Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
Here is Vol. 2, No. 1, of Wisconsin Bicyclist (Spring 1996).
by Arthur Ross, President of the BFW Board
The BFW Board and staff spent the unseasonably cold spring working on a number of projects. Two major projects will be reported on elsewhere in this paper_State Bicycle Plan development and the 1996 Governor's Bicycle Conference. The Conference in Milwaukee will provide an opportunity to meet many of BFW's Board members, six of whom will be presenting workshops on a variety of topics.
One of the more difficult things for the Board this winter was accepting Bill Hauda's resignation as Executive Director. Bill resigned effective April 30 to be able to concentrate on his business ventures. Bill will remain active with BFW, however, as he again serves on BFW's Board of Directors. We plan to announce BFW's new Executive Director at the Governor's Bicycle Conference.
A new membership campaign has begun, called Membership in a Bottle. Water bottles with BFW's logo and stuffed with a membership form and information on BFW are on display in several bicycle shops around Wisconsin. Purchase of these bottles includes the cost of membership in BFW. Send your friends to these shops to effortlessly join BFW, and be sure to thank the shops for their support.
The Board is always interested in hearing from members (and others) about issues of concern and about what is going on around Wisconsin. E-mail is a good way to get information to us as well as to communicate with other bicyclists. An e-mail list called BikeWisconsin has been established for this purpose. To subscribe to this list, send a message to majordomo@fuji.physics.indiana.edu. The body of the message should read:
subscribe bikewisconsin.
Let's get some good discussion going on issues of concern to Wisconsin bicyclists.
by Scott Rose, Red Biker
About fifty Madison bicycle advocates joined forces at noon on May 8 to roll out Madison's public bicycle program, the Red Bikes Project. With media from as far afield as Milwaukee committing the historic event to video tape and steno pad, we rolled the first thirty bright red beaters down the State Street hill from the Capital Square to the Library Mall, then turned around and cycled back up, leaving the bikes distributed at handy locations along the way. Plenty of cheers from passersby and open apartment windows greeted us, along with a healthy share of puzzled and unbelieving stares.
According to Project "spokes" person Jillian Corbett, the Project is going better than her wildest dreams for it. The business community signed on enthusiasticly, donating bicycles, paint, and bicycle maintenance. The bikes are now distributed all over the city, with sitings reported on the east, west, and south sides. Thirty bikes don't cover a city of 200,000 very well, but by the time you read this a second wave of bikes will have hit the streets. More waves will follow. And each week seems to bring news of a similar project starting up in another city, such as New York City!
Project volunteers are already planning for winter, when donated storage for the bikes will be needed. Some sites have already been identified, but more are needed. Seed money to produce a run of tee-shirts is also being sought. If you can help with either of these, contact the Red Bikes Project at 256-6340.
by Michael D. Barrett, BFW Board Member
Positive news on the PR front: Thanks to our dedicated advertisers, the Wisconsin Bicyclist has moved into the black and is now contributing to BFW programs. But in order for the partnership between the bike biz and bike advocacy to continue, we as cyclists need to patronize our supporters. Ride those rides, and shop those shops you find in these pages!
Positive news on the content front as well: We continue to receive well thought out and well written articles from a variety of perspectives. We have recently expanded our news coverage with the addition of a La Crosse correspondent (and BFW Board Member), Dan Herber (thanks, Dan!). We are always on the look out for bike news, features, thoughts, from all corners of the state. Please feel free to call me at (608) 245-1059 to inquire about submission guidelines or to offer any help whatsoever on improving the Wisconsin Bicyclist.
In addition to our regular departments (state report, point-counterpoint, health and fitness, etc) we have added a new department entitled Planning for Bicycles. Great Bicycling places don't just happen, they are planned...and planned well. Of course the corrollary to that is: Bad planning is bad for bicycling. But the point is, no place just happens. People interact with the place they live in and move through on a daily basis; as they carry on their daily lives, they order the space around them. Sometimes this is done with a great deal of reflection. Other times not. Planning for Bicycles will host a variety of authors who have reflected upon ordering space with a view to humanizing it; i.e., making it bikeable. If you have ideas along these lines, please feel free to drop us a line!
by Tom Huber, WisDOT Ped/Bike Coordinator
The State Bicycle Conference is looking to be one of the best state bicycle conferences in the nation. Speakers from throughout North America will be in attendance. Four different tracks will be offered: Facilities, Planning & Development; Education, Enforcement & Safety; Bicycle Advocacy; and Recreation & Tourism Development. Information: Tom Huber, (608)267-7757; or WisDOT, Box 7913, Madison, WI. 53707-7913; e-mail: thuber@mail.state.wi.us
by Richard Schwinn, BFW Board Member
Bicycle advocacy groups world-wide often face questions on helmet use and helmet use legislation. The BFW board has begun to grapple with this question. Through these articles the board raises issues surrounding the "helmet" question and seeks the thoughts of members in order to craft a sensible position statement.
It is hard to imagine advocating cycling without advocating safe cycling. However, many groups whose support we need view our position on helmet use legislation as a barometer. They want to know whether we advocate "safe cycling" or just "more cycling". Do we risk losing their support or risk the consequences of poor legislation?
