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Bicycling: Recreation, Transportation and Fitness!
Bicycling and Biking Responsibly
This bicycle race photo was taken at the Oklahoma Senior Olympics 2003 in Tulsa at Mohawk Park.
FEATURE ARTICLE
10 ways to mountain bike responsibly
(Published: June 6, 2004)
by Melissa DeVaughn
1. Be prepared: Know your equipment, your ability, the weather, the area you are riding and prepare accordingly. A well-planned ride will go smoothly for you and your companions.
2. Don't ride on closed trails: Whether it is to protect the environment or for rider safety, a closed trail is off limits for a reason. Riding closed trails is not only illegal, it gives mountain bikers a bad reputation.
3. Say no to mud: Riding a muddy trail can cause unnecessary trail widening and erosion that may lead to long-lasting damage.
4. Respect the trail, wildlife and environment: Be sensitive to the trail and its surroundings by riding softly and never skidding. Do not litter or scare animals.
5. Stay on the trail: Do not intentionally ride off trail. Riding off trail can damage the ecosystem. Never cut switchbacks.
6. Ride slowly on crowded trails: Just like a busy highway, when trails are crowded you must move slowly to ensure safety for all trail users.
7. Pass with courtesy and care: Slow down when approaching other trail users and respectfully make others aware you are approaching. Pass with care and be prepared to stop if necessary.
8. Share the trail with other trail users: Mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians share multiuse trails. Mountain bikers should yield to hikers and equestrians.
9. Don't do unauthorized trail work: Unauthorized or illegal trail work may lead to environmental damage, injury or even potential trail closure.
10. Get involved: If you want to make a difference in your mountain-biking community, get involved with a local club, such as the Arctic Bicycle Club (www.arcticbike.org); Women's Mountain Bike & Tea Society (www.wombats.org); Peninsula Bike Club (no number available); or Valley Mountain Bike Alliance (1-907-745-2453).
--Melissa DeVaughn, Anchorage Daily News
More Than 800 Bicyclists Pedal Across Kansas
AP June 7, 2004 More than 800 riders are pedaling their way across Kansas as part of an eight-day, 489-mile trek. The ride is called Biking Across Kansas, and it's in its 30th year.
The group has been on the road since Saturday on a route that will take them from Sharon Springs to Leavenworth.
Riders are bicycling an average of 62 miles a day. They're getting a chance to sight-see and get a feel for life in Kansas in early summer.
The ride stops each night in towns with gymnasiums large enough to hold hundreds, though many prefer to camp out with tents and sleeping bags. Some even stay overnight in houses of people who live in the towns where the tour stops.
All the bikers' gear is carried from town to town on trucks.
13News
http://www.wibw.com
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