May 2008 President’s Letter

The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club ride schedule is getting up to speed. Improved weather means that good riding can be expected, so if you have not done so already, get out on the road!

May is National Bike to Work Month. May 16 is National Bike to Work Day. May 12 is Senator George’s Bike to Work forum with the Kalamazoo Area chamber of Commerce at the Haymarket. Please stay tuned for more details. Please also consider riding to work at least one time this year. Gas is not getting any cheaper and you can always justify paying for improvements to your bicycle as saving gas money.

May 21 is the date for the Ride of Silence. The Ride of Silence is to remember bicyclists who have been killed while riding. Over the past year, there have been several bicyclists in Kalamazoo County that have died from car/bike crashes. Please consider taking one Wednesday off to participate in this ride.

Bike Camp is rapidly arriving. Please get the word out to your friends, significant others, family, youth groups, neighbors and anyone else who might be interested in learning how to ride more effectively. Bike Camp will also need volunteers to lead rides on Saturdays. Contact Jim Kindle if you wish to volunteer; registration for Bike Camp is available online at www.kalamazoobicycleclub.org.

Jelania Haile, Renee Mitchell, and David Jones have taken (and passed) the League of American Bicyclists League Certified Instructor Course. Renee was the 2000th LCI. The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club sponsored Jelania, Renee, and David to learn additional bicycle education techniques so that they could bring these back to Bike Camp and to new community bicycle education opportunities that may develop in the future.

The price of gasoline is predicted to hit $4.00 per gallon by July 4 of this year (and $7.00 per gallon by 2010). This means that more drivers may be in sullen moods on the road (watch out!). This also means that there will be opportunities to encourage folks to bike, both as a means of transportation and of recreation. The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club is actively encouraging new bicyclists (through Bike Camp, free memberships to folks who purchase bikes from local bike shops, and other programs). The best advertising, however, is when we sell bicycling to our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and to the public.

Mike Boersma, KBC President

KBC Summer Ride Schedule

Don’t forget! Beginning in May, KBC rides will start at 6:15 P.M.

The Wednesday night Hammerfest will start at 6:00 P.M. throughout the season.

In the early part of the season not every ride group will be represented, and the posted average speed of the rides will likely not be as fast. As more riders show up as the season progresses more ride groups may be added as demand dictates. The schedule below reflects the probable full, mid-season schedule.

Monday

The Monday Ride at Texas Drive Park will consist of 4 ride groups, which should provide a pace to suit riders of all abilities:

• 15-20 mile group at 12-15 mph, led informally by a number of riders
• 25-30 mile (Recovery and paceline) group at 17-18 mph, led by Zolton Cohen and Doug Kirk
• 25-30 mile group at 20-22 mph, led by Joan Orman
• 25-30 mile group at 22+ mph, led informally by a number of riders

The 15-20 mile group is generally recommended for new riders.

The 25-30 mile groups will typically ride the same route in the early part of the season. KBC recommends the 17-18 mph Recovery and paceline group for more experienced riders who are new to the club, those wishing for an easy spin on flat roads, or anyone interested in learning how to ride in a rotating paceline. Participation in the paceline in this group is not mandatory. This ride is very steady and consistent, and one of the club’s most popular ride groups.

The 20-22 mph group is recommended for more experienced riders who want to ride faster, and on hillier terrain.

All riders who want to push the pace can do so in the 22+ mph group.

Tuesday

Plans for the 7th year of the Tuesday Night Time Trial series are in the works. The Barnes Family and Team KBC/Little Caesar’s will run the time trial again this year; the 10 mile route will be the same as in years past. The route starts at the Pavilion Township Hall at the corner of Q Ave and 29th Street, and will run the first and third Tuesday of the month, starting on May 20. Further information about this series can be found in this Pedal Press newsletter.

Wednesday

The Wednesday ride meets at the Kal-Haven Trail Parking lot on 10th Street. Remember that if you drive to the trailhead and park in the parking lot you must display a Kal-Haven Trail parking pass on your dashboard. Parking passes are issued with the purchase of a seasonal or daily trail pass. Those passes are available for purchase at local bike shops, Gazelle Sports, and at the trailhead itself when a staff member is attending the caboose.

KBC plans to offer 5 ride groups:

• 13-15 mph group, led informally by a number of riders
• 30 mile group at 19-20 mph (the Quarter-Fast Ride), led by Ron Gauthier and others
• 30 mile group at 22+ mph (The Half-Fast Ride), led by Zolton Cohen
• 46 mile group at 22+mph (Kirk's Hammerfest), led by Doug Kirk and others
• 46 mile group at 24+ mph (the regular Hammerfest), led by Jeff Hamilton and others

The 13-15 mph group decides the route at the ride start.

