tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:35:52 +0000Veteran bicycle tourist Roger Kramer discusses his current rides, bicycle safety and advocacy issues and other issues of the day.http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/blog.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)Blogger919125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-8483073575279466947Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:48:00 +00002010-02-09T00:48:13.661-06:00Tour of MissouriIn a recent interview with KMOX-AM radio in St. Louis, Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder says the money should be in place soon for the 2010 Tour of Missouri, slated for Aug. 31-Sept. 6 Kinder, the biggest supporter of the race in state government, says the professional cycling event could still go on, even if state funding falls through, "It's possible, but it becomes much more challenging becausehttp://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/02/tour-of-missouri-kinder-remains-hopeful.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4378587206170143394Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:06:00 +00002010-02-07T13:51:19.911-06:00IllinoisbicyclesIf you've ever heard of Olney, Ill., you probably know it for its white squirrels -- albino squirrels that seemed to have found a permanent home in the Southern Illinois community. But did you know the town's known for bicycle distribution? I didn't until I read a story in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News about the community, located about 150 miles east of St. Louis. Here are at least six http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/02/olney-ill-known-for-white-squirrels-and.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-2401240267335703159Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:51:00 +00002010-02-05T00:51:01.214-06:00Katy TrailMissouriBicycle advocates concerned about the future of the Katy Trail won a victory Thursday when Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced that the Union Pacific Railroad has agreed to give the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad bridge that spans the Missouri River to the city of Boonville. The Union Pacific had planned to tear down the historic bridge and use the scrap metal to build a bridge across http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/02/bridge-saved-for-katy-trail-use.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-8397430629787809838Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:45:00 +00002010-02-01T12:45:12.526-06:00Tour de StoogesRegistration for the 2010 Tour de Stooges bicycle ride is open! The 13th edition of the Tour de Stooges takes place Saturday, May 1, at Lindendale Park in Highland, Ill. We've made it more economical to attend this year's ride. If you pre-register for the ride, the cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children 5-12 and $50 for a family pack (2 adults, 2 children). On the day of the ride, the cost ishttp://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/02/tour-de-stooges-registration-open.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-2086162992660571301Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +00002010-02-01T12:57:18.194-06:00St. Louis Regional Bicycle FederationMissouriIt's always fun to visit the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's annual Midwest Bicycle Expo & Swap, which took place today in Collinsville, Ill. It's always fun to catch up with my cycling friends and let people know about the upcoming Tour de Stooges. Although the number of vendors appeared to be down there -- I'm sure the recession had a lot to do with that --  Federation officials say http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/news-from-midwest-bicycle-expo-swap.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-289018338257605212Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:43:00 +00002010-01-24T18:43:29.017-06:00Belleville Area Bicycling Eating SocietyI'm a regular reader of Gene Bisbee's Biking Bis blog, but I somehow missed a recent post titled "Biking Bis Top 10 list of awesome names for bicycle clubs". To my surprise, the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society made the list! I wish I could take credit for our club's name and its mascot, Weinerman, but they already had been established when I started riding with the group in late http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/belleville-area-bicycling-and-eating.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4039288649479860085Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:50:00 +00002010-01-21T12:50:17.849-06:00St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federationtelevision I'm sure many a first-time tandem rider can relate to this video from KTVI-TV, Channel 2, in St. Louis. While doing a preview of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bike Expo & Swap Show (Jan. 31 in Collinsville, Ill.), KTVI personalities Tim Ezell and April Simpson attempted to ride a tandem down the studio's hallways. April's cries of fear and loathing are just precious! http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/tandem-travails.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-1372120618270664670Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:03:00 +00002010-01-20T22:03:23.641-06:00RAAMmoviescycling "Bicycle Dreams," Stephen Auerbach's documentary about the 2005 Race Across America, has been out for some time and has been reviewed by quite a few bloggers. It's my turn. I've written frequently about RAAM over the years, mainly because RAAM passes through the St. Louis area almost every year. I've always wondered what goes through the heads of anyone who would attempt to bike across Americahttp://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/review-bicycle-dreams.