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Roger Kramer's Favorite Cycling Tours

  • This ride is just dandy

    You may have heard the story Monday on NPR about Washington's first Tweed Ride, and it seems the trend is spreading across some of our largest cities. In case you're not familiar with the idea of a Tweed Ride, the New York Times calls them "informal gatherings of spiffily dressed ladies'" [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:02am EST

  • Don't forget about Cranksgiving!

    BicycleWORKS, in conjunction with Will Bike for Charity, Trailnet and Big Shark Bicycle Co., are putting on the 4th annual Cranksgiving ride this Sunday, Nov. 15. The ride begins at noon outside the Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Road in St. Louis. The goal of the ride is to buy $10 to [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 8:23pm EST

  • Capital city cycling controversy

    At first glance, the fact that Springfield -- the capital city of Illinois -- has formed a Bicycle Advisory Council sounds like a major victory for cyclists in the city. In September, Mayor Tim Davlin named nine people to the advisory panel, which will "act as an advisory body on bicyclist" [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 12:47pm EST

  • Former 'Saved by the Bell' star is a bicycle racer

    Admit it, you probably know actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar from his role as Zack Morris in the high school sitcom "Saved by the Bell." It turns out he's a bicycle racer, too. In a story this week in The New York Times, Gosselaar talks about his other life as a Cat 2 bicycle [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:36pm EST

  • Interstate 64/Highway 40 to open early

    Good news is ahead for cyclists who travel along the Interstate 64/Highway 40 corridor -- and for the thousands of motorized commuters who use the road. The Missouri Department of Transportation announced today that the highway will reopen Dec. 7 -- 24 days ahead of schedule! Last year, MoDOT allowed bicyclists [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 5:11pm EST

  • Wheels of justice grind slowly

    The recent conviction of a California doctor of deliberately injuring two cyclists by slamming on his car’s brakes on a narrow road last year prompted me to look into the case against the driver facing felony charges in an 2007 accident that left Belleville cyclist and photographer Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 3:18pm EST

  • Hitting the Donut Trail ... again

    The Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society's 2009 season came to an end today with a trip to St. Louis to take on the Donut Trail developed a few years back by member Thomas Carter. It was a good way to end our season! Unlike the Tour de Donut, the Donut [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 12:09am EST

  • Tour of Missouri dates set for 2010

    Here's a bit of encouraging news about the future of the Tour of Missouri: The International Cycling Union (UCI) has set its UCI America Tour schedule, and the Tour of Missouri is on it. The dates for the 2010 event are from Monday, Aug. 30, to Sunday, Sept. 5. Instead of [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 2:52pm EDT

  • Effingham County wants bicycle trails

    Effingham County, Ill., has two of the nation's best high school nicknames. Why shouldn't it have a first-class bicycle trail system as well? In recent days, I've written about St. Louis' efforts to become a more bicycle-friendly, but as a small-town boy myself, I like to give credit to smaller communities' [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 2:07am EDT

  • St. Louis gets more national attention

    St. Louis ' efforts to make its streets more friendly to modes of transportation other than cars and trucks are getting more national attention. On top of its recognition last week by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community, The Architect's Newspaper and Wired's Autopia have recognized' [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 2:35pm EDT

  • The joys of leading group rides

    Tomorrow's Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society's Hidden Lake Winery Ride is the last one I have to lead for 2009. It seems I'm never completely done with bicycle ride planning -- I've already started some work on the 2010 Tour de Stooges on May 1 in Highland, Ill. -- [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 1:07pm EDT

  • So, how did St. Louis become bicycle friendly?

    You may be wondering how St. Louis earned its designation as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community? Of course, there's the barebones explanation LAB provided: the city's education and enforcement efforts. There's, of course, more to the story. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Thursday' [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 11:44pm EDT

  • St. Louis earns the Bronze

    Kudos to the city of St. Louis! The League of American Bicyclists has designated St. Louis as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community! St. Louis earned its bronze for the city's bicycle education and enforcement efforts. Two St. Louis-area businesses also earned honors. REI-St. Louis earned Gold as a Bicycle Friendly Business, while' [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 2:34am EDT

  • Race Across the Sky

    If you just can't get enough of Lance Armstrong, then go see the documentary "Race Across the Sky," which takes a look at this year's Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race. Thursday's showing of "Race Across the Sky" is being billed as a one-night event. In addition to the film, panel' [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 1:48am EDT

