set tonight's ride up with Twitter

Twitter enabled me to quickly find out if anyone was coming tonight for the Thursday evening ride. We had 6 riders and had a great time. But Twitter proved to be effective and quick and easy.

make your teenagers watch this

where biking is KING - Portland Oregon

from Portland Oregon, this scene is just something we can only dream about here in PA

from http://www.streetfilms.org/
although the new South Street bridge in Phila is supposed to be bike friendly

things to do in West Chester

http://www.westchesterdish.com/

Foodie news and restaurant reviews

http://thenotewc.com/

Bam of the Jackass Movies fame, his nightclub with lots of muscians

http://www.westchesterevents.com/

WC Parks and Rec site of planned events

http://www.brandywineballet.com/

some culture for those seeking it

http://www.helicoptermuseum.org/

for flight buffs

http://www.northbrookcanoe.com/

for tubing or canoeing

http://www.westchesterrr.net/

a nice old fashioned train ride from WC to Glen Mills

http://www.highlandorchards.net/Site/Welcome.html

pick your own fruit and buy some awesome homemade donuts, worth the trip

thursday evening ride, April 30

so far forecast is NOT calling for rain

it may be cool and this would make it nice for a ride especially if you are new to cycling,

will pick course and miles based on who shows up, if you are sitting at home and afraid to bike, please come,

530, take off from Hot Foot in the boro of West Chester,

hope to see some new faces

looks like Delaware is moving in the right direction

unlike PA, where we cannot even get the Safe Passing Law passed, DE is now working on the Complete Streets policies that PA needs,

STATE OF DELAWARE
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Executive Order Number Six

April 24, 2009

TO: HEADS OF ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
RE: CREATING A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY

WHEREAS, walking is the most fundamental mode of physical transportation; and

WHEREAS, bicycling promotes healthier lifestyles; and

WHEREAS, walking and bicycling are simple fitness activities that can prevent disease, improve physical health and assist in fostering mental well-being; and

WHEREAS, by walking and bicycling you help to reduce greenhouse gas emission by reducing the time you spend in your car; and

WHEREAS, my administration, along with the Delaware Department of Transportation, promotes the walkability and bicycle friendliness of communities through principles such as context sensitive design, mobility-friendly design, mixed-use and infill developments; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Transportation has developed user friendly design standards for pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Transportation has the opportunity to create and improve transportation facilities for all users by implementing these principles and standards through its projects; and

WHEREAS, the Advisory Council on Pedestrian Awareness and Walkability and the Delaware Bicycle Council serve as advisors to the Delaware Department of Transportation; and

WHEREAS, a Complete Streets Policy means deliberately planning, designing, building, and maintaining streets for all modes of transportation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JACK A. MARKELL, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby declare and order the following:

1. The Delaware Department of Transportation (“DelDOT”) shall enhance its multi-modal initiative by creating a Complete Streets Policy that will promote safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and bus riders of all ages to be able to safely move along and across the streets of Delaware;

2. The Delaware Bicycle Council, the Advisory Council on Pedestrian Awareness and Walkability, and the Elderly & Disabled Transit Advisory Council shall assist DelDOT with this endeavor;

3. A Complete Streets Policy should:

1. Solidify DelDOT’s objective of creating a comprehensive, integrated, connected transportation network that allows users to choose between different modes of transportation;

2. Establish that any time DelDOT builds or maintains a roadway or bridge, the agency must whenever possible accommodate other methods of transportation.

3. Focus not just on individual roads, but changing the decision-making and design process so that all users are considered in planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining all roadways;

4. Recognize that all streets are different and user needs should be balanced in order to ensure that the solution will enhance the community;

5. Apply to both new and retrofit projects, including planning, design, maintenance, and operations for the entire right-of-way;

6. Ensure that any exemption to the Complete Streets Policy is specific and documented with supporting data that indicates the basis for the decision;

7. Direct the use of the latest and best design standards as they apply to bicycle, pedestrian, transit and highway facilities;

4. DelDOT, with the assistance of the advisory councils, shall create the Policy and deliver it the Governor for consideration no later than September 30, 2009.

Last Updated: Monday, 27-Apr-2009 09:18:34 EDT
Source: http://governor.delaware.gov/orders/exec_order_6.shtml

in order to see ALL twits

in order to see all the Twits get complicated, you have to be following and hook your phone to all the chicks who are following me

and right now, it looks like most ladies picked off the wall names and it is hard to know when looking at my list of followers who is actually a Bike Chick

if you want to see Ellen's twits, you must follow her and use your phone and type to 40404 in the message box, follow zadofea

if at some point i can figure out from those following me, who is a Biker Chick, i can post a list and then you have to follow these ladies

right now, if you just follow me, you can see my Twits and set your phone to follow me as well

7:30 am rides

Anyone interested and would actually show up for 7:30 am saturday morning rides??

email or twitter the group as I am not sure how our twits are doing??, did anyone get Ellen's twits today and Sandra's??

wondering if they just come to me or if everyone gets them

you can post a comment as well, but SPEAK UP, come on ladies, make your voice heard

my other job

kayaking on the Schuylkill River near Manyunk with my twin sister

Show and Go rides for Tues and Thurs eve & Saturday May 2

530 pm Show and Go at Hot Foot on Tuesdays and Thursdays, these rides are just that, show up and ride.

I may or may not be there but hopefully whoever shows can lead or volunteer to lead.

For tomorrow April 28, Ellen will be there. If you have a nice cue you want to share for Tues or Thurs eve rides post the link to me and I will put it up. If it is not raining, I will be there for Thursday.



Remember, get a blinkie light and carry 2 water bottles when it is hot. Rides are about 20 miles, C paced.


