Rough Riders: Any Bike, Anywhere: Home of the Classic Cyclist

For Sale: Rivendell All-Rounder 1995

2011-11-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

This absolutely gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, Joe Bell-painted Rivendell All-Rounder is for sale.

I bought this in 1995 because I had been sponsored by the Rivendell founder, Grant Petersen, when he ran Bridgestone Cycles USA and I wanted to show my support for his new enterprise, Rivendell Bicycle Works. This was the first bike I'd bought in thirteen years as I'd been sponsored by one company or another between 1984 and 1994. I paid the deposit in February of 1995 and took delivery in December of that same year.

As a historical note, this is the first All-Rounder sold to anyone after Rivendell was founded in 1994. As a surprise, Grant had an "extra" serial number added to the bottom bracket shell that include my initials, "AR" for All-Rounder, and "#1" because it was the first sold. The frame and fork were hand crafted by the artisans at Waterford Precision Cycles in Waterford, Wisconsin.

I didn't build this bike up, or ride it, until the fall of 1998 as it took some time to find all the parts I wanted to run on it. As soon as I assembled it, I flew to Seattle and rode from there to Mill Valley, CA in Marin County in a week. Although I primarily planned to use it off-road or for combined trail/road rides, its initial configuration was very roadie: the components you see here, but with Scott Drop-In handlebars, the 8-spd shifters mounted on the down tube, Spinergy Rev-X wheels, and V-brakes. I found those wheels flexed too much, I didn't much like the drop bars off-road, the V-brakes worked terribly and had to be run VERY close to the rims, and it was darn near impossible to reach the down-tube shifters while riding off-road. As a result, I reconfigured the bike as you see it the main slideshow below, pretty much identical to its predecessor in my stable, a 1993 Bridgestone XO-1. The "in action" shots below are from a week-long trip to Moab and The Maze in Canyonlands National Park in Utah in May 2003. I stopped riding it in about 2005, so, although it's 16 years old, it's only seen a few years of actual riding. The rest of the time, it's been indoors. Of course, I've treated the interior of the frame several times over the years with Weigle FrameSaver to protect against corrision.

In about 2008, I had it repainted in an absolutely beautiful glossy black and blue color combo by legendary bicycle painter Joe Bell. I also had a third set of water bottle braze-ons added to the underside of the down tube. (See a full set of images from that new incarnation here in the Velo Cult online museum.)

Now, three years later, I still have not built it back up after that repaint. I love this bike, it's an amazing ride, its rich in Rivendell history, and I have a deep attachment to it, but I just don't have a need for it in my stable anymore.

In brief, the sizing is: 54.5cm seat tube with 72.5 degree seat angle and 57.5cm top tube. The All-Rounder was designed to fit a bit smaller than the same rider's appropriate road bike size (most of my road bikes have 57cm seat tubes, for example, but the same 57.5cm top tubes.) Full geometry and spec's, dozens of photos, and lots more information, are available here.

This one-of-a-kind Rivendell All-Rounder frame and fork (exactly as seen in the Velo Cult photos) is for sale for $2500. That price includes Fedex Ground Shipping to anywhere in the continental US. For shipping outside the ConUSA, I will charge actual shipping cost, less $50. Also included in this sale are:

• 25 pages of original sales documentation, brochures, and correspondence with Rivendell about the original design and purchase of this All-Rounder
• Photocopies of Issue 0 and Issue 1 of the Rivendell Reader
• New, unused, silver color Chris King headset with Ritchey front brake cable hanger, installed
• Shimano adjustable cable guides mounted to the down-tube shifter stops
• Seat post binder bolt
• One set of used but very good Nitto Moustache handlebars

Contact me if you are interested. Serious inquiries only. I am not desperate for money, so will not entertain any low-ball offers. (If it doesn't sell by the February 1, I will build it up and start riding it again.) Payment accepted via check or Paypal in advance only. Pick-up in Calabasas, CA area possible; delivery in Los Angeles area also possible.

Dozens more photos, full geometry and spec's, and lots more information, are available here.

Back to the Future: Founding Fathers of Ultra Cycling Tackle Furnace Creek 508

2011-10-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

Minutes before the start, the four racers in the 1982 Great American Bike Race eagerly awaited the biggest challenge of their lives (photo above). They didn't know what to expect. No one did. This was the first non-stop bicycle race across the United States and the four men would race 2,876 miles from the Santa Monica Pier to the Empire State Building in New York City. All four competitors would finish. ABC Wide World of Sports would tell this story to millions of viewers. "Ultra cycling" became a new sport and the world as we know it was officially underway. Within a year, legions of cyclists were inspired to become "ultra cyclists" and new races were created to develop the sport, including the John Marino Open, the predecessor to Furnace Creek 508.

I began cycling in February of 1982, inspired by Sheldon Jackson, a schoolteacher colleague of my parents who had bicycle toured across America the previous summer. He had regaled us with his cycling stories shortly after my parents, brother, and I had returned from a one-year sabbatical involving 25,000 miles of road tripping through 20-some countries in Europe and Egypt. Having skipped the eighth grade to learn about the world up close and personal, I dreamed of seeing more of the world under my own power. Only 14 and therefore without a driver's license, my bicycle gave me the freedom to roam, and to head for any horizon which intrigued me. My first ride, the day after I bought my dream bike (a copy of Sheldon's), was 50 miles to Mt. Baldy and back from my hometown of Glendora, CA.

I also subscribed to Bicycling Magazine and began reading about these four god-men who would be bicycle racing across America that summer. One day the phone rang and another of my parents’ colleagues, Wayne Hysen, wanted to know if I "had ever heard of Lon Haldeman." I had just read all about him and the other Great American Bike Race competitors - John Howard, Michael Shermer, and John Marino - so I answered in the affirmative. Wayne said, "Well, I'm from Illinois, so when I heard about Lon attempting this race across America, I invited him and his support team to base out of our house before the race in June. Do you want to meet him?" I sure did!

Standing in the foyer of the Hysens' home that August, I looked up at this towering giant of a man with dark brown tree trunk legs, asked him for his autograph, and told him I was going to do that bicycle race across America some day, "maybe when I'm 25!" That seemed so far away, such an "old age." I was only 15, and Lon, though he seemed like such a grown man to me, was just 23.

Lon would win the race that summer and I was absolutely mesmerized by the TV coverage of the race. Lon would also win again, with the race rechristened "Race Across America," in 1983. I had been there at the starting line that year, and had followed along - by car - for the first hundred miles or so. I knew I would do that race some day; there was no doubt.

Cycling events were few and far between back then and most of us enthusiasts entered any cycling event we could find, whether a criterium, a century, a road race, a bicycle rally, a time trial, or one of those rare and illusive events which so few had ridden, a "double century." I'd ridden my first double at age 16 that year, still riding in racquetball shoes as I had not yet painted my parents' house to pay for my first pair of Sidi bike shoes. Now, somehow, I had come up with the idea of riding from San Francisco to Los Angeles, non-stop, against the clock, to set a record, and, more importantly, to become - like my idols - an ultra cyclist.

Columbus Day, 1983 I was in Santa Barbara to compete in a criterium. I saw John Marino across a parking lot, running a Race Across America booth at the event's bike expo. I literally sprinted across the lot to meet this living legend. He had come in fourth out of four in the inaugural race, but nobody had suffered more. And what's more, it was his vision which had created the race in the first place, the natural progression for a man who had thrice ridden against the clock - but against no other competitors - to challenge the Guinness World Record for trans-America riding. Twice he had been successful. With those efforts under his belt, he had created a race to provide others with the same opportunity to do what I much later came to describe as "exploring the inner and outer universes."

I told John that I wanted to become an ultra cyclist and to ride from SF to LA against the clock, setting a record. He seemed curious and wrote his home phone number on the back of his Race Across America business card, offering to advise me. Not an hour later, I met Michael Shermer, who was there to compete, and he said he'd help me, too. Now I had a mission: to drum up sponsors, solicit media coverage, organize my crew, and train like a real cyclist. John helped me prepare a press release and got me into the industry-only bike show to solicit support. Shermer introduced me to potential sponsors and put the good word in for me. Lon kept letting me hang out with his support team each summer before the race and even let me lead him on training rides in the Glendora area. (When my friends saw me out on the road with him, I became a superhero in their eyes!)

Photo of the skinny guy: That's me at LA City Hall, after riding there against the clock from SF in 1984.

By early 1984, at age 16 and 17, I was lining up to race alongside Marino, Shermer, John Howard and others in 200km, 300km, and 400km "RAAM Building Races" known as brevets. Then that April 17-18, I rode the 472 miles from SF to LA in 31 hours, 13 minutes, setting the first ever record in the process. It was broken a week later, turning the fire inside me into a bonfire. A month later, Marino asked me to work on his race staff at the John Marino Open. I had a blast doing that, wanting to impress my mentors and idols, while watching a new crop of racers tackle the 715-mile race. Many of them, aware of my recent SF-LA record, asked me why I wasn't racing with them. I was astounded; I didn't think I was in their league. (And I surely never would have guessed that I would take over the leadership of the race just six years later.)

Above, Left to Right: Me (age 17), RAAM director Bob Hustwit, race official Mark Straley, and John Marino working at the 1984 John Marino Open, the predecessor to Furnace Creek 508. (It was a cold night in Anza, CA; we were huddled around a log fire in that trash can.)

A year later, there I was, lining up at the start of the 1985 John Marino Open, just a few weeks before graduating from high school, and fresh off getting "my" SF-LA record back, with a time of 22 hours, 38 minutes over the 429-mile route. The top twelve at this "JMO" would qualify for the 1985 Race Across America. I managed to tie for 12th, moving from behind to ahead of much of the field by simply never giving up, something I had learned from watching the four founding fathers do so on television just three summers prior.

I was getting ready to go off to college at U.C. Berkeley, so racing across America was the furthest thing from my mind, but Marino invited me to join his Race Across America race staff. It would be my first road trip without my parents. I was just 18 and would have a front row seat to the dramatic, dark duel between Michael Secrest, the first new ultra superstar to challenge the founding four, and Jonathan Boyer, the first American to race in the Tour de France, a true pro cyclist trying his hand at this new type of bicycle racing.

It was an absolutely pivotal nine days on the road and laid the final bricks in the foundation upon which my life, purpose, and career would be based. Within two years I would also be a finisher of the Race Across America, the youngest so far at age 20. My college studies in archaeology would continue, but there was no doubt I would be an entrepreneur with a focus on human potential and that I would continue to compete as an ultra athlete for a lifetime.

Photo: That's me with my amazing support crew at the finish of the 1987 Race Across America. I was 20 years old and on top of the world.

This spring, 29 years after that original Great American Bike Race, I pitched Marino on the idea of the four founding fathers competing together as a four-man team in Furnace Creek 508, a race I have organized since he turned it over to me 21 years ago. Marino loved the idea and pitched it to Shermer. He figured he could just squeeze it into his schedule as the head of the Skeptics Society. Amazingly, Haldeman and Howard also both agreed. Lon would fly in for the race just hours after finishing leading one of his transcontinental PAC Tour events. Howard would make it happen between coaching engagements and setting more national or world records in one form of competitive cycling or another. They've all been training like crazy and making plans via email and cell phone.

It will be an absolute honor to share the roads with all 223 competitors in this year's race, along with all the support crews, and the absolutely amazing race staff. None of us would be here if it weren't for the vision, and pure sense of adventure, that Lon Haldeman, John Howard, Michael Shermer, and John Marino all displayed during the summer of 1982. After inspiring me on my own ultra path - as a competitor, as an event promoter, and as a human being - I am absolutely ecstatic to have them compete in this year's 508. I am equally humbled, for I can think of no greater tip of the hat for my idols to offer than to enter this race which I love so much and which they begat. And for everyone in the race this year, I offer the solemn observation that you never know who YOU are going to inspire with your own efforts "out there" on the fabled Furnace Creek 508 race course. May we all roll so well and for so long as the founding four have done, and do.

Life has come full circle.

- Chris Kostman, Oak Park, CA

READ THIS ESSAY ON THE FURNACE CREEK 508 WEBSITE: Click

2011 RACE MAGAZINE, INCLUDING 35 PAGES OF HISTORIC ARTICLES

The 2011 Furnace Creek 508 Race Magazine includes over 35 pages of historic articles about the founding fathers and the original races from 1980, 1982, and 1983. It's a 13.7MB file, so it's very large and may take a few minutes to download. (508 entrants and staff will receive a printed copy of the entire 84-page, full-color magazine at Racer Check-In on Friday, October 7!) Download it here.

Special thanks to Patsy Inouye, a fellow cyclist who is a librarian, for finding and sending me scans of many of the historic articles reprinted in the 2011 race magazine, as well as to two-time 508 finisher Bob Corman of Infinity Press for printing this special edition of the race magazine, and to Marcus Edvalson for creating the whole new suite of Furnace Creek 508 logos featured on and in this magazine, on the race website, and on the 2011 race gear and clothing. Special thanks also to Kevin Fung for his tremendous efforts in designing the 2011 Furnace Creek 508 Race Magazine. This was Kevin's biggest job yet for us and he pulled it off with aplomb!

Clearly, the spirit of the Great American Bike race lives on in this great American bike race!
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2011 FURNACE CREEK 508 RACE WEBCAST

Follow all 223 competitors, including the Four Founding Fathers (AKA "Team Great American Toad"), as they participate in the 2011 Furnace Creek 508 via the live webcast on October 7-10, 2011 at this link.

Jim Swarzman Memorial Membership Drive: Join, renew, or donate and LA County Bicycle Coalition will receive twice the amount you give!

2011-09-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and AdventureCORPS Announce the Jim Swarzman Memorial Membership Drive

Join, renew, or donate and LACBC (click!) will receive twice the amount you give via AdventureCORPS' $10,000 pledge!

From Chris Kostman, Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director, AdventureCORPS, Inc.

Fellow cyclist Jim Swarzman, age 47, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in a large pick-up truck, possibly intentionally, while cycling in an unsupported 600km long-distance cycling event called a "brevet" early on April 10, 2011 in Leucadia (part of Encinitas, in San Diego County). The driver later turned himself in, plead not guilty, but was found guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The maximum sentence is four years for the crime for which he was charged. Meanwhile, Jim is gone and the lives of his fiancé, friends, and family have been shattered.

(NOTE this email just received: The sentencing for Jim's killer is scheduled for next Monday, 12 September at 1300 (that's 1:00 P.M.) at the Vista Courthouse in north San Diego County. Wouldn't it be awesome if the courtroom was packed with supporters for Jim's family? Hope to see many of you there. - Bret Gross, San Clemente, CA)

I believe it is crucial that we do something to honor Jim's life and legacy, and to help insure that this kind of senseless, unnecessary tragedy never happens again. Please join in that effort, and read on.

Jim Swarzman was a really great guy, and had recently become engaged to another long distance cycling enthusiast, Nicole Honda. They had been planning to move into their new home together the weekend after Jim was killed, and they also had planned to ride Paris-Brest-Paris this summer on their honeymoon.

They have both raced Furnace Creek 508, a 508-mile bicycle race which we organize through Death Valley and the Mojave Desert, on a two person team, and solo, including in the "classic bike" division with an "old school" set-up.

Personally, I really, really liked Jim and we connected on many levels. We talked about all kinds of things while cycling, but never about work. I don't even know what his career was; we were friends beyond those mundane things. I thought it was very cool that he had been president of a Porsche Car Club for many years. I believe he told me that he had owned as many as six Porsches at one time. But in recent years he had become a much bigger fan of collecting, and riding, bikes. More importantly, he was collecting happy memories with his lovely fiancé, in cycling and in life.

Jim had been a bike racer back in the 80s, had got away from cycling for about twenty years, then recently rediscovered it with a passion, meeting Nicole in the process. When I first rode with him, I could tell that he had old school, classic style, because of his position on the bike and smooth pedaling form. I loved watching him ride and had the pleasure of riding the San Diego 200km brevet with him earlier this year, plus a few hours of the LA 300km brevet a few weeks later. Even after 20 years away from the sport, he truly rode like a pro, gracefully, strongly, with a relaxed, but precise style and posture. He had really gotten into cycling with a vengeance at this point in his life, riding brevets, double centuries, Furnace Creek 508, plus creating epic rides to go do with friends. He was 100% my kind of guy, on and off the bike.

Jim was living life to the fullest, was very fit, good looking, and in Nicole Honda had found an amazing cyclist, and lovely, bubbly, outgoing, and extremely positive life partner. They were a match made in heaven, truly.

Jim was riding with Nicole, along with fellow distance cyclist Chris Hanson, when he was struck by the hit-and-run driver on April 20, 2011. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but passed away a few hours later.

There was a huge turn-out at the tribute to Jim and his life at Mount Sinai Memorial Park on April 14. Many fellow cyclists rode there, quite a few in cycling jerseys, to pay tribute to Jim and to show their solidarity as fellow cyclists. After Jim's father, sister, and best friend spoke, Nicole spoke last. It was heart-wrenching, but yet empowering and motivating to hear everyone speak of Jim's tireless energy, zest for life, and unquenchable thirst for adventure, and for sharing it with other people.

Nicole wrapped up her words about Jim by saying "Many of you have asked what you can do to show your respect for Jim and support of me. I have two things which I'd ask: One, pay attention while driving. Don't text, don't fish behind the seat for your purse, don't put on make-up while driving. Pay attention; your life or somebody else's may depend on it. And two, please join the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Jim was an LACBC supporter and this organization needs more members and more support, because they are our voice, fighting to make streets safer and laws more just for cyclists."

By chance, I was sitting behind Jennifer Klausner, the executive director of the LA County Bicycle Coalition, during the memorial and I saw her jaw literally drop as she heard Nicole's plea to support LACBC as a tribute to Jim and his life. It was in that moment that I knew I would do something to amplify that special request from Nicole.

