Column: Bike-friendly community needs planning

Phillip Barron
The Herald Sun
December 20, 2004 8:49 am

DURHAM — Building a bicycling community takes cooperation. Cooperation between drivers and cyclists. Cooperation between municipal and state governments. And, when our community grows, cooperation between the public and private spheres of development.

Historically, the model that Durham used for bicycle transportation improvements focused on responding to residents’ requests. Encouraged by cyclists and bike activists, in 2001 the Durham City Council and the Durham County Commissioners jointly established the Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. It’s charged with promoting “the full integration of bicycling [sic] into community transportation policies and practices.” That is, the city and county want BPAC to help identify ways to make Durham more bike-friendly.

This is a radical departure from the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” policy and it sets Durham apart from most other cities. BPAC’s charter establishes a body dedicated to helping the city address bicyclists’ needs before the bicyclists raise them themselves. BPAC is not a replacement for citizen input; it’s a complement.

BPAC’s goal is to do what it can to make sure that bicycles and bicyclists are considered whenever public facilities are built, whenever a road is widened, whenever new land is acquired. Why? Because it’s more cost-effective to stripe bike lanes while widening roads, to build sidewalks on the bridge when building the bridge.

This is part of building a bike-friendly community. But, the city can do only so much. The private sphere picks up where the public sphere leaves off.

Bike lanes invite cyclists as long as there is a place, at their destination, for cyclists to park their bikes safely. Public roads with bike lanes encourage more people to ride when the private neighborhood streets connecting to these roads are also bike friendly.

So, I have a few requests for help building a stronger bike community in the Triangle. Consider them end of the year requests or New Year’s wishes.

First, let’s host more cycling events. The Halloween Hundred drew more than 180 cyclists to its inaugural event and Little River Park’s grand opening drew an estimated 200 mountain bikers. Cyclists have a strong presence in Durham and it’s evident that riders come out to support homegrown events. How about a downtown criterium?

Second, a request to private businesses. Please, make sure that if someone (an employee, customer, or client) wanted to bike to your business that he or she could. Cyclists need a safe and secure place to park their bikes. Covered bike parking is ideal. And hey, while we’re at it, why not encourage customers to bike by offering a discount on purchase totals? Whole Foods gives a bring-your-own-bag credit to encourage that good practice. Why not encourage another?

Third, to all those developers out there, please think of bicycles in all new planning and construction. Bike lanes and greenways are more useful when they connect to neighborhood bike paths or parks with bike racks.

Bike-friendly resources are gifts, not just to bicyclists, but to the Triangle as a whole. Promoting clean, healthy, person-powered transportation is about building a stronger sense of care and concern for our community.

Column: Proper dress key to wintertime cycling

The Herald-Sun
December 8, 2004 8:17 pm

DURHAM — I look forward to winter cycling all summer. The air dries and gets crisp. I feel like I can breathe again after six humid months of holding my breath. The sky is more blue than haze, and with the deciduous leaves off the trees, I can see farther into the scenery of my ride.

A lot of cyclists hang up their bikes this time of year and either turn to other sports to get them through the winter or just soften up around the middle. But, for those of us who either don’t want to or can’t give up cycling for even a few months, we really don’t have to.

It’s not hard to ride through the winter. Just changing a couple of your habits will help: wear different clothes and ride a little more cautiously. Sure, there will be a few days in February when the roads are too icy to ride safely, but then again, you probably shouldn’t drive on these days either. For the most part, Durham’s winters are relatively mild and cycling can be a year round activity.

Obviously, we need to dress a little warmer in December than in June. Whether you want to spend a lot or a little to brace against the cold, here are a few ideas to help keep you on the bike this winter.

Plan to start out a little cold, because no matter how cold it is you’re going to sweat once your feet start spinning, trust me. Polyester, nylon and other synthetics wick moisture away from your body and dry out much faster than cotton. This means they’ll keep you warm even while you sweat.