Saturday morning 8:30 May 2 if not raining

cue #145 -34 miles

http://www.wccyclingclub.com/postedrides/images/145-BroadRun-ChestnutLn-Mortonville2.pdf

if you are not a WCCC member

please print and sign this waiver and bring it to you next ride, PLEASE

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dmq3973_68gxznwfgm

great newbie ride today

had a great group, the heat was terrible though, i thought i was going to croak. but despite the heat we made it, one rider got a flat 2 blocks into the ride and then none of the newbies had enough fluid with them.

fortunately Ed H was along to help me and saved the day by biking to a nearby Wawa and bringing back 8 gatorades on his bike, we would not have made it without Ed.

look for more Newbie rides, any Newbies checking the blog, use the labels on right side of this column and click on BIKE GEAR

all you need to know is in those blog posts.

nature at its finest

there are egrets and a blue heron in the pics, but this small makes it hard to see

this article appears in Recreation, a WC publication

Published in Recreation

Two-Wheel Town

bicycling, iron hill criterium, recreation, sports,

While towns across America are striving to become bike-friendly, West Chester is setting the example.

From the well-known Iron Hill Criterium, a professional cycling race, to weekend biking events and citizens routinely cycling to work and school, West Chester is a two-wheel town.

At the center of the West Chester cycling experience is the Iron Hill Criterium, an annual race that draws a hundred or so professional and USCF licensed cyclists to race 60 laps around a 1-mile circuit. At speeds of 35 mph, racers zoom through the streets of West Chester much to the delight of large crowds. The 2009 event will mark the fifth year of the race.

“The kids’ race is the most impor­tant part of the Criterium,” says Gilbert Torres, president of the West Chester Cycling Club (WCCC), a riding club that sponsors weekly bike rides throughout Chester County and surrounding com­munities. “We are building a support structure for these young ones with that portion of the event. It’s really enjoy­able to see kids, from toddlers to teens, racing down the street in a big group. It brings the town together.”

Organizations such as WCCC help pro­mote cycling by recognizing an array of skill levels. To ensure progress con­tinues, Torres has the WCCC networking with other organizations to keep things moving forward.

“Before the West Chester Cycling Club, I used to see a lot of riders out, but I never saw any large groups of riders,” Torres says. “There have always been cyclists in the area, but I think WCCC makes it official.”

Ninety percent of the club’s rides begin and end in the town of West Chester. At any given time during the year, both during the week and on the weekends, a mix of professional and leisure cyclists can be seen pedaling through Chester County.

Torres says there’s a good reason West Chester is a two-wheel town.

“I think it is the easy access to the countryside and the quiet roads that make West Chester popular for cyclists,” Torres says. “You can ride 80 miles into neighboring counties, see a beautiful countryside, and be back by the end of the day.”

Just five miles outside of town, horse farms, lush creek areas and beautiful covered bridges abound in a low traffic scenario that is ideal for cyclists.

Story by Brandon Lowe
Photo by Courtesy of Michael L. Kirk

what you are missing if not biking tomorrow

Finally, some nice warm weather, come on out and enjoy Chester County, one of the nicest places to bike.

Another bike clinic coming

Tentatively setting May 17 Sunday afternoon for a meet and greet bike clinic, very informal, come clean your bike, change a tire and ask questions about bike gear etc.

This clinic is a come any time and do anything you want format, and will be whatever you want or need. Suggest you come to clean your bikes and learn about pedals, clips, bags and whatever else you may be struggling with.

If you want to come and practice riding with cleats, you can do this on my street. If you want to just clean your bike, come. Meet some chicks and learn about your bike.

GET riding, get informed

Come on out Ladies, if you want to get better you MUST ride. Ride up for tomorrow morning and a NEWBIE ride for Sunday morning.

All rides take off from Hot Foot Cycles unless otherwise stated on the blog. Rides are posted on the blog and on the West Chester Cycling Ride page. Rides posted on the calendar in the right column of blog. Also, click on the icon in the right column for Rides for the Week of.

Please learn to use the WCCC ride page and this blog for ride updates. Last minute changes will be posted to Twitter. YOU can check Twitter updates on this blog as well at upper right corner of blog.

twitter possibilities

Had a great ride this evening, Ellen and Melinda and I were talking about Twitter and how useful it is for alerting other chicks about rides.

To get into Twitter, you sign up for an account and then to follow me on your phone,

start a new text message

text phone number is 40404

for message body

u type follow LibsM

make sure you first link up your cell phone in settings

I have turned on phone updates for all the chicks who have signed up so far

Ellen has twitted to me as well as Melinda and another chick Sandra.

triathlons are HOT

http://www.everymantri.com/

The passion to swim, bike, and run just keeps getting stronger---study finds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 9, 2009) A new study initiated by USA Triathlon has revealed exciting new data on the demographics and spending habits of multisport athletes in the United States.

USAT and the TribeGroup – who conducted the market research study – released the executive summary of the findings this week.

The Mind of the Triathlete study was conducted in October and November 2008 and is the first of its kind to provide a deep analysis and segmentation of the triathlete among new participants and long -time veterans. More than 15,000 triathletes gave an average of 20 minutes describing their experiences, lifestyle, habits and backgrounds.

“When we agreed to exclusively partner with TribeGroup on the study, we weren’t sure what exactly the data would show since we hadn’t updated anything since 2000. We were pleased with the job they have done and are more optimistic now than ever about the future of triathlon and the ability of USAT to continue to improve the experience of members and the community at large,” said Tim Yount, USAT senior vice president for marketing and communications.

The study grouped participants into seven distinct segments according to similarities in their demographics, psychographics and involvement in the sport. On average, triathletes are from high socio-economic backgrounds with median incomes of $126,000, however, their motivators and mindset are different, creating a significant opportunity for the triathlon community to serve them better and in more targeted ways. Unlike many consumers, they are spending cautiously but on average intend to spend as much in 2009 as they did in 2008. In fact, 45 percent would rather spend discretionary income on triathlon with three of seven segments exceeding 65 percent and one nearly 80 percent.

