the other site

I'm going to permanently move to the rivercitycyclingsociety.com site. I waste too much time on-line to mimic content on 2 different sites with the same premise.

I appreciate the our effort has some "followers" and I robustly encourage you to check out our progress. LithoDale is another no-go for tomorrow, but has quite the excuse; his wife some some vomit virus, so certainly we'll be having more fun than him.

Maiden Ride Map

Here's a link to the Maiden Ride Map, if you're interested. For some I think the mystery of it is a bit more fun, but as stated, the ride runs 28 miles with a food stop, and for those with a bit less time, it can't be cut to 20 mile.

First Ride Invite

The nascent River City Cycling Society invites you to its maiden voyage Sunday, January 25th, leaving from the playground lot (nearer to the Big Field or whatever its name is) on River Road at 11.00 a.m. The ride has 20 and 30-mile options, rain or shine, sleet or snow (no ice). This group is an effort to have a social, adventurous, and maybe even off-kilter riding experience here in the Louisville area. The RCCS is not meant as a competitor to the LBC, but rather as an augmentation of our riding options here in town. While this the first RCCS offering, the intention is that each ride include food, potential mixed routes, points of interest to explore, a casual/reasonable pace and an attitude of inclusion. The only caveat is that there maybe be off-bike activities like hiking, so choose appropriate footwear.

More information can be found @ http://rivercitycyclingsociety.blogspot.com/ and eventually at http://rivercitycyclingsociety.com/.

Feel free to contact me at mysurly69@yahoo.com if you have questions.

Tim S.

Principles

While on rides this week I've given this potential 'cycling society' some more thought. Although I'm loath to be some type of director/president/chairman/master, I do think these principles of this undertaking should be considered. I have no, no, clue the response that this endeavor will bring, but I do strongly hope that these principles will be the ones followed if this is to be something new and exciting. And so.

The RCCS will:

• make every effort for all rides to be group rides. The group should stay together as best as possible b/c it wants to stay together.
• provide interesting experiences on and off the bike, ones that include history, nature, and camaraderie at a reasonable pace
• ride at "Goldilocks" speed- not too fast, not too slow. Beginners should understand that these aren't necessarily designed for beginners, but they do not exclude them. Know your equipment and have some miles in the legs. And more importantly, have a spirit of adventure and curiosity.
• stop for food and/or libations, whether they be water, soda, coffee or worse. A bike lock is a very good suggestion.

The RCCS may:

• hike-n-bike, clamber, stop-n-study, and take many photo moments. For this reason, sturdy, walkable shoes are a good idea. Platform pedals are an excellent idea, but not a requirement.
• ride in any weather possible, with the exception being ice.
  
• visit many locations in Kentuckiana, not just ones in the 'River City' (i.e. Louisville).
• discuss and promote bicycle commuting and the bicycle as a society-improving instrument.
• visit historical sites, explore nature and our natural resources (i.e. parks, preserves, etc.), and give pause when needed.
• make every effort to include "mixed terrain rides", including trails, gravel roads, off-the-beaten paths, alleys and such. Fat and sturdy tires are suggested, but not required.

The RCCS will probably not:

• ride in pacelines.
• be very interested in miles per hour, lactate threshold, or maximum heart rate.
• drop people.
• have officers, by-laws, bureaucracy or dues.
  

These are thoughts, but these are thoughts I've been thinking now for a while. A group built on these principles would be cool as hell and would benefit the local cycling community. Perhaps it never goes anywhere, but we'll do the 1st ride and if we have fun, we'll do another one. More to come soon, but the date will be January and the route will be the one previously mentioned, although not in detail.

Possibilities

With some ingenuity and motivation, I think the possibilities for RCCS rides are infinite. In a way, some of the distance and destination rides the LBC puts on are similar in spirit to some that I have in mind myself, but ultimately it's attitude and spirit, not just the destination.

I mentally jotted these ideas a week ago, and since have added some.

In Kentucky:

• Bernheim and Pine Creek Barrens Preserve
• Louisville State Nature Preserves: Louisville Nature Center (Creason), Sally Brown NP (not much info online)
• Vernon-Douglas SNP (south of E'town)
  
• Otter Creek (?)
  
• "Emerald Necklace" type Louisville ride linking the Olmstead parks
• Full Louisville Loop (with stop at Mike Linnings)
• LithoDale suggested a Coffee/Cappuccino Hop b/c the 'Ville has so many good coffee shops. Of course, you could add the brew hop onto that, with tastings from the local micro-breweries. Just a taste, though.
• KYPhilosopher has already offered to host a ride down Berea way.
• A Lexington/Bluegrass ramble would be awfully fun
• A redeux of the 'ville Paris-Roubaix cobblestone alley ride would be fun. I don't know if the LBC still puts that on, but I did it one year and had lots of fun.
• Certainly a S24O or just a plain ol' bike camping trip. The best local spot I found via research was in Camp Horine/Jefferson Memorial Forest. It's pretty pricey, though ($20 or so. I just researched and it's $15. Not great. Not bad) for primitive camping. Clark State Forest in IN is much cheaper, albeit farther away.
  

In Indiana:

• Falls of the Ohio
• Harrison-Crawford State Forest
• O'Bannon Woods
  
• Hoosier Forest
• Clark State Forest
• Jackson-Washington State Forest
  
• Deam Lake
  
• Charlestown park

This is just listing and thinking outloud. I don't think a RCCS ride has to be epic nor far-reaching. I would think, though, that the purpose is not just to go for a quickie road ride like I do in the park. It's a novel, una novedad, kind of experience. Pondero (whose entries are fabulous, BTW) sent me a link to a similar kind of concept sprouted in Wilmington, DE by the owners of the Longleaf bike shop. Theirs has more of a focus on short and medium touring as opposed to day trips. I don't know if their plan really ever got off the ground; maybe the RCCS won't either, but we're going to try.

All I know is the idea for the first ride. We'll see what happens from there. More info to come soon.

1st Ride

I have an idea for a first ride for the RCCS. David is ready for me to organize and I am too. I don't have firm plans, but I'm thinking that the ride will leave KY, visits IN and the Loop Island Wetlands, and then returns to KY for a snack. I don't know the mileage yet but I'm thinking a 30-miler is the goal with a food stop somewhere in the third portion of the ride.

Loop Island is an area I found during a November ride to Edwardsville. I think it would make an excellent first destination because I have a feeling it's not widely known. With the recent moisture it might be a mess, but we'll see. That's what the journey is for.

River City Cycling Society

The Society has commenced. I figure if even 2 of us want a differentcycling experience in the area, that's enough for me. Driving home from the in-laws today, I had several thoughts about places, routes, and experiences that interest me. I'm going to be sharing them this week on this new blog. I think this should be one of those open blogs that others like-minded folk can post to as well. I may be a society of 1, but I'm going to make the effort because the promise is immense. If you are interested, jump on in.

Peace and Safety on the road.