Although I have been a member of LACBC for several years, and have ridden in their signature event, The LA River Ride, I didn't really know that much about LACBC, what they do, and how important they are. Here they are in a nutshell, from their website, la-bike.org:

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a nonprofit organization with over 1,000 members that engages cyclists through advocacy, education and outreach across the county. Founded in 1998 by bicycle advocates Joe Linton and Ron Milam, LACBC brings together the diverse bicycling community in a united mission to improve the bicycling environment and quality of life for the entire region. Despite Los Angeles’ reputation as a car-centric region, LACBC has emerged as one of the most innovative and wide-reaching bicycle advocacy non-profits in the country. They have played a major role in the growing cycling movement here in LA. Their vision is to improve the built environment in Los Angeles, so that all cyclists--low-income, commuter, recreational, families, and women--can safely navigate LA County streets. Through the help of a strong volunteer network, LACBC accomplishes this vision in their campaigns to increase bicycle infrastructure throughout the 88 cities in the County.

In meeting with Jen Klausner, I was stunned to learn that the sole organization in this giant county of ten million people which represents and furthers cyclists' rights and needs has barely over a thousand members! Eleven hundred members, out of ALL those LA area cyclists??? I was stunned, and appalled. Knowing how critical a collective voice is to gaining, and then keeping, our rights to safely ride on the roads of Los Angeles County is, I believe that everyone who rides a bike in LA County should be a member of the LACBC! (Even those living outside LA County should consider supporting LACBC, because they have become a role model organization for promoting cycling in large metropolitan areas.)

To that end, through AdventureCORPS, we are sponsoring the Jim Swarzman Memorial Membership Drive. As such, AdventureCORPS will match all memberships and contributions to LACBC in Jim’s honor, up to $10,000. So when you join, renew, or donate, LACBC will receive twice the amount you give. We ask that you please encourage your friends to become members now - whether they are new or long-time cyclists, whether you knew Jim personally or have been touched by hearing about his story.

This Membership Drive has been going for about a month now, and will come to a close soon. Please join, renew, or donate today! Your contribution will have TWICE the impact in helping us create safer streets for all cyclists!

Yours in sport,
Chris Kostman,
Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director
AdventureCORPS, Inc.

Special thanks is extended to fellow cyclist Marcus Edvalson for creating the logo for this effort. More info: http://www.getgoodnatured.com/

AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS' world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, plus CORPSCamp Death Valley, Hell's Gate Hundred, Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic, Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, & Double Century (Spring and Fall editions), and Rough Riders Rally. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and provide a variety of adventure-related services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there." Please join us! More info at www.adventurecorps.com.

Contact:

Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
634 S. Spring Street, Suite 821
Los Angeles, CA 90014
213-629-2142
http://www.la-bike.org/

AdventureCORPS, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Rd #311
Oak Park, CA 91377
888-917-1117
http://www.adventurecorps.com/
Blog: http://www.XO-1.org (includes extensive Jim Swarzman coverage)

JIM SWARZMAN TRIAL STARTS JULY 12

2011-07-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

The trial for the hit-and-run driver who killed Furnace Creek 508 veteran and close friend Jim Swarzman starts Tuesday, July 12 in Vista, CA and should last until the end of that week. It is really important to have a very strong cyclist presence to send a message to the judge and jury this type of killing cannot be tolerated any longer.

If you live anywhere in Southern California, please consider attending even one day of the trial. Be sure to wear a Furnace Creek 508 or other cycling jersey, vest, or jacket, so that your identity as a supporter of cyclists' rights is visible. Location:

North County Courthouse: 325 S Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92801

It is the 5 story building and you will need to check for the actual courtroom upon arrival. Officially it starts at 8:45AM, but they tend to start late. Jim's fiancé, Nicole Honda, says "Even if people can only come for a few hours, it would be appreciated." Please support Nicole, Jim's memory, and our right to ride safely on our roads.

Click here for our main post about Jim's tragic death, and his amazing life.

The Classic Cyclist, Part Four

2011-06-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

Above: Self-portrait of the author with Jim Swarzman during the San Diego 200km Brevet, January, 2011

The Classic Cyclist, Part Four

By Chris Kostman

Click here for Part One, click here for Part Two, and click here for Part Three of this series.

As I explained in the first three parts of this article, cyclists entering the sport of road cycling over the past fifteen or so years have tended to come in by way of mountain biking, triathlon, or fitness, rather than pure road cycling. As a result, most of these “cyclists” lack the knowledge which makes up the foundation of the classic cyclists’ repertoire and which respects the backbone of the sport. The point of this series of articles it to bring these uninitiated cyclists “up to speed.” Continuing with the theme begun in the first three parts of this article, here are some more things the classic cyclist knows and does:

CLASSIC STYLE

The classic cyclist “looks just right” on his bike. The clean and minimalist bike set-up and the spotless, humming drivetrain are mirrored in two additional manners by the cyclist astride the wheel: Attire is neither garish nor loud, nicely fitting (neither “parachuting” nor the dreaded “sausage effect”), and tasteful. Most importantly, the classic cyclist’s posture and demeanour on the bicycle are confident, relaxed, and powerful with a tendency to ride “back on the saddle” with hands either on the bar tops while in traffic or enjoying conversation with another rider, or deep in the drops while pushing the pace. Pedaling style is the very definition of souplesse. As such, the classic cyclist is recognizable by these trademark characteristics even while running errands in street clothes on a 50-year-old three-speed.

FLOW

The classic cyclist flows seamlessly with other cyclists and road users, while smoothly tackling all that the road and trail surfaces dish out. By staying in the moment, relaxed, aware, and paying attention with full peripheral vision and attentive hearing, “obstacles,” hazards, pedestrians, cyclists, and other forms of traffic are taken into account as forward momentum is maintained. She rides smoothly and calmly, whether riding solo, sitting in a group, or leading a paceline. When others are following, road hazards are quietly pointed out with small, but specific, hand signals and gestures (verbal warnings are rarely used). By riding predictably and elegantly, the classic cyclist saves energy, minimizes risk, and flows proactively through the world.

NUMBERS ADD UP TO NOTHING

The classic cyclist does not fixate on mileage on elapsed time, nor elevation gain. In the grand scheme of things, a 100-mile ride is no better nor more worthy than an 87-mile ride. Miles are ridden for the sake of the experience, not to fill a spreadsheet. (In fact, many classic cyclists eschew bicycle computers and training logs.) Likewise, he will stop to enjoy a view, to read a historic marker, to help another cyclist (or motorist), to take a photograph, or to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea at a new, or favorite, café. All such moments are part of “the ride” and are to be savored as much as the hard push up a mountain pass while “putting the hurt” on friends and clubmates.

FINESSE AND BALANCE

Riding no-hands for miles on end, removing or installing booties and leg warmers, and putting on a jacket while pedaling are all commonplace and natural acts for the classic cyclist. Indeed, he can change all pieces of clothing, except for shorts, while pedaling. Stopping for a café or scenic view is one thing, but stopping for actions better done while rolling smoothly onwards is quite another. The skills, balance, and awareness necessary for these classic talents make cycling safer, more graceful, and more rewarding.

THE WHOLISTIC CYCLIST

The classic cyclist is an outdoor athlete who puts a premium on personal health, always takes a broad and selfless point of view, and pursues a soft life’s walk on the planet. Stopping to pick up some trash - especially any items clearly dropped by another cyclist - is a natural, every-ride experience. Running errands by bike, such as stops at the post office and bank at the start or finish of a ride, or actually bike commuting regularly, minimizes her footprint and provides more opportunities to “enjoy the ride.” An attitude of “you only live once” permeates her sense of adventure, her sense of purpose, and her appreciation for all that cycling brings to her life. The classic cyclist lives by the mantra, “if you’re going to do something, do it well.”

Chris Kostman has been a classic cyclist since 1982. Besides competing in races as diverse as the Race Across America, the Iditabike Mountain Bike Race, the Triple Ironman, and the 24 Hours of Canaan, he also organizes the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races, as well as the Rough Riders Rally, CORPScamp Death Valley, and a series of four century, ultra century, and double century rides in California. Kostman is regularly seen on the roads and trails of California and beyond, riding brevets, centuries, bike tours, and other events and adventures. Learn more at www.adventurecorps.com.

Above three images: The author and his Rivendell Roadeo prior to the 2011 San Diego 200km Brevet.

Jim Swarzman, RIP: My Kind of Guy, and Cyclist

2011-04-11T10:24:00.001-07:00

Above: Jim Swarzman and Nicole Honda at the 2009 Furnace Creek 508 finish line, and then Jim a year later in 2010 with his "classic bike" of choice (which will appear as a full-page in the next issue of American Randonneur and in Bicycle Quarterly.) Look at how happy, fit, and fresh he looked after those grueling races! That's testimony to Jim living life to the fullest, embracing all it has to offer, training seriously, seeking out adventure and fun, AND enjoying the ride with his great friend and love of his life.

Fellow cyclist Jim Swarzman, age 47, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in blue or dark color pick-up truck*, possibly intentionally, while cycling in an unsupported 600km long-distance cycling event called a "brevet" early yesterday morning (April 10, 2011) in Leucadia (part of Encinitas, in San Diego County). Here are three media reports about this tragic incident which was no "accident":

NBC San Diego

10 News San Diego

Fox 5 San Diego

Biking in LA Blog

North County Times: Nicole's Words

Memories of Jim, posted by the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club

Jim Swarzman was a really great guy, and recently engaged to another brevet rider / Furnace Creek 508 racer, Nicole Honda. They were to be moving into their new home together next weekend and were going to ride Paris-Brest-Paris this summer on their honeymoon. They have both raced The 508 on a two person team, and solo, including in the classic bike divisions. I really, really like Jim and we connected on many levels. We talked about all kinds of things while cycling, but never about work. I don't even know what his career was; we were friends beyond those mundane things. (I did think it was very cool that he had been president of a Porsche Car Club for many years. I believe he told me that he had owned as many as six Porsches at one time. But nowadays he had become a much bigger fan of collecting, and riding, bikes.)

Jim had been a bike racer back in the 80s, had got away from cycling for about twenty years, then recently rediscovered it with a passion, meeting Nicole in the process. When I first rode with him, I could tell that he had old school, classic style, because of his position on the bike and form. I loved watching him ride and had the pleasure of riding the San Diego 200km brevet with him earlier this year, plus a few hours of the LA 300km brevet a few weeks later. Even after 20 years away from the sport, he truly rode like a pro, gracefully, strongly, with a relaxed, but precise style and posture. He had really gotten into cycling with a vengeance at this point in his life, riding brevets, double centuries, Furnace Creek 508, plus creating epic rides to go do with friends. He was 100% my kind of guy, on and off the bike.

Jim was living life to the fullest, was very fit, good looking, and in Nicole Honda had found an amazing cyclist, and lovely, bubbly, outgoing, and extremely positive life partner. They were a match made in heaven, truly.

Jim was riding with Nicole, along with fellow distance cyclist Chris Hanson, when he was struck by the hit-and-run driver. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but passed away a few hours later.

Thursday, April 14th 2011 at 12 Noon, there was a memorial for Jim at Mount Sinai memorial Park. I was there, along with a great crowd of family, friends, and fellow cyclists. An image from the occasion:

UPDATE, April 12, 2011: Jim's killer has turned himself in. Story here. We will need to follow this closely and see what kind of "justice" is served. For any court event that is public, I hope there is a large contingent of cyclists, and friends and family of Jim's, in attendance.

*"Investigators originally described the pickup as a blue, late model Ford F150. Monday afternoon, after further investigation, they said that the vehicle that hit Swarzman was a 2007-8 Dodge Ram 1500 or a 2007-9 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500." PLEASE call the Sheriff at 760-966-3500 if you saw anything or have any information.

Here is Jim's Facebook page.

Jim's athletic resumé, as submitted with his Furnace Creek 508 applications:

2009 FC508: 2x Mixed Classic Bike, Team Golden Gyrfalcon, 1st place in division
2010 FC508: Solo Classic Bike, Gyrfalcon, 2nd in division to overall winner, 17th overall

- 5x Super Randonneur since 2009
- First to finish at PCH Randos' 200K & 300K in 2010 and 2011
- 2009 Gold Rush 1200K finisher
- 2010 Central Coast 1000K finisher
- 12 double centuries in 2009 and 2010 incl. Devil Mtn and Alta Alpina 8-Pass
- Top ten at Central Coast DC and Heartbreak DC in 2010
- Cat 3 racer for Velo Club La Grange in mid-late '80's. Finisher at Death Valley - Mt. Whitney Road Race, Whiskey Creek Stage Race, and Tour of the Gila.
- UCLA Cycling "A" Team member in college. Golden Hammer winner (UCLA Cycling TT champion)
- 4x finisher L.A. Triathlon and a number of other Olympic and sprint distance triathlons
- 800 meter runner as junior. Junior Olympic champion and #1 ranking nationally in age group.

- Realize that none of this is particularly impressive other than finishing the 11/09 Rough Rider ride!!!!!

- I am determined, always prepared, and am very fortunate to never have any "show-stopper" problems. Oh, and I am unfazed by extreme heat or cold, and maintain complete mental clarity when sleep deprived! I HAVE NEVER "DNF'd" ANYTHING!!!

Here are Jim and Nicole from the 2009 Furnace Creek 508, which they raced in the two-person classic bike division (Their 2009 Time Splits):

Here is Jim from the 2010 Furnace Creek 508, which he raced in the solo classic bike division (Here as his 2010 Time Splits):

Jim also joined some of our Rough Rider adventures in the Santa Monica mountains. He's in the Rough Riders jersey below and in this report.
THE FUTURE OF RANDONNEUR CYCLING
I've been saying for years now that these Los Angeles / Orange County / San Diego brevets, especially the longer ones, are just too dangerous, with too much traffic, little or no shoulders. and routes which pass too many Indian casinos, bars, and such. There literally are not enough "good miles" in this part of the state for rides this long. Add in relentless "development," increasing numbers of cars on often dilapidated roads, and seemingly more and and more impatient, self-important drivers in over-size, overly powerful vehicles and you end up with an extremely dangerous mix in which a death like Jim's was sadly inevitable.

I'm going to Montana for my 400km brevet and mostly like to Seattle for my 600km. if I even do those rides. I also intend to start lobbying RUSA (Randonneurs USA, the governing body of this type of long-distance, unsupported cycling) to much more carefully scrutinize the routes for the various events around the country, especially those in and near metropolitan areas.

Jim's is not the first death during the brevet; tracking of accidents and deaths needs to be done to learn what truly makes a route "safe," or dangerous, and guidelines need to be created to require brevet organizers to createdroutes which are as safe as possible. Several brevet organizers have literally told me that they only organize brevets because they don't want to travel somewhere else to ride them, and that they just route them from, or from near, their own home, because that is most convenient. The recent brevets which toured all over Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and/or San Diego counties are perfect examples of the types of routes which should never have been created.

Jim Swarzman with Chris Kostman during the 2011 200km San Diego Brevet.

L-R, four Furnace Creek 508 veterans: Jim Gyrfalcon Swarzman, Andi Butterfly Ramer, George Red-Eyed Vireo Vargas, and Adam Rock Rabbit Bickett at the conclusion of the 2011 200km Brevet in San Diego.

ADDED JULY 7, 2011: JIM SWARZMAN TRIAL UPDATE

North County Courthouse

325 S Melrose Dr

Vista, CA 92801

It is the 5 story building and you will need to check for the actual courtroom upon arrival.

Officially it starts at 8:45AM, but they tend to start late.

Jim's fiancé, Nicole Honda, says "Even if people can only come for a few hours, it would be appreciated." Please support Nicole, Jim's memory, and our right to ride safely on our roads.

Santa Ynez Valley / Refugio Road / Gaviota / Alisal Road Rough Riders Loop

2011-04-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Solvang and its setting, the Santa Ynez Valley, has been a favorite cycling region of mine for 30 years now. Today I rode a loop which I had never done before by piecing together a few different previously ridden routes and connecting them with one excellent 3.25 mile dirt road ascent.

The start/finish is the Santa Ynez Valley Coffee Company, in the corner of the Nielsen's Market parking lot adjacent to the intersection of Alama Pintado and Hwy 246. This is immediately east and downhill from Solvang's city center.

My Garmin 300xt clocked the route at 39.5 miles, though a Google Maps recon of the route the night before said it would be 44 miles (that Google route seems to throw in some short fire road sections in the mountains which don't exist, or aren't really part of this route). You can see all the stats below, but there's even more detail, not to mention the GPS file download, over on my Garmin page for the ride at this link.

It was a foggy day, so I didn't carry a camera or prioritize photography, even though it was still beautiful out. The mustard along both sides of the roadway during the descent to Refugio Beach was incredible, standing up to ten feet high. Above are the only two shoots I took, of my Rivendell Roadeo, as the pavement turned to dirt as the road started to pitch uphill on Refugio Road.

My gearing is 11/28 rear and 39/48 front with Dura Ace ten-speed. Tires are Challenge Paris-Roubaix (700 by 29mm). These were some of my first rides with the new Ritchey Classic Silver bars, stem, and seat post, as well as with the Berthoud "Touring" saddle and HandleBra leather bar tape, all of which I really like. A full post will follow soon about the Roadeo, which is now 99% "finished" and ready for all that awaits.

Route Sheet / Description:
0.0 Head east on Hwy 246.
1.9 Right on Refugio Road (traffic light at the SYV High School and YMCA).
Note: during and shortly after the rainy season, such as now, anticipate about eight water crossings. Since I have Honjo fenders, I was able to coast through them and not get my shoes or bike wet.
6.2 Pavement ends, but keep your ears pealed for the occasional jeep or enduro motorcyclist.The route is essentially all uphill at this point, and all dirt except for three 50-yard paved stretches. The road climbs about 2000 feet and my Garmin was claiming 10-15% grade most of the time. I passed a few mountain bikers along the way, but didn't encounter any cars.
9.5 Pavement resumes at the top of the mountains. Entrance to the former Reagan Ranch is on the right. Continue straight / right and generally downhill on Refugio Road all the way to the coast.
17.8 (app.) Enter the 101 north (right turn, up the ramp)
34.0 (app.) At the summit of the big ascent, look for and take a one-lane right turn downhill (rather than bombing downhill on the 101).
35.0 (app) Turn right on Alisal Road. You will pass Nojoqui Falls Park, a nice place for water, bathroom, or a break, or even a short ride/hike up to the falls.
39.5 (app). Finish where you started! Please support the local business(es) while you ponder your excellent ride!