“What is remarkable is the incredible passion of triathletes no matter what the economy is doing. They are increasing participation both in the numbers of races and those moving up in distance. The results and incredible willingness of the athletes to tell us what makes them tick is a testament to how much they want the sport to grow and the unmet needs or concerns they have,” said Jolene Moore, director of sales for TribeGroup. “The opportunities for sponsors, race directors and suppliers to tailor offerings and strategies in this time of limited budgets is clear.”

tiime change for saturday ride

meeting at 9 am and not 9:30 am for Sat April 25 ride

meet at Hot Foot at 9 am

bring cue sheet and be prepared to use it

calling all newbies

get your butts going and come to the Newbie ride this sunday at 11 am

20 miles, come practice shifting and whatever else you need to practice

this is a newbie ride at newbie speed, have heard from two chicks

I WANT TO SEE MORE, come on, find the time in your busy schedules for yourself


April 26 11 am Hot Foot 20 miles cue sheet link below

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pbW0Z11CjMtgJYoviypUcfw&hl=en

twittering, we need some 2 yo to help us

http://twitter.com/home

Twittering is trial and error. Another way to twitter, I think, to someone's page is to use the @ sign before the username. It will go to that person's site as well as your own site. Again, I am only guessing and as more folks use Twitter, us dinosaurs might actually learn how to use it.

some tips:

1. to direct a message to a specific person use direct message either on the computer or if on phone text d space username space message to 40404

2. the @ in front of a name also will let that twit appear on the username's page but also it will be seen by all who are following that person as well, I THINK

3. Twitter is not an exact science, if you learn something, post to me and i can post to the blog

thanks

interesting site

http://www.fitnessjournal.org/

Found this site, might interest some of you who want to track your fitness training and nutrition training programs. It does cost to join but not much. From what I could find it appears to be about $40 for one year.

One cool thing is that you can plot your miles and see how far you are biking across America.

report from WCCC ride leader meeting 4/20

1. Never more than 2 abreast on ALL roads, no ear phones, do not follow close unless you have experience in a pace line, PLEASE

2. When ride leader yells single up, EVERYONE has to get in line, EVERYONE, even if you think there is enough room for a car to pass

3. Everyone on ride is responsible for his or her ride, bring cue, if you get separated and need to get home you need a CUE, do not depend on ME to give you directions on how to get back

4. As Frank says, it happens, even under the best circumstances, i can lose a chick

5. If you like to ride way ahead be prepared to be left if i decide to make a turn

6. Have a cell phone with my number -484-678-0329

7. Do not bunch up at intersections, pick the stops in places with a large off road pavement or get in a single file line at the stop

8. If you do get dropped, please send an email to ride leader and let them know what happened

9. AND most important, get out and ride, the devoted club members ride a lot and as a result they get lots better, so if you do not ride, do not expect a large group to wait for you, bring your cue and hopefully you can lead a slower group in the Biker Chick group

10. We will split into 2 groups if the numbers are large, so be prepared to be ASKED to lead a group

anything can happen in a ride and each rider has to be prepared to use a cue sheet to go for help or whatever may come up

Rides for week of April 20

Rides for week of April 20

April 23, 5:30 Hot Foot, 20 miles, 11- 12.5 mph, make sure you can do this speed



for a map of the ride,
http://tinyurl.com/cm63ms


Check the cue sheet, i could get a turn wrong, so look at it, if you see an error let me know as i can fix it.

April 25 9:30 Hot Foot 31 miles 11- 12.5 mph

cue # 20, right now I do not know where the link is, have emailed Frank to ask him what happened to the cue link on the WCCC page, but here is the a link to the pdf, let me know if you can get this link to open

http://tinyurl.com/ctyxg3


BRING CUE for saturday ride, if you choose to ride ahead, you'd better have a cue with you.

For now, anyone who rides way out in front is officially in another group. Bring cue and stay together with whomever else wants to ride out front with you. If group is large, we will split into two groups, so be prepared to lead a group.

April 26 11 am Hot Foot Newbie Ride, 20 miles, 9-11 mph

email me if coming, libby.maxim@gmail.com or Twitter me

username - LibsM

same CUE SHEET as the Thursday evening ride, BRING IT, if you are a newbie, TRY and come to this ride. Lots of training. If you continually do not do the newbie rides, you will not be able to bike on Saturday mornings.

As the Chicks who bike do just that, they BIKE and they get better.

to help avoid the mixed level rides

Since Biker Chicks attracts riders of all levels, you must read the ride post carefully on the WCCC ride page for mph average and be able to do the average

Saturday rides for now will be 11-12.5 mph average. Get a bike speedometer and see if you can do this speed.

Tues and Thurs eve rides will be this speed unless posted as a NEWBIE ride.

There will be plenty of newbie rides posted. I have posted newbie rides and have had rides where NO newbies came. If you want to ride and need to practice, you have to come to NEWBIE rides.

humans and their tweeting

hey, we have been sending out tweets and twits forever, I twit and 100 birds know what i just said! Geez, humans

twittering away

Roald Dahl was way ahead of his time!

funny about twitter and it's instant popularity now with celebrities, Barbarba Walters and Oprah
are now twittering,

well Chicks are now twittering, to get my twits to your phone, if you cannot find the option on the webpage try this


send a message from your phone-- txt to 40404 follow LibsM

but first make sure you have used the settings and hooked up your cell

REMEMBER, Twitter is a SanFran company most likely run by kids around 25 yrs old, I am sure they are struggling to keep up with the demand and Twitter right now is not a perfect science.

When I twit, all my twits will appear on the blog over there on the right, if you are not getting these to your phone this will alert you to fix it

this is what you will see this saturday

newborn foals on Northbrook Road

see how much fun water exercise is

FIRST CHICK to email me, I will take you to ACAC as my TREAT. I was at the class this morning and man, what fun. It is nice to exercise and be able to laugh and smile.

I use leg weights and other equipment. I do think the leg weights have helped my biking. I felt a little stronger on the hills this weekend. Maybe my imagination.

