Cycling with Allergies and Asthma

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Jeff Moser

We cyclists are a healthy bunch. Still, seasonal allergies or even asthma can keep us from riding to our full potential. With these warmer than average temperatures and springtime just around the corner, the clean crisp air of winter may soon be gone.

Spring is just around the corner…

My brother recently wrote an interesting article over on his site, Thrive Natural Family Medicine. It’s not about cycling specifically, but it does offer some helpful, natural advice for dealing with allergies and asthma. Here’s an excerpt from the post:

What Can a Groundhog Tell Us About Asthma?

February 2, is Groundhog day. Since the 18th century this furry fella has ventured out of his burrow to help predict if winter will last another six weeks or if spring will come early. While there is no validity to the prediction, the truth is that in many parts of the world, spring has been coming earlier. NPR recently reported that spring comes a few days earlier than it did a few decades ago. A few days does not seem like much, but when you look at the effects on the ecosystem, it is profound. Similarly, if you suffer from asthma or allergies, it can be a serious problem.

Last year many cities reported record or near record pollen counts. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, you know that this translates into having to use more medication. Over 80% of those with asthma have allergies to airborne substances, so obviously pollen should be on their radar. So what can you do if you suffer from asthma and allergies and want to add something more natural to your arsenal? Adding quercetin to your diet may help.

Continue reading this article over on Thrive to learn more about quercetin, and how it could help you breathe better this spring! Full article here:

www.thrivenaturalmedicine.com/uncategorized/what-can-a-groundhog-tell-us-about-asthma/

Stateline to Stateline Bikeway Project

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Jeff Moser

I attended the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting this week, and was excited to learn of the progress on the Stateline to Stateline Bikeway Project. When completed, the entire 30+ mile Nevada Stateline to Stateline Bikeway will extend from the Nevada Stateline in Crystal Bay to the Nevada Stateline in South Lake Tahoe! This will be a welcome addition to the east side of Lake Tahoe, as currently there is only narrow, dangerous, highway access for bicycles on most of the Nevada side.

The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe

The bikeway will be separated from the highway…not merely a bike lane…and will provide non-auto transportation opportunities that link recreation areas, community centers, transportation facilities, and neighborhoods in the bikeway corridor to expand recreational access and transportation choices for residents and visitors to the Tahoe Basin. Construction is planned to begin on the southern portion, possibly as early as this spring!

Here is the PDF version of the Bikeway presentation HERE.

For further information, visit the official website here: http://nvtahoebikeway.com

2011 Ergon Commuter Team

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Jeff Moser

It’s my pleasure to announce that Bike Carson will be partnering with Ergon in 2011 as part of the 2011 Ergon Commuter Team! Ergon is a bicycle accessory company whose aim is to develop products that offer the best ergonomics for cyclists, which combine the best scientific principles with the practicality of real world usage. The development team at Ergon is made up of specialists in various areas; there are bike experts, racers, sports scientists, ergonomics experts, engineers and industrial designers.

ERGON Urban Cycling from ergon on Vimeo.

12 riders out of hundreds that applied were selected from all over the USA and Canada, and will make up the first ever Ergon commuter team. Here’s a look at the riders and where they’re from:

Chris Huller – Washington DC
Arleigh Jenkins – Charlotte, NC
Tom Armstrong – Louisville, KY
Kenneth Walker – Kansas City, MO
Jeff Moser – Carson City, NV
Kenneth Cheeseman – Boston, MA
Dave Malwitz – Newbury Park, CA
Jon Makela – Portland, OR
Andrew Coffey – Chicago, IL
Jack Sweeney – Tampa, FL
James Osborne – Denver, CO
Ron Adolf – Vancouver, BC

During the year, these select riders will share their commuting experience…all while using some of the Ergon commuter friendly products like the GP1 BioKork grips, BC3 backpacks, PC2 pedal, and new gloves. More information about the Ergon Commuter Team can be found on the Ergon blog HERE.

I will be sharing my experiences here on Bike Carson, but you will be able to follow the whole team via the Ergon social media sites.

Blog: www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/blog/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Ergon-International/29970736242
Twitter: twitter.com/Ergon_Intl

Week in Review

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Jeff Moser

It’s been a great week biking here in Carson City! We’ve had fantastic and interesting conditions up on the trails, and brand new bike lanes have opened up along a vital urban corridor. Here’s a look at what was happening this week.

