April 2008 - Spokes Magazine

Serving Cyclists in the Mid-Atlantic States APRIL 2008 

Blossoms 

BY Bike 

FREE 

IN THIS ISSUE [ TRADING THE OFFICE FOR THE PRO LIFE + A TNT CELEBRATION + MORE ] 

Photo by Karen Kim

SPENT LAST WEEKEND IN SEATTLE, Washington one 

of the finest places to live in the world if you love the 

outdoors. Great place to bike too, if you can locate a 

bike to ride (but more on that in a moment). 

I was on a work trip, and happened upon Seattle’s 

huge bike expo held inside a pier along the magnificent 

Puget Sound waterfront. Thousands of visitors 

to the expo had opportunities to hear and learn from 

sponsors of numerous local cycling events, as well as 

examine the latest and greatest products from local 

bike shops and vendors. I even met my counterpart, 

the publishers of the 37-year-old The Bicycle Paper, 

the longest running regional cycling tabloid in the 

country. (If I may boast for a moment, their current 

issue was 20 pages long, while the March issue of 

Spokes I handed them was 40 pages long!). 

For a couple of days I was able to marvel over the 

sights, sounds and smells (i.e. fishy bouquet) of 

Seattle. As much as I could easily live there, the maddening 

traffic, the very steep hills of the inner city, 

and the persistent rain (literally sunny one moment, 

sprinkles the next, followed by a heavy downpour) 

made me long for home. 

But, I needed to try and ride their magnificent trails. 

So I began calling bike shops to rent one for a couple 

of hours. They don’t rent bikes there this time of 

4th ANNUAL 

TOUR DE CARROLL 

Westminster, MD 

Save the date: APRIL 26, 2008 

Get those bikes and 

cycling legs in shape 

& enjoy the beautiful 

Carroll County countryside!! 

year, I found out. Some shops won’t rent at all. Just 

great! So Seattle is supposedly a wonderful place to 

be a cyclist. Maybe next time, I’ll bring my own bike, 

and I’ll be able to report back to you. 

Speaking of rain, I know my miles are way off this 

year and I am longing for some spring time sun and 

warmth to soothe my bike legs. 

In years past I’ve made a point of seeing the cherry 

blossoms in the nation’s capital by foot or bike. This 

issue’s cover story has some wonderful tips (and 

recent additions) to make viewing the blossoms by 

bike more doable than ever before. 

If you happen to see a man and a woman captaining 

tandems with a seven year old girl and five year old 

boy on back, make a point of saying “hi.” We’ll be out 

there with all the other tourists. It’s a mid-Atlantic tradition 

we love, and if you’ve never done it, grab your 

bikes, read this month’s story, and then brave the 

crowds... I promise you won’t regret it! 

Happy Trails, 

Neil Sandler 

Editor & Publisher 

Show and Go – 8am to 10am 

Lunch (included) – 11:30am to 3pm 

Bike Route Options: 

Metric Century 

36 miles 

family/novice rally (8 mile) rides. 

Radio sag and sweep on all routes until 12 noon. 

Rest stops, maps, cue sheets. 

Plenty of free parking and nearby motels. 

Easy location at Dutterer’s Family Park in Westminster, MD 

(just off Rt.140; 25 miles W of Baltimore, 20 miles E of Frederick). 

$25.00 Registration includes: 

Lunch 

T-shirt 

30 day pass to Westminster 

Family Center, full service 

gym. ($55 value) 

RAIN 

OR 

SHINE! 

Entry into drawing for door 

prizes (totaling $1,000.00). 

Winners posted at Noon. 

50/50 Cash Drawing. 

Drawing at Noon. 

To register and for further information go to or call: 

www.active.com or www.tourdecarroll.com 

Call 410-848-2433 ext. 221 

Check at your local bike shop. Same day. 

100% of the funds raised directly 

benefit West End Place Adult Day Services 

(Carroll County’s only private, non-profit 

service for low income seniors). 

ON COVER 

THE 

Blossoming of the cherry trees serves as the beginning of 

the bike riding season for many. 

page 6 

Touring • Racing • Off-Road 

Recreation • Triathlon • Commuting 

SPOKES is published monthly eight times a year — monthly March 

through September, plus one winter issue. It is available free of charge at 

most area bicycle stores, fitness centers and related sporting establishments 

throughout Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and parts 

of Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. 

Circulation: 30,000. Copyright© 2008 SPOKES. 

All rights reserved. No reprinting without the publisher’s written permission. 

Opinions expressed and facts presented are attributed to the respective 

authors and not SPOKES. Editorial and photographic submissions are 

welcome. Material can only be returned if it is accompanied by a selfaddressed, 

stamped envelope. The publisher reserves the right to refuse 

any advertising which may be inappropriate to the magazine’s purpose. 

Editorial and Advertising Office: 

SPOKES 

5911 Jefferson Boulevard 

Frederick, MD 21703 

Phone/Fax: (301) 371-5309 

e-mail: spokesmag@comcast.net 

APRIL 2008 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER 

Neil W. Sandler 

CALENDAR EDITOR 

Sonja P. Sandler 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Studio 22 

www.studio20two.com 

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the next 

8 issues 

first class 

for $25. 

April 2008 

3

★ ★ ★ ★ �� 

Meet the challenge of cycling 

through Central Florida’s 

Polk County. At the highest 

elevation on the Florida 

peninsula, Polk County greets 

you with open, rolling 

hillside roads. Attack our 

off-road trails or pedal along 

one of our country roads 

lined with orange groves, 

and take in the scent of 

orange blossoms. 

Our rich, natural setting 

is enhanced by more than 

554 shimmering lakes, 

picturesque towns, charming 

bed and breakfast inns, 

cyclist-friendly hotels and 

much more. During your stay, 

enjoy our great dining, 

antique shops, exciting water 

sports, Major League Baseball 

Spring Training and over 

500 holes of golf. 

Ask for your free Cycling 

Information Kit by calling 

800-828-7655, ext. SP4. 

Then get set for the ride of 

a lifetime in Central Florida’s 

Polk County. 

600 N. Broadway, Suite 300 • Bartow, FL 33830 • 800-828-7655, ext. SP4 • FAX 863-534-0886 

Touring Ride In Rural Indiana® 

Overnights in state parks 

Catered breakfasts & dinners 

TRIRI® 2008: 

June 22-28 • New Route 

in South Central Indiana 

RAINSTORM 2008: 

July 7-12 

Five century rides 

over five days preceding 

RAIN - Ride Across Indiana 

SEPTEMBER ESCAPADE 2008: 

September 14-19 • Central Indiana 

www.triri.org (812) 333-8176 

30,000 

active cyclists will read your ad here! 

Call 

301-371-5309

DISCOVER GEORGIA BY BICYCLE 

29th annual BRAG RIDE 

Join BRAG 2008, June 7–14, from Atlanta to St. Simons Island 

1600 Riders • Street Dances • Ice Cream Social 

End-Of-The-Road Meal • Great fun for Families 

60 Miles Average per Day • Hammerhead Options 

Layover Day • Rest Stops Every 10 – 15 Miles 

For more information, visit www.brag.org, 

or email info@brag.org, or call 770-498-5153. 

Other 2008 Rides: 

• Spring Tune-Up Ride, Madison, GA, 

April 18-20 

• SummerRide, Jasper, GA, 

August 9-10 

• Bike Atlanta, Downtown Atlanta, 

September 

• Georgia BikeFest, October 

Save the date in 2008 

ONE LESS CAR, BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN SYMPOSIUM 

Wednesday, February 6, 2008 

Miller Senate Offi ce Building, Annapolis, MD 

Come meet you legislators and hear from national and local experts on issues 

of importance to pedestrians and bicyclists. For additional information contact 

Richard Chambers at 410-235-3678 or rchambers@onelesscar.org 

CYCLE ACROSS MARYLAND 

Friday - Sunday, July 25 - 27, 2008 

Mount St. Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, MD 

Join us in celebrating the 20th year of Cycle Across Maryland with three days of 

cycling in Western Maryland 

TOUR DU PORT 

Saturday, October 18, 2008 

Baltimore, MD 

Baltimore’s largest recreational bike ride is back with great tours around the 

city’s Inner Harbor and historic waterfront neighborhoods 

All event proceeds support One Less Car’s advocacy for better cycling, 

walking and sustainable transportation. Learn more at www.onelesscar.org.

6 April 2008 

Blossoms 

EVERYONE KNOWS WASHINGTON, D.C., in the springtime 

is lovely. Everyone. And that’s the problem. 

Each year throngs of tourists pack the Tidal Basin and 

Mall for a glimpse of those petal-producing trees. But 

should locals simply resign themselves to getting their 

blossom fix from the breaking “bud watch” reports on 

the local news? 

As much as locals disdain the rapid influx of tourists, 

and the way they always seem to be standing on the 

left of Metro escalators, the tourists snap us back into 

realizing our good fortune. If ever there was a reason 

not to be jaded about what D.C. has to offer, the sublime 

beauty of the cherry blossom trees is it. 

But locals (who, thanks to ever-expanding urban 

sprawl reside anywhere from D.C. and out to 

Loudoun and Frederick counties) know a thing or 

two about avoiding the cringe-inducing crowds cherry 

blossom season brings. 

“Driving the Tidal Basin is madness! Absolute insanity!” 

rants one Silver Spring resident. “Why drive when 

you could bike?” 

Indeed, the best way to enjoy the blossoms is to avoid 

driving downtown all-together. 

“With all the bike routes available, there’s no reason 

not to bike downtown; it’s the best alternative to 

driving,” echoes Henry Mesias, program assistant for 

WABA (Washington Area Bicyclist Association). 

Because WABA believes, as Mesias notes, “having a 

safe and convenient place to park your bike can really 

make a difference,” WABA will once again be offering 

their free bike valet program on weekends during 

the Cherry Blossom Festival (March 29-April 13). This 

year, the bike valet will have two locations: the south 

side of the Jefferson Memorial grounds and the southwest 

corner of Independence Avenue and 15th Street 

(near the Washington Monument). Hours of operation 

are 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. 

At either of these locations you simply drop off your 

bike and pick it up whenever you’re ready to leave. 

So yes, if you want to bike into town, you can unload 

your bike, walk around the Tidal Basin, have a picnic, 

go to a museum, heck, even see an IMAX movie, all 

the while knowing your bike is safe and secure. 

If you’re towing a trailer or using a longer bike such 

as a tandem or recumbent, Mesias adds that the valet 

Photo: Washington Area Bicyclist Association 

areas will have space for these. The valet areas will 

be open for use during the entire festival, but only 

staffed on the weekends. 

Along with the bike valet areas, bike parking racks are 

available along the Mall, by the Lincoln and Jefferson 

Memorials, and the Smithsonian. Additionally, temporary 

bike racks have been set up at the following locations: 

the National Building Museum (401 F Street, 

NW), the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H 

Street, NE), and the corner of 12th and Pennsylvania 

Avenue, NW. Not staffed, you will need to bring a 

lock, but these also offer the convenience of parking 

your bike. 

Stumped how to get in to town? Ellen Jones, Director 

of Transportation for the Downtown Business 

Improvement District (and former WABA executive 

director), says “People really need to think about 

their transit plan and have a strategy; the worst thing 

would be to do it on a whim.” 

No matter where you live, there’s always the option of 

biking (or driving) to your nearest Metro stop and taking 

the train. Metro allows bicycle riders to bring their 

bikes on Metrorail cars anytime during the weekends 

and during off peak weekday hours. Riders with bikes 

must enter the rail cars from the end set of doors. 

The closest Metrorail station to the Tidal Basin is the 

Smithsonian (on the Blue & Orange lines), but dur- 

BY Bike 

by BRENDA RUBY 

bruby@woodbinehouse.com 

Photo: Bike & Roll Washington, D.C. 

ing the peak blooming period of March 27 – April 3, 

and during the entire Festival, you should plan for 

this station to be overly congested. Jones advises, “To 

avoid a less than optimal transit experience, people 

should consider the L’Enfant Plaza station (on the 

Blue, Green, Orange & Yellow lines) as an alternate.” 

She adds, “Taking a bike to the Smithsonian stop 

on weekends in the peak bloom period would really 

be questionable judgment” and notes that going to 

L’Enfant Plaza adds less than a half-mile walk/ride 

and avoids many of the headaches associated with the 

Smithsonian stop. 

At either of these locations you’ll be just minutes 

away from the heart of the action and can easily bike 

around town or over to one of the bike valet areas or 

racks. Jones adds, “Once you have your bike downtown, 

the city is very bikeable.” While city traffic won’t 

move as fast as it does in the suburbs, “people need to 

be cognizant of opening car doors and jaywalkers.” 

If you’re feeling more adventurous, WABA can also 

help determine a safe biking route into the city, no 

matter where you’re coming from. Their website, 

www.waba.org, offers area maps to buy or download. 

The official website of the National Cherry Blossom 

Festival (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org) also 

offers the Bicycling Information Map (displayed with 

this article), which shows routes into and through 

town, along with the bike parking areas. Their FAQs

section also gives specific biking/walking directions 

from Metrorail stations. 

Though not shown on this map, a great way to get 

into town, especially for families, would be to take 

the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT), which starts in 

Bethesda. While this paved trail can be crowded, the 

safety for children is in knowing you won’t encounter 

any cars on it. According to WABA’s Mesias, “you 

would take the Capital Crescent; follow it as it turns 

into the C&O Canal Towpath. Hang a right onto the 

Rock Creek Park Trail and then exit the Rock Creek 

Park Trail at the Lincoln Memorial and you are on 

the Mall.” 

It’s worth noting that the CCT trailhead is in the 

heart of Bethesda on Bethesda Avenue, has many 

parking lots nearby, is Metro accessible, and is easily 

reached by the connecting Georgetown Branch Trail. 

For a trail map visit www.cctrail.org. 

Do be aware that though this is a rail trail with a 

small grade along the entirety (and only one hill in 

the form of an overpass), the trip into town is slightly 

downhill, making the return trip up an ever-so-slight 

incline. Little legs can make it just fine, but allow 

extra time on the way back for a stop or two. 

If you’re not sure your youngster can make it the 

whole length, consider parking in one of the neighborhoods 

along the trail and join the route closer into 

town. One option might be to park along MacArthur 

Boulevard, NW, near Norton Street (Loughboro 

Road is on the other side); bike along Norton Street; 

once this short road ends, there is a dirt trail off to 

the right, running behind the Dalecarlia Reservoir 

facility, which quickly leads down to the CCT. It will 

put you on the trail just one mile from the trail’s end 

and another two miles from your actual destination. 

Again, the trail map online will help you plan your 

starting point. 

Another option, from the Virginia side, is to take the 

Custis Trail, which intersects the WO&D trail at almost 

exactly the 4.0 mile marker. This trail follows along I-66 

and takes you into Rosslyn, at which point you can go 

left, crossing the Key Bridge and head into Georgetown 

or continue straight onto the Mt. Vernon Trail towards 

Arlington National Cemetery. If you cross the Key 

Bridge you may want to hop onto the C&O Canal 

(access it immediately after crossing the Key Bridge- 

Photo: Washington Area Bicyclist Association 

you’ll loop down and need to carry your bike down 

some stairs) or if you picked up the Mt. Vernon Trail, 

you can take Memorial Bridge over to the memorials. 

Another good resource showing these trails and others 

can be found at www.bikewashington.org. 

Once you’re set on getting into town you’ll need a 

plan. Just because you’re avoiding the drive doesn’t 

mean you’re avoiding the crowds; having a plan, no 

matter how minimal, will curb your crowd frustration. 

Whether you park your bike or decide to navigate the 

area, consider any of the following: 

Park your bike at the 15th Street bike valet, walk 

up to Independence Avenue and hop on the DC 

Circulator bus to grab a bite to eat at the muchlauded 

café in the National Museum of the American 

Indian (or visit any of the other museums). The 

Circulator bus runs on the weekends from 10 a.m. 

to 6 p.m. and can be picked up at many points along 

Constitution and Independence Avenues. (www.dc 

circulator.com) 

A good option if you don’t want to park your bike is 

the National Park Service ranger-led bike tours. These 

free tours start at the Jefferson Memorial at 1 p.m. 

during all weekends of the Festival. 

View the annual Cherry Blossom Regatta from East 

Potomac Park on April 5, noon – 5 p.m. View WABA’s 

area bike maps, or the Bicycling Information map to 

plan your route there. 

Witness the Lantern Lighting Ceremony at the Tidal 

Basin in April 6, 2:30-4 p.m. 

Everybody loves a parade! The annual Cherry 

Blossom Festival Parade will be April 12, 10 a.m. – 

noon. It runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 

17th Streets. Go early, park your bike and stake out a 

space along the parade route. Afterwards, bike down 

to East Potomac Park to see that Park’s usually laterblooming 

trees. Want to leave your bike at the valet? 

Get yourself to the free parking shuttle pickup/dropoff 

point by the Jefferson Memorial and let the shuttle 

take you to Hains Point. Hop back on at any of the 

shuttle’s stops to return. 

Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival—after the 

parade, the Japan-America Society presents the 

nation’s largest Japanese street festival, stretching for 

six blocks through downtown DC. Takes place April 

12, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue between 

14th & 10th Streets. 

