Thanks to all the participants who came out and helped make the triathlon a success! We had our biggest turnout in the history of the event. We continue to draw a large field of first-time racers as this event is geared toward being fun and welcoming.
The volunteers from the Joyride Bikes Team, BeWell, Old Navy, Nathan and Mike with the music and other organizations along with cooperation from EMT services and local law enforcement allow this event to get better each year. Thanks to Missy and the Sports Academy and Racket Club for being gracious hosts again.
Look for pics taken by Charcie Rebalkin found here:
http://milestonephotography.smugmug.com/Other/Joyride-triathlon-2011/17187190_Fp2jKk#1303846857_bcbsbKW-A-LB
See everyone next year!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
High School Mountain Biking?
I've been hearing for some time about the potential other areas of the country have developed regarding cycling as a high school sport. It looks like those efforts are coming to Utah. Hopefully this endeavor finds success and support. One of the best things about cycling is that participants are usually life-long athletes rather than 4-5years through high school and then the activity stops. Here is the info below:
My name is Lori Harward. I am the director of Utah High School Mountain Biking. I am contacting Utah’s cycling clubs to let them know about us and what we are doing.
We are an organization bringing mountain biking into Utah’s high schools in 2012. We are in the bid process with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to become a Project League. NICA is the governing body for high school cycling. We have a strong bid and feel confident this will happen. Upon winning this bid, NICA invests in Utah to get our League up and running. They provide coaching education and certification. Partnered with THE POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE, they will train coaches, assistants, rider leaders, etc. They will bring to Utah a Coaching Clinic which will teach coaches everything from how to teach mountain biking skills to running the school program, all with a focus on how to treat kids with respect and how to build their self esteem through positive coaching. NICA will aid in skills clinics for kids, aid in getting our races up and running and they will help provide means and sponsorship to get us off the ground.
Race Venues following NICA specifications, follow a 4-6 mile lap format, making them very spectator friendly so parents, families, and friends can watch their athlete race and cheer them on. Our proposed race season will be in the fall.
We already have 40 volunteer coaches in over 25 schools. We have over 80 volunteers total. And, we are still growing.
Our League Development Committee, being highly passionate bikers ourselves, is fully committed in bringing to kids this wonderful sport which has brought so much joy in our own lives! It is fun, and the kids will have fun! We wanted to meet the needs of those kids not in mainstream sports. And, we want to do so in a positive way that builds the self esteem of kids. The great thing about cycling is that is is life-long, you can be 30, 40, or 60 years old and still out riding for fun and/or racing, providing health and fitness for life! Unlike many high school sports that realistically end for most kids when they graduate.
We need your help. As part of our bid process, we need to have 1000 likes on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/UtahHSMTBike. Could you please let your club members know about us. Also, please have them contact me if they have children who would be interested in participating or if they would like to volunteer themselves. I have attached a flyer you can view and/or use.
Lastly, could you please tell me the number of people in your organization? Feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your help!
Lori Harward
My name is Lori Harward. I am the director of Utah High School Mountain Biking. I am contacting Utah’s cycling clubs to let them know about us and what we are doing.
We are an organization bringing mountain biking into Utah’s high schools in 2012. We are in the bid process with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to become a Project League. NICA is the governing body for high school cycling. We have a strong bid and feel confident this will happen. Upon winning this bid, NICA invests in Utah to get our League up and running. They provide coaching education and certification. Partnered with THE POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE, they will train coaches, assistants, rider leaders, etc. They will bring to Utah a Coaching Clinic which will teach coaches everything from how to teach mountain biking skills to running the school program, all with a focus on how to treat kids with respect and how to build their self esteem through positive coaching. NICA will aid in skills clinics for kids, aid in getting our races up and running and they will help provide means and sponsorship to get us off the ground.
Race Venues following NICA specifications, follow a 4-6 mile lap format, making them very spectator friendly so parents, families, and friends can watch their athlete race and cheer them on. Our proposed race season will be in the fall.
We already have 40 volunteer coaches in over 25 schools. We have over 80 volunteers total. And, we are still growing.
