Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.

Thursday, January 26

Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:00 PM, Metz Park, 2407 Canterbury St
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s holds 3 hardcourt matches a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, at Metz Park. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our article on bike polo for more info.

Thursday Night Social Ride
7:30 PM, Plaza Saltillo, East 5th & Comal
“This week we will be cruising south side to The 04 Lounge for some free beers and good times.” Meet up at 7:30, ride at 8:00. Read our article on the weekly ride. Join the Social Cycling Facebook Group.

Saturday, January 28

Mellow Johnny’s Scout-A-Ride: From Mellow’s to Nelo’s & Major Taylor Meet Up
*NEW START TIME* 9:30 AM, Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St
Saturday mornings spent exploring City of Austin bike routes finding new neighborhoods and ways to get around on your bike. This week’s theme: From Mellow’s to Nelo’s & Major Taylor Meet Up. We’ll head north along the west side of downtown with a stop at Nelo’s Cycles new location near Steck and Mesa. Our ride will provide us with beautiful rolling hills and a downhill return. Major Taylor Meetup Rides are a call out to cyclists of color to come network and help shape the Major Taylor Austin club in anticipation of a weekend of launch events in late February. Join us for a pre-ride coffee or snack at 9:00 at Juan Pelota Cafe. Helmets required. If driving to the shop, please park in the street.Contact:Stephanie at Stephanie@mellowjohnnys.com.

FrankenBike #78/FrankenBabe #4
10 AM- 4PM, The Parlor, 4301 B. Guadalupe Street
Austin’s monthly free bike swap returns. If you’ve got bike stuff to sell or trade, just show up with a table or blanket to hawk your wares. Come and and join us for a great Saturday Party with Bikes, Bands and Brew to kick off 2012 FrankenBike and our fourth annual tribute to the lovely ladies of biking, FrankenBabe!!! BryCycle will be offering complimentary tune ups for the ladies and we have a great line up of bands including Lucas Cook and IPD

Sunday, January 29

AFWC Ladies Ride
9:00 AM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St.
Join the women of the Austin Flyers Women’s Cycling Club every Sunday for an intermediate, ladies-only ride. This friendly, 2.5-3 hour ride averages 15-16 mph, with routes varying each week. It is a great opportunity for women looking to continue their fitness, learn new routes and meet new riding partners. Beginner women are encouraged to check out the Saturday Scout-a-Route ride for a shorter, more casual route.

Tuesday, January 31

Dirt Derby
Gates open at 5:30, 1st race at 6:30, Austin/Del Valle Motorcross Park, 15400 Pearce Ln
The Dirt Derby is a weekly short course mountain bike and cyclocross race series that takes place at the Del Valle Motorcross Park. It is held every Tuesday night on a lighted course. There are three racing levels, Beginner (20 mi @ 6:30), Intermediate (MTB 25 min @ 7:00/CX 25 min @ 7:30), and Open (30 min @ 8:05), and you do not need a USA Cycling license to race. In addition to weekly prizes, there will be 3 six week series racers will be scored on for more prizes. Registration closes 10 minutes before each race. Cyclocross racers start one minute behind Short Track MTB, use slightly different courses, but everyone finishes on the same lap. $10; women, beginners only $5. Second race same night $5. Kids are free!

Austin Bike Chix Beginner Ride
6:30 PM, Northwest District Park, 7000 Ardath St.
There is a new series of bike rides in town for those new to cycling or for those that just need to dust off that bike. Austin Bike Chix will be offering a series of rides to Austin Area adults. The rides will start at Northwest Park on March 22 at 6:30 PM and will continue on Tuesdays for 6 weeks. The series of rides will be more like mini clinics (with topics ranging from chains to hills) to give new riders knowledge about the bike and confidence to be able to do the shorter distances on some of the local charity rides and beginner rides in town. These rides are perfect for those wanting to do ride in the Tour de Cure or are a first time triathlete. We will be riding on the road, all bikes are welcome. All rides are free.

