The Phoenix Geezers' Bicycle Ride

Hidden HIlls Easement to Close

2011-11-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

I regret to report that the Scottsdale Transportation voted to temporarily close the Hidden Hills cyclist easement until the connection is completed to Eagle Ridge Drive in Fountain Hills. Staff is to report back to the Commission at the January meeting with more details about when and how the connection can be completed, but it became obvious during the meeting that the connection is not going to be completed quickly. I should have more details and comments in the next Wednesday's of Arizona Road Cyclist News.

Hidden Hills Meetings

2011-08-31T15:26:00.000-07:00

Susan Conklu from the City of Scottsdale sent me and several others this memo about two upcoming meetings to decide the fate of our access to Hidden Hills. -- Jack Quinn

Hi Jack,

A public open house has been scheduled to discuss temporarily suspending the use of the public bicycle and non-motorized easement to bicyclists on 145^th Way, a private street in Hidden Hills, until a connection in Fountain Hills is built.

The open house is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 at Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda.

This request is being considered to address concerns related to the use of a public easement located in a private, gated community. This action would have no impact on the Sunrise Trailhead or the trail in the wash to the east of 145^th Way. It would not impact pedestrian access on the sidewalk along 145^th Way.

Feedback gathered from this open house will be compiled and presented at the next Trails Subcommittee meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, October 6 at the Public Safety Building (Arizona Room) at 8401 E Indian School Road.

The contacts for this project are Reed Kempton, Principal Transportation Planner, via email to rkempton@scottsdaleaz.gov or 480-312-7630 and Susan Conklu, Transportation Planner, at sconklu@scottsdaleaz.gov or at 480-312-2308.

Thank you,

Susan Conklu, Transportation Planner

City of Scottsdale

Transportation Planning

480-312-2308

sconklu@scottsdaleaz.gov

Preston Miller's Memo on Hidden Hills

2011-06-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

Preston Miller of Tri Scottsdale wrote the following memo to the City of Scottsdale. Following the memo are some facts he put together on the Hidden Hills situation. -- Jack Quinn

June 7, 2011

Memorandum on the 145th Way Cycling/Pedestrian Easement

To: City of Scottsdale, Transportation Dept. and Planning Commission

From: Preston Miller

In the past month, representatives of the City of Scottsdale Transportation Dept. met with a number of cycling clubs and groups about a request from the Hidden Hills HOA to close the cycling/pedestrian easement on 145th Way. The easement has been an issue since Hidden Hills was completed. The origin and need for the easement has been well documented over the years as part of a Master Plan for community connectivity. The request for closure by the Hidden Hills HOA is based on a need for safety, and, of course, respect for this private community. They believe some of the cyclists who use 145^th Way are speeding or riding in a reckless manner, and have hired a security company to measure the speed of cyclists on selected days. It has also been noted that a few cyclists, in order to miss the speed bumps installed by Hidden Hills, go onto the sidewalk, or simply jump the speed bumps. During the same period, the speed limit was reduced from 25 mph to 20 mph. All involved parties agree that only a small percentage of cyclists are committing these infractions.

We, the leaders of various cycling groups in the area, believe we can make a much stronger case to preserve the easement than the HOA can make to either temporarily or permanently close it. First of all, the community layout, including road width and frontage, was approved years a go when the developer agreed to the easement as a trade-off for the city to abandon the plan for Via Linda. The city has also assisted Hidden Hills in developing a plan to improve safety on 145^th Way, including $70,000 to study and install speed tables.

Safety is always the primary concern for cyclists and we, as groups or individuals, would not ride someplace we considered unsafe. In fact, since the Hidden Hills community opened and even before, when Via Linda was extended, there have been very few accidents on this extremely popular route.

The representatives of the Hidden Hills HOA have asked why this hill and this 7/10 of a mile is so important to the cycling community. Surprisingly, there are not many hills available to cyclists within easy riding distance from downtown Scottsdale or even Scottsdale and Shea. But most importantly, this 7/10 of a mile represents the future of Scottsdale cycling. It has been designated as the only future connecting link to Fountain Hills and beyond. Giving it up permanently would necessitate an alternate plan. Giving it up temporarily would essentially be the same, since there is no guarantee, no matter what is promised now, that the city could get it back.

Obviously, there is no single entity representing the entire cycling community, but we are working diligently to include as many groups and individuals as possible into a coalition to promote safety and good behavior by cyclists in Hidden Hills, and the entire area. We have already begun acting as a “courtesy patrol” during selected weekend hours and high volume weekdays. We sincerely Hidden Hills can be the model for a cycling community.

Preston Miller's Hidden Hills Easement Observations Supporting Above Memo

Safety: Cyclists riding in Hidden Hills find it extremely safe compared to other streets in the area. Traffic is minimal and visibility is very good. Cyclists can easily see vehicles backing out of driveways. Visibility for drivers backing out of driveways could be significantly improved if cars were prohibited from parking in the street overnight.

Traffic volume: Currently, bike traffic has been reduced because some cyclists have chosen not to ride over the speed bumps in Hidden Hills. Those who do ride to the top turn around and go back down, the round trip taking about 8 minutes. On weekdays, the organized rides are in and out in about 20 minutes total. On the weekends, there are more individual cyclists, resulting with less dense traffic over a several hour period. Recently, on a Sunday morning, approximately 50 cyclists rode up to the gate, with about 30 cyclists entering, during a one hour period.

7/10ths of a mile: Why is this short hill so important to cyclists? The hill cyclists use begins at 136^th St. and includes Via Linda and 145^th Way. The total is 2.1 miles, so the gated portion is 1/3 of the hill. But, most importantly, this .7 miles represents 100% of the City of Scottsdale plan for connectivity between Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. The plan has been in place for years, and there is no other option being considered.

Why this hill?: Yes, there are other hills in Scottsdale, but unless you are willing to drive north to start, or ride an hour to get there, there are not many 2 mile hills with such a desirable grade. Cyclists have been using Via Linda, east of 136^th St. since it was built. Same goes for the extension, 145th Way.

Speed bumps: The speed bumps were installed two years ago and cyclists immediately began going around them in the concrete gutter area. The leading edges of the rubber speed bumps were nearly vertical and could harm bike wheels or cause pinch flats. Not long after that, the reflectors were added in a “Z” pattern, making it difficult for bikes to go there.

Speeding: Cyclists and cars are governed by the same traffic laws and must obey speed limits. The speed limit inside Hidden Hills is 20 mph. Observing traffic in Hidden Hills, cars and bicycles seem to exceed 20 mph between the speed bumps, but slow to well below 20 mph to cross them. In the lower section of the gated area, cars and bikes seem to speed up before last speed bump, and again before the gate. There are no driveways in this section, so perhaps it is just human nature. The speeds detected by the contract security company included no data for cars.

Rude Conduct: In the past two years, especially since the last public hearing regarding the easement, there have been isolated incidents of rude behavior. Some cyclists made vulgar gestures to vehicles that passed too close. Some vehicles would speed past cyclists on the downhill, then jam on the brakes just before the speed bumps, causing the cyclist to either stop suddenly or swerve around the car. Any confrontational conduct just worsens and escalates the situation and must not happen.

