Following are brief news bits of interest to the cycling community. If you have heard of something that your fellow cyclists should know of, please email the information to 'glen' at this website, and I will try to post it.

Do you remember your first bike?

I bet you do. The one with training wheels. The one dad pushed you on down the driveway until you got your balance. Most of us probably have pretty fond memories of that first bike and the many that have come after it.

But what if you’d never received that first bike? For many kids in the Denver area that’s reality. A reality Wish for Wheels is trying to change. Wish for Wheels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, gives brand new bikes and helmets to entire classes of kindergartners in underprivileged Denver area schools. These are kids who rarely, if ever, receive anything new, let alone a brand new bike! The look on the kid’s faces absolutely says it all: to these kids bikes aren’t just a way to get to the park, they are pure joy.

Wish for Wheels operates on the generosity of volunteers and because of this, every $50 donated equals another bike and helmet for a needy child. So please, take a moment and learn more by visiting www.wishforwheels.org. There you can donate securely online, sign up to volunteer and view photos of past bike giveaways. [The above message provided by Ad2 for Wish for Wheels.]

Ready to Bicycle Commute?

Fed up with paying outrageous prices for gas, only to support countries hostile to ours? Decided to lower your carbon footprint, and to add a little green to your life? Curious about all those lycra-clad bodies that zipped past you on Bike-to-Work Day in late June?

Your reasons for choosing to investigate bicycle commuting are less important than the fact that you HAVE chosen to look into it. If you're not quite sure HOW to ditch your four-wheeled prison for the freedom of two wheels ... luckily, it's not that hard. Visit the commuting for more info.

... and how about getting paid for that commute?

Surely you remember that bloated Wall St bailout bill passed last October - and how they had to pack it with goodies to get the votes. One of those add-ons allows employers to reimburse you up to $20/mo, tax-free, for expenses incurred by bicycle commuting. Don't expect me to explain the legalese behind it, but you can search the web for more info. One site that gives a good overview is here.

Bicycle tours and more

Spring is coming - and that means another school/library/bicycling tour for Glen Hanket. Last year I biked from Chicago to Denver via WI, southern MN, and NE. Full details are available at css/2008.html, or read my blog.

Bike trail detours

Clear Creek Trail - Bridge construction on the I-70 over the creek affects travel on the trail. Signs warn that there may be detours or delays on weekdays while crews are working. I had no problem riding through on a Saturday, but beware it is not the smooth trail you expect.

Grange Hall Creek (Thornton). Construction of a new park area has closed this trail between the Thornton Rec Center and the Fox Run neighborhood. The easiest detour is to head north along Colorado Blvd to 112th, take that east to Fox Run Pkwy (or Irma Dr), and head south to regain the trail.

Tollgate Creek (Aurora). I've received email notice that there is a construction detour between Alameda and Mexico, with no warning signs. Heads up! (Thanks for the info, Michael!)

I need your help! Do you know of any trail closures or detours? Has a new trail opened in your area? or is the above info now outdated? Please email me (see contact info, so I can post it. Keep your fellow bikers in the know!

Upcoming Events

Looking for a ride to join? Anxious for an adventure? Colorado has quite a list of annual rides, as seen below. Check our rides page for more info and links for any of these rides.

July 11: Triple Bypass

July 18: Moonlight Classic (Denver)

July 19: Urban Assault Race (Ft Collins)

July 25: Sunrise Century (Boulder)

July 26: Urban Assault Race (Denver)

August 2-8: CO Rocky Mtn Bicycle Tour

August 9: Bob Guthrie Memorial Ride (Summit County)

August 22: Ride for the Cure (Aspen)

August 30: Venus de Miles (Longmont/Boulder County)

August 30: Crest Crank Ride (Continental Divide Trail)

October 24: Velo-Swap (Denver)

These rides have already come and gone - consider them for next year.

May 23: Pedal the Platte

June 7: Elephant Rock Ride (Castle Rock)

June 20: Blue River Century (Sumit County)

June 27-28: MS 150 (Westminster-Ft Collins)

Let me know if I left off YOUR event!

You can use BikePaths.com to find information on bicycling in the Denver metro area or around the state. If there is information you think should be displayed here, let me know - or send me the info, and I'll post it!

Calories Burned Calculator

A new feature, courtesy of Everyday Health. Now you can get an estimate of how many calories you burned on your bike ride!

Pace:
Weight:
Time:
Biking can help lower cholesterol levels.

Photos of CO trails

Want to see what some of the trails look like? I have uploaded 130 photos from bike trails throughout Colorado onto the web. You can see them at bikepaths.shutterfly.com . If you have good shots of the trails yourself, you can add your own photographs to the bikepaths collections, or you can comment on the photos already there. If you have a picture I'd like to use in any upcoming editions, you could win free books!

Escape the crowds

A few years back I composed a Top Ten list on which trails you can escape the crowds. It still holds true today!

Local reference

Check out the Denver or Colorado reference pages for more specific information on local cycling. Or, check out the writeup of a highlighted trail, the Sand Creek Trail running through Denver, now officially complete.

BikePaths.com also provides general reference for bicyclists, no matter where you live. We are considering expanding our trail books and coverage to other states - if you live elsewhere, have a hankering for cycling, and would like to pursue a sideline business - we want to hear from you!

A World of Cyclists on the Web

This page is but a small cog in the pantheon of pages catering to cyclists on the web. Visit our Hot Links page for a wide variety of references to other bike sites (last updated and verified in Feb 2006). And if you want to find like-minded people in the real world, check out the links on our Club Page, both in Colorado and elsewhere in the U.S.

Bike Touring (and a little Bio)

Ever considered doing a bike tour? I can personally recommend it! My touring page gives more information on how to do it, and stories of others who have discovered that "The best way to leave the rat race is to travel at a snail's pace." I have completed five bike tours lasting 16-24 days, and my blogs are available on that page.

Lighten up!

... with a little humor.

Chuckle at these pictures of Funny Bicycles - I doubt you'll find them in any store.

Spice up your Out-of-Office auto-reply emails!

Sure-fire suggestions to lighten the atmosphere in YOUR workplace. Do you have the courage to try them? We dare you!

Next, you can spread that special insanity into the world at large!

Have you ever called tech support for your computer? Read the HelpDesk Hall of Shame to hear of the Luddites they have to deal with.

Want a chuckle? Check out what may be the world's worst 'required reading' list!

Be sure to check out the web's last page!


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