From the President

Kathleen Nordquist

As sunset arrives earlier each night, the scramble is on to find enough daylight hours to ride during the week. Fall is one of my favorite times of year with the cooler nights and warm days—perfect riding weather! As I reflect on summer, I remember the club rides, helping with the final for Flying Tigers, the summer tour in western Montana, hearing about planning for the Britton’s Mississippi tour, and participant in other club’s organized rides.

The remainder of the year holds more rides on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Saturdays, club meetings on the third Thursday of the month at a new site, Round Table Pizza in Pasco, election of officers, the annual banquet in January. It was decided to try a different venue for club meetings, so please come join us on the third Thursday at 7:00 p.m. for more great presentations.

Do you want to become more active in the club? If you are interested in running for one of the leadership positions or assuming a support role, please contact me and I will pass your name on to the Nominating Committee. Also, if you are interested in helping to organize the annual banquet, please contact me. Hope to see you on the road or at a club meeting!

P.S. I apologize for the inconvenience of not having a newsletter last quarter. As we all know, life happens with new jobs and the associated responsibilities, family commitments, health issues, riding as much as bodies, time, and finances will allow, and trying to balance it all. We are back on track and riding on!

Adventures on, or next to, the Mississippi

Jim Britton

We first thought of bicycling the Mississippi River in early 2001, and in 2002 we began to gather informa­tion from the states that we would be bicycling through. We would search the Internet for the name of the bicycle coordinator for each state and then send an e-mail or letter requesting additional information. From many we got maps of the state highways and/or bicycle maps that provided bicycle routes through the state or listed every paved road in the state along with color-coding that told how much traffic each road incurred. We would also get information on places to stay and things to see. We also purchased maps from Adventure Cycling Association.

We talked to some friends and gathered a small group who were interested in going with us. To help plan the trip, we had many fun dinners together, discussing plans and choices. We then began the process of figuring out our route from the time we got off the train until we arrived at our final destination. We finally decided to take the train to Detroit Lakes, MN, bicycle to the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca State Park, and follow the river to New Orleans.

We would ride approximately 2,300 miles. At one time we had eight other people who wanted to share the ride, but due to bad backs, business demands, etc., we ended up with only Gary and Ann Roberts and Becky Bechtold starting the ride with us. George and Jane took us to the train station and will meet us in Louisiana to top off the trip.

The Adventure Cycling Association maps have information about motels, campgrounds, and every town that there bicycle routes travel through. This includes the names and phone numbers of motels and campgrounds.

We also searched the Internet to try to find the names of motels in towns where we wanted to stay. We only made motel reservations for motels at the start and end of the trip. As we travel, we sometimes make reservations for motel rooms in advance when we are approaching a town with one motel or approaching a town on a weekend.
 
If you’d like to see a daily log of our trip, we update our Web site almost every day:

http://www.mgcpa.com/bicycle/
 
The Adventure Cycling Association is online at:

http://adv-cycling.org/

Summer Tour 2003

Nine hardy cyclists faced searing heat and drifting smoke during the 2003 TCBC Summer Tour in Northwestern Montana.

On Saturday, July 26th, we drove to Trout Creek, Montana, our take-off point. The park-like grounds of our motel provided a beautiful view of the Clark Fork River and the setting for a tasty spaghetti dinner, crafted by Kathleen and Ed Nordquist and Mary Kay and Jim Britton. Fellow chow hounds and travelers were Guy Oldfield, Bill Dunbar, Dan Baris, Kris Nordquist, and us—Evelyn and Bill Painter.

At the crack of dawn on Sunday, we eagerly took off in an effort to “beat the heat.” This early departure became our pattern of travel every day, as we found that we rode comfortably until about ll:00 a.m., when the scorching sun began to torture us. We also found that traffic moves fast in Montana, and logging trucks whiz along at 70 miles per hour with no apology. The 70 mile trip to Libby was characterized by lovely scenery as we rode through the Cabinet Mountains and the Bull Run Valley. Arriving at Libby, we found little of interest in this lethargic town where many facilities and eating places were closed for the Sabbath.

