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By Andrejs  Gathering in the far parking lot of Sapsucker Woods The newly established FLCC Saturday (no-drop) Rides kicked off with a tremendous turnout last week. The 26 or so riders were treated to a jewel of a route on the ridges east of Cayuga Lake under picturesque blue skies. The ride was ideal for slower riders, since most of the ride was very gently rolling to flat — although, being a route mapped by Kyra Stephanoff, it included one hill with a zillion percent grade. True to the terms and conditions of this ride, nobody was dropped — or allowed to get lost, as I found out when I wandered off route!
All riders have to sign in for this ride and check off their names when they return — or else notify the leader or sweep of their intentions. We’re really trying to establish a routine by which everyone who attends can feel secure they won’t wind up lost or with a mechanical. The first run of the system proved pretty successful. Another feature Continue reading →
By twinkieboy It’s been about 2 or 3 years since I last pinned on a number and served as pack fodder – work, travel, and age have all conspired against me recently. That, and the fear of road rash when racing with brain-dead, oxygen-deprived, testosterone-laden 20-somethings, also known as Cat 4 racers. This year, the weather and travel gods conspired to get me onto a road bike in February (for the first time since leaving Australia in 1997, where of course, February is the best time to ride). March was “the warmest on record”, allowing me several days of pushing my bike up Culvert Rd, or Mt Pleasant, or Rt327 (basically, pick any hill with a >5% grade and I was going to be pushing at some point). But I felt that I might be coming into the season slightly better conditioned, and slightly less cushioned than in previous recent springs. There’s a reason that I sit on my arse in my car doing results at Hollenbecks, and it’s not because I’m such a nice bloke. It’s a nemesis called Parker Street…
Well, given the relative (and this, truly, in the Einsteinian sense of the word) Continue reading →
By wroad
Wednesday Women’s road rides will return next week on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 6 pm at Rite Aid, East Hill. Roll out at 6 pm prompt! Rides will be every Wednesday until the end of August.
Last year we split into 2 groups, 12- 15 mph and > 15 mph with some success depending on the number of riders. The route will again be pre posted via FLCC email-so sign up for FLCC email! (I also encourage you to sign up for FLCC membership while you’re at it (!)
Hope to see you out on your bikes!
Cynthia
By Andrejs Join the club: MEMBERSHIP PAGE
 With this continually surprising weather, making it virtually summer when we should just be recovering from winter, it’s hard to realize the cycling season is still young. So, getting 65 people signed and paid up with a 2012 membership card is actually pretty good. Still, there are a lot more people than that who are interested in biking in the Finger Lakes, who support the club, who use the club’s routes and email list to enhance their biking, who join in on our rides — but who haven’t managed to actually commit to a membership. Well, if the ten bucks is a problem for you, that’s fine; read no further and be welcome among us. But, for those who are merely forgetful or procrastinating — please, let’s get this membership thing done before the season is on in earnest and nobody wants to sit at a computer, either to join the club or to work on rosters and cards. And maybe you’ll want that card for a discount on something for your bike to kick off the season. It’s all on line and simple: Membership Page
By Andrejs The FLCC Annual Meeting is one week from today. The preliminary agenda is below (or download FLCC 2012 Annual Meeting). The meeting will be at Kelly’s Dockside Café where the Annual Touring Meeting was held in January. The Club will provide appetizers and other food items will be available for purchase. Continue reading →
By Andrejs Registration is now open
Everything is ready now to start signing up for the Memorial Day Weekend Getaway. This year we are taking reservation payments on line via a Paypal interface. In addition, you will be putting your names on specific beds via a google-docs spreadsheet. Go to Memorial Day 2012 and claim your spot.
(This year I’m asking for full payment rather than just a deposit. The deposit process became a hassle in the past and, since the full amount is due well before the event anyway, I figure we might just as well get it out of the way. If it’s a problem for anyone, just let me know, please.)
 In response to multiple requests, this year’s FLCC Memorial Day Weekend Getaway will again be in Ottawa, centered at the famous Jail hostel in the center of that beautiful city. We have 30 beds reserved with a hefty deposit – so I hope you’ll commit as soon as possible.
The hostel has assigned us a number of rooms on different levels so we’ll have some individual choice as to whether our room has bars or doors. For cells, we have two 4-bed and one 6-bed. For rooms, we have two 4-bed and one 8-bed. The cost is the same for all, $96/person/weekend. I’ll ask people going on this trip to choose their rooms. Continue reading →
By Andrejs  Shooting the breeze before the meeting The start of the 2012 bicycle touring season has been officially declared — at the FLCC Touring Group meeting tonight. Held at the West Side venue of Kelly’s Dockside Cafe, the meeting drew about 30 participants from the region including Syracuse, Binghamton, and Elmira. The gathering began with people just connecting and reconnecting with other bike touring enthusiasts. Kelly’s staff (special mention to our server, Kacey) had prepared a great array of appetizers, finger food, and snacks and several attendees also ordered dinner. Continue reading →
By Andrejs Sunday, January 22, 5:00 pm
Kellly’s Dockside Cafe (319 Old Taughannock Blvd.)
 Join us for a winter celebration of bicycle touring. We’ll reminisce about past trips, plan new trips, and share info and inspiration – over some good food and drink in our new venue this year, upstairs at Kelly’s Dockside on the island.
We’ll set up a projector and screen so that we can have a few slide presentations (keep them short so we can have more people’s trips represented) and we’ll also roll out some of the plans that are coming together for the 2012 touring season.
Whether you’re an experienced cycle tourist or just ride around the block, come share and/or extend your knowledge. If you have trip suggestions or requests, bring them to the meeting — the season is still being planned and many things are still possible!