The 30 mile groups typically ride the same route. The 19-20 mph Quarter Fast group will try to be steady at the pace indicated. The 22+ Half-Fast group will likely break up into smaller groups.

The regular Wednesday night Hammerfest starts at the Kal-Haven Trailhead Parking lot at 6:00 P.M. throughout the summer. The pace of the ride is typically greater than 24+ mph and the route goes to Bloomingdale and back (about 46 miles). Since the route is well known to most of the regular riders, no maps are available for this ride. This group is typically large (more than 15 riders) and consists of racers and other experienced riders. Typically, there is no designated ride leader. The group usually fragments into smaller groups and the riders often times do not finish together. This ride is hard and is not suitable for inexperienced riders. Some riders can expect to be dropped from the main group.

Thursday

The Thursday Night Ride, led by Elaine Naegele, is a nice and easy social ride and has a loyal following. It starts at the Texas Drive Park at the regular KBC ride start times. Riders of all riding abilities are welcome. The pace is typically 15-17 mph and distance is 20-25 miles.

Friday

The women's morning ride is now on Friday mornings at 10:00 A.M., meeting in the southwest parking lot at KVCC. During May, September, and October, it will begin at 10:00. In June, July, and August it will start at 9:30 A.M. This ride is social and relaxed, with speeds in the 15-16 mph range. A slower group is available if needed. This is a no-drop ride. Distance is 25 miles. This ride is led by Jelania Haile and Rene Mitchell.

Friday Tour de Gull

The Friday ride now meets in the parking lot at the new high school, 1/2 mile east of Galesburg, at the corner of 37th Street and M-96. The route of this ride has been well established over the years, and travels northward from Galesburg and around the top of Gull Lake before heading back south again to the high school.

The pace of the main group varies depending on who shows up, but is usually in the 20-22 mph range. Members interested in riding the new route at a 17-18 mph pace are encouraged to attend this ride and get the ball rolling on a new group.

KBC’s Special Weekend Rides

Mark your long-range calendars for some special weekend rides this summer. Several rides are being planned for the summer months. The W Ride was held on April 26. Information about other special rides will be posted shortly.

If you have comments about the above-mentioned rides or have suggestions for other rides, contact Ride Captain Knute Jacobson at hkjinwv@yahoo.com.

Impromptu weekend rides can happen anytime the weather is suitable and someone is willing to organize them. If you’re interested in being informed of these impromptu rides, send KBC Ride Captain Knute Jacobson an e-mail to get on the impromptu ride contact list:hkjinwv@yahoo.com.

Knute Jacobson, KBC Ride Captain

2008 Tuesday Night Time Trial Series

The Tuesday Night Time Trial series is a great way to learn about riding and your own personal abilities. These time trials are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6:15 P.M. from May 20 to August 19 at the Pavilion Township Hall.

The best part of the time trial series is that everyone can participate - young and old, fast and slow - you don’t compete with anyone but yourself. There’s no pressure except what you put on yourself. Come and find out just how fun a 10 mile ride can be and meet some old and new friends.

• Measured and marked 10 mile course
• You must be a KBC member to participate * All strengths of rider welcome!
• No drafting
• helmet is required!!
• Sign up at 6:15
• Riders start in 30 second increments beginning at 6:30 sharp!!!
• Park at the Pavilion Township Hall at the corner of Q Avenue and 29th Street, then ride south to the start line!!!!

Announcing the first TNTT of 2008! This year, the KBC Racing Team, led by Christopher Barnes, will again be running the TNTT. The first TNTT of the 2008 season will take place on Tuesday, May 20, with registration at 6:15 pm and the first rider starting at 6:30. Any questions? E-mail Chris at barnesmc@charter.net

Chris Barnes

Volunteers Wanted for Sports Education Camp Tandem Biking

The twenty-first annual Sports Education Camp (SEC) for youth who are blind or visually impaired is being held May 7-10, 2008. Again this year, we will have tandem biking as one of the many events at the SEC! In the past five years or so, tandem biking has been the most popular event!! Now, that is not surprising, right?

I am looking for volunteers from the KBC who are willing to “captain” a tandem. Other than being able to ride a bike, no previous experience is necessary.