Dress in layers. I know, everyone including your parents says it, but that’s because it’s good advice. Dressing in layers means that half way though your ride you can peal off the outermost layer so that you don’t risk overheating.

You need something to protect your hands, and I recommend long-fingered gloves with tacky palms and fingers. Some people swear by mittens, claiming they’re warmer, but remember that you need the manual dexterity to grab the brake levers. Mittens are a little too restrictive. Gore-Tex, the company famous for water-proof breathable membranes in outdoor clothing, even has a WindStopper technology you can find in gloves.

For your chest, a vest is best. Vests keep your upper body warm and you won’t overheat. I wear a simple fleece vest for most of the winter. On bitterly cold days, add arm warmers (think socks for your arms) or a thin, breathable, wind-proof jacket.

Tights will keep your legs warm. You don’t need anything fancy; long underwear under a pair of shorts works for me. For more wind-protection, add a pair of nylon basketball pants over the tights.

Most of the time, a headband covering your ears will be enough warmth for your head. Some mornings, though, you’ll want more protection over your face. Try a balaclava, a cyclist’s fancy term for a thin ski-mask.

Until I learned the trick to keeping my feet warm, my toes would freeze no matter how many pairs of socks I’d cram into my shoes. The trick is to add layers of wind protection outside the shoe. From your local bike shop you can buy neoprene booties that slip over your shoe, leaving room for contact with the pedal. Or, you can make your own. Find an old sock big enough to fit over your shoe. Slide the sock on the shoe and cut a hole in the bottom of the sock, just big enough for contact with pedals. Wrap the sock in duct tape. It’s not pretty, but it’ll keep your toes warm.

Last, invest in a good set of lights, handlebar or helmet-mounted. Until daylight savings comes back around, you’ll need a headlight or two to find your way home after 5 p.m. And don’t forget the red taillight.

So, until you need a Zamboni to get down Roxboro Road, keep warm, ride safe, and I’ll see you on the trails.

Column: New park offers mountain bike trails

The Herald-Sun
November 25, 2004 10:37 am

DURHAM — Residents of Durham and Orange counties are about to enjoy a new park at half the usual price. That’s because the new Little River Regional Park and Natural Area has land in both counties, straddling the county line. And since we’re sharing the land, we’re splitting the cost of this exciting new project.

Opening Dec. 5, Little River is the first joint effort between the Durham and Orange County parks and recreation departments and only the second regional park in the state. At nearly 400 acres, it’s much larger than most county parks — roughly the size of a state park.

Most exciting is that the park gives Durham and Orange residents the first public mountain bike trails in either county.

“This is a huge benefit to Durham and Orange residents,” says Lori Taft, recreation and parks management director for Orange County. Fifteen miles of trails are planned for horseback riders, hikers and mountain bikers. The more than 6 miles of singletrack opening in December were designed and built by volunteers with the Durham Orange Mountain Bike Organization (DOMBO).

Taft says that of all the groups that have volunteered time to get the park ready, none has worked as tirelessly as DOMBO. DOMBO carefully and thoughtfully divided the singletrack into two loops: one more challenging than the other.

Singletrack, the gourmet of mountain bike trails, is a thin strip of trail winding through the woods. It gets its name from its width; it’s just wide enough for one bike at a time.

The beginner loop introduces novices to riding over roots, rocks and bridges. Cross-country connoisseurs will love the more advanced loop, which has some of the most challenging climbs, rock gardens and log crossings in the Triangle area.

The significance of opening singletrack at Little River is that Durham and Orange county governments join the Wake County and the state parks departments in recognizing the demand for public places to mountain bike.

Opening day celebrations kick off at 2 p.m., with a group ride on the beginner loop. The park’s main entrance is about 12 miles north of downtown Durham on Guess Road. Look for signs just inside Orange County.

None of this could have happened without the help of the Triangle Land Conservancy, Eno River Association and trail-building grants from the state government. Special thanks go to George Newton, who originally donated the land for preservation.