Wednesday, February 1

Free Women’s Only Maintenance Classes
6 PM, Bicycle Sport Shop South, 517 S. Lamar Blvd
Free maintenance class covers pre-ride safety inspection, wheel removal, tire change, and proper cleaning and lubrication. You’ll learn the basics to keep your bike rolling safely and smoothly. This class is women only and taught by a woman mechanic on the 1st Wednesday of each month.

Restorative Yoga for Cyclists
7:30 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Spend your winter keeping the body warmed and relaxed with Restorative Yoga for Cyclists at Mellow’s Johnny’s. Long miles accompanied by yoga will help you release tension, stay injury-free and set you up for a blazing Spring. Our class is great for non-cyclists, beginners and elite athletes. Join us after a ride, run or long day at work or school. Every Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm (downstairs) Suggested donation of $10 or $5 if you bike ride to class. Mat provided by MJ’s.

The Rabbit meets Alice in Austin Bike Zoo's 2009 2 wheeled production of Alice in Wonderland

Back in 2009, Austin Bike Zoo produced a 2 wheeled version of Alice in Wonderland that was a highlight of that year’s Bike Month activities. They are now putting their creative juices back to work to take on Shakespeare by bike with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. To make this happen, they are looking for financial help from the cycling and art community via a Kickstarter campaign. They need to raise $3500 by March 16. Please visit the page and make a contribution if you want to see something really cool later this year.

This is not the first time around the block for me: it’s no secret that I like bikes and I like art too. I thrive off of the feeling of inspiration that each generates in my life. I especially like when the two worlds of bicycle and art merge.

I recently shared that I had a visit to the Bike Mecca of North America last week. There’s something about a physical change in location that makes my life feel like a spot light is shining and highlighting the mundane into ethereal.

One such mundane-to-ethereal transformation was the art of bike racks. Mundane: I use them every day when commuting around Austin: the library, the grocery store, and the credit union all host mirror images of the same solid, muted grey standard issue bike rack.

Yet in the cardinal neighborhoods of Portland, the grey edition of the bike rack existed, but it was in competition with the plethora of art-inspired versions of the bike rack. Bike racks in the shape of bicycles, racks with metal flowers and vines flowing, and racks inside of buildings; indoor with air-conditioning, heaters, and protection from the rain and sun.

With all of the speciality organized bicycles rides around Portland, I wonder if Austin’s version of the Moonlight Tower bike ride could be replicated with a special tour of the wondrous bike racks that line the streets of Stumptown.

This idea spawned the thought: “Hey, why doesn’t Austin have inspirational bike racks?” We could have racks that inspire cyclists to ride to racks, not only to use them, but to admire them for there inherent artistic nature.

After all, Austin has had art installations including gargantuan guitars; and the recent cow herd of “Austin Art Cows” scattered around town was auctioned off to raise $1 million dollars for an endowment fund for patients and families of the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center of central Texas.

If cows and guitars can do it, bikes can too. Scanning my mind for art racks around town, a few places emerge: the new Hyde Park location of Birds’ Barber shop on the corner of Red River and 41st street has one of the funkiest bike racks I’ve seen in town. The exaggerated sized bicycle as a rack looks illustrative like a cartoon and the bright blue color of the rack catches the eye from a distance. The national franchisee Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has racks with silhouettes of joyful children and adults in metal outlines that seem to be celebrating the bicycle as you tether it to the rack. And at Daily Juice off of 45th Street, the classic grey rack has been substituted with curving metal work that softens the look of the rack. Plus, if you arrive by bicycle, Daily Juice gives a discount.

These are some highlights of bike racks in my hood. What are bike racks like in your neighborhood?

One thing all these above mentioned racks have in common is that they are located at places of business in Austin. I’d like to see more independent art on the streets, and more bike racks as permanent art installations.

How about a bicycle art kickstarter campaign to make it happen?

Shit Cyclists Say:

I hate falling.

I hate falling when I am going fast.

I hate falling when I am going slow.

I hate falling when it is quite obviously my fault.

I especially hate falling when it is somebody else’s fault.