The dates and times for our rides are as follows

Wednesday, May 7, 7:00 P.M.	This ride includes our first year athletes.
Thursday, May 8, 7:00 P.M.	This ride includes our more experienced athletes.
Friday, May 9, 7:00 P.M.	This ride is a competition ride.

All rides will be held at the WMU Parkview campus (a beautiful place to ride) and will occur rain or shine. If rain occurs, we will ride in the Parkview parking ramp.

If you are interested and available to ride, please contact:

Thanks to all the captains who have volunteered in the past and also to those who will ride this year!

Sherry Gordon

8th Annual W Ride Report

Five riders braved the howling wind, the pouring rain, the plague of locusts …….. Actually, these 5 riders braved only the former during the 8th annual W Ride on April 26th. John Ballema, Rich DeLuca, Dan Kallewaard, Tom Keizer, and Rick Whaley fought a stiff west headwind for the first 12 miles of the ride to Van Buren County, but were rewarded with a rather effortless 20 plus mph ride back to Vicksburg. After a brief break, they then continued to ride with the benefit of a tailwind that had turned to a slight crosswind to Calhoun County. By then, they also received the benefit of a sun that had finally decided to make an appearance. After another impromptu break to fix a flat tire, the group reached the county line, and were then again able to enjoy the headwind experience all the way back to Vicksburg High School. There, they sipped from fine plastic Gatorade bottles and dined on tasty W Ride maps, otherwise known as pretzel logs. The riders averaged 16.7 mph over the 48 mile route. All agreed that it was a good ride and that the rest of you should have been here, but now you’ll have to wait another entire year, so I guess you’ll just have to cry yourself to sleep tonight.

Rick Whaley

Monthly Meeting Minutes

KBC’s monthly meeting took place on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. Paul Bruneau, Tom Keizer, Jelania Haile, Zolton Cohen, Rick Whaley, Jim Kindle, Mike Boersma, Elaine Naegele, Mike Krischer, Barb Lee, Victor Van Fleet, Dave Middleton, Kathy Breese, Terry O’Connor, Dick Nevela, and David Jones were in attendance.

Mike Boersma welcomed everyone to the meeting. Tom Keizer presented the Treasurer’s report and Elaine Naegele distributed the minutes from the March meeting.

Mike B. reported that the WMU Bicycle Co-op is looking for a new location, but further discussion concerning the Co-op was tabled until more can be learned about the Co-op.

Mike B. reported that the attendance at the April rides has been light so far due to the cool weather. He also reported that the Ride of Silence will be held Wednesday, May 21 at WMU. This is a 12 mile ride at 12 mph to call attention to safe riding and to honor those who have been injured or killed while cycling. Mark Rose is the contact for this ride.

Victor Van Fleet discussed the FitMI program and invited all to participate in this program. The program is a free self-directed fitness program and runs from April 19 to October 4. About 2000 people in Kalamazoo County participated in this program in 2007. Information about this program is available online at www.fitMI.org. Victor asked the club to donate $1000 to FitMI to help cover the printing costs for the brochures that have been printed to publicize this program and to provide money for participant incentives. Several members asked for more specific information about how this money would be spent. This potential donation will be discussed further at the May meeting.

Rick Whaley discussed a volunteer opportunity at the Sports Education Camp (SEC) for youth who are blind or visually impaired on May 7-10, based on information provided to him by Sherry Gordon. They need volunteers to help captain tandems. Sherry can be reached at sdgordon78@sbcglobal.net.

Jelania Haile reported that 8 people are currently signed up for the League Certified Instructor (LCI) course on April 25-27.

Zolton Cohen and Paul Bruneau reported that 3 people have joined the KBC through a new bike purchase. Zolton noted that Breakaway Bicycles is attaching KBC information to bike purchase receipts.

Jelania noted that 6 people have registered to date for the Bike Camp beginning on May 17. There was some discussion about whether this course meets the needs of Boy Scouts who are interested in earning a merit badge for cycling; it was concluded that it probably does not. Jim Kindle is looking for volunteers to provide some education about cycling for Boy Scouts who are interested in this.

Mike Krischer provided an update on the KalTour. He plans to use River Run Press for the brochures and is looking for ideas for giveaways that will be given to participants. Past items have included kazoos, Frisbees, and key chains. Elaine suggested giving participants items that will promote bicycle safety, such as a small red flashing light that can be attached to the back of a bike seat. Other suggestions included bandanas, socks, and water bottles.

