Thought you'd like to know that deCycles Indiana from Bloomington , Indiana will mark their 40th anniversary with a trip that starts here in Phoenix , AZ on June 21st.  They'll cycle north through the rim country, then wind through southern Utah and end up in  Denver , CO on July 13th.   deCycles is a nonprofit ecumenical youth leadership program offering high spirited summer bicycle trips for teenagers and young adults. Last year, a group of some 60 cyclists rode 2007 miles along the atlantic coast from Ft. Meyers , Florida to Burlington , Vermont . 

I was hoping to give them a proper send off on Saturday morning, June 21st.  They're staying in central Phoenix , and it would be great to have some cycling enthusiasts on hand to cheer them on.  Perhaps one of the bicycle clubs would be interested in hosting breakfast for the kids that morning?  Since Mayor Phil Gordon lives in our neighborhood, we were hoping to have him do the official send off, but it would be great to have some local color on hand.

You can learn more about the organization from their website: http://www.decyclesindiana.org/index.html or I'll do my best to answer your questions. 

Would love to hear from any of your members that would like to participate.

 

Mary Anne Houlahan

Proud aunt of the 2007 Rookie of the Year , Keagan Vaughan

(602) 218-6372

---

It came up at the club board meeting that Paradise Valley police officers have been cracking down, issuing tickets tocyclists who run
stop signs and stop lights. There is no indication at this point that cyclists are being singled out- so far it looks like a universal step
up in enforcement, targeting red light runnersin cars andon bikes alike.


Paradise Valley's increased enforcement brings up a good point. When we ride our bicycles on the road,we have the same rights and
responsibilities asmotor vehicle drivers. The rights and the responsibilities go hand in hand. We can't have one and not the
other. We can't insist on having our right to the road and then turn around and blow off our responsiblity to follow the rules of the road.


If as a cyclist you want respectful, courteous treatment from other road users andequitable treatmentunder the law(and who doesn't want
those things?), then you have a responsiblity to behave in a way that promotes that kind of treatment. We all do.


We all have a stake in encouraging safe and legal cycling habits. Like it or not, myriding behavior affects how drivers interact withyou -
and your riding behavior affects how drivers interact withme. We need to policeourselves and model good cycling habits for those around us,
both in cars and on bikes. Being visible (which goes beyond clothing and lighting to also include lane position, etc.) and predictable
(obeying the law is paramount in being predictable) not only keeps us safer, but also clearly communicates to other road users that we know
what we're doing and we belong on the road just as they do.


I highly recommend taking the League of American Bicyclists'Road I course, Bicycle Driver's Education, offered by the Coalition of Arizona
Bicyclists. You will learn basic traffic law pertaining to bicyclists, bike handling skills that could save you from a collision or fall, how
to safely and correctly navigate intersections and interact with motorized traffic, and much more. Even if you've been riding for
decades you will get something out of this class. Contact Radar and Sharon Matt at radarmatt@aol.com to arrange a class for your friends or riding group. You won't regret it.

Interestingly enough, cyclists who receive tickets in Paradise Valley for running stop signs/lights can take Road I through Radar Matt to
have their ticket dismissed by the court. Kudos to the judges (and undoubtedly theCoalition guys and gals) who came up with that option!


The Arizona Bicycle Club has a policy requiring all ride participants to wear a helmet and adhere to the traffic laws at all times. This
policy is so important that it isstated not only on event ride entry forms but on the membership application for joining the club and it's
enforced on every group ride.Take the responsibility to ride legally seriously. It's the most important thing you can do to help
ensure your own safety and to safeguard our right to the road.

---

Hello Fellow Bikers!!

 

Did you know that 40% of all urban travel is typically 2-miles or less?!

 

Cliff Bar (Yumm) has kicked off a new challenge for all of us urbanites.

It is called the 2 MILE CHALLENGE, a way to ride your bike to fight global warming.

 

The Challenge:

Any journey of 2-miles or less....park the car and pedal.

 

Jump on their website, map 2 miles and commit to ride!!

http://www.2milechallenge.com/home.html

 

Gears Not Gas!!

Peace.