The Sprocket

Deam Lake Trail Use: An Open Letter from the Property Managers

2012-02-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

----- Original Message -----

To: president@siwheelmen.org ; president@louisvillebicycleclub.org

Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 8:59 AM

Subject: Mountain Biking @ Clark State Forest & Deam Lake SRA

Dear Mr. Murphy and Mr. Beach,

We are writing to you in the hope that we can enlist your help with a problem that we are currently experiencing at both Clark State Forest and Deam Lake State Recreation Area. Since both of you represent well organized bicycling clubs, we felt that you would be our best allies to disseminate needed information to the local bicycling community.

We are receiving multiple reports of large groups of bicyclists being on dedicated horse trails on both properties. This is a huge safety issue for all involved. Many horses spook at the mere sight of a bicycle even if it is not in motion. This can put its rider in a life and death situation very quickly. It also creates a dangerous situation for the bicyclist.

There is only one multi-purpose trail at Deam Lake on which mountain biking is allowed and there are none at Clark State Forest. However, both properties offer several miles of scenic roadways that are utilized by many bicyclists. What we are asking of you at this time, is to please make all of your club members aware of the above mentioned policy. Hopefully, that will lessen the number of problems or injuries in the future.

A trail flyer is attached to this message with the description of that trail highlighted in yellow.

We also wanted to inform your clubs that this year we have something new to offer our bicycling enthusiasts. There is now an annual pedestrian and bicycle pass available for sale at Deam Lake State Recreation Area. This pass costs $10 and allows patrons that want to bike onto and through the property to do so without having to pay the $2.00/bike entrance fee. It does not allow entry by vehicle which would require the normal Annual Entrance Pass which is $36 for Indiana Residents and $46 for Non-residents.

Thank you very much for your time and attention to this matter. We believe working in partnership can create a safer and more enjoyable experience for all patrons.

Jana Gold

Property Manager

Deam Lake State Recreation Area

Brad Steward

Property Manager

Clark State Forest

(Winter) Reflection & TRIRI Ride Review x Ed Gootee

2012-01-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

It is a cold and damp morning as I look at my backyard. As I stare at the leafless trees and fluffed up wrens I am warmed by the coffee and memories of last summer. One ride comes to mind, the TRIRI bike rally that was held at Spring Mill State Park last June. It was a 4 day event. It was not a bike race. It was a bike tour. The organizers mapped and marked loop rides from the park. The first and last days were 20 to 40 mile routes. The 2^nd and 3^rd days, you could chose long, medium or short rides. So you can select the route which best suits your ability and desire to explore.

You can arrange to stay in the lodge or camp. I camped. Though it was in the primitive area we were given access to the hot showers and restrooms in the modern campground. There are advantages to having your car with you: going to the store for supplies or get yourself to the inn for breakfast or supper. And the car was a handy place to store your road snacks in at night or when you were away for camp. One the neighbors were awakened by a racquet in the middle of the night. The beam of the flash light caught the bandit red (or rather white) handed. The raccoon had opened the powdered Gatorade container and was really enjoying the sugary powder.

The routes left time to explore the trails around the park. The routes even had me traveling to sights I had not been to in my 60+ years visiting the area. The food at the inn was great. I would be remiss not to mention that the persimmon pudding is really above average. Since most us bike so we can eat (deserts), they have really good cobblers and pies. TRIRI sponsored a beer garden. A micro-brewery from Bloomington brought several kegs of beer that we were able to enjoy. It was met with such enthusiasm that this year it will be 2 nights.

I had a lot of fun meeting and riding new people. I stopped at places that before I had just ridden past, one of which is Becks Mill. TRIRI had arranged for the mill to be open for us and staffed by the docents. It was a fun stop which reminds that I need to take my wife there sometime soon. In case of trouble we had emergency numbers and there was a roving SAG vehicle. Though I was told they would not pull me up the hill. I was sad that service was not included.

This year it will be held at McCormick’s Creek State Park, June 10-13^th. It is located west of Bloomington. It will be fun to explore new areas of the state without worrying about the mowing the lawn or cooking for 4 days. I plan to be there, come and share the fun!

Visit McCormick's Creek SP Here.

Learn More About TRIRI Here.

SIW is more than just a bike club - we're family too!