Various members reported that the KBC website has not been updated with 2008 information, including the KalTour date (which is July 13). Paul will update the KalTour page and Zolton will talk with the site webmaster Bob Paksi about updating other portions of the website.

Mike B. received a call for Senator Tom George’s office about setting up a forum with the Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce, as there is interest in highlighting companies that support biking to work. There was some discussion about the Bike to Work Day/Week. Zolton said that he was asked by Campus Pointe Mail if KBC was interested in supporting an event; some liked the idea of an event at Arcadia Commons.

Kathy Breese remarked that she does not have a computer or access to one, but she and others in a similar situation would like to receive a printed copy of the Pedal Press. Rick and Mike B. said that they would bring a few printed copies to the Monday and Wednesday night rides.

Mike B. and Elaine reported that the League of Michigan Bike Summit, held in Lansing on March 29, was a great success. They said it was a good opportunity to learn about “Complete Streets” (with bicycle lanes), tips when talking with City Councils about bicycling issues, and supporting transportation initiatives that support cycling objectives. Mike B. suggested that the club should spend some time thinking about how we can best support cycling in Kalamazoo.

The next KBC monthly meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM, Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at the YMCA on Maple Street in Kalamazoo. All club members are invited to attend this, and every, meeting.

Elaine Naegele, KBC Secretary

Masthead

The electronically-distributed KBC PedalPress comes out on or around the first of each month.

If you have an article or a notice that you want to go into the PedalPress, please email it to the newsletter editor, fswhaley@comcast.net by the 20th of the month before its intended publication.

For example, if you’d like an article to be published in the June edition (distributed on or around the first of June), have it to the newsletter editor by the 20th of May.

KBC Statistics

Active subscriptions

233

Bike Shop Free Memberships

6

KalTour registrations

15

Bike Camp registrations

10

New members

Amy Berg • Andrew Blackburn • Austin Blackburn • Jenna Blackburn • Jennifer Blackburn • Hendrik de Vries • Michelle Goodenough • Deborah Harsha • Matthew Hollander • Michael Regenold • Corrine Sallaz • Kelly Sallaz • Aaron Stanley • Jody Stanley • Toni VanderPloeg • Doug Weldon • Ken Willer • John Wunderlin

May Expiring memberships

Gary Brooks Family • James Buck • Kevin Cleary • Jim Curtis • Amy Elman • Jonathan Evans and Monica Tory • Douglas Freeland • Joe Gasperson • Randy Halseth Family • Heather Haydo • Michelle Kagey • Gregory Keitel • Dawne Kennedy • Keatsee Lai Family • Daniel Lambert • Sandy Larsen • Matthew Nelson • Patrick and Therese Norris • Nowell O’Connell • Paige Peterman • Lynda Pioch • Kenneth Polidan • Jeffrey Pregenzer Family • Justin Pruis • Kenneth & Catherine Salome Family • Jennifer Schmitz-Weber • Alison & Chad Seabold • Bill Strome • Donald Visker • Eric Watts • Allison Kelaher Young

Renewed memberships

Joan Orman & Eric Bekker • Jeff Robertson Family • Greg Petty • Rob Nicey • Tom Cross Family • Jim Hainen • Michael McPhilamy • Scott Ashford • Karen & Dayle Hadden • Larry Baumgart

Paul Bruneau, KBC Database Manager

Ride Captain’s Report

Dear KBC Friends:

The weather is warm, the roads are clear, spring fever has hit, and our regular weekly rides are well under way. In fact, by the time you read this, our first special ride of the season, the "W Ride" will already have taken place.

The ride schedule we are publishing in this newsletter shows our full listing of regular weekly rides. Now that we are in May, most of these rides will be offered on a regular basis, especially if the weather is good. If you have questions about whether a ride is taking place, the best person to contact is the ride leader him/herself. If you are trying a ride for the first time, please print out a map from the map section of our website, and carry it in your jersey with you. Also, always bring along a pump and a tube.

And remember, in May, all evening rides except the Hammerfest start PROMPTLY at 6:15 P.M.

And now, as we have already had two crashes on our faster rides this season, please let me remind us all of a few things we all need to keep in mind to promote safety and the well-being of all on our group rides.

1. Choose a ride that is suitable for you. You should feel in control of your bike and body at all times. If you are being continually pushed to beyond your limit on a ride, the ride is too hard for you, and you are putting yourself and others at risk by riding it.
2. Stay to the right of the road, no more than two abreast.
3. Don't overlap wheels.
4. Don't use arrow bars in a pack.
5. Do call out potholes and obstacles.
6. Do try to be predictable in your movements.
7. Don't bump and barge others to be the first over a hill.
8. While some of our rides can be "spirited", please keep in mind that your personal safety and the safety of the group as a whole is far more important than the momentary glory that comes from "being first" on a group ride.