We can resolve this dilemma by stating the problem in a way which puts helmet legislation in perspective - as a tool toward a broader goal - not the goal itself. With that in mind, consider the following possible position statement:
Fundamental to the mission of the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation is a commitment to safe bicycling and a reduction in injuries and deaths from cycling-related accidents. Achieving a safer environment for cyclists requires significant progress in a number of areas:
- Safer places to ride.
- Better training for cyclists, and those who share roads and trails with cyclists.
- Encouraging the use of appropriate equipment to reduce injuries and prevent accidents,including helmets, lights, proper eyewear, fenders and bicycles in good mechanical condition.
- Helmet Use. As part of its overall commitment to safe cycling, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin supports a goal of 100% helmet use by cyclists of all ages. The most important factor in achieving 100% helmet use is to untertake an intensive campaign to educate the public on the importance of helmet use. The next most important factor is to increase the acceptance of helmet as a desirable part of riding - through improved designs and better promotion.
- Helmet Legislation. Helmet legislation may be able to accelerate the achievement of 100% helmet use under the following conditions:
- It includes funding for an extensive helmet use campaign.
- It applies to all members of the public.
- It includes adequate funding for helmet law enforcement.
- Public acceptance of helmet use has reached a point where we can rely on citizens to aid in the encouragement of helmet use.
With this position, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin puts helmet use in its place - as one of several important factors in achieving a safe riding environment. We support the efforts of those who wish to help us increase helmet use. Hopefully we can channel this energy in a way which contributes to the overall safety for cyclists.
by Arthur Ross, BFW Board Member
The obvious goal of "100 percent helmet use" is to prevent injuries and save lives. While helmets can reduce the severity of injures when crashes occur, helmet use does nothing to prevent bicycle crashes from occurring in the first place.
Merely promoting helmet use does nothing to improve the riding environment, the education of motorists and bicyclists, the enforcement of existing traffic laws for both bicyclists and motorists, or to encourage more people to use bicycles for transportation, health and fitness. The most successful traffic safety initiatives combine each of these elements - Engineering, Education, and Enforcement - into a comprehensive program.
Engineering improvements include adding width to streets in the form of paved shoulders, wide curb lanes or bike lanes, and well designed and located bike paths. These efforts can both reduce the number of crashes and resulting injuries, and encourage more people to ride bicycles.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is in the early stages of developing a State Bicycle Plan. BFW is involved in the development of this Plan. Local Bicycle Plans have been adopted by most of the urban area's Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO's) in the past year or two. Few of these plans have been in place long enough to see whether they will be implemented or if they will sit on shelves gathering dust (for example, the State Legislature's budget for WisDOT reduced funding for bicycle projects, which will slow down implementation of these plans). Thus, while we might be on the verge of significant physical improvements for bicycling, it too soon to tell whether these efforts will be successful.
Educational promotions can help reduce the animosity between bicyclists and motorists, and thus increase the safety/reduce the stress of bicycling. Education can also increase the percentage of bicyclists using helmets, and wearing them correctly.
However, most bicycle education programs are aimed at children. Adult bicyclists must actively seek out the few programs, such as Effective Cycling, that are available. Meanwhile, driver's education programs pay scant attention to sharing the roads with bicyclists.
Enforcement is usually targeted at the most flagrant violations, both for motorists and bicyclists. Enforcement of traffic laws in general does not seem to be a high priority in Wisconsin. For example, Wisconsin's seat belt law can only be enforced secondarily, that is, if the driver is pulled over for some other violation first. So it comes as no surprise that seat belt use in Wisconsin is only around 60 percent several years after passage. What does this imply for bicycle helmets?
Enforcement could be considered education for the slowest learners and tends to be most successful when there is a high level of compliance to begin with. High levels of compliance are achieved by creating laws which make sense, building facilities which are easy and safe to use, and educational campaigns to make sure that most people understand the laws.
Wisconsin is not ready for a bicycle helmet use law. Too many of the pieces are either missing or in early stages of development. We should promote helmet use by all bicyclists at all times while we are pursuing other goals. Increasing the voluntary level of bicycle helmet use is an important goal that all bicyclists should embrace.
A final note: Governor Thompson signed AB 96, the "Bicycle Bill" on February 16th. This bill greatly improves State laws concerning bicyclists' rights and responsibilities. We have an excellent opportunity to educate the public on issues related to bicyclist safety. Bicycle helmet use should be included in efforts to educate the public on the changes brought about by passage of AB 96.
by Paul Kachelmeier
Small communities can do a lot to promote the use of bicycles for recreation and commuting, from planning routes to accommodate bicycles, to promoting bicycle use and providing programs on bicycle safety. In the City of Monona where I live and work, a number of these things have been done to encourage the use of bicycles for recreation and transportation.
Every year the local Monona Grove Optimist Club puts on a bicycle safety program in the Spring for kids. This program just completed its fifth year sponsored by the Optimists, and has served about 50 children each year.