ANYHOOOOO, anyone who wants a day at ACAC, email me and I will take you as my guest. First Fridays of each month I can take a guest for free.

shoes and cleats

shoes and cleats

Some of you are looking to get cleats and pedals. DO some research before you march right out and buy them. Visit a bike store and talk to someone and gather some information. I personally recommend Look pedals and you can get a cheaper version of the one below. Cleats for LOOK run about $15 or so. I also recommend ROAD shoes over mountain bike shoes. But many in the club USE BOTH. GO to a bike store and try on shoes. Figure out what size you wear. Then get on the Net and start searching for closeouts and last year's models. Try Ebay, it sells new stuff.

Bike equipment is very personal, do not buy the most expensive thing first. Buy something and then learn what u like or do not like. You can always sell a bike purchase mistake on Ebay.



Before the biking season starts, CHECK your shoes and cleats, tighten all screws and look at the cleat. If worn and in bad shape BUY NEW ones, cleats should be changed, they do not last forever.

If you get new cleats, save the old screws and put them into you bike bag, they may come in handy some day when a loose screw falls out during riding.

the Speeplay pedal, this option is a good pedal but it is a little pricey. If you buy Speedplay pedals do not buy the top of the line unless you plan on riding in the Tour de France with Lance. But you MUST get the Speedplay cleats and covers as the cleats for Speedplay cannot be walked upon as the mountain bike cleats can.




the KEO pedal- a good choice, this is the pedal i use, again there are different levels of perfection with these pedals, I do suggest buying a high level KEO pedal as you get the most float out of the upper price pedals and your knees will thank you.


There is a 3rd option for shoes and cleats, you can buy either mountain bike shoes or road shoes and then get the mountain bike cleat. This cleat is called SPD and is made by Shimano and others. I have the least knowledge of this cleat. I do have mountain bike shoes that I use for spinning classes and have this cleat. It is a very inexpensive cleat. This is your cheapest option, pedals are cheaper as well as the cleat.

Go to Hot Foot and or the Exton Bike store and ask about all three types of cleats and see what you learn.

twitter lesson

chicklets

you can sign up for a twitter account and block your homepage and block people from following you, to receive twits about bike rides from me:

1. once you have an account, go to settings and hook your cell up

2. then go to your HOME page and click on Following, you should see a list of those your are following and you should see under each name

TURN device ON OFF

(now my twin sister does not see this option on her page, so she clicks on a person she is following and turns the device on on the individual's page)

Twitter is really quite valuable for bike rides, I can instantly twitter the bike riders if there is a problem with a ride or if something last minute happens

which i could not do with email or text messages

I do think this is a good use of Twitter, I will not Twitter you all day long about everything I do, i only twitter in regards to bike rides.

invitation to any chick and chick friend

Anyone who wants to go to ACAC Health Club with me for a water class is now being extended an invitation. Cost for a Day Pass is $15.00 and you can use the entire club and attend the water class with me. Also if you use the Spa for any treatment, you get a Free Day Pass. If you have never had a facial, I recommend Lisa. It is pricey but worth every penny.

But I may have a Free Class pass somewhere if you just want to do the class. I usually go Monday and Wednesday but can go any weekday. Classes are at 9:30 am. I get to pool at 9 am.

The water class is a great mix after a long hard bike ride. I have biked 4 days straight and plan on going to the water class tomorrow to stretch out the legs. ACAC also has a large pool type hot tub, sauna and steam room. Sauna and steam room are in the Ladies Locker room, so you dont have to worry about sitting nex to a half naked guy.

Now you working chicks would have to plan a day off. But might be a nice day off if you get a Spa treatment and use the club for free. Not a bad deal in my opinion.

Email me if interested.

These classes are not your grandmother's water classes. The instructor on Monday looks like the female equivalent of Arnold S(lots of letters).

Hey if I can put on a bathing suit, you can too. No one gives one flying fig what you look like in a bathing suit.

Fabo ride today on Trail

Eileen and Margie are improving by leaps and bounds, and a new chick came, Laureen. Julia came and used her cleats for the first time, Cassandra continues to perfect her shifting. The trail was just great today.

Next Scheduled Weekend trail ride, we will bike from Betzwood to the Art Museum. This will be a 55 mile ride and will be in preparation for our 50 mile French Creek Iron Tour. Plan now. SRT and the Drives are open all the way to the Art Museum on May 31, Sunday.

(Let the training begin if you are doing the French Creek Iron Tour. Ya got to bike, go out after work for just an hour, it is better than NOT riding.)

Meet at 7:30 am, this will be a fast paced ride. This ride can change depending on the schedule of the Drives and the weather of course. Check blog for updates.

This gives you a heads up with your schedules and activities. If we leave at 7:30 am we should be back by noon. Bring lots of snacks and two large water bottles with stuff in them.

Bring money and a spare tube etc. Any break down on the trail has to be fixed on the trail. Make sure bike is in working order.

sunrise rides

Thinking of trying a few very early morning rides. 6:30 am on Saturdays. Is there a market for this?? Any chicks interested in this once in a while??

riding in a bike group with Chicks

Biker Chicks tends to attract riders of many levels. This makes the ride tough for those who want to go fast and it is tough for those who need to go slow.

Changes I am making to Saturday rides ONLY which are posted to the entire club:

1. If group is larger than 8 riders, we will split up according to riding skills.

2. Everyone must bring a cue and be prepared to lead a group. If I know you are a fast rider, I will be asking you to lead a group.

3. Get a cue sheet holder and HAVE IT ON YOUR BIKE with the cue in it.

4. Before the ride, take time to look at cue. DO NOT COME to a ride unprepared as to where we are biking. I have had chicks come and say where are we going? This is frustrating for me as I have put in a lot of time preparing for the ride and hope that you do too.

