Not only is cycling across the United States, and doing so totally off the grid a huge accomplishment on it’s own….but now my buddy Rob is kicking it up a notch by riding barefoot on the Denver to Kansas City leg of his tour.  Why, you may ask.  Well, it’s all in the name of raising money for sustainability.  I’ll let Rob himself explain things more, and let you know how you can donate.

Barefootin’ 4 Sustainability

by Rob Greenfield

It’s time to determine the top dogs of the cycling blogs once again….and it’s up to you to make the selections. This is the fourth time we’ve held the Crank Honors…..voting for your favorite cycling blogs in the categories of:

• Road Cycling Blog
• Commuter Cycling Blog
• Mountain Bike Blog
• Lifestyle Cycling Blog
• Women’s Cycling Blog
• Bicycle Travel Blog

I want to start off by saying that Loving the Bike simply holds these honors each year and we don’t allow ourselves to be in on the running.  But there are a whole bunch of great cycling blogs out there and all of them are able to be voted for. Feel free to also check out our Crank Listed Directory that includes the World’s Cycling Blogs.

Voting Information:

We have included the top 4  blogs from each category in the polls (based on last years voting), but also have a blank spot for you to add in who you feel is the top cycling blog in each category.  If enough votes come in for a blog that isn’t listed in the poll, we’ll add them in.

• You can vote once per day for each category, so be sure to come back often and vote your favorite into the top dog spot.
• Polls are open from right now through June 1, 2013

Let the Voting Begin:

For a full list of all the world cycling blogs (by category), please visit our Crank Listed Directory at www.cranklisted.com.

Here’s another update from my new cycling friend Rob Greenfield who is currently cycling across the United States….totally off the grid.  He’s impressed and amazed me over the past week of knowing him, and I just had to post his Day 26 journal entry seeing as he mentions me in the post.

Off the Grid Bicycle Tour: Day 26

by Rob Greenfield

It was a long night with an undesirably minimal amount of sleep.  The night was cold and to conserve heat I had to fold myself up into a ball.  This position did not give my weary legs a chance to recover and between the cold and aching legs I found myself awake for too much off the night.  Alas the morning did come but it was a cloudy cold one.  When I awoke at 6:00 I thought about… breaking down camp but instead spent a few hours in my tent on my computer.

Even with the cold, it as an enjoyable morning in the snowy Rocky Mountains.  I was on the road by 9:30 and was happy to leave the 9,400 feet of elevation and spend a good portion of the forty miles pedaled in the morning descending.  The windy road was likely the most enjoyable and fun that I have pedaled yet in the last four weeks of biking and the sun came out to greet me.

Throughout the day I was accompanied by birds of prey soaring along side me guiding me through the Rocky Mountain flats as they scanned the green pastures for pray.  Mid day I was fortunate to see a hawk succeed in its hunt and come up with a small rodent in its talons. A phone call from my new friend, Darryl Kotyk, on the island of Grenada 3,500 miles away, added brightness to my day.  He is the creator of the wonderful blog, Loving the Bike, (http://lovingthebike.com) and has been posting updates on my journey.

In the early afternoon rain decided to change my plans of pedaling 80-100 miles today.  Instead I found myself ducked under an overhang of a local bar where I spent an hour and a half waiting for the rain and hail to pass.  That it did around 4:30 and I continued onward somewhat lethargically but feeling good that I had already done a fair distance of riding.

Three individuals at the bar had told me the road would continue down hill to Granby but the next sixteen miles were quite the opposite of downhill.  In town I took a break and then continued on with the intentions of making it to Winter Park 20 miles away before nightfall.  Just outside of Granby the climbing resumed past herds of beautiful cows in the pasture and more water fell from the sky.

It was dark and gloomy but quite enjoyable.  The sun just barely peaked out over the foothills behind me creating a majestic sun shower and in front of me a magnificent rainbow presented itself.  I was astonished to see it growing across the sky and increasing in brightness each second.  It was a fabulous near end to the night but I was still 10 miles from the comforts of my tent and sleeping bag where I hoped to make it an early night.

As the sun faded completely behind the foothills I continued on and a new set of rain clouds opened up on to me.  It was down right miserable but at the same time down right awesome to be exposed to the harsh elements.

