And discover it’s just as easy to grab a bike lock as car keys for in town errands

When Sara Majors signed up for the Urban Assault Ride (UAR) last year, she didn’t own a bike. In fact, she hadn’t been on a bike in nearly a decade. She had so much fun participating in this pedal-powered urban adventure and exploring the city streets by bike, however, that after the event, she purchased a bike and began commuting to work two or three times each week, a round trip excursion of nearly 30 miles. The Rio Grande Urban Assault Ride, created to show cyclists that it is indeed possible – even enjoyable – to safely maneuver Fort Collins by bike, returns to town July 19. This quirky event

introduces cyclists to the viability of urban cycling – and using a bike for transportation – not just recreation and fitness.

This funky bike scavenger hunt sends two-person teams riding to checkpoints around town to complete crazy obstacle courses at each stop. Obstacles may include the human wheel barrow, the keg walk, bike

jousting, or the paper boy relay, but since they change at each venue, cyclists never know what to expect.  Mental muscle, however, is just as important as bike skills as teams choose their own course to checkpoints around the city and solve riddles along the way.

The first team to the finish line takes home a pair of limited edition cruiser bikes.

This pedal-powered urban adventure is for riders seven and older. Tandems and tag-alongs are welcome.

Sponsored by Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, the Urban Assault Ride is a green event designed to show riders that a bike is a great way to get around town. The Urban Assault Ride’s green focus extends beyond bike advocacy. The production powers the event with a solar generator, a bio-diesel truck delivers the gear to each city, and almost all event waste is composted or recycled.

In addition, Urban Assault partners exclusively with companies that have sustainable business practices and promote bike advocacy.  In addition to Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant and New B

elgium Brewing, Urban Assault partners include Trek Bikes, Keen Footwear, Clif Bar, Sweet Leaf Tea, Swobo, Timbuk 2, Rudy Project and other local sustainability-focused partners.

Find out more at www.urbanassaultride.com.

Reasons to participate!!

• It is fun – a party on a bike
• It is great to do with kids, sig others, or friends
• Any bike will do just fine
• It’s more about having fun than going fast
• Huge after party with lots of free New Belgium beer
• The obstacles are a blast
• You will laugh so hard your stomach hurtsAnd it is also a green event with a focus on sustainability
• It’s a fun and non-threatening way to learn your way around town so you can commute or run errands on your bike
• You’ll see how much easier it can be to grab your bike lock rather than your car keys

So, the weather finally allowed the New Belgium Brewery short track race series to begin and boy, did it ever!  Close to 100 racers in all showed up! The kids started off the evening followed by the beginners. Then the “A” class got started and the “open” class wrapped up the evening.  I have to say, it’s great to see the parents get their kids involved in a sport that tests their inner strength as much, if not more than, their physical abilities.  No matter what your ability level is or what you ride you quickly find riders on the course you can race with and learn from.  Sure, we all want to be out front at the end of the race but that’s only a small part of it all.  Many thanks to NBB and the volunteers who come out to put this thing together.  If you want more information on the series and the next race go to here, more pictures of the race here.  Just to give you a taste of the evening…. here’s my own little racing folly…

As I approached the sign up table and saw the list for the “A” class I began to wonder if I should have arrived a bit earlier and taken off with the beginners — 42 riders in the “A” class!  The spectators with the cameras may have had the right idea.  I chose to mount my camera on my handle bar and set it up for movie mode.  The camera setup  received a few curious questions on the starting line, however.  And now, whew! here come the butterflies! Looking around, I notice a few faces I haven’t seen since the snow started flying.  “Hey Mike how you been, you been riding much?”….Hopefully you hear ‘no’, but nobody ever says yes.  Jason gives a little speech and soon after…. READY GO!  OK, here we are at that first turn in the top 10 and remember that first big dip.  Relax, get your weight back.  Alright, I’m about fourth at the moment and here’s the first little climb, I stay on Brain’s wheel (I hope he’s breathing just as hard as I am).  Good thing my heart rate monitor was not charged! I’d hate to see a fourth digit appear!  Settle in on this next straight away and get the breathing under control before the next section of climbs and descents.  Take the corner wide…. keep the momentum now out of the saddle and down….again.  Oh, it’s a little breezy on this back section, should be on Brian’s wheel.  Careful on these off camber turns so…….dang it! how’d he get by me?….You don’t go down. No No.  Stay with him on this next sweeper, good.  Ooofff! Watch out for that branch on the next lap, remember to check your helmet after the race.  Got a bit of a separation from the guys behind… nice…keep a good rhythm.  This dirt pile is new, don’t go off the edge.  Watch out for the next couple of turns, they’re tricky…don’t lean into them and wash out the front wheel.  Crank it up around this section now and stick your tongue back in your mouth (always helps!).  There’s the tree, I hope these guys get through it clean… c’mon boys, stick it.  Last turn, show everybody you’re doing fine.  Four more to go….3….2..1. Just hanging on..AHHHH relax.  Wow, did I drink gasoline before the race?  Those fire eaters would do good out here, where’s my camelback?  But you know, I’ll be back!

If you want to see some coverage of the open class race visit you tube at the following link  Sorry, I forgot my camera was on the lower resolution setting.

That’s my story for the week. Have you seen the latest news coming from the Lance Armstrong camp?  Itseems while training in France he literally got himself into a bit of hot water with the AFLD, the French anti doping agency.  After returning from a training ride, a tester from the AFLD was waiting for Lance wanting hair, urine and blood samples from him.  With all the groupies Lance has in France naturally, he wanted to check this guy out.  While his team made some calls, Lance thought he might freshen up a bit and hopped into the shower.  If you don’t know, that is a big NO NO in the world of drug testing.  You must not leave the sight of the tester after the request for a sample has been made and certainly not to go take a shower, especially in Europe.  Just kidding Yann!  Since announcing his return to cycling Lance has been tested 24 times each without incident, or is it indecent exposure?  This little slip may be just what the Tour De France race organizers need to keep Lance from becoming an eight time Tour winner or even help Levi or Alberto win the Tour for Team Astana.  By the way, Lance was in our own back yard recently, in Steamboat, and gave a video update of his recovery and his brush with the AFLD.  Sounds like the training is going well and we’ll be able to see him in the Tour of Italy or Tour de Italia May 9 – 31

* Good ole duct tape – Wrap 1/4 ” thick around your pump to get out of a sticky situation.

That’s it for this week. Oh, I just about forgot = an update on Colorado Safety Bill 148 — it is back on the House floor.   Thanks to the Conference Committee, the confusing amendment was voted to be removed from the Bill.  Hopefully, the clarity of the Bill will make it easier for it to pass at the Senate level.  But before it gets to the Senate, it must return to the House for a “yes” or “no” vote.  This is where you can help, call or email your state Representative and urge him to vote yes on the Bill.  I just sent another note to House of Representative John Kefalas and it took less than five minutes.  Follow the link http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=988 To find your State representative and send him a note.

Now that’s really it for the week! Hope to see you at NBB next week!

Steve Lacey