross
Jack Welch
Stephanie McCarthy, Graphic Design
Melissa Grimes, Editor
Anthony Quintile, Editor
Karen Knorowski, Contributing Artist
Neil Ross, Contributing Photographer
Dave Herbold, Contributing Photographer
Comments, suggestions:
info@flagstaffbiking.org
IMBA Sending a Trail Care Crew to Flagstaff
The International Mountain Bicycling
Association is sending a Trail Care Crew to
Flagstaff to teach advanced trail building
techniques on October 6th and 7th. This
visit’s curriculum will focus on some more
involved construction techniques such
as cribbing, armoring and, as always, will
stress sustainability. Friday is a classroom
setting at the Peaks District Offices and
Saturday will be in the field on the new
alignment of Upper Moto. Participants
should have previously attended a Trail
Care Crew training or similar trail building
workshop, although this is not required
and all are encouraged to attend. If
you would like to be involved, contact
Mark Gullo at (928) 214-0105 or
trails@flagstaffbiking.org.