The Classic Cyclist, Part Three

2011-02-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Above: The author on 17 Mile Drive in Carmel CA during the Million Dollar Challenge, a seven-day, 620-mile cycling event from San Francisco La Jolla in October 2010 on behalf of the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Photo by Preston Sandusky.

The Classic Cyclist, Part Three
By Chris Kostman

Originally published in Endurance News #73, February/March 2011. Read the full article online here.

Click here for Part One and click here for Part Two of this series.

As I explained in the first two parts of this article, cyclists entering the sport of road cycling over the past fifteen or so years have tended to come in by way of mountain biking, triathlon, or fitness, rather than pure road cycling. As a result, most of these “cyclists” lack the knowledge which makes up the foundation of the classic cyclists’ repertoire and which respects the backbone of the sport. Continuing with the theme initiated in the first two parts of this article from Endurance News #70 and EN#71, here are some more things the classic cyclist knows and does:

SEASONAL APPROACH
The classic cyclist takes a seasonal approach to riding style and fitness variability, understanding that the highest level of cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance - and therefore cycling ability - cannot be maintained year-round. In fact, different parts of the year lend themselves to different types of riding. As such, a periodized approach to the year is naturally employed, for example: additional cross-training (on and off the bike) in the late Fall, fixed gear in the Winter, base miles as the new year unfolds, more speedwork and club riding in the Spring, then peak events and challenges in the Summer and Fall. The bottom line is a simple understanding that overall health fitness is maintained year-round, but top-level efforts are only possible a few times per year. Riding with the seasons acknowledges this truth and also lends variety to each year’s program or campaign.

OTHER CYCLISTS ARE JUST CYCLISTS, NOT COMPETITORS
The classic cyclist is primarily self-motivated and shares a deep camaraderie with other cyclists on the road. While out riding, cyclists seen ahead in the distance are often overtaken, but they are never passed as if they are competitors in the same race and the finish line is just around the corner. The classic cyclist doesn’t care to “beat” other cyclists who happen to be out on the same roads at the same time. Instead, the classic cyclist will, at the minimum, greet other cyclists and will often engage in conversation with them. When the time is right, the classic cyclist will politely move ahead, or drop back, depending on goals, schedule, fitness level, or whimsy. For pure performance training, the classic cyclist self-motivates by sprinting to city limits signs or other landmarks, or by joining racing-oriented club rides (or throws down the gantlet at special invite rides with other classic cyclists).

TECHNOLOGY IS A TOOL, NOT AN END IN ITSELF
Because the bicycle is used as a tool for exploring the outer and inner universes, the classic cyclist appreciates cycling for the cycling, not for the equipment. The bicycle’s beauty and grace are appreciated for what they offer the rider, but whether there are six cogs or eleven on the rear wheel is insignificant to the classic cyclist. The same goes for shifter type and location. The classic cyclist often “retro-fits” a “modern” bike with down-tube or bar-end shifters to have a more authentic and organic feel for his gear shifting, and to intentionally make shifting less frequent. As well, “race wheels” - which have become ubiquitous as standard equipment on new bicycles today - are saved for just that: racing. Ninety-five percent of the time, classic wheels with 32 spokes and tyres at least 25mm wide are used, providing a comfortable ride, bullet-proof longevity, ease of repair or adjustment (if it’s ever needed) and very small likelihood of stranding their owner while out in the boondocks.

EACH RIDE AN ADVENTURE
Cycling offers such a wide panorama of opportunity, it’s sacrilege for the classic cyclist to do the same rides week after week on a fixed schedule. As such, the classic cyclist uses a higher level of awareness - and map study - to search out new roads to ride, new ways to create loops in otherwise known areas, and new ways to connect disparate regions. The classic cyclist doesn’t wonder what’s down a certain road, or over that hill, she rides out there and finds out for herself. In the process, a deeper, richer understanding of the landscape, the environment, and the character of one’s region is acquired, offering more opportunities for creating new routes and for avoiding anything resembling a rut or a routine.

ANY BIKE, ANYWHERE
Bikes are the ultimate freedom tools: they let cyclists go to more places, more easily, and more simply than any other human invention. But in today’s era of high technology and equipment specialization, they can also seem incredibly limiting. In fact, the common misconception is that without the "right bike," one simply cannot partake in the wonderful landscape of cycling opportunities. “Dirt” must require a “mountain bike,” most assume. But how wrong that is: A “road bike” with tyres of 25mm in width can handle the majority of trails, gravel roads, and fire roads one might encounter. It might be more difficult or challenging to ride those unpaved routes on a road bike, but that is, of course, the point. (Remember, suffering is to be embraced and adventure sought.) Classic cyclists do not choose between "road biking" and "mountain biking" and subsequently let the bicycle determine the route and terrain of any given ride. Instead, creative, "first ascent-style" rides are strung together in one epic route which involves all manner of riding surfaces, sights, sounds, and scenes. Having a memorable, unique, and personal experience of the profound richness of the sport, and of the planet, is what motivates the classic cyclist.

Chris Kostman has been a classic cyclist since 1982. Besides competing in races as diverse as the Race Across America, the Iditabike Mountain Bike Race, and the 24 Hours of Canaan, he also organizes the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races, as well as a series of four century rides. This is his seventeenth article for Endurance News. Learn more at www.adventurecorps.com.

Two of my Rough Riders featured on the Velo Cult Blog

2011-01-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Sky, Tom, Anthony, and the rest of the Velo Cult team for their amazing service as San Diego County's premier bike shop which caters to everybody except the mainstream - which means we fit right in! Today they have featured two of my Rough Riding bikes, and their recent work on them, on their blog.

Click on over to their always fascinating blog which is always VERY well illustrated with incredible photography. Today their blog features my 1983 Raleigh Competition, which Tom outfitted with a 3-Speed Fixed Wheel set-up, and my 2010 Rivendell Roadeo, on which Sky installed hammer Honjo fenders and Challenge Paris-Roubaix 700x29 tyres. They do superb work and are great people. And don't my bikes look as awesome as they ride???

Velo Cult is located in the South Park area of San Diego, just a bit south of University Avenue and west of the 805, in a really neat neighborhood with a great restaurant next door (Whistle Stop Bar) and a classic coffee shop (Rebecca's) on the corner. Velo Cult often show films or have other social events at their shop in the evenings,. They are a driving force behind the San Diego Tweed Ride and they also created the San Diego Bike Commuter online forum and the SDBikeCommuter.com Discount Program through which local merchants give discounts to customers who arrive by bicycle.

Two New Blogs I Love: Pondero & Lovely Bicycle!

2011-01-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Just when I think the internet is getting boring and there's nothing any good left to discover, along come two blogs I'd not yet seen before and in which I immediately fell in love. They are "Pondero: To Weigh, Consider, Reflect" by Chris Johnson in Sanger, Texas, and "Lovely Bicycle" by Constance Winters AKA "Velouria" of Somerville, MA. Here are their blog banner/logos, links, and a brief snippet from each. I happily and excitedly visit both of these sites on a daily basis and encourage you to check them out.

Sample post from Pondero, including his photos and text from 1-6-11:

A bicycle rolls down into the valley, and from rough pavement to a gravel road. A stiff wind lays down, replaced by silent stillness. A sun's warmth is overcome by a crisp chill. A blue winter sky turns grey, then darker yet. A man's workday pace relaxes into dawdling. And the bicycle climbs out of the valley, behind a small beam of light, as darkness covers everything like a blanket.

Sample post from Lovely Bicycle!, including the photo of the author, from 1-10-11:

Lately, there has been some discussion in the comments about whether drivers display more courtesy when cyclists ride upright bicycles and dress in "regular" clothing. One reader wrote that "the uprightness [is] more visible and [the clothing] maybe less offensive to your average driver... The images generated revolve around Mary Poppins. Only a monster would do anything mean to Mary Poppins" (Christopher Fotos, December 10, 2010). Do you agree?

When Bike Snob NYC poked fun at the Tweed Ride last week in his typically colourful manner, I was laughing my head off about the associations with colonialism and Civil War re-enactments: I never found Tweed Rides appealing for precisely those reasons. But I disagree with his conclusion that nice clothes on a bike are generally "not traffic calming." It's one thing to be dressed in what appears to be period costume, joined by dozens of others who have done the same while taking a joyride through the city. It's another thing entirely to be cycling to work in a suit and a wool overcoat, because that is what you normally wear to work.

Speaking solely from my own experience, I'd noticed as soon as I started cycling for transportation that drivers are nicer to me when I dress "normally." And since having begun to ride a roadbike recreationally, the difference between how I am treated on the roads when on a bike with drop bars, wearing "sporty clothing" and my hair tucked away, in comparison to how I am treated when on an upright bike in "city clothing," with my work bag in the basket and my hair visible, is notable. The majority of the time, when a driver is rude to me or impatient with me, I am on my roadbike - which is odd, since I am faster on a roadbike than I am on an upright bike, and thus should be less "in the way." To me, this just confirms that drivers' perceptions of how annoying a cyclist is, are entirely subjective. You can be going 10mph and somehow this might be okay, or you can be going 25mph and they might still be annoyed.

In part, I think the idea of not wanting to harm Mary Poppins is valid - in the sense that a cyclist dressed "normally" looks more human to the driver. The way people process each other visually and emotionally is governed by a complicated system of simulation and self-recognition (this is actually my research specialty, so I've spent a lot of time thinking about it!). And from that point of view, it makes sense to speculate that the more "I am human! I am you!" signals we give off when cycling, the more empathy a driver will feel towards us. Dehumanisation, on the other hand, makes it easier to cause harm to another human being - because we fail to simulate their emotional state and relate to their suffering. And dehumanisation is facilitated by things like uniforms (one reason it is easier to kill soldiers and war prisoners, than civilians), or anything else that obscures individuality and hides signs of "humanness."

Read the full story, and comment, here.

(Note I quickly became so enamored with LovelyBicycle!, and am so impressed with the site's readership and large number of commenters, that I signed on as a Site Sponsor for both Rough Riders and AdventureCORPS, hence the logos for both on her site.)

Rough Riders / Classic Cyclist / Chris Kostman are now tweeting!

2011-01-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Rough Riders / Classic Cyclist / Chris Kostman are now tweeting! To stay up-to-date, in-the-know, and ready-to-go, subscribe at http://twitter.com/classiccyclist

Our slogan is "Any Bike, Anywhere" and we believe in riding any distance, in any conditions, over any terrain, at any time of day or night. We do all of this with the style and substance of The Classic Cyclist. This sounds really hard-core, perhaps, but mainly we enjoy getting "out there" by riding roads, dirt roads, trails, and paths on whatever bike we happen to be on or have handy. Sometimes the pavement's long gone and we're still on our "road bikes" or some bike that would be commonly considered inadequate for the job - and that's just fine by us! Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure.

Join us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/classiccyclist and on our blog at http://www.XO-1.org!

1982 Ritchey MountainBikes Catalogue

2011-01-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

As a follow-up to the previous post, "Tom Ritchey: In His Own Words," here is Tom's 1982 catalogue. As you can see from the Fairfax address (Tom has always lived on the SF peninsula, not in Marin County), these were Tom's bikes, as sold by the Charlie Kelly / Gary Fisher partnership. Enjoy! (Remember, click any of the images/pages to see it bigger.) Special thanks to Tom Ritchey for providing the scans!

Tom Ritchey, In His Own Words

2011-01-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

Above: A recent photo of Tom and his wife Martha on a one-of-a-kind Tom-built Ritchey BreakAway Tandem

Above: Tom brazing a 62cm Road Classic on December 15, 2010

In December, 2010 there was some discussion on the Classic Rendezvous (CR) email group about Tom Ritchey, the frame-builder and component and tire designer who was a co-founder of the first mountain bike company and built the first large run of mountain bikes ever sold.

The main question on the CR forum was "How does one tell which Ritchey frames were made by Tom himself?"

I've been a fan and friend of Tom's for a long time, so I contacted him directly with the questions, so that hearsay would be replaced with the true facts and history. Tom and I had an extensive back-and-forth, much of it via voicemail as he was traveling in Asia. I've typed up our correspondence, both written and verbal, which explains why it sounds a bit breezy and conversational, and present it here at "Tom Ritchey in his Own Words."

This dialogue started while Tom was in Asia, and all of this dialogue has happened while he was on the road in Asia, Hawaii, Australia, Tasmania, and lastly in New Zealand.

Chris Kostman (CK): Is it true that all fillet-brazed Ritchey frames were made by you, personally? Also, two people have said to me that Steve Potts built some of the fillet-brazed Ritchey frames, in particular the tandems. True or false?

Tom Ritchey (TR): I'm not sure where these urban myths take off from. Steve Potts is a very good friend, and builder, but he has never built anything for me. We've done many things together, mostly personal. In the beginning of his frame-building days he was often down in my shop on Skyline. You should ask him, but I think he would give me some credit for what he knows, particularly fillet brazing.

Furthermore, over the last 38 years, all the fillet-brazed (Ritchey) bikes that were ever built, were 100% done by me. There were some copies, however: people that copied my decals and used my Logic tubing and dropouts, and made some counterfeit bikes. Every now and then I run across a "Ritchey" bike and I look at it and I know immediately that it's a fake, because there's a lot of little details that the counterfeiters don't execute right. So basically I know that there are some copies out there and some misinformation out there.

CK: Tom, did you build any TIG-welded frames yourself?

TR: There was a series of bikes called Ascents, in the very, very beginning. A mil-spec TIG-welder friend of mine and I did a series of either 100 or 250 Ascents. (Just digging this stuff up is a blast from the past, from the recesses of my memory.) But there was a period of time when I made in my shop at Skyline a series of TIG-welded bikes with one other individual that was really skilled in TIG-welding. I made them with him. Basically he was my assistant. I did all the cutting of tubes and brazing and part of the welding and he was just a very, very competent welder that came on board after I started to test the idea out (of building TIG-welded frames). What I don't remember is if it was before or after Tange, or Toyo. (First I developed the Tange tubing, and then I developed a relationship with Toyo.)

The later “TIG bikes” were a collaborative effort mainly with Toyo of Japan who I taught many new skills to. At various dates, the TIG bikes had varying amounts of my personal hand work on them. But I’m comfortable saying that for the ones that were sold through Ritchey Design in the United States, 100% of them (up until the introduction of the BreakAway), went through my hands and my shop at Skyline which included quite a bit of personal work by me: braze-on brazing, finishing, and aligning. So even the TIG bikes, prior to the introduction of the BreakAway in 2004, had my hands and work on them.

CK: A few have questioned whether your fillet brazed frames were tacked together by somebody else first, or whether you were personally totally responsible for every aspect of assembling/brazing the frames. Also, a few people have even suggested that your frames were TIG welded in Japan and then you fillet brazed over that.

TR: There was a time when I was seeking to find ways of making bikes faster and I started to play around with TIG-tacking forks and ended up not being able to control it. It was through Tange and not being able to control the accuracy that I was looking for and the cleanliness of the joint and so I ended up basically taking a shipment and breaking all the tacks and doing them completely the way I needed to do them for accuracy. So there was a period of time when I was experimenting with it with forks, but never experimented with it in a frame, never brazed over any welded joints: that would have been stupid. I know that other people were doing that at the time, but I don't remember exactly who was doing it, but I know that other people who didn't have any good skills in frame building were doing that. There were some low-end frames that were being made like that.

I heard rumors at the time of people fillet brazing over TIG-welding. I remember there was a lot of interest in my work in the early 80s, and previous to that even, because I had probably built almost a thousand frames by 1980.

The way people could cover over just about anything with paint made it something in which people could do a pretty poor job and do a nice job with paint, and make something look reasonable. It always, of course, was a compromise and I was in the beginning of my Logic-defining years and, of course, I made my product logically and so I was always against doing anything like that.

I think Ross Bicycles was probably the first one that came along and did something like that, although I never cut a frame apart, never looked inside, to confirm my suspicion. That's what any of these armchair fillet brazers would have to do in order to make their statement to me or anybody, whether any of them had repaired or cut a frame in two and saw that a frame was TIG-welded and fillet brazed over it. Otherwise, they are just speculating about it. Needless to say, I was entirely against that and I never did it.

CK: What else can you tell us about the origins of TIG-welding in relation to frame-building?

There were kind of "winds" blowing and the first wind that really began to blow was in probably in '81, after Mike Sinyard took a couple of my first mountain bikes - fillet brazed mountain bikes, of course, because that's all I made - and brought them or the design over to Japan and had them copied. They first batch was TIG-welded, but after that he used lugs because, it's hard to believe at this point, but basically TIG-welding was something that really didn't have any credibility. People were kind of associating that with a BMX bike and not anything that would hold together and be strong enough. And in a sense, they were correct because the type of tubing that was being used was not butted, and so it was a great risk to TIG-weld non-butted tubing. I'd seen this wind or wave or whatever coming that had to do with how people were going to build mountain bikes more efficiently with TIG-welding and that inspired me to develop Logic tubing.

I first went to Columbus, and traveled to Italy and met with Antonio and then others about my ideas on Logic butted tubing, which was a new way of butting a tubing that no one had done to that point. It was condensed butting and longer, thinner center sections with differential tapers, force-directional butted sections and just a lot of things that I had been thinking about for years and years and years, that would make it possible for TIG-welding to work better, and it would also make a better fillet brazed bike, because you didn't have to overheat the tube away from the joint, which is what happens with a lug, because you have to heat a larger area.

Long story short, Columbus couldn't succeed. They tried, we developed mandrels, they didn't really know how to do force-directional tubing.

Again, another data point in history is that tubing maker Tange had not developed a heat-treated tubing until about '85. Both Tange and Ishiwata were two Japanese tubing makers that were kind of a similar level of quality, but Tange was the first to make a heat treated tubing. So with Columbus failing, I went to Japan and Tange succeeded. So that was the beginning of my relationship with Toyo and Tange. It was at that point that some of the TIG-welded versions of my bikes started to happen.