Many of us forget that we are a part of this earth but the harsh elements make for a good reminder.  The elements became unbearable and I was happy to see a sign for a YMCA where I pulled in to find they had rooms available.

I thought about taking one but realized it would likely compromise my mission even if I did not use any electricity or water.  They would likely clean the room and wash the sheets even if I did not use them and this would use water from on the grid.

Instead I explored the large complex and found a basement room with a back entrance where I set up my sleeping bag and sleeping bag.  This simple accommodation kept me out of the rain and the cold and gave me confidence that I would get a fair nights rest.

For more on Rob’s adventure and additional pictures and stories, visit his facebook page.

The awesome photo above was done by Brent Martin.

Yesterday we posted an article about Rob Greenfield and his bicycle journey currently taking place across the United States.  The cool thing about this mission is that he’s doing it totally off the grid.

I’ve personally been so impressed by what Rob is doing and what he stands for that I wanted to follow up on his adventures by periodically posting from his journal as he makes his way across the US.

This one hit my emotions button for sure….and we’ll be posting more from his journey in the days ahead.

Bicycle Touring Off the Grid

“So much inspiration churned inside my body that on the surface shivers erupted and my eyes were on the brink of exploding with tears all throughout the day.”

Shivers of inspiration ran through my body from head to toe all throughout the day as I pedaled up and down the green Colorado hills.  On multiple occasions tears formed in my eyes, more often as I was flying down hill or ja…mming out on flat land then when I was climbing the grueling hills.  Jack Johnson, Trevor Green, and Xavier Rudd – Official along with educational sustainability podcasts inspired me to keep on pedaling through the intense heat and in turn to keep inspiring others to live a happier healthier life.

The tears came as I thought of the amazing changes that are to come and the people out there doing good, bettering their lives, and inspiring others to do the same.  Not for the sake of religion, or government, or any organization, but solely for the sake of us as individuals, community, and the planet that we have made home.

When I awoke this morning the sun had already graced the land with warmth.  I prepared myself a dish of eggs, beats, rice, and garlic over a fire as I took down camp.  I was on the road early this morning, around 9:20, and even with large hills to climb was making great progress.  The morning continued to heat up as the sun moved overhead and the rolling hills continued on as far as the eyes could see.  By 2:00 I had pedaled 50 miles and was exhausted.  I stopped in a cool building in the town of Craig, Colorado, as I could not bear the heat any longer.  By 4:00 I moved on still feeling lethargic from the heat.  Out of water and quite thirsty I saw a grouping of about 30 bee boxes that I couldn’t resist but investigate.  I sat amongst the bees as thousands buzzed around me going about their own business.  Occasionally they would fly into me, or land on me to clean their bodies but they had no qualms with me being in their presence.  I’ve wanted to do this for many years and to finally spend time amongst masses of bees was a dream come true.  Not to mention all the honey I ate while they buzzed around me.

After an hour I pedaled on in search of a river to quench my thirst.  I found one just five miles east and spent time sitting on the bank guzzling water as I purified it. I topped off my water bottle and was back on the bike.  Conversations with friends helped the miles fly by and I had another 45 miles to make it to my friend John Miller’s house in Steamboat Springs.  I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it but his home beckoned me to continue on.

As the sun set and the light faded in the sky I received a call from a friend that changed everything.  I had 25 miles left to pedal and the conversation led me into darkness.  Immersed in the conversation it was becoming night and a change in topic launched a dagger into my heart.  I was on the verge of a new type of tears, very different from the tears of inspiration earlier, now tears of sorrow.

I pedaled on for miles through the darkness feeling great depths of sadness.  When I ended the call it was pitch black and I texted John to let him know that I am still riding and I will make it to his home tonight.  I needed the comforts of a home and a hug from a friend to help cure my sorrows and bring me comfort.  As I texted him a great deal of confusion ensued and I realized I was not on the road anymore and I was in the ditch on the opposite side of the road.  Very confused but still on my bike I managed to stop safely before hitting anything and simultaneously coyotes began to howl all around me.