Image by Constance Winters

pain of dealing with the aftermath.  If you are injured you have to deal with insurance companies (their’s and your’s), often your bike has sustained damage (more insurance hoop jumping), and in extreme cases, you have to wade in the very murky waters of the legal system.  Maybe MURKY isn’t the right word, but without some proper guidance, a person could quickly find themselves drowning in paperwork, or worse.

Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.

Thursday, January 19

Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:00 PM, Metz Park, 2407 Canterbury St
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s holds 3 hardcourt matches a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, at Metz Park. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our article on bike polo for more info.

Bicycle Advisory Council
6 PM, City Hall, Staff Bullpen
The Austin Bicycle Advisory Council is a committee of Austinites representing cyclists’ interests to the City of Austin and meets monthly to advise staff of the City of Austin Public Works Bicycle and Pedestrian Program.

State Bicycle Co. presents LOOPS AUSTIN TX
7 PM, Jo’s on 2nd, 242 West 2nd Street
The ride will start at Jo’s on 2nd (not Congress). We will meet up at 7PM and be on the road by 7:30. Be sure to show up early to grab some coffee, beer, and/or food. We’ll make 1-2 stop(s) and ride about 15 miles through the streets of Austin. This will be a casual / no drop pace. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. We’ll post the route very soon.
What we’ll be doing after:
We’ll land at Dive Bar and Lounge up on 17th and Guadalupe. If you’ve never been there before, check out what the Tribeza has to say about them here. See where they mention the record player? Well, we’ll pack lightly so we can stuff as many records as we can into our suitcases. They’ve also got good deal on drafts for us, and be sure to bring cash for the raffle we’ll be hosting. We’ve got some of our favorite companies and blogs including Incipio, Sub Urban Riot, the Heavy Pedal, Fyxation, Hold Fast, Animal, Vices Clothing, Pscyhlist, and more donating some clothes and parts that we’ll be raffling off along with some State Bicycle Co. swag. All the proceeds from the raffles with go back to your cycling community by the way of the Yellow Bicycle Project, The Orange Bicycle Project, Frankenbike Austin, and the League of Bicycle Voters.

Thursday Night Social Ride
7:30 PM, Plaza Saltillo, East 5th & Comal
“What are you doing this Thursday? If the answer is anything but riding bikes, then that is the wrong answer. This week we are ending at The State Bicycle Co. benefit at The Dive Bar and Lounge where there will be drinks specials and a raffle with proceeds going to many of our awesome, local, non-profit cycling organizations.” Meet up at 7:30, ride at 8:00. Read our article on the weekly ride. Join the Social Cycling Facebook Group.

Saturday, January 21

Mellow Johnny’s Scout-A-Ride: Southern Culture (off the grid)
*NEW START TIME* 9:30 AM, Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St
Saturday mornings spent exploring City of Austin bike routes finding new neighborhoods and ways to get around on your bike. This week’s theme: Southern Culture off the Grid. This 18-mile route takes us south of downtown via Bouldin, rolling through the Emerald Forest and returning via Forest Wood and Robert E. Lee. Join us for a pre-ride coffee or snack at 9:00 at Juan Pelota Cafe. Helmets required. If driving to the shop, please park in the street.Contact:Stephanie at Stephanie@mellowjohnnys.com.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
9:30 AM, Walnut Creek Metro Park, 12138 North Lamar Boulevard
This is a great chance for you to pass your passion for pedaling on to kids! For 2012, we are offering four opportunities for parents, teachers and/or mentors to take a kid mountain biking. We’ll end with IMBA’s (International Mountain Biking Association) National Take A Kid Mountain Biking. Helmet required.

Sunday, January 22

AFWC Ladies Ride
9:00 AM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St.
Join the women of the Austin Flyers Women’s Cycling Club every Sunday for an intermediate, ladies-only ride. This friendly, 2.5-3 hour ride averages 15-16 mph, with routes varying each week. It is a great opportunity for women looking to continue their fitness, learn new routes and meet new riding partners. Beginner women are encouraged to check out the Saturday Scout-a-Route ride for a shorter, more casual route.