Our League Development Committee, being highly passionate bikers ourselves, is fully committed in bringing to kids this wonderful sport which has brought so much joy in our own lives! It is fun, and the kids will have fun! We wanted to meet the needs of those kids not in mainstream sports. And, we want to do so in a positive way that builds the self esteem of kids. The great thing about cycling is that is is life-long, you can be 30, 40, or 60 years old and still out riding for fun and/or racing, providing health and fitness for life! Unlike many high school sports that realistically end for most kids when they graduate.
We need your help. As part of our bid process, we need to have 1000 likes on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/UtahHSMTBike. Could you please let your club members know about us. Also, please have them contact me if they have children who would be interested in participating or if they would like to volunteer themselves. I have attached a flyer you can view and/or use.
Lastly, could you please tell me the number of people in your organization? Feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your help!
Lori Harward
More potential good news from UDPS.
I am trying to contact bicycle advocates in Cache County to invite them to participate/provide feedback in UDOT's Peace on the Pavement Campaign.
If you or others you know may be interested in this effort, please contact me ASAP. Thank you.
Please see info below:
As you may have heard, the Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Department of Public Safety are launching a campaign to raise awareness of traffic laws related to bicycles on the road, and to improve the relationship between bicyclists and motor vehicle
drivers. As a part of the campaign (which has been branded "Peace on the Pavement"), a bicycle ride across Utah is being planned. The ride will bring cyclists into cities and towns for events that will inform families about bicycle safety and the need for cooperation in
sharing the road.
We are now in the secondary planning phase of the campaign. The campaign team has determined that the most efficient way to move this phase forward is to assemble a planning group made up of people from the locations where the ride and events will take place to generate ideas and help to coordinate logistics. If you are interested in participating in this effort and/or know of a bicycle advocate(s) in your County that is, please let me know.
We have selected 9 counties to hold awareness rides/media events including: Cache, Davis, Grand, Salt Lake, Utah, Wayne, Weber, Washington and Summit. I am still looking for contacts who would like to be involved in Cache, and Summit Counties. Please let me know if you or someone you know can participate in this effort. We want your county to be represented.
A planning meeting will be held next Tuesday at UDOT's headquarters. If you can't attend the meeting in person, you can call-in. Let me know if you will be calling in and I will email you the call in number.
Again the meeting will be held on:
Tuesday, March 29 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the UDOT Complex (4501 South
2700 West, Salt Lake City)
We appreciate your willingness to be a part of this important effort to build awareness and improve safety for bicyclists and motorists on Utah's roads. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.
RSVP to Keri Gibson at kgibson@utah.gov or by calling the number below.
Keri Gibson
Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety
Utah Department of Public Safety/ Highway Safety Office
801-243-7571
kgibson@utah.gov
If you or others you know may be interested in this effort, please contact me ASAP. Thank you.
Please see info below:
As you may have heard, the Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Department of Public Safety are launching a campaign to raise awareness of traffic laws related to bicycles on the road, and to improve the relationship between bicyclists and motor vehicle
drivers. As a part of the campaign (which has been branded "Peace on the Pavement"), a bicycle ride across Utah is being planned. The ride will bring cyclists into cities and towns for events that will inform families about bicycle safety and the need for cooperation in
sharing the road.
We are now in the secondary planning phase of the campaign. The campaign team has determined that the most efficient way to move this phase forward is to assemble a planning group made up of people from the locations where the ride and events will take place to generate ideas and help to coordinate logistics. If you are interested in participating in this effort and/or know of a bicycle advocate(s) in your County that is, please let me know.
We have selected 9 counties to hold awareness rides/media events including: Cache, Davis, Grand, Salt Lake, Utah, Wayne, Weber, Washington and Summit. I am still looking for contacts who would like to be involved in Cache, and Summit Counties. Please let me know if you or someone you know can participate in this effort. We want your county to be represented.
A planning meeting will be held next Tuesday at UDOT's headquarters. If you can't attend the meeting in person, you can call-in. Let me know if you will be calling in and I will email you the call in number.
Again the meeting will be held on:
Tuesday, March 29 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the UDOT Complex (4501 South
2700 West, Salt Lake City)
We appreciate your willingness to be a part of this important effort to build awareness and improve safety for bicyclists and motorists on Utah's roads. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.
RSVP to Keri Gibson at kgibson@utah.gov or by calling the number below.