CK: When did you first start selling Toyo-welded frames?

TR: Probably about 86ish. The frames were Toyo-welded, but not completely built by Toyo, because I was getting them only partially finished. They didn't have braze-ons or bridges, weren't aligned, weren't slotted, weren't finished. I had a certain way I wanted to do things before the bikes got painted and sold, so I did all those things myself.

CK: Do you have any comments regarding the Wikipedia page about the Specialized Stumpjumper?

TR: I just read what it says about the Stumpjumper on Wikipedia and it's definitely different from what I know and what I think is correct. Wikipedia says "Early Stumpjumpers had welded steel frames because the lugged and brazed frames that designer Tim Neenan wanted to use were not available at the time." That is not what I recall and there are images of that original Stumpjumper showing that it was lugged. This Wikipedia page also doesn't reference the couple of bikes that (Specialized founder) Mike Sinyard bought from us, which Gary (Fisher) sold of mine, and it doesn't really reference that I made the custom bikes originally "marketed" by Gary and Charlie (Kelly).

The word "marketed" is not an accurate word in this case, since I built the bikes; we didn't just "market" somebody else's bikes. Also, it is kind of silly for Wikipedia to reference Specialized as having made the first "production" run of mountain bikes, when I had already made over 500 bikes at that time. (In 1980, I built over 400 bikes which were sold through Gary and Charlie's operation in Fairfax. I built between 400 and 500 bikes in the subsequent years, 1982, 1983, and 1984, and beyond. I was able to maintain a clip of between 400 and 500 bikes a year in those early 80s.)

CK: One last question, Tom: How many, if any, lugged frames do you think you have built ,and how and why did you make the shift to fillet brazing?

TR: The first frame I built in 1972 was lugged, and so were most all of my frames until about 1974. As I recall, during my first three years of building, until 1974, I built about 70 frames total, and then I discovered fillet brazing.

You have to have known the times: People were not ready to trust 100% in fillet brazing. I first started with the main three lugs and then fillet brazed the bottom bracket, because I wanted to ovalize the seat tube, and put a "park bench" between the chainstays (this became a signature of my frames, and something that most builders didn't understand how I did it).

Little by little, having top riders on my bikes and the overall trust of my lug-less (fillet brazed) work led quickly to my experimenting with larger tubes. (There were no lugs for larger tubes.) So 100% fillet started an oversized tube / fillet revolution. (I started out with oversize 1.125 top tubes. I built the first for Jobst Brandt, his first bike from me. He loved it. Then I used other diameters, depending on the size and strength of bike, and of course larger for tandems.

(Side story: Peter Johnson, friend/competitor, was the only other builder at the time who was trying to break out of the lug normalcy with me. Just like with the beginning of mountainbikes though, we were not intentional businessmen. We were builder/competitor-driven individuals, with more of a caveman approach to business and the opportunity that lay in front of us.)

You have to realize the times and that in the mid-70's frame-building was still dominated by European builders. My bikes were showing up all over the world now. I was known for the best lug work, and now a completely new fillet game that I was at the front of.

My best recollection is that, in 1975, my high school graduation year, I built about 70-100 frames, mostly lugged, on my own.

By the beginning of making a lot of MountainBikes, which began in 1980, I had increased my capacity to about 200 frames annually. At this point I was building more of a true 50/50 mix of fillet brazed vs. lugged frames. (I preferred to build lugless and rode it exclusively myself.) This was all before any employees. I built ALL the forks. I painted ALL the frames personally.

In 1980 I hired one unemployed 18 year old neighbor, who I kept busy mitering and prepping tubes, while I built the first 200 fillet-brazed mountain bikes for the new sport of Mountainbiking, and painted them. I still remember building 50 or so road bikes that year.

In 1981, 1982, and 1983, my MountainBike numbers were in the 400 annual range, with one more assistant: three of us total. By then, my first employee was able to assemble and tack main triangles, and a few other skills, like braze-ons, while I still did all the fillet brazing. I started sharing finishing techniques with my second employee, who had good artistic skills.

By the time I built the road bikes for Eric Heiden in 1985, I remember building only 12 road bikes that year.

(FYI, Chris, lugged frame building changed radically at about the time I stopped making any lugged frames (around 1980): As I was changing over to lug-less exclusively, Cinelli was making lug construction much easier by selling investment cast lugs. Every lugged bike that I made required taking very crude sheet metal lugs, and completely re-working them, so that they looked half-way decent. Then after the brazing came the true "lug finishing." This effort was what largely made a frame builder's reputation, up until that time.)

END

Coming soon: The entire 1982 Ritchey Mountain Bike Catalog will be posted to this blog!

Below: Photos from Tom's cycling and frame-building history.

Above: Tom at age 11 with his first good bike. "My Dad taught me how to repair tubulars and I paid the entire $99 cost of this bike by repairing tubulars for a local bike shop when I was in 5th grade."

Above: Tom, en route to winning the Marin Criterium in 1972

Above: On the cover of Bicycling Magazine in May 1981, the first cover of a national cycling magazine which featured mountain biking
Above: Ritchey Mountain Bike ad in Bicycling Magazine, 1982
Above: Tom in a race ad in 1985. The photo shows Tom competing in the 1985 NORBA National Championships in 1985.
Above: A bike which Tom built for Eric Heiden in 1985 (with Murray decals for the sponsor's benefit), as featured in the current (Issue 2) of Peloton Magazine

For Sale: 1992 Bridgestone XO-1, 55cm, with Cyclart custom paint and restoration

2010-12-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

This Blog's Namesake is (WAS) For Sale!

Since I have only ridden it once in a decade, I am selling off my 1992 Bridgestone XO-1. It's a size 55cm and was custom repainted by Cyclart in the same "tusk" off-white with the pearlescent clear-coat as it originally had ("Cat. 2" level paint job). At the same time, I had a third set of bottle braze-ons added to the bottom of the down tube. This bike is better than new, truly. Grant Petersen gave it to me in 1992, when I was sponsored by Bridgestone Cycles USA. I raced it in the Triple Ironman in France and some other events, but quit riding it about 1996. I had it repainted by CyclArt in about 1999 and only rode it once after that. It's been taking up space (indoors, always) ever since.

Asking price: SOLD.

Please contact me ASAP if you would like to purchase.

This bike has been heavily upgraded. In fact, the only original part is the moustache handlebars! All the components listed are new/unused, having been ridden just once since installation (except for the cranks, BB, and post):

- NEW/UNUSED Chris King headset in "3-D Violet"

- Two sets of wheels: A set of NEW/UNUSED custom 650c wheels with Ringlé hubs in "3-D Violet" with matching nipples (28 hole front and 32 hole rear Sun ME14A Rims) which you can see in the photos below. Also included are the original 26" wheels which have been respoked and the hubs regreased (not pictured).

- NEW/UNUSED 9-speed shifting: Dura-Ace down-tube shifters are mounted as bar-ends, with 105 front derailleur and Ultegra rear derailleur and chain.

- Used Ultegra 9-speed era 170mm cranks and BB with 39/53 rings. (These are the only components on the whole bike, except for the handlebars and seat post, with any miles on them!)

- NEW/UNUSED Tektro brakes of unknown type: allow sliding the brake pads up and down six mm's to use either size wheels.

- Circa 1985 Dura Ace non-aero brake levers give ideal cable routing with moustache bars (almost NOS condition).

Other parts include the original Nitto moustache bars, a 27.0 American Classic seat post, Concor Rolls Due saddle, Michelin tyres, and a 10cm Nitto stem which Grant Petersen gave me on a visit to Rivendell HQ.

Note: There are two flaws in the paint job: Some paint has flaked off on the very top edge of the seat lug, adjacent to the seat post. Also, there is a bit too much clear coat on the head tube, on the bike's right side, above the lower head tube lug. You can see both of these flaws in the photos, if you look closely. (Note that the seat post is installed to just above the limit line, which is why it looks high or tall.)

This gorgeous XO-1 is totally ready to ride as soon as you mount your own pedals!

Also, I don't currently have any photos of the stock, original, 26" wheels which are also included. They are with my wheel builder in LA, but I will get them back shortly.

http://www.adventurecorps.com/forsale/xo/

Thanks for checking this out! I don't offer it up for sale easily. This bike has a lot of sentimental value to me, but I'd rather that somebody ride the heck out of it, instead of having it on display in my living room. I'm hopeful it will find a new home out there!

- Chris Kostman

La Jolla, CA

Team Bridgestone member: 1992-1994

Rivendell Owner/Rider: 1995 to the present (All-Rounder and Roadeo)

The Classic Cyclist, Part Two

2010-09-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

Image of the author above by Roy Wallack, from the 2010 Rough Riders Rally

The Classic Cyclist, Part Two

By Chris Kostman

Originally published in Endurance News #71, August/September 2010: Read the full article online here.

As I explained in part one of this article, Road Cyclists entering the sport over the past fifteen or so years tend to come in by way of mountain biking, triathlon, or fitness, rather than pure road cycling. As a result, most of these “cyclists” lack the knowledge which makes up the foundation of the classic cyclists’ repertoire and which builds upon the backbone of the sport. Continuing with the theme initiated in part one of this article, here are some more things the classic cyclist knows and does:

FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPORT
The classic cyclist rides first and foremost for the pure love of cycling, for the fun and enjoyment that comes from bonding with a simple, beautiful, and ingenious mechanical device and ranging the world. This cyclist rides for the wind in the hair, for the sensation of hot, cold, humid, wet, or dry on the skin, for carving up rolling terrain like riding a roller coaster, for the sensations of a pounding heart, sweaty brow, and heaving chest. The pursuit of adventure, camaraderie, and well-being astride a wheel are the primary driving forces behind every ride. “Training” is reserved only for preparing for specific competitive, or personal challenge, efforts; it is not the only, or usually primary, motive for heading out the door.

MENTORSHIP
The classic cyclist learned skills and etiquette from other classic cyclists, usually one or two masters in particular who took the time to encourage and enlighten the neophyte. Over time, the neophyte also becomes a mentor, passing along knowledge, wisdom, and specific tricks of the trade through specific instructions and by example. Cyclists are not born knowing how to trim a front derailleur, how to quickly clip in while starting on a steep grade, how to scan through the back windows of cars for drivers about to open their doors, or how to ride deep in the drops with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders. Mentors imbue new cyclists with these and many other pearls of wisdom, coaxing them along their journey to mastery.

EMBRACES MOTHER NATURE
The classic cyclist embraces the whole panorama of weather that Mother Nature provides and doesn’t shirk from riding in less-than-ideal conditions, nor cut a ride short just because the weather takes a turn for “the worse.” Au contraire, the classic cyclist relishes the opportunity to feel more alive and at one with the environment because of dramatic weather. Whether rain, cold, snow, heat, or headwinds, it is all respected without judgment as “just weather being weather.” Riding only on sunny weekend mornings in the same matching “kit” on the same route every week does not intrigue the classic cyclist.

CLEAN STEED, SELF-SERVICED
The classic cyclist keeps her steed clean and free of unnecessary add-ons. No more than one gadget is attached to the bike, the handlebar tape is clean (and preferably white), there are no garish colors nor logos, and the entire “ensemble” of the bike itself is understated, simple, and stylish. The classic cyclist also maintains the steed herself, keeps it finely tuned, and knows how to make adjustments on the road. For example, she routinely amazes other cyclists by reaching down to make a rear derailleur adjustment on another’s bike while stopped at a light: a quick flick of the wrist restores that bike’s drivetrain to purring perfection. This deep understanding of the workings of the bicycle allow the classic cyclist to repair, or make work-arounds, for any mechanical mishap encountered on the road. As well, a proper seat pack with a comprehensive multi-tool, two tubes, patch kit, and a small but specific selection of “ride-savers” keeps the show on the road for her and others. Phoning for a ride home is anathema to the classic cyclist.

RIDES TO THE RIDE
The classic cyclist acknowledges that driving to a ride start is to be avoided whenever possible. Tacking an extra ten or thirty miles onto any given ride, in order to transit to and from the ride meet-up spot, is a given; these “bonus miles” are appreciated as an opportunity to warm up properly, find a groove, and start or finish any given outing with the proper classic style and mindset.

Stay Tuned for Part Three of The Classic Cyclist!

Chris Kostman has been a classic cyclist since 1982. Besides competing in races as diverse as the Race Across America, the Iditabike Mountain Bike Race, and the 24 Hours of Canaan, he also organizes the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races, a series of four century rides, and the Rough Riders Rally. This is his sixteenth article for Endurance News. Learn more at his blog, www.XO-1.org, and at www.adventurecorps.com.

Sean Virnig and Rawland Drakkar Win "Best in Show" at Rough Riders Rally Annual Shindig

2010-09-02T16:51:00.001-07:00

AdventureCORPS, Inc. an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media, hosted the inaugural Rough Riders Rally, a multi-surface cycling festival based in Marin County on July 23-25, 2010 which celebrated the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos. The "Best in Show" Award was awarded to Sean Virnig of Rawland Cycles for his Drakkar bicycle.

The Rough Riders Rally was based in Mill Valley, CA in Marin County, the birthplace of mountain biking. Marin County offered truly superb cycling, with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais ("Mt. Tam"), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline.

It was a real treat to have Sean Virnig and his wife Anna attend the Rough Riders Rally. They own and run Rawland Cycles, a three-year-old bike company based in Northfield, MN. We know that time and money are both precious commodities, so we thank them - and all the Rally attendees - for spending both to join us for the Rally. We also congratulate them as Sean's Rawland Drakkar won "Best in Show" at the Rough Riders Annual Shindig on Saturday, July 24.

According to the company's website: Rawland Cycles founder Sean Virnig started riding at five when he received his first bike without training wheels. In high school his passion for the bike grew with each hour riding Minnesota country roads on a beloved, steel-framed 1992 Bridgestone RB-1, and in the woods on a 1993 Bridgestone MB-2. (Note: Sean also purchased and still rides the iconic Ibis Scorcher bicycle.)

After a rare illness left him paralyzed for months in 1989, Sean came to appreciate the therapeutic power of cycling when it helped bring him back from the devastation of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Rawland (an English translation of his mother's Norwegian surname) was born of Sean's keen understanding of the simple, yet wondrously restorative magic of the bicycle. Anna, Sean's significant other, not only trims the sail at Rawland, but also gets the credit for conceptualizing the Olaf (and Drakkar) rear dropout. Based in Northfield, Minnesota, Rawland Cycles is some 40 miles downriver from Minneapolis-St. Paul. Northfield was settled in the 1800s by Norwegian immigrants — Viking farmers, through and through — and it's now home to Rawland Cycles, 18,000 people and two colleges: Carleton College and St. Olaf College.

The three days of world-class, multi-surface cycling during the Rough Riders Rally, experienced with incredible camaraderie among the riders with their diverse types of bicycles and attire, made for an extremely memorable and pleasurable weekend for all in attendance. But I think I can state accurately that the highlight for everyone was when Sean's bicycle won Best of Show at the Annual Shindig. The bike and its designers truly deserved the praise and recognition bestowed upon them by their peers.

Above: Sean and Anna with Rally organizer Chris Kostman (center).

Sean had this to say about the Rally and his award:

Thank you for hosting such a wonderful and memorable event. I told Anna the other day that it was like a pilgrimage for me to ride in Marin county. Riding all three routes and receiving the Best of Show award were affirmative for Rawland in every sense of the word. Personally, receiving the “peer-reviewed” recognition meant more than the Best of Show recognitions that were bestowed upon Rawland every time it showed at Interbike in the past three years; I simply could not conceal my excitement when I intuitively picked up the Drakkar after the announcement. That was raw emotion for Rawland, you know. Thank you very much for bringing attention to Rawland. Being Norwegian-German, I sometimes let my “healthy” ego (presumably derived from the latter) get the better of me, and I am not shy to claim that Rawland is an embodiment of cycling at its purest; it is the ride that Rawland enables. Like I said, I am still pretty much influenced by your article, hence our email conversation about a year ago. There is no doubt in my mind that all future Rawland models will be shaped by the Rough Riders philosophy as it becomes more refined in the near future.

Rawland’s mission is to offer frames and forks with designs that allow unique combinations of road and mountain bike components toward their slogan: “Choose your own adventure.”

When asked more about the design features of Rawland bicycles, Sean stated "My tenet comprises of two key factors: tire clearance and rider position. Rawlands can do 58c, be it 26", 650B, or 29er. I am a tickler for wheels/tires with an effective diameter of 700mm. To illustrate, with disc, I can easily swap between 650B mountain wheels with the Pacenti Neo Moto 58c and 700c road wheels with the Rivendell Jack Brown 33c. These tires share a similar effective diameter of 700mm. There are some other advantages as well, especially with wide seatstays, fenders, the conditions in which I ride (e.g., gravel sludge, rain, etc.), and so on. The wheelset swapping enables me to essentially have three bicycles with just one, with these wheelsets and one more for the gravel, or gravel. Moreover, this philosophy enables me to ride all these wheelsets without affecting the geometry.

"And then there is Rawland's signature tall head tube. This enables one to level the saddle and the stem, which is a must in my book. Comfort is the most important factor in my opinion, and the Rawland platform guarantees this for everybody who rides a Rawland. There are less headset spacers as well, which bodes well for both mechanical and aesthetic purposes. I should add that I am not keen about removable frame parts, be it dropouts, suspension parts, and whatnot. I can tell you that Rawland will never have any of that."
In a recent review of the Drakkar, rider / writer T.C. Worley wrote the following:

"Designed in the USA, but made in Taiwan (from the same factory as Surly, Rivendell, Jamis and more), the Rawland frames offer clean welds, classy lugwork and real-world utilitarian touches. The Drakkar sported three sets of bottle cage braze-ons as well as front and rear rack tabs. Frame and fork are disc-brake only, and rear horizontal drop-outs are bare stainless steel for either fixed, single-speed or geared set-ups. You can build this frame into almost anything you can imagine. But fans of suspension should look elsewhere — the Drakkar frame is non-suspension corrected.