5. Chicks and guys who come flying into the ride last minute with no cue ARE on their own. You will make your own group.

6. I will not give oral turn by turn directions anymore unless I decide to make a change in the cue for some reason, traffic, weather etc.

7. If you want to bike with the Chicks on Saturday morning, you MUST get out during the week and do some rides. Once a week riding will not be enough for you to keep up through the season. We do ride on hills, it is impossible not to.


I get out myself at least 2x during the week. Check out the map on the post below for the Malvern ride. I do this ride and feel very safe on it. Much of the ride is on back roads and in housing developments. A few miles are on busy roads.

I have this ride up for Thursday evening of this week, 5:30, it is 20 miles and we must go a decent pace to finish before dark. Come and try it. If you have been riding during the week, this ride should be fine for you. At 11 mph, it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. That is about as slow as we can go and still get home in time.

Rides for week of April 20

April 23, 5:30 Hot Foot, 20 miles,



for a map of the ride,
http://tinyurl.com/cm63ms


Check the cue sheet, i could get a turn wrong, so look at it, if you see an error let me know as i can fix it.

April 25 9:30 Hot Foot 31 miles

cue # 20, right now I do not know where the link is, have emailed Frank to ask him what happened to the cue link on the WCCC page, but here is the a link to the pdf, let me know if you can get this link to open

http://tinyurl.com/ctyxg3


BRING CUE for saturday ride, if you choose to ride ahead, you'd better have a cue with you.

For now, anyone who rides way out in front is officially in another group. Bring cue and stay together with whomever else wants to ride out front with you. If group is large, we will split into two groups, so be prepared to lead a group.

SRT ride update time change for Sunday April 18

ride is leaving from Betzwood at 10:30 am, this is a NEWBIE RIDE, slow pace and instruction on shifting, again, if you want to zoom to Manyunk, this ride is not for you.

will Twitter this update as well

so receive my Twits, sign up and click to follow me

then hook your cell to get the twits too

lost a chick today

ladies

we had a large group, men and women today, 12 riders, so the group got strung out and we lost a chick somewhere between Rt 842 and Rt 322

on Creek Road

things I learned today:

1. when men ride with us, i will have to lay the law down, no one PASSES me, if you want to ride fast, bring the cue sheet and ride by yourselves out in front, if you cannot ride a Chick pace, find another group to ride with. we will get faster, just not right now.

2. never assume all the ladies are keeping up, MY ERROR

3. make sure chicks have my cell number, 484-678-0329, put it into your cell, again, my error

As I said, the group was big, our pace was not particularly fast but with hills it is easy to drop someone. And as i stated above, I will be stricter about the group rules with the men although I have had a few chicks do this as well.

When someone comes and rides out in front and raises the speed of the group, this is called Hijacking a ride, I will do better next time this happens. I apologize to the chick we lost and promise it will never happen again.

We were never too far from the boro so I am assuming said chicklet made it home ok.

Many times during the summer, people will join the Chicks and say things like:

i have been sick for 6 months, i think i will ride with u and then they proceed to hijack the ride.

or say they are out of shape when we all know they are not, and again, hijack the ride

so I am laying down the HAMMER now, when riding with me, you bike my pace and no faster, if u want to bike faster, fine, just do it in another group or bring the cue and bike out ahead

i am fine with that, i just dont want u out in front and then yelling back, which way?

cuz next time that happens I am sending you the wrong way!

we had one guy on the ride who had the cue memorized, again, I am fine with him out front as long as he understands we do not consider him part of the group and will not yell out to him if we want to stop

same applies for any chick way out in front, that is fine, just dont expect me to yell directions to you

and if yu plan on riding faster, just tell us at the beginning of the ride, so we know

well enough of my rant

practice what you preach

RIDE A BIKE, to the store or to work once in a while or better yet, come out and ride with the chicks. April 22 is Earth Day.

biking in chester county

You can travel a long ways and you will not find a nicer place to bike than Chester County. What makes the county unique is the amount of road networks. The amount of smaller back roads is not often found in many areas in the country. In Chester County you can bike and bike and travel many miles and never leave the county.

If you are still sitting on the fence about biking, just give it one try, take a look at the county and see how pretty it is. Many of the chick rides will head south of West Chester. But if you can, start biking now and plan on riding in the French Creek Iron Tour.

Northern Chester County is equally beautiful. So get out on your bike and learn about where you live.

get involved

Euri Wins Iron Hill Twilight Criterium Westchester P.A


The Iron Hill Crit is one sure fire fun way to see the town of West Chester in action. People come from all over to see this race. It gets published in the magazine Bicycling. And folks read about it. Last year I lead one of the Sunday rides. Mary Jane was with me as well and was our tour guide. We lead the Quaker Tour. We had a couple from Maryland with us. The following week this couple sent a letter to the editor saying how much fun they had in West Chester.

The race has a female and male race. The speed of these racers is something to see. If you are not completely thrilled with it, I will eat my hat.


Sign up to help man the BIKER CHICK CORNER. Thanks

Evening rides starting next thursday

April 23, 5:30 sharp at Hot Foot

20-25 miles, NOT a newbie ride, pace will be C level, 11-13 mph average, one stop

Newbie evening rides will be posted during the season, check blog

Evening rides are Show and Go, remember, if you want to know if I am showing, follow me on Twitter, RIDES will be Tuesday and Thursday evening, last minute changes will be on Twitter, you can also check Twitter on the blog as well at the Biker Chicks site.

YOU MUST HAVE a blinkie tail light, buy one and put it on your bike, NO blinkie NO ride, plain and simple

and wear something beside black! please, it gets dark, if you do not want to be hit by a car, make sure you SHOW on the road

Need volunteers, please read for details

Get ready for the 5th Annual Iron Hill Twilight Criterium; the professional cycling race in historic West Chester, Pennsylvania! The excitement grows as the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium once again joins the USA CRITS Championship series in a nationally-promoted series dedicated solely to criteriums.