And, click on the Facebook “Like” button at the top to let your touring (or touring-interested) friends know about the meeting.
- We’d like to know who/how many are coming and who’s going to present: RSVP
Getting to Kelly’s: From NY 13, take NY 89 north (that’s Buffalo St), across the railroad tracks and across the first bridge over water. Follow 89 by taking a right on Old Taughannock Blvd. Kelly’s is just a little ways from the corner on your right. It’s across the road from Island Fitness, the big building with all the glass. If you don’t see parking in the street right there, go a bit further and take a right just before the big bridge. There is a large parking area for public use there.
By Brenda Smith Cycle-CNY.com has been an information hub for mountain bikers in the Southern Tier of NY since 2005. Its existence has led to many friendships, many rides, and many trails. It has forged partnerships with NYS land managers and with the largest mountain bike advocacy group in the world, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA).
Mountain bike riders are a diverse bunch, crossing all social, ethnic, and generational gaps. Brenda Smith, Steve Gelb, and I believe the time is ripe to introduce our community to mountain biking as a viable activity for sheer enjoyment, as a vehicle to long-term health, and as a conduit to better understand the fragile environment we cohabitate with other living things.
In mid-March 2012 Cycle-CNY will officially become the first IMBA Chapter in New York. If you haven’t read the forum chatter go here for that discussion, or go to IMBA.com for more information on their Chapter program. With our new IMBA partnership Cycle-CNY will become a non-profit incorporation, establish a revenue stream and have club insurance, positioning us to grow our impact on mountain biking in the Southern Tier of NY.
Communities that embrace the many virtues of mountain biking invariably benefit from that sponsorship. Brenda, Steve, and I reach out to you today in our initial attempt to recruit Cycle-CNY leaders. Cycle-CNY will be governed by a board-of-directors and have four elected officer roles. There are many more roles to fill and events to plan. There will be much hard work but also much fun in the journey.
Each person has to have a passion in life that transcends their everyday concerns. Few endeavors are of greater interest to Brenda, Steve, and I than the maintenance and expansion of mountain biking trails and activities in the Southern Tier. We are very enthusiastic at the prospect of closely working with others that share this passion.
Transforming positive emotions into concrete accomplishments is always the challenge. Few things are as gratifying as seeing a good idea come to fruition. When it is an idea shared by people you like and respect, a positive outcome is even more rewarding. We look forward to exchanging ideas with you and the other leaders recruited in this endeavor.
If you’re interested in serving Cycle-CNY in any capacity we’ll add you to our club leadership e-mail list. Please simply show your support by e-mailing Nate Hunter at natehunter@frontiernet.net. We’re interested in knowing what role you’d like to take and what activities you would specifically like to be involved with. Many thanks for your time and support!
Happy holidays!
Nathan Hunter
Brenda Smith
Steve Gelb
By Andy Goodell Written by Bill Fischer:
5 intrepid but slightly chilly cyclists departed Elmira to endure the hills of Bradford County Pennsylvania Sunday morning. Paul and Wanda were kind enough to accompany yours truly as well as Stuart Wolsh and Daniella Floss from Ithaca. This yielded a pretty girl to balding man ratio of 2/3. I believe this may be the highest pretty girl to balding man ratio in the history of officially sanctioned BHV or FLCC events.
After finding the store in Columbia Crossroads closed, we continued pushing a steady 15 mph headwind all the way to the Southern terminus of the route in Leroy Pa. The store in Leroy was also closed but they have recently graced the citizenry of Leroy with an outdoor Pepsi machine. After scrounging through seat bags and pockets, we were finally able to come up with a couple 1 dollar bills which yielded Paul a 150 calorie Pepsi. This must have accounted for the blistering pace set by the tandem over the “rollers” of Southside Road.
After turning North, we endured the steep hills of Grange and Franklindale roads and then, with a tailwind, blasted down from the mountaintops to our traditional stop in Burlington, Pa. The Brick appeared as unfriendly as anticipated with some new signage welcoming bikers, hunters and drillers. After a brief caucus we decided that the bikers they were welcoming probably had 1,000 cc engines, none of us could shoot straight and any discussion of “drilling” would end badly. Eventually we cowardly decided to take refuge in the Dandy Mini-mart across the street. After several data inputs on their “automated” computer terminals (apparently this is easier than saying “hey, give me a 6″ roast beef sub”), we were all gorging on wraps, subs and breakfast sandwiches to recover some energy for the ensuing climb up Chapel Rd. Actually four of us gorged, Dani had a banana and a granola bar.
Eventually the last hill was ascended and Our Lady of Perpetual Help church came into view. We flew back down to Bentley Creek. Unfortunately that Pepsi from Leroy was still fueling the tandem and Stuart and I were holding on to the Paul and Wanda express with all the energy we had left. The tandem eventually showed us some mercy and pulled off the front at Maple Avenue. Unfortunately Dani (who was just starting to warm up) came to the front and we were left panting and trying to stick to her wheel the rest of the way back home.
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Regular Rides Sun -- see "Sundays," above, for the weekly Sunday ride
-- Family rides
Mon-- Bike Polo, 6:00 pm at the Ithaca skate park across from Tops
-- MTB rides at Swan Cycles
Tue -- The Tuesday Night Ride (not FLCC)
Wed -- Women's ride, 6:00, East Hill
Thu -- Slow ride, 5:30, West Hill
-- Relaxed Mountain Bike Rides, 5:30, check for location
-- Time Trial, Brooktondale or Mecklenburg
Fri -- Spirited MTB at Shindagin, 6:00 pm
Sat -- 1st & 3rd Saturdays, Mountain Mollies Women's MTB, 10:00 am
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