Aesthetically, the Drakkar makes friends quick. My test bike wore a silvery-green paint color that reminded me of a 1960’s Chevy. Lugwork and thoughtful touches make the bike easy on the eyes. The biplane crowned fork and sea-serpent rear drop-outs — the latter with a built-in bottle opener! — are the kind of custom details that provoke bike-envy among riding buddies. Everywhere I went, people were impressed with my fine-looking ride."

Links:
The Rawland Website: Click Here.
T.C. Worley's Drakkar Review: Click Here.
Sean's Photos from the 2010 Rough Riders Rally: Click Here.
The Unofficial Rawland Cycles Tribe page on Facebook: Click Here.
Rough Riders Annual Shindig Photos: Click Here.
BikeRadar.com article by Gary Boulanger about the launch of Rawland in 2007: Click Here.

Above: Sean and his Rawland during the Saturday evening Rough Riders Annual Shindig and Bike Show

Above: Sean with his idol, Charlie Kelley, co-founder of the sport of mountain biking. Photographed Monday morning, at the conclusion of the Rough Riders Rally, at The Depot in Mill Valley, CA.

Above: Rawland Cycles is a sponsor of Adventure Cycling Association. The photo / announcement shown above appears on the back cover of the July 2010 "Cyclo Source" catalog published by Adventure Cycling.

Rough Riding featured on BikingBis.com

2010-07-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Gene Bisbee for featuring Rough Riding, and the Rough Riders Rally in particular, on his outstanding cycling blog, BikingBis.com. I visit his site daily, thanks to his wide-ranging coverage of everything from the latest TdF updates to bicycle touring to legal issues, and much more. Gene really runs the gamut with his blogging and I read everything he writes. Click on over to read his post from today about our movement!

"Any Bike, Anywhere" for the Rough Riders Rally in July

by Gene Bisbee at 12:59PM (PDT) on July 9, 2010

Some fellow cyclists who check out my ride and see the gear I use consider me a bicycling luddite, a descendant of those 19th century textile workers who fought progress.

For me, it's usually a matter of economics, instead of aesthetics. But for ultra-cycling promoter Chris Kostman, his choice of bicycles is definitely philosophical.

Check out Kostman with his bicycle in the picture here. What's a guy doing at the top of this mountain with a road bike? Then consider his "Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them" article penned back in 1993 that announced his "Any Bike, Anywhere" manifesto.

Now, after all this time, Kostman is looking for other like-minded individuals to take part in a Rough Riders Rally on July 23 - 25 in Marin County, California. The event uses paved roads and dirt trails that wind through the scenic Marin Headlands overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Rough Riders

What does it take to be a Rough Rider? Apparently there are no hard and fast qualifying rules. Kostman explains at his Rough Rider website -- www.xo-1.org or the AdventureCorps website:

"Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. The Rough Riders slogan is "Any Bike, Anywhere" and the general idea is to use as little technology as possible while traversing a variety of riding surfaces and terrains. Hence, one of the Rough Riders' mantras is "technique beats technology."

"For some Rough Riders, that means riding a "road bike" with 25mm tyres on "mountain bike trails." For others, it means tackling any and all surfaces while riding a cyclocross bike, an old-school mountain bike, a 70s or 80s era road bike retrofitted with 650B wheels, a classic touring bike, or a world tour-ready 29er rig."

3 days

Kostman is a former RAAM cyclist who heads up AdventureCORPS, which produces extreme sports and ultra-endurance bicycling and running events. He has used his talents to create three days of bike riding that takes in many of the challenges that Rough Riders like to face -- paved road, abandoned pavement, fire roads, dirt trails and single track.

Day 2 of the rally, for instance, features a 36.5-mile ride over all those conditions and 5,700 feet of elevation gain. The route intersects the Mill Valley to Stinson Beach "Dipsea" running route and boasts view of Mount Tamalpais and (on a fogless day) views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

You can see write-ups on his three-day recon of all the stages at "Rough Riders Rally, Final Recon of all Routes." Kostman shares pictures and descriptions of hte routes, as well as suggestions on how much of the route is passable on different width tires.

Jacquie Phelan

Kostman recently got word that Marin bike racing legend Jacquie Phelan will be joining the Rough Riders Rally. You can read more about her achievements and exploits at Rough Riders website. Other participants include bicycling author Owen Mulholland and "co-creator" of the sport of mountain-biking, Charlie Kelley.

If you're thinking of signing up for this event, do it soon. Registration closes on July 16 or with 100 participants, whichever comes first. Here's the Rough Riders Rally registration page with all the details.

Rough Riders Head Badges in UK Press

2010-07-10T17:45:00.001-07:00

Click on over here to read and see the full story about the revival of bicycle head badges, including our very own Rough Riders head badges! Click here for our previous post about them.

Jacquie Phelan Joins Rough Riders Rally

2010-07-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

We are extremely pleased to announce that Jacquie Phelan, one of the best known and most recognizable faces of mountain biking, will participate in the July 23-25 Rough Riders Rally in Marin County, California, where she lives and rides. Here's here bio from Wikipedia.org:

Jacquie "Alice B. Toeclips" Phelan was the NORBA Champion three consecutive years - 1983, 1984, and 1985. She is married to inventor Charlie Cunningham, the pioneering bicycle framebuilder whose aluminum bikes and patented brakes allowed Phelan to race unbeaten for six years. Her bike, "Otto" was raced nine consecutive seasons, a testimony to the durability of the heat treated framesets that drew criticism from traditional framebuilders who held that only "steel is real".

(She is a) charter inductee, with Cunningham, to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1988 and (in) 2000 (was) inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame. Along with a dozen others, Phelan co-founded NORBA in 1982, and was a charter member of IMBA. Phelan founded the Women's Mountain Bike & Tea Society. (WOMBATS) in 1987 to encourage women and girl's participation, and produced the sport's earliest skills camps, dubbed Fat Tire Finishing School.

But enough about what the mystery people at Wikipedia have to say about Jacquie. Here she is in her own words:

In this corner, hailing from Fairfax California, Jacquie Phelan, fifty four years old, a hundred and forty five pounds.

Phelan--also known as "Alice B. Toeclips" -- frittered away her youth racing bicycles. "Eat Dessert First" is a cherished motto, along with "Ready, Fire, Aim!"

As the eldest of six, she'd had a snootful of responsibility to last a lifetime. At twenty five she began the lifelong task of letting her parents down. By racing, writing and forgetting to have children, she's managed to craft a curiously stress-free life despite a virulent allergy to employment.

The lone racing woman in a field of fellows, she confabbed a feminist conspiracy to de-program suburban mommy-chauffeurs. Many other women's groups achieve the same objective these days to her great delight, but the Women's Mountain Bike & Tea Society was the earliest attempt to show how incredibly safe, fun and easy offroad cycling is, if you ignore the ads.

Phelan uses the third person a lot, being queen and all.

NOTE: Jacquie penned the cover story of the current issue of the Pacific Sun newspaper. (the local paper in Marin County) She's also the cover model, as seen above. Here's a preview of the first page of the article:
This article is a MUST-READ, so for Jacquie's full Pacific Sun story, click here and click to Page 12, OR click here for an html version of the same fascinating article.

For Jacquie's blog, click here.

Welcome to the Rough Riders Rally! We're excited to ride and socialize with you!

Please note that registration for the Rough Riders Rally will remain open at the standard price of $169 (no late registration upcharge) until July 16, when registration closes (if not sooner, if the field limit of 100 is reached.)

Click here for all the info, and to register!

Check out Jacquie on YouTube:

Rough Riders Head Badges Now Available: New Style, Ultra Light! ;-)

2010-07-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

We have recently connected with a man named Terry Jones who makes a special kind of bicycle head badge. They attach to the frame with special, thin, ultra-strong, two-sided tape. The head badges are bendable, so can be curved tightly around the head tube of any sized frame. See above and below for the silver and brass versions of the head badges with the Rough Riders logo which he just made for us. In the shot below, they are sandwiched around one of the head badges we had made back in November of 2008, for point of comparison. Those were beautiful, but cost $100 each, had to be built for a specific head tube size, and took quite a while to get. They are also "heavy." But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's also nice to have two different price points.

If you'd like to order one of this new style (which is also "ultra light" - smirk), let us know by Wednesday, July 7. Cost is just $40 for the brass or $45 for the silver ($10 discount is offered to Rough Riders Rally participants). Once we confirm your order, you can mail us a check or pay via Paypal. Contact us via adventurecorps at gmail dot com.

Details: 2&1/4" tall and 1&5/8" wide. The badges are made from .015 brass and are ridged to hold a shape but flexible enough to be done by hand.

PS Just watched the TdF Prologue. Yeah Lance!

The Classic Cyclist, Part One

2010-07-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Classic Cyclist, Part One

By Chris Kostman

Originally published in Endurance News #70, June/July 2010: Read the full article online here.

Road Cyclists entering the sport over the past fifteen or so years have tended to come in by way of mountain biking, triathlon, or fitness, rather than pure road cycling. As a result, most of these “cyclists” lack the knowledge which makes up the foundation of the classic cyclists’ repertoire and which builds upon the backbone of the sport. Here are some things the classic cyclist knows and does:

PROPER WARM-UP

The best way to start a ride, or conduct any aerobic activity, is to warm up properly. “Warming up” is not just about elevating heart rate, however; it’s also about gradually warming up the entire body and bringing one’s attention to the matter at hand. This takes time to do it properly. A classic cyclist will take the first ten to twenty miles of a ride, or even a race, to warm up properly, usually staying off the big chainring and two smallest cogs. As a result, he or she will actually ride better and more quickly than the current jackrabbit style of cyclists who catapult onto every training ride or event. Frankly, it’s shocking to me that riders today just take off “like a bat out of hell” even on a training ride, or social ride. Back in the day, at a double century or a road race, riders would all cruise together for the first hour or more, socializing while warming up properly. They’d end up becoming fitter, setting faster PRs than riders today in the same events, getting to know one another better, AND having more fun.

Read the rest of the article online here.

Stay Tuned to the next edition of Endurance News for Part Two of The Classic Cyclist!

Chris Kostman has been a classic cyclist since 1982. Besides competing in races as diverse as the Race Across America, the Iditabike Mountain Bike Race, and the 24 Hours of Canaan, he also organizes the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races, a series of four century rides, and the Rough Riders Rally. This is his fifteenth article for Endurance News. Learn more at his blog, www.XO-1.org, and at www.adventurecorps.com.

Rough Riders Rally; Final Recon of all Routes, Part 3

2010-06-29T23:42:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a three-day trip to Marin County to finalize all the details of the Rough Riders Rally, including riding all three of the suggested ride routes with my Garmin 310xt to create the maps, elevation profiles and such. Part One of this blog post describes the suggested Friday ride for the Rally and Part Two describes the suggested Saturday ride. Now here's info about the suggested Sunday ride, briefly (I neglected to bring my camera, so I shot two photos with my phone and re-used two shots of the Saturday route which overlaps this one for a few miles).

This is the classic ride up Railroad Grade from Mill Valley to the top of Mt. Tam, also known as East Peak. No visit to Marin County is complete without this ride. The return is mainly via paved road, after returning to the West Point Inn on Railroad Grade (although several options exist for the descent from Mt. Tam to Mill Valley). This return utilizes a few miles of dirt from the Rally's Saturday ride, and some paved miles on the way back into Mill Valley from the Rally's Friday ride, however this takes a "locals only" route back to The Depot at the very end of the ride.

The final "occasion" of the Rough Riders Rally will be social time at The Depot in downtown Mill Valley, so we all need to end up back there around the same time. Total distance is 20 miles with 2800 feet of elevation gain.

Here's a map and a few photos from this recon ride, but be sure to check out the Garmin Connect page to interact with the map, elevation profile, and more! You can also see these images and more on our website.

Above: Ascending Railroad Grade from Mill Valley up Mt. Tam.
Above: The view of the San Francisco Bay from West Point Inn, most of the way to the summit of Mt. Tam.
Above: The view from the summit (East Peak) of Mt. Tam, looking south.
Above: There's a lot to see from up there, so this sign helps you figure it all out.

Below are links to all the route details for all three suggested routes. If this information and these photos don't make you realize that the 2010 Rough Riders Rally is Not To Be Missed, than I don't know what does!

Links:
1.7 mile route from Acqua Hotel to Tam Bikes
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Garmin)
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Slideshow)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Garmin)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Slideshow)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Garmin)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Slideshow)
Rough Riders Rally routes index
Rough Riders Rally home and registration

We hope to see you at the Rough Riders Rally! Please join in the fun!

Rough Riders Rally; Final Recon of all Routes, Part 2

2010-06-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

Above: My Rivendell Roadeo at the picnic area along Railroad Grade at the West Point Inn.

I just got back from a three-day trip to Marin County to finalize all the details of the Rough Riders Rally, including riding all three of the suggested ride routes with my Garmin 310xt to create the map, elevation profile and such. Part one of this blog post describes the Friday ride for the Rally. Now here's info about the Saturday ride!

On Saturday, June 26 of my recon visit I rode the route which is suggested for Saturday of the Rough Riders Rally. It is one TOUGH route. It is "only" 36.5 miles, however these are 36 and a half of the most beautiful miles one could ever ride, plus there is a total elevation gain of 5,764 feet. Most century cycling events have less climbing than that!

The route features single track, double track, fire road, gravel road, abandoned paved road, and newly paved road. Some consider this "mountain bike territory," but this route is 99% rideable by an accomplished Rough Rider on a road bike with 32mm cyclocross tyres (or on a cyclocross bike), and perhaps 90-95% rideable on a road bike with 28mm road tyres (some of the long downhill parts might make some people nervous on skinny road tyres).

This time, I rode my Rivendell Roadeo with a low gear of 38 front x 28 rear, shod with Ritchey Speedmax Cross tyres, which have a small amount of tread on them.

Here's a map and a dozen photos from this recon ride, but be sure to check out the Garmin Connect page to interact with the map, elevation profile, and more! (All images below are in order as if riding the route.)

Also, be sure to check out the full slideshow of this route (from my previous recon rides).

Finally, I have a Pdf of the route sheet for this ride online here (use at your own risk).

Above: I stopped because this couple had a rare Otis Guy mountain tandem, then they pointed out the lovely flowers, and then I learned that the male half of this dynamic duo is Owen Mulholland, the legendary cycling journalist and author! What a treat to meet them both! I invited them to attend the RR Rally and I hope they do! (They had slick tyres on their tandem, by the way!)

Above: Our route crosses the world-famous Dipsea Trail (from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach) and I encountered the Double Dipsea race during my ride!

Above: We exit the Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm via this gate. Next up is some seriously steep single track with a few gnarly 180 degree switchbacks.

Above: During a rare nearly flat part of the Middle Green Gulch Trail. On the steep parts, you do not want to dab or you will have a difficult time getting restarted!

Above: Self-portrait with Mt. Tam behind, at the intersection of the top of Middle Green Gulch Trail and Coyote Ridge Trail.) The camera's POV is north by northwest.

Above: Cruising along Muir Beach at Fort Cronkhite.
Above: I decided to add on some more miles and climbing to this route, in part so that Rough Riders Rally participants can see and photograph the quintessential view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Alas, the world-famous SF summer fog blocked the view when I was there, but hopefully we'll get that view at the Rally! (Intersection of McCullough and Conzulman Roads. Conzulman itself is closed for the summer due to major road work, so we descend back from here on Coastal Trail.)

Above: Almost to the top of the very last climb of the day, atop Bobcat Trail just before it connects into Marincello.

Above: At the end of the ride, on the bridge along the bike path which connects the Acqua Hotel to downtown Mill Valley, with Mt. Tam behind. Good work, Rivendell!

Below are links to all the route details for all three of the suggested routes. If this information and these photos don't make you realize that the 2010 Rough Riders Rally is Not To Be Missed, than I don't know what does!

Links:
1.7 mile route from Acqua Hotel to Tam Bikes
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Garmin)
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Slideshow)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Garmin)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Slideshow)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Garmin)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Slideshow)
Rough Riders Rally routes index
Rough Riders Rally home and registration

Rough Riders Rally; Final Recon of all Routes, Part 1

2010-06-29T22:02:00.001-07:00

Above: the view looking west from my room at the Acqua Hotel, before my ride: Mt. Tam and Mill Valley!

I just got back from a three-day trip to Marin County to finalize all the details of the Rough Riders Rally, including riding all three of the suggested ride routes with my Garmin 310xt to create the map, elevation profile and such. It's just 1.7 miles from our host hotel to the start / finish of each of the three rides. Acqua Hotel is not only perfectly located, it's also a lovely hotel with a fantastic breakfast buffet. Though it's located right off the 101, it's absolutely quiet. The view of Mt. Tam is to die for, too! I rolled into town Friday, took a photo from my room, got on my Rivendell Roadeo and hit the road at nearly 5pm. Thank goodness for long summer days!

My route Friday was the suggested route for Friday afternoon at the Rally: On the map you'll notice a little out-and-back by Ross (1.6 miles total). That ended up being a mistake as this was intended to be primarily a road ride with one nice trail section past Phoenix Lake, Lake Lagunitas, and Bon Tempe Lake. From Ross I was intending to catch a trail and cut across to the upper part of the route, where it says Meadow Country Club, however the intended trail was closed and will be until November due to some type of public works. (I wish there were some way to delete that dogleg from this route map, but I don't think so.) Therefore this whole route will be a paved ride. It's a fantastic ride, though, truly one of the best rides anywhere in the world. It's only 31 miles, not counting the dogleg, though it took me almost three hours and might take some people four hours because of the 3500 feet of elevation gain and the million-and-one places to stop to enjoy the view and take photos. I think it's a really good Friday afternoon / arrival day warm-up route for the Rally, plus it is THE classic local road ride for this area.

Here's a map and some photos, but be sure to check out the Garmin Connect page to interact with the map, elevation profile, and more! (All images below are in order as if riding the route.) Also, be sure to check out the full slideshow of this route.
At the bottom of this post are links to all the route details for all three of the suggested routes. If this information and these photos don't make you realize that the 2010 Rough Riders Rally is Not To Be Missed, then I don't know what does!