Looking forward to opening day, Taft says, “I hope to continue to work with DOMBO.”

Column: Think safety first when stopped at a traffic light

The Herald-Sun
November 9, 2004 2:11 pm

DURHAM — This week, I want to answer some of the questions I’ve received. I’ve gotten a lot, and I want to thank all of you who’ve written in to show support for the column. Today, I humbly offer answers to three of the toughest questions you’ve asked.

First, Meg Gallagher writes: “When I commute to work from downtown (against the flow of into-the-city traffic), I often find myself at street lights that will only be triggered by a car (especially left turn signals). Rather than wait 10 minutes for the rare car going my way, my solution is to get off the bike and walk it across the street; but even that has angered some drivers. What can I do?”

Meg, what you describe is all too familiar. People and bicycles usually don’t trigger the inductive loop sensors in the pavement. Loop sensors, however, will detect just about any metal. So, some will detect your bike. To see if your bike can trigger the detector, make sure you stop your bike in the middle of the turn lane, before the white stop line. Be conscious of where you’re standing, and make sure you’re not blocking a car from also pulling up to the sensor.

Sometimes it’s tempting to ride through the intersection when it’s safe, regardless of the color of the traffic light. Pete Schubert, a local bicyclist, encourages riders to wait for the green. “If this means waiting an extra 45 seconds at a red light, I use the time to rest, observe the road in all directions, scan for debris and plan my path through the intersection and beyond.”

Alison Carpenter, Durham’s bicycle and pedestrian transportation planner, says, if the light will not change, the safest thing to do is “to dismount and cross at the intersection as a pedestrian.” She also encourages you to contact the city with intersection improvement requests. You can use the Durham One Call system (560-1200).

Next, Paul Novak writes, “the major reason I’ve not tried mountain biking is because I can imagine only destruction and erosion of the land. Activities that destroy the very features that bring me to an area don’t make any sense to me. Will you comment on this in your column?”

Paul, you’re absolutely right. Increased traffic on any trail, whether hiking or biking, risks more erosion to that trail. But a mountain bike, by itself, is no more damaging to a well-designed trail than a set of hiking boots or horseshoes.

Generally, singletrack is less obtrusive than other trails; it’s narrow (4 feet is the most you need), and usually zig-zags across the fall-line of a hill. This way, the trail is designed to minimize erosion.

The mountain bike community has some unwritten, but fairly well self-enforced, rules about when to ride. We don’t ride in or within 24 hours of rain. Riding (just like hiking) when the trail is wet can do serious damage to both the trail and the root systems of trees.

If you want to try mountain biking, ride only when it’s dry. If you’re not sure whether a trail is sufficiently dry, then ride only trails in public parks. Lake Crabtree’s and Beaverdam’s singletrack are monitored, opened and closed by park officials. These trails won’t be open unless it’s OK to ride them.

One important way that mountain biking helps protect natural resources is that it gets people to care about places they might not otherwise care about. If you ride the trail network at New Light or Little River, you get invested in the land. You don’t want it to change. You’ll stand up if the land is ever threatened with development.

All this said, you’re still right. Whether we’re mountain biking, hiking, riding horseback, fishing, geo-caching or whatever, we need to respect the land we’re using. Ideally, everyone who uses trails also volunteers some time repairing the trails from erosion and building features to prevent it.

Another simple way to help protect a natural area you love is to carpool to the trailhead.

Finally, Kim Clark asks, “as a novice I have enjoyed the [American] Tobacco Trail very much. But how do you decide which roads are more bike-friendly than others if you are looking to venture out where there are no bike paths? I know distance isn’t the only criteria in deciding if a route is ‘bikeable.’ “

Kim, these are a few things I do to find good biking routes.

I pick a route that will more or less make a loop back to where I start; that way I don’t have to backtrack. This just makes the ride more interesting. I do this either in my head (if I know the streets well enough) or with a map.