Hidden Hills Feedback

2011-05-31T11:27:00.002-07:00

I received the following E-mail today (May 31, 2011) about efforts to keep the non-motorized vehicle access open to Hidden Hills. I have not published his contact information to keep him from getting spammed by Web crawlers, but anyone who wants to contact him can get his info through me. -- JQ

Jack, you have done a wonderful job of describing the problems and the history of the easement. It is extremely important for Scottsdale to maintain the easement. For that reason, even a temporary closure would set a terrible precedent, and make it unlikely to ever reopen.

At the meeting last Thursday of the Trails Subcommittee of the Scottsdale Transportation Commission, no immediate decision was made. They agreed to have an open forum at the next meeting (in three months) to hear public comment on the issue.

We must convince the city that we, the "cycling community", can reasonably police ourselves to be good citizens. At the Saturday meeting, five cycling groups were represented and all agreed to participate in the following manner. We still need to include more groups.

1. Begin educating our individual groups, as well as all others we can contact, to obey the traffic laws and be respectful of the private community we are being allowed to enter.

2. Establish a "Courtesy Patrol" for peak hours during the week. Ideally, each cycling group will volunteer to take a week at a time.

3. Make contact with all levels of city government to insure the voice of the cycling community is being heard.

The city's plan and subsequent decisions have made this .7 mile the only way to connect to Fountain Hills and beyond. While we don't know when the remaining .4 will open, we must not lose what the city has planned and paid for over the last 15 years.

Thanks,
Preston Miller

May 23, 2011 - Hidden Hills Heats up Again

2011-05-23T08:09:00.002-07:00

The residents of Hidden Hills are once again trying to get cyclists banned from their gated community, and this time, it looks as if they might succeed, at least until the planned connection for non-motorized vehicles from Scottsdale via Hidden Hills to Fountain Hills becomes a reality.

For those of you who are not familiar with Hidden Hills, it is a gated community at the end of a street called Via Linda in North Scottsdale, just a short distance as the crow flies from Fountain Hills. It is a popular destination for individual riders and informal riding groups, especially on Saturday mornings. At one time, large number of cyclists used to cycle to the top of the hill inside Hidden Hills, regroup at the summit cul-de-sac, and then ride back. Some cyclists, a minority, also used the route to do hill repeats, a conditioning technique that involves repeatedly riding up and descending the same hill. In the past year, the number of cyclists entering Hidden Hills has greatly diminished, and the practice of doing hill repeats in the community has all but disappeared.

As a result of the decreased cycle traffic, many cyclists thought that the problem was solved, but in my opinion, as long as a single cyclist has access to their community, some of the residents of Hidden Hills are going to react as if they were being invaded by Mongol hordes.

Some history: Before the community of Hidden Hills was built, the City of Scottsdale and Town of Fountain Hills had planned that Via Linda would be extended to provide an alternative to Shea Boulevard for motorized travel between those two communities. That plan was abandoned, but both Fountain Hills and Scottsdale still want to use the route to provide cyclists a safe travel corridor between the two communities. The City of Scottsdale, in exchange for granting permission for the gated community to be constructed, obtained an easement for non-motorized vehicles (meaning bicycles) to travel between Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. When someone buys a house in Hidden Hills, that person agrees to the easement and should know that bicycles will be using the community’s main street.

The developer that built Hidden Hills and also controls the land in Fountain Hills just up the hill from it was supposed to build the bike route. However, the real estate crisis hit, and the developer put plans on hold. In the meantime, cyclists were given access to Hidden Hills, even though there is a dead end at the top of the hill, which means that cyclists who pedal up the hill have no choice but to turn around and ride back down.

Hidden Hills homeowners soon got sick of bicycles traveling on their private street and have spent years lobbying the City of Scottsdale to break the agreement and abandon the easement, which the City has so far refused to do. To address the homeowners’ stated concerns, the City paid for the installation of four speed bumps, which have dissuaded most, but not all, of the cyclists from riding the hill. However, those who still do ride the hill often descend at a higher speed than formerly in order to have enough momentum to “bunny hop” the speed bumps, and an occasional cyclist circumvents the speed bumps by riding on the sidewalk. Many cyclists now descend the hill at speeds approaching those of the residents in their cars and SUVs.

A squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the Hidden Hills Homeowners Association has done a lot of squeaking about even the smaller number of pesky cyclists who dare to ride past their houses, backing their complaints with a mixture of truth and fiction about the problems that cyclists supposedly cause. Cyclists do not play loud music, they seldom litter, and although many (perhaps most) of them do exceed the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit, they travel no faster than the residents themselves in their motor vehicles. On the face of it, we would seem to be nice people to have around, but in these days, hating groups of people (immigrants, liberals, politicians of the other party, just about anyone who is different) has become the socially acceptable substitute for racism. Among some people, the mere sight of a group of “spandex clad” cyclists raises the same ire as an Obama supporter at a Tea Party convention.

Point persons on the debate for the City of Scottsdale are Transportation Planner Susan Conklu and Senior Transportation Planner Reed Kempton. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with each of them on May 19 and came away convinced that the Hidden Hills bicycle access will be shut down, at least until the connection to Fountain Hills is built.

At the beginning of our conversation, Reed Kempton described himself as a “cycling advocate”, but as we talked, it became apparent that he is just as fed up with the cyclists who ride to Hidden Hills as I am with the whining, selfish, and boorish behavior of some of the community’s residents. Apparently, a number of cyclists treated Mr. Kempton with contempt when he was out at Hidden Hills during the height of the controversy, and that ill treatment has soured him on the whole lot of us. It may seem unjust to stereotype a whole group of people because of the boorish actions of a few of its members, but that is how human nature works.

To give Mr. Kempton his due, some of the things he says make sense. For example, he makes a persuasive argument for closing cyclists’ access to Hidden Hills until the Fountain Hills connection is built. Contrary to what I believed before I spoke to him, he has also convinced me that we may be doing ourselves more harm than good by continuing to ride Hidden Hills.

Stating his argument as well as I can in my own words, his reasoning is as follows: The only purpose of the easement through Hidden Hills is to permit cyclists to travel to and from Fountain Hills. Since there is not yet a connection to Fountain Hills, cyclists are not using the easement for its stated purpose, and therefore cyclists presently have no legal right to enter Hidden Hills over the residents’ objections. The logical action is for cyclists to stop riding inside the Hidden Hills gate until the Fountain Hills connection is constructed.

I am not skilled at searching for legal documents online, but I did manage to find the following sentence in a contract between the City of Scottsdale and the developer. To me, this sentence is unclear as to whether or not cyclists have access to Hidden Hills until the connection to Fountain Hills is built, but there may be other documents with more explicit language.

“The City [of Scottsdale] has acquired a public non-motorized easement through the Hidden Hills Subdivision which provides the only non-motorized alternative to She Boulevard between the City of Scottsdale and the Town of Fountain Hills.”

Mr. Kempton states that if cyclists continue to ride within Hidden Hills, the Homeowners Association is likely to approach the Scottsdale City Council to ask that the easement be revoked altogether. Given that the homeowners are well organized, articulate, and vociferous, he thinks they stand a good chance of persuading the City Council to do their bidding. His opinion is that the “cycling community” should accept the temporary closure of the access to Hidden Hills for cyclists in order to avoid a permanent revocation of the easement.

