Simply Cycling and Biking Brews.

Well, motivating for Bike Hour last week was a bit of a challenge because lately, Missoula has looked a lot like this ...

... and that's on one of her better days.

While Missoula is eerily beautiful when raining and snowing, biking around in nasty weather does not sound like the most fun to me.

But we (my bearded manfriend and myself) were determined to go out for a Bike Hour ride regardless, and guess what? It was a blast!

First we layered up with warm clothes and essential rain gear, and made sure our fenders were ready.

Then we loaded up on some tasty rewards using Walnut's 6 Pack Frame cinch.


And off we went!

Biking just to bike is an awesome experience that I hadn't enjoyed in awhile. I bike to get places, I bike to exercise, but I rarely bike just for the fun of it.

We went at a casual-conversation pace and actually paid attention to sights we'd usually blow by...

Towards the end of the hour, we found a cool little gazebo for lounging. After parking the bikes, we cracked open some Deschutes Chainbreakers and toasted to a great ride.

As a big fan of the beers and bikes combo (not too many drinks, of course... be safe out there!), I was really excited to try this delicious new brew.

Deschutes boasts:

"The name Chainbreaker White IPA was inspired in part by a legendary mountain bike race in Central Oregon called the Cascade Chainbreaker. The challenging race features a demanding course with multiple terrains, just as this beer challenges the palate to expand with a fusion of wheat and spice low notes with significant hop highs. Sweet orange peel and coriander round out the flavor profile for a refreshing ride."
Like I said, delicious. I'm a big fan.

We sipped, we laughed, we daydreamed about the up-coming touring season and then something (probably the weather) spurred us onto a long, excited conversation about cyclocross season and hopeful additions to our fleet of whips.

The ride was, without a doubt, a successful Bike Hour. It reminded me of the joy in simply cycling.


All photos were taken by Rachel Stevens with her trusty iPhone and the patience of aforementioned bearded manfriend, Evan Smith.

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ART + ADVENTURES = AWESOMENESS is written by Rachel Stevens, a graphic designer at Adventure Cycling Association.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/03/simply-cycling-and-biking-brews.html

skinsuit cycling

National Girls and Women in Sports Day #NGWSD

It is National Girls and Women in Sports Day.  Who would have thought? Why are sports so important for women? Sports build confidence, character, and responsibility.  Sports demonstrate to a young girl that she is strong, capable, and worthy. Sports shaped my childhood.  Sports took me to college and continue to be a huge part [...]

Source: http://alisonstarnes.com/2012/02/01/national-girls-and-women-in-sports-day/

cycling jerseys

Photos From The Working Burgundy Wine Harvest 2011

This year while taking a break from running gasronomic cycling holidays for DuVine Adventures I picked grapes for two weks. For over 2000 years this anchient havest take place producing some of the greatest wines in the world. Back breaking...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/thehungrycyclist/~3/FExQHMrakyQ/photos-from-the-working-burgundy-wine-harvest-2011.html

pro cycling magazine

Klöden 2nd On GC, Horner 4th, as Vino Takes Stage 3 of Basque

Team RadioShack?s Andreas Klöden (GER) could not have relinquished the leader?s yellow jersey at the Tour of the Basque Country, Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, in today?s 177 kilometer 3rd stage, under better circumstances. He raced smart, expending as little energy as possible to stay near the front. He didn?t get hurt or [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/kloden-2nd-on-gc-horner-4th-as-vino-takes-stage-3-of-basque/

retro cycling jerseys

Lost and Found

It never fails, no matter how iron clad your pack list is, there will always be something you realize you missed, in addition to lot of things you realize you don't really need.

For the extra items, you can always ship those back home when you reach a post office, and with the items you forgot, you can usually pick them along they way. One fun thing about touring is that when I say pick thing up along the way, I really mean along the way. Over the years, I've found a lot of odd items laying on or next to the road while riding that I have found useful.

Some useful and common items that you can find on almost any stretch of highway include bungee chords, those red mechanic grease rags, and Bic lighters. I've also noticed that a lot of bicycle tourists tend to strap objects such as antlers, stuffed animals, or plastic toys to their bikes that they happen to find while out on the road. Tools are also common on the road, and I've definitely spotted more than my fair share of adjustable wrenches out there.

Maybe the best lost and found items along the road are the ones you would never expect to see. Just the chance of finding something completely out of left field can turn a long, mundane stretch of road into a fun treasure hunt. Here are some bizarre finds I've encountered over the years:

  • Fifteen dollars in pennies. Apparently they were stolen from an elementary school classroom earlier that day, and discarded on a remote highway. 
  • A bike! 
  • Working cell phones 
  • A DVD of Under Siege, starring Steven Seagal. He was just a cook! 
Those are some of my good finds. I would be interested in hearing what others have found on the road.

Photo by Josh Tack

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TOURING GEAR AND TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/03/lost-and-found.html

tour de france route