I look for roads where traffic is light, and I try to avoid roads with little or no shoulder. I want at least two feet of shoulder (room to the right of the outer white line that defines the lane) when I ride.

Unless there is a comfortable shoulder or bike lane, I avoid roads with high speed limits. Without a wide outer shoulder, I don’t ride on a road marked 35 mph or above since most drivers are really traveling closer to 50 mph.

If I want to test a route that I’m not sure of, I ride it on a Sunday morning. That way there’s very little traffic (if any), and I’m free to check things out.

Bicycling in groups or with at least one other person also helps negotiate traffic.

I hope this helps, but I’m afraid you’ve all asked deceptively complex questions. I welcome more questions, tough or easy.

There’s also a local listserv that cyclists may be interested in, and you may want to bring up your questions there as well. It’s at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/durhambikeandped/ It’s a low-traffic site with some very helpful folks.

Column: Organized biking events do more than raise funds

The Herald-Sun
Oct 26, 2004 : 9:03 am ET

Organized group bicycling events are a fun way to share your enthusiasm and curiosity about bikes with fellow cyclists. On Saturday, you have the chance to take part in welcoming two new biking events to the Triangle area.

Capitol Broadcasting and the American Tobacco Historic District are hosting the “Halloween 100,” a supported distance ride covering 100 kilometers (a little more than 62 miles) of scenic roads through Durham and Orange counties. A 100k ride, also called a metric century, is not a race. Just finishing a ride of that length is an accomplishment, so there is no reason to add the pressure of who can do it the fastest. The start and finish staging area is the American Tobacco Campus and the ride kicks off at 9 a.m.

If you’re not sure you can handle all 100 kilometers, you might try the 50k ride. Both rides are supported and begin at the same time. Support includes official escorts, planned rest stops (with food and drink), emergency medical staff on site, and a bike mechanic at the start/finish and the first rest stop. Peter Anlyan of Capitol Broadcasting says: “We encourage riders of all [abilities] to come out and ride. These supported rides offer cyclists the opportunity to take the road in as controlled an environment as possible.”

Beginning at 9:30, there is a Family Fun Ride down the American Tobacco Trail. Kids of all ages are welcome to participate and there are planned stops along the way with entertainment and, of course, candy. It wouldn’t be Halloween without it.

Most races and noncompetitive cycling events are really fund-raisers for medical research, environmental protection or charitable organizations. In keeping with this tradition, funds raised by the “Halloween 100″ go to support Habitat for Humanity of Durham as well as the expansion of the American Tobacco Trail.

If you’d rather get muddy and competitive on Saturday, then head down to Sanford, where the Triangle Cyclopaths are hosting an endurance mountain bike race at the Devils Ridge mountain bike course. The 12-hour “Dance with the Devil” runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The idea behind a 12-hour mountain bike race is that racers ride in a loop, and the racer (or team) who rides the most loops in 12 hours wins. The Devils Ridge course is a 4-mile loop, so a fast rider may complete more than 20 loops during the race. Since it’s getting darker earlier, you’ll need a set of lights to finish the race.

Racing for 12 straight hours? Mountain biking in the dark? Why would I want to take part in this madness? Tammy Kaufman, an accomplished mountain bike racer from Wake Forest says, “Racing seems to provide the impetus for me to push my own personal limits, to try to achieve things that ordinarily would seem far beyond my grasp.”

But, it’s not all about winning for Kaufman. “I started racing initially just to see if I could. I still do it because I’ve made a lot of friendships with other racers,” she says.

Dave Anderson, another racer from the Triangle, adds that the spirit of endurance races is sometimes different than other cross-country mountain bike races. “I’ve noticed a lot of camaraderie in [endurance] races. Finish times are typically six to 12 hours, so people tend to help each other out a lot more.”

Both events require helmets and you need to certify that both you and your bike are in good working order. It’s standard practice for event organizers to require you to sign a waiver or release form when registering.