Of course, there is no “cycling community” that could make such a collective decision. Most of the cyclists who ride Hidden Hills do so as individuals or as part of informal, pick-up rides. There is no cycling organization that has a line of communication to more than a small percentage of the cyclists who ride Hidden Hills. Even Arizona Road Cyclist News, with a circulation of over 400 reaches on a small fraction of the cyclists in the Phoenix area.

It seems logical that if and when the connection is built, cycling traffic through Hidden Hills would increase by a large factor, and that would anger the Hidden Hills residents even more. However, the Hidden Hills Homeowner’s Association might find it harder to shut down a “transportation corridor” than it would be to shut down casual access to a gated community.

Reed Kempton and Susan Conklu are anxious to communicate with cycling groups about the situation. They say they don’t want to spring the closure on the cyclists by surprise, and they both requested that I publish their contact information so that cyclists and especially cycling groups can get in touch with them. Their contact information follows.

A final word: I hope that cyclists who read this do not stereotype the residents of Hidden Hills the way that some of them stereotype us. Not all of the residents hate cyclists, and not all of them approve of the attitude of the Homeowners’ Association. Some of them are nice people, just as we are. :)

Susan Conklu, Transportation Planner
City of Scottsdale
(480) 312-2308
sconklu@scottsdaleaz.gov

Reed Kempton, Senior Transportation Planner
City of Scottsdale
(480) 312-7630
rkempton@scottsdaleaz.gov

Arizona's Stop Signs Could Become Yield Signs

2011-01-20T16:03:00.002-07:00

Many of you will remember that last year a bill was introduced in the Arizona State Legislature that would have effectively permitted cyclists to treat stop signs as if they were yield signs. If the bill had become law, cyclists approaching a stop sign would have been required to slow down, and if the intersection had been clear, would have been permitted to proceed through the intersection without coming to a complete stop. The bill made sense, because a cyclist who comes to a complete stop and puts a foot down requires much more time to clear an intersection than does a cyclist who is able to keep both feet on the pedals. However, most non-cyclists do not understand this, so the bill never reached the floor. It was killed in committee on a straight party-line vote after all of the minority Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the bill but every Republican committee member voted to kill it.

Now a new version of bill has been introduced in the house by representative Daniel Patterson, who is a bicycle rider. This bill may overcome the objections of those who consider cyclists to be "Spandex-clad leftist liberals" who demand superior privileges by treating motor vehicles and cyclists equally, giving both classes of road users the right to proceed through a stop sign without coming to a complete stop as long as they are able to safely make it through the intersection without interfering with traffic that has the right-of-way. If the bill is passed, I wonder what purpose stop signs will serve. Why not just change them all to yield signs? Of course, regardless of the law, most motorists and almost all cyclists already treat stop signs as if they were yield signs, so the proposed change to the law could be viewed as an attempt to make the law reflect reality.

If you would like to read the bill and follow its progress through the Arizona State Legislature, you can do so by clicking here.

New pictures on Geezer Website

2010-10-29T13:52:00.002-07:00

Pictures of some the Wheezers and Geezers before and after the 100 Ride for Jim Stenholm have been added to the Wheezers and Geezers Website. The URL is http://www.mlr.biz/geezers/. Click on the "Photo Gallery" tab at the left of the screen. -- Jack Quinn

Republic Article on Cindie Holub's Death

2010-04-23T10:09:00.001-07:00

The Arizona Republic has published an article on its azcentral.com Website about Cindie Holub's death that all cyclists should read. Cindie Holub was the cyclist who died after being struck from behind by a Waste Management garbage truck while cycling on Dynamite Boulevard near Alma School Road in Scottsdale. According to the article, driver Fernando Jiménez has been ticketed for violatiing the three-foot law. I wonder if he shouldn't have also been charged with manslaughter.

To read the online article, click here.

We're gonna be on TV!

2010-01-23T06:50:00.002-07:00

The Maricopa Country Association of Governments (MAG) wants to include the Wheezers and Geezers ride as part of a publicity video that will be distributed to various TV outlets to promote the Valley as a tourist destination. Our job is to show the benefits of cycling.

I spoke to Jason Stephens of MAG on the phone, and we tentatively set up the day and time as Saturday February 6 on the 7:30 a.m. ride. I write tentatively, because the weather is supposed to be unsettled through March. I'm making a note to myself to send out an E-mail to the Geezers' mailing list a few days before the date as a reminder.

It would be nice if as many people as possible would show up for the 7:30 ride that week, either 7:30 at the roundabout or 7:15 at the Camelback Inn. Those who have Geezer jerseys are requested to wear them. (Let's hope that it will be warm enough that we can squeeze the jerseys on top of the other layers of clothing).

In addition to filming the ride, Jason wants to interview a doctor about the health benefits of riding and someone who commutes to work on a bike. I don't know who among the Geezers commutes to work by bike, so we need some volunteers.

Jack Quinn

Geezers Jerseys and two Rides for Geezers

2009-10-17T14:07:00.002-07:00

Three topics: the long sleeved jerseys and two rides that many Geezers plan to participate in.

First the Jerseys

Karen is sending in the order to Voler for the long-sleeved jerseys on Monday., October 19, 2009. Because she needs to write a check to send with the order, she would be grateful if everyone who has ordered a jersey would pay. We don't want Karen to kite a check and end up in prison, because that means that Dave Weiss would be back in charge, and you remember what that was like. The jerseys cost $67 with the hidden zipper and $69 with the full-length zipper.

A ride for Jim Stenholm, next Saturday October 24

A number of Geezers have expressed interest in doing this ride as a group next Saturday. The ride will not only serve to remember cyclist Jim Stenholm, but it should also help relations with the Scottsdale and Phoenix Police Departments, which are helping to put on the ride. Geezers are requested to ride in their Geezer jerseys or, for those who have them, a Consumers jersey, as Jim was a member of the Phoenix Consumer Cycle Club. You don't have to register in advance; just show up and sign a waver.

As its name implies, this ride will be held in memory of Jim Stenholm, an avid cyclists, a great husband and dad, and a Phoenix police officer who died unexpectedly on October 24, 2008. Jim loved riding his bike, and there is no better way to remember him than to go out and ride our bikes on the anniversary of his death.

In an age when most supported rides are fund raisers with entry fees between $40 and $100, it's nice to find a ride that's free and even includes free food and free swag and whose only requirement is that you sign a release form. Well, to be honest, there is an optional $25 donation to the 100 Club if you feel the ride was worth it. The 100 Club is a not-for-profit organization that helps police officers fire fighters, other first responders and their families when they are in need. If you make this optional donation, this ride will still be a bargain.

Bring the entire family, as there is probably a ride option that will suit everyone: a 100-kilometer ride that I suspect will suit most Geezerettes and Geezers, a short 8-mile ride that should be ideal for many families, and a mini course for riders 10 years old and younger. All rides leave from the Desert Horizon Precinct at 56th Street and Paradise Lane (16030 North 56th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85254).

Riders need to arrive at least one half hour in advance of their start times in order to fill out and sign a waver. As an incentive to sign up on time, the first 150 riders will receive a free ball cap.