While these events are fun for you and your biking 

buddies, they also lend themselves to quality family 

time. But not everyone in your family has a bike, so 

what to do? You can rent adult or kids bikes from 

many area bike shops. Or you can rent from Bike 

the Sites (www.bikethesites.com), located at The 

Old Post Office Pavilion (12th Street, NW, between 

Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenue; Federal 

Triangle Metro). Rentals for adult bikes are a minimum 

$15, maximum $35 per day while children’s 

bikes rent for $10, up to $25 per day. 

If you don’t want to navigate on your own, sign up 

for one of their Blossoms by Bike tours. This 5-6 mile, 

two-hour ride bikes to the Tidal Basin, East Potomac 

Park and beyond. 

Stuart Naranch, Marketing Manager for Bike & Roll 

Washington, D.C. says, “The guides have different 

routes depending on the crowds” and if needed the 

tour guides will have participants walk their bikes 

through congested areas. The regular price of the 

tour $32 (adults) and $22 (child) is reduced by $5 

if you show up with your own bike—making it an 

ideal way to share an outing with friends who haven’t 

brought their bikes out of storage. 

If you simply want to see the blossoms and not partake 

in any festival activities, it’s well known among 

bikers familiar with the area that East Potomac Park 

and Hains Point tend to be free of the pedestrian con- 


BLOSSOMS continued on p.8 


7

BLOSSOMS continued from p.7 

gestion which plagues the Tidal Basin. Though sadly, 

the Awakening sculpture has been recently removed, 

the 3.3 mile circuit is usually remarkably less crowded 

than the Tidal Basin. This may change, however, as 

the National Park Service and Festival organizers promote 

motorist parking in this area by offering a free 

shuttle service to the Jefferson Memorial. 

Still, while the Tidal Basin in mobbed, East Potomac 

Park should be an equal draw with its nearly 1,700 

trees. And if you’re visiting the blossoms a bit after 

the predicted peak, you’ll be pleased to know that 

the deeper pink double-blossomed Kwanzan trees 

which dominate this area, peak a little later than the 

Yoshinos, the majority of which surround the Basin. 

BLOSSOMS LITE 

If you’re short on time or can’t be persuaded by the planned 

festivities and the picture-perfect photo opportunities a visit to 

the Mall would bring, many local neighborhoods offer a tamer 

cherry blossom experience. 

Since trees bloom a little later in the suburbs as well, you don’t 

have to miss out on the blossoms-by-bike experience if you 

need slightly warmer temps to be coaxed to ride. But remember, 

while the cars may be going slowly, it’s because they’re 

looking up at the trees, not necessarily for you. 

Kenwood neighborhood in Bethesda—this not-so-secret gem is 

located right off of the Capital Crescent Trail (barely a mile after 

the trail starts in Bethesda; turn off on Dorset Avenue which 

crosses the path). Biking up and down the tree-lined streets will 

leave you understanding why this is a favorite for many locals. 

Be sure to pull your bike over and buy some lemonade and 

A-1 Cycling 

TWO LOCATIONS OPEN 7 

DAYS A WEEK! 

Mon - Sat 10am-9pm 

Sun 12pm-6pm 

HERNDON 

Clock Tower Shopping Center 

2451-13 Centreville Rd. 

(703) 793-0400 


MANASSAS 

Next to Best Buy 

7705 Sudley Rd. 

(703) 361-6101 

www.A1Cycling.com 

Photo: Bob Bloomfield 

No matter your approach, while setting out on your 

quest of sakura hanami, the tradition of blossom 

viewing, remember that the cherry blossoms are not 

only harbingers of Spring, their fleeting beauty also 

cookies from some of the neighborhoods enterprising kids. You 

can also join fellow bike enthusiasts on the Potomac Pedalers 

popular Tenley ride (Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., April – September) 

who ride their 10-mile Cherry Blossom Special route during the 

first few weeks in April (www.bikepptc.org). 

Foxhall Village—west of Georgetown at Foxhall and Reservoir 

Roads, the story-book Tudor-style houses are made all the 

more enchanting by bursts of cherry trees throughout the 

neighborhood. 

Stanton Park on Capitol Hill—off the beaten path in northeast 

Washington at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and 

Massachusetts Avenue, you’ll find mostly neighborhood children 

and dog walkers beneath the cherry tree canopy. 

Birdsong Lane near Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg— 

perhaps not a bike destination unless you’re local, but a quick 

Bicycles & Equipment for the Whole Family! 

COMPETITIVE PRICES WITH HOME TOWN SERVICE SINCE 1980 

A-1 is a family-run business focusing on quality and service. Our staff is trained 

to superior standards to create a bicycle enthusiast's dependable source. 

COME EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE! 

reflects the fleeting nature of perfection...the perfection 

of the day will pass, but so to will any perfect 

plans that fell short. 

drive down this dead-end street would make for a nice detour 

during your commute or weekend errands. 

Sligo Creek Park in Silver Spring—meander along the parkway, 

parts of which are closed to car traffic on the weekends. 

Watts Branch Parkway & College Gardens in Rockville—if you 

find yourself by Montgomery College, Rockville campus, take a 

ride down College Parkway, or a little further south, but still in 

the vicinity, try Watts Branch by Woottons Mill Park. 

Cherrydale in Arlington—take the Custis Trail to North Quincy 

Street; Cherrydale will be immediately before you hit Lee 

Highway. 

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna—Close to the Dulles 

Toll Road and Beulah Road, this may prove a little more difficult 

to get to by bike, but well worth the visit. 

We stock products from: 

Giant 

Specialized 

Raleigh 

Felt 

Haro 

Hoffman 

Minoura 

CTS 


Thule 

Burley 

Speedplay 

Sigma Sport 

Descente 

Camelbak 

Continental 

Serfas

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VISIT THE STORES BELOW TO CHECK OUT THE THE FISHER HIFI 

08FR_HiFiAd_Spokes.indd 1 2/26/08 3:02:10 PM 

VIRGINIA 

ARLINGTON 

REVOLUTION CYCLES 

2731 Wilson Boulevard 

(703) 312-0007 

BURKE 

THE BIKE LANE 

9544 Old Keene Mill Road 

(703) 440-8701 

LEESBURG 

BICYCLE OUTFITTERS 

19 Catoctin Circle, NE 

(703) 777-6126 

STAFFORD 


100 Susa Drive, #103-15 

(540) 657-6900 

MARYLAND 

ANNAPOLIS 

BIKE DOCTOR 

160-C Jennifer Road 

(410) 266-7383 

ARNOLD 

BIKE DOCTOR 

953 Ritchie Highway 

(410) 544-3532 

BEL AIR 

BIKE TIME 

Festival at Bel Air 

(410) 569-2307 

COLLEGE PARK 

COLLEGE PARK BICYCLES 

4360 Knox Road 

(301) 864-2211 

COLUMBIA 

RACE PACE 

6925 Oakland Mills Road 

(410) 290-6880 

DAMASCUS 

ALL AMERICAN BICYCLES 

Weis Market Center 

(301) 253-5800 

ELLICOTT CITY 

RACE PACE 

8450 Baltimore National Pike 

(410) 461-7878 

FREDERICK 

BIKE DOCTOR 

5732 Buckeystown Pike 

(301) 620-8868 

WHEELBASE 

229 N. Market Street 

(301) 663-9288 

HAGERSTOWN 

HUB CITY SPORTS 

35 N. Prospect Street 

(301) 797-9877 

LUTHERVILLE 

LUTHERVILLE BIKE SHOP 

1544 York Road 

(410) 583-8734 

OWINGS MILLS 

RACE PACE 

9930 Reisterstown Road 

(410) 581-9700 

ROCKVILLE 


1066 Rockville Pike 

(301) 984-7655 

SILVER SPRING 

THE BICYCLE PLACE 

8313 Grubb Road 

(301) 588-6160 

WALDORF 

BIKE DOCTOR 

3051 Festival Way 

(301) 932-9980 

WESTMINSTER 

RACE PACE 

459 Baltimore Boulevard 

(410) 876-3001 

DELAWARE 

REHOBOTH 

BETHANY CYCLE OF REHOBOTH 

19269 Coastal Highway, 

Suite 1 

(302) 226-1801 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

CAPITOL HILL 

CAPITOL HILL BIKES 

709 8th Street, SE 

(202) 544-4234 

GEORGETOWN 


3411 M Street, N.W. 

(202) 965-3601

D C R e g i o n ’ s N e w S i g n a t u r e E v e n t 

OFFICIAL PACE CAR 

www.USAirForceCyclingClassic.com 

The U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic participants will ride on a 

12.5 kilometer circuit in and around CRYSTAL CITY that will 

challenge them for up to 8 laps or 100km. Following this 

amateur ride, the nation's top pros will compete on the same 

course. Come out to ride, compete or just to cheer! 

THE DAYS EVENTS 

Crystal Ride: A challenging participatory 

amateur ride in and around Crystal City 

Service Academy Races: Bragging rights up for grabs 

Men’s Pro Circuit Race: Feature event will showcase 

US and International pro teams 

Kids Races: Kids 9 and under get the 

spotlight in Crystal City 

Support the 

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www.saulraisin.com

HELLO LOYAL OR NOT SO LOYAL READERS. The last you 

heard from me I had just gotten back from Health 

Net presented by Maxxis Team training camp with 

two duffle bags full of gear and high hopes for the 

season. I was in Tucson then and still am as I write 

this now. I still have the gear and the high hopes and 

exactly nothing else has changed. I haven’t raced. I 

haven’t left Tucson and I haven’t done my taxes. 

I went to camp with the thought that I might be 

picked to race the Tour of California but the fact is 

the team had already been chosen. A lot of my friends 

back home in DC think “Hey you’re a pro. You’re 

good. What do you mean you’re not racing?” It comes 

down to this; there are 12 guys on Health Net-Maxxis 

and only eight spots for the California team so some 

guys have to stay at home. 

The management considers the strengths and weaknesses 

of each guy and picks the team that will race 

best against the competition at that race and the terrain 

there. So you won’t see a climber like me doing 

very many crits and you won’t see some of the crit 

specialists doing the long hilly races at altitude. It’s 

really very simple. And as much as I would have liked 

to race in California I believe we did have a great 

team there. To prove my point look at what myself 

and most other observers consider the most exciting 

day of racing, the final stage. On yet another rainy 

day there was a five man break up the road including 

George Hincapie from High Road and my teammate 

Rory Sutherland. Rory who was already wearing the 

Most Aggressive Rider Jersey from the day before was 

only just beat by George in a sprint for the line but it 

was still an amazing finish for our team. Rory was my 

THE ROOKIE +1 by MATT COOKE youvebeencooked@yahoo.com 

roommate at camp and to see him battling with the 

ProTour riders fired me up for a few days. 

Although Redlands is getting closer I still have yet to 

race and in a way it makes me miss the opportunity to 

race every weekend like in DC. In the winter we had 

Tradezone every weekend and then as of the Jeff Cup 

it seemed like there was a race every week. 

I actually have a pretty funny story about me in Jeff 

Cup. I am always the first to make fun of myself and 

now that I am pro I am even more likely to tell about 

my follies as an amateur, of which there were many by 

the way. I think it was in 2004 when I was still a triathlete 

but I was doing Jeff Cup for training. I was in the 

Pro1/2/3 field I believe and halfway through the race 

I had to take a natural break very badly. Some guys 

can go off the bike and it makes a huge difference if 

you can do that in a four plus hour race rather than 

stopping. But at the time I couldn’t do this. So when 

the field seemed to be slowing down I stopped at the 

side of the road, relieved myself and then started a 

chase that had no end. After a lap of riding in vain 

I rode back to my car with my tail between my legs, 

packed up and got outta there before anyone could 

come back and ask me what happened. To date, that 

was one of my least pro moments. 

I have exactly four more days before I move to 

Boulder for the season and I aim to soak up as much 

of Tucson as possible in that time. Before I leave I’ll 

do the Saturday morning Shootout and climb the 27 

mile Mt. Lemmon one last time. I’m going to miss the 

constant 70 plus degree weather but it’s time for me 

to get the season started. 

COLUMNS 

Wish me luck and email any questions you think I 

might be able to answer. See you on the roads and 

don’t forget to wave. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: 

Matt Cooke, 28, of Washington, D.C., upset the nation’s elite 

road racing hierarchy, July 8, 2006, by winning the 176-mile 

national championship road race in Seven Springs, Pa. 

He rode as an amateur member of the LSV/Kelly Benefit 

Strategies team in Baltimore, but last year he became 

a pro racer. After his team Navigators Pro Cycling Team 

folded, Matt signed on to race for Health Net-Maxxis in 

2008. Matt will continue to educate and entertain SPOKES 

readers each month with his description of life on the 

road. Matt would love to hear from you, email him at 

youvebeencooked@yahoo.com 

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11

TRADING THE OFFICE CUBE FOR THE PRO LIFE 

IF HE HADN’T BEEN BLIND-SIDED by a San Francisco 

trolley and a wife who shocked him with demands 

for a divorce, Jeff Schalk of Harrisonburg, Va., might 

never have become one of the nation’s up and coming 

professional mountain bike racers. 

And if the 34-year-old architectural engineer hadn’t 

chucked that career for one in cycling, Tour de 

France’s dethroned 2006 champion Floyd Landis 

might have actually won last year’s Shenandoah 

100 mountain bike race in the mountains near 

Harrisonburg, instead of coming in second after 

Schalk, who set a course record in winning. 

But the former college rowing champion did get 

smashed by a trolley while riding his bike from a job 

site to his office in San Francisco four years ago, and 

although his bike and helmet were destroyed, he was 

lucky. He “only” suffered two separated shoulders, a 

gash in his shin that required stitches and a mild concussion. 

Fortunately, for Schalk, the time he spent in the hospital 

enabled him to ponder his life at the ripe old 

age of 30, and helped him make some strategic life 

decisions. 

“You know how life always looks greener on the other 

side? Well, I had it made. I was living the yuppie 

life, but it’s not what I wanted. At least not after the 

divorce hit me,” the 6’1, 160 pound Trek East Coast 

factory team pro confided in SPOKES. 

Born and raised in the Bay area of California, Schalk 

studied engineering at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, 

where he was a member of the West Coast champion 

lightweight four man rowing squad. 

After graduating in 1998, he joined some fellow rowers 

who were recreational mountain bikers. 

“We didn’t race. I figured my competitive athletic 

career was over when I graduated at the age of 22,” he 

recalls. Two years later he married his college sweetheart, 

also an engineering graduate, and they worked 

as engineers and bought a fixer upper in trendy 

Marin County across the Golden Gate Bridge from 

San Francisco. 

“Two years into our marriage my wife came to me and 

said she didn’t want to be married anymore. For me, 

it was totally out of the blue. I thought we had the 

ultimate yuppie life.” 

They divorced, sold their home, and Schalk moved 

into San Francisco, where he continued to work as 

an engineer. He continued riding with friends and 

commuting to work by bike. By now, he’d gotten into 

racing, albeit very gradually. But his athletic skills took 

hold and he quickly rose through the amateur ranks. 

“I really didn’t think I had much of a chance at a 

professional career in sports since I wasn’t into basketball, 

baseball or football,” he recalled. But once again, 

Schalk was broadsided. This time by a trolley. Or 

more accurately, Schalk broadsided the trolley. 

The front wheel of his road bike got caught in a trolley 

track and Schalk vaulted across the roadway into 

the path of an oncoming trolley. “I hit the trolley, 

rebounded into traffic, and I hit the car of an undercover 

cop before I landed on the pavement. 

“People were gathered all around me. I was nauseous 

and felt awful.” His examination of his life began during 

the ambulance ride to the hospital and continued 

during his hospital stay. 

“That’s when I decided to pursue my dream of living 

the life of a professional athlete, and to try and make 

it as a pro mountain bike racer. I decided I would live 

on the nest egg I’d gotten from the sale of our house. 

I figured, worse case scenario, even if I got no spon- 


sorships I could race for two years while living off the 

money I made from selling the house.” 

For the next year, Schalk kept working in San 

Francisco and he raced as a semi-pro. During this 

year, he became very encouraged by winning both 

the California state series and national mountain bike 

series. 

“Everything went perfectly. At the same time, my 

girlfriend (who was earning her doctorate degree 

from UC San Francisco) got a job offer from NIH 

(National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.). I 

by NEIL SANDLER 

photos STEVEN HOOVER 

That's Jeff Schalk on the right. 

decided it was time to quit my job and follow her to 

the East Coast.” 

Having never so much as visited the mid-Atlantic 

area, Schalk packed his bags and he and his girlfriend 

moved into an apartment in D.C.’s Dupont Circle 

neighborhood. 

“It was a complete bold adventure. I had no idea what 

riding here was like, and even less of an idea what racing 

here was like. D.C. seemed to be a nice city to live 

in and had lots of nearby parks to ride in. I also knew 

that (Trek pro mountain bike racers) Chris Eatough

(seven time 24-hour national solo racing champion) 

was based in Baltimore, and Jeremiah Bishop (one 

of America’s top cross country pros) was based in 

Harrisonburg. So, I knew it was doable.” 

A year earlier, at Schalk’s first pro race at the 

Mammoth ski resort in California, Schalk had introduced 

himself to Bishop and picked the veteran pro’s 

brain about the life of a pro mountain biker. 