The Monona Community Recreation Department held its first "Ride Your Bike to Work/School Day" this year for May Bike Month to encourage commuters to ride their bike to work or to school that day. A breakfast was held at Winnequah Park for bicyclists to fuel up before riding off to work or school in Monona or neighboring communities.
Monona is on the popular Lake Loop Bike Route around Lake Monona. A portion of the route through Madison and Monona by Olbrich Park detours 5 or 6 blocks around a sidewalk on Monona Drive. This provides a route on a paved path and on local low traffic streets, avoiding congestion on Monona Drive and the sidewalk along this section of Monona Drive. Monona and Madison have worked together to identify this alternative route and place signs along the route to inform bicyclists of its location.
Bike lanes are being placed along some newly reconstructed streets. With the construction of the South Beltline through Monona in the late 80's, U.S. Highway 12 & 18 has been relocated from East and West Broadway. The City of Monona is reconstructing Broadway with bike lanes between the curb and traffic lanes. When completed, this section of Broadway will have bike lanes from Highway 51 west to Bridge Road.
Paul is a planner for the City of Monona, and - in his real life - an avid runner and cyclist.
by Tracy Zafian
Many industries raise prices when the demand for their goods and services is high, and lower them for periods when the demand is lower. For instance, airlines raise their prices for holiday travel. It costs more to make a telephone call during standard business hours than later at night. Movie theatres charge less for matinee shows.
One arena without little differential pricing is automobile travel. Our society charges drivers the same low roadway user fees (such as tolls) no matter what time of day they are traveling. Drivers, therefore, have little financial incentive to shift their travel times away from peak periods. One incentive is to reduce the amount of unproductive time wasted sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. However, so far most people continue to commute on congested roadways rather than travel at a different time or choose a different mode such as bicycling or transit.
As suburbs sprawl outward, peak time roadway congestion becomes worse. For many communities, the first response is to build bigger highways with more capacity to meet the growing demand. This choice is expensive and environmentally unsound. More highways actually compound the problem in cyclical fashion, creating more demand that then requires more supply, and so on. In short, more roadways can never be an effective long-term solution.
Having come to that realization, some communities are trying a different approach, known as congestion pricing. This approach requires roadway users to pay more for peak-time use. Instead of continually building more supply through new roadways, it attempts to shift demand to off-peak periods. It also makes "freeway" drivers more aware of the subsidies with which they are routinely provided.
The first private congestion-priced roadway opened in January in Southern California. The roadway is four lanes wide and 12 miles long, running in the median of the eight-lane public highway between Riverside and Orange Counties. High occupancy vehicles with at least three occupants, zero-emission vehicles, public buses, and vehicles with a disabled license plate can use the private roadway for free. All other vehicles pay tolls according to the time of use. The price difference between peak and off-peak times is a few dollars, but if demand during peak times grows to the point that the roadway becomes congested, tolls will increase further.
At the current time, researchers have only preliminary results involving the impacts of this pricing scheme. The results suggest significant alleviation of congestion. A study of travel patterns on the route prior to congestion pricing indicated an average peak one-way travel times of 93 minutes for single occupancy vehicles and over 100 minutes for high occupancy vehicle travel time. Congestion pricing has significantly cut travel times on both the private and public highways and has also encouraged carpooling. With the current prices, peak-time carpoolers save $5 per day or $1,200 per year.
Congestion pricing programs are being tried in other locations as well. Programs have been implemented in Norway and Singapore, and are being considered in a number of other European cities. As of December 1995, 16 U.S. cities had developed proposals for pilot projects. Seven, including the Twin Cities, have received Federal Highway Administration funds to conduct feasibility studies of congestion pricing.
In the long run, congestion pricing programs will achieve more than improved traffic flow and additional toll revenue (estimates for Twin Cities are $1.2 million in additional revenue daily). Over the long-term, proponents of these programs hope for more carpooling, increased use of other travel modes, decreased vehicle use, and reduced air pollution.
If congestion pricing programs are implemented, there is some potential for adverse impacts, such as the economic burden placed upon low-income households. Heads of such households may lack flexibility in their job locations and hours and may be unable to afford congestion pricing costs. However, some congestion pricing schemes include proposals to rebate congestion toll costs paid by low-income workers.
In some areas, there is limited access to transit. Even where transit and other alternatives are available, given Americans' love affair with the automobile, people may still choose to drive single-occupancy vehicles, even with congestion and roadway usage fees.
by Tracy Zafian
Over the past twenty years, Seattle has developed one of the largest and most successful bikes on buses programs in the country. All 1,200 Seattle Metro buses now have bike racks, as do 20 percent of the 600 vehicle vanpool fleet. Seattle Metro will fit additional vanpool vans with bike racks upon request. The bus bike racks hold up to two bicycles, and the vanpool racks from 2 to 4 bicycles. Seattle Metro has over a quarter of a million bike rack users per year.
This program has been successful, in part, because of its large promotion and information campaigns, including brochures on the program overall, and instructions on how to load and unload bikes from the racks. Information is also available over the Internet.