The start times, which have been calculated so that we can all arrive back at the starting point at more or less the same time and have lunch together, are as follows:

8:00 a.m. 100 kilometer/62 mile ride. (To be honest, the route is actually about 92 kilometers or 57 miles.) This ride will have a motorcycle escort.

10:30 a.m. Short course (about 8 miles) This ride will have a ride leader.

11:30 a.m. The Little 100 Mini Course for cyclists 10 years old and younger.

12:00 noon. Free chow and good companionship
.
Maps will be provided at the start, but to get a look at the route (there may be minor changes by ride time), go to this URL: http://www.mapmyride.com/view_route?r=325125305521754256 (You may have to copy the URL and paste it into your browser's address bar to get to the correct map.)

ABC's McDowell Mountain Century, November 14

The other ride is almost a month away, but many riders may want to register in advance in order to avoid the late fee. Most of the Geezers will ride the 62-mile option, and many plan to ride as a group.

The Arizona Bicycle Club's annual McDowell Century takes place this year on November 14 in Scottsdale, Rio Verde, and Fountain Hills and starts at Serano Park, 56th Street and Sweetwater in Scottsdale. There are three versions of the ride: a 100-mile century, a 62-mile metric century, and a 30-mile half-metric century. Members of ABC, GABA, and Bullshifters pay $35 for the event, and non-members pay $45. Tandems are $45 for members per bike and $60 for non-members. After November 1, there is a $5 late fee for individual riders and a $15 late fee for tandems. (When I checked it, the ride's Website confusingly gave the late fee dates of April 15 and August 10, both of which must be incorrect. I reported that to the ABC, and hopefully the error will be fixed by the time you read this.) The entry fee includes sag stops with lots of munchies and insurance. The first 130 riders will also receive ABC logo insulated Polar water bottles.

Check-in and late registration open onsite at 6:30 a.m. The century ride leaves at 7:30, and the metric and half-metric century rides leave at 8:00. (Cautious riders will sneak off a bit early and avoid the dangerous mass starts.)

To access the ride's Website and/or to register online, click here.

Presumed Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested

2009-08-15T15:19:00.002-07:00

Phoenix Police arrested 23-year-old Timothy Kissida, suspected of being the hit-and-run driver who killed 52-year-old cyclist Charles Waldrop on Cave Creek Road in Phoenix last Saturday (see entry below) after Kissida attempted to trade in his damaged BMW at a local car dealer under the Cash for Clunkers program. Kissler reportedly claimed that the damage to his car was caused when he hit a javelina. -- Jack Quinn

Phoenix Cyclist Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver

2009-08-09T16:54:00.002-07:00

Phoenix Police report that a 52-year-old male cyclist was killed Friday just after midnight in the southbound bicycle lane of Cave Creek Road just north of Mountain Gate Pass while riding home from work. Police have not released the identity of the cyclist pending notification of next of kin.

According to Phoenix Police spokesman Tommy Thompson, the cyclist was riding legally in the bicycle lane with a headlight and a flashing red taillight when a sliver. late-model, four-door BMW with tinted windows swerved into the bicycle lane and fatally struck the cyclist. The driver of the BMW then fled the scene.

According to witnesses, the car had been weaving and speeding prior to striking the cyclist.

Police do not have the license plate number of the BMW, but witnesses say that the car had an Arizona plate and that the car suffered extensive damage to the right front bumper area and to the windshield on the passenger side. Police found the car's right clearance marker lamp and fog lamp at the scene.

Jack Quinn

Partisan Politics and Cycling: Bill Favoring Cyclists Killed on Party-Line Vote

2009-03-18T13:11:00.001-07:00

As reported in the last issue of Arizona Road Cycling News, the Arizona Legislature's House Bill 2479, which would have permitted cyclists to treat stops signs as if they were yield signs, was voted down by the House's Military and Public Affairs (MAPS) Committee. What I didn't notice at the time was that voting was along straight party lines. Every Democrat on the committee voted to approve the bill, and every Republican voted to kill it.

Voting against the measure were Ray Barnes (rbarnes@azleg.gov), Sam Crump (scrump@azleg.gov), Carl Seel (cseel@azleg.gov), David Gowan (dgowan@azleg.gov), and Jerry Weiers (jpweiers@azleg.gov), all Republicans. Voting in favor were the committee's three Democrats: Patricia Fleming (pfleming@azleg.gov), Barbara McGuire (bmcguire@azleg.gov), and Daniel Patterson (dpatterson@azleg.gov).

Perhaps the political party that has taken a stand against this cycling bill doesn't think that its constituents ride bikes. In case some of our readers would like to correct this impression, I've included the E-mail addresses of all of the committee members who voted on this bill. You may also to forward this article to your cycling friends who may also wish to E-mail, call or write the people's representatives in the Arizona Legislature. There is nothing that motivates politicians as much as knowing that voters are watching them and care about the decisions they make.
This article is also posted online at www.azroadcyclist.com.

Legislative Committee Votes Down Cyclist Bill

2009-03-04T15:19:00.002-07:00

This morning, March 4, 2009, the Committee on Military Affairs and Public Safety held a hearing on House Bill 2470, the bill that would give bicyclists the right to treat yield signs as if they were stop signs. As reported in today's issue of Arizona Road Cyclist News (www.azroadcyclist.com), the bill failed to pass the committee by a vote of three in favor and five against. Voting for this bill were Representatives Barbara McGuire, Daniel Patterson, and Patricia Fleming. Voting against were Ray Barnes, David Gowan, Sam Crump, Jerry Weers, and Car Steel. You can access the bill's Web site by clicking here.

Group riding skills

2009-02-23T12:47:00.003-07:00

An article inside the back cover of the most recent issue of VeloNews got me to thinking. The article was about group rides, and there was a brief list of the skills that one should have to ride in a group such as our Wheezers and Geezers. To modify the list slightly and put it in my own words, I think that riders should have the skills to 1) ride in a straight line in a paceline with one hand on the bars so that the rider is able to point out obsticales or take a swig from the water bottle, 2) be able to ride a rotating pace line or else have enough sense to stay at the back of the pack out of the way when riders are rotating pulls at the front, 3) be able to follow the wheel in front of them in a steady manner, i.e. without swerving and at a relatively constant distance without the alternating pedaling and coasting that make the pace so jerky for those behind. -- Jack Quinn

Bicycling Through Stop Signs Could Become Legal in Arizona

2009-02-09T08:05:00.003-07:00

In a past issue of Arizona Road Cyclist News, I mentioned that the State of Idaho allows cyclists to essentially treat red traffic lights as stop signs and and stop signs as red lights. Now Arizona may take a step in that direction. The Idaho approach makes sense, because cyclists are often unable to trip traffic lights that only change in response to sensors embedded in the road, and cyclists are often able to clear stop signs more rapidly and more safely, especially four-way stop signs, if they do not come to a complete stop and maintain some momentum. Of course, Arizona law already recognizes the right of a vehicle or a bicycle to cautiously proceed through a red light if the driver or cyclist is absolutely sure that the vehicle or bicycle cannot trigger the light.