On Monday we started for Eureka, again before daylight, putting Dan and Guy at the rear because they had blinking red lights on their bikes. An early motorist probably thought anyone pedaling along the road in the dark was stark raving mad but, thankfully, logging trucks were scarce until late morning. The first half of the 70 mile trip was pleasant and the scenery beautiful as we followed the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa. But the last 30 miles became difficult as vegetation thinned and we entered an arid landscape with intense heat and hazy smoke. Long rollers became long climbs, but just when I thought I couldn’t pedal another stroke, there appeared our trusty sag driver Kris, with food and drink. Finally, I arrived in Eureka and staggered into the Sub Shop attached to our motel, to find Bill Dunbar already chowing down on a huge sub. Eureka is really just a big glorified truck stop, with a few houses and shops nearby. Needless to say, the only entertainment I discovered was sitting on a bench on a parched patch of dry grass watching the trucks come and go. Later, at the end of our trip, I would call Day 2 to Eureka the second hardest of the trip.

Tuesday took us from Eureka to Whitefish, and as we rode north and east, smoke from the Glacier Park fires intensified. Although the distance was only 52 miles, we endured l5 miles of very rough road with no shoulders, which led right into the city and to our motel, aptly named “The Cheap Sleep.” After 3 days of riding, we were ready for our rest day on Wednesday.

Wednesday in Whitefish dawned HOT and smoky, but Bill’s brother Keith and wife Marie had flown up from Utah to spend the day with us. So off we went to enjoy a variety of activities with them, ending the day with a barbecue at the ranch of Marie’s sister. Our fellow cyclists rested, shopped and enjoyed their favorite pastime—eating, of course!

Thursday, a rested and relaxed group departed to Elmo, only 47 miles away. The ride was lovely on the Old Whitefish Stage Road through neatly kept farms and homes. As we neared Kalispell, the smoke thickened, and at breakfast there, dozens of firefighters marched into the restaurant where their meals had been prepared and were waiting for them. Because we had left so early, we pulled into our destination at l:00 p.m., somewhat to the chagrin of our hosts at the Wildhorse Bed & Breakfast.

However, they quickly regained their composure and welcomed us heartily with a sumptuous lunch in this sumptuous home, right on the shore of Flathead Lake. What elegance we enjoyed at this multi­million dollar home, which we had entirely to ourselves! We spent the afternoon languorously lolling in lawn chairs, feasting our eyes on the beauty of the lake, while our hosts prepared a feast for our evening meal.

We all agreed that the Wildhorse B&B was the highlight of our trip for comfort, luxury and hospitality.

Friday was the first day of August, and we reluctantly took our leave of the Wildhorse…after a hearty breakfast, of course. It turned out that we needed all the strength we could muster for this torturous day.

Hills began very quickly and only got worse as we progressed slowly and painfully up and up. When I finally didn’t think I could pedal another stroke, Bill simply talked me up the steep, seemingly unending hills. When we finally reached the crest, there was the van and our angel Kris waiting to offer drinks and encouraging words. The big reward for all my suffering was an exhilarating five mile downhill swoop into Plains, which brought us to our motel and the always waiting Sub Shop.

Sure enough, when we stepped inside, there was Bill Dunbar, joined by Guy Oldfield already attacking a giant sub. Again we could only languish in our motel rooms until dinner time, with the air conditioner going full blast. This day, Elmo to Plains, was short in miles but long in torture, and I count it as the hardest of trip.

Saturday, August 2nd, took us a pleasant and easy 47 miles from Plains full circle to our starting point in Trout Creek. As we rode southward from Kalispell, the air became less smoky and we could see into the distance once again. Arriving at this little town, we felt that we were home again as we found our cars waiting for us just as we had left them. Quickly the Brittons, Nordquists, Kris, and Guy prepared to leave, planning to arrive back in the Tri-Cities before dark. Bill and I, along with Dan and Bill Dunbar, stayed that night and departed early Sunday morning.

So ended a great trip. No one complained, no one had to ride in the sag wagon, and most important, no one was injured or ill. Sag support was excellent and we all agreed that Kris should make sagging her next career. At every 15 or 20 miles, the sight of Kris and the van brought silent cheers. Without her, our enjoyment would have been greatly diminished.

Things we’ll remember were the smoky air, the hot weather and riding in the dark. At no time did we suffer more than mild discomfort because of the smoke. However, we did suffer from the blistering heat.

Interestingly, our trip ended on Saturday, and Saturday night it rained! All night long!

