Archive for December, 2010
Complete Roads
‘Complete roads’ is a term coined to describe roads which are designed to safely and conveniently accommodate public transportation, private vehicles, cycles and pedestrians. You may not know of too many of them, but judging from what we heard they are definitely on every transportation planner’s agenda. Influential legislators are also jumping on the bandwagon.
We were fortunate to be invited to a recent presentation from Bike Texas and the Adventure Cycling Association in San Antonio – one of some seven or eight such presentations across Texas. Both organizations are advocates for cycling, but instead of the usual litany of problems with which we are all too familiar, the speakers focused on some very positive actions taking place locally, state-wide, nationally and internationally to recognize the growing demand for bike-friendly and bike-safe corridors – for commuting, recreation and vacation travel.
The local audience was proud to hear that San Antonio was recently awarded the Bronze medal from the League of American Bicyclists. This will give further impetus to the bold plans the local bike planner is developing for council approval before the next local election. It will also undoubtedly provoke reaction in Austin and other Texas cities eager to be competitive for what is increasingly being recognized as a significant draw for affluent tourists. While still a small part of the $6.5 billion ‘tourism’ spend, cycling is growing rapidly in response to several societal vacation trends: active; sustainable, experiential and back to basics. Tax-payer funding for cycling activity is currently miniscule, although some very impressive outcomes are apparent. Increasingly, however, legislators are realizing the wide range of benefits which safe cycling brings to local and broader-based communities: improved public health, reduced traffic flows – requiring less new roads, better air quality and increased tourist – and tax– revenues.
Beyond municipal activity, however, the good news was that the states and federal governments are collaborating, not just on standards, although they are important, but also on inter-connectivity of cycling corridors, both on-road and off-road to eventually create routes analogous to the Interstate Highway system for vehicles. This is a trend which is increasingly making it possible to cycle across states, and across the country.
Jim Sayer of Adventure Cycling Association spoke of the more than 40,000 miles of routes now mapped for cyclists for over-night, week-long or extended tours. One of many such routes throughout the country is the Sierra Cascades trail, running from the Canadian to the Mexican borders. Like most of these trails it also features lots of less adventurous loops of shorter duration. Adventure Cycling’s four cartographers are continually revising and improving their maps using the latest technology and input from local and national sources as the infrastructure moves from concept to planning to implementation.
Visit www.adventurecycling.org to find out about their advocacy, their route maps and the other services they provide. It’s a member-funded organization, so give serious consideration to joining up and encouraging your bike buddies to follow suit. Your voices get heard at three levels of government. Beats paying taxes!
Season’s Greetings from Reverse Gear
Wishing you, your friends, families and loved ones all the best for the holiday season and for 2011, Judi and Len
River City Bent Riders
If you live anywhere near San Antonio TX, you will want to check out River City Bent Riders.
This cycling club was started in June 2010 by Jorge Tijerina and is growing. It’s obvious that Jorge is passionate about recumbent cycling. As soon as we arrived in San Antonio, Jorge called to see if we wanted to ride. We met him for lunch at the Blue Star Brewing Company and he took us on the riverfront trail to the Missions. What a great welcome to the city for us and to Texas hospitality.
Jorge’s organizational skills, gained in many years as a logistics officer in the military, are also apparent in what he has already done for this young club. He has:
- created a list of local rides in San Antonio TX and near-by locations
- mapped the rides using internet mapping software (there are already 20 routes)
- ridden the rides by car or bike to make sure they are safe
- talked to local police and sheriffs to determine safety issues related to the routes
- created a website
- promoted the club on numerous other sites like BROL or recumbents.com
- contacted local bike shops to publicize club rides
- convinced the local parks organization to create a video about safe riding on the trails
- published a regular newsletter, and
- acquired team jerseys.
His enthusiasm is contagious. He has a great sense of humor and will make you comfortable when you come out and join the club - whether you are a local or you have come from far-away like we did. He also shares his wealth of knowledge about San Antonio, gained from living in the area since he was a child.
RIDE #1 with RCBR:
We rode the Shertz morning ride on Saturday, December 11th and will join this enthusiastic group again on December 18th.
If you can make out to a ride, just want more information about the club, or if you want to be added to River City Bent Riders membership, contact Jorge directly… at [email protected]
The RCBR website has a lot of useful information about recumbent riding too.
Ride #2 with RCBR:
December 18th was a clear but cold morning so Judi was in full gear including her weather-resistant RG Woolybutt tights, a down jacket and gloves. She joined the group at 9 am to ride the 19 mi/30 km route called San Jose to Blue Wing. She managed to stay with the group until they reached the San Juan Mission. But - photography took priority over riding and she stopped to take a few photos. She stopped again at Mission Espada to take some more. By then the rest of the riders were miles ahead. So she rode the rest of the trip solo. The route was well mapped out and travelled along quiet country roads that were relatively flat. Overall it was a most enjoyable ride and our appreciation goes out to Jorge for organizing it and for inviting us to join them.