  • Cycle Route 66

    Sometime later today, hardy cyclists will complete their 324-mile trek on historic Route 66 that began Sunday in Miami, Okla., and winds up in Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo. The ride, sponsored by the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, is the group's first Route 66 adventure. In years past, [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 1:42am EDT

  • Chicago man wants to buy back stolen bike

    Charlie Dennis, a 27-year-old Army veteran from Chicago, is willing to buy back his stolen bike -- no questions asked.Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown today shared Charlie's story in today's column. Charlie's Salsa road bicycle is a big part of his life. Two years ago, Charlie rode the bike from [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 12:24am EDT

  • Bicycle Video Theatre

    I know both of these videos have been around for a while, but I just found out about them this week, so I thought I'd share them with you.The first is of Scottish stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill practicing the art of Bike Parkour, which The Telegraph newspaper describes as a' [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 2:30am EDT

  • Lance Armstrong inks deal with Michelob Ultra

    A few years ago, when I found out Lance Armstrong was a fan of Shiner Bock, I decided to check it out. I figured that if Shiner was good enough for Lance, it was good enough for me!I was not disappointed. It still remains one of my favorite beers.Yesterday, I [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 1:54am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Economic impact

    Despite a weak economy, the 2009 Tour of Missouri still managed to have an economic impact of $38.1 million, according to figures released Thursday by Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.That's up from $29.8 million in 2008 and $26.2 million in 2007. No doubt, adding a seventh stage of the race [...]
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    Posted: October 02, 2009, 1:26am EDT

  • Lance phones Missouri governor

    Even though Lance Armstrong has never raced in the Tour of Missouri, that didn't stop him from calling Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to thank him for the state's funding of the race.According to an Associated Press story, Armstrong told the governor that it would be great if state continued to' [...]
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    Posted: September 26, 2009, 3:54pm EDT

  • Democrats back Tour of Missouri

    If you're a fan of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race, you'll be pleased to hear seven Democratic legislators are urging Gov. Jay Nixon, also a Democrat, to back state funding for the 2010 race.In an Associated Press story, Senate Minority Leader Victor Callahan, House Minority Leader Paul LeVota were [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2009, 2:58am EDT

  • Lebanon, Ill., group looking for trailblazers

    Do you want to be on the ground floor of planning a new bicycle trail?A group of people from the Lebanon, Ill., area are forming a committee to study the possibility of a bicycle trail from Lebanon to O'Fallon, Ill. They also may consider another trail that would tie Lebanon' [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2009, 1:40am EDT

  • Harsh message for a bike thief

    Don't worry, no one has stolen one of my bikes. One of my longtime cycling friends, Doug Kaufman, sent this to me with no message other than to circulate this to my cycling friends, so here it is!A close look at the flier above the stolen bike poster indicates the' [...]
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    Posted: September 22, 2009, 3:43pm EDT

  • Tour de Coal set for Sept. 26

    The good folks at the Coal County Chamber of Commerce are putting on the 4th annual Tour de Coal bicycle ride on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Benld, Ill.The goals of the ride are to promote bicycling in Macoupin County and to raise money for community projects in Gillespie, Benld and [...]
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    Posted: September 14, 2009, 1:10pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: What's next?

    With big, enthusiastic crowds, many of the biggest names of cycling and exciting stage finishes, you might think the future is bright for the Tour of Missouri.Instead, the Tour of Missouri is jeopardy.The state's three-year contract with Atlanta-based Medalist Sports expires after this year's race, and it's extremely uncertain whether [...]
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    Posted: September 13, 2009, 11:55pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Zabriskie reigns supreme

    Nestled safely in the peloton, American David Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream) cruised to a 30-second victory in the 2009 Tour of Missouri today in Kansas City.Zabriskie used his dominant performance in the Stage 5 time trial in Sedalia to finish ahead of Gustav Larrsen (Saxo Bank) and Marco Pinotti (Columbia-HTC). Pinotti used [...]
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    Posted: September 13, 2009, 7:40pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Chicchi wins Stage 6; Zabriskie still in yellow

    Sorry about being so late with my Tour of Missouri update for Stage 6. I had a busy evening at my paying job at the Belleville News-Democrat, which also kept me away from the Southwestern High School Class of 1979 30-year high school reunion Saturday night.Yes, I'm that old!Anyway, Francesco' [...]
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    Posted: September 13, 2009, 1:34am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Zabriskie wins time trial, takes yellow jersey