If you’re as busy as I am, you probably ride by yourself most of the time. Events like these are a great contrast; you’re surrounded by hundreds of cyclists who all love to ride as much as you do. Riding solo gives me an overinflated sense of my abilities; riding with others is usually a humbling experience. Racing keeps me honest.

As Tammy Kaufman says, “It also gives me the chance to be endlessly amazed at the capacity of the human body, mind and spirit, and to marvel at the wonderful beings that we truly are.”

Column: Bike tour promotes national greenway

The Herald-Sun
October 7, 2004

DURHAM — Gene Mayhall of Durham writes in to say that he and his wife have ridden their bicycles on greenways — linear parks — all over the United States and even Canada. “Durham’s American Tobacco Trail (ATT), while not the longest, is one of the very best,” says Mayhall. “We’re lucky to have it.”

If the East Coast Greenway (ECG) is successful with its plans, the ATT along with the South Ellerbee Creek Trail in northern Durham will become part of the longest greenway project in the country. The East Coast Greenway is an effort to build a continuous 2,600 mile path stretching from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Fla.

Touted as an urban alternative to the Appalachian Trial, the East Coast Greenway will be an off-road and mostly paved connection between the major cities of the eastern United States.

Greenways provide opportunities for recreation, relaxation and transportation. Like a road, a greenway establishes a connection between where you are and where you need to go. Like a park, greenways draw to them people looking to relax or workout.

Like all good ideas, the East Coast Greenway requires a lot of planning and work. That’s why right now seven people, including Carroll Webber of Greenville, N.C., are bicycling from Maine to Florida to raise money for and awareness of the greenway’s mission. For the first annual East Coast Greenway Tour, each rider is raising $10,000 to help build new sections of the path. The group as a whole is bringing to the nation’s attention the potential greenways possess for bringing communities, even cities, closer together.

Bill Bussey, the North Carolina state chair for the East Coast Greenway, says, “I just think it would be neat to be able to ride a bike from Durham to Washington, D.C., to New York City, or even to Key West.” In the near future, you may be able to do just that. Many cities along the way already have paths which have been designated part of the official greenway route. In these cities, the seven riders are biking those paths. For much of the route, however, they’re riding on roads parallel to the proposed route. When they reach Key West, it will be the first time anyone has ridden the proposed route in its entirety.

The group rides into Durham via the South Ellerbee Creek Trail on Tuesday. They will spend a day of rest on Wednesday and leave via the American Tobacco Trail on Oct. 14. On Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., the Carolina Tarwheels are hosting a potluck dinner for the tour riders at the Armory in downtown Durham. This event is open to the public, and if you bring a dish, no RSVP is required. Donations will be accepted.

The American Tobacco Trail, the South Ellerbee Creek Trail and Durham’s six other greenways have already proven themselves vital to our community’s wellness. Their users reflect the diversity that makes Durham so strong; from wheelchairs to Litespeeds, from walkers to commuters. Nearly everyone can use greenways; that’s one of the things that makes them such a good investment for the community.

The ECG is unique in that it requires municipalities to work together in ways they normally don’t. “When you link greenways together,” says Bussey, “you get more bang for your buck.” A well-designed greenway can be a regional attraction. Imagine the potential for a trail spanning the entire East Coast. If the East Coast Greenway successfully links Maine with Florida, then the combined effect will truly be greater than the sum of its parts.

—

TO LEARN MORE For more information on local greenways, contact Bill Bussey at 545-9104. You can also visit the East Coast Greenway’s web site.

Column: City needs to link its bike-ped friendly islands

Phillip Barron
The Herald-Sun
Sep 21, 2004 : 9:32 am ET

DURHAM — The new American Tobacco District could be a great jump-start to revitalizing downtown Durham, but several things need to happen to realize its potential.

Right now, Durham is an archipelago of bicycle and pedestrian-friendly islands. Ninth Street, Brightleaf with West Village, downtown, Fayetteville Street near N.C. Central University; these are all bikeable and walkable areas. Each has sidewalks, some have bike lanes on the roads, and they all have that urban feel that makes you wonder why you need a car.