If you live in San Antonio, or are visiting, definitely check out this group via their RCBR website or contact Jorge directly at [email protected]
RG Newsletter - December 2010
Our Holiday Gift to you
We are offering all of our jerseys at 20% off until December 26th.
Order now and get it under the tree in time for Christmas.
Introducing 3 new unique REVERSE GEAR jerseys
The Cool-back is a mesh-backed jersey for those who want to stay cooler on the recumbent seat. This jersey is in response to a customer request - we heard ya!
The Chevron is for people who want side pockets - but with zips so they don’t lose their valuables while riding. We designed a large pocket in the side panel and zipped it, because we learned from our survey of recumbent riders that 60% had lost something from open pockets. This jersey also has body-mapping with Airlite in the arm panels to keep you cooler.
The Jazzed about Triking jersey is the first in a new series of wearable art. This one was designed by Vergie Banks famous for her series of little red tricycle paintings - www.littleredtricycle.com
Did you know
…that Reverse Gear has designed more than 25 tops - all suitable for recumbent cyclists?
That means something for everyone - men or women:
- club-fit cycle jerseys
- casual polo shirts - suitable for the cycle or the market
- regular or plus sizes
- sleeveless, short-sleeve, long-sleeve
- zipped side or front pockets to store valuables
- high-visibility vests with mesh-back for comfort
- a new series of wearable art
- some jerseys now come in unisex styling - so you can both wear the same jersey.
Our pants are different too
The shorts are 8-panel with a unique soft and absorbent ‘bent-liner (TM) to keep you drier and prevent chafing in the legs as well as crotch.
The longs have weather-resistant panels on both front and back to keep you warmer from wind and from moisture off the road.
It’s easier to find what you want
…and to shop faster on the new REVERSE GEAR website - launched this week.
We love to hear from you
…so please send us your comments on products or website design, suggestions for new products, or photos of you riding in REVERSE GEAR to put on our site.
Ride with us
We are currently on a western tour to recumbent shops and rallies. We are in Texas for the rest of December. Then on to New Mexico and Arizona for January and into California for February.Our schedule is posted / updated (as it changes) on the FIND US page of our blog. If we are in your area and you have a favorite ride you want to share with us, please send us an email.
A special thanx to all of you for your continued support of REVERSE GEAR in 2010 and for the past three years.
Wishing you all a Happy Holiday Season with family and friends,
- Judi and Len
Helping when we can
Rev Johannes Myors of the Pedal Prayers Ministry has now stopped cycling until spring. He and his recumbent made it to Savanna IL on November 23rd where he will work for the next six months. This was after travelling 8,559.68 miles (13,695.49 KM) since he started his 2010 journey on March 15th. An impressive accomplishment and some of those miles were done wearing Reverse Gear. We are proud to have been a clothing sponsor for Rev Hans, pictured here on one of his rides.
In February, 2010 just before he started this journey, we received an email requesting us to be a sponsor of his ride. Because “The Cycling Rev” rides a ‘bent, he had seen Reverse Gear in the list of sponsors on Bentrider Online. He had also heard about us from the editor of The Recumbent Blog. This is what he had to say…
Len and Judi,
I am hoping that you might be able to help me…
Since February of 1993, I’ve been cycling around the United States with my ministry called “Pedal Prayers”. Even though I am an ordained minister, I consider myself as a Missionary Servant Evangelist. I am more of a “hands-on evangelist” than a “speaking evangelist”.
I have made 16 coast-to-coast crossings of the United States and have been in every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. I also cycled through three provinces of your country (BC, Ontario, Quebec). As of August 31, 2009, I’ve ridden over 196,000 miles (296,000 KM) in 3,350 days of touring. Along with performing ministry, I have been helping out after natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes) and promoting social action.
I have worked alongside the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Salvation Army giving comfort to those affected and also helping to rebuild people’s lives through Habitat for Humanity, UMCOR, and other religious organizations.
I’m on my seventh bicycle. The last three have been short-wheelbase recumbents.
I am starting out on my next trip, which would be my 20th mission trip since February 1993, some time between March 15th and March 20th. …
… I am hoping that your company might be willing to donate a couple of your products and join me in my journey as I share the LORD’s compassion to who ever I meet along the way.
Thank you very much.
In HIS Draft, Rev Hans, “The Cycling Rev”
We hope the Rev Johannes Myors had a successful year and that he looked “presentable” in his Reverse Gear jerseys when he showed up on his recumbent cycle at some of the churches and ministries that he visisted. We also hope that he was comfortable as he pedaled his 2010 journey.
For more information about the Pedal Prayers Ministry - go to: https://www.pedalprayers.org
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