“I don’t know if he thought I was serious, but when 

I got out here I contacted him right away. Jeremiah 

agreed to meet me for a ride. We went out to Front 

Royal and rode the trails at Elizabeth Furnace. It 

was winter and it was the first time I’d ever ridden in 

snow! It was only about an inch of snow but I thought 

it was so strange, but at the same time fun. Trails back 

here are generally much more rocky and technical 

than I was accustomed to. As a West Coast rider I had 

no idea what to do with mud or rocks. Truthfully, a 

hard tail bike (with no rear suspension) was all you 

needed on the West Coast. I can’t compare the heinous 

rocks of Elizabeth Furnace with anything I’d 

ridden before. I also remember the first time I rode at 

Gambrill (State Park in Maryland). I had no idea how 

difficult riding could be.” 

Just prior to this first ride with Bishop, Schalk had contacted 

Steven Hoover, the manager of Trek’s East Coast 

factory team. Schalk described his experience as a racer 

and discovered there was an opening on the squad. 

“My dream was falling into place, quickly. A few 

months earlier I’d won the California series and now 

here I was on a pro team getting ready to live the life 

of a professional athlete. That’s as good as it gets.” 

Schalk quickly immersed himself into the highly 

competitive world of Harrisonburg’s Shenandoah 

Mountain bike culture. He rode regularly with Nick 

Waite (also a mountain bike pro, currently riding 

for Kelly Benefit Strategies) Bishop, Chris Scott of 

Shenandoah Mountain Bike Tour, and others. 

Schalk attributes his rapid climb in the sport to his 

dedication and to his methodical nature. “I’m incredibly 

meticulous about my training. I keep training logs 

that document pretty much every aspect of what I do 

and how I train. I have spread sheets upon spread 

sheets. I can tell you within five minutes how much 

riding and training I’ll do in a week. Everyone who 

knows me knows I’m over the top ridiculous. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty laid back as a person, 

and I’m not a neat freak, but when it comes to my 

training I try to control everything. 

“I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that I turned 

pro at 33 and I knew the clock was ticking on my pro 

career. I couldn’t and wouldn’t waste time.” 

No question, the highlight of his short pro career 

was winning last year’s Shenandoah 100 race in the 

mountains near Harrisonburg on September 2. He’d 

had good results early in the year, coming in second 

at Greenbrier in Western Maryland behind national 

champion Todd Wells, a first at Big Bear Lake in West 

Virginia, and first in the two man open division at the 

seven stage British Columbia Pacific Traverse (teaming 

with Chris Eatough). 

Reigning Tour champion Floyd Landis had been 

challenged earlier last year by mid-Atlantic mountain 

bikers who wanted to see Floyd return to the mountain 

bike fold by entering the legendary 100 mile 

Shenandoah event. 

“Floyd came in a couple of a days early to pre-ride the 

course with a couple of us, Chris Scott and myself. 

Floyd had no idea who I was, but after riding together 

I think I left him with the feeling I could be tough to 

beat. On one pre-ride it was just the two of us, and 

we raced each other up those hills. We both had our 

poker faces on. He kept talking on the climbs, and I 

remember being worried. I mean here I am working 

pretty hard on the climbs and he’s still talking. 

“Now admittedly, his skills seemed a little rusty. It had 

been probably ten years since Floyd had ridden competitively 

off-road. He seemed especially rusty in the 

rock gardens. So I thought the only way to beat him was 

to pull away on the technical sections, because he was 

going to be hard to pull away from on the fire roads. I 

mean his cardio capabilities are pretty legendary. 

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TRADING continued on p.14 

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TRADING continued from p.13 

“On race day I was really on. I was riding as good as I 

can ride. I don’t care if it was 100 percent fire roads. I 

was going to be hard to beat. I attacked like hell from 

the start. I rode the first 30 miles at the front, just 

me and two others. Floyd was about a minute back. 

I attacked again at the 30 mile mark hoping Floyd 

wouldn’t be able to bridge back to the front. I ended 

up riding solo for the final 70 miles!” 

Schalk’s time of seven hours, five minutes, set a new 

course record by 10 minutes. 

“After the race, Floyd came up and congratulated me 

and shook my hand. He ducked out pretty quickly.” 

Schalk knows his skills are improving every year and 

intends to compete for the coming few years. He 

recognizes that his strength is more as an ultra-endurance 

racer than in cross country. This year he intends 

to do more 100 mile events, and defend the BC stage 

race. 

“I’m just going to see how it goes. I’m still doing a 

little bit of engineering work for (a few) West Coast 

companies (this past winter designing a canopy for a 

high rise office building going up in downtown San 

Francisco). 

“It’s important for me to keep my mind sharp and 

keep my foot in the other world. I can’t believe I’m 

going to say this in public, but you know how it’s 

always greener on the other side, and I’m sure people 

who have office jobs are always thinking how cool to 

be able to ride your bike for a living, but as much as 

I like mountain biking, on those really tough days, 

when you have a killer five or six hour ride in freezing 

rain, the wind blowing and nothing feels right, I 

dream of sitting in a nice warm cubicle, peering into 

that computer screen and sipping coffee. I can tell 

you I didn’t necessarily see that happening when I was 

sitting in that cube working as an engineer.” 

Where does he see himself in five, or ten years? “I 

have no idea. But I can assure you that whatever it is, 

I’ll be in it 100 percent. When I decide to do something 

I give it everything.”

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A CELEBRATION – LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND by NEIL SANDLER 

THIS MONTH, SHARON ROBINSON of Bethesda, Md., 

celebrates her 26th year of living with and successfully 

fighting cancer. 

What better way to celebrate than with bike rides with 

her cycling friends at Team in Training (TNT), the 

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s training program to 

raise money to help the battle against cancer? 

Robinson, 48, a former competitive country western 

dancer, took up cycling in the mid-1990s with the 

popular Jewish cycling club Bike & Brunch. By 2000, 

she was looking for a cycling challenge and joined 

TNT. 

“I was celebrating my 18th year as a Hodgkins (lymph 

node cancer) survivor,” she recalls. “My friend Caren 

Thaler had been battling cancer since the mid 1980s, 

so she and I decided to train (with TNT) for the 

Santa Fe century.” 

Thaler had breast cancer, was treated and went five 

years in remission. But it returned. She fought it 

again, and it returned a second time. That’s when 

they did the Sante Fe ride. Sadly, two years after that 

ride, it returned a third time and Thaler died in 

December 2002. 

“Caren fought as long and as hard as humanely 

possible. She was the one who encouraged me to 

get involved and do something positive,” Robinson 

explained. 

In 2000, Robinson told friends and family she would 

“take them with her on the Sante Fe century for 

$118.” What that meant was she would write their 

names on her legs, for $118. The 118 represented 

one dollar for each mile of the century, plus one 

dollar for each year Robinson was cancer free at the 

time. Robinson had two legs full of names and raised 

over $7,000. 

In 2007, Robinson trained and rode in the Tour de 

Tucson century with TNT. This time her legs were full 

of names of contributors who donated at least $125, 

representing a dollar for each mile plus one dollar 

for each mile of being cancer free. Robinson raised 

an incredible $14,275, the ninth highest amount of 

the nearly 600 participants from around the country. 

This year she is currently in training for the June 1 

TNT century ride in Lake Tahoe. She will serve as a 

team captain for the first time. 

“My role is to keep all my teammates motivated and 

help them achieve their goals in both riding and fund 

raising. Not everyone is a strong rider but we will all 

cross the finish line. Nobody is left behind.” 

Robinson, who is a graduate of Milford Mills High 

School in Baltimore, Catonsville Community College, 

Towson University, and Johns Hopkins (with a masters 

degree in behavioral sciences) is administrator of the 

American Board of Medical Genetics in Bethesda. 

She stresses how battling cancer changed her life forever 

and she is forever diligent about getting medical 

check-ups. 

“Everyone goes through that ‘why me’ phase, but for 

me it comes down to someone had a purpose for me. 

It only made me a stronger person. As the saying goes 

‘that which does not kill me only makes me stronger.’ 

“It’s those tough days, say a cold rainy and windy 

Saturday morning, when you are out there riding 

your bike, that you think for a moment: ‘I could be 

at home in my warm, dry bed.’ But you quickly catch 

yourself, and remember how lucky you are. A lot of 

my fellow riders (in TNT) ride in honor of someone 

who has passed away. I’m a little different. I ride in 

celebration of life. The fact that I, and many others, 

have been lucky to live through all this.” 

16 April 2008

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COLUMNS 

THE BIKE RACK 

The inspiration to start a full-service bicycle store 

initially began more than ten years ago, Wayne Lerch 

said, when the Metropolis Bike Shop closed on 

Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. 

“We went there all the time,” Lerch said, referring to 

Chuck Harney, his longtime cycling pal — and now 

business partner at The Bike Rack in D.C.’s Logan 

Circle. They wrote a business plan, but struggled to 

find the right location and financing. Ultimately, they 

let the idea go. 

“I think the timing just wasn’t right,” Harney recently 

told SPOKES. 

Instead, Lerch, 50, founded Capitol Home Inspection, 

a company which he still manages successfully. 

Harney, 46, who had a background in business, decided 

to go back to school and become a social worker. 

He wanted to work counseling alcohol and substance 

abuse clients. 

“I came about it honestly, I’ve been sober myself 

since 1991,” he said. “But after 10 years I was getting 

burned out.” 

Eventually they decided to re-visit the old business plan. 

The Bike Rack grand opening: May, 12 2007 

A decade ago, it was questionable whether or not the 

14th St. N.W. neighborhood where Harney lives was 

well-situated for a bicycle store. Whole Foods hadn’t 

arrived yet, neither had the high-end furniture stores, 

the theaters, the galleries, the coffee ships — or the 

condos. It was still a little rundown in parts and a little 

sketchy once the sun went down. 

In the meantime, they either rode up to City Bikes 

in Adams Morgan, out to Revolution or the Bicycle 

Pro in Georgetown for gear and repairs. The former 

District Hardware store in Dupont Circle was nearby, 

however for Lerch, a former road racer, and Harney, 

a competitive multi-sport athlete, that shop (since 

moved near the George Washington University campus 

in Foggy Bottom) didn’t offer high-end accessories 

or equipment. 

Capitol Hill Bikes soon took over where Metropolis 

left off, but meanwhile the revitalization of the 14 St. 

N.W. and Logan Circle-area had begun. It linked with 

rejuvenated building on historic U St. N.W. — ethnic 

restaurants, clubs, condos, shops and niche retail — 

with an ever-expanding Dupont Circle gentrification 

past 16th St. N.W. 

With young urban professionals moving in, plus green 

and recreation-minded couples, a need for a local 

bike shop arrived as well. 

“The demographics changed,” Lerch said. 

“It was a no-brainer,” Harney added. 

They re-wrote their business model about two years 

ago and by the summer of 2006 they had signed a 

lease at 1412 Q St. N.W and Harney had quit his job. 

“We thought finding a place would be tough, but we 

lucked out,” Lerch said. The previous tenant had 

been a problem and the landlord wasn’t interested in 

doing any of the repairs,” Lerch said. “We were able 

to negotiate a fairly favorable lease. We did the demolition, 

knocking down doors, peeling paint and carrying 

trash ourselves, and hired a general contractor to 

do the repairs.” 

They left exposed the natural brick and designed the 

exterior of 1920-1930-era Federal-style in classy gray 

and black to match the feel of the neighborhood. 


MY BIKE SHOP by RON CASSIE 

“It’s 1,000 square feet and we have 500 square feet of 

storage out back,” Lerch said. “It’s small, little shop.” 

The former tenant, a doggy day care business, was 

pretty much driven out by neighborhood complaints, 

Lerch and Harney said. They wanted to make sure 

they’d be welcome before they actually inked the deal 

and knocked on doors around the block to introduce 

themselves and listen to concerns. It sent the tone 

immediately for the kind of bicycle store they looked 

to build. 

“Essentially, we wanted to become the bike shop of 

choice for the area,” Harney said. “We wanted to 

emphasize our commitment to the community. And 

be a warm and friendly and create a non-intimidating 

environment — which is huge,” Harney said. Despite 

its relatively small quarters, they set out to serve the 

high-end customer while not losing track of the average 

rider or newbie. So far, they been able to attract 

everyone from road racing and multi-sport crowd, to 

the local D.C. bike messenger business (there are the 

closest downtown shop), to commuters, to women 

looking to join their first group ride. 

“In about 6 and 1⁄2 months, we achieved our sales 

goal for the entire year,” Lerch said. 

The repair team is led by David Fike, a USA Cycling 

licensed race mechanic. Fike was recommended by 

several cycling friends and recruited from Peloton 

Bicycle Shop in Rhode Island where he was the lead 

mechanic/shop manager. Previously, Fike had served 

as the director of North East Racing Services for Fuji/ 

ASI and race mechanic for Pedros/Mavic. Fike is a 

respected master wheelbuilder and in the last 14 years 

he has provided support for numerous races and special 

events including the Empire States Aids Ride and 

Braking the Cycle. 

“They got a hold of me just before New Years in ‘07,” 

said Fike, who added about 3/4 of the service at the 

shop has been coming from neighborhood with the 

other 1/4 consisting of high-end wheel building and 

“race-ready type stuff.” 

“It’s was a good opportunity for me,” he said. “The 

shop is great. The city works for me, too. I met a girl 

in D.C. and got married. I can’t complain.” 

Quickly last year the store began to sink roots and 

grow weekend rides from the shop. They support 

local cycling-oriented organizations and have held 

workshops on bike maintenance as well as techniques 

for beginning triathletes and competitive cyclists. 

Store manager Dave Fike, Wayne Lerch, and Chuck Harney. 

Their website, www.bikerackdc.com offers an events 

page calendar to check for upcoming rides and workshops. 

They also maintain a 2008 “Race and Train” 

calendar and a e-mail discussion group that now has 

signed up more than 200 people. 

On Saturday mornings at 7:45, they organize a race 

pace training ride intended for those who race or 

intend to. The ride meets at Pierce Mill in Rock 

Creek Park and the distance is approximately 40 

miles. On Sunday mornings as the weather warms 

they will again begin offering group rides for new and 

lower level riders, which last year attracted as many as 

35-40 people on good days. 

“I think now that we’ve been opened a year, we’re 

learning what we like, and what will work and won’t,” 

Harney said. “We want people to ask a lot of questions, 

so we get to understand what they need. We’re 

in this for the long haul.” 

EDITOR’S NOTE: 

A good independent bicycle shop still remains one of the 

treasured resources of bicycling–among the best places 

to learn about places to ride, meet locals to ride with, and 

learn about new products. Oh, and they also do a super 

job fixing the bike stuff you break. “My Bike Shop” is a 

regular feature of SPOKES in which we give you a look into 

a local shop and the folks behind it.

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COLUMNS 

…a look at women’s cycling issues in the 

mid-Atlantic 

Iron Women 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, 210,000 women are diagnosed with breast 

cancer every year. Unfortunately for Nicole Weaver, a 

sports enthusiast from Annapolis, she is one of those 

210,000 women. Fortunately for Nicole, she has a 

fighting spirit and a strong group of friends who are 

fighting right along with her. 

Nicole has always been very active and enjoyed the 

outdoors. She and her friend Judy Acosta met sailing 

and also enjoy mountain biking and road biking 

together. Last year, Nicole decided to race the 

IronGirl Triathlon in August and recruited Judy to 

race and train with her. 

In preparation for her training and racing, Nicole 

bought new road and mountain bikes and jumped in 

to training on a more serious level. 

The IronGirl went well for both Nicole and Judy; 

both finished their first ever triathlon smiling, in a 

little over two hours, and immediately resolved to do 

another. Unfortunately, one week after the IronGirl 

tri, Nicole found a lump in her breast and was diagnosed 

with Stage II breast cancer in September 2007. 

Not one to take things lying down, two weeks after 

having a lumpectomy on October 1 of 2007, Nicole 

and Judy hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim in one 

day. They covered 21 miles and about 8,000 feet of 

elevation in 12 hours and 25 minutes! 

RECUMBENT = 

Comfort 


PEOPLE ASK US 

WHO RIDES RECUMBENTS? 

We tell them avid cyclists 

overcoming discomfort from a physical 

condition, people coming back to cycling 

for exercise who want more comfort, 

and people that like to be different. 

We welcome them all and try to help 

them fi nd the recumbent that 

will get them out riding. 

We’re fi ghting “oil addiction” with 

human powered transportation. 

Join the fi ght – park your car and 

ride your bike. 

bikes@vienna, LLC 

128A Church St, NW Vienna, VA 22180 

703-938-8900 

www.bikesatvienna.com 

COME TO OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION 

ABOUT OUR UNUSUAL PRODUCTS AND 

CLICK USED BIKES FOR PHOTOS, 

DESCRIPTIONS, AND PRICES OF 

OUR PRE-OWNED BIKES. 

SPOKESWOMEN by THERESA RICHARDSON t_richardson@verizon.net 

Nicole returned from her trip to start her first 

round of chemotherapy treatment in November. In 

December, Nicole’s determination to continue doing 

what she loves through her treatment lead her and 

Judy to sign up for the 2008 Columbia Triathlon, 

which takes place on May 18. 

Even though the race is two weeks after her final chemotherapy 

treatment, Nicole is determined to race 

and do well. 

Not only does Nicole continue to fight to maintain 

her active life, she and her friends have taken on the 

challenge of raising $30,000 to help fund breast cancer 

research. Nicole is grateful for recently released 

medications that help her cope with the side effects 

chemotherapy and that help her maintain her active 

lifestyle, and wants to contribute funds to continue 

this valuable research. 