Cortney Bloomer and Ashley Dale on the Creek Trail

The week started off with mild weather, and enough snow had melted to allow us to ride the Creek Trail. The November storms had left the trail frozen for weeks, so it was a real treat to get to ride this fantastic trail again. I had almost forgotten how fun it was, but all the grins from the riders were a good reminder!

Rainy commute home on the Ute

On Tuesday, epic riding conditions disappeared into clouds and buckets of rain. I rode my fendered Kona Ute, but I’m not sure that bought me anything. My borrowed Goretex pants soaked through in the first mile to work, and water was running into my boots. I was thankful for the dry shoes, socks, and underwear I had stashed in my desk at work! I really need to figure out rain protection for my lower half. The way home that night was much better though, with a light drizzle and energizing tail wind. It was one of those commutes that I was sorry when the ride was over.

Cortney Bloomer on the Deer Run Trail

Rain turned to snow in the mountains Tuesday night, and we awoke to ideal riding conditions once again. We didn’t have moist sand like on Monday, but we had snow that was perfect for riding in. It was cold and powdery, with plenty of traction for climbing and descending! Once up on the upper trails, we were completely in the snow, but we were able to keep going. Our tires were slipping around here and there, but for the most part, you could really keep your speed.

Scott Russel on the Four Day Trail

Scott Jeffries on the Evidence Trail

Cortney Bloomer – Peace, Snow, and Singletrack

Scott Russel on the Evidence Trail

Scott and Cortney on the Evidence Trail

If you’ve never bombed down a hill in the snow, let me tell you…it’s fantastic! The snow deadens most of the sounds you usually hear, leaving only the wind in the trees above and the crunch of the tires on the ground. Very peaceful and serene.

Snowy Descent back to Carson City

Way back in the Fall of 2009, Muscle Powered approached the Carson City Regional Transportation Commission about including bicycle lanes in the plan to widen Roop Street. Roop Street is a vital cycling corridor, as it is the only road other than HWY 395 that crosses Carson City without interruption, nearly all the way from county line to county line. Thanks to support from the cycling community, the RTC was persuaded to have the contractor revise the plans!

Donna Inversin at the Roop Street Opening Ceremony

On December 16th, over a year later, the ribbon was cut, the cones removed, and Roop Street was open once again for business. There is now plenty of room for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, and Muscle Powered’s relationship with the city has never been better! A big thanks goes out to all who were involved in this project, it was a big win for cyclists!

Members from Muscle Powered attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and were the first cyclists to officially ride the new bike lanes on Roop Street. This included Donna Inversin, who after retiring, finally decided it was time to learn how to ride a bike! Great job, Donna! I’m proud of you!

More news on the Roop Street ceremony can be found over on CarsonNow.org.

Morning Commute – Self Portrait

A winter storm greeted us Friday morning. I knew weather was on its way, but was really surprised to see how much snow was already accumulating. I decided on the 29″ wheeled Karate Monkey for the day’s snow riding, hoping that I wouldn’t encounter too much ice. It’s still snowing as I write this, and more snow is forecasted for the next several days. What cycling adventures lie ahead are anyone’s guess…

Bike Carson Photos of the Week

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Jeff Moser

…and we’re back! It was a busy couple weeks of good riding without a lot of time for writing. Let’s get caught up now with a mix of reader submitted photography and some of my own pictures and stories.

Levi @ District CX championships in Reno by Kary Grabow

First we have some CX championships racing action in Reno from Kary Grabow.

Paul Bass at the Bicycle Authority

Here’s a photo from the Bicycle Authority taken by Dan Turner, Paul Bass and his new 2011 Kona Cowan frame. Who’s Paul Bass you say? He’s a Kona Bikes pro rider, and is the guy that did a back flip over Ash Canyon road. Here’s a video of that stunt HERE.

Last race of the 2010 Season from Dan Turner

Here’s a photo of the Bicycle Authority BMX team at the last Carson race of the 2010 season.

Furly Night Commuter by Antoine Pethers

Here’s a photo from Antoine Pethers in New Zealand, riding his fur covered Surly, or “Furly” as he calls it. Antoine says, “Riding home from work on the East Coast Bay’s ‘Share with Care’ bike path. It’s nice to be physically separated from the drunks at this hour of the night. Getting warm in Auckland, shorts and a t-shirt at 10.30pm.”