The program has not been without a few problems. For one, drivers have difficulty seeing the bike racks, which are mounted on the front of the buses. As a result, sometimes the racks have gotten damaged. Also, sometimes the bus racks are full, since they only hold two bikes, and cyclists end up waiting for the next bus. Lastly, some people forget to take their bikes with them when they get off the bus. In response, Seattle Metro developed educational programs and brochures to address lost and found as well as safety issues for those removing and loading bicycles.
The Seattle Metro experience is a good one to consider when developing bikes-on-buses programs for your community.
by Mona Connors
The May 18 race date kicked off the season with a 20 mile challenge on some of the best Mountain bike trails in the Cable Area. The race followed a point to point route in and around the Chequamegon National Forest and the Bayfield County Forest along Northwestern Wisconsin's famous CAMBA trails. The race began at The Lakewoods located 7 miles east of Cable on County Road M and ended in the downtown Cable area. The race described by some of the racers as "very well organized" included bus transportation to the start and food stations along the way. Cash prizes were awarded to the overall top male and female winners and trophies to the winners of each of the age groups. There were 184 entrants in this first annual Cable Area Off Road Classic. A Sunday, May 19 tour was also offered at a nominal fee to those wishing to explore the Cable and Namekagon areas further.
The Wisconsin DNR is seeking public comment on a proposed state trails action plan that will include a map much like this one. The proposed plan does not specify when the trails would be developed, who would own and operate them, what uses would be permitted on them. For more information or to express your opinion on the plan, contact Dennis Kulhanek in the DNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation, PR/1, P.O. Box 7921, Madison WI 53707, e-mail: kulhad@dnr.state.wi.us, (608)266-7948, TDD: (608)267-2752.
by Rebecca Cleveland
As the temperature outside slowly rises, so does the amount of time many of us spend cycling on quiet roads throughout Wisconsin. Unfortunately, as we head out of town in search of less travelled roads, we often find ourselves faced with needless adversity: loose dogs charging after us. Even if a dog does not bite, their charging may cause them to get caught up, under, or in a bike's wheels resulting in abrupt accidents with severe injuries to both dog and cyclist. During a recent ride, I had the misfortune of encountering seven loose dogs from four different properties in eastern Brown County. I knew I could go head to head with the dogs in a sprint, or get off my bike and use it to block the barking dogs as I slowly walked away. This time I played it safe and got off my bike.
But no Wisconsin bicyclist should have to make such decisions. Since 1979, the State of Wisconsin has had clear laws about restraining dogs. Included in those laws is the following: State Statute 174.024 Dogs running at large and untagged dogs subject to impoundment and penalties. 1- A dog is running at large when it is off the premise of its owner, and not under contol [either restraint by leash, an enclosure, or in the house] of its owner or some other person. 2- An officer shall attempt to capture and restrain any dog running at large. 3- Owners who negligently permit dogs to run at large will be fined up to $200.
People in this state have had 17 years to adjust to this law, yet many dog owners and towns ignore it, creating dangerous situations for dogs and for the cyclists, runners, walkers, and in-line skaters who have the legal right to safe travel down any road without threat of being chased or attacked by loose dogs. Obligated by this law are the dog owners who must responsibly restrain their dogs, the towns who must enforce this law in a serious manner when complaints are received, and cyclists who need to report any threatening situations encountered while riding. The next person to travel down that road may be a child who does not know how to protect themselves. Do not wait until an unrestrained dog causes serious injury before you take action.by Pamela S. Barrett, PT, ATC
Around this time of year, many cyclists start to experience knee pain which becomes a nagging problem during long rides, training sessions and competition. Often, this pain will begin as a subtle, post-ride ache which turns into a problem that doesn't seem to go away on its own.
While there are many reasons for knee pain (injury, surgery, immobilization), pain that gradually creeps into your daily rides is normally due to overuse, poor bike fit, poor body mechanics or a combination of these. Overuse injuries can occur when an athlete performs a repetitive task that taxes a specific set of muscles and sustains that activity beyond the muscles' current capacity. In cycling, that task is pedaling, which requires the athlete to use most of the muscles of the lower extremities. In order to increase strength in any muscle it must be challenged to its capacity regularly. When a muscle's capacity is regularly exceeded for extended periods you may not only experience muscle soreness but also joint soreness. This can lead to altered mechanics at that joint (in order to avoid pain) which may intensify the problem.
One commonly diagnosed cause of knee pain is patellofemoral syndrome. In normal cycling, every time a cyclist pushes down on the pedal the quadricep muscles (the big muscles at the front of the thigh) contract causing the patella to move up and down in that groove. Patellofemoral syndrome occurs when the patella (knee cap) is "tracking" improperly in the groove at the lower end of the femur (thigh bone); i.e, the patella repetitively rubs the femur and eventually results in pain. Improper "tracking" may be caused by a structural anomaly or muscle imbalance that can often be traced to bike fit or riding technique.
Proper bike fit and riding technique are essential preventive measures for knee pain. Quality bicycle retailers will have personnel trained to observe your riding position and then recommend appropriate adjustments to stem height, as well as seat and cleat positioning. Less experienced riders should spend some time with a skilled rider who can observe their riding technique, including gear selection and pedaling cadence. Most beginners tend to use fewer of their gears and pedal at far too low a cadence. Low pedalling cadences require riders to strain too hard with each pedal revolution. Higher pedalling cadences spread the effort out over many revolutions. Casual cyclists should strive for 70 to 80 rpm. Competitive cyclists should strive for 80-120 rpm. There is a reason (besides marketing) for those 21 gears on new bikes these days - use them!