Now, Ed Beighe of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists has drawn my attention to the fact that a bill has been introduced in the Arizona Legislature that would give Arizona bicyclists the right to treat stop signs as yield signs. In other words, cyclists approaching a stop sign would be required to slow down, look both ways, and then ride through the intersection without making a complete stop, if there were no cross traffic approaching

The proposal has been introduced as House Bill 2475 and has nine sponsors and co-sponsors. It would modify Arizona Revised Statute Section 28-855 Subsection C to read as follows. If the bill passes, the blue text will be added to the statute, and the red text will be deleted.

C. The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign and any person riding a bicycle approaching a yield sign or a stop sign shall slow down in obedience to the sign to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions and shall yield the right‑of‑way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the driver or bicycle rider is moving across or within the intersection. If after driving or riding past a yield sign or stop sign without stopping the driver or bicycle rider is involved in a collision with a vehicle in the intersection, the collision is prima facie evidence of the driver's or bicycle rider's failure to yield the right‑of‑way.

You can read the bill, follow its progress, and see who its sponsors are by clicking here. Once on the Website, click on "Show Versions" and then under current versions click on either HTML or PDF to read the complete bill.

PS/ The bill died the legislature without ever coming to a vote. Maybe next year. -- Jack Quinn

Sports Bar Recall

2009-01-26T08:47:00.001-07:00

A large proportion of the sports bars sold by Cliff under the names Cliff Bar, Mojo, and Luna are being recalled, because they contain peanut butter and could be infected with salmonella. Most of the bars contain the word "nut", "nuts", or "peanut" in the name of the flavor. A complete list of the bars being recalled can be found on the Cliff Bar Website:

http://www.clifbar.com/voluntary-recall/

If you have any of these bars, please don't eat them. You may experience unpleasant digestive problems. Although Cliff says the bars are being recalled through an "excess of caution", the fact that they are being recalled indicates that the company may have purchased peanut butter and/or peanut paste from Peanut Corporation of American (PCA), the firm whose products sold to the wholesale market were found to be contaminated. Peanut butter purchased in stores is reported to be safe, but products that use peanut butter and/or peanut paste in their ingredients may be contaminated. Power Bar says that it does not purchase ingredients from PCA and that its products are safe.

Because many cyclists eat Cliff Bars, I am sending this message to subscribers of both Arizona Road Cyclist News and the Geezers' mail list. I apologize that those of you who subscribe to both lists will receive a duplicate.

Ahwatukee Foothills Cyclist Killed in Tragic Accident

2008-12-22T12:47:00.003-07:00

The Arizona Republic reports that 50-year-old Gerald Hickman of Ahwatukee Foothills died this past Saturday morning when he rode his bicycle into a utility truck that was parked on the side of the road. Mr. Hickman was riding with two friends, who safely rode around the parked vehicle on Fifth Avenue north of Chandler Boulevard. Mr. Hickman apparently did not see that truck and rode into it. Mr. Hickman was a well-known Phoenix attorney and an avid cyclist.

Update on Tour de Tucson Crash

2008-12-21T14:53:00.002-07:00

The Pima County Attorney's Office has indicted 91-year-old William Arthur Wilson in the hit-and-run accident that has left Gary Stuebe in a Phoenix hospital with a serious brain injury. An extensive article on this subject will be sent out with this Wednesday's edition of Arizona Road Cyclist News. If you are not a subscriber, visit www.azroadcyclist.com for your free subscription.

Christmas and New Year's Day Ride

2008-12-21T14:50:00.002-07:00

The Wheezers and Geezers will be riding Christmas and New Year's Days at 8:30 a.m. from the traffic circle at Northern and Invergordon in Paradise Valley. Anyone with good group-riding skills is welcome to join us. Ride at your own risk.

Alternate Saturday Ride Start Time

2008-12-14T13:14:00.004-07:00

Although the start time for the main Geezers ride remains at 7:30 a.m., on Saturdays a second, smaller group of Extreme Geezers has formed that starts at 8:30 a.m. and rides at a somewhat slower pace. The second start time is for riders who want to sleep in an hour longer on Saturday, who want to start at an hour when the temperature starts to warm up, or who want to be able to ride to the starting place in the daylight without using lights. Both groups start from the traffic circle at Invergordon and Northern in Paradise Valley. -- Jack Quinn

Update on Tour de Tucson Crash

2008-11-26T08:23:00.002-07:00

The man who crashed into a group of cyclists on the Tour de Tucson has turned himself in through his attorney, Michael Bloom. The man is not in custody, but the police have impounded his car.
The worst injured victim on the crash, Gary Stuebe, is fighting for his life in a Phoenix hospital. He has had brain surgery, has been placed on a respirator, and at last report was in a medically-induced coma. The Gary Stuebe Medical Fund has been set up help with Gary’s mounting medical bills.

More details on the story can be found on the Arizona Road Cyclist News Website: http://www.azroadcyclist.com/news/news.htm

Crashes Mar Tour de Tucson

2008-11-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Several crashes including a bad hit-and-run accident marred last Saturday's Tour de Tucson. To read the complete article:

http://www.azroadcyclist.com/news/news.htm

Turkey Day Ride

2008-11-14T10:18:00.003-07:00

The ride up South Mountain on Thanksgiving Day will start at AJ's near Central and Camelback at 6:30 a.m. There is less publicity about it this year in order to keep the group from becoming too large. Riders are expected to carry a small stone in their jersey pocket and leave it on the mountain in an attempt to reverse erosion. There may also be a small donation requested for hot chocolate and donuts.

The Arizona Bicycle Club will be riding for sure on Thanksgiving, starting from Granada Park at 20th Street and Maryland at 7:30 a.m. The Club rides in five different speed groups. Contrary to the usual practice, there is no official breakfast destination for this ride, but the Swifties/Pacers I group will probably find a place for coffee and perhaps a bite to eat. -- Jack Quinn

Jerseys a go?

2008-11-03T12:40:00.001-07:00

I would say that the jerseys are a go. We received a total of 25 responses to the question of whether people would buy a Geezer jersey. One of the responses was for two people, so that represents 26 jerseys.

Hollis Philips is the head jersey Geezer. Errr... I mean he is the one who has agreed to get this jersey program going, and he is encouraged by the response. I'll let you know more when I learn more. -- Jack Quinn

Geezer Jersey

2008-10-13T09:18:00.002-07:00

Some of the Geezers have expressed interest in a Geezer jersey. Custom club jerseys usually cost from $65 to $85 each in quantity, but the cost could be lower if sponsors were found, whose logos would also appear on the jersey. So far, no one has stepped up to take charge of the project, which in my esitmation would involve determining how many people might find a jersey, contacting potential sponsors, designing the jersey (not that difficult with the online design tools that some custom jersey suppliers offer), ordering the jersey, and selling it to riders. Personally, I think it's a good idea, but I'm not sure that we can find someone willing to take on the work involved.

If you have any ideas, please most them to the comments section below this blog entry. -- Jack Quinn

Pork barrel benefits for bicycle commuters

2008-10-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Among the unrelated expendatures added to the $700-billion bailout package are some pork barrel benefits for bicycle commuters. Below is the link to the article in the Arizona Republic about how to get paid for riding your bike to work. Some refer to it as the "bike bailout". :) -- Jack Quinn

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/10/10/20081010bikebailout1010.html

Update on Bob Campbell's conditon.