More great photos and writing can be found on Antoine’s blog, Bike Friendly North Shore.

Frozen singletrack along the V&T Trail

Winter storms left the foothills covered in snow for days. Cold temperatures made the trails packed and frozen though, and we actually got some good riding in. It was definitely slow going and challenging, but the changing conditions really keep the same old trails interesting!

Robin Sharp riding the slushy snow above Lakeview.

Ashley Dale dropping down to the V&T

After our cold spell, the temperature warmed up at the noon hour, and the snow became butter cream frosting. Instead of riding on top of it, we were sliding through it, fighting to stay upright. There was walking and crashing involved at times which caused mixed emotions from the riders. Some grumbled, some laughed. I don’t think anyone cried. But in the end, it’s still nice to get out. Winter can be tough!

Rainbow Monkey

Last week the snow left the flats and southern facing slopes, leaving the trails in epic conditions. Hard packed sand with very little rolling resistance and tons of traction. Hero Dirt. One day we even had a rainbow to ride under.

Tom on the Four Day Trail

Although the Creek Trail is still under the snow at the bottom of the canyon, all the other trails were open in Ash Canyon including the higher elevation Evidence Trail. Clearing the switchbacks on this trail has never been easier!

Jingle Bell Run

Last weekend, my friend Brent and I had the opportunity to be ride leaders for the 5K Jingle Bell Run. I stayed up front with the leader to make sure people knew the course, and Brent floated around and helped with problem traffic areas. The runners were all decked out in Santa hats and jingle bells. What a good time!

I ain’t got no brakes!

We’ll finish with this video. Scott Russel demonstrates why disc brakes are a better idea on a snow bike!

These pictures were selected from the Bike Carson Flickr Pool. Instructions for adding your photos to the pool can be found HERE.

Transitions

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Jeff Moser

We were spoiled with Fall this year in Carson City. It felt like an actual season, and we were treated to weeks of fair weather and ideal trail conditions. It’s the time of year that makes me feel like there’s no other place on the planet I’d rather be than Carson City!

The Sticks

The riding up at Lake Tahoe has winded down, but there is still plenty of good riding in the desert to the east. I got out for a recent ride at Centennial, and rode out to the sticks, a giant pile of dead wood that is ever growing. You’ve heard the expression “out in the sticks”. Now you have the visual to go with it.

Wild Horses

You can pretty much count on seeing wild horses out on the Centennial trail. I saw a bunch on this ride, and even a few that didn’t seem so wild. In fact, they didn’t appear to care that I was there at all. Just a quick glance my way as if to say, “What’s up, Mac?”, and then back to munching their grass.

Crunching Through the Leaves

Another thing I love about Fall is the changing of the colors. Riding under the red and gold canopies, and looking down on the colorful patchwork quilt of town from the trails high above. And when the leaves fall off the trees they form in long piled rows along the curb. I’m here to tell you that riding through a pile of leaves is just as fun at age 40 as it was at 10 years old!

High Winds!

The end of Fall was forecast, and the winds picked up before the winter storms. A few of us reluctantly went out for a ride in the high winds. We decided we couldn’t miss out on one of the last dry, semi-warm days of the year. And the wind is only really tough in one direction right? As always, the toughest part of the ride was getting the motivation to head out. Once rolling, you can’t believe you almost considered not going. It was slow going into the brutal headwinds, but electrically fast with a gust of wind at your back.

Dennis and Mike

The winter storms arrived last weekend, but we had a nice break in between. The first storm left only about an inch of snow in Ash Canyon. Most of the snow was suspended in the grass and bushes, but had already melted on the singletrack. This made exploring the winter wonderland a blast! I was able to ride all the trails with exception of the Creek Trail. I didn’t even bother heading down there for fear of having to hike out. It was quite a sight looking down from the top of the climb. The miles of twisty snowy singletrack looked so different than it had just a few days ago.

Time for some Downhill!

I wasn’t the only one who had the idea to sneak in a ride before the next storm hit. I saw at least a half dozen other riders headed up for some fun in the snow. I stopped and talked with Dennis and Mike, and was even harassed by Susan as she rode by, threatening to bring scissors and cut off my beard. Marcus even bagged a night ride a few hours later. It was a great day for those seeking the peacefulness and solitude of the wintry mountains.