I pulled myself out of the ditch and continued on. I had no lights on as the batteries were dead and shortly later was blinded by the flashing red and blue lights of a police car.  Wes, the officer, was very friendly and wanted to make sure I was safe but at the same time in my sorrowful state the flashing lights of the police car were not comforting and added to my disorientation. I wrangled up some rechargeable batteries from my pack and was on my way.

The dagger still in my heart, I felt like I couldn’t go on. Hopelessness overwhelmed me.  I knew I must go on and I knew a positive attitude and a smile would overcome sorrow and despair.  Looking at it from a different perspective I could see light beginning to shine upon me.  Wait, is that a headlight?  No! It is a light representing a new beginning.  With every end there is a new beginning.  I shed an unneeded weight that was holding me down and now I am free!  The inspiration flowed back into my body and a smile grew on my face.  Just five minutes prior I felt like my world had ended.  This is proof that life is a matter of perspective and as I’ve said before happiness is a choice.

I continued on 10 more miles to Steam Boat Springs through the darkness and the cold and was welcomed by my fellow Wisconsinite, John Miller.  He welcomed me into his warm home and I sat down on his comfortable couch where I ended the long day 97 miles down the road from where I had started.

Photo by Brent Martin

Hero Blog

By Joel Phillips

Hero…quite a magnificent four-letter word isn’t it?  The very mention of the word evokes feelings of inspiration, and who doesn’t like a story about a hero.  Growing up in Cheyenne (Wyoming), one of the many places I would ride my bike was City News, a local mom & pop business that specialized in newspapers, magazines and comic books.  I was always eager to read about the heroics of Superman (my personal favorite Superhero) Batman, the Flash and the rest of the gang.  On my way back home I would stop by the downtown fire station, if they were there the captain would politely listen and respond to me, as I would ask question after question after question about what happened at the last call, it was my chance to talk to a real live hero.

During my teen years it seemed my heroes were athletes.  I marveled at their accomplishments because I had a good understanding of the hard work and dedication that goes into being a champion.  I’ve always viewed first responders as heroes along with those who put themselves in harm’s way when asked.  In reality there are heroes all around us, look in the mirror, I’d wager YOU are a hero to someone, you just may not get the same press as Superman.

On Saturday, May 4, I became very present with the reality I live with a hero.  Her name is Tara and she is my wife.

Tara graduated Regis University (Denver, CO) Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.  Right…lot’s of people graduate with a 4.0 every year and there doesn’t seem to be a bunch of hero parades.

Maybe not in public, but each and every graduate is a hero in their own right.  I am particularly proud of my wife because her efforts inspired me to be who I am today.  For eight years Tara took a couple of classes each semester, worked full-time, having to change jobs twice, endured the loss of close family members and the pain of a ruptured disc in her lower back.  While I was in the hospital with what turned out to be a gallbladder going septic, she maintained vigil by my side, putting her entire life on hold.  All the while, she never once complained.  Emotion got the better of me as I cried tears of elation when she walked across the stage and received her diploma.  That evening, after her party when we finally got the chance to sit down and reflect on the day and her accomplishment, she turned to me and said, “baby, now I’ll have more time to ride with you”.  I can’t express how much this woman means to me and how fortunate I am she chose me to share her life with.

It’s easy to conquer when you have super powers, but to endure and persevere with all life throws at us is truly heroic.  Look around you and see how many heroes there might be…single parents, recovering addicts, teachers, a loving family maybe even a co-worker.  It’s crazy to me how the media seems to go out of their way to focus on tragedy, when there are soooo many more stories of inspiration.  What about you…who are your heroes?

Last week we wrapped up another fantastic month of riding our bikes every single day as part of the #30daysofbiking event.  This is the third year that we’ve kicked things up a bit over here at Loving the Bike, and added an extra dimension with our points system.

There was a lot of great riding that took place and I loved seeing all the pictures posted on our Facebook Page.  Now it’s time to award some prizes and thank our great sponsors.

Not everyone on Team #LovingtheBike submitted their point totals to us, so we’ve based things on those who gave them to us.  Congratulations to all of you who took part in #30daysofbiking.

Top Point Getter – Julie Starling

Julie receives a fantastic prize pack from Clif Bar, as well as one of The Sufferfest training videos.