To that end, Nicole and her group of friends created 

the Blister Sisters. One of their main fundraising 

activities is to participate in the Avon Breast Cancer 

Walk in Washington, D.C., in May. 

The Blister Sisters, which is now 14 members strong, 

are raising money for the walk, as well as training 

together for the two- day event. So far, they have 

carried out two Stairway To A Cure events at the 

Annapolis Athletic Club. Members and non-members 

of the gym donate money in exchange for a 15 to 30 

minute stair stepping workout. These two events have 

raised close to $5,000. 

Another fund-raising activity the Blister Sisters organized 

is a raffle of a Trek Wasabi Cruiser bike donated 

by the Bike Doctor Waldorf. Raffle tickets are $10 

each and can be purchased on the Blister Sisters website 

(www.blistersisters.org) or at their many fundraising 

activities. The final drawing for the bike will take 

place on May 31 at the Coconut Ball at the Maritime 

Museum in Annapolis. Between their Stairway to A 

Cure events, the bike raffle, the sale of t-shirts, and 

the fund raising for the Avon walk, the Blister Sisters 

have already raised $31,000 for the Avon Fund. 

Nicole truly is an inspiration She continues her 

full-time work as a technology and operations advi- 

sor for a non profit called Women for Women 

International while receiving her treatment and taking 

on the job of creating Blister Sisters and leading 

its fundraising activities along with her friend Judy 

Acosta. Oh, and don’t forget that she’s also training 

for the Columbia Tri in May! She is another 

example of one of the many amazing women in the 

mid-Atlantic area doing great things. Check in at the 

Blister Sisters website (www.blistersisters.org) for upcoming 

fundraising activities and to track the progress 

and activities of the Blister Sisters. 

Theresa Richardson is a Pro XC Racer for Bear Naked 

Cannondale, and co-owner of the Bike Doctor, Waldorf, Md. 

Reach Over 

30,000 

Bicycling Enthusiasts 

Call 301-371-5309

USAF CYCLING CLASSIC TO BENEFIT OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS 

Arlington Sports, Inc., the promoting organization for the 

United States Air Force Cycling Classic, May 4th in Crystal City, 

Va., will help members of the United States military who have 

sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) during their service to 

our country. Funds raised at the race will go to the Raisin Hope 

Foundation, established to help individuals who have suffered 

TBI by providing critical funds for research and medical care 

facilities. 

Cycling enthusiast of all abilities will be able to participate in 

the Crystal Ride event to be held just prior to the racing, and 

thus support this cause. Beginning and ending at the US Air 

Force Memorial, participants will be able to ride on a 12 1⁄2 

kilometer circuit in and around Crystal City that will challenge 

them for 100km. 

Professional teams will follow the ride, including a separate 

Service Academy race. 

Registration for the amateur participatory ride is now open 

through the events website. Active duty and reserve military 

personnel receive a $10 discount. 

The Raisin Hope Foundation was founded by professional 

cyclist Saul Raisin, who suffered from TBI following a racing 

accident in France in 2006. Saul’s remarkable recovery from 

his injuries inspired him to begin this effort to help others with 

similar injuries. 

“If I ever ride a bicycle again, I want to help people like me,” 

Saul told his family while still recovering in the hospital. He has 

inspired others through his extraordinary return to competitive 

cycling and a book sharing his amazing story, Tour de Life: From 

Coma to Competition. 

“Many of our country’s military members returning from Iraq 

and Afghanistan suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury. As a premier 

athlete who also suffered from TBI but has recovered from 

his injuries, Saul Raisin is an inspiration. I am very pleased that 

he is associated with the Air Force Cycling Classic,” said the 

Honorable William Anderson. 

“We are excited by Saul’s commitment to support military members 

and their families who have been affected by TBI, and look 

forward to participating with him at this event.” 

Saul is committed to supporting the United States Air Force in 

the month’s leading up to this event and beyond to determine 

how his foundation can best assist those members of the military 

who have suffered from TBI. 

For additional information on the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic 

visit www.arlingtonsports.org 

Saul Raisin (right) with NCVC’s Myron Lehtman. 

The U.S. Air Force Memorial 


21

DEPARTMENTS 

Annapolis Triathlon is ON! 


After some concern that the 

Annapolis Triathlon might not 

come off this year, registration 

for the second annual race, 

scheduled, for September 7, 

2008 has officially opened on 

the www.tricolumbia.org website. 

The 1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run inaugural race in 

2007 in the historic city is not only Maryland’s state 

capital, but home to the United States Naval Academy 

and one of the top collegiate triathlon squads in the 

country. but it is now the site of what will become one 

of the nation’s premier triathlon events. 

The 1500 m swim takes place in the Chesapeake Bay, 

in brackish water (a mix of salt and fresh water). 

Water temperatures in September are typically in the 

mid 70’s, depending of course on summer precipita- 

TRISPOKES by RON CASSIE ron_cassie@yahoo.com 

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Visit www.coachtroy.com or call (410) 823-7000 

tion. USAT wetsuit rules will be in effect (no wetsuits 

allowed if water temps exceed 78’ F). The swim route 

is anticipated to be a beach start, point-to-point, style 

course marked by orange and yellow Day-Glo buoys 

with participants exiting for the transition. 

The scenic 40k bike route traverses rolling countryside 

and farmlands of Anne Arundel County with 

several moderate climbs along well maintained 

paved roads including the historic, brick streets of 

Annapolis. There is professional motorcycle support, 

but the bike course is not closed to traffic. The yellow 

centerline rule is always in effect. 

The 10k run course map is still being finalized. The 

course will be primarily out and back, flat and fast, 

according to the tricolumbia website. There will be 

aid stations providing support both in hydration and 

spirit approximately each mile of the run. 

This event is produced in cooperation with Anne 

Arundel County, the City of Annapolis and the State 

of Maryland and has been ranked by Inside Triathlon 

Magazine as the 13th “Best New Race.” 

The race starts at 6:30 a.m. The minimum age to compete 

is 15. The race limit is 2,000 participants. 

Frederick and Hagerstown Youth Triathlons 

Frederick’s 

Martha Herman 

has been and 

athlete for years, 

and has completed 

several 

marathons. But 

last year her 

daughter, Emily, 

11, did the 

Hagerstown Youth Triathlon and the experience really 

opened her eyes. 

“They had 72 kids participating and a wait list for 72 

more,” Herman said. She had organized some events 

in the past, like local 5 Ks, talked to race coordinator 

Ken Racine and thought, “Why not in Frederick?” 

And so, now Maryland kids (and those from D.C., 

Virginia and West Virginia, too) from ages 7 to 13 will 

have another chance to participate in the multi-sport fun. 

The Frederick Kids’ Triathlon on Saturday, May 24, 

at Frederick High School. The youth event consists 

of 100 meter swim, a 2 mile bike and 3/4 mile run. 

It costs $35 before April 1 and $40 until the event. 

Online registration closes May 14. The website can be 

found at http://www.fredericktri.com 

The race course is designed for the youth athlete 

in mind and offers many viewing opportunities for 

moms, dads and other spectators. Each competitor 

will have their own swim lane. The swim will be in an 

indoor pool and will consist of 2 laps (4 lengths). The 

bike course loops around the high school and middle 

school. Each competitor will make 3 laps on their 

bike. The run will be on the track and each competitor 

will complete 3 laps. 

Each youth triathlete will receive a T-shirt, cap, water 

bottle and a medal afterwards. 

“The goal is to encourage kids and get them to think 

about fitness as a lifetime goal,” Herman said. “Once 

they cross the finish they’ll feel great. They might 

now swim well, or run well, but they’ll do one of three 

events well and that’ll make it worthwhile.” 

Herman said that she noticed when her children 

(she also has a 14-year old son named Sam) got to 

middle school age that if they or their friends weren’t 

involved in a team sport like lacrosse or soccer, they 

likely weren’t getting enough exercise.” 

“That’s the age they start watching too much television 

and playing computer games,” Herman said. “P.E. 

twice a week for an hour in school doesn’t cut it.” 

Her daughter Emily is scheduled to compete in both 

triathlons, and she expects Brian, her 9-year old will, too. 

TRISPOKES continued on p.27

ANNAPOLIS & NATION'S TRI: FOCUS OF FILMMAKERS' PASSION by KAREN GARDNER 

Reprinted with permission of the Frederick News-Post and 

Randall Family, LLC. 

MATT BARRETT AND JOHN STANN have set out to film 

the limits of human endurance. The pair grew up 

in the Myersville, Md., area, running track and cross 

country in high school. Since then, they’ve run marathons 

and recently began competing in triathlons. 

Now they want to film others as they compete. 

“We used to watch Kona (Hawaii Ironman) in the 

early days, and seeing these iconic people crawling 

across the finish line literally in heat exhaustion was 

fascinating,” Barrett said. 

For their first project, they documented the Annapolis 

Triathlon on September 9, 2007, 

Barrett and Stann wanted the film to show that finish 

line drama, plus other highlights, in their documentary 

series, Race Day Films DVD Series. They have 

also completed a second DVD about the Nation’s 

Triathlon, in Washington on September 29. 

Both those triathlons were inaugural events. 

Participation in marathons and triathlons has 

increased exponentially in recent years. Barrett and 

Stann reasoned that expanded participation in these 

events meant burgeoning interest. They haven’t quit 

their day jobs, but they thought there might be a market 

for films about major endurance events. 

“We try to show these are normal people with lawns to 

mow and bills to pay,” Barrett said. “They are teachers, 

nurses, research scientists, engineers. We want to 

humanize them.” 

Barrett and Stann are familiar names in the mid- 

Atlantic running community. Both took part in track 

and cross country at Middletown High School before 

graduation in 1992. 

In college, Barrett was a walk-on at Virginia Tech’s 

track and cross country team. Stann attended Virginia 

Military Institute. He did not take part in collegiate 

sports, but trained for road races, and talked Barrett 

into running the Shamrock Marathon with him in 

1993. They ran the race in 3:10. 

After college, they stopped competing for a while. 

Barrett, now 34, has two young children, and Stann 

has five children. Barrett works at the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaitherburg 

and Stann is a civil engineer in Front Royal, Va. 

Barrett, who lives in Ellicott City, resumed competition 

a few years after college. He had always been a 

runner, but he took up cycling, and found his niche. 

He participated in criterium races, and quickly 

became ranked 40th in the nation. 

In 2000, he took part in the Columbia Triathlon, and 

then the Eagleman, a half-Iron distance triathlon in 

Cambridge. Since then, he has focused on Olympic 

distance and half triathlons. The past two years, he 

and Stann also completed the Chesapeake Man, a full 

Iron distance triathlon in Cambridge. 

Barrett said he’d like to one day qualify for the Hawaii 

Ironman. But it isn’t the athletes at the top end he 

wants his films to focus on. Instead, it’s the effort, the 

pain, the fatigue, the sheer joy of finishing, whether 

it’s a 10K run, a two-hour sprint triathlon or a 17-hour 

Ironman triathlon. 

Plans are to film documentaries on several major road 

races as well as triathlons. 

The camera captures the early morning starts, the 

mass of swim caps bobbing through the water, the 

focus of the cyclists and the rhythm of the runners. At 

the finish line there is exhaustion and relief. 

The DVDs also offer viewers a video feel of the bike 

and run course. The filmmakers tested the course 

with a camera, and hill grades are provided for those 

who want to try out the course on their bike trainers 

and treadmills. A triathlon-certified coach narrates 

the course and offers tips, and also shows examples of 

what people do right and wrong during races. 

“It’s a chance to visualize,” Barrett said, something 

many experienced athletes find valuable when preparing 

for races. 

Barrett and Stann are executive producers for 

the films. Kevin Hershberger is the director. Kera 

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John Stann and Matt Barrett 

O’Bryon, an Emmy-nominated actress who has done 

projects for Discovery Channel, National Geographic 

and Fox Family Network, serves as the interviewer and 

narrator of the documentaries. She weaves the action 

together. 

For more information on the DVD series and to see 

future developments, check the website, www.raceday 

films.net. 


23

COLUMNS 

WHEN MY WIFE AND I GOT MARRIED, we knew that we 

wanted children and we knew that we wanted them 

to be involved our active lifestyle. With the canoe it 

was not a big problem, we just had to plan on small 

life jackets. And when a friend offered up his used 

child trailer, I snapped it up even though my wife was 

not even pregnant. Then after we had our first son I 

was at the bike store and saw another trailer on sale 

at almost give away prices, I snapped that up on the 

assumption that we were going to have a second child, 

which we did. 

A number of manufacturers now make a variety of 

trailers and trail-along bikes that act like a second 

bike hooked to the lead bike. These trailers and tagalongs 

have been the saving grace for a lot of families 

that wanted to keep riding. They provide a great way 

to get the kids involved in biking and then keep them 

with you until they can ride well on their own. 

I often hear folks talk about how much of a hassle it 

is to go out riding with their children. Getting all the 

bikes, trailers or tag-a-long bikes and helmets packed, 

getting water bottles filled then going somewhere to 

ride. Then only riding 5 to 10 miles and then packing it 

all up again and then going home. I agree it is a lot of 

work, but our children are only going to be young once. 

I grew up in South Dakota where I could go out for 

the full day and ride all over and have fun. I remember 

going out on fishing trips. I had a single speed 

Sears bike with dual baskets on the back. I would 

strap my fishing rod to the top bar on the bike, put 

lunch and my tackle box in the baskets and put a 

bucket over the handle bars. Going out was not that 

bad. Coming home after a successful day of fishing 

with the bucket full of fish could cause some interesting 

gyrations as I would ride down the road. These 

are the memories I have of growing up. 

Making the time to ride with my boys and then flying 

kites will be the things that my boys remember. 

One of the ways to maximize the memories and minimize 

the packing is to find someplace to ride and 

camp. Riding on the Mason Neck Trail in Fairfax 

County, Va.., is a great way to make those memories. 

The campground at Pohick Regional Park has always 

had plenty of camping spots and have added a number 

of camping cabins for folks who want to get away 

from it but not too close to the ground. Staying at 

Pohick Park allows for biking to George Mason’s family 

home. This spot has gotten a lot more attention 

since the NCAA tournament a couple of years ago 

and is a pleasant visit. 

Most folks visit Mt Vernon and will stand in line for 

some time to get in the house. At Gunston Hall, it is 

possible to walk right in with no wait. The tour groups 

are very small; sometimes you may even have a per- 


FAMILY CYCLING 101 by KEVIN BRUGMAN kbrugman@cox.net 

sonal tour with just your family. Being in an intimate 

setting also allows for children to ask questions about 

how things were. Ask about the faux oak doors. 

Mason Neck State Park requires an entrance fee 

for folks to drive in, however biking in is free, even 

encouraged. There is a small visitor’s center with 

some exhibits. They also schedule guided canoe trips 

back up into Kane’s Creek. These waters are generally 

quiet, just the place to introduce a budding paddler 

to the joys of backwater canoeing. If the tide is coming 

in, you can make it all the way back to a beaver 

dam and have good chance of seeing lots of wildlife, 

some of it relatively close up. 

Pohick Park also gives children of all ages things to 

do. There is a miniature golf course, and a Frisbee 

golf course as well as lots of hiking trails to wander 

on. The campground has a large open meadow to 

play on. The best thing is that the park is seldom 

crowded except for the major holidays. 

What was once old, is new again! 

For those not familiar with the history of the tandem, 

the early tandems would place the female stoker in 

front and the male captain in the back. At the time it 

was not considered polite for a woman to have to look 

at the back of the man and of course it was not allowable 

that the woman be allowed to steer. Building 

upon that idea, there are some neat bike ideas coming 

out for riding together. 

A few years ago the Love Bike was designed for parent 

and child biking. This bike has the parent sitting in 

the back with the child sitting in front. The handlebars 

are swept back to surround the child and allow 

the parent to steer. While the design does not allow 

for sharp turning, it does allow the parent to cocoon 

the child. This would be a great for children that are 

afraid of falling and hesitant about riding. While I 

would not do a 50 mile ride on this bike, it is a great 

beach bike or short trail riding. You can find more 

information about the Love Bike at 

http://www.lovebike.com/. 

Another idea is the Kidz Tandem, similar to the old 

style traditional tandem where the steering mechanism 

was designed so that steering, breaking, gearing 

are in the back, allowing the child to pedal freely 

while easily talking to the parents all while enjoying 

the view. 


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The front of bike will accommodate children from 

age 1 and up, with a weight limit of 100 with a range 

of child seats from child seats to conventional bike 

seats. If you don’t have a child, you can adapt the 

front to a pet carrier or cargo. The design allows for 

better control of the bike in traffic although it may 

take a little experience to get used to the steering that 

would be similar to a long wheelbase recumbent. This 

is a bike that I would not hesitate to do a 50 mile bike 

ride on. More information can be found at http:// 

www.browncycles.com/tandems.htm. 

A quick plug to keep your bikes in good repair and 

to build a relationship with your local bike shop, you 

never know when it will be helpful. I recently had the 

front seatpost of one of the tandems seize. I tried all 

the standard fixes, soaking in penetrating oil, dribbling 

in ammonia, and even some heat. Nothing 

worked. I took it into by local shop and they took 

on the challenge. After a couple of weeks of trying 

all the tricks in their book, they finally had to cut out 

and chisel out the seat post. Well I now have the bike 

back complete with an overhaul and as good as new 

thanks to Bikes@Vienna. 