Touring the Three Peninsulas of Ireland

Jean Tidball and Judy Packard
 
The 3-Peninsulas of Ireland tour in southwest Ireland included Sheep’s Head, Bear, Iveragh, and Dingle. That’s four by my count, all in the County Cork and County Kerry. The tour, June 7–20, was organized in coopera­tion with Irish Cycling Safaris (ICS). Dick and Judy Packard were our official BAC leaders, and Johnny Daly was our ICS guide. Each peninsula typically has a chain of mountains along the spine with coastline around the margins. Mountain crossings were through passes known as gaps and over the coombe. No day was “flat,” with our lowest climbing day being 333 meters (1100 feet). Most days were at least 2000 ft; one was 3100 ft.

The trip started and ended in Killarney, with intermediate stops in Gougan Barra National Park, Ahakista (on Sheep’s Head), Castletown Bear (on Bear), Kenmare, Glenbeigh (on Ivaragh), Dingle, and Killorglin. ICS selected a variety of comfortable small hotels and B&B’s in private homes, some of which served tasty evening meals as well.

On our first day we were introduced to "Irish mist," a 30-year event of torrential rain and wind that was certainly a test of our rain suits and our stamina. The brief lunch stop at the highest pub in Ireland offered a soggy shelter as we contemplated another 20 miles before any hope of getting wrung out. Fortunately the weather cleared after that initiation.

As promised, we rode mostly quiet, narrow country roads, with surfaces varying from rough to continuous potholes. There were awesome hill climbs, such as the Gap of Ballabeama and the Gap of Dunloe. When you begin to fall over while standing on your pedals, the grade is at least 20 percent and it’s time to walk. Distances were measured in Irish miles, which we learned is a mile and a bit, and the bit can be as long as a mile.

Johnny often arranged special events for us, such as a pub lunch with Irish music performed by two women with guitar, tin flute, and concertina, plus a dog that could bark on beat. At day’s end, while the group enjoyed a Guinness or a Murphy’s Ale, Johnny entertained us with stories and facts about Irish history and past and present culture. Irish folk music offered in the pubs at night typically started at 10 p.m. or later, so few of our group attended.

Our rest days in Castletown Bear and Dingle gave ample opportunity for activities such as hiking, visiting archeological sites, taking boat trips to offshore islands, or ambling through museums. We attended an early concert of Irish folk music, and rode to places such as the famous Slea Head, where much of the movie, “Ryan’s Daughter” was filmed.

We all cherish images of lush, green, rugged landscapes, intriguing historical sites, Celtic crosses, cattle and sheep peacefully grazing in pastures defined by ancient stone fences, and small towns full of colorful buildings and cozy pubs. These images are accompanied by the lilt of the Irish accent, the smile in Irish eyes and the warm spirits we found in the Irish folk we met, and in each other.
 
Judy’s pictures of the tour are available online at:

http://keithp.com/~judyp/Ireland03/

Lessons Learned While and after Crashing a Bicycle

Dave Bechtold
 
Nobody Is That Good – There are only two kinds of group-riding bicyclists: those who have crashed and those who will. My September 5th escapade constitutes my second crash and by far my personal best: eight broken ribs, one collapsed lung, one partially collapsed lung (with fluid), road rash, and concussion.

My memory of the event has gaps, but I do remember having come alongside my fellow crasher and that the two of us were TOO CLOSE, and that our respective handlebars snagged each other’s. It happened as quickly and as unexpectedly as did Lance’s recent drop in the Tour de France. I still have pretty good reflexes, being able to pass the “catch the dollar bill” test much of the time. My friend and I have ridden fast together at close quarters for years, and know each others habits under such conditions. And still we managed to do this. All the skill in the world wouldn’t have saved us, only prevention or more conservative riding might have.
 
Wear the Damned Helmet (Properly) – I was wearing mine. The last thing on my mind (so to speak) at the time was the thought that I might actually need it. It now has a dent and scrape on it, as does my left cheek. I’m told I didn’t know who or where I was until the ambulance came, and wasn’t very lucid for several hours thereafter. I received (for a while) a slow pupil, an inner ear/balance failure, a swollen jaw, and a black eye (from the impact of my glasses). I’m lucky I still have my retinas; my myopia puts me at risk for detached retinas from blows to the head. I’ve no idea how bad a head blow I would have received if I had NOT been wearing the helmet. Maybe I could have had it adjusted more snugly.
 