Treatment: If there is no obvious swelling in the knee, but pain and stiffness are present, there is at least trace swelling. The use of ice packs over the knee for 15-20 minutes at a time, on a regular basis, can greatly decrease discomfort. Ice numbs the area and serves as an anti-inflammatory. The use of ice 2-3 times per day, especially directly following bouts of activity, will decrease and prevent swelling.
A painful knee usually progresses to become a "tighter" and weaker knee. The natural tendency is to rely more heavily on the healthy knee in an attempt to rest the knee that hurts. This leads to a gradual decrease in quadriceps strength. Gentle stretching of both the quadriceps and hamstring muscle should become a daily routine in order to maintain good knee joint flexibility. Stretches should be done gradually (without bouncing) and sustained for at least 30 seconds. A gentle pulling sensation is expected but stretching should not be painful. Quadriceps strengthening should also be undertaken, but again, all strengthening activities should be painfree. Slow straight leg raises, quarter wall slides (see above diagram) or quarter squats may serve as strengthening tools. Seated knee extension machines should be avoided (especially end range knee extensions) as they are extremely stressful for the knee joint. Deep squats or activities that require extreme knee flexion should also be avoided.
Finally, knee pain incurred secondary to trauma or severe knee pain should be evaluated by a physician in order to determine that the structural integrity of the knee has not been affected and that continued use of the knee will not lead to further damage.
The knee is crucial to vigorous cycling. Take care of even the mildest twinge of pain at the outset, before it becomes a chronic problem.
by Dan Herber, BFW Board Member
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for the La Crosse Metropolitan Planning Organization has begun implementing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan which was adopted by the MPO in November of 1994. The committee, the only one in the state to continue after the passage of a bicycle plan element, represents two cities, two villages and four townships in the La Crosse region. The La Crosse region ranks second only to Madison in statewide rankings for human-powered transportation activity. The bike/pedestrian plan was prepared with the help of Teri Musser, a nationally published bicycle planner with the firm Bicycles &, Inc. The plan's vision: "To actively encourage human-powered transportation for the purposes of promoting the health, safety, welfare and economic stability of the Coulee Region, and to specifically become a nationally known human-powered transportation hub."
The Wisconsin/Minnesota MPO conference was held in May in La Crosse. Conference participants (local, regional, statewide engineers and planners) were treated to a presentation by Michael Ronkin, Oregon DOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator [Oregon has been planning and designing for bicycles for over 25 years]. The conference concluded with a bus tour of regional planning issues, including facility improvements for bicycles from Minnesota to Wisconsin. Kudos to La Crosse City Planner Lawrence Kirch for making sure bicycle planning was an integral part of the conference!
Construction has begun on a pedestrian/bicycle/snowmobile bridge which will link the Great River Trail and La Crosse River Trail over an active rail line in La Crosse. The bridge project represents a collaborative effort between the WDNR and WDOT and will serve to improve both commuter, utilitarian and recreational bicycling opportunities in the La Crosse area.
by Michael D. Barrett, BFW Board Member
Battles over the Law Park/Convention Center/John Nolen Bike Path continue to rage. Poorly placed concrete barriers, stop signs and poorly marked lanes characterized the situation under the convention center until a barrage of internet messages off of the local "bikies" discussion group filtered over to city staff. Staff took an "official" bike tour of the scene and immediately took steps to clarify intersections where cyclists and construction traffic meet. Local advocates are still very concerned about the final route and the potential for ped-bike conflicts.
Olin Park Railroad Crossing is the latest in poorly designed bike facilities. As reported here in the last issue, the original track crossing was at the appropriate 90 degree angle; the latest version is at a 45 degree angle in order to accommodate a new park entrance for the speed boat set. Madison DOT finds justification for the dangerous angle in their Highway Builders' guidebooks.
Madison Ped-Bike Subcommittee President and Bicycle Transportation Alliance of Dane Co. Steering Committee Member, Tim Wong, has been actively campaigning to keep motorized vehicles off of the Isthmus Bike Path and the Wirth Ct. Bike Path. New "No Motorized Vehicle" signs have gone up on the former, but Wong and others continue to observe massive mud tracks all along the route.