They are all islands, however. Islands separated from each other by fast-moving currents of automobile traffic.

The American Tobacco District, the warehouse renovation across Blackwell Street from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, joins the adjacent Bulls stadium to make yet another island of bike-ped-friendly space. Walking around American Tobacco and the Bulls ballpark on attractive, wide, tree-lined sidewalks is very pleasant. Walking from there to downtown is not so. Why? Because you have to cross two busy streets and a set of railroad tracks, all without a pedestrian traffic signal.

Lori Shakespeare, owner of the Blue Coffee Company in the heart of downtown Durham, is glad to see the warehouse space renovated but doesn’t expect much new business from its tenants. It’s not as easy, attractive, or safe as it can be for pedestrians and bicyclists to get downtown from the new district. This is true despite the fact that they are merely a block away from each other.

The opening of American Tobacco’s retail and corporate spaces provides the city of Durham with an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to revitalizing all of downtown Durham — both inside the loop as well as its periphery.

Here are four simple recommendations for establishing a safe, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly connection between the new district and the businesses inside the loop.

– The sidewalks alongside the former warehouses and the Bulls’ stadium should remain wide and well lit all the way to Pettigrew Street, and new sidewalks should be installed assisting pedestrians between Pettigrew and Ramseur, over the railroad tracks.

– Push-button crossing signals need to be installed at the intersections of Pettigrew and Blackwell as well as at Ramseur and Corcoran.

– Attractive signs pointing Bulls fans and American Tobacco employees toward the restaurant and shopping district downtown are needed on these sidewalks.

– Currently, the City’s plan is to extend the American Tobacco Trail along these wide sidewalks, sending bicyclists onto the sidewalks up and down Blackwell Street. This section of sidewalk must be striped into lanes: two lanes of bicycle traffic and a pedestrian lane. The bike path connecting West Cameron Street in Chapel Hill with Carrboro is an excellent example of how attractive and effective this simple striping can be.

Durham’s Transportation and Parks and Recreation departments are already planning many bicycle and pedestrian-related improvements downtown, but if the improvements connecting American Tobacco with downtown are not timed with the district’s grand opening celebrations, then Durham will miss an opportunity to give visitors the best first-impression it can give. If you agree that these improvements need to be accelerated, please contact the City Council to register your support.

Without these improvements, the American Tobacco District and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park will be yet another island of bicycle and pedestrian-friendly space, physically and visually separated from downtown Durham by unsafe, unattractive street and railroad crossings. It benefits both the American Tobacco businesses and downtown Durham to establish bike/ped-friendly routes to make Durham a connected city, one well-planned urban space.

Column: September good month to try commuting

The Herald Sun
September 9, 2004

Ruth Coppinger, a post-doctoral researcher in Duke University’s Pharmacology Department, rides her bike 8 miles from the Woodcroft area to work nearly everyday. When asked why she chooses to ride, she says “I like commuting by bike because I share a smile and a ‘Good morning!’ with other people on the trail and in the neighborhoods. It makes me happy and calm.”

She’s not the only one. As more bike lanes and greenways are built, the number of riders is only increasing. Several readers of this column have written in to say how much they enjoy using their bike to ride to work, to run errands, to visit friends, or to go shopping. Either by choice or out of necessity, practical cycling is a healthy, rewarding mode of transportation.

September is the perfect month to get out there and try it. The weather is cooling off, the summer rains will lessen, and there are three upcoming events designed to encourage you.

First, if you are an employee in Research Triangle Park, you’re eligible for the Smart Commute Challenge. Smart Commute is a non-profit organization promoting alternative modes of transportation. Julie Woosley, Smart Commute’s Director, says that all RTP employees are invited to try some alternative form of commuting between now and September 30th. Anyone who takes the bus, rides a bike, or carpools before then is eligible for a drawing with some great prizes. For more information or to register for the Smart Commute Challenge, call 549-8181 or visit www.smartcommute.org.