2008-10-06T17:08:00.001-07:00

Monday, October 5, 2008 -- I just received the following word from Lou Morgen on Bob Campbell's condition. -- JQ

Bob Campbell is undergoing surgery on Tues to remove blood from his lung which was pierced by a fractured rib, in addition to breaking his collarbone.He is in considerable pain but spirits high. He had me call the Bike Haus to let Kale know he would be responsible for any damage on the Specialized he was trying out on Sat. He is at Scottsdale Osborn in ICU for the procedure & will be there for several days. I plan on waiting until Wed to visit, but anyone whom would like to check in with Bob after Tues, should. Lou

Crash and new photos on Website

2008-10-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who were not on last Saturday’s ride, there was good news and bad news. The bad news is that riders Bob Campbell and Carl Bond crashed when Bob hit a temporary traffic sign that was out in the bike lane. The front of the pack moved to the left to avoid the signs and pointed out the obstacle, but apparently farther back in the pack the communication was lost and people did not realize the danger. Bob and Carl were riding at the back. At the last report I had, Carl had been treated and released from the hospital with a broken collar bone and Bob was kept overnight for observation after suffering a concussion.

The good news is that three members of the pro cycling team that VeloVie sponsors were in town for the Tour de Scottsdale, and they joined us for the Saturday ride. Photos of the ride, courtesy of Ueli Zaugg, are on the Geezer’s Website in the Photo Gallery section.

http://www.mlr.biz/geezers/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.htm

Ueli writes that Michael Stevenson from Sweden was the fastest rider in the Tour, smashing the old record time by 12 minutes and averaging 30 miles per hour. Yuriy Metlushenko from Ukraine was 3rd, and Phil Cortes from Canada placed fifth. The pros were real gentlemen on the Geezer ride, however, and rode at our old folks’ pace.

J.Q

Schuhmacher tests positive

2008-10-06T16:07:00.002-07:00

I read in the German online press today that Germany’s Stefan Schumacher (Team Gerosteiner) tested positive for a blood sample from the Tour de France. Many of you may remember that he was in the Yellow Jersey for two days after winning an early time trial.
J.Q.

Weekend Ride Time Change

2008-09-28T12:29:00.004-07:00

Beginning next weekend, both the Saturday Geezer rides and the Arizona Bicycle Club Sunday breakfast ride from Grenada Park (20th Street and Maryland) change to their winter schedule and will start at 7:30 a.m. However, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday rides will remain at 6:30 a.m. for the time being.

A group of riders has successfully restarted the regular Geezer ride from the Camelback Inn of Saturday morning. This should enable the Extreme Geezers, who meet at the traffic circle at Invergordon and Northern, to resume their more moderate pace. What follows are some words on that subject by our esteemed leader, Jerry Bell. – Jack Quinn

REMINDER: Both rides [Geezers and Extreme Geezers] start at 7:30 effective next Saturday.

I’m guessing that the Extreme Geezer group will be backing off to a more moderate Fall/Winter pace of 17 – 21mph out bound. The Camelback Geezer group will no doubt continue to ride at a faster pace. Perhaps they can catch the extremes on the climb up Via Linda.

If the 17-21 mph pace is too slow for some, I recommend rejoining the Geezers at Camelback.

jb

Combining Geezer and Extreme Geezer Rides?

2008-09-10T13:10:00.001-07:00

The following message is from Jerry Bell:

Jack,
Please send out an invitation for the Camelback Geezers to meet and start with us at the traffic circle. Maybe we can renew the group as whole or meet together and roll out in two packs. Kb

The traffic circle in question is the one at Northern and Invergordon in Paradise Valley. Of course, the original intention of the Extreme Geezers group was to have a slower, more-relaxed ride without dropping people, but lately, most of the Geezers have moved over to the Extreme Geezers ride, and the pace has picked up. The result has been that many of the original Extreme Geezers get dropped from what was originally their ride. I don’t know how to maintain a separate, less-competitive ride for those who want it, but maybe some of you have some ideas. Click on the word COMMENTS below this blog entry to leave your suggestions and read those of others. Despite what the COMMENT page implies, you do not have to create a Google identity to leave your comment.

New Channel for Bicycle Racing

2008-09-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

There is a new television channel, Universal Sports, a part of NBC I believe, that specializes in Olympic sports including bicycle racing. As far as I know, the channel does not yet have an outlet in Phoenix, but you can view videos and live coverage on the Website, http://www.universalsports.com/. You don’t have to register to view videos while the site is in beta. I tried to watch a live broadcast of the Tour of Germany recently, and it never came on. However, I did watch one of the archived videos of a Tour of Germany stage. If you don’t mind watching video in a small box on your computer screen, there seem to be video archives on the site of all recent and current important bicycle races.

For those who speak Spanish and have subscribed to a Spanish-language package from a cable or satellite provider, TV Española Internacional (TVEI) is broadcasting some stages of the Vuelta a España. One of the sportscasters is former pro racer Pedro Delgado. Versus is scheduled to broadcast one of their superficial condensations of the Vuelta on October 11th and the Tour of Missouri on September 28th.

By the way, I saw an interview with Astana Team honcho Johann Bruyneel, who speaks excellent Spanish. He said he wouldn’t dream of letting Lance Armstrong ride with any team but Astana, especially since Armstrong wants to ride without being paid. 

Geezer Ride Time Changes

2008-08-16T15:08:00.001-07:00

Saturday, August 16, 2008 -- Jerry Bell has given the word! It’s getting light later in the morning, and the heat is not longer quite as extreme as it was in July. Consequentially, the various Geezer rides will start at 6:30 a.m. beginning with the on August 23. For those of you who participate in the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday rides, they will continue to start at 6 a.m. this week and will change to 6:30 a.m. next week. Once again, the time change for all rides begins on Saturday, August 23. – Jack Quinn

The Fall of the Geezers and the Rise of the Extreme Geezers?

2008-08-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 15, 2008 – On Saturday mornings, more and more riders are abandoning the Geezer ride, which starts and the Camelback Inn, and riding instead with the Extreme Geezers, who begin their ride at the roundabout at Northern and Invergordon. The Extreme Geezers’ ride was started for people couldn’t or didn’t want to ride fast. The idea was to give the slower Extreme Geezers’ a head start. The Geezers used to catch the Extremists on Mountain View before the climb up to Hidden Hills.

Since more and more faster riders have started riding with the Extreme Geezers, the pace of this ride has picked up, and the regular Geezers’ Ride has been reduced to a handful of riders. The net effect has been a takeover of the Extreme Geezers ride by faster cyclists, which leaves the original Extreme Geezers gasping for breath and off the back. Those who would prefer to start at the Camelback Inn with the regular Geezers find that there are fewer riders meeting there, so they move over to the Extreme Geezers, and the process snowballs.

I admit to being one of the guilty parties who is riding with the Extreme Geezers. I started riding with them last fall with the idea of riding more slowly during the winter. In spring, I had planned to move back to the regular Geezers’ ride, but somehow inertia took over, and I never made the move. I will move back to the Geezers if enough riders will join me.