It’s a Free Country if You Can Afford to Pay for It – (Actually, this is one of my father’s better quotes). A good reason for conservative riding is medical bill avoidance. Mine are just beginning to roll in, and I’m blessed with health insurance. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to afford a replacement bike. The City of Richland Ambulance bill points out that I may have recourse to PUD ambulance payments for being a resident of Pasco. In any case, I was in no shape nor frame of mind to inform anyone about my ability to pay for ambulance or E.R. services, so I would have incurred them with or without insurance.

That’s all for now. I’ll see you back out on the road as soon as I’m able, ‘cause I want to continue realizing all the health benefits of bicycling.

Ride Calendar – Fall 2003

Tuesday and Thursday morning rides are starting at 8:30 a.m. until Daylight Savings Time ends on the last Sunday in October. After that, starting October 28^th, rides will begin at 9:30 a.m. Meet at the Richland Community House. Destination is chosen by group. For more information, contact Bill Dunbar, 627-0167. 

Ride Codes: Green – less than 15 miles with nearly level terrain; Blue – 15 - 40 miles with moderate terrain; Black – greater than 40 miles with moderate terrain, or fewer than 40 with asphalt moguls. 

Riders: No need to call ahead unless otherwise indicated. Just show up at the start. Feel free to call the ride leader for more information. 

Leaders and Sweeps: Ride leaders and sweeps are always needed. As a leader, you can choose a ride that's been done before, or create the ride of your choice and have it immortalized in this Spokesman ride calendar. The day you lead the group on your ride, you may be surprised at the number of riders who have never followed your route before. Ride sweeps provide the “rear guard” for the ride, ensuring that slower riders or those with mechanical troubles don't fall back behind the pack. Call Ed Nordquist 627-1195, to volunteer. 

And two more Very Important Notes: First, WEAR YOUR HELMET! Second, please obey the rules of the road at all times. The Club is active in community affairs, which helps us promote legislation that could provide better facilities for cyclists. Don't ruin it by blowing stop signs, tailgating left turns, or riding against traffic. If you wouldn't do it in a car, don't do it on a bike!

Beginning riders and those who want a shorter ride: Show up at the longer rides and let the ride Sweep or Leader know you'd like a less strenuous ride. They can set you up with a shorter route and try to match you up with someone to ride with, as well. We won't leave you dangling. 

Ride Leaders – Some hints for an enjoyable and successful ride:

• Introduce all the riders before starting.
• Make sure everyone is wearing their helmets.
• Brief all riders on the route, where to regroup, any problems expected. (If you are unsure of the route and its conditions, ride it yourself the week before the ride.)
• Provide maps. You can get some maps on the Web, or ask John Ittner for maps, xxx-xxxx.
• Ask about the riding abilities of the group, if you are not personally acquainted with some of the riders. Ask someone to act as sweep (rear guard) if there are riders who can't keep up with the leaders.
• Ask riders to let you know if they will be leaving the group before the end of the ride.
• In hot weather, carry extra water in case another rider goes dry.
• After a particularly good ride, if the ride leader should ask for a tip, offer him or her the previous one.

Riding in the fresh air and sunshine is its own best reward. 

October 

Oct 4 – Hat Rock to Pendleton Loop ‑ Meet at Some Bagels in Richland at 7:30 am. Car pool to Hat Rock Park. Leave Park about 8:30 am. Hat Rock to Pendleton through the wheat fields north of Pendleton. Water, food stop in Pendleton. West to Echo along the Umatilla River, then return to Hat Rock. Black, approx. 80 miles. Leader:  Ed Nordquist, 627-1195 

Oct 11 – Cherry Hill Loop – Meet at Some Bagels in Richland at 8 am. Car pool to the Dairyfair store in Sunnyside. Leave from the Dairyfair about 9 am. Head east to Grandview then loop back around to the west through the orchards and vineyards north of I-182. Around Cherry Hill, return along Yakima River. Late lunch at the Dairyfair in Sunnyside. Blue, approx. 40 miles. Leader:  Bill Dunbar, 627-0167 