After giving back my tandem, John showed me an 

adaptable tandem trike coupler that they recently 

put in stock. I often wondered who would ride a trike 

and then I met up with some riders on various rides. 

Some of the folks just enjoyed the notoriety of a trike, 

while others had never learned how to balance on a 

regular bike and enjoyed riding a fast high tech trike. 

However in some cases there are long time bike riders 

that have had a stroke or suffer from a disability that 

affects their fine motor skills. They can still pedal, 

steer and brake fine, but they are still want to go out 

riding. A trike gives that capability and freedom. 

TREK • Seven 

Pinarello • Colnago 

LeMond • Raleigh 

Giordana • Hincapie 

Descente • Louis Garneau 

Sidi • Shimano • DMT 

Bontrager • Mavic • Rolf • HED 

Coupling two trikes together provides many of the 

benefits of a tandem without the weight and expense 

of a tandem trike while retaining the ability of independent 

biking. Check out the following location for 

more information: http://bikesatvienna.blogspot.com/. 

One last thing before I close. I recently came across 

a web bike cartoon strip that really hits the spot, 

Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery. Yehuda is a 

retro cyclist and part owner of the Kickstand Cyclery. 

Yehuda experiences all the joys and pitfalls of bicycling 

and the general relationship with the public. 

The web site is http://yehudamoon.com/ 

www.thebicycleplace.com 8313 Grubb Road, Silver Spring MD 301-588-6160 


25

COLUMNS 

Clydesdales Need to WatchTheir Weight Too 

This article is being written poolside on Marco Island in 

Southern Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. The wind is blowing, 

the sun is bright, and I am many miles from my mountain 

bike. 

This morning the family went for hike on a trail that was 

labeled “mountain bike trail.” On that three and a half 

miles of flat sandy trail we saw two black snakes, all sorts 

of lizards, a wide variety of birds, a few small alligators, 

but not one mountain bike... there were tire treads... but no 

mountain bikes. 

It is hard for me to write an article about mountain biking 

when I am so far from my bike, but being on the beach will 

make any person, cyclist or not, think about their fitness, 

their form, and their weight. It is the onset of the mountain 

bike season and I am starting to think about my weight. 

Being a 40 year old adult I am finding that my baseline 

weight has started to increase each year. I need to take control 

of my weight instead of just letting things bulge out of 

control. This is not about dieting, this is about common 

sense. It is not so much about sacrifice as it is about moderation. 

Yes, it is about change, change that will take discipline. 

Change is an active process that will involve a conscious 

effort to alter previous behavior and previous bad habits. 

These changes will be for the better and the results will have 

a positive ripple effect upon my life. 

This is not a diet... just monitoring my consumption by 

using some common sense and exhibiting some will power. 

Clydesdale Mountain Bikers 

In the sport of mountain biking there are an assortment 


SINGLETRACK by JOEL GWADZ gwadzilla8@yahoo.com 

MattyD: mud splattered after PVC’s 

Greenbrier Challenge, a popular spring classic. 

of classes. Classes are broken down by sex, age, ability, 

and weight. The race category that measures weight is 

called the Clydesdale Class. The term Clydesdale is borrowed 

from large heavy draft horse. In mountain biking 

to quality for this class each racer must weigh more than 

200 pounds. I am one of these racers. 

It was roughly a decade ago at the Granny Gear 

24 Hours of Canaan where I raced on a four man 

Clydesdale team with my brother called Boxer’s 

Revenge. It was the Clydesdale Class that really got 

me exciting about racing. This was a small class where 

I was able to compete against other racers with similar 

body types. It is hard for a six foot four inch male 

weighing over 220 pounds to identify with the skinny 

140-150 pound expert racer. 

It was in the Clydesdale Class that I learned the competition 

and camaraderie of mountain bike racing. 

But, just because I am a Clydesdale it does not mean 

that I should not be conscious of my weight and monitor 

what I am eating. 

Winter Weight 

Winter weight is not uncommon among cyclists, 

but for me last season I did not ever shed my winter 

weight, which has me realizing that I need to be more 

pro-active about my weight by controlling my diet. 

Over the past few years I witnessed many of my teammates’ 

bodies change as they grew more focused, more 

fit, and faster on the bike. Rather than hire a coach or 

read a book on weight loss I decided to consult them 

for some guidance on proper diet and keys to weight 

loss in the form of short answer bullet points. 

Being Mindful of What I am Eating 

Current DCMTB-City Bikes Continuum Energy 

Solutions mountain bike team captain Matt Donahue 

said that weight loss was not his goal but rather a 

pleasant side effect to his elevated training plan. For 

MattyD it was about following an exercise training 

plan which involved better food. 

Eating fruits and vegetables instead of processed 

foods and fatty snacks was one simple suggestion that 

MattyD offered. This is a matter of minding what I am 

eating rather than dieting. 

Weight is about a balance between calories burned 

and calories ingested. To lose weight is simple... burn 

more calories than are being taken into your body. 

My activity levels are increasing at a good early spring 

pace with some preparation for the rapidly approaching 

mountain bike race season. For me, minding what 

I am eating will be a cumulative effort of many small 

things. These small changes are as simple as getting 

the burrito without cheese and pouring less sugar in 

my coffee. There will still be the occasional chocolate 

bar with almonds and there is now way that I would 

sacrifice pizza, but I will monitor the quantity of these 

things. Like so many things this process is about common 

sense. 

Talk is nothing without action. That is why things 

need to move to a conscious level. My efforts will 

involve intentionally adding healthy foods into my 

daily meals while consciously removing/decreasing 

other less beneficial foods. 

My older wiser brother Marc, who is also a teammate, 

shared with me the obvious wisdom of portion control. 

My brother stressed that we do not need to eat 

until we are stuffed. So often I eat for pleasure and 

eat until I can eat no more. That behavior needs to be 

modified. Those habits were fine when I was a growing 

boy, but this boy does not need to grow any more. 

Last race season I watched Marc drop ten pounds. 

This weight loss was not only visible in the shape of 

his body but also in his race performance. The physics 

of strength to weight ratio or power measured in 

wattage is not really how I think. But we all know that 

it is easier to carry less weight up a hill than more, 

this means that if you are the same strength but weigh 

less you will move faster.

In addition to these recommendations on portion 

control and being mindful of the solids that I am 

consuming it is also important to be conscious of what 

fluids are being put into my body. Fluids are an easy 

area to start with the minding of the consumption. Again 

this is more about moderation than dieting, working 

at rational levels of consumption. 

LESS SODA is a quick and easy change to implement. 

The consciousness of consumption goes beyond the 

limiting of all of those cans of Coke. The minding of 

the consumption extends to sport drinks. So often after 

a ride or a run I go to the fridge and grab a bottle of 

Vitamin Water or my all time favorite Gatorade when all 

the body really needs is water. Water is precious. 

Consume greater quantities of water in place of these 

other drinks. Coca Cola will still be chilled in the fridge, 

but the consumption will be less frequent. The natural 

impulse to crack open a Coke with every meal must be 

stopped. The increase in water consumption is a natural 

habit as my riding picks up, but the frequent ingestion 

of sports drinks is a habit that I need to break. It 

is important to reach for regular old water rather than 

colored water with unneeded calories. After all... it is all 

about calories... calories consumed and calories burned. 

It is easier to consume fewer calories than it is to work 

out more and burn more calories. 

Being lighter would mean being faster. Cyclists do not 

only seek lighter bikes but it is desired to have lighter 

bodies. Due to the basic strength to weight ratios 

lighter racers are better climbers. Which means it is to 

the advantage of any cyclist to be as light as they can 

be so that they are not carrying any extra weight up 

the hills. 

I will always be a Clydesdale... but I do not have 

to carry all this excess weight around. Clydesdales 

need to weigh over 200 pounds, I do not need to be 

over 230. Never do I expect to weigh less than 200 

pounds... but I could most certainly afford to be a few 

pounds less than my current weight. 

With all the focus that riders put on getting a lighter 

bike some of us other cyclists could do better to 

focus on carrying less weight on our body. My older 

and faster mountain biking cross racing brother also 

shared this pearl with me: finding a healthy weight is the 

TRISPOKES continued from p.22 

For more information, Martha Herman can be 

reached at martha8908@aol.com (301-667-2518) or 

Ken Racine at kcracine@myactv.net (301-991-0461). 

You can use the Contact link above. 

This race supports the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma 

Foundation whose mission is to promote prevention, 

early detection and research to end melanoma. 

The 2008 Hagerstown Youth Triathlon is scheduled 

for Saturday, July 26, at Martin L. Snook Memorial 

Park. That race is similar in format with 100 meters 

swim, 2 mile bike and 3/4 mile swim. This race is 

supporting the Boys and Girls Club of Washington 

County and Ken Racine at kcracine@myactv.net (301- 

991-0461) can be contacted for more information. 

Mid-Maryland Triathlon Club and Howard County 

Cycling Advocacy 

Sadj Bartolo, of Columbia, an enthusiastic 65 - 69 age 

group triathlete has stepped down as president of the 

Mid-Maryland Triathlon Club, turning the leadership 

responsibilities over to Chip Warfel. 

“I did it for three years, I felt like it was time,” said 

Bartolo, who competed in her first Half-Ironman 

last year at Timberland in New Hampshire. She said 

she’s only registered so far this year for the Columbia 

Triathlon and IronGirl race, also in Columbia. She 

has several vacation trips planned with her husband 

goal; it is not necessarily about being as light as possible. 

Be assured... I am not trying to get skinny. Skinny is 

not part of my future... but I do not need to be fat. 

Snacking on carrots may be a better option than a 

bag of chips. In fact decreasing the amount of processed 

foods is lumped right into the obvious with less 

soda. Less processed foods and an increase in fruits 

and vegetables just as MattyD suggested. I truly love 

fruits and vegetables. I just need to train my mind to 

reach for those things rather than all those junk food 

junky options I have been lunging for over the past 

many years. 

Team mate and friend Kent Baake recommended eating 

a salad with each meal for the pleasure of salad 

and to aid in decreasing the amount of the main 

course consumption, again it is about portion control. 

Kent snacks on apples, nuts, or enjoys a PB&J with a 

dash of honey or maple syrup. This is a fight that can 

be won through small efforts.... efforts as simple as 

selecting sorbet instead of ice cream. 

Kent also mentioned avoiding hydrogenated oils and 

high fructose products. In the last few seasons Kent 

has been focused on increasing workout times and 

decreasing eating. Again... that obvious balance of 

burning more calories than the number of calories 

ingested. This is all done by being mindful what is 

being eaten. 

This is not so much about sacrifice as it is about moderation. 

Portion control is the key. What I select to eat 

and drink is as important as how much I choose to eat 

and drink. Riding and exercise are part of the equation 

as well. I need to be consistent in my workouts. 

This will aid in the burning of calories. 

As mentioned it is not imperative for a mountain bike 

event to offer a Clydesdale category for me to compete 

but it does often add to the fun. 

Potomac Velo Club (PVC) is not only offering a 

NORBA/UCI quality mountain bike race at the 

Greenbrier Challenge just outside of Hagerstown, 

Maryland on April 27th, but there are also Single 

Speed and Clydesdale Classes. While in some of 

the multi-lap night relay events in the Mid-Atlantic 

neither The Baker’s Dozen on April 19th as hosted 

Robert, also a Mid-Maryland member, and may fit in 

an end-of-the-season race or two. 

A self-described recreational triathlete for over 20 

years, Bartolo has said she most loves getting new people 

into the sport and has been putting on one day 

triathlon clinics with two friends for three years. She 

is also a certified Level I USAT triathlon coach. 

Bartolo added that the Mid-Maryland Triathlon has 

club has joined with several other Howard Countyarea 

groups to form the Bicycling Advocates of 

Howard County (BAHC). The Bicycling Advocates 

of Howard County is a coalition of the representatives 

of the Baltimore Bicycling Club, Howard County 

Cycling Club, Mid-Maryland Triathlon Club, The 

John Hopkins University APL Cycling Club, as well as 

representatives from the Columbia Association, The 

Columbia Triathlon/Iron Girl Triathlon and other 

community groups and individuals concerned with 

road safety issues in Howard County. 

The goal of the organization, which already has had 

several meetings is to work with the Howard County 

Government, and other government agencies when 

needed, on improving the safety of roads in Howard 

County that are the most heavily used by bicyclists. 

Their next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 14. 

For more information contact Jack Guarneri at jack. 

guarneri@jhuapl.edu or e-mail BAHoCo@gmail.com. 

More information can also be found at http://sports. 

groups.yahoo.com/group/BicyclingAdvocatesofHowardCounty/ 

by Plum Grove Cyclery out of Leesburg, nor the 

Team Bike Works’ The 12 Hours of Lodi Farms in 

Fredericksburg Virginia offer Clydesdale classes... but 

these rolling courses with no significant climbs tend 

to disadvantage the larger rider less. 

Later in the season in June, Granny Gear’s 24 Hours 

of Big Bear in Hazelton West Virginia will host its 

third race of its six race 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race 

Series with a Clydesdale class. 

Then locally in Northern Virginia there are plenty 

of Clydesdale race options; PVC hosts its summer 

training series. Wednesdays at Wakefield in late June 

will have a Clydesdale class while the folks at EX2 

Adventures have added a Clydesdale class to their 

four race Cranky Monkey Series and the 12 Hours of 

Cranky Monkey. 

More information on any of these races can be found online 

with the assistance of GOOGLE. 

LEESBURG BAKER’S DOZEN OVERFLOWING 

One of the area’s newest mountain biking races is bursting at 

the seams, and sponsors report more than double last year’s 

registration, and the race isn’t until April 19th. 

The Leesburg Baker’s Dozen, a 13 hours mountain bike race 

held on a privately owned farm just north of Leesburg, Va., off 

Rt. 15, has 332 preregistered racers as of March 25, and sponsors 

at Plum Grove Cyclery expect quite a few more to sign up, 

making it the largest mountain bike race in the state of Virginia. 

The race begins at 11 a.m. and ends at midnight. Categories 

include solo, two and three person teams. Last year’s solo event 

was won by Steve Schwartz. 

The course is a 7.6 mile loop, mostly flat, winding, singletrack, 

not very technical, but over sections of limestone outcroppings. 

For registration go to Plumgrovecyclery.com 

ARE YOU READY FOR 

SPRING? 

Now is the best time to bring your bike in 

for a tune-up — or to schedule an 

appointment for a cleat alignment or bike fitting. 

Stop in and check out our great selecton of 

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27

DEPARTMENTS 

HAROLD ROSS, THE FOUNDING EDITOR of the New 

Yorker magazine, famously used to yell at writers who 

were at loss for words, “that nothing is indescribable.” 

Well, Ross never met Chris Rhoten. 

Words just don’t seem like enough. You want video 

and music, too. And mud and paint. 

Rhoten is the lead singer and guitar player in a 20years 

and running hard rock/punk band called Iron 

Boss. But he’s never smoked a cigarette, taken a drink 

or drug (except for once at the Burning Man festival 

when someone slipped him mushroom tea.) 

He’s raced motocross professionally and has broken 

his shoulders, ankles, feet, toes, ribs and nose in the 

process — as well as his back and neck in an industrial 

accident at work. But at 39, everything works pretty 

well and he swims, bikes or runs every day. 

He’s has had bit parts in the movies “Cry Baby” and 

“Avalon” and has done some television commercials, 

but never took an acting class in his life. He’s built 

bicycles for the likes of Russell Crowe. 

A mechanic by trade, Rhoten’s worked at the Carroll 

County landfill for the past 10 years. He makes the 30mile 

commute by bike. 

He often doesn’t sleep at all on Saturday nights, 

preferring to go out for 75-mile bike rides from 

Westminster to Frederick or Gettysburg and then 

come home and work in his enormous shop on 

Frizzelburg Road until the sun comes up. 

“I always try to include a ride up Gambrill Road (a 

huge climb in the state park by the same name),” he 

recently told SPOKES. 


COMMUTER CONNECTION by RON CASSIE ron_cassie@yahoo.com 

Green-conscious, he built a vegetable oil furnace to 

heat the place through the winter, collecting used oil 

for free from area restaurants. 

A steel sculptor, showing his art at the colorful, highlyregarded 

SOWEBO festival, and now he’s about to 

open a bike shop in Martinsburg, W. Va. 

He began entering triathlons several years ago, and 

Laurel Bicycle Center 

We have always been focused 

on trying to make your 

cycling experience as 

enjoyable as possible. Striving to provide 

the highest quality of service plays a big 

part in reaching that goal. Whether you ride 

only a few times each year or cycle every 

day, have a basic bike or the latest racing 

machine, we make a point of treating every 

cyclist as an important customer. We want 

you to have fun riding! Regardless of what 

and how much you ride, we are here to 

help. We have a small but talented staff of 

older and extremely experienced people, 

dedicated to making your visit to our store a great one. They are truly 

motivated to help people, and really care about you, not just how 

much you spend. We know how to work on bikes old and new, and our 

advice and guidance for purchasing a new bike is simply the best. We 

are proud to have been here to serve this community for over 50 years, 

and intend to be here for many more. 

—The Sawtelle Family and staff of Laurel Bicycle Center 

Laurel Bicycle Center 

14805 Baltimore Ave. 

US Rt.1 across from Laurel Mall 

www.bicyclefun.com 

301-953-1223/301-490-7744 

Monday-Friday 10 am-7 pm 

Saturday 9-6/Closed Sunday 

Former Carroll County professional motocross rider Chris Rhoten 

has done well, except however, race officials have a 

hard time finding some bare skin to write his number. 