Is there a different solution to this problem? Is there a way to reestablish the slower Extreme Geezers’ Ride? Suggestions are welcome. Please click on the word COMMENTS below this blog entry and give us your ideas, or communicate your suggestions to Jerry Bell. Thanks in advance. – Jack Quinn

Look Keo Peddal Recal

2008-08-08T07:25:00.001-07:00

Richard Fisher, noting that many Geezers ride Look Keo pedals, suggested that we send out this information from the RoadBikeRider.com newsletter about a recall. We wouldn’t want any of our riders to fall on their noses due to a breaking axle, especially any riders in front of me in the paceline. There is a link below to the recall Website. As a bonus, there is also a link below to the newsletter, which in turn links to NBC’s schedule of its broadcasts of cycling events at the Olympics. – Jack Quinn

Click http://www.roadbikerider.com/currentissue.htm to read the full and enhanced version of this newsletter.
______________________________________

In This Issue

1. Weekly Dispatch: Breathing in Beijing; Electric Dura-Ace
2. Cycling Shorts: Keo Pedal Recall
3. Scott's Spin: Big Help
4. Classifieds (2 new)
5. Best of Coach Fred: How Should Older Riders Train?
6. Racing Roundup: "Green Bullet" Gunning for Gold
7. Uncle Al: The Lowdown on Gearing Down
8. Try This on Your Next Ride: Rev Up for Fall Rides
9. RBR eBookstore: HOT LIST: August's Bestsellers

---Product recall: Keo pedals. Look Cycle USA is recalling 40,000 pairs of Keo pedals following reports of breaking axles. Fourteen incidents have come to light, resulting in various injuries to riders. All recalled pedals are black and include the Keo Classic, Keo Sprint, Keo HM and Keo Carbon. The model name is printed in white on the side of the pedal. Date codes between January 2004 and December 2005 are included in this recall. These French-made pedals were sold at U.S. bike shops from January 2004 through July 2007 for between $100 and $500. If you have recalled pedals, stop riding them and return them to the place of purchase, or contact Look Cycle USA at http://www.lookcycle-usa.com/keoupgrade/index.html to arrange for free repair or replacement. The website shows where to find date codes to determine if pedals are part of the recall.

Thompson Peak instead of Hidden Hills?

2008-07-31T14:55:00.002-07:00

July 31, 2008 -- Jerry Bell and I recently received the following E-mail from Pat Ventura.

Jack and Jerry,

I suggest that we change the route of the Geezer and Extreme Geezer Rides to incorporate the Thompson Peak loop and the Taliesin loop and skip the problem area of Scottsdale near the Hidden Hills. Why should we expose ourselves needlessly to tickets when we can simply avoid that section of Via Linda and replace it with a darned good alternate route?

Pat

In a second E-mail Pat added:

I remember when we started the Geezer ride there was almost no bicycles at the end of Via Linda. At that time the “Hidden Hills” subdivision didn’t even exist. It is so different now, and the residents complain so much that we will definitely get tickets if we keep going there. Since Bell/Thompson Peak/Taliesin seems like an OK alternative, I hope we can make it happen. I really don’t need any bike tickets counting against my insurance and auto record.

I haven’t had a chance to discuss this with our esteemed leader, the right honorable Jerry Bell, but I think changing the route to Thompson Peak, at least for the time being, is a good idea. The distance freaks can always risk the wrath of the SUV-hugging Scottsdale upper crust and also add Hidden Hills to the ride, as we have often done in the past.

You can comment on this to Jerry (and me) by responding to this E-mail, or better yet, you can post your thoughts on the Geezer blog where all can read them.

Jack Quinn

Crackdown on Cyclists in Northeast Scottsdale

2008-07-21T14:55:00.004-07:00

Monday, July 21, 2008 – Last Saturday, July 19, several members of the Geezers and Tribe cycling groups were pulled over by a Scottsdale police officer and lectured about an upcoming crackdown on cyclists. I was not part of the group, but I was told that the police officer said he would be writing tickets in the future for running stop signs, riding more than two abreast, and speeding. The crackdown is supposedly a result of area resident complaints. My guess is that most of the enforcement will be concentrated on Via Linda between the gate to Hidden Hills and 124^th Street.

Of the three supposed infractions, the one most likely to result in a ticket that will hold up in court is running a stop sign. I think we all know that the law technically requires us to come to a complete stop at all stop signs. It is not necessary to put a foot down, however. If you are able to come to a complete halt and do a track stand long enough to look both ways and make sure that it is safe to proceed, you have complied with the law. As a practical matter, cyclists riding alone who almost come to a complete halt are unlikely to be ticketed, even though they have technically violated the law. Please remember, however, that cyclists riding in groups tend to anger not only residents but also some police officers. If you are riding with a group and some members of the group run the stop sign, you would be well advised to make a complete stop, even if it means getting dropped, so as to have a defense if the group is pulled over and ticketed. Groups are more likely to be pulled over and held to the highest standards than are individual riders.

I have heard cyclists debate whether or not traffic tickets issued to cyclists count against their driving records and thereby affect their car-insurance rates. I don’t know the legal answer to that question, but one cyclist who was ticketed for running a stop sign on Via Linda says that the magistrate who decided his case did count points against his driver’s license.

Many police officers believe that there is a law that states that cyclists are supposed to ride as close to the right side of the road as possible. That’s incorrect. However, it is true that cyclists may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding “on paths or parts of roadway set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.” If you’re riding more than two abreast and a police officer tickets you, you may have a hard time fighting that ticket in court.

Arizona Revised Statute (ARS) paragraph 28-815 states: “A person riding a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway….” First, the law says that cyclists must ride “as close as practicable” to the right side of the road. The difference between the meaning of the words “possible” and “practicable” means that there is a lot of room for interpretation. Some experts in bicycle law feel that three feet from the curb or five feet from parked cars (because of the danger of someone suddenly opening a door) is a reasonable and practicable distance. Secondly, it implies that if you are riding at the speed of traffic or if there is no traffic present, you are not required to ride to the right. A police officer has no legal right to yell at you to get over to the right if there is no traffic behind you.

There are also four exceptions to the “as far to the right as practicable” rule:

If overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
If preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
If reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals or surface hazards.
If the lane in which the person is operating the bicycle is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.

Exceptions 1 and 4 should be especially noted. It’s OK to move out from the right side of the lane to pass another bicycle, and it’s also OK to move out from the right if the lane is too narrow for a cyclist to safely share with a car (as is the case on the four-lane sections of Doubletree, Via Linda, and Mountain View). I don’t believe that a police officer could write a ticket that would hold up in court if we take over the entire right lane on either of these two streets, as long as we’re not riding more than two abreast.

However, on the sections of Doubletree, Mountain View, and Via Linda where there is a marked bicycle lane, cyclists are highly advised to ride in the bike lane; otherwise, the three-foot law doesn’t apply. According to ARS 28-735, motorists are required to give bicycles at least three feet of clearance when passing. If they don’t and a collision results the motorist is subject to a fine unless there is a bicycle lane present and the cyclist isn’t using it.