Dane County Regional Airport has recently announced plans to cut off Messerschmidt Rd. in order to expand the runway north. Ostensibly, the plan is to reduce noise for neighborhoods south of the airport. People in the flight path however, suspect the expansion is a ruse to bring in 747's (thus negating any noise reduction accomplished by moving the runway north a few hundred feet). For cyclists in the northeast side neighborhoods, this will mean a detour of 1.5 miles in order to commute to the burgeoning commercial and office facilities near the new American Family complex north of US 151, along I-90/94. According to the FAA, 1.5 miles is "not significant" to bicycle commuters. FAA further justified cutting the route off because it was not "a designated bike route on the Madison Bikeway System Map." - despite the fact that the route is not within the city limits of Madison and despite the fact that the map was never intended to be used as a tool for eliminating cyclists from any right of way.
by Peter Flucke,WE BIKE, BFW Board Member
On May 11, 1996, the Brown Country portion of the Mountain Bay recreational trail officially opened with a ceremony at the Pulaski polka grounds. Approximately 200 people attended the trail opening. The trail is now part of the state trail pass system and passes will be required beginning in June.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Brown and Manitowoc Counties are exploring the possibility of developing a recreational trail on the Fox Valley/Western Railroad Grade from the Village of Denmark in Brown County to the community of Rockwood in Manitowoc County. The 14 mile long grade is coming up for abandonment and would make an excellent addition to the state trail system.
by Jim Guthrie, BFSEW
Southeastern bicycle activists have been burning the candle at both ends getting ready for the State Bicycle Conference in June.
The Bicycle Federation of Southeastern Wisconsin continues to hold monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 7PM at the home of Jim Guthrie, 909 W. Glendale Avenue, Glendale. The BFSEW is currently evaluating if that's the best time for the meetings; contact Jim Guthrie at (414) 967-9699.
by Bob Gaie
Oconto County in northeastern Wisconsin stretches from the shores of Green Bay into the Nicolet National Forest. As you travel north, open fields give way to rolling/hilly woodlands. Shaded roads, streams and lakes dominate, providing an ideal landscape for canoeing, hiking, bicycling and, in winter, cross-country skiing.
An extensive network of paved roads offers many choices to the cyclist; many gravel roads offer the fat tire cyclist access to some of the most scenic areas of the Nicolet Forest. Some of our favorite routes include:
Oconto County Roads are generally in good condition. This, along with the rolling terrain and low traffic counts, make them ideal for the bicyclist. Both National Forest and private campgrounds are numerous and motels are available. Contact the Wintergreen Inn at 715-276-6885 for Oconto County bicycling information.
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member and President WE BIKE
On June 26th, 1996 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton, Wisconsin the Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Bureau of Transportation Safety will be offering a one day training session on the implementation and use of the Road Hazard Identification Project. This specialized training is for people who are in a position to develop and coordinate an on-going area/community program designed to identify and correct bicycle-specific road hazards. Areas of instruction will include hazard identification and repair, attracting and training volunteers, working within the political system, advertising, developing community support, use of the project computer software and much more. Participants will receive all materials needed to implement the project. The instructor for the course will be Peter Flucke, president - WE BIKE, project creator and pilot coordinator.
This training is free and includes lunch and breaks. For more information call Joan Fernan at (608) 266-1972. A one hour overview session of the Road Hazard Identification Project will also be presented on Friday June 12, 1996 at the 1996 Governor's Bicycle Conference in Milwaukee.
by Marcia Miquelon
Looking for a 1978 Stronglite crank? In search of a vintage pedicab from Southeast Asia to toodle your sweetheart around in next Valentine's day? Care to take a stroll down bicyling's memory lane as you shop for the latest in mountain bike technology? However eccentric or utilitarian your pedal powered needs may be, chances are good that Roger Charly, will have just what you're looking for.
Roger is the proprietor of Budget Bicycle Center in Madison. Currently occupying nine buildings, and with over six thousand new and used bicycles in stock, Budget could very well be the Midwest's largest bicycle shop. Growth alone, however, has never been its owner's sole motivation. Roger Charly is committed both to preserving bicycling's rich past, and to promoting its future.
Born not far from where his shop stands today, Roger's business is the result of a lifelong fascination with bicycles. After building his first bike at the age of eight, it was only a short time before he became a bicycle entrepreneur, fixing up used bikes in his family's garage and selling them around town.
Halfway through an MBA at UW Madison, Roger realized that he didn't want to end up working for corporate America, and he turned his attention to the bicycle business. In 1979 he opened a small shop off Regent Street. In the decade and a half since, he has quietly expanded his empire to include separate shops for new and children's bikes, used bikes, parts and accessories and, his latest addition, a specialty tandem and recumbent store. Other buildings are used for bicycle repair and assembly, and for storage of an astounding volume and variety of bicycles, parts, and odds and ends. "I don't believe in throwing anything away," Roger claims. "I like recycling."
Roger also has a penchant for collecting things, and a love of history. He has a personal collection of around ninety old and rare bicycles, many of which are displayed on the walls and ceilings of his various showrooms.
Another part of his doctrine is serving his customers and the community. In practice, this can range from individually test riding each of the 4000 new and used bicycles he sells each year, to taking twenty minutes out of a busy day to search for parts for a beat up old Schwinn which Floyd, who's known him since he was a teenager, is fixing up for a neighbor. Lately, Roger's community service has extended to bicycle advocacy.
Not only is he a member and financial supporter of advocacy groups such as the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, the Wisconsin Off-Road Bicycle Association and Madison Female Off-Road Cyclists (MadTrail FORCs), he also volunteers his time at Bike to Work day, at the Madison Bicycle Coalition's farmer's market info table, and on Wisconsin Bicyclist distribution days. Additionally, he has donated hundreds of used bicycles and workspace to local community cycling initiatives such as Wheels for Winners and Red Bikes.