    David Zabriskie is the U.S. professional time trial champion, and now he's the time trial champion of this year's Tour of Missouri.Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream) won today's 19-mile Stage 5 in 36 minutes, 30 seconds. That's an average speed of 31.25 mph!Gustav Larsson (Saxo Bank) was 30 seconds back, while Tom Zirbel [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2009, 8:00pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Haedo wins Stage 4, yellow jersey

    Thor Hushovd's stay in the Tour of Missouri lasted just one day as J.J. Haedo won Stage 4 today in Jefferson City. In the process, Haedo (Saxo Bank) took over the yellow jersey as the top man in the general classification.Haedo outpowered Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) in the final sprint up [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 8:07pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Cavendish is out

    British sprinting ace Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC) is out of the Tour of Missouri. He did not make the start this afternoon of Stage 4 from St. James to Rolla.According to a statement by Columbia-HTC's Bob Stapleton posted on the Tour of Missouri Web site, Cavendish had been fighting an infection [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 3:21pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Podium Girls create a stir

    I have nothing against Tour of Missouri podium girls Erin Haney and Jen Caudill, but at least two other blogs aren't too thrilled that the Tour of Missouri hostesses are from Georgia, rather than Missouri.One of those is over at the St. Louis-based Riverfront Times. Writer Chad Garrison was surprised' [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 12:24am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Hushvold wins Stage 3

    Finally, someone other than Mark Cavendish won a stage of the Tour of Missouri. Thor Hushovd, who won the green sprinters' jersey at the Tour de France, won a sprint finish to win Stage 3 in Rolla.Cavendish (Columbia-HTC) finished fifth and lost the yellow jersey to Hushovd. Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam)' [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2009, 4:44pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Stage 4-7 routes

    In some ways, the Tour of Missouri is covering lot of new ground this year. With the exception of Stage 4, the routes for this year's Tour are new. Here's a quick look at the routes for the final four stages:Stage 4 (St. James to Jefferson City, Sept. 10): This [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2009, 12:28pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Stage 1-2 notebook

    A few notes about the Tour of Missouri thus far:How about the crowds? Some media accounts in the St. Louis reported an estimate of 75,000 people who line the streets of the 7.5-mile circuit for Stage 1 on Monday. It's hard to say how accurate that estimate was, but there [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2009, 11:27pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Cavendish wins Stage 2

    British cyclist Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC) keeps the Tour of Missouri yellow jersey after winning Stage 2 in Cape Girardeau in another patented sprint finish. Thor Hushovd finished second, and J.J. Haedo was third.Whether Cavendish will be able to hang on to the yellow jersey after Stage 3 remains to be [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2009, 4:06pm EDT

  • Katy Trail sees boost in visitors

    While much of the country struggles with the recession, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports businesses in the small towns along the Katy Trail, a 225-mile former railroad right-of-way that connects St. Charles and Clinton, Mo., are thriving.From January to July, 62,794 people hiked, jogged or biked the section of Katy [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2009, 10:49am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Stage 1 goes to Cavendish

    Mark Cavendish continued his dominance in sprint finishes by taking Stage 1 of the Tour of Missouri in St. Louis. At least for one day, he gets to wear the yellow jersey.Team Columbia-HTC controlled the pace of the peloton toward the end of the stage, enabling him to pull out [...]
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    Posted: September 07, 2009, 6:01pm EDT

  • Biking to play horseshoes

    I can't say that I know bicyclist Chuck Carter, although I've probably seen him around since he lives in nearby Cahokia, Ill. Nevertheless, Chuck tells an interesting tale.The 58-year-old Chuck biked from Cahokia to Moline, Ill., to participate in this weekend's Illinois State Horseshoe Tournament.A story in the Moline Dispatch [...]
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    Posted: September 05, 2009, 3:03pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Stage 1-3 routes

    The Tour of Missouri route is dramatically different this year than it has been in the past. The most obvious difference is that it goes east to west, from St. Louis to Kansas City, rather than from west to east, as it had done in 2007 and 2008.Instead of visiting [...]
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    Posted: September 05, 2009, 12:45pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Who to watch

    UPDATED: Even without Lance Armstrong, there are still plenty of reasons for serious and casual bicycle racing fans to watch the Tour of Missouri. I've mentioned some of the big names over the past few months, but here's a recap of some of the top riders who will be starting [...]
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    Posted: September 04, 2009, 3:01pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Related events

    If you're coming to St. Louis for the Tour ofMissouri, which begins Monday, or the Gateway Cup series of bicycle races, which begins Friday, you may be interested in a couple of events:On Thursday night, the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation is presenting the movie "Veer," a look at the' [...]
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    Posted: September 02, 2009, 10:44am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: Don't forget the women!

    Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Mark Cavendish, Christian Vande Velde and Thor Hushvold -- among others -- aren't the only elite cyclists who will be competing for Tour of Missouri glory.The Tour of Missouri Women's Series will be run as part of the annual Gateway Cup series of bike races over' [...]
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    Posted: August 31, 2009, 12:03am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri: TV coverage

    UPDATED: In case you can't make it to the Show-Me State for this year's Tour of Missouri, you should be able to watch some video of the action.Versus is planning coverage for each stage of the race. The cable network plans half-hour segments at midnight CDT following each stage. Expect [...]
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    Posted: August 30, 2009, 11:25pm EDT

  • Lance Armstrong: Who needs him?

    All right, I'll admit it would be nice if Lance Armstrong would be riding in this year's Tour of Missouri. I'll go as far and say the event's crowds would be substantially bigger if Armstrong was aboard.Back in March or April, when I was distributing fliers for the Tour de [...]
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    Posted: August 29, 2009, 2:44am EDT

  • Route 66 Trail Ride

    In a matter of days, cyclists will be taking off from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis and begin a the League of Illinois Bicyclists' Route 66 Trail Ride up to Chicago. The route generally will follow the Route 66 Trail developed by LIB and the Illinois' [...]
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    Posted: August 23, 2009, 11:10pm EDT

  • Bicycles can run some red lights in Missouri

    Starting next Friday, Aug. 28, bicyclists and motorcyclists can legally run -- well, sort of run -- some red lights in Missouri.The so-called "Dead Red" law (PDF file) signed last month by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon allows bicyclists and motorcyclists to proceed through red lights under these conditions:They come to [...]
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    Posted: August 21, 2009, 2:39pm EDT

  • Suspect charged in Old Chain of Rocks Bridge break-ins

    Nearly two dozen vehicle break-ins have taken place this year at the Illinois lot of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, but there's good news for bridge visitors.Madison (Ill.) police last week arrested a suspect, 18-year-old Kenneth A. Woods-Bey of St. Louis, and he has been charged four felony counts [...]
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    Posted: August 20, 2009, 2:37pm EDT

  • Mother Road bike path gets support

    In recent days, the Normal City Council approved a bicycling-pedestrian master plan, and the McLean County Board approved an engineering contract for a proposed Route 66 bikeway.That's good news as far as the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph is concerned. In an editorial Tuesday, the Pantagraph says: "Don't take this area's links'" [...]
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    Posted: August 19, 2009, 12:40pm EDT

  • World Naked Bike Ride photos!

    No, sorry, they're not here. I had to work Saturday night and once again missed all the raw glory of St. Louis' second version of the World Naked Bike Ride.However, you can find photos of the 2009 ride at the Riverfront Times. A word of caution: Many of the photos [...]
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    Posted: August 16, 2009, 11:00am EDT

  • No Lance at Tour of Missouri

    In a series of news conferences this week, Tour of Missouri organizers have been more or less confirming that Lance Armstrong won't be racing in the Missouri race Sept. 7-13.Armstrong's soon-to-be former team, Astana, is committed to the race, but Armstrong will be in Quebec on Sept. 11 for a' [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2009, 11:12am EDT

  • League of Michigan Bicyclists boycotts radio stations

    On Thursday, the League of Michigan Bicyclists posted an open letter boycotting Greater Media for comments made on radio station WCSX in Detroit by morning show hosts Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle. LMB has extended its boycott to other Greater Media stations, including WRIF and WMGC in the Detroit area.Here's' [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2009, 1:10am EDT

  • Metro-east bicycling news

    Here's a roundup of recent news involving bicycling in the Illinois counties of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, commonly known as the metro-east:Bicyclist dies while performing stunts: Jimmy Mullins of Red Bud, Ill., was killed Monday while performing stunts on his bicycle outside the Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo. Mullins, [...]
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    Posted: August 12, 2009, 1:10pm EDT