Keri Gibson
Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety
Utah Department of Public Safety/ Highway Safety Office
801-243-7571
kgibson@utah.gov
A bit of information from the Joyride Club President regarding some new access for recreation in the Cache Valley area...
Fellow Bikers (especially those MTB ers....),
I have recently caught wind of a meeting in SLC on March 31 of the Cache-Wasatch Recreational Advisory Committee (RAC). This committee will be discussing and voting on, among other issues, a proposed plan to do some work in Smithfield Canyon. Though I have not seen exact details, I have spoken with a member of the RAC that lives in Smithfield and helped draft the proposal. Of main interest to myself, is the inclusion of a singletrack multi-use trail that runs the length of Smithfield Canyon (from the campground to the wilderness boundary. Other points of the proposal include cleaning up the canyon by designating camping areas and improving the road, as well as restoring the road to the original boundaries drawn up by the congressional committee that first instituted the wilderness area.
Expanded recreational opportunities in these Congressionally appointed corridors through wilderness area are hugely beneficial to the population at large. A shining example of that is in Green Canyon with the recent singletrack improvements/additions as well as designating campsites. Along with these improvements have come conflicts though. As Green Canyon is by far the best piece of singletrack close to town, it is becoming more crowded and there will be increased conflicts between those of different as well as within the same user groups. The trail up Smithfield Canyon would definitely help the growing congestion problem in Green Canyon, by offering another viable recreational option.
There is a public comment period immediately prior to the vote. So far, there are two of us that are willing to carpool/caravan down to SLC to help in this effort. I wanted to throw this out to the cycling community at large to see if we could drum up some more support. We would love to have as many people as possible attend this meeting. I'm a little short on details, but hopefully will be able to provide more in the near future. Please let me know if you are interested in more details or if you would be interested in joining us.
Thanks,
-Neil-
I have recently caught wind of a meeting in SLC on March 31 of the Cache-Wasatch Recreational Advisory Committee (RAC). This committee will be discussing and voting on, among other issues, a proposed plan to do some work in Smithfield Canyon. Though I have not seen exact details, I have spoken with a member of the RAC that lives in Smithfield and helped draft the proposal. Of main interest to myself, is the inclusion of a singletrack multi-use trail that runs the length of Smithfield Canyon (from the campground to the wilderness boundary. Other points of the proposal include cleaning up the canyon by designating camping areas and improving the road, as well as restoring the road to the original boundaries drawn up by the congressional committee that first instituted the wilderness area.
Expanded recreational opportunities in these Congressionally appointed corridors through wilderness area are hugely beneficial to the population at large. A shining example of that is in Green Canyon with the recent singletrack improvements/additions as well as designating campsites. Along with these improvements have come conflicts though. As Green Canyon is by far the best piece of singletrack close to town, it is becoming more crowded and there will be increased conflicts between those of different as well as within the same user groups. The trail up Smithfield Canyon would definitely help the growing congestion problem in Green Canyon, by offering another viable recreational option.
There is a public comment period immediately prior to the vote. So far, there are two of us that are willing to carpool/caravan down to SLC to help in this effort. I wanted to throw this out to the cycling community at large to see if we could drum up some more support. We would love to have as many people as possible attend this meeting. I'm a little short on details, but hopefully will be able to provide more in the near future. Please let me know if you are interested in more details or if you would be interested in joining us.
Thanks,
-Neil-
Monday, February 7, 2011
Triathlon Club Meeting
Trainer sessions are up and going strong. For those who haven't joined us yet they are Wednesday nights from 6:00-7:30 PM.
This Thurday we are very excited to announce the addition of a new member to the Joyride Bikes Cycling Club. Emily Monroe-Jones has decided to partner with Joyride bikes this year. She is a USAT certified triathlon coach and has been running successful training programs in Cache Valley for the last two years and will be offering custom training programs through Joyride Bikes. Emily has big plans for the multi-sport scene in Cache Valley and we are very excited to be partnering with her in this endeavor.
We are going to be doing a meet and greet with Emily at the Sports Academy on February 10, at 8:00 p.m. at the Sports Academy. We encourage all club members to attend as we will be discussing general club issues for 2011 as well as triathlon specific plans. Let me know if you have any questions.