Bicycle Sports Shop Beginner Mountain Bike Ride
1:30 PM, Walnut Creek Metro Park, 12138 North Lamar Blvd
Our good friends at Bicycle Sport Shop are now holding a regular Beginner Mountain Bike Ride RSVPs are requested. What to bring: Helmet is required, Gloves, Water & Food, Spare Tubes, Pump and Tools, Mountain Bike.

Tuesday, January 24

Austin Bike Chix Beginner Ride
6:30 PM, Northwest District Park, 7000 Ardath St.
There is a new series of bike rides in town for those new to cycling or for those that just need to dust off that bike. Austin Bike Chix will be offering a series of rides to Austin Area adults. The rides will start at Northwest Park on March 22 at 6:30 PM and will continue on Tuesdays for 6 weeks. The series of rides will be more like mini clinics (with topics ranging from chains to hills) to give new riders knowledge about the bike and confidence to be able to do the shorter distances on some of the local charity rides and beginner rides in town. These rides are perfect for those wanting to do ride in the Tour de Cure or are a first time triathlete. We will be riding on the road, all bikes are welcome. All rides are free.

Wednesday, January 18

Restorative Yoga for Cyclists
7:30 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Spend your winter keeping the body warmed and relaxed with Restorative Yoga for Cyclists at Mellow’s Johnny’s. Long miles accompanied by yoga will help you release tension, stay injury-free and set you up for a blazing Spring. Our class is great for non-cyclists, beginners and elite athletes. Join us after a ride, run or long day at work or school. Every Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm (downstairs) Suggested donation of $10 or $5 if you bike ride to class. Mat provided by MJ’s.

For the  most part, bicycles ride are peaceful and fun. If bicycle rides weren’t something I enjoyed I would not ride nearly as much or at all. Basic Pavlovian response stuff. I do what feels good to me. Yet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and unicorns all the time when on two wheels.

Similar to road rage, there is a feeling of aggressiveness that surges up at times when on the road on a bicycle seat. Naming this feeling “Bike Rage” (like Road Rage when in a car)  is not quite right. I rather like to think of it as Bike Pet Peeves. *Note: Multiple occurrences of Bike Pet Peeves in one day could steer any cyclists down the road of Bicycle Rage.

I had such an incidence today of a Bike Pet Peeve that came close to Bike Rage – a car cutting me off while I was on a bicycle.

One of the reasons that cars cutting off bicycles borderlines from  Bike Pet Peeve to Bike Rage is because of the frequency of occurrences. It has happened over and over and over again.

Which got me to thinking that some serious schooling needed to occur on this issue.

I don’t get the logic that is occurring in a motorists mind, that if they accelerate the car and make a sharp turn in front of a bicycle that it is ok. Ever.

I just returned from a week trip to the urban bicycling capital of the U.S. of A. – also know as Portlandia. There is one law that is enacted as a civil action between motorists and cyclists. Oregon Revised Statute 811.050 requires motor vehicles to yield to bicycles in bike lanes.  It blows my mind each time I cycle the bike ways. Note this act of motor vehicles yielding to bicycles occurs outside of bike lanes too, like some North Western common courtesy.  Bike ways, entire streets dedicated to the bicycle as the dominant form of transportation,  in which bicycles and motorists share the road, motorists still actively choose to give bicycles the right of way. It feels like the incidental diametric opposite of being cut off by a car in Austin, Texas.

When I get cut off by a car some primal adrenaline takes over. When the primal response occurs, I have consciously chosen not to use the flying bird signal anymore as my first means of communication. When it comes to fight or flight, my innate action is fight, thus the middle finger gesture.The effect of giving the bird when used is: animosity breeds more animosity. So I opt not to use it. Although at times I do feel like displaying a strong and solid thumbs down hand signal, held high in the air, is an effective way to communicate disdain.

Communication sign language aside, my intrigue is not hand gesturing  to drivers on the roadway alone.  I would rather supercede the Central Texas common uncourtesy that exists as the majority norm between motor vehicles and bicycles, and replace it with courtesy for amongst all, motorists and cyclists alike.

Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.

Thursday, January 12

Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:00 PM, Metz Park, 2407 Canterbury St
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s holds 3 hardcourt matches a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, at Metz Park. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our article on bike polo for more info.

Thursday Night Social Ride
7:30 PM, Plaza Saltillo, East 5th & Comal
“RIDE BIKES ON THURSDAY NIGHT!!!!! And if thats wasn’t plenty….. FREE KEG AT THE JACKELOPE AFTER!!!!!! touch gloves and come out riding. i want a clean ride. follow my direction at all times. Let’s get it on, Let’s get ready to rummble, etc.” Meet up at 7:30, ride at 8:00. Read our article on the weekly ride. Join the Social Cycling Facebook Group.

Friday, January 13

Hill Country Ride for AIDS Kickoff Party
7:30 PM, Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces
We’re kickin’ off the Ride on the luckiest day of the year! Join us on January 13, 2012 (Friday the 13th!) for food, fun, music and camaraderie that can’t be beat! This year we are lucky to have a special performance by the Austin favorite, Minor Mishap Marching Band – “Best Marching Merrymakers” in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2011 issue. The Hill Country Ride for AIDS is an annual cycling event that rolls through beautiful central Texas this April 28th, 2012! Riders and volunteers raise money for life saving support for thousands of Central Texans living with HIV/AIDS. It’s a Ride, not a race, all levels are welcomed and celebrated.

Saturday, January 14

Mellow Johnny’s Scout-A-Ride: Mueller Meander (extended) & Major Taylor Meet Up
*NEW START TIME* 9:30 AM, Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St
Saturday mornings spent exploring City of Austin bike routes finding new neighborhoods and ways to get around on your bike. This week’s theme: Mueller Meander (extended). This 20+ mile route takes us into the wonderful rolling hills of east Austin to check out the new Mueller development. We’ve changed up the route a bit to add some distance. Major Taylor Meetup Rides are a call out to cyclists of color to come network and help shape the Major Taylor Austin club in anticipation of a weekend of launch events in late February. Join us for a pre-ride coffee or snack at 9:00 at Juan Pelota Cafe. Helmets required. If driving to the shop, please park in the street.Contact:Stephanie at Stephanie@mellowjohnnys.com.

ACA’s New Year’s Resolution meeting
3 PM, Howson Library, 2500 Exposition Blvd
Join ACA for the New Year’s Resolution meeting and sign up for the ACA New Year’s Resolution Challenge! Here’s how it works: each participant enters their cycling fitness goals for 2012 on a “pledge” form, for example frequency of riding, miles, hours in the saddle – something quantifiable. Then once a month, you send your actual numbers to vp@austincycling.org. At the ACA Holiday party in December, everyone who met or exceeded their goal will be awarded a small prize.

Sunday, January 15

AFWC Ladies Ride
9:00 AM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St.
Join the women of the Austin Flyers Women’s Cycling Club every Sunday for an intermediate, ladies-only ride. This friendly, 2.5-3 hour ride averages 15-16 mph, with routes varying each week. It is a great opportunity for women looking to continue their fitness, learn new routes and meet new riding partners. Beginner women are encouraged to check out the Saturday Scout-a-Route ride for a shorter, more casual route.

Tuesday, January 17

Austin Bike Chix Beginner Ride
6:30 PM, Northwest District Park, 7000 Ardath St.
There is a new series of bike rides in town for those new to cycling or for those that just need to dust off that bike. Austin Bike Chix will be offering a series of rides to Austin Area adults. The rides will start at Northwest Park on March 22 at 6:30 PM and will continue on Tuesdays for 6 weeks. The series of rides will be more like mini clinics (with topics ranging from chains to hills) to give new riders knowledge about the bike and confidence to be able to do the shorter distances on some of the local charity rides and beginner rides in town. These rides are perfect for those wanting to do ride in the Tour de Cure or are a first time triathlete. We will be riding on the road, all bikes are welcome. All rides are free.

