Arkansas Bicycle Club News Archives 
Altus Wine Country Ride Posted Monday, April 30, 2007 by Ian Hope
This Saturday, May 5th, is the Altus Wine Country Ride. This is the 4th or 5th year for this event and it is a great route, offering riders distances of 12, 62 and 100 miles. All fully supported. I know several ABC members are headed up there so get on the Forum and arrange a caravan or place to meet in Altus.
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UPDATE: Here is a link to a post on the ABC forum for this ride. Several people are going so join the fun and make an ABC group ride of it.
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River Trail Clean Up-May 3rd- 6 pm Posted Monday, April 30, 2007 by Ian Hope
The River Trail Clean Up is now scheduled for this coming Thursday night (May the 3rd, 2007) instead of the original plan of Saturday morning. Meet at the foot of the Big Dam Bridge, North Little Rock side, at 6:00 pm with gloves and clothes you won't mind getting dirty (you will be picking up trash) and get ready to clean up the trail. Everyone is welcome so spread the word. Contact Monty Cole for more details. this is a great chance to give back to the community. The clean up will take place all along the trail on the North Little Rock side.
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Team Rubicon Here May 16th? Posted Saturday, April 28, 2007 by Sprokets
Heard a rumor.....here's the basic jest of it...
Team Rubicon plans to stay in L.R. between the Joe Martin and the Tri-Peaks stage races. On Wednesday, May 16, they are going to lead a Livestrong Ride from Burns Park at 5:30 PM. May 16th is LiveStrong Day across the country.
The ride should be open to the public and will start in the Burns Park Soccer area, the details are being worked on. Someone from CARTI is throwing the party. It will definitely be open to the public. I doubt that the ride will be very long since it will start at 5:30 PM -20 to 25 miles is what I'm guessing. The route will use the River Trail, but I don't know where else it will go...
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What else in May? BACA has a ton of stuff going on...check it out!
So Jim....can you give us some more detail here on the River Trail clean-up ride on May 5th? Meeting place? Time? What to bring? What to wear? etc.
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April 2007 Board and Members' Meeting Posted Wednesday, April 25, 2007 by Jim Britt
BOARD MEETING
Present: Jim Britt, Jamie Hazlewood, Jess Askew, Bill Steward, Pat Piazza, Bob and Betty Danielson, Denise, Monty Cole.
Jim called the meeting to order. He thanked Board member, Jess Askew, for taking the ride VP responsibility as well.
We are now a club member League of American Cyclists. The Club will next purchase insurance; that covers a guest for his first ride as well. Jim will publish the information when the insurance policy has been issued. Jim has estimated that the cost will be $1.50 per rider.
We still have one outstanding payment from another club that participated in the Christmas party and will make efforts to contact the right person for that income.
Jim will call and get a pavilion reserved for the annual ABC picnic on June 14th.
Membership was a big topic. Some ideas were: stress membership in order to participate in activities such as the picnic and Prediction Ride. Jim will talk to Ian about the status of membership cards and a membership list. Ian will make a list of members and send it out to everyone on the email distribution list. There will be automatic renewal reminders from now on, but many former members don’t remember if they are paid up.
The Pre-Prediction ride is Sunday, June 10th.
The Prediction Ride is Saturday, June 16th.
April 21 is the Little Rock cleanup and ride. Monty is to check on trash bags.
May 5th is the River Trail cleanup and ride. Jim passed out a sign up sheet for ABC members to sign up to work for Riverfest.
There was much discussion concerning the ARKY ride. It was stated that our club gave up the ARKY for the BDB. We got no recognition. We are to get some money from the BDB ride.
Jim will talk to Ian, Don and the mayor of Sheridan concerning aspects of an Arky ride: rest stops help-Boy Scouts, school cheerleaders, etc.
Ian is to speak to Fred about an ABC discount for members on BDB or ARKY rides.
Monty and Tim are to working on designing car plates for runners and bicyclists.
The ABC MEETING
Ms Georgia Steward presented some very useful and relevant info on the most common bicycle injuries and how to treat them.
Upcoming Rides
April 22 is the Desegregation Ride from Central High at 2:00 PM. Meet Coreen at River Trail at 1:00 PM at the regular ride location.
Beat the Commuters: May 7 @ 7:30 am. I-430 at Maumelle Blvd. 2 riders needed.