Runner Up Point Getter – Mark Beaconsfield

Mark receives a video from The Sufferfest.

Most Points by Team #LovingtheBike rookie – Ryan Werenka

Ryan receives a training video from The Sufferfest.

A huge thank you goes out to Clif Bar and The Sufferfest for their support and for providing the great prizes.

We’ll be back to do this again next April.

I feel like I know my body pretty well, and my diet and routine are disturbingly the same each and every day….so when my performance on the bike changes, it makes me start to wonder what’s going on.

For the past couple weeks I’ve felt off, and I’m not biking up to what my usual standards generally are.  Not like it’s a drastic difference, but enough to  have me wondering.

When I first started feeling it, I thought I was coming down with something.  But it’s over two weeks later and my body still feels the same.  So what do you do when this happens?  Well, if you’re like me, you analyze and assess things hoping to find what’s causing it.

If you’re ever experiencing this yourself, here’s a list of what I went through in case you’d like to try it out.  Oh, and If any of you have other ideas, please share them with us as well.

Assessing the Struggle

Diet – This is probably one of the biggest things to consider.  Proper fuel is necessary in order to achieve performance on the bike (or anything else).  Even a change in diet is enough to set you off until things adjust.

Weather – Increased temperature can heat you up and make things feel harder when out on the bike.  Even worse is increased humidity…or a combination of both.  Sometime the temperature might be the same, but the added humidity makes things feel increasingly tough.

Stress – Our bodies weren’t meant to be stressed, and if you’re like me….a bike ride is a perfect cure.  But if you are stressed, it can take a toll on your bike performance.

Equipment - How many times have you been out riding, find yourself struggling and then look back to make sure your back brake isn’t rubbing on the rim?  Yeah, I’ve had rides like that where I felt something must be dragging me down….and then realize that it’s not an equipment issue.

But it could be.  Make sure your bike is tuned up and humming properly or it could be a cause of decreased performance.

Metabolic Cycle – I’ve never really looked into this very far, but I’m a firm believer that each of our bodies goes through up and down cycles.  A slight decrease in performance could simply happen because you’re fluctuating on a low cycle.

Burn Out – This is a big one.  Sometimes if you train and train and train, your body gets burnt out….and if it persists, you can even start seeing negative progression or illness.  There are many ways to avoid this, but adding recovery rides to your routine and taking structured time off the bike can help.  Avoid over-training and burn out…it will help keep you feeling good on the bike.

Sleep – Are you getting enough sleep?  Well if you’re a Parent like I am….you know what lack of sleep is all about.  I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a solid 8 hours of continuous sleep.  Your body may not need as much sleep as you think it does, but getting enough is still very important.

Wind – I already mentioned weather, but wanted to put wind in another category.  It has always been my nemesis, and it’s often been the culprit for some hard pushing out on the bike.  A strong wind can cut down your typical average speed by a couple miles per hour or more.

Okay, so after my self-analysis, I determined that my slight lack of performance was due to burn out and weather.

I really can’t remember the last time I took a week off from riding.  Yes, one of the hardships of living on a tropical island.  I’ve felt for a few weeks now that my body needed some time off, but I’ve been pushing it because with Mocha Spoke opening soon I knew my days would start getting very full.  I figured I’d rather wait to take time off until I was insanely busy.

The temperatures haven’t really increased, but I realized that the humidity has.  It’s definitely one of the causes for what’s been going on.  I’m actually feeling better now, but will be taking some days off from riding very soon.

How about you?  What do you do if you’re ever feeling like it’s a struggle out there on the road?

When Joel agreed to share his amazing and captivating story of how the bike saved him from taking his own life, I knew right away that this was going to be something that our readers would find so compelling.

I’m honored to present this very personal post by our newest Loving the Bike team member, Joel.  He’ll be an ongoing contributor on the site, and we’re kicking things off with a big one.  What Joel has accomplished over the past couple years has Make it Happen written all over it.

The Bike Saved My Life

by Joel Phillips

Every chance I have, I talk about how the bicycle gave me my life back and the joy it continues to bring.  A couple years ago, I dropped a story on Loving the Bike entitled “Rediscovered Passion”.  Darryl personally reached out to me because 1) He supports anyone that rides a bicycle, and 2) he liked my writing style.