On Saturday July 11th, 2009, the downtown streets of West Chester will be humming with excitement as a hundred professional and USCF licensed cyclist’s race 60 laps around a 1 mile circuit. At speeds of 35 mph, racers will jockey for position while navigating narrow streets and tight corners. All the action begins at the intersection of Gay and High Streets, the home of title sponsor Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant.

Once again, the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium promises a weekend of free fun for families. Cycling enthusiasts and spectators will be thrilled with the action-packed race schedule that starts at 5:15 pm. There are four races total: Amateur Men's, Kids' Race, Elite Women's and Pro Men's. The Pro Men's bracket will be the final race and starts at 7:45 pm. Racing will take place under the lights of the streets of downtown West Chester. Additionally, amateur races span Saturday afternoon, including a kid's race (for ages 3 - 14). On Sunday, riders of all levels will enjoy recreational bike tours starting at Hoopes Park in West Chester and traveling through the bucolic countryside of Chester County. Libby will be leading one of the rides, it was such fun last year,

You'll love the hospitality and charm of West Chester-with its hip shops and superb restaurants-as a backdrop to this captivating event! Don't miss this opportunity to see the world's top cyclists compete in this premier race!

Biker Chicks will be assigned the corner of W Market and S.Walnut, we need to monitor 4 corners, need 2-3 chicks per corner, husbands and older teenage children can help you. But 3 adults per corner and we need chicks there from 4:30 to race end.

To sign up, click here, make sure to write Biker Chicks for the space called organization, and make sure to email me and tell me that you signed up.

JUST DO IT, please please please, thanks thanks thanks!!!

YOU GET A FREE T-Shirt too, last year I had folks coming up to me and asking how they could get a Tshirt too!!!!

ride updates

remember, you must check the actual blog page for most recent updates, if getting the email feed of the blog, it takes 24 hrs for that to hit your email box,

Sunday's ride MAY be earlier than 1 pm, it all depends on weather

Twitter is the best way to get last minute updates, cuz you can get them to your phone and not have to be at the computer

simply sign up for Twitter, 2 chicks have figured it out, set all the privacy features, block followers and block your updates, you do not have to write anything on your page

but you need an account to get phone messages via Twitter

went out today and had a fabo ride, I did the Immaculata University Tour, great ride, 20 miles of easy riding

going out again tomorrow around 10:30 am, leave from my house and do the same ride

if not working, come on out

if following me on Twitter

remember to turn your devide ON to receive twits via your mobile phone, sent a twit this morning, if your device is turned ON you should receive it

LibsM

easier bike renting now available

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

New national online bike rental service launched today

CHICAGO, IL - April 14, 2009 - RentaBikeNow.com launches North America’s only coast-to-coast bike rental service that provides bikes, accessories and tours so travelers can easily ride bikes everywhere!

Through this service, millions of cyclists across the globe can easily reserve quality bikes online from hundreds of participating bike shops before they travel throughout the US and Canada.

Continue reading "New national online bike rental service launched today" »

pretty cool what street planning can do to make life fun for walkers and bikers

Good Streets

April 14th, 2009

Good Magazine recently ran an article on streets that includes a slick interactive interface looking at street interventions. They write:

It’s easy to forget that our streets are alterable. They weren’t set down by God on the eighth day; they were designed by human beings. Unfortunately, throughout the 20th century, most of the human beings designing our streets were traffic engineers. For the most part, they viewed the city from behind a windshield and saw the street as a problem to be solved for automobiles. The result is the American city that most of us know today: sprawling, traffic-choked, hostile to pedestrians and cyclists, dependent on a vast, never-ending flow of cheap oil, and deeply unsustainable.

Streets can and must be more than just a place for the movement and storage of private motor vehicles. The urban street of the 21st century will be a “complete street,” accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders alike. At the Livable Streets Initiative we are helping citizens re-envision streets as great public spaces. Take, for example, the busy intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and West 76th Street in Manhattan.

I like what they have to say and the dynamic presentation is really pretty cool. The intervention they show is fine; definitely an improvement but certainly nothing special. The truth is, a great city doesn’t need to have a bunch of exceptional streets. A great city needs a few great streets and many, many solid streetss (like the one shown). Anyway, hopefully we are headed toward improving OKC’s street network. Right now the city has very few solid streets for bikes and pedestrians, and not really any great ones, but we can change that fast if we decide to make it happen. With the reception that Speck’s recommendations have thus far received, I think this may be a real turning point for the city.

To see the rest of the Good Magazine livable street page: click here!

more twiiter stuff

some chicks are signing up, learned another thing

you can LOCK your home page and you can LOCK your page from followers

the account just allows you to be able to follow me and get ride updates to your phone

i think the Twitter system would be very handy on a bike ride in case of emergencies etc

would be a way to get a message out to many folks, just a thought

others may disagree

hope to see you ALL this Saturday

supposed to be 74 on Saturday

hey folks, so far the weather for saturday is warm and sunny, NOW YOU HAVE NO excuses for not showing up

i have a cue up but depending on who shows up, i may add miles since the day will be so nice

come on ladies, there is now no reason not to try biking

rides for week of April 13

Saturday morning, Hot Foot Meet Up

9:30 am 20-25 miles depending on who shows up, hoping for at least 10 chicks or more, GET YOUR BIKES out, come on, what the heck are you waiting for

same cue as last week

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pbW0Z11CjMtioVhhv57XoPg&hl=e

print it up and bring it

COME ON LADIES, other bike groups are huge on saturday, Chicks is small, had 3 men last week ride with me