Bike Rodeos: NLR May 5th @8:30 am to 12:30 pm and Murray Park, LR, May 12th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Volunteers are needed to help with the NLR merchandise booth at the Riverfest. A signup sheet was passed around to sign up to participate in one of four shifts under the Main Street Bridge NLR. They will get free admission for the weekend and a volunteer T-shirt.
Our next meeting is at Mr. Mason’s on May 10th at 6:30 Robb at Arkansas Cycling and Fitness will present a program on flat tire repairs.
Jim adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Jamie Hazlewood
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2007 Arkansas State Time Trial Championships... Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2007 by Sprokets
The 2007 Edition of the Arkansas State Time Trial Championships will be held in Galloway, AR, Sunday, June 17th, 2007 7:00 a.m. USCF Sanction Applied For. The race course will follow US Hwy 70 east to the junction of Hwy 70 and AR Hwy 31. As soon as the road Y's, turn at the orange marker and return to the start line for a total of 40 kilometers. The course is out and back and pancake flat. Riders will start at 30 second intervals.
Location: To get to Galloway, take I-40 east from Little Rock to Exit 161. Look for the Galloway Truck Stop on the southwest side of the Interstate 40/Hwy 391 intersection. Proceed south on Hwy. 391 to Hwy. 70. The starting line will be near the intersection of Hwy. 391 and Hwy. 70.
Junior Events will be 20 kilometers. All Senior and Master events will be 40 kilometers.
The first rider will start at 7:00 a.m. You should plan to be at Galloway by 6 AM to register and to start warming up.
Registration/Pre-Registration Info: Entry Fee:
$15.00 prior to June 16, 2007
$20.00 day of race (includes $2.00 insurance surcharge).
Must be a USCF licensed rider to compete. Non-licensed riders may purchase a one-day license for $10 the day of the race but are not eligible for the championship jerseys. Registration and standard release can be mailed to:
Steve Shepherd, 2720 Charter Oak Drive, Little Rock, AR 72227-3004.
For more information call Stephen K. Shepherd, 501-225-6077 (home) or (501) 801-5225 (work). E-Mail Address: ssheph@sbcglobal.net
All USA Cycling rules apply.
Prize Information: An Arkansas Champions cycling jersey will be awarded to the winning rider in each category, and Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to the top three in each category.
Download Event Flyer here. (right-click and save target as) (Word Doc)
Sponsored By:
CARVE
Central Arkansas Velo
www.carvebiketeam.com
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ABC jerseys and shorts Posted Sunday, April 22, 2007 by Ian Hope
I still have a select few ABC jerseys and shorts left for sell. Here is the list of what is available:
X-Small Jesrsey- 3 available
Medium Jersey- 3 available
Small Mens Bib shorts- 1 available
They are all $50.00 each and are first come first served.
Email me if you are interested.
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Rebsamen Park Road Issue Again.... Posted Sunday, April 22, 2007 by Sprokets
Received from Ron over at BACA - apparently the issue of ruining the river trail by turning part of it into a street has reared its ugly head again....get involved, find out the facts, and start preparing!
To BACA Members and Supporters:
The opening of Rebsamen Park Road from the I-430 River Bridge to the Pulaski County Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge (Big Dam Bridge)to vehicular traffic continues to be an issue for the City of Little Rock. BACA is of the opinion that until such time as steps are taken to relieve suspected traffic congestion problems that are believed to exist at short intervals during each weekday along Riverdale, that the threat of Rebsamen Park Road being open to automobile traffic from the I-430 River Bridge to the base of the Pulaski County Bicycle
Pedestrian Bridge will be attempted.
BACA believes that plenty of other options over traditional automobile traffic exist and are key to the answer of the perceived traffic congestion. Using the River Trail from West Little Rock to downtown Little Rock in its current state as a bicycle commuter route is as we see it one of the best solutions to alleviate the problem.
BACA will continue to keep the situation under close watch. This has been an issue for decades in Little Rock. Although the voters of Little Rock in 1992 voted to prohibit this section of Rebsamen from ever being open to car traffic, we are under no illusion that it could be turned over without a diligent and watchful oversight.
As such, BACA is releasing the following statement as it relates to its vision and position on this issue.
1- That the area is of more benefit to the citizens of Pulaski County and its visitors as a linear park useful for recreation and alternative transportation.
2-That the current population of commuters who work in Riverdale who would benefit from such a costly route would be minimal.