Roger understands that the future success of his business depends on the preservation of safe and enjoyable places to ride, and on the promotion of bicycling in all transportation arenas.
When asked about his overall vision for his business, Roger answers somewhat indirectly: "You know, I keep thinking I ought to have a grand opening celebration for this place, but then I look around and I realize I'm not finished yet. There's still so much I want to do."
Indeed, with only 0.7% of all trips being made by bicycle nationwide, it seems that Roger, along with every other bike shop owner in the nation, has enough work to keep him busy for a lifetime.
by Angela Graf
On June 22, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) hosts its second annual bicycling event, the Return of the Ragin' Rooster Road Race & Two Tours Too! The Ragin' Rooster is a recent addition to the MREA's annual Energy Fair held during the summer solstice at the Portage County Fairgrounds in Amherst, Wisconsin. The Ragin' Rooster event promotes transportation alternatives, renewable fuels, physical and mental health through exercise, and more sustainable and energy efficient lifestyles.
The Ragin' Rooster is unique as a bicycling event because it blends the ideas of renewable resources and bicycling. Unlike timing systems for other bike races, the Ragin' Rooster's runs on solar power from a bank of photovoltaic solar panels. Even the pace car uses a renewable fuel: ethanol produced from crops in the Midwest. New for tourists this year is a guided bike tour of area homes powered by alternative energy. Cyclists will tour through state-of-the-art, energy-efficient homes that use renewable energy for heat and power.
All registered cyclists receive free, one-day admission to the Energy Fair (plus a Ragin' Rooster T-shirt and water bottle, food and refreshments, and a chance to win nearly $1500 worth of prize merchandise). Now in its seventh year, the MREA Energy Fair is the largest fair of its kind in the country. It showcases the latest products and information on renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Most cyclists are already keenly aware that autos are a major contributor to air quality problems. What they may not realize is that even though auto emission rates per mile have decreased over the last two decades, an enormous increase in vehicle use has offset these reductions. Besides being a principal source of harmful emissions with significant environmental impacts, our conventional transportation system drains the national economy and consumes vast amounts of land and non-renewable energy. It is a transportation system that is neither environmentally nor economically sustainable. The goal of the Ragin' Rooster event is to have fun while promoting environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable ways of meeting our transportation needs. Info: (608) 224-0381.
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member and President WE BIKE,
Are you ready to teach safe bicycling to children, your children? Have you been trained to do this most important of jobs? Do you need training? Before you begin teaching safe bicycling to any child you should be able to pass the following quiz with a score of 100%.
Unfortunately, many people who are currently teaching bicycle safety to children do not do well on this quiz, how did you do? Balancing a bicycle is relatively simple but it is not riding a bicycle. Bicycling is a skill and takes knowledge and practice to do properly and training to teach.
This year more than 80 people (police officers, public health nurses, parks and recreation professionals, advocates and others) participated in the Sixth Annual Teaching Safe Bicycling Workshops. The workshops were held in April in Keshena, Janesville, and Menomonie and gave students the skills, knowledge and resources that they needed to answer the above questions and teach safe bicycling to children. The instructors for this years workshops were Arthur Ross, Bicycle/Pedestrian coordinator for the city of Madison, and Peter Flucke, president of WE BIKE.
Each year the workshops are held in three to four locations throughout the state and can accommodate up to 150 participants. If you haven't attended in the past and you are involved with bicycling and children, plan now to attend next year. For info, contact JoAnne Pruitt Thunder at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Bureau of Transportation Safety at (608) 267-3154.
Answers:
by Tom Huber, WisDOT Ped/Bike Coordinator
State Bicycle Plan. Four meetings of the State Bicycle Plan Advisory Committee have been held over the past three months. This committee has just completed a draft of the State Bike Plan's mission statement, goals, objectives, and action statements. This committee, which includes members of several bicycle advocacy groups, is an important form of public and stakeholder involvement in the plan's development. If you are interested in reviewing and commenting on sections of the plan yourself, please contact me.
State Bicycle Map. The halfway point in completion of the update of the state bicycle map has been reached. Comments from bicycle organizations and individuals have been received (many through readers of this newsletter - thanks!) and are being considered with other traffic data to evaluate the bicycle riding conditions on all state and county highways. Large maps drafted by Bicycles & Inc. (WisDOT's consultant) will be displayed for comments at the State Bicycle Conference in Milwaukee. These maps will then be sent to WisDOT District offices and counties for their comment and consideration. The new Wisconsin Bicycle Map will be available in Spring of 1997.
Information: Tom Huber, (608)267-7757; or WisDOT, Box 7913, Madison, WI. 53707-7913; e-mail: thuber@mail.state.wi.us
by JoAnne Pruitt Thunder
DOT-BOTS was honored May 1 at the Conference of the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin with their corporate award for our injury prevention activities and public information and education efforts. There were other awards recognizing individuals who contributed to the rehabilitation of those with brain injury or who promote prevention in programs like helmet use and rider/driver/passenger safety. Our activities which received recognition included the new "Enforcement for Bicycle Safety" course to encourage appropriate law enforcement with both bicyclists and motorists and the annual offering each April "Teaching Safe Bicycling" workshops for instructors of children's hands-on instruction events. Brochures designed for specific audiences (age and interest) are available and all are free. Info: (608) 267-0402.