He’s covered in tattoos. 

Oh yeah, he’s married and has a three-year old son. 

He takes the boy for 40-mile rides in his bike seat on 

the C & O Canal. 

Rhoten, obviously, isn’t one to take the easy or conventional 

path and that includes his daily commute to 

the landfill. 

First, he gets up and leaves by 5 a.m. everyday. To 

increase his mileage, he doesn’t take the direct route 

along Reisterstown Road, but winds through back 

roads and dirt trails — which is why he doesn’t typically 

use one of his road bikes, instead peddling a 

Cannondale hybrid so he can ride fatter tires. 

He packs his saddlebags with tools, patches, tubes, 

tape, a thermos of coffee, food and change of clothes. 

However, this isn’t some fancy white collar job he’s 

heading to on K St. with an employee locker room. 

“No, there is no where to shower,” Rhoten said, with a 

laugh. “I try to drink a lot of water and get clean from 

the inside out." 

“I’m just filthy at work anyhow,” he continued. “I work 

at the landfill. Believe after I get off, people standing 

in line next to me at the Wawa would never guess I do 

triathlons.” 

He’s ridden in the snow, in zero degree days, on rare 

days when he’s had to change three flat tires, but he’s 

insistent. 

About four years ago, he said, he went on his annual 

mountain biking trip with his buddy Dick Burleson, 

a former motorcycle racing national who turned 60 

years old recently and what he said changed Rhoten’s 

life. Well, turned it up another notch at least. 

“He had broken all these bones, too, over the years,” 

Rhoten recounted. “And what he told me was you 

got to keep moving your body. You’ve got to exercise 

like crazy and never stop because the minute you do, 

those things will stiffen up on you, and then you won’t 

ever be able to do the same things again.” 

Rhoten had been mountain biking since he was a 

teenager and racing motocross. He said he did it, like 

a lot of the motorcycle guys did, to stay in shape. And 

he eventually started road riding, commuting to an 

earlier job with Carroll County for several years in the

Great Gear For Cyclists... 

mid-90s. He stopped, however, and just peddled off 

and on – other than his mountain biking — for years 

until Burleson pushed him to do more. 

In 2006, he said he kept a log and documented riding 

11,000 miles. 

His wife Jessica has done some marathons in the past, 

still is a pretty avid runner herself and supports his 

bike riding and commuting, he said. 

“But, yeah”, he laughed again, “she told me, ‘You’ve 

got a problem’, when I was doing that much riding. I 

was ridiculous.” 

Rhoten said one day, about eight months ago, he just 

stopped keeping count. The batteries in his bike’s 

computers died and he didn’t bother to replace 

them. 

“I do what I can now and don’t worry about it anymore,” 

Rhoten said. “There never is enough time to 

do everything anyhow.” 

Yes, and with his wife in nursing school, the ever-busy 

mechanic is opening up a bike shop, the Eastern 

Panhandle Bicycle Company, with an old BMX buddy, 

Ryan Webber, at a new shopping center April 2. 

“It’s huge, 3,200 sq. feet,” Rhoten said. “It’s definitely 

something neither one of could have done alone. It’s 

too much business for me and it’s too much manual 

labor for him.” 

Rhoten said he’’ll split time between his day job at 

the landfill where he can retire with benefits in six 

and 1⁄2 years and will work at the shop as the lead 

mechanic on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and 

Sundays. 

Meanwhile, he’ll avoid driving his truck and his car – 

even though he’s converted them to run on vegetable 

oil like the furnace — as much as possible. 

“I don’t ever see a reason to jump in there and turn it 

on if I can ride a bike,” he said. 

He also offers some advice for people who think they 

want to start bicycle commuting. Or mountain biking 

or doing triathlons – or starting a punk band or making 

steel sculptures for that matter. 

“Just do it,” he said. “People spend all this time preparing, 

telling themselves they’re starting slowly, and 

then they never get around to doing it. 

“It’s not what the doctor will tell you, but jump right 

in, I say,” he continued. “You’re body will get use to it.” 

Maryland General Assembly 

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House Bill 143, known as the “3-foot bubble bill”, 

One Less Car executive director Richard Chambers 

acknowledged recently appears to be dead in the 

Maryland state assembly. The legislation, with 11 cosponsors 

in the House, that requires a driver of a 

motor vehicle, when overtaking a bicycle or a motor 

scooter, not pass unless the driver can do so safely with- 

out endangering the rider; and requires a driver of a 

motor vehicle to yield the right-of-way to a person who 

is riding a bicycle or a motor scooter in a bicycle lane. 

The bill has strong support of Baltimore County 

Delegate Jon Cardin, for example, and the support 

of Delegate Maggie McIntosh of Baltimore City, the 

chairman of the Environmental Matters committee, 

among others, Chambers said. The major obstacle 

in getting the bill out of committee, however, seems 

to be Delegate James Malone, the vice-chair of the 

Environmental Matters committee and whose district 

includes Baltimore and Howard Counties. 

“The fear that legislators say they have is that legislating 

a safe passing distance will create confusion for 

drivers,” Chambers said. “The law-makers who have 

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defeated it say they don’t want to turn drivers into 

lawbreakers and are concerned about enforcement. 

Malone told me he didn’t want to bring it forward 

(for a vote).” 

Chambers added that 10 states now, including Florida, 

Wisconsin, Minnesota, Utah and Arizona, have 

enacted similar legislation, with at least two states, 

Utah and Florida, writing citations for violations. He 

also noted that the bill has the support of AAA Mid- 

Atlantic. 

Chambers added that he hopes to work with the State 

Highway Administration to come up with a safety 

campaign, if the bill remains stalled. However, pulling 

COMMUTER continued on p.30 

For more information and to 

preregister for the duathlon, seminars, and clinics go to 

www.thebikelane.com 


29

COMMUTER continued from p.29 

$1 million from an increasingly tight budget will be a 

tough challenge as well. 

The One Less Car executive director said that Senate 

Bill 492, which could allow bicyclists and pedestrians 

to use state-owned bridges, has better chance of success 

this session. 

As the law stands now, bicyclists and pedestrians 

are not allowed to use the Bay Bridge or the Hatem 

bridge over the Susquehanna River or the Nice bridge 

over Md. Route 301 and the Potomac River. 

“This would at least eliminate the prohibition and 

allow the state to give access if, for example, sidewalks 

and bike lanes are put in place,” Chambers said. “And 

if passed, it would allow the state to plan differently in 

future construction efforts – that’s where the real benefit 

comes into play. 

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“I think that will be a big win as long as the house 

agrees to it,” Chambers said. “We seem to have more 

success in the Senate than the House, however.” 

One Less Car and bicycling advocates in the state 

have also been working for several years to pass 

legislation that would stiffen the penalties for reckless 

drivers who hurt or kill pedestrians and bicyclists. 

Currently, House Bill 667 is being back in the 

Judiciary Committee. 

Sponsored by Delegates Luiz Simmons of 

Montgomery County and Daniel Riley of Harford and 

Cecil Counties. The bill, entitled - Manslaughter by 

Vehicle or Vessel - Criminal Negligence would make 

it a misdemeanor for a person to cause the death of 

another as a result of the person’s driving, operating, 

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negligent manner for purposes of the Act. 

Right now, Chambers said, the largest penalty some 

could receive under state for, say reckless driving or 

extreme speeding, that lead to death of a bicyclist or 

pedestrian is a $500 fine. 

Record-setting National Bike Summit 

The eighth National Bike Summit concluded on 

Capitol Hill Thursday, March 6 with a call to action 

from Representatives James Oberstar (D-MN) and Earl 

Blumenauer (D-OR), and with the announcement that 

Congressional staff themselves will benefit from a pioneering 

bike-sharing program later this Spring. 

Rep. Blumenauer introduced House Congressional 

Resolution 305, supporting the creation of a national 

bicycling strategy, immediately prior to the Summit 

with the co-sponsorship of Oberstar. More than 200 

visits with Congressional offices by the record number 

more than 500 Bike Summit participants yielded 

immediate results with several new co-sponsors coming 

on board, including the influential Rep. John 

Duncan, (R-TN). 

In their Senate visits, bicycling advocates urged support 

for Senator Harkin’s (D-IA) newly introduced 

Complete Streets Act of 2008 (S. 2686) and welcomed 

Senator John Kerry to the ranks of the Senate Bike 

Caucus. The caucus also gained new leadership with 

Senator Olympia Snowe (R-RI) agreeing to co-chair 

the group with Senator Durbin (D-IL). 

The highlight of the three day Summit, however, 

may have been the announcement of a Capitol Hill 

bike sharing program by House Chief Administrative 

Officer Dan Beard. Under the program to be 

launched “no later than bike week in May,” staff and 

members will be able to use a fleet of bikes to get 

between House office buildings, to run errands and 

get exercise. 

Beard was recognized by the League of American 

Bicyclists for his leadership in promoting bicycling as 

part of his “greening” the Capitol initiative. 

“We are delighted the Summit exceeded last year’s 

record attendance figures by almost 100 people, and 

that for almost half the participants this was their first 

Summit ,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League 

of American Bicyclists. “More than 70 local bicycle 

dealers, the CEOs of the biggest brand names in bicycling, 

on- and off-road bicyclists all join together at 

this unique event to speak up for bicycling,” continued 

Clarke. 

“We heard a consistent message from the opening 

speaker, David Jones Jr., Chairman of the Board of 

Humana Inc., to the heads of AASHTO and APTA, the 

Director of the District Department of Transportation 

Emeka Monomee, and our Congressional champions 

that this is a perfect time for our message to be heard. 

Gas prices are rising again, the effects of climate 

change are becoming more evident daily, obesity levels 

continue to rise, and our transportation system is in 

need of major change.”

BOOK REVIEW by KEVIN BRUGMAN 

Momentum is Your Friend, or…How to Self- 

Propel Across America Pulling Your Family 

Joe Kurmaskie (the Metal Cowboy), top right, rode cross 

country with his 5 and 7 year old sons last summer. 

Author Kevin Brugman and family welcome them to D.C. 

MANY OF US HAVE DREAMED that once we retire, or 

hit the big lottery, we will have the time to ride across 

the country. For others, the thought of long distance 

riding with our children or parents is likewise a 

thought that we often focus on. Unfortunately for 

many of us these opportunities are never realized. 

Joe Kurmaskie, an adventure writer, decided not to 

wait and in 2005, embarked on a cross country trip 

pulling his five and seven-year-old boys and the ashen 

remains of his father across the country. 

“Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and 

His Pint-sized Posse Take on America” is a journal of 

interesting stories from their journey. Often I would 

read and wonder if the chapter I had just read had 

really happened just the way Joe told it or if it was the 

product of an over-active imagination. Then I would 

think about my own boys and realize that these could 

have happened. 

This story starts off with the realization that many 

folks probably questioned his sanity. He tells of his 

maiden ride through the neighborhood: 

Neighbors stop weeding their flower beds and let hoses 

spill water down porch steps as we wobble by. “Feels like 

a parade,” Enzo calls from the trailer. I can barely hear 

him at this distance, but I’m glad he’s enjoying himself. 

“We are the parade,” Quinn points out. … Speed seems 

to level out our ride so I increase it. More reactions from 

front porches and other pedestrians. A blind man could 

read their expressions. “Would you look at that! He 

thinks we haven’t thought about some foolish jailbreak 

from the daily grind? But what sort of man acts upon 

such things? And with kids in the bargain?! 

Joe walks a careful balance between describing the 

fun and excitement that they had riding through 

places like Yellowstone National Park and painting the 

pain that he sometimes felt going through the mountains. 

One of his chapters deals with a chance encounter 

with a BMX bike rider. The rider regales them in 

stories of jumping in the rock quarries with landings 

in the water, then looks out over Joe and his boys’ 

rig and exclaims that if what he does is considered 

extreme then what Joe is doing is truly extreme. 

He devotes another chapter to riding through 

Yellowstone National Park, being chased by a bison, 

and the hospitality that was extended by other 

cyclists. Another chapter deals with the exhaustion 

that sometimes accompanies long distance touring 

as he lies fetal on the roadside just outside his childhood 

hometown in Kansas and his boys try to revive 

him: 

“Come on, Dad,” Quinn pokes at me with a bike pump 

in the same fashion I’ve seen him use on roadkill. “Get 

up! We’re almost over the rainbow.” I’m lying yards 

from afternoon rush hour traffic. The mercury tops 

106 degrees and Quinn’s reference is to both the Judy 

Garland classic and the name of the steepest hill in 

Kansas City . . . “No one’s out of gas around here until 

I say so,” Quinn barks, parroting one of my favorite 

self-help seminar lines. He gets in close, eyeing me with 

the disappointed glare of a high school football coach. 

“Get up. We’re in the Emerald City.” I don’t even make 

an attempt. “Emerald City for you two, maybe,” I say. 

My breathing is reminiscent 

of someone locked 

inside an iron lung. 

“For me, it’s all tornados 

and flying monkeys right 

now.” 

If you have ever enjoyed 

any of the other “Metal 

Cowboy” books, you will 

find yourself in comfortable 

surroundings with 

this book. He combines 

Huck Finn’s activities 

and Mark Twain’s 

natural born story teller 

skills in relaying the 

events of riding with 

his boys in a humorous 

way. It is not a story 

about the mechanics 

of bike touring or how 

to raise children. It is a 

book about the joys of 

touring and the people 

that you meet along the 

way. Joe reminds us that 

there is a lot of good 

left in this country. 

“Momentum is your 

Friend” is $25 for a 

signed hard copy and 

can be ordered directly 

from his website: www. 

metalcowboy.com 

Another of Joe’s activities 

has been to establish 

Camp Creative. 

Camp Creative blends 

artistic and literary skills 

with outdoor activities, 

primarily biking 

but including hiking, 

RPM ® FREEWEEKS MEMBERSHIP 

is the ultimate calorie-killing studio 

WEEKS FREEMEMBERSHIP 

sailing, kayaking, etc. His focus is “The antidote to 

X-box carpal tunnel in ten year old’s and ten year 

old’s at heart.” In a show of support, the publisher 

of “Momentum is your Friend” is currently donating 

80% of each book sale, $20, to “Camp Creative.” 

In the interests of full disclosure, I met Joe Kurmaskie 

a number of years ago at a book signing for one of his 

earlier books. At that time we discussed the pleasures 

and challenges of riding with our sons. Last year he 

finished his cross country ride with his sons at our 

home and they were our guests for several days. I am 

currently trying to talk him into getting dual tandems 

for his family to use for future riding. 

cycling workout that blitzes up to 1,000 calo- 

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sity, so RPM ® is ideal for any level of fitness. 

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31

DEPARTMENTS 

CampWoodward: The East Coast’s Land of OZ 

Tucked away in the grassy foothills of Pennsylvania 

about 15-20 miles from anywhere is a place that most 

BMX riders and fans would consider a Mecca of 

sorts...or is that sports? If you are into Extreme sports 

like BMX, skateboarding, FMX, or even more socially 

acceptable sports like cheerleading and gymnastics 

you may have heard of Camp Woodward. It is located 

in the middle of Amish Country, where daily life has 

a slower pace and proves to be a lot less hectic than 

any urban area that you’re familiar with. It’s about 

30 minutes from State College, Pa., and Penn State 

University. 

The camp has been in operation since the early 

1970’s where it was conceived and built as an Olympic 

level Gymnastic Training Center originally. It wasn’t 

until the early 1980’s that they developed a summer 

camp program for the new sport of BMX. Now teenage 

boys had a “summer camp” other than band 

camp or soccer camp to look forward to when school 

let out in June. 

Camp Woodward has really grown over the years and 

now has expanded to a total of three locations across 

the USA. Woodward East remains in the same location 

it began over 35 years ago, and there are newer 

camps in Wisconsin, and California. 

During the mid 1990’s BMX/Freestyle jumped into 

the limelight with the introduction of the Extreme- 

Games, which was later shortened to X-Games. The 

camp grew right along with the crazy non-traditional 

sports tagged Extreme Sports, like skateboarding, 

BMX, Inline skating, and freestyle moto-cross. 

These days the amount of space dedicated to gym- 

TANDEMS = 

Sharing 


WHY RIDE A TANDEM? 

It’s sharing the fun and experience with 

a partner, a child, a parent, or a friend. 

Sharing exercise, sharing adventure, 

sharing the joy of accomplishment, and 

creating a shared memory. 

We sell and rent tandems because we’ve 

shared these things and found that bicycling 

can be even more fun when it is shared. 

We’re fi ghting “oil addiction” with 

human powered transportation. 

Join the fi ght – park your car and 

ride your bike. 

bikes@vienna, LLC 

128A Church St, NW Vienna, VA 22180 

703-938-8900 

www.bikesatvienna.com 

COME TO OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION 

ABOUT OUR UNUSUAL PRODUCTS AND 

CLICK USED BIKES FOR PHOTOS, 

DESCRIPTIONS, AND PRICES OF 

OUR PRE-OWNED BIKES. 

BMX MID-ATLANTIC by BRIAN CARON coolbmx2c4me@aol.com 

nastics is fairly small in comparison to the 17 parks/ 

buildings dedicated to skateboards and bikes. The 

camp offers week-long sessions in the summer months 

mostly comprised of teenagers, although any child 

from age 7-18 is permitted. 