Second, on September 22nd, join people from 1400 U.S. cities and 37 countries around the world in celebrating International Car Free Day. To encourage folks to go car free or “car light,” Durham and Orange Counties are holding support events. In Orange County, head to Weaver Street Market in downtown Carrboro between 6PM and 8PM. Durham’s event will take place downtown, at the corner of Parrish and Mangum, between 7AM and 2PM. Again, those who register and participate are eligible for prizes. Visit www.gocarfree.com, or register to go car free at CenterFest, September 18th and 19th.

Third, Alison Carpenter, the City of Durham’s new Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Coordinator, is hosting a Basic Bike Commuting workshop on Monday, September 27th at 3:00PM. Carpenter says the course is designed to help you “learn how to get started bike commuting the right way.” Designed for novices as well as for those who want to refresh their skills, the course is free but there are a limited number of spaces. For more information or to register, call or email at 560-4366 or acarpenter@ci.durham.nc.us.

If these incentives are not enough, there’s more. Using bikes as a form of transportation (not just recreation), we make the best use of our time, getting exercise at the same time that we’re going somewhere. Parking is usually much easier to find and less expensive for bicyclists. Many retail stores give “bag credits” for bringing your own shopping bag. Wear an empty pack to the store, use it to carry your goods home, and save a little money. And there’s just a unique feeling of accomplishment knowing that you pedal yourself where you need to go.

So, think differently about getting around town. By bicycling, the journey to get there becomes as important as the destination.

Commuting Tips

1)Be comfortable with your bike. Practice riding your bike in safe areas before you ride in traffic. Your bike should fit you well (e.g. seat height, handlebar position), and you want to be very comfortable starting and braking before you share the lane with automobiles.

2)Be comfortable with your route. As long as they are safe, ride roads you already know. If you need to find a new route, plan your route with a map or just by riding casually on the weekend.

3)Wear brightly colored clothing. On a bike, you want to be seen. Reds, yellows, and oranges are great colors for cycling clothes. They make you more visible than deep greens, greys, and dark colors which tend to blend in with the surrounding environment. Many commuters also wear a bag to carry items to work or groceries home from the store. A brightly colored bag also helps.

4)Use your hearing. Your ears can be the eyes in the back of your head. Sounds are often the the first signals that a car is approaching from behind. Use your peripheral vision as well. Cyclists are able to hear and see what’s going on around them much better than the motorists.

5)Make eye contact with drivers. Most of the time, this is your best defense against a driver turning left in front of you. They see you, you see them, they see you seeing them.

6)Ride one to three feet away from curbs and don’t ride in gutters. Not only is there sharp trash just waiting to pop your tires in this portion of the lane, but slotted drainage grates are traps for wheels. Ride three feet away from parked cars, and assume that every car door may open at any moment.

7)Signal all your turns clearly. Review those hand signals, and practice riding a bike one handed so that you can signal comfortably. Remember, you’re sharing the road with automobiles; the best way to do that is to obey traffic laws so that you don’t distract the drivers.

8)Plan ahead. Watch the weather. Check the weather channel or your favorite weather-watching-website. If there’s a chance of rain, carry a rain jacket and pants. If you’re riding at night, state law requires that you have a red tail light mounted to either your bike, your pack, or your helmet. A bright headlight is also useful in darker corridors, between streetlights.

Column: Olympics may inspire desire to try mountain biking

The Herald-Sun
Aug 24, 2004 : 9:25 am ET

The 2004 summer Olympics in Athens have already seen some exciting race results in cycling.

After leaving the Tour de France because of a back injury, Tyler Hamilton won the United States its first-ever gold medal in men’s road time trial.

Axel Merckx, son of the legendary five-time Tour winner Eddie Merckx, earned a bronze medal in the men’s road race.