LibsM (twit username)

getting followers for twitter

once you set up an account, click on settings, click on devices, set up your mobile phone to receive twits

and then navigate to your home page, click on "following", then set the device to ON

lets see how many of you can figure this all out,

remember, i did it, no reason you cannot do it, i have no training in computers, self taught, so you can do it too

i think the twitter twits announcing rides etc, then delivered to your phone is the best way to keep up on what is happening

come on ladies, lets get organized and get the twitter thing going

let me know when you figure out how to get the twits to your phone

LibsM my twit username, search for it, on twitter, then click follow and then keep going and get the phone thingie set up

ok, here is what i have learned so far about twitter

i have a username which is LibsM

if you sign up at Twitter, and get an account, yu can then sign up to follow me

and you can set the twitter to post to your phone

and get any last minute changes in a bike ride, or emergencies etc

it requires each to have a twitter account, no you do not need to do anything with your account except to follow me and get ride updates on your phone

i am going to suggest this scenario to the WCCC riders, it would be an easy way to hear about last minute rides etc

it DOES NOT require you to post anything on your account

you can use any name you want, i am following one chick now and from her username, you would have no idea who she was

you can also set your account to NOT be followed, again, all privacy settings in your account

so just a thought, i do think Twitter would the the way to go to keep abreast of bike ride information or to know if someone was on the road and in trouble

reminder of ride posted for Monday april 13

quick, what is that thingie in the sky??? have not seen it much this spring??

11 am at Shaws Bridge Park, 20-25 miles depending on who shows up, if interested in riding, send me an email, look to the right for Meet Ups link to find a map to Shaws Bridge Park

obviously no ride today

raining and all around yucky day, is spring ever coming???

here's to stinking, i quit deodorants cold turkey a while ago!

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Antiperspirants Possibly Linked to Breast Lumps

Written by Derek Markham

Published on March 10th, 2009

5 Comments

Posted in Health

High levels of aluminum have been found in breast lumps, says a study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, and some are linking those findings to the use of antiperspirants containing aluminum.

• » See also: Birth By Surgery: Can the C-Section Be “Natural”?
• » Get Eco Child’s Play by RSS or sign up by email.

The so-called ‘benign’ breast lumps contain high levels of aluminum, a substance unlikely to have entered the body through the diet. The aluminum in antiperspirants is used to block sweat ducts to reduce perspiration rates, and to neutralize odors from sweat.

Some research shows that those with a repeated appearance of benign breast lumps may be more likely to develop cancer, and has some women swearing off the use of deodorants and antiperspirants containing aluminum.

One cancer researcher, Philippa Darbre, of Reading University, is conducting a study of the levels of aluminum found in breast cysts, blood, and breast milk. Her research has found that levels of aluminum in cysts in the armpit area are 25 times the normal blood sample level.

“We don’t know what the mechanism involved might be, but this might be a wake-up call about the risks of anti-perspirants. Either women should stop using them or the manufacturers should look at ways of reformulating their products.” - Darbre

Claire Dimmer, of Breast Cancer UK, feels strongly that antiperspirants should not be used, and hasn’t used them herself for over 15 years.

“Aluminum is in most of them and it mimics the effect of estrogen, a hormone known to promote growth of breast cancer tumours” - Dimmer

The bodycare and cosmetics industry deny any connection between aluminum in antiperspirants and cancer, but then again, why would they want to admit that? Cancer researchers also claim no conclusive evidence between the use of these products and cancer.

Your best bet? Find a mineral-based deodorant and cut the risk. It’s not worth it.

found this on a blog

The Best Cycling Water Bottle: Biogreen BPA-Free Biodegradable Water Bottles

Biogreen has revolutionized the seemingly un-revolutionizable water bottle market by releasing a biodegradable, BPA-free water bottle. They're dishwasher safe, the break down in landfills, and they don't pump you full of endocrine disrupting bisphenol A*.

Biogreen makes the bottle in many sizes, from 14 ounces through 32 ounces.

On a personal note, I enjoy the product for several reasons. It's a quality water bottle that, unlike some cheap water bottles, doesn't leak out the top while you drink. Also, I don't have a dishwasher, so my water bottles get stinky after a short while. This allows me to chuck the old water bottle without being too much of a litterer. Finally, the bottles are cheap. A reusable 32-ounce bottle is approximately the price of three 32 ounce gatorades.

Click below to check out the 26oz. bottle

Click below to check out the 32oz. bottle

Click below to check out the 20oz. bottle

Twitter possibilities

chicklets

I have just started using Twitter, have not figured out all the ins and outs

but it would be a great way to get instant updates when folks go out for rides etc, apparently Facebook and Twitter are replacing email for many folks

my Twitter name is LibsM

i have no clue as to how you get updates from all of the folks you are following, if anyone wants to sign up for an account, do so and let me know your name and we can see how we can network

took me 2 days to figure out how to text to twitter but apparently i have with my last message

will Twit from my ride today, also may try to send a pic as well

libby

thursday april 9 looking good

so far weather looks great for thursday's SRT ride

meet at 11 am, Betzwood, will do a variety of rides to suit all

we will do a phoenixville ext ride for a total of 14 miles

then if yu want, you can bike to Manyunk border and make it a 35 mile ride

or we can bike to manyunk only, all the way and get lunch or not

whatever the group wants

GET YOUR bike if yu are home and come for a ride

gonna put a ride up for monday after easter

if the weather forecasts can be believed, friday and saturday before Easter do not look good,

will add a ride on Monday April 13, meet at Shaws Bridge Park at 11 am for a 20 mile ride

go to the right column on the blog and find the link for Meet Up maps, Shaws Bridge Park is there