During week #12 and throughout the winter they 

offer riding sessions for those 18 years and older. 

These Action Sports Getaways allow older enthusiasts 

to take advantage of the indoor ramp parks on a winter 

weekend while everyone else is home shivering 

from the cold. 

It’s amazing after being involved in almost every facet 

of BMX/Freestyle bikes over the past 20 years that I 

never took the trip a few hours north of the Mason- 

Dixon Line to experience what Camp Woodward 

had to offer. That changed in late February 2008 

when I was asked to attend a Weekend at Woodward, 

accompanying Team Slacker that has team members 

from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 

Unfortunately I was nursing a lower back injury at the 

time and wouldn’t be able to ride much but I felt it 

would be a great opportunity to see the place that really 

put the East Coast on the map for BMX, and I could 

put together a first-hand account for SPOKES readers. 

Because of its location there are no Interstate highways 

that lead directly to the camp so the journey 

there is mostly comprised of two lane roadways that 

wind around and over the farmlands. It’s located 

about 40 miles from Interstate 81/ Route 15 in the 

Harrisburg, Pa., area. It’s not uncommon to pass several 

horse drawn buggies along the way. Of course 

getting there is only half of the fun! Due to the number 

of riders in our group (around 10 or so) we had 

a caravan of three cars loaded up with anxious riders 

ready to brave the frigid outside temps to spend a few 

days at this Action Sports retreat. 

Shortly after arriving I realized that pictures just don’t 

do this place justice. To say I was a bit overwhelmed 

would be an understatement. They had as many or 

more ramps, jumps, and obstacles than I had seen 

in a lifetime of riding, and that’s just the ones that 

weren’t buried under a foot of snow! 

During the summer months this place is completely 

carpeted with riders from all over the world, with 

sometimes as many as 1000 campers at a time! Team 

Slacker was only going to have to contend with about 

30 other riders on this weekend. 

Although they only have two warehouses open (Lot 

8 and Cloud 9) during the winter weekends, there is 

more than enough room for everyone. Lot 8 is comprised 

of a maze of ramps, wooden bowls, vert walls, 

and box jumps. One of the unique features of this 

facility is the foam pits and ‘resi’ jumps. The foam pits 

make for a proving ground for new tricks, with a pool 

full of eight inch cubed compressed foam blocks, 

riders can land any way they have to with or without 

their bike and not risk any serious injuries if they bail. 

If they feel confident they can take the tricks to the 

resi-ramp which is a four foot high box jump with a 

plastic type surface on a foam foundation to land on, 

like a huge wrestling mat or gym crash mat. Falling 

or sliding on this surface sure beats hard concrete or 

splinters from wood. 

My buddy ‘Afro’ Tony Smith learned back flips in 

about 30 minutes! In fact probably half of the riders 

in our group progressed by leaps and bounds 

solely due to these ‘training’ ramps. Joey ‘Poke’ 

Richards pulled off a huge double back flip into the 

foam. Slacker/Groove Merchant/Haro rider Dan 

Depre just about mastered front flips but didn’t have 

the initiative to take them to the wood ramps. Dan 

has REALLY progressed over the last few years and 

impressed everyone in attendance with his HUGE 360 

and 720 variations. 

Cloud 9 is what the name suggests; it’s like being on 

top of the world. There are even recliners on top of 

the ramps to chill and watch other riders from the 

video game lounge. It has a total of three foam pits 

including two huge ones off to the side of their monster 

12 foot halfpipe. It’s not uncommon to meet up 

with some pros from time to time while you’re there 

too. Steve Mccann was hittin’ up the halfpipe, blasting 

12 foot airs like nothing. Jamie Bestwick was in 

the house and I got to meet him. Kevin Robinson was 

away for a competition though. 

After the initial couple hours of warm-ups and riding, 

some serious shredding took place on Saturday evening 

after dinner. The team members range in age from 14- 

36 but everyone is like a kid in a candy store and on a 

level playing field when they ride together. The main 

thing I realized is that it’s all about the nick names. 

Midget, Slow, Rope, Poke, Nate-Dog just to name a few. 

I don’t even know Midget’s last name but his actions 

speak louder than words! He blasted trick after trick 

with ease stalling airs out on the 12’+ vert wall and 

launching out of every ramp in the place. He hails from 

Falling Waters, W. Va., and has been an outstanding 

rider since he was 12 years old and got the nick-name. 

Look for a rider profile on him in an upcoming issue. 

Bryan ‘Rope’ Ropelewski set his goals to learn no-handers 

over the weekend and did just that. Nate Horner 

not only proves his skills time after time on a bike but is 

an outstanding photographer as well!

My first trip to Woodward was impressive, not only 

because of the talented cast of riders but the setting 

and staff at the camp as well. Nobody came home 

hurt and everyone learned something and progressed 

in some way or another, and even made a few new 

friends as well. So whether you are 7, 17, or 37 give 

Camp Woodward a chance. If you have the opportunity 

check it out for their summer camps or their 

weekend riding retreats during the off-season. You will 

be as impressed as I was for sure. 

BMX Briefs 

Dan Depre 360’s over the spine in Cloud 9 

Joey “Poke” Richards on the monster spine ramp/halfpipe 

The upcoming 2008 Olympics still have the industry 

and the sport in top gear. For up to date information 

on the Olympics or any facet of BMX it’s easy 

to check out www.genesbmx.com. They have daily 

updates to keep you informed locally, nationally and 

internationally. 

Tracks around the area are all noticing more interest 

and new recruits to the sport. Richmond BMX has 

recently added a paved starting hill and first corner 

just to raise the level of competition and decrease the 

time spent on track prep for sure. Check them out 

this season: www.richmondbmx.com 

Rainy weather during March pushed back several 

tracks opening days in Virginia and Maryland, but by 

the time you read this, the 2008 season will be in full 

swing I’m sure. 

In bike shop news Germantown Cycles and Avalon 

Cycles have changed their name at both locations to 

Avalon Cycles. They will still house and operate the 

skatepark at the Elkridge location as well as continue 

running their BMX demo program with free bike 

loans for beginning BMX riders. Contact either location 

for info or on the web at www.avaloncycles.com 

River City Cycles in Williamsport, Md., has noticed 

the increase in BMX consumer traffic and is now 

dealing S.E Racing as well as KINK BMX bikes to 

answer the call. 

WHEEL 

NUTS 

BIKE 

SHOP 

Get ready for Spring. 

Our staff can help you 

pick just the right bike 

for YOU! 

NEW BIKES NEED STUFF! 

with this coupon 

Buy any adult bike and get a $50 Wheel Nuts Gift Card! 

Buy any kids bike and get a $25 Wheel Nuts Gift Card! 

Offer valid thru April 30, 2008 

SAVE $20 

with this coupon 

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Offer valid thru April 30, 2008 

703-548-5116 

302 Montgomery Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 

Ryan Hullinger speeds around a corner en route to another victory 

Check out these and other area shops if you are interested 

in getting into BMX in any capacity. I’m sure 

they can set you up right. 

Monday-Friday 11am - 7pm 

Saturday 9am - 6pm 

Sunday 10am - 5pm 

VIEW OUR LINES: 

www.jamisbikes.com • www.diamondback.com • www.dahon.com 


33

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

Griffin Cycle 

4949 Bethesda Ave. 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

(301) 656-6188 

www.griffincycle.com 

APRIL 25-27 – SPRING TUNE-UP 

All cyclists and their families are invited to join this 

15th annual weekend ride held in Madison, Ga., 

hosted by BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia). Flat 

to gently rolling hills. This is a fun time for the whole 

family and a great time to get in shape for BRAG! 

Various ride options available daily as well as daily 

rates for those who cannot ride all weekend. Plenty 

of food, music and entertainment. For more info visit 

www.brag.org or email info@brag.org 

APRIL 26 – 4th ANNUAL TOUR DE CARROLL 

Check out the scenery of Carroll County, Md., and get 

those winter-lazy legs in shape for the summer. Ride 

the 4th Annual Tour de Carroll and enjoy the beauty 

and great rides that the county has to offer. All proceeds 

benefit West End Place, Carroll County’s only 

private, non-profit service for low income seniors. 

There are rides for all skill levels ranging from a full 

metric (63 miles) 36 miles, and 8 miles. Check out 

this event and register at active.com. Call (410) 848- 

2433, ext. 221 for details. 


Road, Hybrids, Mountain, Kids 

Parts & Accessories for All Makes 

Trailers & Trikes 

Family Owned – In Bethesda for 37 Years 

APRIL 27 – ROAR 

Following a record-setting biking and hiking event in 

2007 that saw fundraising and participation numbers 

increase by over 150 percent, the Kennedy Krieger 

Institute’s 2008 ROAR: Ride on for Autism Research 

event will grow again this year. In addition to the 25 

and 10-mile recreational bike rides, from Oregon 

Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Road, Cockeysville, 

Md.., serious cyclists will have now the opportunity to 

tackle the challenging 50-mile route, while families 

will enjoy the low-mileage, youth fun ride and one of 

the areas best playgrounds. Registration begins at 7 

a.m.; 50-mile and 25-mile routes begin at 7:30 a.m.; 

10-mile, kids ride, and hiking trails begin by 8:30 a.m. 

For details or registration log onto www.ROAR.kennedykrieger.org 

or call 443-923-7300. 

APRIL 27 – GREENBRIER CHALLENGE 

One of only 18 high-level mountain bike races on 

the USAC National Calendar (one of only 2 in northeast 

U.S.) Includes Maryland State Championship 

titles, plus qualifications to attend the U.S. National 

Championships in Mt Snow, VT in July. In 2007, more 

FEATURING BIKES FROM: 

To be listed, send information to Spokes, 5911 Jefferson Boulevard, Frederick, MD 21703 or e-mail: spokesmag@comcast.net 

than 550 racers participated. Located at Greenbrier 

State Park near Hagerstown, Md. For details log onto 

www.potomacvelo.com or contact James Carlson at 

Greenbrierambc@verizon.net 

MAY 4 – AIR FORCE CYCLING CLASSIC 

Cyclists of all abilities from rank beginners to 

America’s top pro racers will be able to participate 

in U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic in Arlington, 

Va.Participants will be able to ride on a 12 1⁄2 kilometer 

circuit in Arlington, Va., that will challenge 

them for up to 8 laps or 100 kilometers. Following 

this amateur ride, a series of amateur and pro races 

will be held on route in Arlington and Crystal City. 

Registration for the amateur participatory ride is now 

open. :Log onto www.arlingtonsports.org. Active duty 

and reserve military personnel receive a $10 discount. 

MAY 10 – JAMESTOWN TO RICHMOND 

A new ride for this year, the Virginia Capital to Capital 

ride follows the proposed trail route that will connect 

Jamestown to Richmond. The ride will have starts in 

CALENDAR continued on p.36

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CALENDAR continued from p.34 

both Richmond and Jamestown. There are parts of 

the trail that have been completed at both ends and 

a new section is scheduled to open about the time of 

the ride. Gov. Kaine has committed to complete the 

Capital to Capital Trail by the end of his administration 

in 2010. Families can ride from Jamestown for 

shorter distances on a paved off road trail or continue 

on the road for different distances. Registration and 

information can be found at www.virginiacapitaltrail. 

org/events.html. 

MAY 16 – BIKE TO WORK DAY 

Join thousands of area commuters for a celebration 

of bicycling as a clean, fun and healthy way to get to 

work! Meet up with your neighbors at one of 26 pit 

stops all over the Washington metro region, ride into 

the city with experienced commuter convoys and meet 

your colleagues at Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania 

Avenue. Washington Area Bicyclist Association and 

Commuter Connections invite you to try bicycling 

to work as an alternative to solo driving. Help the 

Washington region become a better place to ride. Bike 

to Work Day is a FREE event and open to all area commuters! 

For details log onto www.waba.org 

MAY 16-18 – TOUR DE CHESAPEAKE 

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a bike tour 

through the wonderful, scenic and flat Mathews 

County backroads along the Chesapeake Bay. Join 800 

cycling enthusiasts on this tour, perfect as a family’s 

first biking adventure, or maybe the intermediate 

rider’s, and even the experienced veteran’s, season 

warm-up. Choose tours of 17, 40, 60, or 80 miles. 

Families especially will enjoy the abundant quiet, 

scenic lanes winding down to forgotten coves on the 

Chesapeake Bay, the East River and the North River. 

Pedal in and out of the beautiful salt marshes instead 

of traffic. Visit www.bikechesapeake.org for details and 

to register online. For inquiries, call (757) 229-0507 

or email info@bikechesapeake.org. 

MAY 17 – NATIONAL CAPITAL CENTURY 

Young Life Metro DC hosts this 100 mile ride, with 

shorter rides of 25 and 50 miles, to benefit Metro 

Washington teens with special needs, teen moms, 

disadvantaged and typical teens. Rides begin and end 

near the FDR Memorial in West Potomac Park, D.C. 

and loops into Virginia and Maryland. Food, support, 

and T-shirts for all riders. Details and registration 

at ww.NationalCapitalCentury.com or by phone at 

(703)549-2246. 

MAY 17-18 – BIKE MS: BEYOND THE BELTWAY 

Join over 750 participants from across the mid- 

Atlantic to celebrate the National Capital Chapter’s 

26th Anniversary Bike ride. Presented by the 

Washington D.C. area Land Rover retailers, this 

year’s ride begins and ends from Franklin Park in 

Purcellville, Va. The ride takes you through beautiful 

Northern Virginia wine country over a one or two day 

period. Choose from a variety of mileage options, and 

enjoy this unforgettable experience complete with 

live entertainment, great food, picturesque views and 

more. For details log onto www.MSandYOU.org; call 

(202) 296-5363, or email MSBike@MSandYOU.org 

MAY 17 – BIKE & BOAT DEMO DAY 

From 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Lake Needwood Park in 

Rockville, Maryland. Hudson Trail Outfitters invites 

you to this popular event at which representatives from 

Giant, Felt, Rocky Mountain and Fuji, as well as well as 

a number of boat manufacturers to permit test rides. 


Admission is free. For details and directions to the park 

go to www.hudsontrail.com for more information. 

MAY 18 – COLUMBIA TRIATHLON 

Celebrating its 26th year, the Columbia Triathlon is 

famous for its outstanding race organization and its 

fun and extremely challenging race course. Held in 

Centennial Park, Ellicott City, Md. Consists of a 1.5k 

swim, 41k bike, and 10k run. For more info call (410) 

964-1246 or visit www.tricolumbia.org 

MAY 21 – BIKE REPAIR 101 

From 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Rockville, Fairfax, Tenley 

Circle, Pentagon Row, and Annapolis locations of 

Hudson Trail Outfitters. Learn how to change a flat 

tire and clean a chain. Join HTO’s bike experts and 

learn the basics of bike repair. Learn how to fix a bike 

on the trail, how to make sure your tires are patched 

correctly and how to degrease your chain. We will 

teach you what repairs you can do yourself, and how 

to know when you need a mechanic. Go to www.hudsontrail.com 

for more information. 

MAY 24-27 – KENT COUNTY SPRING FLING 

Join the Baltimore Bicycling Club and Washington 

College as they host this 26th annual weekend event 

along Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Rides range from 

11 to 100 miles on flat to rolling terrain. Stay at 

Washington College’s dorm and enjoy great food, an 

ice cream social, live music, blue grass on the square, 

contra dancing, sock hop, and much more. For details 

contact Frank and Kathy Anders at (410) 628-4018 or 

email KCSF@verizon.net 

MAY 30-JUNE 1 – CHESAPEAKE BAY ASTHMA TOUR 

This bike tour is a American Lung Association event 

to benefit children with asthma through programs 

and desperately needed pulmonary research efforts in 

order to find treatments and cures for lung disease. 

Routes go through Wicomico and Worcester Counties 

to Assateague Island or along the shorelines. Saturday 

rides are 20, 40, 62.5 or 100 miles; Sunday rides are 

10, 20 or 40 miles. Chose between one or both day 

tours. Start/finish, lodging, and activities are held at 

Salisbury University in Salisbury, Md. A crab feast follows 

Saturday’s ride. For more info or to register visit 

www.asthmaride.org or call 1-800-642-1184, ext. 221. 

JUNE 7 – PATUXENT RIVER LEGACY RIDE 

Celebrate National Trails Day with a bike ride on 

country roads in the Rural Tier of Prince George’s 

County, Md. Routes of 24, 46, and 64 miles from the 

Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary will take you to scenic rest 

stops overlooking the Patuxent River. Fully supported 

by the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club. For details, 

visit www.ohbike.org or call (301) 567-0089. 

JUNE 7-8 – WELLS FARGO MS TOUR DE SHORE 

Join the Maryland Chapter of the National MS Society 

for a one or two day ride on Maryland’s Eastern 

Shore. Routes range from 30 -100 miles on Saturday 

and 30 & 50 mile on Sunday. Overnight at Salisbury 

University. Route is fully supported with rest stops, 

bike techs and support vehicles. To Register or find 

out more, visit www.marylandmsbikeride.org or call 

(443) 641-1220. 

JUNE 7-14 – BICYCLE RIDE ACROSS GEORGIA 

Come discover Georgia by bicycle on the 29th annual 

Bicycle Ride Across Georgia. The 2008 edition will 

ride from Atlanta to St. Simons, and will feature 

beautiful scenery, historic sites, street festivals, ice 

cream socials, an End-of-the-Road party, and more! 