2011-10-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I was riding the Hope Century on September 17 when I went down after hitting gravel. I have since been diagnosed with two fractures of my pelvis.

To say that my SIW family came to my aid is putting it mildly.

Instead of asking what they could do, I would get calls saying that this one or that one was bringing dinner and asking what day would be best. I also received many calls saying they were stopping by and did I need anything. SIW is the best! With an 8 to 12 week period for full recovery, I expect to be healed and ready to go between November 12 and December 10.

Looking forward to being out with my SIW family again!

Thank you,
Doris Herp

FOR SALE! (Local Sellers)

2011-05-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

B I K E S

Posted 7/7/11

Contact: William Wilson at 270-403-3551 and leave message.

BH G5

It is in very good shape and I will miss it. Below is a rough list of the parts. I will deliver to Louisville or south of I-64.

Ultegra front/rear derailers, rear derailer KCNC pulleys. Ultegra levers on the FSA wing pro handlebars. FSA OS-99 stem. Ciamillo Team Vanderkitten special edition brakes (quite light, no specs offhand). Fulcrum Racing Torq R (172.5) crankset w/KCNC chainring bolts. Fulcrum Racing 3 two-way fit wheels. Can use tube or tubeless clincher tires. Some stickers were removed from rims. KCNC skewers. All kcnc parts are blue. Bike is blue/black. New black bartape. Keo pedals. Nice saddle. nearly newSram red 11-25 cassette

$2500

Posted 6/27/11
Contact: Lee Hauber at 502-424-3365 or ryderwoo@yahoo.com
Brand new 2011 trek superfly SS 29er CARBON frame.

It is a single speed specific. Chain tensioners are in the rear, no eccentric bottom bracket. New in the box. The frame has just been shipped from Waterloo, WI and should arrive in a week. It's a medium (17.5). Comes with headset and seat collar. I've got two styles of forks for it. You can build this thing up under 20 lbs., with the right stuff.

Retail: is $2750

Asking price:
With niner steel fork (grey 2011) 1200$
With fox f29 (white 2010) 1350$
No fork: 1050$
Selling because I don't need 2 carbon mountain bikes.

Posted 5/23/11
Contact Maggie at bajamags@insightbb.com
Orbea Road/Racing Bike

Posted 5/19/11
Contact Steve or Sharon Merker at 502-895-4545 or at slmerker@insightbb.com
Cannondale tandem

Phil Wood hubs, 27 speed, rear rack, suspension rear seat. Frame is 21inches in front and 19 inches in the rear. - $999.00.

Posted 5/10/11
Contact Wes at wesztt@gmail.com
Scott CR1 carbon fiber bike

http://louisville.craigslist.org/bik/2369023674.html

C O M P O N E N T S

Posted 5/17/11
Contact Sean at seanmsteele@gmail.com

Zipp Super 9 Disc with Vittoria Corsa EVO Cx Tubular - $1200
HED Stinger 4 set with Vittoria Corsa EVO Cx Tubulars - $800
HED Stinger 4 set with Vittoria Corsa EVO SC Tubulars - $800
Cannondale Slice Hi-Mod Size 54, SRAM Red deraileurs, Zipp R2C Shifters, HED
Corsair Bars, Mavic Aksium Wheels - $3000
SRM with computer, holowgram si sl crank arms 172.5 - $2500
Cannondale CAAD 9 Cyclocross Flat Black 54cm, EC90x fork, Full Ultegra, Avid
Shorty Ultimates, Ritchey WCS Bars/Stem, Thomson Seatpost, Fizik Aliante
Carbon Saddle, Easton EA70x Tubulars with Grifo tires glued on. $1700

TOSRV 2011 Ride Report

2011-05-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Tour Of (the) Scioto River Valley celebrated in 50th annual pedaling this year on Mothers' Day weekend. TOSRV 2011 drew around 4,000 riders this year, and among them, I met folks from Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, and Ohio - I'm sure many other states were represented as well.

TOSRV is a two day ride from the elegant statehouse in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio south to Portsmouth, on the banks of the mighty Ohio River. Much of the route follows SR 104 and US 23 along the Scioto River - which, like every other river and creek in the area, was full and flowing rapidly down stream.

Like every big ride, you'll see all kinds of bikes: road, mountain, recumbents, tandems, old and heavy, light-weight and expensive, etc., but you won't see too many "penny farthings!" And, yes, this gentleman (in the blue NASA jersey) was riding all the way down and back!