Above: Alpine Reservoir

Above: Late afternoon sun as I cross the Alpine Dam.

Above: at the top of the climb from Alpine Dam, left turn on Ridgecrest Blvd.

Above: Just a bit down Ridgecrest Blvd. The trees provide a lovely setting at any time of day.

Above: this is one famous road, not only for cycling, but also for car commercials. Thankfully, the traffic is light and the views are mind-boggling: southbound on Ridgecrest Blvd.Above: self-portrait heading along the upward rolling ribbon of road, with the Pacific Ocean off to my right.Above: that's Stinson Beach below me, shot while pedaling (like most of my photos).
Above: a quick self-portrait while stopped near the start of the descent to Panoramic Hwy. That's the San Francisco Bay off in the background.Above: That's the San Francisco Bay off in the background; you can also see some of the descent to Panoramic Hwy. Time to fly back down to Mill Valley!
Above: Back at the Acqua Hotel before sunset!

Links:
1.7 mile route from Acqua Hotel to Tam Bikes
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Garmin)
Friday ride at Rally: Alpine Dam Loop (Slideshow)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Garmin)
Saturday ride at Rally: Marin Headlands (Slideshow)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Garmin)
Sunday ride at Rally: Railroad Grade up Mt. Tam (Slideshow)
Rough Riders Rally routes index
Rough Riders Rally home and registration

Rough Riding North-Eastern San Diego County: Ramona - Black Canyon Road - Mesa Grande - Santa Ysabel (with Garmin 310xt Review)

2010-06-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Above: Yours truly, next to the dam at Sutherland Reservoir. (Cycling cap by Swrve.)

It goes without saying that I never embrace technology and only "upgrade" when forced to, or, on rare occasion, when I find something so redeeming and useful that I decided to drop my usual technopathy and go for it. Such is the case with the Garmin 310xt GPS / bike computer / watch / thingamabob. Finally, one of these little units has hit the market with a battery which last long enough to be useful for those of us with an adventurous, endurance-loving embrace to our outdoor pursuits. (My previous Garmin GPS watch (model 405) barely lasted 5 to 5.5 hours, even without using the heartrate monitor feature, though it was advertised as lasting eight hours.)

Skeptical when I read that the new Garmin 310xt would last 20 hours, and boasts tons more features, I posted for feedback on our Facebook page for the Badwater Ultramarathon. Sure enough, several total legit ultrarunners confirmed it lasts 18 to 19 hours, even while using the heartrate monitor feature. That, plus its purported easy upload to the Garmin website for generating maps, elevation profiles, and analyzing data from the ride / run / hike / whatever, made this thing irresistible to me, so I indulged.

Having just gotten a 310xt in the mail and charged it up overnight, today we rode a route which we first enjoyed back on November 15, 2008. We blogged about it then, including lots of photos. Today was a new day, though, and I wanted to put the Garmin through its paces. Boy, am I glad we did! Despite being just a day short of the Summer Solstice, the weather was perfect: warm, but not hot, with sunny skies. Plus there was very little traffic, even on the "busy road" part of the route. It couldn't have been better. Also, with the first-ever Rough Riders Rally coming up in about six weeks, we really wanted to get in some dirt miles on our favorite Rough Riding bikes. Eliz rode her 1974 Williams, converted to 650B wheels with 35mm Col de la Vie tyres, and I rode my new Rivendell Roadeo with 700Cx33mm Jack Brown tyres. Good choices, both, needless to say!

The Garmin was a piece of cake to use. I hit start at the beginning of the ride, then stop at the end. How's that for easy? Along the way, while pedaling, I found it simple to navigate the buttons and menu, so that I could set it to show four bits of data simultaneously: speed, distance, elapsed time, and heartrate. Next time, I will also click the "lap" button at significant landmarks along the way, such as major turns, pass summits, and viewpoints. That will give a little more detail of the route when reviewing the Garmin Connect page about the ride afterward.

"A Garmin Connect page"? What's that, you ask? Well, after installing some simple software in my Mac, and quickly creating my own profile on the connect.garmin.com webpage, I installed a little "ANT" stick into a USB drive. Then, as soon as the ANT stick detected my Garmin nearby, it downloaded the data from the Garmin. That's right, I didn't even have to plug the Garmin into my computer. I wish my digital camera worked so simply! And here's the result, which you should also check out on the Garmin Connect webpage from whence I got these screen grabs (there you can also "interact" with the map of the route by zooming in, switching to satellite view, and the like):

How cool is that? A map which can be seen Google-style in map, satellite, terrain, or Google Earth mode, plus an elevation profile, speed/time graph, heartrate/time graph, plus data about total elevation gain, calories burned (supposedly, based upon heartrate, weight, age, etc), total time, time moving, average speed, max speed, and more, all generated automatically and posted to a webpage (I guess permanently)!

Here are photos from today's ride:

Above: this new multimillion dollar bridge on Black Canyon Road in the middle of nowhere replaces the older, smaller one at right, which worked perfectly fine 18 months ago.

Above: my Rivendell Roadeo

Above: So along this dirt road in the middle of nowhere, suddenly a nice, paved road with street lights heads off to the west, only to reconnect with our dirt road (Black Canyon Road) maybe a mile later. Along that road (Hallyeyaaw Ln) are about 12 to 20 smaller-sized, but nice, homes, all seemingly with the same floorplan. It's an "Indian Reservation."

Above: the "Indian Reservation" as seen from further up the road. Again, in the middle of nowhere, reachable only via back-country dirt roads.
Above: First I saw a snake track across the road, then I quickly spotted the snake just before it disappeared into its burrow beneath that rock. What a beauty!
Above: As we approached Mesa Grande at the north end of Black Canyon Road, we entered some beautiful pastureland with huge cows and horned bulls. The classic California summertime yellow mustard was out in force all day today.

Above: A short video from Black Canyon Road. The beautiful creek down below the edge of the road was peaceful, providing a wonderful sountrack to parts of the ride. (Cycling cap by Swrve.)

Grant Petersen, Then and Now

2010-06-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here are two nice interviews with one of my favorite people, not just in cycling, but in the world at large: Grant Petersen. We've been friends for 18 years, and back when he ran Bridgestone Cycles USA he offered to sponsor me for some really important, memorable, and otherwise too-expensive-for-me races (Triple Ironman in France and 24 Hours of Canaan in West Virginia in 1993).

The two nicest bikes I own, I bought from him and his Rivendell Bicycle company - one in 1995 and the other this year. Likewise, two of my most favorite and heavily ridden bicycles are my Bridgestone XO-1 and RB-1, which I received as part of my sponsorship back in 1992-1994. All are pictured below (and some day I'll do a full online slideshow for all of them). Thanks for the great "escape vehicles," Grant!

Here is the current interview with Grant from Dirt Rag's website in 2010.

Here is my interview with Grant, published in 1992. (Actually, it's a record of the very first conversation I had with him in person. He gave me a cassette tape of his favorite Bob Dylan tunes, which he'd made for me the night before, in anticipation of my interview.)

Elsewhere on this blog, you can see photos and read about two of the many rides I've made with Grant on and around Mt. Diablo, the mountain in his back yard.

Above: My 1992 Bridgestone XO-1, in just one of its many incarnations. I can't find 26x1.5" knobbie tyres like those Continentals anymore. Anyone out there know of anything similar which is on the market today?

Above: My 1994 Bridgestone RB-1, in just one of its many incarnations, this one mainly featuring Suntour components, another company which is essentially extinct.

Above: My 1994 Rivendell All-Rounder, the first one ever built to sell. As seen during a trip to Moab and Canyonlands National Park.

Above: My 2010 Rivendell Roadeo, as seen at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park during one of our cycling camps.

World's Greatest Musette Bag

2010-06-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

Above: Along the Lidder River in Pahalgam, Kashmir

Above: Test-riding a cycle rickshaw in New Delhi, India

I'm an absolute bag nut and very picky when it comes to the bags I purchase and utilize - for any purpose. For 95% of my bag needs, I rely on the built-to-last, American-made offerings from Red Oxx in Billings, MT. I literally have ten or more of them in use on a regular basis. When I head off on a roadtrip, or to produce an event, it's a veritable rolling Red Oxx commercial! There's more on my Red Oxx bags here on the Community Page on the AdventureCORPS site.

A recent two-week trip through India and Kashmir was "bagged" perfectly with three bags from Red Oxx: the Air Boss to hold all my clothes in a space-efficient, and wrinkle-free, manner; the Mini-Ruck as my airplane carry-on with camera gear, gifts, reading material, food, and more; and a Safari Beanos 5.5 as the "bottomless pit" duffle to hold sleeping bags, ground pads, hydration packs for hiking, extra shoes, and other bulky items not needed on a daily basis by our group of three.

Above: My Red Oxx Air Boss awaits unloading from our shakari (hand-paddled water taxi) onto our houseboat on Lane Nageen, Srinagar, Kashmir.

I knew all my real packing, hauling, and storage needs would be handled well by my trip of Red Oxx bags, but I also wanted something something small and inconspicuous as my daily-use bag, especially for my large-size digital camera with extra lens, my Moleskine notebook, and the misc. items I'd want to carry every day such as hand sanitizer, energy bars, business cards, and a bottle of water.

Hopefully all of you know that musette bags began their legendary history in the military, then became de rigeur food-and-drink-hand-off bags in the professional cycling world:

Above: Musette bags put to good use in the feed zone during the Tour of Flanders.

I have used an ultra simple cotton musette by Kucharik for over a decade as a protective sleeve for my Mac laptops. When running to the PO, bank, tea shop, and the like I use the same Kucharik musette to carry small items. When I expect to have to carry a bunch of items on my bike - such as when stopping at my mailbox at the end of a long ride - I will carry the folded up musette in my jersey pocket to put to good use when needed. That particular musette has seen a zillion miles and a quadrillion uses, so I knew something along those lines, except more sturdily made and without any logos, would be perfect for my India and Kashmir trip.

Above: my very worn Kucharik musette bag, as it already looked five years ago.

Enter the recently released musette bag from Archival Clothing, a blog business I've been following lately. I ordered one just before winging it to a time zone exactly 12.5 hours later than my own. What a wise purchase that proved to be!

I used the Archival Clothing musette bag every day, taking it everywhere I went. It served many duties, including camera bag, shopping bag, and mainly just keeping everything I needed on a daily basis in a handy, low-key, easy-to-use design. The bag slowly changed color over time, taking on a more rugged, and lived-in patina. I don't plan to clean it any time soon; it keeps getting better looking. No doubt it will last forever, too.

In a few of shots below, you can see everything which I stuffed in it one day during the only "shopping spree" of the trip. That was in Dharamsala (more specifically, MacLeod Ganj), home of the Dalai Lama and many Tibetan refugees. The latter have some neat things for sale, and my two travel friends kept handing me stuff to carry in my musette, as it operated like a black hole into which we dropped everything. To sum up, this is one fantastic bag and I'll never travel without it. (I'll put it to good use on my bicycle in the near future, no doubt, and will post a follow-up report about that application as well.)

Above: You, too, can be blessed by, and photographed with, a spiritual guru for just a buck! (In MacLeod Ganj, India)Above: The Archival Clothing Musette Bag holds an awful lot of gear, and shopping finds, when necessary! Everything pictured was comfortably in the bag.Above: Tea everywhere, including from a "boat-in" tea shop along Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir.

If Seven Riders Go on a Nice Ride, and At Least Five Don't Blog About It, Did the Ride Really Happen?

2010-05-11T00:26:00.001-07:00

On May 1 I joined a group organized by fellow Rough Rider Dustin Sharp for a 42-mile adventure in eastern San Diego County (near Mount Laguna, of course) with 5600 feet of elevation gain. Officially, it was a ride of the "Southern California Rivendell Appreciation Society." We spent six hours out there, four of them actually riding (with a route this unusual and in the back-country, you have to regroup often so that some riders don't end up as vulture dinner.) The route was a version of the ride we did out there on July 5, 2009, except this version had even more dirt: about 80% of the May 1 ride was off-pavement, some of it on true "mountain bike trails" with rock gardens, mud, single-track, portages, and more. But of course, I cycled 99.7% of it. I want to thank Dustin for putting together this fine route and organizing and promoting the ride. It's nice to not be in charge! It's also nice to not have to write up a comprehensive blog report and post tons of photos, since Dustin, along with Esteban Del Rio, Sky Boyer, and David Estes already did such a fine job of it!

Here's my favorite shot, taken by Dustin Sharp: Yours truly (L) with Sky Boyer, the proprietor of Velo Cult and a bike racer since the age of 9. He rode his first century at the age of ten and competed on the track, plus mountain bike, cyclocross, and road. We had lots to talk about. (I rode my Rivendell Roadeo with 700x33.3mm Jack Brown tyres, while Sky rode his Mark Nobilette demountable - it breaks in half for travel - with 650Bx40mm Grand Bois Hetre tyres. Wool jerseys by Woolistic.):
For Dustin's Garmin download (map, stats, and more), click here.
For Dustin's report on his Paleo Velo blog, click here.
For Dustin's Flickr page of photos from this ride, click here.
For Esteban's report on his Velo Flaneur blog, click here.
For Esteban's Flickr page of photos from this ride, click here.
For Sky's report (all images) on the Velo Cult blog, click here.
For David Estes AKA "Cyclotourist's" Flickr page of photos from this ride, click here.
For the Rivendell List discussion of this ride, click here.
For the Southern California Rivendell Appreciation Society Flickr group, click here.

Here are the only shots I took, since I was there purely to enjoy the ride:

Rough Riders Photo Group on Flickr

2010-05-03T23:46:00.001-07:00

Please join, and become active with, the Rough Riders: Any Bike, Anywhere group which we have set up over at Flickr. It's a great place to post photos of your Rough Riding experiences, meet fellow Rough Riders, and help move our movement forward!

Here's the link, and above is a sneak peak of what it looks like. Please submit photos and comments, and help spread the word! Like anything, this will only be as good as we make it!

Bruce Gordon: Still Rockin' in 2010

2010-04-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, I featured Bruce Gordon's 1993 Rock 'N Road bike, as described by Roy Wallack. At the recent San Diego Custom Bicycle Show, I chatted with the ever-friendly Bruce Gordon and took some photos of his current line-up, which includes both American- and Taiwan-made versions of the Rock 'N Road. Enjoy! (Remember, you can click any photo to see it bigger.)

Above: BG with the current American-made Road 'N Road

Above: The Taiwanese version of the Road 'N Road. When asked about the Chinese language down-tube decal (which is how it is sold here in the USA), Bruce explained he was just being up front about the bicycle's origins, unlike many other "American" brands which try to hide where their bikes are coming from. You can buy a completely built-up edition of this bike for just $1499, or a kit which includes the frame, fork, stem, and headset with California-made front and rear racks for just $975! Info here.

Above: If the Rock 'N Road is designed as "the one bike to rule them all," then Bruce's latest creation - with titanium lugs and carbon tubing - is designed as "the one bike to make them all drool." It's quite a departure from his usual materials, but extremely beautiful, to say the least. This bike had the biggest crowd at the show, from what I observed. More info here.

Bruce Gordon website: click here.
Bruce Gordon blog: click here.
Bruce Gordon section at Classic Rendezvous: click here.

For professional photographs of all the bicycles featured at the San Diego show, check out Anthony's gallery on the Velo Cult blog. Incredible!

Bruce Gordon Rock 'N Road 1993

2010-04-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

She was Everything To Me

My Bruce Gordon Rock 'N Road Tour and I had a perfect relationship. Until I cheated on her.

By Roy M. Wallack, Editor, Bicycle Guide Magazine.
Originally published in Bicycle Guide, August 1993.

(To read what Bruce is up to in 2010, read my other blog report here.)

I'd been through so many relationships recently—and it really wasn't me. From way back, I was a one-bike man, dyed-in-the-lycra, committed to my beloved touring bike, "Black Beauty," as I affectionately called her. She loved it when I held her aerobars tight. We practically rode around the world together. Thousands upon thousands of miles. I thought I'd never gaze into another set of eyelets but hers, and that we'd ride into the sunset forever.

But then I got this job, and things changed. Younger bikes, faster bikes, yes, sexier bikes—they'd throw themselves at me. And you know what? I'm ashamed to say it, but I couldn't stop myself--and I didn't care. I'd go back and forth from road to mountain at will. Sometimes I'd ride both in one day.

Yes, it was exhilarating for a time--and then the novelty wore off and the recriminations began. Deep down, I was still a one-bike man. How often I'd wished for just one bike I could remain true to, that I could always keep my water bottles on. But Black Beauty wouldn't do now; we'd grown apart. I needed a bike to be with me through it all—dirt as well as road and touring.

My friends tried to fix me up with hybrids, but their personalities were so dull. They didn't seem real good at anything—dirt or pavement. I at least wanted a bike with spunk.

Then I was introduced to the Rock 'N Road Tour. The moment I first saw her, I knew that this was going to be no quickie First Ride. This was going to be a relationship.

She wasn't like the other hybrids. I first noticed her extra-strong, curvaceous $100 Bruce Gordon rear rack. On the front fork were a pair of beautiful eyelets. The 17 1/8-inch chainstays were long enought to accomodate bags. She tours! I wanted to drape my panniers over her right there on the spot.

And I couldn't take my eyes off her slightly oversized (11/4-inch downtube, 11/8 toptube) frame. High bottom bracket, sloping top tube, welded chrome-moly dropouts and low standover height—with unicrown fork and cowhorn handlebars! She mountain bikes, too! She even had suspension—an Alsop stem—which told me that she was a level-headed gal who could handle life's little bumps and bruises.

And just when I'd forgotten about the road, I noticed her bodacious 700C wheels. Yes—she'll fly, too! Finally, a multi-faceted personality, like mine. It was a perfect match. Could Rock 'N Road Tour be the bike I could ride out my life with, happily ever after?

For two months, me and Rocquel (the pet name I gave her) couldn't get enough of each other. Up the mountains to the Mulholland fireroad, 10 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain away, again and again and again. Half by road, half by dirt, her 700C wheels almost kept us up with the roadies, yet literally flung us past those tiny 26-inch wheeled mountain bikers like they were toys. I'd barely even notice the brands of the other bikes, although the other riders sure noticed us. Rocquel and I chuckled over the way they'd quizzically look at us together, unable to figure out what she was—an overgrown mountain bike, or what? And that would make me love her even more--such an individual, such a unique personality.