Great fun for the family, groups or individuals. Daily 

rides average 60 miles, approximately 400 miles total. 

Longer Hammerhead options for serious cyclists. 

Fully supported with rest stops every 10-15 miles. For 

more information, please visit our website at www. 

brag.org, or email info2@brasg.org 

JUNE 7-8 – 24 HOURS OF BIG BEAR 

Coming up on its 17th year, the 24 Hours of Big 

Bear, Hazelton, W. Va. (formerly the 24 Hours of 

Snowshoe and 24 Hours of Canaan) is rolling out 

the bike trail for as many as 200 teams, 50 solo riders 

and more than 1,000 spectators. The race will take 

place at Big Bear Lake Campland. While the racing 

is a blast, you can also have fun as a spectator, volunteer, 

or as support crew for one of the teams. In the 

shadow of the legendary 24 Hours of Canaan, THE 

original 24 hour mountain bike race, and then the 24 

Hours of Snowshoe, this Laird Knight, Granny Gear 

Productions event returns to the roots of the original 

event, with great all around riding, fun camping venues 

and a festival atmosphere. The location is about 

three hours from Washington/Baltimore. For details 

or to register visit www.grannygear.com 

JUNE 14-21 – 20th GREAT OHIO BICYCLE ADVENTURE 

GOBA is a week-long bicycle-camping tour which visits 

a different part of Ohio each year. Bicycling the daily 

50-mile route at a relaxing pace leaves plenty of time 

for sightseeing and other tourist activities. See Ohio 

while on two wheels with 2,999 of your closest friends! 

Advance registration is required. For registration 

materials and fees visit www.goba.com or call (614) 

273-0811 ext. 1. 

JUNE 15 – BAY TO BAY RIDE 

23nd annual ride from Betterton, Md. Start 7 - 9 a.m., 

tandems at 8 a.m. Ride 50, 78, 86 or 104 flat miles 

or a 27 mile loop to Chestertown. $20 until May 15, 

$25 after. Bring your father and he rides FREE (it 

must be Father’s Day)! Six food stops, fully supported, 

swimming in the Chesapeake Bay at ride’s end. 

Proceeds benefit Lions Club Leader Dog Program 

for the Blind. Blind riders ride free. For details email: 

bay2bay04@hotmail.com 

JUNE 20-25 - BIKE VIRGINIA 

Twenty one years ago, 117 men, women and children 

embarked on an adventure crossing Virginia 

on bicycles. They rode from Charlottesville to our 

nation’s colonial capital in Williamsburg, establishing 

what has become the largest, multi-day, recreational 

bicycle event in the Commonwealth. In 

2008, Bike Virginia is moving west! The cities of 

Bristol and Abingdon, Virginia along with Kingsport, 

Tennessee will play host to an influx of 2,000 cycling 

enthusiasts. Bike Virginia has partnered with The 

Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail for 

this year’s event. The Crooked Road celebrates the 

roots of Appalachian and mountain music through 

festivals, concerts, radio shows, and jam sessions. 

Visit www.bikevirginia.org for details and to register 

online. For inquiries, call (757) 229.0507 or email 

info@bikevirginia.org. 

LUTHERVILLE WEEKLY ROAD RIDES 

Lutherville Bike Shop will lead two weekly road bike 

rides. Both rides will leave from the shop at 5:30 p.m. 

Proper riding attire required. Easier Ride: Monday 

nights at 5:30 p.m. 14-16 mph Approximately 30 miles 

A scenic road ride through Loch Raven Reservoir and 

surrounding areas. We keep the hills to a minimum 

and invite all riders to the sport. Racers recovering 

from the weekend are welcome as well. We’ll ride as a 

group and no one will be left behind.

Fast Ride: Tuesday nights at 5:30 p.m. 18+ mph 

Approximately 40 miles A fast ride through Loch 

Raven Reservoir and northern Baltimore county. This 

is a hilly ride with sprint points to keep the heart rate 

up and the competition fierce. The goal of this ride 

is to ride fast and ride hard. Great for racers training 

during the season. We will set a few designated wait 

points. Call the shop for details (410) 583-8734. www. 

luthervillebikeshop.com 

THURSDAY EVENING FREDERICK RIDES 

A 15-19 mph road ride out of Frederick Bike Doctor, 

5732 Buckeystown Pike, just off Route 355. Meet every 

Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for a 25 mile +/- ride. No one 

will be dropped. Beginning May 1 the ride time will 

change to 6 p.m. Rides cancelled if roads are wet, it 

is raining, temps are below 40 degrees or winds are 

20 mph or above. Contact (301) 620-8868 or log onto 

www.battlefieldvelo.com for details. 

BIKE ALEXANDRIA FUN RIDES 

Every Sunday at 2 p.m. meet at Cameron Run 

Regional Park, 4100 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria, 

Va.,. for a free family fun ride. Trail is paved, two ride 

options: 5.6 or 6.9 mile loops. Both lead to nature 

area. Visit bike.meetup.com/288 or contact Susan 

Schneider at (202) 403-1148 for details. 

HUDSON TRAIL OUTFITTERS RIDES 

Join “HTO’s Cycling Club” for local touring and mountain 

biking rides. Rides will be lead by experienced 

HTO staff and will range from 10-20 mile trail rides to 

20-30 mile road rides. Arrive at 8:30 am for pre-ride 

group stretching, rides will start promptly at 9:00 am. 

Go to www.hudsontrail.com for more information. 

April 14 - Rock Creek Park: Family Ride: A 16 mile 

road ride from DC to Maryland. A paved bike trail 

and a few light traffic streets. Road or mountain bikes. 

Meet at Foggy Bottom Metro Station. 

May 18 – Loch Raven Reservoir Mt. Bike Ride: Enjoy 

14 miles of logs, creek crossings and fast downhills 

on this intermediate to advanced mountain bike ride. 

Meet at the church on Seminary Road, corner of 

Seminary and Delaney. 

June 22 – Rosaryville Beginner Mountain Bike Ride: 

Ride an eight mile smooth groomed track loop. Mt. 

Bike is a must. Meet at Rosaryville State Park, $3 parking 

fee. 

COLUMBIA TUESDAY ROAD & IRONGIRL RIDES 

Spirited Tuesday evening road rides, 25.5 miles (or 18 

for Iron Girl Triathlon participants) from the parking 

lot of Princeton Sports, 10730 Little Patuxent 

Parkway, Columbia, Md. Ride is same as that used in the 

Columbia Triathlon (25.5 mile) or IronGirl competition 

(18 miles). Weather permitting. Call (410) 995-1894 or 

email ttomczak@princetonsports.com for details. 

NIGHT RIDES AT GAMBRILL 

The Bicycle Escape, in conjunction the Mid-Atlantic 

Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE), is hosting night mountain 

bike rides at Gambrill State Park on the 1st and 

3rd Wednesday of each month through the end of 

April. The rides begin at 7 p.m. Because Gambrill 

offers some of the most technical terrain in the region 

these rides are for experienced mountain bikers only. 

It is also necessary to have a high quality lighting system. 

Due to the extreme popularity of these rides and 

the group’s agreement with Maryland’s Department 

of Natural Resources riders must register to attend. 

More information and registration is available at www. 

thebicycleescape.com or call (301) 663-0007. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT MT. BIKE RIDES AT LOCH RAVEN 

Lutherville Bike Shop will lead a weekly mountain 

bike ride every Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. from 

the shop. The ride will leave from the shop and go 

through Loch Raven Reservoir. Distance and speed 

will vary based on rider skill level. Call the shop for 

details (410) 583-8734. www.luthervillebikeshop.com 

SPIRITED SUNDAY ROAD RIDES 

Join the folks of the Bicycle Place, just off Rock Creek 

Park, every Sunday morning (beginning at 8:30 

a.m.) for a “spirited” 36-40 mile jaunt up to Potomac 

and back. This is a true classic road ride that runs 

year round. While the pace is kept up, no one is 

left behind. No rainy day rides. The Bicycle Place 

is located in the Rock Creek Shopping Center, 8313 

Grubb Road (just off East-West Highway). Call (301) 

588-6160 for details. 

HELP WANTED 

LASSIFIEDS 

THE BIKE LANE in Burke and Reston, Va., is now 

hiring for full time mechanic, sales, and assistant management 

positions. We are looking for enthusiastic self 

motivated people who love cycling and enjoy working 

with people. Experience is preferred. Excellent pay 

and benefits. Please fill out an on line application at 

www.thebikelane.com or email info@thebikelane.com 

for more information. 

BIKES FOR SALE 

ROAD BIKE – Bianchi Eros, men’s 23 inch frame, 21 

speeds, excellent condition, all original, early 1990’s 

model. $225. Cash. (301) 797-1713. 

FOR SALE – 1955 racing bike Frejus Toreno, all 

Campagnolo, 1960 two California choppers. 2006 Trek 

Madone 5.2, all Dura Ace. Best offer. Call Dutch (410) 

208-1497 in Ocean Pines, Maryland 

MISCELLANEOUS 

YAKIMA ROOF RACK – Carries two bikes with a special 

rail to hold a tandem bike. For car without roof 

rails. $200. (301) 371-5309. 

$10.00 

CLASSIFIEDS 

FOR PRIVATE 

PARTIES 

Details: NO PHONE ORDERS. Ad listed in next 

issue. Limit of 25 words. Add 50¢ per word over. 

Print or type message, including classification. 

Send to: 

Spokes Classifieds 



BALTIMORE SATURDAY RIDE 

A fun but spirited group ride through Baltimore 

County every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Depending 

on turnout there are usually 2-3 different groups of 

varying abilities. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, 

we will have the option to ride indoors. Call Hunt 

Valley Bicycles at (410) 252-3103 for more information. 

BIKES FOR THE WORLD - Collection Schedule 

Bikes for the World collects repairable bicycles in the 

United States, for donation to charities overseas, for 

productive use by those in need of affordable transport. 

Note: $10/bike donation suggested to defray 

shipping to overseas charity partners. Receipt provided 

for all material and cash donations. Bikes for the World 

is a sponsored project of the Washington Area Bicyclist 

Association, a 501 c 3 non-profit charity. Collections 

will take place rain or shine. For further info, visit www. 

bikesfortheworld.org or call (703) 525-0931. 

Bicycles may also be dropped off for Bikes for the 

World during store hours at selected bicycle retailers: 

Bikes of Vienna, 128-A Church Street, Vienna VA; 

Bob’s Bike Shop, 19961 Fisher Avenue, Poolesville MD; 

Race Pace, 8450 Baltimore Natl Pike, Normandy 

Shopping Center, Ellicott City MD; 

Pedal Pushers, 546 Baltimore & Annapolis Road, 

Severna Park MD. 

Please remember to leave a $10 donation (check 

preferred, payable to “BfW”) with each bike; BfW will 

mail you a receipt good for tax purposes. 


37

DEPARTMENTS 

WEBSITE NUTRITION FOR ATHLETES 

Whether you want to analyze your sports diet, get 

an answer to your questions about creatine, or find 

a new recipe for chicken, you can get an amazing 

amount of high quality food, nutrition and health 

information on the Web. The trick is, what’s quality 

information and what’s hokum? Here are some of my 

favorite websites; perhaps this information will be a 

helpful resource for you, as well. 

www.ais.org.au 

If you have questions about fueling for exercise, The 

Australian Institute of Sport (whose mission is to 

help educate Olympic athletes and coaches) offers 

abundant sports nutrition information. Click on Sport 

Science/Sport Medicine and you can find out how 

to fuel for your particular sport (triathlon, running, 

rugby, rowing, etc.), as well as fact sheets and articles 

that offer answers to your questions about sports supplements, 

including antioxidants, bovine, colostrum, 

glutamine, whatever. 

www.fitday.com 

Wonder how your sports diet stacks up? This website 

lets you analyze the protein, carbohydrate and fat 

content of your diet, and helps tract your food, exercise 

and weight goals. Just enter into their nutrition 

calculator what you typically eat in a day, and you’ll 

learn how well you eat. Note: The key to getting accurate 

nutrition information is to measure the true portion 

sizes of what you eat. That is, how much granola 

do you actually consume--one cup? two cups? Measure 

food; don’t guess! 

www.ific.org 

Wonder about caffeine? aspartame? chocolate? You’ll 

find the answers to your food questions on this site 

sponsored by the International Food Information 

Council Foundation, a non-profit organization who’s 

mission is to communicate reliable information about 

food, food safety and nutrition. Just go to “search”, 

enter the topic, and enjoy articles that answer your 

questions. 

www.americanheart.org 

Do you have questions or concerns about how to eat 

to lower your cholesterol? Either search for information 

about your food of interest (soy, fish, eggs etc.) 

or click on Healthy Lifestyle. Also explore Delicious 

Decisions for abundant heart-healthy recipes. 

www.usda.gov 

Wonder about the nutritional needs of infants? 

your grandparents? your children? yourself? The 

National Agricultural Library’s Food and Nutrition 

Information Center provides abundant information 

about nutrition throughout the lifecycle, food safety, 

the Food Pyramid, a search tool to look at the nutritional 

value of the foods you eat, plus a wealth of 

nutrition information. 

www.findingbalance.com 

If you are struggling to find the right balance of food 

and exercise, this site offers helpful information as 


THE CYCLIST'S KITCHEN by NANCY CLARK, MS, RD 

well as videos of professionals who can help you find 

peace with food. There’s no need to struggle on your 

own; this site can help you develop a better relationship 

with food and your body. 

www.ConsumerLab.com 

Are you really getting what you pay for when you buy 

nutritional supplements? ConsumerLab.com monitors 

the quality of vitamin and mineral supplements, 

herbs, nutrition bars, protein powders and numerous 

other health products so you can learn which brands 

offer you the best for your money. Some of the information 

is free; some comes with a fee. An annual subscription 

is $29.95; a single product review is $12. The 

site could likely save you that much money... 

www.cancernutritioninfo.com 

Just about everyone knows someone who is afflicted 

with cancer. This website helps translate the latest 

research into healing food suggestions to help cure or 

prevent cancer. 

www.nlm.nih.gov The National Library of Medicine 

offers easy-to-understand medical information for 

the general public (click on Medline Plus) as well 

as access to the latest research published in medical 

journals (click on PubMed). If you want the latest 

news on creatine, vitamin C and exercise, or carbohydrate 

loading, simply search the topic of interest and 

wade through the abstracts. 

www.mealsforyou.com 

Have no idea what’s for dinner but want something 

tasty? You’ll find lots of food ideas on this website-not 

only 8,000 recipes but also nutrition information 

about each recipe and a customized food shopping 

list. You can look for recipes according to health 

needs (low cholesterol, diabetes), time available to 

cook, nutrition, and taste (that is, are you hankering 

for comfort food, gourmet food, holiday foods, taste 

of the world, chocolate?). You can also choose from 

the list of the most popular recipes. The Spinach 

Stuffed Chicken Breasts (preparation time: 10 minutes; 

cooking time: 35 minutes) sounds good to me! 

www.vegweb.com 

If you are thinking about a vegetarian lifestyle, 

this website, sponsored by Vegetarians Unite!, was 

designed to create an Internet vegetarian community. 

It offers over 4,300 recipes including kid-friendly 

foods, plus chat rooms, articles, books, even veggie 

poems. A fun site! 

www.SCANdpg.org 

Looking for a local sports dietitian who can help 

answer your personal nutrition questions? This 

site, sponsored by SCAN, the American Dietetic 

Association’s dietary practice group of Sports & 

Cardio-vascular Nutritionists, offers a referral network. 

Just click on your state, and you’ll get a list of 

sports nutrition professionals who can give you personalized 

attention. Don’t let nutrition be your missing 

link! 


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IN EVERY CATEGORY...BOOYAH! 

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See the line of Felt bicycles at the 

following authorized Felt dealers: 

DELAWARE 

Rehoboth Beach 

ALL WHEELS BIKE SHOP 

4100 Highway One 

302-227-6807 

MARYLAND 

Annapolis 

BIKE DOCTOR OF 

ANNAPOLIS 

160-C Jennifer Rd 

410-266-7383 

Baltimore 

BROADWAY BICYCLE 

415 S. Broadway 

410-276-0266 

College Park 

PROTEUS BICYCLES 

9217 Baltimore Blvd 

301-441-2928 

Columbia 

RACE PACE 

6925 Oakland Mills Rd 

410-290-6880 

Damascus 

ALL AMERICAN 

BICYCLES 


301-253-5800 

Ellicott City 

RACE PACE 

8450 Baltimore 

National Pike 

410-461-7878 

Frederick 

WHEEL BASE 

229 N. Market St 

301-663-9288 

Lexington Park 

SERGE 

PERFORMANCE CYCLES 

21540 Great Mills Rd 

301-737-0045 

Owings Mills 

RACE PACE 

9930 Reisterstown Rd 

410-581-9700 

Rockville 

HUDSON TRAIL 

OUTFITTERS 


301-881-4955 

Felt is available at 

all HTO locations 

Westminster 

RACE PACE 

459 Baltimore Blvd 

410-876-3001 

VIRGINIA 

Falls Church 

BONZAI SPORTS 

2826 Fallfax Dr 

703-280-2248 

Herndon 

A-1 CYCLING 

24511-3 Centreville Rd 

703-793-0400 

Manassas 

A-1 CYCLING 

7705 Sudley Rd 

703-361-6101 

Leesburg 



703-777-6126

April 2008 - Spokes Magazine

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