You will see friends of course! This is Barb East (from down near Bardstown). If you get the chance to attend one of her "farm rides" you need to make sure you go - there are some beautiful roads down her way. (By the way, I wonder what we're each carrying along in our "water" bottles...?)

The lunch stop was a hit on both days - SAGs were roughly 25 miles a part and were well stocked with plenty of food, drinks, and, of course, lots of porta-potties!

Once in Portsmouth, we stopped for a fun-filled celebration party with a massage tent, music, food, and more! There were several locations in town for sleeping and there were many good options for dinner (I choose the All Saints Episcopal Church "two-fer" deal: spaghetti dinner on Saturday and Chris Cakes for Sunday breakfast for just $15 - and they even provided transportation for dinner!)

Sunday morning, most folks left before sunrise to head back UP the river valley towards Columbus. The route and terrain were very gentle. As for climbing, this would easily be #1 on the SIW rating scale. Large fog banks on Sunday morning made for a fantastic landscape. Most of the roads were in very good shape. As for the organization of the ride itself, it was superb - Columbus Outdoor Pursuits ("COP") had everything down to a science. Out on the course they had numerous Ham Radio operators stationed along on the way and actively patrolling state police troopers kept traffic in check - although there really wasn't too much traffic to worry about anyway.

Great SAGs, lots of friendly people and beautiful scenery made for a memorable ride. If you haven't ridden TOSRV, you should definitely put it on your "to do" list.

LBL Ride Report

2011-04-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

One of the many great things about cycling is the wide range of options we have to enjoy our sport.

I chose to spend a few of my Spring Break days down at Western Kentucky's Land Between the Lakes. It's a beautiful area - especially now with the redbud trees in full bloom. Anyway, I decided to ride "The Trace." And, since they are on Central Time, I was able to enjoy an early start without setting the alarm clock too early!

The Trace is the North-South road that winds its way through the entire National Forest area between Lakes Barkley and Kentucky. All in all, I rode around 50 miles from the North Welcome Center, to the little town of Dover and the nearby Civil War Fort/Battlefield and National Cemetery of Fort Donelson. These are located right along the Cumberland River.

The road surface was in great condition, I experienced very low traffic volume and not a single dog! No seriously steep hills, but there was a good amount of climbing on long, gradual hills (~6300 ft for the 103 mile round trip) . I did, however, see a number of cyclists - singles, couples, family groups, etc. Each traveling their own chosen distance, but I did meet one retired couple who had us all beat on distance: they and flown to Austin, Texas and were traveling home - to Tacoma, Washington - with everything in panniers and a trailer. Ok, I was impressed!

Among the many things to do/things to see were the Great Western Furnace - a major industrial site back in the 19th century:

And large pastures/fields and herds of American Bison:

LBL has a lot more to offer (such as an 1850's style working farm, planetarium, off-road vehicle areas, MTB, horse and hiking trails, and, obviously, tons of water sports. Folks were very friendly, and the Welcome Center is half way through, located near the junction of the Trace and Highway 68. So, there are good opportunities for restrooms and breaks about every 20 miles. I stayed in the Kentucky Dam Village State Park. I had originally hoped to ride directly from the park to the Trace, but construction and a busy road changed my mind on this one.

So, if you are looking for something a little different to do and new sights to see, consider a short vacation with your bike! You'll find an enjoyable way to refresh - while keeping yourself in good riding form, of course!

Land Between the Lakes Official Site: http://www.lbl.org/
LBL Map: http://www.lbl.org/LBLGeneralMap.pdf
KY Dam Village SP Site: http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/kd/

1st Century of the Season!

2011-03-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

I picked up a new bike earlier this week from Clarksville Schwinn - well, ok, not exactly, but the new chain, cables and expertly adjusted tune-up made my "old faithful" feel like a brand new machine. Today's Century ride from Henryville gave me the perfect opportunity for a good test run.