Oct 18 – Burbank – Leave from Espresso World in Kennewick at 9 am, or ride there from Some Bagels in Richland at 8:00 am. Clearwater to Columbia Center Blvd, right to Deschutes, right to Kellogg, left to Quinault, right to Grant (past TCCC), north to Umatilla. Right to Edison, drop down to Columbia Park. East to Cable Bridge (or Blue Bridge) over the Columbia River, to “A” Street in Pasco. Out "A" St and Hwy 12 to Francisco’s in Burbank. Return via Cable Bridge (or Blue) retrace steps or could go up Fruitland to Canal (instead of pulling Edison), west on Canal to Ely Place, sweep around to Hood to Volland, right to Metaline, left to Edison, right to Metaline, left to Kellogg, right to Okanogan to Deschutes, right on Deschutes to Columbia Center Blvd, left back to Espresso World. Blue approx. 32 miles.  Leaderless ride

Oct 25 – Picnic at Tieton – Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 7 am. Carpool to Greenway Parking Lot. (Turn right at Valley Mall exit, toward river.) Ride Yakima Greenway, River Road to Naches Heights. Picnic in Tieton. (Bring lunch.) Black, 47 miles. Leader:  John Ittner, 627-1858 

Oct 26 - Daylight Savings Time ends

November 

Nov 1 – Prosser!! – Leave from the Park & Ride in Benton City at 10 am., or get there from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:00 am. Five mile climb up Webber Canyon. County Wells Rd to Hwy 221 to Prosser. Water, food stop at the Blue Goose. Return on Old Inland Empire Highway. Black, approx. 50 miles. Leader:  Gene Weisskopf, 946-1316  

Nov 8 – Sagemoor Loop – Leave Some Bagels in Richland at 9 am. Rd 100 to Harris to Dent to Rd 68 at Douglas Fruit. Rd 68 to Sagemoor. Return on Taylor Flats Rd. Black, approx. 35 miles. Leader:  Bob Morford, 375-0839 

Nov 15 ‑ Benton City ‑ Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 9 am. Ride to B.C. via Van Giesen. Lunch at Bear Hut. Return via Kennedy and Bombing Range Rd.  Blue, approx. 40 miles. Leader:  Bill Painter, 946-1076 

Nov 22 –         Badger Canyon Loop – Leave Espresso World in Kennewick at 10 am., or get there from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:00 am. Badger Canyon to Dallas to Kennedy to Queensgate to Columbia Park Trail to Edison. Up Edison to Umatilla, Grant, Metaline, Kellogg, Deschutes, and Columbia Center Blvd. Blue, approx. 35 miles. Leader:  Bill Dunbar, 627-0167

Nov 27 – Happy Thanksgiving!

 Nov 29 –         Loop the Parks – Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 10 am. Ride through Chiawana Park. Return via Cable Bridge and Columbia Drive through Columbia Park. Blue, approx. 25 miles.Leaderless Ride

December

 Dec 6 –   Wannawish Dam – Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 10 am. Bike path and Haines to Van Giesen. Van Giesen to Grosscup and Harrington. Follow Harrington to the pavement end beyond the Wannawish Dam. Return same route. Blue, approx. 25 miles. Leader: Bob Morford, 375-0839

Dec 13 – Zintel Dam – Leave Espresso World in Kennewick at 10 am., or get there from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:00 am. Take Kellogg to 10^th, then Union to 27^th. Ride UP to Dam. Continue through Canyon Lakes to Ely. Left on 27^th and retrace back to Kellogg. Black approx. 25 miles. Leader: Gene Weisskopf, 946-1316

Dec 20 – Douglas Fruit Loop – Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:30 am. Cross Columbia River on I-182, exit at Rd. 100/Broadmore Parkway. North on Broadmoor Parkway to Harris, West Court and Dent. Right on Rd. 68, right on Sandifur Parkway. Possible stop at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for fuel. Return via I-182 to Richland. Blue, approx. 20 miles.

Leader: Bill Painter, 946-1076

Dec 25 - Merry Christmas!