Wednesday, January 18

Restorative Yoga for Cyclists
7:30 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Spend your winter keeping the body warmed and relaxed with Restorative Yoga for Cyclists at Mellow’s Johnny’s. Long miles accompanied by yoga will help you release tension, stay injury-free and set you up for a blazing Spring. Our class is great for non-cyclists, beginners and elite athletes. Join us after a ride, run or long day at work or school. Every Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm (downstairs) Suggested donation of $10 or $5 if you bike ride to class. Mat provided by MJ’s.

It’s the day before Christmas Eve. It’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and the drury sky has been the same shade of gray and glum all day long. I’m biking across town, which is one of my favorite activities to relax. It calms me to roll through the shifts in urban landscape, and calm is exactly what I need among the fury of cars that I imagine must be whizzing from shop to shop gift buying.

At this point in my ride, I’ve just pedaled underneath IH 35, headed east on 4th street. I head north on Chicon Street. There is a stark contrast between east and west 6th Street at the intersection of 6th and Chicon. The traffic has lulled enough for it to feel inviting, so I head further East on 6th street.

I pass the familiar sites, the Sixth Street Cool corner store with Bob Marley’s portrait smiling back at me. I think of him as an urban Mona Lisa, his smile following me at a diagonal as I turn the corner.

Next comes the bright blue and gold of Bike Texas Headquarters. I had been inside Bike Texas during the annual Bike-to-Work breakfast stop last year. Today, though, it was what was outside of Bike Texas that had me concerned.

I stopped pedaling and let the wheels cruise along the street. In my memory of the event, the parking lot was empty. Lights off, nobody home inside Bike Texas. There was one sole bicycle on the rack at Bike Texas, and next to the bicycle was a man with what looked like a file in his hand while he fiddled with the lock. My gut instinct was that this bike is being stolen. Right here and right now in broad daylight and I’m watching it occur. I yelled out from my bike on the other side of the street, “You stealing a bike?”

I had a beanie hat covering my ears, and a helmet on on top of that, and I couldn’t make out exact words of the man’s response, but the body language and tone of voice was gruff and terse. And the nature of his response confirmed what my stomach was telling me.

I am a little ashamed to say it, but my first though was, “Oh well, it’s none of my business.” And then my mind followed up that thought with, “There’s no way I’m stopping to approach that man by myself.” The momentum of the motion of the bicycle kept my wheels rolling away from the scene. “If someone saw my bike being stolen, I would want them to intervene.” Calling the police was out of the question for me. I didn’t want anyone being arrested and going to jail for petty theft. Behind bars would be a horrible way to spend Christmas Eve.

The light bulb went off in my head: I knew someone who works at Bike Texas. I’d call her instead of the law enforcement. Fortunately, she answered the call, and to my chagrin she said she was inside the closed Bike Texas Headquarters at that exact moment. I quickly gave her the low down on what I saw outside Bike Texas. She thanked me and said she would check on the scene out front.

A few minutes later, she texted me back. She recognized the man I saw out front as a known bike thief in Austin. However, she stated there was no bicycle on the rack for him to steal. I gulped! I was too late! The bike was already re-located, gone, vamoosh! – into thin air it seemed. Five minutes couldn’t have passed since first site of the bike theft to this text message.

Within those five minutes I had traveled half a mile away from the scene, and I now questioned the events that happened. “Was the bicycle a mirage of sorts?” I asked myself. Did I imagine it being there? Or if I had stayed at the scene would the bike still be there tethered to the rack with it’s lock?

Who knows? It’s an unsolved bike theft mystery. However, for now I make it a point to take the same route along east 6th street when headed to and from downtown to see if the mirage of the blue cruiser bicycle ever shows up again.

We just heard from our friends at the Dirt Derby that their 1st time winter session has moved from starting this Tuesday to Tuesday, January 31. Apparently, the owners of the Del Valle Motorcross Park have been doing some major course rebuilding, and it will not be ready until later this month.

While I’m bummed the weekly short course mountain bike and cyclocross race series is not back yet, I’m looking forward to the possibility of some new course action. See you on the 31st!