An interesting fact rolled in front of my eyes this past week. Of women registered to race in Gravel Worlds this August 19, there are more master women, those over 40 years of age, (25) than those under (18). It’s not the case for master men (over 50 years of age) where it’s 87 to 224. Registration is capped at 500 for the full 150 miles, and at 300 for the new half-distance race. Dirty […]

For three years, I rode the same route, year-round. I knew every crack and pothole. I knew where ice would form in the shady spots. I navigated the most dangerous intersections on my route with aplomb, never startled by bad driver behavior. I collected just the right bags and lights and coats and locks, over a long process of trial and error. I cemented my reputation as a bike commuter among colleagues. And then I […]

By this time in the summer everyone should be acclimated to their bikes and putting in their big miles. Ragbrai is going on next door in Iowa. The Mountain Bike events of the Cornhusker State Games were this past weekend, with the rest of the cycling events this coming weekend. The Rapha 100 km is in the books. Or you’re ready to to do some epic bike packing and touring, but you’re really getting annoyed […]

Someone asked me the other day what I missed most about China and today I thought of one more thing. The tree covered B-roads. As much as I love riding the gravel roads around Lincoln, when I’m broiling under the hot sun I think of how nice it was to be in the shade of the poplars around Zhoukou. They know how to squeeze out a use for every bit of land there and many […]

I hear some of you like to ride in the heat. More power to you. For the rest of us, we have to find ways to deal with it and to stay safe. The early morning ride is probably the best option, followed by the night ride, but commuters don’t have the luxury of picking the best time of day to ride. If you’re arriving to work drenched in sweat you already know to pack […]

We are back in Lincoln now and the jet lag wasn’t too bad. I’ve managed to get out and ride every day since in our fair city. After the past ten months in Zhoukou the traffic here is predictably calmer, faster, and often clueless to the presence of non-motorized vehicles. It may take me a little while to fully re-adapt to traffic regulations after the free-for-all that is bicycling in China. I was a Peace […]