Wanted: Bike Advocates (in Government): The Bicycle Road Hazard Identification Project is being offered in a kick-off training June 26 in Appleton. The most appropriate person to attend this training and receive the data management hardware is a person connected to the county, city, region maintenance and engineering department. Advocates should contact those departments to ask who is representing them, and if no one is, encourage them to send someone. If they cannot spare someone, the maintenance director might be willing to send an advocate. Let's not miss this opportunity to work within the system to make bicycling safer! Info: (608) 267-0402.
BOTS is nominating Peter Flucke for the National Association of Governors Highway Safety Representatives (NAGHSR) James J. Howard Highway Safety Trailblazer Award. This is to recognize the work he has done in bicycle safety, especially in the law enforcement arena. He has just completed training of eleven other officers who can now teach the "Enforcement for Bicycle Safety" course. Officers and their agencies get certification credit for continued education from the Department of Justice for this course.
These twelve officers can be asked to teach a course with their agency's approval: Officers Michael Morgen & Dale Wehner, Watertown; Sgt.Kurt Feavel, UW-Madison; Sgt. Scott Soberg, Plymouth; Officers Tom Conley and David Gladwell, Marinette; Sgt. David Gomoll, Oshkosh; Officer Donald Holzbauer, Brown Deer; Officers Scott Leist and Joan Waskow, Manitowoc; and Officer Thomas Marson, Amery, as well as Peter Flucke, We Bike President. Course can be taught through a Police Science Program, or LE agency can sponsor the course for a minimum of ten guaranteed officers in attendance. Info: Tom Witczak (414) 458-4183.
by Gary W. Sanderson, BFW Board Member
The Wisconsin Wheelmen is an organization devoted to all things associated with the preservation of "Ordinary Bicycles" (also called "High Wheel Bicycles") that were built during the period 1870 to 1891. This includes riding, collecting, restoring, research, history, and sharing it all with others. The Wheelmen is a national organization with over 900 members, and the Wisconsin has about 45 members.
The Wisconsin Wheelmen assembled on Sunday, April 14, 1996, for a Spring Get-Together. This early Spring day started as a sunny morning that turned into a cold (about 38 degrees F), overcast day by the time six Wheelmen and two friends arrived at the home of Gary and Irne Sanderson in Milwaukee. After sandwiches and sodas, five riders (Michael "Shadow" Gabick from Fountain City, John Flynn from Glendale, Jim Guthrie from Glendale, Bob Gross from Fond du Lac, and Gary Sanderson from Milwaukee) set off on a 10 mile ride on our "ordinaries" down North Lake Drive with Lake Michigan at our Side. This route is along a wide, smoothly paved road which we shared with a good number of cars.
Beautiful views of Lake Michigan are interspersed with fine houses and some wonderful parks including 101 year old Lake Park (designed by Frederick Olmsted, the same person that did Central Park in New York City). The weather was cold, but our spirits were high helped by the dozens of "Crop Walkers" that waved to us as we traveled over the same route.
The ride ended back at the Sanderson's home where Shadow shared memorabilia from his ride on his ordinary bicycle from San Francisco to Boston in 1991, and the group discussed the possibility of riding their "ordinary" bicycles to the 1996 Wheelmen Annual Meeting in Defiance, Ohio, in June. During this time, a bar-be-qued chicken feast was prepared for the enjoyment of all present. The day was definitely a time of "good biking with good friends."
Wisconsin Bicyclist is published four times per year by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
Executive Editor: Michael D. Barrett Contributing Editor: Tracy Zafian Copy Editors: Mary Brown Layout Editor: Scott Rose Calendar Editor: Emil Condon Rose Circulation Manager: Robbie Webber Ad Sales Manager: Michael D. Barrett Graphics: Dieter Bingemann, Marcia Miquelon, A. Singer Technical Support: Deedric Bauer Contributors: Michael Barrett, Pam Barrett, Rebecca Cleveland, Mona Connors, Peter Flucke, Bob Gaie, Angela Graf, Dan Herber, Tom Huber, Paul Kachelmeier, Marcia Miquelon, JoAnne Pruitt-Thunder, Scott Rose, Arthur Ross, Gary Sanderson, Richard Schwinn, Tracy Zafian.
Wisconsin Bicyclist welcomes your opinions, news, features, artwork and photograph submissions. Editorials should be no more than 300 words. News and feature stories should not exceed 600 words.
Please submit text both on disk (we have no paid typists on staff) and as hard copy. Artwork and photographs should be black and white prints. Please include name, phone number and address. We reserve the right to edit or reject all submissions. Mail to:
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 1224
Madison, WI 53703
Email: bfw@mailbag.com
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| Summer Issue | May 15 |
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Here is Vol. 2, No. 1, of Wisconsin Bicyclist.