This Thurday we are very excited to announce the addition of a new member to the Joyride Bikes Cycling Club. Emily Monroe-Jones has decided to partner with Joyride bikes this year. She is a USAT certified triathlon coach and has been running successful training programs in Cache Valley for the last two years and will be offering custom training programs through Joyride Bikes. Emily has big plans for the multi-sport scene in Cache Valley and we are very excited to be partnering with her in this endeavor.
We are going to be doing a meet and greet with Emily at the Sports Academy on February 10, at 8:00 p.m. at the Sports Academy. We encourage all club members to attend as we will be discussing general club issues for 2011 as well as triathlon specific plans. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A little history of Logan bike shops.
People that have been around cycling in Logan for some time often comment that there has been a shop at the Joyride Bikes location forever. That's only partly correct, so I thought I'd type up some of the history of bike shops in Logan. I'm sure I'll miss some things but one thing that has been consistent is that there has always been a strong passion for cycling among the shop owners.
The location of most of the shops people are referring to is actually just a bit north of Joyride Bikes current location at what is now Mackley Designer Portraiture. The first shop I remember being there when I young was Aardvark Cycles. I remember seeing a mountain bike in there that was the typical for the time: bullhorn bars, rigid fork and thumb shifters except that it had a 26" front wheel and a 20" back wheel. We get lucky and get Janet out on rides with us sometimes.
The next shop to move into that location was Pursuit Cycles. Weston Allen was the owner and also made his own frames. They were all painted black and neon green, 80s style-which is cool again. For a small price he would strip your bike and paint it to match the team colors. I recall going in there and hanging out. Weston and Dave were about the coolest guys ever because they knew about bikes. They would give me old team tires so I could get use out of them to finish them off. Cameron worked there and now is back in Logan after being in St. George for many years. Paul Witteker worked there and now runs a CrossFit gym in Smithfield. I eventually bought my first bike from Weston, a Miyata 714, I wanted a 912 but they were sold out. A friend bought that from me and now I hear it is styling under a hipster in Sugarhouse. I also remember meeting a very tall John Hernandez on a group ride who went up the hill out of Richmond really fast and is still doing that today.
I'm pretty sure that Pursuit Cycles then became Adventure Sports. A different Dave owned that and Ron Stagg turned a wrench there for some time. Ron also spent time at Sunrise prior and later at Al's. Adventure also expanded into climbing and the location became a climbing gym for several years. Here the time line gets a little shifted as we move further north. I recall Psycle Path being around for a short period. There also used to be a shop up on 400 North that was not long lived. Further north on Main was the Bike and Lock Shop. Lots of Fuji road bikes in there. Rod managed The Sportsman for a long time. Remember when Panasonic made bicycles?
Moving back Downtown was Sunrise which has been in the same location for 35+ years. Al's used to be over on 100 West before they built their building out north.
Ed at EK Ekcessories owned the building at 565 North Main where he has come full circle from starting EK Ekcessories to buying the building back to open a factory EK store at the same location. In the mean time that location was Guido's Cycle and Sport which I managed for about a year. Marilyn, who is now at Al's, ran Guido's where Brian Jeppson was her service manager. Marilyn left Guido's for Al's and I took over as manager and Brian Jeppson moved to Cedar City where he has been doing a great job with Cedar Cycles for, what, 13+ years now?
I managed Guido's-I know weird name-people always wanted a large pepperoni special, and worked with Joel Peterson who worked with me at Sunrise Cyclery for a few years prior and with Steve Johnson. Joel later went to Al's where he finished up his time in the industry prior to opening his own small shop for a stint. Steve went on to work at Al's for a time and rejoin me when I went back to Sunrise Cyclery. While at Guido's I hired a great guy named Justin who is now the Midwest sales rep for Raleigh Bicycles. I still see other people from the Guido's crew at races. I left Guido's and shortly thereafter Adventure Sports bought out Guido's making that the second bike shop in that location.