First Snow Commute of the Winter

I took a break from riding the next day, instead prepping my ice and snow bike. I setup my On One single speed with studded snow tires and flat pedals, so I’d be ready for any weather that hit the next morning. This turned out to be a good decision, because the Monday commute was icy! Once again, I felt that the studded snow tires literally saved my butt. It’s now totally dark at 5PM for the ride home from work. The days grew shorter so quickly it seemed. Even though this will be my 4th winter commuting by bicycle, it was still a bit scary leading up to it. Now that’s here though, I’ve accepted it, I have a great set of lights, and I’m actually really enjoying the cold dark rides.

Ice Commute Self Portrait

Transitioning into winter brings mixed emotions. Sadness, because of the limited activity and available light. Relief, because it’s been a busy year and now it’s time to rest. But also excitement of all the new challenges to face. Riding home in the dark through a snow storm can be just as exhilarating as bombing a section of fast singletrack. Staying warm and beating the elements, even over the easiest trails, is the challenge of the season.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you get out for some riding over the long holiday weekend!

Bike Carson Photos of the Week

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Jeff Moser

Here’s a look at what’s been going on with Bike Carson readers. We have some Fall riding shots as well as some Spring photos from the southern hemisphere.

Kings Canyon by Scott Meikrantz

First we have a photo from Scott Meikrantz, a shot of his single speed Vasssago at the Kings Canyon overlook as the sun is going down.

Jesse on the Evidence trail by Jeff Moser

A couple weeks ago, some of our lunchtime crew went for an extended weekend ride up in Ash Canyon. It’s always fun when you have extra time to play around and take some good photos. Here’s a photo of Jesse Richardson crossing the log on the Evidence Trail.

UNR Cycling by Kary Grabow

Next we have some UNR Cycling racing action from Kary Grabow.

Marlette Lake by Scott Meikrantz

The Sierras take on a whole new look in the Fall. Here’s an awesome foggy scene along Marlette Lake from Scott Meikrantz.

Sandie on the Seven Steps Trail by Jeff Moser

Here’s another one from our weekend Ash Canyon trip, Sandie Ruybalid coming down the Seven Steps trail.

Robin on the Seven Steps Trail by Jeff Moser

We had some great riding this last week here in Carson City. Hours of rain last weekend turned the summer sand into hardpack with amazing traction! And when you combine great conditions with Fall colors and scenery, it just doesn’t get much better. Here’s Robin Sharp (and Sandie off in the distance) heading over to the Seven Steps Trail.

If you’ve been up in the canyon, you may have noticed what great shape the trails are in after the rain. This is not by accident! While most of us were huddled in our warm homes last weekend, Jeff Potter and a couple guys were up on the trails during the torrential rain, watching the water flow down the trails. Seeing the rain in action allowed them to see where water was flowing and pooling, and they constructed more drains to divert the eroding water off the trail. So while the main roads are soggy and rutted out, the singletrack has never been better. Thanks guys!

BarbieFurRacer® B+W by Antoine Pethers

The BarbieFurRacer®. Antoine Pethers prepared this 17kg singlespeed race weapon for the 2010 Singlespeed World Championship, held this year in New Zealand. Check out coverage of this race, where the winners receive mandatory tattoos, over on Antoine’s site, Bike Friendly North Shore.

Division 1 Start by Kary Grabow

Here we have more racing action from Kary Grabow, the Division 1 start at the Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships up in Truckee, CA.

More Penguins by Antoine Pethers

An artsy shot from Antoine Pethers, More Penguins.

McClellan Peak by Scott Meikrantz

And finally a photo from the top of McClellan Peak. I don’t know anyone who climbs this mountain more than Scott Meikrantz.

These pictures were selected from the Bike Carson Flickr Pool. Instructions for adding your photos to the pool can be found HERE.

Bike Carson

Bicycle News, Culture, and Lifestyle in Carson City, Nevada

Tag Archives: cycling

Cycling with Allergies and Asthma

Stateline to Stateline Bikeway Project

2011 Ergon Commuter Team

Week in Review

Bike Carson Photos of the Week

Transitions

Bike Carson Photos of the Week