  • Upcoming St. Louis-area rides a diverse lot

    If you live in the St. Louis area and can't find a bicycle ride the next few weekends, you're not looking hard enough.The most provocative of the rides will be Saturday, Aug. 15 -- St. Louis's second version of the World Naked Bike Ride. Cyclists will start gathering at Tower [...]
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    Posted: August 10, 2009, 12:21am EDT

  • Section of St. Louis Riverfront Trail to close

    A short segment of the Riverfront Trail at Maline Creek will be closed for repairs for about 45 days starting sometime in early August, requiring riders to find alternative routes around the construction, which includes city of St. Louis streets.Click on the image to download a map from the Great [...]
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    Posted: August 08, 2009, 11:52am EDT

  • Cavendish will return to Tour of Missouri

    Mark Cavendish, the man many cycling experts consider the world's top sprinter, will return to the Tour of Missouri this year.Cavendish is expected to be accompanied by Team Columbia-HTC teammates Michael Rogers, a three-time world champion, and George Hincapie, who won the inaugural Tour of Missouri two years. Hincapie broke [...]
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    Posted: August 06, 2009, 12:05pm EDT

  • Speeding cyclists, beware!

    If you're a cyclist who likes to ride fast on the 8-mile trail in Creve Coeur County Park in west St. Louis County near Maryland Heights, Mo., you may be facing a ticket and a fine.KSDK-TV, Channel 5, in St. Louis reported today that starting next week, speeding cyclists could' [...]
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    Posted: July 30, 2009, 8:29pm EDT

  • 2009 Tour of Missouri route

    Tour of Missouri organizers weren't kidding when they predicted this year's course would be a difficult one. I knew it was it going to be as soon as it heard the race was going through southeastern Missouri and the Ozark Mountains."We definitely have some surprises in this year's version of'" [...]
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    Posted: July 30, 2009, 2:41pm EDT

  • Iowa group pushes bicycle ban

    The Citizens for Safety Coalition of Iowa has started a petition drive that asks the Iowa legislature to create a ballot initiative for the November 2010 election that would ban bicycles on "farm-to-market" roads.This is how Iowa law defines "farm-to-market" roads: "Farm-to-market roads" or "farm-to-market road system" means those county [...]
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    Posted: July 30, 2009, 10:52am EDT

  • Professor dies as result of RAGBRAI accident

    Donald D. Myers, 69, a professor of engineering management at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Mo., died Sunday as a result of injuries from a bicycling accident that occurred Saturday during the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, better known simply as RAGBRAI.The accident occurred outside [...]
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    Posted: July 27, 2009, 3:29pm EDT

  • Tour de France 2009: That's a wrap

    Even the brash Lance Armstrong had to admit Astana teammate Alberto Contador was simply too strong to beat in this year's Tour de France.But, in some ways, Armstrong may be the bigger winner.The 37-year-old Armstrong surprised many people by standing on the podium Sunday in Paris, relishing his third-place finish. [...]
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    Posted: July 27, 2009, 12:40am EDT

  • More car thefts at Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

    In recent years, cyclists and pedestrians who parked their vehicles on the Missouri side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge ran the risk of having them broken into.Now, the problem has spread to the Illinois parking lot on Chouteau Island, KTVI-TV, Channel 2 -- the Fox affiliate in St. [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 11:34pm EDT

  • Lance Armstrong's new team

    RadioShack and Lance to Form New Cycling Team in 2010 -- powered by http://www.livestrong.comIn case you missed the news earlier today, Lance Armstrong and his LiveStrong charity will team up with RadioShack and other sponsors to form Team RadioShack for the 2010 season.Not only does Armstrong and his new team [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 10:44pm EDT

  • Tour of Missouri time schedule

    Now that the state of Missouri has freed up funding for the 2009 Tour of Missouri, organizers this week announced start times for this year race, which begins Labor Day in St. Louis and ends Sept. 13 in Kansas City.Organizers plans to release the stage by stage courses next week [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 10:21am EDT

  • Riding the MCT Quercus Grove Trail

    Despite not being able to go on RAGBRAI this week as I had originally hoped, I decided to get as many good rides in as I can this week.As one of those, I decided to check out the new sections of Madison County Transit's Quercus Grove Trail, which links the [...]
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    Posted: July 22, 2009, 1:16pm EDT