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-8588129406584989679Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:43:00 +00002010-01-20T16:43:28.186-06:00IllinoiscyclingracingHillsboro, Ill., may not be Paris, but it does play host to a bicycle race called the Hillsboro-Roubaix Road Race. The 9th annual edition of the race takes place April 10, and it's a qualifier for the Nature Valley Grand Prix, a June stage race taking place in Minnesota and Wisconsin. So why would a small Central Illinois county seat town about 60 miles north of St. Louis have a race named afterhttp://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/central-illinois-race-is-qualifier-for.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-584717570020661227Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:30:00 +00002010-01-18T13:33:07.223-06:00IllinoissafetytelevisionadvocacyUPDATED (JAN. 18): The parents of Matt Wilhelm. the Champaign-Urbana area cyclist who was killed in 2006 when he was struck by a car driven by a woman downloading cell phone ring tones, appeared on today's episode of Oprah Winfrey's TV show. Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm briefly described how their son died and how they worked to get Illinois laws changed, culminating in the texting ban that went http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/oprah-takes-on-distracted-driving.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4850597441415190192Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:54:00 +00002010-01-17T14:54:30.584-06:00IllinoisSt. Louis Regional Bicycle FederationMark your calendars for Jan. 31! The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's annual Midwest Bicycle Expo & Swap Meet once again visits the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Drive in Collinsville, Ill. The show takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and free for children 15 and under and for Federation members. $2 coupons are available at participating St. Louis-area bicycle shops.http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/midwest-bicycle-expo-swap-meet.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-2573322089765172560Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:50:00 +00002010-01-15T19:52:46.247-06:00IllinoisRoute 66advocacytrailsBicycle advocates in Macoupin and Montgomery counties are seeking your support of a proposal to convert a portion of an old alignment of historic Route 66 between Staunton and Litchfield, Ill., into a bicycle trail. This particular alignment -- the final alignment of Route 66 used before the completion of Interstate 55 -- was a four-lane divided highway between the two communities and also http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/meetings-on-route-66-trail.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-1501564169698745841Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:07:00 +00002010-01-06T21:07:42.150-06:00St. LouischaritiesTwo of St. Louis’s top cyclists will go head-to-head Saturday in an indoor race for charity. The inaugural Rollin’ for Charity Indoor 100 Bike Race will pit man versus woman and mountain bike versus road bike in a race to raise cash and ride 100 miles on bicycle rollers at Alpine Shop’s Kirkwood store. Chris Ploch, the reigning and four-time Missouri State NORBA Mountain Bike Champion, and http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/bicycle-battle-of-sexes.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-2120061861921287371Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:27:00 +00002010-01-04T00:27:45.431-06:00safetyadvocacyOne of my Facebook friends who just happens to be a St. Louis cycling advocate today brought to my attention a Facebook Page that doesn't take very kindly to bicyclists. The page -- There's a perfectly good path right next to the road you stupid cyclist! -- sadly has more than 31,500 fans. The picture shown here is the page's profile photo. Here's a message from the group, which appears to be http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/facebook-page-takes-aim-at-cyclists.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4476274899380485964Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:28:00 +00002010-01-01T14:28:27.907-06:00IllinoissafetyadvocacybicyclesWith the start of the new year, there are at least three new laws that go in effect today in Illinois that affect bicyclists. You're probably aware of two of the new laws -- a ban on text messaging while driving and a ban on cell phone usage in school and construction zones. You're probably not aware of the other law. As of today, no one under the age of 16 may operate a gas- or http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2010/01/new-laws-that-affect-illinois-cyclists.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4559376780365310309Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:43:00 +00002009-12-31T23:46:24.179-06:00videosIllinoisbicycles Here's a missing bicycle story with a happy ending out of Columbia, Ill.: Garrett Betts was driving on Illinois Route 3 in the Columbia area when his Christmas gift -- a $400 bicycle -- flew out of the back end of his pickup truck. Fortunately for Garrett, Steve Blosser saw the bike along the side of the highway on Christmas Eve. "I'm so happy to find it, that the little boy is getting his http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/feel-good-bicycle-story.