Dec 27 – Locust Grove Road – Leave Espresso World in Kennewick at 10 am., or get there from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:00 am. Kellogg, 10^th, Union, Hwy 395, Law Rd, Bofer Canyon Rd to Locust Grove. Optional climb to top of Locust Grove. Return same route. Black, approx. 25 miles.  Leaderless ride

Winter Preview

Jan 1 – Happy New Year! Polar Bear Ride – Ride a mile for each degree (whatever that means). Meet at the Fingernail in Howard Amon Park, Richland, 10 am. 10 to 20 miles. Leaderless ride

Jan 3 – Benton City – Leave from Some Bagels in Richland at 10 am. Ride to B.C. via I‑182, Kennedy, Dallas and Badger. Lunch at Bear Hut. Return via DeMoss, Ruppert and Van Giesen. Blue, approx. 30 miles. Leaderless ride

Jan 10 – Burbank Revisited – Leave Espresso World in Kennewick at 10 am, or get there from Some Bagels in Richland at 9:00 am. Edison to Columbia Park and over the Blue Bridge. Out “A” Street and Hwy 12 to Francisco’s. Return same route except go over the Cable Bridge. Blue, approx. 32 miles. Leaderless ride

Jan 17 – Dallas Climb – Meet at Some Bagels in Richland at 10 a.m. Out I‑182 to Kennedy and Dallas. Climb Dallas to I‑82 and on to Badger Rd. Return on Leslie. The climb up Dallas makes this ride a Dark Blue, 25 miles. (Map: DALLASFN.TCW)  Leaderless ride

Flying Tigers, 2003 Year End Report

Judy Packard

The Flying Tigers celebrated their achieve­ments and received their bicycles at a pizza party and awards dinner Monday May 19. The fifteen students from the Stevens Middle School Cycling Pro­gram in Pasco received bicycles and related bicycle equip­ment, including helmets, gloves, water bottles and brackets, and seat bags equipped with a spare tube, tire tools, first aid kit, patch kit, and a wrench.

This is the third year that members of the TCBC have conducted the cycling education class at Stevens. In the course of 10 weeks, the students progressed from 5-mile bicycle rides to a 100-mile roundtrip ride to Toppenish. The week before the Toppenish weekend trip, 15 of the Flying Tigers rode the club’s Inland Empire Century.

The program is open to students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades at Stevens Middle School. We distributed 37 free helmets to students interested in the program. We started with 29 students, the largest group in the three years we’ve been doing it. We try to keep an adult-to-student ratio of one adult to six students maximum. However, a ratio of one adult to four students works best, so the prospect of working with a class size close to 40 students was a bit daunting. When the group got down into the 20s (due to cancellations, not accidents!), it became a more manageable size.

The students learned safe cycling skills, including cycling on the right-hand side of the road in a straight line, scanning and signaling turns, following all the rules of the road for vehicles, proper lane positioning for turns, and how to avoid road hazards such as rocks, grates, and railroad tracks. The course included fitting and wearing bicycle helmets as the number one item for personal safety while cycling. They were also taught about the importance of nutrition and hydration, how to be visible through the choice of appropriate clothing, and how to choose a safe cycling route.

Besides practicing cycling skills twice a week after school for an hour, the students cycled increasing distances each Saturday. The first Saturday ride was 10 miles, with each succeeding Saturday a longer distance. The students rode a total of 268 miles on Saturdays, plus up to five miles each week after school.

The program is done under the auspices of the Gear-Up program, the Pasco School District, and the Tri-City Bicycle Club, with the support of the Safe Kids Coalition. We also received a grant from Fluor Federal Services for the program. Smaller donations were received and the bicycle shops gave us lots of assistance with spare parts and bicycle accessories.

With the help of the members of the TCBC and grants and donations from local businesses and bicycle club members, we reached a significant group of middle-school students with a memorable and life-changing experience. We’re looking forward to another great year in 2004.

Please consider making time to be a part of it. We need people willing to ride with the students on Saturdays between March and mid-May, people who are good with a wrench to repair bicycles, any and all bicycle parts or accessories, and donations of bicycles for the students (preferably mountain bikes). Contact Kathleen Nordquist (627-1195) if you’d like to participate.

You, Too, can Laugh at Tackweed

Gene Weisskopf

The claim I will make in this article is based not on myth or legend, but on the statistics I gathered from my cycling log—I keep track of my rides and their mileage, and whether I get any flats (a tackweed-induced habit).

Since moving to Richland in 1995, I’ve averaged 353 miles per flat tire on my road bike (either front or rear, although there’s a slightly higher rate for the front). I’d say with confidence that at least 90% of them were due to tackweed (tribulus terrestris).

On July 4, 2002, I put a new tire on the rear wheel of my bike, a 2002 model Specialized Turbo Armadillo, 700x23 (please see the note at the end of this article regarding the new name for this tire in 2004). This was quite a different tire from earlier Armadillos I’d used—heavier and stiffer, but it held its shape nicely and seemed to roll well, too. Specialized bragged about the tire’s resistance to flats, which I shrugged off as just a hopeful claim, although I’d appreciate any improvement.