In that story I paint a picture around the story of getting my first bicycle on my fourth birthday and how exciting it was because a whole new world of possibilities opened up for me.  I went on to talk about how I grew older and the bicycle gave way to the car, and I became progressively fatter.  I refer to a conversation with a couple of doctors resulting in me agreeing to take up riding my bicycle as my form of exercise.  I talk about how a ride along the Platte River near downtown Denver ignited a spark and I decided to make it my life’s work to get more people to ride bicycles.  It’s true what they say, there are two sides to every story and I am finally able to admit this is, and put it to rest.

Like Paul Harvey said, “and now…the REST of the story”.

I put my bike, a red Diamond Back Accent EX, circa 1987, into my truck and took it to work.  There, I leaned it against a wall on the dock outside of my office window, where it sat for about three months.  The intent was to ride it at lunch and get some type of cardio workout, but it was easy to always talk myself out of riding.  I was 377lbs at the time, (3 1/2 years ago) I was doing the job I had when I first started in printing, back in 1989, (shipping & receiving).  I had, and still have the same wonderful wife, but I was stuck in a miserable story that left me deeply depressed.  Then one particularly “bad” Monday, I decided Tuesday I would ride my bike along the Platte River towards downtown Denver.  So…that night I got everything ready for the ride at lunch the next day.

My wife left for work before I did, so we kissed goodbye and I gave her a little extra with the hug, I could see in her eyes she sensed something different.  Charlie was in his bed, on a chair, in our bedroom window and I caught a glimpse of him as I tossed my backpack of stuff for the ride on the passenger seat of my truck.  In the backpack there was nothing any cyclist would ever take on a ride.  However this wasn’t just any ride for me, I had decided it would be my last ride.  In my backpack was a note of apology to all of those I felt I had hurt during my life, along with a loaded 9mm handgun.  I was going to ride my bike to a secluded spot along the Platte River trail and end my life.  I could see no other solution and just wanted the heartache and misery to end.

As I rode past Mile High Stadium and made the turn north where the path parallels Eltich Gardens (local amusement park) I remember feeling the burning in my legs as the trail went from flat to sloped, the water in the river seemed louder, making it’s presence known.  Then those feelings I had as a little kid, when I got my first bike, came back; not just bits and pieces, but like a flash flood.  For the first time in a LONG time I felt alive!  I could feel my heart pounding and my breathing was very heavy as I rolled my 377lb frame into Confluence Park.  I stopped and took in what I was seeing, the Platte River and Cherry Creek converging, the Rocky Mountains towering above the horizon, beyond the cityscape.  My bicycle had breathed the will to live back into my soul.

That ride along the river led to me taking charge of my life.  I am not going to say life’s been a downhill-ride ever since, because it hasn’t…but I sure learned how to endure the climbs, and the views at the top are always spectacular.  Today I am 274lbs, I rode in a multi-day bicycle tour through the mountains of Colorado, I became a certified ride instructor and most exciting, I am the founder of an organization that will deliver, and manage, a community-wide bike sharing system to Arapahoe County.  Along the way I have made friends throughout the world and even discovered a couple of sisters I didn’t realize I had…(wink, wink Krissy & Julie).  To say the bicycle has left me touched, moved and inspired seems like an understatement; for it has also restored my integrity and opened my eyes not only to a new world of possibilities, but a world where anything is possible.

I don’t pretend to have any of the answers, but I do know that if you keep pedaling you will get to where you are going.

Happy Riding my friends and please, share the joy you feel on your bike, it may just save a life.

We’re only a few days from the end of another exciting #30daysofbiking, and Team #LovingtheBike has been representing and posting some amazing pictures on our facebook page.

If you haven’t already heard of the extra kick we give the #3odaysofbiking challenge, you can read about how Team #LovingtheBike spends the month of April, in this post.

There’s a point given for posting a photo to our page, and some of the pictures have been over the top.  Two of our teammates have even taken on a riding mascot and include them in their photos.  Have a look at just a few of the submitted pictures, and head over to our facebook page to see the rest.