3-That the city of Little Rock has more feasible options than the opening of this route to vehicular traffic as a means to enhance travel to Riverdale.
Ron Rizzardi,
President of BACA
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Pasta alla Crema con Piselli e Proscuitto.. Posted Saturday, April 21, 2007 by Sprokets
(Pasta with peas, cream and ham)
This springtime recipe serves 6...
1 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons diced prosciutto (or Ham)
4 garlic cloves sliced.
3 Tablespoons frozen peas
1 lb dry pasta (we use farfalle)
2 Tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
Get the pasta water going, then in a a large pan on medium heat, cook the cream, salt, ham and garlic until cream comes to a boil, about 4 minutes. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until sauce thickens enought to coat the back of a spoon. Add peas and cook for 2 minutes. Keep sauce warm until pasta is cooked--just to tender. Drain pasta and add the sauce, toss well over medium-low heat for around 3 minutes. Turn off heat, add grated cheese, toss well, and serve.
If you cook the sauce too long it'll seperate. You can recover by adding a couple tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, a trick that works well to thicken a lot of too-thin pasta sauces!
To "warsh" it down! We recommend a 1997 Marziano Abbona, Barbaresco, Vigna Faset, Italy. The 1997 Marziano Abbona, Vigna Faset Barbaresco is a harmonious, well-structured red wine with the kind of full, velvety body you expect from an aged Barbaresco. The nose is very intense with hints of violets, wild roses, vanilla and spice. The palate is full and plump, providing a mouthful of rich, dark Nebbiolo fruit that lingers long on the finish.
Screaming tifosi or what!
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BACA Booth at AR Earth Day Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2007 by Sprokets
From BACA
This Saturday April 21 is the Arkansas Earth Day Festival and BACA will have a booth at the festival and it will promote bicycle transportation. We have a couple of volunteers already but more are welcome. We want BACA bicycle commuters to bring their bicycles and gear to show the public how it is done.
Contact Ron Rizzardi at rrizzardi@comcast.net or 837-3742 and tell him when you can attend. The Festival time is 9am-6pm, Clinton Presidential Center and Park
Setup begins at 6AM at the corner of Third Street and Dean Kumpuris Street. You have 15 minutes to unload your car. Park at the Heifer Parking lot. After 7:30 you have to walk your gear from Heifer to the booth. Or, you can ride your bike to the festival and not worry about parking. Hope you can help.
There are lots of activities planned for May. The BACA membership meeting will be Thursday, May 3rd, the Ride of Silence is May 16th, and National Bike to Work Day is May 18th. Mark your calendars. More details will be coming. Check the website at www.bacar.org.
Ron
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Counterfeit Zipp bars on EBay® - Buyer beware! Posted Saturday, April 14, 2007 by Sprokets
Here's for all the E-bay buyers out there from the ZIPP site....
"We have recently become aware (thanks to a proactive consumer) of fake and counterfeit SLC2 handlebars entering the market and being sold on eBay® . New product that finds its way onto eBay® should be treated with extreme caution, is not covered under the Zipp warranty, and is subject to potential catastrophic failure. As these bars are less than our normal weight, are being made and sold outside of our control, we wish to alert ALL potential buyers to the danger that these counterfeit bars could pose."
Check it out...
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Tandemania meets Graceland
From the Memphis Hightailer's site
"One of the most impressive bicycle touring events of all time originated in Memphis this week. Riders from all over the US and several foreign countries traveled to Memphis for the beginning of Santana’s Big River Tandem Tour. Santana, the sponsor of this ride, is a manufacturer of high quality tandem bicycles.
The seven-day event began in Memphis and will end in New Orleans. Santana arranged an exclusive charter of the Delta Queen for this event. Most of the travel will be done onboard the Delta Queen, but the 86 tandem couples and 2 triples will peddle on daily excursions at stops along the river in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana."
Where are all the ABC Tandamanic's? :-)
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CARVE Summer Crit Series Dates and Info... Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007 by Sprokets
Not for the faint of heart....Carve's Summer Crit Series. Nothing quite like lining up in your big ring off the line :-) If you've got racing experience, some crit skillz and get-off on pure racing adrenaline...this maybe for you. Our very own Ian Hope is the contact, so pimpage is in order...
Race Flyer
Keep your eyes peeled for more info available here...
Don't forget the State Time Trial Championship-Sunday, June 17th, 2007- More details at the above CARVE link soon.