I’m surprised to be saying that I ended up putting 5,336 miles on that tire with no flats. That’s over 14 months with zero flats, a statistic that is so far beyond anything I've experienced before that it can’t be a matter of luck. Furthermore, last February 8 and 3,182 miles ago, I replaced my front tire with a Turbo Armadillo and it has had no flats since then. In areas without tackweed, this amazing statistic might not be so noticeable, but around here it’s practically a miracle—my average until I got these tires says I should have had a dozen or two flats between the two tires. Instead, zero.

Several other riders in the TCBC have used these tires. Becky Bechtold put two Turbo Armadillos (700x23) on her bike just before she left on a two-month, 3000 mile, cross-country bike tour. She had two flats in all that time, and suspects that both might have been from faulty tubes rather than punctures.

Bill Dunbar put two of the tires on his bike just before the 2002 TCBC bike tour. They eventually ended up with 3000 or 4000 miles on them and Bill estimates only two flats over that period. He says he pulled out several broken tackweed thorns that did not penetrate the tubes. He has since switched to a different brand, most likely in the quest for something new and better. The Specialized tire probably gives a firmer, stiffer ride, but no flats!

George Kyriazis put 700 miles on his Armadillos in Hawaii, 300 more here at home, and 200 miles with his bike set up as a wind trainer, all with no flats. But just to throw my statistics for a loop, Jane Sereda had 300 miles on her Armadillos with one flat from tackweed. She claims I was there to witness it, but I refuse to remember.

You can read more about this tire at the specialized.com Web site. Look under their Tires category and then Armadillo. They call it the “03 Turbo Armadillo Tire” (which is supposed to be even more resistant to flats than my ‘02 tire). The 700x23 weighs 385 g, which is on the heavy side for a road tire in that size, but that’s fine with me. Getting exercise is one of the reasons I ride a bike, and if that extra weight means zero flats, then I’ll carry it gladly.

I bought the Armadillo tires at Markee’s Cycling Center in Kennewick, retail price is $30. As with the tire’s weight, that $30 seems reasonable after a year of riding over thousands of miles with no flats. And when I finally replaced that rear tire with a new one on September 19, it certainly wasn’t worn out—no cord was showing through and the tire was very much intact.

This seemingly bulletproof tire has saved me the lost time and inconvenience of flats and, most importantly, it has improved the safety of my rides by eliminating the dangers a flat tire can bring. I highly recommend this tire. With them on my bike, I can now laugh at tackweed (knock on wood).

Please note that the Turbo Armadillo tire has a new name starting with the 2004 model—the ’04 All Condition Armadillo. Check out the Specialized Web site (Equipment – Tires – Armadillo), where you may also see that the tire is still out of stock in some sizes (as of September 30). Markee’s was out of them as well, but expected them in the first week of October. Same tire, new name.

Editor’s Note

Look who’s back, filling white space at the end of the newsletter. I was called out of “retirement” to put together this issue of the newsletter, purportedly because I was the best one for the job, but I think that’s just bike club code for “the best one for the job out of our pool of available candidates.”

It’s always been clear to me that the newsletter is the second most important component in the bike club, right after the bicycles we ride. It’s the way we distribute the ride calendar to our members, while also making it available in local bike shops. It keeps us in the loop on past or upcoming events, such as the Flying Tigers or the summer tour. It’s an avenue for our members to write about their bicycling experiences, good and bad. We not only learn from those stories, but we also get more of the camaraderie that clubs are supposed to nurture.

I encourage our members to offer their own stories to the newsletter. If the word “writing” sounds too much like work, well, so does “riding” when it’s on a bicycle for 50 miles. But it’s good for us! Think of writing as a different sort of exercise, one that is good for you while also benefiting others.

With that in mind, I thank the contributors to this edition of the newsletter—Jim, Evelyn, Judy, and Dave. Your stories are much appreciated. And thanks to Ed for putting the ride calendar together.

Whether you write or not, I hope you are riding. This is a beautiful time of year to be out in the fresh air and sunshine. But it won’t last long; we’ll be bundling up for our rides in another month. But we’ll still be riding and, if this winter is anything like the last one, we won’t be canceling any rides due to weather.

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