Anna Meares and the Australian pursuit team have each broken world records in the velodrome and they aren’t even finished racing yet. And all this has happened on skinny tires … the fat tires begin racing tomorrow!

This is only the third Olympics for mountain biking, which debuted in Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Games. Since then, the world of professional mountain biking has reached its halcyon days. The competition will be fierce Friday and Saturday as riders hurl themselves and their bikes down rocky slopes, clearing boulders and dirt jumps alike, approaching 65 mph. Don’t miss it!

Pisgah National Forest and the Tsali trail network in the western end of our state draw mountain bikers from all over the country, but you don’t need to drive out to there to get in some time off-road. Mountain biking is well-established in the Triangle.

Lake Crabtree County Park has a great network of trails for beginners. Call the park office at 460-3390 to make sure the trails are open when you plan to ride.

New Light is a collection of trails on Wildlife Resources land near Falls Lake. Route 66, one of the trails at New Light, is a favorite, showing off some of the best of what mountain biking is all about.

You can find descriptions of trails and directions to these and many others in the Triangle area at www.trianglemtb.com. The Durham Orange Mountain Bike Organization (DOMBO, www.dombo-nc.org) is working tirelessly to finish Durham’s first mountain biking course. When completed, it will be at the Little River Park off Guess Road in northern Durham County.

To ride the kind of course like in the Olympics, dedicated XC race courses, you can head to the mountains. Ski slopes often open their chairlifts to downhill and cross-country bikers in the summertime. Call the Sugar Mountain resort (800) 784-2768 to see when the next weekend of operation is.

Column: Single-speed bicycles give rider more feel of the road

Phillip Barron
The Herald-Sun
August 10, 2004 12:10 pm

DURHAM — When I was a kid, riding a bicycle with multiple gears was something for adults. My blue banana-seat cruiser had only one gear at the rear wheel. I admired my dad and the older neighborhood kids who could change gears, go faster and ride greater distances. I dreamed about the day when I’d share that privilege. My first 10-speed didn’t just make it easier to climb hills, it confirmed my maturity.

Today, the term “10-speed” sounds dated. Bicycle manufacturers cram gears onto bikes allowing riders to select from as many as 30 speeds. Even contemporary kids’ bikes frequently come equipped with a rear dérailleur and at least three speed options. So, why in this age of innovation are some people going back to just one gear?

Single-speed bicycling is a counter-culture movement within the bicycling community aimed at rediscovering what bicycling is all about: the simple elements of human-powered transportation. It’s a movement that says to the manufacturing world, “just because you can offer it doesn’t mean we need it (or even want it!).”

To a single-speed biker, using only one gear gets you closer to the bike. Pedaling is a more raw, more tiring experience. You really get to know the road (trail, if you’re off-road) that you’re on. You’re more sensitive to even the most subtle incline. You think twice before heading out on a ride where you don’t know the terrain. But, if you’re like most single-speeders, you’re up for the challenge.

In the forums of www.trianglemtb.com, you’ll find a small but growing band of folks who ride their single-speed mountain bikes on all the same trails that their friends with 21, 24 and 27 speeds ride.

The most interesting are the fixed-gear folks. A fixed-gear setup is a single-speed bike where the pedals move in fixed proportion to the rear wheel — backwards and forwards. There is no freewheel, there is no coasting. If the rear wheel is moving, so is the pedal. If the pedals speed up, slow or stop, so does the rear wheel. If you ride a fixed-gear bike, your feet are constantly moving. I know a few of these purists, and they are some of the most physically and spiritually self-aware bicyclists I know.

Cannondale and other bike manufacturers have begun marketing single-speed bikes, but most riders who try the single-speed lifestyle simply convert their own gear-laden bikes. If you’re interested in learning more about single-speed biking, come to REI in Durham at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. REI’s bike specialists are hosting a workshop on how to convert your current bike and rediscover the elements of pedaling. Registration for the workshop is required since seats are limited. Contact Heather Phillips at (919) 806-3442 or hphilli@rei.com to register.

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