  • Change of plans

    A few months ago, I announced that I was going to be on this year's RAGBRAI. Unfortunately, I was forced to change my plans, and I'm not up enjoying the bicycling, pie, pancakes, pork chops, etc. with thousands of fellow cyclists.I had some unexpected bills that came up, and they' [...]
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    Posted: July 22, 2009, 12:11pm EDT

  • Nixon OKs Tour of Missouri funding

    The race is on!Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's administration has unfrozen $1.5 million in state funding for the 2009 Tour of Missouri bicycle race.The Associated Press reported this afternoon that Nixon agreed to spend the money for the ride after tourism officials and race organizers agreed to share details of spending [...]
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    Posted: July 14, 2009, 4:54pm EDT

  • 2009 Tour de Donut winners

    In case you're wondering who won Saturday's Tour de Donut in Staunton, Ill., the Boeing Employee's Bicycle Club posted the results last night at its Web site. Over 1,200 people signed up for this year's ride, a new attendance record.For the men, Andrew Mullins of Kirkwood, Mo., took the top' [...]
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    Posted: July 14, 2009, 10:57am EDT

  • MCT dedicates new portions of Quercus Grove Trail

    As of this weekend, cyclists now can ride on bike trails or designated on-road bicycle routes all the way from downtown St. Louis to Staunton, Ill. -- a one-way trip of 44.8 miles.On Friday and Saturday, Madison County Transit dedicated two sections of the MCT Quercus Grove Trail, a section [...]
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    Posted: July 12, 2009, 11:17pm EDT

  • State tourism panel backs Tour of Missouri

    The Missouri Tourism Commission voted 7-0 today to maintain $1.5 million in state funding for the Tour of Missouri bicycle race.The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader reports many of the commissioners said the independent panel has an obligation to fund the Tour of Missouri this year, but future years would be subject [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2009, 8:00pm EDT

  • More coverage of Tour of Missouri crisis

    Several Missouri news outlets have posted stories about the possibility that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's administration may cut off $1.5 million in state funding for the Tour of Missouri bicycle race:St. Louis Post-DispatchKMOX-AM 1120 (Radio interview with Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, the major backer of the race in state government)Kansas [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2009, 11:13am EDT

  • Tour of Missouri in peril

    UPDATED 7:30 P.M. CDT: Several sources – the Springfield News-Leader, the new Save the Tour of Missouri blog and The Associated Press – are reporting that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is considering cutting $1.5 million in state funding for the 2009 Tour of Missouri.If the money is indeed cut, it [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2009, 4:57pm EDT

  • Tour de Belleville, Tour de Donut safety tips

    Two of the St. Louis area's largest group rides are coming up -- the Tour de Belleville on Friday night and the Tour de Donut on Saturday morning -- and it's time to offer these tips to make your ride a fun and safe experience.These same tips can be used [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2009, 12:37pm EDT

  • Lance leads strong U.S. showing so far

    In case you haven't noticed, American cyclists hold 5 of the top 17 spots -- and 4 of the top 12 sports -- after four stages of this year's Tour de France.Thanks to Astana's dominant performance in the Stage 4 Team Time Trial today, Lance Armstrong is virtually tied for' [...]
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    Posted: July 07, 2009, 3:46pm EDT

  • Tour de France 2009

    There's no doubt that the folks over at Versus are absolutely thrilled that Lance Armstrong is back in the Tour de France. There no doubt Armstrong's presence should boost ratings for the cable TV channel, and it also helps there will be six other Americans in the race.The question, of [...]
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    Posted: July 02, 2009, 2:40pm EDT

  • Wyss wins 2009 RAAM

    Swiss cyclist Dani Wyss has won the 2009 Race Across America men's under-50 solo division. Wyss arrived in Annapolis, Md., at 9:25 p.m. today, completing 3,021.3 miles of cycling in 8 days, 5 hours and 45 minutes. His average speed was 15.29 mph.Going into the final day, Wyss had been [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2009, 10:13pm EDT

  • Cross-country bicyclist killed in accident

    The Belleville News-Democrat reports that a 65-year-old man who was riding his bicycle from California to Washington, D.C., to protest government bailouts was killed Sunday by a suspected drunken driver in a hit-and-run crash on U.S. 50 near Carlyle, Ill.Jim Gafney left his home in Chula Vista, Calif., on April [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2009, 10:57am EDT