Of course, she got a little slippery on those descents with those 700x45 tires, rounder, narrower and less knobbier than an actual mountain bike's. But who's perfect? I considered it a skill-builder—and an endearing idiosyncrasy.

As our relationship strengthened, I found another thing to like about Rocquel: her adaptability. She didn't complain a bit when I asked her to wear Profile Air-Stryk aerobars and Club Roost CrossTerra tires for the 50-mile Rosarito-Ensenada ride in Mexico. You can bet her suspension stem smoothed out that potholed Baja highway. The roadies we passed were gawking at us (is that an overgrown mountain bike, and how many bagels are strapped to its rack?) as we cruised in at 2 hours, 40--just ten minutes slower than my best time down there before on Black Beauty.

Two days later, it was even more fun seeing the mountain bikers gawk at Rocquel's aerobars up on the dirt of Mulholland. For sure, I was in love. I thought I'd never need to look at another bike again. My quest was over.

Then a minor little problem arose. The Death Valley Double. Fifty road miles is one thing on Rocquel and her CrossTerras, but 200? So I told her I had to go out of town on business. And I took Black Beauty and her skinny tires for one last fling.

The next week, the Mountain Dogs asked me to climb up to Mt. Wilson with them—elevation 6000 feet. A lot of technical single-track each way. Oh...darn. I couldn't help but think of that front-suspended Specialized Team M2 Team in the office that had been flirting with me for months. So I told Rocquel I had to go on some all-day interviews.

When I got to the office Monday, I'd come to a decision. I dialed Rocquel's dad, Bruce Gordon, at his Petaluma, California factory. He'd been pressing me for a decision on Rock N Road Tour's future. "Either make her yours, send me a $2350 check (which includes a set of unique 3-minute QuickSwitch drop bars), or send her home," he demanded.

I had no choice. Rocquel might have been perfect for 90 percent of my riding, but I value that other 10 percent too much. There'd be more double centuries, which Gordon's optional second set of wheels ($295) would address, but what about single-track? The temptation was too great. I realized then that I no longer can be a one-bike man anymore. But I'm not ready to be a three-bike man, either.

Rocquel's chain-lube tears stained my carpet when I told her.

"Don't worry," I consoled her as I taped up her bike box and affixed the UPS label, "you're a great bike for most bike riders--and the bike industry should know that. Your dad has done a wonderful job raising you. You're a real bike, strong and multi-talented on dirt and pavement--not a wimpy compromise like all those other hybrids that never turned the consumers on. You're special.

"But I'm too far gone, baby. I'd never be able to share my greatest moments with you. It's for the best."

I think about Rock N Road Tour ever so often, especially when I imagine putting panniers on Black Beauty for that big tour of Canada I want to do. And I do wonder: Maybe, deep-down, I am a three-bike man, after all?

(To read what Bruce is up to in 2010, read my other blog report here.)

Rough Riders Rally on the Adventure Cycling Blog

2010-04-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings, fellow Rough Riders!

Be sure to check out "Fat Terrain on Skinny Tires on the Adventure Cycling Blog! Here's a sneak peak:

In case you’re not a member of Adventure Cycling Association -- which means you’re not privy to the information and amazing bicycling tales distributed nine times a year in Adventure Cyclist magazine -- I wanted to give you a heads-up about a phenomenon we reported on in the February edition of the magazine.

Under the sub-head ‘Ride Softly and Carry a Big Repair Kit,’ we told readers about the “Return of the Rough Riders” -- which in this case is not a group of volunteer cavalrymen led by Teddy Roosevelt, but a growing bunch of hardy cyclists whose mantra is “Any Bike, Anywhere.” Their leader/organizer is Chris Kostman, the man behind the California-based AdventureCORPS and such events as the Badwater Ultramarathon run and the Furnace Creek 508 bike race, both staged in and around Death Valley.

The Rough Riders could be described as a fresh twist on Great Britain’s 55-year-old Rough Stuff Fellowship. To better understand what they’re all about, consider this from the Alpine Bicycle Club, home of the Colorado Rough Riders, the second Rough Rider chapter to form: “[We are] dedicated to mixed-terrain touring. Touring through the alpine environment here in the Rocky Mountain West requires efficient travel on any surface, from paved road to singletrack. All on the same route, with the same bike. Club membership is free. All skill levels, from novice to professional racer, are welcome. … We even accept mountain bikers. But we will probably give you a hard time until you change out the big fat knobbies.”

The premiere Rough Riders Rally is slated for July 23–25, 2010, in Marin County, California. “We've finalized the main ride route,” Chris said, “and made plans with our host bike shop, and much more … for what will be a truly exciting, memorable, and fun international gathering of Rough Riders.”

We really appreciate Adventure Cycling staff writer Michael McCoy's enthusiasm for Rough Riding and his support for the inaugural Rough Riders Rally! It's so exciting to see all this momentum building for our movement and for the Rally!

PS Coming up soon: an announcement about a pre-ride of the Saturday route for the Rough Riders Rally in May (probably Saturday, May 15). All are invited to ride the course with me that day as I fine-tune the route sheet and put the finishing touches on this exciting new event! Details forthcoming!

Rough Riders Rally featured at RoadBikeRider.com

2010-04-01T23:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! We are so excited! There is some fantastic coverage of Rough Riding and our Rough Riders Rally in the 4/1/2010 weekly email newsletter (#436) from RoadBikeRider.com.

Many thanks to RBR's Ed Pavelka for the exposure. His free weekly newsletter for roadie cyclists is an incredible and entertaining resource. If you ride a bike, you should be a subscriber! (I mean that sincerely.) Meanwhile, check out the Rough Riders Rally coverage in this week's edition (which is featured on the front page of the site), and also be sure to participate in his Rough Riding poll! (I hope some of my fellow Rough Riders will help bring those numbers up in favor of Rough Riding!)

This "movement" is gathering momentum! Here's an excerpt and a preview (this is the lead story!):

Ed's notes: "Rough riding" is not new but it's becoming cool and gaining devotees. RBR's Coach Fred Matheny has been championing what he calls "adventure rides" for years.

It's all about riding a road bike on any surface that 2 wheels can negotiate -- pavement (of course) as well as gravel roads, dirt roads, trails, paths, singletrack and so forth.

In California (where mountain bikes were born, remember) AdventureCORPS is promoting the concept. The company is known for its ultra-endurance events, but it contends that rough riding should be considered more mainstream than extreme.

This week AdventureCORPS announced the inaugural Rough Riders Rally, a multi-surface cycling festival. It will celebrate the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos in Marin County on July 23-25.

Company chieftain Chris Kostman explains, "Rough riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. The goal is to tackle any and all possible combinations of surfaces, all within one ride on just one bike.

"Rough riders do not choose between road biking and mountain biking and let the bicycle determine the route and terrain. The rough riding goal is to see it all and do it all, to truly have an adventure."

Chris has been riding a road bike off road for some 20 years. Through AdventureCORPS, he's given the practice a capitalized name -- Rough Riding -- and a 3-day event to celebrate it.

"Rough riding is nothing new," he acknowledges. "The oldest known mixed-surface cycling club is the Rough Stuff Fellowship, formed in the United Kingdom in 1955. Before 'mountain' bikes, cyclists routinely rode all manner of bicycles on all manner of riding surfaces."

Will rough riding become more prominent?

My guess is yes.

Randonneur Jimmy Williams, a friend in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been busy designing a 200-km (124-mile) route called a permanent that includes as much unpaved riding as he can piece together.

"I saw your poll a couple weeks ago and how low dirt road riding tallied," says Jimmy. "Maybe that's one reason why the few of us like it. We're out there enjoying nature and soaking up the tranquility."

Jimmy has 2 bikes especially suited to rough riding -- a new Gunnar and an old Trek. He sent the two snapshots shown here.

An important point, though -- emphatically emphasized by Chris -- is that you don't need a special bike to be a rough rider. Your regular road rig is just fine. The game is to develop your riding skills on unpaved terrain rather than rely on technology.

In other words, when you see an enticing departure from your paved route, take it on the bike that brung ya.

Ed Pavelka
Editor, Publisher, Riding Rougher Than Ever

Read the Full Story on RoadBikeRider.com: Click here | Visual Preview:

Check out RoadBikeRider.com's poll, which asked "How much road bike 'rough riding' is in your future? Over 54% said anywhere from "a little" to "a ton"! Click here for the full results !

Mount Laguna: Rides and Hike

2010-03-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

Above: Chris Kostman's Rivendell Roadeo along Kitchen Creek Road.

On March 20 and 27, 2010 we enjoyed some excellent adventures on and around southeastern San Diego County's Mount Laguna. Both days we encouraged fellow cyclists to join us, especially if they are in training for the upcoming April 17 Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic. Here are some photos from both Saturdays out there.

As we have opined before, truly one of California's best kept secrets of the outdoor world is the area on and around Mt. Laguna, the 6,000' peak in eastern San Diego County. The cycling there, on and off road, as well as hiking, bird watching, flower-spotting, animal-seeking, camping, and much more, are just unparalleled. Encompassing Anza-Borrego State Park and the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area of the Cleveland National Forest, it's a beautiful, gorgeous, wondrous place to explore, enjoy life, and get way out there - all the while just 4 miles east of San Diego!

Above: Group shot in Pine Valley on 3/27Above: Basketball Legend and AdventureCORPS Fan #1, Bill Walton, with 11-year-old Moriah Swan on 3/27. Bill rides a custom ti-carbon exogrid by Bill Holland and Moriah rides a Trek with 650C wheels. Both will participate in the upcoming Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic. Moriah and her 13-year-old sister Hannah are both incredible riders, just smooth and beautiful on their bikes. It was pleasure to ride with them, and with our good friend Bill, today!

After today's ride (3/27), we hiked up and back on the Pacific Crest Trail to enjoy the waterfalls on Kitchen Creek (the actual creek, not the nearby road of the same name). The water was flowing beautifully and the flowers were starting to sprout, so it looks really good for a fantastic flower show on April 17!

Rough Riding in Adventure Cyclist Magazine

2010-03-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

We extend our heartfelt thank you to the fine folks at Adventure Cycling Association for featuring Rough Riding, and specifically the upcoming Rough Riders Rally, in the current issue (February 2010) of their very fine magazine, Adventure Cyclist. We encourage you to join their organization immediately. One of the many, many perks you'll enjoy is receiving their magazine.

We are also pleased to announce that we (AdventureCORPS) recently became a Gold Level Sponsor of the Adventure Cycling Association, an organization founded in 1973 to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle for fun, fitness, and self-discovery. (The great ink about the Rough Riders Rally was already in the works - due to no specific effort or outreach on our part - when we became a sponsor, just so you don't think there's some quid pro quo going on.)

The exposure in Adventure Cyclist, as well as an ad we have coming out in the next issue, along with ongoing ads in American Randonneur and Bicycle Quarterly, will hopefully give the Rough Riders Rally a good boost in participation. Currently we have 40 riders registered for the event, with a limit of 100. We hope you will consider joining this one-of-a-kind, and first-ever, event! Info here. (Please also help us spread the word!)

Here's the whole Adventure Cycling page
which features Rough Riding:

Here's a blow-up of just the Rough Riding article
by Michael McCoy (click it to see it bigger):This ad appears in the March 2010 issue of Adventure Cycling:
This ad appears in the current, and next, issues of American Randonneur and Bicycle Quarterly:

To all of you, thanks for your help in spreading the word about the July 23-25 Rough Riders Rally, and Rough Riding in general! We appreciate it!

Any Bike, Anywhere: The Rough Rider's Way of Life

2010-03-18T15:25:00.001-07:00

Above: The author in 1993, from the Bicycle Guide photo shoot. Photos by Bob Schenker shot on the Westridge Trail above Oakland, CA. Nothing has much changed since then, except the Magnum, p.i. moustache is gone and he's got Hammer Nutrition's HEED and/or Perpetuem in his water bottles now. The pictured Bridgestone RB-1's spirit lives on in Chris' current Rivendell Roadeo.

Any Bike, Anywhere: The Rough Rider’s Way of Life

By Chris Kostman

Originally published by Hammer Nutrition in Endurance News, Edition #68, March 2010. View that version online here.

In the February 1993 issue of Bicycle Guide, I published an article called “Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them?” which began with this hackle-raising opener:

“I routinely dust every mountain biker I encounter on the trail. And I ride a road bike.”

Speaking the truth more fully, I then hooked the readers a little more deeply by continuing thusly:

“Furthermore, I think, no, I know, the mountain bike is the most over-rated, most improperly used, most over-built, and most greedily promoted piece of hardware to hit the sport and fitness industry in modern history. Ninety-nine percent of the miles ridden by 99% of the mountain bikes could, and should, be ridden on the first and only real all terrain bike, the 'road bike.' More bluntly, a road bike is equal to or better than a mountain bike if ridden with skill like I have.”

At first, the hate mail poured in, more than for any article ever published in that magazine, with readers calling me “the most arrogant, elitist bastard I’ve ever read” and similar gems. One reader was at such a loss for words that he just sent in a fax of his hand with the middle finger raised.

But then a neat thing happened: Some readers went out and tried my premise. More letters ensued from readers who claimed they had used their road bike to set a new course record at a “mountain bike” hill climb event; others made bigger claims, stating that their lives had been changed, for the better, forever.

Here we are eighteen years later and “Rough Riding,” as it has come to be known, is beginning to come into its own as a particular sub-category of cycling. The motto from my article - “Technique beats technology any time, anywhere.” - has been adopted by innumerable cyclists the world round who have embraced the “any bike, anywhere” ethos. The current bicycle industry, from major manufacturers to boutique frame builders, is beginning to address this niche market, creating bicycles, or even lines of bicycles, under such monikers as "All Road Bikes," "All-Rounders," and "Adventure Bikes." There’s even a Wikipedia page about Rough Riding.

Rough Riding is nothing new, however: Before "mountain bikes," cyclists routinely rode all manner of bicycles on all manner of riding surfaces. They just didn’t know any better, you might say. The oldest known mixed-surface cycling club is the Rough Stuff Fellowship, formed in the United Kingdom in 1955.

That’s not to say Rough Riding is mainstream, of course. In fact, it’s a common misconception that without the "right bike," one simply cannot partake in the wonderful landscape of cycling opportunities. It’s time to set the record straight, though, for any bike can be taken anywhere!

This really isn’t some secret conspiracy that I am blowing the whistle on here, for cyclists the world round take "the wrong bike into the wrong place." Just ride any century ride and you’ll see innumerable mountain bikes and cross bikes being comfortably and happily put to good use in grinding out the 100 miler. (Heck, mountain bikes have even been ridden successfully in 500 mile road races like Furnace Creek 508!)

How does all this work, you ask? It’s simply a case of the rider riding the bike, not the reverse. In other words, let technology work for you or just don’t use the technology in the first place. Think about it: turning cranks in circles is turning cranks in circles. Whether that translates into covering terrain efficiently is entirely up to the skill and strength of the rider. With time, any rider can learn to ride any bike anywhere. The trick is just getting out there and going for it!

Bikes are the ultimate freedom tools: they let you go to more places, more easily, and more simply than any other human invention. But in today’s era of high technology and equipment specialization, they can also seem incredibly limiting.

The Rough Riding philosophy can mean different things to different people. First of all, it can mean that you may not really have to shell out the bucks for a new bike because you only have a "road bike" or a "mountain bike." So this can save you a lot of money. But if you already have both types of bikes, then you can hone your skills for either bike by using the "wrong bike" on various rides.

For example, riding skinny tyres off-pavement will hone your attentiveness, balance, coordination, handling skills, and nerve. Likewise, riding fat tyres on-road will build strength, hill climbing ability, and provide a comfy and largely bullet-proof ride. Rides that combine both environments will become a real treat, allowing you to immediately experience the cross-over benefits firsthand.

Regardless of bicycle choice, the goal of Rough Riding is to tackle any and all possible combinations of trails, fire roads, gravel roads, paved roads, singletrack, and any other possible riding surface - all within one ride, on just one bike. Perhaps the greatest beauty of Rough Riding is that any possible ride route can be created and enjoyed: Rough Riders do not choose between "road biking" and "mountain biking" and subsequently let the bicycle determine the route and terrain of any given ride. Instead, creative, "first ascent-style" rides can be strung together in one epic route which involves all manner of riding surfaces, sights, sounds, and scenes. The Rough Riding goal, perhaps? To see it all and do it all, to truly have an adventure. Try it: your life might be changed forever!
Chris and 99 other Rough Riders will gather in Marin County for the first ever Rough Riders Rally on July 23-25. You’re invited! Info at www.adventurecorps.com/rrr/.

Chris Kostman has lived on the endurance path since 1982. Besides competing in races as diverse as the Race Across America, the Triple Ironman, and the 100-mile Iditasport Snowshoe Race, he also organizes endurance events such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races, plus a series of four century rides and a five-day cycling retreat in Death Valley. This is his thirteenth article for Endurance News. Learn more at www.adventurecorps.com.

Rough Riders News & Mount Laguna Rides on 3/20 and 3/27

2010-03-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry we've not been up to speed with this blog lately. We've been too busy riding, plus hosting 80 For Haiti on February 13, then CORPScamp Death Valley (as seen above) on Feb 27 through March 3, followed by the Death Valley Century & Double Century on March 6. (Click those links for millions of photos, video slideshows, results, etc.)

Coming up soon are Hell's Gate Hundred on April 3 and Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic on April 17, both of which we are hosting. (Both have registration still open, however all the hotels in and near Death Valley for the HGH ride on April 3 are sold out. Both currently have about 200 riders signed up and we are very excited.)

The next two Saturdays, we plan to ride the MLBC route, starting from Major's in Pine Valley both days. Saturday the 20th we'll start at 700am and ride loops 1 & 2, then Saturday the 27th we'll start at 800am and ride loops 2 & 3. All are welcome to join us. No support provided, not even a route sheet. Just come ride!