Well, I'm through preaching! Thanks for bearing with me on this. My goal in saying these things is to help ensure we'll all have a great season enjoying the sport we love.

Happy riding!

Knute Jacobson, KBC Ride Captain

Editor’s Letter

This and That, but There May Actually be a Theme Here

A couple weeks ago, I decided to take a Sunday ride to Mendon. I hadn’t paid a visit to Mendon via bicycle (or any other form of transportation for that matter) since I moved back to this area and I wanted to get reacquainted with some of the roads on which I used to ride. I saw some wild turkeys near the intersection of U Avenue and 34th Street; at least Mr. Nature Boy here thinks that they were wild turkeys, I know that they weren’t buzzards. I gazed at the Mendon water tower in the distance while riding up and down the rollers of Nottawa Road. I took a slight detour to ride by the stone church in Mendon; I always liked the architecture of that building. Since I was already in Mendon, I had to head west to ride on the covered bridge over the St. Joseph River; a touch of northern New England where I used to live, right here in Southwest Michigan. I skirted around Three Rivers and found it oddly comforting to note, speaking of northern New England, that portions of Buckhorn Road were as frost heaved as ever; some things never change. However, something that had changed was my memory of the local roads, so I then found myself closer to Vicksburg than the intended Schoolcraft, but this allowed me to ride on the Vicksburg walking/bike trail to TU Avenue. Finally, I traveled home to Portage. It was nice to see some old new sights after an absence of over 4 years.

Over Mother’s Day weekend, I’ll be riding the Tour of the Scioto River Valley, otherwise known as TOSRV, a 2 day 210 mile ride from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio and back. This will be the 15th straight year that I’ve done this ride and while this is not a particularly impressive streak by Ripkin-esque standards, it’s still a streak; one that I never aspired to set and one that I just kind of fell into. I lived in the Columbus area during my first 3 TOSRVs, then I moved to Portage, and after doing the ride for the 4th year, I decided it was a lot easier to travel 10 than 280 miles. I still came back for a 5th year, just to experience TOSRV on the bike that I had bought the previous fall. In 1999, I had no excuse to come back, maybe by this time it was just force of habit. However, this turned out to be a pivotal point in my personal TOSRV history.

A running buddy of my younger brother in Dayton, also cycled, and he used to ride TOSRV every year with a group of people who lived in Ohio, Michigan, and Toronto that he had met through work. My brother showed him a picture of me and he happened to see me at the first rest stop on the first day of the ride. I then went from riding alone to riding in a paceline with about 12 other riders. I quickly discovered that the alpha cyclist, i.e., the strongest cyclist, was Fritz, the younger of two 50-something brothers from Toronto. Fritz had very exacting standards with regard to what he expected from a paceline and was not exactly reticent in spelling out exactly what they were to those he deemed to be in violation of these standards. As the butt of some of his mini-lectures, I found him to be pretty annoying, but I also discovered, after we had reached Portsmouth and gotten off our bikes for the day, that he was a good storyteller and an entertaining guy to be around. However, that still didn’t stop me from riding most of the way back to Columbus alone to get away from his lectures, meeting the group only after we all arrived in Columbus. However, that also didn’t stop me from riding with the same group the following year. At some point, I must have gotten better at meeting Fritz’s standards, and if the truth be told, I got better at riding in a paceline, as well. Also, if the truth be told, his advice was good advice.

So, for the next few years I continued to ride with the same group of people; people whom I never saw at any other time of the year. There was Hans from Toronto, a 60-something rider whose talented snores would echo though the gym where we spent the night as we tried to sleep. There was Tom the ex-college football player and husband of one of Fritz’s nieces, who still had some of his football player build, but was also able to battle Fritz for supremacy on the hilly 20 mile segment of TOSRV; battles that I observed from my vantage point in “3rd Place.” There was Leo, the ex-college basketball player and husband of another one of Fritz’s nieces, on a bicycle built for someone 81 inches tall. He lived in a suburb of Columbus and would put all of us up the night before the ride. There was Rich from Michigan with his ever-present grin; a friend of Tom’s who became a better rider after he finally got his deteriorated hip replaced. I could go on, but I think you get the picture; they were all good people to hang around and ride with.