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Ugh....copped from CARP
---Cannondale is recalling 2007 and 2008 bikes equipped with two-piece road and MTB integrated cranksets. The company has learned from Full Speed Ahead, the manufacturer of the cranks, that a heat treating error caused a defect in the cranks' aluminum spindle. Approximately 2,300 bikes may have the defective part. A new spindle will be installed without charge. For more information, visit http://www.cannondale.com or call the company at (800) BIKE-USA. Cannondale's three-piece integrated Hollowgram cranksets and three-piece carbon integrated cranksets are not part of the recall.
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Tour De Hills - April 14th... Posted Monday, April 9, 2007 by Sprokets
This ride kinda of sneaked in...ABC'ers have done this ride in the past and say it's a breath-taking ride :-) Looks like a race along with the tour this year.
"The second annual Tour de Hills will be Saturday, April 14, 2007. This year, one of the major perks will be that the 62-mile Metric Century Ride, known as the “Jasper Disaster”, will be a USAC sanctioned timed road race. Konaware of Harrison will be timing the event with new RFID technology. (very kewl! eh). This ride is not for the casual cyclist as it has very steep grades, between 6-15% and LOTS of climbing. It does make a great training ride, and only serious experienced riders should attempt it. The great Ozark Mountain views throughout the ride make it well worth it. Those that would like to race are more than welcome to and those that would rather do the 62 mile route as a fun/tour ride like last year will be starting once the "race" group leaves. However, all riders on the 62 mile route whether racing or touring must either be a current USA Cycling member and present the membership at registration or purchase the one day USA Cycling pass for $10.
The second major perk is the USAC 9-mile Gaither Mountain Time Trial, paying out $350 in cash prizes that Dr. Frank Brooks, DDS is sponsoring. Both men and women are welcome to ride. It does have 1500 ft. of climbing and there is NO charge to participate for those who ride in some part of the Tour de Hills. It will begin at 2pm from the First National Bank Soccer Complex.
As always, the 14.2 and 26.5 mile tour rides are available for the more leisurely riders. The 14.2 mile ride is obviously the easiest of the two but does have several rolling hills. The 26.5 mile ride definitely does have a couple of challenging climbs, followed by long straights and rolling hills."
Check it out!
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Bike Racks at new Baseball Stadium Posted Sunday, April 8, 2007 by Jim Britt
Bicycle racks will be installed at the new baseball park, thanks to NLR Ward 4 Aldermen, Charlie Hight and Murry Witcher. Others are planned for the Argenta District. The efforts of BACA with the upcoming Bike Rodeos for Kids are helping bring these racks. More info at the post below.
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Tri-Peaks Race and Rides... Posted Friday, April 6, 2007 by Sprokets
Hot on the heels of The Joe Martin Stage Race comes another incredible weekend of bicycling! The Tri-Peaks Challenge.
May 17th - 20th 2007 - Pro/Amateur Races and rides going on all weekend...
"The Tri-Peaks of the Arkansas River Valley in the west-central Arkansas Ozarks have the greatest elevation change from surrounding terrain between the Appalachian Mountains to the east and the Rocky Mountains to the west. Petit Jean Mountain (950 ft.), Mt. Nebo (1350 ft.), and Mt. Magazine (2750 ft.) are the centerpiece of the Tri-Peaks Challenge, sanctioned by the U.S. Cycling Federation on the 2007 National Racing Calendar. This three-staged race climbs all three peaks from the floor of the river valley at 350 feet."
Stake out a spot on Mt Magazine or Nebo climbs and watch the Pro's cruise up the climbs.
The Wine Country Tour....
"Register Now for the Arkansas Wine Tour 100 - May 5, 2007
This relatively flat ride begins in Altus, AR, winding through some of the most beautiful areas in The Natural State and ending with a Champagne Brunch co-hosted by Post Familie Vineyards and Arkansas Children's Hospital. For registration and info:
email chuck@tri-peaks.org
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....and a cool BACA thread on the Argenta bicycle racks :-) Thanks for the plug Ron:
http://bacar.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=207
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Finally a reality show we can get behind Posted Tuesday, April 3, 2007 by Ian Hope
Just saw this at VeloNews and thought to my self... it's about d*** time they put some reality in TV that we care about. Check out NBC on track for new cycling program and see if you like this idea. I hope this comes together. It would be great evening television.
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