  • RAAM: Robic's in trouble

    Four-time Race Across America winner Jure Robic is looking rather vulnerable going into what likely is the final day of racing for the two leaders in the men's under-50 division.Robic arrived in in Grafton, W.Va., at midnight EDT Wednesday, but Dani Wyss arrived in Grafton just five minutes later.Given that [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2009, 1:27am EDT

  • RAAM arrives in St. Louis area

    Four-time Race Across America champion Jure Robic once again led the long, lonely parade of ultramarathon cyclists into the St. Louis metropolitan area.Robic, a solider in the Slovenian army, arrived in Washington, Mo., at 5:59 p.m. CDT today and is making his way to the Mississippi River. He's expected to [...]
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    Posted: June 22, 2009, 7:40pm EDT

  • RAAM leaders expected in St. Louis area today

    UPDATED: If you're in the St. Louis area and want to catch a glimpse of the two leaders of the men's division of the Race Across America, today's probably the day.Four-time champion Jure Robic made it to Jefferson City, Mo., at 12:50 p.m. CDT today, and Dani Wyss arrived in' [...]
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    Posted: June 22, 2009, 1:20am EDT

  • Don't forget about Tour de WingHaven

    If you're looking for some hot Father's Day bicycle racing, come out tomorrow to the Tour de WingHaven in O'Fallon, Mo.The Tour de WingHaven is sanctioned by USA Cycling as a National Racing Calendar event, meaning top teams such as Jelly Belly, Team Type 1, and Colavita-Sutter Home will be [...]
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    Posted: June 20, 2009, 8:50pm EDT

  • RAAM is off and running

    After nearly a day of competition in the men's under-50 solo division of the Race Across America, it should come as no surprise that Jure Robic is in the lead. Robic already has a 46-minute lead over Christoph Stoffer after 397.6 miles of the the 3,021.3-mile race from Oceanside, Calif., [...]
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    Posted: June 18, 2009, 1:00pm EDT

  • Gutless wonder in Colorado

    It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to say stupid things when you're hiding behind the cloak on anonymity.The latest example of this is in the Boulder, Colo., area. An anonymously written flier is calling upon residents of rural mountain communities in Boulder County to stage a' [...]
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    Posted: June 18, 2009, 12:11pm EDT

  • Columbia, Mo., passes bicycle harassment ordinance

    Fresh off its designation as a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Columbia, Mo., has adopted an ordinance that makes harassment of bicyclists — including throwing objects, verbal assault and other offenses — a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $1,000 fine or one year of jail [...]
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    Posted: June 17, 2009, 11:41am EDT

  • Notes on Madison County trails

    Here's a couple of notes of interest about the Madison County Transit network of bicycle trails:Schoolhouse Trail closure: Fortunately, I found out about this one before I took off riding on the MCT Schoolhouse Trail on Friday afternoon. A segment of the MCT Schoolhouse Trail was closed at Lakeview Acres [...]
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    Posted: June 13, 2009, 3:21am EDT

  • Lance Armstrong: The Movie

    It looks like a movie about Lance Armstrong and his amazing comeback from cancer is in the works.The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Biz Blog reports Gary Ross, who wrote and directed multiple-Oscar nominee “Seabiscuit,” has been hired to pen the Armstrong script. Shooting could begin as early as next year.The blog [...]
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    Posted: June 11, 2009, 11:14am EDT

  • A small town's effort to promote cycling

    I'm all supportive of the big efforts to promote bicycling such as Bike to Work Day, but I'm also supportive of the small efforts as well.The ITS Trail Committee -- based in Staunton, Ill., the home of the original Tour de Donut bicycle race -- is starting an effort called [...]
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    Posted: June 08, 2009, 1:06pm EDT

  • "Spoked!": An art show for bicycle fans

    The Soulard Art Market and Contemporary Gallery is calling for submissions to “Spoked!” a juried exhibition of local artists. Exhibition runs from Sept., 4 through October 2. S.A.M. is looking to represent a select group of artists in our Contemporary Art Gallery, to exhibit alongside our 15 resident artists.Here's what [...]
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    Posted: June 06, 2009, 1:11pm EDT

  • Free ride ... and free food!

