Announced today.  $60mm yr 1, $10mm yrs 2-5.  Largest ever donation to a park.  Purpose: "help renovate park facilities and pay for recreation programs" -- specifically, improving the entrance on the park's southwest corner (presumably Columbus Circle entrance), comfort stations, five visitor centers, recreational activities and youth and family programs.

...... sorry, no velodrome.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/nyc-pedicab-fares-city-council-442-for-a-ride_n_2004770.html

Anyone have a recommendation for a good way to get from Nyack to Bear, maybe a little off the beaten path?  I'm sick of just taking either 9W or the Nyack Beach Park trail to Bicycle Route 9 through Haverstraw. 

Looking for something a little more scenic/interesting (that doesn’t involve gravel).  I suppose I could go S. Mountain to Little Tor, but wouldn’t know where to go after Rampo Rd.

I have been researching some intriguing bicycle trips to Sikkim (Northern India) and Northern Thailand over Christmas/New Year's.  These trips are run by SpiceRoads Cycle Tours.

SpiceRoads will guarantee departure if at least two people sign up.  Is anyone interested in doing one of these trips?  If so, please email me privately.  You can check the SpiceRoads website for info (www.spiceroads.com) and I have itineraries I can email you.

Regards, Linda

Got word via email that CT's Sound Cyclists will have their annual Bloomin' Metric for 2013 on a new date--Sunday June 3 at Sherwood Island Park, instead of usual 3rd Sun. in May.

Hope it doesn't conflict with TA's Tour de Brooklyn (possible same date.)

Alfredo

We are looking for bike volunteers for this weekends Men's Health Urbanathalon and Festival. The event is held at Citi Field and Flushing Meadow Park. It is a 9 mile closed course. Volunteers will have free rein on the course and will help keep things moving and report back to our zone captains.

Men's Health will make a $10 donation for every volunteer that comes from NYCC. Just sign up at www.racemanagementgroup.com/volunteer.html and select NYCC when you register. 

This is a great event held by a major company. There's a festival as well. Hope to see some of you at the event.

Tom

As the weather chills and an old man's fancies turn to thoughts of winter maintenance, I find myself asking:

What is the current thinking about how often one should replace cable housing? It's clearly time for new brake and derailleur wires, but does the housing have an expected life?  Or does it pretty much go on and on?

All thoughts welcome, but especially those that go beyond "I don't know, but it certainly can't hurt to replace it".

Also, apart from convenience, are the name-branded, pre-cut cable sets from Campagnolo (or whomever) actually better than standard bike shop fare (ie QBP, Jagwire or similar)?

Thanks in advance,

Peter Storey

Due to work commitments I have to cancel tomorrow morning's Central Park laps. The Wednesday forecast is rain. Thursday morning is on, weather permitting.

DOT did  a LOT today-massive painting, scraping reconfig. etc.Hard to believe they did SO MUCH !!! 

However-issues-I discussed with a DOT rep there-seemed slightly interested(not much); a cop in an enclosed scooter -hardly cared at all, and Caroline G from Parks who DID care-and she seemed concerned.

ISSUES I saw-1- biker insignia in left lane are now scraped away-gravel remains in piles in some spots!  The middle lane now has bike markings and the right lane(new car only lane) has a solid white line between-however the cars do NOT obey the new line-especially from 6th ave north-BE CAREFUL

Also where they start a new thermoplastic line; above an old one-the paint goes on too thick for a few yards; or more-dangerous.

I can't be the only cyclist around who hears funny questions or comments from non-cyclists from time to time.  I'm plenty naive about pleanty of things myself, but still, you've really got to wonder what people are thinking sometimes.  I thought I'd share a few of these here. 

On Saturday while getting off the train in White Plains to begin our foliage ride, a man came up to me and asked:

"So, where will your group bike to, North White Plains?"

One year, on the day after riding the full Montauk Century, I was talking about it to a co-worker.  The co-worker asked:

"So what road did you take, the Long Island Expresway?"