Monday looks nice so far but who knows, but if it rains on Good Friday, and Saturday, I will be itching for a ride

so this Meet UP is a first and nice, there is a bathroom at the parking lot as well

click map to enlarge


View Larger Map

Squander

from the Free Online Dictionary-

To fail to take advantage of; lose a chance for

from Merriam Webster-

to lose (as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction or to

waste

Biker Chicks is giving ladies, young and old, a chance to bike with other ladies and learn a great great sport that will take you well into your 70s and 80s

many of you are too young to be thinking of this age zone but it is THE time for you to start to get some good hobbies to prepare yourself for retirement

folks who retire and have fun are folks who LIKE doing stuff, and it does not have to be expensive stuff

if you get yourself a good bike now while you are working, it can last a lifetime, you can always upgrade the parts once you have a good frame

many of you say you are just too busy to bike, well i have been biking since my kids were young, i used to go out myself on sunday mornings before anyone woke up, so i made time to bike

once my kids got old enough, i took them on bike rides, my hubby and I taught our kids how to have fun, we played a lot with our kids and mostly did cheap inexpensive stuff with them, we rarely spent big bucks on play

all the excuses many of you use for not biking are simply that - excuses

unless you make time now while you are working and young to find lifelong fun healthy hobbies

when you do retire, you are stuck, if all you do is work work work

when you stop working , you are just plain stuck and have no idea how to spend your time productively

you will never utter on your death bed, "i wish i had worked more"

my hubby and I are retired and we both have great physical activity hobbies,

we do not have to travel the globe to have fun, we simply enjoy our hobbies, we do them locally and save money that way

so back to the title SQUANDER

that is what you are doing by not taking this opportunity to bike and MAKE IT a habit

a once every 2 months bike ride is not a hobby

I cannot force you on a bike but trust me

there are few opportunities like this, where a lady is begging you to get on your bike and ride

enough said

get on your bike, got lots of rides coming, start biking, lose your fears, if you at home dieting and thinking, I am too fat to bike, i will wait till i lose some weight, you are kidding yourself

for one, I could care less what you look like, i dont care what you wear or how you look on your bike, all i care about is seeing YOU ON the bike



libby

rides for week of April 6

I am out of town till Wednesday, but depending on weather:

Thursday April 9 11 am Schuylkill River Trail

Saturday April 10 22-24 miles

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pbW0Z11CjMtioVhhv57XoPg&hl=en

also can be found on My Bikely at

23 mile route on outskirts of West Chester

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/25-mile-route-on-outskirts-of-West-Chester

great ride

4 guys, 3 gals, whattsup with that chicks??

we did 15 miles, very nice ride, everyone enjoyed it,

next saturday's ride will be 20, so ya got to come if ya want to ride with me this summer, trusty Ellen, my companion of many rides is always out,

last year, by August it was mostly just ellen and me and the men,

so dont wait around ladies for the perfect day or you will never ride

see you next saturday, cue and ride information to follow

ride for April 4, i will be there

it's 7 am and the temp right now is 43 with wind chill in the 30s

and the winds are very gusty, I will be up at the lot at 9:20 - I am picking up my WCCC jersey as they are being distributed

I will be prepared to ride but right now cannot guarantee I will go out, if I feel the winds are too much, I will not be going. Or if it is just too cold. Strong winds are not good on the bike and if it gusts to 50 mph, our safety would be an issue.

This is the best I can do right now, the decision to ride is always your decision and if i do not go, Frank may be heading out for his 32 mile ride. His cue though does climb a few large hills.

but right now it looks like a go

kinda off topic

not sure how computer savvy most of u are, but if you create a google account u get access to google DOCS.

for free, you get word processing, spreadsheet and powerpoint, all with the ability to collaborate

my cues will be published via Google Docs, if you have a google account, all of these cue sheets will then store on your google account,

very handy and eliminates the problems of document sharing when folks use different programs, also, if you open a Word document and do not have Word, google will automatically open the document through the Google word processing program,

plus you can access the docs from any computer since they are stored on google servers

take a look, very handy

and FREE

the need for speed

many many people I talk to are afraid to come bike with West Chester Cycling Club because of intimidation, you ask what are they intimidated about??

1. the gear, all that spandex and folks who all look like they all weigh nothing more than 100 lbs a piece
2. the bikes, so sleek so shiny, so expensive
3. so many men, so few chicks
4. how to know where to go when you arrive at Hot Foot lot
5. trying to keep up with the speeders, they go too fast for me
6. afraid of getting dropped by a group
7. everyone seems to know each other
8. they are so young
9. i am just plain scared
10. so i do not go

Well, you have the Biker Chicks now, look for me, tall, with a red bike, I stick out like a sore thumb, not hard to find me. There is no need for speed with the chicks, we do stop and rest. We take time to smell the roses.

So if looking to bike and afraid to try, come bike with the Chicks. Rides are open to women and men who want something different.

bring cue sheet to ride tomorrow

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pbW0Z11CjMtiCvtbjdsmqWg&hl=en

This is the link to the cue sheet for Saturday April 4 ride, print it and bring it tomorrow. Bring some cash and buy a cue sheet holder at Hot Foot. We take off at 9:30 am, so get there a little earlier to take care of business.

Yippeeeeeee

Starting on April 4th at 7am, MLK Drive will close to vehicular traffic on weekend days until 5pm. The lower end of the King Drive, from Eakins Oval to Sweetbriar Cut-Off, re-opens to vehicular traffic each weekend day at 12 noon.

In order to plan your weekend rides, here are the 2009 events scheduled for MLK Drive and Kelly Drive .

Fairmount Park will be posting these on their website in the next few days. Keep checking http://www.fairmountpark.org/MLK_Closure.asp

twitter up and running

check out twitter on right of this column, will use twitter for small announcements etc that are not blog post worthy, take a look

thanks

French Creek Iron Tour

French Creek Iron Tour site is up and running, register NOW. If you register early, you get a discount and a free T shirt.

Bike Jerseys will be able to be ordered but that web feature is not yet up and running at the French Creek Iron Tour site.

I am registered for the 50 miles. I did this ride last year with Elaine and Laura and it was a sensational ride. It was a little hilly but we took our time and did fine. There are nice rest stops along the way and they have police at busy intersections.

Make sure to have plenty of your own bike food and bike tire changing stuff with you. 2 spare tubes. I carry C02 and I have a good pump, so you just need to make sure you have tubes and FOOD and DRINK with you. We refill bottles etc at the rest stops.

Come on out. Would love to have a big group of chicks do this ride. Trust me, the scenery is worth it.