April 2009 - Spokes Magazine

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CHEAPSKATE continued from p.9 money free. And obviously you’ll save some bucks during the fast itself, although that’s minor compared with the other benefits of fiscal fasting. • Tapping your reserves: By cutting off your intake, you’ll start using up reserves of foodstuffs, cosmetics, and other household items you probably forgot you even had. • Reflecting and understanding: Most important, a fiscal fast forces you to think about the impact money has on your life day in and day out. By doing without the convenience and luxury of a ready bankroll, you’ll gain insights into your spending habits that no fancy budget worksheet could ever impart. You’ll be living in a virtual spreadsheet, where you’re bound to run into your inner miser. Who knows? You might even like him once you get to know him; he has a lot to teach you about what’s really valuable in life. For himself, Yeager lives his life simply. He does all his own home repairs, cuts his own hair, makes the art that decorates his Accokeek home from driftwood found nearby, does not own a cell phone (“I don’t enjoy talking on the phone.”), and admits to pouring generic wine or vodka into top-shelf “empties” to fool his friends. But Yeager is a generous soul as well. He donated the $2,000 expense account from his publisher to local libraries along the way. He also encourages readers to save their money and borrow his book from the local library. ---------------------------------------- Bicycle commuting is something Yeager believes most Americans find very daunting, even bike riding enthusiasts. Bike commuting should start with running errands, he suggests. A typical American runs many errands or trips of two miles or less. Like anything else, we’ve been ingrained to jump into our cars and drive the errand no matter how short it is. “Don’t start your career as a bicycle commuter with a 20 mile commute. Start out with running those two mile errands on your bike. Work your way up to the commute. Hop on your bike to the corner store. Try to interest your kids at the same time. Get them to come along. Get them to think this way. We’ve gotten away from being self sufficient. When we were kids we all ran our errands by bike. Kids today don’t think that way, but they can. We need a whole new mind set among our youth. They are our future. Give your kids a healthy addiction. I look back at my youth fondly and remember how much money I saved by riding my bike everywhere.” One of the things that most disturbs him about the current “green movement” is the emphasis on buying green products. “The best way of being green is buying less, less of everything. Stop buying stuff you truthfully don’t need. Spend time differentiating between ‘needs’ and ‘wants.’ There is a huge difference. In all likelihood, you don’t need a new Prius. Keep your current car in tune and drive it until it dies. The green movement has become a new buying opportunity for Americans. I go to the grocery store and see lots of cool new green cleaning products. The best cleaning products to this day are baking soda and vinegar. They’re cheap and they’re green!” Don’t Miss an Issue! Subscribe to Subscribe online at: www.spokesmagazine.com 10 April 2009
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! photo courtesy of: Jonathan Devich This event is proudly brought to you by Sat. May 30 – Sun. May 31, 2009 | Arlington, Virginia The 2009 Air Force Cycling Classic will feature two days of riding and racing for all cycling abilities, from young kids to top pros! Participants in The Air Force Cycling Classic Crystal Ride, Sunday, May 31st, will be able to challenge themselves for up to 100km, or 8 laps, on the 12.5km course in and around Crystal City. Crystal Ride, a non-competitive ride open to cyclists of all abilities. Pros to compete after the amateurs. Wounded Warriors to Benefit The 2009 Air Force Cycling Classic will also offer cycling enthusiasts the opportunity to raise money to support our wounded warriors, see our website for more details. For more information or to discuss sponsorship opportunities: info@arlingtonsports.org or visit our website. Acceptance and recognition of sponsors or donors does not constitute DoD, U.S. Air Force, or Federal Government endorsement. www.USAirForceCyclingClassic.com
Page 1: Serving Cyclists in the Mid-Atlanti
Page 4 and 5: C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Page 6 and 7: ★ ★ ★ ★ Touring Ride In Ru
Page 8 and 9: TOUR DE CHEAPSKATE “I’M LOOKING
Page 12 and 13: BIG MIG AND TURBO by NEIL SANDLER T
Page 14 and 15: COPAKE’S LEGENDARY ANTIQUE BIKE A
Page 16 and 17: DEPARTMENTS TRISPOKES by RON CASSIE
Page 18 and 19: DU NATS RETURNS TO RICHMOND by MIKE
Page 20 and 21: DEPARTMENTS BMX MID-ATLANTIC by BRI
Page 22 and 23: DEPARTMENTS COMMUTER CONNECTION by
Page 24 and 25: DEPARTMENTS SPOKESWOMEN by BRENDA R
Page 26 and 27: ONLY FROM SPECIALIZED. AND ONLY AVA
Page 28 and 29: Ridge Park in Cockeysville, Md.., s
Page 30 and 31: COLUMNS MY BIKE SHOP by BRENDA RUBY

April 2009 - Spokes Magazine

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