Lately, however, the group has dwindled, as we’ve gone from about a dozen riders to only about 4 or 5. Leo still puts us up, but he hasn’t done the ride lately. My brother’s running buddy has had some heart problems. Other riders have had family commitments. The only constant the past couple years has been Fritz and me. Very soon after writing this, I’ll be contacting Leo to find out what the plans are for this year. One day, I suspect that I could be the only one of us doing TOSRV, or it could turn out that one year, I decide to finally end my streak.

We ride our bikes on roads that are familiar to us, but there may come a day when we no longer ride these roads, only to find ourselves riding them once again. We may ride with friends year after year, but there may come a year when these rides end; although there is always the possibility that they could begin yet again. As the philosopher Billy Joel once said “Life is a series of hellos and good-byes.” Ultimately, however, all of these rides will end one way or another, so the best thing to do is to live in the moment and just enjoy them even when it is pouring down rain. And, with that, Mr. Sunshine here will end another Editor’s Letter.

Rick Whaley, KBC Newsletter Editor

Some Upcoming Area Rides of Interest

Saturday, May 10	Kal-Haven Trail Blazer, Kalamazoo and South Haven	25, 45, 75, and 100 miles.	(269) 343-3487, www.kalhaventrail.org
Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15	National 24-Hour Challenge, Middleville	See how far you can ride (or want to ride) in 24 hours	(616) 538-7497, www.n24hc.org.
Saturday, May 17	Allegan Lions Club Pride Ride, Allegan	25, 50, and 100 kilometers	(269) 998-3991, www.alleganprideride.eventbrite.com.
Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15	National 24-Hour Challenge, Middleville	See how far you can ride (or want to ride) in 24 hours	(616) 538-7497, www.n24hc.org.
Saturday, June 7	100 Grand, Grand Rapids	17, 35, 65, and 100 miles	(616) 245-3341, www.rapidwheelmen.com/100Grand.
Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15	National 24-Hour Challenge, Middleville	See how far you can ride (or want to ride) in 24 hours	(616) 538-7497, www.n24hc.org.

Classified Ads

• Tri-bike, Titanium LightSpeed Catalyst, 56 cm frame, aero bar shifters, 105 Shimano components. $800. Call Mike at 327-0387.
• Rockymountain 56cm Solo 30AC, aluminum and carbon (rear-triangle). The bike has 105 10-speed components throughout and Easton EC90SLX carbon fork (330gr); wheels are Richey DS Pro. The bike is in great shape with less than 500 miles on it. Looking to get $1200 or best offer. Call Jeff at 269-965-3560.

Shop Notes

Alfred E Bike

320 East Michigan, Kalamazoo, (269) 349-9423
www.aebike.com

Billy’s Bike Shop

63 East Battle Creek Street, Galesburg, 665-5202

Breakaway Bicycles

185 Romence at Westnedge, Portage, (269) 324-5555, www.breakawaybicycles.com

Custer Cyclery

104 North Augusta, Augusta, 731-3492

Gazelle Sports

214 South Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, (269) 342-5996,
www.Gazellesports.com

Announcement: In 100 words or less tell us "Why Life is Good with your Mom" and win a Life is Good limited edition hand-made alpaca wool blanket! (A $100 value.)

Essay forms are available at Gazelle Sports stores or at www.GazelleSports.com. All entries must be received by MAY 11. Drop off your essay at any Gazelle Sports store or e-mail it to ngreer@gazellesports.com. One winner per Gazelle Sports location will be chosen on May 19. Also - while supplies last - make a Life is Good purchase totaling $50 or more and get a FREE Life is Good ceramic coffee mug!

ProSport

4323 W Michigan Ave

Kalamazoo Mi 49006-5810

Team Active

22 W Michigan, Battle Creek, 1-800-841-9494
www.teamactive.com

Village Cyclery

US 131 in Schoolcraft, 679-4242
www.villagecyclery.com

Bicycling Safety Disclaimer

Important: Riding a bicycle is an inherently dangerous activity. There are risks of injury or death. You could ride over something and fall, or get hit by an automobile or strike or be struck by another bicyclist. There are many other dangers to bicycling as well.

While nothing can eliminate all risks associating with bicycle riding, to minimize the danger, make sure you and your bicycle are in good riding condition. Know the rules of the road and also of the group you’re riding with, and ride in a manner consistent with the protocols of that group. Always wear a bike helmet, use bike lights if riding in the dawn, dusk or dark, and consider purchasing and riding with additional safety equipment such as reflectors and rear view mirrors.