Riaan and his signature photo graphics:

Laura and her teammate Snoopy:

Jim rides in honor of the Boston tragedy:

Some great scenery from one of Dave’s rides:

Mark and his mascot teammate, the monkey:

Julie stops at one super cool bike stand:

Marty and Thor get ready for her first triathlon:

]]> http://lovingthebike.com/uncategorized/team-lovingthebike-photos-from-30daysofbiking/feed 1 http://lovingthebike.com/uncategorized/earth-day-has-always-been-a-favorite http://lovingthebike.com/uncategorized/earth-day-has-always-been-a-favorite#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:28:42 +0000 Darryl http://lovingthebike.com/?p=13323 Share/Bookmark

Ever since I was in University, Earth Day has been something I acknowledge and celebrate each and every year.  Back in those days it could have partly been because it occurred right around the end of exam time.  But since then, I’ve always tried to do something special that connects me with nature….and then 2013 came around.

I am embarrassed to say that it didn’t even occur to me that today was Earth Day until about 5:00PM.  I’ve been so fantastically swamped with getting things ready for the opening of our Mocha Spoke café (oh, and moving into a new house), that my mind was full of a billion things from the second I jumped out of bed.

So I might not have connected with Mother Earth today like I would have liked, but I’m honoring her now with a post dedicated to this special day….sort of a flashback of previous Earth Day’s:

Earth Day 2010:

Loving the Bike sponsored “Bike on Earth” day at a local high school – http://lovingthebike.com/uncategorized/bike-on-earth-day

Earth Day 2007:

Four days ago, another Earth Day celebration took place.  For about the past 6 years or so, I feel like I’ve done a little bit more than just acknowledge the day.  In the past years, I’ve made a point to do nice things for the Earth on that day, enjoy a Sunrise, Play in the waves…things like that.

This year, all I did was acknowledge the day.  Nothing special.  No connections with the Earth.  Nothing to make it better.

But I think the purpose of Earth Day is not to just do things on that day, but to educate us on the things we should do every day of the year.  Our Earth is a pretty darn important place….so realistically, every day is Earth Day.

The website www.earthday.net provides the following list of things we can all do to help out  the Planet:

• Replace (3) frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs – reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds a year
• Car pool, use public transportation or drive a fuel efficient car – reduce your carbon footprint by 1 pound for every mile you do not drive
• Keep your tires properly inflated and get better gas mileage – reduce your carbon footprint another 20 pounds for each gallon of gas saved Change your car’s air filter regularly Run your dishwasher only when it’s full
• Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer – reduce your carbon footprint by 2,000 pounds Keep your water heater insulated and the thermostat no higher than 120°F Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended
• Take shorter showers because showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs Use a low-flow showerhead because less water means less energy to heat the water – reduce your carbon footprint 350 pounds a year
• Use cold water to wash your clothes – reduce your carbon footprint by 500 pounds a year Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store
• Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass – reduce your garbage by 10% and you’ll reduce your carbon footprint by 1,200 pounds a year Plant a tree because trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breath
• Buy energy efficient appliances
• Weatherize and insulate your home, and consider double pane windows
• Turn off what you’re not using and even unplug electronics you’re not using – reduce your carbon footprint by thousands of pounds a year
• Buy organic food because the chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce

Earth Day 2004:

Growing up in the land locked world of Saskatchewan, I had never been able to appreciate, let alone experience the wonders of ocean life and Island living.  Today I was right there in the middle of water colored blue, green, and everything in-between.  Something that was never offered me growing up now is a regular pleasure that comes with the simplest of ease.  The Atlantic ocean is a definite powerhouse, but today I played in it alone…..the incredible vastness, as if it were a gentle giant.

There was a little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old time.  He’s enjoying the wind and the fresh air….until he notices the other waves in front of him crashing against the shore.

“My God, this is terrible” the wave says, “Looks what’s going to happen to me”.

Then along comes another wave.  It seems the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him “Little wave, why do you look so sad?”

The little wave says “You don’t understand.  We’re all going to crash.  All of us waves are going to be nothing.  It’s it terrible?”

“The second wave says, “No, you don’t understand.  You’re not a wave, you’re part of the ocean.”

“Part of the ocean.  Just as we all are.”