As to speeding, it is my understanding that the 20 mph speed limit inside the gates at Hidden Hills is not legally enforceable, as this is a private road. Nevertheless, if cyclists would descend inside the gates at a speed somewhere in the vicinity of 20 mph, that might lessen resident hostility towards us. Below the gates, if my memory serves me, the speed limit is 30 mph on the two-lane section of Via Linda and 40 mph on the four-lane section. I’m sure that some of us exceed the 30 mph speed limit, although not by as much as most motor vehicles. You have to crank a 53x11 pretty hard to exceed the 40 mph speed limit farther down the hill except for the short, steeper stretch just after crossing the freeway. (I believe my record is 39.7 mph.)

An annotated copy of the ARS as they apply to bicycles can be found on the Web at:

http://azbikelaw.org/excerpts.html

The main page, http://azbikelaw.org, has many links to pages about the legal issues that affect cyclists.

The Arizona State Legislature Web page of the ARS that apply to transportation can be found at:

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=28

A good tutorial on bike riding in traffic can be found on an ADOT Website. Much of the information is basic, but there's probably something in there for even most traffic-wise cyclists. The URL is:

http://www.azbikeped.org/azbss.htm

Jack Quinn

Speed Controls for Cyclists at Hidden Hills

2008-07-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

July 11, 2008 The Scottsdale City Council voted Tuesday to give $70,000 to the Hidden Hills Homeowners’ Association (HOA) for the construction of speed-control devices. The HOA claims that after an initial period of riding slowly, some cyclists are still speeding down the hill. I can testify from personal observation that some of the cyclists bombing down the hill at full speed are Geezers.

Here’s a link to an article in the Arizona Republic Web site.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/07/09/20080709sr-hiddenhills0710-ON.html

Jack Quinn

Another ride time change

2008-06-21T11:21:00.002-07:00

June 21 2008 -- Starting next Saturday, the Geezer and Extreme Geezer rides will also start at 6 a.m. due to the extreme heat. The Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday rides have already switched to this earlier time. -- Jack Quinn

Ride time chages

2008-06-19T03:10:00.001-07:00

Due to the extreme heat, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ride start times temporarily change to 6 a.m. effective June 19, 2008.

Tuesday/Thursday ride change

2008-05-02T03:46:00.002-07:00

The Tuesday and Thursday ride, which had been starting at 7:30 a.m., will now start at 6:30 a.m. For more information on this and other Geezer rides, see the Geezer Website at www.mlr.biz/geezers. -- Jack Quinn

Ride time changes

2008-03-28T13:15:00.002-07:00

As of April 1st, 2008, the following rides will all start at 6:30 a.m.
The Geezer Ride
The Wednesday Wheelsucker Ride
The ABC Breakfast Ride from Grenada Park.
For more information on these rides, see the "Local Rides" page on the Geezers' Website:

http://www.mlr.biz/geezers/rides/calendar.htm

Jack Quinn

Message from George Kovalick

2008-03-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

The following message is from George Kovalick. I won't put his contact info here to keep him from getting spam, but you can get it from me if you are interested in contacting him. -- Jack Quinn

I am not sure you would remember me. I have joined the "geezers" rides almost a year ago and enjoyed it immensely. Met a bunch of interesting guys.

At the time I lived in Carefree.

However, in November of last year my wife and I started making preparations for a long planned move to France (including the 3 cats and 6 bikes) and I had been unable to join the geezers on any rides since then.

We moved in the first week of February to a little village 60 miles south of Paris (Rogny Les Sept Ecluses - ) where we purchased an exciting business venture - a luxury hotel barge cruising the Upper Loire Canal de Briare (www.MeandererFrenchCanalCruises.com).

It took a little while to get settled in our new home (we sold our hose in Carefree, but kept a condo at Gainey Ranch, since we intend to spend 3 months every year in Scottsdale) as well as the weather to turn from dreary to pleasant, but now the bikes have been reassembled and I have been enjoying discovering the fantastic rides on high quality small roads crisscrossing this great area and enjoying the respect and courtesies of French drivers.

Our barge venture bookings historically slow down in July and August and I was entertaining the idea of having interested Geezers to come and join me in France for a few days of exciting group rides through the area. I will know the area very well by then and would be delighted to serve as a guide and advisor.

For me it's strictly a hobby and there is no "business" concept involved in this idea.

Please feel free to pass this along to the geezers members in any format you feel would be appropriate on the website or your blog.

Warm regards to all and safe riding.

George

Parking at the Camelback Inn

2008-03-17T03:35:00.000-07:00

Jack and the Geezers,
After last Saturdays ride (3-15-08) I had returned to my car and found a “Parking Violation” notice on my windshield. There was a notation that this will be reported to P.V.P.D. This is the third notice that has been left on my car. I had moved the location of where I have been parking so I wouldn’t be bothering the Marriott Camelback Inn. After receiving this recent notice I went straight to the resort lobby, wearing cycling clothes, to speak to a manager. I was very polite and spoke to a young woman that called Eric, the manager on duty. After the situation was explained to Eric he started to tell me that the resort couldn’t be liable for non guests to be on the premises and that they had to tighten security due to vandalism. I rebutted the conversation saying that the Marriott and the cyclists are both part of the local community. I explained to him that our group is made up of many local professionals that have always thought highly of there facility. That it was very well run, had courteous employees and that we valued their hospitality to let us meet in their parking lot. Eric then mentioned that his maintenance crew had found the restrooms at the tennis courts had been left in poor condition and that they had suspected that the cyclists had left it in that condition. I explained to him that we have good communication within our group and that I would pass on the information insuring that we would leave there facility in good condition. At the end of our conversation Eric had decided to discuss the situation with his supervisor and return a phone call to me in the afternoon. Eric did call me as promised and they decided to continue to allow us to meet and park at there facility. He said that it will be OK to meet at the tennis court as we have been and that the construction is completed in the south lot as well. Eric also had asked if it was OK with me if they kept my name and phone number as a contact if there were any further issues. I agreed. So hopefully no more “Parking Violations”.
So I feel that this is another step in the right direction with cyclists and the local community getting along. I hope that everyone will pass the word to try to leave the restrooms and grounds clean after there use. A good reputation can be a valuable asset to a resort such as the Camelback Inn. In the future we can pass on the information that the resort is friendly and well run to any visitors to the valley.

Ride safe, sincerely,
Mark Snell (Scott CR1)

2007 Tour de France winners banned from 2008 race

2008-03-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Amaury Sports Organization (ASO) has banned Team Astana from participating in any of the races that it organizes during all of 2008. These races include Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, and most importantly, the Tour de France. The first- and third-place finishers in the 2007 Tour are thus barred from defending their titles in the 2008 even.
After the Discovery Channel Team was dissolved at the end of the 2007 season, Tour winner Alberto Contador and third-place finisher Levi Leipheimer were forced to find a new team. Both of them signed with Astana, a team which experienced major doping scandals in 2007 but which promised to ride clean in 2008. Later, ASO decided to ban Astana from all of its 2008 races, thereby barring these two riders from from competing in the Tour.
Supporters of both riders have set up Web sites to permit cycling fans from around the world to petition the ASO to let these two riders participate in the 2008 Tour. The Web site set up for Leipheimer is www.letleviride.com/. Contador's site in four languages is www.contadoraltour.com/. The English version isn't quite grammatical, but let's overlook that and support the initiative. After all, this site isn't always a literary masterpiece, either. :) -- Jack Quinn