Paul Beach, Joe Bolen, Don Feeney, Bryan Huhnerkoch, Jason Korte, Mark Rieger and I rolled out of the school lot this morning at 9:15 under mostly clear skies. While many of our roads have suffered under harsh winter conditions, we made it up Bloomington Trail/Brownstown without too much concern. After working our way up and over to Medora, we stopped for our first SAG stop at around mile 36. While many SIW-ers are familiar with the route to this point, we then pedaled our way along some "new pavement" going North towards and then across US Hwy 50. Eventually, we worked our way over to Shields and past the rather dilapidated "Shieldstown Covered Bridge" - #3 for the day. This bridge crosses the East Fork of the White River - and it was definitely "up" today!

We stopped for lunch in Crothersville and then came down "Bogardus" to, eventually "Double Or Nothing" and, basically came back the Blue Arrow from Scottsburg to Henryville.

We saw three covered bridges, a round barn, lots of nice country scenery and the accompanying horses, miniature horses, lamas, cows, and some very large birds enjoying their road-side buffet....

It was a GREAT ride! Yes, its was a bit cold, but not too bad. What really took its toll on us was the fierce East wind - yikes! We should all get double mileage credit for that! Folks really seemed to like the route though - with LOTS of flat roads and many miles of good, smooth pavement. The next time its on the schedule, be sure to come on out and join the fun!

And, yes, my "new" bike did very well! Thanks Bob, Bryan (Blackwell) and all the guys and gals at Clarksville Schwinn. Now if we could just do something about that wind....

2011 Century Series

2011-03-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

SIW is happy to announce the 2011 Century Series! We'll feature at least one Century ride each month and members who complete eight (or more) will receive special recognition at the annual Awards Banquet in December. As long as the Century is on the SIW schedule, it will count, so RAIN, OKHT, etc. will also work for you. Of course, Centuries are also a great way to get in shape for special events and rack up some serious club mileage!

The first Century of the year will be held on Saturday, March 26th at Henryville HS and feature three covered bridges and a 53 mile shortcut. This is SIW route # 1990. This route isn't completely flat, of course, but should offer plenty of flat roads for those early season legs. The hilliest sections will be going North on Brownstown/Bloomington and coming back from Scottsburg to Silver Creek. Bring big pockets though - we only have two official SAG stops - one at mile 36 in Medora and lunch/SAG at mile 75 in Crothersville.

We will ride through the new covered bridge at Leota - built in the late 1990s - and pass by the recently rebuilt Medora Bridge and, finally, the 1876 Shieldstown Bridge. (This would be a good place for an unofficial stretch break).

We'll have maps and cue sheets (or, print your own from the members' area of the web site) and hopefully get some Dan Henry's down as well. The ride start is at 9:00 to help with daylight, temperature and, for some, the drive to Henryville.

For our second Century of the season, we'll celebrate the end of the tax season with a ride on Sat., April 16th. Again, the ride leaves from Henryville HS and will offer a shortcut - about 50 miles. (Routes # 1950 & #1471) We've done this tour of Washington County ride before, and we should have a good time - it does offer a bit more climbing, but nothing too crazy! This time we'll leave at 8:30. Hope to see everyone there.

Stay tuned for more info on these and other century rides coming up later in the season.

Munching & Riding - Submitted by Don Rush

2011-02-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

On-bike snack breaks keep your energy levels high and your legs spinning fast.

Failing to fill your glycemic gas tank will quickly ruin a ride. A smooth snack break requires specific bike-handling skills to deliver the proper type and amount of food from your pocket to your mouth. These are just a few tips to keep you fueled and safely moving along.

STAY ON SCHEDULE Make timing your nutrition a priority. Take hits from your water bottle after 30 minutes and every 15 minutes thereafter. For rides longer than 45 minutes, follow the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines and eat the equivalent of 1 gram of carbohydrate for each additional minute (gels have about 25 grams and bars have 40 to 45).

BUILD BALANCE Holding your handlebar with one hand and eating with the other sounds easy enough. What's not so simple: continuing a perfect line while barreling down a busy road and digging through your back pocket. Practice by riding one-handed along parking-space lines. Then, ride the lines while mimicking a snack break. Just keep pulling food from your pocket, bringing it to your handlebar, and returning it. When your support hand is on the brake hoods or the side of the bar, every body motion is exaggerated and transferred to the front wheel. For optimal balance (though reduced braking ability), hold your handlebar next to the stem with your dominant hand.

EAT SAFELY Hyperawareness during refueling will help keep you - and the people riding with you - safe. First, scan the road for traffic in case you swerve. Then, look out for other obstacles. Potholes and debris can sneak up quickly, even when you're rolling along at a leisurely pace.