Here's a preview of my new Rivendell Roadeo in its first incarnation. A full report and lots of photos will be posted soon:

We got a cool email from fellow Rough Rider Dustin Sharp, a regular at the Rough Rider Rambles and the Rough Rider Semi-Epics which we'll share here:

We (Esteban Del Rio and I) rode the 80 for Haiti course last Saturday (January 30) with a Kitchen Creek Finish, making for about 90 miles and 7500 feet of climbing. We pushed our bikes through over two miles of snow at the top of Kitchen Creek before hitting sunrise highway. Don’t ask why we weren’t smart enough to turn around and go the other way. Suffice it to say that Sidi shoes are not waterproof and my feet were like two numb bricks coming down Sunrise and into pine valley. It was a different sort of “rough riding” for sure. Check out the pics!

That's all for now! Keep on rolling! Thanks for your support!

80 Miles on Old Hwy 80

2010-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

We rode the entire 80 For Haiti route on January 29, 2010 to finalize the details of the route sheet, checkpoint locations, and more for the February 13 event. The 81-mile route has 6090' of total elevation gain. There are only three stop signs and no lights and traffic is minimal to non-existent. I took a lot of photos of the spectacular, one-of-a-kind route along the way.

Elizabeth rode her 2007 Ritchey BreakAway and wore Ibex wool knickers, Ibex wool Skimmer cap, Ibex Kilometer Gloves, Injinji wool socks, and Earth Wind and Rider wool jersey. Chris rode his 1985 custom Ron Stout and wore Ibex wool bib knickers, Ibex wool glove liners, Injinji wool socks, and a 1994 Castelli wool jersey (for Bridgestone). It was very cold in Pine Valley, but warmed up nicely once we had climbed up out of the town / valley.

For a less than six-minute video slideshow (with music) of the entire ride from start to finish, click here.

For a traditional slideshow of the same images, click here.

Below are some selected shots of our ride (but you should really check out the full video slideshow to "get the whole picture"!):

Above: soutbound on La Posta Road.Above: A curious gap in the border fence near JacumbaAbove: One Hwy 80 resident has many one-of-a-kind statues spread around his property. They remind me of the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC.Above: A front yard in Live Oak Springs

Above: the descent back into Pine Valley, our start/finish

Above: A great ride deserves a great bike. It was custom built for me at the beginning of 1985 by Salt Lake City builder Ron Stout: my second sponsored bike and my first one that was custom. I used it when breaking the San Francisco to Los Angeles record in April 1985, when qualifying for the 1985 Race Across America at the 712 mile John Marino Open in May 1985, and it was also my main bike in the 1987 Race Across America, among many other adventures.

We hope you will join us for 80 FOR HAITI on February 13! Click here for all the information and to register!

PLEASE RIDE 80 FOR HAITI: FEB 13

2010-01-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

Fellow Rough Riders, please join us for this important cause on February 13. It's an awesome route, and, more importantly, represents our collective effort to do something on behalf of the 150,000 dead and 600,000 homeless in Haiti.
L'Union Fait la Force = Strength Through Unity

(National Motto of Haiti)

LA JOLLA, CA - AdventureCORPS, Inc., an athlete-run firm producing some of the world's toughest sports events - including the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races in Death Valley - will host "80 FOR HAITI," a cycling benefit ride for Haiti relief supporting Mercy Corps on Saturday, February 13, 2010. The event will feature an 80-mile ride along Old Hwy 80 in southeastern San Diego County. There will be an $80 entry fee and 100% of the entry fees will go directly to Mercy Corps, one of the most respected relief organizations worldwide. AdventureCORPS will absorb all costs, but food, drink, and support sponsors are being sought.

The "80 FOR HAITI" cycling event start / finish line is just 44 miles east of San Diego, in Pine Valley, CA. The route is spectacular, on absolutely quiet roads through rolling terrain.

As international relief efforts continue in Haiti, a Mercy Corps earthquake response team is in Port-au-Prince responding to urgent needs.

Registering for this ride - or donating to the cause, if you can't do the actual ride - will help families in Haiti recover from the most powerful quake to hit the country in more than 200 years. Mercy Corps relief workers with experience in disaster responses ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the Myanmar cyclone are converging on Haiti from Africa, Asia, and North America. They're focusing first on the immediate needs -- for water, food, temporary shelter supplies and much more -- and expanding their work to three areas: clean water, post-trauma support for children, and job creation.

The needs in Haiti are immense. Its capital lies in ruins, as many as 200,000 may be dead, and survivors are increasingly desperate for food, clean water and shelter. Please ride "80 For Haiti" and/or give what you can to help families recover.

Cycling participants in 80 FOR HAITI must pre-register for the event, so that we can plan accordingly. PLEASE register prior to February 6 for the ride. Donations will be accepted through February 13, and beyond.

You Want to RIDE on February 13? Great! Please join us, and tell your friends!

You Can't Ride on February 13, but you want to donate to the cause? GREAT! Use this link to our fundraising page:

80 FOR HAITI HIGHLIGHTS:
• February 13, 2010
• Held along Eastern San Diego County's Old Hwy 80: Minimal traffic, no traffic lights, and just a few stop signs.
• Three well-stocked checkpoints, plus roving SAG support vehicles on the course.
• The entry fee is a minimum $80 donation: 100% of ALL entry fees will go to Mercy Corps.

ABOUT THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake with the epicenter near Léogane, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, striking at 16:53:10 local time (21:53:10 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres (8.1 mi). The United States Geological Survey recorded a series of at least 33 aftershocks, fourteen of them between magnitudes 5.0 and 5.9. The International Red Cross estimated that about three million people were affected by the quake, and the Haitian Interior Minister believes that up to 200,000 have died as a result of the disaster, exceeding earlier Red Cross estimates of 45,000–50,000. Several prominent public figures are among the dead. The Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive recently announced that over 70,000 bodies have been buried in mass graves. Source (and more details): Wikipedia.com

OFFICIAL CHARITY
The Official Charity of 80 FOR HAITI is Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps is a team of 3700 professionals helping turn crisis into opportunity for millions around the world. By trade, they are engineers, financial analysts, drivers, community organizers, project managers, public health experts, administrators, social entrepreneurs and logisticians. In spirit, they are activists, optimists, innovators and proud partners of the people they serve. According to their website:

"Mercy Corps has long been recognized as an excellent steward of the resources entrusted to it. Over the past five years, more than 89 percent of our resources have been allocated to programs that help people in need. Ensuring that resources are wisely spent is the cornerstone of our values, vision, and strategy for growth in the future. We are proud of the awards, endorsements, memberships, and honors that substantiate our track record of accountability."
More info about Mercy Corps' Efforts in Haiti.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Lots of media coverage of the event is being published, including:

Los Angeles Times Blog | Bike San Diego | Xtremesport4u | EcoVelo |

Velo Cult | Biking Bis | Bike Radar | Active.com

ROSTER OF RIDERS, DONORS, MEDIA, AND SUPPORTERS
Click here (and let's get YOUR name on this list!)

Route Description

The 80 For Haiti event will start and finish at Pine Valley County Park at 28810 Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley, CA 91962. It's an extremely easy location to reach. All participants should park within the Park, NOT along the highway or in front of local businesses.

Click here for Google Map of the start/finish location. Click here for more about Pine Valley, CA.

We'll use the same start lline as our April 17 Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic: Pine Valley County Park. From the park, we'll ride a four-mile loop around Pine Valley to warm up, then we'll head east on Old Hwy 80 to La Posta Rid. Next, we'll head right / south (mostly downhill) on La Posta to a left / east on 94. CP1 will be located here, at the intersection of La Posta and 94, at mile 30.4. Heading east, 94 will rejoin the 80 as we enter the town of Boulevard. We'll continue east on 80 through Jacumba to the end of Old 80 at the Desert View Tower, which sits above Inkopah Pass with a commanding view of the Anza-Borrego Desert. CP2 will be located here, at mile 44.6, the turn-around. We'll then beeline straight back to Pine Valley on Old Hwy 80, with a third and final checkpoint located in or near Boulevard at approximately mile 60. We hope to be able to serve a finish line meal at Pine Valley Park. There will also be roving SAG vehicles on the course to support the riders.

EMAIL OF THE WEEK

Thanks for doing this, it is the right thing to do! Karen & I will ride the 80 for Haiti, below is what I sent to our riding group.

Hello fellow riders sorry for the interruption in our riding schedule hopefully weather permitting we can start our weekend rides again this next weekend. Originally Karen and I were going to ride in the Tour de Palm Springs, however we have decided to do the 80 for Haiti ride on February 13, 2010 instead. It is an 80 mile out and back ride in East County. 100% of the proceeds will go to Haiti relief. We have all done this ride or portions of it. Realizing that 80 miles is a long way and I have never rode that far myself, Karen and I plan on riding out as far as we can then turning back when we feel it is time. So my thoughts are let’s try to get as many of our fellow riders that we know to participate in this worthy cause. If you want to do a portion of the ride and turn around early then maybe you can if willing, provide a roving SAG support to your fellow Alpine Riders, i.e. You can haul my fat ass back to the car if I give out.

While I did not deploy to Haiti I have been involved daily in the USA Urban Search & Rescue response. The US&R task forces that did deploy were from the east coast (they were closest) with the exception of the LA County task force. Many of my friends are still in Haiti as of today 1/23/2010; the stories they have shared with me about the people of Haiti are of their strength and bravery and of their sadness at losing whole families, dozens of friends etc.

- Gerry Brewster

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS (the home of the Rough Riders)
La Jolla, CA-based AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, muiti-day cycling lifestyle adventures known as CORPScamps, the annual Rough Riders Rally in Marin County, plus several 100- and 200-mile cycling events in Death Valley, and on and around San Diego County's Mt. Laguna. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and blogs and provide a variety of adventure-related services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there." AdventureCORPS is a member of 1% For The Planet and the Conservation Alliance, and supports three Official Charities: Challenged Athletes Foundation, Death Valley Natural History Association, and Major Taylor Association.

Below: More photos of the 80 FOR HAITI route,

including Desert View Tower

Rough Riders Rally Roster, including Special Guest Charlie Kelly

2010-01-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Above: Charlie Kelly, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking and a Special Guest of the Rough Riders Rally, as seen racing Repack in 1976.

With registration just announced for the July 23-25, 2010 Rough Riders Rally, we've already gotten some great registrants. We'll post an ongoing roster on our website here. This includes name, age, city, state, gender, plus bike details, blog/website link, and "internet nickname," as applicable. We're very excited to share this special experience with such a great group of riders!

Of special note: Charlie Kelley, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking, will be attending! Charlie was partners with Gary Fisher in the the first "Mountain Bikes" company (with the frames made by Tom Ritchey). Charlie was also first mountain bike race promoter (creator of the infamous Repack Downhill). He was also the first mountain bike magazine publisher (Fat Tyre Flyer). Charlie and Chris Kostman first met at the Iditabike in Alaska in 1988.

Rough Riders Rally: Registration Now Open!

2010-01-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PLEASE DISTRIBUTE ASAP

Rough Riders Rally is AdventureCORPS' new multi-surface cycling festival based in Marin County which celebrates the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos. The first event of its kind, the Rally includes three optional days of world-class cycling on trails, fire roads, and pavement, a display of participants’ bikes, dinners, and a live webcast.

MILL VALLEY, CA - AdventureCORPS, Inc. an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media, is pleased to announce the inaugural Rough Riders Rally, a multi-surface cycling festival based in Marin County on July 23-25, 2010 which celebrates the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos.

Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. The Rough Riders slogan is "Any Bike, Anywhere" and the general idea is to use as little technology as possible while traversing a variety of riding surfaces and terrains. Hence, one of the Rough Riders' mantras is "technique beats technology." For some Rough Riders, that means riding a "road bike" with 25mm tyres on "mountain bike trails." For others, it means tackling any and all surfaces while riding a cyclocross bike, an old-school mountain bike, a 70s or 80s era road bike retrofitted with 650B wheels, a classic touring bike, or a world tour-ready 29er rig. The current bicycle industry, from major manufacturers to boutique frame builders, is also beginning to address this niche market, creating bicycles, or even lines of bicycles, under such monikers as "All Road Bikes," "All-Rounders," and "Adventure Bikes."

Regardless of bicycle choice, the goal of Rough Riding is to tackle any and all possible combinations of trails, fire roads, gravel roads, paved roads, singletrack, and any other possible riding surface - all within one ride, on just one bike. Perhaps the greatest beauty of Rough Riding is that any possible ride route can be created and enjoyed: Rough Riders do not choose between "road biking" and "mountain biking" and subsequently let the bicycle determine the route and terrain of any given ride. Instead, creative, "first ascent-style" rides can be strung together in one epic route which involves all manner of riding surfaces, sights, sounds, and scenes. The Rough Riding goal, perhaps? To see it all and do it all, to truly have an adventure.

The Rough Riders Rally will include a suggested Friday afternoon ride, followed by a pizza party catered by Stefano's Solar-Powered Pizza and hosted at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley. Saturday will be the big day: a suggested six hour ride in spectacular terrain. Later that afternoon the bikes will be assembled for a bike show. At the Saturday night Rough Riders Annual Shindig, all the bikes will be on display and a tasty dinner will be catered by Punjabi Burrito. It will be a fantastic, fun evening of story-swapping and camaraderie. Sunday morning, Rally participants are encouraged to ride Railroad Grade to the summit of Mt. Tam, then return to Mill Valley for a social hour or two at The Depot Café, before departing town.

The Rough Riders Rally will be based in Mill Valley, CA in Marin County, the birthplace of mountain biking. Marin County offers truly superb cycling, with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais ("Mt. Tam"), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline. Marin County is cycling paradise, a region unparalleled for its beauty, diversity of scenery and riding surfaces, and its cycling-friendly trail signage and local population! It promises to be a very fun weekend in an absolutely spectacular cycling paradise.

The host hotel for the Rough Riders Rally is Acqua Hotel of Mill Valley. The official bicycle shop, and venue for the pizza party, is Tam Bikes of Mill Valley. The official nutrition sponsor is Hammer Nutrition of White Fish, Montana. The Rough Riders Annual Shindig will take place at Tam Valley Community Center. Additional sponsors are being sought, including a Marin-based brewery.

A “live” webcast of the Rough Riders Rally will be produced by AdventureCORPS throughout July 23-25. Additionally, all participants, and all participants' bikes, will be photographed for the webcast and permanently archived online.

Mark your calendar to join us in Mill Valley, CA for the Rough Riders Rally on July 23-25, 2010! Registration is limited to 100 and we anticipate it selling out quickly.

Click here for all the Rough Riders Rally information.

Click here for a preview slideshow of most of Saturday's route and the general setting of the Rough Riders Rally.

Click here for additional posts about the Rough Riders Rally here on this blog.

RALLY PARTICIPANT ROSTER:
Want to know who is attending? Click here for the Rough Riders Rally roster.

SPECIAL GUEST:
Charlie Kelley, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking, will be attending! Charlie was partners with Gary Fisher in the the first "Mountain Bikes" company (with the frames made by Tom Ritchey). Charlie was also first mountain bike race promoter (creator of the infamous Repack Downhill). He was also the first mountain bike magazine publisher (Fat Tyre Flyer). Charlie and Chris Kostman first met at the Iditabike in Alaska in 1988. Check out Charlie's Mountain Bike History "Hubsite" - Click here!

ROUGH RIDERS RALLY HIGHLIGHTS:
• July 23-25, 2010
• Held in Marin County, the birthplace of mountain biking AND one of the world's greatest road cycling meccas.
• Three Days of Cycling the BEST trails and roads of the Marin Headlands!
• Friday evening pizza party.
• Saturday evening Bike Show and Dinner at the Rough Riders Annual Shindig.
• All bikes & riders photographed for live webcast!

ORIGINS OF ROUGH RIDING:
Since shortly after publishing the controversial - and still oft-discussed - article "Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them?" in the February, 1993 issue of Bicycle Guide - when the "love letters" starting pouring in - AdventureCORPS' Chris Kostman has dreamed of hosting a rally to celebrate the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos and lifestyle. Chris believes in riding any distance, in any conditions, over any terrain, at any time of day or night. That sounds really hard-core, perhaps, but mainly he and his fellow Rough Riders enjoy getting "out there" by riding roads, dirt roads, trails, and paths on whatever bike they happen to be on or have handy. Rough Riding is nothing new, however: Before "mountain bikes," cyclists routinely rode all manner of bicycles on all manner of riding surfaces. The oldest known mixed-surface cycling club is the Rough Stuff Fellowship, formed in the United Kingdom in 1955. Chris, AdventureCORPS, and the Rough Riders hope that representatives of the Rough Stuff Fellowship will attend the Rough Riders Rally.

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS:
AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, muiti-day cycling lifestyle adventures known as CORPScamps, plus several 100- and 200-mile cycling events in Death Valley, on and around San Diego County's Mt. Laguna, and beyond. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and blogs and provide a variety of adventure-related services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Chris Kostman
Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director
AdventureCORPS, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Rd #311
Oak Park, CA 91377 USA
http://www.adventurecorps.com
http://www.badwater.com
http://www.the508.com
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Carpooling and Ride-Sharing to and from the Rough Riders Rally; Hotel Room Sharing, too!

2010-01-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

We encourage carpooling to and from all our events. With Rough Rders coming to Marin County for the July 23-25 Rough Riders Rally from across California and beyond, there must be somebody who lives near you, or along the route you'll be driving, or perhaps someone who just needs a ride to and from the airport in San Francisco or Oakland if they are flying to the event. Share the ride! Save gas! Save money! Save the earth!

Please use this section of the blog to connect with other riders - you can save money, save gas, help to protect the environment, and - hopefully - meet some cool people, too!

(Note: We are provide a service here, allowing people to meet and share rides. We can't and don't guarantee anything about the people you'll meet, so be careful and use your best judgement. Review the Personal Safety Tips that Craigslist uses on their Rideshare page here.)

Click the "Comments" button below and leave your request for a ride, or offer to share your trip!