I got my start in the industry at Sunrise Cyclery and worked there off and on for many years. I started as a mechanic and then sales, eventually managing it with my friend Jared. At Sunrise I worked with Brandon who now runs a shop in Park City. I met Josh Felt who is one of the best wrenches I've ever met. He would later go to Al's and then help me for a time after I bought Joyride Bikes. Kyle Isaacs started there as the bottom man on the pole and has since gone on to own a very successful shop, SBR Sports in Orem, UT. Many other faces came and went over the years at Sunrise. Scott went from Sunrise to Al's. Todd became an industry rep for Specialized then to Fuji Bicycles and now with a company that distributes LED lights. Paul Vaslet now writes mortgage loans here in town and has a company that makes some cool changing tents. One noteworthy co-worker was Jim Clonts. Jim was a very exacting and skilled mechanic who quickly grew his own following which would form the basis of Joyride Bikes which opened in the back of Great Harvest a long time ago.
After Guido's I was out of the industry for a time. I came back with the intention of buying Sunrise Cyclery. After that not working out I was back to finish my formal education. I sold drugs, legally for Johnson & Johnson, took 90 days to realize it wasn't for me and I planned to go back to school to get even smarter. That's when Jim and Michelle Clonts called me. After seven hard years of building Joyride Bikes into a successful business they were ready to move on and I became owner of Joyride Bikes.
It's been a fast-moving, merry-go-round. Sunrise Cyclery ended up with three employees owning bike shops throughout Utah. Several people became semi-lifers with 10+ years in shops and some working at 2-3 shops in Logan. Many other great guys and gals made their ways through college while spreading the love of two wheels.
So there is a multi-directional and convoluted wander through the history of Logan bike shops according to myself. Please feel free to comment any details the reader may remember. It's been great meeting these friends, sharing their love of life and the experience on two wheels. Sometimes we lead sometimes we follow, but it's always better to have great friends to share the journey with.
Some cyclocross results...
CX season is well under way with only four race days left in the season. In my opinion this is one of the most demanding forms of racing a person can choose to participate in. Ups and plenty of downs. Crashes, bad starts, bad sprints, and plenty of tough competition. It's been said and I'll repeat, this is not a sport for the weak.
The Utah State Championships were just held and many on the Joyride Bikes Team had a great showing. The season has seen us with lots of top-tens and some tough showings. Beth has been fighting in the women's A's, Dan had ridden tough in the men's A's with a really hard crash, Brad B. has been a machine in the B's with a full schedule-that's why Brad has always been fast. Robert Hamlin has been awesome in the 45 masters... fair warning to anyone who plans to keep up with him. Brian has come on very strong in the single speed after several-year absence from racing 'cross. Brian H. is the Energizer Bunny. He'll ride five hours, climb 6000' and do it again the next day. He consistently doubles up on race day and always pushes himself. Local powerhouse Johnny B. has been where he usually is-at the front. Myself has had one good showing in Idaho and one in the 35+ masters in Utah, the rest-not so good. Graysen has been on the podium of every junior race he's entered this season.
John Burton is our 2010/11 2nd place in single speed (these guys are fast!). Congrats out to all the team for a strong showing so far. For the rest of you enjoy this photo montage that should convince anyone that bike racing is not easy.
http://www.pdxcross.com/galleries/barton-park-last-cross-crusade-race-of-the-season/
The Utah State Championships were just held and many on the Joyride Bikes Team had a great showing. The season has seen us with lots of top-tens and some tough showings. Beth has been fighting in the women's A's, Dan had ridden tough in the men's A's with a really hard crash, Brad B. has been a machine in the B's with a full schedule-that's why Brad has always been fast. Robert Hamlin has been awesome in the 45 masters... fair warning to anyone who plans to keep up with him. Brian has come on very strong in the single speed after several-year absence from racing 'cross. Brian H. is the Energizer Bunny. He'll ride five hours, climb 6000' and do it again the next day. He consistently doubles up on race day and always pushes himself. Local powerhouse Johnny B. has been where he usually is-at the front. Myself has had one good showing in Idaho and one in the 35+ masters in Utah, the rest-not so good. Graysen has been on the podium of every junior race he's entered this season.
John Burton is our 2010/11 2nd place in single speed (these guys are fast!). Congrats out to all the team for a strong showing so far. For the rest of you enjoy this photo montage that should convince anyone that bike racing is not easy.
http://www.pdxcross.com/galleries/barton-park-last-cross-crusade-race-of-the-season/
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