A group of 7 cyclists, leaving the donut shop and riding a back street to get back to Piermont, got stopped by a police car and pulled over, for going through a stop sign without fully stopping.  The officer explained that he needed to ticket us for our own safety.  It took an hour to input all of our information and issue tickets to everyone.  If uncontested, the tickets would carry a $180 fine and 3 points on our license.  He explained, however, that we should send in the ticket, pleading "not guilty", get a court date, and go at the appointed time.  Once there, we should an explanation (like what?), the judge would take the points off, and we would negotiate a "contribution" instead of the fine.  Not pleased.

Started reading his new book "The Secret Race". 

There's one line that sorta sums up what the pro racers go through.  Alex Zulle..." Swiss contender who rode for Festina said Everybody knew that the whole peloton was taking drugs and I had a choice. Either I buckle under and go with the trend or I pack it in and go back to my old job as a painter". 

I've listed a new B18 ride for this Sunday 9/16: Bergen Jaunt.   I've planned a nice route through Bergen utting through Rockland which does not go looking for extra climbing.  The holiday of Rosh Hashannah starts Sunday night so we WILL return to the start by 3:30PM. We'll stop at the famous Butterflake Bake Shop on Cedar Lane to buy goodies for the holiday; there are nearby options for lunch from pizza on up. 

Note that 18 means 18, not 19+. A19+ riders who want a short recovery ride are always welcome but the listed pace is as much as I can sustain.

Bags/bike are all packed/prepared, and I am feeling good! Departing soon with Eric Deuser.

Ready as I will ever be to tackle 104 miles and 11,482ft. Hopefully the deeply etched tanlines on arms, legs and hands are a sign that I am prepared to kill this monster convincingly. We soon shall see!

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/car-plunges-into-brooklyn-construction-site-after-driver-loses-control/

No mention if the cyclist is ok; no mention that the driver had to be going pretty damn fast to pinball off several other cars and crash thru a fence. 

(9/13/12)

Just to let you know there are a few spots left for the first ever BARTS training program. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to become A riders.

Rides start on September 29th. You must sign up beforehand. Be on the lookout for the ride listing coming very soon. Please let your fellow B riders know about our program. 

Thank you to everyone for waiting patiently for BARTS.

You will notice when next you cycle across the GW Bridge that the dangerous sidewalk discrepancy at the base of the NY-side ramp has been filled in with a nice smooth cement mini-ramp.  It's no longer the extreme hazard that it had gotten to be.  For this we all owe our thanks first to Richard Rosenthal, who badgered the NYC DOT.  Then thank the DOT, who contacted the Port Authority, whose responsibility it is.  Then thank the Port Authority, who got the job done the very next day after being told of the problem.

This is advocacy at its best - actually getting a problem solved by working with government agencies.  Thank you, Richard.

Hi All,

   Does anybody know how/where I can properly dispose/recycle of bicycle tires(not tubes)? Seems like such a waste to just throw them in with regular trash.

Thanks.

Was wondering if someone can point me the way to somehow generate a cue sheet from a route I found online at garminconnect.com.    Thanks in advance.

The indication is that it will be open again on Saturday.