    Very early in my journalism career, I learned the importance of the adage "free food is good food."This Sunday, you can get free food and a free bicycle ride!The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, in partnership with the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, will be putting on the Bike the [...]
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    Posted: June 06, 2009, 12:54pm EDT

  • 2009 Race Across America starts soon

    We're about two weeks away from the start of the 2009 Race Across America, and once again the route will be skirting the western and northern parts of the St. Louis metropolitan area.Female racers and men 60+ will begin their trek Tuesday, June 16, the men solo racers begin June' [...]
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    Posted: June 03, 2009, 1:44pm EDT

  • Katy Trail offshoot proposed

    Officials in Portage des Sioux, Mo., are mulling an offshoot of the Katy Trail that would connect the Mississippi River community with the 225-plus mile trail.The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the town's leaders are planning a meeting for 7 p.m. Monday at the Portage des Sioux City Hall to [...]
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    Posted: June 03, 2009, 12:12pm EDT

  • Riding the Mother Road a piece at a time

    Few American highways have the lure of historic Route 66 -- the Mother Road -- and two Midwestern organizations are planning multiday rides this year on portions of the highway.The League of Illinois Bicyclists will be putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride on Aug. 29 to Sept. 3 [...]
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    Posted: May 20, 2009, 1:08pm EDT

  • Ride of Silence

    Tonight is the Ride of Silence, a slow-paced bike ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.The Ride of Silence will take place at 7 p.m. at numerous locations nationwide, and St. Louis is no exception. The St. Louis edition of the [...]
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    Posted: May 20, 2009, 12:47pm EDT

  • Too bad I didn't have a camera tonight

    <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/il/belleville/866124262315036153">05/18/2009 Route</a><br/><a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/il/" [...]
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    Posted: May 18, 2009, 12:51am EDT

  • Around the horn ... again

    Here's a few items that might be of interest to St. Louis-area bicyclists:Another bicycle-pedestrian crossing at Forest Park: As part of the reconstruction of Interstate 64-U.S. 40 in St. Louis, a new bicycle-pedestrian tunnel is linking linking Oakland Avenue to Forest Park. The tunnel replaces an older tunnel with sharp [...]
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    Posted: May 08, 2009, 12:51am EDT

  • Help sought for Complete Streets

    Yesterday, I received a note from League of Illinois Bicyclists Executive Director Ed Barsotti urging me to contact my lawmaker, Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, to support language to requiring states to adopt Complete Streets legislation to receive federal funding for highway projects that receive federal money.He also asked me to [...]
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    Posted: May 06, 2009, 10:23am EDT

  • Missouri now has a Bicycle Friendly Community

    The League of American Bicyclists today released its Bicycle Friendly Communities for 2009. For the first time, a Missouri city made the list.Columbia, the home of the University of Missouri, earned a Silver designation on the strength of the city's engineering of bicycle routes and encouragement of bicycling. As the [...]
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    Posted: May 01, 2009, 7:47pm EDT

  • Lindenwood University cycling team turmoil

    A dispute between a former member of St. Charles-Mo. based Lindenwood University's cycling team and the team's coach has spread to the pages of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.Paddy Kilmurray, the captain, told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday he was kicked off the team. Kilmurray, a sophomore from Australia, said the coach, [...]
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    Posted: May 01, 2009, 11:49am EDT

  • Tour de Coal gets a new home

    As one of the organizers of the Tour de Coal ride (Sept. 26 in Benld, Ill.), we had a couple of big decisions to make today.The home base of the ride for its first three years, the 7-year-old Benld Elementary School, was recently condemned because of massive subsidence caused by [...]
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    Posted: April 28, 2009, 8:49pm EDT

  • New Forest Park bike trail tunnel

    For many, many years, cyclists and runners who used the 7.5-mile Forest Park Bike Trail in St. Louis had to navigate a hazardous intersection at Hampton Avenue to travel around the city's crown jewel park.Those days are over. As part of the Interstate 64/U.S. 40 reconstruction project, a tunnel has [...]
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    Posted: April 23, 2009, 1:04am EDT

  • Tour de Stooges deadlines approaching

    I'm starting to get geared up for the Tour de Stooges. My house is cluttered with water jugs, tire pumps, first aid kits and two cases of spray paint. Early next week, food will be added to the piles of supplies,We're expecting another nice crowd on Saturday, May 2, at [...]
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    Posted: April 21, 2009, 7:49pm EDT
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