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4181273747736032426Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:50:00 +00002009-12-31T23:43:41.434-06:00Tour of MissouriIn the past few years, I've taken the progressive political blog Fired Up! Missouri to task for its criticism of the Tour of Missouri. Rather than basing its arguments against state funding upon facts and critical thinking, it's been guilty to using hyperbole and loaded terms such as "French-style bicycle race" to attempt to make it points. But I have to laud Fired Up! Missouri for obtaining thehttp://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/tour-of-missouril-more-about-economic.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-4721943963377935437Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:26:00 +00002009-12-27T14:26:48.465-06:00IllinoisbicyclingadvocacyOnce again, the League of Illinois Bicyclists will be offering "Share the Road" license plates in honor of National Bicycle Month. The plates can be legally displayed on licensed Illinois vehicles during April and May. LIB is trying to take the concept one step further. LIB is pushing to make permanent, year-round "Share the Road" plates. Twelve already have the year-round plate, but LIB would http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/illinois-share-road-license-plates.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-1793744332149206618Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:59:00 +00002009-12-27T14:30:06.055-06:00safetycyclingadvocacyProfessional cyclist Phil Gaimon has created a series of cycling jerseys under the name Share the Damn Road. Phil says on his Web site he was "tired of being honked at, buzzed, and cussed out while he trained, and frustrated that the speed of motor vehicles made witty and insulting replies impossible. To solve that problem, he set out to create a line of jerseys that express what he's always http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/share-damn-road-jerseys.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-9009641086573983896Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:39:00 +00002009-12-24T11:51:48.000-06:00Merry Christmas! I hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas season! My present to my family this Christmas -- and by extension, all of you -- is a web site honoring my late brother, Wes Kramer. "Wes Kramer | A Retrospective: 1955-1986" includes a variety of his work from his high school and college days. Special galleries have been created for his major works, a series of pieces http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/my-christmas-present-memories-of-wes.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-3788062053527491408Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:23:00 +00002009-12-24T11:45:28.586-06:00bicycle ridesDays after writing about a naked protest ride in New York City somewhat thwarted by the East Coast blizzard, The Associated Press offers up another little gem about cyclists who wanted to make a statement. Police picked up two naked men on a late-night bike ride in a New Zealand town but let them off with a warning: Put on helmets. "They were wanting to experience total freedom," said Senior http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/moee-naked-fun-on-bicycles.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-8813072723022774488Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:33:00 +00002009-12-19T10:31:33.408-06:00advocacyBicycling advocates who oppose the elimination of a bicycle lane in one of New York City's Jewish neighborhoods are planning a nude protest bike ride. The Associated Press reports the removal of clothing is meant as a protest over the removal of a bike lane in Williamsburg, an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. The activists want to go topless in front of Hasidic residents who "can't http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/nude-bicycle-protest-planned-for-today.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-6232555879683228715Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:05:00 +00002009-12-18T14:49:27.447-06:00videosChristmas Thanks to The Veloist, I found this video of Team RadioShack "performing" an animated Christmas dance routine. Johan Bruyneel, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner are all part of the new Team RadioShack, professional cycling team for 2010. I hope all of you are enjoying the days leading up to Christmas, and for those who celebrate other holidays this time of year, I wish you the http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/team-radioshack-dances-for-christmas.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-7327556521745639809Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:54:00 +00002009-12-13T00:54:10.431-06:00Christmas A group that calls itself The Cycologists performed this rendition of "Good King Wenceslas" that was posted last year at YouTube. Tis' the season, so it's time to share this Christmas treat with you! The Australian-based Cycologists -- Linsey Pollak, Ric Halstead and Brendan Hook -- say on their Web page that all their music is made with bicycles, especially featuring: three clarinets made http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/can-you-do-this-with-your-bicycle-seat.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5276525.post-3707239797834265441Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:40:00 +00002009-12-06T23:40:39.783-06:00Illinois. trailsA new bicycle/pedestrian bridge is being planned for the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail along the Great River Road between Alton and Grafton, Ill. The (Alton) Telegraph reports that $263,508 of federal Scenic Byway funds will be used construct a bridge over Piasa Creek roughly halfway between Alton and Grafton. No timetable has been set for construction of the bridge. Currently, the trail crosses http://www.rogerkramercycling.org/HTML/2009/12/new-bikeped-bridge-planned-for-great.phpnoreply@blogger.com (Roger)2