DIVERSIFY Blowing through an entire case of Strawberry Blast gels can become tedious, and when you grow tired of a specific flavor, you're less likely to eat. Buy a variety of gels, bars and chewy supplements; most energy foods have a six-month or longer shelf life. When you can, carry unprocessed fare such as bananas and sandwiches.

PREP YOUR FOOD Avoid an on-bike fight with your food wrapper--and the resulting smashed snack--by partially opening the packaging before you roll out. Another option: Repack your food into a zip-lock bag, which doubles as a used gel-packet depository.

CHOOSE WISELY The muffin you crave at the preride coffee shop may look delicious, but it is likely to crumble into hard-to-eat bran meal in your jersey pocket. Stick with easy-to-manage foods, like a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich cut into quarters.

Hopefully with these tips for riding and re-fueling, you can go further and faster. Now get out there and ride!

Paceline Tips - Submitted by Don Rush

2011-02-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

With warmer weather fast approaching, it's time to put the mountain bikes away, shove the trainers back into the closet, dust off the road bikes and get outside and ride. When you do get out there, chances are you'll be riding with groups from time to time. So, for the sake of both safety and fun, take some time to practice good paceline habits. Riding in a paceline will help you go faster and farther by reducing wind resistance and helping you to conserve energy.

When carried out properly, a paceline is an effective tool for a group ride: It enables cyclists to share the work of pushing through the wind. When performed poorly, the formation becomes counterproductive. Most people are never taught the proper way to ride a paceline, so they make the same common mistakes that eventually become habits. Whether you're riding in a single or double formation, try these tips for taking your pulls and pedaling in line.

KEEP THE PACE The number one mistake riders make is picking up speed when they get to the front. As you're riding through the line, pay attention to the group's average speed and effort. When you get to the front, do your best to maintain those levels. The goal is to keep the pack together, not blow it apart or shell riders off the back.

MICROADJUST It's nearly impossible for everyone to put forth equal amounts of effort, especially on undulating terrain. You need to make adjustments along the way to prevent the "Slinky Effect," where the line alternately bunches together and becomes strung out, with big gaps. It's better to make two small undercorrections than one big overcorrection.

Think of it like driving: You don't slam on the brakes, then hit the gas; you moderate your speed. To do that in a paceline, try one of these techniques:

Soft pedal: If you feel like you're getting sucked into the rider in front of you, take a light pedal stroke or two to adjust your speed accordingly.

Air brake: An easy (and safe) way to trim speed is to sit up and catch some wind. It'll slow you down a notch without disrupting the rhythm of the line.

Feather brake: Gently squeeze the brakes while continuing to pedal. You can scrub speed while shifting up or down as needed to alter your pace.

DON'T STARE Focusing on the wheel directly in front of you is a natural instinct when riding in a line, but it gives you zero time to react should something go awry. Keep your head up and check about 10 meters down the road. Look through holes in the leading rider—over his shoulder, under his arm or through his legs—and ride proactively instead of reactively. This will help keep the line moving smoothly.

EASE OFF THE GAS Rather than accelerating when you pull, try to ride in the line at a steady pace and decelerate as you pull off and drift to the back. This provides the right work-to-recovery ratio without all the punchy surges that tend to blow the weaker riders off the back.

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE Pacelines are designed to share the workload, so limit your pulls to a few minutes to stay fresh and give other riders a chance.

CONSERVE ENERGY If you feel tired, sit out a few turns until you're ready to take another pull. Simply open a spot for riders to rejoin the line in front of you, or come to the front and immediately pull off and drift to the back. You'll do the pack a favor by staying with them rather than working yourself into the red and falling off the back, which makes the group slow down to let you catch up.

Welcome!

2011-02-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new on-line, interactive version of our SIW newsletter, The Sprocket!

You'll find news, articles, photos and more! All club members are encouraged to contribute. So, don't be shy - share your wisdom. Or, at least, your thoughts! We love to read ride reports from out-of-town rides, opinions of new club routes, stories of adventure from epic rides with small groups of friends, gear and bike reviews and anything else about our favorite hobby.

Submit your articles to newsletter@siwheelmen.org. (Yes, we'll probably edit it, but that's the price you pay for fame!)